Rotarians and guests were welcomed in the lobby by members of the Red Badge committee, chaired by Steve Ellenberg, James Williams and President Elect Tim Gill. And since this was the first meeting of the month, the Sip and Snack Squad was on duty with wine ably poured by Martha Wapenski and Lori Costanzo.

Sponsored by Matt Braker and Tony Mata

Chief Joseph grew up in Los Angeles. He joined the San Jose Police Department in 1994 after working for the City of San Mateo as a Police Officer for 2 and a half years. He has a Juris Doctor degree from UC Hastings College of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from California State University Northridge. He is also a graduate of the Los Angeles Police Department's Leadership Program.
As an Officer, he worked Patrol, Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET), and the M.E.R.G.E. Unit (Mobile Emergency Response Group and Equipment). He also served as a detective assigned to the Robbery Unit.
Officer Joseph was promoted to Sergeant in August 2006. As a Sergeant he worked Patrol and the Field Training Program.
Sergeant Joseph was promoted to Lieutenant in January 2016. He was assigned to Patrol, then later served as the Unit Commander of the Robbery Unit, then subsequently the Homicide Unit. He was promoted to Captain in February 2020 where he was assigned to the Western Division. In 2021, he was appointed to serve as the Assistant Chief of Police.
On March 31st, 2024, Chief Joseph was appointed Interim Chief of Police. He assumed the permanent leadership role of the San José Police Department on Monday, October 28, 2024.
 

Sponsored by DeAnna Pursai

Ted Lopez is the Managing Director of Christmas in the Park, San José's beloved 46-year-old holiday tradition. What started as a single decorated tree in 1980 has grown into the largest free outdoor holiday celebration on the West Coast, drawing over 1,000,000 visitors annually and generating $20M+ in economic impact for downtown San José. Ted leads CITP's operations, sponsorship development, and the organization's new Community Investment Campaign — a STEAM education pipeline funding paid internships, scholarships to SJSU, and post-graduation fellowships designed to keep San José's homegrown talent in the community. He is passionate about using one of the city's most iconic traditions as a platform for workforce development and civic investment.