Metro North Rotary Notes:
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Prayer & Pledge: Ash
Guests & Visitors: Tina
Matthew Rooda, CEO from Swinetech, Inc. (Speaker)
Rotary/Scoutmaster Minute:
Alan Bean was an astronaut on Apollo 12. When asked what he learned about success over the years, this was his answer:
The most important quality I have noticed in successful people is that they have a dream . . . . They think and work toward that dream every day.
I often ask people to tell me their dream. 'What did you do today to move you closer to your dream?' Eighty-five per-cent didn't do anything. They're planning to do something next week, they're just too busy today.
These 85% will probably never see their dream come true. So ask yourself the same question, 'What have I done today to make my dream come true?'
If the answer is 'Nothing specific,' then you will never make it unless you change your ways.
Announcements:
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We need members, please consider bringing a prospective member. The off site meetings seem to be a good meeting to bring someone to. Free to guests.
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We are looking for a 2nd Incoming President. Would like to know who will follow Nate after next year so this person can attend the Incoming President training that will take place in March.
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We will be participating in a food drive for HACAP from 2/17-3/13. Watch for an email as we get closer to the date.
Speaker:
Matthew Rooda, SwineTech co-founder and CEO, grew up in a family of pork producers and quickly learned the value of a good work ethic and a positive outlook on life. He quickly realized that a farmer wasn’t just a farmer, but rather a jack of all trades. They are expected to be the plumber, electrician, mechanic, carpenter, inventor, and just about anything else that is needed to sustain a farm.
Throughout High School, Rooda spent much of his time working for local pork producers. While attending Hawkeye Community College in 2013, Rooda was offered the opportunity to serve as an assistant farm manager and farrowing manager at a farrow-to-finish farm in Waterloo, Iowa. After graduating from Hawkeye Community College with his Associates of Liberal Arts Degree, Rooda transferred to the University of Iowa in pursuit of a degree in Genetics and Biotechnology. Within just one semester of study, Rooda received a few phone calls encouraging him to create a solution to piglet crushing. After conducting research and gathering industry benchmarking statistics, Rooda and his close friend Abraham Espinoza presented their idea at the John Pappajohn Founders Club Fair. They were awarded 1st place for “Most Likely to Succeed and Most Viable Business” and a grant of $1,500 to further pursue their research in developing a solution.
Matthew shared the following stats regarding the pork industry:
- 210 million piglets won't survive birth
- 160 million piglets die from getting crushed by their mothers
- 80 billion pounds of pork wasted annually
- This is a cost of more than $25 billion to pork producers
- 92% of farmers were looking for a solution to piglet crushing
Matthew and friend Abraham Espinoza founded SwineTech to find a solution to piglet crushing:
- Developed algorithm detecting the squeal of a piglet being crushed, versus needing food, etc
- Created SmartGuard to detect a piglet getting crushed, with 94% accuracy
- This lead to a reduction of 59% of piglet crushing after the first three days of life
- SmartGuard attaches to the sow and collects birthing analytics, nursing analytics, and health alerts
Next week Peter Teahen from Teahen Funeral Home will be speaking to us about his around the world flight to fight polio.
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Notes prepared by: Sarah Hoeger
