March 2010 · XCVII · Issue 3
Cross & Crescent a Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity publication Features
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Chapter News Chapter news, alumni news, and report of death.
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History Mr. Henry ‘Hank’ Iba
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True Brother Another Major Milestone |
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Fraternity News 53rd General Assembly Details
A Tradition of Excellence Today the Alpha-Lambda chapter at Oregon State University as more than 70 active brothers, including the IFC president. Installed in 1917 and later united with the local Theta Kappa Nu chapter, this Inner Circle chapter boasts five Order of Merit recipients and a countless number of other successful alumni. By Jon Williamson
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Gone but Never Forgotten Lambda Chi Alpha’s journey at Susquehanna University began with a group of 12 men on September 9, 1914, when the Bond and Key Club was formed. Forty-three years later the Iota-Eta chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha was established and during its 36 years many successful brothers were added to the chapter’s roster. By Jon Williamson
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Credits
Pep Boys CEO A former Alpha-Pi chapter treasurer at Denver, Michael Odell has taken his Lambda Chi undergraduate experiences and successfully applied them to his career opportunities. After a positive experience at Sears, Roebuck and Co., he is now applying his leadership skills to Pep Boys Auto, which operates 570 stores and approximately 6,000 service bays in 35 states and Puerto Rico. By Chris Barrick Contributions Content for consideration should be submitted by the 20th of the month.
Publisher: Bill Farkas Editor: Tad Lichtenauer Assistant Editor: Chris Barrick Illustrator: Jeff Reisdorfer Thomas Roberts Photographer: Walt Moser Assignment Editor: Jon Williamson Historian: Mike Raymond Contributing Editors: Jono Hren Bob McLaughlin George Spasyk
Lambda Chi Alpha 8741 Founders Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46268-1338 (317) 872-8000 editor@lambdachi.org www.lambdachi.org www.crossandcrescent.com
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A Tradition of Excellence Today the Alpha-Lambda chapter at Oregon State University has more than 70 active brothers, including the IFC president.
By Jon Williamson (Maryland)
I’m holding a penny postcard dated February 28, 1917, addressed to John E. Mason, Jr., 251 South 44th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On the back it reads, “Announce in P.G.G. [Purple Green & Gold] Umatilla Club of Oregon Agr. [Agricultural] College will be installed as Alpha Lambda Zeta of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity on Mar 2–34, 1917.” There is no signature. A piece of brotherhood history preserved. Leo Haw (1916), Karl Eaton, and Clayton Strain (1915) were graduates of Pendleton High School and arrived together on the Oregon State University (or Oregon Agricultural College [OAC] as it was then known) campus in September 1912. They signed a lease on a house for a year. By the fall of the next year they had moved to a different house, forming a men’s club that slept and fed 10 men, and it was called Umatilla because six of the men were from Umatilla County, Oregon. The men in the club were very active on campus and achieved academic successes. In 1974, Clayton Strain wrote his recollections of the history in those early days, admitting to concern about the injuries and deaths that had been occurring throughout the country during fraternity Hell Weeks.
Theta Kappa Nu And, the story continues…….. Twenty-one men (called the ‘originals’), all veterans of World War I, met on the Oregon State campus in January 1921 to take the first step of the organization known as the Ares Club, which was named for the Greek god of war. The club stressed patriotism and actual service in World War I as a requirement for membership and upheld ideals of loyalty to country and school, service to others and mutual helpfulness.
“By April ’16, we decided to petition Lambda Chi Alpha. I had arranged a meeting with Dr. Dubach who was in charge of clubs and fraternities for C. K. Powell (1916) [president of the Umatilla Club at the time of petition] and one or two others to see what help he could give us in choosing the right kind of a fraternity. This fraternity (Lambda Chi Alpha) was organized as a reform fraternity to break away from torture hazing and return to fraternal ideals. It was new with something over 20 chapters. There was no doubt but Dr. Dubach would approve it enthusiastically.”
On November 17, 1922, the Ares Club was granted a local charter by the school and became the Psi Chi fraternity and joined the Interfraternity Council (IFC). The early members were active in organizations outside of the fraternity, varsity sports, student body officers, ROTC, and thirty were members of honorary fraternities.
To Clayton Strain went the honor of being Alpha-Lambda 1. He recollected, “I was initiated at Cornell University with arrangements being made by future Grand High Alpha Ernst J. C. Fischer (Cornell 1910). I remember attending the Boston Convention in the summer of ’16. EJC Fischer was a most active leader.”
Forty-seven members of the Psi Chi local fraternity were received into Theta Kappa Nu on May 17, 1930. Donald F. Lybarger (Gettysburg 1919), who would later become the Grand Archon of Theta Kappa Nu, was the installing officer. The chapter struggled and became dormant for about one and a half years until merging in 1934 with Prokyon, a local fraternity which had been founded in 1925. This merger brought stability to the chapter. Five years later the Lambda Chi and Theta Kappa Nu chapters united as a result of the merger of the two national fraternities.
Brother Strain also remembered the first chapter president, Theodore P. Cramer (1918). “His ability as a leader and organizer put the new Zeta on its feet and gave it an early start toward attaining the standards of Lambda Chi Alpha, and he was also student body president.”
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Gerry Reese (1974) joined the chapter in September of 1970. “I joined that fall, going through formal rush. I felt very comfortable with the men, and I met Bill Deeks and Dennis Zerba (1971) who were both a very positive influence. At the time we had 35 to 40 members and our pledge group was about 35, so we had close to 70 living in the house. Our men were from all over Oregon and several were from out of state. The next three years leading up to the chapter’s first Grand High Alpha Award were very busy and very challenging. All of the members were very active on the campus, including IFC, and we made changes and implemented new ideas. Our brothers worked hard and showed a lot of pride. My best memories were the house dances, late-night bull sessions, and making plans for life.”
Order of Merit Recipients Five chapter brothers have been awarded the Order of Merit from Lambda Chi Alpha, emblematic of “unusual, lengthy, and dedicated service — particularly at the local chapter level”: William K. Deeks (1970) in 2004, Victor L. Goodnight (1926) in 1956, David R. Long (1927) in 1973, Gerald A. Reese (1974) in 1978, and Lynn P. Sabin (1920) in 1968. This speaks volumes to the stability of the chapter through the years and underscores how the chapter has received the Grand High Alpha Award “indicating superior operations and fraternal spirit” in 1974, 1984, 1988, and 1997. I spoke with the chapter’s current High Pi, David Leathers (California State-Fresno 1982) to gain an understanding of the chapter’s success. “Having visited close to 180 chapters in my service to Lambda Chi as a chapter consultant, I found that some chapters built a higher standard and they didn’t settle for something lower; Alpha-Lambda is such a chapter. They won’t settle for just being average...they want to be out front. They are teachable, which is a volunteer’s dream. Oregon State is a solid chapter because they have a fantastic tradition of operating and doing everything better than everyone else. They are solid financially, have good academics, and enjoy a great alumni service tradition. Our alums remain loyal to the university, and our chapter has a long-standing tradition of three to five legacies joining every year. The chapter started as a supper club with individuals who lived hours away on the far side of the state and the chapter became a home to the men.”
I wanted to know about alumni involvement with the chapter. “The chapter has always had significant alumni involvement. Bill Deeks has been a strong influence for many years. We come back because of the influence of brothers who came before us. I think of Dave Long (1947) and brothers who were involved in the construction of our chapter house. Victor Goodnight was involved in obtaining the property on which the present chapter house is situated. Lynn Sabin (1920) was very involved in planning and organizing the ’72 convention, which was held in Portland. Clayton Strain changed Umatilla into Lambda Chi. Strain had a vision and made a very generous gift to set up a scholarship fund in the 1980s, which has been added to by others. Today, it generates $35–40,000 a year in scholarships.” Diversity & Alumni Support Josh Raines is the current High Alpha, and spent the fall quarter on an internship in England. “We have been accepted as an Inner Circle chapter and continue to implement it, which is challenging to meet the criteria. Dave Leathers has been pushing us in a positive direction with community involvement and philanthropy. Our chapter has about 70 brothers and we will have five new associate members by the time this article is published. We have a very active chapter, winning intramurals in various sports and overall in 2008. One brother is on the varsity soccer team and another plays lacrosse. Chris Lejion is
Frequently, volunteers want to know how an individual gets involved in the role of chapter adviser. “I’m smiling because I had heard that George Spasyk (Michigan 1949) [executive vice president emeritus of Lambda Chi Alpha] would be in town as the keynote speaker at the chapter’s 90th anniversary celebration,” Leathers says. “Having recently transferred in my job, I called him and asked him to meet me for lunch, but instead he invited me to the banquet. Well, I went and while I was chatting with people, George told everyone they needed a High Pi. The rest is history as I took the position in 2006.”
