THE ALUMNI NEWSLETTER OF PI KAPPA PHI AT DREXEL UNIVERSITY
FALL 2007
THE DUSAK
ALUMNI RESTORE CHAPTER HOUSE
After many months of planning, fundraising, restorations and negotiations, the doors of the Alpha Upsilon were reopened in September for the newest members of Pi Kappa Phi at Drexel University. For 57 years the Pi Kappa Phi chapter house at 3405 Powelton Avenue has served as a great physical symbol of the Alpha Upsilon chapter, welcoming class after class of new brothers and providing a forum for brotherhood, education and lifelong friendship. Since the chapter closed its doors in 2003, the house has patiently awaited the return of its occupants. In early 2007 several alumni, anticipating the return of the chapter, worked to restore the house to its former majesty. Through the success of Alpha Upsilon alumni chapter’s 2007 Capital Campaign and the efforts of many alumni, the house that was empty and tattered just nine months ago has been cleaned, renovated and restored in a manner that would make any brother proud to say it was once his home. The chapter house is now ready for a new group of students who will serve as the cornerstone of the new undergraduate chapter. Following months of negotiations with Drexel and in cooperation with the other Drexel fraternity alumni associations, we were able to negotiate an agreement with the university that assures Pi Kappa Phi’s
continued possession of the chapter house in the future. On September 1, 2007, the keys to the house were officially handed over to the alumni chapter, and the house is now, once again, occupied by a small group of future brothers. In late October representatives from the national fraternity will arrive at Drexel to begin a four-week recruitment effort to expand the size of the chapter. The chapter will then begin the year-long re-chartering process. The Alumni Chapter would like to thank all of those who opened their hearts and their checkbooks to support the effort. For alumni who are still interested in making a contribution, funds are still necessary for several special projects that are described later
in The DUSAK. The Alumni Chapter asks you to remember what it meant to be a brother in Pi Kappa Phi and send in your pledge now— or use this as an excuse to contact that pledge brother that you have not spoken to in 10-plus years and rekindle the spirit of brotherhood! A grand opening celebration for the restored chapter house has been scheduled for October 20, 2007. The event will also serve as a welcome for the first group of new associate members. The day’s events will begin with an open house and will be followed by the fall alumni chapter meeting, dinner, and a poker tournament. Please plan to attend. Details are listed on page 2 and available on at www.pikappau.org.
NIGHT OUT ON THE ROW As the first weeks of the fall term are considered to be a “danger zone” on many campuses, Drexel University continues to mandate that no first-year students or non-affiliated students are allowed in Greek houses during the first four weeks of the term. The only exception to this rule is during approved recruitment events, which are always alcohol-free. As part of “New Student Days,” fraternities and sororities hosted “Night Out on the Row” for all of our new students. The new members of the Alpha Upsilon chapter of Pi Kappa Phi helped to make the event was a tremendous success, garnering praise from the dean of students for the positive contributions Greek Organizations bring to campus life at Drexel. The students worked very hard to plan and execute an event that was appealing, yet still provided a safe and welcoming environment for our new students.
PI KAPPA PHI
ALPHA UPSILON
THE DUSAK PUBLISHER
The Dusak of Alpha Upsilon is published and printed by Pi Kappa Phi National Headquarters throught the fraternity’s alumni newsletter program. Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity P.O. Box 240526 Charlotte, NC 28224 (800) 929-1904
CONTACTS
ALUMNI CORPORATION OF ALPHA UPSILON CHAPTER OF PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY PRESIDENT Tony Noce (anoce@pitcairnproperties.com) VICE PRESIDENT Mike Imms (mimms@CWRLaw.com) TREASURER Tom Hill (thill60@yahoo.com) SECRETARY Steve Markley (smarkley@lfdriscoll.com) BOARD OF DIRECTORS Daniel Andrepont (dma_17@hotmail.com) Larry D’Andrea (lmdandrea@alloysurfaces.com) Al Grubert (awgrubert@comcast.net) Scott Kahan (kahan13@gmail.com) Dave Parsons (dparsons71@aol.com) Alex Sheppard (jasheppard21@yahoo.com) DIRECTOR EMERITUS Fred Schmehl REGIONAL GOVERNOR Vince Thompson (docvt@aol.com)
THANKS
The Alumni Corp. would like to recognize the Capital Campaign Committee members, Mike Lavelline, Jack Casper, Rich Husted, Keith Sheppard and Steve Winter for their hard work and dedication.
