FALL 2016
BETA ETADATA PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY ◊ FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY BETA ETA CHAPTER ALUMNI NEWSLETTER
ALUMNI CELEBRATE BETA ETA’S 65TH ANNIVERSARY: GLENN MAYNE NAMED MR. BETA ETA The Beta Eta Alumni Chapter celebrated the 65th anniversary of the Beta Eta Chapter over the weekend of April 15th, 2016, in Tallahassee. The festivities began Friday night with a social gathering at Finnegan’s Wake, followed by a private tour of the Moore Athletic Center on Saturday morning. On the tour, brothers were treated to an inside look at the FSU football program, which included access to the Seminole locker room, team meeting rooms, weight room, trophy room and a viewing of the program’s three, original National Championship trophies. BHAC Director Tim Atkinson ’84 commented, “truly an impressive facility for an impressive program!” The Beta Eta Housing Corporation held its annual meeting on Saturday, April 16th at the Chapter house. The meeting concluded with
a cookout hosted by the Student Chapter. Later that afternoon, the Alumni Chapter had a pre-meeting mixer, followed by the annual meeting, cocktail reception and formal dinner at the University Center Club. Board elections were held during the BHAC annual meeting, and Scott Middlebrooks ‘93 was re-elected to serve a three-year term as President of the Alumni Chapter. Phil DeYoung ‘93 was also elected to serve a three-year term on the Alumni Chapter Board of Directors. Officer and committee reports were presented and featured discussions regarding a retooling
of the betaeta.com website, social media improvements and an exciting Treasurer’s report by Lee Nichols ‘87. Reports were also presented from the Student Chapter Archon, Dana Keller ’14 and the BH Housing Corporation. A special “shoutout” was received from Breece McCray ’50 who was unable to attend. The formal dinner was emceed by BHAC President Scott Middlebrooks and featured a video presentation from recent Pi Kapp Hall of Fame inductee, Ron “Zap” Zlatoper.
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RESOLUTION PRESENTED TO
Glenn Wallace Mayne Mr. Beta Eta 2016
ALUMNI CELEBRATE BETA ETA’S 65TH ANNIVERSARY: GLENN MAYNE NAMED MR. BETA ETA CONT. Megan Janasiewicz, Director of Greek Life at Florida State, also spoke at the event and provided an update on Greek life at FSU as well as many of the challenges facing Greeks in today’s world of social media. The formal dinner was concluded with a presentation from Pi Kappa Phi Chief Executive Officer, Mark Timmes. Brother Timmes strongly praised the many wonderful achievements of Beta Eta and congratulated the Chapter on its success and recognition within the Pi Kappa Phi national organization. Overall, the weekend was well attended by alumni and provided a great weekend of Beta Eta brotherhood. During the weekend, Glenn Mayne ‘61 was named Mr. Beta Eta. This award is presented to Beta Eta alumni who best represent the ideals of fraternity and who have exhibited considerable and sustained service toward the promotion and advancement of our chapter. Alumni Chapter President Scott Middlebrooks ’93 presented a proclamation to Mayne commemorating his dedication and many contributions to Beta Eta. Brother Mayne joins Chuck Cutajar ’62, Jeff Wahlen ’81 and Mike Loy ‘91 as the only other alumni who have received this prestigious award.
Whereas, the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity has established the Mr. Beta Eta Award as its highest honor; and
Whereas, Glenn Wallace Mayne was initiated into the Beta Eta Chapter at Florida State University on February 26, 1961; and
Whereas, Brother Mayne, as a student member of the fraternity, served Beta Eta as Chaplain, leading fellow student members to a deeper appreciation and understanding of commitment and lifelong brotherhood; and
Whereas, Brother Mayne has served the Beta Eta Chapter in numerous official and unofficial
capacities, including President of both the Beta Eta Housing Corporation and Beta Eta Real Estate Corporation, and
Whereas, Brother Mayne was involved with the prolonged efforts by Beta Eta alumni to acquire the property at 423 West College Avenue, and
Whereas, Brother Mayne helped lead and support the Beta Eta Housing Corporation when the chapter house was expanded and remodeled, while also providing steady leadership during difficult fiscal times, thereby creating a home and nexus for brotherhood for generations of student members in the years that followed, and
Whereas, Brother Mayne worked to advance the reputation of Pi Kappa Phi in the Tallahasee community through his involvement with philanthropic efforts, and
Whereas, Brother Mayne, who is known for entertaining his brothers by singing “Jelly Jelly,”
has played an integral role in maintaining a tight brotherhood amongst the Tallahassee alumni, and
Whereas, for over fifty-five years, Brother Mayne has represented a quintessential and
defining trait found in all chapter volunteers – he does what needs to be done, for all the right reasons, and sharing the credit with others, and now be it therefore
Resolved, that Brother Glenn Wallace Mayne be extended the Beta Eta Chapter’s deepest appreciation for his proven love and devotion to this chapter and fraternity; and, be it further Resolved, that the Board of Directors of the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter, Inc. does hereby declare Brother Glenn Wallace Mayne to be the recipient of the Mr. Beta Eta Award this sixteenth day of April, 2016.
