Category Archives: Club History

Club History, Featured Member, Rotary News

Meet 2023-2024 Club President Karen Lujan

It is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce the installment of Karen Lujan as our incoming Rotary President for the 2023-24 Rotary year on July 1, 2023.  As we close out our first 100 years of service to the Monrovia community and prepare for the next chapter in our Rotary journey, we are filled with anticipation for the leadership and positive impact that Karen will bring to our organization.

Karen is no stranger to our Rotary family, having served as an invaluable member for 15 years. Throughout her tenure, she has proven her ability to inspire, engage, and empower others to make a meaningful impact in our community and beyond.   Karen has lived in the San Gabriel Valley since the age of 7.   Karen attended UCSB where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering.  She then went on to earn her Master of Business Administration Degree in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Karen has been married to Fil Lujan for 27 years and has two grown boys who are both living at home attending college and one chosen daughter with two grandchildren that live in the SLC area. Karen currently works as a Senior Product Line Manager for Siemens Corporation in the Semiconductor Software industry.

Here is what Karen had to say regarding the upcoming Rotary year:

I hope to continue building on the momentum that we grew last year with our Centennial year.  We are a service club first and foremost and I want to find meaningful projects in our community and abroad where we can help those in need.  I strongly believe in the power of teamwork and the collective strength that comes from people coming together toward a common goal of helping others . Please consider joining us, you can help make a difference, at home and around the world.

Club History, Featured Member, Rotary News

Meet 2022-2023 Club President Tom Adams

Tom Adams took the helm on July 1, 2022 as the newly installed 2022-2023 Monrovia Rotary President for our centennial year of service.

Tom Adams was born in the Monrovia Hospital and is truly one of the few natives here today. Living his entire life in the San Gabriel Valley and mostly in Monrovia, Tom has seen many changes during his life here. Married to Sally Adams and along with three children who are all grown and gone, Tom and Sally enjoy three granddaughters and all of the fun they bring to life!

Tom has served a variety of roles in Monrovia including the newly retired Mayor of Monrovia and has served longer on the Monrovia City Council than anyone in history! Tom has served in a variety of other roles in the community and continues to serve on the Board of Directors of the Volunteer Center of the San Gabriel Valley, based in Monrovia.

Tom is a Real Estate Broker and is President of Adams & Barnes, Inc., based in Monrovia. They offer services through Century 21 Adams & Barnes including Residential Sales and Leasing, Commercial Sales and Leasing, Property Management and Escrow Services.

Here are some words from President Tom Adams regarding this upcoming Rotary year:

The pandemic has hit service clubs hard, just as it has business and my number one goal is to rebuild the Rotary Club of Monrovia back to its glory. The Rotary Club of Monrovia was Chartered on October 24, 1922 and this will be the Centennial Year. The Rotary Year is from July 1 to June 30 and you will see Rotary sponsoring events all year long from the fireworks on the 4th of July to all of the concerts in the parks as well as the movies in the parks. Rotary is truly a community leader. Driving around Monrovia you might note that the Bandshell in Library Park was donated by Rotary as well as Rotary Park and the new drinking fountain on Myrtle Avenue. 

Consider joining, you can help make a difference, at home and around the world.

Club History, Featured Member, Rotary News

Meet 2021-2022 Club President Sylvia Domotor

Sylvia Domotor took the helm on July 1, 2021 as the newly installed 2021-2021 Monrovia Rotary President.

Sylvia was born in and lived in various parts of Europe, then in Montreal Quebec Canada and then eventually in the Los Angeles area. Lack of snow was a HUGE draw to SoCal!

Sylvia received her Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology from McGill University in Montreal and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in Guelph Ontario Canada.

Sylvia quipped that she speaks poor French, decent Hungarian and on a good day she can communicate in English.

Sylvia joined the Rotary Club of Monrovia in 2010 and has served as a Board member for most of that time and has chaired many committees.

Sylvia says her only regret about the Rotary Club of Monrovia is that she waited so long to join! In her words:

From the first meeting that I was invited to as the guest of Mary Ann Lutz (former Mayor of Monrovia), I fell in love with a group of amazing individuals who had one goal – bettering their community. That they also liked to have fun and enjoyed each other’s company was a huge bonus.”

