The Bulletin -- March 31, 2010 (#1033)

DR. THOMAS MORAN, DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR ETHICS AND PUBLIC LIFE AT SUNY PLATTSBURGH, AND PPRES SARA ROWDEN.

DOUG KASHOREK AND HIS PUPPET “ADAM” ENCOURAGED AD SALES FOR THE UPCOMING RADIO DAY. RADIO DAY IS APRIL 12TH.

Program: Dr. Thomas Moran: Ethics and Branding

When celebrity scandals hit the press there is fallout in all directions. What happens when icons, such as Tiger Woods, finds their private lives center stage on every media front? Dr. Thomas Moran, the founding director for the Institute of Ethics and Public Life at SUNY Plattsburgh, addressed more specifically the question of what happens to the companies endorsed by celebrities when issues of ethics become problematic and how they can avoid such scandals.

It is no surprise that entire industries dedicated to addressing ethical issues with big companies have emerged in recent years. As Moran said, “They offer straightforward and obvious advice: Stay out in front of the issue. Admit responsibility, show genuine remorse and make restitution.
On a more philosophical level, why do the scandals happen at all, why do they matter and how can they be avoided? From an historical perspective, Moran asserts that both democracy and capitalism required freedom and responsibility. Freedom alone would create chaos, and people had to be accountable for their actions. Hence, social responsibility. Families, churches and civic organizations were necessary to shape and sustain the ethical standards accepted by society.

“The key feature,” Moran says, “of this new democracy was voluntary association and behavior.” The idea was simply that people had to balance individual needs and communal wellbeing. They had to have trust in each other and they had to consider others’ needs. Such “social capital” is increasingly important in successful societies both politically and economically.

So why should Tiger Woods’ (or any other celebrity) private life matter so much when everyone is entitled to have one? Moran says that private wrongdoing matters to us because of the ubiquity of modern media. These people are important to us because we live in a society where we know more about them than we do our neighbor who lives down the block. We look to them as symbols of our culture and when they do bad things, those behaviors become normalized. Their behaviors matter because people such as elected officials are in positions of power and their actions carry weight that has heavy ramifications.

Dr. Moran has far more to offer on the subject than time allowed and so concluded with how scandals could be avoided. Effective leadership, high standards, and organizational structure are critical to organizational health. Well known in the field of social psychology is the idea that people need a combination of freedom and rules that cannot be violated.
Moran further explains that organizations would be well served to create a structured environment that cultivates character. In closing, he said, “Ultimately what we need to do is to bring all of these forces together in a way that calls forth the very best that is in us.”

Visiting Rotarians: David Malone (Watertown, NY), Michael Lawyer (Sunrise Club)

Guests: Mark Barie (Colin Read), Faith Osborne-Long (Anne Cutaiar), Tony Maglione (Dave Kimmel), Tom Moran (Bob Smith), Alan Bechard (Carmen Carpentier)

New Member Talk: Steve Kende spent four of the best years of his primary education in the Upward Bound program in Vermont (1961-1965). Steve went to Norwich University and after receiving his degree he spent five years active duty in the military and another 15 years in the National Guard. He met his wife back in Stowe and spent the next 35 years there with her where he started his life long career in the Insurance field. Most of Steve’s business was in Vermont, but his first New York client was Bob Smith’s father in 1978. In 1996, Steve and his wife divorced, and Plattsburgh became his new home. He has two sons, one is a graduate of the University of Colorado and the other is a senior at UVM. Steve works for West Bay Financial. He enjoys Plattsburgh and attends many SUNY athletic events. He volunteers for the VA and has spent several years renovating his home. He looks forward to being a member of the club and he hopes to give back to the community as much as he has received from it.

Committee Moments:

• Fishing Tourney: Pier captains are responsible for getting people to sign up for the tournament. Find them to sign up for a slot. Pier Captains are: Cathy Forget/Apple Island; Jody Carpenter/Port Henry; Al Sweenor/ Perkins Pier (Burlington); Terrianne Pavone/Sportsman's Pier (Rouses Point); Alice Church/Willsboro; John Bernardi/ Essex Marina; Keith Tyo/Bonnie Black/ Headquarters.
• Radio Day—Doug Kashorek and “Adam”: Doug and his puppet friend encouraged everyone to sell ads for the upcoming fundraiser.
• Rotary Tee Shirts—Jody Carpenter: Jody is ordering shirts again. If you would like one, catch Jody before the end of April.
• Bonnie Black: If you want to help with the convention here are your options: 1). Volunteer for our district in airports/hotels/roadside etc. to help travelers find their way to the conference (Cost $0) 2). Work the House of Friendship where our booth is (Cost $50) 3). One day, all access pass for Mon. or Tues. (Cost $195) 4). Register on line for the whole convention itself.

Auction Items: Kevin Killeen auctioned a bottle of maple syrup donated by Priscilla Hammond to Keith Tyo for $30. John Bernardi auctioned items two items — a bunny made of shells to Bill Rowe for $20, and a bottle of wine made by the Zurlo family to Bob Kidwell for $20.

Announcements:

• Al Sweenor asked those volunteering to help out with the Half Marathon to attend a meeting next Tuesday (4/6) at 7 p.m. Speak with Al to find out about the location.

Another Candle Burning For: Keith Tyo (4/8) and Alice Recore (4/10).

50/50: There are 45 cards left, and the pot is worth $1,178. Sara Rowden drew the 4 of hearts.