February 2014 Cross & Crescent

Cross & Crescent

February 2014 . Issue 01

FROM THE EDITOR It’s been a very productive and busy start to 2014 for International Headquarters staff of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. In early January, we held our annual winter staff retreat at the French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana. Then, in mid-January, we held our annual winter retreat with the Board of Directors (Grand High Zeta) at historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel in Brunswick, Georgia. Both meetings included meaningful generative discussions about the fall semester, the Greek movement in general, and the strategic future of our Fraternity.

The final major event for the staff in late January was the 2014 Neville Advisors College, held at The Alexander Hotel in Indianapolis. This three-day training program included the attendance of more then 100 chapter advisors, facilitators, and staff members. As we know, today’s Lambda Chi Alpha experience for our undergraduates is significantly greater when trained and certified alumni brothers are actively involved with our chapters.

There are two other items I also want to highlight for January.

Tad Lichtenauer Director of Communications/IT (317) 803-7322 tlichtenauer@lambdachi.org

The first is the sad and unexpected death of Michael H. Dunn, the executive director of Sigma Chi Fraternity, on January 24, 2014. The entire brotherhood of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity expresses its collective and sincerest condolences to Dunn’s wife, daughter, family and the men of Sigma Chi. The second item is an expression of gratitude to Jean Mrasek, the chairman of the National Panhellenic Conference. Mrasek is a Chi Omega from the University of Tulsa and currently works as chief of staff in the Office of the Chancellor at Texas Christian University. In her January 27, 2014 blog post as NPC chairman, she writes about the impact Lambda Chi Alpha has had on her son, Nick Mrasek, an undergraduate brother at our Gamma-Rho chapter at the University of Arkansas. As a part of her blog post she summarizes his experience: “Nick has enjoyed learning the symbolism revealed in the ritual and the highest teachings of Lambda Chi. He likes how the ritual encourages the members to be better men in their daily lives.”

May the brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha continue to strive every day to live the teachings of our rituals.

In ZAX and friendship, Editor, Cross & Crescent Magazine

Cross & Crescent

Header

YOUR ONLINE SOURCE FOR ALL LAMBDA CHI ALPHA NEWS February 2014 ISSUE 01

Features 17

A MAN ON A MISSON

Departments Chapter News

1

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death.

24

Fraternity News

Jerre Stead as chief recovery officer for Colorado – During a time of crisis after the September floods, the state of Colorado relied on Jerre Stead (Coe) as the chief recovery officer to coordinate between the federal, state and local government to rebuild Colorado’s infrastructure. .

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

Feeding America Update

28

Fraternity News

31

Faternity History

Spring Expansions

Authenticity of our Coat of Arms

20

THE THRILL OF THE RIDE Roller Coaster Enthusiasts - Roy Roberts (Tennessee-Chattanooga) and Mark Cole (Florida Tech) travel the country to ride roller coasters as members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

22 CREDITS

Publisher: Bill Farkas anaging Editor: Tad Lichtenauer M Assistant Editor: Andrew Talevich Layout & Design: Thomas Roberts Photographer: Walt Moser Research: Jon Williamson Editors: Jono Hren Bob McLaughlin

CONTRIBUTIONS Content for consideration should be submitted by the 25th of the month (except Aug/Jan) Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity 8741 Founders Rd Indianapolis, IN 46268-1338 (317) 872-8000 editor@lambdachi.org www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

A TRIBUTE TO A FORMER STAFF MEMBER Cam Wagner (Richmond) - Former ELC C.A.M. Wagner, 41, died December 22, 2013 after a five-year, courageous battle with cancer. Many former staff traveled to attend the memorial and share their stories about his love for his family and for Lambda Chi Alpha.

By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)

31

AUTHENTICITY OF OUR COAT OF ARMS Our coat of arms has been corrupted in terms of traditional British heraldry.

By Mike Raymond (Miami-OH)

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter News Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Akron (Gamma-Alpha)

Alfred (Kappa-Sigma) Eugene R. Burgess Sr. (1946) died January 7, 2014. He joined the Army Air Forces in 1941 and served as a navigator during World War II. After earning his master’s degree, he returned to active duty with the Air Force in the Korean War, attaining the rank of captain. Returning from service, Burgess worked as a counselor with the Veterans Administration in Buffalo, then taught high school science and math. He went to Silver Creek Central School in 1956, beginning as a teacher, then becoming a guidance counselor. He was director of guidance when he retired in 1983. He also helped form the Northern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union for teachers and staff in the Silver Creek and Forestville schools in 1969, served as treasurer from 1970 to

The chapter won Lip Jam. The chapter added two associate members.

1983, and was on the board of directors for many years.

John F. Hoffman III (1977) died January 6, 2014. He began his career at InfoCision and went on to become the president of Hoffman Marketing Group.

Angelo State (Beta-Alpha) Army Purple Heart recipient and chapter Treasurer Tommy Langseth will be recognized in Greek Spotlight for his outstanding leadership qualities representing Greek Life.

Dominic P. Babbo (1953) died November 19, 2013. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army. He retired after 43 years of service from Goodyear Aerospace/Loral Corp. as Director of

The chapter has a new partnership with Rust Street Ministries

Human Resources.

to provide community support.

Alabama (Alpha-Phi)

Arizona (Zeta-Beta)

Roy T. Gregg Jr. (1976) received the Alvah K. Borman Award from the American Society for Engineering Education. This award honors Alvah K. Borman, Dean of Graduate Placement Services, Northeastern University, for his numerous outstanding contributions to engineering cooperative education over many years, including the founding and editorship of the CED Newsbriefs from 1969 until his death ten years later. Currently, Gregg serves as the director of cooperative education and professional practice program at The University of Alabama.

During his 36 years in the field of cooperative education, he has held numerous elected/appointed positions with state, regional, and national professional organizations.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Charles D. Candiano died November 19, 2013. He completed two years of military service in the U.S. Army, serving as platoon leader and company executive officer in Recon Company, 4th Infantry Division. He then worked in the wine industry in California for 34 years. He traveled extensively overseas during this time, a pioneer in the export of California wines in an era when they were just beginning to be recognized around the world.

1

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Arizona State (Zeta-Psi)

Bloomfield, Iowa, at the Gilfillan Clinic from 1958 to 1990.

Charles “Chuck” Thomas (1949) died on November 10, 2013.

Brother Thomas graduated in 1949 and worked in BW’s Admission office from 1952 to 1956 before serving as BW’s director of alumni relations until 1962. Chuck served in the Navy during World War II and was honored with the Victory Ribbon and the American Area Ribbon. Following his work at Baldwin Wallace, Chuck was the director of membership at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts for over 20 years.

The chapter’s intramural volleyball team made it to the Greek League Championship.

Lee Ellsworth (1950) died May 17, 2013. He was a veteran of the Navy serving as a pharmacist’s mate 2nd Class during World War II. He later worked as an advertising and printing buyer for General Tire in Akron.

