PROGRAM:
Ted J. Kleisner is President and CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company.  Hershey Entertainment & Resorts is a privately held company that was founded in 1927, when Milton S. Hershey separated his chocolate manufacturing operations from his other businesses. All of these non-chocolate producing divisions were reorganized under the name Hershey Estates, which is known today as Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts and its subsidiaries own and/or operate the Hersheypark entertainment complex, Hersheypark Arena & Stadium, ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, Hershey Bears AHL Hockey Club, Giant Center, Dutch Wonderland family entertainment complex, The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge, Hershey Highmeadow Campground, Hershey Country Club, Hershey Nursery, and Hershey Laundry and Textiles.

Immediately prior, Mr. Kleisner was President and CEO of the Greenbrier Resort and Club Management Company, and President & Managing Director of The Greenbrier (White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia).  The Greenbrier Resort and Club Management Company manages The Greenbrier, Deep Water Cay Club (Deep Water Cay, Commonwealth of the Bahamas), Boca Bay Pass Club (Boca Grande, Florida), The Ford Plantation (Richmond Hill, Georgia), The Turks & Caicos Sporting Club at Ambergris Cay (Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies), The Snake River Sporting Club (Jackson Hole, Wyoming), The Greenbrier Sporting Club (White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia), Tucker’s Point Golf, Beach and Tennis Club (Tucker’s Town, Bermuda), and the Great Harbor Yacht Club (Nantucket, Massachusetts).  Mr. Kleisner was also President of The Greenbrier Sporting Club Development Company LLC, a joint venture involved in real estate development.  

A third generation hotelier, Ted graduated with a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of Denver School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management.  He started his hotel career in 1967 with Albert Pick Hotels Corporation in Chicago, Illinois.  He then joined Hilton Hotels Corporation and moved through general management positions in Ohio, Missouri, Georgia, and Texas. Ted began his association with The Greenbrier in 1980 as Director of Operations.  In 1984 he accepted the position of General Manager of the Southampton Princess in Bermuda. After two years in Bermuda he became Vice President & Managing Director of the Boca Raton Resort and Club in Florida.  In 1987 he returned to The Greenbrier where he served as Vice President and Managing Director.  In 1988 Ted was promoted to President and Managing Director of The Greenbrier.  He was also named President and CEO of The Greenbrier Resort and Club Management Company. In this capacity, from 1988 to 1999, he oversaw the General Managers and management of The Greenbrier; the Carambola Beach & Golf Resort (St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands), the Grand Teton Lodge Company and the Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club (both in Jackson Hole, Wyoming). 

In 1994 The Greenbrier Resort and Club Management Company developed The Greenbrier Golf Resort & Club in Shirakawa, Japan, through a license and technical services agreement.  In 1999, following the sale of the Grand Teton Lodge Company to Vail Resorts, Ted oversaw a joint venture (owned 80% by the management company) to develop 6,000 acres of The Greenbrier’s extensive estate.  Following the success of the development company’s first real estate venture, Ted and joint venture partners expanded into club management and real estate development in the United States, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Islands, and Bermuda.  Additionally, Ted expanded the company into the resort retail business with the founding of Station A Retail Management.  Station A now owns and operates 35 shops at The Greenbrier and provides retail consulting to other resorts and destinations including The Broadmoor, the Boca Raton Resort & Club, Amelia Island, and Anheuser Busch’s Kings Mill Resort.

