Rotary Club of Grand Rapids

08/14/2026

What a great Rotary Club of Grand Rapids luncheon today!

We were fortunate to hear from Nicholas Abraham, Manager of Regulatory Strategy at ITC Holdings Corp., who delivered an insightful presentation on the power grid, energy reliability, and the interconnected systems that keep our communities powered. He also shared valuable perspective on the growing impact of data centers on energy demand—timely and thought-provoking information for all of us.

It was especially meaningful to have Nicholas with us, as his mother, JoAnn Abraham is a longtime and valued member of our club.

We also shared some exciting news:

The Rotary Club of Grand Rapids has been awarded its first-ever Rotary International Global Grant!

In partnership with the Rotary Club of Harare Central, our application to drill boreholes at eight schools in Shamva, Zimbabwe—providing clean and accessible water for students and communities—has been approved by The Rotary Foundation and The Rotary Foundation Canada. The grant award is US $64,200.

A special thank you to Sienna Mavima, Chair of our World Community Service Committee, for her hard work and dedication in leading the grant submission process. This achievement would not have been possible without her leadership.

This is a proud moment for our club and a powerful reminder of the difference we can make when we work together across borders.

08/13/2026

A hearty welcome to Catherine Gagnon of Tamarisk Legal Advisors PLLC, who has joined the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids. A brisk biography of beauty and benevolence follows:

CAREER: Multilingual attorney bridging European and American legal experience; previously worked for Rockford Construction

FOCUS: Estate planning for individuals, families, and business owners

FAMILY: Husband Zach and children Jack and Lea

BACKGROUND: French native who worked for global construction leader VINCI in Berlin🌍

3 ADJECTIVES: Detailed, quiet, informed

LOCAL YOKEL: 6 years in Grand Rapids

WHY WEST MICHIGAN? Husband grew up in Alpena. After living in Germany together, decided to move back to Michigan after children were born

HOBBIES: Walking & hikes🚶🏼 , reading📖 , swimming 🏊🏼

FAVORITE TASKS: Vacuuming

READING: Short-story collection "Brawler," by Lauren Groff

FARTHEST TRAVELED: Tanzania and Zanzibar in 2016

FUN FACT: Would put Buffalo Wild Wings' Spicy Garlic sauce on nearly everything

WHY ROTARY: To establish friendships with like-minded people and for service opportunities

SUPRISING: Played in Women's Hockey League for a season. Not well.

VOLUNTEERING: CASA of Kent County

COMMITTEE: Intrigued by the World Community Service committee

A special thanks to her sponsors, Chelsea Dubey and Brian Hauenstein, CSA.

08/11/2026

⚾ PLAY BALL! ⚾

Join the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids + Fans of Valley Field for an unforgettable night at LMCU Ballpark!

🏟️ Exclusive Family Fare Clubhouse Suite
🍽️ Food Buffet Included (sponsored by Fans of Valley Field)
🚗 Parking Included
⚾ Whitecaps Game
🍺 Alcohol available for purchase
🎟️ Only $25 thanks to the generous sponsorship of Jackie Merritt & Alliance Financial & Insurance!

Come enjoy great baseball, meet new people, and build new connections with two amazing organizations.

📅 Wednesday, August 26
Seats are limited—grab yours before they're gone! ⚾💙💚

🎟️ Purchase tickets via this link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/rotary-club-of-gr-fans-of-valley-field-baseball-outing?fbclid=IwY2xjawTgeTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeXhHmYrWIL06uGZvfVI1WPnW6Ndsgw9CtR5GSIWd7GKvpYDA7CrZqIKDIcDc_aem_ZH5-wRuWoytxTs2Gv4q0Zw

08/05/2026

Let's get grounded and intentional and welcome John King Professional Counseling, PLLC to the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids. We are lucky to have his leadership and vision in West Michigan:

WORK: John King Professional Counseling, PLLC

FOCUS: Mental health counseling

SPOUSE: Kathleen King

3 ADJECTIVES: Deliberate, kind, nostalgic

HOBBIES: Piano, making music, reading, motorsports

READING/WATCHING: Dune/Ted Lasso

FUN FACT: Has a strong Irish ancestry despite a lack of "Irish wit"

LOCAL YOKEL: 8 months

WHY WEST MICHIGAN: To be closer to family in Michigan and Wisconsin

FARTHEST TRAVELED: Krakow, Poland

YUCK/YUM: Totino’s pizza rolls/olives

ROTARY REASON: Learning from others’ expertise and forming long-lasting relationships

COMMITTEE: Community Engagement

WHEN HE GROWS UP: Race in Formula 1

SURPRISING: Big Elton John fan. Can name every song on his first 8 albums

A big thanks to his sponsors, Chuck Caldwell & Michael Sytsma.

