Our speaker this Friday is Eliot Cutler; someone with whom everyone is Maine is familiar. An attorney and entrepreneur, and two-time candidate for Governor, Eliot has accepted the responsibility of creating a new professional graduate school at the University of Maine that will include Maine School of Law, graduate business school programs, and other university offerings. The Alfond Foundation has provided a grant to support the initial planning and organizational work. Eliot will discuss this effort and its significance to the state.

Eliot was born and raised in Bangor. He graduated from Harvard College, and earned his J.D. at Georgetown University. He began his career working for Senator Edmund Muskie. He and his wife live in Cape Elizabeth.

Our speaker last Friday  was Joan Gordon,President and CEO of Maine Molecular Quality Controls (MMQC). She and a partner, Clark Rundell, started the business in 2000 and today it has  fifteen employees. It is currently moving into a new and larger facility in Saco. The company sends its product to medical testing laboratories across the United States and around the world. The medical labs are using testing systems which look at and measure DNA molecules. MMQC provides test control kits for specific diseases and disorders which the lab can use to measure the quality of their diagnoses and recommended therapies. The molecular diagnostic field is growing. New tests come out ever day and they all need controls.

“Yes, MMQC has competitors in the United Kingdom, Boston and California.” “Yes, the equipment is expensive and we used grant monies to get started ($300,00).” “Yes, government controls are now in place. They’ve been on the books since 1988.  The FDA is now getting the act. A Massachusetts lab's miss-diagnosis was a wake-up call!”

Joan, at the end of her talk, particularly  acknowledged the assistance given by Rotarian Bob Trail (her father)  to the growth and progress of MMQC.

(Photo: Clark Rundell, Bob Martin, Joan Gordon, Bob Traill and President Kris)

(Photo: Joan Gordon and President-elect Bowen "Vannah" Depke assisting our speaker with her visual aids.)

Russ Burleigh opened our meeting with an invocation consisting of 2 prayers: the Serenity Prayer and the Senility Prayer. Both were appropriate.

President Kris Rosado called upon President-elect Bowen Depke to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Queen Peggy Wescott tickled the ivories and in no time had us singing the National Anthem.

Bowen then talked to us about the Centennial Gala of Portland Rotary scheduled for Saturday September 12, 2015 at the Holiday Inn By-the-Bay. He reminded us to get tickets and that the celebration would benefit Childhood Hunger and Education (CHE).

Bob Martin did the raffle (of only $232 – thanks to Roxane Cole's winning $1180 last week). There was no winner this week.

(Photo: President Kris, Bobi Kadrekov, Daniel Ihev, Yordan Tumbev and AG John LoBosco)

There were 46 members in attendance and lots of visiting guests and several special visiting Rotarians from Bulgaria. In addition, there were several Past District Governors, our District Governor Nominee and our Assistant Governor that were with us: PDG Peter Johnson, PDG Carolyn Johnson, PDG Marty Helman, DGN/AG Marge Barker, AG John LoBosco; from Bulgaria - AG Bobi Kadrekov, Daniel Ihev, and Yordan Tumbev. There was an exchange of club banners from the Bulgarian Rotarians with Portland Rotary.

PDG and current Chair of the District Foundation, Peter Johnson, lauded our club for its Foundation contributions. He said that Portland Rotary this year has a record number of contributors who have pledged record-setting funds for the Foundation. He appropriately recognized our own Foundation Chair, Amy Chipman, for her tireless efforts.

                                                                           (Photo: PDG Peter Johnson)

We were reminded again of the July 9^th Jewell Island Cruise. This is a tribute to the late Bob Patten, a former Portland Rotary President and Past District Governor who spearheaded a clean-up effort of Jewell Island when he was DG in 1992. Tickets are $40 and include a Casco Bay Lines cruise, a program and heavy hors d’oeuvres. The time is almost here, so contact Loretta Rowe at lrowe@maine.rr.com immediately to make your reservations. Detailed information is on our club website home page at left.

Bowen then thanked the club for sending him to the Rotary International Convention and promised a more thorough talk at a later meeting.

Have a great Independence Day!

Enjoy your family & friends!

Portland Rotary meeting locations for 2015 

If you would like to mark your calendars for where our meetings will be held,
we are at the following locations through June 2015:

You can watch our recent Portland Rotary Club speakers on the Community Television Network website:

http://ctn5.org/shows/rotary-club-speakers-series

You can always find the link on the Portland Rotary Home Page!