Rodolfo "Rudy" Alvarez began his Rotary career on this birthday (October 23) in 1983, when he joined the Rotary Club of Westwood Village, where he established a long track record of club service, including serving as Westwood’s 75th President.   Rudy has had exemplary service to  District 5280, serving in its Leadership Mentor Program, District Conference Planning and Strategic Planning committees.  He served as Group Study Exchange Team Leader to Italy, has twice been Chair of the Ethics Kaffeeklatch Series, and was Executive Aide (2005-06) to District Governor-Elect Ingo Werk -- a position that many Santa Monica Rotarians got to know Rudy.  In September,  2007, Rudy will be in Cartagena, Colombia as a Special Guest at the XXXVI Rotary Institute for Zone 21, encompassing all of Latin America.  Currently, Rudy serves on District 5280 Finance Committee and District 5280 Policy and Guidelines Committee.  Rudy is also a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.

Immediately following graduation from high school in San Antonio, Texas, Rudy served three years active duty in the United States Marine Corps, followed by five years reserve.  He entered college with Korean GI Bill support, earning the Certificate of European Studies from the Institute for American Universities, Aix-en-Provence, France (1960), Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University (1961), and both MA (1964) and PhD (1966) from University of Washington (Seattle).  Rudy launched his research and teaching career at Yale University (1966-72) and was appointed to the faculty at the University of California Los Angeles in 1972, where he is now Emeritus Professor of Sociology.  He speaks several languages and has visited Rotary Clubs across District 5280, the United States, and many countries as well as participated in Rotary’s International Conventions.  Appointed in 1968, he is now the longest serving member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for American Universities in Aix-en-Provence, France.

Rudy took up residence in Santa Monica in 1986 and was appointed to the Architectural Review Board by the City Council in 2001.  Rudy proudly owns and races a 2003 Limited Edition Fiftieth Anniversary Commemorative Model Corvette. His two highly accomplished daughters (Anica and Amira) are his best friends and he thoroughly enjoys his three lovely granddaughters (Aia, Mika, and Taara Nishio).

Barbara Bishop is president of BBPR, Inc., an award-wining, full-service, marketing communications agency.  Celebrating its 10^th anniversary in 2006, BBPR, Inc. specializes in media relations, web strategy, special events, creative collateral material development and marketing communications strategic planning.  Barbara, who is married to attorney Laurence Leisten, lives in Bel Air, California with their two beautiful Persian cats, Humphrey and Tiffany.  Barbara is an accomplished cook, wine collector, and world traveler (in her spare time).  In addition, she enjoys sewing, singing, dancing, hiking, biking, rollerblading, meditation and yoga.  Barbara also serves on the Board of Directors of Meals on Wheels West, on the marketing committee of OPCC, is a member of BTW (Big Thinking Women) and is active in helping to save unwanted pets from being put to death in shelters, through her work with K-9 Connection.  

Jon Caplan is a native of Southern California. He grew up in Palos Verdes, majored in English at USC, and doesn't understand why anybody would ever leave our beautiful city. He lives in West LA with a cat named Pita. He didn't like cats until he ended up with custody of Pita after his divorce. Despite her name (which stands for "pain in the ***"), she is the world's nicest cat, and Jon has become a cat person in his old age.

Computers have been a passion of Jon's since he graduated from college. He recently started a web development company called Esplanade Web Works (http://www.esplanadenet.com). They create all types of websites, but specialize in projects that automate business by taking processes that were previously done on paper and moving them online.

Outside of work, Jon is active in Toastmasters. Last year he was named Toastmaster of the Year for the district that covers the Los Angeles-Long Beach area. Most recently he was a Division Governor, a role in which he was responsible for all of the clubs between Hollywood and Santa Monica. He enjoys all aspects of the organization, especially mentoring new members. He also loves to travel, particularly to anyplace where there's a beach.

