24 minute read
Modern Gentlemen
Member highlights from around the Order
RHO—SOUTH CAROLINA
Brothers Reel in Record Marlin
A team of KA alumni and undergraduate brothers competed in the Edisto Invitational Billfish Tournament as the “Glazed” crew. After an uneventful start, Wilson B. Springs III (Rho–South Carolina ’20) felt a fish take the hook midafternoon. That initial bite evolved into a 6.5-hour fight with a 117-inch blue marlin.
His chapter brother, Miles M. Herring, Jr. (Rho–South Carolina ’20), steered at the helm while the rest of the crew including their fathers, Wilson B. Springs II (Rho–South Carolina ’86) and Miles M. Herring (Beta Gamma–Charleston ’90) battled the massive fish. Wilson II eventually made the gaff shot that effectively ended the struggle.
Others on the team include John T. “Johnny” Cisne, Jr. (Rho–South Carolina ’89) and Lee G. Tiller (Beta Gamma–Charleston ’10).
BETA XI—OKLAHOMA STATE
Former Councilor Leake Inducted into OSU Greek Hall of Fame
ON OCTOBER 28, 2021, Sam O. Leake, Jr. (Beta Xi–Oklahoma State '61) was inducted into the Oklahoma State University Fraternity and Sorority Hall of Fame. The ceremony, which was held during Homecoming week, included the induction of the 2020 and 2021 classes and was attended by Sam's wife Lynn, Executive Director Larry Stanton Wiese, Assistant Executive Director for Alumni Affairs Brent Fellows, Coordinator of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs Casey Domnick, and members of Beta Xi Chapter.
Established in 2010 to celebrate the Greek Centennial at OSU, the Hall of Fame recognize the contributions of alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their organizations, OSU, their professions, and society.
Below: Sam Leake, fourth from right, with wife Lynn, and Beta Xi company in front of the inaugural Hall of Fame wall.
Three Chapters Team Up to Donate Track Wheelchair to Wounded Veteran
TEAMING UP TO RAISE $20,000 FOR
The Independence Fund, the Delta Theta Chapter at Georgia Southern University, the Delta Phi Chapter at Jacksonville State University, and the Zeta Kappa Chapter at the University of West Georgia presented a track wheelchair to U.S. veteran Karen Dery during the Georgia Southern football game on Saturday, September 25, 2021.
“I am so grateful to Park the rest of the KA Order for their amazing gift of the trackchair,” said Dery. “The chair is going to open so many options for me, especially hiking, which I dearly miss. I am very grateful to The Independence Fund for making this all possible.”
Dery joined the U.S. Army in 1983 because she needed a job. After getting through military school, she realized she loved the life, comradery, and experiences that it provided. After leaving active duty, she joined the Air Force National Guard. She was stationed with the Milwaukee unit when she was deployed to Desert Storm and spent 3.5 months in Egypt in a refueling unit as the commander’s secretary. Karen deployed multiple times in support of Enduring Freedom. She continued to serve until 2004 when she was released for early medical retirement due to service-related Multiple Sclerosis. During her tenure, she worked in administration, personnel, ight line management, radar technician and crew communications.
“Our chapter is grateful to be a small part of Karen’s life,” said Park Gaskin (Delta Theta–Georgia Southern ’18), Number I (President) of the Delta Theta Chapter. “There is no greater joy for us than to be able to give back to the people who have given so much for our freedom.”
DELTA ETA–ARKANSAS STATE
Arkansas State Alumnus Named to ASU System Board of Trustees
AFTER INCREASING THE NUMBER OF BOARD
positions from ve to seven and extending the appointments to seven-year terms, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchkinson appointed Paul Rowton (Delta Eta–Arkansas State ’95) to the Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees.
ASU System President Chuck Welch said the three appointees, which also include Bishop Robert G. Rudolph, Jr. and Steve Eddington, bring a diverse mix of expertise to the board.
