BETA ETA
DATA
FALL 2006
PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY • FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY BETA ETA CHAPTER ALUMNI NEWSLETTER
Beta Eta Alumni Honored at Convention Pi Kappa Phi recognizes Alumni Chapter and announces its plans to return to Florida State University, while Jeff Wahlen is elected National Vice President.
BETA ETA UPCOMING EVENTS
This past July the National Fraternity honored the efforts and hard work of Beta Eta during Pi Kappa Phi’s 50th Supreme Chapter held in Ft. Worth, TX. The Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. (BHAC) won two of the three awards presented to alumni organizations. Beta Eta alumni in attendance were Gerry Dobson ’54, Jeff Niedenthal ’67, Jeff Wahlen ’81, Rich Pope ’82, Michael Loy ’91, and Tom Atwood ’92. During Saturday evening’s Supreme Banquet, Beta Eta alumni, along with their wives, dined together. Brother Dobson later remarked, “Kay and I had a great time and we both enjoyed the camaraderie.” The Beta Eta Alumni Chapter (BHAC) was recognized as Pi Kappa Phi’s Alumni Chapter of the Year for its outstanding efforts to connect Beta Eta alumni to each other and to their fraternity through event planning and effective communication efforts. While presenting the award, National Chancellor Dudley Woody, Xi (Roanoke) praised alumni efforts to establish the BHAC, the overwhelming membership response, and the BHAC’s numerous outreach efforts. BHAC President Michael Loy ’91 accepted the award on the Alumni Chapter’s behalf. The Beta Eta Data was also recognized as the fraternity’s Alumni Newsletter of the Year. In his award presentation, General Tom Carter, Gamma Delta (Memphis) specifically pointed to the summer 2005 issue, and lauded it for its depth of coverage, varied content, inclusion of photos and alumni updates. After accepting both awards, Brother Loy said, “These awards represent the hard work of our Board and volunteers and the great response from our alumni. I cannot wait until the day the undergraduate chapter reopens so we can hang these awards in the chapter house.” That day is now on the calendar as the National Fraternity announced its plans to reopen Beta Eta through a staff-led expansion in Fall 2008. National Volunteer Coordinator of Expansion Tom Sullivan, Delta Omega (Texas A&M) announced the upcoming expansion schedule, which also includes Pi
The BHAC invites all alumni to attend any or all of the following upcoming events. For more information, see page 2 for more details.
HOMECOMING 2006 Thursday, November 16 Early Bird Dinner (7:00 p.m.) Nino’s Restaurant Friday, November 17 Beta Eta Alumni Dinner (7:00 p.m.) Silver Slipper Restaurant Saturday, November 18 BHHC Annual Meeting (9:30 a.m.) Brian Baber’s & Chris Mueller’s House Tailgate Party and Game (TBD) Brian Baber’s & Chris Mueller’s House Top: Alumni enjoy each others company at the Supreme Banquet. Pictured L to R are: Gerry Dobson, Jeff Niedenthal, Tom Atwood, Michael Loy, and Jeff Wahlen. Bottom: Maj. Gen. Tom Carter presents BHAC President Michael Loy with the Alumni Newsletter of the Year Award.
Kappa Phi’s return to the University of Miami. While making the announcement, Sullivan stated, “Pi Kappa Phi is eagerly awaiting Beta Eta’s return to national prominence. Beta Eta has historically been one of our strongest chapters and we look forward to working with the alumni to establish a successful chapter. We hope the new groups at FSU and Miami can become allies in strengthening Pi Kappa Phi’s presence in the state of Florida and challenge each other to achieve the highest levels of success within our fraternity.” The return of Beta Eta to Florida State in Fall 2008 will also coincide with another great accomplishment for the Beta Eta family. Brother Jeff Wahlen, Alpha Epsilon (Florida) was elected Pi Kappa Phi’s National Vice President during Supreme Chapter. (continued on page 4)
ANNUAL MEETING February 2007 (Date: TBD) Orlando, Florida
IN THIS ISSUE… EXPANSION NEWS page 2 HOMECOMING SCHEDULE page 2 ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT page 3 BHAC MEMBESHIP DRIVE page 5
EXPANSION NEWS
BETA ETA
DATA Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. P.O. Box 11244 Tallahassee, FL 32302-3244 fsupikappalumni@yahoo.com
The Beta Eta Data is published by the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. Please submit questions, comments and corrections to Tom Atwood at tatwood@pikapp.org. HOW TO JOIN If you would like to join the BHAC, contact Michael Loy at mnloy@comcast.net or visit http://home.comcast.net/~wahlens
NOTES PRINTING ASSISTANCE REQUESTED Printing costs for the Beta Eta Data represent the Alumni Chapter’s single largest expense. If you would like to assist by offering a direct or in kind gift of printing, please contact Tom Atwood at (800) 929-1904 ext. 104 or tatwood@pikapp.org
With the announced return of the undergraduate chapter for Fall 2008, we will be explaining a portion of the expansion process in forthcoming issues of the Beta Eta Data so alumni will better understand the process. This issue examines the role of the members invited to join the newly reconstituted Beta Eta Chapter.