The chapter intramural football team went undefeated in the regular season.

The chapter’s intramural basketball team played an exhibition game in Wells Fargo Arena before the university’s varsity team

Philip Georgeadis (1966) died March 16, 2013. He was a partner at Kulicic, Georgeadis & Erwewein, Co. LLA, where he practiced law for 35 years.

played their annual Maroon and Gold Scrimmage.

Chapter brothers volunteered at PACC911 Adoptathon and the Phoenix Step Walk to Stop Diabetes.

Ball State (Iota-Alpha)

The chapter held social events with sororities on campus including bid night with Alpha Chi Omega and Alpha Phi, Homecoming with Alpha Chi Omega, a Halloween concert

Austin Craft was elected IFC vice president.

Patrick J. Mark (1970) was promoted to parent resource representative for the Greenville County School District in

with all of the sororities, and the annual Vegas Formal.

Greenville, South Carolina.

Arkansas State (Iota-Theta)

Daniel S. Chamberlain (1989) was named 2014-2015 chairman of the Board of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA).

He is a partner at Doehrman Chamberlain, an Indianapolisbased law firm representing the families of those who have been wrongfully injured or killed, including victims of traumatic brain injury.

The chapter won the Best Men on Campus Award for the seventh consecutive year.

The chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 32 brothers.

Butler (Alpha-Alpha)

Baldwin-Wallace (Kappa-Phi)

The chapter added 33 associate members during formal recruitment.

James R. Mincks (1946) died January 20, 2013. He was part of the Navy V-12 program in World War II and served in the Army during the Korean War. Mincks had a surgical practice in

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Warren “Ted” Wetzler (1957) died December 18, 2013.

22

Cross && Crescent Crescent February October 2013 Cross 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death Following college, he served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959, and this afforded him the opportunity to serve in Germany. He was the lead photographer of Wetzler Studios for 45 years, working alongside his brother Tom, in running one of Cleveland’s largest commercial photography studios. The studio was founded by their father, Gus, in 1923. Since Ted’s retirement in 2005, the studio has been run by his children Rob and Margaret.

Cal State-Northridge (Beta-Rho) The House Corporation held its annual meeting and dinner on December 3, 2013. In attendance were 19 alumni and 23 undergraduate brothers.

Harvey K. Malkin (1989) died September 16, 2013. He worked on many films as a production accountant; among them Dodgeball, Shallow Hal, Never Been Kissed, Leaving Las Vegas, and Me Myself and Irene.

California-Berkeley (Mu) LTC (Ret.) Robert N. Eddy (1938) died January 7, 2014. He enjoyed a military career in the Army that spanned 27 years on three continents. He served in the South Pacific earning the Bronze Star among other awards. After retirement from the military at Fort Monroe, he moved the family to the Chicago area where he was an executive in the Chicago Public School system for the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Central Florida (Beta-Eta) The chapter’s intramural Wiffle ball team won the Spring 2014 IM Wiffle Ball championship.

Central Missouri (Lambda-Pi) During the fall semester, the chapter initiated 15 brothers, bringing the total initiated by the chapter to 1,249.

The newly-elected chapter officers are: President Ryan Staggemier, Vice President-internal Parker Smith, Vice President-external Bryce Beatty, Secretary Aiden Miget, Treasurer John Alexander, Recruitment Chairman Andrew Walker, Harm Reduction Manager Mathew Siebert, Fraternity Educator Jeremiah Robinson, Ritualist Seth Buhman,

California-Polytechnic (Phi-Sigma) On January 18, 2014, the chapter held their annual Watermelon Bust philanthropy event. The event raised more than $1,000 and 300 pounds of canned food for the San Luis Obispo Food Bank.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

3

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Clemson (Delta-Omicron)

Scholarship Chairman Michael Wortmann, Social Chairman Jake Wilmes, and Alumni Chairman Caleb Kirchhoff.

Chris Wilhoit (2013) has joined Lima One Capital as an operations analyst. Lima One Capital is a hard money lender headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, that provides financing for real estate investors looking to purchase and

Alumni and undergraduate brothers enjoyed the January monthly gathering at brother Kirkpatrick’s Pizza Shoppe in Lee Summit, Missouri. Shown in the photo are undergraduates

renovate investment properties.

Coe (Zeta-Alpha) Dr. John Havick (1962) has published the nonfiction book The Ghosts of NASCAR: the Harlan Boys and the First Daytona 500. The book presents evidence suggesting the first Daytona 500 officially declared the wrong winner.

Cornell (Omicron)

Tanner Nappe, Bryce Beatty, Caleb Kirchhoff, Jake Wilmes, and Les Alpers. Alumni included are Alumni Secretary Dudley Chapman, Alumni President Scott Burgess, Scott Kirkpatrick,

The chapter made the playoffs in intramural flag football.

Mack Kitchens, Robert Marble, and Mike Young.

The chapter won the intramural soccer championship, beating Sigma Chi 4-1. Included in the team photo are: Top Row: Randy Linderman (2016), Kenny Wronka (2016), Chris Merril (2015); Middle Row: Jamie Winebrake (2015), Ben Sarnoff (2015), Ryan Rizzuti (2014); Bottom Row: Michael Hassman (2015), Kevin Yu (2015), and Kyle Coble (2016).

Cincinnati (Gamma-Gamma) Paul D. Mathews (1954) died December 10, 2013. After graduation, he served as a traveling secretary (now called educational leadership consultant) for Lambda Chi Alpha.

Mathews founded SII Dry Kiln in Lexington, North Carolina, in 1969, serving as president until his retirement in 2004. His company was recognized as one of the top 25 fastest growing companies in the Triad area of North Carolina. Mathews was recognized as a small business leader by the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce and was well-known in the hardwood lumber industry throughout the United States. He served on the Indianapolis 500 Committee and was the state chairman and national board member for the American Cancer Society

The chapter’s capital campaign to renovate Edgemoor, the chapter’s 114-year-old chapter house, has surged ahead since the 100th celebration in October 2013, rising from $1.2 million to $1.7 million. The building schedule is now on track for the undergraduates to move into the vacant Zeta Beta Tau house on campus in the fall of 2014 and then move back into the renovated Edgemoor house in the fall of 2015.

Golf Tournament.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

4

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Denver (Alpha-Pi) and graduated with distinction. He has been teaching science at Lake Central High School in St. John, Indiana, for 40 years.

In 1985 he was named the Outstanding Physics Teacher by the Indiana section of the American Association of Physics Teachers.

