Triangle REVIEW - Winter '15 by kent.hoffman

Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 1

CONTENTS

Triangle Review

TRIANGLE REVIEW Vol. 103, No. 1, Winter 2015 Published three times annually

Going Above and Beyond Father Bill Edens pur71 is presented with Triangle Fraternity’s first ever Cap Henning ill16 Altruism Award

The TRIANGLE REVIEW is the official magazine of Triangle Fraternity, published since 1911 and currently distributed to over 18,000 actives and alumni. Articles in the TRIANGLE REVIEW represent the opinion of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of Triangle Fraternity, Triangle Education Foundation and Triangle Building & Housing Corporation. Publish Articles Have an idea for an article and would like to submit it? We accept a variety of submissions, ranging from alumni and chapter updates to descriptions of events and highlights of successes. Please email article information and photographs to editor@triangle.org. Update Contact Information Visit www.triangle.org/alumni to update mailing and other contact information. You may also call Triangle Fraternity Headquarters. Contact information provided below.

“Maintain a creditable scholastic record” Melissa & John Gargani pitt82 support Triangle’s new Triangle Academic U Program

Chapter Eternal Send Chapter Eternal notices including date of death, news, and photos to Triangle National Headquarters or contact the Director of Membership at lynnef@triangle.org.

Headquarters Information & Contacts Triangle Fraternity Headquarters 120 S Center Street Plainfield, IN 46168

Welcome Home Cincinnati After an exhausting search the Cincinnati Chapter of Triangle has a new place to call home

Triangle Fraternity is a proud member of

Triangle Review Staff Editor H. Andrew Goss lou00 Assistant Editor & Art Director Kent T. Hoffman ar07 Editing Team Members Kevin Y. Fong ucla84 & Marcos D. Stocco ok93

2 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

National President Letter

New Chairman’s Circle Member

10 Kapadia Estate Gift

8 Alumni Spotlight

Minnesota Chapter’s Revitalization

New Foundation Board Members

18 The new Triangle

Building & Housing Corp.

Chapter News Briefs

23 Chapter Eternal Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 3

CONTENTS

Triangle Review

TRIANGLE REVIEW Vol. 103, No. 1, Winter 2015 Published three times annually

Going Above and Beyond Father Bill Edens pur71 is presented with Triangle Fraternity’s first ever Cap Henning ill16 Altruism Award

“Maintain a creditable scholastic record” Melissa & John Gargani pitt82 support Triangle’s new Triangle Academic U Program

Chapter Eternal Send Chapter Eternal notices including date of death, news, and photos to Triangle National Headquarters or contact the Director of Membership at lynnef@triangle.org.

Headquarters Information & Contacts Triangle Fraternity Headquarters 120 S Center Street Plainfield, IN 46168

Welcome Home Cincinnati After an exhausting search the Cincinnati Chapter of Triangle has a new place to call home

Triangle Fraternity is a proud member of

Triangle Review Staff Editor H. Andrew Goss lou00 Assistant Editor & Art Director Kent T. Hoffman ar07 Editing Team Members Kevin Y. Fong ucla84 & Marcos D. Stocco ok93

2 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

National President Letter

New Chairman’s Circle Member

10 Kapadia Estate Gift

8 Alumni Spotlight

Minnesota Chapter’s Revitalization

New Foundation Board Members

18 The new Triangle

Building & Housing Corp.

Chapter News Briefs

23 Chapter Eternal Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 3

N AT I O N A L C O U N C I L

F O U N D AT I O N B O A R D

hope everyone was able to enjoy the holidays with their loved ones. The holiday season is a great time to relax with friends and family, re-energize, and reflect on where you are and where you want to be. It’s just like in dynamics class; you only need to know where we were to understand where we will be at a specified point in time. The same holds true for Triangle Fraternity.

The current academic year has been a busy one thus far for Triangle. The Fraternity has been looking into ways to continually improve our member services by evaluating where our weaknesses are and identifying ways to address them. Over a year ago, we introduced the position of Director of Communications & Brand Standards and we are now seeing improvements in how we communicate with our membership. But we cannot hang our hat on a single achievement. Currently we are reviewing additional staffing needs and identifying ways to achieve the improvements desired by our membership. As of now two of the most prominent areas we have identified include housing and member education.

As the national organization grows chapters new and old continually express their desire to have a shared living space of their own, something to call home. To facilitate these requests the scope of the Triangle Building and Loan Fund has been broadened and reformed as the Triangle Building and Housing Corporation (TBHC) in an effort to expand resources to meet the housing demands of our growing organization. TBHC will also offer services beyond housing and housing improvement loans. Member Education is an area in which Triangle succeeds but the impact is limited to the attendance at our national events - Leadership Training Weekend, Herbert Scobie Leadership School, National Convention, etc. Physical space at these events further limits our audience and the reach of these programs. To combat this we are exploring ways to grow our resources and refine our educational curriculum. Continually bringing these resources to the local level through Regional Leadership Conferences and chapter consultation visits allows us to reach more undergraduates and alumni as well.

Foundation Welcomes New Board Members The Triangle Education Foundation welcomed Michael Butler marq93, and Maxwell Mengenhauser sdm12, as new board members at its October meeting. “We are thrilled to welcome Mike and Max to the Foundation! Both men are a dynamic addition to the board and bring a fresh perspective to our governance.” says Scott Bova, CFRE, President of the Triangle Education Foundation. “In just the short ard work and dedication to advancing our mission of helping Triangle brothers excel with integrity and character!” enthused Bova. With the addition of Max and Mike joining the Triangle Education Foundation Board, unfortunately the TEF has had to say goodbye to three long-standing directors: Chuck Bowman ps56, Steve Miller ill64 and Gene Cummings nu58.

“With Gene, Steve and Chuck’s leadership, the Foundation has grown exponentially,” expressed Bova. “Having worked with all of these gentlemen for my career at the Foundation, I can confidently say I’ve never met Triangles more dedicated or committed to advancing the brotherhood than Steve, Chuck and Gene! We thank them for their tireless service to the Triangle Education Foundation and look forward to their continued involvement in new volunteer opportunities with Triangle.” For more information on the Board of Directors, how the Triangle Education Foundation is helping our members excel with character and integrity or to make a tax-deductible gift to the Foundation, please contact Scott Bova, CFRE, directly at sbova@ triangle.org or 317-705-9803.

Mike Butler marq93 is the president, CEO and Founder of Life Spine. Since the company’s inception in June 2003, Butler has turned Life Spine into one of the fastest growing providers of spinal surgery products in the world, bringing six new products to market. Butler’s innovations in the engineering process have reduced the time from product conception to FDA submission to seven months and engineering time from concept to prototype to five weeks. Mike has served in various management capacities at Abbott Laboratories, Inter-Med, Richard Wolf Medical, Visionary Biomedical, Microbrush and Eli Lilly. During that time, he successfully brought more than 200 separate medical products to market. Butler graduated from Marquette University in 1995 with a degree in biomedical mechanical engineering.

To claim that just Triangle Headquarters staff or National Council is working on strengthening the Fraternity would be misleading. Triangle is fortunate to have many alumni and undergraduate volunteers participating in volunteer committees and serving as mentors and facilitators at our events. There are also many brothers and friends of the fraternity donating to the Triangle Education Foundation’s Annual Fund. Triangle Fraternity would not be where we are without their assistance. It’s not the amount of time or treasure one has, but rather how these resources are utilized. This issue of the Triangle REVIEW aims to not only inform you about the future of the Fraternity but showcases a handful of individual and chapter achievements which have inspired Triangle National Council, Headquarters Staff, and individuals who have been a part of these great stories. It is great to see that as the Fraternity takes on new challenges, members continue to participate in community service, chapter improvement, reflection, and aid.

