May 4, 2010
Today’s Program: Free Enterprise by James MacDougald
Mr. MacDougald, President of Free Enterprise, was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He grew up as an “Army brat” as his father spent a 25-year career in the U.S. Army. Jim’s father was a Master Sergeant and became a Warrant Officer when Jim was a senior in high school. Jim attended schools in Germany, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Utah, Maryland, Louisiana, and Mexico. He graduated from the University of Maryland. He and his wife, Suzanne, have been married for 45 years and have two children and six grandchildren.
Jim and Suzanne founded the company that eventually became ABR Information Services, Inc. In 1994, the company went public (NASDAQ:ABRX). ABR was named as one of the “The Best 200 Small Companies in America”, by Forbes Magazine in 1995, 1996, and 1997 and was acquired by Ceridian Corporation (NYSE:CEN) in 1999. MacDougald retired in 2002 and returned to work in March 2009 as Chairman and CEO of The Free Enterprise Nation, Inc.
Jim is currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Council of the Tampa Bay Region, a trustee of the University of Tampa, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
The Free Enterprise Nation unites and represents individuals and businesses in the private sector to demand an end to irresponsible government spending, redistribution, debt, and tax policies. FEN actively engages in education, advocacy, and lobbying in order to accomplish these objectives. Their base of operation is located in Tampa.
What’s Happening
More Scholarship Letters
We received the following letter from Courtney C. who is a sophomore at Seminole High School.
Dear Mr. Byelick
Over the school year so far, all I have been doing is band. I still play the flute and piccolo in the SHS Warhawk marching band, and I am proud of it! This year we are going to be performing at the Seminole Sound Spectacular, the Largo Golden Invitational, and the Tarpon Springs Outdoor Music Festival, Regional's in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome, and Grand Nationals in Indianapolis at the Lucas Oil Stadium!
Our field show is titled “Obstacles”, and it is around ten minutes long. We spend all summer doing twelve hour practices just to get in condition and to teach the basics of marching. We have just recently learned our entire show, and I am so proud of what I have accomplished!
I hope to go to anesthesiology school after graduation to become a CRNA (nurse practitioner anesthetist). I chose that field because I think it is amazing to be able to hold a person's life in your hands, I was able to secure an internship, with my aunt's friend’s help, to tour a hospital in Jacksonville and see what medical life is really like! I cannot wait to tell you how it turns out!
Thank you for supporting my goals in life, and I hope to write again soon.
Sincerely,
Courtney C.
Children’s Home Receives Grant
Hunter Booth presented a check for $1,000.00 to Todd Boulanger, Director of The Children’s Home. This donation is made possible by the Boys and Girls Committee, Worth Blackwell, Chairman.
Don’t forget – the Fischer/Carr Banquet and Auction is on May 15 at the St. Petersburg Country Club.
Last Week at Kiwanis
Kiwanian of the Day, Bob Byelick, introduced Matt Silverman, Vice President of the Tampa Bay Rays. Additionally, former Kiwanian and Chief Counsel with the Rays for the past fourteen years, John Higgins, came along to keep Matt on the straight and narrow.
Five years ago Matt visited us and passed along the mantra of his Rays boss, Stuart Sternberg: “What can the Devil Rays do for you?” That was an easy answer. Give us a winner. Over .500 season, check. Playoffs, check. World Series, Are you kidding me?, check. Now, the question the Rays have for us is: “How about showing up at the Trop?” Matt and the Rays are not asking a lot, just the league average for attendance. Unfortunately, with a poor season ticket base and lackluster walkups (even with baseball’s best record), attendance is disappointing.
Did you just read that --- baseball’s best record. The Rays? Believe it. Now, on to Matt’s blueprint for success. Winning seasons do not happen by accident – the Rays plan for winning is to build a strong minor league system and sign their up and coming stars to long term contracts. Matt called this year’s team the best on paper in Rays history.
Why? First, expectations are for the five Rays starting pitchers to pitch 1,000 innings. If this happens, the bullpen is well rested throughout the season, critical at season’s end. Add to this an intimidating lineup leading the league in hitting with men on base at over a .300 average, and it is no wonder the Rays are in first place.
Not surprisingly, the Rays fast start had a genesis in spring training as the Rays had a major league best record of 20 – 8. Early on, Manager Joe Maddon reminded his troops of how disappointing the team played in 2009 and to have a hungry attitude for 2010.
Silverman and the Rays brass are done tiptoeing about the idea of a new stadium as the Rays wholeheartedly support the ABC Coalition’s findings. In other words, a new stadium is a virtual must if the Rays are to stay locally. Without it, Silverman sees corporate support to continue to lag as the Rays ticket base (what little they have) is the flip of typical teams – with only 1/3 of tickets distributed to corporations.
Matt, thanks for your always entertaining State-of–the-Rays report, and best of luck in the stadium pursuit and quest to keep the Rays as winners. Go Rays! See you in the playoffs.
Attendance Last Week
We had 55 members and 5 guests.
This Week’s Quiz
- What is the first four letter word in the Star Spangled Banner?
- What is the only number in the English language that is spelled in alphabetical order?
- The first parking meter was installed in what city?
- Kevin Carr is a graduate of UNC – Wilmington. What is the school’s nickname?
- What is the official language of Trinidad and Tobago?
Last Week’s Quiz
- The Rays player who has had his number retired by the Rays is Wade Boggs.
- The current twenty-five man roster is represented by these four countries: the U.S.A., Venezuela, Australia, and the Dominican Republic.
- Carlos Pena, a Gold Glove and Comeback Player of the Year winner, was born in the Dominican Republic, and prior to the Rays, he played in the major leagues for four other teams.
- The most expensive ticket to a Rays game is located in the Diamond Home Plate Club at $300.00 a ticket. The least expensive ticket to a Rays game is the Bronze ticket in the upper deck at a price of $8.00 per ticket.
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