BETA THETA PI M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
Charlie Warner
Fi nd
Fall 2007
G
27 .
EN ER T H E ou A tm L N or S E e E on C W pa R ge E T s 26 A -
RY
QUIET LEADERSHIP
vo l u n t e e r
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY “There is a critical need for young men to have older men take a genuine interest in their growth.”
Rusty Parker Chapter Counselor Auburn
Professional:
Regional Manager – L.G. Balfour Company
Alma Mater:
Auburn University (Delta Zeta)
Degree:
1978 – bachelor of science in marketing
Hobbies:
Traveling, Auburn Univeristy sports and church volunteer work
To adequately advise one of the largest chapters in Beta’s Broad Domain, you must first remember what advising is all about. It is about befriending, mentoring, respecting, listening and maintaining credibility with the undergraduates. It is not about you. A volunteer should help chapter members gain a greater understanding of the larger world of which they are a part. I like to believe that I challenge the 150 men of the Delta Zeta Chapter in their search to answer the most important question, “What is my purpose in life?” Taking responsibility for personal actions — in all facets of one’s life — is now an expected part of being a Beta. It is recognizing that there are consequences, both positive and negative, in the daily decisions that each of us make.
In the past three years, the Chapter has rewritten its risk management policy and new member education program. A highlight for me throughout the process has been aiding them to look at these two areas in a fresh light and produce new criteria that now serve as a model for all Auburn University fraternities. Garnering support and input from all areas of the brotherhood was the key ingredient in the Chapter accepting ownership of these two projects. I feel there is a critical need for young men to have older men take a genuine interest in their growth toward being independent, productive members of our society. It is my hope that by allowing the Chapter and individuals to handle certain issues, rather than making all the decisions for them, they will be better prepared to be committed husbands and fathers some day. — R. Parker
[Fall Contents]
The Beta Theta Pi Magazine/V Vol. 135/No. 2
FEATURES
Cover Story:
26 Quiet Leadership As Charlie Warner settles in to his new position as General Secretary, he shares his thoughts on leadership, the Fraternity and fate.
13
Sweet Home, Alabama
30
Fanning the Flame
The Crimson Tide are on a roll after opening their $3.5 million dollar Antebellumstyle house in Tuscaloosa. The 168th General Convention in Orlando brought more than 900 Betas and guests together in the Sunshine State.
26 Departments 2 4 5 6 8 10 12 14 18 20 46 50 51
Volunteer From the Editor What’s Online? News and Notes Books by Betas Marching Along Alumni News Center Stage General Treasurer’s Report Foundation Report Mystic Shrine The Last Word A Lasting Moment
30
13
42
The Sooner, the Better
44
Seeing the World
The Gamma Phi Chapter at Oklahoma celebrated 100 years with more than 700 of its closest friends. Harry Turner lost his sight early in life yet still made a point of seeing the world for himself.
THE BETA THETA PI
The Offical Magazine of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. The oldest continuously published college fraternity magazine, The Beta Theta Pi was founded December 15, 1872, by Charles Duy Walker, V.M.I. 1869. Fall 2007
3
[From the Editor] On Leadership
BETA THETA PI FRATERNITY Founded 1839, Miami University BOARD OF TRUSTEES
GENERAL SECRETARY
Charles W. Warner, Lynchburg ’87
PRESIDENT
Chapters across North America will soon begin the process of electing the young men who will serve as their respective leaders for the coming year. While Beta Theta Pi has regularly been blessed by solid leadership at the local level, one might look to the lessons of history when contemplating the characteristics of rising leaders. Considered a defining moment in the American Revolution and in the storied career of General George Washington, the Crossing of the Delaware on December 25, 1776 was the first move in a surprise attack leading to the Illustration by Roger Warrick Battle of Trenton. It is said that Washington’s troop movements across the Delaware River were of great strategic and historic significance to the United States’ national beginning. Through the harsh winters of 1777-78 and 1779-80, Washington had never given up. He was the ideal leader for an army of volunteers. His perseverance and integrity made him so popular among his soldiers that some who had wanted to leave, elected to stay to avoid disappointing him. Washington’s hope was to upgrade the American militias to British efficiency while retaining a much higher moral standard. Some observers said he would lose men by insisting on tough standards, but Washington understood that the opposite was true. He held that an American was in a desperate way if he could look in a mirror and not see a man of honor. As a result of his outstanding record of principled leadership, Washington went on to serve as the presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Two years later, Charles Thomson, then secretary of The Congress, arrived at Mount Vernon to tell Washington he had been elected President via a unanimous vote of the Electoral College. Thomson told him that The Congress was delighted he had agreed “to sacrifice domestic ease and private enjoyments to preserve the happiness of your country.” In this election season, Beta Theta Pi’s undergraduate members would be well-served by keeping in mind the example set forth by General Washington. Will their next president be an “ideal leader for an army of volunteers?” Will the chapter officers persevere as men of integrity? Will they insist on high standards and put the interests of the organization before their own? While he couldn’t promise to be a great president, Washington offered, “I can promise . . . to accomplish that which can be done by honest zeal.” May the same be said of each and every one of the Fraternity’s chapter leaders, now and in the years ahead. — T. Olver
4
The Beta Theta Pi
P. Thomas Purinton, Kansas State ’63
GENERAL TREASURER
Christopher D. Miller, Kansas State ’86
VICE PRESIDENTS
John V. Conway, South Dakota ’56 James R. Curtis, Wisconsin ’86 W. Martin Haskell, Ohio Wesleyan ’68 David E. Schmidt, South Florida ’92 Paul B. Swartz, Kansas State ’64 Joseph M. Troncale, Alabama ’63
BETA THETA PI FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Carroll R. Black, Wabash ’66 Michael J. Dubes, Iowa State ’66 James J. Ellis, Missouri ’55 Michael G. Feinstein, MIT ’82 Garland G. Fritts, Illinois ’52 Thomas W. Hook, Miami ’81 Douglas G. Houser, Willamette ’57 S. Wayne Kay, Virginia Tech ’73 Jeffrey Lieberman, Pennsylvania ’96 Lynn C. Maddox, Georgia Tech ’64 Thomas H. McCasland Jr., Oklahoma ’56 Charles O. McCormick III, Indiana ’72 Christopher D. Miller, Kansas State ’86 Jeffrey N. Newton, Miami ’77 Richard C. Spangler III, North Carolina ’71
EDITOR
Thomas C. Olver, Central Michigan ’98
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Steven M. Brylski, Virginia Tech ’06
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Robert T. Umstadter, San Jose State ’05
GRAPHIC DESIGNER/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Sarah Shepherd
CONTRIBUTORS Phyllis Bowie; Jay Langhammer; Erica Suding; Ernest Scheyder; Hank Ryan; Neil Everett; Nour Habib EDITORS EMERITUS
Erv Johnson, APR, Idaho ’53 Robert H. Kurz, Miami ’58 The Beta Theta Pi, (USPS 052-000) official magazine of Beta The-
ta Pi Fraternity, is owned by the Fraternity, edited and published under the direction and control of its Board of Trustees, published Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring for $30 one-time pre-paid subscription. Periodical class postage paid at Oxford, Ohio, and additional points of entry. Canada Post International Publications Mail (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 0397474. Copyright Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, 2007. Produced in the USA.
DEADLINES Winter 2008 ................................................November 15 Spring 2008 .................................................. February 15 Summer 2008 ....................................................... May 15 Fall 2008 ...........................................................August 15 FOUNDATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE Brennan Hall 5134 Bonham Road P.O. Box 6277 Oxford, Ohio 45056 Tel: 513-523-7591 beta@betathetapi.org www.thebetathetapi.org
Postmaster: Send address changes to: Beta Theta Pi P.O. Box 6277 Oxford, OH 45056
[What’s Online] Www.thebetathetapi.org
Fall 2007 Recruitment Results – Recruitment numbers are coming in for the fall semester and a few chapters are standing above the rest. Oklahoma (51), Central Florida (48), Alabama (37), Arizona (37), Florida (37) and Missouri (37) recruited the most members for the Fraternity. Check the website often to see how other chapters are performing during this period. Spring 4.0s – Approximately 280 undergraduates finished the spring 2007 semester with perfect marks, keeping the cultivation of the intellect as their highest priority. The full list is posted online. Event Photos – After the summer’s 168th General Convention in Orlando, Fla., many alumni and undergraduates requested photos from the event. Now you can browse through that entire library of convention photos at www.flicker.com/photos/betathetapi.
E-Subscriptions
If you’d rather read The Beta Theta Pi online, let us know. It’s easy-to-use, interactive and saves the Fraternity money at the same time. When the latest issue has been posted to the website, you’ll be the first to know! Simply send an e-mail to beta@betathetapi.org and ask to be added to the E-Suscriber mailing list!
Submit Content
Promoted at work? Reuniting the old pledge class? Writing a new book?
Letting your brothers know has never been easier. Just sign on and submit content!
The Great Ones Collection
During 10 addresses from 1946 to 1955, an effort to recall the outstanding builders of this Fraternity were presented at successive General Conventions. Online you will find the transcripts of the first set of these speeches, which give biographical details about a few of Beta’s most heralded leaders: John R. Knox, Francis W. Shepardson, Willis O. Robb and John C. Hanna. Click the “Publications” tab at the top of the website to read more.
save the date
The Beta Theta Pi Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Directors, in conjunction with their winter meeting, request the honor of your presence at a special evening of fraternal fellowship and celebration.
Seeing the forest for the Trees
Forester and lumberman Alan C. Goudy, Willamette ’51 is a fourth generation lumberman from Oregon whose life has revolved around three things: his alma mater, the U.S. Navy and the world of forestry. Read more about why Goudy was recently named to the World Forestry Center Hall of Fame in this website exclusive article.
Omaha and Lincoln Area Beta Alumni Appreciation Dinner • January 26, 2008 6:00 p.m. Reception ~ 7:00 p.m. Dinner • Hilton Omaha 1001 Cass Street (in the “Old Market” district) • Hosted by the Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Directors • General Fraternity President Dr. P. Thomas Purinton, Kansas State ’63 ~ Evening Emcee
January 26, 2008 Fall 2007
5
[News & Notes] JOIN THE CAUSE
Facebook.com has started offering a simple method for undergraduates, alumni, Friends of Beta and many others to support the Beta Theta Pi Foundation on a regular basis. By signing up for a “Cause,” which is an exclusive application run through the Facebook website, users are able to highlight their affiliation with the Fraternity, recruit others to support the Foundation and donate money to the Beta Leadership Fund.
EASTERN ILLINOIS STARTS WITH 20 MEN The Beta Theta Pi Magazine Podcast offers the latest news and information on the Fraternity. Hosted by Director of Communications and Editor of The Beta Theta Pi Magazine Thomas C. Olver, Central Michigan ’98, the program includes General Fraternity Headlines, News & Notes, Campus Life, Marching Along and more. Podcasts are released on Wednesdays and are available for download at www.thebetathetapi.org. The podcast can also be found at iTunes.
RITUAL PACKETS
Exactly 1,250 packets containing the modified Ritual and trial ceremonies adopted at this summer’s 168th General Convention were shipped to every chapter and colony earlier this fall. The packets are the work of the Ritual Review Task Force, a Convention-appointed committee that was assembled by the General Secretary following the 166th General Convention. A similar committee was formed in 1950, which led to the creation of the Wooglin and Dragon Ceremonies by Stanley R. Church, Washington State ‘31. Chapters and colonies are asked to perform the newly revised rituals in order to provide feedback during the 169th General Convention in Dallas, Texas, next summer. 6
The Beta Theta Pi
On September 21, Beta Theta Pi concluded a three-week expansion project at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill. The new colony consists of 20 founding fathers and is comprised of Eagle Scouts, valedictorians, residential advisors and former student body presidents. Colony Educator Matthew J. Brawner, Truman State ‘07, praised the recent efforts, “I think we have a fantastic group of young leaders who will work extremely hard to leave a legacy at Eastern Illinois.” The colonization effort was led by a four-man recruitment team consisting of Brawner; Director of Expansion Joe Kokojan, Oklahoma ’06, and Leadership Consultants Russell Katigan, Oklahoma State ’05 and Brad Brown, Oklahoma ’07.
SON OF THE STARS
The 15th edition of Son of the Stars, written by Editor Emeritus L.E. (Erv) Johnson, Idaho ’53 in 2002, has been revised and is now available for the Fraternity’s new members. The book, originally published by G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27 in 1939, has undergone several revisions during the past seven decades. In October 2006, the General Fraternity Board of Trustees charged the Communications Department with bringing the familiar “manual for pledges of Beta Theta Pi” up to date for 2007. Edited by Director of Communications/Editor Thomas C. Olver, Central Michigan ’98 with the assistance of former Associate Director of Communications MacGregor H. Hill II, William & Mary ’04, the 15th Edition — Revised follows the format of the previous edition while providing details of the Fraternity’s progress during the past five years, discussion of new programs and resources, and updated photos, lists and information.
NICF AWARD OF DISTINCTION The Beta Theta Pi Foundation received the Award of Distinction for Best Annual Report (Stand-Alone) in the Donor Education/ Relations category during the 2007 NorthAmerican Interfraternity Conference Foundation (NICF) seminar in Indianapolis.
The 52-page annual report highlighted Foundation operations and displayed financial statements for the 2006 fiscal year.
Annual
Report
June 1,
2005 - May
31, 2006
The NICF is a professional organization created to promote the philanthropic interests of fraternal foundations by annually sponsoring THE Foundations Seminar, providing professional development and related educational programming opportunities, and serving as a resource center for member organizations.
Fall 2007
7
[Books by Betas] Additional Beta Books STEALTH EMPIRE
Rick Caras, Bowdoin ’71 The author takes the reader inside the world of international finance in a fast paced, international story of corporate intrigue. Hardcover. 343 pages. US$24.95. Durban House. 2006.
FOUR LITTLE OLD MEN Burton P. Brodt, Florida ’54
Peppered with colorful Cajun lingo and whimsical art, this tale treats children to Louisiana-style storytelling. Hardcover. 32 pages. US$14.95. Sterling. 2005.
JUICING THE ORANGE Pat Fallon, Minnesota ’68 and Fred Senn
I
n business circles today, animated debates abound over how the consumer landscape is changing. In Juicing the Orange: How to Turn Creativity into a Powerful Business Advantage, Pat Fallon and Fred Senn argue that no matter which new media emerge and which old media fade away, one factor remains crucial: the power of applied creativity to move the market in your favor. According to the authors, leaders have more creativity in their organizations than they realize but they inadvertently stifle it or they channel it in the wrong directions. How to avoid these errors? Generate bankable creative ideas. Drawing on 25 years of successful marketing and award-winning work, Fallon and Senn offer a potent process: identify the one key business problem your company must solve and then rigorously unearth insights that lead to a spectacular solution. An array of behind-the-scenes stories of successful campaigns across a diverse group of organizations — including Citibank, United Airlines, Holiday Inn Express, Skoda UK, Lee Jeans, BMW and the Islands of the Bahamas — reveals the core lessons of profit-driving creativity. Hardcover. 228 pages. US$26.95. Harvard Business School Press. 2006.
THE PROFESSIONAL FINANCIAL ADVISOR II John DeGoey, Guelph ’87
De Goey makes complex issues understandable for consumers and encourages advisors to “do the right thing.” Paperback. 352 pages. US$19.95. Leathers Publishing. 2006.
LEARNING TO LISTEN
Jonathan Reynolds, Lawrence ’96 A clear and concise introduction into the practical dimensions of a spiritual practice. Paperback. 138 pages. US$13.95. iUniverse, Inc. 2005.
PATRIOT SONS, PATRIOT BROTHERS
Hugh Owen Nash Jr., Vanderbilt ’67 The untold story of Francis and Abner Nash of Virginia who became heroes of the American Revolution. Paperback. 412 pages. US$24.95. Publishing. 2006.
Submit a Book for Review
Have you recently published a book that you would like featured in “Books by Betas?” Send a signed copy of the book, a brief description of the work and a brief biography to: Steven M. Brylski, Associate Editor; 5134 Bonham Road, Oxford, Ohio 45056
8
The Beta Theta Pi
All books are available for purchase through www.amazon.com and www.bn.com.
The Tau Sigma Chapter at Iowa State University would like to congratulate our brothers taking on new roles with the General Fraternity: Judson Horras, Iowa State ’97, chosen as the 11th Administrative Secretary of Beta Theta Pi and Mike Dubes, Iowa State ’66, appointed to the Beta Theta Pi Foundation board of directors
Also, we would like to congratulate the undergraduates for winning awards at the 168th General Convention. They recieved the Risk Management award, Charles H. Hardin Leadership award and Campus Involvement award. Visit our chapter website at www.isubeta.com.
Fall 2007
9
[Marching Along] MICHAEL E. PENNINGTON Auburn ’95
John D. Tinder Indiana ’72
Pennington was named executive director of the Georgia Economic Developers Association, which provides and promotes networking and professional development opportunities and shapes economic development public policy. There are approximately 900 members of the organization. Pennington has been a member of GEDA’s Board of Directors for the past three years, and has been an active member of the organization throughout his career.
Tinder was nominated by President George W. Bush to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago and was recommended for the seat by Senator Richard Lugar, Denison ’54. His appointment makes him the only person on the Circuit Court from one of the United States’ busiest district courts. In September 1987, Judge Tinder was appointed to the Southern District of Indiana at age 37.
Louis E. Stanfill
Mathers was recognized by the American Shorthorn Association as the 2007 Builder of the Breed, an award recognizing a lifelong dedication to the Shorthorn breed of cattle. He is the third of his family to receive such a distinction. Mathers’ Shorthorn cattle herd was established in 1852 on the family owned Leveldale Farms, which has been named the Illinois Beef Association Seedstock 2007 Producer of the Year.
California-Berkeley ’07
Stanfill was included in the U.S. National Team for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. He scored a try against Tonga and Samoa in the United States pool matches. The Rugby World Cup is one of the largest international sporting competitions in the world, third in size to the world cup of soccer and the Olympics. Stanfill was the fourth youngest player on a squad of 31 Americans.
L.E. (LES) MATHERS, MD Illinois ’72
J. PAT MCMURRAY Idaho ’70
L. MARTIN COBB Eastern Kentucky ’96
Cobb has been named director of advancement, extending his service to the Fraternity through 2010. In addition to his duties with the Beta Theta Pi Foundation, Cobb will focus on cultivating key donors, helping shape fiscal policies, organizational strategy and direction for the organization, and overseeing the maintenance of all Fraternity and Foundation properties.