“I am so appreciative of Governor Hutchinson for these very strong appointments to our Board of Trustees,” Welch said. “Each of these individuals has been very involved in their communities and with our member institutions. Robert is a former Henderson student body president, Paul is a former A-State Alumni Association president, and Steve is the current president of the Henderson State Alumni Association. Their diversi ed backgrounds in ministry, agriculture, and retail business operations in our state will lend solid insight and leadership to our board. I de nitely look forward to working with all three of our new trustees as we continue to grow our system.”
Paul, a 1998 graduate of Arkansas State with a Bachelor of Science in marketing, is executive vice president of GES Inc. GES operates seven Edwards Food Giant stores and ve Edwards Cash Saver stores. He is also a partner in Fast Lane Markets LLC, which operates convenience stores.
A native of Forrest City, Rowton is past president of the A-State Alumni Association and helped oversee construction of the Cooper Alumni Center. The 2009 Arkansas Business 40 Under 40 honoree is also a past chairman, treasurer, vice chair and board member of the Arkansas Grocers & Retail Merchants Association and past president of the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce.
Paul and his wife—Ashley Edwards Rowton, a 1999 graduate of Arkansas State—are 1924 Sustaining Life Members of the A-State Alumni Association and are members of the Red Wolves Foundation. They have two sons, JP and William.
“I am extremely honored to have been selected by Gov. Hutchinson to serve on the ASU System
Board of Trustees,” Rowton said. “There are so many wonderful things happening across the ASU System, and I look forward to working with my fellow trustees, Dr. Welch and the leadership teams at all of the ASU System campuses. A-State has been such an important part of my life for the past 26 years, and I am very thankful for this opportunity to serve.” The ASU System, based in Little Rock, serves 37,465 students annually on campuses in Arkansas and Queretaro, Mexico, and globally online with a total operating budget of $348 million.
GAMMA ETA–FLORIDA STATE
FSU Alumnus Promoted to Colonel
Curtis C. “Curt” Owens (Gamma Eta–Florida State ’95) was promoted to the rank of Colonel of the U.S. Army Reserve on Monday, September 13, 2021. COL Owens is currently serving as Legislative Liaison for the U.S. Army and previously served the Order as the Commander of William B. Crawford Province (State of Florida) in 2004.
BETA IOTA–DRURY UNIVERSITY
Brotherhood on the Links
On Friday, June 11, the Beta Iota Chapter at Drury University held its Annual Golf Tournament. More than 70 active and alumni brothers hit the links at Marshfi eld Country Club for fellowship and to benefi t the chapter with the proceeds. Following the tourney, which is held annually on the second Friday of June, brothers gathered for cards and barbecue in the course clubhouse.
ZETA PI–FLORIDA GULF COAST
FGCU Alumnus Named to University Foundation Board of Directors Foundation Board of Directors
The Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation Inc. approved its slate of o cers, elected four new board members, and re-elected another four members for a second term. Included among the newly elected board members is Brett W. Diamond (Zeta Pi–Florida Gulf Coast ’08). Brett is a native of Naples and serves as the chief innovation o cer of DeAngelis Diamond. Throughout college and his early 20s, Diamond spent
much of his time building various businesses, while traveling across the country to learn from top technology leaders. In 2012, Diamond and his father, David, launched Venture X, a sustainable, luxurious o ce space designed with health and wellness in mind. The brand is now global with 120 locations W. Diamond (Zeta Pi–Florida Gulf open and under development. At 24, he was voted and featured in the annual “40 under 40” Gulfshore Business article in 2013. Diamond graduated from FGCU in 2012 and served on the Alumni Association Board from 2014 to 2016. As an undergraduate, Brett served as Number II of Zeta Pi Chapter.
