SUMMER 2020
BETA ETA
PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY
Bob and Bonnie Davis
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY BETA ETA ALUMNI CHAPTER
We recently caught up Bob and had the opportunity to discuss FSU athletics. Bob, from an organizational standpoint, the Seminole Booster's affiliation with FSU has changed. Can you describe that change and how it has impacted or changed the role of the Boosters?
A Leader in FSU Athletics
Bob Davis '72 Bob Davis (BH464) is an integral part of FSU athletics through his role with the Seminole Boosters, Inc. Bob joined the Booster's Board of Directors in 2015 and put his accounting skills to work shortly thereafter as chair of the Booster's audit committee. Bob successfully led the Booster's efforts in recovering all funds from a significant theft and implemented internal controls to safeguard the Booster's future. For his efforts, Bob received the Godfrey Smith Award of Excellence after only two years of service with the Boosters. Since then, Bob was elected to the Booster's Executive Committee where he served as Treasurer and currently serves as Board Chairman. Prior to Bob's tenure with the Booster's, he and his wife Bonnie had both retired in 2008 from successful careers. Bob had started his own accounting firm in 1984 and Bonnie was an owner of a floor covering distribution company. Bob was also a financial planner and securities dealer. Bob and Bonnie are blessed with two daughters. Ashley is a cytotechnologist at Florida Hospital in Orlando, and Lindsey, who received her undergraduate degree and her law degree from FSU, is in-house counsel at Signature Flight Support with U.S. operations based in Orlando.
The Florida State University Athletic Association (FSUAA) was set up as an umbrella organization over the Athletic Department and the Seminole Boosters. It has had a very positive effect on both organizations. As the Chairman of the Boosters I am also on the board of FSUAA. The other board members are the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the University President, the Director of Athletics and an at large member selected by the President. Board meetings are held regularly, and it brings the entire decision-making group together to discuss finances, budgets, capital projects and fundraising. Everybody now has a voice in the decisionmaking process. If athletics needs a new facility, FSUAA allows us to plan together. We discuss timing, cost, fundraising requirements together. It has made the entire University alignment better. In the past the holistic view of a decision wasn't as easy. Obviously there has been a lot of excitement around the hiring of Coach Norvell. While it is tough to judge a coach before the team takes the field but what is your perception of the coach and staff at this point? I am a huge Coach Norvell fan. I was fortunate to fly up to Memphis and bring Coach Norvell, his wife Maria, and their daughter Mila to Tallahassee to introduce them to the Seminole Nation. Coach Norvell is a man of integrity and is very detailed oriented. We get to talk fairly often, and I am very impressed. What you see is the real Mike Norvell. He lives his life to get better every day and our student-athletes appear to be all in. The new coaches are young, very smart, great communicators and hungry. When you add Ron Dugans and Odell Haggins to the group, I would put our staff up against any in the country. We have underperformed the past few years, but I am confident that time is over. I honestly think you will see one of the best defensive teams in the country wearing garnet and gold this year. continued page 2
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BETA ETA
Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. P.O. Box 11244 Tallahassee, FL 32302-3244 www.BetaEta.com fsupikappalumni@yahoo.com The Beta Eta Data is published by the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. Please submit questions, comments and corrections to Katie Baker at bakeraddesign@carolina.rr.com
NOTES NAMES | The number after each name in this newsletter represents the year of initiation. NEED TO FIND A BROTHER? The BHAC would like you to stay connected with fellow Beta Eta brothers. Email us at fsupikappalumni@yahoo.com to request contact informtion for alumni you would like to contact. PUBLISHING NOTICE The BETA ETA DATA is typically published one to two times a year by a volunteer team. CHAPTER ETERNAL The following brothers were reported to the National Fraternity as having passed to the Chapter Eternal since the last publication. Breece Allen McCray '50; BH 8 March 25, 2020 Joseph Frederick Davidson '95; BH 1078 January 17, 2020 Col. Rick William Lester '72; BH 482 July 28, 2019 Kris Leslie Postlmayr '79; BH 545 March 5, 2020
From the outside, the search and hiring process for a new head football coach seemed pretty hectic and challenging. As an insider, how would you describe the process? Chairman Burr and President Thrasher kept me involved during the entire process. My accounting background allowed me to crunch numbers on how potential decisions might play out and they listened and asked questions. I received regular phone calls while the process was ongoing updating me on candidates and their thoughts. I received a call on the day that Coach Norvell was offered the job. President Thrasher discussed his thoughts and reasons for the choice but even with his confidence he told me that he needed the Boosters blessing before the offer was made. The process was well planned. We had a great search firm doing much of the legwork but the whole process was methodical. The process took time because we wanted to make sure it was the right decision. There was a lot of criticism over the last hiring when from beginning to end took four days. At the time of writing this article, the college football season is uncertain given COVID concerns. Can you share your