THE
ALMICRON
T H E A LU M N I N E W S L E T T E R O F P I K A P PA P H I AT I O WA S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y SPRING 2021 EDITION
UPDATE FROM THE ALPHA OMICRON BUILDING CORPORATION As we enter our 92nd year of Alpha Omicron at Iowa State, we leave a year unlike any others. But, I’m pleased to report that your Building Corporation is active and focused on maintaining and improving our house at 407 Welch. Because of the work of Josh Carper, Chapter Advisor, and last year’s undergraduate Executive Council, we so far have come through the Covid pandemic safely. We had a substantial plan to deal with infected members and we executed that plan when one of our undergraduates became ill. I’m happy to say that he is well and as the next semester resumes in late January, activities in the chapter will be as close to normal as possible. But, because of the pandemic and other prior factors, the occupancy of the house is less than optimum. Recently, I met with the new undergraduate Executive Council (via teleconference) and I can assure you that the undergraduates are as dedicated and willing to work as any leadership group in the past. Although we have fewer members, my experience with the last several Executive Councils is that they are fine young men who are really trying their best. It’s now some 33 years since our current house was constructed and occupied. And, the house is showing its age. This impedes recruiting new members as the living expectations of the current incoming freshmen have significantly changed since the house was built. It’s become clear that the configuration of our house needs to change. While maybe “State of the Art” in the late 1980’s, our house no longer competes with other facilities on campus. In September, we convened a number of Building Corporation meetings with knowledgeable parties in Ames. We met with Billy Boulden, Director of Sorority and Fraternity Engagement (and also a Pi Kappa Phi brother), First Property Management, our property manager, our Banker, and with volunteers from other chapters at Iowa
State who have been involved in building or renovation projects for their chapters. Separately, in November, we hosted a visit from Jay Stuckel, of Pi Kappa Phi Properties. He toured our house as well as campus and gave us some very useful feedback. In his opinion, the structure of our house is very good, but it could use some reconfiguring and modernization. Since we also own the rental property next to 407 Welch, we have a number of options to consider. “Properties” is working on a proposal to begin to have a much closer relationship with Alpha Omicron. Our plan is threefold. Although our debt level is low, we can refinance it at a much lower rate and increase it a bit, yielding funds to perform needed enhancements on our current house configuration. In addition, we will seek additional near-term funding (i.e. support from alumni) to do a few key things to improve the house. Long-term we will work with “Properties” to develop a plan for a major reconfiguration of the house; one that will be attractive to incoming freshmen! There’s a lot going on for the AOBCII. We will communicate our progress as we make decisions down the road. As always, input from you, our alumni, is very welcome! Yours in Pi Kappa Phi, Bob Lane AO 422, Chairman boblane@sbcglobal.net Jeremy Glavin AO 825, Alumni Chairman jeremydeangalvin1973@gmail.com Paul Kula AO 1379, Student Representative pkula124@iastate.edu
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ALPHA OMICRON BUILDING CORPORATION ROBERT LANE Chairman JAY LETTOW Vice Chairman BRETT TORESDAHL Treasurer TRAE HESTNESS Secretary KELLEY BERGSTROM Alumni Chairman JEREMY GALVIN Alumni Chairman JOSH CARPER Scholarship Chairman EMERSON LINNEY Scholarship Chairman WARREN MADDEN Member at Large AJ DESAI Member at Large PAUL KULA Student Representative
ARCHON’S UPDATE Brothers and Alumni of the Alpha Omicron Chapter,
is time to put it all together, and I believe we are off to a great start. We have begun recruitment of new My name is Paul Kula and I am the newly members and anticipate a big spring new member elected Archon of Pi Kappa Phi at Iowa State class. All brothers have played an active role in University. I come to you today with concerns recruitment, and even through the uncertainty regarding the future of our fraternity, but also of this semester, our morale is higher than ever with optimism, that with the right course of action, before. The members understand how pivotal the the Alpha Omicron chapter will once again be a next 6 – 12 months are, and everyone is playing a successful organization on campus. role in bringing Alpha Omicron back to the level of success that all members expect. Allow me to elaborate: I wish to take this opportunity to thank the AOBCII for the time and resources they are There is no doubt this year has been difficult dedicating to bringing our current facility up to for all of us, and our fraternity has not been an date to meet the changing needs of our current exception from this struggle. After our vital spring membership and more importantly for the 2020 recruitment cycle was cut short due to the potential new members that Alpha