Skorupa has served as Lake Central’s boy’s track and field and cross country teams for 39 years. In track, Lake Central won 11 conference titles, 20 sectional titles, and two regional titles. In cross country, the team won three conference titles, 19 sectional titles, 10 regional titles, and one semi-state title. Lake Central has qualified for the state finals 10 times with a third-place finish in 1982, and a runner-up finish in 1983. Skorupa also served four years as a head coach for the Indiana All-Star Track

Los-Angeles-based comedian Rob Gleeson has a recurring role in Showtime’s House of Lies. His character, Jeffrey, appears in a number of episodes of season 3, which premiered on January 12, 2014.

After many successful years working in financial services, Jason Brown has become a psychotherapist. He is working towards a degree in clinical psychology and intends to become a licensed marriage and family therapist.

Michael W. Davis has been named corporate counsel for the Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc. Jack Ries is a client representative at New Directions IRA.

Team.

Matthew Johnson is now a partner at Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell, LLP.

Drexel (Epsilon-Kappa)

Jon Rutkowski is senior sales/marketing director at Amadeus Consulting.

The chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 17 brothers, including the chapter’s 100th initiate since its recolonization.

Nicholas Pope is mortgage foreclosure client representative at Chicago Volunteer Legal Services.

Jon Meyer is reporting manager at Dish Network.

Case Hushen is project coordinator at KVB-Inc. Jordan DeHerrera is with the single family residential and small balance commercial loan REIT at Ellington Management Group.

DePauw (Xi) Rudy G. Skorupa (1973) was inducted into the DePauw Athletic Hall of Fame. At DePauw, he earned four varsity letters in track and field and one in wrestling. A captain of the track team, Skorupa was voted the Tigers’ MVP in both 1972 and 1973. Skorupa qualified for the NCAA meet all four years and, at the time of his induction, still held the DePauw indoor long jump record and was third on the outdoor list. As a wrestler his freshman year, Skorupa finished second in the 142-pound class in the Indiana Collegiate Conference tournament. He was nominated by Coach Harvey for a Rhodes Scholarship

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Sunil Verma became a member of Drexel’s Dean of Students Advisory Committee.

Drury (Theta-Sigma) William R. King (1951) died December 16, 2013. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving his nation during World War II aboard the aircraft carrier USS Cabot, CVL-28. He worked as a social worker

5

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services for 35 years until retiring in 1987. After retirement, King spent a lot of time studying genealogy and researching his family’s history.

East Tennessee State (Iota-Omicron)

studying abroad in Dubai.

Eureka (Theta-Chi) Chapter brothers volunteered at the local nursing home on Martin Luther King Day. They helped with maintenance as well as playing dress-up with kids at the nursery. Nate Mullins was featured on the local news commenting about the chapter’s volunteer efforts.

The chapter elected the following new officers: President Joey Bailey, Vice President-Internal Austin Jenkins, Vice Presidentexternal Zahaib Raja, Secretary Jake Jones, Treasurer Ryan Jamison, Harm Reduction Manager Devin MacDonald, Fraternity Educator Nick Castle, Recruitment Chairman Wes Vaughan, Ritualist Andy Detiveaux, Scholarship Chairman Jake Lister, Social Chairman Joshua Stroud, Alumni Chairman Matthew Bise, and Alumni Advisor Darin Harris.

Bruce Darnall wrote an article entitled, “Former Titans Football Player Responds to Cut from Team on former Tennessee Titan Tim Shaw. It was published online by Athletes in Action, the sports ministry for Campus Crusade for Christ. It tells about his life and his Christian faith.

Eastern Michigan (Sigma-Kappa) Richard Pietroski (1980), chief executive officer of Gift of Life Michigan, celebrated his 30th year with the state’s federally designated organ and tissue recovery organization. He joined Gift of Life on December 12, 1983, and was named CEO in the

Evansville (Iota-Mu) Chapter brothers who are also members of the varsity swim team competed in meets against Miami University (Ohio), St. Louis University, and also competed in the Butler Invitational. Notable performances were by Andrew Cotton, Ashton Bishop, Ethan O’Rourke, and Troy Burger who all finished in the top three places in their events.

spring of 2008.

Edinboro (Beta-Delta) For three days January 10-12, 2014, the chapter held a chapter officer’s retreat in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Florida (Epsilon Mu)

The chapter held a brotherhood event at the Erie Otters game.

Elmhurst (Pi-Zeta) Alex DeFranco is featured in an Elmurst College promotional video discussing the importance of Lambda Chi Alpha’s Seven Core Values.

The chapter added seven associate members.

Elon (Delta-Pi) Connor Brightly and Taylor Nelson spent the winter term

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

6

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Florida International (Pi-Phi)

Illinois (Chi)

Chicago Public School teacher Israel Perez Jr. (2006) received his National Board Certification in Literacy.

Florida Southern (Epsilon-Xi) The chapter elected the following officers: President Wesley Davis, Vice President-Internal Casey Tyre, Vice PresidentExternal Nathan Brown, Secretary Joey Arteaga, Treasurer Michael Scott, Harm Reduction Manager Nico Medina, Fraternity Educator Alex Charwin, Recruitment Chairman Joseph Alter, Ritualist Ryan Buckley, Scholarship Chairman Chris Hann, Social Chairman Derek Roberge, Alumni Chairman Robert Faber, Inner Circle Chairman Ryan Arnett, and Alumni Advisor Derek Oxford.

The chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 29 new members on January 13, 2014, most of them freshmen.

Indiana (Alpha-Omicron)

After 17 years of service, Michael Crawford (1986) has stepped down as our alumni advisor.

Words cannot describe the chapter’s gratitude for his many years of service. We would like to thank him for everything he has done.

On January 17, 2014, the chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 29 brothers.

The chapter’s cycling team has officially begun their training in preparation for the annual Little 500.

Several chapter brothers had the opportunity to

Indiana State (Indiana State Colony)

meet Florida Governor Rick Scott.

On March 22, 2014, the colony will hold their chartering banquet.

Florida Tech (Beta-Nu)

In December 2013, the chapter earned the most library hours for the month.

On February 1, 2014, the chapter held their 42nd annual White Rose Formal.

Indiana-Pennsylvania (Beta-Gamma)

George Washington (Delta-Xi)

Dr. Mark Mraz (1973) died January 14, 2014. He taught history and social studies at St. Marys Area High School from 1973 until 2002. He also coached both the varsity and junior varsity football teams. Mraz came to Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in the fall of 2002 to teach social studies education in the Secondary Education/Foundations of Education

For the 2014-2015 academic year, the chapter has been provided housing and will occupy a floor of the university-owned and Greek-only International House.

Department.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

7

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Iowa State (Alpha-Tau)

30 years, while living in Kansas City and St. Louis, retiring in 1994. He moved to a farm in Labette County, Kansas, and continued investigative work for another 17 years as a private contractor.

The chapter added three associate members: Brandon Lewis, Jeffrey Gyaase, and Joshua Steffensmeier.

The chapter has a new website with expanded pages for recruitment, parents, and a photo gallery. The online member listing and password protected alumni database are also key new upgrades to the website.

