California Rotary License Plates - RLP THE RACE IS ON...

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Senator Dick Ackerman	Derrick Chapman	Brad Howard	Larry Scott	Maggie Wilhelm

Senator Dick Ackerman represents the 33rd Senate District in Orange County. His district includes the communities of Brea, Coto de Caza, Foothill Ranch, Fullerton, La Habra, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, Silverado, Trabuco Canyon, Villa Park and Yorba Linda. The district also includes a part of Anaheim, Buena Park, Irvine, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana and Tustin. Ackerman was elected to the Senate by an overwhelming majority in 2000 after serving three terms in the Assembly.

Dick Ackerman is a long time Southern California resident. He was born in Long Beach, California and is a graduate of Bellflower High School. In 1964, Ackerman earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley, and three years later he earned his Juris Doctor Degree from the Hastings School of Law.

As a member of the State Assembly, Ackerman's legislative priorities included improving California's education by increasing accountability and strengthening local control of important decisions. He also focused on making California more friendly to business and cutting government waste. For two years, Ackerman served as the Vice-Chair of the Judiciary Committee and was a member of Appropriations Committee and the Legislative Ethics Committee. Ackerman was a member of the Assembly Local Government and Southern California Water Caucuses. In addition, he served on the Select Committee on California Wine and the Speaker's Commission on State and Local Government Finance. During his tenure in the Assembly, Ackerman served on numerous other committees, including Rules, Local Government, Higher Education, Natural Resources, and the Assembly Sub-Committee on Sexual Harassment (Co-Chair). Additionally, Ackerman served on the Republican Caucus Leadership Team where he held the positions of Assistant Republican Leader and Whip. He is also a former member of the California Law Revision Commission.

As a local elected official, Dick Ackerman has been involved in his community for many years. He was a member of the Fullerton City Council for twelve years, twice serving as mayor. Ackerman was also a member of Fullerton's Economic Development Team, Chairman of the Orange County Waste Management Commission, and Vice Chairman of the Southern California Hazardous Waste Management Authority.

Dick Ackerman has also been an active member of the business and education communities, where he has served as a member of the President's Advisory Board to California State University, Fullerton. Ackerman is a past Chamber of Commerce President and a member of several community service organizations such as the Fullerton Rotary Club and the Elks Lodge.

The community has recognized Ackerman's public service contributions by giving him several awards. These prestigious acknowledgments include: 1996 Orange County League of Cities Legislator of the Year; 1997 Republican Party of Orange County Legislator of the Year; 1996 Elected Official of the Year by the Orange County Committee for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities; Fullerton Chamber of Commerce 1996 Educator of the Year; and the Regional Centers of Orange County Spotlight Award for Outstanding Service to people with developmental disabilities.

Dick and his wife Linda have lived in Orange County for thirty years. They have three children, Lauren, Marc, and Brett. Lauren is a speech therapist and lives with her husband, John Ramirez, and their daughter, Caitlin, in Orange County; and Marc and Brett both work and live in Southern California.

Senator Ackerman's Web Site

Derrick Chapman

Derrick became interested in helping people at a young age, when as a young child he hung around and volunteered at the local Fire Dept in Southern California. While in college, Derrick took some Fire Science classes, which have helped him in his career, as a Fire Inspector. He has worked not only as a Fire Inspector, but is also a trained Paramedic, and a Hazard Control Officer. He recently passed his test to become a Captain.

When Derrick was sponsored into Rotary by Maggie Wilhelm about 4 years ago, he showed that same enthusiasm to help people. However, this time it was by doing community service. Derrick has not only sponsored 5 new Rotarians into Rotary, but this year, he is president of the San Jose East Rotary Club.

When District 5170 went to Ghana to help eradicate polio from that country, yes, Derrick was on board. In fact, he has even made a return trip to Ghana to again offer his help.

Being on the Fire Dept, Derrick had a Fire Fighter's License Plate on his car. One day he asked Maggie,his Rotary sponsor, "why doesn't Rotary have their own special interest license plate to help further community service?" That's all it took to get this project started. Derrick researched through the Fire Dept as to what procedures and who had been contacted to get the special plate for the Fire Dept. With that information, Derrick helped spark and originate our Rotary License Plate project.

Because he still has that strong desire to do more community service in California, his continuous support continues. The Race is On! And, Derrick is out there waving the checkered flag!

Brad Howard

Brad, a charter member of the Rotary Club of Oakland Sunrise, was brought into Rotary in 1985 by then District Governor, Joseph D. Howard, his father. Literally 'born into Rotary', Brad entered the world as his father was attending a Rotary meeting. Brad owns and operates an international tour business and commercial real estate in Oakland.