SCOTT C. MIDDLEBROOKS PRESIDENT
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2016-2017 ALUMNI CHAPTER UPDATE Dear Beta Eta Brothers, We are fortunate to have hundreds of alumni like you who care deeply about our fraternity, having found real value in your lifelong affiliation with Pi Kappa Phi, and wishing to see it sustained for future generations. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the Beta Eta chapter, which was celebrated with an event filled weekend in Tallahassee. The weekend consisted of a tour of the athletics facility, a housing corporation update, lunch with the students, the alumni chapter meeting, and dinner with key note speakers. Glenn Mayne was awarded our highest recognition as Mr. Beta Eta for all his years of dedicated service on our housing corporation board. Plus we had several honored guests, and excellent participation from the student chapter. I continue to see increased collaboration with the student chapter and the alumni chapter for joint events, and get timely responses from them on requests for information. However as we continue to enter the digital age for content, more emphasis is needed on our social media pages for more timely updates and future events. If you have not joined our Facebook group, I encourage you to search for Beta Eta Alumni Chapter to find it. Our main challenge as an alumni chapter is still bolstering membership support for the active chapter. This last year we had 115 paid members from a base of over 1,500 alumni or roughly 7% to 8% participation. That means that the majority of our budget goes towards the BH Data publication, dues solicitation, and our annual meeting. Our future goals are to rebuild our dated web site which is now over 10 years old with newer mobile friendly technology, perform more local events, and pay for our annual senior send-off lunch (traditionally we get sponsors to donate and attend). If you’re interested in becoming engaged with local social event planning committee, please let me know. Most of the time commitment is very low with the help of our national communications team doing the heavy lifting of crafting the event announcements. In conclusion, please take a moment and renew your membership in the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter today! You can pay through our Paypal link from our main web site (betaeta.com/ join.cfm). There is an option to establish reoccurring payments which will only take effect once a year if you so choose. Your $35.00 contribution provides the needed resources to help achieve our mission. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at (813) 220-8069 or... SCMIDDLEBROOKS@GMAIL.COM Your brother, SCOTT C. MIDDLEBROOKS PRESIDENT
MIDDLEBROOKS RE-ELECTED BHAC PRESIDENT: DEYOUNG JOINS BHAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Scott Middlebrooks ‘93 was unanimously re-elected to a 3-year term as President of the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter at the BHAC annual meeting in April, 2016. Scott has served as President for the prior 3 years and will continue to move the BHAC forward with his leadership, dedication and love of all things Beta Eta. Scott currently lives in Tampa and is employed by PODS as a Finance Manager with a material focus on managing their business intelligence solutions. Also at the April annual meeting, Phil DeYoung ‘93 was elected to the BHAC Board of Directors. Phil resides in Gilbertsville, PA and is a Senior Scientific Investigator in Oncology R&D with GSK. “We are very excited to have Phil join our Board,” said BHAC President Scott Middlebrooks. “Phil brings a skill set and dedication we will leverage for the benefit of the BHAC.” Phil’s board seat was recently vacated by Brad Lewis ‘93. The Board recognizes and thanks Brad for his significant contributions to the BHAC. Brad is a founding board member of the BHAC and served as Secretary for the past 3 years.
