Craig Needham is a founding partner with the firm Needham Kepner & Fish LLP. Born in Palo Alto, Craig graduated from Bellarmine College Prep, Santa Clara University, and Hastings College of the Law. After serving in the military, he worked for a plaintiff’s trial law firm in San Francisco for three years, before starting his own firm there, eventually moving his practice to San Jose.
Along the way, he has gathered numerous honors including induction into the American Board of Trial Advocates and being named Lawyer of the Year by an impressive number of organizations. He has been active in, and has often led, trial lawyers associations. He also has an active mediation practice.
Craig has shared his knowledge of the law in the classrooms at Hastings, Stanford, Golden Gate, USF, Santa Clara, and Lincoln Law Schools; and in lecture halls for continuing education programs all around the state.
A cycling enthusiast, Craig’s biking adventures have included a 4,200-mile ride across North America, a trek through the French and Italian Alps, and a 2,500-mile ride from El Paso, Texas to Jasper, Alberta, Canada; raising money in each for the Children’s Skin Disease Foundation. He also has completed 12 marathons and over 40 triathlons, five of which have been “iron-man,” and has participated in 50 consecutive Bay to Breakers in San Francisco.
Craig and his wife, Stephanie, have been married for 51 years; they have three children and six grandchildren.
Craig has spoken to numerous Rotary Clubs to thank the organization for its tremendous efforts to rid the world of polio. The mission is personal for Craig, as he shares the amazing and inspirational story of his mother, Jane Boyle Needham, who was diagnosed with polio at the age of 29 and who lived in an iron lung for 13 years.
“Inspired by Service – Fulfilled by Friendship” is a 9”x12” History Book with 160 color pages, 600+ photos and 30+ lists that tells the story of San Jose Rotary 1914-2014.
Every Member of the Rotary Club of San Jose will receive a copy of this book at no cost. Additional copies of this book can be pre-ordered for $40.00 each (includes tax and shipping). The deadline to order is Monday October 28.
Display this book in your home or office. Makes a terrific present for your family and friends who ask “What is San Jose Rotary?” Give a copy to community organizations or that special friend you hope will become a Rotarian in the future.
Order your extra books at the October 16 and October 23 Rotary meetings. Or call the Rotary Office at 1-408-297-6100 with your order and Credit Card Information.
The Service to Seniors Committee is seeking volunteers for our Fall event. 
When: Friday, October 25th from 1pm-2:30pm
Where: Lincoln Glen Manor for Senior Citizens 2671 Plummer Ave., San Jose, CA 95125 - Check in for assignments at the Activity Office in the Senior Nursing Facility
What: Asking for minimum of 15 volunteers to help with the haunted house and games - please invite another Rotary Member to join you and possibly join our committee
Main Contact: Chelsea Chanduloy, Activities Director at LGM and Judy Deaton will be at the event as your Rotary contact
Hope you can join us - please RSVP to Judy Deaton by 10/18.
Please consider participating in the Down Under Project, a drive undertaken in partnership with HomeFirst. HomeFirst™ is a leading provider of services, 
shelter, and housing opportunities to the homeless and those at risk of homelessness in Santa Clara County.
Santa Clara County has a homeless population of over 9,700 people with over 82% being unsheltered; 36% are homeless women sleeping on our streets. It difficult for these women to get undergarments and incontinence products.
Here are two ways we can help:
- Either shop for these products and bring them to a Rotary luncheon on October 23 or October 30. Jim Towery will deliver them to HomeFirst for you;
- Or go select an item from the Down Under Project list at www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2J4JMC4ADI6ZC?ref_=wl_share. For your convenience, please remember at Amazon checkout to select the delivery address: HomeFirst, 507 Valley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035.
Thank you all for your consideration of the women in need in our community.
Karyn Sinunu-Towery, President
Click here to watch the video of the project.
