Sigma - Fall 2006

BUILDING THE FUTURE OF PI KAPPA PHI SIGMA CHAPTER • UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA Sigma House Corporation • P.O. Box 6108 • Columbia, SC 29260 Address Service Requested

If you have any questions regarding the Building the Future of Pi Kappa Phi Campaign, please contact Campaign Coordinator Brad Rukes at (785) 843-1661 or brukes@penningtonco.com.

W H Y W E C O U L D N O T WA I T MIKE LOWMAN ’84

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oday’s Sigma Chapter is not that different from when we were in school but they faced something we never had to, competition from fraternities with new attractive chapter houses.

If you haven’t heard, a new Greek Village has been developed at USC with many of the fraternities building top-of-the-line chapter facilities in the last few years. From then on, recruitment had quickly turned into the haves versus the have-nots with our undergraduates being forced to recruit under tents in the Quad! You can imagine how that put us at a major disadvantage.

With only three plots in the Greek Village left, the Sigma House Corporation Board had to move, and move fast, if we wanted a facility in the Greek Village. With the assistance of Jerry Brewer ’75 we were able to secure a premier location for our new house, but with this opportunity came a stipulation. We needed to begin construction on the new house within 12 months of taking ownership or we would lose our rights to the property. We did not want to lose our space in the Greek Village as we would never get a chance to build there again. Without a fraternity house we could not excel in recruitment and, thus, the future of our Chapter would be put in jeopardy.

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Subsequent to securing our lot, we entered into a joint venture with Pi Kappa Phi’s National House Corporation, Pi Kappa Phi Properties, to assist us in securing the financing and up-front dollars required to begin construction. Pi Kappa Phi Properties has invested over $400,000 to date to complete the construction, to secure the construction loan, and is the current noteholder so the house could be built on time. The Chapter House was completed in August, and our actives moved in before recruitment began.

With our present needs provided for, we need to protect our future.

While we were able to build a top-of-the-line facility, Pi Kappa Phi Properties currently holds the bank note and thus owns our Chapter House for the time being. It is now the responsibility of Sigma alumni to raise the necessary funds to refund Pi Kappa Phi Properties its investment on our behalf and take possession of the Chapter House note and continue payment on the note. Simply put, if we do not have the funds to pay the note and the initial investment from Pi Kappa Phi Properties, then we may lose our new home. While we appreciate the National Fraternity stepping in and getting us started, it is now Sigma Chapter’s turn to support the Fraternity and take ownership of our new home. To make this house financially feasible, we need your support.

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C H A P T E R

BUILDING THE FUTURE OF PI KAPPA PHI SIGMA CHAPTER • UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

SIGMA CHAPTER ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN TO BUILD CHAPTER HOUSE $400,000 COMMITTED BY LOYAL ALUMNI AND COLLEGIANS

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reetings Brothers! I’m honored to inform you that after countless years of living in the quadrangle, the Sigma Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi now has a brand new Chapter House in the University of South Carolina’s Greek Village. The Village is located on Lincoln and Gadsden Streets at Blossom Street and is adjacent to the new Strom Thurmond Fitness and Wellness Center and Carolina Coliseum. In fact, our house is the first thing you see as you cross the Blossom Street Bridge coming onto campus. In my opinion, not only do we have the best location in the Village, but we have the best-looking house!

With a quick tour through the Village, it is easy to see that a top-of-the-line facility has become the standard for fraternities at USC, and for Pi Kappa Phi to continue as a strong presence on campus we needed a competitive Chapter House. Last year, the Sigma Chapter House Corporation began talks with representatives of the National House Corporation, Pi Kappa Phi Properties, which had the borrowing power to get the initial money needed to secure a remaining piece of property in the Village and establish the foundation for this project. Construction began on the new Chapter House last fall and was completed in time for the under-

graduates to move in mid-August. Pi Kappa Phi Properties agreed to commit a substantial financial investment to begin construction, with the understanding that Sigma Chapter would raise additional funds to make the project financially feasible. Now it is up to the Sigma alumni to make a financial pledge to ensure that upon dedication, the new Chapter House will be in a strong financial position.

