The Rotary Club of Beaumont, TX, is a large and diverse fellowship of inspired business, professional, and civic leaders with significant community connections that foster the ideals of Service Above Self and high ethical standards.
If you are attending in person, we ask that you use this linkto make a reservation by Monday, March 6, 2023.
"Women in the Workforce"
This week, we will be hearing from a panel of speakers. This panel consists of Jessica Hill- President of Regional Economic Development Initiative, Dr. Donna Prudhomme with Beaumont Independent School District, Tiffany Parker with Lamar Institute of Technology, Katie Celli, with Golden Triangle Business Roundtable, Shareen Larmond- President of West Gulf Maritime Association, Pamela Wise with Workforce Solutions of SETX, and E. Annette Hernandez- Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Lamar University.
There will also be an umbrella contest that will begin at 11:30. Voting for the umbrella contest will end at 11:50, so make sure to arrive early and get your vote in!
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March 8, 2023
Invocation
Mary Poole
Marketing Consultant
Baptist Hospitals
Pledges to USA & Texas Flags
Julie Strassburger
Director of Marketing
St. Anne Catholic School
Introduction of Guests
Tish Cornell
Vice President of Marketing
CommonCents Credit Union
Introduction of Speaker
Nakisha Burns
Beaumont Area Public & Government Affairs Manager
ExxonMobil
Please volunteer for Head Table responsibilities through the
New Member Orientation- 10:30 A.M.- Rotary Office- MCM Elegante, Suite 213
28
Board of Directors Meeting; 11:30 A.M.- MCM Elegante, Fountainview Room30
30
Rotary After Hours-McFaddin Ward House
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BOARD ACTION
Board Secretary Arne Almquist reported changes to membership.
One new membership proposals were approved:
Darren Erwin, President and CEO, Better Business Bureau Southeast Texas
Proposed by Amanda Ellis
Classification: “Non-profit BBB”
Kenneth Fagan, Commanding Officer, The Salvation Army
Proposed by Pat Anderson
Classification :"Associations- The Salvation Army"
Emma Nelson, Community Outreach Coordinator, Beaumont Police Department
Proposed by Pat Anderson
Classification: "Government-Community Outreach"
Stefan Andrei, University Professor of Computer Science, Lamar University
Proposed by Helen Lou
Classification: "Education- University Professor"
Resignation in Good Standing
Ashly Key
The Board of Directors meets monthly and the meetings are open to all members. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 28. If you would like to attend the lunch meeting, please make a reservation in advance with the Executive Director.
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
Thank you for sponsoring this event! We look forward to seeing you Wednesday.
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SPECIAL PRESENTATION
March 1, 2023, Robert Kocot presented John Lee with a special plaque that was presented at the Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau Night of Stars. He was recognized for his volunteer efforts at the Beep Baseball World Series last year with 41 volunteers. Thank you for chairing this event. It was a great success.
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BINGO CHALLENGE
Have you submitted a membership proposal form? Do you know someone who wants to join Rotary? Let's get them involved!
Also, thank you to our sponsors!
Click HERE for a proposal form and email it to admin@beaumontrotaryclub.org or call the office (409) 842-1913.
The Rotary Club of Beaumont’s speaker for its 1 March 2023 meeting featured Federal Magistrate Judge, Christine Stetson. Christine originally came from Glens Falls, New York. She attended the Albany Law School in Albany, New York, and graduated cum laude in 1992. She began her legal career as an associate at the Dallas, Texas, firm of Bickel & Brewer. In 2000, she began practicing law in Beaumont at the former firm of Germer, Bernstein & Gertz. Currently, Christine serves as a magistrate judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, an office she undertook on 31 August 2022. Christine explained that magistrate judges are appointed for a term of eight years and only after extensive examination by the judges of the district court. Christine noted that being interviewed by nine out of the eleven district judges was quite challenging. Christine also discussed the difference in power between district court judges and magistrate judges; district judges hold more power than magistrate judges because district judges are appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Magistrate judges’ powers encompass the disposition of minor criminal offenses and may hold bench or jury trials in civil actions. In addition, magistrate judges handle preliminary proceedings in felony matters, and report and recommend to the district court on dispositive matters in civil cases. A magistrate judge is the first judge a person sees after being arrested and in this initial appearance, the magistrate judge must determine whether to detain the accused or not. This decision is based on two factors: 1. Will the accused appear in court when summoned; 2. Will the release of the accused threaten the safety of the community. A magistrate judge may also oversee the arraignment in which the accused appears with his/her attorney and sets forth a plea. Christine noted that a magistrate judge cannot issue a wiretap warrant. Christine discussed several key statistics of the Beaumont and Lufkin divisions. She noted that in 2022 there were 631 new civil cases in Beaumont and 264 in Lufkin. Also in 2022 the courts closed 629 cases in Beaumont and 301 in Lufkin. Christine discussed the types of cases a magistrate judge may encounter, such as insurance claims (hurricanes), breach of contract, motor vehicle accidents, liability, fraud, civil rights. Criminal cases in 2022 totaled 177 felony cases in Beaumont such as drugs, firearms, immigration, violent crimes, and sex offenders. Christine then took questions from the audience.
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