Kansas State (Gamma-Xi) The chapter added six associate members during formal recruitment.

Kettering (Lambda-Epsilon A) Chapter members valeted cars for a McLaren Hospital banquet and raised more than $550 for charity. The event also tied into the core values lesson being learned with fraternity education.

John A. Holmes (1956) died in 2011.

As a brotherhood retreat, chapter members attended autoshow in Detroit.

Lawrence Schroder died March 20, 2013.

Robert T. Bowley died April 1, 2013.

On January 17, 2014, the chapter held an Associate Member Ceremony for nine associate members: Ryan Verhoy, Brian Schmidt, James Dunn, Alan Zavala, Sreemannarayana Kota, Jonathan White, Derek Shepard, Spencer Banks, and Shounak Ghosh. Six associate members are incoming freshmen and the

David W. Kudej died May 2, 2012.

Gary Given (1974) died 2011.

David W. Johnson (1974) died October 23, 2013.

Kansas (Zeta-Iota)

remaining three are upperclassmen.

Louisiana-Lafayette (Iota-Omega)

James A. Bauer (1961) died December 31, 2013. After graduation, he attended Officers Candidate School and then moved to Los Angeles to serve in the U.S. Navy as an officer of Naval Intelligence. After active duty he worked for the Department of Defense in charge of security investigations for

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Chapter members participated in a chili cook-off to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

8

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Maine (Beta)

associate justice of the Superior Court, where he sat until his appointment to the Appeals Court. As an attorney, Justice Carhart was a member of the bar of the First Circuit Court of Appeals, the Federal bar, and the Massachusetts bar. He has the unique distinction of having tried multiple first-degree murder cases through to a jury verdict both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney. He is also a longstanding adjunct professor in the Legal Studies Department at the University of Massachusetts. Appointed to the Appeals Court by Governor Deval Patrick, Justice Carhart joined the Court in 2010.

On November 16, 2013, the chapter memorialized the one year anniversary of the plane crash that killed three brothers: David Cheney, Marcelo Rugini and William Hannigan. The passing of the three brothers resulted in the reformation of a scholarship program with the flagship scholarship fittingly named 3 Stars Scholarship. This also resulted in the creation of a memorial garden in the backyard, graciously provided by the University of Maine and built by Brother Lucas Bernardi and his cap stone team.

Francis P. Lucier (1951) died October 22, 2013. He was a self-made executive from Northampton in the western part of Massachusetts. The most exciting and fulfilling part of his career started when he arrived at Black & Decker in 1963, joining the marketing department. In six months, he was made marketing executive of the emerging consumer products business. By 1966 he was the head of all marketing. The next year he was elevated to general manager of the U.S. operations.

In 1972 he rose to president. In 1975 Alonzo Decker, Jr. relinquished the position of CEO and Lucier succeeded him as CEO. It was the first time in the company’s history that a member of Black or Decker families did not hold the post of chief executive officer. In 1984, Francis retired as the Chairman and CEO of Black & Decker, and over the next 20 years he served as director on boards of such companies as PHH Group, Inc., MNC Financial Inc., the holding company for Maryland National Bank, Glaxo Smith Kline, and Beckman Instruments,

The chapter donated $1,100 to Feeding America prior to the holidays.

Over winter break, the bathroom in the chapter house was renovated.

On February 1, 2014, the chapter hosted its Bearfest Dance Marathon. The Children’s Miracle Network manages the event while the chapter sponsors a family of a child who has cancer.

Each brother is required to donate a minimum of $30, and to get other people to donate in hopes of achieving a goal of $1,000 for the family.

Massachusetts (Gamma) Associate Justice Judd J. Carhart (2010-present) Judd J. Carhart lived most of his childhood in Amherst, Massachusetts. After service in, and an honorable discharge from, the United States Army, he graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1971 and from Suffolk University Law School in 1974. He then became an assistant district attorney in Norfolk County, serving in that position from 1974 to 1977 before joining the faculty at Suffolk University Law School, where he directed the student prosecutor program. From 1978 to 1982, he was an assistant United States attorney, a position that he left to practice both civil and criminal law at the law firm of Carhart, Bonistalli and McCarthy in Boston. He subsequently continued his private practice with the firm of Matrord, DiMauro, Liebel, Fitzgerald and Carhart in Springfield until 1988, when he was initially appointed by Governor Michael Dukakis and then elected the district attorney of the Northwestern District. In 1993 Governor William Weld appointed Justice Carhart an

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Inc.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Lambda) Joel Santisteban (2014), a senior defensive end of the MIT football team, earned national recognition for both his on field and academic performance today when he was named to the 2013 Capitol One Academic All-America Division III Football Team. A second team selection, he is one of 48 Division III players from across the nation named to the honor by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

It is the 38th time an MIT football player has been selected as an Academic All-American and is first career honor for Santisteban.

9

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Michigan State (Gamma-Omicron) The chapter won consecutive intramural dodgeball championships.

The chapter added five associate members.

Memphis (Zeta-Theta)

The chapter earned second place in intramural football.

Gerold Blum died December 19, 2013. The medical examiner said that when Blum died in his sleep he most likely felt no pain, and probably never woke from his rest. Blum, an associate member, was only 18 years old. Medical examiners were able to determine that Blum passed away from natural causes, possibly from a condition such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which is similar to the common and benign condition known as

Chris Solinski was the Greek Gala winner for Best Alumni Chairman.

James Berta was named Michigan State Finance Association president.

“Athlete’s Heart.”

Mercer (Zeta-Omega) Five chapter brothers made the Dean’s List during the fall semester.

Chapter members dedicated an entire day to service during Martin Luther King Day.

The chapter raised more than $1,000 at the Fall Pumpkin Smash philanthropic event.

Matthew Brady was accepted to Michigan Government Semester Program Internship.

Chapter members conducted a Bag Drop philanthropic event, collecting food for Feeding America, which they donated to the Middle Georgia

Kristian Wosik was named community service chairman for the Residential Business Leadership Council.

Food Bank.

Aaron Letzeiser was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Law & Policy section.

Montevallo (Sigma-Epsilon)

Minnesota State (Lambda-Delta)

Vibhaas Basukala was offered a summer internship on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and second summer internship at the

The chapter earned a 3.12 GPA, the highest of all Greek organizations. This is also greater than the university undergraduate and freshmen averages.

Supreme Court.

Murray State (Lambda-Eta)

Mississippi State (Epsilon-Chi)

Seymour Landau (1968) died November 4, 2013. He was a menswear executive who’d been working in the real estate industry for the last decade. Landau had been a vice president and associate real estate broker for The Corcoran Group in Manhattan from 2002 to the present. His 30-year career in the

The chapter earned a 3.15 GPA, the highest on campus.

The chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 25 brothers.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

10

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death men’s business started with Yves Saint Laurent. During his 11 years at Bidermann Industries, he worked for the Don Robbie and Daniel Hechter businesses. He joined Hartmarx in 1985 and worked as the sales director for Kenneth Cole clothing. He was president of the DKNY clothing business at Peerless from 1999

advocate with NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Combine Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.

North Dakota (Epsilon-Zeta)

to 2004.

Ross Lien is being deployed to Afganistan as a member of the North Dakota Guard. On December 8, 2013, Andrew Rebel and John Mitzel attended a send off ceremony for Lien.

Nebraska-Omaha (Iota-Delta)

The chapter earned a 3.03 GPA, the second best on campus.

Fifteen of the 50 brothers achieved semester GPA above 3.50 and were awarded with academic all-star T-shirts donated by alumni.

On January 20, 2014, chapter brothers volunteered in the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Brothers were bussed to Care Corps, a homeless shelter, in Freemont, Nebraska. Once there, they were tasked with leading a group of volunteers in organizing, cleaning the facility, and providing assistance with other tasks.

On January 19, 2014, the chapter conducted the Officer Installation Ceremony for the newly elected 2014 officers. The ceremony included a formal chapter dinner and also a fireside session.

Randy Ritterman (1982) was elected as the new chapter advisor.

New Mexico State (Zeta-Gamma) The chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for seven brothers.

New Orleans (Lambda-Alpha) At the beginning of the spring semester, the chapter held a brotherhood event where each member brought a unique dish.

Chapter members held an Adopt a Road on Gentilly Boulevard as a philanthropic event.

Stephen Gordon is running for New Orleans City Council. The chapter supported Gordon by helping campaign.

Matt Bose was hired as the assistant director of intramurals for ASNMSU.

Christopher Mora (1996) was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the NATO Non-Article 5 Medal following his six-month tour of duty as the chief international and operational law judge

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Erik Tischofer was selected and hired by KPMG Professional Services for an extended internship in their Albuquerque office.

11

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death The chapter held a recruitment event with a Wing and Game night at the house.

Oregon State (Alpha-Lambda) On January 18, 2014, the chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 30 brothers.

Chapter Vice President Owen Jones is president of the Memorial Union, and Secretary Thomas Bancroft is speaker of the house of representatives.

Justin Eneboe was elected IFC vice president of risk management and Jon Johnsen was elected IFC vice president of recruitment and retention.

The chapter had the highest freshmen GPA and the second highest overall GPA.

North Carolina-Chapel Hill (GammaNu)

Order of Merit Recipient and former International Headquarters staff member Gerry Reese (1974) retired from

On November 10, 2013, the chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 11 brothers.

On January 26, 2014, the chapter added seven associate members.

Farmers Insurance in December 2013.

Penn State (Zeta)

The family of Matt Feld donated living room furniture and a dining room table with benches.

North Carolina-Greensboro (PhiTheta) The chapter added three associate members: David Jarman, Ronnie Teseniar, and Luke Danner.

Northern Colorado (Sigma-Omega)

On January 19, 2014, the chapter hosted its first brotherhood event of the semester, eating wings and watching NFL playoff football.

On November 16, 2013, the chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for four brothers. One of the new initiates, Geoff Harmer, is the first legacy for the chapter as he is the son of Shawn Harmer (1989), who was initiated on May 22, 1987.

Phoenix Area Alumni Association

Oklahoma City (Theta-Delta)

At 8:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of every month, the Phoenix Area Alumni Association is hosting a monthly Breakfast with Brothers. Here’s the schedule for the next three months: February 15, 2014, at the Essence Bakery, 825 W.

The chapter held an ice skating event with the women of Alpha Phi sorority. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

12

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death University Dr., Tempe, Arizona 85281; March 15, 2014, at the Orange Table, 7373 E. Scottsdale Mall, #6, Scottsdale, AZ 85251; April 12, 2014, Morning Glory CafĂŠ, 6016 S. 32nd St.,

22, 2013. After graduation, he worked for the Lambda Chi Alpha International Headquarters and traveled the U.S. as a educational leadership consultant for two years. He then moved to the Washington, D.C., area in 1996 and worked for Booz, Allen & Hamilton and Headstrong until he joined the sales team at Kelly & Associates, where he stayed for more than 11 years as a vice president. You may read a more detailed obituary

Phoenix, AZ 85042.

Pittsburg State (Lambda-Chi)

in the feature section of this month’s magazine.

The chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 13 brothers, increasing the chapter roster to 743.

Tadd Lucian was nominated for the Golden Gorilla Award, a student honor given on Apple Day to recognize those students who have made exemplary contributions in community service,

Rose-Hulman (Theta-Kappa) On February 1, 2014, the chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 22 brothers.

academic excellence and campus involvement.

Samford (Theta-Alpha)

Purdue (Psi)

William S. Cagle (1973) died December 8, 2013. He had a distinguished teaching career of over 30 years at Walton High School in Cobb County and was currently working as a curriculum program specialist with the Technical College System of Georgia. While at Walton, he was selected as a STAR Teacher for the school and the 7th Congressional District.

He consistently led his DECA students to state and national championships. He held various state and national leadership positions in Marketing Education. During the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, he was selected as teacher advisor to the student

Kurt Meyer (1977), president of Baseline, Inc., a commercial real estate company, has been appointed as the chairman of the Fishers Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for 2014.

The Fishers Chamber of Commerce was established in 1991 to help build a thriving community and is the only business organization consistently engaged in promoting the civic and economic development of the Fishers community. Fishers is a suburb of Indianapolis.

Kevin J. Scheib (1976) died December 3, 2013. He always had an aptitude for mechanical engineering and pursued that interest throughout his careers, culminating in a successful entrepreneurial venture.

Dream Team.

San Diego Area Alumni Association San Diego Regional Alumni Association is hosting its first quarterly luncheon of the new year at 11:45 p.m., on Friday, January 10, 2014, at Randy Jones All American Sports Grill at 7510 Hazard Center Dr, #215. Area alumni and undergraduate brothers are encouraged to attend. If you are interested, please follow the association Facebook where there are more than 170

Richmond (Alpha-Chi) Chapter members spent Martin Luther King Day participating in a day of service as a part of a City of Richmond initiative.

They helped the City of Richmond Department of Public Works clear invasive species from Huguenot Flatwater Park.

Afterwards, the chapter members went downtown to help the Richmond Boys and Girls Club repaint the interior of their building. While there, they had the privilege of meeting Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

Charles A. McCullough (CAM) Wagner died December www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

listed.

South Dakota Mines (South Dakota Mines Colony) 13

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death Colony members participated in the Martin Luther King Day of Service by standing outside the local Safeway grocery store collecting canned food and money donations for Feeding South Dakota, the local food bank. The brothers collected more than 400 pounds of canned and dry goods plus more than $200, which was more than any other school organization.

