Alpha Tau | Spring 2017

CASTLE ALPHA TAU FOUNDATION, INC.

NEWSLETTER

AT Spring 2017

Greetings All, On behalf of the Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. it is my pleasure to present our first quarterly newsletter! I am very excited that our inter-alumni outreach and communication continues to grow. We plan to release our newsletters on a quarterly basis going forward, to share information with you about the organization's past, current, and future work and events. We sincerely look Note from the President forward to maintaining Project Application and ongoing communication, engagement, and outreach Execution Process Explained with you. Fraternity alumni are How to Donate an important asset to one another, and to the Not-For-Profit Organization continued success of the Setup Explained undergraduate chapter. It is our hope that we may rekindle Website Information and grow our chapter's alumni involvement, sense of Officers & Directors community, and abilities!

wholly responsible for all maintenance and upkeep required at the historic chapter house.

In This Issue

In 1Q 2016, the Housing Corporation of the Alpha Tau Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi took a big step to ensure the filling of that gap. The Housing Corporation, under the direction of Jordan Allen (Housing Corporation President), secured an attorney to assist in the dissolution of the defunct organization, and to assist in the creation and founding of a new organization. The Housing Corporation then sought for alumni to lead the effort of founding and setting up the new organization.

Recent Happenings at the Chapter House

I volunteered to assist in the process of dissolution and founding of the new organization. Little did I know that I would be leading the effort, become the founder of a not-for-profit corporation, or become the President of the organization. It has been a challenge, which for those of you “It is this selfless sense of who know me is community, charity, and something I am care that will allow for the very familiar with continued success of and always our organization.” tackle head on.

And this experience has come with quite the education in non-profit corporations and compliance.

Upcoming Events

1Q 2017 Newsletter Copyright 2017 Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. Not responsible for errors or omissions.

The Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. was founded in 2Q of 2016. A separate organization, the Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. was founded in the 1990's and actively existed through the 2000's. That organization had a mission very similar to ours – To engage with alumni & undergraduates to fund-raise and facilitate projects to maintain and restore the historic chapter house of Pi Kappa Phi at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Unfortunately, the Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. organization became defunct following a lapse in filing of paperwork and a lack of legal compliance.

For several years, an unfilled gap existed in its place. And for many years, efforts were discussed regarding a resurrection of the defunct organization. Unfortunately, the legalities and work required to resurrect such an organization kept this effort on a "to-do" list for far too long. The lack of this alumni organization broke down communication amongst alumni, and between alumni and the undergraduates. In addition, the Housing Corporation of the Alpha Tau Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi became

We have successfully re-established ourselves as the great alumni forum and power that we will always strive to be. Our existence has been made possible by the hard work, dedication, and motivation of several fraternity alumni who have volunteered countless hours. It is this selfless sense of community, charity, and care that will allow for the continued success of our organization.

I encourage you to keep up to date on our organization via our website – www.castleatf.org. And please do not hesitate to reach out to us by email or mail should you have any questions, comments, or concerns. We are here to serve you!

YIPKP, Dave Slaw President – Castle Alpha Tau Foundation Inc. RPI Class of 2014 | AT #1281

Project Application and Execution Process

EXPLAINED

We can achieve our Mission Statement by completing projects at the chapter house. And, we would like for undergraduates, alumni, and the public to have input on what projects might be pursued!

Please fill out a “Project Application Form” (which can be found on our website) should you have an idea for a project that you might like to see pursued. Completed forms can be (scanned and) submitted to the Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. by mail, email, or via the contact us form on the website.

Contact us: Mail: Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc., 49 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180 Website: http://www.castleatf.org Email: alphataufoundation@gmail.com Please fill out as much of the requested information on the form as is possible. Also, please make sure to include the requested applicant contact information so that we may contact you should we have any further questions regarding the content of the application.

The Board of Directors will review all applications during Board of Director Meetings, to be held bi-annually (at a minimum), additional meetings to be called as deemed necessary. The decision to pursue a project will be based upon many factors, such as the benefit(s), cost(s), and feasibility. Project applications may also be submitted and filed away for future consideration.

Should the Board of Directors decide to pursue a project, a “Project Manager” will be assigned. This person may be an alumnus local to the Troy, NY area, or an undergraduate student. The “Project Manager” will be responsible for ensuring the project is completed on time and on budget.