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FEATURE ‘30s; Clay Myers (Oregon 1949) [former Grand High Alpha] who, although initiated at the University of Oregon, was frequently at our chapter, and all of the men who worked so diligently to keep us on the straight and narrow. Bill Deeks was a huge asset.” Dave adds, “I remember Clayton Strain who made a one-time gift of $150,000 to the chapter through the Oregon State University Foundation and all of the brothers who have benefited from his generosity. His son Doug, who was initiated as an honorary member, founded Electro-Scientific Industries (ESI) in Beaverton, Oregon. Our housemother, Ms. Briggs, was selected as Lambda Chi Alpha’s 1980 Housemother of the Year and was very influential in the house. She insisted upon manners and basic civility, and today the alumni still talk about Mrs. B.” Gerry Reese mentioned during our conversation that a number of sisters of Lambda Chis ended up married to chapter brothers. He mentioned his two sisters, Norma who married Damon McCauley (1974) after meeting at Gerry’s wedding and Sarah who married John Sommer (1974). In addition, Dennis Zerba’s sister Debbie married Doug Hallander (1971); Craig Roenicke’s (1976) sister Claudia married Dennis Zerba; and Larry Cartier’s (1974) sister Linda married Mark Borquist (1974). What makes this very interesting is that this tradition began when Clayton Strain’s sister Hazel (president of the Sigma Kappa chapter) married a Lambda Chi, Willette B. Murray (1921), a brother in the chapter.
active in NROTC; Geoff Jenks, a former High Alpha, is vice president of judicial of IFC; and Kevin Aguas is president of the IFC.” The question for every successful chapter is, “Why do good men keep joining?” “They join because of our brotherhood. We are a diverse group who are very accepting of one another. The house offers so many opportunities to improve yourself. We are selective in who we recruit and look for men with solid values. We recruit all year round with summer recruitment being the largest. Two of our brothers recruit incoming freshmen all summer in the Portland area beginning mid-June and in return, the chapter gives them a room in the house plus they have a rush budget with which to work. They call the rushees and meet with them for lunch and invite them to rush events such as paintball, camping, and rafting. All of the members in the chapter attend these events, and we work with alumni throughout the state, including cookouts which are held at their homes.”
A quote by Robert M. Hamill (TKN #2 and Alpha-Lambda #343) portrays an example of the love of brotherhood that is Lambda Chi Alpha, “Another disabled veteran of this group [Ares] that should be memorialized by all Oregon State Lambda Chi Alphas was Theodore A. Squires, a member who passed away shortly after the end of World War I. He left the substantial nucleus of the local Theta Kappa Nu’s large building fund through the bequest of his $10,000 Service Life Insurance policy. This was considered a large amount in those days and it generated the substantial fund that passed dowry-wise to the local chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha.”
I continue to ask how good alumni are created. “Officers are elected the first week of January, and then go on a retreat with an established itinerary and map out what they want to accomplish during the coming year. We set goals including grades, recruitment, involvement and philanthropy. We put up posters around the house to remind the brothers, continually communicating with all of the brothers. We take Ritual very seriously, and the mood of the house changes during ritual week. Older brothers make it a great experience and give back to the new brothers. Practice it and it is totally memorized. We keep it alive through explanations in post-Ritual sessions and ask the new initiates how we can improve activities during I-week, and continually talk about it. In other words, the outstanding alumni are created as a result of a great undergraduate experience, from start to finish. Alumni are the backbone of the chapter. Bill Deeks is constantly helping everyone; another alum helps with Ritual; a few assist with recruitment; many visit the house and others help with renovations.”
May that love of our great fraternity last forever. Dave Leathers thought that a perfect title for this article would be, “Tradition of Excellence” and he was right.
I spoke with John Meland (1975) and David Sulmonetti (1984), each of whom served as High Alpha during a year in which the Grand High Alpha Award was received. John remembers the chapter, “We had a great group of alumni and I loved meeting the men from the Photo by Dennis Zerba www.crossandcrescent.com
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FEATURE
Gone but Never Forgotten Lambda Chi Alpha’s journey at Susquehanna University began with a group of 12 men on September 9, 1914, when the Bond and Key Club was formed.
By Jon Williamson (Maryland)
Lambda Chi Alpha’s journey on the Susquehanna University campus began with a group of 12 men, half of whom were day-students, on September 9, 1914, when the Bond and Key Club was formed. This made it the oldest fraternity on the campus. John F. Harkins (1915) was the first president of Bond and Key. Brother Harkins was the Pastor Emeritus of Grace Lutheran Church, former president of Susquehanna University’s Board of Directors and a member of the Board of the National Lutheran Home for Aged in Washington, D.C. The early members were patriotic and loyal to the university. Lt. Ralph Witmer (1915) and Lt. Ralph Woodruff (1920) both served in the U.S. Army during World War I. Percy Linebaugh (1916) returned to the university after graduation and became part of the music faculty. The chosen occupations for many of those early members were education and the clergy. The 1920s and 1930s were marked with expanded social activities including party nights with table games and sandwiches, dances, banquets, and ‘smokers’ during rush. In 1924 the house at 309 W. Walnut was expanded and refurbished. During the 43 years of Bond and Key’s existence its membership grew to over 650 members and its members dominated activities and leadership positions on the campus including the ever-expanding intercollegiate sports competition. Lambda Chi Affiliation After World War II ended, the university experienced significant growth as did Bond and Key. Subsequently, the members decided that affiliation with a national fraternity would be a correct direction. The Iota-Eta Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha was installed on Saturday, April 27, 1957, by the degree team of the University of Maryland-College Park.
Annapolis, Maryland, and Bruce Ficken (1970), attorney in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, currently serve in that capacity. Barry had a very positive experience as a Lambda Chi. “I joined as a second semester freshman. I was from Philadelphia and had been raised in a single parent home. I picked Lambda Chi because they were good guys and I lived in the fraternity house for the next three years. It was a meaningful experience, with the fraternity becoming my family. I participated in all of the activities of the fraternity, which was a sports oriented group of men. It was a wonderful time to be in a fraternity. I had more fun in college than I deserved to have, meeting my wife who was a member of Alpha Delta Pi, and getting an excellent education. School was a great place to learn and grow, maintain friendships, and meet men who would become successful in business. It was a home away from home. One particular thing I remember about Lambda Chi was Greek Sing. One year we reluctantly entered the competition. The brother in charge
The first chapter president was Donald R. Boyer (1959). The first group of Lambda Chis was diverse and included class presidents, varsity men, members of the Dean’s List, members of the marching band, members of the newspaper and yearbook staffs, president of the Student Council, and Richard Purnell (1958), a Little All-American in football who would later be an assistant coach at Susquehanna for 15 years. This excellence of members continued for the next 40 years. Throughout the past 90 years, members of Bond and Key and Lambda Chi Alpha have served on the Susquehanna University Board of Trustees. Barry Jackson (1968), principal of Portshire Inc. in
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Scholarship Fund Announced
Barry Jackson (Susquehanna 1968), a member of the Susquehanna University Board of Trustees, and a few other brothers have helped establish a scholarship fund using the proceeds and subsequent investments from the sale of the chapter house to the university. This fund will now be used to benefit children of Lambda Chis who attend Susquehanna.
at summer football camp. His name is Jim Hall (1968), and we remain best friends to this day. I am his son’s godfather and he is my oldest son’s godfather. He and I were also on the baseball team together.” Having the stadium named for your service and generosity to the University must have been an unforgettable moment. “It is a thrill to walk into the stadium. It is mind boggling to see my name at the top of the stadium. I remember walking off the football field with Coach Briggs in the ‘90s lamenting the lack of grass and thinking to myself this has to change. We now have a stadium of which everyone can be proud. It was my privilege recently to donate a JumboTron scoreboard to the school. I am very committed to this fine University, which provided me with such an outstanding education. I owe so much to my coaches and to the school. My son was showing my grandson, who shares my name, a picture of the stadium. Later my grandson told me that he owns a stadium. The next time we visited the stadium he showed me ‘his’ name on it. The dedication ceremony was such a wonderful moment. I remember my oldest grandson, Kyle, placing his shovel on the ground to move some dirt and then my mother attending the first game in the stadium with me. I have been very blessed in my life and I am thankful to have the opportunity to pay back to this fine school.”
was a real taskmaster and made us practice every day. The song we sang was ‘Three Blind Mice.’ Unbelievably, we won!” Kevin John Akner (1985) was the 2000 recipient of the Susquehanna University Young Alumni Award. “I have owned my own construction business since 1985. I loved being a member of Lambda Chi. I joined the fraternity as a freshman and moved into the fraternity house in my sophomore year. The house held 42 men. I was very busy in school, being a varsity wrestler for four years in addition to being the House Manager. I enjoyed working around the fraternity house. I built a wrap-around porch and rebuilt the chapter room which also served as the Ritual room. The membership blossomed to over 100 men due primarily to a president who was very active and totally committed to the chapter’s well being. During my time in the fraternity, the ritualist decided that the Ritual would be completely memorized. This decision raised the spirits within the house and we had 20 brothers on Ritual teams. It was an awesome, fabulous experience. You wouldn’t think young men could understand it, but they did. We were fun guys, but everyone turned serious during Ritual week, because it was sacred. I put some of it into my wedding vows. I will always remember it.” Nicholas Lopardo Stadium In 2000 the Nicholas Lopardo (1968) Stadium was dedicated at Susquehanna University. This former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University and former vice chairman of the State Street Corp. and CEO of State Street Global Advisors had a wonderful fraternity experience. “My experience was nothing but positive. I made dear friends. The house was populated with athletes, and many of the football athletes chose to pledge. It turned out to be very special for me since I roomed with a man I met on the first day www.crossandcrescent.com
No new memories are being built by the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter at Susquehanna University since it closed in 1993. Perhaps in the future a group of men at Susquehanna, dedicated to true brotherhood and feeling something lacking in their education, will rekindle the flame.
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter News Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death Alabama (Alpha-Phi)
Arizona State (Zeta-Psi Colony)
The house has continued to put large numbers of young men into the house.
The colony added 13 associate members this spring, increasing the colony’s size by 35 percent.
Chapter Vice President Sam Solomon helped the brothers organize a fundraising event for Haiti.
The colony continues its volunteer program at the local Lincoln Elementary School in Mesa, Arizona, where the brothers act as tutors and mentors for grades K-6.
The chapter has many brothers involved in different honor societies on campus, including Order of Omega and Order of Alpha. John Hails, Josh Roberts and Alex Currenton are involved with stewards, which is a university recruiting service.
