ABOUT
Mission & Board
Service Above Self
Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves.
OUR MISSION
We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through our fellowship of business, professional and community leaders.
Quick Facts about the Rotary Club of Morganton:
Chartered in 1941.
Voted Best in Burke six consecutive years.
Includes over 40 diverse, committed members.
Meets Wednesday at noon at the Morganton Community House (120 N. King St)
KATHY SMITH, Immediate Past President
A native of Burke County, Kathy S. Smith holds a Master's degree in Birth to Kindergarten: Leadership and Administration from UNC Greensboro. She is also a graduate of Western Piedmont Community College and Western Carolina University. She is married to Reverend Brian D. Smith, of Caldwell County, and has one daughter, Faith.
Kathy is the Executive Director of Burke County Smart Start, Inc. where she's worked for over 20 years. She is also a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); the Vice-Chair of the Enola Group’s Board of Directors; a member of the Early Head Start Policy Council for Burke, Caldwell, and Alexander Counties; and is the parent representative on the Burke County Community Child Protection and Child Fatality Prevention Team. Her favorite quote is that of Frederick Douglass: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
RICH DEAUGUSTINIS, Club Director
Rich has been a resident of Morganton for over 30 years and is the retired general manager of Packaging Corporation of America here in Morganton. He has been a member of Rotary for over 30 years and has served or is serving on Boards for Amorem Hospice, the Burke County Chamber of Commerce, the Community Foundation of Burke County, Burke Charitable Properties, Burke Economic Development, the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Mission Ministries Alliance and the Burke County United Way. Rich and his wife Sally have two sons, Matthew and Michael, and 5 grandchildren.
JOJO STORY, Club Treasurer
Jojo Story is a Co-Manager of Good Books, an enterprise of The Industrial Commons. Originally from Pennsylvania, she now resides in Morganton. Jojo has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications, Advertising with a minor in Business from Appalachian State University. In her free time, she absolutely loves spending time with her daughter Mazey and cat Po Bear, doing projects around the house and exploring all the beautiful places Western North Carolina has to offer.
WAITS GORDON, Club Director
Waits Gordon is a veteran of the US Marine Corps and retired from Food Lion in 2008 after working 20 years in Sales Management. After his retirement, Waits dedicated himself to community service. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Morganton, he also serves on the Board of Directors for Habitat of Humanity of Burke County, the History Museum of Burke County and the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Morganton. Waits also served as president of the Rotary Club 2014-2015, was named Morganton Rotary’s Man of the Year in 2008.
KAREN MILNER, Club Director
Karen Milner holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Education. She has dedicated herself to service and community involvement.
For 16 years, Karen and her family opened their home as a foster family providing care and support for 52 children. In addition, Karen has served as a Guardian ad litem in Morganton for 12 years advocating for the best interests of children in foster case.
Karen has impacted not only the local community, but also the international one. Karen became a Rotarian in Nigeria during a Friendship Exchange. With her most recent international endeavor being a trip to Ukraine in an effort to supply those in need with wheelchairs. Rotary provides excellent opportunities to serve the community in a variety of capacities.
Karen is a proud parent to four daughters, all of whom have fostered children. Karen and her husband have 19 grandchildren, 14 were through adoption.
When she is not being an advocate, then she spends her time creating new memories with her family.
DAVID RUST, Club Director, Club Scholarship Chair
David Rust has been a member of the Rotary Club of Morganton for 24 years having previously served as club president and is the current Club Scholarship Chair. David has a bachelors degree in Zoology from NC State University and a Masters Degree in Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill. He retired in 2012 from the Burke County Health Department after a 34 year career. David currently sits on the Board of Trustees for South Mountain Children’s Home and Family Services and the Board of Directors for Burke County Smart Start. He is a past recipient of the Rotary Club of Morganton Man of the Year (2006) and the State of North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
LOU ARASI, Club Director
Lou Arasi is a native of New York, but moved to and lived in Florida for 44 years where he and is wife Pattie raised 3 daughters. Lou and Pattie moved to Morganton in 2022 and quickly found a home in the Rotary Club of Morganton after having been a member of Rotary for over 20 years including serving as a board member and president at his previous club.