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ONE STANDS ABOVE THE REST For Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, Beta Eta has served as the blue chip recruiting base for staff since the Chapter’s founding in 1950. Beginning in 1958 with Curt Compton ’56 and through today with C. Brad Middleton ’10, Beta Eta has sent more graduates to work for the national organization (18) that any other chapter by a wide margin. But the path of one Beta Eta summits high above the rest: Tom Atwood ’92. Brother Atwood’s 11-plus year career with the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and Foundation began in 1996 when he moved to Charlotte, NC for a spring internship with the fraternity headquarters. His talent was quickly recognized, and he was hired as a Leadership Consultant. During this time, Brother Atwood was part of the national effort to organize what was quickly, and still is, regarded as one of the most successful new Pi Kappa Phi chapters: Texas Christian University (Eta Chi). Brother Atwood was then promoted to Director of Chapter Services, where he provided guidance and support for undergraduate programs and chapters. “Tom was a consummate professional who served with passion as a champion for an impactful student and alumni Pi Kappa Phi experience,” noted Pi Kappa Phi CEO Mark E. Timmes. Brother Atwood’s career then changed course for two-years when he taught English at Olympic High School in Charlotte before he returned to the fraternity as Director of Alumni Services. In this role, Tom’s contributions include providing leadership and involvement with planning and executing the 2004 Centennial Celebration in Charleston, SC, with record attendance, and coordinating
the Centennial Bell Tower gift to the College of Charleston. During these efforts, Tom became known as Pi Kappa Phi's 'poet laureate' for his eloquence presenting the history and virtues of Pi Kappa Phi. Realizing his passion for fundraising and organizing meaningful alumni events, Brother Atwood was then hired as the Executive Director of the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation. During his tenure, the Foundation broke its own fundraising records and he was pivotal in the fraternity’s outfitting of the Kelley A. Bergstrom Leadership Center and Eldred J. Harman Museum. Earlier this year, Brother Atwood accepted the position of Senior Director of Financial Development for the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, bringing his long run with Pi Kappa Phi to an end. He leaves the Foundation in good stead, growing its assets from $3.8 million to nearly $12 million. Throughout his professional career, Brother Atwood has remained committed to the long-term success of Beta Eta, serving as a trusted advisor to both the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter and the Beta Eta Housing Corporation. “Tom was and is a driving, guiding force behind our alumni efforts,” said Michael Loy, former BHAC President. “His influence is shown in the numerous awards the organizations have earned. Beta Eta has no greater alumnus than he,” Loy continued. The BHAC wishes Brother Atwood continued success as he begins this next chapter of his life.
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CHAPTER REPORT FROM THE ARCHON I am pleased to report that it has been another exciting and productive semester for the Beta Eta Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. This spring we welcomed 12 new members into our thriving brotherhood, bringing our total membership to 138 men. Our Beta Eta chapter is proud to have assisted with the FSU Inter Fraternity Council’s passage of an amendment waiving fraternity membership fees for student veterans. This legislation is a part of FSU’s mission to become the most veteran-friendly campus in the country. The chapter is proud to announce that this semester we initiated two student veterans in addition to our 12 new members. Nick Collier served in the United States Marine Corps and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts. Ryan McKibben served in the United States Army and is currently pursuing a degree in International Relations and Affairs. Academics continue to remain a top priority at Beta Eta. The chapter concluded this semester with a 3.044 cumulative GPA, which ranks us 6th out of the 22 fraternities on campus and is higher than the All Men’s average. This summer was a busy one for our brothers. Beta Eta sent two brothers, Jack Ray and Brandon Mahoney, to Pi Kapp College for Emerging Leaders. The program is held in Columbia, South Carolina and consists of six-days of leadership development. We are also extremely proud to announce that we sent five brothers to participate in cycling events for the Ability Experience. Quincy Grant, Chad Whitehead, and Chris Garrison completed Gear Up Florida in May. Stew Beshears cycled the south route of Journey of Hope and Andre Batista participated as a crewmember. Former Archon David Bohn, who served November 2014 to November 2015, was awarded the Chapter President of the Year at this year’s Greek Awards. Following his term as Archon, David continued his leadership as the Director of Line Dance, Florida State’s largest Greek run philanthropy. Under David’s leadership, the event raised $32,000, which was donated to FSU’s College of Business and the Victim Advocate Program. Upon graduation, David accepted a job at Mississippi State University as a sponsorship coordinator. In April, the student chapter was able to partner with the Alumni Chapter to celebrate 65 years of excellence as the Beta Eta Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. Our brothers got a chance to hear stories from the “glory days” as seven decades of Beta Etas returned to their beloved Fraternity. The Beta Eta student chapter would like to thank our alumni for their continued support over the years. We look forward to continuing to excel as the state of Florida’s foremost chapter of Pi Kappa Phi.