Omicron Covid pandemic, we were left in an uncomfortable will recruit in the years to come. As Archon, I position regarding the economic sustainability of can understand how meaningful 407 Welch is our chapter. We currently have 19 members living to hundreds of brothers. I can assure you that in the house this semester. While a number this the current members have the same passion and small is cause for financial concern, one benefit feelings about 407 Welch as you do, but we need is that it has allowed our chapter to adapt well to your help in bringing the facility to the level that the current pandemic. Our in-house brothers have young men (and their parents) expect in their their own rooms which promotes the health and housing situation while attending Iowa State. safety of the entire chapter. I understand that our development as a chapter will require hard work, commitment and What happened that brought our chapter to accountability. As you consider helping our chapter this unsettling position? through your donations of money or of your time and expertise, please know that the chapter and I The inter-working components of fraternity will give everything that we can to ensure that your always start and end with recruitment. Good investment is a successful one. recruitment increases morale and amplifies every My aspirations for the current Executive aspect after, and vice versa. Our past recruitment Council goes further than just completing our seasons were not great which has led to a low terms. We are all extremely passionate about Pi number of members choosing to live in the house. Kappa Phi and our place at Iowa State University. Poor recruitment leads to poor morale and low We want to become something great, something motivation. The ripple effect continued as three big, something that not only influences the lives semesters ago we had a cumulative chapter GPA of young men, but produces greatness for the of 2.68; nowhere near the standard to which we community. I believe now, more than ever, is the expect of ourselves. However, that semester right time to bring the Alpha Omicron chapter to served as a needed wakeup call, not just for our a level playing field with our competition and a big academic performance, but for every aspect of our part of this will be some immediate renovations to chapter as a whole. the current facility. With these renovations, our chapter will once again thrive and overcome the So where has that wake-up call brought us today? challenges we have faced. Thank you for your continued interest and After the above-mentioned semester where support in Pi Kappa Phi and the Alpha Omicron we achieved a very low chapter GPA, we re- chapter. As we soon move into a post-pandemic evaluated how we hold our members accountable world, if you have an opportunity to visit Iowa to high academic achievement and we improved State please stop by and say hello. our chapter GPA during the spring ’20 semester to a 3.06. This past fall semester our chapter GPA Sincerely, continued to increase, and we achieved a 3.11, even while dealing with challenges brought upon us by Paul Kula being 100% on-line with all of our classes. AO 1379, Archon Now to the present, the spring ’21 semester. It pkula124@iastate.edu 2
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL PAUL KULA Archon JOHN PETRAK Vice Archon BRETT DAWSON Treasurer NOAH PRITCHARD Secretary COLE REYNOLDS Warden PATRICK ROKOS Historian ANDREW STONE Chaplain LUKE BIOCIC Philanthropy Chairman CHRISTOPHER ALGRIM Risk Management Chairman JOSHUA DECKER Standards Board Chairman KEVIN PILARSKI Scholarship Chairman ETHAN GHEYSEN Social Chairman
REFER A LEGACY
SHARE THE SUCCESS LET US KNOW WHAT YOU ARE UP TO @
The Alpha Omicron chapter considers any young man who an alumnus holds in high regard and would recommend for membership in the chapter as a legacy.
PIKAPP.ORG/SUBMITNEWS
If you know of an outstanding young man attending Iowa State in the near future, please refer him to join the chapter by contacting Alpha Omicron Vice Archon, Jack Petrak (jfpetrak@iastate.edu) with legacy referrals.
ALUMNI UPDATES
CHAPTER ETERNAL
CRAIG CARSE who was initiated in 1977 said that he now lives in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife where he works as a registered nurse. RICHARD ANDERSON who was initiated in 1960 says that he lives in Savannah, Georgia with his wife Fay where he's working as a Medical Expert for Social Security Disability appeals, and is a licensed Psychologist. He also has one child, 2 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
We express our condolences and mourn the recent passing of our Alpha Omicron brothers now in the Chapter Eternal. May their memory remain in our hearts and their families be surrounded by love.
FRANK PARRISH initiated in 1961 and one of the Mr Pi Kappa Phi's says he's been living in the Denver metro area in Highlands Ranch since 1980 and has since retired. He has two sons, two daughters-in-law and three granddaughters.
Keith John Bader Patrick Joseph Ryan Joseph 'Phil' Orion Linney
BRYAN SCHUTTE recently moved to the Des Moines, Iowa area and is contracting at Wells Fargo as a Scrum Master. He and his wife Jamie have 2 boys, ages 6 and 2.
