Well deserved! 

Announcements: 

Today’s guest speaker was Keith Woods on leadership and life. 

You may not know, but Keith Woods was a member of our club many years ago. He was the CEO of the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce from 1987 to 2000.  Then he became CEO of the North Coast Builder’s Exchange from 2000 – 2021. Rich de Lambert was president of our club when he joined in 1987. He spoke briefly on leadership: The key to success as a leader is to surround yourself with talented people.  He was also told by Fred Burger there were four kinds of people you can hire: 1.  hiresmart and energetic people. 2.  Hirer smart, but lazy people. 2.  Hirer dumb and lazy people. 4.but do not hire the dumb and energetic. 

He went to the Warrior game the night before.  His first time at the Chase Center. $225 per ticket, $24 per beer, $75 for parking in a handicapped zone. Ouch! 

When he joined the chamber, he knew Rotarians were the people who got things done and he became one of us. 

Then he asked if it was OK to tell a couple of R-rated stories from his early years in the club. We said OK.   

Padi Selwyn, in charge of the monthly Rotarian Magazine question, asked “What was notable about the bust in the lobby of RI Headquarters?”  Keith said, “It is about the same as Padi Selwyn’s bust.” Padi dumped a pitcher of water on his head (good for her!). 

Sharon Wright, at another time, asked him a question, “What is something about you that people don’t know?”  Keith said, “I left college a virgin…..I had a lot of sex, just not with a partner.” Oh my! 

Then on another occasion he sat at Benny Friedman’s table (you just did not sit at that table unless you were invited). Benny asked, “Have we been friends for a long time?”  “Have you been invited to sit at this table?”  “Are you Jewish?”   All three questions were answered, “No.”   Benny continued, “When you can answer yes to two of the three questions, you may sit here.” 

Keith was on the program committee.  It was hard!  He said he learned never to invite those who asked to speak to the club.  (Of course, our Susan Nowacki knows how to do this job and loves doing it). 

Keith says he has been doing a lot of traveling now that he is retired.  When he comes across those who are anti–California, “It is just that they are afraid of us.” One out of every eight Americans is a Californian.  He was in North Dakota when it was 22 degrees below zero. “No offence, said the man he was meeting with, but I went to California once.  Too many people, the traffic…”