"Wine Making in Monterey County--History, Production & Instruction"
Greg Freeman, Winemaker, Chalone Vineyards
Our speaker will discuss winemaking in the Monterey Peninsula and the Santa Lucia Highlands, the history of some local vineyards, and Chalone’s unique past story as the oldest winemaker in the county. There will be photos, videos, and insight on the business, labels, terminology, wine production, and grape growing in the Central Coast. Freeman will also cover his curious path to the winemaker position and how this relates to bagpiping at Carmel Beach. As part of the presentation there will be a tasting of chardonnay and pinot noir (during his remarks, after the lunch). He will lead a discussion of these wines followed by a general question and answer session.
Greg Freeman has been making wine in Monterey County for 22 years. With a combination of microbiology and chemistry study, chef work in restaurants and as a traveling musician, his road to winemaker has been unique. Greg is currently stepping up as Board Chair for the Carmel Chamber of Commerce for the 2025 year, related to the Chalone Tasting Room in Carmel Plaza. He is a guitarist/singer and sometimes plays bagpipes at Carmel Beach before sunset. Greg lives in mid-Valley.
"Catalysts and Challenges in Development of Monterey Peninsula, 1850-1950" Neil Hotelling, Head Archivist, Pebble Beach Company
Our speaker is a noted historian in the Monterey Community. He will discuss the evolution of the Peninsula since 1850, the land disputes, the issues that delayed development, the catalysts and the challenges. The railroad, 1906 earthquake and golf were all important factors that eventually led to rapid growth and the establishment of not only Monterey but importantly Pebble Beach, Carmel and Pacific Grove. He will go into the history of these communities. Neil has been intricately embedded with Pebble Beach for over 30 years as a business manager, including Golf Operations Manager, and will detail the history of the Pebble Beach Company. He is currently researching and writing the history of Monterey Peninsula Country Club (MPCC), and will also delve into the history of that club. His broad understanding of the tapestry of Monterey Peninsula’s rich history will be accompanied by PowerPoint photos and video.
Mr. Hotelling has been with the Pebble Beach Company since 1990, serving in various management positions including Licensing and Special Projects and Director of Corporate Affairs. His book, Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Official History, was awarded the Book of the Year by the International Network of Golf. He wrote the History Beat column in the "Carmel Pine Cone" for many years, and is currently still involved with the Pebble Beach archives. Neal was past president of the Monterey Heritage Society and in 2005 was Preservationist of the Year for his leading role in preventing the demolition of the former Hotel Del Monte in Monterey (now the NPS).
"The Ukraine War and NATO’s efforts to curtail Russia"
Rose Gottemoeller, former NATO Deputy Secretary General
Our speaker will detail the story of Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion and its scrappy, intrepid use of technology and talent in the war. The daring August foray into Russian territory is a good example. She will also review the close U.S. cooperation with NATO allies and the work NATO has been doing to prevent the egregious Russian attack from turning into a general war in Europe.
Ms. Gottemoeller is the William J. Perry Lecturer at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and its Center for International Security and Cooperation. She was Deputy Secretary General of NATO from 2016-19, and served in the U.S. State Department as Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. In 2009-10, she was the chief U.S. negotiator of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the Russian Federation, an experience captured in her memoir, Negotiating the New START Treaty, published in May 2021 by Cambria Press.
"Mastering Memory"
Carmen Simon, Ph.D, Chief Science Officer, Corporate Visions
Memory is the cornerstone of our identity, shaping how we connect with others and make decisions. Enhancing your memory isn't just about personal recollection; it's also about making a lasting impact. And it isn't solely about looking back—it's about using your experiences to guide future choices. Memory also plays an important role in business.
Customers and partners forget 90% of what you share after two days. This presentation encompasses why the brain tends to forget. Different perspectives on memory that will change how you think about remembering and forgetting. And it will cover:
Carmen Simon, Ph.D, is a cognitive neuroscientist and Chief Science Officer at Corporate Visions. She teaches several courses at Stanford University. Her most recent books on attention and memory are "Impossible to Ignore" and "Made You Look".
"The Covert CIA Project to Recover the Sunken Soviet Ballistic Missile Submarine in 1974”
Mike Clancy, ret. Director of Navy Tech & Scientific Meteorology & Oceanography Center
This presentation is on the CIA project to covertly recover the sunken Soviet ballistic missile submarine, K-129. The K-129 went down with all hands approximately 1,600 miles northwest of Hawaii in 1968 at a location unknown to the Soviets. Using underwater surveillance technology, the U.S. Navy was able to determine where the submarine sank within about 6 miles. Subsequently, the Navy submarine Halibut was able to find and photograph the K-129, more than 3 miles down on the ocean floor. This enabled a secret recovery operation, launched in 1974, using a remarkable ship built specifically for this task, the Glomar Explorer. This was one of the most exciting, complex, secretive, expensive and potentially rewarding intelligence gathering operations of the 20th Century. The marine technology it employed in the attempt to recover the submarine was like nothing seen before or since. And, there are several aspects of the operation that connect with the Monterey area. Our speaker will also present his novel theory on the root cause of the K-129 disaster.
Mike Clancy has degrees in oceanography and meteorology, held positions with Science Applications International (SAI) and the Naval Research Lab. He was in the top civilian position as Technical & Scientific Director of the Navy Fleet Numerical Meteorology & Oceanography Center (FNMOC) in Monterey. Clancy has authored over 100 publications, and has the Navy’s highest civilian award for Distinguished Civilian Service. He is in the FNMOC Hall of Fame.
