ur “Rotarian of the Day” today is John D. Benjamin. John is area sales manager for Capital One Auto Finance. For the past 13 years, John has been responsible for auto dealer finance sales, marketing, and customer relations for Capital One in Oklahoma.

John has lived and worked in the Tulsa area since 1968. He spent 15 years in bank marketing and has more than 35 years financial marketing and sales experience.

John is married to Laura Benjamin and they reside in Bixby, Oklahoma. They have two children: Piper, 36, a graduate of the University of Tulsa, and Katie, 26, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. Both daughters are married and each has given John and Laura one grandchild.

John’s involvement in Oklahoma is extensive. Since 1968, he has served in leadership positions with over 30 Tulsa boards, commissions and non-profit organizations including Tulsa’s City Council from 1990-1996. He was chairman of Tulsa City Council in 1995.

Currently John serves as:

• Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees, Hillcrest Specialty Hospital
• Member and Past President, Southside Rotary Club
• Member and Past President, Executives of Tulsa
• Member, City of Bixby Governmental Sales Tax Oversight Committee
• Immediate Past Chairman, Southside Rotary Foundation
• Member, Board of Directors, Tulsa Sports Commission

This Week’s Program

Chief Ron Palmer

ur speaker today is Ronald (Ron) Palmer, the chief of police for the Tulsa Police Department. He was reappointed the 38th Chief of the Tulsa Police Department (TPD) by Mayor Kathy Taylor in August, 2007, after serving in the same capacity from 1992 through 2002.

Chief Palmer is responsible for leading and managing a staff of 829 sworn and 107 civilian employees. He directs all patrol, investigative, and administrative operations supported with an annual operating budget of approximately $87 million. While advocating the principles of traditional community policing, Chief Palmer is now implementing new crime reduction initiatives, which include an emphasis on “information-based policing” and the enhancement of the public perception of the department as a true community partner.

Chief Palmer earned his B.A. in personnel administration from Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri, and his M.S. in security from Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Missouri.

His career began with the Kansas City Police Department in 1971. Hired as a patrol officer, he worked his way up to major. In 1990, he was selected as chief of police for the Portsmouth, Virginia Police Department, serving in that capacity until 1992.

From 2002 through 2007, Chief Palmer operated his own security consulting firm, Palmer Security Consulting, including a contract as a police mentor to the Afghanistan National Police/Ministry of Interior in Kabul. He is also a partner in the media consulting firm the Palmer/McCarthy Group. He co-authored the book “And the Incorrect Answer Is ‘No Comment’” in 2005 – an instructional book for managing the media in times of crisis.

Chief Palmer is married to Mrs. Judy Lane-Palmer. He has two adult children and two grandchildren residing in Tulsa and the Kansas City area.

Chief Palmer, the Rotary Club of Southside Tulsa welcomes you today. Thank you for being with us.

Southsider Quick Notes

Last week…
- The ROD last week was Bob Hinton and our speaker was Trooper Antonio Porter.

- Happy birthday to John Benjamin!

- Jerry Ramey gave me the question from the September “Rotarian.” For a prize, you’ll need to have this answer at the next meeting:

“What is Rotary District 6960 of Southwest Florida doing as a district-wide project?”

- Again, the district conference is Sept. 25-28 in Joplin, Missouri. Let Don or Keith know if you want to attend!

- Bill Ward is no longer processing the RI Foundation checks. Give your Foundation checks to Tom Sawyer. Bill also presented John Slater with his third Paul Harris Fellow award.

- The board approved $4400 for a vehicle for Engineers in Action, a group that provides both projects and logistical support for Engineers Without Borders groups in Bolivia.

- Ben Gorrell did the Presidential Moment from last week. He became president of Southside after the previous president took some money from his business. While Ben was president, Southside finished up the Bolivian water well project, and just in time to save the community from the cholera epidemic that swept the nation.

- The first annual Run for the Roses will be Saturday, Oct. 11 at Centennial Park. Registration is at 7 a.m. and the 3K race starts at 8 a.m. The entry fee is $10, and cash or checks will be accepted. Make checks payable to the City of Tulsa. Entry fees go up to $15 on Thursday, Oct. 2, and you won’t be guaranteed a T-shirt. There will be no on-site registration, and entry fees will not be accepted after Thursday, Oct. 9. You MUST be 50 or older on the day of the race in order to enter. Entries can be dropped off or mailed to:

The Broadmoor Retirement Community
8205 E. 22nd St. Tulsa, OK 74129

- Though Bob Winters wasn’t here, he made his predictions for Saturday’s games the previous week. Here’s how he did:

• TU vs. North Texas
  He predicted 42-24, TU. The real score: 56-26, TU
• Arkansas vs. ULM
  He predicted 31-21, Arkansas. The real score: 28-27, Arkansas
• OSU vs. Houston
  He predicted 42-24, OSU. The real score: 56-37, OSU
• OU vs. Cincinnati
  He predicted 38-21, OU. The real score: 52-26, OU