The chapter participated in the Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research Walk-a-thon on February 27, 2010, and will be participating in the Lord of the Wings on March 6, 2010, benefiting Best Buddies.
Jacob Forehand is a member of the university debate team, which is currently nationally ranked.
Alabama-Birmingham (Sigma-Chi)
Led by the chapter’s Fraternity educator Rocky Sands, the colony has been serenading on campus to build its reputation as the classiest and most creative fraternity on campus. One serenade resulted in us winning a vote for a social with Delta Zeta.
On Thursday, January 28, 2010, Sigma-Chi Zeta held a blood drive with the Red Cross and raised more than 40 units of blood to be sent to Haiti.
On February 5, 2010, the chapter held a “Hope for Haiti Auction” and auctioned off several brothers and notable members of the UAB community and raised more than $500 to send to Haiti.
Arkansas (Gamma-Chi)
On January 23, 2010, the chapter initiated 36 new brothers, upping the chapter roll to 2,195.
On March 11, 2010 the chapter will be holding a “Swing for the Cure” charity golf tournament with Susan G Komen at the Highland Park Golf Club.
The chapter added 10 new associate members on Bid Day, which was March 1, 2010.
Alumni Chairman William Taylor was elected IFC President
The Alumni Spring Tailgate will take place April 17, 2010, and will include grilling at Baums Stadium before the baseball game against the University of Kentucky.
Chapter President Alex Roberts was elected vice president of the UAB Democrats.
The chapter’s held its annual Mom’s Day on February 27, 2010.
Tripp Ference, an associate member, was selected to the Early Medical Schools Acceptance Program at UAB.
Atlanta Area Alumni Association
The alumni association held its first event of the year on February 9, 2010. They had an excellent attendance as the core membership continues to grow. In the crowd were brothers representing schools from the West Coast, East Coast, North and South. They also had a wide range of careers represented from the younger brothers to small business owners to corporate executives. Future events include: March 10 – Regional Alumni Event 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at The Buckhead Club, presented by Lambda Chi Alpha National
Cyril Balibit was elected IFC vice president-internal and Kevin Smith was elected IFC vice president-recruitment.
Akron (Gamma-Alpha)
Gary Horning (1980) served as the chairman of the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society in 2009, the society’s 100th anniversary. This society is the largest technical organization in the tire and rubber industry. www.crossandcrescent.com
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CHAPTER NEWS Fraternity; May 18 – Quarterly Happy Hour 6–8 p.m. at Ansley Golf Club; August 10 – Quarterly Happy Hour 6–8 p.m. at Ansley Golf Club; November 9 – Quarterly Happy Hour 6–8 p.m. at Ansley Golf Club. For more information, contact Brian O’Hern at brian.ohern@ msn.com for more information.
The chapter is making plans for its annual Teeter-Totter Week, which runs from March 21-27, 2010.
Cal State-Northridge (Beta-Rho)
Jim Wirosko (1976) died February 4, 2010. He worked at Warner Bros. in the 1990s as an assistant chief lighting electrician. His movie credits include “Batman & Robin” (1997), “Executive Decision” (1996), “Batman Forever” (1995) and “Dave” (1993). He also worked as a best boy and gaffer for various TV shows WB produced in the 1980s. During the 2000s, he managed the staff that worked for three-time Oscar-winning make-up designer Ve Neill whose credits include the three “Pirates of the Caribbean” films (2003-0607), “Sweeney Todd” (2007), “Eragon” (2006) and “Artificial Intelligence” (2001). Wirosko ran a non-profit organization devoted to safaris in North America and abroad. He was an avid big game hunter. His son, James, is a Lambda Chi legacy who attends the University of California-Riverside.
Auburn (Omega)
Reggie Gilbert was elected chapter adviser at the beginning of the 2009 fall semester. On August 22, 2010, The Omega Club Board passed a motion to fund the “3 for 3 Associate Member Scholarship.” The chapter’s Fall 2009 GPA was 2.77, sixth among fraternities and above the all-male average of 2.74. For 2009, LCA finished with 1,548 points and in second place for the All-Sports Trophy. This was the second year in a row that the chapter finished in second place.
Cal State-Fresno (Iota-Gamma)
The chapter’s alumni association would like to receive updated contact information. Please go to the Fresno State Lambda Chi Alpha Facebook page to provide updates.
Andy Hartley died November 5, 2009. For years, He was a leader among the chapter’s alumni. Jim Waters (1960) died January 11, 2010. He was an essential component to building The Omega Club and to building a new home for Lambda Chi Alpha.
California-San Diego (Pi-Beta)
The chapter matched its most successful recruitment quarter ever by adding 15 new associate members and is hoping to add to these numbers in the upcoming spring recruitment.
Boston (Alpha)
Chapter brothers have offered free hot chocolate to anyone who walks by their table in the middle of campus. The service has generated great publicity for the chapter and is a fun way to market Lambda Chi Alpha.
The chapter elected and will hold the Officer Installation Ceremony on March 7, 2010.
California-Santa Barbara (Zeta-Eta Colony)
New Chapter President Sam Jaquish recently reiterated his commitment to advance the colony towards chartering. “One of the greatest joys of belonging to this fraternity is the knowledge that you are an organized force participating in a group that works to better the lives of all members of our community.”
Bradley (Kappa-Upsilon)
On February 13, 2010, nine brothers volunteered their time to help out at a fundraiser for Eric Albers who suffers from bone cancer. The $10,000 raised will help cover the cost of an operation and chemotherapy.
Teaming with fellow Greek organizations Alpha Phi, Pi Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta and others, the chapter brothers have organized a 12-hour fundraiser at local eatery Sam’s To Go to benefit the relief effort in Haiti.
On February 19, 2010, six brothers volunteered at a benefit to help raise money for multiple sclerosis. The fundraising event took place at Paradise Hotel and Casino in Peoria, Illinois.
The chapter has a very competitive 3.2 GPA. The chapter has secured a spot on the university’s Inter-Fraternity Council, effective the moment the colony becomes a chapter. The council stressed that the group had indeed done what is necessary to warrant a spot on the council.
On February 20, 2010, the chapter associated one new member, Ben Nelson.
Butler (Alpha-Alpha)
The chapter participated in formal rush week and added 25 new associate members. The Ritual Exemplification for the new members is planned for April 2, 2010.
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The chapter performed an Initiation Ritual for 14 associate members.
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Connecticut (Zeta-Lambda)
On February 10, 2010, more than 40 alumni, guests and undergraduates attended an alumni reception at the Orlando Marriott Downtown, hosted by the Educational Foundation. Attendees were provided with an update of Central Florida Area Alumni Association events occurring this spring. The evenings programming featured Grand High Alpha Dr. Ed Leonard (William Jewell 1979). Brother Leonard highlighted the positive direction our Fraternity is headed, especially as it relates to the early successes of the True Brother Initiative. If you would like to receive communication from the Central Florida Area Alumni Association, please contact Associate Director of Alumni Relations Dan Hartmann at dhartmann@ lambdachi.org.
William Barney (1964) retired as an educator after 44 years in the profession. For the last 19 years, he served as the principal of The Morgan School in Clinton, Connecticut.
Cornell (Omicron)
Chris Szydlo, who works at the Disney Institute, will host the next alumni event on March 10, 2010, at the Disney Boardwalk resort. The event will consist of 30 minutes of networking, a one-hour presentation on the Disney business philosophy and how you can adopt some of their strategies in your business, and an optional “behind the scenes” tour of the Magic Kingdom.
Denison (Gamma-Iota)
The brothers of Gamma-Iota are continuing to thrive and strive for excellence. The chapter added seven associate members, which increases the chapter to 45 brothers and making it one of the largest chapters on campus.
Central Michigan (Lambda-Omega)
The chapter is undertaking a fundraising effort to raise $5,000 for an alumnus who was diagnosed with cancer. The tumor is located in the back part of the brain just under the optic nerve. When he is not at the hospital with his family, he spends his spare time studying for grad school. So far the chapter has helped raise close to $1,800, primarily from a benefit dinner hosted in February.
The chapter collected the equivalent of 21,000 pounds of food for the Licking County Food Pantry during fall semester’s North American Food Drive Campaign. Wendell Taylor recently earned a position as a Granville volunteer firefighter after completing a long interview and training process.
Cincinnati (Gamma-Gamma)
The chapter performed the Initiation Ritual for eight members at the beginning of this quarter. Also included in the ceremony were 25 members from the chapter at the University of Kentucky.
Ryan Buesser and Kevin Lynch were elected as junior senators for our university’s student governing body.
The chapter held a reception for alumnus Richard E. Thornburgh who received an honorary doctorate from the University of Cincinnati on February 5, 2010.
Drexel (Epsilon-Kappa Colony)
Coe (Zeta-Alpha)
The chapter performed the Initiation Ritual for eight men on February 19, 2010. The members were: Michael Levi Anderson, Juan Carlos Arredondo, Adam John Becker, Michael Stephen Inghram, Michael Thomas Alvin Mitsche, Hoang Le Nguyen, Justin Alan Nylin, and Alhaji Sajdu Sesay. The chapter will be hosting a reception for our Founders Day on March 2nd of this year. In working to accomplish this, the chapter was able to regain communication with the first initiated brother of our chapter, John Yager (1947).
The 24 men of the colony were initiated on January 30, 2010. This was the first initiated group of the colony since the re-colonization effort started this past fall. The Initiation Ritual was performed by teams from the University of Pennsylvania, Millersville University, and chapter alumni brothers. Stephen A. Gike (1950) died February 9, 2010. A World War II veteran, he participated in the Invasion of Okinawa. Upon his return, he enrolled at Drexel Institute of Technology (now Drexel University). He was a member of the Drexel football team.