DANA KELLER
ARCHON DBK13@MY.FSU.EDU
BETA ETA DATA 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 Jim Scarboro at JSCAR2893@GMAIL.COM. NAMES: The number after each name in this newsletter represents the year of initiation. NEED TO FIND A BROTHER: The BHAC would like to help you stay connected with fellow Beta Eta brothers. Email us at FSUPIKAPPALUMNI@YAHOO.COM to request contact information for alumni you would like to contact.
OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES...
to Glenn Mayne ‘61 on the passing of his wife, Kathleen Fosen Mayne. Kathy passed away in Sydney, Nova Scotia on August 31, 2016. Kathy and Glenn were married for 52 years.
CHAPTER ETERNAL BROTHERS Brother Ken Majewski Timothy Scott Boudet Phil Irvine Ronald Raymond Mason David Michael (Krajewski) Scott Evan Friedman Curt Compton
Initiated 1984 1984 1961 1963 1961 1992 1956
Date of Death 1/7/2016 4/23/2016 5/24/2016 7/11/2016 9/2/2015 1/19/2016 6/6/2016
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ALUMNI UPDATES PHIL DeYOUNG '93 (pictured) Phil currently resides in Gilbertsville, PA with his wife, Heather, and their two children, William and Marisa. After receiving his B.S. in biological sciences in 1996, Phil went on to get a Ph.D. in chemical biology from FAU, then spent three years as a research fellow at Harvard Medical School. He is now a Senior Scientific Investigator in Oncology R&D at GSK. Phil would love to reconnect with any brothers. PDE_YOUNG@YAHOO.COM HARRY McINTOSH '88 Harry lives in Maryville, TN, on the outskirts of Great Smoky Mountain National Park with his wife, Penny, of 20 years. They have four children, ages 14-23. Harry has been working in the real estate business since 1994. He has also served on the board for Blount County Habitat for Humanity. Harry fondly remembers moving into the new house in 1990 and recruiting the unforgettable Rho pledge class. He would like to hear from any active members from 1988-1991. HARRY@LECONTECOMPANIES.COM MARSHALL ATKINSON '84 After several decades in the decorated apparel industry, Marshall has positioned himself to be a thought leader and is consulting nationwide for t-shirt and embroidery shops with his company Atkinson Consulting, LLC. He serves on the board of directors for the Specialty Graphics Imaging Association (SGIA) and the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), and is a "chef" for a promotional item industry leadership group, the PromoKitchen. He regularly writes for industry trade magazines, and lectures on sustainability and operational topics at industry trade shows or webinars. You can read his blog at www.atkinsontshirt.com. He is married to his incredible wife, Jody. Their son, Jack, will be starting the 7th grade. MATKINSON4804@GMAIL.COM MICHAEL ST. LOUIS '91 Mike is a chiropractic physician with ProCare Health and Rehab Centers. He lives in Orlando, FL, with his wife Olga. They just recently celebrated their 3rd wedding anniversary. MICHAELSTLOUIS@HOTMAIL.COM
RAY RAINES '57 Ray and his wife, Margaret, of 48 years are retired and currently reside in Whispering Pines, NC, after living and working in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, DC. He enjoys golf and church work and taking in the various entertainment venues in the area. They are blessed with a son and daughter and seven grandsons. Ray would like to hear from any of the "old guard." RAY.L.RAINES@GMAIL.COM JEFF WAHLEN '81 Past National President, Jeff Wahlen, was recently appointed as chair of Leadership Florida. He has been involved with the organization since 2006. In an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat, Jeff said, “Leadership Florida has helped me and many others develop a statewide sense of community and appreciate Florida’s history, strengths and challenges. I am honored to serve as chair and look forward to working alongside our members statewide as we continue to educate and inform the leaders and citizenry of our great State.” PAUL NICHOLS '64 Paul is a retired human resources director for the Florida Legislature. His family’s roots run deep at FSU. His son Lee (’87) is a former archon, and his wife, Pat, and daughter, Christy, are both Thetas. He’s lived in Tallahassee since 1973 and is a season ticket holder for football, baseball, and women's basketball. Paul meets monthly with local Pi Kapps from the 60’s to discuss sports and share memories. He even stays in touch with our beloved cook, Celia Mae Matthews. PAULNICHOLS_2000_32308@YAHOO.COM
PHILLIP KELLEY '09 Last September, Phillip moved to Lake City to become an Assistant State Attorney for the 3rd Circuit after attending law school for three years in Jacksonville. When asked about his fondest Beta Eta memory, he recalls rechartering weekend. “All of the founding fathers’ work paid off in the culmination of the Ritual and the bond it gave them with brothers from all over the country.” Phillip gained leadership skills from his time in the chapter, but most of all he gained a set of brothers that he never had before. PHILLIP.GLYNN.KELLEY@GMAIL.COM