McMurray will retire as Idaho regional banking president for Wells Fargo at the end of the year. He is responsible for 1,100 team members and 96 banking stores in Idaho and Eastern Washington. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is one of only two banks worldwide to have the highest possible credit rating from Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services.
JEFFREY P. GREINER Southern Methodist ’80
DAVID M. MCKENNEY Georgia Tech ’60
McKenney was awarded the Joseph Mayo Pettit Alumni Distinguished Service Award. It is the highest award conferred by the Georgia Tech Alumni Association given to an alumnus who has set a standard by exceptional and outstanding support of the Institute and the Alumni Association. McKenney’s Management Corp. made a big splash when it was hired as mechanical contractor for the Georgia Aquarium, the world’s largest.
Tygh l. Bailes Hampden Sydney ’99
Bailes launched a fall line of Stadium Pants™ in time for the 2007 college football season. As co-founder of the Alexandria, Va., based clothing company Pennington & Bailes, LLC, Bailes has helped grow the Company’s flagship product to more than 20 schools in the Southeast. The new line includes Stadium Skirts™ for women and new color variations for many schools. The company also provides custom monogramming. 10
The Beta Theta Pi
Greiner joined Norwest Equity Partners (NEP) as an operating partner, focusing on sourcing standalone investments and add-on acquisitions for portfolio companies within the technology and business services sectors. Specifically, he will focus on proven technology investment opportunities within the IT services, software, Internet and electronics markets. Norwest Equity Partners is a private equity firm focused on profitable and growing middle-market company investments.
Richard N. Goddard Utah ’66
Goddard announced that he has entered the political arena as a 2008 Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives for the 8th Congressional District of Georgia. He is currently vice president and chief technology officer at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. Goddard proudly served his country as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 2000 after nearly 34 years of active duty.
Ibrahim Niankara An OSU international student owes his success in athletics and academics to his determination and his Fraternity.
On the Right Track
in 2006. The award is presented to minority student athletes who excel in academics, compete in an intercollegiate sport and are active on campus or in the community.
“It felt great,” Niankara said. “I’d been training for very long.” People throughout Africa came to Algiers for the Olympic-like event. “They’re trying to gather people together and just have some fun,” he said.
Choosing Stillwater
Niankara, pursuing a doctorate degree in economics, ran in high school as well as during his undergraduate years.
Although he had friends who came to the U.S. before him, they all live in bigger cities, Niankara said. “I came here; I didn’t know anyone,” he said. “I wanted a quiet place where I can be focused on my studies.”
Ibrahim Niankara, Oklahoma State ’07 represented his native country, Burkina Faso, in the Ninth All-Africa Games held in Algeria in July. He placed fourth in the 100-meter track event.
His trip to Africa was the first time he had been home since coming to the U.S. in 2004. After the competition, he went to Burkina Faso to spend time with his family. Niankara arrived in Stillwater on May 26, 2004, with little English. After a summer semester at the English Language Institute, he achieved proficiency according to the test of English as a foreign language. Niankara then enrolled in economics at OSU. Richard Weis, men’s cross country and track coach, said Niankara came a long way. “He’s a good, solid worker,” Weis said. “For the short period of time he was in full training, he’s done exceptionally well.” Weis commends his self-motivation in seeking out the games’ selection from his country. Niankara contacted officials before the games and was accepted as the representative for Burkina Faso. “It hasn’t been always easy,” Niankara said. Niankara said Beta Theta Pi, which he joined in the fall of 2004, is a big part of his success at OSU. Niankara has been on the honor roll for the past two years and has received several awards, including the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award
In the three years Niankara has been in the U.S., he has met only one other person from Burkina Faso.
Niankara said his choice to study at OSU was random. “But if I would have to do it again, OSU would be my pick,” he said. Niankara said that although a lot of people may like the big cities because of the variety of things to do, he finds Stillwater enjoyable. “Anything I’ve been able to accomplish is just because I came here instead of anywhere else,” he said. Niankara is fluent in French and knows native African languages, including More and Dioula. Judy Davis, Niankara’s reading comprehension instructor at the English Language Institute, recalls his warm and friendly demeanor. “I don’t think he ever saw a stranger,” Davis said. “His classmates appreciated that.”
Ibrahim Niankara, an OSU doctorate student in economics, competed in the AllAfrica Games in Algeria in July. Niankara placed fourth in the 100-meter track event.
Niankara’s main purpose in coming to the U.S. was to learn English. His focus has brought him beyond that goal and will now see him through four years of his doctorate program. — N. Habib This article was originally printed in the October 17, 2007 edition of Oklahoma State’s student run newspaper, The O’Collegian. Photography by Philip Jones.
Fall 2007
11
[Alumni News] WE ALL FLOAT ON
A group of eight Betas between the ages of 51and 55 from the University of Missouri had “an amazing time,” during a float trip down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, according to John Morgenson ’79. With 16 other non-Betas on the tworaft, guided adventure, one of the highlights was singing old Beta songs. They harmonized during the hikes and, at night, they finished by singing “Beta Girl” for the women on the trip.
THE ELMER A. STOUT LIBRARY
TIME STOPPED IN ‘67
CRUISING ON BY
MINNESOTA ON THE LINKS
The dedication of the Idaho chapter library was held only a few weeks before its namesake lost his battle with cancer. Elmer A. Stout, Idaho ’42, was honored by Gamma Gamma for his dedication to the upkeep of the chapter house for more than 25 years. From left to right: J. Gary Post ’56, A.E. (Ed) Whitehead ’64, P.L. (Flip) Kleffner ’55, Mrs. Jeanne Stout, Elmer A. Stout ’42, Chapter President Kenneth J. Henderson ’08, William W. Taylor ’53 and Samuel H. Butterfield ’49.
Western Reserve alumni gathered for their fourth get together since 2002. This mini-reunion included singing Beta tunes and a luncheon cruise on the Gulf of Mexico. From left to right: Barbara and Dr. Charles Klein ’54, Joyce and Dr. Ron Morrow ’55, Terry and Pete Calistri ’51, Nancy and Frank Wencel ’52, and Jennine and Dr. Jack Love ’55.
Though it was mentioned how old they were getting, it seemed as if time had stopped for the 18 Alpha chapter brothers from the graduating class of 1967. The highlight of the weekend was the rededication of the chapter house living room in memory of Medal of Honor Recipient Terry Graves. Terry’s younger brother Eric “Rick” Graves, Miami ’71, joined the group that weekend.
The Beta Theta Pi Society of Minnesota Alumni Association held its annual golf tournament on July 12 at Keller Golf Course in Saint Paul, Minn. The group worked to increase participation and felt that the event was a tremendous success. They have already started to prepare for next year and will build on the tremendous momentum.
Tell Us About Your Recent News! 12
The Beta Theta Pi
Visit www.thebetathetapi.org and click “Submit Content” or send a photo and brief description to steve.brylski@betathetapi.org.
The new house sits on land where the previous stood less than one year ago. The property is adjacent to the University’s academic quad and library, and overlooks the newly renovated façade and courtyard for the University’s historic football stadium. Greg Cusimano ’65, number one on the rolls of the Delta Theta Chapter offered, “The new house is wonderful and is a fitting tribute to the hard work of the Chapter and alumni. As proud as I am of the brick and mortar of the beautiful house, I am more proud of the spirit and fraternalism of the brothers.” According to Charles Newton ’69, who lived in a much smaller Chapter house on Thomas Street as an undergraduate, “This location is more than [the alumni] could ever dream. You literally walk out your back door for classes and out the front door for football games.” The undergraduates are still in awe of the completion.
L to R: Mark Boardman ’79; Ken Johnson ’80; Dan Copeland ’77; General Fraternity President Tom Purinton, Kansas State ’63; Roy Swindal ’73; Bill Owen ’71, and Chapter President Scott Lucas ’08.
Undergraduate Rob Fell ’08 says, “It’s almost surreal to think how hard it was to fill the old house. There’s a certain ‘wow factor’ that comes naturally.” The amenities of this house appealed to the undergraduates. It is outfitted for 30 to live comfortably and each man has his own room and only shares a bathroom with one other brother. The rooms are situated along cinderblock walled corridors painted white and have the feel of dorm. They are priced comparably to living on campus and are all air-conditioned.
SWEET HOME, ALABAMA
O
n Saturday, August 25, 2007, the Delta Theta Chapter at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa officially unveiled a $3.5 million house, signaling a new era of growth for the group. More than two hundred people gathered for the ribbon cutting ceremony, which was held in front of the Antebellum-style house and between thick-whitewashed columns. The ceremony included undergraduates, alumni, university officials, General Fraternity officers and Beta sweethearts in one of the largest gatherings for the Chapter in more than 40 years of existence.
Undergraduate Will Evans ’10 explains the situation the Chapter has been in, “Two years ago, most people didn’t even know what a Sisson or a Knox award was. This year there’s been a huge change in culture. The Chapter brought home the highest awards in the Fraternity and now has a gorgeous living situation.” “Sometimes greatness just happens,” he continues. “We’re here to make sure that great things continue to happen.” With a recent new member class of 43 men, great things are just around every corner for Delta Theta. — S. Brylski Fall 2007
13
[Center Stage] Pat Green
Beta Stars Pat Green, Texas Tech ’95, has had a busy year in 2007, doing 55 shows with Kenny Chesney on his “Flip Flop Summer Tour,” in addition to touring with Keith Urban and the Dave Matthews Band. Green’s current album entitled, Cannonball, featured three songs that reached the top 30 on country music charts: “Feels Just Like It Should” (#13), “Dixie Lullaby” (#24) and “Way Back Texas” (#29.) He has started writing new songs for his 11th CD, then will go into the studio to record during November and December. His next album will be out next year.
During July in Washington DC, Green received the Crystal Cross Award from the president/CEO of the American Red Cross for his service to the organization as a member of their National Celebrity Cabinet. Following the presentation, Green and his band gave a special performance for the volunteers, employees and supporters of the Red Cross. The same month, he won the fifth annual “Best Male Artist” (with 45% of the vote) on the About.com website, beating out Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins. Another of his forthcoming projects is the 2008 publication of a new coffee table-sized book, Pat Green’s Dance Hall Dreams, featuring photos of many old dance halls and clubs around the Southwest.
Gil Holland Gil Holland, North Carolina ’87, a successful producer of independent films on the East Coast, has seven completed projects that will be out within the next year. He is executive producer of True Adolescents, Jackson Street Hustle and Adventures of Power Power; co-executive producer of Were the World Mine and producer of Beautiful Darling, In Search Of and I Do & I Don’t. Holland also has two more films currently in production: The War Boys and Four.
George Peppard George Peppard, Purdue ’48, who passed away in 1994, was one of Beta Theta Pi’s best-known actors from the 1950s to the late 1980s. One of his leading TV roles was as Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith in The A-Team series, which ran from 1983 to 1987. All episodes from the show’s first two seasons are now available on DVD, as are episodes of Peppard’s earlier TV series, Banacek, which aired from 1972 to 1974. Also on DVD are his top film performances in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Blue Max, The Carpetbaggers, Pork Chop Hill and How the West Was Won. 14
The Beta Theta Pi
Marco DiFelice, Toronto ’95, former lead singer of rock band Supergarage for 10 years, is now performing in Canada under the name Marco Solo. In addition to concert work, he also composes music for film and television commercials. Seven songs he co-wrote and recorded with Supergarage were featured on Canadian Television’s popular teen series, DeGrassi: The Next Generation. Troy Earnhardt, Eastern Kentucky ’97, has completed his second country rock CD titled Redneck Romeo, with nine of his own songs and one written by his father. In 2004, he released his first CD entitled These Tears, with the leading track being “What Makes a Man.” Brandon Johnson, Baylor ’04 still plays frequently in the Southwest. The alternative country and rock singer/songwriter released his first CD Scream in 2005 and put out a live CD in 2006. Robert Pine, Ohio Wesleyan ’63, has completed several new acting roles in a theatrical film Small Town Saturday Night and TV films Dead Write and Love’s Unfolding Dream. He is currently filming horror flick No Man’s Land: Reeker 2. To find out more details on Pine’s lengthy acting career, go to www.robertpine.com. Doug Russell, Wisconsin-Oshkosh ’95, has hosted the Doug Russell Sports Talk Show weekday mornings on Milwaukee’s WSSP-AM since joining the station in January. He previously was with Sporting News Radio (2000-06) and anchored Sporting News Flash on weeknights and weekends. He has also written for SportingNews.com. Ned Schmidtke, Beloit ’64, has completed filming on 2008’s The Express, about the short life of 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. This year, he has appeared in three episodes of The Young and the Restless, one episode of Jericho and TV movie Love’s Unending Legacy. Paul Worley, Vanderbilt ’72, continues as one of Nashville’s leading country music record producers, working with Martina McBride on her latest CD, Waking Up Laughing, and serving as co-producer of Blake Shelton’s Pure BS CD. Worley also contributed to the new multi-artist album The Songs of Hope, Awareness and Recovery for Everyone (SHARE) by producing SHARE’s signature song “When Love Rules the World.” The album’s release was timed to coincide with National Recovery Month in September.
GRΣΣK
New Show, Old Cliché It’s a sad but true reality that when Hollywood tries to show the “real Greek experience” it usually fails. Think about it: In Revenge of the Nerds, elitist Greeks took it upon themselves to attack a group of nerds who “dared” to think they could be “cool” and “hip” and “get the girl.” Then the brilliant minds at MTV brought us “frat” boys eating goldfish and breaking into zoos during the reality show Fraternity Life. And don’t forget National Lampoon’s cult classic Animal House. A tribute to toga parties and binge drinking, the film has wormed its way into classic pop culture, spreading misconception and misinformation in its wake. Into this mess wades TV’s Greek, a chummy, addictive dramedy that created buzz on the poorly named ABC Family network this past summer. Surprisingly, the series caught many of the tenets of the fraternal system, both good and bad. The show follows Rusty, a naïve freshman who arrives at the fictitious Cyprus-Rhodes University looking to join a fraternity and shed his nerdy past. His sister Casey is already soaring high at Zeta Beta Zeta sorority and tries to persuade him from rushing. “You’re not fraternity material,” she says harshly. Rusty ignores her advice, rushes and receives bids from the prestigious Omega Chi Delta and lazy Kappa Tau Gamma. After catching his sister’s boyfriend, the president of Omega Chi, cheating on his sister, Rusty decides to accept the bid from Kappa Tau Gamma. Adding to the drama, the president of Kappa Tau Gamma is an affable yet irresponsible man who used to date Casey.
Rusty’s Greek experiences lead him to his first date, the loss of his virginity, a visit to a strip club and even a broken heart when his girlfriend reveals in the season finale that she only pledged Zeta Beta Zeta to write a harsh but true exposé on the Greek experience. Somehow, Rusty becomes jaded through these events, and sadly the show hints that his time in a fraternity may be to blame. Naturally, the show is embellished – an episode where Rusty constructs a party volcano to make beer rain from the sky comes to mind – yet the unfortunate elements of a stereotypical “frat” experience remain. Genuine fraternity men will no-doubt dislike characters’ over-the-top partying, hazing and inappropriate emphasis on sex and cheating. From the aforementioned beer monsoon to being forced to wear a drag costume to walking in on his sister’s boyfriend having sex – with someone else – Rusty’s experiences run the gambit of Greek stereotypes that the Blutos and Otters of this world are only too happy to emulate. Yet despite the contrived realism, what remains vitally important is that the show’s core audience – teens and tweens alike – will believe an experience akin to Rusty’s awaits them. One would hope that, considering the titular demographic for ABC Family, parents and their children might have an opportunity for honest discussions about the topics and themes brought forward in Greek.
Though an obvious question is this: What kind of men will Greek bring to the doorsteps of fraternity houses? The answers are not readily apparent to us today, but this show necessitates that true Greek men must continue to facilitate a positive dialogue about the lifelong friendships and discipline that are engendered through brotherhood. Whether we as fraternity men like it, or not, this television show proudly displays certain aspects of our fraternity chapters that we’d like to sweep under the rug. Binge drinking, hazing and academic cheating are just a few of the pervasive stereotypes. And while those aren’t part of a true Greek experience, very few viewers seem to care. — E. Scheyder Episodes from the first season of “Greek” are available on iTunes and www.abcfamily.com. The show’s second season is set to debut in early 2008. Ernest Scheyder, Maine ’06/Columbia ’07, may be reached at ejs2132@columbia.edu.
Fall 2007
15
High quality stainless steel Scratch proof sapphire crystal Water resistant tested to 330ft
16
The Beta Theta Pi
19231 Victory Blvd. Suite 355 North Reseda, CA 91335 Phone: (818) 332-7986 Fax: (818) 698-0443 Email: drhutchman@yahoo.com
The Hazel Hutchman Memorial Neuroscience Center & Neurosearch, Inc. Working hard every day to blaze a path toward improving the lives of those with Parkinson’s Disease, movement disorders and Alzheimer’s disease through compassionate clinical care and clinical trails research.
Robert M. Hutchman MD, Michigan ’93 R. Wayne Pickerell, Denver ’87 Ted Satyadi, UCLA ’03
www.neurosearch-usa.com
Fall 2007
17
GENERAL TREASURER’S REPORT
CHR STOPHER D M LLER KANSAS STATE 86
A umn suppor o he Be a Leadersh p Fund s cr ca o he Fra ern y s e or s o serv ce our undergradua e chap ers We are coun ng on everyone s suppor
As this is my first General Treasurer’s report for the Magazine, I would like to thank John Stebbins, Emory ’92, for all the work he accomplished as General Treasurer. Without his dedication, we would not be where we are today. I would also like to thank our staff in Oxford, Ohio, at the Administrative Office, especially our very able-bodied finance department. Without them “minding the store” on a daily basis, we could not continue the improvements to our Fraternity that we are currently undertaking. 2007 Review At the end of our 2007 fiscal year, our combined Fraternity and Foundation assets were at $18,700,000. The General Fraternity again paid off its line of credit that it uses periodically throughout the year to cover cash short positions, such as paying expenses during the summer when the chapters are not remitting their monthly payments to the General Fraternity. As General Treasurer, I have asked our Administrative Office staff to assist me in focusing on new revenue producing ventures that will allow us to continue to expand leadership opportunities to both undergraduates and alumni without the need to increase dues to the undergraduates. Alumni support of the Beta Leadership Fund is critical to the Fraternity’s efforts to service our undergraduate chapters. We are counting on everyone’s support! 2008 Budget In 2007, the General Fraternity implemented an integrated budget for all departments that rolled up to the consolidated budget. This new process allows for more accurate predictions of revenues versus expenses. As a result, we have seen improved financial performance for FY 2008. We are investigating new accounting software and procedures, and we will continue to shift more resources toward revenue-generating activities while improving the efficiency of our current operations at the General Fraternity level. Additional Comments At the 168th General Convention, our audit firm BKD, LLP once again issued a clean opinion of our financial statements. The key financial statements are published here for your review.