The chapter added nine associate members during formal recruitment.

Southern California (Zeta-Delta) Starting quarterback Cody Kessler (2016) received an award at the University of Southern California football banquet for being the most valuable undergraduate on the team. Nick Schlossberg was the co-recipient of the best service player.

Stetson (Stetson Colony) On January 17, 2014, the colony welcomed nine new brothers into the bond: Jalon Edwards, Adrian Fonseca, Jeremiah Fues, Michael Allen Galvez, Timothy Hurst, Jonathan Lockwood, Cody Malloy, Kevin Serrano, and Drew Smith-Denston.

Southeastern Oklahoma (Pi-Sigma)

The colony also earned a 3.561 GPA for fall 2013 semester, the highest of all sororities and fraternities on the campus. The allmale average was a 2.92 GPA.

On January 17, 2014, the chapter held an Initiation Ritual

Tony Tussing (1965) and Don Tutt (1967) have been working at Stetson University home basketball games for a long time. They have courtside seats for Stetson home games, including most of those played by the women’s team that has gone to the NCAA tournament in two of the last three seasons. The two men are easily recognizable at the Edmunds Center official scorer’s table because of their white beards. Tussing, 70, boasts a trimmed version that’s reminiscent of the style worn by university founder John B. Stetson. Tutt, 68, opts for the longer look worn by another founding father, Henry A. DeLand.

Exemplification for seven brothers. The chapter then celebrated the completed Initiation with a brotherhood event to IHOP.

South Carolina (Epsilon-Psi)

Tennessee-Chattanooga (Zeta-Phi) Ralph Lee Crosby Jr. (1951) died January 30, 2014. He was a veteran of the Korean War, and served in an intelligence and reconnaissance unit, and later as a non-com assigned to the headquarters of the Infantry school at Ft. Benning, Georgia.

He received a letter of commendation and a certificate of achievement for performance of duty. His last civic duty was pro-bono service as chairman of the City Planning Commission for the City of Broussard, Lousiana.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

14

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Texas A&M-Kingsville (Beta-Epsilon)

William Jewell (Epsilon-Nu) Austin Baragary (2014) won the Col. Alexander Doniphan Award given to the “senior man who represents the most honorable ideals of outstanding character and integrity, service to the greater community and the potential for great achievement.”

Paul “Pablo” Coari (1983) died December 27, 2013.

Texas Christian (Iota-Pi) On January 24, 2014, the chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 23 brothers.

Seven chapter brothers who are members of the William Jewell College Concert Choir performed with the Canadian Brass at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts downtown Kansas City.

Towson (Phi-Omega) The chapter received a gold rating in the university’s Chapter Assessment Program for the fall semester. Not only did the chapter have the highest CAP score of all IFC fraternities, it was also the only IFC fraternity to receive a gold rating.

Johann Kinser (2014) participated in Hurricane Sandy relief efforts with Samaritan’s Purse.

Michael Rawat (2016) (pictured center) and Joel Steyer (2016) (pictured far right) completed Outward Bound, navigating more

Wabash (Alpha-Kappa) David L. McDonald (1970) died January 25, 2014. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University Divinity School in 1973, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1995 from McCormick Theological Seminary. In 1973, he was ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament (Teaching Elder) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) by the Presbytery of Wabash Valley. He served as pastor of Bethel Presbyterian Church, Union Mills, Indiana, from 1973-78, as associate pastor of Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, from 1978-81, and as pastor of The Presbyterian Church, Wabash, Indiana, from 1981-86. Between 1986 and 2004, he served the Presbyterian Church (USA) as a leader in stewardship education and consultation – first as consultant, then director of Church Financial Campaign Service of the PC(USA) and then as co-founder of Advent: Developing Generosity Across Generations. In 2004, he became director of development for Jameson Camp, a camp for at-risk children in Indianapolis. In 2007, he became pastor of the Clayton Presbyterian Church, Clayton, Indiana.

than 100 nautical miles of the Florida Everglades in a canoe with a team of 10 fellow students.

Wisconsin-Whitewater (Lambda-Iota)

Wake Forest (Theta-Tau) The chapter added 22 associate members during formal recruitment.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

15

Stephen R. Van Galder (1969) died January 23, 2014. A former chapter president, he was inducted into the Janesville Sports Hall of Fame, a recipient of The University of WisconsinWhitewater Distinguished Alumni Award as well as the university’s Director of Athletics Award of Excellence. Galder’s father and mother started Van Galder Bus Co. with one cab and one school bus in 1947. He later became sole owner and his expansion efforts included motor coach buses for tours expanding across the United States, and later daily service to O’Hare International Airport. Steve sold the company to Coach USA in 1999 but remained on as president.

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Pi) The chapter added 25 associate members during formal recruitment. On December 8, 2014, the chapter held an Associate Member Ceremony and assigned big brothers.

The chapter has developed a standards program. Headed

by Tyler Greff and four other brothers, the established committee will look to both congratulate brothers on their accomplishments and help them strive for excellence.

The chapter added 10 new members during fall recruitment, raising the total chapter size to 22 brothers.

The chapter achieved a 3.15 GPA, the highest of all men’s fraternities.

Over the last year, chapter members have conducted campus cleanups, helped fix parts of the WYO theater, and donated more than 7,000 pounds of food to charities in Cheyenne and Laramie as a part of Feeding America. At Relay for Life, the chapter raised $1,128 for cancer research and received the top fraternity award.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

16

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

FEATURE

A Man on a Mission During a time of crisis after the September floods, the state of Colorado relied on Jerre Stead (Coe) as the chief recovery officer to coordinate between the federal, state and local government to rebuild Colorado’s infrastructure.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

The rain started falling over Colorado’s Front Range on September 9, 2013, and wouldn’t stop. The rivers swelled and the flooding began. Roads crumbled, bridges were engulfed, and buildings were swept away. The flood was an unstoppable force that left homes, businesses, and people devastated in its wake.

This new leadership role would be called the Colorado chief recovery officer. Stead was the ideal candidate. A seasoned leader, Stead has led seven public companies over the last 33 years. His most recent professional role was executive chairman at IHS Inc. He has also served the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation in several board positions, including chairman.

On September 16 Jerre Stead received a phone call from the Colorado governor’s office asking for a big favor. Gov. John Hickenlooper was seeking someone who could coordinate with the federal, state, and local governments to ensure funding was in place to fix the infrastructure that was destroyed by the flooding. “(Gov. Hickenlooper) recognized that this was a massive disaster that was going to need huge organizational leadership,” Stead said.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

17

Cross & Crescent February 2014

FEATURE

His keys to efficient leadership are setting priorities, allocating resources, and putting the right people in the right places to get the job done. These factors that led him to be highly regarded as a business leader would be the ones that would rebuild Colorado after the flood.