In order for the Board of Directors to keep track of progress, the “Project Manager” will also be responsible for filling out a “Project Progress Form” on a weekly basis for the duration of the project. This form will allow for ongoing tracking of projects to keep the Board of Directors notified of progress and potential setbacks. The “Project Manager” will also take photos to accompany the “Project Progress Form,” which will be used to visually verify progress and showcase project progress and project completion on our website.

We welcome all to get involved, in whatever capacity you can – whether that is donating time, donating money, and/or sharing your ideas for potential projects. Please let us know if you have any questions about the process, or any comments on how we can improve the process!

Artist Rendition, The John Paine Mansion 49 2nd Street, Troy, New York 12180

Mission Statement Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. “To renovate and preserve the architectural, historic and civic value of the building more commonly known as 49 Second Street, Troy, New York 12180, currently registered with the New York State Historical Preservation Registry, and to increase historical preservation awareness through educational programs open to the community.”

HowToDONATE In order for the Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. to fund projects at the historic chapter house, fundraising is necessary to ensure that projects can come to fruition. For this reason, the Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. has incorporated in the State of New York as a “Not-For-Profit Corporation”, and filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to be recognized as an exempt organization. We are pleased to announce that on February 28th 2017, we received a definitive ruling from the IRS and have officially received our tax exempt status!

Our mission is charitable, and we have organized ourselves accordingly so that the maximum amount of every dollar contributed goes towards every project we fund. All donations are tax-deductible, and donation acknowlegement letters can be provided to donors who wish to claim their charitable contribution as a tax deduction.

BY CHECK Should you wish to donate, please feel free to do so by mailing a check to: Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. 49 Second Street Troy, NY 12180

Horse and Buggy outside The John Paine Mansion

ONLINE Donate by credit card or debit card via our online square marketplace at https://squareup.com/store/castle-alpha-tau-foundation-inc

Our Not-For-Profit Organization Setup

Explained The founding and setup of a not-for-profit organization is no easy task. In order to provide some perspective, we would like to provide you with an overview of the process we experienced.

The first step in the process was to incorporate our not-for-profit in the state in which the organization will be registered and operate; in our case, New York State. In order to submit an application for incorporation, a few documents needed to be drafted and finalized to be submitted with the application.

The required documentation included a set of bylaws, a conflict of interest policy, and a records retention policy. Additionally, a well-defined mission statement describing the organization's purpose had to be developed and submitted. All incorporation documents and statements had to be in compliance with various legal guidelines and comply with not-forprofit law.

Our attorney provided us with drafts of the required documents, which were reviewed by the incorporators. (A minimum of three (3) incorporators were required to incorporate.) As part of this review process, numerous comments were noted regarding refinement of the draft documents to better align with anticipated organization structure and operation.

These comments were communicated to our attorney, and the documents were revised and finalized accordingly.

With all finalized documents in hand, a incorporation application was submitted to the Department of State, along with the required application fee. The Department of State reviewed the application and all supporting documents in order to verify the corporation type and confirm the application. Once the documents were reviewed and confirmed by the Department of State, a filing receipt was provided confirming our incorporation.

WEBSITEinformation

Following the incorporation of our not-for-profit, we needed to register for a federal tax identification number (EIN) from the IRS. The EIN was easily obtained through a request online. Once the EIN was

We invite all alumni, undergraduates, and the public to visit out our websites!

www.castleatf.org The organization’s website will be frequently updated to reflect the latest organization information, events, and ongoing work. Many valuable resources, are also available on our website, such as project related forms. Please explore our website, which we hope provides you with a testament to our ongoing efforts. And please check back often, to stay up to date with the organization!

obtained, we had to file for tax exempt status with the IRS. The completion of the application to receive a definitive ruling of tax exemption from the IRS, Form 1023, was equally as involved as the incorporation process. Form 1023 is very lengthy, and requires information regarding the organization's anticipated operations, mission, and finances. We completed the Form 1023 with the assistance of our attorney, and provided all necessary documentation to serve as proof of our charitable operations and mission.