We are excited to officially announce the kickoff of the Building the Future of Pi Kappa Phi Campaign to support the construction of the new Sigma Chapter House. This campaign is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for alumni to impact future generations of Sigma men. We’ve always dreamed of having a Chapter House and, with help from every Sigma Brother, that dream will become a reality.

In the coming weeks, you will receive more information detailing the project and the ways you can help with our efforts. The Sigma Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi has touched the lives of more than 1,250 young men while they attended the University of South Carolina.

This endeavor can repay in a small way what Pi Kapp has meant in our personal and professional lives. Early commitments from some very loyal alumni and collegians now total $400,000. This is a great start. However, we still have work to do to meet our ambitious goal of $750,000. We hope that you will join our growing list of loyal supporters who wish to ensure the lasting impact of the Pi Kappa Phi experience on the lives of Carolina men.

Yours in Pi Kappa Phi, Robert F. Berry ‘71 Campaign Chairman bberry@sc.rr.com

CAMPAIGN STATUS AT-A-GLANCE

As of October 16, 2006

$750,000 Goal • $400,000 Pledged • 810 Mailable Alumni • 70 Contributors

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

WHY I GAVE

P I K A P PA P H I

C A M PA I G N LEADERSHIP

JAMES A. QUINN II ’81

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s a volunteer, Jim Quinn ’81 has been intimately involved with the rechartering and current success of the Sigma Chapter on USC’s campus. He has personally witnessed the ups and downs of the Fraternity and is excited to see the Chapter establish a permanent home in the new Greek Village. Jim knows how important this house is to the future of the reestablished Chapter and believes “it is unrealistic to expect Sigma Chapter to survive, much less prosper, without a competitive house at the University.”

C A M PA I G N C H A I R M A N Robert F. Berry ’71 bberry@sc.rr.com

BOARD MEMBERS Ken J. Forti ’65 kforti7174@aol.com

Ed M. Craig ’70 Jim came to the University of South Carolina with a great deal of exposure to the Greek system, making his decision to pledge Pi Kappa Phi almost automatic. “My whole family has been Pi Kapps and I decided to follow in their footsteps. The undergraduate university I went to did not have fraternities and I decided to join in law school. It provided a great break from the pressure of law school and the sometimes super-competitive nature of law students.”

edc@electrumcorp.com

Jerry T. Brewer ’75 jbrewer@gwm.sc.edu

Walter H. Pickens Jr. ’76 whpickens@comcast.net

Jim has stayed active with the Chapter because “fraternities are an important part of college life and Pi Kappa Phi has much to offer. I certainly made many friends through Sigma Chapter and continue to do so as an alumnus. I hope that the house will also serve as a focal point for alumni activities, which frankly have been lacking. I fondly remember the 75th anniversary in 1985 where Brothers from across the country came back to tell old stories and remember the good times at Sigma. I’m supporting this project because I know this house will bring alumni back together.”

Mack L. Turner ’76 mack.turner@bankofamerica.com

James A. Quinn II ’81 quinnj@dnr.sc.gov

Mike Lowman ’84 After graduating from USC law school in 1981, Jim went on to practice law in Lake Wales, Florida, and returned to Columbia in 1984 as a clerk for the Honorable John P. Gardiner, and since 1985 has been an attorney for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Today, Jim lives in Eastover, South Carolina, with his two Hungarian bird dogs, Zack and Zoe. E-mail Jim at quinnj@dnr.sc.gov.

YOUR ROLE

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nly you can put a value on your fraternity experience—the fellowship and friendships enjoyed in your undergraduate days, and the enduring pride of being associated with a group whose mark has meant excellence in the classroom, campus leadership, and so many other ways. We all have commitments and obligations to family, church, and community, but isn’t that part of what Pi Kappa Phi taught us? You alone know your financial circumstances. Because of the magnitude of the project, we need major pledges from many men to achieve the campaign’s ambitious goal. We need everyone to participate at some level. Your generous support of this campaign will be greatly appreciated by all Sigma alumni and undergraduates, but more importantly by future generations of Pi Kappa Phi Brothers at USC.

mike@mikelowmanhomes.com

Joel P. Borellis ’88 joel.borellis@oracle.com

T H A N K Y O U L O YA L B R O T H E R S FOR COMMITTING $400,000

BUILDING THE FUTURE OF PI KAPPA PHI

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e are deeply grateful to the Sigma Brothers listed below for committing $400,000 to the Building the Future of Pi Kappa Phi Campaign. This generosity demonstrates that these alumni recognize the importance of ensuring the future of the Sigma Chapter. Commitments are still needed from the rest of our alumni to ensure that upon dedication the new Chapter House will be in a strong financial position. Gifts to the campaign can be made over a five-year period and may be made in honor or memory of a Brother. Pledge class and family gifts are also welcomed.

