Rotary’s April 27 dinner speaker will be Russ Hoffman, chief naval architect for General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. Hear the discussion of design of the Zumwalt, the guided missile destroyer, and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer bearing the name of a former Naval aviator, Thomas Hudner Jr., 92, the last surviving Korean War Medal of Honor recipient from the U.S. Navy.

Russ has been designing ships and ships’ equipment for the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and commercial customers for over 40 years. His contributions include leading roles in the design and integration of US Navy Arleigh Burke and Zumwalt Class Destroyers, and leadership of teams designing Coast Guard Fast Response and Offshore Patrol Cutters, and Office of Naval Research High Speed Sealift ships. Russ has provided engineering support to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) for T-AKE, Irving Shipbuilding for the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) and other domestic and international shipyards. Russ joined BIW in 1984 and is a 1974 graduate of Webb Institute of Naval Architecture with a BS in naval architecture and marine Engineering. Russ’ presentation will include a summary of BIW experience and an overview of current activity at the yard.

On April 20, Rotary celebrated this year’s Lifetime Service Award where a large crowd celebrated Toby LeConte’s life’s works with children. The committee who organized the night was comprised of Rotarians Chip Griffin, Robin Reed, Brenda Blackman, Bob Jacobson, Mike Thompson, Alice Mutch, Laura Francis, and two previous awardees, Estelle Appel and Laura Honey. Steve Demeranville and Mike Thompson, Debbie and Daren Graves, Irene Fowle, Marty and Frank Helman, Tory Paxson and her merry band of “support staff” as well as a volunteer from Hawke Motors made the clubhouse perfect for the evening. Rotarians Robin Reed and Brenda Blackman emceed the evening and it moved swiftly and expertly to be informative, motivational, and entertaining. The event was exquisitely covered in the press by Honorary Rotarian Kevin Burnham and Cody Mitchell of Channel 7. Rotary presented Toby LeConte with the Lifetime Service Award plaque and a book commemorating her many children, family and friends’ comments about her work and many areas of dedication.

On April 29, Rotary will join Rebuilding Together is its annual effort to support our local community.

On June 1, Rotary will celebrate the graduation of seniors of our local high school. We plan to present a unique evening with a presentation by a young Maine entrepreneur, Ogy Nikolic, whose Rotary experience as an exchange student contributed to his success as chief executive officer and partner of a successful and profitable international digital agency created in Portland, Maine.