The Rotary Club of San Marino recently said goodbye to its beloved outgoing President Barbara Bice, who put an exclamation mark on her year as the organization’s leader by arranging the club to meet for her “demotion” in the press room high above Rose Bowl stadium.
Following Bice’s “demotion” as the ceremony is affectionately called in Rotary, her successor, Paul Brassard, was installed as president by District Governor Mike Driebe.
Most members had never been in that part of the stadium and were excited to see the iconic stadium from that viewpoint. But for Bice, that stadium is the home to one of the most memorable periods of her career. She was the head of volunteers for the 1994 FIFA World Cup soccer matches, a momentous event for Pasadena and soccer in the U.S., which required thousands of volunteers to pull off.
That’s where Bice came in. She was recruited because of her past performance as a popular teacher at San Marino High School, founder of the school’s career center, the first executive director of the San Marino Schools Foundation and the director of major gifts at the Huntington Hospital.
Club members enjoyed the ceremony’s lunch, generously provided by her husband Scott, the program started with a welcome from Jens Weiden, the CEO and general manager of the Rose Bowl Operating Company. Following Weiden were remarks from Keven Ash, who is currently the chief administrative officer of the Rose Bowl game. He worked with Bice at the Rose Bowl during the World Cup, and during the “demotion” ceremony, Ash presented Barbara with original tournament tickets. Then-past president Rob Feidler gave Barbara her “Past President” pin and some gifts from the Rotary Club.
Following the Fourth of July holiday, Brassard’s first meeting as president will be July 11, a day in which he will lay out his vision and plans for the 2024-25 year.
Brassard praised Barbara for her steady leadership over the past year and for all the positivity that she created that will support the club going forward.