DELTA ALPHA–WESTERN CAROLINA
Alumnus Hired at Georgia Small Business Capital
Georgia Small Business Capital (GSBC) welcomes Brian A. King (Delta Alpha–Western Carolina ’98) as a new Vice President, Business Development Officer covering the state of Georgia. Brian joins GSBC after an extensive career in banking with almost a decade of SBA-lending experience under his belt. Brian brings a drive for innovation and commitment to excellence that will uphold our standard of service and integrity that we have long been known for in the business community. As an undergraduate, Brian served his chapter as Number I. Since graduation, he has served as a board member of the Cullowhee Alumni Chapter and is a fouryear member of the KAOEF’s Crimson & Gold Society.
DELTA XI–MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY
McNeese State Donates $5,000 to Center for Children
On Monday, April 12, 2021, the Delta Xi Chapter at McNeese State University presented a check for $5,000 to the St. Nicholas Center for Children, a nonprofit pediatric therapy center for children with Autism, located in Lake Charles, LA. The chapter raised these funds during their annual spring event.
In addition to wanting to support the children, the Delta Xi Chapter wanted to help the St. Nicholas Center after it suffered major damages from Hurricanes Laura and Delta and was forced to moved locations.
“The last 18 months have been extremely difficult for St. Nicholas Center for Children as we’ve struggled to recover from hardships caused by Covid-19, two major hurricanes, a rare winter storm, and a record-breaking flood,” Development Director Brittany Schwem said in an email. “Although our path has been difficult and the road ahead is long, with the support of our community the future of the Center and our clients is incredibly bright!”
The St. Nicholas Center offers a wide range of services including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Social Skills training, and diagnostic testing. Services are provided to children with Autism, developmental delays, and neurological disorders in a fun, loving, and educational environment.
ALPHA ETA–WESTMINSTER
Outstanding Beginning Teacher—Branden Beeler
Branden Beeler (Alpha Eta–Westminster ’17) was recently named as an outstanding beginning teacher by the Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Branden is a physical education teacher for Bush Elementary School in Fulton, Missouri. To celebrate his achievement, friends and collogues surprised him with a caravan of cars decked out with signs and streamers Monday afternoon.
Committed to starting his teaching career strong, Branden learned the names of each of his students during the rst week of school and quickly jumped into leadership roles.
“I always say you’d never know this was his rst year teaching,” principal Holly Broadway said. “He’s worked to build that relationship with all of our students.”
From Kirksville, Missouri, Brandon played catcher for the Westminster Blue Jays’ baseball team. As a junior in 2019, Branden was named First Team All-Conference after leading the SLIAC with a .403 batting average. Playing 80 games, he nished his career with a .361 batting average, eight home runs, 60 runs batted in, and 99 hits.
“My favorite Westminster memory is being part of the baseball team and being active in my fraternity,” Branden said in a Westminster College senior spotlight. “I made friends that will last a lifetime and with people I will never forget.”
ZETA OMICRON–SOUTHERN INDIANA
Softball Connects Southern Indiana Actives and Alumni
The 2021 Zeta Omicron Chapter Alumni/ Active Softball game was held on Saturday, October 9, the last day of the West Side Fall Festival. After one year off because of COVID-19, the annual game held in Evansville, Indiana, resumed with a great turnout.
The undergraduate brothers surprised LTC Thomas R. “Tom” Murray (Delta Nu–Murray State ’69) with a personalized jersey signed by all of them. Tom has served as Alumnus Advisor for the chapter since 2006 and has been instrumental in planning the annual softball tournament.
GAMMA PSI–NORTHWESTERN STATE
Northwestern State Alumnus Selected to Alumni Hall of Distinction
THOMAS N. WHITEHEAD (GAMMA
Psi–Northwestern State ’72) was one of six distinguished Northwestern State University alumni who were named to NSU’s Alumni Hall of Distinction, the Long Purple Line, in 2020. After being postponed twice due to COVID-19, the group will be honored on October 22, 2021, at the Natchitoches Events Center, followed by a noon luncheon and induction program.
