Investment-Venture Capital

Zeynep and her husband, fellow Rotarian Serhat Pala, moved here 24 years ago from Turkey. After getting their MBAs from SDSU they founded Confirm Biosciences, a medical diagnostic company, out of their garage. Confirm Biosciences was acquired in 2020 after becoming one of the fastest growing companies in the US with its products selling in such well known stores as CVS and Walgreens.

Their new business venture, Breakaway Partners, provides seed equity funding to technology companies and allows more time for them to do volunteer work in the community.  Zeynep now serves on the board of SDSU Campanile Foundation, San Diego Chamber of Commerce, SDSU Lavin Entrepreneurship Center and the Rancho Bernardo Community Council. She recently established the Pala Family Aztec Cooperative Fund Endowment at SDSU, providing new opportunities and resources for aspiring student entrepreneurs by creating paid internships.

Zeynep is a proud wife, mother, pet owner, community lover and entrepreneur. She and Serhat have been together for 25 years and have two teenage sons. She has four dogs—three of them are rescues—all little with big personalities. Zeynep is looking forward to her “new Rotarian journey” and working together to make a difference in our community.

Zeynep’s sponsors are: Serhat Pala, Judy Thompson, and David Oates.

Associations-USO

William (Bill) Fenick is a retired US Navy Captain who served as both a Supply Corps and a Public Affairs Officer for 28 years. He grew up in a Navy family as well, moving every two years. He, his wife and their two teenage sons have now lived in San Diego for ten years, finally calling one location home. The Navy taught Bill the importance of community, care, and the quality of the execution of your mission.

After retiring, Bill joined the nonprofit sector as Executive Director of the SEAL Family Foundation where he helped support individual and family readiness through an array of programs specifically targeted to assist the Naval Special Warfare community in maintaining a resilient, sustainable and healthy force in this area of persistent conflict and frequent deployments. Seven years later, this past October, he was appointed to serve as Executive Director of the USO San Diego/Camp Pendleton. He is a champion for the men and women in the military, and their families—from the moment they join through their transition back to their communities. He has a strong belief that keeping those who’ve served here adds value to San Diego as these men and women provide the knowledge and service that makes our county unique, diverse and prosperous.

The Fenick family motto: Breath-Move-Live-Stay Active (because mobility is life)!

Bill’s sponsors are: Will Hage, Joe Craver and Wes Wilmers.