Max Mengenhauser sdm12 serves to provide prospective from the main clients the Foundation exists to serve, the undergraduate members. Max is a student of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, where he was initiated into Triangle in 2012. Since joining the chapter, Max has been his pledge class captain, 2013 Rush Chair and a 2014 Facilitator at the Foundation funded Leadership Training Weekend. Max is majoring in Chemical Engineering and is expected to graduate in December 2015. He has interned at Lafarge North America where he was on the process/quality team. Max is also involved on SDM’s campus, holding leadership roles in the Student Association, Rotaract Club and the Concert Choir.

So as we pass the midway point of the academic year, it can be said our trajectory is still upward. In F, S, and C

Secretary

Immediate Past President

Councilmen

Jeffrey T. Weikinger tol97

Marcos D. Stocco ok93

Jeffrey D. Cottrell mtu94

David H. Yick ps63 Kevin Y. Fong ucla84 Brian K. Jarman pur01 John C. Cottage ps04 Joseph M. Cerrato os05

Vice President

Treasurer

Active Advisor

Randall E. Drew rose67

Gary N. Bodnar pur76

Alexander J. Ott mtu11

4 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

National Council

National President

Board of Directors

Jeff T. Weikinger tol97 National President Chairman

Treasurer

Alex P. Ver ar65

Board Members

Robert A. Benziger ill62

Vice Chairman

Director Emeritus

Donald E. Knebel pur65

Charles S. Barbour ps43 Robert J. Mosborg ill45 Dr. Robert B. Rosenberg ar55 Dr. Charles H. Bowman ps56 James A. McShane marq65

Edward W. Wedbush cin51 William R. McGovern marq55 RADM Melvin H. Chiogioji (USNR) pur58 J. Steve Flannigan rose62 Gordon K. Mortin mich63 Randall E. Drew rose67 Dr. Monte S. Dirks MD sdm71

Secretary

John P. Pritchard is82

Randy G. Kerns mom71 Gerald S. Jakubowski Ph.D. tol74 Michael H. O’Connor marq74 John C. Gargani pitt82 Michael S. Butler marq93 Undergraduate Board Member

Maxwell D. Mengenhauser sdm12 Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 5

N AT I O N A L C O U N C I L

F O U N D AT I O N B O A R D

So as we pass the midway point of the academic year, it can be said our trajectory is still upward. In F, S, and C

Secretary

Immediate Past President

Councilmen

Jeffrey T. Weikinger tol97

Marcos D. Stocco ok93

Jeffrey D. Cottrell mtu94

David H. Yick ps63 Kevin Y. Fong ucla84 Brian K. Jarman pur01 John C. Cottage ps04 Joseph M. Cerrato os05

Vice President

Treasurer

Active Advisor

Randall E. Drew rose67

Gary N. Bodnar pur76

Alexander J. Ott mtu11

4 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

National Council

National President

Board of Directors

Jeff T. Weikinger tol97 National President Chairman

Treasurer

Alex P. Ver ar65

Board Members

Robert A. Benziger ill62

Vice Chairman

Director Emeritus

Donald E. Knebel pur65

Charles S. Barbour ps43 Robert J. Mosborg ill45 Dr. Robert B. Rosenberg ar55 Dr. Charles H. Bowman ps56 James A. McShane marq65

Edward W. Wedbush cin51 William R. McGovern marq55 RADM Melvin H. Chiogioji (USNR) pur58 J. Steve Flannigan rose62 Gordon K. Mortin mich63 Randall E. Drew rose67 Dr. Monte S. Dirks MD sdm71

Secretary

John P. Pritchard is82

Randy G. Kerns mom71 Gerald S. Jakubowski Ph.D. tol74 Michael H. O’Connor marq74 John C. Gargani pitt82 Michael S. Butler marq93 Undergraduate Board Member

Maxwell D. Mengenhauser sdm12 Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 5

ALUMNI NEWS

Going Above & Beyond Father Bill Edens pur71 receives the inaugural Triangle Fraternity Cap Henning ill16 Altruism Award

During the 2011 National Convention held in Columbus, Ohio, the National Council began the process to create an award to recognize members for altruistic service. The definition of altruism is “feelings and behavior that show a desire to help other people and a lack of selfishness.” The Cap Henning Altruism Award is intended to recognize members of Triangle Fraternity who have made an exemplary contribution to a better world through one or more of the following: 1) As with Cap Henning ill16, exemplary contribution of a member’s time and energy to an altruistic cause not related to his profession; 2) Exemplary contribution of a member’s time and energy using his professional skills for an altruistic cause. Nomination may be submitted to National Council by emailing president@triangle.org.

A Life of Dedicated Service, Casper F. Henning ill16 Throughout Caspar “Cap” Henning’s life, others often came first. Brother Henning enrolled at the University of Illinois in 1915, and to make ends meet during his freshman year, he washed dishes. The following year he joined Triangle Fraternity. After graduating in 1919 Cap worked for a Chicago consulting firm. He later moved careers to the Manufacturers Mutual Fire Insurance Company where he worked as a mechanical engineer. By the time he retired from Manufacturers Mutual in 1965 he was the vice president of the company. Outside of Cap’s work in the field of engineering, he was a spiritual man. In 1923 he registered at the Moody Bible Institute, graduating four years later. During his tenure at Manufacturers Mutual, he often spent his after-work hours at the Pacific Garden Mission and Gideons International. Then and now, Pacific Garden Mission operated a shelter in a rough section of Chicago. Cap served those who attended the shelter – some homeless, some women and children, some seeking refuge because of family troubles - by giving them something to eat and providing a clean bed and a fresh change of clothing. Cap ministered to the bodies, minds, and souls of those who sought shelter, and quickly advanced to the board of Pacific Garden Mission, eventually serving as Chairman. Cap’s work for Gideons International included two three-year terms as international treasurer. He never missed an international convention, and often spoke in churches across the country on behalf of the Gideons.

ust as Cap Henning devoted his career to engineering and serving those in need, the recipient of the inaugural Cap Henning Altruism Award has done the same. In the fall of 1970, William Lahey Edens pur71 pledged Triangle Fraternity as an electrical engineering student. Upon graduating from Purdue University – and adding Phi Eta Sigma to his resume - Edens entered the workforce but ultimately he was called to the Catholic priesthood. Today, Father Bill resides in Oregon, but not before Triangle Fraternity resurfaced in his life at the University of California Berkeley where he served on the staﬀ of the Newman Catholic Center as the campus pastor. David Yick ps63, a member of the UC-Berkeley Triangle Alumni Association who worked with local alumni and the Cal chapter to nominate Father Edens for the Altruism Award, praises Eden’s worth ethic and dedication. “As the Cal Berkeley Campus Priest, Father Bill has worked tirelessly in a number of leadership roles...encouraging student involvement with social justice issues...and helping feed the homeless and for providing food and support to local homeless

6 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

Fr. Bill Edens pur71 (right) receives the Cap Henning ill16 Altruism Award from National Councilman Brian Jarman pur01

shelters,” Yick explains. Through Father Bill’s work, he has demonstrated exemplary emotional courage in connecting with and befriending many in the community who are considered to be on the margins of mainstream society including the homeless, individuals with mental health issues, and the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. He has also utilized his technical skills by teaching math in the Oakland Public High School System. When Triangle Fraternity colonized at Cal, he re-connected with the Fraternity in a new role.