The chapter attended the Great Plains Conclave and received an award for the chapter with the greatest number of attendees. One of our brothers, Jay Caughren, was recently elected to be student body president as well as the IFC president. He is the first student body president to be re-elected in all of Coe’s history. www.crossandcrescent.com
Chapter alumni brothers in the Washington, D.C., area braved a snowstorm to join brothers in town for the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference on January 31, 2010. About 18 brothers ranging from the classes of 1948 to 2010 joined in the festivities, highlighted by watching Cornell’s basketball team beat Harvard 86-50. A New York City reception for Omicrons was planned for February 27, 2010, and a Founders Day dinner in Washington, D.C., on March 21, 2010.
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CHAPTER NEWS
East Tennessee State (Iota-Omicron)
IFC President Nicholas H. Mitchell has been selected for inclusion in the most recent edition of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Since 1934, the publication has honored outstanding students who demonstrate “academic achievement, service to the community, leadership in extracurricular activities and potential for continued success.” Those selected join representatives from “more than 2,300 institutions of higher learning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several foreign nations.”
Elon (Delta-Pi)
The chapter started a Haitian Relief Effort that has been collecting clothes, shoes, blankets, and money. We expect in excess of $1,000 to go to Haiti and about 1,500 pounds of clothes donated to the Salvation Army.
The chapter was cited in the local city paper for helping volunteer at the library next door to our fraternity house. The brothers helped box and ship books. The chapter is interested in more alumni involvement and participation at events.
Florida Southern (Epsilon-Xi)
Rob Tucker, Matthew Clements, Cory Osborne, Stephen Bell, and Mitch Varnum, gave their time to help children living in poverty experience one of the simplest yet most essential needs in life; the gift of a new pair of shoes. The brothers participated in a “Style Your Sole” event, where the kids painted shoes and customized their own individual pair.
This spring, the chapter added 16 associate members and held an Associate Member Ceremony with many prominent local figures in attendance.
Eureka (Theta-Chi)
Active brothers Michael McComas, Samuel Hendricks, and associate members Daniel Bolson and Nathan Mullins made the Fall 2009 Dean’s List.
Before winter break in December, chapter brothers decorated the chapter house with Christmas lights and dedicated them to Dax Locke. At the end of last semester, the chapter donated $300 to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Dax Locke’s name. He was a 2-year-old boy who was diagnosed with leukemia. He died shortly after Christmas.
Florida State (Zeta-Rho)
Chapter brothers participated in the Dance Marathon and had the highest male participation and raised approximately $8,000. The chapter also raised $250 to support a DUI awareness event associated with FSUPD Habitat for Humanity. Brian Swain is the new chairman of the board of Seminole Boosters, Inc. He is the fifth brother to hold this position. He follows Doug Mannheimer, Don Reinhard, Ron Hobbs, and Chris Kraft.
Florida Tech (Beta-Nu)
The chapter raised more than 5,400 pounds of food for the North American Food Drive. The chapter brothers will hold a 72-hour car wash to raise money for the local food bank. The brother of the year award went to Clem Healy, the High Alpha award went to Auther Hannon, and the associate member of the year award went to Joe Tennant.
Ferris State (Iota-Psi)
The chapter held a large Homecoming/Centennial Celebration last fall. Alumni from many different eras attended, making it a very fun and eventful time. More than 70 alumni attended and spent time looking through the house. The festivities included yard games and a delightful dinner at the Holiday Inn.
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CHAPTER NEWS
Georgia Tech (Beta-Kappa)
Sam Meredith, Ethan Russell, and Eric Wilmsen were trained and certified in the use of CPR, first aid, and AEDs.
The chapter had a 3.11 GPA for the fall semester and remains one of the largest fraternities on campus.
Bob Adams, Chris Craft, and Matt Glibbery made the Dean’s List.
W. Carl Riddell (1948) died December 25, 2009.
Chris Smith participated in the North-American Interfraternity Conference’s 2010 IFC Academy on January 30, 2010, in Indianapolis. The one-day, 14-hour program, focused participants on their role in developing high-performing IFCs – specifically the role of the IFC in serving the needs of its member fraternities, and the role the NIC Standards play in supporting high performance.
Illinois (Chi)
The chapter will hold its annual golf outing on April 24, 2010. For more information, please contact the chapter’s alumni chairman at goss1@illinois.edu. Leo Karris was named Brother-of-the-Month for his work and exceptional dedication towards his house manager position.
Kutztown (Sigma-Gamma)
Illinois State (Beta-Omicron)
The chapter alumni will be gather in Normal, Illinois, for this year’s Founders Day celebration on March 20, 2010. Please visit the chapter’s website (http://www.beta-omicron.org/alumni) for details and registration.
Kansas (Zeta-Iota)
The chapter held its annual Ms. Kutztown beauty pageant to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Chapter brothers also completed a volunteer community service event in Reading, in which we helped restore an old fire station into a museum. The brothers held an Alumni Winter Gathering, the largest event in the history of the chapter with more than one-fifth of the chapter’s total initiates, spanning almost 40 years, in attendance.
Save the date of May 8, 2010, for the Spring Alumni Event & Dinner to be held at the Adams Alumni Center on the Kansas University campus. Please contact Bob Walrafen at bwalrafen@reeceandnichols. com for more information.
Kentucky (Epsilon-Phi)
The chapter will hold a spring alumni/undergraduate event on April 17, 2010, at the Hilton-Lexington Downtown. For more information, please visit the Facebook page, the chapter website (http://www. uklambdachi.org/), or contact chapter President Michael Haag at Michael.haag@uky.edu. The chapter will give a short presentation to update those in attendance. This will be followed by a celebration of the many years Momma Dean and Jesse Horn have given to the brothers.
Louisiana-Lafayette (Iota-Omega)
Kettering (Lambda-Epsilon B)
Amphaymany “Pi” Keohavong (1993) died January 2010. He was one of the most successful former University of Louisiana-Lafayette students. Originally from Laos, he made his residence in New Iberia. He parlayed a natural talent for dance into an international touring career with some of the most prestigious dance companies, such as Erick Hawkins, Philobolus Troupe, and Momix to name a few. The UL Performing Arts Department has plans to dedicate their annual “State of LA Danse” Fall 2010 concert in his memory.
Chapter brothers participated in a number of community service events, including Adopt A Highway, Relay For Life, and smaller events hosted by other organizations on campus. Matt Glibbery was elected co-chairman of orientation and social activities for IFC. Chris Craft and Jason Schaal put forth the effort necessary to make the most successful edition of The Technician, the student run newspaper at Kettering, with their enlightening articles on relationships and handling student loans.
Louisville (Zeta-Sigma)
Jon Cecil was recognized as “Employee of the Year” at Hilton Garden Inn where he works. He was also recently promoted to shift leader.
Jason Schaal also served as Santa Claus for a Christmas party at a local elementary school.
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CHAPTER NEWS
Lycoming (Iota-Beta)
Jay Bodell, Cameron Jones, and John Storey are currently abroad in Russia and Australia.
The chapter added 14 associate members, more than any other fraternity and all but one sorority. The chapter now has 32 men.
Miami-FL (Epsilon-Omega)
The chapter completed rush, adding 14 associate members to Lambda Chi Alpha. The highlight of rush was a “Where the Wild Things Are” themed concert, which raised nearly $200 for Haiti and featured up-andcoming band Beckham County Trainwreck.
Maryland-College Park (Epsilon-Pi) William F. Lamar Jr. died January 13, 2010.
All members participated in Funday on February 13, 2010, in which the University of Miami hosts special citizens from the local area who participate in various events. Lambda Chi Alpha runs the barbeque for the event annually.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Lambda)
The chapter plans to run an on-campus clothing drive to benefit the Boston-Central branch of The Salvation Army. The chapter hopes this will improve their reputation on campus and help with early recruitment during Campus Preview Weekend.
The chapter has begun preparing for Greek Week, raising more than $1,000 in alumni donations in an attempt to bring home the trophy.
Mercer (Zeta-Omega)
Darren Dupriest (1991), president and CEO of Validity Screening Solutions, has been ranked on the 2009 Inc. 500|5000 annual list of the fastest-growing companies in America. In its first year of eligibility, Validity was one of 33 companies in the metropolitan Kansas City area to be recognized.
Chapter President Gil Arquisola was elected SGA junior senator. Several chapter brothers participated in Stompfest, an all-Greek stepshow, in conjunction with Chi Omega Sorority on February 27, 2010.
Charles A. Barone (1956) died February 13, 2010. Following graduation, he returned to Jamestown where he followed his entrepreneurial spirit in a broad assortment of business endeavors, including real estate development and manufacturing.
Methodist (Sigma-Theta Colony)
Lambda Chi Alpha International Headquarters’ staff have been on campus at Methodist University and are working diligently to bring the chapter back to campus. There has been strong alumni support throughout the entire process, and the interest group has provided much needed insight to ensure the development of the colony at the university. Currently efforts are going well, and staff will be on site for the next two weeks to ensure a successful endeavor.
Millersville (Delta-Tau)
The chapter sponsored a blood drive with the Central PA Blood Bank on February 3, 2010. Chapter brothers, who served as the big brother chapter for the colony at Drexel University, conducted the new colony’s first Initiation Ritual on January 31, 2010.
Miami-OH (Zeta-Upsilon)
Timothy Martin participated in the Undergraduate Summer Scholars 2009 program in which he proposed a new technology to clean water in Ghana.