Stead credits the coordination by multiple government agencies for making the flood recovery as efficient as possible. All roads were repaired by November 26 - five days before the deadline - because of the collaborative efforts by the Colorado Department of Transportation, the National Guard, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

When Gov. Hickenlooper asked Stead to lead the recovery efforts, Stead’s only hesitation was because he had several other commitments. After thinking it through, Stead decided that the job was too important to say “no” to the governor. “Anytime you have an opportunity to make a difference for that many people, you always want to be able to help,” he said.

A Daunting Task In his first two days on the job, Stead spent much of his time in a Blackhawk helicopter surveying the magnitude of flood damage that lay below. Stead would learn that 23,000 houses, 11,000 businesses, 125,000 acres of agriculture, 900 bridges, and 22,000 miles of road were either damaged or destroyed; and more than 5,000 families were displaced.

The devastation seemed insurmountable but, at the moment, Stead’s mind was racing to put together a crisis management plan. “I was thinking, ‘okay how do we put priorities in place, what do we need to get done first?’” he said. As the chief recovery officer, also referred to as the flood czar, Stead had unprecedented authority to ensure recovery tasks were accomplished.

Stead said the theme of the recovery process was “Colorado United.” “I think it’s just a great example of what happens often in this country of ours,” Stead said.

Unfinished Business In early January 2014, Stead announced that he would be stepping down as flood czar by mid-February. Stead’s original plan was to fill the position for just a brief period of time. In this time he has accomplished the goals he set when he was first appointed in September. More important, he has taken the vital step of setting up a recovery office that will be used for the remainder of this flood disaster as well as for future disasters such as floods or fires.

He had the power to temporarily set aside local or state ordinances that prohibited him from accomplishing his mission. He used this power five times.

The flood recovery team set targets with strict deadlines.

One of those targets was to get the majority of families back into semi-permanent homes by Thanksgiving. Gov. Hickenlooper also set a deadline for December 1 for all roads and bridges to be repaired.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Throughout the recovery efforts, Stead worked to open up lines of communication so people would be informed about the progress that was taking place. Stead reached out to PR firms in Denver, along with software companies, to create a pro-bono website.

18

Cross & Crescent February 2014

FEATURE

A Personal Account Mike Brady, an alumnus advisor for the Sigma-Omega chapter at the University of Northern Colorado, and a Master Steward for Lambda Chi Alpha, recounts his first-hand experience of the September flood in Boulder.

“It was Wednesday night. It started raining and it just rained and rained and rained. I live up the hill a little bit in North Boulder up the side of a mountain. By the time I woke up at 5 in the morning on Thursday morning, I opened up the screen door and it was like a river.

I live probably 150 yards from a ditch that was now a river. The ditch itself was probably 3 or 4 feet normally on the side of the road, right around the curb the thing was now probably 40 or 50 feet wide and it was taking out somebody’s barn and it had already taken out a dirt road. As it was coming around, one of the big issues was that the water would get clogged up in the ditches and it would start going underneath the road or on top of the road. It would start eating away at the paved road…

During the last few weeks as flood recovery officer, Stead has had two main projects. The first has been to get approval of the remaining development grants; the second is the reassessment of the affected flood plain.

The total assessed damage from the flooding was $3.7 billion. So far $960 million have been disbursed to the parties in need. Once the final grants are approved, the funds will have to be allocated to the cities and counties affected by the flooding.

Stead’s team is also coordinating with U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Agriculture, Department of Housing, and the State Department to set a final schedule for a decision of whether a new flood plain should be put in place.

“I live on a road with five other houses. That Thursday morning we were doing mitigation on our dirt road just to make sure the water wasn’t going over. We were changing the flow of the water which was absolutely essential. We then went down the paved road, helping other people where the road was getting eroded away or their driveways were getting eroded; trying to divert the waters to be less destructive.

It rained for another day I’m guessing. If you look at the statistics I believe that Boulder doubled for the year in precipitation the record we had before. It was the most in a 24 hour period by a long shot. It was unbelievable…

“That Thursday, because the roads were getting eroded, there were people like me who weren’t getting affected. My house is not on a flood plain, but we couldn’t get out. The road was unsafe. There pretty much weren’t even emergency vehicle because they couldn’t get by. We were in our house for five days. If you left the mountain they wouldn’t let you back in. So we hung out in our house…

Going Forward In part because of his success at IHS Inc. earlier this year, and in part because of his leadership throughout the flood recovery, The Denver Post named Stead the 2013 Business Person of the Year.

Despite his departure from the position as flood czar, he has promised to stay involved with the recovery efforts.

Stead’s stint as chief recovery officer demonstrates a valuable lesson in stewardship and service, a core value of Lambda Chi Alpha.

“By the time it stopped raining - maybe a day or two later - everyone was deciding what to do. It was supposed to rain again on Saturday.

The real rescue efforts started on Sunday. We had Huey helicopters going into the hills to rescue people. We happened to be in the flight line. We were hearing these Hueys going over the house all the time, along with big convoys of Humvees and SUVs going out to rescue people up in the mountains. There were whole towns up in the mountains that were shut off and people had to be airlifted out because all of the roads were washed away…“People were going door to door asking if you were okay. It was really nice. There was a sense of community. That Sunday night my neighborhood got together for a potlatch. People that were stuck together were bonding.”

“All of us at Lambda Chi have a service responsibility. I’m a huge believer in giving support,” Stead said.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

19

Cross & Crescent February 2014

FEATURE

The Thrill of the Ride Roy Roberts (Tennessee-Chattanooga) and Mark Cole (Florida Tech) travel the country to ride roller coasters as members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

When most people ride a roller coaster it may be a oncea-year outing to a theme park with friends or family. The twists, turns, and dips of the ride are usually enough to keep them satisfied until the next time they ride a roller coaster in the distant future.

For Roy Roberts (Tennessee-Chattanooga 1989) and Mark Cole (Florida Tech 1982) roller coaster riding is a hobby rather than a sporadic event. The two Lambda Chi brothers are members of American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE), a non-profit organization made up of a network of more than 5,000 members from 16 countries, all of whom have a passion for riding roller coasters. “Some people collect stamps, I ride roller coasters,� Cole said. ACE is predicated on educating members about the conservation of roller coasters, fostering fellowship among its membership, and promoting the continued operation of roller coasters. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

According to David Lipnicky, the public relations director of ACE, the organization was founded in 1978 and includes members from the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. ACE is the largest ride-enthusiast organization, with 65 events each year across the United States and Canada.

A Friendship is Formed Roberts joined ACE in 2003 after hearing about the organization at a commercial shoot for the roller coaster Superman: The Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Over Georgia.

Eight years later Roberts met Cole for the first time at an ACE event at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia.

Roberts, a member of the Southeast region of ACE, had heard there was a Lambda Chi brother in the Florida region.

