Annual DG Honorary Visit
Mary Marie Bates – Biography
Born in San Diego, California, as a “Navy Junior”, Mary lived and traveled throughout Asia in her formative years. She attended San Francisco State University, receiving a Recreation Administration degree, with an emphasis in Public Administration. Her professional career has entailed leadership roles for the cities of Millbrae, South San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Jose and Foster City, in Northern California, promoting collaborative relationships with community residents, groups, and businesses. She maintains a strong commitment to excellence and ability for creating, developing and delivering high quality community services in municipal and non-profit organization environments. Mary is currently serving as the “first” Executive Director of the Foster City Village, since December 2017.
Mary joined Rotary in 2005 through her community program event work alongside of the Rotary Club of Foster City. Since becoming a Rotarian, she has served in numerous leadership positions such as the Foster City Rotary Club President and Endowment and Foundation Chair, Charter Rotaract Advisor, Foreign Exchange Student Counselor, District Community Services Chair, Assistant Governor, Special Events and Conference Chair, and currently serves as Governor-Elect of the Rotary International District 5150.
Mary has traveled to Mazatlán Mexico on 12 humanitarian service missions to distribute wheelchairs, build park/playground sites, ‘adopt’ two local orphanages, and help create elementary school site improvements; all along will gathering, and restoring local discarded USA playgrounds. She and her Rotary Club have now adopted the Yurok Indian Tribe Nation, Klamath CA, continuing their community park playground building to this day. During this past January, Mary traveled to Guatemala on an H20penDoors expedition supporting the installation of third water filtration systems, the RACHEAL school learning programs, and fitted over 500 local community members with reading glasses. Mary is a Major Donor, and a member of the Paul Harris, White Hat and Bequest Societies.
Mary’s community non-profit volunteer work is one of her passions, having served as the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter Leadership Council President, Hillbarn Theatre Board President, and has enjoyed memberships in civic organizations and foundations too numerous to mention here. She enjoys traveling, water sports, home improvement projects, and most importantly Rotary Volunteer Service and spending time with her four daughters and their families, especially when they are all together in the same state at the same time.
DAG Robert Marshall – Short Bio
Robert “Rob” Marshall is the Co-Owner of Inn Marin Associates, which manages commercial office space in Novato, Carson City & Colorado Springs. Previously, Rob & his brother, John, were co-owners of Inn Marin Hotel & Rickey’s Restaurant, for over 20 years.
Rob & his wife, Camille, have been married for 27 years and have two sons, one a Senior at The Marin High School and the other is a Senior at Cal Poly as a Mechanical Engineer, and they have a Transgender Daughter who is studying Graphic Design at College of Marin.
Rob has been a Rotarian for 21 years and is a past president of Novato Rotary 2014/15.
Rob is currently part of the World Community Service Committee, Scholarship Committee and Vice President of Nova-Ro Corporation (which is Novato Rotary’s affordable Senior Housing) and a new member of the 7th Area of Rotary Focus on the Environmental Sustainability Team. Rob is also a founding member & board member of Marin County’s Visitor Bureau. He has also volunteered with Boy Scouts of America for over 15 years & is currently a board member of the Marin County Scouting Council.
.