Guest speaker, ROSARIO FAJARDO, is a reporter for The Weekly Journal, the new English newspaper that comes out every Wednesday and is free.  Rosario, with more than 20 years of experience as a reporter and editor covering business, economics, finance and politics, has worked for media outlets in London, England and San Juan.  In London, she worked for 4 years with the Middle East Broadcasting Center, the precursor to Al Jazeera.  Rosario has worked with The San Juan Star & Caribbean Business (most recently as editor for 4 years).  She holds both bachelor and master degrees in International Politics from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.

Her talk centered on the importance of local news and the survival of small media in today's world,  where newspapers are dying.  Our speaker described the new English newspaper as heavy on business news and moving Puerto Rico forward.  Available every Wednesday at supermarkets and drug stores and delivered to many metro condominiums, the desire is for it to grow in circulation and fill the niche essential for a community to prosper.,

President Gerry Cumpiano began his talk by thanking District Governor Marilyn Lopez and the many other District officials who came to the Change of Command meeting as well as his wife and fellow-Rotarian, Betsy Parker, and members of his family.  Gerry then proceeded to lay out his vision for the direction of the Club in the new Rotary year.  With "Service Above Self” as its theme, Rotary has many different Avenues of Service for Rotarians to get involved.  Service to the Community is a tradition with our Club as is investing in Youth Leadership through Interact and Rotaract.  A major goal is increasing our membership.  He urged Rotarians to bring more people to lunches to learn about who we are.  By inviting guests and recruiting new members, the audience is enlarged and we will attract excellent speakers. Gerry touched on many areas that need improvement and asked Rotarians to look around the room at the team of people who are about to embark on this year's trip.  The Rotary Team is YOU.

District Governor Marilyn Lopez, her husband PDG Jorge Vazquez, DGE Mercedes Peguero, her husband AG Agustin Montanez were seated at the Head Table with Pepito and Gerry.

DISTRICT GOVERNOR Juanita Valentin Morris presented Rotary International's 100 YEARS OF MEMBERSHIP certificate to Club President Pepito. in recognition of San Juan Rotary's century of the Object of Rotary, Service Above Self.