ADMINISTRATIVE PRESIDENT’s column
I President Janice Marquis Vice President Linda Higgons Treasurer Scott Stevens Secretary Mike Wells
Trustees
Todd Husband Laura Martin Marlis Miller Robert Radler David Brezinski D’Anne O’Neill John Helmer III Grant Yoshihara Committee Chairs 20s/30s Elizabeth Mitsky Athletic Lorne Dauenhauer Balladeers Jay Maxwell Basketball Doug Post Budget and Finance Robert Nunn Culture & Style Linda Iverson Cycling Chuck DeVoe Dance/Group Exercise Victoria DuVal and Ann Gerson Decathlon Mark Bussey Diversity Admissions Irma Valdez Early Birds Susan Hale Exercise & Conditioning Joe Murphy Family Events Tony Cirino and Amy Lindgren Golf Debbie Bensching Gymnastics Lee Rumaner Handball Andy Kangas Holiday Decorating Jean Malnati House Tim Gillette Junior Events Ella Howe and Estella Pecoraro Junior Programs & Facilities Robin Becic Karate Don Dominguez MelloMacs Scott Schaffer Member Events Carol Robertson Membership Tom Sidley MerryMacs Dinda Mills Outdoor Activities Program John Patridge Pilates Marybeth Stiner Polar Bears Don Morris Property Grant Yoshihara Racquetball Kurt Lender Ski Brandon Hayes-Lattin Social Activities Alex Page Squash Amy Gaddis Strategic Planning Kim Sisul Swimming Nancy Hinnen Synchro Rebecca Kaponoske Tennis Julia Hall Triathlon & Running Ben Cornett Volleyball Lee Whitaker Walking & Hiking Jim Van Lente Yoga Meris Gebhardt
am honored to have the privilege of serving as the 125th president of the club and in such an auspicious year. Who would have imagined when the original 26 founders gathered in a gymnasium on Second Avenue 125 Janice Marquis years ago, that the club president would become what it is today: an impressive 600,000-square-foot facility with a total membership of 21,000. The Annual Meeting, held this year on Feb. 2, kicked off the anniversary the club will celebrate the entire year, honoring and focusing on our past. The club’s history is being commemorated with a remarkable exhibit that runs at the Oregon Historical Society through the end of May. The February opening was a festive reception for members as well as guests, and I was fortunate to meet longtime member Gerry Frank. He has been a member of the club for 70 years! Our club archivist, George Vogt, has assembled memorabilia that displays our rich history, from the earliest pictures of the club, to Carolyn Wood’s gold medal to a treasure trove of items. Social and athletic events and activities are planned all year and will conclude at the Annual Meeting in February 2017. A milestone gala will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24. It will feature a progressive party throughout the first floor of the club, gourmet dinner stations, specialty drinks and multiple live entertainment venues. As of this column, nearly 600 members have signed up for the event. The 125th Planning Committee, chaired by Mike Matthews, hopes to selffund the celebration through event fees and contributions. Please visit theMAC.com or At Your Service for a Club 125 pledge card.
Annual Meeting Speaking of large numbers, the Annual Meeting accommodated more than 1,500 attendees this year — the largest number ever. Catering reports that over 7,000 desserts were served — it is a good thing that members like to work out! The meeting was a great opportunity to thank our 2015 officers, who served the club with exceptional leadership: President David Horstkotte, Vice President Douglas Dawley, Treasurer Robert Nunn and Secretary Scott Sakamoto. I was fortunate to work with them for two years and was impressed with both their
respect for one anothers’ opinions and their productivity. As you may have heard in the Annual Meeting or read in President Horstkotte’s column, the board had many positive accomplishments. I look forward to working with our new trustees who were sworn in at the Annual Meeting. They all have extensive experience in the club committee system and offer diverse professional backgrounds: David Brezinski, John Helmer III, D’Anne O’Neill, and Grant Yoshihara. Second-year board members are: Todd Husband, Laura Martin, Marlis Miller and Robert Radler. My fellow officers are: Vice President Linda Higgons, Treasurer Scott Stevens and Secretary Mike Wells.
Celebrating athletics Kudos go not only to our past officers but to the Multnomah Athletic Foundation, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary along with our 125th. Their recent fundraising event, the third annual Spin-A-Thon, had over 100 riders and raised $10,500. Congratulations! In early February, MAC hosted The Oregon Open Squash Tournament, which drew players from 11 countries representing four continents. It was the fifth time MAC has hosted the Professional Squash Association World Tournament and the third year in a row for the club. The tournament awards $15,000 in prize money and is part of the U.S. Pro Series. It was hugely successful. As I look to the year ahead, I am enthusiastic about working with my fellow officers and board members, committee members, management and staff. There are projects to finish and new ones to start. The women’s locker room remodel and the implementation of a new website are just two of the projects for 2016. One of the board’s first and most important jobs will be the selection of the new committee chairs and committee members. We are blessed to have so many members who want to participate in the committee system. We will work together to make our grand club even grander. I look forward to seeing you around the club and also to receiving your thoughtful suggestions. If you would like to contact me, please send your comments to president@themac. com or fill out a MAC sounding board. And, good news — we are now more than half way between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. The days are getting longer and there is more time to visit your club! WM March 2016
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