CRAIG BENNETT '91 Craig, aka Quick, lives in Naples with his wife Jeneane, and two kids. He owns a landscaping company, A Kick in the Grass Lawn Service, and promises to show up to Tallahassee when FSU plays Clemson this year. CBENNETT@AKICKINTHEGRASSLAWNSERVICE.COM
DERBY ULLOA '64 After teaching art for 38 years at Florida Community College in Jacksonville, Derby retired in 2006 and is loving life with his wife, Ann. He has served as the Art Department Chair at FCC, as president of the Jacksonville Jaycees, and is now involved in the First Coast Tea Party and Duval County Republican Executive Committee. If you take a walk along the Northbank Riverwalk near the Jacksonville Landing, you will see his commissioned sculptures, the River Runners, which were donated to the city by the Jacksonville Track Club. Derby would like to thank all Beta Eta brothers for allowing him the wonderful experience of being a Pi Kapp. DERBYU@COMCAST.NET
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ALUMNI UPDATE CONT. DAN THOMPSON '91 Lt. Colonel Dan (USAF) is a Chaplain at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Yorktown, VA. He recently moved from Charleston, SC, with his wife and cruise companion, Erica, his sons Joshua and Noah, and daughter, Abigail. Dan stays very active with his family and community by being involved in Boy Scouts, YMCA, and Air Force service projects. He fondly remembers living in the fraternity house for two years and would like to reconnect with Chris Brandt and Marty Young.
BETA ETA BROTHERS LIVING THEIR DREAMS
DWTHOMPSON_2000@NETZERO.NET
DAVE STODDARD '64 Dave and his wife, Leilani, of 49 years 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 J. RILEY GOOLSBY '89 Admittedly, Riley wasn’t as active a brother as he would have like to have been. Having dealt with several adversities, he ultimately graduated from FSU with a business degree (MIS specialty). After graduating, he worked as a dance instructor in Tallahassee, pursued a modeling career which brought him to Atlanta, and then became a technology consultant for several companies. Riley recently moved back to Dade City to take care of his family and strengthen his relationship with his parents and sister. He would love to reconnect with any brothers. JRGOOLSBY@GMAIL.COM
JONATHAN SCHILLACE '09 MAX FOGARTY '09 Jonathan earned a B.S. in Business Management and a Master’s degree in Sports Management. While earning these degrees, Jonathan pursued his sports journalism career in various positions with WFSU, FSU Headlines and WTSP, which is the CBS affiliate in Tampa Bay. He joined FSU’s Digital Media Department in 2010 and is currently the Assistant Director of Digital Media. He is responsible for covering FSU athletics, producing feature stories and recaps. Jonathan also provides play-by-play for Women’s Basketball Radio and produces Football Radio and the Jimbo Fisher Call-In Shows on the IMG Sports Network as well as Seminoles.com broadcasts. He covers all FSU football games and travels with the team for away games. You may also hear Jonathan covering play-by-play for FSU baseball games, women’s softball, women’s soccer and many other FSU sports broadcasts. Jonathan has a very challenging travel schedule with constant production deadlines but he is working in his ideal environment, FSU Athletics. JJS08C@YAHOO.COM
After completing his studies at FSU, Max Fogarty went through a self-discovery phase and found himself chasing his childhood dream of professional sport fishing. Max left Tallahassee for a job on a sport fishing boat in Texas. From there, he traveled as a freelance crew member through the Bahamas, Mexico, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Australia and Hawaii. He fished hard, won several tournaments and caught a lot of big marlin, tuna and wahoo along the way. Max spent a year in Kona, Hawaii as the Regional Sales Manager for Gray Taxidermy and is now back in Ft. Lauderdale as the owner of Maxed Marine Services. This is a full service marine business including vessel maintenance, electronic upgrades, mechanical service, outfitting and charter. Max comments, “I’m blessed I get to do what I love and get paid for it.” MJF08D@GMAIL.COM
RESOLUTION PRESENTED TO Timothy Scott Boudet 2016 Scott Boudet ’84 was serving on the Beta Eta Housing Corporation when he passed into the Chapter Eternal on April 23rd, 2016. In remembrance of his dedicated service to the Beta Eta Chapter, the Beta Eta Housing Corporation declared Brother Boudet as Chaplain Emeritus in the following declaration.