Honorees include state official Sujuan Boutte of Prairieville, businessman Harvey F. Marcus Sr. of Monroe, Louisiana State University Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron of Baton Rouge, NSU Vice President for External Affairs Jerry Pierce, Fed Ex executive John A. Smith of Memphis, Tennessee, and former NSU faculty member Thomas Whitehead (Gamma Psi–Northwestern State ’72) of Natchitoches.
The Long Purple Line was established to provide recognition and appreciation to individuals whose career accomplishments or service to their fellow man have enhanced the reputation and prestige of Northwestern State.
Whitehead was a member of Northwestern State’s faculty for 30 years, serving as an associate professor of journalism and director of International Programs. He served as an advisor for various student media, providing training to students preparing for a professional career. He also oversaw the university’s Distinguished Lecture Series, which brought numerous leading figures to campus.
A strong advocate for preserving Northwestern State’s history, Whitehead co-authored the book “Northwestern State University at 125” which was published in 2009. He led efforts to make the university’s past more accessible through its Traditions website, which showcases digital collections of the university’s student newspaper, yearbook and alumni magazine and information on alumni honorees, past presidents and historic campus buildings.
Whitehead worked as a production location consultant for the film “Steel Magnolias.” He also worked as a local contact and executive assistant to the film’s producer Ray Stark. Whitehead was a co-author of the “Steel Magnolias Scrapbook.”
One of the leading experts on Natchitoches Parish artist Clementine Hunter, Whitehead worked on documentaries and co-authored and edited books about Hunter.
He is active in local historic preservation organizations and served on the Louisiana Film and Video Commission and the board of directors of Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting. He is a member of the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and the Honor Society of Phi Eta Sigma. Since retiring from NSU, he was worked as a governmental affairs and special events consultant.
Tom has served as the Alumnus Advisor to Gamma Psi Chapter since 2003 and a member of the Gamma Psi Housing Corporation since 2011. He is a member of the Northwest LA Alumni Chapter and the Natchitoches, LA Alumni Chapter. Tom was inducted into the Order’s White Province Court of Honor in 2006 and the Irwin Province Court of Honor in 2019. He is a member of the Loyal Order, Forever KA, and a three-year member of the KAOEF’s Crimson & Gold Society. In 1999, he was presented the highest individual honor an alumnus can receive, the Knight Commander’s Accolade, by then Knight Commander James R. Estes.
ZETA THETA–JAMES MADISON
JMU Brothers Come Together for Brain Injury Victims
AFTER RECENTLY HEARING OF THE
plight of a KA alumnus with a terminal brain condition whose family needed support, the brothers of Zeta Theta at James Madison University banded together to raise money for them. And then, the men of the chapter went even further, raising additional funds for a nonpro t organization in their own area that is dedicated to helping people with brain injuries.
Coming to the nancial aid of their af icted KA brother (whose name is not being revealed for privacy reasons) involved holding fundraising events, not always an easy feat in this age of COVID-19. So, the men undertook a variety of virtual events that netted about $12,000 for the man and his family, in addition to another $2,000 for Brain Injury Connections of the Shenandoah Valley (BICSV), which provides services for individuals affected by brain injury in the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia.
Drake Tomasi (Zeta Theta–James Madison ’19) and Andrew Walko (Zeta Theta–James Madison ’18), the Number I and the philanthropy chair of Zeta Theta, respectively, helped mount the fundraising campaigns, which also involved the sons of the BICSV’s director, who are both KA actives themselves.
“I had gotten an e-mail from an alumnus who graduated the same year as this brother who needed assistance,” Tomasi said. “A couple of alumni had actually started to organize a fundraising effort and reached out to me about it. I met with them and discussed it, and I spoke to the chapter, and we all decided to have our KA for a Cause philanthropy go to him. It was a great cause and we had just nished raising funds for the Independence Fund. It seemed like the perfect thing to do, to give back to him.”
Of the $12,000 nal tally, Tomasi said, “We also reached out to the sororities on campus, who were a great help. And it was lots and lots of alumni donations, one alumnus donated $1,000 straight up. We sent out an e-mail to our alumni e-mail chain about what was going on and about if they would like to donate, and we had an alumni match challenge. We raised around $6,000 on our own, and the alumni matched that.”