Brad was the club's charter secretary and in 1987/88 was the third president of his club. He has been involved at the district level since 1987, with responsibilities including: chair of the 'On-To-The Convention City' committee since 1987, Youth Exchange committee for ten years, including serving as the chair of the Summer, short-term program for the past eight years, and as the Short-Term Exchange Chair for Rotary's northern California multi-district youth exchange program (WESSEX) for the past four years; co-membership chair during the 2000/01 Rotary year; he has also served on the district conference, world community service, and Hands for Honduras committees.

As a tour operator, Brad has led groups throughout the world for more than 25 years. He has led groups of Rotarians to 15 of the last 16 international conventions (he missed Portland, because his son was born during the 1990 convention). In 1998, '99 and '00 he took delegates of Rotarians to Ghana, Africa to immunize children against polio. As a result of this effort and his participation in a series of matching grant programs that established a community medical clinic, Brad was 'enstooled' as a chief in the Ga tribe and given the title, Nii Arde Anum II, Kokrobite Mankrolo.

As a tour operator, Brad is currently in his third professional career. Trained as a performer, he studied performing arts in college, which lead to employment by the Oakland Symphony Orchestra and Bill Graham Presents. With three other high school friends they started Piedmont Community Theatre, which in another form, is still operating today.

In college, he switched his focus to business where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California's Haas School of Business. After graduating, he was hired directly into Brand Management with the Clorox Company, as one of the first undergraduate recruits in the company's history. For six years, he worked on a variety of household products, including new project development, before joing the fanily business in 1985.

In addition fo Rotary, Brad's other love is the Univeristy of California at Berkeley where he has served in alumni affairs with the University of California's Haas School of Business since 1981. He was the President of the Bay Area Chapter in 1985/86 and became the youngest president of the 10,000 member organization in 1988/89. He has served on the Dean's Advisory Council, the Development Council, and various ad hoc committees. Brad was also a member of the Board of Directors of the 10,000 member California Alumni Association from 1991 until 1997, serving as chairman of the marketing and membership and consituent alumni committees.

Brad and his wife of 16 years, Marcia has two children, son Even, (11 years old) and daughter Blair, (7 years old), and all members of the family are Paul Harris Fellows. Their hobbies include travel, skiing, the collection (and drinking) of wine, and activities surrounding their children. They live in Lafayette.

Larry Scott

Larry has served as a Rotarian for twenty-four years. Initially with the Rotary Club of Escondido, where he had the privilege, using the Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians, of assisting District Governor Bob Piva in providing harbor tours for Rotarians attending the District Conference.

Since joining the Rotary Club of La Mesa, Larry has served as District Directory Chairman, and as Cochairman for the District Conference. He currently serves District 5340 as Chairman for Membership Development and Retention, and continues his work for District 5340 on behalf of Infant Immunization and Polio Partners, which he has been actively associated with since 1995.

Past President of the Rotary Club of La Mesa, he is also Past Commodore of Rotary's International Yachting Fellowship for the San Diego Fleet. He and his wife Connie are multiple Paul Harris Fellows and Benefactors. He continues to serve his club as Membership Chairman and as Chairman of the Tall Ship Scholarship Program. During his time in Rotary, Larry has served as Secretary, Treasurer, and as a Director.

A retired naval officer/aviator, Larry holds a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Masters in Business Management and International Relations. An avid sailor with two single handed crossings to Hawaii and back, Larry has travelled both the Atlantic and Pacific by sail boat. During his active sailing days he served as Commodore of the California-Ensenada Yacht Club and as both Secretary and Director of the Silvergate Yacht Club.

Upon completion of his military career, Larry was actively engaged for twenty plus years in Automotive Vehicle Brokering for credit unions as well as ownership of Palomar Truck Center. Larry has retired from active business in order that he may give full attention to Rotary. Larry and Connie are the proud parents of six children and ten grandchildren, the oldest of which is currently serving his country on active duty with the U.S. Navy.

Maggie Wilhelm

In 1994 when Maggie Wilhelm was sponsored into Rotary, she immediately felt that Rotary needed more exposure. After becoming club president, 13 months after joining, her first "exposure" project was to build a Rotary float for the San Jose "Christmas in the Park" parade. Because that float was made of wood, it is still in existence today. In fact, it has even traveled across the USA to Indianapolis to the Rotary International Convention in 1998.

To reach a different kind of crowd, another big project was the "Rotary Rocks" concert held in 1999 at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, which featured Huey Lewis and the News. Maggie has kept exposure coming to Rotary, but this time, it was through a Haunted House at the Great Mall in Milpitas.

Because Maggie has sponsored in at least 10 new members, is involved with the GSE (Group Study Exchange) program, has hosted several foreign exchange students in her home, has not only been an Area Representative, but also the District Secretary for 4 years, her enthusiasm for community service and more Rotary exposure continues to show. What better way could Rotary receive more $$$$$, as well as get all the additional exposure, than to have driving billboards on vehicles all over the state!