Father Bill assisted the young Cal Triangle group by arranging for the men to hold meetings in Newman Hall, helping with the Cal Alumni Advisory Board, and volunteering as part of the committee to host the West Coast Regional Leadership Conference. Similar to the path that Cap Henning took, Father Bill’s devotion to the welfare of others made him an ideal candidate, and our inaugural recipient of this very special award. It gives Triangle Fraternity great pride to present Father William Edens pur71 with the inaugural Cap Henning ill16 Altruism Award.

Brian Tenclinger, Executive Director Triangle Fraternity & David Yick ps63

Caspar Henning entered Chapter Eternal on February 28, 1967 with his wife by his side. At the 2007 Centennial Convention, Triangle Fraternity recognized Cap as one of its Men of the Century.

Cap Henning’s legacy lives on at Chicago’s Pacific Garden Mission on the city’s near west side.

Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 7

ALUMNI NEWS

Going Above & Beyond Father Bill Edens pur71 receives the inaugural Triangle Fraternity Cap Henning ill16 Altruism Award

6 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

Fr. Bill Edens pur71 (right) receives the Cap Henning ill16 Altruism Award from National Councilman Brian Jarman pur01

Brian Tenclinger, Executive Director Triangle Fraternity & David Yick ps63

Caspar Henning entered Chapter Eternal on February 28, 1967 with his wife by his side. At the 2007 Centennial Convention, Triangle Fraternity recognized Cap as one of its Men of the Century.

Cap Henning’s legacy lives on at Chicago’s Pacific Garden Mission on the city’s near west side.

Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 7

F O U N D AT I O N N E W S

ALUMNI NEWS

New Chairman’s Circle Members Announced The Chairman’s Circle is a society created to honor the Foundation’s substantial lifetime donors. Members of this society have made significant gifts through the years and/or have pledged a deferred gift to the Foundation. Chairman’s Circle membership begins at $25,000. The sustained commitment of Chairman’s Circle donors continues to make a diﬀerence for our students. Listed below are the donors that have joined the Chairman’s Circle or whose level has changed since August 1, 2013.

Chairman’s Circle Members Recognized at Cincinnati Reception At October’s Cincinnati Alumni Reception Foundation President Scott Bova recognized Richard Beaubien mich64 as a new member of the Chairman’s Circle and Al Ver ar65 received his Triangle Black Blazer in appreciation of his support of the Triangle Education Foundation.

Order of the Transit ($25,000+ or $75,000 in Deferred)

Alumni Spotlight Jon Eklund msoe99

Jon Eklund msoe99 joined Triangle to find a home away from a hectic campus and gained more than he initially expected. An internship with the Rapid Prototyping Consortium provided some exposure to the realities of product development in high-tech industry, but yielded few contacts interested in hiring a newly graduated computer engineer in the post-dotcom doldrums. “Through undergraduate leadership experience in Triangle, I had team building and communication skills uncommon among young engineers, and my engagement with the chapter’s alumni organization provided a crucial connection in entering a downsizing job market.” This connection led to a twelve-year career with Motorola Mobility, the company that invented cellular telephones, leading to his current role as Principal Staﬀ Engineer. Specializing in audio drivers and multimedia software from supporting the very last black-andwhite feature phones, to working on

8 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

Motorola’s first stereo Bluetooth audio stack in the infancy of the standard, through leading hardware/software integration during the explosion of the Android ecosystem (most recently on the new Nexus 6), his career has always been interesting and challenging. The rapid ups and downs of the mobile device industry oﬀer never a dull moment. Given his lifelong interest in both audio and electronic gadgets, this career path couldn’t be a better fit, and it wouldn’t have come about without the connections made in Triangle. Jon became active in the MSOE Alumni Association shortly after graduation and was elected President in 2005. He’s held the position ever since, overseeing a generational change in the small but thriving chapter while having the opportunity to also participate in national projects such as the Grey (Ritual) Committee. “In helping ensure today’s undergraduates have access to the same opportunities I had, I found Triangle also

provides opportunities for alumni to grow and network at the national level. From regular chapter business with the BLF board, to working with the Foundation to set up our Chapter Endowment Fund, to mentoring undergraduates at Scobie Leadership School, I’m happy to build connections with Triangle brothers around the country.” Jon was recently invited to join the Foundation’s Emerging Leaders Council. He looks forward to the first meeting at National Convention in Washington, D.C., and convincing his wife of six years, Diana (also an engineer) that being in the nation’s capital during the heat and humidity of July is a good idea. In the meantime, Jon and Diana will continue to enjoy being a TSD Rallye team with their local car club chapter, working on fixing up their turn of the century house, and seeing where else around the globe they run into Triangle brothers. Jon Eklund msoe99

Mrs. and Mr. Richard Beaubien mich64 Michael Foglesong ucla73 Gene Rezabeck ar47 William Schmitt pur61

Order of the White Chrysanthemum ($100,000+ or $300,000 in Deferred) Mrs. and Mr. Al Ver ar65

Order of Old Rose & Grey ($250,000+ or $750,000 in Deferred) Homi Kapadia msu55*

Foundation President Scott Bova recognizes Mrs. and Mr. Richard Beaubien mich64 for their support of the Triangle Education Foundation and welcomes them to membership in the Chairman’s Circle.

Second Founder ($500,000+ or $1,500,000 Deferred) Mrs. and Mr. Larry Garatoni pur58 John Kilker marq38* *Deceased To find a complete listing of the Chairman’s Circle, please visit triangleef.org. If you would like to join this prestigious group, please contact the Foundation’s Vice President, Aaron Girson, at 317-203-4510 or at AGirson@Triangle.org.

Foundation Chairman Al Ver ar65, with his wife Bernie looking on, addresses alumni gathering after receiving his Black Blazer recognizing his passing $50,000 in lifetime giving to the Triangle Education Foundation. Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 9

F O U N D AT I O N N E W S

ALUMNI NEWS

Order of the Transit ($25,000+ or $75,000 in Deferred)

Alumni Spotlight Jon Eklund msoe99

8 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

Mrs. and Mr. Richard Beaubien mich64 Michael Foglesong ucla73 Gene Rezabeck ar47 William Schmitt pur61

Order of the White Chrysanthemum ($100,000+ or $300,000 in Deferred) Mrs. and Mr. Al Ver ar65

Order of Old Rose & Grey ($250,000+ or $750,000 in Deferred) Homi Kapadia msu55*

Foundation President Scott Bova recognizes Mrs. and Mr. Richard Beaubien mich64 for their support of the Triangle Education Foundation and welcomes them to membership in the Chairman’s Circle.

