Bob Kieve’s Rotary Thanksgiving program has been a part of Rotary’s tradition since 1997. It was created because Terry Graff, who was president of the club in 1997, wanted to depart from the then traditional sermons which highlighted earlier Rotary Thanksgivings. The result was a program that featured ten Rotarians, who candidly told fellow members what caused them to be thankful. Among the participants in that first program were Dan Orloff, Chuck Reed, Leigh Weimers and Fernando Zazueta. This year’s program will include another group of approximately a dozen Rotarians.  
 

Want to see how much of your Club Dues are left to pay or confused about how to pay your Club Dues using our new finance system? We created a step-by-step guide detailing how to access the payment portal, see how much is currently due, and where to make your payments.

If you want to see this guide, either click here or go to the top left of the sjrotary.org website home page and click on "HOW TO PAY DUES" next to the DONATE and MEMBER LOGIN buttons. It is pictured below.

Following the wonderful slide show representing the past week of our Rotary Club’s activity, President Heather welcomed Club members and guests to the 5,460^th meeting of the San Jose Rotary Club, and thanked Jeff Pohle (“Piano Man”) and the Greeting Line participants from our Club’s “Service to Seniors” committee, chaired by Kelly Dippel.

I’ve built a career dedicated to leadership in organizational transformation across the high-tech and healthcare industries. After completing my B.A. and M.S. education in computer science at Texas A&M University, I began as a software engineer and evolved into senior roles, including engineering lead, product manager, multiple management levels, and eventually, CIO and CTO of multi-billion-dollar companies. Along the way, I thrived in both corporate and startup environments, developing strategies, driving product innovations, and transforming business models and processes.
Originally from La Paz, Bolivia, I moved to the U.S. as a teenager when my family relocated to Houston for my mother’s cancer treatment. My journey in the U.S. continued through educational and professional opportunities, culminating in a career in Silicon Valley. My work has spanned prominent technology companies, consulting ventures, and leadership roles, including a transformative stint at Omnicell, where I transitioned into healthcare, overseeing product development, manufacturing, and I.T. Inspired by this diverse leadership experience, I pursued a Ph.D. in Organizational Systems from a psychology school in San Francisco, Saybrook University.
After over a decade with Omnicell, I transitioned to academia, joining Carnegie Mellon University and Presidio Graduate School to teach leadership and digital transformation courses. This academic role quickly became a true passion, allowing me to mentor and guide the next generation of leaders. Concurrently, I took on the role of Chief Transformation Officer at a healthcare staffing company, a position that enriched my perspective on integrating technology in non-technical settings. This latter experience has provided invaluable insights that I now bring into the classroom.
Today, I’m taking a much-needed break from corporate demands, focusing on teaching, mentoring, and volunteer work. My wife, Kimberly, recently retired from her career in special education, and we enjoy family time with our children and grandchildren. Joining the Rotary Club of San Jose, thanks to the sponsorship of Mike Conniff, has been a wonderful addition to our lives, and we look forward to contributing to this vibrant community.