Dean Catalano is Vice President, Bernstein Global Wealth Management Private Client Group.  Dean is a financial advisor in the Los Angeles office and is responsible for advising affluent individuals, families and institutions, as well as their respective trusts, estates, foundations, endowments and pension plans.  Dean graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from UCLA in 1990 and a Masters in Business Administration from the W.P Carey School of Business at Arizona State University in 1995.  Dean lives in Pacific Palisades with his wife Karina, their 2 year old son, Thomas, and 5 month old daughter, Vanessa.  He is a former professional golfer, a member of the 1988 UCLA National Championship Golf Team, and now also enjoys paddle tennis, hiking, beach activities, and volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Bret Carter is a Vice President, Director and Shareholder of Hart, Watters & Carter, a professional law corporation. He practices law in the same firm as fellow Rotarian, Charles "Dick" Hart, Jr. where he emphasizes corporate, business and real estate transactions. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University and his Juris Doctorate degree from Pepperdine University School of Law.  Mr. Carter lives in Malibu with his wife, Hazel.  His interests include hiking, biking and racquetball. He is also an avid traveler having been around the world and to all seven continents.

Melissa K. Dagodag is a native of California and attended Stanford University, where she earned both her Master's and Bachelor's degrees in English. After graduating from Stanford University, she owned and operated her own product design and manufacturing business for several years.  From this business she gained valuable hands-on experience which continues to enhance her skills as a business attorney. She decided to attend law school after feeling the frustration of seeing her designs and other tangible representations of her ideas stolen by others. Throughout attending The UCLA School of Law, she kept in mind her ideals of protecting creative embodiments of work, for herself, her friends and her colleagues. After graduating from The UCLA School of Law, she gained a great deal of helpful work experience at a prestigious Los Angeles law firm, in-house as Vice President of a small music publishing company and in-house as Business Affairs Counsel at a prominent fashion company. In early 2006 she opened her own law office. To this day, she endeavors to adhere to the ideals which brought her to the practice of law in the first place: helping to protect the work of creative and entrepreneurial people.
 

Christopher Darrow is an attorney who has been practicing law in California since 1976.  He specializes in Intellectual Property Law, particularly patent and trademark law.  After graduating from the University of Toledo in 1968 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, he worked as an aerospace engineer on the anti-missile missile program being developed at that time.  He moved to Santa Monica in 1970 and worked inside the McDonnell Douglas facility at the Santa Monica airport.  He graduated from Whittier College School of Law in 1976, and now works at the Greenberg Traurig law firm in the Water Garden.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Intellectual Property Law Association. 

Chris worked in Century City for many years and was an officer and director of the Rotary Club of Century City before transferring to the Rotary Club of Santa Monica.  He has been a Rotarian since 1989 and is a Paul Harris Fellow.  He resides in Topanga, swims for exercise and has a daughter and two cats living with him. 

Oscar de la Torre is the Founder and Executive Director of the Pico Youth & Family Center (PYFC) in Santa Monica.  This non-profit agency serves hundreds of young people annually through case management, counseling, tutoring, computer training and leadership development. It also has a recording studio that has used the power of music to bring a diverse group of youth together to produce a CD compilation.

In November, 2002 Mr. de la Torre was elected as the youngest member to serve on the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) and was re-elected in 2006. As the only school board member who is a former student of the district, Mr. de la Torre serves as a role model to the District’s student population.

After completing his MA degree in Public Affairs from the University of Texas, Mr. de la Torre returned to Santa Monica High to work with at-risk youth as an Outreach Specialist. While in this position, Mr. de la Torre led efforts to expand academic support services for students which, in turn, led him to create after school services that are now provided by the Pico Youth & Family Center where he serves as Executive Director. 

Oscar lives with his wife Maria and son Oscar Jr. in Santa Monica.

June Doy has been the Executive Secretary of the Rotary Club of Santa Monica for the past three years and also an Administrative Assistant at Carlthorp School working for Dee Menzies.  June has 3 dogs and 1 cat – Katie, Mochi, Bailey, and Fluffy, AKA Gizmo, who allow her to reside in their apartment in Santa Monica. When the dogs no longer let her reside with them, she moves in with her brother-in-law, Tom Loo, at his beautiful home in Malibu.  Her interests are Hiking, Animals, Fishing and Camping. 