18
The Beta Theta Pi
The Administrative Office is implementing a return-on-investment analysis process for all programs and services offered by the General Fraternity. Thiss w Th will be a vvital a tool oo for or our leadership eadersh p as it makes dec decisions s ons abou about future u ure resource a oca ons The Genera Fra ern y s a ways ry ng o max m ze s resources as we prov de he very bes serv ces poss b e o our members
AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT* Beta Theta Pi Foundation and Fraternity combined statements of financial position for the fiscal years ending May 31, 2007 and 2006. Assets Cash and cash equivalents Membership fees receivable Contribu�ons receivable, net Other receivables Prepaid expenses Supplies Investments Chapter loans, net Property and equipment, net Total Assets
2007
2006
$506,811 100,470 2,160,444 19,588 51,096 63,810 14,581,020 228,126 2,928,679
$265,700 82,446 2,633,241 23,664 139,183 54,649 11,965,992 259,270 2,486,764
$ 20,640,044
$17,910,909
$ 62,847 54,256 266,101 $263,454 157,880 285,283 286,478 566,961 37,878
$10,000 168,000 51,445 230,546 $262,296 138,616 285,381 253,216 90,940
$1,981,138
$1,490,440
$8,789,163 5,300,371 4,569,372
$7,630,249 4,718,788 4,071,432
18,658,906
16,420,469
$20,640,044
$17,910,909
Liabili�es and Net Assets Liabili�es Note payable to bank Accounts Payable Accured expenses Conven�on deposits Annuity Payable Trust Payable Deferred revenue Insurance reserve Long-Term Debt Other Liabili�es Total Liabili�es
Net Assets Unrestricted Temporary restricted Permanently restricted Total Assets Total liabili�es and net assets
* Beta Theta Pi’s 2007 audit was conducted by the independent accoun�ng firm of BKD, LLP.
For the complete 2007 Annual Report log on to www.betathetapi.org or contact the Foundation & Administrative Office at (800) 800-2382.
Fall 2007
19
CHAIRMAN’S LETTER
THOMAS W. HOOK, MIAMI ’81
CHAIRMAN, BETA THETA PI FOUNDATION Dear Brothers, Parents, Friends and Supporters: The Bridge Builder poem marked the early beginnings of our college days with Beta Theta Pi. I suspect that for most of us, even if the ini�al lines are only vaguely remembered, the final passage comes back with rela�ve ease: The laborer li�ed his old gray head, “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “There followeth a�er me today, A youth whose feet must pass this way. This chasm which has been naught to me, To that young man may a pi�all be. He, too, must cross in the twilight dim. Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.” The Bridge Builder reminds us that our mission is really very simple, if not easy: building bridges for today’s undergraduates. Please consider this 2007 Annual Report to be your window into the bridge building ac�ons of the Beta Theta Pi Founda�on and the bridge building results of your financial gi�s. As you read through the events and milestones of the past academic year, I trust you will agree that, together, we are building bridges of las�ng and posi�ve impact.
Your Gi�s are Making a Difference I am pleased to report the General Fraternity has made significant progress in recrui�ng more Betas and Friends of Beta to serve as advisors at the local level: from less than two per chapter in 1998 to more than four per chapter in 2007. Likewise, we con�nue to expand our leadership programs and involve larger numbers of undergraduates: from 15 in 1998 to 1,454 in 2007.
to our organiza�on which will accrue to the benefit of our undergraduates. Again, thank you. New Challenges The Men of Principle ini�a�ve has been instrumental in reversing the disturbing trends of declining membership and isola�on from our host universi�es and colleges. Beta is demonstra�ng that poor performance by undergraduates, and advisors, is no longer inevitable.
Another posi�ve development is that the average chapter It is clear on campuses across North America: Beta Theta Pi size has grown from 49 in 1998, to 56 in is on the move. 2007. Perhaps even more encouraging, Average # of Chapter Advisors GPAs are also on the rise: Beta is now Ours is a Fraternity of achievement, 1998 2 per chapter one of only 13 interna�onal fraterni�es aspira�on and excellence. 2007 4 per chapter to post a fraternity-wide GPA above 3.0 – the first �me we have done so in modern memory. Such encouraging results don’t just happen; they are the result of much hard work on the part of staff and volunteers — and financial resources.
Average # of Undergraduates Involved in Leadership Programs 1998 15 2007 1,454 Average Chapter Size 1998 49 2007 56
But momentum is a fragile thing. We must resist any tempta�on to rest on our laurels. Organiza�ons either move forward or fall back, and the encouraging developments discussed in this Annual Report are the result of yesterday’s efforts.
Thank you for your gi�s to our Average Chapter GPA The only way to nurture the momentum successful Upon These Principles capital 1998 2.84 we have so painstakingly built in the campaign. That so many commi�ed to 2007 3.01 past is to invest, going forward, in make gi�s has allowed Beta to bring the programs and services that will high-quality leadership experiences and most eff ec� vely make a difference in the lives of our services to our undergraduates. Your efforts helped put us undergraduates. Not surprisingly, the next challenge for over the top, and your Founda�on and staff are grateful. your Beta Founda�on is to make sure the Beta Leadership Fund has the resources necessary to con�nue inves�ng in Your loyal support has allowed Beta to bring a second the Men of Principle ini�a�ve and the Fraternity’s awarddirector of leadership development to our staff in Oxford. winning leadership programs. Sue Kra� Fussell, recently execu�ve director of the Associa�on of Fraternity Advisors, brings valuable exper�se 20
The Beta Theta Pi
For the complete 2007 Annual Report log on to www.betathetapi.org or contact the Foundation & Administrative Office at (800) 800-2382.
We con�nue to sha�er records in terms of undergraduate par�cipa�on in our leadership programs, and the posi�ve, quan�fiable results Beta has been experiencing say the Men of Principle ini�a�ve is working. If we are to con�nue advancing these successful strategies, we must also elevate our fundraising. Simply put, it takes resources to do good and purposeful things. It takes resources to build bridges. It takes resources today to generate tomorrow’s posi�ve results. I am pleased to report that your General Fraternity’s enthusiasm and commitment have never been higher. We have an incredibly commi�ed volunteer corps of more than 868 Betas and Friends of Beta, and an able and talented staff in Oxford. The infrastructure is in place. We just need the financial resources to execute, to do good and purposeful things. In the coming days you will be asked by Founda�on Director Jonathan Brant, Miami ’75 to renew your annual support of the Beta Leadership Fund as we drive toward our goal of raising $633,000 from 4,000 donors to fund this year’s leadership programs and ac�vi�es — approximately $200,000 more than last year’s goal. Yes, our work is cut out for us. But I believe we have the personnel and loyal alumni in place to get the job done. With
your gi�s, the General Fraternity and Beta Founda�on will be in a posi�on to ac�vely and posi�vely support each and every one of our chapters that want to excel. Thank You In closing, I want to thank outgoing director Bert Bates, Missouri ’49 for his six years of service on our Founda�on Board. Bert was an ac�ve board volunteer and a valuable source of wit and wisdom. In addi�on, Brother Bates served heroically as chairman of our highly successful and historic Upon These Principles campaign. Thanks, Bert. We will dearly miss you and look forward to your con�nued involvement. Likewise, thank all of you for your generosity and loyal support. Without your con�nued dedica�on, the Men of Principle ini�a�ve could not have scaled its heights. Now, you have the further opportunity to help build bridges for today’s undergraduates — I hope you will respond generously when called upon. I trust that we will look back one year hence and be able to enjoy the sa�sfac�on of knowing that, together, we “built a bridge to span the �de.” Yours in _____kai_____,
Tom Hook
Thomas W. Hook, Miami ’81 Chairman
Millions
Beta Theta Pi Fraternity & Founda�on Combined Assets
$16 $15 $14 $12 $11 $10 $9 $8 $7 $6 $5 $4 Fiscal Year
$4.7
$5.56
$5.56
$5.58
$6.48
$6.55
$7.82
$8.34
$9.32
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
$8.95 $10.04 $9.25
99
00
01
$8.53
02
$8.47 $12.73 $14.77 $16.42 $18.7
03
04
05
06 Fall 2007
07 21
MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS
BETA FOUNDATION MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS In 1839, John Reily Knox and the other seven founders were part of a small popula�on pursuing a college degree. Today, approximately 6,000 Betas are enrolled in colleges and universi�es across North America. Just as the number of men in higher educa�on has increased, so too, have tui�on, books and rooming costs. The Beta Theta Pi Founda�on’s merit scholarship program, ins�tuted in 1949 by the Beta Theta Pi Board of Trustees, has enabled our members to achieve their academic endeavors by providing important financial assistance. Beta Theta Pi offered 58 scholarships — totaling $68,975 — to undergraduate and graduate student members of the Fraternity as well as sons and daughters of Betas who excelled in the areas of academics, chapter leadership and campus/ community involvement. Their achievements and leadership range from officer roles within the chapter, student government and interfraternity council, to honorary socie�es such as Order of Omega, Phi Eta Sigma and Golden Key. This year’s scholarship recipients are ac�ve in varsity athle�cs, university-wide organiza�ons and philanthropy. They are o�en Eagle Scouts, community volunteers, youth coaches and tutors. For more informa�on about next year’s opportuni�es, log on to www.betathetapi.org. Scholarship forms and details will be available on the web site in early February. The deadline for submission is April 1. All scholarships will be awarded prior to the 169th General Conven�on in Dallas, Texas.
TOP EIGHT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
The top eight Founders scholarships are endowed by an estate gi� of Robert C. Lafferty, Ohio Wesleyan ’28.
$2,200 John Reily Knox Memorial Scholarship
$2,200 Samuel Taylor Marshall Memorial Scholarship
$2,200 David Linton Memorial Scholarship
$2,200 James George Smith Memorial Scholarship
John R. Sturgeon Truman State ’08
Ma�hew K. Brown Oklahoma ’09
Cody A. Rutledge Case Western Reserve ’09
Gregory M. Baumer Indiana ’08
$2,200 Charles Henry Hardin Memorial Scholarship
$2,200 John Holt Duncan Memorial Scholarship
$2,200 Michael Clarkson Ryan Memorial Scholarship
$2,200 Thomas Boston Gordon Scholarship
Sco� E. Hackman Nebraska ’08
William Q. Hua Oklahoma State ’06
Thomas A. Wanek Nebraska ’10
Brandon A. Tubandt Georgia Tech ’08
Merit Scholarships # of Merit Scholarships Awarded Total Financial Rewards
22
The Beta Theta Pi
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
66
58
64
58
$82,550
$58,900
$66,500
$68,975
A more complete list of all 58 scholarship recipients can be found on www.betathetapi.org or contact the Foundation & Administrative Office at (800) 800-2382.
ΒΘΠ
BY THE NUMBERS
BETA THETA PI BY THE NUMBERS Chapters & Membership
2003-04 124 6,596 50
Number of Chapters and Colonies Number of Undergraduate Ini�ates and Pledges Average Chapter Size Average Chapter Size of All Fraterni�es (reported by the NIC) Number of Substance-Free Chapter Houses
2004-05 128 6,933 49
(10.5%)
(12.5%)
16
2005-06 123 6,726 55 41 23
67 1 5
61 3 6
66 2 4
61 3 6
FY04 4,086 $624,512
FY05 3,247 $640,576
FY06 2,521* $401,671*
FY07 2,074* $497,381*
13
Avg. Chapter Size of Substance-Free Houses Charters Awarded Recoloniza�ons/Coloniza�ons
Donors to the Beta Leadership Fund Beta Leadership Fund Supporters Beta Leadership Fund Total Contribu�ons
(18.7%)
2006-07 123 6,861 56 42 30 (24.6%)
* Peak years of Upon These Principles capital campaign contribu�ons
Expansion Plans for 2006-07 Academic Year Eastern Illinois University John Carroll University Washington & Lee University University of Virginia
Advisors
Total “Core” Advisors
Charleston, Ill. Cleveland, Ohio Lexington, Va. Charlo�esville, Va. 2003-04 434
August 26 – September 20, 2007 October 1-25, 2007 November 5-16, 2007 Feburary 1-22, 2008
2004-05 470
2005-06 515
2006-07 535
759 4.19 70 29 11 3 157
767 4.35 78 36 8 1 129
(Chapter Counselor, Recruitment, Pledge Educa�on, Financial, Risk Management)
Total # of Advisors (including “Core” and Ritual, Philanthropy, etc.) Average # of Advisors per chapter 3.44 # of Chapters with 5+ Advisors # of Chapters with 3-4 Advisors # of Chapters with 1-2 Advisors # of Chapters with 0 Advisors # of Advisors par�cipa�ng in Advisory Team Conferences
3.82
Recruitment Through Scholarship Grants Number of RTS Grants to Chapters Total of RTS Grants
2003-04 65 $34,000
2004-05 69 $34,500
2005-06 80 $39,750
2006-07 81 $41,500
2007 REPORT CARD
LEADERSHIP PROGRAM INVOLVEMENT REPORT CARD This report summarizes each leadership experience in 2007. It is our hope, however, that in addi�on to providing a summary, this informa�on will encourage you to increase par�cipa�on by your chapter, district and region. Leadership is a trademark of our Fraternity which yields significant benefits. Through the support of alumni, leadership consultants, district chiefs, regional directors, chapter advisors and Greek advisors, Beta undergraduates can achieve their full leadership poten�al.
Report Card Key Recruitment Through Scholarship Grant ......... RTS The Ins�tute for Men of Principle ....................IMP Beta Wilderness Challenge .............................BWC Leadership College ............................................ LC Chapter Presidents Leadership Academy ...... CPLA Undergraduate Interfraternity Ins�tute ..........UIFI Futures Quest ....................................................FQ Keystone Regional Leadership Conference ... KRLC
24
The Beta Theta Pi
ACTIVE CHAPTER Alabama Arizona Auburn Baylor Bethany Binghamton Bri�sh Columbia California-Berkeley California-Irvine California-Los Angeles California Poly California-Santa Barbara California State-Chico Carleton Carnegie Mellon Case Western Reserve Central Florida Central Michigan Centre Cincinna� Clemson Colgate Colorado Mines Colorado State Columbia Connec�cut Cornell Dayton Denison Denver DePauw Duke East Carolina Eastern Kentucky Eastern Washington Emory Florida Florida Atlan�c Florida Interna�onal George Washington Georgia Georgia Tech Hampden-Sydney Hanover Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Iowa State Johns Hopkins Kansas Kansas State Kenyon Ke�ering A Ke�ering B Knox Lawrence Lehigh Louisville Loyola Marymount MIT Maine Maryland Miami Miami (Fla.)
RTS $500 $500 $500
IMP
BWC
5 3
LC 6 1 2
CPLA 1 1 1 1
5
UIFI 1
FQ 3 1 2
1
KRLC
6
1 $500 $500 $500 $500
2 1 4 4 2
4 6
1 1 1
1 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
3 2 8 7
1 1 2 1
$500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500
3
1
3 2 6 3 3 6
2
$500 $500 $500
5 5 2
$500
5 1 2
$500 $500 $500 $500 $500
6 4 5
$500 $500 $500
2 2 5 9 4 2
$500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500
2 1 2 3
$500 $500
12 5
2 1 1
1 1 1 1
3 3 1 1
1 1 2
2 7 1 15 1 4 1 2 3
1 1
1
5 5 3 2 4 4 8 14
3 1
4
2
8
3
1 2
1
8 8
1 1
8 5
4
5
1 1 1
9 11
1
1
$500 2 2 1 4 2
6 2 6 1 3 2 1
1
1
1
$500 $500 $500 $500 $500
1 2
1 8
1 1 1 1
1 1
1 2 1
8 11
3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 2 1 6 1 2 1
3 2 2 1 3 4
6 2 1 2
7 8 8 9 6 6 8 9 6 6 8
1 2 4 6 2 6
1
1
1 1 1 1
2 1
6 2 3
8 8 5
1 1
11 5
1 1
7 2
Total 10 8 6 1 15 1 2 3 12 11 4 1 1 2 18 18 17 16 0 21 3 10 10 19 6 16 11 3 19 5 10 1 10 25 15 4 24 6 11 10 10 11 12 15 19 12 27 18 23 12 15 26 3 5 11 16 8 11 15 12 8 4 0 31 14
ACTIVE CHAPTER Michigan Middle Tennessee State Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Missouri (Kansas City) Nebraska North Carolina North Dakota Northwestern Nova Southeastern Ohio Ohio State Oklahoma Oklahoma State Oregon Penn State Pennsylvania Pepperdine Puget Sound Purdue Rhode Island Saint Louis San Diego San Jose State Sewanee South Dakota South Florida Southern California Southern Illinois Stevens Tennessee Texas Texas (Arlington) Texas A&M Texas A&M - Corpus Chris� Texas Tech Toronto Truman State Utah Vanderbilt Villanova Virginia Tech Wabash Washington Washington & Jefferson Washington in St. Louis Washington State Wesleyan West Chester West Virginia Western Ontario Westminster Whitman Wichita State Willame�e William & Mary Wisconsin Wisconsin (Oshkosh) Wi�enberg Yale TOTAL
RTS
IMP
$500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500
4 9
$500 $500 $500 $500 $500
3 4 4 2 1 1 4 2 1 5 1
BWC
LC
2 1 2
4 1 1 10
1
4 1 4
2
8 5 1 1
$500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500
1 2 6 4 2
3 1
1
1 3 7 2 3
1 1
8
5 6 6
$500 $500
3 3
$500 $500
1 1 2
1 1 2
12 9 2
$500 $500 $500
$500 $500 $500
1
3 1 2 8 1 1 2 5 7
2 1 5 2 2
1 2
4 6 9 1 2
3 3
4 3 2 6 4
1
$42,500 304
41
UIFI
FQ
KRLC 7
1
2 3 2
8 9 8 9 8
1 2
2
1 1
6 5
2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 1
2 3
2 1
8 10 8 7 7 5 6 8 7
1 2
9
4 4 2
7
1 1
4 8 5 6
3
5 8 8
1 1
1
1
2 5 2
2
8 8 8 10 8 7 8 7
1 4
2
2
CPLA 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 4 2 311
1 1 1 1 1 1
1
3 1
3
5
68
104
1 100
4 8 8 8 7 8 6 4 526
Total 8 9 24 15 26 15 22 3 10 12 1 12 24 17 15 10 5 7 1 10 13 4 20 18 4 2 13 10 20 11 14 3 7 16 5 5 2 8 26 19 9 9 20 23 23 6 23 8 0 12 16 6 10 9 18 12 15 17 22 7 0 1,454
Fall 2007
25
QUIETWhat LEADERSHIP was meant to be Who knew that a coin flip could be so influential? It is not every day that tossing a circular piece of flattened metal determines the eventual fate of an organization as old as Beta Theta Pi. However, on the campus of Lynchburg College in Virginia, a group of young men gathered to settle a decision that would later prove to be fortuitously in favor of the Fraternity. With the encouragement of friends at various universities, they had formed an interest group in the hopes of earning recognition from a top fraternity. Choosing the right one however became tricky for the band of soon-to-be brothers. Among the group of student leaders, recently elected General Secretary Charlie Warner, Lynchburg ’87 explained, “Half of us were really interested in becoming Beta Theta Pi, and the other half were interested in joining Sigma Phi Epsilon.” Naturally, a coin flip ensued. They tossed it and watched as heads and tails somersaulted through the air with quick, shiny flashes of silver. The tension was palpable. It landed. Heads. Beta wins. “It was meant to be,” Warner recalls with his trademark enthusiasm. “I’m a fatalist, or I believe in fate, and I believe that Beta Theta Pi was
26
The Beta Theta Pi
the right choice for us. We always knew we were bigger than [just] us and that we had a purpose and a responsibility.” Although the Zeta Alpha Chapter at Lynchburg College is no longer an active chapter, Warner has continued to serve as a key leader for the General Fraternity. Along with a fulltime job at West Chester University as director of student leadership and involvement, he held numerous roles within Beta Theta Pi. He has been a faculty advisor, recruitment advisor, regional director and Board of Trustees member. He says he would probably do whatever the Fraternity asks him to do. “I have never said ‘no’ to Beta,” he grins. “I’ve tried to. I have tried to. It’s this undergraduate thing. I have the ability to hopefully impact them in such a great way… I just can’t say no.” He can’t turn it off either, his brain that is hardwired to help, to serve. “If I were to pick a word that was to describe my life, I think I’ve tried to be a servant. I never had any aspirations of the General Secretary role. Never even crossed my mind.” The Board of Trustees thought it would ask anyways, sending former
“If I were to pick a word that was to describe my life, I think I’ve tried to be a servant. I never had any aspirations of the General Secretary role. Never even crossed my mind.”