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ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT: JOHN DASKALAKIS INDUCTED INTO DREXEL HALL OF FAME John A. Daskalakis graduated from Drexel in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He went on to receive his M.B.A. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Technology in 1965. As a student, brother Daskalakis was an athlete. He was selected as a freshman for the varsity lacrosse team. Following Daskalakis’ freshman year, the head coach offered him a full scholarship to return to campus. Daskalakis accepted and was a member of the men’s lacrosse team from 1960-1962. He was selected as an Honorable Mention All-America in 1962 and was a two-time Pennsylvania/Delaware All Star Honorable Mention. He was named All-USILA Atlantic “B” Division as a senior. While at Drexel, Daskalakis was also a member of the Army ROTC and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. While he was rushed by several fraternities, he says that Pi Kappa Phi was the one that stood out the most. “I liked the house because the guys were more than just athletes and leaders; they were students. I knew I had come to college to learn and wanted an environment that supported that.” Daskalakis says Pi Kappa Phi “offered a great place to live” and also helped him to make some great friends, some of which he stays in touch with today. Of the things that he learned, he feels the social skills acquired through Pi Kappa Phi have served him the most. He says, “In the business world you need to be able to work with people, all types of people. The fraternity taught me how to do that.” He certainly has used those skills as in a very successful career that has spanned more than 40 years. He (continued on page 5) is the general partner for Jon-Cin & Son Ltd. Partnership in Lutherville, Md.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
BY TONY NOCE
Brothers, GRAND OPENING EVENT: It is with great pleasure that I can announce that 3405 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2007 Powelton Avenue is once again the home of Pi Kappa Phi. On Saturday, September 15, 2007, six future brothers of AND PAYMENT: the fraternity moved into the newly renovated chapter house. R.S.V.P. DAN GORMLEY Brother Carlos Ramirez, Theta Eta, (American University), is 18 RAPP RUN RD the house director and will keep the new guys in line. Carlos DRSHER, PA 19025 DAN_GORMLEY@YAHOO.COM is a second-year law student in the new Drexel School of (215) 646-6687 law. He was a charter member of his chapter at American University and will be a great resource for the new group as they go through the year-long chartering process. As indicated earlier and on www.pikappau.org, a formal grand opening celebration is planned for Saturday, October 20, 2007, at the chapter house. The day’s events will begin with an open house from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Immediately following is the fall alumni meeting at 6:00 and a buffet dinner at 6:30. A Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament will follow dinner. The initial response to the “save the date” notice has been great, and we expect to see brothers coming in from as far away as the West Coast. If you are planning to attend the grand opening, R.S.V.P. to Dan Gormley. The $25.00-per-person fee is to cover the cost of dinner and refreshments. Spouses are also invited to attend. Rules for the poker tournament will be posted on www.pikappau.org. There will be an initial $50 buy-in for the tournament for those who wish to participate. This will be collected at the event, and 50 percent of the proceeds will go to the Alumni Corp treasury to aid in establishing a reserve account. Thanks to all who have contributed their time, effort and money towards this effort, and I look forward to seeing you on October 20! Fraternally Yours, Tony Noce
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN REPORT The Alumni Corp. wishes to thank all of the brothers who have made donations or pledges to the capital campaign. In a window of six months, more than $200,000 in donations and pledges has already been contributed towards the goal. Donations have been received from 141 brothers. Durwood Owen, former Pi Kapp Phi Executive Director and the Drexel’s TKE Alumni Corporation have also made donations to the campaign. The range of donations has been impressive ranging from $10,000 to $25, indicating the breath of participation that the campaign is seeking. Equally impressive have been the in-kind donations of more $150,000 by brothers involved in the construction and real estate development industries. These individuals have donated their time and effort, services of their firms and arranged for discounts from vendors.