thoughts on how the season may play out and what are some of the measures being considered to make the season happen? Final decisions on a football season happening this fall or next spring haven't been made. We are contingent planning for all scenarios. What if we have games but social distancing? How do you explain to a 50-yard line seat holder that Bob Davis they are now sitting on the 25-yard line because of social distancing? How do you handle concessions and restrooms? We are trying to anticipate every possibility and have our plans in place once things become clear. We are certain that it won't be a normal season if we are fortunate enough to have a season. We want everybody to be safe and that begins with our student-athletes who will be in very close proximity to strangers as the game is played. We are planning on how to get fans into the stadium in an orderly manner but complying with social distancing. I believe current policy is to limit elevators to two people at a time. How do you get people to skyboxes with that limitation? As you can tell, the possibilities are endless, and we are doing are best to try and anticipate all of them. If we can set COVID aside for a minute, as the Booster's Board Chair, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges you see for college athletics, and specifically FSU athletics? I am honored and humbled that the Seminole Boosters Board of Directors asked me to serve a second consecutive term as Chairman. I believe it has only happened twice in our history. The challenges are enormous. If we don't have a football season it is going to be very difficult for college athletes for a long time. College football at most schools provides the most revenue and certainly helps us fund other sports. We have twenty teams that compete for national championships every year. Many of those sports have little or no revenue source. Financial concerns are the biggest challenge for us right now. The pay for likeness laws need a lot of work before we can adopt it. At FSU, President Thrasher retires in the near future as does Andy Miller, the Booster CEO. Andy has been CEO for the Boosters for 43 years and along with Coach Bobby Bowden has probably had the most impact on FSU sports.
Ready to join or renew your dues? Dues are only $35 per year and are vital to the success of your alumni chapter.
There has been a fair amount of discussion lately regarding compensation for collegiate athletes. What are your thoughts on the potential impact to college sports and how might this play out?
Go to betaeta.com and click Membership.
The idea of allowing student-athletes to be compensated for their image and likeness has come to the forefront as multiple states have now passed laws allowing it to
2 www.BetaEta.com
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happen. There are many issues that must be resolved for this to work. First of all, I think there has to be national legislation. If each state has their own laws, it will allow some athletes to receive more money depending on in what state their college was located. Rules must be consistent nationally. Another issue to be addressed is how the compensation will be paid. If an auto dealership wants to pay a star running back for his image and the all-American offensive lineman receive nothing, how does that play into team dynamics? There are so many other issues to clarify. I am hoping that national legislation that is now being filed in Congress will standardize the rules and provide clarity to colleges on how to handle a difficult new situation. What do you enjoy the most about your role with the Boosters? I hope that my efforts will make FSU a little better than when I started this journey. I enjoy the people I work with on a daily basis. Six years ago, I was a Golden Chief who made my contribution and went to football games. Today I see my
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Since our last newsletter, we've had quite an eventful year. We Sco Middlebrooks had a major hurricane (Dorian) hit the Florida Panhandle affecting Tallahassee. We then fired our head coach after a lack luster season. The Coronavirus pandemic shut down cities, and a lot of major cities are experiencing protests and in some cases riots. Needless to say, we've had a long and challenging year. This year has been a little quiet on the fraternal front, so we're focusing mainly on alumni updates. There is also a small update regarding our house, being that we continue to have a fairly smooth relationship with our long-term tenants. We're also continuing to grow our cash reserves faster with them in the house as we get market rent now. In my opinion, this is the only grace with our current situation. Remember, we will be able to submit an application for recolonization in 2025, but the national office will be working with the university long before that. Additionally, the chapter will need an additional year to
opportunity to help shape the future of athletics at FSU. One of the things I truly enjoy is spending time with the studentathletes and mentoring them. There is nothing more rewarding than getting a note or a call from a student-athlete who has started their career and they call to share their excitement and express their thanks for caring about them. Anything else you want to share or ask from your loyal Beta Eta Seminole fans? My fraternity brothers remain amazing friends. A few years ago, I initiated an annual get together for a home football game. It started with 4-5 of us getting together. It has grown into a much larger group. It is amazing that over 40 years have passed since those college days yet when we get together time is forgotten. We catch up on what has happened in our lives, but we really spend more time reliving our college days. I will always ask everybody to support the Seminole Boosters, but for this group I truly hope you keep those college friendships alive.