Maxwell Fox (Mac) is a dyed in the wool Santa Monican.  Mac's family has been in Santa Monica since 1922 and his father, Stan Fox, has been a Santa Monica Rotarian since 1987.  Born in St. John's hospital, Mac grew up in Santa Monica through high school, after which he attended college at Dartmouth in New Hampshire, where he was a member of the track and cross country teams and played violin in the symphony orchestra.  After graduating, Mac attended the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies, a graduate program administered by Stanford University in Yokohama, Japan.  Following that, he attended law school at the University of California at Berkeley (Boalt Hall).  Mac is currently a partner in the law firm Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker, LLP, where his practice focuses on patent and other intellectual property litigation, as well as technology licensing.  Mac has been spending a great deal of time in Japan and elsewhere in Asia recently, although he is looking forward to returning to his home and family in Santa Monica as soon as possible.  His interests include reading, distance running and fiction writing, and he is also currently dabbling in the laundry business, a proclivity that is apparently hereditary.

Dave Harmon is a major in The Salvation Army, and has been the senior corps officer for Santa Monica since June 28, 2006.  He and his wife Linda, who is also a major in The Salvation Army, served in Trinidad, the Bahamas, Michigan, Chicago, and Guam before being appointed to Santa Monica. 

Dave was born in Wauseon, Ohio, in 1951, and grew up in Michigan.  He received his bachelor degree in music education from the University of Michigan in 1973.  After a brief teaching career, he joined the staff of The Salvation Army in Chicago in 1977.  He married Linda in 1979, and they left Chicago for their first overseas appointment in 1982.  Three years later they organized the first Salvation Army work in Freeport, Grand Bahama.  It was in Freeport that Dave first became a Rotarian.  They went to officer school in 1987 and were commissioned in 1989.  Their longest appointment was the 11 years they spent in Guam just prior to their appointment to Santa Monica.

Dave has played trombone in a number of orchestras, bands, and other musical groups.  He also enjoys sailing, reading, photography, and videography.

Simon J. Hunter was born Simon Heselev in Melbourne, Australia, to a family of modest means.  After being awarded a substantial scholarship, he was able to study the International Baccalaureate in high school, while supporting himself working as a machine operator at a box factory.  Gaining a scholarship to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, he attended and completed the four-year degree program in half the time, graduating Cum Laude and achieving the Engineering Scholar Award for excellence in recording. While in Boston, he collaborated with author Kurt Vonnegut on the critically acclaimed musical piece ‘Tock Tick,’ in which Vonnegut reads from ‘Slaughterhouse Five.’   

Simon moved to Santa Monica and has continued to compose, building a catalog of over 500 musical pieces. He has scored for television, films, trailers, and commercials, as well as licensing his substantial catalog for use in films and television. 

Simon says, “I have always been fascinated with the concept of epic simplicity. I see this in the grand logical beauty of a tiny insect, or in Beethoven’s fifth symphony. This is what I strive to document in my work.  “When we serve others, we can see the beautiful epic simplicity in our own lives.”   Simon enjoys motorcycling and is a student pilot. 

Scott Knight is Co-Founder, Managing Principal and Director of Sales for Perr&Knight, an insurance consulting firm based in Pacific Palisades, California. Since co-founding the company in 1994, Perr&Knight provides comprehensive services to over 90% of the property-casualty insurance industry and  employs over 100 professionals with offices in California, Florida and New York.  

Scott is also a partner of Pali Wine Company which was founded in 2005 by a group of co-workers from Perr&Knight. Pali currently makes high-end, vineyard designated Pinot Noir at its winery located in Lompoc, CA (50 miles north of Santa Barbara). In addition to assisting with the winemaking process at the winery, Scott is responsible for managing the sales and distribution of Pali Wines throughout the world.  

Born in Newport Beach, California on “tax day” 1965, Scott graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 1988 with a degree in Psychology. A lifelong Californian, Scott currently resides in Santa Monica with his wife, Janice, daughter, April (born in 2000), son, Leo (born in 2004), and their cat, Prince. In addition to being a homemaker, Janice has responsibilities with the operations of Pali, is active with the PTA, and volunteers her time at their children’s schools.