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS FELLOW CLUB ($10,000-$25,000)
Felix Troilo John Daskalakis Richard Husted John Casper Michael Lavelline Anthony Noce Steven Markley Dino Petrongolo SPONSOR CLUB ($5,000-$10,000)
Robert Stewart Gerald Barkdoll Leonard Di Carlo Larry Thibault Stephen Murray Jeffrey Cohick Michael Imms Wayne Baker SUSTAINING MEMBER CLUB ($2,500-$5,000)
Charles Kuntz Walter Bishop Franklin Smith John Knoll Stephen Winter Michael Varzally David Heydt Samuel Costa Richard Hart Halsey White Richard Sullivan Kevin Collins Victor Marcantoni
AFFILIATE CLUB ($1,000-$2,500)
John Stoner Donald Short Stephen Robinson John Marshall William Hitchens Alan Jenny Arthur Jones Michael Sheridan John Remias Robert Swavely David Waltman Ray Griffin William Moore James Palmer James Simms Stan Norkiewicz Robert Swayne Jeffrey Wendel William Crawford George Fitchko Robert Schuck Charles Santangelo Robert Austin Carl Luff Mark Scali John Buhsmer Robert Imbrogno Marc Longo Nick DeBenedictis Michael Sulmone Thomas Berk Darren Tapp Gino Fortunato Marlin Patrick William Wootton Bryan Rishforth Michael Lanasa Fabio Frisone Tau Kappa Epsilon
Most importantly they have provided the close oversight necessary to ensure that the work on the chapter house is of the highest quality. All of this support has enabled the Alumni Corp. to perform the renovations and purchase furnishings necessary to reopen the fraternity house. However, the job is still not finished. Additional funds are needed to complete necessary additional renovations such as exterior painting, repointing of the brick work, restoration of the front staircase millwork, additional plumbing, restoration of the front porch, and renovation of the carriage house. If you have not yet made your pledge to the campaign, now is the time to consider joining the campaign. If you have already contributed but are able to consider increasing your donation, please let us know.
STAR & LAMP CLUB ($500-$1,000)
Carl Graham Donald Williams Edward Horvath Samuel Wilson Donald Newby Larry Egolf Daniel Romanchuk Dennis Baldassari Joseph Santangelo Robert Thorp Philip Earley Mark Magliente David Farand William Conrad Menno Tielman David Denenberg Daniel Ginsberg Scott Koruba Scott Kahan Daniel Andrepont
ALPHA UPSILON CLUB ($250-$500)
Martin Burrows Jack Streater Norman Grede Frederic Woerth Robert Dobie Victor Urbon Robert McCafferty James Geist Hector Negroni Barry Campbell Richard Domrzalski Charles Bodo Thomas Chubb Michael Gennaro Alfred Grubert Michael Schoenen Paul Crissman
Dale Haring Peter Dey Patrick McCaffrey Lawrence D’Andrea Patrick Clarkin Joseph Deluca Brant Bulgarelli DIAMOND CLUB ($1-$250)
Fred Morgan Edward Simon Robert Lake Walter Dearolf Kurt Eisele Percy Brewington Emedio Bracalante Donald Craft Robert Wolf Vicko Melada Walter Koenig Joseph Latoff David Norris Robert Hadden Richard Brodeur Kenneth Dirkes Dennis Helmer Andrew Kegel Charles Myhre Bill Grubert Ronald Bonina Ronald Oechsler Thomas MacCrory John Peirce Jr David Kimberlin Edwin Schlotzhauer George Spingler Paul Howard John LaRocca Daniel Gormley John Peirce III Durward Owen
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ALUMNI UPDATES
SPECIAL PROJECTS REPORT
Stan Schuck (Spring ‘70) Stan has decided to retire from Verizon and has begun exploring new opportunities for a second career. He and his wife, Kathy, are celebrating their anniversary and are in Africa. robert.s.schuck@verizon.com
The following is a list of special funds that have been established to allow the Alpha Upsilon Alumni Corp. to complete the restoration effort. We are seeking individual brothers, groups of brothers or pledge classes to step up and select one of these “Special Funds” to make it your own. A special donor recognition plaque will be placed in a prominent location that will honor those brothers or groups that step up to the challenge.