have enough men to move back into the house to support rent payments. So, we still have a good ways before you'll see letters hang from the house. The alumni chapter still continues to support the activities of our charter, but we need more membership to continue our progress. Our last two years of dues solicitations have been low and we need your support to maintain our future. It's a mere $35 a year, which less than a dinner for two, so please consider supporting the cause when you see our dues solicitation come in the mail. Finally, if you have any updates to emails or mailing addresses, please send them to me at scmiddlebrooks@gmail.com or message us on our Facebook page. This will help us keep our membership roster updated. That also goes for any pictures of old composites that you can take a picture with on your phone or scan in. We're looking to collect as many as we can for an archive. Thanks for your support!
Thank you,
Scott Middlebrooks Beta Eta Alumni Chapter President
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A Tribute to Manuella Cash Clark
By Tom Caruso '71
In 1958, Beta Eta selected the most beautiful and talented Sweetheart on campus, Manuella Beatrice Cash. While she served as our Rose Queen for two years, she was also the 1959 IFC Greek Goddess, Miss Sarasota and the Runner-up to Miss Florida in 1959, a member of Delta Gamma, the Business and Professional Women's Foundation, and the Future Business Leaders Club.
THE ROSE OF PI KAPPA PHI (Lyrics by Robert J. Harper; music by Marian P. Harper)
As I sat alone with my dreams, A beautiful land I could see; And a vision so bright, came to me through the night, With my dream girl I seem to be. Oh, her eyes are the stars of heaven That shine as a lamp so bright; Her lips are the rose's petals Which open their folds to the light; Her hair is the gold of sunset, As it fades in the western sky; No flower that grows is like the rose, She's the flower of Pi Kappa Phi.
Manuella was from Sarasota. At Sarasota High School, she was in the top 10% of her graduating class, a member of the circus, swim and dive team, and a cheerleader. Manuella and her older brother, Joe, were well-known water skiers and participated in the Sarasota Ski-A-Rees. Manuella told the story about working at the Waffle House in the summer of 1957. She worked the early shift from 4:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Her salary was 30 cents an hour plus free breakfast. She saved her entire earnings, a total of $918.00 which paid for her first year at FSU. That story did not surprise me. Her parents were the owners of a jewelry store and a marina in Sarasota, and she was obviously a motivated, energetic person. After earning her accounting degree from FSU in 1960, she became an accountant and owned several businesses. Also that year, on July 30, Manuella married brother Frank Clark '59. Bobby White '57, offered the short-on-cash couple his apartment near West Palm Beach for their honeymoon. That's what Beta Eta brothers do. I contacted Manuella in 2016 and shortly after, we became Facebook friends. I learned early on that she had some health issues that she proactively addressed. She agreed to help my younger sister with her multiple sclerosis by sharing nutrition information. She always posted positive things on social media, and her pride in being associated with Pi Kappa Phi was clearly evident. In early October of last year, I spoke with her while she was at her home in Linville, NC. She was excited to attend the Beta Eta homecoming dinner planned by Bob Davis '72 with her husband and her son, Franklin '93 - also a Beta Eta and exactly 900 initiates later than his dad! When they did not attend, I was deeply disappointed. The next morning, her daughter advised me that Manuella died on October 25, 2019. On October 10, she was in a very bad car accident in Boone, NC. She was taken to a Winston-Salem trauma center but developed severe pneumonia before passing away. She would have been 80 years old on December 7th. Manuella is survived by her husband of 59 years, Frank Clark; daughters, Brenda Clark Jones and Theresa Clark George; son, Franklin Clark; sister, Jean Cash Schwied; brother James; and six grandchildren.