F O U N D AT I O N N E W S

Foundation Receives $300,000 from Kapadia Estate

ack in the spring of 2000, when Homi Kapadia msu55 was asked what he felt was the greatest accomplishment of the Triangle Education Foundation he responded saying, “Quality growth through helping quality and deserving students, thus raising the overall quality of our Fraternity.” Even though he has entered Chapter Eternal, he continues to do his part supporting the Foundation and, in turn, helping quality and deserving students. This fall the Foundation received a generous $300,000 bequest from Brother Kapadia’s estate to support the mission of Triangle Fraternity and his chapter at Michigan State University. This amount, combined with Homi’s previous donations, makes him one of Triangle’s biggest donors, with over $600,000 provided to Triangle,

10 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

primarily in funding for the Keyannajad-Kapadia Scholarship. Brother Kapadia believed in the valuable experiences that one receives as a Triangle brother. As a non-traditional student (in addition to being an international student, Homi was also 25 when he arrived on campus) at Michigan State he found a home with Triangle. He began his experience with Triangle as a Founding Father and later served as the chapter’s first Secretary. Life wasn’t easy starting a new chapter, working hard on building a fraternity from the ground up and at the same time renovating an old farm house for the chapter’s first home. Even so, those life experiences are what Homi cherished the most. When asked about his time on campus, Homi remarked, “… we had a terrific team spirit and everybody pitched in. I still remember all those hardships and cherish our teamwork and companionship with pleasure.” In the same interview, Homi went on to share why he felt Triangle was still important and viable in society saying, “The spirit of fraternity is unique and wonderful. Triangle infuses dedication, loyalty, seriousness, sense of responsibility, companionship and cooperation in young minds. All these are, and always have been, wonderful qualities worth support.” Triangle lost a very loyal brother and staunch supporter

when Homi entered Chapter Eternal in 2001. He would have been 86 this year, but his legacy will live forever through the endowments he established while he was living as well as his estate bequest. Brother Kapadia felt strongly in giving back to Triangle and encouraged his fellow brothers to join him. The closing of the 2000 REVIEW story shared his sentiment perfectly and still holds true today. “I urge all members, especially the alumni, to give our Fraternity all the help and support they can give, in whatever form they can, willingly and generously. The success and growth of our Fraternity depends on such members. An old Hindu proverb says: ‘those who give have all things. They who withhold have nothing’.” Thank you Homi for modeling the way, your loyalty, dedication and generosity. We promise to make you proud and use your gift wisely. If you would like to take Brother Kapadia up on this advice and are interested in helping Triangle or your chapter with a gift or bequest, please contact the Foundation’s Senior Director of Development, Amy Buchheit, CFRE. You can reach Amy at (317) 837-9641 or at ABuchheit@ Triangle.org.

Scott Bova, CFRE Triangle Education Foundation

Melissa & John Gargani pitt82 Support Triangle Academic U

he Triangle Code of Ethics includes “Maintain a creditable scholastic record” as one of the obligations a Triangle member should faithfully uphold. Triangle takes academic excellence seriously and Melissa & John Gargani pitt82 believe strongly in its importance for life after college. As the parents of four children, they have witnessed this first-hand. John shares, “Academic performance and achievement is a critical piece of the overall development of

Triangles. This is important to me not only as a member of Triangle Fraternity and as an industry professional, but also as a parent to our son Matthew, who is also a member of Triangle.” In order for Triangle to advance this very important part of its mission, the Garganis have generously donated $100,000 to the Triangle Education Foundation to support Triangle’s Academic U program. This brand new program will address an area often overlooked in the Fraternity’s leadership development programs, the work of the chapter’s Academic Chairs. Triangle Fraternity is very excited to be able to launch this program in the fall of 2015. Academic U will begin to provide valuable education to chapters dealing with a matter that is a key reason for Triangle’s existence. “The Gargani’s very generous gift to the Triangle Education Foundation will provide valuable resources to help the over 1,500 Triangles across the country excel in the classroom,” shared Scott Bova, Triangle Education Foundation President, “We are extremely thankful for John & Melissa’s confidence in our work and belief in our mission.” If you would like more information on how you can fund valuable programming or create a named endowed fund, please contact the Foundation’s President, Scott Bova, at 317-705-9803 or via email at sbova@triangle.org.

Scott Bova, CFRE Triangle Education Foundation

Academic U will be presented annually each Fall at the Fraternity’s Regional Leadership Conferences. Content will include tips, techniques and skills to support and improve members’ academic achievement. The goals of this program will be to: 1. Empower each chapter’s academic chair to work with their chapter brothers and chapter leadership in developing programs and tactics to support and improve the chapter’s academic performance. 2. Educate the academic chairs on how to develop reasonable goals and strategies for their chapter’s academic success. 3. Provide programs, techniques and strategies to the academic chairs on how to support individual members’ academic goals. 4. Create awareness of support and outside programs on their campus available to improve both individual and chapter academic performance. Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 11

F O U N D AT I O N N E W S

Foundation Receives $300,000 from Kapadia Estate

10 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

Scott Bova, CFRE Triangle Education Foundation

Melissa & John Gargani pitt82 Support Triangle Academic U

Scott Bova, CFRE Triangle Education Foundation

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

PROMOTIONS + EVENTS

HAVE YOU VISITED www.triangle.org? Stay up to date with Triangle news and announcements www.triangle.org was relaunched in October 2013 with a simple vision: create an eﬃcient website to host fraternity news, events and announcements, and provide a platform to host expanding resources for our undergraduate members and alumni. Since the relaunch, www.triangle.org has continued to grow and evolve to meet these goals. A redeveloped Active & Alumni section has allowed Triangle HQ to target specific audiences with resources while allowing users more eﬃcient access to information. Fraternity news now no longer has to wait for the publication of a REVIEW or PREVIEW and is posted in real-time. If you haven’t logged onto www.triangle.org we encourage you to do so. With many Spring events just around the corner and National Convention in July 2015 lots of news and information will posted and updated.

CURRENTLY ONLINE . . .

Young Alumni Cruise Join your Triangle brothers and sail on the Carnival Glory! Triangle Fraternity is organizing its first group vacation beginning on March 14, 2015. This seven night cruise is targeted at alumni and actives (21 years and older) who are looking for a fun spring break get away with their brothers. For more information visit

www.triangle.org/events 12 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

National Convention Alumni Reunions

Regional Leadership Conferences

As a Triangle alum there is not much that we look forward to more than those rare occasions when we all get together and tell our old stories and enjoy the warmth of fellowship and brotherly bonds renewed. There is no time like the present to get your pledge brothers or graduation class together for a reunion.

This past Fall, Triangle’s UNC Charlotte, Cal Poly Pomona, MSOE, and Michigan Chapters volunteered and hosted an RLC. Between the four chapters over 200 active undergraduates and alumni attended over 45 educational sessions tailored to address the needs of the local organizations and surrounding chapters.

Learn how Triangle HQ can help you plan a reunion at www.triangle.org/convention

Read more at www.triangle.org/news Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 13

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

PROMOTIONS + EVENTS

CURRENTLY ONLINE . . .

www.triangle.org/events 12 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

National Convention Alumni Reunions

Regional Leadership Conferences

Learn how Triangle HQ can help you plan a reunion at www.triangle.org/convention

Read more at www.triangle.org/news Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 13

F R AT E R N I T Y N E W S

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Br. Mitchell Tramp minn11 demos a chapter house bedroom After weeks of work, a finished product with new drywall, paint, electrical, and refinished floors Brothers Marcello Herrera minn13 and Connor Ryan minn12 sand off the last of the old varnish No detail is too small. Br. James Coughlin minn11 takes a shop-vac to the lawn

REVITALIZATION

Thirty-two brothers and still growing strong. The Minnesota Chapter has come a long way in a short amount of time.