Hector Negroni (Summer ‘57) Hector left Drexel in 1957 to attend West Point, where he graduated in 1961. He attended pilot training and received his jet pilot wings. After 24 years of active duty as a fighter pilot, he retired from the Air Force as a colonel in 1985. (Hector is picture below as a fighter pilot in 1964). He went on to work in the defense/ aerospace industry, retiring in 2000. Since then, he has written more than 100 articles and three history books. Married to the same lovely lady for 42 years, he spends time with their two boys, two daughters-in-law and four grandchildren (soon to be five). hectorandresnegroni@verizon.net
1) Plumbing Stack to Third Floor: This line is functional but has become constricted over time and is prone to clogging. $10,000 2) Install Bathroom in Kitchen Rear: This will be the room for the House Director, we need to provide a private bath to attract a Qualified individual. $15,000 3) Exterior Paint / Masonry Repairs / Gutter/Downspout Repairs: General maintenance is required to protect the house from water intrusion. $25,000 4) A/V Equipment: This item includes a new Plasma TV, Video Games DVD player, sound system and seating for the conversion of the Library into a media center room. $10,000
Hank Margolis (Spring ‘84) Hank is married to Amy and has two children, Jack, 4, and Caroline, 7. (The family is pictured below). They are expecting their third child on New Year’s Eve. Hank recently accepted a position as director for Alvarez and Marsal Business Consulting’s West Coast region, based in southern California. He specializes in supply chain consulting. HMargolis93@alumni.gsb.columbia.edu
5) Carriage House Restoration: All of the Plumbing and heating systems in the carriage house need to be replaced and the roof is in need of significant repairs. This project is necessary to render the Carriage House habitable. $75,000 6) Front Staircase Millwork: The restoration of the house after the fire in 1993 had insufficient funds to restore the historic millwork in the main staircase. This project will restore the railing up to and including the second floor landing. $40,000 7) Porch Railing Restoration: The steel supports hidden within the terra cotta railings on the front porch have rusted to the point where the railings had to be removed from the house. This Project is to have a replica of the original railings installed. $25,000
Jim McLaughlin (Spring ‘96) Jim became engaged to Karen Palmer (class of ’04, Phi Mu) over Labor Day. lpjimshady@yahoo.com Gino Fortunato (Fall ‘84) Gino was recently promoted to solution architect at Oracle Corporation. He has been living in San Francisco since 1999 and owns a home within sight of the Golden Gate Bridge. Gino and his wife, Laura Meyer, have a son, Nicholas, who will turn 3 in January. Gino has been a 100 thousand flyer for the last six years, so if you would like to contact him, he’ll probably be visiting your town soon! ginof@mindspring.com
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8) Basement Renovation: The basement has been cleaned out and basic lighting has been installed. Since moisture and humidity is a constant, it was concluded that the safest restoration scheme was to leave the ceiling and wall structures exposed. The ceiling was painted black during the prior restoration. The walls should be parged and painted and the floor should also be painted with an epoxy paint. Lighting improvements should be made and a foosball table is needed. $15,000
The above projects are listed in order of priority. Please contact Tony Noce, Mike Lavelline, Jack Casper, Rich Husted or Keith Sheppard if you would like to adopt one of these items. Thanks for your generous support!
THE HISTORY OF ALPHA UPSILON ALUMNI UPDATES This is an excerpt from a series of articles prepared by Brother John W. Deimler, Alpha Upsilon #19, one of the founding members of the chapter. The series will continue in future issues until the 75th anniversary in May 2008. What a feeling of relief and satisfaction it must have been to Chairman Bob Oberholtzer, the chapter, and the committee in charge of nationalization consisting of: Robert J. Riddle – President J. Ralph Mulford – Vice President Homer A. Reichert – House Manager F. Arthur Tucker William Bishop Charles Oddy Steven Shockley By January 23, 1933, a time frame had been set for submitting a “dummy” Formal Petition, the Formal Petition, and a target date of May 19,20, 21 for the actual installation as Alpha Upsilon Chapter. The regular Spring Formal Dance to serve as the social event in connection with the installation Although approval by the Philadelphia and New York Alumni Chapters and Alpha Xi Chapter was now assured, the approval of Psi and Alpha Mu Chapters, as well as the Supreme Council, still had to be obtained. A visit by Bob Oberholtzer was made in the company of Henry Bartleson to Psi Chapter on February 4 – 5, 1933, and to Alpha Mu Chapter with Lew Shemery on February 11 – 12, A personal invitation was extended to each Chapter to attend the Second Annual Minstrel Show on February 24 – 25. Both Chapters approved the Formal Petition when submitted for their vote. The “dummy” petition was sent to the Central Office on February 2, 1933 for approval and by March 3, the Formal Petition was received by the Central Office. A copy of this Petition along with other KAPPA SIGME DELTA memorabilia is in the archives at Nation Headquarters. While waiting for approval of their petition, plans were being formulated for the installation. Encouraging indications were being received from several sources. Then, on March 30, 1933, a telegram from Executive Secretary Leake followed by a confirming letter dated March 29 from Supreme Secretary Leo H. Pou, advised that the Petition of KAPPA SIGMA DELTA had received unanimous approval. It is not possible to recount all the details involved in the process of Nationalization. Suffice to note that there were literally reams of correspondence to ad from Executive Secretary Leake and District Archon Berry. Questions by the local committee, financial details, instructions and suggestions from the Central Office and District Archon, how many active and alumni members would be initiated, plans and accommodations for the actual installation, invited guests, etc. And there were disappointments as a number of alumni who had planned to be initiated had to “drop out” because of financial problems or re-location in employment. And there were problems of financing such an undertaking for these were still depression years following the stock market crash of 1929.