General Secretary Dave Wright, Ohio State ’67 to Philadelphia to meet with him. “I thought I had done something wrong,” Warner muses, “and that I was being asked to resign from the Board! For a week, probably two weeks, I was trying to figure out what did I do wrong.” Obviously, the trip was to discuss all that he had done right, not wrong. Now the Fraternity has a new servant leader, even though he may not describe himself as such.
Nearly 20 years after tossing that fateful coin into the air and watching it land, it’s interesting to note that he has kept this honor private. Even his pledge brothers don’t know. “No one knows,” Warner says as he swivels in his desk chair after another long day at the office. “When I tell you that I’m not doing this for any other reason than to serve the undergraduates, I am completely honest on that. I’ve never told any of them.”
When they get this magazine, it will be the first time that his chapter brothers receive this news. And as they read this article, perhaps they’ll recall that day when luck and fate arrived together at the spot where a somersaulting coin landed. Heads. Beta wins. — S.Brylski Learn more about Charlie Warner and his leadership style on the next page in the interview with Tom Olver.
Fall 2007
27
Interview: Charlie Warner Charles W. Warner, Lynchburg ’87 became Beta Theta Pi’s 29th General Secretary at this summer’s 168th General Convention. In early October, Editor Thomas C. Olver, Central Michigan ’98 sat down with the Fraternity’s CEO at his office in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Excerpts are included here. To listen to audio from the interview, log on to www.thebetathetapi.org and click on “Audio.”
Olver: How do you define leadership? Warner: The public definition is
someone who leads, someone who stands in front of a group and conducts the business and gets the group to kind of buy in to his or her path. But I think my definition of leadership just as much includes follower-ship. I think you can be a follower and still be a leader because you’re still making a decision on how you’re going to approach something and so when people say, “well I’m not a leader of my group,” I don’t buy it. When we talk about Beta Theta Pi, from the guys who sit at the front of the room or the guys who sit in the back, they are all leaders. They all have made a choice, when you go through the ritual, you will have said that these are the things I believe, these are the things I’m going to incorporate into my life. You go through everything that we believe in, that creates the leadership.
O: What is your leadership style? W: My leadership style is fairly quiet. It
is more of a supportive style. I treasure watching the growth and development and the process work. I tend to not interject my opinions on the forefront of a conversation. It’s probably not intentional; it’s just kind of how I’ve always operated. I’ve always liked to hear a different perspective before I’ve made a decision on how I might react to a situation or something that’s going on.
O: How do you perceive that style as serving Beta Theta Pi well? W: It will give individuals an opportunity to know that I’m reachable and that I want to hear their opinions and that I don’t have judgments. You’ve got to go into this without any preconceived notions and Lord knows I did. To me, every chapter, every volunteer are the best Beta Theta Pi can provide. It’s up 28
The Beta Theta Pi
to them to change my opinion, one way or the other, but when you approach a fraternity experience and you approach a position like this, you really need to be what I consider an open book.
O: You’re a busy guy, how do balance
all of the perspectives that are coming in to you?
W: The balance is the realization that
we’re not perfect. That Beta Theta Pi is an organization that continues to evolve to meet the needs of its members, its alumni and the friends that we’ve created and if you’re able to move with an organization, it makes the job a lot easier. We have an administrative staff and a group of volunteers and undergraduates who don’t want status quo, who are looking at the fraternity experience as something that continues to evolve on their individual campuses to the General Fraternity and every point in between.
O: So how do we bring this all together? How do we get all these opinions about the changing nature of fraternity and set that into action in some sort of plan that we can all collectively work toward?
W: Well, there’s little doubt it is bringing
everybody to the table. It’s including every constituency that is affected by Beta Theta Pi and making sure that all populations are heard from. As we embark on a strategic planning process, that’s critical. The undergraduates’ opinions are just as valuable as the General Secretary’s opinions. The gathering of information about where Beta Theta Pi is in 2007 can’t just be a group of fellows sitting in a room talking about, okay, what do we want to do next? It’s got to be a very thoughtful, deep, sometimes painful experience.
O: Why is leadership important at the chapter level?
W: I wish chapter members understood better that they are the caretakers of their organizations, and that the Administrative Office, the Board of Trustees, myself . . . do not want to play big brother. That’s not our goal or mission. Our goal and mission is to assist them with getting the best fraternity experience they can get, and I wish they would just understand that and embrace that and think about the decisions that they make in a much more thoughtful way.
To think there have been rash decisions that have led to major problems that if they had just thought it out, talked it out, really analyzed it as leaders should with any issue that they might not have made the same choice and I don’t want our undergraduate men to live with regret. They’ve got to embrace this, they’ve got to understand from the front of the room to the back of the room that each of them have a voice and a vote and they create the destiny of their own organization.
O: You seem to talk a lot about the front of the room and the back of the room. But how does that develop, how does that play out?
W: The way it plays out is 75% of the
chapter lets the front of the room make the decisions for them, and that just needs to change. You’ve elected those individuals to do a job, but their job is to help lead the fraternity. Help lead the fraternity, not to do everything for the fraternity and there’s a big difference there. So, I think about those fellows who are sitting in the back of the room who are just allowing those guys to dictate what happens in the fraternity. And that can’t happen because you’ve got to be just as invested as they are.
O: What is the back of the room at the General Fraternity level? If you’re the title, right, you’re the front of the room, what’s the back of the room? Who’s sitting back there?
W: I think the back of the room is the fellow in our chapter who just doesn’t care one way or the other. The guy, and every chapter’s got it, who just
doesn’t want to make a decision, who’s disengaged, who might show up every once in a while to a chapter meeting just cause he has to so he doesn’t go to Kai committee. I have seen a disengaged brother in chapters literally change a chapter’s culture to the negative because of his attitude, his behavior, his lifestyle choices and then he influences others, who then influence others and . . . it’s what we call “culture creep” in Beta.
“A fraternity done well is a diverse group of men with varying opinions, all of which you’re trying to find a consensus on. That process is awesome to watch, but it’s not easy to get through and fraternity’s not supposed to be easy.”
O: But once that man is a member of the chapter, how do you prevent him from letting it all go downhill?
W: Well, again, I think one of the
things we don’t do well as fraternities is engaging our members in decision making processes. Many of our fraternities are very content with letting our executive boards do all the work, and if we show up to a meeting once a week, we’re doing fraternity. You know, if we show up to play intramural softball, we’re doing fraternity. And it’s more than that. I’ve always been a believer that you’ve got to engage every member. Find out what they think. Ask them what they think about the direction of your organization because many of those individuals don’t even think you care about their opinion. That’s the worst place to be in. If you’re an elected leader of a group and you don’t even know what your members want because they’re very content sitting in that room not saying a word, then, to me, you’ve got a leadership problem. Yeah, you’ll get your agenda done, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it would be the right agenda.
O: How can undergraduate members, leaders, non-leaders alike, help Beta Theta Pi advance over the next three years?
W: Number one, recruit the right kind of guy. Find the man that is already a Beta in the pure sense of what Beta Theta Pi is and get him a bid. Ultimately, the only difference between some guy who just joined Beta Theta Pi and me, as someone who’s gone through the ritual, is the ritual. You should be choosing men who already espouse your values, not the best partier, not the greatest
athlete, but the guy who already has what it takes to be an outstanding member of a chapter. Our undergraduates are our best resources. I don’t know if they even know how important they are, so we need to help them realize their impact on this organization. Positively as well as negatively, but realize that their decisions, their behavior, their greatness reflects on all of us — undergraduates, alumni, volunteers, FOBs (Friends of Beta) alike.
O: How does the average alumni member, who maybe isn’t a volunteer, maybe isn’t a donor to the foundation, contribute to the organization? How do we make this real for him? W: There’s passive leadership and
then there’s getting involved and I think passivity for some is what you’re going to get, but I would rather see alumni engage us as a General Fraternity, either locally or internationally, than to do nothing at all. There are so many outstanding alumni members out there who could provide such leadership and direction to these undergraduate men. They don’t realize the impact that they could have.
O: So if someone hears that message and says, “Okay, I’m prepared to step up,” how do they do it?
W: If your passion awakes when
you’re reading The Beta Theta Pi or you’re hearing a story or whatever, if something triggers in you, connect with the Administrative Office. One way or the other, if something angers you, talk to us about it. If you’re proud about something, let us know that. We have thousands of alumni out there who are non-communicative so we’ve got to figure out how to get them back in some way, shape or form. I love it when people yell and scream because then I’m, “Okay, help me change it.” That’s always been my approach. If you don’t like it, then you come on board and help me figure out a different way to approach it.
O: So, if indeed, we are successful, what will Beta Theta Pi look like at the end of your term? W: This is a really intrinsic statement,
but I would love to know that everyone who graduates from college, who is a Beta, truly enjoyed their experience. That every alumnus who volunteers for Beta feels appreciated, or an FOB (Friend of Beta), feels appreciated, and that we continue to be the harbingers for the fraternal movement. I think it’s as simple as that. I continue to want to be the trailblazer. I just don’t think we can rest on our laurels. There’s too much to do.
Fall 2007
29
FAN THE FLAME Alere Flammam
THE
168 TH G ENERAL CONVENTION
168TH GENERAL CONVENTION
Considered one of the greatest poets in all of literature, Dante Alighieri once wrote, “From a little spark may bust a mighty flame.” This concept was not lost on Charles D. Walker, VMI 1869, The Beta Theta Pi’s founder and first editor. Two words appeared near the top of his first issue, just under Beta, Theta and Pi. “Alere Flammam.” Fan the flame.
Beta Theta Pi is unique in having an annual convention that oversees the governance of the Fraternity. With hundreds of Betas and friends in attendance each year, the Convention is perhaps the most important enduring force for the maintenance of the Beta spirit. The 168th General Convention was held at the Renaissance Resort at Sea World in Orlando, Florida, August 2-5, 2007. Borrowing from Brother Walker’s sentiment of fanning the flame of our fraternal fires, this year’s celebration inspired more than 900 Betas and guests who participated in the Fraternity’s annual gathering. The spirit of convention was captured in the words of noted theologian Albert Schweitzer, who offered, “At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think, with deep gratitude, of those who have lighted the flame within us.” From the young undergraduates who infuse life into the experience . . . to the dedicated volunteers who provide leadership and support . . . to the Silver Grays who offer perspective with entertaining stories of days gone by, participants are forever changed by the Convention experience. The spark of energy and enthusiasm found at a General Convention is contagious. It spreads like a mighty flame and is impossible to resist.
“It is one thing to see an old seasoned Beta still aglow with his love and devotion – it is another to see a young lad with the lighted fire in his heart.” – Dr. Seth R. Brooks, St. Lawrence ’22
AWARDS “A t t i m e s o u r o w n light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” – Albert Schweitzer
32
The Beta Theta Pi
SHEPARDSON AWARD During Convention’s Welcoming Banquet on August 2, Ferdinand Del Pizzo Jr., M.D., Washington-St. Louis ’58, accepted the prestigious Francis W. Shepardson Award, which is presented to alumni who have displayed exemplary devotion and dedication to the Fraternity. Known best as “Ferd” by thousands of brothers, he has attended 37 General Conventions. He served his chapter as rush chairman, pledge trainer, recording secretary, vice president and chapter president. Subsequently, he led the Interfraternity Council as president. After graduation, Del Pizzo served as president of the St. Louis Beta Alumni Club and was on the association’s board for more than 25 years. He has also served as Missouri chapter house corporation president, Washington-St. Louis house corporation president and board member, chapter counselor and pledge education advisor. Del Pizzo has been a General Fraternity officer since 1973 when he agreed to be chief of District 21, vice president on the Board of Trustees (1982 to 1985), alumni affairs commissioner (1982) and regional director (2000 to 2001). He has been a member of the Advisory Council since 1986. Del Pizzo graduated with his M.D. from The University of Missouri-Columbia in 1962. Now retired, Del Pizzo practiced obstetrics and gynecology. He and his wife Linda reside in Creve Coeur, Missouri.
168TH GENERAL CONVENTION
“ I n e ve r y o n e ’ s l i f e , at some time, our
OXFORD CUP
inner fire goes out. I t i s t he n b u r s t i n t o
Howard D. Fineman, Colgate ’70, was presented the Oxford Cup at the Convention’s Celebration Banquet on August 4, 2007. Newsweek’s chief political correspondent, senior editor and deputy Washington bureau chief spoke to an audience of more than 700 guests.
flame by an encounter with another human
An award-winning writer, Fineman also is an NBC News analyst, contributing reports to the network and its cable affiliates. The author of scores of Newsweek cover stories, Fineman’s work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The New Republic. His “Living Politics” column is posted weekly on Newsweek.com.
being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle
During his acceptance remarks, Fineman spoke at length about why the Fraternity system is relevant.
the inner spirit.”
He stated, “Here is what I think is the point of ‘us.’ The simple act of reaching out in something that approaches ‘accidental’ friendship that doesn’t have any other purpose or meaning beside itself, is something that the Greeks were the first to recognize was one of the essential things about being a human being. That’s the point. It’s friendship without an agenda.”
– Albert Schweitzer
“If fraternities didn’t exist, we would need to invent them,” Fineman went on to say. Fineman has interviewed every major presidential candidate since 1984, focusing in recent years on the rise and times of George W. Bush. A cover story in November 2001 featured the President’s first extensive post-9/11 interview. Fineman now reports exclusively for NBC and has appeared on most major public affairs programs, including: Nightline, Face the Nation, Larry King Live, Fox News Sunday, Charlie Rose and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Fineman holds an A.B., Phi Beta Kappa, from Colgate, an M.S. in journalism from Columbia and a J.D. from the University of Louisville. His legal education included a year at the Georgetown University Law Center. He received Watson and Pulitzer Traveling Fellowships for study in Europe, Russia and the Middle East. He lives in Washington with his wife Amy L. Nathan, and their two children. Listen to brother Fineman’s acceptance remarks online at www.thebetathetapi.org. Click on “Audio.”