Traditionally, when Pi Kappa Phi starts a chapter, national fraternity staff will recruit members to join a newly formed group. These new members are not initiated brothers, but associate members (formerly called “pledges”). Following the initial staff-driven recruitment period of approximately thirty days, the new group earns the formal designation as an Associate Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. Members of the Associate Chapter must achieve certain rigorous chartering standards before earning their charter. At that point, the members are initiated as brothers and listed as the chapter’s “Founding Fathers” on the charter and the Associate Chapter is given a formal chapter designation. Beta Eta went through a similar process in 1950, when the original Founding Fathers were initiated into Pi Kappa Phi, earned the charter, and the chapter was designated “Beta Eta.” When Pi Kappa Phi reconstitutes Beta Eta in 2008, the fraternity staff will repeat this
same process but for an important exception. Rather than earning a new charter and becoming “Founding Fathers” of a new chapter, the men recruited to join the new group at Florida State will be striving to re-gain the charter of Beta Eta. Once they meet the chartering requirements, Beta Eta will again be considered an active chapter, the original charter will be returned, and the new members will be initiated and considered “Re-Founding Fathers.” The fraternity will then present to these students an appropriate certificate commemorating their accomplishments, listing their names as key men in the re-chartering process. Moreover, as these men are initiated into the re-activated Beta Eta, they will be assigned Beta Eta initiation numbers that begin where the numbering left off upon the chapter’s closing. At the time of Beta Eta’s closing, 1444 members had been initiated. Therefore, the first Re-Founding Father will be designated Beta Eta No. 1445.
NAMES The number after each name in this newsletter represents the year of initiation.
FLORIDA STATE HOMECOMING 2006
NEED TO FIND A BROTHER? The Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. would like to help you stay connected with fellow Beta Eta brothers. E-mail the BHAC at fsupikappalumni@yahoo.com to request contact information on alumni you would like to contact.
The Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. invites all SATURDAY 11/18 alumni back to Tallahassee for Homecoming • Housing Corp. Annual Meeting | 9:30 a.m. 2006. For specific questions, please Baber & Mueller House contact the brother listed below each event. (See address below. Agenda to include officer
CHAPTER ETERNAL The BHAC has been working to locate lost brothers. Through our research we have determined that the following brothers had passed to the Chapter Eternal, but were not previously reported. Max W. Bagley ’50 John A. Beatty ’50 George B. Holler ’50 Thomas E. Taylor ’50 Donald J. Munroe ’55
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Picking Up the Pieces
THURSDAY 11/16 • Early Bird Dinner* | 7:00 p.m. Nino’s Restaurant (Spouses welcome. Casual dress.) *RSVP: Chuck Cutajar at upchuckfsu@aol.com or (850) 544-1970
FRIDAY 11/17 • Homecoming Parade | Time TBA (Once available, details will be posted on pikapp.org.)
• Beta Eta Alumni Dinner* | 7:00 p.m. Silver Slipper (Spouses welcome. Casual dress. The BHAC encourages all alumni to attend this event. Special presentation to be made.) *RSVP: Chuck Cutajar at upchuckfsu@aol.com or (850) 544-1970
elections, annual report, and important update regarding the future of Beta Eta Chapter. Coffee & food provided.)
• Alumni Tailgate Party* | 4 hrs before kickoff Baber & Mueller House (Hosted by Brian Baber & Chris Mueller 1603 Jackson Bluff, Tallahassee, FL [Where Hayden dead ends into Jackson] Bluff. Food & refreshments provided.) *RSVP: Brian Baber at bbaber@arhomes.com or (850) 258-8587
• FSU vs. Westen Michigan | Time TBA Doak Campbell Stadium
ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT JOHN PIERCE
Pierce to Lead U.S. Olympic Team Brand Development The USA five-rings is one of the most recognized brand images in the world and beginning this Fall, that image will connect with the emblems of Pi Kappa Phi through the work of John F. Pierce ’86 as the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) new Director of Research and Brand Development.