Whereas, Brother Timothy Scott (Scott) Boudet was initiated into the brotherhood of Pi Kappa Phi on April 7th, in the year of our Lord 1984, Whereas, Brother Boudet has been an active member of our beloved fraternity for over 32 years, faithfully serving as a director of the Beta Eta Housing Corporation for over 15 years, Whereas, Brother Boudet mentored the Beta Eta student chapter at Florida State for many years, giving guidance and thus enriching the true meaning of the sacred initiation ritual of Pi Kappa Phi, Whereas, Brother Boudet lived the true ideals of the Brotherhood of Pi Kappa Phi, endeavoring to do what is right, even when it is easier to do otherwise, Whereas, Brother Boudet nobly soldiered on, uncomplaining, through difficulties far beyond what men should endure in this world, Whereas, Brother Boudet passed into the Chapter Eternal on April 23rd, 2016, Whereas, we are a better fraternity because of Brother Boudet, Let it be hereby resolved, on this 17th day of May, in the year of our Lord, 2016, that the Board of Directors of the Beta Eta Housing Corporation declare Timothy Scott Boudet, Chaplain Emeritus, as he continues to inspire, from his rightful place in the Supreme Chapter, the Beta Eta Chapter's initiation of brothers into our brotherhood of Pi Kappa Phi. So be it resolved, May 17th, 2016 by the unanimous declaration of the Beta Eta Housing Corporation Board of Directors.
President, Beta Eta Housing Corporation, Inc. of Tallahassee, Florida
Summer event in Clearwater, FL. Left to Right: Tom Atwood, Jeff Walhen, Chris Ryle, Scott Middlebrooks, Chris New, Chris Anderson
BETA ETA HOUSING CORPORATION EARNS 2015 HOUSING CORPORATION OF THE YEAR AWARD The Beta Eta Housing Corporation, the alumni housing corporation of Beta Eta Chapter at Florida State University was named 2015 Housing Corporation of the Year by Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and Pi Kappa Phi Properties as part of the 2015 summer award announcement. The Pi Kappa Phi Housing Corporation of the Year designation is given for the most outstanding and most effective relationship between a housing corporation and a chapter. The resume begins in 2007 when the fraternity recolonized the Beta Eta chapter at Florida State University. The new chapter and alumni faced a significant challenge as the chapter’s house, once a special home, had fallen into disrepair through neglect and vandalism by the fraternity that was renting it while Beta Eta was dormant. The Housing Corporation wasted no time and was able to secure a $325,000 loan from a local bank for repairs and upgrades. Brian Baber ’92 was the Housing Corporation President at the time and is also a licensed general contractor and home builder in nearby Panama City. The Corporation was able to remake the chapter house into something better than it ever was before. The complete renovation, inside and out, of the house was completed ontime and on-budget. A team of alumni also led by Eric Wahlen built and supervised a complex construction pro forma and set up key internal systems which includes the production of monthly financial statements and a unique approach to leasing which has yielded increased ownership of the house by the student tenants. Since 2008, the house has been full each semester with a waiting list to move in. Since 2008 they have finished each year “in the black” and have been able to build a strategic, board-designated reserve of over $115,000 while maintaining a cushion of $20,000 or more in unallocated cash in their operating account. Lastly, the Housing Corporation has learned from the past and fully embraced the property management adage that, “deferred maintenance never pays.” As such, they continue to invest in capital projects that help keep Beta Eta Chapter a competitively house chapter. A recent example of this was a landscape / paver project in conjunction with the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter whereby brothers were able to purchase an inscribed brick paver. This project not only improved the aesthetics of the house, but brought students and alumni together. The 2015 recipient signifies a body of work which exemplifies the commanding combination of loyal alumni and tireless effort. There has been a complete turnover in leadership in Housing Corporation officers since 2007 but not in results. The Beta Eta Housing Corporation continues to provide exceptional service managing our assets on a daily basis, while building a long term strategy for success.
Remember 32 Years Ago: Beta Eta Brothers celebrating brotherhood at the 1984 Rose Ball.
BETA ETA ALUMNI CHAPTER, INC. P.O. Box 11244 Tallahassee, FL 32302-3244
The mission of the Beta Eta Alumni Chapter is to enhance the lifelong fraternal experience for Beta Eta alumni by maintaining an active alumni group that is dedicated to connecting alumni with each other and their fraternity by providing timely communication of relevant alumni news and organizing 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 plede to the brotherhood of this fraternity.