"Biologic Threats facing the U.S.
RADM Bernard was the senior White House official responsible for biodefence policy in two presidential administrations. He will give an overview of the biologic threats facing America from natural, accidental and intentional causes. With a background in infectious disease from CDC, he will outline the threats and our defense—illustrated with examples and stories, from smallpox to COVID (including the Anthrax attacks in 2001, Ebola in 2014, etc.)—that are at the intersection of public health, politics and national security. This its an international issue, little understood and under appreciated. The subject is disconcerting and alarming. It will be sobering.
Rear Admiral Bernard (USPHS, Ret.) served in the George W. Bush White House as Special Asst. for Homeland Security and Asst. Surgeon General. He was the senior official in charge of biodefense policy. Prior to that the Admiral was Senior Advisor for Security and Health on President Clinton’s National Security Council Staff, and Senior Political Advisor to the Director-General of the World Health Organization. He currently is a consultant and advisor to a number of U.S. Government agencies and private sector companies on issues of biodefense, intelligence, pandemic preparedness and response, health security and health diplomacy. He began his career as an epidemiologist and disease detective at the Centers For Disease Control, and is currently a member of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity and the Defense Science Board Permanent Subcommittee on Threats. Bernard did his undergrad at UC Berkeley, obtained his M.D. at the U. of Cal Davis, and his DTM&H degree from the University of London.
“The Produce Business in Salinas Valley and the Taylor Farms' Leadership Position Nationwide”
Bruce Taylor, Chairman and CEO, Taylor Farms
Taylor Farms is not only the largest fresh vegetable producer in Salinas Valley, it is by far the leading firm in the U.S., several times the size of its competitors. It has 19 plants around the country and 20,000 employees. Revenues are over $7 billion. Taylor will discuss the ever-changing agricultural business landscape in Salinas Valley, and the opportunities and challenges ahead. The competitive picture is changing and some firms are in difficulty, while his firm is gaining market share. His business is national in scope so he will detail the bigger picture as well. Bruce will also trace the history of his company from start-up to current day. All we ever notice is the workers in the fields as we drive along the highway. The produce business and Taylor Farms has a multitude of dimensions and aspects you never imagined. This will be highly informative and insightful. Bruce is a good speaker and along with his AV videos and photos this will be engaging. Taylor rarely speaks to groups so this is fairly exclusive.
Bruce Taylor grew up in Salinas Valley and graduated from UC Berkeley and the Harvard Business School. At Fresh Express he led the growth of its foodservice fresh cut salads and retail bagged produce sector. In1995 he and his financial partners established Taylor Fresh Foods and Taylor Farms. Its products are utilized by 160 million people in the U.S. each week. Taylor has 4 sons and is on the board of the Mission Produce and Western Growers Association. In the past he was Chairman of the International Fresh Produce Association and various other industry trade associations.
Samuel Helfont, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. of Strategy and Policy, Naval Postgraduate School
This program has been scheduled at the last minute in light of the importance and timeliness of the subject. The originally scheduled speaker on Global Energy Politics has been moved to the February luncheon. Note: This program will commence at 11:50am and be completed around 1:00pm, and then lunch will be served. The switch in the normal sequence is to enable the professor to return to his scheduled classes. We will take our seats at 11:45am.
The presentation will discuss the objectives of each side in the Gaza conflict and how they hope to achieve them. It will highlight political considerations both domestically and internationally that guide and limit the main actors.
Samuel Helfont focuses on strategy and policy at the Naval War College, and does research on international history and politics in the Middle East. His latest book is Iraq against the World: Saddam, America, and the Post-Cold War Order, Oxford University Press. Helfont’s work has been published in numerous periodicals such as Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post and The New Republic. He has a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton and an MA in Middle Eastern History from Tel Aviv University in Israel. He completed his post-doctoral lectureship at the University of Pennsylvania, and has affiliations with Stanford and the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. NPS awarded him the Naval War College research award in 2023 for his high level of scholarship excellence over the last 3 years. Helfont was an intelligence officer in the US Navy, is an Iraq War veteran, and served on counterterrorism missions with the Defense Intelligence Agency, the NSA, and the Office of Naval Intelligence.
This presentation will take you on the water for a 7000-mile journey as you learn what we have in common with gray whales. We will go out in 20-foot open boats to meet 45-foot, 40-ton animals in their natural habitat in the only place on earth where such wild animals routinely seek human contact. You will enter their secret domain and see behaviors most of the world will never be aware of and become familiar with the mystical connection between these animals and man that has existed for almost 10,000 years. It is all about one-on-one personal contact with the largest creatures on the planet. Dorsey will show high-def digital images, videos, and tell personal stories from his latest book, "THE LAGOON," his memoir of the two plus decades he worked eye to eye with these giants in Baja.
James is a fellow of the Explorers Club, member emeritus of the Adventurers Club and a member of the American Cetacean Society. He has written for Colliers, The Christian Science Monitor, L.A. Times, Lonely Planet, Geo Expeditions, The BBC, United Airlines, California Literary Review and numerous African magazines. Besides "THE LAGOON," his previous works (Vanishing Tales from Ancient Trails,) and (Baboons for Lunch,) will also be available for purchase.
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