When John Pierce was a leader in the chapter in the late 1980’s, working in the world of sports marketing, and certainly brand development for the United States Olympic Team, was the furthest thing from his mind. It wasn’t until his last semester of school did he discover the joy of working in the sports management industry. “It wasn’t until the semester before I graduated – when I took an internship with the FSU Athletic Department – that I realized how much I enjoyed this stuff. I was amazed that people got paid to work in sports!” Pierce’s internship with the FSU Athletic Department was important because it sent him on a career trajectory that has taken him and his family through several cities, different sports franchises, and to U.S. Olympic work twice. Following graduation in 1990, Pierce briefly worked in the Atlanta Braves ticket office before “returning” to the fraternity as Push America’s Director of Marketing, where he was responsible for the Journey of Hope tours from 1991-1994. In this capacity, Pierce worked to connect Pi Kappa Phi undergraduates with the life-changing experiences that come from
working with people with disabilities while cycling across country to raise awareness on their behalf. Pierce then gained his first experience with the Olympics in 1994 when, after leaving fraternity staff, he worked for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) as the Olympic Soccer Ticket Sales Manager, planning 34 matches between teams from all over the globe. Following his work with ACOG, John moved to Miami where he worked with the Florida Marlins organization before taking his most recent job with ESPN Zone. As the Director of Marketing, Creative Content and Communications for ESPN Zone, he was responsible for the overall brand management for all eight ESPN Zone locations nationwide. This included directing ESPN Zone’s relationship with ESPN (the network) and the development of grass-roots marketing, advertising, promotions, customer research, communications and programming strategies. He was also chosen by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to lead the re-branding of the new World of Disney store on 5th Avenue in New York City in 2004. Pierce’s move to the USOC comes at an important time. According to Pierce, research indicates that younger consumers know the Olympics are important, but don’t know why. While the U.S. Olympic Team remains a very strong brand among adults – many remember the 1980 Olympic Hockey team beating the Soviet Union and the 1992 U.S. Basketball (Dream Team) shredding the competition in Barcelona – younger Americans do not have those same connective points to the U.S. Olympic effort. Accordingly, one of Pierce’s major responsibilities will be to develop ways to make the Olympic movement in the U.S. more relevant to younger consumers. With the next summer games scheduled for 2008 in Beijing, China, Pierce has considerable work ahead of him. Nevertheless, he is excited by the upcoming challenge, and certainly the venue for the next competition. “I can’t wait to go to Beijing, China for the 2008 Olympic Games. I’m planning on bringing my family with me to explore China after the Games.” (continued on page 4)
ALUMNI UPDATES Nate ADAMS ’98
Captain Nate Adams returned home this summer following a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He looks forward to catching a home game in Doak Campbell Stadium. fsuadams@msn.com
Nate Adams (L) and a fellow Florida State alumnus pose briefly while on patrol in Afghanistan.
Jason PERNELL ’98
Jason and his wife, Katie, are expecting their first child this spring. Jason lives in Tallahassee and works as a program manager for a defense contractor. Katie is a legal assistant at a law firm and volunteers with the Tallahassee Ballet. jasonpernell@hotmail.com Jeremiah JASPON ’95 Jeremiah is running for Florida State Senate – District 22. Information about his candidacy can be found on www.jeremiahforsenate.com. jeremiah@jeremiahlaw.com Franklin CLARK ’93
Franklin is a Certified Financial Planner, specializing in tax, investment, retirement, and estate planning. He serves as VP of Cornerstone Financial Planners. Franklin and his wife, Chrissy, and sons, Ian and David, live in Safety Harbor, Florida. fdclark@tampabay.rr.com John EATON ’85
John is an attorney with Berger Singerman, P.A. in Fort Lauderdale. He was named one of the “Florida Super Lawyers 2006” by the publishers of Law & Politics Magazine. JEaton@bergersingerman.com
The Eaton family on vacation in Burlington, Vermont.