How the basics of brotherhood saved a chapter 14 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

“You can’t sell an [expletive] product,” Mitchell Tramp minn11 flatly states. In 2012, only eight undergraduate men could claim allegiance to Triangle’s eighth chapter. The Minnesota Chapter was not operating anything close to a successful organization and had sunk to Triangle’s bottom tier. Chapter finances were in the red. Two chapter houses had fallen into disrepair. Morale was low, just as low as the membership numbers. “Triangle first and foremost is a brotherhood,” explains Collin Benkler minn10. “I believe that the chapter had lost sight of that and instead grew negatively towards being just a group of guys who lived together.” Despite the deck stacked against the chapter, the remaining men refused to give up and let the 92 year old chapter close its doors. “We embraced the fact we could make Triangle a great organization . . . something it should be,” said Mitch. Making such a statement is easy to do, but turning an idea into reality was not a simple feat. However, with diligent planning, today the Minnesota Chapter stands with two filled and renovated chapter houses and the financial flexibility to oﬀer scholarships to chapter members and campus students enrolled in Engineering, Architecture, and Science majors. How was the chapter able to reinvent itself in just three short years? Simple: they evaluated their brothers, recognized their strengths, and played to them. Brothers recognized physical improvements to their chapter houses were needed in order to accommodate future growth. Many of the rooms in their main chapter house and annex had sat empty for too long. Routine maintenance was required in many places and in some, a total gut rehab was required. Floors were refinished, drywall was patched and replaced, and even the plumbing received an upgrade. Much of this work was completed by the brothers themselves. “We could have hired out the work to be done professionally,” said Collin. “The experience of doing that with my brothers is what most benefited me

personally. I hope that continues with future generations of brothers. Not just for the sake of the houses, but moreover for the experience of coming together to achieve a lasting common goal.” Outside the physical walls of the chapter houses, involvement in campus organizations and the community was identified as a chapter strength. Despite the lack of physical manpower in the chapter, those who were around weren’t just involved in chapter activities, but an average of three outside organizations. One could find a Minnesota brother involved anywhere from volunteering with and sponsoring a local high school robotics team to working with the University of Minnesota to develop a hovercraft t-shirt launcher. “As far as getting members, being involved on campus was a huge help,”

“

Triangle members are bonded by shared values displayed in our code of ethics and ritual like maintaining our chapter home, taking financial responsibility, doing well in school, promoting our profession, helping to create enduring friendships, etc. Reverting back to a Triangle culture has played a huge role in this success story.” Collin Benkler minn10

adds Mitch. Oﬀ campus, brothers recognized professional development in the business world was a strength as well. With brothers holding internships at Goodrich Aerospace, Dakota Digital, Wearable Technology Labs, and SpaceX - just to name a few - knowledge of the workforce and how to turn their education into a career was a skill the brothers knew they could excel in and wanted to share. The men created a

chapter resume showcasing all of the internships and side jobs each brother held at various times. A chapter job board was also developed to help new members network and enter the workforce. Throughout the chapter’s work reinventing and rejuvenating themselves at the University of Minnesota, brothers recognized they were not just the Minnesota Chapter of Triangle, but a part of the national organization as a whole. “You’re not just the Minnesota Chapter. You need to get to know all Triangle Brothers,” Mitch states. Even with scholastic, professional, and personal demands occupying much of the brother’s busy schedules, attendance at Triangle National events – Leadership and Training Weekend, Herbert Scobie Leadership School, National Convention – was never compromised. “National events allow brothers to collect ideas from across the country on how to improve their programs,” explains Chad Booth minn12. “It is also important to attend national events to acquire the full sense of how widespread and dynamic Triangle is.” A little over two years after Minnesota Chapter brothers put their nose to the grindstone and began to change their chapter culture and physical plant the organization stands with 32 members and continues to grow. But the chapter isn’t content with where they stand now and recognize there is much work to be done. From the undergraduate active standpoint, standing still is not an option. “Now that we are out of debt and have more man power we want to build up our savings, engage with our fellow IFC fraternities, and continue renovations on the houses. As well as maintain an above average GPA and increase membership to a sustainable number of 40,” said Chad. On the alumni side, increased alumni engagement is the number one goal. If you’re an alumnus of the Minnesota Chapter, or an alum of Triangle Fraternity and would like to join the Minnesota Chapter Alumni Board you may reach out to Daniel Pearson minn06 at danielpearson@gmail.com. Kent Hoffman ar07 Director of Communications | Brand Standards Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 15

F R AT E R N I T Y N E W S

REVITALIZATION

Thirty-two brothers and still growing strong. The Minnesota Chapter has come a long way in a short amount of time.

How the basics of brotherhood saved a chapter 14 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

“

BUILDING & HOUSING With a little number-crunching, a little encouragement from alumni, a strong shared optimism about the future and a dearth of other options, the committee determined that the house could be viable and began discussions with the current owners about renting the property. That, too, turned out to be more diﬃcult than expected, as the other fraternity struggled to decide whether renting or selling the property would be better for their future. Many agonizing weeks passed while their internal debate dragged on. Simultaneously, the Triangle members went through their own soul-searching process. On the one hand, buying the property would be a big commitment. On the other, it was clear that it could be years before another opportunity like this might arise. After more number-crunching

Welcome Home Cincinnati I

t all began when four actives rented an off-campus house together for the Fall 2012 academic term and suggested that alumni rent the “5th bedroom” to enable this quartet to open the house to the membership for meetings, recruiting, social events and as a general gathering place. Alumni quickly agreed as the actives and alumni had developed excellent relationships and had achieved a great balance between collaboration, independence and oversight. Almost immediately noticeable strength in the brotherhood grew. In the words of one active, “it began to feel like a ‘real’ fraternity”. Inspired by the quick success of the 4-man rental, actives approached alumni for help figuring out what to do about housing next year. The Colony’s hope was to rent a bigger house, hopefully closer to campus, so more of the members could live together. A joint active-alumni committee was quickly established. Location was a number one priority. The current rental, while functional, was too far away from Cincinnati’s Greek community located on the west side of campus. The committee got an oversized map of the campus and surrounding area, and defined A, B and C search regions in decreasing order of attractiveness, along with “no way” regions – neighborhoods where safety was a concern. The search began. In the early stages, the goal was simple: explore all possibilities. On-line searches were conducted. Every time a “For rent” sign was posted it was investigated. Actives and alumni networked and worked tirelessly with students, landlords and the IFC. Despite the multifaceted effort, that task turned out to be much more difficult than expected, and the committee found nothing suitable. After months of work, the committee was set to give up the search and recommend renewal of the lease on the existing 4-man rental. However, in December, that all

16 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

changed. A member of the UC Administration (and a staunch Triangle supporter) was well-aware of the group’s housing search. She learned one of the fraternities on campus was struggling, and their alumni were considering “scaling back” for a few years to allow the Chapter to rebuild. She understood that they might be interested in renting out their house, and made a referral. The committee jumped on the opporunity. At first the property was not even on the search committees’ radar as its location was in “an area where there’s no prayer of an opportunity.” The Triangle committee and others toured the house, and it was unanimously viewed as beyond perfect for a wide variety of reasons, well beyond just the location. However, although a spectacular property, the group initially determined that its 23-man capacity was much too big.

and much discussion, alumni relied on their high level of confidence in the growing colony and decided to purchase the property if it ultimately became available. The immediate next step was a call to Jim Marshall from the Building and Loan Fund. There was a very long list of questions: Where do we begin? How does this work? What do we need to do? While many of the Cincinnati Triangle alumni had experience buying and financing residential property, no one had ever been part of buying a fraternity house. Jim, who has been through the process several times, was hugely helpful, and more than a little patient. He walked through what would happen at each step of the process, and provided advice on how and what to prepare. He also explained the many ways BLF could help, and what would need to be done to get their help.

