The History of Our Club
Fifteen Members Charter & Start the Rotary Club of Brentwood
Originally published Friday April 1, 1949 in the Brentwood News
April 1, 1949 – Fifteen business men of Brentwood, Oakley and Byron took final steps at a noon luncheon Monday for the organization of a Rotary Club in Brentwood as a unit of Rotary International, world-wide service organization.
Listed as charter members are William D. Dickey, Fred Abbott, James de Fernery, Jr, Mark E. Eisele, Wilfred H. Carpenter, Anders C. Anderson, Clair B. Cheseldine, Richard J. Wallace, Frank H. Vonder Ahe, and Stanley E. Nunn of Brentwood; C. C. Olney, Frank R. Shellenberger, Elmer E. Espercia and E. A. H. Prewett of Oakley and Fabin Richard, Jr, of Byron.
Officers had been elected at an earlier meeting with Olney as president, Dickey as secretary, and Wallace as treasurer.
Present at Monday’s meeting were Hal Forsey, president of the Concord club, and Henry Spiess, president of the Antioch club, the sponsoring clubs. Also present as an interested advisor was Arthur Honegger, member of the Antioch Rotary club. Organization of the Brentwood cub brings the number in the county to six with clubs already active in Antioch, Pittsburg, Concord, Martinez and Walnut Creek. Truly international, Rotary has clubs in more than 6,500 cities and 80 countries.
President Olney explained that the Brentwood club will have the same general objectives as all Rotary clubs in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Islands of the Pacific – to foster and encourage the “Ideal of Service” as a basis of worthy enterprise. “Rotary may be defined as a fellowship of some 315,000 business and professional executives throughout the world who are united in the ideal of service which is thoughtfulness and helpfulness to others: Olney stated.
“Members of Rotary clubs endeavor to exemplify their motto, Service Above Self, in all of the daily business, social and civic contacts by placing obligation to serve others before desire for profit for themselves. A Rotary club selects its membership on the basis of once active member from each recognized business and profession in the community.:
The Rotary club of Brentwood will have regular weekly meetings at the Continental club at 12:15 each Monday. As soon as it has been formally admitted to membership by Rotary International, it’s official Rotary charter will be delivered by Al Tisch, district governor at a special meeting which will be attended by Rotarians from many of the clubs in the Rotary district.
RIPP Cliff Dochterman on the Origins of Polio Plus
Brentwood Rotary Club Past Presidents
** = president twice
(D) = deceased
1948-1949 Clyde Olney (D)
1949-1950 William Dickey
1950-1951 Mark Eisele (D)
1951-1952 H. Pappy Prewett )D)
1953-1954 Al Sales
1954-1955 Jim de Fremery (D)
195-1956 Del Sargetti (D)
1956-1957 Frank Vander Ahe
1957-1958 Robert White (D)
1958-1959 Galen Richardson (D)
1959-1960 Ray Sherman (D)
1960-1961 Floyd Brown (D)
1961-1962 George Perry
1962-1963 Dave Rogers ** (D)
1963-1964 Dave Rogers ** (D)
1964-1965 Dr. Charles Duffy
1965-1966 Homer Aldernan (D)
1966-1967 Warren Geddes
1967-1968 Jack Beyer **
1968-1969 Bill Braheny (D)
1969-1970 Lenny Beyer (D)
1970-1971 Ted Hanberg **
1971-1972 Homer Beasley ** (D)
1972-1973 Wayne Boulding
1973-1974 Dr. Paul Krey
1974-1975 Patrick McHenry
1975-1976 Paul Lamborn
1976-1977 Mike Adams
1977-1978 Lee Laird
1978-1979 Jack Beyer **
1979-1980 Ed Stack
1980-1981 Ted Hanberg **
1981-1982 Homer Beasley ** (D)
1982-1983 Wally Patridge
1983-1984 Joe Cunningham
1984-1985 Dave Blumen (D)
1985-1986 Bob Selders
1986-1987 George Nunn (D)
1987-1988 Bruce Ghiselli
1988-1989 Al Dias
1989-1990 Raymond Glosser
1990-1991 Dr. Richard Allen
1991-1992 Fr. Robert Ponciroli
1992-1993 Jim Lanter
1993-1994 Tim Bredbenner
1994-1995 Fred Stornetta (D)
1995-1996 Chris Becnel
1996-1997 Ron. M. Enos
1997-1998 John Mancuso
1998-1999 Dave Navarette
1999-2000 Rob Brandt
2000-2001 Dave Roche
2001-2002 Gene Clare
2002-2003 Don Werschem
2003-2004 Liz Silva
2004-2005 Kevin King
2005-2006 Greg Robinson
2006-2007 Mac Kaiser
2007-2008 Lisa Bass
2008-2009 Dirk Zeigler
2009-2010 Fred Ehler
2010-2011 Paul Kelly
2011-2012 Dave Wahl
2012-2013 John D. Fink
2013-2014 Mike Crosby
2014-2015 Steve Gursky
2015-2016 Roger Strauss
2016-2017 Olga Vidriales
2017-2018 Fran Bowman
2018-2019 Wesley Olson
2019-2020 Rich Inglis
2020-2021 Seana Fippin