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Remembering Affectionately known as Ceil, Beta Eta chapter's cook during the 1950s-60s passed away as a result of multiple medical complications, cancer being the main cause of death. She was 87. Ceil was born in the Pettis Community near Lamont (Jefferson County), Florida. Ceil had a daughter, Cecelia Richards Hawkins of Tallahassee. As an adult, Ceil would find employment as a cook at FSU's Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and later at FSU's Kappa Alpha Theta sorority where she remained until retirement. Between the two, she would cook 40+ years. Given that student housing would be vacant during summer months, Ceil would venture to Atlantic City and Wildwood, New Jersey where she would cook at various famous restaurants on the Boardwalk and beach fronts. Beta Eta chapter members of the 50s-60s era donated a significant amount of money to purchase a beautiful floral arrangement of white roses which was paced on her casket at the celebration of life service held at a local funeral chapel on May 7, 2020. The service was attended by several Beta Eta and Beta Nu alumni. The balance of the funds collected was sent to daughter Cecelia Hawkins to assist with funeral expenses. Brother Paul Nichols received a special thank you card from Cecelia addressed to Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity which read: "I'm so grateful. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, your kindness, and your generous heart. Much Love, Cecelia." Many brothers offered personal thoughts about Ceil, several of which follow: "I may have been the Steward but Celia was in charge. Best to stay out of her way and follow her instructions." Dick Morgan "I was one of over 50 brothers who served as Steward with Celia during her time at Beta Eta. She was the one constant over all those years and her cooking and organization of the kitchen was exceptional. She was even tempered and pleasant and that is remarkable given the many different personalities she had to deal in a segregated Tallahassee during the 50s and 60s. I am pleased that she is being recognized with fondness by those who knew her." Dave Pavesic "Ceil was so good to Beta Eta brothers who were on athletic scholarships or members of the FSU Flying High Circus. She would save dinner for us until 7 pm or later after we finished practice." Gerry Chmielewski, FSU baseball team "One time at Homecoming, Jim Nettles, Wally Smith, me and a couple of others went over to the Theta house kitchen to see Celia. She remembered and called all of us by name." Frank Kaney "All of us are richer for having Celia in our life." Ron Boersma "I think of her often and have always felt that she was one of my heroes. I admired her work ethic and her positive attitude. She always had a smile." Bob Elefante
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BETA ETA ALUMNI UPDATES John GARRETT '55 John (BH73!!!) recently moved to St. Augustine back in October of 2019. He would love to see any brothers from his Beta Eta years (1954-58) who live in the area or would love to hear from any of them wherever they might be. Feel free to shoot him an email. JGsped@yahoo.com Ray RAINES '57 Ray is currently retired and living in Whispering Pines (Pinehurst), NC, where he enjoys golfing, church, woodworking, and keeping up with football on Warchant.com. Ray and his wife will soon be celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary! They are also the proud grandparents of 5 boys. Ray would love to hear from any Beta Eta brothers from the late 1950s. ray.l.raines@gmail.com
Chuck WILSON '62 Chuck and his wife, Pamela (FSU grad), live in Sandy Springs, GA. They have two children, a son and a daughter, and three beautiful granddaughters. He retired in 2004 after being diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) from taking Lipitor to lower his cholesterol. He has spent the last 16 years researching ways to reverse the damage. Chuck and his wife travel as much as possible as this is a progressive disorder and walking has become extremely difficult for him. When asked about his fondest Beta Eta memory, he says it's of all the great guys he got to know. Chuck says he will miss the “Fish Fry� but hopes to make it down to Tallahassee for other events. charleswilson@mac.com