A Board of Directors must be named prior to submission of the Form 1023. With the by-laws finalized, the three (3) incorporators were able to vote Directors onto the Board in compliance with the guidelines set forth in the by-laws. Following the naming of a Board of Directors, the first Board of Directors meeting was held. This first meeting encompassed a number of items, including election of Officers, formation of committees, and passing of resolutions.

Once the Form 1023 was completed and the supporting documentation was compiled, the application was submitted to the IRS; along with the required fee. The IRS then reviewed the application and supporting documentation, and submitted follow-up questions they had regarding our application. We were pleased to receive only a few follow-up questions. Additional documentation was easily obtained to respond to the questions, and we were able to promptly respond to the IRS. After submitting our responses to the IRS, they made a definitive ruling on our application. We received notification of our definitive ruling, granting us tax exempt status, at the end of February 2017. The entire process from incorporation to receiving tax exempt status took a few months to complete.

While waiting for the IRS definitive ruling, a bank account was able to be established. Additionally, the organization was able to operate as it normally would with anticipation of receiving a definitive ruling of exemption.

The process was lengthy, involved, and came with a number of challenges. However, resiliency and attentiveness by all involved in the process assured a positive outcome and success!

We have also setup an online marketplace, where tax-deductible donations can be made to the organization:

https://squareup.com/store/castle-alpha-tau-foundation-inc Through tax-deductible donations, we will be able to fulfill our mission statement and ensure ongoing maintenance, repairs, and restoration of the historic John Paine mansion. Charitable donations of any amount are always accepted and greatly appreciated!

FOUNDATION OFFICERS

David Slaw

PRESIDENT

Years Attended RPI | 2010 – 2014 Degree | B.S. Civil Engineering Occupation | Aviation Consultant Current Location | Philadelphia, PA

Scott Carpman VICE PRESIDENT

Years Attended RPI | 2009 – 2012 Degree: | B.S. Economics Occupation | Data Manager Current Location | New York, NY Kyle Braun

TREASURER

Years Attended RPI | 2005 – 2007 Degree | B.S. Business Administration Conc. in Accounting Occupation | Accountant Current Location | Brick, NJ

Craig Martin SECRETARY

Years Attended RPI | 2004 – 2006 Degree: | B.S. Economics (Minor Finance) Occupation | Finance/Banking Current Location | Guilderland, NY

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DIRECTORS Ken Banker Years Attended RPI | 1982 – 1986 Degree | B.S. Chemical Engineering Occupation | Process Engineer Current Location | Ballston Spa, NY

Nicholas Steele Years Attended RPI | 2008 – 2012 Degree: | B.S. Game Simulation Arts and Sciences, Cognitive Science Occupation | Software Engineer Current Location | New York, NY Philip Bryant

Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. Organizational Structure EXPLAINED The Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. is governed by a Board consisting of Officers and Directors.

Each Officer and Director serves a set term, and is eligible to serve for a limited number of consecutive terms, in accordance with the by-laws. All are accountable to the by-laws, a conflict of interest policy, and a records retention policy. Additionally, each Officer and Director is eligible to serve on a number of committees, which include a number of committees mandated by the by-laws, in addition to ad-hoc committees that may be formed. The Officers and Directors are responsible for the organizations outreach, actions, and compliance.

The Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. is a separate entity from the chapter’s Housing Corporation. With the Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. now in place, the Housing Corporation anticipates being responsible for the funding of more routine items and smaller maintenance projects; such examples might include replacement of washers and dryers, small plumbing repairs, etc. The Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. will consider projects of all sizes to support the ongoing maintenance and restoration of the historical structure. Examples might include replacement of the roof, structural repairs, etc.

The Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. is recognized by the IRS as an exempt organization. This means that we can accept tax deductible charitable donations, which can be claimed by donors as tax deductions. The Castle Alpha Tau Foundation, Inc. maintains separate bank accounts from the Housing Corporation, and has more stringent legal requirements to comply with in order to maintain the exempt organization status.

If you are interested in getting involved, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Years Attended RPI | 2008 – 2012 Degree | B.S. Business Management Occupation | Senior Planner Current Location | Boston, MA

Robert LaForge Years Attended RPI | 2008 – 2012 Degree: | B.S. Mechanical Engineering Occupation | Equipment Engineer Current Location | Saratoga Springs, NY Wyatt Nordstrom Years Attended RPI | 1994 – 1998 Degree | B.S. Materials Engineering Occupation | Entrepreneur Current Location | San Francisco, CA

UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION Our Alumni Association, Chapter and National Organization continue to try to record accurate contact information for our members.