A
l
e
r
e
F
l
a
m
m
a
m
Fall 2007
33
CHAPTER AWARDS Alumni Relations: San Diego Campus Involvement: Iowa State, Miami, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Stevens and Truman State Charles Henry Hardin Leadership: Florida (highest overall), Wisconsin-Oshkosh (highest percentage), Bethany, California-Irvine, UCLA, Case Western Reserve, Central Florida, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Connecticut, Denison, Denver, East Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Hampden-Sydney, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Johns Hopkins, Kansas State, Knox, Louisville, Miami, Miami (Fla.), Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio State, San Diego, Southern California, Texas, Texas A & M-Corpus Christi, Texas-Arlington, Truman State, Virginia Tech, Wabash, Washington-St. Louis, West Virginia, Wichita State, Wisconsin, Wisconsin-Oshkosh General Secretary’s Cup: Miami John Holt Duncan Service: Oklahoma State (annual), Northwestern (ongoing) Most Improved Chapter: UCLA New Member Education: Nebraska, Oklahoma State New Song Competition: Nebraska North Dakota (Publications): Stevens (newsletter), Wisconsin-Oshkosh (magazine) Recruitment: Central Florida, Denison, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oklahoma State
Francis H. Sisson Award Recipients (# of Sisson awards since 1982): Alabama (2), Auburn (22), British Columbia (17), Central Florida (4), Clemson (6), Columbia (2), Connecticut (5), Emory (10), Florida (8), Georgia (15), Georgia Tech (25), Idaho(11), Indiana (9), Kansas (18), Kansas State (19), Knox (10), Lawrence (12), Loyola Marymount (1), Minnesota (11), Missouri (21), Missouri-Kansas City (13), Nebraska (13), North Dakota (6), Oklahoma (11), Oklahoma State (5), Saint Louis (4), San Diego (1), TexasArlington (4), Truman State (8), Utah (6), William & Mary (4), Wabash (7) 34
The Beta Theta Pi
Oklahoma State, Texas-Arlington
Risk Management: George Washington, Iowa State, Lehigh, Miami (Fla.), Nebraska,
Virginia Tech (Academics) First in Grades: Central Florida, Clemson, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State, Connecticut, Cornell, East Carolina, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Indiana, Loyola Marymount, Miami, Missouri, Nebraska, Puget Sound, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Truman State Regional: Central Michigan, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Hampden-Sydney, Kansas, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, San Diego, Southern Illinois, Texas-Arlington and Washington. Most Improved GPA: Central Michigan Highest GPA: Nebraska Website Excellence: Missouri-Kansas City Whitman Choral Cup: Lawrence Wichita State (Singing): Oklahoma State
168TH GENERAL CONVENTION
A l e r e F
Left to Right: Deanne Walters, Tyler Blair, Zach Haines, Mike Okenquist, Scott Allen, Tina Horvath, Jon Williamson and Joe Buchanan
l
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
a
District Chief of the Year: Scott J. Allen, Minnesota ’95
m
Rookie Chiefs of the Year: Zachary T. Haines, Miami ’05 and Joseph B. Buchanan, Washington ’53
m
Regional Director of the Year: Michael R. Okenquist, Villanova ’94 Interfraternalism Award: Jon Williamson (Lambda Chi Alpha)
a
Greek Advisor of the Year: Deanne Walters (Hanover)
m
Advisor of the Year: Tina Horvath (Southern Illinois) General Secretary’s Leadership Award: B. Tyler Blair, Denison ’07 Housemother of the Year: Dellrae Warner (Washington State)
John Reily Knox Chapter Excellence Award Recipients (# of Knox awards since 1997): Alabama (1), Central Florida (1), Georgia (2), Idaho (2), Indiana (1), Kansas State (5), Missouri (2), Missouri-Kansas City (1), Nebraska (7), Truman State (3)
Fall 2007
35
LEGISLATION CONVENTION OFFICERS
President: Andrew R. Thomas, Wisconsin-Oshkosh ’97 Parliamentarian: Dr. Jay S. Reese, Indiana ’58 Secretary: Joshua L. Machicek, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi ’07 Committee of the Whole: Daniel H. Farmer, Cincinnati ’75 Head Marshal: G. Douglas Tommie, Eastern Kentucky ’77 Floor Managers: Michael S. Wolford, Miami ’04 and MacGregor H. Hill II, William & Mary ’04 Colorado State President Kevin McBeth ’08 addresses Convention delegates regarding his colony’s charter petition, which was granted shortly thereafter.
DELEGATE ACTIONS
During sessions at the 168th General Convention, delegates in attendance voted on many key pieces of legislation for the Fraternity’s future. The delegates approved the following actions: Granted Charters Delegates approved charter petitions of three colonies: • Epsilon Kappa at Colorado State University, founded in 1988 — recolonized in 2003 • Eta Alpha at Loyola Marymount University, colonized in 2004 • Zeta Omega at the University of San Diego, colonized in 2004 Revised Ritual Delegates approved revisions of the Ritual and new trial ceremonies that will be tested during 2007-08. The recommendations are the work of the Ritual Review Task Force, a Convention-appointed committee that was assembled by the General Secretary following the 166th General Convention. [see p. 6]
General Fraternity President Tom Purinton, Kansas State ’63 (right) pins the badge of office on newly elected Vice President and Trustee Jim Curtis, as General Secretary Charlie Warner looks on.
General Secretary Charles W. Warner, Lynchburg ’87 was elected Beta Theta Pi’s 29th General Secretary. His nomination was unanimously approved during Saturday night’s legislation session. [see p. 26] Board of Trustee Members Nominations made by the Permanent Organization Committee for terms on the Board of Trustees were unanimously approved during the final day of legislative session. Delegates elected James R. Curtis, Wisconsin ’86; W. Martin Haskell, Ohio Wesleyan ’86, and Paul B. Swartz, Kansas State ’64 as General Fraternity vice presidents. Curtis is a professional geologist and environmental consultant. He has been a fraternity volunteer since 1995 serving in numerous roles including Minnesota House Corporation secretary and president, Minnesota alumni association member and several roles in the chapter advisory team.
General Fraternity Vice President Martin Haskell, Ohio Wesleyan ’68, speaks after his nomination to the Board of Trustees was unanimously approved.
36
The Beta Theta Pi
Haskell is retired and resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended medical school at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Haskell served as the Ohio Wesleyan house corporation president for four years. Swartz is an investor and counsel for several start-up ventures in Wichita, Kansas. He received his juris doctorate from New York University School of Law and practiced patent law until 2001. Swartz has served the Fraternity as a chapter advisor, regional director, vice president and trustee.
168TH GENERAL CONVENTION
LEADERSHIP COLLEGE During Convention, undergraduate members of the Fraternity were given the opportunity to learn about what it takes to be effective chapter leaders and, by proxy, principled members of society. The Peter F. Greiner Leadership College curriculum focused on personal exploration, ritual-based decision-making, how to influence change and the bestselling book, Leadership on the Line.
“Leadership is a relationship founded on trust and confidence. Without it, people don’t take risks. Without risk, there’s no change. Without change, organizations and movements die.”
Leadership College, which is a significant part of the larger Convention experience, began Thursday afternoon with daily sessions that continued until Saturday night. Undergraduates joined a randomly selected group of members to form 10-man “teams” for in-depth group discussions. Team captains served as facilitators for each group and helped create meaningful discussions about key issues. This allowed for new friendships and tremendous networking possibilities to form. Guest speaker Brad Karsh, author of Confessions of a Recruiting Director, offered his experience as former vice president of talent acquisition for one of the world’s largest advertising firms. He delivered an informative and entertaining presentation concerning everything from “how to prepare a résumé” to “what not to do at an interview.” Other memorable moments from the event included participation in the model initiation and “The Great Conversation” with comments from Senator Richard Lugar, Denison ’54; Newsweek Washington Bureau Chief Howard Fineman, Colgate ’70, and Chairman and CEO of The Cook Group, Bill Cook, Northwestern ’53. The three men each spoke about the necessity for young men to understand the value of Beta’s Three Great Principles. Keller Hardy, Virginia ’09, sums up the experience, “I am confident that the lessons and skills I learned during Leadership College will show through my demeanor in the fall and beyond. I truly feel that a different man walked out of Orlando than walked in.” — S. Brylski
– Kouzes and Posner
Fall 2007
37
CONVENTION ROSTER Alabama Joseph Cirulnick ’10, Christopher Crabtree ’10, William Evans ’10, Jack Hall ’10, William Hanks ’67, *Scott Lucas ’08, Brian Reynolds ’08, Michael Smith ’10, Joseph Troncale ’63 Arizona John Klier ’10, *Craig Truitt ’08, Cameron Warner ’08 Auburn Marcus Bankston ’95, Roderick Hastie ’82, Robert Nicholson ’10, Alexander Quinn ’10, *Preston Seckman ’08 Baylor *Robert Hobson ’08 Beloit Grant Birtch ’81 Bethany Geoffrey Clark ’10, *Justin Elkins ’08, Branden Essington ’09, Vincent Mikolay ’00, Korey Mullin ’08, Eric Scheller ’09, Randal Stuckwish ’10 Binghamton *Scott Richman ’09 British Columbia Eric Cheng ’10, *Peter Kearney ’07, Christopher Leong ’10, David Rae ’00 Brown Bruce Lloyd ’69 Cal Poly *Jerad Ellenberger ’08 California-Irvine Ivan Chen ’07, Jae Kim ’10, Alexander Lamb ’08, *Marshall Miller ’09, Kyle Olney ’08, Scott Uyechi ’08 California-Los Angeles Michael Casey ’10, Trevor Gribble ’04, Addison Huddy ’10, *John Larson ’08, David Litton ’09, Alexander Murray ’08, Jared Shuman ’08, Christopher Vargas ’08 California-Santa Barbara *David Walker ’09 Carleton Adam Latincic ’09, *Martin Pineault ’09 Carnegie Mellon Vincent Giacalone ’09, Gregory Pitts ’09, *Derek Wisnieski ’09 Case Western Reserve Kyle Arnold ’09, *Christopher Coy ’09, Jacob Ruth ’09 Central Florida William Bolton ’04, Glenn Broska ’05, Warren Christophel ’07, Kevin Chung ’08, Rory Curren ’09, David Ehrlich ’04, Matthew Gary ’07, Carlos Gonzalez ’07, Cary Grayson ’06, Wesley Halliwell ’03, Shawn Hiers ’03, *Jason Holic ’08, Garrett Hyer ’08, Shamir Kanji ’08, Denis Keegan ’05, Joshua Knopp ’04, Brett Lipensky ’07, Alexander Nottingham ’03, Mitchell Olinsky ’05, Christopher Quintero ’05, Michael Resta ’03, Carlos Rosales ’06, Jared Schmidt ’05, Brad Sexton ’03 Central Michigan James Eschelbach ’99, *Brandyn Lawson ’09, Thomas Olver ’98, Christopher Saylor ’09, Zachary Zeoli ’10 Centre Jerry Blesch ’60 Cincinnati Joseph Birchak ’10, Jordan Brewer ’10, *William Buschle ’08, William Clifton ’08, Daniel Farmer ’75, Joshua Ginn ’08, Albert Strasser ’47, Andrew Taylor ’07, William Ventress ’47, Bryan Zivich ’11 Clemson *Thomas DelDuca ’09, Creed Taylor ’08, Jonathan Trammell ’08 Colgate Kyle Cooper ’09, Bruce Fein ’84, Howard Fineman ’70, Kyle Halks ’08, Simon Kliegman ’08, *Chrisopher Lagrange ’08, Samuel Miller ’09, David Pollack ’08, Steven Tompson ’09 Colorado Mines Trevor Mascovich ’08, *Logan Ronhovde ’08 Colorado State Brett Dobinsky ’08, Kevin Horrell ’09, *Kevin McBeth ’08, Brandon Wadas ’08
38
The Beta Theta Pi
Columbia *Easwaran Cumarasamy ’08, Taylor Eichenseer ’09, Martin Lewison ’88, William Snider ’09 Connecticut Richard Colon ’06, Jared Kaprove ’06, Adam Price ’06, David Schmidt ’06, Benjamin Swartz ’05, *Jonathan Ward ’08 Cornell Robert Frost ’10, *Robert Ippolito ’08, Paul Leo ’81 Dayton *Thomas Demmer ’09 Denison B. Tyler Blair ’07, Zachary Coneybeer ’09, Jacob Henkle ’09, Richard Lugar ’54, Matthew Timmerman ’10, *Philip Vogel ’09 Denver James Baumgartner ’10, *Michael Berthold ’08, Christopher Dent ’09, Joe Eckes ’10, Richard Pickerell ’87 DePauw Daniel DeGeus ’10, *Marshall Weadick ’10 Duke *Christopher Luth ’08 East Carolina Frederick Brown ’10, D. Kirk Little ’82, Forrest Little ’08, Paul Puckett ’89, Adam Scarboro ’06, Preston Stanford ’10, *Christopher Stinson ’08, Jacob Tidwell ’04 Eastern Kentucky Ryan Adkins ’07, *John Catron ’08, Stephen Caudill ’09, Lee Cobb ’96, Vincent Delli Carpini ’10, Michael Hay ’94, William Highland ’07, Robert Megargel ’08, Glen Tommie ’77, Joshua Townsend ’08, Justin Young ’10 Eastern Washington *Jason Wilcox ’08 Emory James Delaney ’68, *James Marchetti ’08, Maxwell Paderewski ’10, John Stebbins ’92 Florida Andrew Artis ’09, Alexander Baden ’10, Brian Barry ’08, Christian Bauer ’66, Stephen Becker ’69, Brian Brasington ’92, Lawrence Cody ’86, Anthony Crawford ’09, Gary Curren ’76, John Dulaney ’52, Phillips
Easterling ’56, Bradley Fortune ’92, Michael Greene ’07, Brian Griffin ’81, Charles Harper ’92, Connor Haskins ’10, Bryan Kolterman ’10, David Krause ’10, Roland Lee ’49, David Leppert ’77, Cary Lipman ’83, Thomas Lisiewski ’75, Ryan Loundy ’09, James Love ’92, Jonathan Luo ’10, Torben Madson ’85, John Maguire ’80, John McEntee ’08, Stephen McLaughlin ’10, Joseph Nagy ’09, James Pickering ’69, Andrew Pickett ’08, George Poulos ’54, Vernon Quigley ’43, Ned Rager ’95, Roy Raven ’08, Jarod Rouch ’06, Matt Sattel ’09, *Jordan See ’08, Thomas Settle ’84, Brian Sikes ’08, Rexford Stephens ’93, Luis Subirats ’81, Jacob Sum ’07, Edward Thompson ’87, Michael Vernacchio ’74, Eric Wickstrom ’80 Florida Atlantic Robert Billoni ’95, *David Cottle ’09, William Mulvey ’09 Florida International *Andres Dominguez ’09, Roberto Gutierrez ’10, Albert Marrero ’08, Rafael Rodriguez ’09, Neil Wyatt ’09 Florida State Capt. James Philpitt ’77 George Washington Thomas Levy ’09, *Gary Nuzzi ’08, Benjamin Ray ’07 Georgia Nathaniel de Jarnette ’10, Michael Finello ’10, *Whitney McClung ’09 Georgia Tech *Robert Boozer ’10, Austin Boyd ’10, Paul Brown ’08, Theodore Haile ’75, Clinton Hodges ’10, Lynn Maddox ’64, Casey Strine ’98 GMI-EMI Aaron Calkins ’88, William Davis ’71, David Hogan ’74 Hampden-Sydney *Steven Byrd ’07 Houston Michael Humphrey ’79 Idaho Patrick Bradbury ’09, Matthew Carlson ’10, Richard Eichmann ’10, *Kenneth Henderson ’08, L.E. (Erv) Johnson ’53, Thomas Sauriol ’10, Mason Sherk ’09
168TH GENERAL CONVENTION
Illinois Julio Costa ’09, Garland Fritts ’52, Kevan Kim ’10, *John Kosir ’09, Michael Piraro ’10, Gant Redmon ’59, Brian Schaper ’10, Scott Schaper ’10 Indiana Alexander Babladelis ’10, *Gregory Baumer ’08, Benjamin Brinker ’08, Charles McCormick ’72, Jay Reese ’58, Scott Wolff ’09 Iowa Patrick Hahn ’09, *Cody Kiroff ’08, Matthew Petti ’08 Iowa State Koushik Chandra ’10, Andrew George ’09, Matthew Grennan ’02, Judson Horras ’97, Ryan Kennedy ’10, Erik Peterson ’09, *Matthew Strayer ’09 Johns Hopkins John Clarke ’09, Andres Contreras ’10, *Timothy Everson ’09, Christian Weaver ’10, Daniel Young ’09 Kansas Branson Billings ’10, Adam Brown ’10, Jeffrey Caley ’10, *Bryan Hay ’08, Garret Prather ’10, Jeffrey Siler ’10, Ryan Staub ’08, Jeffrey White ’10, David Wilcox ’10 Kansas State Christopher Althoff ’00, Thomas Basom ’09, James Baxter ’63, Kyle Crow ’10, Britt Dahlstrom ’10, Shane Fiser ’10, Frederick Hasler ’10, Adam Herbener ’10, Kye Hittle ’99, Samuel Long ’10, Christopher Miller ’86, Andrew Miranda ’08, *Ryan Newton ’08, Drew Otte ’11, Joshua Parker ’10, P. Thomas Purinton ’63, William Putman ’07, John Reppert ’63, Brett Rundle ’06, Jeffrey Rundle ’03, James Schwartz ’08, Justin Stryker ’10, Paul Swartz ’64, Lee Van Loenen ’10, Alex Williams ’10 Kenyon George Holloway ’77, *Colin Maguire ’08 Kettering A *Scott Kirklin ’10 Kettering B Christopher Blanchard ’11, Ryan Gee ’11, *Daniel Todd ’10 Knox *Timothy Beishir ’08, Kevin Corley ’08, Joseph Graeff ’10, Luke Karner ’09, Zachary LoMonaco ’08 Lawrence John Bettridge ’09, Max Foehringer Merchant ’10, Christopher McGeorge ’09, Kyle Nodarse ’09, *Martin O’Donnell ’08, Matthew Sennewald ’09, Matthew Yauch ’09 Lehigh McCore Chapman ’09, *Joseph Kain ’09, Charles Pei ’09 Louisville Stavan Bhatt ’98, Michael Brown ’09, *Kyle Melwing ’08 Loyola Marymount Cornelious Burke ’08, Kylan Coats ’07, Oscar Contreras ’09, Jeffrey Haluck ’07, Adam Hesseltine ’09, *Thomas Martin ’08, Brandon Miller ’09, Jacob Wasag ’09, Brian Webber ’09 Lynchburg Charles Warner ’87 Maine Andrew DeFilipp ’06, *Joshua Lagasse ’08 Maryland Casey Gomes ’02 Miami Peter Barnhart ’66, Jonathan Brant ’75, Frederick Brower ’50, Franklin Budde ’10, Christopher DeNicola ’10, Philip Fernandez ’06, *Michael Geswein ’08, John Groom ’58, Zachary Haines ’05, William Heavener ’09, Ronald Helman ’55, Thomas Hook ’81, Zachary Lubeck ’10, James McClanahan ’60, Matthew McNaul ’10, Shelby Molter ’54, Jeffrey Newton ’77, James Pittman ’10, Luke Pittman ’08, Geoffrey Reindardt ’10, Michael Scott ’09, Brent Soller ’03, Ryan Strizak ’10, Steven Stull ’10, Wei-en Tsai ’08, Gordon White ’68, Michael
