Sandy Springs

PRESIDENT'S CORNER
President Nancy Schroeder's Welcome Message

On behalf of the Rotary Club of Sandy Springs, I welcome you to visit our club and experience the Rotary Club of Sandy Springs' hospitality and energy. We meet on Monday for lunch at 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Hilton Perimeter Suites, 6120 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. You can reserve a spot by going to our website at www.sandyspringsrotary.org. Join your fellow professionals, and community and business leaders, and learn how Rotary can fit in your future. Experience Rotary Making A Difference!

Upcoming Program
Keith Parker - CEO - Goodwill of North Georgia

On February 17th, at 12:15, Keith Parker will be visiting the Rotary Club of Sandy Springs.

Keith T. Parker is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Goodwill of North Georgia. One of the largest nonprofit organizations in the southeast, Goodwill spans a 45-county territory, operating 61 stores, 58 donation centers and 13 career centers. Goodwill employs nearly 3,000 people, each of whom play a direct or supporting role in the organization's donated goods retail operations and its career services. Annually, Goodwill collects upwards of 2.5 million donations and serves more than 7 million shoppers. Through the revenue generated in its stores, the organization is able to connect tens of thousands of North Georgians to jobs each year. Parker took the helm at Goodwill of North Georgia in October 2017. Prior to transitioning into his leadership role at Goodwill, Parker has served as CEO of the largest transit systems in several cities, including San Antonio, Charlotte and most recently, Atlanta.

Throughout his career Parker has received numerous awards and accolades for his work as an organizational leader and transportation visionary. He won Texas CEO of the Year Awards in 2011 and 2012. He was recognized as the nation's Outstanding Public Transportation Manager by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) in 2015. METRO Magazine named Parker as one of its 20 Most Influential People of the Decade. In 2016, Parker was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC). In November the same year, he was named one of eight Public Officials of the Year by Governing magazine. In August 2017, Parker was selected as one of Atlanta's Most Admired CEOs by Atlanta Business Chronicle.

A native of Petersburg, Virginia, Parker was appointed to the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors by Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2016. Parker received VCU's Alumni Star Award in 2015.

Parker served on the board of directors for Goodwill of San Antonio and Goodwill of North Georgia. He remains active and engaged in civic and charitable organizations, including service on various national and local boards of directors - such as Georgia Chamber of Commerce Board of Advisors, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, National Infrastructure Advisory Council, The Eno Center for Transportation: Park Over Georgia 400 Steering Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors, Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems Board of Directors, Grande West Board of Directors and Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau. Parker holds an MBA from the University of Richmond, as well as a Master of Urban and Regional Planning and a BA in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University.

More information about Goodwill of North Georgia can be found here: https://goodwillng.org/

Previous Program
February 10, Jack Barsky X-KGB Undercover spy

Monday’s program featuring Jack Barsky, an undercover x-KGB agent, was quite interesting. He demonstrated through his extraordinary experiences how important our freedom is here in the United States of America. In 1988 he resigned from the KGB to essentially raise his 1 year old daughter and to start working on his version of the American dream. Today, he is an American citizen. As the Schoolhouse Rock song goes, we welcome him and his family into “The Great American Melting Pot”.

The Rotary Club of Sandy Springs would like to thank Mr. Barsky for visiting and sharing many amazing stories of being a Russian undercover spy in the United States.
Jack Barsky presenting his story to the Rotary Club of Sandy Springs

Mr. Barsky presenting historical figures that influenced his life for better or worse.

Jack Barsky and Nancy Schroeder, 2019-2020 Rotary Club of Sandy Springs President

Jack's book, "Deep Undercover" can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I5J0OVM/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

These photos and more are available for free download in original resolution at: https://rotaryclubofsandysprings.zenfolio.com/p162...

A Look Ahead
A quick glimpse of our Rotary meeting dates

**The board of directors meeting will be on the 17th. (not the usual 2nd week)

If you have inquiries please send them to tlawrimore@gmail.com

Is your name mentioned below?​
Greeters and Invocation Leader for February 17, 2020

Rotary Club of Sandy Springs Greeters & Invocation leader for next meeting. (02/17/2020)