Thomas Fisher is a Professor in the School of Architecture, the Dayton Hudson Chair in Urban Design at the University of Minnesota, and the Director of the Metropolitan Design Center at the College of Design. He was recognized in 2005 as the fifth most published writer about architecture in the United States and has been recognized four times as a top design educator by the journal Design Intelligence. He has written 9 books, over 50 book chapters or introductions, and over 400 articles in professional journals and major publications. His newest book, published in May by the University of Minnesota Press, is entitled Designing Our Way to a Better World.

President Chuck Whitaker rang the bell to bring the meeting to order at 12:19 p.m. on a last-week-of-summer day in downtown Saint Paul. Chuck Field led the assembled Rotarians in singing America! accompanied by Bob Jones on the piano. Carla Hauge provided today's Invocation recalling the recent events around our nation and Minnesota. John Chandler facilitated the introduction of visiting Rotarians and guests. Today's greeters were Nancy McKillips and Larry Morgan.

President Chuck announced that next week's meeting would be held at the DoubleTree Hotel. Jay Pfaender previewed next weeks meeting on the topic of self-driving cars. Scott Van, co-chair of The Rose Sale, told Rotarians that information about the sale was on the tables ($18/dozen with $10 tax deductible) and also placed in their email boxes as the meeting was happening. The Sale is one of the big fundraisers for Club 10 each year and members are urged to buy roses! President Chuck committed to fifty (50) dozen! Kristin Montpetit promoted the Holiday Party on Thursday, December 8th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. ($60 per ticket) at the University Club. Donation items for the Silent Auction are needed. Sever suggestions were given. Gift Certificates are always good (theaters, book stores, etc.) John Chandler collected Happy Dollars (President Chuck: "Happy $2?").

Jay Pfaender introduced today's speaker, a former member Club 9 in Minneapolis and Roseville Rotary, Mary Jo Schifsky, workforce development consultant with GenSync. Ms. Schifsky has more than forty years of work experience with leadership roles in for-profit and non-profit organizations. Her professional career has revolved around studying professional trends in the workplace. The information she is delivering today is usually delivered in a two-hour workshop. She has titled it "The New Workplace. Leveraging Experience to Maximize Engagement." Personally, she enjoys the mental challenge of work. She finds that her perspective is not unique. Many people intend to work beyond age 65. And, employers want the "over-age-65-worker." The question becomes: is the workforce balanced? Not "work life" but workforce: does the workforce reflect workers of all ages? The key becomes recruiting and retaining older workers.

Ms. Schifsky has a core belief that work can be engaging, fulfilling and productive for every generation. She is committed to helping change the outdated dialogue about working and work life among workers and employees. Sharing current local and national research and exploring a range of resources, her presentation highlights workforce challenges: the worker shortage; skill gaps; technology used in human resources groups including data analytics; and employee engagement (are employees "really on board" once they are hired?).

The following generations were represented in the Minnesota workplace as of 2013: "Traditionalists (1900-1945)" 4%; "Baby Boomers (1946-1964)" 31%; "Generation X (1965-1979)" 32%; and "Millennial (1980-1996)" 33%. Minnesota needs to maintain an effective workforce after age 55. Today's life expectancy at age 64 is 84. Mature worker attributes are longevity, experience, mentoring, perspective, and engagement.

The Twin Cities Metro Labor Force between the years 2015-2025 will experience growth in in the 65-74 age group and a loss in the 24-55 age group. Because of these demographics, Minnesota employers need to build a multi-generational workforce, focus on engagement strategies, invest in data analytic systems, and communicate regularly and transparently with employees about the effects of these demographic changes. Minnesota will succeed through planning, communicating with employees, assessment, applying HR resources and best practices, employee training, recruitment, engagement, and retention practices.

President Chuck thanked Ms. Schifsky for her presentation and presented her with a Club 10 recognition certificate and noted that a donation would be made in her name to the Saint Paul Public Library's "Reading Together" program. He also presented Ms. Schifsky with a Rotary coin inscribed with the Rotary "Four-Way Test" and closed the meeting at 1:13 p.m.

Chuck Standfuss, Scribe