Wolford ’04 Miami (Fla.) Kenley Fatal ’10, Steven Cavanah ’10, James Flippin ’08, Sergio Rego ’10, Manuel Rivero ’09, *Joshua Vogt ’08 Michigan Dwane Deem ’50, J. Christopher Deem ’80, Donald DiPaolo ’78, William Peterson ’96 Middle Tennessee State Wendell Black ’09, William Fussell ’95, *Ross Johnson ’08, Tyler Newman ’09, Jacob Robertson ’09, Zachary Watson ’09 Minnesota Scott Allen ’95, Dustin Anderson ’05, Travis Fischer ’05, *Gregory Jensen ’08, Brian Jokinen ’09, Michael Kokkinen ’00 Mississippi Thomas Alexander ’67, William Lipscomb ’65, Anthony Russell ’10, *Scott Stewart ’10 Missouri William Bates ’49, Brendan Chapel ’10, *Nicholas Ebert ’08, James Ellis ’56, Daniel Flynn ’10, Harold Hook ’53, Scott Loyd ’10, Todd Lucas ’10, Trey Neidert ’09, Andrew Rathert ’08, Daniel Schindler ’10, Steven Spoeneman ’10, Aaron Stengel ’10, Daniel Taylor ’08 Missouri-Kansas City *Kevin Woods ’09 MIT Michael Feinstein ’82, *Victor Sinow ’08 Nebraska *Scott Hackman ’08, Andrew Hover ’09, Larry Lubeck ’84, William Olson ’10, Andrew Sevcik ’10, Ross Wieting ’10 Nevada-Las Vegas Collin Dick ’03 North Carolina *Andrew Gibson ’10, Richard Spangler ’71 North Dakota Derek Lieser ’08, Zachary Smith ’08, *Evan Wondrasek ’08 Northwestern William Cook ’53, Daniel Innamorati ’10, Michael Kane ’08, William Owens ’09, Christopher Poon ’08, Justin Rutherford ’00, *Michael Schieber ’08 Nova Southeastern *Glenn Genova ’08 Ohio *Russell Linder ’09 Ohio State Joseph Chinnici ’64, Nelson Cintra ’08, *Matthew Ehrman ’08, Zach Meyer ’09, Alex Morando ’10, Devin Newsham ’09, Paul Saridakis ’08, Nicholas Sexauer ’09, Brett Swanson ’10, Randall Wire ’08, David Wright ’67 Ohio Wesleyan Eric Eickhoff ’00, William Haskell ’68 Oklahoma Steven Berklacy ’10, Bradley Brown ’07, *Matthew Brown ’09, Anthony DeBiusti ’09, Koby Harrington ’09, Joe Kokojan ’06, Cory Lloyd ’10, Bryan Luff ’08, Thomas McCasland ’56, James Simpson ’10
Oklahoma State Josh Edington ’07, Edward El Rassi ’08, Joshua Fairchild ’05, Russell Katigan ’05, Andrew McBrayer ’07, Robert Riggs ’09, *Christopher Roy ’05, Fredric Wratislaw ’08 Oregon Christopher Bailey ’10, Patrick Carr ’00, *Martin Hermens ’08 Pennsylvania *Christian Corrigan ’09, Jeffrey Lieberman ’96 Penn State *Michael Parachini ’09, Joseph Radomsky ’80, Daniel Wilhelm ’79 Puget Sound *Adam Harvey ’09 Purdue Alexander Conkright ’10, Robert Hackl ’10, *Aaron Hanlon ’09, Brandon Kraning ’10, Corey Mikula ’09 Rhode Island *Joshua Feinberg ’08, Jeffrey Flanagan ’93, Eric Smith ’08 Rutgers Kenneth Grispin ’70 Saint Louis Vito Brandle ’04, Christopher Lindsay ’10, *Joshua Simpson ’07, Matthew Tallmadge ’09 San Diego Joseph Burns ’06, Kalani Creutzburg ’06, Lambert de Ganay ’09, Shane Farmer ’09, Gerald Frungillo ’07, Brady Johnson ’07, Jessie Lamug ’08, Joshua Lasensky ’06, Adrian Lyons ’08, *Keaton Tomlin ’08, Tyler Van Der Schaaf ’09, David Williams ’08, Jason Wright ’09 San Jose State Erik Cutshaw ’09, *Christopher Lake ’08, Vincent Mackewicz ’07, Robert Umstadter ’05 Sewanee Timothy Precheter ’08, *Edward Welch ’08 South Dakota *Christopher Barondeau ’08, Brett Beyeler ’10, John Conway ’56, Craig Potter ’81, Ryan Swedean ’10, Kai Thietje ’01 *Delegate
Fall 2007
39
South Florida *Michael Bowman ’08, Nicholas Carter ’08, Patrick Emrich ’99, Joseph Engstrom ’07, Joseph Fisher ’95, Shane Fletcher ’96, Blake Glisson ’07, Richard Heruska ’99, Kristopher Katelman ’05, David King ’99, Matthew Lewandowski ’10, John Mahoney ’07, Matthew Mitchell ’98, Joseph Monte ’07, Shawn Mummert ’10, Kyle Neal ’07, Duane Norman ’00, Anthony Passavanti ’10, David Quilleon ’95, John Romot ’08, Philip Schlossnagle ’99, David Schmidt ’92, Christopher Semans ’95, Anthony Valcarcel ’07, Thomas Veit ’93, Nathan Weatherholt ’06, Mark Weaver ’93, Douglas White ’93, James Willson III ’07 Southern California Trevor Armstrong ’09, Andrew Brewer ’10, Garwin Chin ’08, Eric Koefoed ’08, Miguel Mejia ’08, Christopher Monteverde-Talarico ’08, *Anthony Rosas ’08, Nathan Ross ’10
Southern Illinois *Derrick Graulein ’09, Ryan King ’01, Corey White ’04 Southern Methodist Claud Croft ’60 Stevens Brian Bay ’09, Ryan Bennick ’08, Kyle Brisson ’11, Lee Burwell ’08, Jeffrey Lichtonfeld ’11, Roman Malantchouk ’09, *Eric McCormick ’08, Jon Monahan ’10, Neal Twaddel ’10 Syracuse Marc Benshetler ’82, Robert Burwell ’74 Tennessee James Biddix ’01, Andrew Bush ’81, *Jamin May ’08 Texas James McMullen III ’54, Jess Randall ’09, *Christopher Rupert ’08 Texas A&M Warren Callahan ’09, *Madison Marceau ’08, Travis Marceau ’10 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi *Clint Johnson ’09, Joshua Machicek ’06 Texas Tech Roderick Hays ’08, Patrick Lashford ’07 Texas-Arlington C. Wayne Huddleston ’98, William Spring ’07, *Kevin Trlicek ’08 Toronto *Nicholas D’Amico ’08, Vincent D’Andrea ’10, Robert Defilippi ’08, Stephan Dyer ’10, Jeffrey Mores ’97, Kenneth Stephen ’77 Truman State Matthew Brawner ’07, *John Sturgeon ’08, Jason Waggoner ’04, Matthew Walczewski ’03, Donald Weber ’01 Utah Christopher Conabee ’88, *Neel Limaye ’06, David White ’09 Vanderbilt *Daniel Calano ’09, Joel Collins ’09, Christopher Cooley ’09, Patrick Frailey ’10, Alexander Hughes ’10, Matthew McGrath ’09, G. Scott Smith ’92 Villanova *Christopher David ’08, Michael Okenquist ’94 Virginia Tech Steven Brylski ’06, David Campbell ’07, Charles Comer ’75, Bradley de Wet ’10, Keller Hardy ’09, S. Wayne Kay ’73, *Dylan Kiernan ’09, Gary Markle ’96, David Moran ’05, Charles Owen ’10, Hector Takahashi ’10
40
The Beta Theta Pi
Wabash *Bart Banach ’08, Brent Banach ’09, Chad Finley ’08, Robert Grand ’78, Ryan Grand ’08, Adam Pilli ’09, Andrew Rode ’09, Chad Sorenson ’10, Andrew Zimmer ’08 Washington John Banchero ’10, Anthony Blackburn ’10, Drew Burchard ’08, Jeffrey Daviscourt ’08, Nathaniel Douglas ’08, Robert Griffiths ’67, *Max Harden ’09, Charles Ill ’09, Manaswi Mamidala ’09, Richard Phenneger ’58, Bradley Sesnon ’09, Brett Valicoff ’09 Washington & Jefferson Kent Peterson ’05, *Ryan Sayers ’09 Washington in St. Louis Alexander Curcuru ’05, Ferdinand Del Pizzo ’58, William Jordan ’59, Michael Kearney ’62, Aaron Kozuki ’05, Alwyn Loh ’09, Robert Mackey ’58, *Philip Sholts ’08, Alexander Westrom ’09 Washington State *Ryan Anderson ’08, Matthew Barton ’02, Joseph Buchanan ’53 Wesleyan John Easton ’58 West Chester *Craig Merwarth ’07 West Virginia Zachary Houchin ’08, *Michael Normand ’08, Ryan Pretnik ’10, Robert Zak ’08 Western Ontario Duncan Attlesey ’08, John Birkett ’65, Gregory Falconer ’82, Alexander Metaxas ’10, *Mark Wellman ’08 Western Reserve Thomas Lipton ’63 Westminster Luis Beasley ’65, George Carnahan ’09, *Robert Erdel ’09, Justin Faerber ’08, Bradley Kiesling ’01, Patrick McDermott ’09, Bruce Michel ’75 Whitman *Nicholas Blanc ’08, Loyd Mahan ’51 Wichita State Michael Bolton ’79, Jason Carlson ’09, Mark Gardner ’67, John Kniseley ’66, Andrew Lawrence ’09, *Kenneth Mitchem ’07, David Personne ’67 Willamette Robert Arndt ’03, Robert Braden ’02, *Joseph Gruber ’09, Jon Steiner ’63 William & Mary Robert Cottrell ’09, Michael Goudey ’09, MacGregor Hill ’04, *William McClain ’08 Wisconsin James Curtis ’86, Daniel Kopp ’10, Maxwell Lord ’07, Alexander Marshall ’09, *Tym Rutkowski ’09, Robert Schnese ’83
Wisconsin-Oshkosh Ryan Bares ’07, Ryan Bauer ’10, Thomas Becker ’09, Christopher Ciancimino ’00, Nathan Gribowski ’07, Eric Jacob ’11, Brett Propson ’08, Andrew Thomas ’97, *Benjamin Thornsberry ’07, Thomas Wolf ’08 Wittenberg Brien Sewell ’09, Sean Wood ’09, *Daniel Zeleznik ’09 Guests Jessica Allen, Jennifer Arndt, Angela Arrey-Wastavino, Ayleen Barbel, Judith Barnhart, Jeanne Barrett, Gail Baxter, Jenell Beardsley, Nancy Beasley, Trudy Becker, Cathy Billoni, Michelle Billoni, Robert Billoni, Karen Blesch, Cheryl Bolton, Christopher Bolton, Susie Bolton, Mindy Brant, Brian Breittholz, Mary Jane Brower, Marliene Buchanan, Karen Burwell, Patti Bush, Julie Campbell-Fein, Karen Carr, Karen Chinnici, Jessica Ciancimino, Jenise Conway, Gayle Cook, Margaret Croft, Ron Crowe, Mary Curtis, Steven Dealph, Linda Del Pizzo, Linda Delaney, Madeleine Dery, Kerry Doherty, Jane Easton, Leah Eickhoff, Van Hartman Ellis, Patrick Everett, Katherine Farmer, David Fein, Mauricio Feldman, Jessica Fiorica, Melissa Flanagan, Jocie Fletcher, Mark Friskney, Ruth Fritts, Billie Gardner, Kathryn Gardner, Remy Gomes, Kyle Grand, Melody Grand, Haley Greenwald-Gonella, Catherine Grennan, Dolores Griege, Valerie Haskell, Laura Heruska, Rachel Hiers, Joanne Hook, Anna Horras, Betty Horras, Charles Horras, Donald Horras, Kara Horras, Tina Horvath, Michele Humphrey, Joanna Johnson, Jennifer Jones-Hall, Sue Jordan, Shannon King, Jill Knellinger, Jeanie Kniseley, Sue Kraft Fussell, Charlie Krinel, Lucienne Lee, Cheryl Lewison, Charles Lloyd, Jacqueline Lynn, Nancy Mackey, Carolyn Maguire, Ginny Mahan, Shelley Markle, Renee McClanahan, Lindsey Mercer, Judy Michel, Rachael Moose, Maya Mores, Kelli Norman, Joe O’Lear, Lauren Palmer, Linda Personne, Sarah Peterson, Martha Petrillo, Victoria Philpitt, Susan Pickering, David Pierce, Terry Pierce, Karen Potter, Jeanne Puckett, Molly Purinton, Rebecca Purinton, Scott Purinton, Bruce Putman, Dale Putman, Debbie Quilleon, Susie Rager, Ann Reese, Patricia Reppert, Cashawna Schlossnagle, Ellie Schmidt, Jake Schmidt, Kimberly Schmidt, Andrew Schnese, Daina Schnese, Lori Schnese, Pamela See, Richard See, Sonia Semans, Jaclyn Sexton, Sarah Shepherd, Lindi Smedberg, Marcia Smith, Mandy Strine, Lindsay Strong, Kay Swartz, Mary Tharp, Alexander Thomas, Coreen Thomas, Sydney Thomas, Judith Troncale, Marguerite Tschada-Horras, Megan Vadnais, Deanne Walters, Jessica Weaver, Amy White, Carolyn White, Jon Williamson, Jayna Winkler, Patty Wolford, William Wolford * Delegate
rnity P
l Frate
Genera
t Tom residen
n and
Purinto
C
ullen.
im McM
teran J
on Ve onventi
Oklahoma Cent THE SOONER, THE BETTER
Past Achievements, Future Promise According to Wikipedia.com, the term “Sooner” was “a nickname given to individuals who participated in the land rushes that initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to nonnative settlement. They entered early and hid until the legal time of entry in order to lay quick claim to some of the most choice homesteads.” The Oklahoma Historical Society explains that “Sooner” has since become a “badge of pride” and a symbol of “progressivism.” The University of Oklahoma will tell you that a Sooner is “ambitious, competent [and] a ‘can-do’ individual [in] the land of opportunity, enterprise and economic expansion.”
There are many ways to sum up the meaning of this word, but whatever your definition of “Sooner,” you need look no further than the Gamma Phi Chapter of Beta Theta Pi as a shining example of that pioneering spirit of Oklahoma.
a buffet dinner, speakers, singers, a video collage highlighting 100 years of chapter memories, and a keynote address from former U.S. District Judge Ralph G. Thompson ’56 entitled, “One Hundred Years of History in Twelve Minutes Flat.”
This statement was never more apparent than on October 20, 2007, when more than 700 alumni, undergraduates and their guests gathered at the McCasland Field House to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Chapter.
In February 1904, Gamma Phi began as a local fraternity and has remained the oldest fraternity at the University. It became an official part of Beta Theta Pi on October 18, 1907. Coincidently, the State of Oklahoma is also celebrating its Centennial this year, having become a state on November 22, 1907. Thus, Gamma Phi is the only chapter in Beta Theta Pi that was granted its charter at a pre-statehood institution.
The centennial gala, which took approximately three years to plan, was chaired by former Chapter President Steve Barghols ’73. Rich Taylor ’71 was master of ceremonies and managed the details of the event. The evening was a relaxed, casual affair consisting of cocktails,
Highlighting the history of Gamma Phi was an important part of the centennial celebration that included a poignant moment of recognition during the gala. The two members with the lowest and highest chapter roll numbers who were present for the evening, were introduced to one another amidst a clamoring of applause. Dr. Chas Graybill ’42 (#492) and Steven Berklacy ’10 (#2784) have had more than 2,250 members initiated between the dates of their joining. “It was a wonderful celebration and personally it meant a lot to me,” Dr. Graybill recalls fondly. “Since my initiation in 1938, I’ve been meeting men that I didn’t even realize were Betas until this occasion!” Another highlight of the evening showcased the Chapter’s renewed interest in singing among the actives. The Beta Dragons octet turned in a harmonized performance and
42
The Beta Theta Pi
ntennial was subsequently inundated with requests to perform at various Beta alumni functions, both regional and international. The group consists of Jakeb Black ’08, Brian Bond ’09, Brad Cantrell ’10, Joe Consedine ’09, Keith Henry ’08, Spencer Kinzie ’10, Cory Lloyd ’10 and Travis Storts ’09, and was directed and coached by Dick Anderson ’54. Speakers at the Gala included University Vice President of Governance Dr. Chris A. Purcell; General Fraternity President Dr. P. Thomas Purinton, Kansas State ’63; Chapter President Matthew K. Brown
’09; Housing Corporation President Zachary W. Allen ’85, and Thompson. With more than 150 active members and 50 pledges, Gamma Phi is the largest chapter in the General Fraternity. The house at 800 Chautauqua was built by chapter alumni in the late 1920s and, except for a period during World War II, has been continuously occupied. In 1982, the chapter house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places — one of the first fraternity houses in the United States to be so designated.
The chapter has enjoyed substantial success throughout much of its history, both on campus and among all Beta Theta Pi chapters. The Gamma Phi undergraduates and alumni look forward to a second century of excellence, continuing the traditions and brotherhood of the Fraternity. — Hank Ryan, Oklahoma ’72 with Steve Brylski
Fall 2007
43
SEEING
THE WORLD
THE HARRY TURNER STORY Late one evening in 1972, Harry Brose Turner, Idaho ’53, answered his doorbell and was confronted by a young man demanding, “Give me your money.“ He poked “something sharp” in Harry’s ribs. Harry swung around and tackled the youth. A neighbor saw Harry holding the man in a half-nelson and called police. Only when authorities arrived did Harry release his grip. It is said that the prisoner never confided to cellmates about his capture — by a blind man. Since the age of six, the Idaho lawyer/judge/legislator has baffled friends and befuddled onlookers with his uncanny ability to instinctively “see” what many sighted people do not and to “do” what many would not dream of attempting. He skis (both water and snow), golfs, fishes, kayaks, ice skates, swims, competed in track as a sprinter, plays a mean hand of draw poker, is a ukulelestrummer extraordinaire . . . even drives a car. For relaxation, he enjoys “watching” television and going to the movies. “Harry sees the world [with] eyes we never can,” noted one boyhood friend. He disdains dark glasses, the signature look of the blind. Instead, he recently acquired contacts with bright blue irises. “How do you like my new eyes,” he asked with that infectious smile. “Had he not suffered the accident, he might not have developed into the person he has become,” suggested retired golf pro John B. Drips, Idaho ’53, whose high school friendship carried over to college days and beyond. Added another friend: “He was a blind boy who grew up and kept on seeing the world.” “One day we went salmon fishing off Ilwaco (Ore.),” recalled his neighbor Dwight Parrott. “Harry had caught four or five fish when he cast and the pole bent double. ‘I’ve got the big one!‘ he shouted as he reeled in as fast as he could. Actually, a mallard
44
The Beta Theta Pi
had swooped down and swallowed his bait. Laughingly, I told him, ‘My gawd, Harry, you don’t have a license to fish for ducks!’” The accolades cascade. “I think Harry has some sort of global positioning system in his head,” noted Bob Drips, retired mining engineer and John Drips‘ brother. Maj. Gen. David Gray, USAF (ret.) concluded, “Harry is the most courageous man I have ever known.”