Scott’s hobbies and interests include spending quality time with family and friends, sports (playing and watching them), growing his businesses, collecting and drinking fine wines, music, rotary, and helping those in need.    

Brian Rene Linnekens is the president and principal shareholder of Global Innovation Development, Inc (www.GIDevelopmentinc.com), a real estate development company. Brian was born in San Francisco and moved to Lake Tahoe with his family when he was very young. He grew up in the mountains and attended South Tahoe High School where he was the Class President during each of his freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years. He played varsity football and taught a junior golf program during his summers.  Brian then studied structural engineering at Swarthmore College, where he was a member of a Delta Upsilon fraternity and played on the football and golf teams. Brian graduated from Swarthmore with distinction with a Bachelor of Science in engineering - with emphases on steel and concrete design, heat transfer and thermofluid dynamics.

Brian then attended the School of Law and the Anderson School of Management at UCLA, where he received his dual degrees - J.D. and MBA. After working for a large downtown law firm for a couple of years, Brian founded Global Innovation Development, Inc. and began developing large multi-family and mixed-use real estate projects around Southern California. Brian is currently expanding the focus of his company to include assisted living facilities and low/moderate income housing.

Brian currently lives in Santa Monica with his wife, Jenna, and his two pets - Dante XX (the dog) and Socrates (the turtle)."

Jean McNeil Wyner is the Physician and Community Liaison at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital.  As Physician Liaison Jean helps acclimate new physicians to SM-UCLA and its services and programs, makes regular office visits and arranges quarterly luncheons for physician office staff personnel.   In a Government Relations capacity Jean’s contacts with the City of Santa Monica has helped the medical center with its ongoing rebuilding project.  In her Community Liaison role Jean works tirelessly on behalf of countless community based social service agencies. 

Jean participates in the following organizations as a board member, advisory board member and team member:  American Cancer Society, Relay For Life, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council, Santa Monica Sister City Association, Santa Monica College Advisory Board, Santa Monica College Associates,  Salvation Army of Santa Monica, Salvation Army ARC, Santa Monica Family YMCA, UCLA Stevens House Scholarship Association, Santa Monica Breakfast Club, Santa Monica Historical Society Museum, Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club, Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation, Westside Challenge to Beat Breast Cancer, WISE and Healthy Aging and the Police Activities League.

In the past 22 years, Jean has received many awards for her service on behalf of the medical center:  YWCA Woman of the Year, Presidential awards from the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce in 1988, 1997, 2002 and 2003, “One in a Million Award” from the American Cancer Society, Service Ace Award from the Westside Challenge to Beat Breast Cancer, Humanitarian Award from the National Conference of Community and Justice, Roy E. Naylor Lifetime Achievement Award from the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, Commendations from the City of Santa Monica in 1989, 1991, 1993, 1999 and 2002, the Jim Cayton Community Service Award from the Center for Healthy Aging and the Extraordinary Community Service Award from the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce.

Jean lives in Marina Del Rey with her husband, Dr. Norton Wyner.  They enjoy walking, reading, theatre and fine dining.  Jean has one son, Frank

David Outcalt is Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay having retired in 1998. Previously he was Chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage. David graduated from La Jolla High School in 1952 and went on the receive a B.A. from Pomona College, an M.A. from Claremont Graduate University, and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, all in mathematics. Prior to moving to Alaska he was a professor, department chair, and dean at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He received an honorary doctorate from Kyung Hee University in Korea and is a Life Member of the International Association of University Presidents.

He was married to his late wife, Marcia, in 1956. They have four sons and eight grandchildren with a ninth on the way. David is a violinist playing with the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra and the Topanga Symphony Orchestra. He enjoys hiking and backpacking, genealogy and just hanging out with family. He is a member of the Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church.

David is a long time Rotarian having joined the Rotary Club of Anchorage in 1982 and subsequently was a member of the Green Bay and Kapaa Clubs before joining the Santa Monica Club. He is a Benefactor and multiple Paul Harris Fellow, past club president and past club foundation chair.    

