The California and Silicon Valley Economies and Real Estate Markets

Join us to hear Larry Stone’s annual take on our state and local economies and real estate markets. Larry’s talks always provide a snapshot of our economic situation that is comprehensive, well-researched, and informed by his long career as an investor, real estate developer and our County Tax Assessor.

San Jose Magazine named Larry Stone one of Silicon Valley’s 100 most powerful leaders.  Pulitzer Prize winning author and Washington Post reporter, Haynes Johnson, described him in his bestselling book, Sleepwalking Through History, as “bright, articulate, an American rarity, a proven political success in a time of political failure.”
Larry has been a financial manager on Wall Street, served two terms as Mayor of Sunnyvale, co-founded a successful real estate investment and development firm, and a leading member on the Santa Clara County Arts Council.
Larry was elected Santa Clara County Assessor in 1994 and was re-elected by large majorities eight times until his retirement last year.  He has been an active and effective civic leader in many fields ranging from the arts, to education, to the environment.
Larry also served as President of the Rotary Club of San Jose in 2010-2011.
A native of Seattle, Larry has an MBA from the University of Washington and has studied at the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.  He and his wife, Carmen, have lived in Sunnyvale since 1970, where they raised three sons.
Larry and Carmen spent a night in the White House with the Clintons and got to know Fidel Castro on a U.S. Conference of Mayor’s trip to Cuba in 1977.
We look forward to welcoming Larry Stone, Silicon Valley’s Renaissance man with an impressive personal art collection, and hearing his remarks to our club.
 

It’s hard to overstate the impact that Rod Diridon, Sr. (2/8/1939 - 4/3/2026) had on the Rotary Club of San Jose.

Rod joined Rotary on May 5, 1971, when he was heading up the Diridon Research Corporation.  He remained a member when elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in 1975 and subsequently, while running the Mineta Transportation Institute.

Rod served as President of the Rotary Club of San Jose in 2009-10. Under his leadership, 46 people joined Rotary, and the club topped 450 members for the first time. Through Rod and Gloria Duffy’s many connections, his year featured distinguished speakers such as former Commerce and Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta, former Secretary of Defense William Perry, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressmember Zoe Lofgren, and Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey.

While documentation is spotty, we know that Rod sponsored nearly 200 members. Past President Karen Philbrick (2023-24) recognized his recruiting prowess with “Rod Squad” ribbons affixed to 50 badges, and, in 1998, Rod was honored with the “Mike Kutsuris District Membership Development Award." Understanding that new members are the lifeblood of Rotary, Rod brought in leaders from the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. He often focused on emerging leaders and would make time to mentor people and act as a sounding board.

Rod was proud of his SJSU roots and organized funding for the Rotary Gate along E. San Fernando St. He gave generously, both to our club and Rotary International. Rod earned 10+ Paul Harris Fellowships, was a RI Major Donor, and a Silver ($50,000+) Endowment Fellow for the Rotary Club of San Jose.

One of his many enduring legacies is launching the Rotary Club of San Jose’s Climate Action Committee (now Environmental Sustainability) in 2019. He also established District 5170’s Council of Climate Action, which he led for three years. Rod traveled District 5170 and beyond tirelessly to make compelling, action-oriented presentations and to encourage the formation of climate-focused committees at the local and district level.

Rod is irreplaceable, but his climate action work is in capable hands, and the challenge for San Jose will be to make up for his formidable member recruitment efforts.

There will be a celebration of Rod’s life, likely in late May. Details will be shared when available.
 

?? Earth Day Tabling & Electric Vehicle Showcase — April 22!

Next Wednesday, the Environmental Sustainability Committee invites you to join us as we kick off three months of educational tabling about Transportation in honor of Rod Diridon Sr, who founded our committee in 2019.

We'll also be showcasing electric vehicles on the 7th floor of the garage — and we'd love to fill it up! If you drive an EV and want to show it off, park it on the 7th floor! Interested in an EV? Check out the showcase!

As Rod often reminded us: the time to act is now.

Brought to you by the Environmental Sustainability Committee 
Rotary Club of San José
 

President Matt rang in meeting #5518 of the Rotary Club of San Jose. He thanked the Book Club for managing the greeting line.

 

Sponsored by Megan Fluke and Matt Roben

Jeremy B. Shapiro is a seasoned serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience. Since 1996, his businesses have consistently served fellow entrepreneurs. He is dedicated to helping established business owners break through plateaus, scale their businesses, and achieve true entrepreneurial freedom.Jeremy’s expertise comes from a rich background of launching and growing his own ventures—including those that provided the freedom to live abroad with passive income—as well as extensive work with individual entrepreneurs through one-on-one coaching, consulting, small group Masterminds, workshops, and speaking engagements. He is known for his ability to simplify complex ideas and provide practical, actionable insights. His mission is to help business owners transition from being a “solopreneur” to a true “business owner,” working on their business rather than just in it.Jeremy is a frequent media commentator, having been interviewed and featured on prominent outlets such as NPR Morning Edition, the Boston Business Journal, Fox News, ABC, NBC, PBS, the Boston Globe, New England Cable News, The Australian, California Biz Journal, Market Watch, and Toyo Keizai (the Business Week of Japan).Jeremy is also frequently invited to speak on top Podcasts from around the globe and was featured on over 75 podcasts in 2024 alone.
When not immersed in the world of entrepreneurship, Jeremy enjoys traveling with his family, cooking, and cycling unreasonably long distances for craft coffee and vegan pastries.