Unique to Ted’s hospitality career has been his relationship with the federal government. While providing strategic leadership, management oversight, and direction to The Greenbrier and all properties managed by The Greenbrier’s Resort and Club Management Company, Ted also had 10 years of oversight responsibility for a top-secret federal government project.  “Project Greek Island” was a 112,000 square-foot nuclear bomb shelter constructed 70-feet beneath The Greenbrier’s West Virginia Wing.  The shelter’s purpose was to serve as the relocation site for members of the U. S. House of Representatives, Senate, Supreme Court, and associated staff and dependents in the event of nuclear war.  In a broader context, Project Greek Island was to guarantee the survival of the legislative and judicial branches of the U. S. government, and thus maintain the country as a constitutional republic with the freedoms it guarantees.  The Greenbrier held title to the facility through an agreement with the government and the site was maintained and operated by the infrastructure and employees of The Greenbrier.  Ted’s responsibility, specified in an unrecorded and classified lease, was to provide and guarantee all maintenance and operating capabilities of the facility, to meet regularly with government officials to establish and implement operating and capital budgets, and to work with a handful of federal workers whose responsibility was to covertly oversee the care and 24/7 functionality of the site, all of which required that Ted maintain a “Top Secret” level security clearance from the Department of Defense.  Overtly, these federal employees worked as audio-visual specialists for The Greenbrier.  The facility was closed and declassified in 1995. 

Ted was awarded the “Independent Hotelier of the World” honor in 1993 by Hotels magazine and, in 1994, was named “Resort Executive of the Year,” which is jointly sponsored by Robinson, Yesawich & Pepperdine, Inc. and the Reed Hotel Directories Group, publishers of Hotel & Travel Index and The Official Hotel Guide. In 1995 West Virginia Governor Gaston Caperton presented Ted with “The Distinguished West Virginian” Award. In 2003, he was honored with the Orchard Village Advocacy Award – Orchard Village is a residential and vocational training community in the Chicago area which primarily supports people with developmental disabilities.

An avid golfer, Ted was elected in 1998 to membership in The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland.  He and his wife of 35 years, Karen, reside in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS / MEETING LOCATIONS:  

• Oct 1                 Ted Kleisner, CEO Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Co.
  Hilton
• Oct 8                 NO MEETING
• Oct 15              Stuart Malina, Conductor- Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra
  Hilton
• Oct 22           Kim Patten, Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s PA Deputy Director and Outreach
  Hilton                Coordinator
• Oct 29           Jack Wagner, Auditor General
  Hilton                Coordinator

For complete programming go to our website: hbgrotary.org and click on calendar.
September is New Generations Month

NEWS AND NOTES:

• HABITAT for HUMANITY - Sign up for Saturday, October 13th
     100 N. 13th St., Harrisburg (corner of Walnut and 13th).
• Rotary International United Nations Day will be held Saturday, Nov. 3 for $35.  A bus will leave from Queensgate (York) at 5:00AM for presentations and panel discussions addressing key humanitarian issues. An optional tour of the UN is available for $13. Contact Linda for forms.
• SAVE THE DATE:  11th Annual Apple Harvest Pancake Breakfast
  When:  October 27th
  Where:  John Harris High School
  TIME:  8 Am- Noon
  Please sign up to volunteer, bring an auction item, take a placemat ad and/or sell tickets.  TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON SEPTEMBER 24th !
  SEE YOU THERE!
  Karen Paris and Jacqueline Bedard, Co-Chairs
• Rotary Foundation Dinner - DGE Ben Hoover is inviting all Rotarians & guests to attend the District Rotary Foundation Dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at the Country Club of York from 6-9 PM. Reservation & Sponsorship forms are available from Linda or on the club website (www.hbgrotary.org) Show your support of the Foundation and DGE Ben Hoover by attending.
• YOUTH EXCHANGE INFO
  The Rotary Club of Harrisburg is sponsoring Ange Sauvage from Lyon , France. Ange is attending Susquehanna Township High School. The Youth Exchange Committee will be interviewing host families (they do not need to be Rotarians) in Susquehanna Township. Ange will stay with 3 host families during the school year. He will stay with each family about 3 months. Host families are to treat him as you would your own child. Ange will receive an allowance from the Club. If you are interested in hosting Ange or you know of someone else in Susquehanna Township who would want to host him, please contact Linda Freedenberg or Ron Guss ASAP. 
• SUPPORT OUR TROOPS PROJECT
  Donate $10 cash or check payable to the Harrisburg Rotary Foundation, in support of our 2007-08 goal to raise another $2,000 to assist the non-profit “Wounded Warrior Project” minister to the personal needs of our severely wounded troops who face long-term rehab in military hospitals. Your contribution is 100% tax deductible.
• Have you registered as a user on the website yet? It is as easy as pie and you get access to the latest membership roster information. Go ahead...do it right now and then you can tell your kids that you are a web guru!
  