As a member of our Club, your company has the opportunity to place an advertisement in the 2020 Membership Directory! This directory gets into the homes and businesses of our 450+ members every year. Purchasing an advert allows us to provide the directories to our members free of charge.
You have a choice of placing a full page or a business card size advertisement at the reasonable rates below. The cut off for advertising is October 28.
| Full Page |
$400 |
4.5 x 7.50 inches |
| Business Card |
$200 |
4.5 x 2.25 inches |
When a soldier makes it home, there are unique challenges and solutions. This documentary follows the paths of these Veterans as they come home after war.
Join us for a special screening with the producer and director Matthew Moul, and one of the featured veterans in the film, Bobby Henline. Our Rotary club is being given priority seating.
Register: Eventbrite Surviving Home or RSVP to Pat Fox or Dave Sylva.
President Karyn Sinunu-Towery welcomed Rotarians and guests to our 5,224th meeting at a special venue, the Hammer Theatre.
President Karyn reported that she, Fernando Zazueta, and Sandra Jewett returned last night from Mexico City where they formed an alliance with a local Rotary Club. More information about the trip will be shared at a future meeting.
She then introduced - via a must-see video - a new initiative in partnership with HomeFirst, the Down Under Project. Jon Ball, Sean O’Kane, and Jim Towery were tapped to 
provide leadership for a campaign to collect underwear and incontinence products for homeless women. Please bring these items to the October 23rd or 30th meeting. You can also order online at
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2J4JMC4ADi6ZC?ref%20=wl%20share and have items delivered directly to HomeFirst, 507 Valley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035.
President Karyn encouraged people to attend the International Feast at the Gordon House on October 18. She asked everyone who ordered a box lunch to email Cindy Faulkner with “your kind and complimentary comments” about the lunches; writer of the kindest comment gets a bottle of wine. She added that San Jose Jazz is still accepting instrument donations, and next week’s speaker will be talking about polio.
Sal Pizarro served as emcee for the Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists Awards. He thanked Cyd & Matt Braker for sponsoring use of the theater and explained that the awards are named in memory of his colleague and friend Leigh Weimers, who worked for the Mercury News for 47 years and was a champion of the arts. Rotary partners with the Knight Foundation and private donors to raise funds for the $5,000 cash awards, and over $100,000 has been distributed since 2013. There were 63 applications for the four awards, and the winners are:
- Isabel Bowen is a talented visual artist who started working at hardware stores on moving to San Jose a few years ago. She shared her illustrations, which rely on her workplace among other settings for inspiration. Her work can be seen at www.isabelbowen.com.
- Tasi Alabastro is a charismatic actor and digital artist. After showing a delightful video on his life, he performed a monologue from The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence. To learn more about his art, visit www.tasialabastro.com.
- Harumo Sato is a muralist whose vibrant work can be seen on a Vietnamese restaurant on Santa Clara St. She was living near Fukushima, Japan when the earthquake and tsunami devastated the area. Through her art, Harumo seeks to focus on happiness. www.harumosato.com.
- Victor Ruiz is studying music at SJSU, one of two classical bassists in the program. He added a piano to Bottesini’s Grand Duo for Clarinet and Bass, and the trio performed sublimely (per Sal), with charming interaction between Mr. Ruiz and the clarinet player.
All four award winners were delightful and well deserving of the recognition. For more information, visit www.weimersawards.com.
Sal Invited Steve Borkenhagen and Geri Weimers to the stage to present the cash awards. President Karyn thanked the Leigh Weimers Awards Committee and singled out Steve and Sal for bringing to fruition her vision of presenting the Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists Awards in a more suitable venue than the Rotary Summit Center. They each earned a challenge coin for their efforts. She gave another coin to Leigh’s wife Geri, designating her Rotarian of the Month.
President Karyn performed a “ding” to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted by Leslee Hamilton, Meeting Summaries Committee.
Photos taken by Carl Cilker, Photography Committee. Click here to see the full set.
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