Volume XIX
Number 38

Tuesday
Dec. 30, 2003

GETTING TO KNOW
THE INCOMING PRESIDENT
KATHLEEN PATTERSON
By Jim Meehan

When I recently met with Kathleen Patterson , at her modest but comfortable office in the recently remodeled St. Helena warehouse/garden and retail store, she was exuding the warm smile that many of us in the St. Helena Rotary have come to know. Throughout our discussion, it was apparent that when it comes to being a female in a usually male-dominated world of hard hats and construction overalls, that this woman is no shrinking violet but instead a confident well-rounded business executive with an eye on the future.

Kathleen Patterson President-Elect 2004-2005

Kathie, as many of us know her, or Kathleen, as she prefers, was a schoolteacher by training and in practice until she joined her late husband Bob Patterson in the family business she now heads as President. Kathleen's story is an interesting one.

In 1955, Pat and Evy Patterson bought Central Valley Builders Supply -- their picture is hanging in the entry of the St. Helena retail store. Their son Bob attended Whitman College where he met Kathleen. Following their graduation they moved to the Bay Area where Bob worked for several years for Montgomery Ward before joining his parent's company in 1967. His young wife Kathleen taught primary grades in Pittsburg, California and later in St. Helena and Calistoga.

While the company history says that Bob's father was the firms' entrepreneur, Bob was the real business builder. His leadership began in 1973, and the main store in St. Helena was opened in 1979. The Napa store was opened next in 1984 and the Woodland facility in 1991. Bob passed away unexpectedly in 1992. At that time Kathleen became President. She had already been active in the firm since 1978 and was no stranger to the lumber business as she tells the story. It was on "her watch" in the early 1990's that the company weathered the longest and deepest recession in its history.  However, under her able leadership, the company continues to grow. A new Green Island Road Distribution Center opened in 2002 and a Truss Manufacturing operation will open in 2004. Today the company is a stronger competitor than ever.

GETTING TO KNOW THE INCOMING PRESIDENT KATHLEEN PATTERSON ... Continued
 

In this reporter's estimation, Kathleen's background as an educator has served her well. She comes across as a caring and empathetic individual but with a "no nonsense" business-like attitude. When asked about her key to success, she readily gives credit to her staff of 225 dedicated employees. How dedicated? She tells of one employee of 30 years (and there are several with this tenure) who at 2 am jumped into his truck to help evacuate the St. Helena lumber yard in the floods of 1996, and then had to return to his home for a second vehicle after the truck he was driving from Calistoga was hit by a falling tree and put out of commission.

While the lumber business is Kathleen's main focus, she takes time to be involved in her home community of St. Helena. She serves as a Lay leader at the Grace Episcopal Church and it was Father Mac who sponsored her for the St. Helena Rotary Club on December 12 eight years ago. When discussing her upcoming leadership role for the local Rotary Club she readily admits to having given the new position a good deal of thought. But, she wants to wait for the upcoming preparation and educational sessions for new incoming presidents, before talking about the focus of her incoming programs. For the record, Kathleen is also VP of Business and Ag for the Napa Chamber of Commerce; on Legislation Action Committee for the Napa Chamber; a member of The Executive Committee, an international organization devoted to the ongoing education of CEO's. Last year the North Bay Business Journal selected Kathleen as Business Woman of the Year in Construction.

It is very apparent that Kathleen has accomplished a great deal in her life. However, if there is an insight one might gain into the person, it comes when you mention her two sons Adam and Stephen. She beams with the pride of a loving mother and grandmother, both boys are married. Adam has two small children and is a Captain and a teacher in the U.S. Marine Corps and recently voted as the "best instructor" by the new incoming Lieutenants at his base. Kathleen's second son Stephen is an heir apparent to the family company. Stephen, after earning his undergraduate degree went on to complete an MBA at UC Davis. He then spent five years working in other companies before coming into the family's firm. He has worked in various departments before becoming the manager of the Woodland operations.

It is obvious that Kathleen is dedicated to the community, but she confided to me that it is with the St. Helena Rotary that she feels a special kinship and has great admiration for all its members and the clubs many accomplishment and contributions.

"Nothing succeeds like success" . . . with Kathleen Patterson as the Rotary President in 2004 our club's continued leadership is assured.

Rotary International Theme 2003-2004

THE LEGACY OF TRUK LAGOON
By Wendell Laidley

Phil Toohey Club President

President Phil opened our December 23rd meeting (#26 - half way in his administration) by introducing visiting Rotarian Kelly Crane and remarked Kelly is now almost a member of our Club. Guests included Katherine Zelanzy, an attorney with Gagen, McCoy, McMahon & Armstrong, introduced by Dave Brotemarkle; Natalie Klug's daughters Rachael, home from school on Vancouver Island and Kayla from St. Helena High School; Norm Mitkoff's wife Patti; and Linda Beard-Delucchi's daughter Catherine.

With no birthdays or anniversaries to celebrate, President Phil gave a High Five to Tony Albright and his crew for getting all the names in the third graders' dictionaries. Joice Beatty announced her appreciation for the $840 donated to the State Hospital.