“It was an extremely sad situation for this family,” said Walko. “None of us had ever met the gentleman, but once a KA, always a KA, so we were happy to help. We did all virtual events that we were able to livestream because of COVID-19. We had such events as a Nugget Eating Competition and Pie-A-KA, which allowed people to donate and tune in online as if it were in person. We were really happy to be able to do this for our brother.”
The chapter then undertook yet another fundraising push in the same arena, this time for BICSV, whose director, Cindy Noftsinger, is the mother of
Zack Noftsinger (Zeta Theta–James Madison ’17) and Jake Noftsinger (Zeta Theta–James Madison ’20).
“I was talking to my sons one evening,” Cindy Noftsinger said, “and they told me the story about this brother, about how they were going to be kicking off KA for a Cause to raise money for him. We were going into the big giving season for our community, doing an event called the Great Community Give, and I wondered if I could get KA to adopt us for a day. I got Andrew’s information, and Drake Tomasi is a family friend, so I reached out to him too and had a quick call with them. They took it to the chapter and the men were all in, and said they would set a goal of $1,000 for us. KA came in and doubled that goal, and ended up being our largest donor that day with a $2,000 gift.”
Walko said that, with the knowledge the men had developed when it came to virtual fundraising, they were able to use those methods once again to raise money for the BICSV. “We switched on a dime and mostly used Instagram as a big outlet for fundraising for BICSV,” he said.
“Cindy reached out and asked if we’d like to help out,” Tomasi said, “and we used a ‘Venmo Triangle’ on Instagram, and our guys went out and talked to the parents and other people, and we were happy to raise the money for her organization. Next semester we’ll probably start out with our usual philanthropy MDA again.”
“I was impressed,” said Cindy Noftsinger, who is a JMU graduate herself. She later rewarded freshman Andrew Carrano (Zeta Theta–James Madison ’20) with a $100 bill as the brother who raised the most for the BICSV. “This wasn’t something they had to do. This was something they all embraced to take care of a brother, and to support our organization because they knew it was the right thing to do.”
THETA–KENTUCKY
Thomason Retires as Keeneland’s President and CEO
IN JULY, KEENELAND PRESIDENT
and CEO William W. “Bill” Thomason, Jr. (Theta–Kentucky ’74), announced that he would be retiring from the global horse racing and sales company to spend more time with his family at the end of 2020.
“Bill Thomason has led Keeneland with passion and integrity and with a commitment to its customers and a devotion to the Keeneland team,” Keeneland Trustee Everett Dobson said. “People who care as much as Bill are what makes Keeneland so incredibly special. He leaves a tremendous legacy of service to Keeneland, the horse industry and the community, and his accomplishments have indelibly shaped the future of our sport.”
After growing up in London, Kentucky, and earned an accounting degree from the University of Kentucky, Bill ended up at Mill Ridge Farm, a full-service thoroughbred farm that has a rich history of raising and selling some of the best thoroughbred racehorses in the world. After retiring from Mill Ridge, Bill eventually left his retirement and joined Keeneland as its Chief Financial O cer, only to be promoted two years later as its seventh president.
Bill navigated Keeneland through a decade of substantial growth and change in the Thoroughbred industry.
“Keeneland and the Thoroughbred industry have been very fortunate to have Bill Thomason as President and CEO of Keeneland for the past eight years,” Drew Fleming of Breeders’ Cup said.
“Under Bill’s leadership, Keeneland implemented numerous signi cant initiatives that will leave a lasting positive impact on the Thoroughbred business, including Keeneland’s hosting of the groundbreaking 2015 Breeders’ Cup and being a cofounder of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition. It has been a real pleasure to work closely with Bill, and we look forward to continuing to work with him in the future.”