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LEGION RECOGNITION Congratulations to the following Brothers who are celebrating Fraternity initiation anniversaries, this season.
SILVER LEGIONS (25 YEARS) Derek Daniel Nelson Kelley Nicholas Miller Scott R Stuckey Kevin Jerome Sutherland Jeffrey Raymond Donahoe Matthew C Kramer Timothy Andrew Brekke Chris John Thomas Jeremy David Katt Brennan T Cox Zachary Scott Kimble Jason Matthew Meers Christopher J Nixon Beau R Dawes James Forrest Doughty Brent Christopher Smith
GOLDEN LEGIONS (50 YEARS) Bruce Michael Antion Ronald Earl Gallentine John David Henderson Roger Jay Gallentine
DIAMOND LEGIONS (60 YEARS) Richard Martin Anderson Frank Megran Parrish III Kelley Arnold Bergstrom Donald Adrian Howell Micheal Dennis McDevitt
NATIONAL AWARDS Alpha Omicron has a long history of dedication and exemplary service to Pi Kappa Phi. While the individual contributions are too numerous to include here, the number of Alpha Omicron brothers who have received the Fraternity’s most prestigious awards is a true source of pride.
MR. PI KAPPA PHI
Of particular note, is the completion of Jeremy Galvin’s 2-year term as National President and Kelley Bergstrom’s Hall of Fame Induction both recognized at the Supreme Chapter Virtual Event this past July.
MERIT CITATION
Kelley Bergstrom, 1987 Wayne Moore, 1994 Eldred Harman, 1998 Frank Parrish, 2012 Eric Almquist, 2018 (posthumously)
HALL OF FAME
Kelley Bergstrom, 2000 Bob Lane, 2008
PHILLIP M. SUMMERS STUDENT OF THE YEAR Curt Clifton, 1992
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Kevin Sutherland, 1998 Jeremy Galvin, 2005
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REGIONAL GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR Dave Adickes, 2015
CHAPTER ADVISOR OF THE YEAR Ken Hook, 1988
BRUCE ROGERS AWARD Chris Hupke, 1991 Troy Carmann, 1996 Kevin Sutherland, 1998 Josh Sheffler, 2002 Dave Knavel, 2007
THIRTY UNDER 30 Eric Hoffmeyer, 2016
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ALPHA OMICRON NEEDS YOUR HELP In this issue of The Almicron, you have heard from our undergraduate Archon, Paul Kula and our AOBCII Chairman, Bob Lane, about how our chapter facility at 407 Welch Avenue is in need of capital improvements in order to modernize our 33 year old facility. Completing basic capital improvement projects in the next nine months will, in the short-term, make Alpha Omicron more competitive in our recruitment of new members while long-term we consider several options to secure appropriate housing that will lead to decades of continued success for our chapter. Potential new members and their parents have expectations that we must meet in order to attract them to join Pi Kappa Phi. Times have changed and what was popular and attractive to young men when the house was built in 1988 is much different than what might be considered new and innovative today. The AOBCII is making plans for the following capital improvement projects that will dramatically improve our facility:
• Technology improvements (WiFi capabilities, charging stations, etc.) The AOBCII will be able to accomplish some of these projects through a refinance of the current mortgage and borrowing against the equity that we have built over the past 33 years. To accomplish all of these capital improvements, we need at a minimum an additional $75,000 from alumni through philanthropic contributions. Please consider supporting our chapter by making a gift to assist the AOBCII in modernizing our facility at 407 Welch Avenue. Contributions can be mailed to Brett Toresdahl, AOBCII Treasurer, 701 Clegg Rd., West Des Moines, Iowa, 50265. Brett can be reached at (515) 490-9449 and at btoresda@dwx.com. Checks should be made out to AO Building Corporation II where they will be placed into a capital improvement account separate from the AOBCII general operating account. I too am available and happy to answer any questions and have included my contact information below. Thank you for your consideration and support.
• New flooring that is durable throughout the facility • Improve lighting to enhance the academic and personal success of members • Furniture improvements within the dining room, formal room and study space on first floor • Upgrade kitchen appliances • Landscaping to improve the curb-side appeal of the property
In Pi Kappa Phi, Jeremy Galvin AO 825, Alumni Chairman jeremydeangalvin1973@gmail.com | (515) 450-2465
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ATTN: Alumni Engagement 2015 Arysley Town Blvd. Suite 200 Charlotte, NC 28073
A BLAST FROM THE PAST
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