Tony Albright Joice Beatty

There was confusion about who the Fine Master was going to be, so we did not have one. Is President Phil liable for a fine?

The Legacy of Truk Lagoon

Paul Krsek began his diving expedition report on Truk Lagoon with a video on the World War II Naval battle fought there in February 1944. Truk Lagoon was comparable to Pearl Harbor in its importance to Japan and the devastation that occurred there in the victory by US forces was a huge loss to the Japanese Navy. On May 29, 2004, Washington, DC, will finally get a new World War II memorial to the eleven million people who served, and one million are expected to attend the dedication.  Sixty years after the height of the Pacific War we are now losing 1500 WW2 veterans every day.

Paul Krsek

Paul showed photographs of the beautiful harbor where the Japanese kept their fleet and then described the air attack which pinned the Japanese in the harbor and decimated the fleet with 40 Japanese ships sunk in two days in Operation Hailstorm, along with 270 Japanese aircraft and 35 merchant ships.

Sadly the island of Truk has fared poorly since the huge battle and seems stuck in a time warp and unable to get past the drama and devastation of the battle. While showing slides of the dives among the relics on the Lagoon floor, Paul remarked that the divers were unable to leave their equipment outside overnight or it would be stolen for sale to other divers. The slides showed the eeriness common to exploration of sunken ships, and Paul commented that after the divers left the scene they all felt alike that it is a sacred site and they should not have been there any more than divers should be searching Pearl Harbor wreckage. The divers clearly were affected by the poverty and stagnation on the island and left with concern for the welfare of the people, if perhaps not quite as much hope for their future prosperity.

The Battle of Truk Lagoon was followed in late October 1944 by the battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines, when 166 American warships and 1,280 American airplanes encountered 70 Japanese warships with 716 airplanes. The battle lasted four days and America's victory there began the end of the Japanese Navy as a viable offensive force.

SKI TAHOE
By Polly Keegan

President Phil, at our meeting of the 16th, complimented Kathy Patterson on her planning and execution of our fabulous Christmas Party at Markham Winery. Many thanks to her especially, and to Markham, and to Knickerbocker Catering.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Ski Tahoe is on February 27th. Sign up is now. Skiers of any ability are welcome and it should be a fun outing.
• Festival of Brotherhood is in Mexico, January 23, Sign up is now.
• Osaka Trip, May 23rd. See Kathleen Patterson. Sign up now!
• Rose Camp announced that the golf shirts are in for those who ordered.
• Lisa Marie Andersen announced that we have about 100 auction items for the Winter Ball, 86 wine commitments. Still need live auction contributions, still need table wine contributions, and she still needs volunteers for that evening.
• Jake Scheideman reported on the Habitat for Humanity Project in Nicaragua. Ground breaking was last week, 6 acres are being leveled. Jake was very fortunate to have received funding for the first 10 houses, in the amount of $40,000 from a NYC contributors. The cost is $3500 per home, and there are 50 more to be funded. The first 10 families are being chosen the first week in January, and will move into their homes at the end of January. Jake applauded the wonderful response that this project has received.

Rose Camp Lisa Marie Andersen Jake Scheideman

BOARD MEETING

• The board voted to make a $100 donation to the St. Helena special choir program
• Summer Search requested $25,000, a little too much. Sponsoring a student would require $5,000 from the Rotary, and this item is being considered for next year. This year the Rotary contributed $500.
• Tim Coon is currently on a three-month leave of absence. He is due back on the 15th of January.
• Dictionary distribution to all third graders will be done soon. Names have been placed in each book for the 170 students in 7 schools.

BELL RINGERS

Polly Keegan announced that this is her one month anniversary as a non-smoker. Jim Haslip introduced his remarkable son, who has already lived and traveled internationally more than most of us.

RAFFLE

The raffle-drawing winner was Jim Haslip. No luck!

PROGRAM

Napa County Transportation Planning
Association (NCTPA)

John Ponte is the Transportation Program Manager of Bikes, Rail, Streets and Roads. John spoke about the mission of the NCTPA: organized in 1998, this joint powers agency provides coordination and planning and funding of all Napa County Transportation. Average daily traffic in Napa County has risen over the years from 16,000 to 22,000. 77% or 44,000 of the Napa County employees live in Napa, indicating that our traffic problems are due to primarily to us. The budget of NCTPA is $10.4 million. 56% is allocated to transit operations, 27% to projects, 9% to administration, 6% to Trusts and 2% other. Nearly all the budget is funded by state and local organizations. Local residents contribute less than 1%.

The rail system has been studied this past year at a cost of $450K, and results indicate that $216M would be required to implement the recommendations. The rail improvement project would be a partnership between Solano and Napa counties. Just to improve the track from a class 2 (25 mph) to class 3 (60 mph) will require $140M of that $216M total.

Many projects are on the agenda, but funding is extremely scarce and as time goes by and the work is not authorized, the costs double and triple. Current project estimates total $219M. Some are in process, most are not.

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