Monrovia has always been very good to and for me. It was a wonderful town to work in as a veterinary associate from 1988 until I became a veterinary hospital owner in 1996. I moved to Monrovia in 1992 and intend to never leave! Which is a very significant for a vagabond such as myself.

It is my honor in 2021-2022 to serve as the President of this wonderful and amazing group of distinguished, community oriented and yet warm, friendly and fun individuals, as we recover from the damages of COVID and rebuild our club and our community.

Our slogan for this year is; FUN, FRIENDSHIP, COMMUNITY SERVICE!

Club History, Rotary News

Meet 2020-2021 Club President Pat Holley

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Pat Holley recently took the helm on July 1, 2020 as the newly installed 2020-2021 Monrovia Rotary President.

Pat Holley is a native Californian. Pat was raised and lived in Orange County, however, 5 years ago she found herself relocating to the city of Duarte. Pat greatly loves the Monrovia community and is excited to take an active role serving the community through Rotary. Pat purchased her home in Duarte 5 years ago, where she lives with 2 cats. Pat has two children, Christina and Alan and she wants you to know that she has two of the most amazing grandchildren, Carter and Sydney. 

Pat joined the Monrovia Rotary Club in 2015 while working as the Dean of Students for Mount Sierra College in Monrovia. Commuting from Huntington Beach 5 to 6 days a week and finding Rotary motivated Pat to make a major change in her life and she moved from the beach to the local area. She has never looked back as living near the foothills is just as wonderful as living near the beach. 

Pat completed her undergrad in Business at California State Long Beach and completed her Master’s in Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management. Pat enjoys swimming, hiking, scrapbooking, and working in her garden. 

Pat is honored and proud to lead the Monrovia Rotary Club for the 2020-2021 year and hopes you will consider visiting one of our weekly meetings.  Currently, the club is utilizing the Zoom platform for our weekly club meetings during the COVID situation.   We at the Rotary Club of Monrovia are a group of people who “Dare to Care and turn Passion into Action and are Monrovia Rotary Strong.”

Club History, Featured Member, Rotary News

Meet 2019-2020 Club President Jan Mueting

Jan Mueting recently took the helm on July 1, 2019 as the newly installed 2019-2020 Monrovia Rotary President.

Jan Mueting is a native Californian and Daughter of the American Revolution.  Jan’s family have long been residents of Ventura County, however, 20 years ago she found herself to be a resident of Monrovia. Jan greatly loves this community and is excited to take an active role serving the community through Rotary. Jan purchased her home in Monrovia 20 years ago, with her spouse of 22 years, where they live with their three rescue dogs. For the past 16 years Jan has worked for the nations largest and oldest pet insurance company as an Operations Manager. As you may guess, with three dogs the veterinary bills can add up, fortunately all three of her pets are insured!

While Jan is a “newer” resident of Monrovia, she recently learned that several of her ancestors lived in Monrovia over a hundred years ago! She feels that living in Monrovia was destined to be.

Jan joined the Monrovia Rotary Club three years ago when it was pointed out to her by a friend that, at heart, she was already a Rotarian. Her response to that friend was, “isn’t helping someone who needs it, just what you do?” 

Jan is honored and proud to lead the Monrovia Rotary Club for the 2019-2020 year and says “I hope you’ll consider joining us. We at the Rotary Club of Monrovia are a group of people who ‘Dare to Care and turn our Passion into Action’. “

Club History, Rotary News

2016 Demotion Dinner In Honor of Bill Shieff

A stylish send-off for our stylish outgoing President Bill Shieff and First Lady Sue Shieff. Planned and executed perfectly by 2014-2015 President Bryan Earll and the lovely Sarah Earll, with help from Sia Soris, member of the club and proprietress of the Monrovian Restaurant.  The banquet room was quiet elegance with white table cloths, silver chargers, and stunning hydrangea and rose centerpieces.

There were moving tributes to Bill from Bryan Earll, Stan Pitts, Sylvia Domotor, and Bill’s wife Sue. Bill then thanked the members of the Demotion Committee and his Board of Directors for the past year.