Dave STODDARD '64 Dave and his wife, Leilani, split their time between living in Lake of the Ozarks, MO, and Tallahassee. They have two children and four grandchildren. He retired from the USAF in 1988 and retired from TWA/American Airlines in 2005. He feels that Pi Kappa Phi taught him many lifelong lessons and provided him with a brotherhood that still exists to this day. seminole_2@charter.net 6
Reg DICKEY '63 After 50 years of living in Tampa, FL, Reg and his wife, Sonja, have moved to Travelers Rest, SC. For those brothers who are grandparents, it should be no surprise that the motivation for this major life-changing decision was centered around family and being close to grandchildren. Their daughter, an FSU grad (of course), and 3 college-age grandsons live about 40 minutes away in Simpsonville, SC. Reg also has four young grandchildren from a son, an FSU grad, who lives in Boseman, Montana. They've flown out to Montana for 3 Christmases and will enjoy being with the kids in June for their family reunion. The recent move interfered with attending last fall's Beta Eta gathering in Tallahassee, but he hopes to make it this year. regdickey@yahoo.com
Dick MORGAN '63 After living for four years in Santa Fe, NM, Dick has moved back to Colorado and is living in a 50+ community in Broomfield, which is about 20 miles north of Denver. Dick says it's like being in adult camp with constant activity offered to the 1100 home owners. rbmorg@icloud.com
Buz McCALL '65 During Christmastime last year, Buz, brother Bob Orr ('65), and their wives got together in Boca Raton, FL, for a dinner cruise. The classmates have had great luck with staying in touch over all these years while also having a business relationship for 10-plus years following projects in the Middle East (Iraq). mccall@ameco.net
BETA ETA ALUMNI UPDATES Randy LENCZYK '66 Randy retired from working for the State of Florida back in 2006. He currently lives in Tallahassee with his partner, Ellen Rommel. His fondest Beta Eta Memory was making it through Hell Week. He would like to hear from K.C. Hoefle ('64), Dan Allen ('68), Jim Main ('66), and Hugh Buerke ('66). fsupkp@aol.com Don STEINER '67 After graduating from FSU, Don served his country in Vietnam. Upon returning stateside, he married his college sweetheart, Aggie Smith (Alpha Chi Omega) in 1970. The two of them lived in Atlanta for 45 years before moving to The Villages, FL. In 1999, Don sold his food businesses and decided to retire. Fun fact: he lives 9 houses down from Frank Borzen ('66) and still keeps in touch with Vernon Khail ('66), Paul Nichols ('64), Don Chao ('65), Frank Costanza ('67), and Bill Cray ('67) by email. n1nole@bellsouth.net Beau de BEAUBIEN '68 Hugo (Beau) de Beaubien continues to serve as President of DSK Law in Orlando. The firm has 140 employees across four cities in FL. He is married to a Florida State graduate, and their son, Brad, is an attorney who is married and lives in Tampa. Beau has two granddaughters and enjoys playing golf. He is still active in civic affairs, including Florida Citrus Sports, the Orlando Kiwanis Club, and FSU athletic events. He can be reached by email address or by his office phone: 407-4222454. hhb@dsklawgroup.com Jim HARRISON '68 Jim and his wife, Dawn, live in Tallahassee, and are semi-retired, except for farming and pro bono representation of children and parents in the Second Judicial Circuit Dependency Court. jim@northernoutfitters.com Dave STARR '69 Dave and his wife, Sara, are back in Sarasota, FL, after working in many interesting places. He still has a few small companies but for the most part considers himself retired (Editor's Note: it's hard to slow down…we understand completely). dstarr147@gmail.com
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Philip LESTER '85 After graduating in 1987, Philip moved to northern Virginia for 2 years, then transplanted to Los Angeles, CA. He currently resides in Valley Village with his wife, Jenny, their dog, Sapphire, and 2 cats. While Jenny works as a Director of cancer research for UCLA, Philip is an actor and writer, currently raising money to direct a film he wrote entitled “…somewhere, a dog barks.” Production is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2020 (website: https://adogbarksfilms.com/). You can check out his IMDB page to see all his filmography. Many fond Beta Eta memories came to mind when asked, including being Warden and organizing initiation for 22 pledges in the fall of 1986, going to Pi Kapp College, Halloween haunted house, doing a line dance to “Burn Rubber on Me” by the Gap Band (anyone have this on film?), and ringing in new pledges during rush week. Philip