SEVEN PALMETTOS SOCIETY $100,000 and above 1910 FOUNDERS SOCIETY $50,000-$99,999 James A. Quinn II ’81 GOLDEN BELL SOCIETY $25,000-$49,999 Robert F. Berry ’71 G. Peter Manos ’72 Philip P. Claytor Jr. ’75 Walter H. Pickens Jr. ’76 Mike Lowman ’84 STAR AND LAMP SOCIETY $10,000-$24,999 Kenneth J. Forti ’65 Dan W. Reynolds ’68 Edward M. Craig ’70 Dr. William J. Epperson ’76 Maxwell L. Turner ’76 D. Hollis Felkel II ’82 Joel P. Borellis ’88 Christopher A. Hoffman ’89 Ryan G. Padgett ’04

CROSSED SWORDS SOCIETY $5,000-$9,999 W. David Rhodes ’67 P. Daniel Carter Jr. ’72 Joe A. Hanson ’72 Jerry T. Brewer ’75 Dr. Bryan K. Anderson ’76 George W. Lundgren ’76 William K. Philpot ’84 Mark T. Adamson ’86 Matthew B. Rosbrugh ’87 Jerry R. Beck ’00 Daniel C. Plyler ’00 Hollis M. Fitch ’02 Travis H. Beck ’03 ROSE SOCIETY $1,000-$4,999 Frederick E. Quinn ’38 J. Calhoun Pruitt Jr. ’68 J. Edwin Reeves ’71 Thomas H. Utsey ’72 David L. Baker ’75 John E. Shaheen ’86 Ryan W. Wall ’01 Steven S. Blanchard ’03

Adam Leonard ’03 Justin Lilly ’03 Cameron O. Moss ’03 Geoffrey B. Robertson ’03 David A. Schroer ’03 Brian W. Wasko ’03 Renzo M. Barredo ’04 Charles J. Beckert III ’04 Stephen Carlson ’04 Patrick Chisum ’04 Taylor Clarkson ’04 Jonathan Fisch ’04 Scott C. Justice ’04 Christopher J. Kessler ’04 Joshua B. King ’04 David E. Puder ’04 Joel Simpson ’04 Jonathan J. Socko ’04 Colin R. Deffet ’05 SIGMA SOCIETY Up to $999 Dr. Jay Hammett ’42 George DeLay ’44 William F. Rhodes ’65 G. Aubrey Hawes III ’88

Greg Hoffman ’02 Jeff Hoffman ’03 Brian Koppal ’03 Michael Altiero ’04 Kevin Lao ’04 Garrett W. Loomis ’04 Stuart Robinson ’04 Brad Tolbert ’04 H. Bradford Miller ’05 Adam Simon ’05 * All supporters of this project who contribute $1,000 or more will be recognized on a prominently displayed plaque.

Pledges totaling $5,000 and above will be fully tax deductible. If an error has been made in recording your gift, or your name has been mistakenly omitted or listed improperly, we sincerely apologize. Please send corrections to: Sigma House Corporation P.O. Box 6108 Columbia, SC 29260

N A M E D G I V I N G O P P O RT U N I T I E S GIVING LEVEL COST ROOM Chapter House $250,000 Dining Room $150,000 $ 75,000 Chapter/Billiards Room $ 75,000 Gathering Room $ 75,000 Sitting Room $ 50,000 Patio (Already Taken) Entrance Foyer $ 50,000 $ 50,000 Trophy Room

GIVING LEVEL COST ROOM Housemother’s Suite $ 50,000 Computer Study $ 25,000 $ 25,000 Second Floor Copier Study $ 25,000 East Upper Hall $ 25,000 West Upper Hall $ 25,000 Large Bedroom (2 available) Medium Bedroom (2 available) $ 15,000 $ 10,000 Small Bedroom (14 available)