Invocation: Dr. Vernon Harper
Flag Salute: Justin Leland
Song: Bea Barmann
Greeter: Dave Weldon
Roving Microphone: Joe Gregory, Mike McCoy
Spoke Guest Editor:
Molly BusaccaMolly owns and operates Secure Systems, a local alarm company, along with her husband Bruce. A Bakersfield native, she is proud Driller who went on to UCLA and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology with a Business Emphasis. That degree has come in handy while working with her spouse, and raising their now 24 year-old triplets.
Guests: There were a lot of guests today, and a packed house. If I missed any, I apologize. Tracy Walker-Kiser – Sara Oliver, Dr Vernon Harper – Dr. Deborah Jackson. Toni Harper – Emily Graham, Juan Bustamonte – Jim & Tristan, Joe Hay – two executives from Ford Motor Company, Speaker Dana Brennan – accompanied by Doug and Holly Culhanne (her parents) and her husband Joe Brennan, Jorge Barrientos – Jonathan Slage. Visiting Rotarian – Maggie Cushine.
Good News
Hal Aaron announced the arrival of their first grandchild – a boy!
Rob Noriega was on the cover of Bakersfield Life Magazine – a few things to point out – it was “The Women’s Issue” and he didn’t have on his Rotary pin. Clearly deserving of a $100 fine.
Waterman Grant Presentation
Pat Collins and Jim Damian presented a BIG check to Maggie Cushine of the Boys and Girls Club. She let the club know that they used the funds to purchase a security visitor management system to screen guests to the facilities.
Hal is looking for the category "Construction".
Rotary Wheel of Fortune, Fame, Fun & Locally owned businesses
Hal Aaron was the lucky contestant today who got to spin the above-mentioned wheel. Quite aptly he chose the “Romance” category and guessed that the organ associated with love in ancient times was the heart. Alas, it was that non-romantic, but equally important organ – the liver. He has been promised a certificate to go to Studio Grill Movies courtesy of DeWalt Engineering (founded in 1965) but would like to trade that in for free engineering for his next sub-division.
Jim Damian introduced today’s speaker, Dana Brennan, Grimmway Farms, VP of Government & Public Affairs & Corporate Responsibility
Dana Brennan (a former Downtown Bakersfield Rotarian) gave a great overview of a Grimmway Farms – which can be credited with helping make Kern County the largest producer of carrots in the WORLD! For those not familiar with the roots (get it – carrots are a “root” crop) of this company it was started in 1969 by Rob and Bob Grimm when they opened a roadside corn stand in Southern California. They saw the potential for carrots in Kern County – and the rest is history. Sadly, they both passed away at young ages – but the foundation on which they had built the company was solid and in 2019 Grimmway Farms celebrated 50 years as a family-owned farm. It 2020 they made the decision to sell to Teays River Investment Inc which would allow the company to grow and expand. Most importantly they felt it aligned with their values of dedication to their product and employees.
Grimmway Farms has stayed at the top of their game by researching the best ways to grow, harvest, water and weed. Yes - the weeding aspect is clearly near and dear to Dana’s heart – she flashed a picture of the Star Trek looking “Carbon Robotic Laser Weeder” that is able to go in stealth mode to organic fields and find weeds and knock them out with a chemical free laser. Unfortunately, there are no home models available at this time.
Apparently, the allegiance and pride that we Kern County residents have in Grimmway Farms is not known throughout the land (I have personally received many a picture of a bag of Grimmway carrots found at a market from my children as they lived and visited in different states and countries!). One of Dana’s many jobs was to produce a report on the ESG aspects of the company. Not sure what ESG means? Well - here you go! E= Environmental S = Social G= Governance. This company has been dedicated to all of these areas before the acronym was even thought of and it shows in their innovation in organic farming, support of their employees with education, internships and mulit-generational employment and finally their willingness to be a part of the legislation and issues affecting agriculture. As part of ESG a report is produced outlining a company’s involvement in each area (said report is a finalist for “international best first time report”). As Dana stated, “if you don’t’ tell your own story then someone else will.” She is proud to be part of this company and it shows!
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