The Ken March 27

Rotary March 27^th, 2023

Director: Dick/Linda

Fine master: Sue J.

Table Attendance/Split Club:  Linda S.

Invocation: Ed H.

Ken writer: Cathy P

Brandon Called the meeting to order at 12:24

Invocation: Ed Hacherl-special prayers for the tornado victims

Guest Speaker: Richard Wruck, President of the Fulbright Association

 

Mr. Wnuk has over 40 years of business experience at various senior executive positions encompassing both start-up ventures as well as with large public multi-national companies. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the State University of New York College at Buffalo and attended the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School. He has an extensive background in Publishing and Gaming.

Currently Mr. Wnuk is the acting Executive Director of Business Development and Strategy for Haven Network, a Hong Kong Technology company. He has been a Senior Advisor for many large and small companies including: Blue Heron Ventures a California Corporate Consultant and Investment Fund,  Cedar Design an Israeli high tech game company, Alcon Entertainment, a leading Hollywood production company and Special Advisor for Kik Interactive, a high tech company in Waterloo Ontario that has developed a leading instant messenger for smart phones.

In March of 2014, Mr. Wnuk was awarded a Fulbright to teach at Tallinn University, Baltic School of Film and Media.  In 2016 Mr. Wnuk was awarded a second Fulbright to teach at KDU University, School of Computing & Creative Media, in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.  Mr. Wnuk has also worked with and advised the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) which is a United Nations agency is specializing in communication and information technology. President of the Fulbright Chapter of WNY and Northern Pennsylvania

Fulbright is an international exchange program part of the State Department with 400 awards annually in over 135 countries to teach, conduct research, and carry out professional projects. Started in 1946

It's been mainly students but is beginning to include professionals.

390,00 Fulbright’s awarded.

 140,000 Americans

Graduating students who want to understand what is going on in the world will live in a country for a year and are Ambassadors for the country from which they come.

Funded by the US gov't $270 million matched by the foreign governments.

Impact in US from the foreign students is $28 Billion. $3.7 Billion is brought into NY STATE. UB has 6,161 Foreign students.

The Fulbright acceptance rate is 10-20% We want to increase this number from WNY and include the smaller schools.

They expose students to art, architecture, and history as well as local companies as much as possible which can lead to an exchange of ideas.

Split Club winner: Ed Hacherl $10.50

Ace of Spades WINNER Pat Griffin $331.00

Confessions: Linda Sroka fined herself as they welcomed a new grandson over the weekend. Sue J. Just got back from Cabo.

Director-Pat Griffin

Fine master John Coogan

Table Attendance/Split Club: Scott Mason

Ken-Writer: Pat Griffin

Invocation: Tim Glor

 

Adjourned around 1:30