Lou’s professional background is in electronic manufacturing having run several facilities for different corporations and eventually starting and owning 4 different companies. He is currently a manufacturing representative in the same field.
HERRON HARPER, Club Director
Herron Harper is the Warehouse/Material Manager at Material Return, a part of The Industrial Commons, in Morganton. He has been a member of the Rotary Club of Morganton since 2022. Herron was born in Rocky Mount, NC, but has been a transplant of Morganton for “a while now” and graduated from Freedom High School in 2002. Herron has 4 daughters and, in his free time, likes to spend time with family and friends and enjoys a good cookout.
GREG CAIRNES, Club President
Greg Cairnes is a native of western North Carolina, born and raised in Fletcher. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992 with a BS in Psychology and promptly moved back home to get married, start a family, and begin his career with Continental Automotive Systems in Asheville. Greg is currently the Head of Supply Chain for Continental’s two site locations in Morganton. He joined the Rotary Club of Morganton in 2015 and was first elected to the Club Board of Directors in 2017. Greg and his wife, Julie, have two grown children, Alexis and Grant, and have been blessed with their first grandson, Xander.
RANDALL BRACKETT, Sergeant-At-Arms, Club Director
Randall Brackett is the Chief of West End Fire Department and has been the leader of that Department since its inception in 1972. He retired from Burke County Public Schools as associate superintendent in 2008 after serving 23 years with BCPS. He has been the recipient of multiple awards recognizing his dedication to community service including The Order of the Long Leaf Pine awarded in 2016 and the NC Department of Insurance Order of the Guardian awarded in 2002. Randall joined Rotary in 1985 and has served as Sergeant-at-Arms for the Club for over 30 years.
TYLER BARNHARDT, Club Director, Public Image Chair
I was born, raised, and currently reside in Morganton, NC with my wife Valerie Giese Barnhardt. We have a daughter, a son and several furry family members as well. My parents were blue collar workers in the furniture and manufacturing industries. The values they instilled in me include hard work and making an honest living while giving back to the community.
I’m a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones and absolutely love it! Helping clients understand what’s most important and helping them achieve those goals is very satisfying. I love helping my community by providing learning opportunities around finance as well.
My family and I enjoy most days at home gardening, taking care of our pets, checking our nature cam footage and picking blueberries. When traveling out of town we enjoy connecting with family and friends over food and games, riding bikes, historical site seeing, always adventure seeking and all while laughing as much as possible, hahaha!
DEBORAH JONES, Club Secretary, Club Director
Deborah Jones is the Executive Director of Burke Arts Council and has been a member of the Club since 2012. She was invited to her first Rotary meeting by Charlie Burleson, a fixture in the Morganton community until his death in 2015. Martin Sohovich of Edward Jones urged her to join. It took some convincing since Deb was still under the impression that Rotary was just for men. She's served as Club Secretary for six terms, lived in Morganton for 13 years, and is married to Terry Jones.
KIM VAN SICKLER, President-Elect, Club Director, Club Service Chair
Kim moved to Morganton in 2021 and immediately looked for a Rotary Club to join. She knew from past transitions that joining Rotary is the quickest way to learn who’s who in the community and get involved. She’s the marketing director at Atriax Group, an A/E firm in Hickory. Kim’s a prior member of the New Tampa Rotary Club, Monroe Noon Rotary Club, Huntersville Happy Hour Club and Rotary Club of Lake Norman-Huntersville. She’s served terms as secretary and treasurer in previous clubs, but her heart belongs to community service.
Kim is married to Steve Collar, another club member. They have five children between them and an amazing trail dog name Major who leads the way on their annual Appalachian Trail backpacking trips.