Mark Tomasello (Spring ‘84) Mark has been married to his wife, Rose, for more than 17 years and has two girls, Paige, 11, and Kirsten, 9. He has worked in the low voltage building systems field for the last 10 years and received a promotion to alarm division sales manager for the Oliver Sprinkler Co. in January of this year. Drexel has been a great account for Tom as he has several projects in progress there! He is also serving his second 2-year term as secretary of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Automatic Fire Alarm Association. MTomasello@oliversprinkler.com Rick Myers (Spring ‘73) After 27-plus years in the printing industry, Rick has decided to accept a position in the ministry with Missions Door. rick@missionink.net Scott Batson (Spring ‘89) Scott and his wife, Jennifer, live in Haddonfield, N.J., with their two boys, Will and Tommy, and their recent addition, a daughter named Catherine Caroline “CeCe.” Scott_Batson@hotmail.com Ron Oechsler (Spring ‘67) Ron is the third grade teacher at the Washington Waldorf School in Bethesda, Md. He moved to the D.C. area in 2005. He became interested in teaching while living in California and working as an energy consultant. Ron lives with his wife, Debra Neumann, and their daughters, Amy, 12, and Eliana, 10. roechsler@d-web.com ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT (continued from page 2)
Jon-Cin & Son deals with investments and wealth management. He is also a partner of Fleet Talk Partners 900, a company providing two-way radio and car telephone service, and a director of the American Mobile Telecommunications Association. Until 2002 he was partner in Maryland Baseball Limited Partnership, Laurel MD, which owned three minor league affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles. He was also president of Bee Hive, Inc. and TRS Communications, Inc., which provided trunked radio service across the country. He is a member of the Alumni Circle of Distinction for Drexel’s College of Engineering. When asked what advice he had for undergraduates today, he replied “they should study and be serious, participate in extracurricular activities and sports.” He believes these activities “make the students well-rounded and better prepare them for the life ahead.” And he encourages all alumni to “take the opportunity to get involved in their community and give back when they can.” The future of our fraternity and university depends on alumni involvement and dedication. Daskalakis takes his obligations seriously. Drexel’s gymnasium is named after him for his contribution to the Drexel University Athletics Department. He has also been an avid supporter of the campaign to renovate the chapter house. In 2003, he received the Drexel Circle of Distinction Award. He is an active member of the A. J. Drexel Society and a strong supporter of Alumni Club activities. Daskalakis has been involved in various humanitarian projects, has served on the Parish Council of Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church and is currently a member of Leadership 100, which helps sustain ministries of the Greek Orthodox Church. Aside from his busy professional life and extensive commitment to his community, Daskalakis has found time to be a family man. He and his wife, Cina, live in Boca Raton, Fla., for six months of the year and in Bethany, Del., the other six months. They have one son, John Jr., who is married to Maria and has a 3-month-old daughter named Cina.
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PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY P.O. BOX 240526 CHARLOTTE, NC 28224
THE DUSAK ALPHA UPSILON
THE FRONT PORCH Alpha Upsilon chapter members gather for a photo in front of the house circa 1969.
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PI KAPPA PHI
REMEMBER WHEN