07/09/2026

Another week of Rotarians in the Wild! Golfing, serving, traveling, biking and getting our nails done...we love doing life together.

07/09/2026

The moment has come to welcome Donny C. Nguyen of VanderWinn Consulting to the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids Michigan. Let us familiarize ourselves with his bountiful bona fides:

WORK: Entrepreneur, consultant, and real estate investor

SPECIALTY: Helping business owners grow their businesses

EXPERIENCE: 15 years in corporate roles across sales, supply chain, operations, finance, and project management for Pfizer, Amway, Belwith-Keeler

FAMILY: Wife Thao and children Kyler, Grayson, and Emery

VOLUNTEERING: Ada Business Association

READING: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

WHY ROTARY: Give back to the community and be of service with his family

3 Adjectives: Intentional, Social, and Reflective

FAVORITE TASKS: Financial reconciliation

FURTHEST TRAVELED: Vietnam

WHY WEST MICHIGAN? First job with Pfizer

YUM/YUCK: Pizza/Olives

SURPRISING: Has a collection of video game consoles but does not play video games often



A special thanks to his sponsors, Jon Andrews and Jon F.

07/01/2026

Another busy week for our Rotarians...sharing meals, attending events and just bumping into each other around town. This is Rotary!

06/29/2026

We are delighted to welcome back K. Ojo to the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids. A true globetrotting extraordinaire:

JOB JOB: Managing Principal and Founder of SKO Design Group

WORK: Professional architectural and engineering services

OFFICES: Lekki Peninsula, Lagos, Nigeria; Hyde Park, London; and Grand Rapids, Michigan

LOCAL YOKEL: Grand Rapids has been home for 40+ years

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Architecture from University of Illinois, Master of Architecture and Urban Design Degree from Iowa State University, Graduate School of Design with emphasis on New Urbanism from Harvard University, Master’s Degree in Construction Administration from University of California, Berkeley

FAMILY: Blessed with numerous adult children and grandchildren

Hobbies: Motor sports, sailing, traveling

A special thank you to his sponsors, LODY ZWARENSTEYN and John Salan.

06/25/2026

Huzzah! Leslie Fraser Bozek of Flagstar Bank has joined as the newest member of the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids Michigan. Let us meet our new friend and colleague:

JOB/JOB: Two decades of banking experience, currently Assistant Vice President and Branch Banking Leader who supports individuals, businesses, and the broader economy

FAMILY: Husband Jason and children Ashton, Madison, and Zack

FUN FACT: Grew up with the Circus.

READING/WATCHING: "The Last Highlander: Scotland’s Most Notorious Clan Chief, Rebel & Double Agent" by Sarah Fraser/Third Season of "House of Dragons"

FAVORITE TASKS: Coaching team, building strong relationships, and finding solutions that drive meaningful results

WHY WEST MICHIGAN? Born here, raised in Florida, then moved back to attend college

YUCK/YUM: Fish/pasta

DOGS v. CATS: 2 Dobermans

WHEN SHE GROWS UP: Look at life daily as a new adventure! No regrets

3 ADJECTIVES: Purpose-driven, people-centered, and impact-oriented

VOLUNTEERING: Home Repair Services of Kent County, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County, Grand Rapids Chamber, Young Bankers Club, Heart of West Michigan United Way, and Women's Resource Center

ROTARY REASON: Give back in a more intentional way and be a part of a network committed to service

SURPRISING: Has a deep involvement in Scottish heritage and actively helps bring that culture to life through festivals and education

A special thanks to her sponsors, Jax Merritt and Shannon Kolarik.

05/27/2026

EP58 – Danielle Rowland – State Farm Agent

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