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)
KIM VAN SICKLER, Immediate Past President
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.
TYLER BARNHARDT, Club President
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!
GREG CAIRNES, Treasurer, Public Image Chair
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.
Steve DellaSala, President-Elect, Club Director, Interact Club Sponsor
Steve DellaSala is a graduate from The University of Central Florida. He earned a Bachelor’s in Science in Mechanical Engineering and has worked in the Aerospace, Defense and Military industries for since 1999.
He’s an accomplished musician who plays guitar, harmonica and sings, performing on weekends around Morganton and other areas nearby. He’s a homebrewer, mead maker, father and husband to Renee DellaSala.
He comes to Morganton’s club with 11-years of previous experience in Rotary. He served the Sanford Rotary Club as a President, Board of Director and New Generations Chair.
Steve is excited about his future in serving with his club here in Morganton.
KATHY SMITH, Club Director, Membership Chair, DEI Chair
Kathy Sides Smith is a lifelong advocate for young children and families, with more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Burke County Smart Start, a role she has held for the past 12 years. Her professional journey spans from working directly with infants and toddlers to leading as a child care director, child care resource and referral specialist, and state assessor.
Kathy holds a Bachelor of Science in Education (Birth–Kindergarten) from Western Carolina University—Go Cats!—and a Master’s in Education in Leadership and Administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her commitment to the next generation of educators extends into higher education as well, where she shares her knowledge as an adjunct instructor in Early Childhood Education at Western Piedmont Community College.
She also serves as board chair at The Enola Group and has been an active member of the Rotary Club of Morganton since her induction on January 1, 2016, sponsored by David Rust Jr. Within Rotary, she has held several leadership roles including President, Past-President, Membership Chair, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Chair. She especially values the fellowship and service projects that allow her to give back and connect with others.
Kathy and her husband, Brian, have been married for 37 years and are the proud parents of two daughters, Kayla and Faith. Their family has grown to include a wonderful son-in-law, Cesar, and a beautiful grandson, Leo, who brings them endless joy. Outside of her professional and community work, Kathy enjoys singing, trivia, and drawing.
Scott Brooks, Club Director, Club Service Chair
Scott Brooks was born in Wisconsin and traveled the US as part of a Navy family. After graduating from the University of Delaware, he began working in the financial services business and eventually worked in New York City. Scott and his wife, Amy, raised two wonderful, globe-trotting children in New Jersey where she also built a stained-glass business. Once they became empty-nesters, they wanted to find a new home close to hiking trails, with access to a lake and a hearty art scene. They moved to Morganton (2021) and quickly found a home in the downtown community.
Scott joined the Rotary Club of Morganton in 2023 shortly after earning his Certified Financial Advisor and shortly before joining Edward Jones in 2024.
Scott has really enjoyed getting involved with the Morganton community as a member of the Main Street Advisory Board, Burke County United Way Board and Western Piedmont Foundation Board. He’s probably not looking to join any other boards, but you never know. Scott also is an amateur woodworker, beekeeper (in between hives at the moment), fermenter, runner and poker player. Probably no more hobbies either, although he just bought a new guitar.
LOU ARASI, Club Director, Programs Chair
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.
ERICA SIMMONS, Club Director
Erica is a native of Burke County. She is married to Jeff Simmons who works for the NC Forest Service BRIDGE Program, and together they have two teenage daughters. She holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Gardner-Webb University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Western Carolina University in Birth-Kindergarten with Licensure in K-6 Elementary Education and K-12 Exceptional Children Education.
Erica has over 21 years of experience working with children aged 3-13 years old and has dedicated her career to education and development. She has served as both a teacher and and administrator, and she currently holds the position of Executive Director of School Age Childcare at the YMCA of Catawba Valley.
Beyond her professional achievements, Erica is an active member of the community. She serves as the treasurer for the Patton High School Booster Club and is a member of the WPCC Early Childhood Education Advisory Committee. Erica joined the Rotary Club of Morganton in 2022, where she continues to contribute her skills and passion for community service.
JIM LOWDERMILK, Club Director, Polio Plus Chair
Jim grew up in Valdese and graduated from Valdese High School in 1959- a proud member of their football team. Jim remembers dreading the start of football season in the heat of August - back then they didn’t offer water to drink during practice but if the players were still standing they were allowed to drink from the long hose used to water the field. Jim has fond memories of the awful taste of that hot water.
Jim was in the Boy Scouts for about 4 years and achieved his Eagle Scout ranking just before turning 16 and getting his driver’s license. On the day of his 16th birthday he remembers dropping his Mom off at home and venturing out to pick up friends.
Jim graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with a degree in business and accounting then took a job with an accounting firm in Charlotte for a short time. Later, he received an offer to work in Morganton with a firm that later merged with Deloitte Haskins and Sells where he worked for about 6 years before being able to acquire the Morganton office in 1988. Jim still works there but the office now bears his name: Lowdermilk Church & Co.
Jim is the proud father of 3 children who have blessed him with five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Tom Bartholomy, Club Director, Vocational Service Chair
Tom Bartholomy and his wife Dee moved to Lake James from Charlotte in 2020. They both wanted to get immersed in the Morganton community and Tom is now involved with Morganton Rotary, the Glen Alpine Food Pantry as a volunteer and board member, St. Paul’s Church as a member and board member and Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina as a volunteer. Tom recently retired from a 40-year career with the Better Business Bureau with offices in Charlotte and Asheville.
Tom has been a Rotarian since 1985 and was Past President of the Anthony Wayne Club in Fort Wayne, IN and Past President of The Rotary Club of Charlotte.
Tom graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelors in Business and a Masters in Public Administration.
Tom and Dee have one son, Paul who lives in Mint Hill. Paul and his wife Janelle recently blessed Tom and Dee with their first grandson, Aiden Thomas Bartholomy.
Tom and Dee love the lake and the Morganton community and continuously look for ways to serve others in their adopted hometown.
TAL STEPHANIDES, Club Director
I am a native of Morganton with family having deep ties in this community. I have a bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University and currently working for my grandfather, Jerry Norvell, also a member of Rotary since 1965, who introduced me to my first meeting. I work in Commercial Real Estate Development and Management and am actively involved in numerous organizations promoting downtown, Burke County and non-profits. My parents were missionaries to Honduras and when I was 3 years old, move my family and me to Honduras for almost 3 years. Spending my early years in a 3rd world country instilled an appreciation, understanding and drive to help those less fortunate. This is one of the reasons I’m proud to be involved with Rotary.
I was fortunate enough to marry my beautiful wife, Victoria, shortly after college. We bought a wonderful home, and we have a large and in charge chocolate lab named Jager. We enjoy spending time on the lake, celebrating with friends and sitting on the couch watching a movie or binging a TV show. In my free time I like to go bass fishing on Lake James and playing pickleball with friends and family.
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.