BETA ZETA–FLORIDA
Florida’s Fishing Tournament Reels in $6,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association
ON MARCH 27, 2021, THE BETA ZETA
Chapter at the University of Florida brought back their “KAtch ’em All” shing tournament to bene t the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Brothers and guests gathered at Newnan’s Lake, just east of Gainesville, Florida, to compete in the tournament sponsored by Sodium Fishing Gear. For just $30 per person, participants received a shirt, had the opportunity to win prizes, and got to enjoy an awards ceremony and craw sh boil to celebrate the occasion. In the end, the chapter was able to raise $6,000 to help give children and teens with MD the opportunity to attend MDA summer camp.
“Beta Zeta used to do a shing tournament called “KAtch” for a few years and all the proceeds went to Dance Marathon at UF,” John Zielinski said. “We switched to another philanthropy event for Dance Marathon but a few friends and I saw an opportunity to bring this back.”
Since, several years had elapsed since the last shing tournament, the chapter needed a strong team to pull o the planning and execution of the event. The chapter relied on John Zielinski, ’18, Deme Capitano ’18, Andrew Wise ’18, and Chris Douglas, ’18 to make it all happen.
“All of the students who once hosted the event had graduated so we were really starting from the ground up, John Zielinski added. “Luckily we had generous donations from families and local Gainesville businesses and were able to raise $6,000 for MD. In a year of covid and not having any real guidance we were ecstatic with the results.”
DELTA THETA–GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Alumnus Hired as Superintendent at the Nation's 14th Largest Construction Company
JE Dunn has announced the hiring of Thomas M. “Tom” Schwarzer (Delta Theta–Georgia Southern ’13) to the role of superintendent in its Savannah offi ce.
The Dacula, Georgia, native has been in the healthcare and commercial construction business for three and a half years. Schwarzer began his career after graduating from Georgia Southern University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in construction management.
In his new role as superintendent, Schwarzer will be responsible for all fi eld activities, including management of project production schedules, labor budgets, quality assurance and quality control, and executing the construction documentation.
Schwarzer frequently volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House and Habitat for Humanity. During his free time, Schwarzer loves to do anything outdoors.
ZETA KAPPA–WEST GEORGIA
West Georgia Holds Hot Dog Eating Contest for Philanthropy
On March 16th, the Zeta Kappa Chapter at the University of West Georgia co-hosted a hot dog eating contest with Sigma Nu to raise funds for the Educational Foundation and to fi ght against Human Traffi cking.
Attendees to the event were able to enjoy hot dogs, chips, and a drink while watching four individuals compete in the eating contest, two representing KA and two representing Sigma Nu.
“I’ve been looking forward to the competition all week,” said Hunter Vaughn, a Sigma Nu competitor. “I have a strategy. I ate a big dinner yesterday, so my stomach is already stretched out a little. I haven’t eaten anything at all today. And then I have also been watching hot dog eating strategy videos on YouTube all morning.”
Following ten intense minutes of eating as many hot dogs as possible, Hunter emerged as the champion, earning a crown and trophy. In the end, the two chapters were able to raise more than $1,200 each and are looking forward to future competitions.
BETA ETA–OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Alumnus Elected to National Junior Chamber
During the JCI USA (U.S. Junior Chamber or Jaycees) Annual Meeting and Celebration of the Century held in St. Louis, Missouri, September 16–18, 2021, the Order’s Director of Communications Brent E. Buswell (Beta Eta–Oklahoma ’09) was elected as a 2022 National Vice President.
Throughout 2021, Brent served as the 87th State President for the Virginia Jaycees. In this new role, Brent will be serving alongside ve other National Vice Presidents, and he will oversee, support, and advise the state organizations for Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Vermont. He will also direct the communications e orts from the national JCI USA board.
Junior Chamber International (JCI) is a grassroots movement of young active citizens ages 18 to 40 dedicated to creating positive change in their respective communities around the world. In 5,000 communities across nearly 120 countries, their members are known for embracing new ideas, collaboration, and diversity, and are prepared to address the most critical challenges of our time.