More months passed as the other fraternity conducted their own deliberations. During that time, the housing committee got to work on a business plan, collecting all sorts of data, making plans and building forecasts. It was truly a group eﬀort, with both actives and alumni “knee-deep” in data and spreadsheets. Despite the fact that the owners hadn’t yet decided whether they were going to sell, some preliminary discussions were opened with local banks, and in all, seven banks were approached. Fortunately, two banks emerged from that process with a willingness to finance the purchase on reasonable terms. What made that possible was one of the valuable services oﬀered by BLF – a loan guarantee. In the early discussions, Jim Marshall stated that “we’ve never lost one of these deals because of risk”, and the guarantee program did just that for the Cincinnati deal. The banks were “in” because BLF was willing to provide backup. They both gave instructions to send the Purchase Agreement if/ when a deal came together to purchase the property. After months of work and a roller-coaster ride of “we’re probably selling/we’re probably not”, the owners finally made up their mind to sell. Actives and alumni were jubilant! Within a matter of days a Purchase Agreement was written and ultimately signed at a McDonalds restaurant on Saturday, April 20, 2013. Within a few weeks, the loan application had been approved at both banks, and the Alumni Board was in the fortunate position to be able to choose the best deal. A few more weeks of documentation and customary due diligence – including obtaining BLF signatures at the National Convention in Irvine – ultimately led to a final closing on July 30, 2013. Several Actives moved into the new UC Triangle house the next day.

Ed Spencer cin70 & Gary Bodnar pur76

“

Many actives describe the house as a ‘dream come true’. The same is true for alumni. But it is also a testament to what can be accomplished by the combined efforts of actives, alumni, and the National Organization. It’s not possible to fully express Cincinnati’s thanks to the many people that made this possible.” Cincinnati Alumni

Not even taken into initial consideration during the housing search, the new Cincinnati Triangle Chapter house sits just one block off campus.

John Phillips cin78 shaking hands to celebrate the purchase agreement for the new Cincinnati Chapter House.

Undergraduates and alumni gather at the closing to complete the purchase process.

Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 17

Welcome Home Cincinnati I

16 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

Ed Spencer cin70 & Gary Bodnar pur76

“

Not even taken into initial consideration during the housing search, the new Cincinnati Triangle Chapter house sits just one block off campus.

John Phillips cin78 shaking hands to celebrate the purchase agreement for the new Cincinnati Chapter House.

Undergraduates and alumni gather at the closing to complete the purchase process.

Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 17

CHAPTER NEWS

BUILDING & HOUSING

New Approach to Triangle Housing

Looking for more information about the Triangle Building & Housing Corporation? Look online!

www.triangle.org/ tbhc

trustees

he Triangle Building Loan Fund has been providing loans to buy or improve fraternity houses owned by local alumni organizations since the mid 1950’s. As part of this loan process, the BLF Trustees provide counsel and advice to the local alumni organizations on the feasibility of their housing projects. Our experience is that the alumni groups must have property management skills to be effective in providing the safe and attractive housing our Triangle members deserve. Because the local ownership housing model requires these property management skills, the Building Loan Fund encouraged the hiring of and supported the salary of the Alumni Services Director at the National Headquarters. We wanted to support and encourage strong alumni organizations. These alumni organizations are our clients. The Fund does not and cannot levy fees on the general membership to grow the assets of the Fund. By charging interest on the loans made to Triangle groups and by making prudent investments with the funds available to loan to local chapters, the assets of the Building Loan Fund have grown to more than $5.3 million. These assets include mortgages, real estate, deposits from house holding corporations, and marketable securities. To better serve the Fraternity a separate organization will be formed to administer the assets of the Building Loan Fund. The new organization will perform the same functions as the BLF, and it will provide additional services of property management and property ownership where those options are deemed appropriate by local alumni. The new organization will be called the Triangle Building and Housing Corporation (TBHC). When new Triangle Chapters are formed, they may not have an existing alumni organization in place to own or manage real estate. In new chapter situations, it may be appropriate for the Triangle Building and Housing Corporation

to take the lead in acquiring and managing a house for the Triangle members. This will be a local decision, but to serve the new chapters this may be an appropriate approach. To create new sources of revenue so that TBHC may further its purpose, property management services will be offered to our chapters. Most donations from Triangle alumni are directed to the fraternity national organization and the Triangle Education Foundation, rather than fraternity housing. The Triangle Building and Housing Corporation looks to generate income to improve Triangle’s housing capabilities by providing housing-related services. Services will be offered through partnerships with local chapters who desire to take advantage of what TBHC can offer to address each chapter’s unique circumstances. Triangle undergraduates can live together in university housing or in private housing on campus that brothers choose to share. Triangle housing on campus is not a requirement. However, if Triangle housing on campus is desired and is financially feasible, the local alumni now have the option of a locally owned house or a house owned by the Triangle Building and Housing Corporation. Management of a locally owned Triangle house by the Triangle Building and Housing Corporation is another option that may allow local alumni to focus on mentoring our undergraduate members as they develop future life skills. The model of a separate housing corporation on the national level has been adopted by several other fraternities and it is a typical model for sororities. The new Triangle Building and Housing Corporation makes this model available when local alumni want to make this choice. The new and separate non-profit organization enables Triangle to offer more options to its chapters and better manage the current assets. Richard F. Beaubien mich64

Chairman

Secretary/Treasurer

Assistant Secretary

Trustees

Trustee Emeritus

Richard F. Beaubien mich64

James R. Marshall pur65

Donald S. Hatfield msu88

John K. Malmquist wis72 Shawn G. Diedtrich minn90

James Hall Jones cin53

18 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

TRIgiving Food Drive Community service is something the Triangle’s University of California, Irvine (UCI) Chapter takes seriously. “By engaging in service events, such as food drives, we are able to establish closer relationships with the community around us,” chapter President Ryan Williams uci12 explains. For the last two years the UCI’s TRIgiving Food Drive has grown from collecting 4,000 lbs. of food and personal care items to over the course of a year to collecting over 3,200 lbs. in one academic quarter. All items collected are donated to the O.C. Food Bank who distribute goods and services to over 400,000 in-need individuals in Orange County, California. The TRIgiving Food Drive lasts for 2 days and all members participate in the event. During the Fall 2014 quarter the UCI Chapter worked to involve campus Greek Life on campus and made donating a competition amongst each organization. Even the university Greek Life Director, Mr. Brian Clarke, donated to the cause. In planning a large food drive, Ryan states, “Organization is very important!” In order to facilitate the competition between Greek organizations on campus the chapter began by drafting a document of rules between each participating organization, and showing that not only would the winner be receiving an engraved trophy, but also that their eﬀorts would help hungry families, starving children, and others in need. Within the chapter brothers are trained in proper ways to approach and to speak to potential donors. A facts, answer, and questions list is compiled and distributed to brothers so those interested can quickly receive an answer

UCI brothers load up cart after cart of donated food

“

Our world still has a long way to go with social development and the establishment of equal opportunity for all, but these small acts of kindness can make our world a better place, a little at a time.” Ryan Williams uci12

to any inquiry they have. “This is important because it builds our organization’s legitimacy to the cause. An event like this not only benefits the community but aids in our efforts to fight the stereotypes attached to the Greek Community.” Throughout the community service project, brothers are able to learn about themselves. By giving back to the community, brothers can learn how to be selfless, and how to put others in front of themselves. Several members of the UCI Chapter can relate to those who their cause assists. “Many of our brothers can relate to situations involving hardships in their lives where a simple gesture of kindness had the opportunity to make all the difference.” When the UCI Chapter was asked what advice they could offer other Triangle organizations looking to host a similar type event on their local campuses, there was no shortage of advice. “Don’t be afraid of trying different things out. We have gone through many different types of philanthropies to see where we have the most impact, and while our food drive was successful, we can make it even better so that even more people in need can benefit. And, have fun! While at first, getting members and other organizations motivated to invest themselves in this event may be difficult, it will come much easier if you can find a way to make it fun for everyone.” Ryan adds, “Our world still has a long way to go with social development and the establishment of equal opportunity for all, but these small acts of kindness can make our world a better place, a little at a time.” Ryan Williams uci12 Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 19

