The Friendly Breakfast Club

SPEAKER THIS WEEK: Michael J. Coles

Co-founder of Great American Cookie Company and former CEO of Caribou Coffee, Michael J. Coles is a business expert, serial entrepreneur, education advocate, and well-known public speaker. From starting three businesses, setting transcontinental world cycling records, making two bids for U.S. Congress, and writing legislation for Georgia film tax credit that changed an industry, Coles’ story is one of true grit and perseverance. In his recently-released memoir, Time to Get Tough: How Cookies, Coffee, and a Crash Led to Success in Business in Life, Coles’ reflects on his notable life and shares a wealth of knowledge and tips that he has gathered over the years as a business leader. In the memoir, he recounts the failures and successes that led him from poverty and a near-fatal motorcycle accident to founding a $100-million company and becoming the namesake of the business school at Georgia’s third largest university—despite never having attended college himself.

After almost two decades in the clothing business, he co-founded Great American Cookies in Atlanta in 1977 and grew it into the largest cookie store franchise in the United States.

Coles’ story of personal perseverance is as impressive as his business acumen. Following a near-fatal motorcycle accident six weeks after founding the cookie company, he recovered through a self-designed rehabilitation program and went on to set world records in three coast-to-coast bicycle races. Coles’ commitment to community service led him to run for the House of Representatives against Newt Gingrich in 1996 and for the U.S. Senate against Paul Coverdell in 1998, the same year he sold Great American Cookies. For the next four years he chaired the Georgia Film Commission and served on the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents, the Kennesaw State University Foundation board, and the Walker School board.

In 2003 he took the helm at Caribou Coffee, where he more than doubled the size of the company, opened a commercial sales division and an international market, and took the company public on Nasdaq under the symbol CBOU in 2005. Today, he serves as chairman of Brand Holding Company and BrandBank and actively lectures about business, giving more than seventy-five talks a year at universities and corporate events nationwide.

Come Help with the State of the City - April 11

The Rotary Club of Dunwoody has been involved as a sponsor/supporter of the State of the City since Dunwoody first became a City ten years ago. At this annual meeting between Dunwoody leaders and citizens, the Mayor speaks on the current state of the City and upcoming plans. Our assistance with this event provides the club with great exposure, and President Rick Woods will be the MC.

The event takes place Thursday, April 11 at the Crown Plaza Ravinia - we are involved from 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm. We need help from at least eight to ten Dunwoody Rotarians to support the event. Volunteer opportunities include:

• Registration table to assist guests where to sit
• Greeters
• Helping staff the Rotary table to tell people about the Rotary Club of Dunwoody
• Picking up the Dunwoody Newspaper and putting on chairs/tables at the event
• Putting a gift out for each guest at the table (no gift bags this year)

Please contactTom Lashway, our chair for this event, at tomlashway@gmail.com if you are available and where you would like to assist.

Happy Birthday To Us!

I am pleased to be part of a real 35th birthday celebration this month - for the Rotary Club of Dunwoody!

We officially started our journey on April 25, 1984, when 35 business leaders in the Atlanta area came together to put Dunwoody, Georgia on the Rotary International map. We were one of 984 new Rotary Clubs that year. At the outset, the Club's mission was "to successfully execute multi-faceted, highly visible programs and activities designed to contribute substantially to the ideals and aims of Rotary." Our charter members wanted to make a difference in the local community and around the world.

In our 35 years, we have done a lot to make a difference, including:

• More than $1,250,000 in contributions to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) … under the leadership of our own PDG and Charter Member Bill Mulkey
• Participation in more than 38 Global Grant projects valued at almost $2 million
• Sponsorship of 14 TRF scholars
• The launch of a Rotary-sponsored Character Education initiative that spread to all schools in Georgia - thanks to our own George Stewart
• The launch of an AIDS Awareness program in the schools, and the start of the Rotary Fellowship for Fighting AIDS (now the Rotary Action Group for Family Health) - thanks to the ideas of our own Marion Bunch
• The adoption of Rotary Youth Exchange in District 6900 - thanks to our own Mike Parks
• Work toward literacy - including the holiday book program at Dresden and now Kingsley Elementary - thanks to initiatives started by Roy Ethridge and Dr. Jennie Springer
• Sponsored 35+ GRSP students and the GRSP Leadership weekend that has become what the GRSP students call the most meaningful learning experience among their GRSP weekend gatherings
• And so much more.

Over the course of this month and the rest of this Rotary year, we'll share more of our history with you - it's a rich history of working together to bring big ideas to life - and having fun while we're doing it!

Celebrating Ten Years ...
Join Us for a Dunwoody Mother's Day Tradition

The Dunwoody Art Festival, has become a beloved Dunwoody community tradition, attracting 40,000 attendees and 155 artists annually. It certainly is “the place to be” in Dunwoody on Mother’s Day weekend. Join with fellow Rotarians, family members and friends to be part of this significant community event!

The Rotary Club of Dunwoody (RCD) is recognized as one of six “Leading Sponsors” for this community event, thanks to our amazing volunteer turnout for the last 10 years

Our participation and support for this event gives our club significant community visibility during the eight weeks leading up to the event, as well as the opportunity to “tell the Rotary Story” to thousands of attendees in our Rotary booth. We need your help to capitalize on this community presence.

There are two ways you can help:

Thanks to Our PADV Dinner Volunteers

Dunwoody Launches 2019 Polio Campaign

The Rotary Club of Dunwoody has supported Rotary International's initiative to eradicate polio with our hearts, hands and checkbooks since that effort started. Charter member Bob Mingus became the first Dunwoody Rotarian to receive a Paul Harris Fellow for Polio. PDG Robert and Charlene Hall, Roy Wise and Past President Laura Kann have all participated in National Immunization Days in India. And last year, thanks to the generosity of our members, we raised $40,000 and took our total giving on behalf of Polio to more than $150,000.

Last Friday, President Rick announced our 2019 Polio Plus campaign - with our goal of raising $25,000. This aligns with the second year of Rotary's three-year Polio campaign to help get across the finish line with Polio eradication. He has asked that all members consider donating at least $100 so that we can quickly and easily reach our goal.

Contributions count toward individual recognition as a Paul Harris Fellow of Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation. That makes this a wonderful time to review your Paul Harris Fellow status. Remember, we have a lot of matching funds. If you’re getting close to a new level of PHF, we can double your contribution and help you reach your goal. All Rotarians want to be Major Donors. Let us help you get there. If you have questions, please reach out to Rick Woods or PDG Bill Mulkey.

Getting Ready for the 2019-20 Rotary Year

Your officers and directors are already busy planning for the next Rotary year. President Elect Cathie Brumfield announced her Board of Directors at last Friday's meeting, and on Saturday morning, 14 members of the Dunwoody Rotary family traveled in the wee hours of the morning to Columbus, Georgia - joining with Rotarians from around the district for a day of training and fellowship. Our group included Alisha Rodriguez from the Rotaract Club of Metro Atlanta, who is now a District Rotaract representative.