The Millersville chapter officers invited and hosted Director of Chapter Services John Holloway and Senior Associate Director of Chapter Services Jordan Miller on February 24, 2010, for a brotherhood event on campus.
Ryan Batt conducted research on Acton Lake by using dissolved oxygen to estimate lake-wide metabolism. Brothers making the President’s List: Jeremy Armbruster
Minnesota State (Lambda-Delta)
Joe Cherney participated in the North-American Interfraternity Conference’s 2010 IFC Academy on January 30, 2010, in Indianapolis. The one-day, 14-hour program, focused participants on their role in developing high-performing IFCs – specifically the role of the IFC in serving the needs of its member fraternities, and the role the NIC Standards play in supporting high performance.
Brothers making the Dean’s List: Justin DeCamp, Robert Hadley, Garrett Mandel, John S Storey, and Matthew Perse. Jonas Dominique traveled to Novgorod, Russia, with the Intensive Russian Language Program in summer 2009. Justin DeCamp traveled to Dijon with the Dijon Exchange Program (Summer 2009).
www.crossandcrescent.com
Millsaps (Theta-Eta)
Millsaps College released the scores for its 2009 Standards of Greek
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CHAPTER NEWS Excellence Report. The chapter leads the fraternities (and sororities) with a score of 112 points out of 100.
The chapter initiated 13 associate members, bringing the total number of brothers initiated to 925.
The chapter has five brothers currently excelling in the rigorous Millsaps honors program in addition to having the highest GPA of all fraternities on campus.
Oklahoma (Gamma-Rho)
The chapter added 74 associate members, making the class more than 20 people larger than any other fraternity’s class on campus.
In the philanthropic world, the chapter just successfully concluded its third annual “Quizbowl” tournament, benefiting Blaire E. Batson Children’s Hospital here in Jackson. The event was co-sponsored with Delta Delta Delta, and was a record breaking year, in both attendance and funds raised.
The chapter earned a 3.29 GPA last fall, ranking them first in member grades. The chapter is currently in second place in the OU Intramural race. Yukon banker Tim Holt, a volunteer with Yukon Public Schools’ Miller Mentoring Program, is honored at the State Capitol as a runner up for Oklahoma’s David and Molly Boren Mentoring Award. Congratulating Holt are State Rep. Colby Schwartz; mentee James Coffey; Yukon Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Fred Rhodes, Skyview Elementary Principal Cecil Bowles and Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence President Chip Oppenheim. The Boren Mentoring Award, which honors an outstanding youth mentor in Oklahoma, is sponsored by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Through its Boren Mentoring Initiative, the foundation promotes the growth and development of school-based mentoring statewide. The award presentation was held Jan. 21 during National Thank Your Mentor Day in the Capitol’s Blue Room.
MacDougall Womack (2008) was promoted to district executive of the Cypress Chauve District with the Boy Scouts of America near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Chris Spear (2007) was selected to lead the 2010 Crossroads Film Festival in Jackson, Mississippi, as coordinator of the non-profit Crossroads Film Society. Area alumni celebrated the 85th anniversary of the chapter’s founding as a Theta Kappa Nu chapter in December 2009. Attendees of the event included Bill Presson (1977), Chris Spear (2007), Kevin Slark (2007), Matt Black (2009), and Allen Gresset (Mississippi State 2006).
New Orleans (Lambda-Alpha)
George A. Mollere (1962) is the chapter’s second initiate and one of the founding fathers. His best undergraduate memories were when he served as president of the local fraternity, Alpha Chi Omega, and they were contacted by both Lambda Chi Alpha and Sigma Chi to join their national organizations. They chose Lambda Chi and never regretted it. Mollere is currently manager of general administration for Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority. He previously served as director of human resources.
Oklahoma City (Theta-Delta)
The chapter held a “Hope for Haiti” benefit in conjunction with this year’s Superbowl. Chapter brothers accepted donations during the event that will go to the American Red Cross’ aid to Haiti.
North Carolina-Charlotte (Beta-Upsilon) With a special thanks to brother Michael Kowalchyk, the chapter collected more than 900 pounds of canned food last semester and donated $200 of school supplies to North Mechlenburg High School.
The chapter conducted a blood drive through the American Red Cross and collected 486 pints of blood, which could potentially help upwards of 1,450 people. Our new member football team won the Greek New Member intramural flag football tournament.
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CHAPTER NEWS
Oklahoma State (Alpha-Eta)
The primary goal is to grow in size and their goal is 15 new associate members.
The chapter is currently in the top five in Greek house intramurals.
The chapter has second highest fraternity GPA.
During homecoming last fall, the chapter placed second overall in Sweepstakes.
Polytechnic (Theta-Upsilon)
Fernando Alfred De Arcangelis (1942) died January 24, 2010. His grandson, Christopher De Arcangelis, is a legacy in the chapter.
The chapter raised 15,000 pounds of canned food for the North American Food Drive.
Purdue (Psi)
The chapter placed second in Phi-Mu’s Phinest, and third in Chi-O Wish Week. The chapter had its largest rush/Initiation class ever in the past 10 years. Kelvin Pollard is IFC secretary. Shane Hnatusko is co-coordinator of Junior Greek Life, and Aaron Dohanich is secretary. Sonny Shost is president of the lacrosse team, and Andy Martin is vice president.
Penn State (Zeta)
Along with the sisters of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, the chapter held a Dance Marathon and raised more than $200,000 for children fighting pediatric cancer. Special thanks Joseph Rad and Chris Yaracs, the THON chairs, for organizing and inspiring our brothers to achieve such an impressive milestone. Additionally, Timothy Reside and Talib Visram show exceptional leadership and helped with the fundraising efforts.
Pittsburg State (Lambda-Chi)
Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson appointed Ed McKechnie to the Kansas Board of Regents. The governor named McKechnie to serve the remainder of former member William Thornton’s term, which expires in June 2010. McKechnie is a former state representative and currently the chief commercial officer for Watco Companies, Inc. During his tenure in the Kansas House of Representatives between 1991 and 2001, he served on a variety of committees, including Appropriations and the joint committee on Legislative Post Audit. Ray Black (1980) died January 9, 2010.
Pittsburgh (Gamma-Epsilon)
Lance R. Emery (1994) was recently appointed as the Global Human Resources Leader for the Talent & Rewards Business Segment of Towers Watson. Towers Watson, the result of a merger between Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt in January 2010, is a leading global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance through effective people, risk and financial management. Emery also was recently recognized as the National Federation of High Schools Officials Association Competitive Spirit Squads Official of the Year. Lance continues to be involved in the sport of cheerleading as a judge that started during his days of cheering at Purdue. Lance has been honored to judge the USASF World Cheerleading Championships in addition to a number of national championships across the United States and Canada. To help families chart a course to education finance solvency, Matt Russell, a Certified Financial Planner, authored “College Planning 101 – A Practical Guide For Students And Parents On Saving And Paying For A College Education.” The book offers information on the options available for college savings, timelines for college planning, and the types of financial aid and tax incentives that are available, including those for military service members and their families.
Rutgers (Phi)
Pittsburgh-area chapter alumni met with other alumni and reactivated our alumni board. This new alumni board assigned an alumni representative to each chapter officer. With this new support the chapter hopes to begin to grow.
Jack Williams (1943) died January 22, 2010.
Samford (Theta-Alpha)
The chapter has the second highest fraternity GPA on campus.
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CHAPTER NEWS a sold-out crowd of 940 concertgoers at the Bedell Chapter Vice President Bryan Hardy was elected IFC president. Performance Hall on the University’s “River Campus.” San Diego Area Alumni Association Afterward, Boyd On January 27, 2010, more than 50 alumni, guests, and held a special undergraduates attended an alumni reception at the San Diego reception for Marriott La Jolla, hosted by the Educational Foundation. Attendees members of the were updated about the local chapter and the San Diego Regional President’s Council. Alumni Association. The evening’s programming featured Executive Chapter President Zach Owens was elected president of the College Republican Chapter on Campus.
Vice President Bill Farkas (Butler 1988). He reviewed the Centennial year highlights and spoke enthusiastically about the bright future of Lambda Chi Alpha. For more information about the San Diego Regional Alumni Association or other alumni associations, please contact Associate Director of Alumni Relations Dan Hartmann at dhartmann@lambdachi.org.
Tad Satterfeild died February 2010.
Southern Methodist (Gamma-Sigma)
Robert S. McDonald (1978) died January 21, 2010. In 1994, he and his life-long friend, Doug Lueckemeyer, founded Douglas Scott Homes in the Park Cities, that enabled him to fulfill his dream of creating beautiful homes known for their uniqueness and exquisite detail.
Shepherd (Phi-Iota)
During a recent blizzard, chapter brothers helped with shoveling out fire hydrants and elderly people’s homes. They also helped the Red Cross set up a shelter at a local church.
St. Joseph’s (Phi-Lambda)
The chapter is rebounding from being on probation and added 25 associate members, doubling the number of any other fraternity on campus. The chapter now has 65 men.
St. Louis College of Pharmacy (Pi-Lambda)
Slippery Rock (Lambda-Xi)
Dennis C. Rickard (1971) retired as Sheriff of Butler County, Pennsylvania, and received a sculpture in honor of his service to the National Sheriffs’ Association Executive Committee and Board of Directors from June 2001 through December 2009. The sculpture was presented to Sheriff Rickard at the NSA Winter Conference, January 20-23, 2010 in Washington, D.C.
The chapter competed in a school sponsored “Olympiad” that pitted the chapter against other Greek and school organizations in various physical competitions. The chapter won first place overall, with the tug-of-war being the best event.
