The speaker at the March 29 Rotary Club of Edina meeting was Dr. Andrew Barker, Chief Medical Examiner for Hennepin County.
The Rotary Foundation Director David Clynes presented pins and kudos to Rotarians who are Paul Harris Fellows or Paul Harris Society members.
The Rotary Foundation Director David Clynes presented pins and kudos to Rotarians who are Paul Harris Fellows or Paul Harris Society members.
New member Toshie Metzger was officially inducted into the Rotary Club of Edina at the meeting.
Click on the link below for more on the meeting...
Click on the link below for more on the meeting...
Our Edina Noon Rotarians gathered to greet President San Asato, who opened the meeting acknowledging those helping with today’s activities, including greeters Charles Rauenhorst and Renee Harberts; front desk attendees Tom Cook and Mary Hustad. Jean Morrison gave a heartfelt “invocations of peace” with words from Pope Francis.
Charles Agan performed guest introductions, welcoming visiting Rotarians Robb Hiller of the Eden Prairie AM Rotary Club and Talley Flora, Edina Morning Rotary Club. We also welcomed Gregg Giration, guest of Rotarian Kevin Koepke; Keith Krans, guest of Ann Platt; and Tim Murphy found two friends to join him, Bill Smith and Janna King.
Delivery to our visual experience was none other than Rick Carlson as photographer.
President San Asato ran through our upcoming calendar events, which can be viewed online. Please take the time to sign up for these events.
We recognized two Rotarians' birthdays being celebrated this week—Joe Hayes on March 25 and Michael Stanzak on March 30.
Delivery to our visual experience was none other than Rick Carlson as photographer.
President San Asato ran through our upcoming calendar events, which can be viewed online. Please take the time to sign up for these events.
We recognized two Rotarians' birthdays being celebrated this week—Joe Hayes on March 25 and Michael Stanzak on March 30.
David Clynes, The Rotary Foundation Director, brought his wit and wisdom together recognizing our Paul Harris Fellows and Paul Harris Society members. See story in this week's The Barker for more info.
Brad Hepp did the honors of introducing one of our newest members, Toshi Metzger, with Eagle Home Mortgage. Presenting her with her Rotary pin was her beaming sponsor Scott MacDonald.
Bill McReavy, dressed in a dark suit with a splash of purple from his necktie, introduced our speaker, Dr. Andrew Baker, Chief Medical Examiner for Hennepin County. Dr. Baker is a native of Mason City, Iowa, and a 1988 graduate of the University of Iowa and a 1992 graduate of the University of Iowa, College of Medicine. He completed his residency in forensic pathology at in both Iowa and Minnesota hospitals.
Bill McReavy, dressed in a dark suit with a splash of purple from his necktie, introduced our speaker, Dr. Andrew Baker, Chief Medical Examiner for Hennepin County. Dr. Baker is a native of Mason City, Iowa, and a 1988 graduate of the University of Iowa and a 1992 graduate of the University of Iowa, College of Medicine. He completed his residency in forensic pathology at in both Iowa and Minnesota hospitals.
A distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Commissioned Officer Training program, becoming active duty in the medical corps of the USAF in 1998. Tours in Kosovo, on the United States-Mexican border, USS Cole, and work after the terrorist attack on 9/11/2001 at the Pentagon, identifying victims of American Airlines flight 77.Dr. Baker began practicing as a full-time forensic pathologist with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner Office in Minneapolis in 2002. He was appointed to the position of Chief Medical Examiner in 2004, reappointed in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
He also has served as the medical officer with the Regional V Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team, deploying to Louisiana in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Dr. Baker forensic interests include management of mass fatalities, the investigations of fatal child abuse and investigations of sudden deaths in children and young adults. His less morbid interests include public school science education, reading, scouting, musical theater and Minnesota Lynx basketball. He is an exercise enthusiast and a three-time qualifier for the Boston Marathon. In 2013 he completed his first Ironman triathlon.
Dr. Baker started off relating his job with popular TV shows—Quincy, M.E. and CSI (as his colleagues joking refer to this program as "Can’t Stand It" because of the false science), but he most relates to the TV show Crossing Jordan due to the fact the shows tag line was “Smart, Sexy and Refuses to Play by the Rules."
Dr. Baker explained there has been only three Hennepin County Medical Examiners since the coroners office has been established in 1963. Hennepin County Medical Examiner has one of the highest standards in the nation requiring a medical degree, forensic pathologist degree and board certified ME license, and over 12 years of schooling is needed to achieve the role of Chief Medical Examiner.
He managed over 7,366 cases in 2016 with 1,288 of the cases requiring autopsies. 2017 results have yet to be finalized but he is seeing an increase in opioid-related deaths with new powerful variations of the drug being discovered over the past year. America leads the world in opioid deaths, mostly people under the age 50. Drugs are killing our young people at a record pace, education is key to stopping the over use of opioid. Dr. Baker recommends the book "Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic."
He provided a breakdown of the leading causes of death in Hennepin County. First on the list was natural cases at 40 percent; 37 percent accidental trips/falls, which are mostly the elderly; 10 percent suicide; 6 percent vehicle accidents; 4 percent homicides; 3 percent undetermined.
Dr. Baker wrapped up his talk on the future of the Medical Examiner’s facility, having outgrown their current location of five examining tables and cooler capacity for 36 bodies. The county is moving forward with building a new facility in Minnetonka. The new building will have 12 examining tables and cooler capacity for 95 bodies, separate rooms will accommodate cases requiring clean rooms and air filtration systems to deal with toxic diseases. The modern facility will include ample space for parking, space for cutting edge technology such as 3D imaging equipment, and classroom for law enforcement and medical students. The entire project will cost $60 million and expected to serve Hennepin, Dakota and Scott counties needs until 2050. Building will be completed in 2020.
Dave Kunz offered a thank you to our speaker.
President San Asato closed the meeting with a quote and pictures he took of a recent retreat he attended in Oregon:
"The young man who has not wept is a savage, and the old man who will not laugh is a fool." —Massai Wisdom