One of Turner’s biggest fans is former General Secretary (1963-65) Paul P. Van Riper, DePauw ’38, his faculty advisor at Northwestern in the late ’40s. When Turner decided to transfer to the University of Idaho, Brother Van Riper encouraged him to look up Beta’s Gamma Gamma chapter. He did, and an entire new group of friends and brothers began experiencing Harry Turner stories to tell and retell.
Now 80, Turner lost sight in both eyes after the knife he was using to open a package slipped and struck one eye. The resulting infection spread to the other eye. Doctors were unable to save his sight. Even in high school, friends read to him. Blessed with a quick memory, he could do algebra in his head. “The football coach, Hank Bowers, taught math,” Turner recalled. “Kids would go to the blackboard to work out the problems, and I would have the answers in my head before any of them finished.” In the Chapter house, Turner grew familiar with his surroundings, often leaping up stairs two at a time and turning into doorways without hesitation. On one lazy afternoon, he and others were battling with aerosol cans of shaving crème. Turner ducked into a room and locked the door. Believing it to be the room with a balcony, he learned the hard way that it was the adjacent room. He stepped out of the window and fell to the brick porch below. When his opponents finally forced the door, all they saw were the draperies wafting in the breeze. No Harry! He had simply collected himself and calmly walked upstairs to the sleeping dorm for a quick nap, leaving his brothers to wonder how he might have levitated to safety. After law school, he passed the bar exam on his first try, then won a seat in the state legislature in 1956 after his first campaign. He was re-elected in 1958, 1960 and 1962.
also go scuba diving and snorkeling. Once, he was swimming and wound up alone in the lake. The rest of us were snorkeling. Harry lost track of the boat and swam the length of the lake. He wasn’t alarmed. He just kept swimming until we came along.” Bill Kendall, another friend, added, “Harry wanted to learn to kayak. So we taught him how to roll in the swimming pool, then went down in the Salmon River. It was wild. Lots of water. Harry turned over, hit a rock and broke his nose, but that didn’t stop him. He went back many times.” A prominent lawyer, he won three of the four cases he argued before the Idaho Supreme Court. He became a judge himself — eight years as a police judge and 12 years as a federal magistrate.
Harry B. Turner, Idaho ’53 speaking in honor of Oxford Cup recipient Frank A. Shrontz, Idaho ’53
“There were almost no cars on campus in the early fifties,” recalled pledge brother Frank A. Shrontz, Idaho ’53, retired CEO of Boeing. “So several of us invested in an old model sedan. Because the car drank oil almost as quickly as it did gasoline, we nicknamed it ‘Shasta,’ which translated to ‘Shasta [she-has-to] have gas! Shasta have oil!’ One day, Harry insisted on ‘driving’ the clunker. So, with one brother on the hood and another in the passenger seat hollering instructions, Harry drove down the narrow campus street in front of the Beta house, cars parked on both sides. It’s a wonder he didn’t total them all.” Turner’s love of water skiing borders on legend. “Harry was the best. He had a monster ski,” noted childhood friend Dick Roberts, a Twin Falls dentist. “I think the name of the ski was Little Monster. Harry would ski almost straight up, yacht hat askew and pipe in his mouth. He even took jumps. We’d
Fortunately, Turner has a remarkably quick memory. Two readings of a legal case, and he has it in his memory bank, a handy talent which lead to his Phi Beta Kappa honors. While his Beta brothers helped him through the days, the women of Delta Gamma sorority, across the street from the Beta house, read texts and briefs to him for four years. A typical comment has always been, “Harry is always with a beautiful woman. He really knows how to pick ’em.” After looking for “just the right woman” for some 55 years, Turner finally married in November 1998, at age 71. He shared his “I do’s” with Gerry Fox, a Delta Gamma who had read for him during their college days. The ceremony was packed with friends and brothers, including Professor Van Riper, who made the long trip to potato country from his home in Bryan, Texas. And, of course, greeted his Northwestern faculty advisor of so many years ago with, “Hello brother. It’s good to see you!” — L.E. (Erv) Johnson, Idaho ’53
Fall 2007
45
Mystic [Mystic Shrine]
In
Loving Memory
Amherst
Christy, Daniel L. Jr. (Jay) ’40, Nov. 11, 2006. He served five years in the Army during WWII. Christy was chapter president (1940-41.) He set up his own companies and was a leading manufacturer of specialized equipment for the baking industry. Survived by four children, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Beta relatives Arthur, Ohio State (dec.), Daniel, Ohio State (dec.) and Russ, Florida (dec.) Miller, Douglas, L. ’50, Jan. 5. He served four years in the Air Force. Miller had a teaching career at Governor Dummer Academy as a math and physics teacher and was the first chairman of the science department for the school. He oversaw the renovation of the gymnasium and was a public speaking instructor for more than 30 years. He was an accomplished photographer, gardener and enjoyed playing board games. Survived by wife (of 46 years) Margaret, daughter Linda, sons Mark, David and Scott, and two grandchildren.
Bethany
Krajsa, Joseph J. ’70, Aug. 23. He worked 31 years for Jednota Press as general manager and as a sales and marketing manager at Triangle Press. Krajsa was an Eagle Scout and enjoyed singing, crossword puzzles and fly-fishing. He was active in his community and co-founded Music Fest. Survived by his mother, sons Brad and Matthew, three grandchildren and fiancée Carolyn Sullivan.
Brown
Smith, Robert L. ’34, Aug. 15. Beta father William (dec.) Beta brother William Jr., Purdue (dec.) Beta son Glenn, Cornell ’62 and Beta uncle Elbert Lathrop, DePauw (dec.)
Carnegie Mellon
Rousseau, W. Frederick (Fred) ’47, Aug. 3. He served in the Army during WWII. Rousseau worked for Union Carbide Corp. in New York City and Connecticut as a purchasing agent for 30 years. He loved the mountains, hiking and sailing. Rousseau was active in his community and church and enjoyed singing. Survived by wife (of 59 years) Betty, daughters Nancy and Beth, sons William and Allen, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Case Tech
Kramer, James E. ’49, June 7. He was a Navy veteran of WWII. Survived by wife Patricia, daughter Robin, sons William and Robert, four grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.
Centre
Ray, William H. ’51, Jan.15. He was president and landscape architect of William H. Ray & Associates. Beta grandson Benjamin ’07.
46
The Beta Theta Pi
Cincinnati
Bartok, Carl V. ’88, July 16. He was chapter secretary (1986-87.) Bartok was a partner of Annapolis Rigging in Annapolis, Md. Survived by father, brothers and sister.
Didlake, Edmund H. ’48, May 22. He worked for Cincinnati Bell. Survived by wife Mildred, daughter Sharman, son Chip and two grandchildren.
Steele, Wallace A. (Wally) ’49, June 6. He was CEO of Pratt & Lambert industrial coatings division. He received the industry’s Statesman Award in 1995. Survived by wife Barbara, daughter Melinda, son Randall and six grandchildren.
Colgate
Baldwin, Robert A. III ’58, Jan. 8 Bostock, Frank M. ’49, Feb. 22. He spent most of his career in sales and worked for companies such as Colgate-Palmolive, A.H.Robins and Helene Curtis where he won numerous sales leadership awards. Bostock volunteered as an assistant scoutmaster and was a creative cook and reader. He later worked for Ridgewood Taxi. Survived by wife (of 52 years) Shirley, daughter Gay, sons Robert and David, and six grandchildren. Carman, John M. ’35, Feb. 10. He served in the Navy during WWII. Carman worked as an artist throughout his life and held jobs with Vick Chemical, Chicapee Mills Inc., Johnson & Johnson and Harcourt, Brace & World. Survived by wife (of 24 years) Mary, two children, three stepchildren, eight grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren. Close, C. William Jr. ’36, April 14. He was a Navy lieutenant in 1945. During his career, he was president of American Forge and Manufacturing Company. Close served as the first chairman of the Atlanta Botanical Garden and remained on the board. Survived by wife Mary, three children, four stepchildren, 13 grandchildren and eight greatgrandchildren. Beta brother Frederick, Penn State (dec.) and son Charles ’68.
Cornell
Adair, Robert N. Jr. ’47, July 14. He served in the Army as first lieutenant with the 753rd battalion. Adair received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and an Army Commendation Ribbon. He had a career in the oil industry and formed R.N. Adair Oil Management and Zorayda Oil Co. Adair wrote a weekly publication reaching #1999 in July. Survived by wife Julie, daughter Doris, sons Stuart, Robin and David; seven grandchildren; stepchildren, and step-grandchildren. Beta relatives William Cochran, Centre (dec.) and Horace Cochran, Centre (dec.)
Eastern Kentucky
DeBlasi, R. Michael (Mike) ’85, June 28. He was a ramp/aircraft dispatcher for United Parcel Service. Survived by mother, two brothers, stepfather and four stepsisters and a stepbrother.
Florida
Bradley, John R. Jr. ’40, Jan. 7. He managed Guthrie, Bradley & Jones Farm Store and owned and operated Sweetwater Glass Co. Survived by wife Wilma, daughters Sally and Susan, and two grandchildren. Bullen, Dana R. II ’53, June 25. He served as a lieutenant in the Marine Corps as a defense lawyer in the Judge Advocate General division. Bullen was a long-term journalist with The Washington Star until it closed in 1981. He became executive director of the World Press Freedom Committee. The American Bar Association twice gave Bullen the Silver Gavel Award. In 2000, he was awarded the InterAmerican Press Association Chapultepec Grand Prize for his work supporting press freedom. Survived by wife Joyce. Beta brother Pierce ’56. Clark, Clifford P. Jr. ’57, June 15 Dutton, Michael C. ’81, Jan. 29. He worked as an engineer at Orlando Aero Space. Survived by daughters Caitlin and Maggie, and son Matthew. Ernst, Donald O. ’39, July 1. He served in WWII as a naval aviator. In 1947, Ernst founded Fence Masters, Inc., which grew to be one of the largest commercial fence companies in the southeast. Survived by his wife (of 59 years) Patricia, daughter Patricia, sons Stephen and Douglas, three grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Georgia Tech
Guinee, Donald G. ’51, Aug. 17. He served as captain in the Marines during the Korean War. Guinee joined C.A. Sport Co. which later became the Frank B. Hall Co. where he retired as president. Survived by wife (of 52 years) Isabel, daughters Laura, Arnett and Isabel; son Donald, and 12 grandchildren. Beta relative William Jr., Duke ’49. Stevens, Colonel Pat M. III ’33, June 21. He was a retired Army colonel of artillery and an early developer of guided missiles. Stevens served more than 32 years between WWII and the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor, the French Croix de Guerre three times and the Purple Heart for wounds in battle. Stevens worked on the development of the first generation of Army missiles. He was named the first commander of the U.S. Army Support Group. Stevens traveled extensively and became an expert model ship builder. Survived by daughter Nancy, son Pat, two step-sons, four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Shrine Hanover
Hull, Thomas V. ’49, June 2. He was alumni relations chairman 1952-53 and wrote the Centennial History of Iota Chapter. Hull was an Army Veteran of WWII, belonged to the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was Director of American Legion National Headquarters Library, Archives and Museum for 30 years. He was listed in “Who’s Who in Indiana,” “Indiana Lives” and “Who’s Who in the Midwest.” Survived by cousin Ann Van Camp.
Idaho
Knox, Graham R. ’58, June 24. He earned a degree in music and served in the Army. He owned and operated Kelly Ann Ranch in Emmett, then moved to Grandview, Wa. Knox worked for several fruit packing companies before moving to Hood River, Ore., where he worked as a supervisor for Diamond Fruit Co. He loved music and the played the bass viola. Survived by wife (of 46 years) Anna, daughters Kelly and Catherine and three grandchildren. Beta cousins William ’56 and Douglas, Jr. (dec.) Larsen, Herbert W. ’44, Aug. 23. He served in the Army during WWII and was awarded the Bronze Star. Larsen was employed by Gem State Paper Supply Co. as a salesman in Twin Falls and a manager in Pocatello for 27 years. Survived by wife Katherine, 11 children, 35 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Sahlberg, William L. (Bill) ’46, July 5. He served in WWII in the Naval Air Force. Survived by daughter Marna, sons Tom and William Jr., 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Beta brother Robert ’47.
Illinois
Browder, Olin L. Jr. ’35, April 11. He worked for Tennessee Valley Authority, the FBI and taught at the University of Alabama and the University of Oklahoma before ending at the University of Michigan Law School. Browder was the author of many articles and casebooks in property law. He received numerous honors during his teaching career, including outstanding teacher and outstanding alumnus awards. Survived by wife Aleeta, daughters Ann and Catherine, son John, three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren. Beta brother William ’38. Manion, Jerry R. ’60, July 16. His 37-year career included positions with Sheraton Corp., Playboy Enterprises, Quality Inns, Metro Hotels, Ramada Hotels, Motel 6 and Best Western Int. From 1985 to 1990, Manion was president of Ramada Hotels Worldwide based in Phoenix. Survived by wife Sally, daughter Courtney, son Patrick and a granddaughter.
Indiana
Talley, Edward S. ’54, May 19. He served in the Army as a first lieutenant. Talley was a swimming teacher and swimming coach. He was named Indiana Swim Coach of the
Year in 1970. He coached 13 individual state champions during the course of his career. He was inducted into the Indiana High School Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class in April 2007. He is survived by daughters Christine and Karen, son Doug and six grandchildren.
Kansas
Doubleday, Floyd E. III ’33, May 11. He served in the Navy during WWII. Doubleday was a respected businessman and civic leader in Kansas City. He operated the Doubleday Heating Co. with his father and brother. Doubleday was active in the community, church and Boy Scouts. Survived by five children and 11 grandchildren. Beta father Floyd Jr. (dec.)
Myers, Charles T. ’03, June 3. He graduated with a BA in business administration and enrolled in Thunderbird University, an international business school to receive his MBA. Myers was in Prague, Czech Republic to begin a four week international program. He loved sports and was an avid basketball player and ran cross-country at the state level. He dreamed of some day working for an NBA franchise. Survived by his father and brother George. Beta brother Max ’96.
Kansas State
Winters, Charles E. ’37, April 27
Miami
Howe, Robert G. (Bob) ’56, July 31. He served in the Navy. Howe was chapter president (1955-56.) He was the founder of Howe Industries, a custom attaché and tool case manufacturing company. Survived by son Rick, three grandchildren and companion (of 20 years) Beverly Mason.
Michigan
Everson, William B. (Bill) ’46, May 12. He served in the Navy. With a business administration degree he worked in advertising for the Hudson’s department store and became a writer at MacManus, John & Adams Agency. Everson retired as senior vice president in 1989. He devoted much of his free time to St. Dunstan’s Theatre Guild of Cranbrook where he performed, produced, directed and worked behind the scenes. Survived by wife Betty, daughter Margaret, sons Eric and Christopher, and two grandchildren.
Michigan State
Gundel, Philip E. ’59, May 16. He studied landscape architecture. Gundel’s life changed abruptly in 1973 when an accident rendered him a paraplegic. He managed to continue his work with the Army Corps of Engineers with humor, courage and grace. He specialized in designing handicap access to federal parks. Gundel was a devoted fisherman and accomplished artist. Survived by wife Linda, daughter Melissa and son Stephen.
Kuhl, K. Robert (Bob) ’56, July 6. He served in the Air Force as first lieutenant and was both a pilot and radar controller. Kuhl worked 34 years as a senior marketing manager at Aeroquip. He was an active lifetime MSU alumnus and had the same season football tickets for 51 years. Survived by wife (of 15 years) Carolyn, daughter Patty, son Will, two stepchildren and twelve grandchildren.
Mississippi
Mullican, Carl D. Jr. ’51, Dec 23. He served in the Army Air Corps during WWII as a B24 bomber pilot. Mullican received the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the POW medal, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf clusters and the Victory Medal. He was elected chapter president during college. He worked for Mississippi Power and Light Company for almost 25 years. Mullican established CMC Inc., a public relations advertising firm in 1977. Burial at Arlington National Cemetery with Full Military Honors. Survived by wife (of 50 years) Dorothy and son Carl.
Missouri
Higgins, Jack K. ’49, Aug. 15. Higgins was a retired vice president of AnheuserBusch, Inc. and chairman of the Board of Commercial Bank. He was an avid tennis player and golfer. Survived by wife Sally, daughter Christy, son Scott and six grandchildren.
Nebraska
Bonnell, Judge Paul F. ’47, May 17. Served with the Army Air Corps (1944-46.) Bonnell was elected Roxbury District Court Judge and served until 1976. He then started a personal injury private practice and retired after 51 years in law. He was an avid cook and enjoyed jewelry making, backpacking and walking on the beach. Survived by daughter Susan, sons Frank, David and James; seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
North Carolina
Joyner, Dr. Claude R. Jr. ’45, Nov. 17, 2006. He was an accomplished physician, researcher, educator and author. Joyner retired as chairman of the department of medicine and director of the division of cardiology at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa. He served on the faculties of several universities and received a variety of research grants from the National Institutes of Health. He published extensively on his research of echocardiography. He was a pioneer in the application of ultrasound to cardiology. Survived by wife Margaret, daughters Glenn and Courtney, one grandson and three step-children. Beta brother Carl, Case ’42 and nephew Carl II, Miami ’67. Smith, Zachary T. II ’47, Jan. 14. He served in the Navy (1943-46.) Smith worked almost 40 years with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., retiring as treasurer and director. His educational and medical interests included the support of boards
Fall 2007
47
Mystic and foundations, and advocacy for quality education and superior medical facilities. Survived by nephew and nieces.