would love to connect with anyone that he is not already connected to on Facebook. philiplester@yahoo.com Dave MADDEN '73 After graduating from the FSU School of Music, Dave taught instrumental music in the public school system for 39 years. While teaching during the day, he attended the UM School of Music in the evenings and received a Masters in Music Education. Dave retired in 2016 and currently lives in Homestead, FL. He maintains a small musical instrument repair business out of his home, and 2-3 days a week he volunteers in various school music departments in the area. Dave has two children, one daughter and one son, who have given him 5 beautiful grandchildren ranging in ages from six to twelve. When asked about his most cherished memory of Beta Eta, he couldn't think of just one. There were far too many to single out only one. He remembers feeling very close to everyone in the chapter; the brotherhood was outstanding. He hopes to attend the next reunion hosted by Bob Davis this fall and is looking forward to spending time reconnecting with as many of brothers as possible. banddave@aol.com B. Dan BERGER '88 Dan, who is the President & CEO of the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU), was recently appointed to Chairman of the National Board of Directors for the FSU Alumni Association. Dan would like to strongly encourage other Pi Kapp alums to apply to be on the board as he finds it to be an incredibly rewarding and a fantastic way to stay involved and give back to the university we all know and love. 7
BETA ETA ALUMNI UPDATES Marshall ATKINSON '84 Marshall lives in Mesa, AZ with his wife, Jody, and son, Jack. After a few decades in the decorated apparel industry running shops, he has moved to the coaching side of things and consults full time. He has a YouTube show for the apparel brand Jerzees called "Adventures in Apparel Decorating," and he travels around the country helping businesses with process efficiency, system improvements, business and marketing strategies, and any other performance elevating ideas. In 2018, Marshall started another company called Shirt Lab, where he produces live sales and marketing workshops in different cities. This year there will be two shows, one in Chicago and another in Dallas. marshall@marshallatkinson.com Michael BORUM '89 Michael lives in Boston, MA, and works for Oxfam, an international non-profit organization whose mission is to end poverty and injustice. Among his many responsibilities, he works with colleagues around the world to develop their digital campaigning skills to help influence public opinion for policy changes that improve the lives of people living in poverty and suffering from social injustice. In addition to this work, he is also a global leader in Oxfam's Sexual Diversity & Gender Identity and Expression Rights Community of Practice, their global Digital Engagement Group, and Oxfam America's labor union. In 2019, he received the Oxfam America President's Award for Excellence in Creating Lasting Solutions to Poverty and Injustice. Michael has been with his partner, author Christopher Castellani, since 1997, and they have been married since 2004. They have no children but are fortunate to have outstanding nieces and nephews who make them very proud. His fondest Beta Eta memory was the first night at the house during rush, when he met some of the men and women he still considers to be his best friends in the world. Michael would love to hear from anyone in the Lambda, Mu, Nu, Xi, and Omicron pledge classes (roughly 1987-1990). michaelcborum@gmail.com Erik EINGORN '03 Erik lives in Bristow, VA, just outside of DC, and is an International Program Manager for the U.S. Government. He is married to his FSU sweetheart, Maria, and they have a 5-year old daughter named Leah and 3-year old son named James. His fondest Beta Eta memories are of Moondance. eeingorn@gmail.com 8
