Minneapolis President Bill Kuhlmann called the joint Minneapolis-Saint Paul meeting to order at 12:30 pm and led members in the Pledge of Allegiance. Kim Wiese gave the Thought for the Day. President Kuhlman welcomed everyone, especially guests from the Saint Paul Club. He then talked about two History Moments. In 1910 the Saint Paul and .jpg)
Duluth Rotary Clubs sponsored the Rotary Club of Winnipeg, which was the impetus for Rotary becoming an international organization. For subsequent years, the Saint Paul Rotary Club celebrated by traveling to Winnipeg on a train, and then a bus. 2005 was the last year of On to Winnipeg. President Kuhlmann gave Saint Paul President Jerry Faletti the bridge trophy he won on one of these trips. The second History Moment was about the Silver Anniversary celebration of Club #9. President Kuhlmann gave President Faletti an Hawaiian lei in recognition of this event 83 years ago.
Duluth Rotary Clubs sponsored the Rotary Club of Winnipeg, which was the impetus for Rotary becoming an international organization. For subsequent years, the Saint Paul Rotary Club celebrated by traveling to Winnipeg on a train, and then a bus. 2005 was the last year of On to Winnipeg. President Kuhlmann gave Saint Paul President Jerry Faletti the bridge trophy he won on one of these trips. The second History Moment was about the Silver Anniversary celebration of Club #9. President Kuhlmann gave President Faletti an Hawaiian lei in recognition of this event 83 years ago. Bill introduced Jerry Faletti who introduced Saint Paul Club President Nominee John Chandler and District Governor of 5960 Kyle Haugen. We all sang Happy Birthday to Saint Paul member Claude Hone who celebrated his 98th birthday.
Secretary Melissa Musliner introduced guests of both clubs as a group. She announced upcoming meetings: February 22, Nights with Nine on Tour, Utepils Brewing, 5:30-7 pm; March 2, speaker Matt Birk, former Viking; and March 9, Hiawatha Academies Sean Elder; and events: February 23, 4-6:15 pm – Crisis Nursery Visit; February 25-March 2 – Vail Ski Trip; and February 27, Board of Directors meeting.
Day Chair Chip Parks introduced speaker Paul Douglas, nationally respected meteorologist with over 40 years of television and radio experience. A self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur, Douglas is Senior Meteorologist and Founder of Media Logic Group. Douglas and a team of meteorologists provide weather services for various media and corporate interests at Praedictix. With developers and engineers, he creates unique streams of weather data, imagery and API’s via AerisWeather. Douglas also files print and online updates for the Star Tribune and co-hosts a radio program with Jordana Green on WCCO Radio. 
Douglas gave an informative and entertaining talk on Business Hits and Misses, which included information on a variety of weather and climate topics. He has had 5 businesses dealing with weather and technology since leaving television weather reporting. His successful businesses include Weather Nation TV station, AerisWeather, and Praedictix, a weather consulting company.
He said that we are in a time of climate volatility and weather disruptions. Our climate extreme index has increased by 35-40%. Even in Minnesota our extreme weather events have become more frequent. There have been 7 since 2002 – far greater than the prior 15 since 1858. The culprit is the increase in CO2; data makes this conclusion harder to dismiss and deny. These events are impacting companies, agriculture, and even the Department of Defense, as well as individuals. Everyone needs to be a better steward of our environment.
The solutions are starring us in the face. Clean energy (tail) will wag the climate change dog. Solar, wind, and other clean energy sources cost less than fossil fuels. Energy independence also provides more jobs. To have energy security, we need to not depend on the grid. Douglas is optimistic about the future of clean energy. There is a lot of progress being made – battery operated cars, solar windows and shingles, energy storage, etc. The climate crisis presents a threat and an opportunity. The opportunities are with innovation and inventions. Douglas answered questions from an appreciative audience.
President Kuhlmann reminded members that Matt Birk will be their next speaker and that Tuesday is Saint Paul’s Rotation Day with 3 choices of sites (Children’s Museum, Mano a Mano, and 2020 Brand Solutions). The meeting was adjourned at 1:25 pm.
Lynne Beck
Scribe