St. Mary’s (Sigma-Beta)
On October 15, 2010, the chapter hosted the first Casino Night on St. Mary’s University. They brought in professional dealers and Las Vegas casino tables and raised more than $900. On October 10, 2009, the chapter celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Syracuse (Alpha-Upsilon)
C. Bernard Ruckdeschel Jr. (1951) died December 30, 2009.
Tampa Bay Area Alumni Association
On November 20, 2009, the Lambda Chi Alpha Alumni Association of Tampa Bay hosted a Centennial Reception at the Tampa Club. More than 30 alumni representing seven chapters were in attendance. Brad Salsbury (South Florida 2003) chaired the event and James H. Ham III (Auburn 1966) served as the keynote speaker. The International Headquarters provided a Centennial video and Centennial keepsakes for those in attendance. Pictures are available at LCAAATB.com.
Southeast Missouri (Delta-Phi)
Chapter brothers participated in the area Polar Plunge where they swam in a cold lake to benefit the Missouri Special Olympics. They helped to raise more than $39,000. Neal E. Boyd, winner of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” held a special performance for Southeast Missouri State University in February. Boyd performed with the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra to www.crossandcrescent.com
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CHAPTER NEWS
Tennessee-Knoxville (Epsilon-Omicron)
Virginia Tech (Sigma-Lambda)
The chapter is preparing to participate in Relay for Life, a benefit to fight cancer in which money is raised at an all-night event on campus. The chapter has taken part in this event for several years and continues to support the fight against cancer. Recently, chapter members participated in Dippin’-4-Dollars in which money was raised by working in a chocolate factory all night, with benefits going toward the Ronald McDonald House of Knoxville, Tennessee. The chapter contended for the annual SAE boxing tournament championship, which Lambda Chi won last year. The chapter will have six boxers competing and hopes to defend its crown as champions.
Washington (Alpha-Psi)
Orlan Dean (1925) died January 15, 2010. He was active in the House Corporation and a regular at both Founders Days and the “Old Timers Reunions.”
Towson (Phi-Omega)
On January 30, 2010, the chapter participated in the Polar Bear Plunge to raise money for the Special Olympics. This event, sponsored by the Maryland State Police, allows participants to raise money while they plunge into the cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay in a widely publicized event. The chapter raised $2,300 between 15 participants.
Western Carolina (Beta-Zeta)
Billy Vespasian participated in the North-American Interfraternity Conference’s 2010 IFC Academy on January 30, 2010, in Indianapolis. The one-day, 14-hour program, focused participants on their role in developing high-performing IFCs – specifically the role of the IFC in serving the needs of its member fraternities, and the role the NIC Standards play in supporting high performance.
Tulsa (Epsilon-Upsilon)
The chapter performed an Initiation Ritual for 15 associate members on November 21, 2009. The new active brothers achieved the highest cumulative GPA for the fall semester for newly initiated male Greeks.
Western Kentucky (Lambda-Lambda)
IFC Vice President and Chapter President Americo Capodagli, Chapter Vice President Barrett, Recruitment Chairman Joe, and Mike Cox plan to spend their spring break doing mission work in Haiti. They are trying to raise funds to complete the necessary funding to cover their travel expenses. Capadagli, a broadcast news major, plans to film a documentary as part of their trip.
Lambda Chi placed second in Chi Omega’s Hootiefest. The chapter’s newly elected officers are: Aashish Khaladkar, president; Patrick Schell, internal vice president; Justin Miller, external vice president; Jake Turner, secretary; Zach Krahulik, treasurer; Morgan Lewis, risk manager; Jacob Karim, ritualist; Ryan Merritt, fraternity educator; Quintin Jones, recruitment; Joel Wolters, scholarship; Charlie Fitzpatrick, social chair; and Denton Brader, alumni relations.
Wilmington (Pi-Delta)
The chapter is scheduling a clothing drive that will benefit Sugartree Ministries
Aashish Khaladkar is the IFC president and Morgan Lewis is the IFC assistant rush chair.
Chapter brothers have been serving as ushers for the Murphy Theater in Wilmington. The brothers also usher for the Wilmington College theater whenever they have a show. Each week chapter brothers gather the recycling from two of the campus buildings.
Dr. Kenneth G. Davis (1952) died April 10, 2009. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree from Washington State University and was employed by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in the Veterinary Products Division and later was employed by Merck & Co., Inc. to work with the FDA on approvals of veterinary products.
The chapter has four associate members this semester and they have been doing a lot of informal brotherhood activities, including a super bowl party, a thumb wrestling tournament, and a snowball fight/ snow sculpture making.
Valparaiso (Iota-Sigma)
The chapter is now participating in Indiana’s adopt a highway program and is excited about their five new associate members.
Worcester Polytechnic (Pi)
Villanova (Beta-Iota Colony)
The chapter is planning its 100-year centennial celebration, which will occur in 2013. Mark Marchand is a member of the Skull Honor Society. Many chapter brothers attended a charity ball and plan to attend another in the coming month. With the current president going abroad, Warren Walton has been elected as interim.
The Grand High Zeta has approved the colony’ petition for chartering and a chartering date and banquet have been set. The event will be held at 7 p.m., on April 17, 2010, at The Radisson Hotel Valley Forge Banquet Center, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The cost will be $50 per person.
www.crossandcrescent.com
The chapter placed second in Alpha Chi Omega’s Mock Rock 2009!, an annual philanthropic event to raise money and awareness about victims of domestic violence. All the proceeds raised through this event benefit the New River Valley Women’s Shelter.
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Mr. Henry ‘Hank’ Iba
FEATURE
A Lambda Chi at Westminster College, he is the only U.S. Olympic basketball coach to win two gold medals (1964 in Tokyo; 1968 in Mexico City).
By Greg Hart and Dave Hazlewood
Editor’s Note: The following article is an excerpt of an article originally published from the March 1972 edition of the Cross & Crescent Greg: What are your views on the value of your fraternity experience? Hank: There isn’t any question about the life of a fraternity man. I think that every fellow should have an opportunity to belong to a fraternity, and, if not that, then to a group in a well-organized dorm. The friendships that you make in your fraternity will last a lifetime. I think the men that you grow closest to are the ones you compete with in athletics and the ones you live with. And naturally fraternity life gave me something that I think has helped me in coaching: it removed carelessness and selfishness from my life. That, plus the good fellowship of the men I associated with, was the most valuable thing that I received from my fraternity. Dave: Why did you decide to make coaching your career? Hank: That goes back to my family. My father managed baseball teams in his community and was very successful in producing great amateur teams. But things were a little different than they are now. We had what we called semi-professional teams in baseball in those years, and there were some real good professional ball players that came back home to play in them. So, from growing up in the baseball environment, plus the fact that I’ve always been interested in young people, I got the idea that I wanted to try to coach.
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difficult today than it was 25 years ago. The added fringe, which is given FEATURE illegally, is also making recruiting tough, and while I don’t have any definite proof of that, I expect that I could dig some up. Add to that the fact that Hank: The first thing that I look at is a player’s family background. That today many an athlete has his hand out. And not only does he have his hand doesn’t mean that a good athlete can’t come from a broken home. But the out, but his mother and father have theirs out too. And they want a guarantee first thing that I like to know is – how much discipline was in the home. I that that boy is going to have everything that he needs while he’s in college. I then like to go to his high school and find his scholastic background, his class think this is absolutely right. When I recruit a boy, I always tell him that if he attendance, and his ability to get along with people. Then of course, one must gets injured, his scholarship will continue until he graduates. The most look at a man’s physical attributes, such as strength, speed, and body important thing that I see concerning athletic scholarships is that the movement, but that’s the last thing to look for. A lot of people say that you coaching staffs make sure that they graduate their athletes. just go out and look for a man who can score, but that’s not necessarily true. What you must look for is a basic background on which to build the Dave: What are your feelings about fraternities today? Do you feel that individual that you think will make a good athlete. they are still an important part of the college campus? Greg: What outstanding qualities do you look for in a fine basketball player?
Dave: Your basketball teams were known for defense and ball control. Is there any special reason that you adopted this style of game? Hank: Very much so. Coming from a small community that played large institutions, I can remember that at the end of World War I, we played a basketball game at the homecoming of soldiers in the little town of Stewardsville, Missouri, and we got beaten 62 to 14. I have never forgotten that ball game. As I rode home, I said that there must be a way that a small team can keep from getting beaten so badly, and since that game I tried to conceive a type of defense or pattern of basketball that I could use to control the ball game even when the opposing team had greater material. Greg: Your initiating fraternity, Theta Kappa Nu, merged with Lambda Chi Alpha in 1939. Were you disappointed to see your original fraternity come under the title of another fraternity?
Hank: I don’t think that anybody could argue that question. There’s no doubt in my mind that everybody has an interest in fraternity life. I’m speaking now from the faculty standpoint. Now, from a student’s standpoint, there isn’t a student who comes to school who wouldn’t want to be in a fraternity; for a girl, it’s a sorority. And there are so many of them in existence that it’s hard for any man to say that the fraternity doesn’t have its place. It has its place on the campus just like a football team, or just like a good chemistry or English department. In other words, we couldn’t have a good college life without the fraternities and sororities. Greg: I’m sure you’ve had a number of thrills coaching basketball here at OSU and other institutions. What do you feel is probably your greatest single thrill?
Hank: No, I was not. I thought it strengthened Theta Kappa Nu, and I firmly believed that sooner or later we would join another fraternity. I was president of the Westminster Chapter of Theta Kappa Nu for two years and so have naturally always been interested in Theta Kappa Nu and Lambda Chi Alpha.
