Tom Kennedy gave his second classification talk to the Waunakee Rotary Club now that he has rejoined.
Tom was born and raised in Westport, on his family’s Century Farm where his Irish ancestors settled in 1853. His great-grandfather purchased the farm from the Tierneys in 1907.
Tom and his wife, Bev, bought their home on the property and live there today. She is his favorite traveling companion, he said.  
His father, Bernard Kennedy, was his original sponsor when joined Rotary the first time. Ken Ballweg sponsored him his second time around.
Tom is a 1964 graduate of Waunakee High School. Having been raised on the farm, he went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in dairy science from UW-Madison. In 1968, he served in the Army and then the National Guard before earning a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. from UW-Madison.
He took a veterinarian position in Ohio and then later became a director of research and development for a number of veterinary pharmaceutical companies throughout the United States.
In 2013, he returned to the Waunakee area and is a now research consultant.
Tom said the animal health business is a $100 billion worldwide market, with 50 percent in the United States.
“It’s a huge market in our economy,” he said, and it comprises food, medicines and vaccines.
Some of the big drivers are antibiotic free chicken and beef, along with companion animals.
Tom designs research to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of new products. For instance, one product not yet approved is a cat pain medicine that can last for three days.
Some of it is enjoyable, he said.
“You get out of the office and get dirty – that’s the most fun,” Tom said.
Tom and his wife, who is from Hawaii, have five children. He also enjoys helping out at rodeos, he said.
Asked why he returned to the Waunakee area, Tom said although Bev is transplant from Hawaii, this is her home. They enjoy the university, government, and other recreational things to do, and they don’t miss the traffic congestion found in larger cities.  

 

Committee members gave reports for Club Assembly:
•Fellowship is planning the Group 6 Social and the Christmas party. That party will be held the second Wednesday of January.
•Youth committee members have confirmed that four scholarships will be presented. They’re also working on a short youth exchange for the summer, RYLA and RICE.
•Meetings has some good speakers coming up, including a discussion from a polio support group.
•Community service just served up dinner to EMS members. Members are now planning the Thanksgiving Senior breakfast for Nov. 19. Committee members will be asked to update their own data on the new Club Runner site.
•Fundraising is anticipating another 8 pages of ads for the Rotary Lights brochure. Phil said it’s his last year heading this up.
•The international committee said the SOAR Kenya project is doing well. The van the club helped provide is generating some income for the school, as is the irrigation system.

 

Other news:
•Nancy Kuehn-Thomas was inducted as a new member. Welcome, Nancy!
•Two members – Ed Kruchten and David Knaack, have resigned.
•The board of directors voted to contribute the following: $500 for Relay for Life; $250 for the Wisconsin Badger Camp; $250 for the Wisconsin Singers; $250 for Shop with a Cop; $5,000 to the Waunakee Food Pantry.
Also, funds are being collected for a project to provide Shelter Boxes full of emergency supplies to Haiti.

 

Guests: Mary Rule, guest of Allison Feldbruegge; Jaimie Repasky, guest of Phil Willems.     Visiting Rotarians: None.

 

 

Greeters: Nov. 10, Jim Kattner and Kevin Kearney;

Nov. 17, Tom Kennedy and Chris Kenney;

Nov. 24, Happy Thanksgiving!