  For meeting cancellations due to inclement weather.... Tune to ABC27-TV
  or check your e-mail or call the Rotary office at 234-1208.

ATTENDANCE:

LAST ROTARY MEETING: 9/24/07 60%
Rotarians 85 Active Specials   14    Guests  17      Visiting Rotarians  3 =  119
Good News Reporting $166 for Rotary International Float

Minutes by Jacqueline Bedard:
At the door, we were greeted by Charlie McNutt and Robin Scaer. John Hickey led us with American the Beautiful and Jeff Boswell provided the invocation.

Wow, what a turnout for a jammed packed program. Today, there were 18 guests and visiting Rotarians who were drawn to the attraction of hearing the information provided by our key note speaker including two guests from London and three guests of the speaker. Charlie McNutt orchestrated the introductions.

John Judson gave us a rotary minute describing the “shelter box” program supported by Rotary International. One shelter box costs $1,000 and provides help to a family of 10 to survive for a period of six months. To date, there are more than 500,000 aided by this program.

Guy Patterson provided his mini-classification talk and described a little about himself. A client relations executive in the insurance industry, he assured us that the insurance industry is thriving but there are many things that could be done to strengthen some areas.

Connie Siegel spoke to pitch everyone to buy a place on the Pancake Breakfast placemat. With additional pitches for members to buy tickets, to work the breakfast and to give a silent auction item, Jacqueline Bedard addressed the crowd.

Karen Snider has been hard at work once again this year with the Youth Community Development Team (“YCDT”). Beginning its fourth year, the YCDT held its orientation meeting last Monday. At this meeting, the students split into three teams. The teams’ self-chosen names – MADD (Making a difference daily), Market Street Miracles and Leaders Leading Together – were reflected on the posters designed by the students.

Jeff Boswell then swept the room as many shared good news with all. And big thanks to Andy Rebuck for his mentorship of Ange, our foreign exchange student.

Important Dates to Remember: UN Day – 11/3; Foundation Dinner – 11/14; and, Habitat for Humanity – 10/3.

Our speaker today brought lively discussion and with his remarks regarding Illegal Aliens in the Hazleton area and the steps that he, as mayor, took to address associated problems in his City.

Lou Barletta is the Mayor of Hazleton. Wanting to make a difference and turn a financially distressed City around, he sought the position of Mayor. He was able to achieve financial success through bringing the City from a $1.2 million shortfall to a surplus in 2003. However, that surplus no longer exists. The Mayor attributes the financial and criminal woes currently facing the City to explosion of Illegal Aliens residing in the City. As anecdotal evidence to emphasize his point that taxpayer monies collected and City services designed to benefit the taxpaying citizen were diverted to dealing with the issues brought by the Illegal Aliens, he told us about a incident on 5/10/06 in which a 14-year old illegal alien was arrested for shooting a gun on a playground. He also told about an incident Where Derek Keshline was shot by 2 people at least one of whom was an illegal alien. When the violence expanded to include a large area drug bust of illegal aliens, gang-related graffiti on schools and playgrounds and threats to police officers the Mayor had “had enough.” He then passed a law making it a violation of the ordinance for any business to knowingly hire illegal aliens with a penalty of a suspended business license. Similarly, the law prohibited landlords from renting to illegal aliens again with the penalty of license revocation.

Numerous interest groups challenged that ordinance through complaint filed in the Middle District Court of Pennsylvania. A hearing before Judge Munley was held and in a 200+ page opinion, Judge Munley struck down the law as unconstitutional. Mayor Barletta is resolved to appeal the decision. In the meantime, he continues to work to prevent the diversion of City resources away from its citizens.

Please support our Officers and Board by serving our club and our community as we begin our new Rotary year!