CHAPTER NEWS

BUILDING & HOUSING

New Approach to Triangle Housing

Looking for more information about the Triangle Building & Housing Corporation? Look online!

www.triangle.org/ tbhc

trustees

Chairman

Secretary/Treasurer

Assistant Secretary

Trustees

Trustee Emeritus

Richard F. Beaubien mich64

James R. Marshall pur65

Donald S. Hatfield msu88

John K. Malmquist wis72 Shawn G. Diedtrich minn90

James Hall Jones cin53

18 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

UCI brothers load up cart after cart of donated food

“

chapter news briefs Turkey Time at Armour Chapter Over 130 brothers and family members gather at the chapter house

Despite the mounting pressure of upcoming final exams and projects, the Armour Chapter always finds the time to pause and give thanks with family and friends. In November, more than 130 brothers, alumni, and family members gathered at the chapter house for the annual Thanksgiving Dinner. “It is a great chance to bring together alumni and family and have everyone see our house,” says former Chapter Pres-

To the Florida Atlantic Chapter, philanthropy and community service are staple activities for the organization. On campus many organizations host a Philanthropy Week similar to how other campuses would host a Greek Week. This year the brothers of the FAU Chapter joined in and hosted their first ever Tri-angel Pageant. “Community service and helping others helps one realize how good we have it,” says Erik Leili fau13. Participants of the Tri-angel Pageant included every FAU brother and new member, contestants from campus sororities, and other FAU students and faculty. By the conclusion of the event, the FAU chapter had raised $1,000 in charitable donations to give to Habitat for Humanity. But the Tri-angel Pageant isn’t the only philanthropy and community ser-

20 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

ident Hans Griese ar11. “It is a unique opportunity to have our families eating with the chapter. Often times, families have limited interaction with the fraternity. They don’t get a chance to come around and spend some time in a chapter environment. With this event, they do.” Armour has been hosting Thanksgiving Dinner for at least eighteen years with all food served fresh and prepared in house by Armour’s chef of over thir-

Does your organization have news to publish in the next issue of the Triangle REVIEW? Tell us about it! Email editor@triangle.org.

ty-five years, Bob Patten ar01. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to set our chef Bob loose and have some delicious food,” chuckles Hans. When asked for a couple of tips Armour might have for other chapters looking to host a similar event there was no shortage of advice. “Start early,” quickly stated Hans. “If families can plan more than a month ahead for the event, it drastically increases their chances of coming. Make everything nice, and don’t cut corners. Get table cloths for tables. Brothers should be in badge attire. And lastly, make sure your chapter wants to do it. The worst thing to try is an event that only a few members are supportive of.” And the best part about the chapter Thanksgiving meal? “What’s particularly nice for brothers is it introduces their real family to their college family and our brotherhood.” Hans Griese ar11

FAU’s Inaugural Philanthropy Week Brothers pose to show their Triangle pride and celebrate the chapter’s week-long efforts

vice the chapter participates in over the course of the academic year. FAU Triangle also lends a hand at the local Habitat for Humanity, and participates in days of service, supply drives, and other events hosted by various campus organizations. In the end, Erik and the FAU members say all their hard work and dedication to the community is worth it. “Being involved with the community

helps us stay humble and give to others what they cannot do for themselves. Community Service helps our chapter build lifelong friendships as well as forcing us to learn the importance of stability and keeping a solid foundation to walk on. This fosters the growth of our character as a chapter and as individual men.” Erik Leili fau13

Chapter Goal: A Social Event with Every Greek Organization

Brothers of Triangle Fraternity and sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority While many Triangle chapters host formals and socials with other Greek Organizations on their campuses, the Cal Poly Pomona Chapter has taken Greek engagement to a whole new level. Starting in Spring of 2013 the chapter set a goal to participate in a social event with every Panhellenic sorority by the end of 2014. Chapter President Kurt Paul cpp13 explains why this goal was set. “After initiating into the Brotherhood in Spring of 2013, I started to notice no one seemed to know who or what Triangle is. They mostly thought Triangle

was an honor society or a club,” Kurt explains. “My primary goal as External Vice President was to promote the name of our brotherhood, Triangle, by campus involvement.” Working diligently, the chapter gathered contact information from everyone in the Greek Community – not just sororities - who was in charge of chapter philanthropic events, community service, and mixers. Utilizing their connections the chapter began to participate in almost every philanthropy, community service, and spirit week event of other Greek

Standards of Excellence Success At the start of the 2012-13 school year, the UCLA chapter encountered a problem. Chapter involvement with Greek Life had hit a speed bump and chapter oﬃcers were seated face-to-face with the Director of Greek Life searching for ways to improve the chapter’s Standards of Excellence. UCLA’s Standards of Excellence (SOE) is a holistic evaluation system that assesses Greek chapters in terms of membership development, chapter management, campus involvement and policy compliance.

After failing to meet the requirements needed to pass the evaluation in 2012, the UCLA Chapter set two simple, but far reaching goals: increased member involvement in campus activities and better documentation of chapter policies. Internal organization was a key first step in undertaking these goals. “We created a new position by the name of SOE Chair,” Ankit Mehta ucla13 explains. “Having a Chair to host a weekly progress review, document all SOE events that the chapter has participated in over the year, and to inform our executive board about opportunities to participate

organizations. The chapter also found a successful formula which helped event attendance and planning run smoothly. “Being persistent, having a committee, knowing your calendar, planning in advance, and promotion are key,” Kurt advises. “Killing them with kindness” is another successful tip and key to future success. “Sometimes organizations may be hesitant to deal with us for various reasons but once you get past that and host the event, make sure all the brothers are being gentlemen. The more gentlemanly we are, the better of an image we’ll leave with others. This tip is extremely important because if you do this right, this will provide more possibilities for future events either with the same sorority or others.” After hosting a variety of events from pajama parties to renting an inflatable bounce-house the Cal Poly chapter not only successfully spread a positive image of Triangle through the Greek Community as a whole but successfully achieved their goal of total sorority involvement. But Kurt states there’s more work to be done. “Even after accomplishing that, there is still and will always be room for improvement. Our next step, at Cal Poly Pomona, is to do the same with NonGreek organizations.” Kurt Paul cpp13

in SOE events made a huge difference.” With internal coordination no longer an issue, that chapter began to take advantage of the opportunities other campus Greek organizations offered, eventually placing 3rd in Greek Week competition. The chapter also found themselves presented with more opportunities to host Greek events themselves. After a renewed focus and dedication, the UCLA Chapter was named the Greek Community’s Most Improved Chapter in 2014. Today the UCLA chapter continues to learn from past struggles and make a difference in the UCLA Greek Community. Ankit Mehta ucla 13 Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 21

chapter news briefs Turkey Time at Armour Chapter Over 130 brothers and family members gather at the chapter house

20 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

Does your organization have news to publish in the next issue of the Triangle REVIEW? Tell us about it! Email editor@triangle.org.

