Past President John Fahnert brought a track record of success in TV marketing and sales to the Rotary Club of Youngstown and used his connections to help promote the Groundhog Craft Beerfest. Here, he explains what he appreciates about the Beerfest, his family, and occasionally getting dressed up.
Past President John Fahnert brought a track record of success in TV marketing and sales to the Rotary Club of Youngstown and used his connections to help promote the Groundhog Craft Beerfest. Here, he explains what he appreciates about the Beerfest, his family, and occasionally getting dressed up.
Name: John C. Fahnert
Preferred Nickname: John
Years in Rotary? 20
Resident of: Hermitage, PA
Hometown: Sebring, OH
How long have you lived here? I’ve lived in Hermitage for 34 years.
What brought you here, or kept you here? I moved to Youngstown to attend YSU after I was discharged from the U.S. Army in 1972.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, YSU.
Occupation: Mostly retired from a career in marketing and advertising. I began my career in the television industry at WYTV Channel 33 as an account executive and moved in 1988 to a similar position at WKBN-TV, where I later became senior account executive.
Who is in your family circle? My immediate family is my wife, Beth; stepkids Justin and Jakey; and grandson Van, all of whom live nearby.
Do you have any pets? We have an Italian greyhound named Beckett.
When you are not working, how do you like to spend your time? I fish, read, cook, travel and visit my friends and family when times are normal. We hope to get back to the Bahamas in 2021. In addition to Rotary, I’m still involved on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown and the Citizens Advisory Board for WYSU Radio.
Why did you join Rotary? I was looking to be more involved in the community. Elayne Bozick worked at WKBN at the time, and she guided me toward Rotary membership.
Why do you remain a Rotarian? I still enjoy it and believe in its goals and values.
Which Rotary Project resonates with you and your understanding of our community's needs? I was really proud of our members for the way they embraced the Groundhog Craft Beerfest. It allowed our club the resources to address several issues in our community in a meaningful way.
What does Rotary's motto "Service Above Self" mean to you? To be a successful person, I believe you need to possess an element of this in your being.
What would you be doing on Wednesdays if you didn't attend the weekly luncheon meeting? Meeting with friends over lunch in some organization or another.
Which type of Rotary socials do you prefer - black tie affairs or casual attire? I’m fine with both, although the world has become so casual that the occasional affairs are nice.
A Rotary tradition is to have sing-alongs during meetings. Would you ever lead us in a song? Sure, I would.
What do you think of Scott Schulick's Rotary pants, and would you wear a pair? They look great on Scott.
What's a story of yours that you don't get to tell often enough? I don’t talk much about my family background and my upbringing. They were a pretty great group and lived in a different world. Their success was not really skill based, but they were all bright and involved and really practiced the Rotary motto in their everyday lives.