Hank: I think possibly the greatest thrill that I’ve had in my lifetime is having the opportunity to be with young men and to be associated with great institutions and very fine conferences. And of course, a win is always great. Although I don’t care for too many of them, a loss helps sometimes, because it can lead you to a better path of organization for winning. But I’d have to say that winning the Olympics for the United States is probably the greatest thrill I’ve ever had in my life.
Dave: Your team has played against Wilt Chamberlain at Kansas. Was he possibly your toughest single opponent?
Dave: If a young man, such as myself, asked your philosophy of life in general, what would you say to him?
Hank: Wilt Chamberlain is a great basketball player. There’s no question about that. Even today, playing with the Lakers, he’s a great player, and he shows his greatness more by the way he’s playing now than he did a few years ago. But again, I would not single out Wilt Chamberlain as the greatest ball player we came up against, because we played in the first NIT in 1938 when Whizzer White, who’s now on the Supreme Court, was playing with Colorado’s great ball club. City College also had a fine club at that time. As I said before, it’s almost impossible to single out any individual or any team that I’ve played against as being the best.
Hank: Well, I might make a lot of young men mad by my answer. As we all know, and as I’ve said many times, everything that I’ve used in athletics was taught to me by someone. I don’t have too many original ideas; none of us do. We like to think that we do, but I doubt if that’s true. The first thing that I would have to ask a young man is: “How much self-discipline do you have, and what does it mean to you?” The second thing would be: “How well can you eliminate selfishness? How well can you give up not appreciating the fellow on your left and right? How often can you go to bed and say that you helped someone today?” I would say first that you must have good selfdiscipline and follow the teachings of your early home life. I know right now Greg: How has recruiting changed in your 41 years of collegiate that I’m confused by youth and am not satisfied with many of their actions. I basketball? don’t believe that a boy of 17, 18, or 19 should tell a man of 35 or 40 what to do. I don’t believe that a group of students should try to dictate the policies of Hank: Well, it used to be that when you went out and talked to a boy about an institution. They should perhaps be asked for their ideas, but they coming to school, he knew pretty well where he wanted to go, although he shouldn’t rebel as they are doing at the present time. Doc Blanchard, who is might not know exactly what courses he was going to take. Now he is being now head of the New Mexico team and who was a great and honored man in confused because, where formerly two coaches might have talked to him, the Air Force, gave a talk in Tulsa which I read in the newspaper. In it he fifteen or twenty may see him now. This puts him in the position of not emphasized one thing which we must all come back to, something that knowing exactly what he wants to do, and then unfortunately it becomes a concerns my grandchildren, and my son, and his family. He said that we case of helping boys a shade more than the honest scholarship allows. Also, must come back to discipline in the family from the very beginning and there are too many fellows out recruiting boys today who tell them that they not ask the church and school to discipline our children for us. My advice can make the team when they don’t know if they can or not. The fringe to any young man would be: be sure that you know yourself. And if you www.crossandcrescent.com Cross &well Crescent March 2010 19 know yourself benefits, over and above the regular scholarship, make recruiting more enough, you’ll have self-discipline.
TRUE BROTHER
Another Major Milestone Higher ed conferences select Lambda
By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison) Over the past few years, Lambda Chi Alpha has initiated a significant movement to act as a co-curricular partner in the college experience, which the Fraternity began in 2007 with the rollout of the True Brother Initiative. This effort was the result of significant planning and research that included national leaders in higher education, clinical and developmental psychology, non-profit program management, fraternity administration, and many more.
Chi Alpha to present scientific research/ vision.
The objectives we set were to develop a process, through a series of programs, that facilitate maturational development along critical developmental competencies for students in their late teens and early 20s.
By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
Lambda Chi Alpha’s results prove that students participating in its programs are scoring higher marks in self awareness and self esteem (correlates to a potentiated reduction of alcohol and substance abuse), as well as capacity for authentic intimacy, empathy and altruism. Additionally, Lambda Chi Alpha chapters implementing these programs are scoring higher on academics, retention, campus involvement, and community service. As a result of Lambda Chi Alpha’s work, both the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) chose the Fraternity to present at their annual conferences. ““We are honored to be asked to present at two of the top conferences in higher education,” said Bill Farkas, executive vice president, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. “The results of our True Brother Initiative prove that our educational programming is making a significant impact on the leadership and maturational development of our nearly 11,000 undergraduates. As a guest on almost 200 college and university campuses across North America, we are 100 percent committed to our mission and belief that we need to serve as co-curricular partners with our host institutions.” NASPA NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education is the leading voice for student affairs administration, policy, and practice, and affirms the commitment of the student affairs profession to educating the whole student and integrating student life and learning. With over 11,000 members at 1,400 campuses, and representing 29 countries, NASPA is the foremost professional association for student affairs administrators, faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students. NASPA members serve a variety of functions and roles, including the vice president and dean for student life, as well as professionals working within housing and residence life, student unions, student activities, counseling, career development, orientation, enrollment management, racial and ethnic minority support services, and retention and assessment. Lambda Chi Presentations:
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TRUE BROTHER
naturally combat hegemonic elements, including an emphasis on self awareness and reflection, enhanced comfort and competence in dealing with emotions, a range of diversity programming, the nurturance of the discovery of individuality, personal accountability, supportive intimacy, and the availability of positive, masculine role models.
Values Based Student Development Initiative: An Empirical Study 3:45-5:00 p.m., Monday, March 8 Superior - B - Sheraton Lambda Chi Alpha has introduced innovative programming as part of its co-curricular mission to facilitate the maturational development of undergraduate members along five core pathways: self awareness, self esteem, intimacy, empathy, and altruism. This program will describe the related conceptual frame, curriculum, and learning model designed to implement this initiative. In addition, the empirical results evaluating the impact of this initiative at both organizational and individual levels from the first two years of implementation will be presented.
An Empirical Investigation of a Values Based Student Development Initiative 8:45 AM - 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Boston Marriott Copley Place, Arlington Lambda Chi Alpha has introduced innovative programming as part of its co-curricular mission to facilitate the maturational development of undergraduate members along five core pathways of personal competency: self awareness, self esteem, intimacy, empathy, and altruism. This program will describe the related conceptual frame, curriculum, and learning model designed to implement this initiative. In addition, the empirical results evaluating the impact of this initiative at both organizational and individual levels from the first two years of implementation will be presented.
A New Fraternity Legacy: Movement to Combat Hegemonic Masculinity 2:00-3:15 p.m., Tuesday, March 9 McHenry - Marriott Few organizations on university campuses are as closely associated with stereotypic masculinity as men’s fraternities. Lambda Chi Alpha’s True Brother Initiative emphasizes a developmental approach to facilitate identity maturation within its members and includes components that naturally combat the hegemonic elements, including an emphasis on self awareness and reflection, enhanced comfort and competence in dealing with emotions, a range of diversity programming, the nurturance of the discovery of individuality, personal accountability, supportive intimacy, and the availability of positive masculine role models.
Conference Presenters • Master Steward and High Pi Dr. Elgan Baker, Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatry Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine • Grand High Beta, High Pi, and Master Steward Drew Hunter, President/CEO, The BACCHUS Network • Master Steward Dr. Scott Reikofski, Director, Fraternity Sorority Affairs at University of Pennsylvania • Master Steward Tim Reuter, Director of Education, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity • Dr. Margaret Henry, Senior Research Analyst/Clinical Psychologist (NASPA Only)
ACPA American College Personnel Association (ACPA), headquartered in Washington, D.C., at the National Center for Higher Education, is the leading comprehensive student affairs association that advances student affairs and engages students for a lifetime of learning and discovery. ACPA, founded in 1924 by May L. Cheney, has nearly 8,500 members representing 1,500 private and public institutions from across the U.S. and around the world. Members include organizations and companies that are engaged in the campus marketplace. Members also include graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in student affairs/higher education administration programs, faculty, and student affairs professionals, from entry level to senior student affairs officers.
As a co-curricular partner, Lambda Chi Alpha hopes many college representatives will attend these sessions to understand how the Fraternity is working to create a healthy fraternity experience that not only develops undergraduate brothers but further prepares and compels them to find success in the classroom and after graduation.
Lambda Chi Presentations: Combating Hegemonic Masculinity in the College Fraternity 2:45-4:00 p.m., Monday, March 22, 2010 Boston Marriott Copley Place, Arlington Few organizations on university campuses are as closely associated with stereotypic masculinity as men’s fraternities. Lambda Chi Alpha’s True Brother Initiative emphasizes a developmental approach to facilitate identity maturation within its members and includes components which www.crossandcrescent.com
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The General Assembly is Lambda Chi Alpha’s legislative body and biannual conference, where undergraduates and alumni determine the laws and policies of the Fraternity and elect members of the Grand High Zeta. At the conference, we will also cover virtually every area of chapter operations — ritualism, recruitment, associate member education, pre-initiation, motivation, chapter operations and chapter management, programming for the Inner Circle, and more! We are also offering a precursor to the first level of the Neville Advisers College for alumni.
$495: Undergraduate Chapter Programming • Lodging on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • All meals on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • Full program participation $550: Alumni Participant • Lodging on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • Double room, shared occupancy • All meals on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • Full program participation
When and where will General Assembly take place this year? General Assembly will take place July 22-25, 2010, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.