David G. Price is Chairman of American Airports Corporation, an aviation real estate fixed base operation and airport management company which purchases, leases and develops aviation properties, FBO’s and general aviation airports.  He was founder and Chairman of American Golf Corporation and National Golf Properties which he sold in 2003.  American Golf owned/leased and operated more than 350 golf courses in the U.S., England and Australia.

David developed and chaired the Museum of Flying at Santa Monica Airport which he expects to reopen in another location at the airport in 2008.  He also founded and developed Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village. 

He is a graduate of USC and the UCLA School of Law, and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, obtaining his wings as a jet fighter pilot.  He is a member of the Chief Executives Organization.

David enjoys flying World War II aircraft, especially his P-51 Mustang, and has competed in the Reno Air Races.  He enjoys motorcycling, sports and athletics. 

He has five children and ten grandchildren and he and his wife Helen reside in Brentwood. 

Peter Schechter has been a practicing architect in Santa Monica since 1982. He founded his firm, Peter Schechter Architects (www.SchechterArchitects.com) in 1994 and opened his offices in the Design Center at 12th and Colorado.  The firm specializes in the design of new custom homes and major remodels with a majority of their work here in Santa Monica.  Born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, the family moved to Florida where he attended high school in Miami Beach and then studied architecture at the University of Florida in Gainesville. After receiving his bachelor degree, he came to Santa Monica, completed his apprenticeship and in 1982 became licensed in California. He has also worked many of the building trades leading to obtaining a contractors license as well.  

Peter is married to Marsha Silvers, a long time local calligrapher, and they currently reside in the Sunset Park area of Santa Monica. Their daughter Jessica is currently attending UC Santa Cruz.  Peter has a very close relationship with his three brothers as well as with his mother who lives close by in West LA.   

Peter enjoys playing golf, photography, gardening, reading, traveling, and is a big Florida Gators fan. He and Marsha can often be seen walking in Clover Park just down the street from their townhome.  He has served on the board of the Red Cross of Santa Monica, taught “City Building” to 4th graders in Cerritos as part of a federally funded grant, and served as a member of the School Congress at Will Rogers Elementary while his daughter was a student there.  

Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. is a psychologist, sociologist, author, and community leader. Her books include Feeling Great, Living Beyond Fear and Raising Your Emotional Intelligence and the upcoming Emotionally intelligent Communication.  She has coordinated several major conferences focusing on health, healing and emotional trauma. 
 
Jeanne is also a member of the “Helpguide” team and the spouse of Robert Segal.  Helpguide was created in 1999 by the Rotary Club of Santa Monica with active participation by Rotarians Robert and Jeanne Segal following the tragic suicide of their daughter Morgan. Since then, a dedicated team of talented people have collaborated to create a free, non-commercial resource for people in need.  Helpguide’s mission is to empower you and your loved ones to understand, prevent, and resolve health challenges.
 
Jeanne is insatiably curious and she loves to read fiction and nonfiction subjects especially history, sociology, biology, religion and health. She is trained as an artist and has worked as a potter in another life.  She loves, music and plays the piano badly, flower arranging, running her dog Fletcher, on the beach and talking nonstop with her friends. Most of all she loves her husband Robert and the creative work they do together.  Jeanne considers herself one of the most fortunate people on the planet.

Lynette Shishito has been a full-time business professor at Santa Monica College since 1975, while also serving in various administrative positions as department coordinator and director of certain business-related grants.    At one time, Lynnette had her own business as a computer training consultant, which, interestingly, brought her into the homes of Joan Rivers and Jane Fonda to teach their daughters computer skills for college.  Her desire and fun is in teaching.  This is why she has enjoyed being the faculty advisor for the SMC Rotaract Club for about 14 years.  Lynnette feels very honored to have been made an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Santa Monica.

Lynnette and her husband live in the Sunset Mesa neighborhood of Malibu.  Their dogs are their children.  She also enjoys helping out at a nearby rescue shelter where she has taken in three rescued cocker spaniels so far.  Growing up in Minnesota, Lynnette goes back to visit family a few times every year.  More weather-friendly, however, are visits to her husband's family in La Jolla and Hawaii.  Lynnette's interests include golfing, traveling and doing volunteer work. 

