The Camden Rotary Club recently welcomed seven new members, five of whom were formally inducted at the October 25th meeting:
Jerod Cronkite was raised on his family's potato farm in Easton, ME, in Aroostook County. He is currently a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones, operating the Rockport office. He graduated from the University of Maine in Orono with a Bachelor's degree in Business. Prior to his current job, he worked at MBNA for 11 years, holding various management positions in several departments. Jerod and Kristin, his wife of 11 years, have an adopted daughter, Maddison. They live in Rockport and enjoy spending as much family time together as possible.
Bernard Davodet was born, raised, and educated in France. He recently retired from the restaurant business. After coming to America in the early 1960s, he got his start in the business, which included hosting a syndicated cooking show on television in Boston. Since moving to Camden in 1973, he has owned and operated restaurants in the local area. In 2002, he sold his business and retired. Aside from offering his services as a Rotarian, Bernard spends his retirement enjoying flying, boating, museums, traveling, good wine, and friends.
Julia Libby was born and raised in Lincolnville, ME, and she raised her three children there. She is the EMS Service Chief for Camden First Aid. Julia is responsible for all aspects of directing the organization, including human resources, budgeting, fund-raising, public relations, and interacting with other emergency services and town governments. Prior to her current job, Julia was a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate with Camden First Aid for 28 years. During that same time, she was employed by the law firm of Harmon, Jones & Sanford, LLP, as an office manager and bookkeeper. Her community involvement includes serving as President and Treasurer of the Anita Card Montgomery Foundation, and Past President and Vice President of the Camden Nursing Association. She presently is on the Lincolnville Select Board. Julia enjoys oil painting, dancing, reading, movies, singing, sailing, kayaking, family, and friends.
George McKiernan was born in Woodbridge, CT, and lived there for 65 years. He retired after 30 years with General Motors in Hartford, CT. George served in the Air Force for four years, and later he graduated from the Citadel with a degree in Business Administration. An active volunteer, George served with the Woodbridge fire department for 20 years, including as Fire Commissioner. He was also on the town's library board and a member of the Woodbridge Conservation Commission. In Camden, he is a board member and volunteer with the Coastal Family Hospice; board member and road commissioner for Hockomock Acres; and drives cats to vet appointments in his "catmobile" for the Camden-Rockport Animal Rescue League. George is widowed and has two children: Polly lives in Munich, Germany, with her husband and two children; and Stacy is a nurse in Manchester, VT.
Joan Phaup is a fourth-generation Californian, whose father was President of the Santa Monica Rotary Club about 50 years ago. She is the Public Relations Manager for Questionmark, a start-up software campany. After earning a Bachelor's degree in History, Joan worked as a newspaper reporter and columnist. She then became Assistant Director of Community Service for a CBS station in Hollywood. Joan moved to Scotland in 1984, spending 10 years in Edinburgh and London. There she worked for two small public relations agencies. Later she became part-time publicist for Questionmark and continues to work for the company here in Camden as the Public Relations Manager. Community activities include serving as Director of the Penobscot Bay YMCA and board member of the United Mid-Coast Charities. She also enjoys swimming, hiking, skiing, playing piano, and editing books. Joan and her husband, Graham, have two children, Christina and Alistair.
Two other new members were more recently approved and are soon to be formally instated:
James Cloud grew up throughout the South as the son of a minister. For the last 25 years, he has been a pilot for FedEx based in Memphis, TN. He received both his Bachelor's degree and MBA from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. James was also an Air Force pilot for 25 years, as a B-52 navigator and T-38 flight instructor. During his service, he spent a year in Vietnam as a forward air controller. He completed his Air Force career as Director of Training for the C-140 transport. James and his wife, Susan, have two children: Alex is an air traffic controller who recently returned from Afghanistan; and Megan manages a dental office and is an accomplished musician as well. James and Susan spend as much time in Camden as possible, and he plans to retire soon and live here full time.
Thomas Giovanniello, Jr. moved to Camden from Rye, NH. He is currently the Advertising Director of DownEast Magazine. Tom has been in the media business since he was 20 years old, spending 18 years in television sales. He was a magazine publisher and also a radio personality in the Boston market, where he experienced some unusual adventures in the spirit of getting the job done. As a former Rotarian, he served as his club's President. Tom and his wife, Janet, recently relocated to the Maine coast to enjoy its beauty and its less hectic pace.
These seven members will be sporting red "New Member" stickers on their badges during their orentation period so they can be recognized and welcomed by all club members.