FAU’s Inaugural Philanthropy Week Brothers pose to show their Triangle pride and celebrate the chapter’s week-long efforts

Chapter Goal: A Social Event with Every Greek Organization

CHAPTER NEWS

Triangle & Phi Sigma Rho Host Regional Conference

An Emphasis on Scholarship Br. Cole Hutchins kan13 hits the books

Brothers with National Council President Jeff T. Weikinger tol97 (third from right) Triangle brothers and Phi Sigma Rho sisters await the start of an education session

In an eﬀort to bring leadership programs to the doorsteps of our local chapters and colonies across the country, the University of Michigan Chapter was gracious enough to host one of four Regional Leadership Conferences during the Fall 2014 academic term. “Our goal was to bring a national event into our school in order to expose everyone in our chapter to what national programming has to oﬀer, as well as to allow our entire chapter to meet brothers from other chapters, which is an extremely valuable part of being a brother in Triangle,” explains former Chapter President Joe Oliver mich11. The Michigan Chapter also accomplished a first by hosting not only a conference for Triangle men, but one for the sisters of Phi Sigma Rho Sorority as well. Together the two organizations hosted over 100 brothers, sisters, and guests and gained some professional experience

from hosting such a large event. “We worked with a much larger group than most of us have before and the task of coordinating the event was much larger than any project any of us have ever worked on before. It was challenging to coordinate so many people at such a large event, but it was very exciting to see it go oﬀ without a hitch,” says Joe. “Hosting with Phi Sigma Rho also offered a diﬀerent perspective in planning the events, and hopefully an experience that bolstered the relationship between our two organizations.” In the end, the local Triangle and Phi Sigma Rho chapters are confident that the event exposed brothers and sisters to life skills that extend beyond classroom experiences and will be key to career success. Joe Oliver mich11

Utah Colony Continues to Flourish Since the founding of the Utah Colony of Triangle a year ago, this young organization has grown by leaps and bounds. Hovering just under the 30 man mark required to obtain chapter status, the colony has developed a sense of camaraderie, developed a strong brotherhood, and even purchased a house. “Having a house on the row has been an amazing catalyst to the success of Utah Triangle. A central location right on campus means anyone can show up at the house between classes and hang for a bit or get some homework done,” says Utah Colony President Trevor Teerlink. “The live-ins have also established good relations with sororities, and girls often come over to do homework, and consequently come to most of our events.” However, property alone does not build a strong brotherhood and the Utah brothers recognize this. Trevor explains having a common interest and

22 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

accountability. By setting up a Google Doc brothers were able to check in and out of study hours and note the physical location where they were studying. This information aided the scholarship chair in checking up on brothers to make sure everything digitally reported was happening in reality. Also, lessons such as hosting sessions on how to take notes in class and proper study habits were included in the push to improve the chapter’s scholastic performance. Outside of the nuts and bolts, a goal was set: a chapter GPA of 3.2 by the end of the Spring 2014. “We knew that raising our GPA goal to a 3.5 would be a near impossible task, however, by setting our goal to a 3.2 and raising our study hour system to accompany this, we were able to exceed our goal and achieve a 3.4,” states Hayden Kaustinen kan13. Accomplishing this, however, didn’t occur by just throwing resources and

policies at the problem. Learning how to enforce the policy and confront brothers about their scholastic habits was a big issue. “People in the scholarship program are your friends and people you live with and at first it was really hard to be confrontational towards them when they missed their study hours,” explains Hayden. “I had to get into the mindset that this was for their best interest and being strict reflected real-life expectations they would face after college.” Through it all the eﬀort and hard work has been worth it. “The feeling of success in general is great and knowing that you are helping your fellow brothers live up to their potential is awesome.” Hayden Kaustinen kan13

Chapter Eternal

goals along with friendship is what has allowed the group to flourish. “We have established our fraternity as a group of motivated rock climbers, canyoneering enthusiasts, mountain bikers, and religious skiers and snowboarders. It is these activities that allow deep rooted friendship, and foster personal growth.” As the Utah Colony continues to develop, the men of the organization continue to work hard to achieve their future goals: initiate eight more men in January, apply for chapter status, and continue growing to reach the size of 50 members. Why 50? “We have noted that 50 members is the size of ‘critical mass’ and the power of numbers will keep Utah Triangle active for decades to come.” Trevor Teerlink, Utah Colony

Triangle is often labeled the “smart house” on campuses. This stereotype is true of the Triangle Chapter at the University of Kansas, but at one time there was a problem with that label. “Our GPA was below a 3.0,” confesses Culin Thompson kan13. “In addition we were hearing about countless individuals being placed on probation threatened of having their scholarship revoked.” It was apparent a change of philosophy was needed within the Kansas Chapter. Scholastic improvement quickly became a priority for the chapter. “We knew through prior new policy implementation that our Chapter was motivated by seeing new policies and written plans changing the house for the better, so our first step was to generate a full written policy that explained every detail of the new scholarship program,” explains Culin. Some of the main keys to Kansas’ scholarship policy was enforcement and

Armour

Michigan State

Ohio State

David D. Pasik ar49 June 4, 2013

Richard A. Kilby msu58 December 15, 2013

Daniel Woerner os66 November 19, 2014

Charlotte

Minnesota * Richard H. Sudheimer minn52 December 9, 2014

Courtney Gardner rit84 April 23, 2014

James Polk char09 November 20, 2014

Sticking true to their adventurous ways, Utah Brothers enjoy the great outdoors

RIT

Clarkson

Missouri Mines

SDM

Jarnot Troyer cl59 August 30, 2014

Ralph Neubert mom40 January 10, 2010

Dean A. Davidson sdm55 October 21, 2014

Illinois

Nebraska

UCLA

Bruce A. Cook ill53 October 7, 2014

Michael Meineke neb71 April 5, 2014

Lawrence Pesetski ucla67 September 10, 2012

Kansas

Northwestern

William M. Joyce kan48 April 6, 2014

Thaddeus Dewolf nu38 September 15, 2014

*Do you have a memory or quote from Br. Sudheimer you’d like to share? Please email editor@triangle.org for a future tribute article in the Spring 2015 Triangle REVIEW. Winter 2015 \ Triangle REVIEW | 23

CHAPTER NEWS

Triangle & Phi Sigma Rho Host Regional Conference

An Emphasis on Scholarship Br. Cole Hutchins kan13 hits the books

Brothers with National Council President Jeff T. Weikinger tol97 (third from right) Triangle brothers and Phi Sigma Rho sisters await the start of an education session

22 | Triangle REVIEW / Winter 2015

Chapter Eternal

Armour

Michigan State

Ohio State

David D. Pasik ar49 June 4, 2013

Richard A. Kilby msu58 December 15, 2013

Daniel Woerner os66 November 19, 2014

Charlotte

Minnesota * Richard H. Sudheimer minn52 December 9, 2014

Courtney Gardner rit84 April 23, 2014

James Polk char09 November 20, 2014

Sticking true to their adventurous ways, Utah Brothers enjoy the great outdoors

RIT

Clarkson

Missouri Mines

SDM

Jarnot Troyer cl59 August 30, 2014

Ralph Neubert mom40 January 10, 2010

Dean A. Davidson sdm55 October 21, 2014

Illinois

Nebraska

UCLA

Bruce A. Cook ill53 October 7, 2014

Michael Meineke neb71 April 5, 2014

Lawrence Pesetski ucla67 September 10, 2012

Kansas

Northwestern

William M. Joyce kan48 April 6, 2014

Thaddeus Dewolf nu38 September 15, 2014

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