To stay informed, please update your contact information, including your preferred email address.

You can email the national office, send updated information to abublitz@pikapp.org, or update your information online at pikapp.org.

the undergraduate ROHM (Royal Order of House Management) appointees, a new boiler was secured and installed within one month of the incident.

During this work week, the undergraduates (along with some local alumni help – many thanks to Andrew Haslam and Anthony Mickalauskas) were able to complete some notable projects.

One of these projects was the renovation of the Muscle Bedroom. Over time, the ceiling had fallen into disrepair caused by the foot traffic in the attic above, in addition to leaks coming in from the roof above. The undergraduate brothers used the week to repair and re-plaster the ceiling.

The bell tower floor had become worn from use, and was identified as a potential area of water infiltration into the house. The floor is now patched and stabilized. The Brothers also did thorough cleaning of the deck bathrooms, including recaulking work. The kitchen also underwent a thorough cleaning, and the walls were patched and reBell Tower Floor Deck painted.

Bathroom Tile Cleaned & Re-caulked

At the start of the Spring 2017 semester, new flooring was installed New Tile Flooring in the basement bar room. The floor was previously comprised of small tiles, many of which were missing or chipped, making an uneven surface and the appearance of the floor being in complete disarray. The existing flooring was removed and the subflooring leveled. Large tiles were used for the new floor and it was properly sealed after the installation. The basement bar underwent a renovation a few years ago, to create an additional space for undergraduates and alumni to enjoy socially. Now the entire space is updated and has a much more pleasing appearance.

Recently, the brothers also converted much of the lighting in the house to LED bulbs.

This effort was completed with the assistance of Jordan Allen, Housing Corporation President. The LED lights both illuminate the house much better, and provide energy savings.

Cost Efficient LED Lighting

Muscle Bedroom Ceiling Repair

At the start of the Fall 2016 semester, the undergraduate brothers held a work week. This was the first year in recent memory that the undergraduates organized and executed a work week, to concentrate time, resources, and efforts to accomplish some larger projects at the house. In recent years, no work week was held but rather undergraduate brothers were asked to complete meaningful projects throughout each semester.

Unfortunately, at the end of the Fall semester, the boiler experienced a malfunction causing it to become engulfed in Many thanks to the flames. undergraduate brothers and alumni for all of their hard Gratefully, the New Boiler work to improve our house! These efforts are an malfunction was Installation integral part of the ongoing maintenance, discovered repairs, and upgrades to the house. And many promptly, and the thanks to the ROHM appointees, Kamil authorities were Szmyd and Vikram Shah. Their oversight and notified in a timely direction ensured that the work was identified, manner. Because of organized, and executed properly. the smart and prompt response to the incident, no one was harmed and minimal damage occurred. The Housing Corporation worked with the insurance company and undergraduates to provide temporary heating, and to ensure replacement of the boiler. Due to the prompt efforts of the Housing Corporation members and

UPCOMINGEVENTS

OUTING GOLF

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Luncheon

Date | Saturday, May 6th 2017 Time | 12:15 PM - 2:45 PM Location | Brunswick Greens Golf Course (1004 Hoosick Road, Troy, NY 12180) Cost to Attend | $20 - Luncheon Only; $40 - Luncheon and 9 Holes of Golf

Join the Brothers and Alumni of Pi Kappa Phi for a pleasant afternoon of golf and a luncheon. The luncheon will be buffet style, with a cash bar.

The buffet menu will include: Cheese and Crackers Fresh Fruit Garlic Parmesan Wings BBQ Wings Cheese Quesadillas Tossed Garden Salad

We look forward to seeing many of you there!

Golf will be nine (9) holes on the Brunswick Greens Executive Golf Course; groups and tee times will be arranged. Golfers will be able to enjoy the luncheon following the nine (9) hole round.

A endance and payment can be conďŹ rmed by sending checks to Castle Alpha Tau Founda on, Inc., 49 2nd Street, Troy, NY 12180 or by paying for a endance online via our Online Square Martetplace (h ps://squareup.com/store/Castle-Alpha-Tau-Founda on-Inc).