As is customary, the demotion marks the selection of the honorees of the club’s top awards, Rotarian of the Year was deserved by Tom Hould for his work with RYLA amongst other contributions, the Tiger of the Year, given to a newer Rotarian, went to Lynda Linforth for her many contributions including her help at the Race to the Falls and First Fridays, and the club’s top awardee was Dr. Sylvia Domotor, winning the George J. Carlson Award which is given in recognition of multiple years of outstanding service.  Notably, “Dr. D” started and runs the annual Santa Clothes program.

Finally, the presidential pin, a vintage pin dating to the club’s inception,as well as the official gavel, was passed to incoming President Susanne Hayek.

Club History, Rotary News

BILL SHIEFF TAKES OVER AS PRESIDENT OF THE MONROVIA ROTARY CLUB

Randolph Shieff_2The Monrovia Rotary Club is one of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries. 1.2 million Rotarians around the world volunteer to meet local and international needs.

Bill Shieff, a long time Rotarian, resident of Monrovia, and Chairman of Move Monrovia,  took over the helm of the Monrovia Rotary Club, succeeding outgoing president Bryan Earll of Apex Fasteners, in a custom of yearly leadership turnover practiced in Rotary Clubs around the world.

Shieff, in his introductory remarks, reaffirmed that a top priority of the club will be to offer services and programs to the children and teens of Monrovia including sending high school students to Rotary Youth Leadership Camp (RYLA), sending eighth graders to Teen Leadership Camp (TLC), a continuation and expansion of the clubs Santa Clothes program providing school clothes to needy students, and ongoing support of the Interact Club and Robotics program at Monrovia High School as well as many more. Shieff also commented on the clubs renewed partnership with Monrovia Adult School to provide Vocational Scholarships.

Mr. Shieff and his wife Sue are parents of two and grandparents of six.  They enjoy travel, music, and fine food.  Bill is an avid road cyclist, motorcyclist, licensed pilot and continuing education and technology enthusiast.  He is a Vietnam Veteran with an Honorable Discharge from the United States Navy.

In his business career, he was the President/CEO of Randolph Shieff & Associates, Inc. which provided domestic and international clients with contract manufacturing services.

The Monrovia Rotary Club welcomes visitors to its meetings and actively seeks service minded individuals to join its membership.  The club meets Tuesdays at noon at the Monrovian Restaurant on Myrtle Avenue, in the upstairs banquet room. 

Club History

Bryan Earll takes the Helm as Monrovia Rotary Club President

July 1 is a day where around the world, new Rotary Presidents are taking on their appointed leadership role.  Today was no different for Monrovia Rotarian Bryan Earll.  Bryan Earll, Monrovia Rotary’s 95th President, is the current President and Owner of Apex Fasteners located in Monrovia, CA and is also a resident of Monrovia with his wife Sarah Earll.  He has worked in the Fastener Industry for 26 years.

President Earll was handed the reigns and his Presidential pin today at his inaugural meeting today at noon by newly Past-President Alexander Blackburn.  Earll presented four goals for the year:

  1.  Have fun
  2. Honor our club by becoming a 100% Paul Harris Club
  3. Approve the updated Rotary Constitution and By-Laws
  4. Establish a strategic plan and vision for our club moving forward.

Earll was clear in his message that “this is not “My Club” it’s “Our Club” and it’s “Your Club”. It’s “Our Year” to collectively shape a vision of what we would like to accomplish over time and we have a great future ahead of us.”

Club History

Judy Ryan (Yoder) Thomas passed away on Tuesday, November 5, 2013.

Judy was very connected to our club and was an honorary member, club secretary for many years, and her husband, Art Thomas, is a devoted member of our club.

Prior to her marriage to Art, Judy was the wife of PDG William (Billy) Ryan 1982-83. Judy created a scholarship in Billy’s memory entitled, “The Billy Ryan Athletic Scholarship” which is awarded annually to a football player from Monrovia High School.

Visitation – Friday, November 15th – 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Zook’s Mortuary

Memorial Service – Saturday, November 16th – 1 p.m. with reception to follow at 1st Presbyterian Church

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