Protecting Your Legacy

Protecting Your Legacy by Daniel Hitzke

The Pi Kappa Phi Foundation has partnered with FreeWill to provide a free, online platform where you can create a will in less than 20 minutes while supporting the loved ones and causes you care about.

pikapp.org/freewill

It amazes me to see that I began to honor my financial commitment to Pi Kappa Phi by joining the National President’s Circle when I was in college. I believed I was living the dream, and, looking back, I was. What I did not recognize then was the overall, long-lasting impact my pledge brothers and chapter brothers of the Zeta Lambda Chapter (Cal State - Chico), would continue to have on my life.

What has made my experience with Pi Kappa Phi so special is that it continues today. Pi Kappa Phi enriches my life through my connections with not only my college friends, but with all of the new brothers I meet across the country. The skills I learned as a Pi Kapp collegiate leader provided me with skills I was never taught in a classroom. I am fortunate to still have that special connection to my pledge brothers through annual events and trash talking over our favorite sports teams. The best part of my Pi Kappa Phi experience—like most things in life—is that it is my choice to stay involved, and it continues to provide me the opportunities to connect with so many other brothers from all corners of the globe and from all walks of life.

I am enriched by Pi Kappa Phi because it is the tie that connects us with those who have traveled through this gauntlet of life, and we to do it together. As cliché as it sounds, from being in each other’s weddings, to sharing our kids’ birthday parties, and now our children’s high school graduations, our commitment to see it through together is stronger than ever before. I have also had the benefit of meeting many lawyers from all over the country that I have been able to call on for assistance or new litigation techniques.

It is the many amazing memories I created through my Pi Kappa Phi journey and seeing the continued impact the Fraternity has on so many young men that drives my desire stay involved and serve the overall mission of the brotherhood. It is this drive that also requires me to also put my money where my mouth is. So, I continue to honor my financial commitment to our brotherhood going all the way back to when I joined the National President’s Circle 24 years ago.

My wife Holly and I have some very special causes that are dear to us. The life we are building for our family and protecting what we have built have become more and more important over the years. The partnership between Pi Kappa Phi and FreeWill has given my family and me the opportunity to ensure my legacy in supporting my Fraternity after I die will become a reality, even as I continue my Pi Kappa Phi journey today. So far in my life, my relationship with our brotherhood has provided the best return on any investment I have made. I am excited to ensure that the fruits of that investment will continue developing the future leaders in our families and communities—even after my journey has ended.

Daniel Hitzke, Zeta Lambda (Cal State - Chico) graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and received his juris doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School in 2000. He is the Managing Partner of Hitzke & Ferran, where he has practiced law for over twenty years. For the past few years, Daniel has been the dedicated counsel for the newly constructed SoFi stadium on behalf of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. Daniel is in his second term as a Trustee for the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation. He has been an active volunteer for Pi Kappa Phi, serving as chapter advisor for multiple chapters throughout California, and winning the honor of Area Governor of the Year. Daniel currently resides in Huntington Beach, California, with his wife, Holly Hitzke (Alpha Phi Fraternity); his children Noah, Miller, Max, Cade, and Brooklyn; and his dog, Boozer.