Ithaca Rotary Welcomes Four New Members
The Rotary Club of Ithaca is pleased to introduce four new members who have joined the service club during the last quarter. These community members bring professional experience from the business sector and volunteer in Tompkins County. Ithaca Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self.” Membership is open to all community members who share in this belief; new members are accepted year-round.
“The Ithaca Rotary Club is delighted to welcome these individuals,” said Rotary Membership Chair Ron Provus. “Our members come from all walks of life and have a wide variety of interests to match those of Rotary. As members of Ithaca Rotary, individuals give of their time and skills to positively impact the needs of our community.”
JoEllen Hedlund, originally from Niagara Falls, moved to Ithaca in 3rd grade. She has been a Rotarian since 1990, recently transferring her membership from the Ithaca Sunrise Club to Ithaca Rotary. She has found her passion in working with Rotary’s international exchange students. She and her husband, Dalva Hedlund, professor emeritus at Cornell, have hosted a number of exchange students through the Rotary program. JoEllen retired from Tompkins Trust Company in 2008, where she was a mortgage lender. In addition to her Rotary activities, she serves on the Cancer Resource Center’s board of directors.
Andrew DeFran was born and raised in the Detroit area, and studied finance and economics at Western Michigan University. Drew’s passion for serving his community first came from his involvement in the student-run radio station on campus. In 2007, Drew studied abroad in Beijing, China as part of his Chinese language minor. He moved from Kalamazoo, MI to Ithaca in 2009, and began a career as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch. He will be part of the Leadership Tompkins class of 2012-2013, and enjoys jogging through Fall Creek, relaxing by the lake, and expanding his vinyl record collection.
Herb Dwyer was born in Pennsylvania and raised in upstate New York. After high school, he joined the Marines and served as a crypto-analyst for the NSA. Following graduation from RIT as an Alpha Sigma Lambda distinguished graduate, Herb came to Ithaca as the general manager for FedEx. He is now president and CEO of the local construction company ASI Renovations. He also serves as a steering committee member of the Cleaner Greener Southern Tier and is involved with the Tompkins County Sustainability Center. Herb is currently president of the Landlords Association of Tompkins County, and is newly married to Sarah.
For the past 15 years, John Rudd has been senior vice president and chief operating officer at Cayuga Medical Center. On January 1, 2013, he will succeed Rob MacKenzie as president and CEO. John has served on numerous community boards: Franziska Racker Centers, OAR, United Way, Tompkins County Area Development, CNY Area Health Education Center, Challenge Industries, Kendall at Ithaca, Reconstruction Home Inc., and the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce. John earned his B.S. in biology from St. Bonaventure University, and an MBA in health care administration from Union College. He and his wife, Bev Chin, have two college-aged children.
New Rotary members are invited to serve on projects and committees that are beneficial to Ithaca and the global community. Activities range from a few hours to longer time commitments.