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ALUMNI UPDATES (continued from page 3)
Bill HOLDORF ’75
Having just retired from the United States Marine Corps after 28 years of service, Holdorf now serves as the DLA Customer Service Representative to the U.S. Army Sustainment Command at the Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois. holdorf@msn.com Stephen EVERHART ’65
Stephen and his wife, Hanling, are back and forth between their homes in Redington Beach, Florida, and China. They are helping academics and government/business leaders pursue academic and business exchanges between the US and China. If interested in learning more about educational & business exchange opportunities in China, contact Stephen via e-mail. everhart@law.stetson.edu
ALUMNI HONORED (continued from cover)
WAHLEN ELECTED Cutajar Joins Wahlen was involved BHAC Board in the reorganization of Beta Eta in 1982 and has served as Chapter Advisor, Housing Corporation President, and Area Governor. Pursuant to Pi Kappa Phi’s Supreme Law, the Vice President is the President-elect and, therefore, Brother Wahlen will become Pi Kappa Phi’s National President at the next Supreme Chapter in July 2008 in Denver, CO. “It will be a special honor to serve as National President when Beta Eta is reopened,” he stated.
The Supreme Chapter is Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity’s biennial legislative convention. The 51st Supreme Chapter will be held July 25-29, 2008 at the Denver Grand Hyatt Hotel. The Beta Eta Alumni Chapter encourages all alumni to attend this convention to applaud and support Jeff Wahlen as he becomes Pi Kappa Phi’s 36th National President. ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT (continued from page 3)
Stephen and Hanling pictured at their recent wedding.
Chuck CUTAJAR ’62
Chuck and friends recently gathered at the home of Ken & Mary Lee Rouse for a fish fry in September. Alumni from the 1960’s were well represented at the gathering. Chuck was recently appointed to the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter Board of Directors. upchuckfsu@aol.com
Cutajar and friends gather before the Clemson game.
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Pierce Elected to Vice Chairman John Pierce acknowledges the difference Pi Kappa Phi has made in his life. As a four year member of the Push America Board of Directors, he continues to help his fraternity develop value-added experiences for its student members through service to people with disabilities. Elected to Vice Chairman & Chairman-elect at the summer 2006 Board of Directors Meeting, he will automatically become Push America’s next Chairman of the Board at the 2008 Supreme Chapter in Denver, Colorado. John and his wife, Kelley, along with their children, Nathan, Andrew and Katherine, have recently relocated from California to Colorado Springs, Colorado. John.Pierce@usoc.org
Chuck Cutajar ’62 has been named
a member of the Board of Directors for the Alumni Chapter. Brother Cutajar fills the director’s seat previously held by Jeff Pujals ’94, who stepped down from the Board due to career demands. “Chuck has long been one of Beta Eta’s most dedicated alumni,” noted President Michael Loy. “His years of experience organizing alumni events, like the annual Silver Slipper dinner before Homecoming, will be a tremendous asset for the BHAC and our alumni.” The Board also thanks Brother Pujals for his dedicated service and wishes him the best during his career with Pfizer Pharmaceutical Co.
BETA ETA ALUMNI CHAPTER, INC.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michael Loy ’91, President (301) 762-3009 mnloy@comcast.net Brian Baber ’92, Vice President (850) 248-8587 bbaber@arhomes.com Lee Nichols ’87, Treasurer (850) 893-6267 leenichols@hotmail.com Eric Wahlen ’85, Secretary (770) 938-1101 wahlene@watkinsind.com Roger Randolph ’57 (813) 908-8788 rrandolph@prutropical.com Chuck Cutajar ’62 (850) 544-1970 upchuckfsu@aol.com Jeff Niedenthal ’67 (757) 222-2808 niedenthaljeff@netscape.net Chris Mueller ’92, Housing Corp. (813) 831-9323 mueller@tampabay.rr.com
Middlebrooks to Lead Atlanta Alumni Development
ALUMNI UPDATES (continued from page 4)
Don BOWLIN ’56
Don is currently on a book tour promoting his new novel, Danaville’s Rainbow. Set in the fictional Northwest Florida town of Danaville, the novel tells the story of the Kelly family and the miracle which occurs on their family farm. Offered through Xlibris Publishing, the book is available through major booksellers. bowlinalley@aol.com
Scott Middlebrooks ’93 has
been appointed by the BHAC as the Chairman of the BHAC Atlanta Committee. In this role, Middlebrooks will be responsible for coordinating events on behalf of Beta Eta alumni who live in the greater Atlanta area. Over the last two years, he has hosted game watching parties for Beta Eta alumni and looks to build on that success. You can contact Scott at smiddlebrooks@simmons.com
BHAC ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DRIVE Membership in the BHAC is based upon annual, voluntary dues of $25. The BHAC would like to thank and acknowledge the brothers who have either renewed their membership or joined for the first time. Their financial support directly underwrites the Beta Eta Data, as well as supports other initiatives to connect Beta Eta alumni to each other and to their fraternity.