Danae Thomas has more than 20 years experience in the financial services industry and joined UBS in 2004.  She focuses on providing comprehensive wealth assessment, management and preservation.  Her goal is to add value to each client relationship through the use of a consulting process, which includes strategic asset allocation as well as financial and estate planning.  Danae has in many ways reinvented the role of the financial advisor.  For her it goes well beyond managing the client's assets, she helps them manage their lives.  Danae's focus is on providing an unparalleled level of personal attention with each of her clients.  She has also created a host of very unique programs and special services to help support women who are in transition.

Danae is a graduate of Chico State University with a degree in English Literature.  She has been featured in Madison's Who's Who and is an active member of the Chambers of Commerce of Santa Monica, Greater West LA, Culver City and Westchester/MDR and now Rotary of Santa Monica.  Danae is single and lives near Marina Del Rey with her dog, Winston and spends her free time traveling, rollerblading, golfing and is learning to play tennis.

Anna Carin Thomér (Anna) is Consul at the Consulate General of Sweden in Los Angeles with responsibility for business promotion and investments in the areas of IT, biotech and environment technology. The position is within the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Anna earned her Master of Laws from the University of Uppsala, Sweden. She has worked as management consultant at KPMG and worked at the Swedish  Ministry of the Environment. Also, in New York she was involved with the preparations for the Non Governmental Organization’s Forum for the United Nations World Conference on Women in China,  and later was associated with  the preparations for the UN Conference on Human Settlements, Habitat II, in Istanbul. Anna has served as Vice Chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Through a Swedish NGO she participated in a democracy project at the refugee camps of Polisario Front in the Sahara.

Anna was a member of Stockholm Old Town Rotary Club between 1997-2007 and grew up in a city north of Stockholm. She has resided in Santa Monica since 2006 and her interests include travels, art, music, dance, politics, science and technology.

Francisco “Frank” Uribe is the Director of Government and External Affairs for Verizon and is Verizon’s executive representative and focal point of contact for the greater Los Angeles area and surrounding communities.  Frank is responsible for government relations, implementing and managing community affairs programs, establishing and maintaining a significant community leadership position, serving as a Verizon spokesperson for media inquiries and for identifying community-based organization programs that can be supported through the Verizon Foundation.

Prior to joining Verizon, Frank held numerous positions throughout various levels of the federal government.  As Special Projects Coordinator to Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), he managed and implemented strategies to support local community-based organizations and businesses in obtaining federal grants, contracts and programs.  He also coordinated all press/media matters and provided counsel to the Congressman on international affairs.  Frank also worked in Washington, D.C. from 1993 through 1995 as a staff assistant to the Attorney General of the United States and at the White House Office of Public Liaison where he worked for the Associate Director for Hispanic, Environmental and Religious Community issues.  There he helped coordinate various advocacy campaigns, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) among others.

As part of his community involvement, Frank currently serves as Chairman of the Valley Economic Development Center, Inc. (VEDC) becoming the first Latino to head any of the San Fernando Valley’s major business groups.  He also serves on the following board of directors: the Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA), the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, the USC Mexican American Alumni Association, the South Central Family Health Center, the South Bay Latino Chamber of Commerce, the California Hispanic Corporate Council, and Santa Monica College Associates. He also serves on the Advisory Boards of El Centro de Amistad and  Meet Each Need with Dignity.

Frank was raised in Los Angeles, California from the age of three years old where he attended public schools.  He earned an Executive MBA from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Ethnic Studies from the University of Southern California.

Frank and his family reside in the San Fernando Valley.  His spare time is largely taken up by family matters in his quest to spend and devote as much time as possible to his 3-year old son, Maximiliano and his wife, Alejandra.

Mamie Yesbeck was born in Richmond, Virginia to parents who believed that hospitality was everything.  Taught to make everyone who crossed the threshold of their Family Restaurant and feel welcomed,  she soon learned that people are a whole lot nicer when they aren’t hungry.  Mamie recalls, “This was my training ground. You name it, I did it ~ I would meet and greet, cook, shake and bake, wash dishes, clean up and close up.”   