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Dr. Dan THOMPSON '91 Dan is an active duty Air Force Chaplain that previously served with the Navy and Marines. Since graduating from FSU, he has lived in Louisville, KY; Graceville, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Mechanicsville, VA; Wrightstown, NJ, Valdosta, GA; Spangdahlem, Germany; Montgomery, Alabama; Charleston, SC; and soon to be in Mississippi. While deployed, he has served in Honduras, Kuwait, UAE, and Afghanistan. He and his wife of 19 years, Erica, have a busy home with his sons Joshua (17) and Noah (13), and daughter, Abigail (15). Both boys are Eagle Scouts, his daughter is an author, and Erica is now officially a master's graduate in Public Health/Nutrition. Over the last 10 months, Dan partnered with an orphanage and special needs home in Kabul, collecting tons clothes, food, toiletries, and toys for the young children. Back at home, he is a Scout leader for his boy's troop. They've assisted in numerous civic events such as Eagle Scout projects, “Clean the Bay” opportunities, and much more. Dan misses attending FSU football games with his fellow Beta Etas (when we had a winning team) and would like to reconnect with Jeff Ness ('93; see below, brother!), Christ Brandt ('91), Clarke Cooper ('90), John Kemp ('91), and Mark Roath ('90). dwthompson_2000@netzero.net Geoff VOORHEES '94 Geoff works as a financial advisor in the Orlando area and currently lives in Altamonte Springs. When asked about his fondest Beta Eta memories, he said he “loved every minute of being a Pi Kapp at Florida State. Great memories and great lifetime friends.” Fun fact: Geoff probably had more nicknames/aliases than any other Beta Eta during the 1990's. We love ya, Swiss!!! geoffvoorhees@gmail.com Geoff BOWLES '96 Geoff and his wife, Lisa, live in Tampa where he works for Citibank. gbowles@msn.com
BETA ETA ALUMNI UPDATES Jeff NESS '93 Jeff lives in Plant City, FL, and is a Vice President for Diederich Healthcare, an insurance agency focused on providing professional liability insurance to physicians and other healthcare providers. He has four children, ages 18, 17, 14, and 12. In his free time, Jeff is a board member and coach for the Plant City Softball Little League and coaches the Plant City High School Bassmasters and Plant City Jr. Bassmasters. jeffness01@gmail.com Kennedy NILSSON '09 After living in Southeast Florida for the past 7 years, Kennedy recently relocated to the Fort Myers area for work and now lives in Sanibel, FL. He works for the First Nation group, specializing in medical device distribution for the Veterans Administration. The company was envisioned as a for-profit company to fund not-for-profit goals. Through the company, Kennedy has had the opportunity to become involved with a variety of charitable organizations, including the Paralyzed Veterans of America and their adaptive sports clinics around the country. Recently, his company sponsored a scuba dive in the aquarium at Epcot for a veteran with ALS who always dreamed of swimming with sharks, and Kennedy got to join him. Kennedy also serves as an engineer officer in the Army Reserves. He is a Platoon Leader for a vertical construction platoon, leading plumbers, electrician and carpenters. When asked about his fondest Beta Eta memory, Kennedy said he will never forget the community. He misses the ability to just walk over to a friend's door and see what is going on. That sense of community and brotherhood had a material positive effect on his grades and ultimate success in school. Kennedy would love to hear from any brother. His phone is always on, and his door is always open. Kennedynilsson@gmail.com
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Ben HURLEY '14 Ben, who is originally from Tampa, moved to NYC in 2018 and currently lives in Chelsea with his girlfriend, Brooke, and their cat (Gingy). He works as a Senior Software Engineer for a small consulting firm, Pariveda Solutions, helping clients drive revenue and reduce spend through the adoption of new technologies, frameworks, and strategies. So far, Ben's consulted for a major US airline, an auto-collision firm, and a men's fashion brand. When asked about his fondest Beta Eta memory, Ben mentioned his obsession with trying to keep the house clean, fun, and looking good. He served on the housing committee with Dana Keller ('13) and Nick DeSantis ('14), and helped design the upstairs lounge with gaming systems, multiple couches, a fake fireplace, and a re-vamped War Room with restored composites and a new conference table. Ben truly enjoyed working on the house as a hobby and would say it was one of the most fun positions he held in the chapter. Ben would like to specifically hear from Ben Sansing ('11), Joseph Tribou ('11), Jared Dubosar ('12), David Bohn ('12), Max Potter ('14), Shaun Sharabi ('13), and anyone else he hasn't chatted with in a while (you all have been put on notice). benjaminhurley3@gmail.com
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Beta Eta Alumni Chapter P.O. Box 11244 Tallahassee, FL 32302-3244
REMEMBER