If you would like to join the BHAC, or renew your membership, please send payment (and make check payable to): Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. PO Box 11244 Tallahassee, FL 32302-3244
Paul PERRY ’55
The following are BHAC members as of October 13, 2006. Those who have join or renew after October 13, 2006, will be published in the Spring 2007 issue of the newsletter.
1950 – 1959
Arden A. Anderson A.L. Benoit Donald A. Bowlin Patrick Cantey John R. Corbett Gerry Dobson Gilbert Fernandez Frank Kaney Allen Kirkpatrick James Lloyd James B. Newman Paul Perry Roger Randolph Walter D. Smith Earl Williams
1960 – 1969
Ralph S Archibald III James H Baldy Don Chao Gerard Chmielewski Robert P. Costin Charles R. Cutajar Hugo deBeaubian James Douglas Steve Gulledge Richard F. Hall
Guy Hollingsworth Phillip E. Irvine Vernon W. Khail Henry P. Land Ken Lippincott W.W. Malphrus Howard E. McCall Peter J.F. Newell Jay Newman Jr. Jeff Niedenthal David V. Pavesic Randolph M. Plotts Gordon A. Potts Frank M. Ryll John Shaffer Claude E. Shipley Donald R. Steiner Edward B. Tunstall Francis Williams Jeff Wright
1970 – 1979
Michael S. Bregar William E. Holdorf Robert R. Hollister Christopher New Louis E. Webster Kevin S. Webster
Don Bowlin is presented with his Golden Legion Certificate, commemorating 50 years of membership in Pi Kappa Phi, by Foundation Executive Director Tom Atwood (L) and Past National President Ernest Johnson (R) during a recent luncheon in Houston, Texas.
1980 – 1989
Marshall L. Atkinson Christopher D. Brooks C. Mark Cox Jeff Eacker Douglas S. Fisher John Hutt Trey Hutt D. Brian Jungling Leonard W. Lorenzo Jr Stephen J. Louchheim Harry K. McIntosh Jr. Lee Nichols Richard G. Pope Jeff Wahlen Gregory S. Winter
1990 – 2005
Thomas H Atwood Brian Baber Brian Bennett Byron Besse Sawyer Blackburn Todd Bruner Jeff Butler Stephen Cook Jason L. Cooprider Franklin Clark
Jeff Davis Erik Eingorn Brian Faircloth George A. Forman Jamie Fritz Scott Gold Ryan C. Hay Greg Hoerbelt Raymond W. Jones Chris Keller Brad A. Lewis Michael Loy Christopher Meadows Scott Middlebrooks Christopher Mueller Jason Pernell Michael J. Rovins Christopher Ryle Emilio F. Sanchez Darren M Scott Jonathan E. Stevens Brandon D. Tucker Steve Warren
Paul currently serves as the Artistic Director/ conductor of the orchestra/chorus of a classical music organization called Music in the Mountains, which he co-founded in 1982, and located in the Sierra Foothills towns of Grass Valley/Nevada City, California. After earning his Bachelors degree at FSU, he attended Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. earning his masters degree and subsequently returning to FSU to earn a doctorate in music in 1975/76. After completing all coursework toward the degree, he was hired by the San Francisco Opera and lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for 7 years prior to moving to Nevada City to found Music in the Mountains. paul@musicinthemountains.org Richard LUKAS ’54
Dick recently signed a contract with Poland’s leading publisher, Znak, which will publish Forgotten Holocaust in Polish for Polish readers. The book, considered a classic and originally published in 1986, has gone through several printings and editions and is still available in English through Hippocrene Books, Inc. This marks one of the few occasions that Znak has chosen to publish an American author. marich@webtv.net
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6 Men of Beta Eta pose for their chapter photo during the Fall 1988 semester. By that point, discussions of a house renovation project had already begun and within the next three years, the chapter house would undergo signiďŹ cant changes.
18 YEARS AGO REMEMBER
Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. P.O. Box 11244 Tallahassee, FL 32302-3244
The mission of the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter shall be to reestablish a viable alumni group, dedicated to connecting alumni with each other and to their fraternity through timely communication of relevant alumni news and through meaningful events. This group shall promote the ideals of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity as expressed in our ritual of initiation and Supreme Laws and encourage Beta Eta alumni to renew their lifetime pledge to the brotherhood and this fraternity.