$700: Alumni Participant • Lodging on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • Single occupancy room • All meals on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • Full program participation
How much does it cost to attend? $450: Undergraduate Delegate (only one per chapter)
$300: Guest of Alumni $125: Wednesday Night Early Lodging Option
• Lodging on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • All meals on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • Full program participation $450: Early Bird Undergraduate Chapter Programming (Limited to the first 50 brothers who sign up.) • Lodging on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • All meals on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday • Full program participation www.crossandcrescent.com
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Who should go from my chapter? Everyone from your chapter or colony is eligible to attend the 2008 General Assembly. Your High Alpha, High Zeta officers (specifically the Delta, Kappa, and Phi), aspiring leaders, and anyone interested in learning leadership skills and networking with other Lambda Chi Alpha brothers should consider attending. Your High Pi and other alumni volunteers will also benefit a significant amount from the experience. What is a chapter delegate? In Article III, Sec. 1. c., of the Constitution and Statutory Code, under Undergraduate Franchise, it states, “In order to have a vote in a session of the General Assembly, a Chapter or Colony shall send at least one representative to the General Assembly. Such representative shall be known as an official delegate.” The delegate is each Chapter or Colony’s individual representation in the legislative committees and on the floor of the General Assembly. Each Chapter or Colony is allowed only one delegate. He is also responsible for presenting a complete report of the proceedings at the first regular Chapter/Colony meeting following General Assembly. How do I register? Online Registration will begin February 25, 2010. When do I need to arrive? Everyone should arrive to the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa by 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 22, 2010. If you are participating on the International Ritual team, you must arrive prior to 12:00 pm on Wednesday, July 21, as training will begin that afternoon.
Registration and Payments Due to the Office of Administration: July 1, 2010 Will the Neville Advisers College be offered? Not this year. Due to the General Assembly sessions and undergraduate programming, Advisers College will not take place at General Assembly. Advisers College will be offered at the 2011 Leadership Seminar, and any questions about Advisers College and future training opportunities can be directed to Director of Education Tim Reuter. What will we do there? Chapter and colony delegates that participate in the General Assembly will determine laws and policies of the Fraternity and elect members of the Grand High Zeta. Non-delegate attendees will have the opportunity to participate in chapter programming, attend workshops, discussions, and other sessions to share and learn ways to improve chapters, continue excellence, and build brotherhood. Special events include the Ritual Exemplification, T-shirt exchange, and an open evening, which will include a late-night pool-side BBQ, for all participants to enjoy the Arizona Biltmore Resort. Who else will be there? Brothers from all over North America, to include the Grand High Zeta, Student Advisory Committee, Council of Presidents, Master Stewards and the General Fraternity Staff, will come together to conduct the business of the Fraternity and participate in the educational and developmental chapter programming. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and discover new ideas for your chapter or colony.
What will I get out of it? You will gain the knowledge and know-how to become a better leader and will definitely obtain a richer fraternal experience. You will learn from other brothers, and contribute to group conversations and roundtables. Does your chapter need a stronger implementation of the Outer Circle, is your chapter already or interested in implementing the Inner Circle? If so, this is where you can learn from your brothers on how to strengthen the experience you offer at your Zeta. Additionally, delegates will participate on committees with members of the Grand High Zeta and Master Stewards, as well as their undergraduate brothers, in assessing the Status of Chapters and General Assembly legislation before voting on the floor of the General Assembly.
Does the chapter have to send a representative? Yes, as mandated in the Constitution and Statutory Code, any chapter or colony not represented by at least one Delegate will incur a $1,000 fine. When can I depart? All General Assembly participants must depart on Sunday, July 25. All participants must be checked out of the hotel by 12:00 p.m. Transportation buses will be available to the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) only.
What are my deadlines? Registration Goes Live: February 25, 2010 International Ritual Team Applications: April 1, 2010 Chapter Award Applications and Inner Circle Petitions: April 30, 2010 Regular Registration Closes: June 1, 2010 (a late registration penalty of www.crossandcrescent.com
$100 will be assessed to any chapter or brother registering after June 1)
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Will transportation be available? Yes, transportation will be available to and from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) only, as part of the General Assembly registration cost. Transportation will be provided from the airport to the Arizona Biltmore on Thursday, July 22, 2010 and from the Arizona Biltmore to PHX on Sunday, July 25, 2010. Participants
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March 2010
FEATURE
Pep Boys CEO
A former Alpha-Pi chapter treasurer at Denver, Michael Odell has taken his Lambda Chi undergraduate experiences and successfully applied them to his career opportunities. After a positive experience at Sears, Roebuck and Co., he’s now applying his leadership skills to Pep Boys Auto, which operates 570 stores and approximately 6,000 service bays in 35 states By Chris Barrick (Butler 2004) and Puerto Rico. ahplA ihC adbmaL A
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University and a story
Mike Odell (Denver) around sseccus shas ih fomade a living by turning of hiscompanies success and making them profitable. His first lesson in this occurred at the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house; and he has taken those skills and applied them throughout his life. He began his professional career as a CPA for Deloitte & Touche. He went on to work in finance at Sears, Roebuck and Co. where he became vice president of finance and then operations of the Automotive Group. “We turned that automotive operation around from losing money to making money over a two-year period, “says Odell. Odell then ran the Southeast region for Sears stores, and had the top performing region for the three years he was in the position. He was then promoted to the senior vice president of operations for Sears’ stores, and then to the executive vice president for Sears’ stores. It was then that he made the move to join Pep Boys as the chief operating officer and eventually CEO.
Leadership Philosophy Odell has focused his business models around the need to be refocused on the customer. “I always break it down into people, customers, sales, profit, and growth. It’s the way that I like to put it together,” says Odell. “I make sure we’re right on our people, make sure we’re delivering for our customers, and make sure that it drives top line growth so that it produces bottom line profit. That gives you the right to grow at the end of the day.”
doesn’t come together for the customer. Success takes harnessing all of their expertise and skills, then get it all pointed in a single direction. “Like a sports team, if you’ve got a team with the five best basketball players but they’re all doing their own one-on-one, you’re not going to accomplish anything.” says Odell. “They all have to be pointed in one system, one objective that’s right for the customer.“
Whether it’s Pep Boys, Sears, or the fraternity, Odell believes there needs to be a common point-of-view in terms of what is to be accomplished. Though a group of people may be individually talented, by all doing their own thing it
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of his success
FEATURE Besides the individual skill sets, you also have to look at a person’s character, Odell says. Without integrity a person simply can’t advance under his leadership model.
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University and a story of his success
existing supercenters that have 20,000 square feet and surrounding it with smaller service and tire centers.” He says Pep Boys has a little over a one percent share, but nobody has a two percent share of the service side. He thinks this share can be expanded due to a cost advantage Pep Boys has in buying power of the 600 national stores.
He also believes in empathy. “You’ve got to have empathy for the customers if you’re going to be in a customer service business. You’ve got to have empathy for your associates if you want them to believe in the company and believe in the mission. People like to work for somebody who they feel cares. Cares about them as a person, and cares about them in terms of their advancement and their personal motivation. It’s about being able to put yourself in someone’s position so that you can understand it. The more that you can understand it, the more you relate to it, the more you can act on it.”
Looking to the future, Odell says Pep Boys goal is to become the market share leader amongst the automotive service providers. He expects to have more outlets and drive more business through service bays than anybody else. “Our vision is to be the automotive solutions provider of choice for the value-oriented customer,” says Odell. “Then underneath that vision we have our strategies. Our strategy for service is to be the market share leader. Our strategy for retail is to be the automotive superstore. Between those, Pep Boys is the one place that does everything and has everything.“
Odell also believes in surrounding yourself with people with a can-do attitude, positive energy versus the glass half empty.
Pep Boys
University of Denver
Odell is not a skilled mechanic nor an ASE certified technician. He is focused on customers and focused on making sure that people are in a position where they can be successful with customers.
When Odell entered college he did not intend to go through rush. He was invited by his roommate, who was rushing the fraternity, to attend a Lambda Chi football practice.
“I’m pretty good at making sure that it’s going to be a profitable model when we’re all said and done,” says Odell, “Sometimes you can do great things for customers and great things for sales and not make any money.”
“I had a good time,” he says. “Got invited to the rush party that night, and basically just found folks that had common interests and were having fun together. “
Founded in 1921 by “Manny” Rosenfeld, “Moe” Strauss, and “Jack” Jackson, Pep Boys is a full-service automotive aftermarket chain. Headquartered in Philadelphia, it currently operates 570 stores and approximately 6,000 service bays in 35 states and Puerto Rico.
He made close friendships with others rushing Lambda Chi. Odell loved the sports side of the Fraternity and the idea of being part of a large family. “I remember when they made me the offer to come join the house that I accepted so quick that they were almost like what’s wrong with him,” laughs Odell. The following year Odell became the chapter’s treasurer and began the first financial turnaround of his career.
Since becoming CEO of Pep Boys in 2008, Odell has used this strategy at the once struggling auto supply company and it has again become profitable. Pep Boys had lost money for four years and been a little bit better than break-even over the last decade. This year Pep Boys will be profitable, making more money than the previous 12 years combined.
“We really weren’t under control with our spending,” says Odell. “It was really the first time that I learned cash flow. We were in a deficit position and I had to manage the cash inflows and the cash outflows and make sure that we had the little equity that we needed.“
“It’s the same thing as what we’re trying to accomplish for our customers,” says Odell. “Let’s get our team organized around what we need to deliver for our customers, then drive sales and improve the profit model so that we can grow our store count. “
By the end of the first of two years in the office Odell had made the chapter operate with a surplus.
Under Odell’s leadership Pep Boys has focused on four core areas of business: service, do-it-yourself, commercial, and accessories. He expects the largest opportunity to come from growth in the service area.
“I wasn’t always popular and we lost a few people because they wouldn’t pay,“ says Odell. “A standard isn’t a standard if you don’t hold people accountable. If you don’t adhere to your standards, what do you stand for? You don’t want to have standards that are meaningless. So if you’re going to have them, you’d better stick to them.”
“It’s the fastest growing, most fragmented, and it’s highly profitable,” says Odell. “We are looking to expand by taking our
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