North Dakota
Peterson, J.W. (Bill) ’54, June 4. He was chapter president (1953-54.) Peterson was president of Construction Industry. Survived by wife Gloria. Beta sons Dr. John, Nebraska ’82; Eric, Nebraska ’87, and grandson Stuart Bridge, WashingtonSt. Louis ’05.
Ohio
Williamson, Richard A. ’65, June 22. He had a long and distinguished career as chancellor professor of law, vice dean and acting dean at the College of William & Mary. In 2004, Williamson received the Thomas Jefferson Award, the highest honor the College grants for distinguished service. He was a nationally recognized scholar of criminal law. Survived by wife Susan, daughters Nancy and Amy, and five grandchildren. Beta uncle William Ellis Jr., Kenyon ’40.
Ohio State
Arend, Carl J. ’47, Aug. 18. He served with the Allied Airborne Army during WWII. He was chapter president (1946-47) and president of the OSU Beta Building Assoc. for 20 years. Arend was a licensed funeral director for more than 50 years, serving as president of Weir Arend Funeral Directors and Ohio Funeral Directors Assoc. Survived by son Thomas and one granddaughter. Beta brother Robert ’52 and nephew Todd ’90. Piper, William W. (Bill) ’47, Aug. 6. He served in the Navy and was selected to V12 officer program. He joined the staff of General Electric Research Lab as a solid-state physicist for 39 years. Dr. Piper was the author of more than three dozen technical papers and articles and was awarded nine patents in the field of electroluminescence. He was awarded the Dushman Award in recognition of his contribution in the improvement of fluorescent lamps. Piper was an avid skier, sailor and tennis player. Survived by wife Barbara, daughters Elizabeth and Nancy, and four grandsons.
Ohio Wesleyan
Wyant, Robert E. ’50, July 17. He was an analytical chemist for Battelle Research in Columbus, Ohio. Wyant was the holder of 17 patents. Survived by wife Suzanne, daughters Kathie and Janet, son Tim and seven grandchildren. Beta brother James ’50 and Beta nephew Daniel ’89.
Oklahoma
Castle, Johnny R. ’44, Aug. 17. He was a fighter pilot in the Air Force and retired as a full colonel. Castle entered a second career as an Independent Petroleum Landman (1974-88.) He then became a dedicated tennis player and encouraged youngsters by supporting school teams and
48
The Beta Theta Pi
tournaments. Survived by wife (of 62 years) Patty, daughter Jennifer, son Johnny and three grandchildren. Beta brother William, Denison (dec.) MacKay, David C. ’57, Feb. 15. He became one of the original founders of Williams, MacKay, Jordan and Company. Beta uncle Robert, Kansas (dec.)
May, Timothy D. ’89, July 15. He spent several years in Calgary and then moved to Santa Cruz in 2000. May worked in technology industry and later for the University of California-Santa Cruz. He was an accomplished photographer and enjoyed camping, fishing and family. Survived by wife Julianne, two young sons and parents. Beta father Thomas, Westminster ’58; brothers Anthony ’87 and Russell ’88, and father-in-law Michael Russak, Rutgers ’68.
Oklahoma State
Griffith, Jack A. ’47, May 18. He was a well-known Oklahoma businessman who started Griffith Drilling Co. In 1965, he formed Griffith Petroleum. Griffith received the Distinguished Service Award and was elected to the Stillwater, Okla., Hall of Fame. He was active in the community. Beta father Art ’23 (dec.), uncle Walt ’27, brother Jim ’47 and son Jim ’75. Yahn, Glenn A. ’32, July 29. He served in the Army and Air Corps and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion for 55 years. He began working for Donaldson and Yahn Lumber Co. in 1932, becoming a coowner and then president and CEO until 1993. Glenn was the recipient of an OSU Service Award, was named Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2005 and named Distinguished Perry High School Alumnus in 2006. Survived by daughter Betty and four grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.
Oregon
Hurd, James A. ’37, Aug. 16. He was chapter president (1936-37.) Hurd served in WWII and achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel. He worked in Illinois for 30 years and retired to the San Diego area in 1978. Survived by wife (of 69 years) Elizabeth, daughter Susan, son Charles, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Oregon State
Johnston. Jesse R. ’40, July 4. He served in WWII as staff sergeant in the Army Air Corp. He was the former owner and operator of Johnston Rexall and CornerDrug Store. He is survived by daughter Lois Ann, son Coke, three grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Penn State
Torrance, Robert Z. ’43, May 5. He was chapter president (1942-43.) He served in the Navy as first lieutenant and commanding officer on the USS LST48. He returned to his family’s Angus
breeding business in Pennsylvania. In 1955, he joined DuPont Co. and worked in agricultural sales until 1985. He devoted many volunteer hours to improving the lives of the handicapped. Survived by wife (of 59 years) Jane, daughters Anne and Deborah, son Robert, four grandchildren and one great-grandson. Beta brother J. Milo ’33 (dec.) and grandson William ’05.
Puget Sound
Bowlby, Justin M., June 13. He was a sophomore and would have been a 2009 graduate. Bowlby was an avid skier and wakeboarder. He was adventuresome and energetic, and was known for his contagious laughter, his quick wit and infectious charm. Survived by parents Jeff and Judy, one sister and two brothers.
Purdue
Isert, Wilson R. ’35, May 22. He was an Air Force veteran of WWII. Wilson was an engineer for Colgate Palmolive for 34 years. Survived by wife Mary, several stepchildren, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Beta father J.G., Lehigh (dec.) and cousin, Joseph, MIT ’26.
South Dakota
Hagglund, Clarance E. ’49, March 5. He served as lieutenant in the Navy and retired from the reserves in 1969. He was a pilot, an athlete, a musician, a traveler and a collector of art. Survived by daughters Laura and Kate, and son Bret. Beta brother George ’53.
Southern California
Blurton, Donald N. ’51, May 5. He served in the Navy. Blurton earned his degree in business and was a senior account executive for Moore Business Forms for 30 years. Survived by wife Patty, step-children, four grandsons and one great-grandson. Reynolds, Byron S. Jr. ’50, May 18. He served three years in the Coast Guard during WWII. He was chapter president (1949-50.) Reynolds worked with Bandini Fertilizer Co., eventually becoming president. He received the “Man of the Year” award in 1965 from the Trojan Club. Reynolds was active in his community and had a passion for golf. Survived by wife Jeanne and daughters Cynthia, Deborah, Dana, Amy and Annie.
Southern Methodist
Croft, W. Claud (Buddy) ’60, October 28. Information will be included in the winter issue.
St. Lawrence
Thorn, Craig III ’57, March 18. He was president of his chapter (1956-57) and student government body. Thorn joined his father in the insurance business and grew the business into the largest insurance agency in Columbia County. He had a second career in New York State politics as a senior advance man for the governor.
Shrine He was the recipient of the “Man of the Year” award in 1997. Survived by wife Winnie, daughter Stacey, sons Craig IV and Douglas, and seven grandchildren.
Syracuse
Wein, Dr. William F. ’48, Jan. 14. He served in WWII as a lieutenant in General Patton’s Third Army. Dr. Wein practiced dentistry in DeWitt for 43 years. He was an avid fisherman and boater. He passed away on his 84th birthday. Survived by wife Jane, daughter Kristina, son William, two stepsons and eight grandchildren. Beta cousin Robert Welter ’42.
Texas
Nelson, Charles S. ’60, Aug. 24. He served on a number of boards and held offices with businesses and organizations in San Antonio. Nelson enjoyed traveling, fishing and hunting and was a lifelong Texas Longhorn fan. Survived by daughter Shawnee, sons Charles and Marshall and two grandsons. Beta father Strauder, Oklahoma (dec), brother Strauder Jr. (dec) and uncle James, Oklahoma (dec.)
Tulane
Guinee, Donald G. ’51, Aug.17. (See Georgia Tech)
Virginia
Whittle, Dr. Joseph P. ’42, June 3. He served in the Army during WWII. Whittle practiced medicine for 38 years. Survived by wife Margaret, daughter Margaret, sons Robert and Joseph, and four grandchildren. Beta brother Robert (dec.)
Washington
Bonnell, Judge Paul F. ’47, May 17. (See Nebraska) DiDonato, Dr. Paul A. ’67, March 18. He served in the Army from 1971-73. Dr. DiDonato practiced dentistry in Seattle and moved to Olympia. He enjoyed boating, fishing and travel. Dr. DiDonato was very involved in his community and served as president in many organizations. Survived by wife Diana, daughter Deidre, son Matthew and one grandchild. Grosenick, Carl P. Jr., ’49, June 27. He enjoyed a successful career with the State of California Dept. of Insurance in Los Angeles. Grosenick enjoyed traveling, bird hunting, tennis, skiing and boating. He had an incredible wit and sense of humor. Survived by daughter Susan, Carl III and seven grandchildren. Beta son Gary ’73 Hetlage, Richard A. ’48, July 15. He was a redevelopment lawyer and former St. Louis County Council member. Hetlage and his brother Robert formed the Hetlage & Hetlage Law firm. Survived by wife (of 52 years) Helen; sons Kennon, David and Laird, and seven grandchildren.
Miller, John I. (Jack) ’57, July 18. He served in the Air Force. Miller was president of M-B Contracting Co., founded by his father. He worked on various projects including bridges, runaways and building more than 700 miles of highway and road construction. Miller was honored with the AGC Hard Hat Award. He kept in close contact with fraternity brothers and was helping to plan their 50-year reunion this fall. Miller enjoyed reading, music, aircraft, golf and hockey. Survived by daughter Katie and one grandson.
Instruments Co. He signed on with the DuPont Co. as a domestic regional sales person and later became an Export Area Manager. He was an avid golfer, tennis and arts enthusiast and lifelong Cleveland Indians fan. Survived by wife (of 50 years) Kathie, daughters Amy and Kristen, and five grandchildren. Donations may be made to The Beta Theta Pi Foundation, Beta Leadership Fund, P.O. Box 6277, Oxford, OH 45056.
Washington & Jefferson
Ernst, Charles M. ’39, May 12. He served in the Navy during WWII and earned 11 battle stars. He then joined the Naval Reserves and retired in 1973 with the rank of captain. He worked for worked as western regional administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service of the Dept. of Agriculture. Survived by wife (of 63 years) Helen, daughter Victoria, son Charles, three grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.
Davis, Frank H. Jr. (Red) ’38, June 9. Survived by daughter Kathy, five grandchildren and eight greatgrandchildren. Beta son Frank III ’62 McClenathan, Dr. James E. ’44, June 1
Washington & Lee
Thompson, Roland E. ’52, March 3
Wesleyan
Nickoloff, Robert S. ’51, June 22. He served as a platoon commander with the First Marine Division in the Korean War. Nickoloff was a practicing attorney for 50 years. He served on boards of numerous organizations and companies. Survived by wife (of 51 years) Anne, daughter Sara, sons Charles and Robert, and nine grandchildren.
West Virginia
Stansbury, Samuel L. ’53, June 30. He played on the varsity basketball team. Stansbury pursued a variety of occupations and military service, working for the U.S. Dept. of Interior on an Indian reservation in Calif. He moved to Santa Fe, N.M., after retiring. Survived by a brother and two sisters. Beta nephew Richard Jr., UCLA ’68. Stafford, Charles L.’45, March 19. Beta brother Thomas (dec.) Wilkerson, Dr, Thomas S. ’69, July 18. He was a pediatric dentist and founder of Children’s Dentistry. Dr. Wilkerson devoted his professional life to improving the health of the children of West Virginia and had his practice nearly 30 years. He enjoyed skiing, running, hunting and traveling with family. Survived by wife (of 35 years) Barbara, daughters Amy and Tracy, and two grandchildren.
Western Reserve
Resch, Edward F. ’37, March 27. He founded Ohio Pipe, Valves and Fittings Inc., in Cleveland, Ohio. Survived by sons Edward, James, David and Michael, 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Whitman
Wichita State
Bulla, Col. (Ret.) Bill F. ’62, Aug. 18. He was a member of the founding pledge class of Delta Gamma. He served 31 years in the Medical Service Corps. He was proud to be awarded the Distinguished Service Medal upon his retirement as Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics at Health Services Command. Survived by wife (of 44 years) Marilyn, son Michael, grandson and granddaughter. Donations may be made to the Delta Gamma Chapter, Beta Theta Pi Leadership Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 6277, Oxford, OH 45056.
Wittenberg
Sexton, Robert J. ’54, June 7. He served in the Army during the Korean War. Sexton was a teacher for 30 years in the Dayton Board of Education with the majority of his service at Wilbur Wright High School. He taught science and coached football and track. He enjoyed the outdoors and fishing trips. Survived by wife Connie and two children.
Yale
Luke, John A. Sr. ’49, May 7. He served in the Army Air Corps (1943-45.) He had a 43-year career with the pulp and paper company his family founded more than 100 years ago. Luke was president and CEO of Westvaco Corporation. He earned numerous awards and recognitions for his leadership in the paper industry and service with a variety of industry and environmental organizations. Survived by wife Joy, daughter Hope, son William and eight grandchildren. Beta son John Jr., Lawrence ’71. — Compiled by Phyllis Bowie
Stamm, John (Jack) A. ’57, June 6. He worked for Standard Oil in research and development. Stamm then went on to a national sales position with Dohrmann
Fall 2007
49
[The Last Word] Answers to “Lucky” by Neil Everett, Oregon ’84
Y
ou may have seen the cartoon drawing at some point in your life, the same one that hung in my room at the Beta House more than 20 years ago. It was the face of a dog — a terrier — and it read: Lost Dog Three legs, blind in left eye, ear torn, recently castrated, answers to the name, “Lucky.”
I lost my “Lucky” on June 26 of this year.
Over time, the cultivation of some of those Beta friendships helped me open up and heal. It’s many of those same friendships I’m relying on now.
Smiley was a three-legged terrier who, by the time she left, was deaf and nearly blind. She was 17 when we said goodbye to each other. She was mine for 15 of those years. One-third of my life was spent with the dog that looked like Benji and was loyal like Lassie. Smiley survived several moves . . . from the beaches of Oahu to the woods in Connecticut. She flew across the ocean followed by a drive across the country. She witnessed the end of two long personal relationships between her “dad” and her “moms.” She lost a limb when a neighbor ran her over. And through it all, she never lost her will to live for me, not even at the very end. A piece of me died when I had to put Smiley down. Her body, racked with arthritis, finally betrayed her to the point where pain was her constant companion. I felt like I was abandoning her by allowing that fatal needle to pierce her skin. I’m still trying to accept the fact that keeping her from leaving without some dignity would have been criminal on my part. In my arms with my tears dropping into her fur and my voice telling her it was okay, that’s how she went. Now she is pain-free forever. Running down the beach with the greatest loss in my life, my Mother.
50
The Beta Theta Pi
Jackie died nearly 25 years ago. Like Smiley, I witnessed her last breaths . . . her spirit leaving her cancer-ridden body as I kissed her on the cheek. The enormity of that loss is something I carry with me every day, and it has been heightened by the loss of my three-legged friend. Death brings reflection, and this is where being a member of Beta Theta Pi plays a large part in my life. When my Mom passed, I was in my third year of college at my second school. I was also into my second set of fraternity brothers . . . having pledged at Willamette University before transferring two years later to the University of Oregon. A constant between my Beta brothers at both schools is the emotional net a fraternal connection provides when a man needs a safe place to land. I wasn’t particularly comfortable sharing my feelings of despair with my Beta brothers after my Mom died. I didn’t know how to effectively process the overwhelming sadness I felt. Over time, the cultivation of some of those Beta friendships helped me open up and heal. It’s many of those same Beta friendships I’m relying on now. I’m not diminishing the significance of losing my Mom by comparing it to losing my dog. There’s no comparison . . . but hurt is hurt. The importance is having a network that allows tears to flow without shame. Death will find us all someday whether it’s a family member, a fraternity brother or a three-legged dog. “Lucky” . . . we can all answer to that because we have our Beta bond. Everett is an anchor for ESPN’s flagship program, SportsCenter, where he can be seen on the late night edition of the show. He graduated from Oregon with a degree in journalism.
A Lasting Moment
L
During my �me at the University of Illinois, the Sigma Rho Chapter received strong support from two very talented individuals who took great interest in us and helped provide a semiprofessional stage that fostered our growth. Clarence J. Roseberry, Illinois 1906, became our daily provider and responder to needs. He had a strong mission as a re�red, successful and young a�orney. Tilley “Momma” Cantrell was a very socially gi�ed housemother whom we were blessed to have. She had been a professional opera�c piano accompanist prior to raising a lovely family. They truly valued and helped prepare the young men of Sigma Rho for bright futures and this was especially important for the postwar years during which I was ini�ated. They emphasized values and principles that would last a life�me.
Today, principles become increasingly important for our global life. Principles clear the air when we are some�mes confronted with a murky horizon. Nowadays, the Founda�on and Fraternity offer an incredible array of leadership opportuni�es that help ins�ll these principles that are naturally transferable to future endeavors. Of course, principles can only be turned into powerful ac�ons if given the right direc�on. How will you help? — Loren Aufdenkamp, Illinois ’48 Loren and his wife Mona are at home in San Francisco. One of the highlights of Aufdenkamp’s insurance career included direc�ng the insurance for the Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. Mona was a major co-producer for the Godfather series. They are involved in tennis and showing their Morgan horses na�onally.
Beta Theta Pi Foundation & Administrative Office Brennan Hall P.O. Box 6277 5134 Bonham Road Oxford, Ohio 45056 www.betathetapi.org
A�� N�� F�� T�� G������� B������� The Pension Protection Act of 2006 offers those who are 701/2 or older a new opportunity for tax-free charitable giving.
B��� T���� P� F���������
THE CHARITABLE IRA I hope you will take advantage of the Pension Protection Act which is set to expire December 31 of this year. I was glad I did in 2006 – and will again in 2007. — Nelson French, Ohio State ’47 By making a gift to the Beta Theta Pi Foundation directly from your IRA, you will avoid paying tax on your required distribution for 2007. To enjoy the full benefit of this opportunity, you must complete this year’s transfer prior to December 31, 2007. We will work with you and your financial advisor to make a gift of this nature, which will benefit Men of Principle and the Foundation’s awardwinning leadership programs. For more information or assistance, please contact the Beta Theta Pi Foundation at 800-800-BETA or e-mail Jonathan Brant (jonathan. brant@betathetapi.org), Martin Cobb (martin.cobb@betathetapi.org), or Laura Lednik (laura.lednik@betathetapi.org).