Most kids played with toy soldiers and Barbie dolls, but for Mamie, she was fascinated by lobsters and crabs and could watch their battles by the hour right up to the minute they went to their fate: baked, broiled, boiled or fried.  From this experience learned three valuable lessons to pass on to her fellow members:

1. Be Adaptable

2. Bloom Where You Are Planted

3. Don’t Become Attached To Anything That Might Become Dinner  

Mamie recalls, “Growing up with two hundred relatives in one city, I longed to see what Life would be like West of the Mason Dixon Line.  As a young lady, she came to California looking for adventure.  Some years later Mimi married, and soon thereafter with her son and daughter moved to Hawaii to start a export-import business and recalls loving everything about that tropical paradise.  

In time with the children grown, Mamie moved back to West Los Angeles and found her niche at the Santa Monica Merle Norman Studio.  Mamie sums up, “It gives me great pleasure to make women feel welcome and bid them step out of their busy lives and into our sanctuary.  As Studio Manager, Make up Artist and Teacher ~ I find great joy and satisfaction in making our Lovely Ladies feel and look as special as they are ~ each unique in their own way.  I took the long way ‘round to come home again.  Hospitality really is everything.  In fact it’s the ONLY thing.”

Anne Whatley is a vice-president of Fidelity Investments, and the branch manager of Fidelity Investments Santa Monica. She opened the Santa Monica Investor Center in November of 2005. Prior to this current role, she managed the Fidelity Century City Investor Center, raising the company's awareness of the tremendous business opportunity in the Los Angeles area. When Fidelity Investments decided to open a Santa Monica location, Anne realized her heart was in the west-side of Los Angeles, and opted to stay with her favorite client base and community contacts. Anne's objective with the Santa Monica office is to grow the business to become among the strongest for the company on the West Coast locations, and to deliver an outstanding client experience from a planning and educational perspective.

Anne is a member of the Santa Monica chamber, a member of Pep-Net, and a Pepperdine University professional organization. She leads a team of 10 licensed professionals planners who specialize in varying level of financial complexity. Anne has been with Fidelity Investments for fifteen years, has won national recognition for her work done in various roles including several years as Director of the Retirement, Investments, and Trading Departments in Dallas, Texas.

Anne lives in Venice, CA with her husband Paul, who is in residential real-estate. Anne has a M.B.A. from the Neely School of Business (Texas Christian University) and graduated with Dean's list honors. Her undergraduate degree is from Baylor University, also in Texas, which is where she met her future husband, Paul. They have no children, but plenty of nieces and nephews who are frequent California visitors.

Anne's hobbies include skiing, biking, travel, concerts, and occasionally golf and tennis.

Jeremy Wiss is the Property Manager of Santa Monica Place.  Although born in Oxford, England, he was raised in the West Los Angeles area and attended Hamilton High School Humanities Magnet.  Wanting to see a new part of the country, Jeremy attended college at the University of Colorado in Boulder where he majored in Business Management, a passion of his.  Following graduation, Jeremy worked for two years at a prestigious law firm in Santa Monica.  He then accepted a promising opportunity as a management associate with Macerich, a real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in shopping center development.   

Over the course of a year and a half of with Macerich, Jeremy was selected to be the interim property Manager of four separate regional shopping centers throughout California including the Westside Pavilion in West Los Angeles, Pacific View Mall in Ventura, La Cumbre Plaza in Santa Barbara, and Arden Fair in Sacramento.  In January 2007, Jeremy’s hard work and flexibility paid off and he was promoted to be the Property Manager of Santa Monica Place, a role he couldn’t be happier with in a city that he adores.  With a pending redevelopment on the horizon, this position offers new and exciting challenges to help bring to Santa Monica a new shopping center that will serve the shopping, dining, and entertainment needs for people near and far.  

Jeremy serves on the Board for the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and has just begun the pursuit of an M.B.A. at the University of Southern California in the PM program (evening classes).  Jeremy is single and currently lives in West Los Angeles.  He continues to be close to his parents and younger brother.  His hobbies include bike riding on the beach, snowboarding, live music concerts, and traveling.  He has a weakness for single malt scotch.