20

Cross & Crescent October 2014

FEATURE

The Lambda Chi brothers officially met when Cole spotted Roberts in his Lambda Chi Alpha letters at a roller coaster event called “Running Wild at Wild Adventures” at Wild Adventures, an amusement park in Valdosta, Georgia.

The two share similar interests within ACE. Each enjoys the travel and camaraderie that is associated with their membership in ACE. Cole has traveled beyond North America in his pursuit to ride roller coasters including 10 countries in Europe that he said he would not have visited if it weren’t for ACE. Roberts travels across the Southeast visiting different parks.

He usually tries to visit a Lambda Chi chapter if it is close to an amusement park.

Wherever Roberts ends up, the ecstasy and emotions of the roller coaster ride are always the same.

“It’s those simple thrills and that feeling of nervousness when you board a coaster, especially if it is a new one, or one you have never ridden before,” Roberts said.

Leading the Way Cole’s first event as an ACEer was in the spring of 1992.

He immediately started enjoying the events and wanted to become more involved. He became the registration director in charge of getting all the name badges, distributing tickets, and handling of any registration issues for major ACE events. Cole would eventually become vice president of ACE, then president.

As president of ACE, Cole recruited and appointed 12 directors for the 12 ACE regions across the United States.

He also worked with a management company to run the club.“As a team, we made sure that ACE was attentive to our members’ wishes and needs,” Cole said.

Cole’s involvement with ACE was similar to the path he took as an undergraduate at the Beta-Nu chapter at Florida Tech in Melbourne, Florida. At the chapter he served as president. After graduation he also served as president of his chapter’s alumni association.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Preserving Art The roller coaster plays a unique role in the history of modern America. Each roller coaster is unique and has its own story. They range in the material used to build the structure, size, features, and age.

For the thrill-seeking ACEers, the hobby comes with a tremendous appreciation for the work that goes into designing and building roller coasters.

“From an architectural stand-point, sometimes the designers create a wooden or steel work of art, from the track layout to the color design, that spans acres and sometimes hides those airtime hills or elements that catch one off guard,” Roberts said.

More than riding roller coasters for sheer enjoyment, ACE is also serious about preserving these works of art.

ACE is currently involved in preservation efforts on two classic wooden roller coasters: Giant Dipper in San Diego, and the world’s oldest operating roller coaster, Leap-theDips, in Lakemont Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania, which opened in 1902. In accepting the Order of Achievement Award, Owens said, “I am thankful for the deep friendship bonds and personal growth opportunities that came from my time as an active Lambda Chi brother at NC State.”

Fraternity of ACEer Cole admits that he likes to keep an eye out for fellow Lambda Chis during ACE gatherings.

“I will say that I have always looked for other brothers with either letters on their chests, bumper stickers on their cars, or on their license plates,” he said.

Cole and Roberts encourage Lambda Chi brothers across North America who are passionate about roller coasters to consider joining ACE. “I hope one day to be on a coaster train with every seat filled by a brother,” Roberts said.

21

Cross & Crescent October 2014

FEATURE

A Tribute to a Former Staff Member Header Former ELC C.A.M. Wagner, 41, died December 22, 2013, after a five-year, courageous battle with cancer. Many former staff traveled to attend the memorial and to share their stories about his love for his family and for Lambda Chi Alpha.

By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)

Charles A. McCullough (C.A.M.) Wagner of McLean, Virginia, died on Sunday, December 22. He was 41.

Born on June 28, 1972, Wagner attended John Jay High School, where he played soccer and lacrosse and was an avid drummer. He attended the University of Richmond, where he was a political science major and active in Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, Inter Fraternity Council, Judicial Council, and the club lacrosse team.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

After graduation, Wagner worked for Lambda Chi Alpha International Headquarters and traveled the United States as a educational leadership consultant for two years. He then moved to the Washington, DC area in 1996 and worked for Booz, Allen & Hamilton and Headstrong until he joined the sales team at Kelly & Associates, where stayed for more than 11 years as a vice president.

22

Cross & Crescent February 2014

FEATURE

Former Staff in Attendance A group of former International Headquarters staff from Wagner’s era in the 1990s attended the memorial service and gathered for dinner the night before to honor and remember him.

Those in attendance were: Paul Ainsworth (George Washington), Jeff Becker (Kutztown), Matt Bonin (Central Florida), Mike Cooperman (Cal State Northridge), Ben Davis, (Richmond), Matt Getz (Mercer), Mitch Gibson (Eastern Illinois), Former Executive Vice President Tom Helmbock (Evansville), Todd Helton (Hanover), Wally Jenkins (New Hampshire), Brandon Mayberry (Kansas State), Gene Murray (North Carolina-Greensboro), Andy Olenik (Millersville), Kevin O’Neill (Syracuse), Jason Pearce (Elon), Brian Van Vooren (Eastern Illinois), and Greg Younghans (Clemson). Alison Bartel Keller, a former staff member and current Greek advisor at Richmond, also attended and sat with the former staff.

huge, one-and-only, goofy, yet cute, but somehow classy, C.A.M. Wagner smile I had come to know and love. I said something weak like ‘you shouldn’t have gone to the trouble to be here, but it is great to see you.’ He said, ‘Where else would I be? Anytime I can join a gathering of Lambda Chi Alpha brothers, I will be there!’ His sincerity, posture, and attitude left me speechless (for one of the rare times in my life). It was beautiful. He was beautiful. We chatted for probably 5 to 7 minutes, then when I invited him into the reception, he said, ‘No, this is enough. Say hello to everyone at headquarters.’ He turned and walked away. Now that he is in the spirit, he truly can be anywhere there is a gathering of Lambda Chi Alpha brothers.”

Recording of the Memorial Service A recording of Wagner’s memorial service can be watched online for the next few days. The link to watch the service is: vimeo.com/83399531.

In addition, dozens of Alpha-Chi brothers from Richmond were in attendance.

Educational Foundation CEO & President Mark Bauer “On May 9, 2013, the Educational Foundation had our annual reception in Washington, DC. I was in the midst of the busy reception and outside the door saw C.A.M. just sort of looking in. I immediately went out to greet him and give him my biggest hug. I always used to think it was amazingly special that he had enough affinity for Lambda Chi Alpha to come to our receptions, when I knew his times of health and energy were so precious to be shared with his family. As I walked toward C.A.M. that day, he smiled that

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

23

Cross & Crescent February 2014

FRATERNITY NEWS

Over 1 Million Meals Raised!

During the fall 2013 semester, our chapters and colonies collected more than 1.5 million pounds of food for Feeding America.

By Joe Citro (Florida Southern)

As announced in July 2013, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, and Feeding America, formally announced a new national partnership designed to improve the Fraternity’s food collection programs on nearly 200 college campuses.

The announcement was made by Lambda Chi Alpha CEO, Bill Farkas, at the Fraternity’s summer educational leadership seminar on the University of Memphis campus in Memphis, Tennessee.

“This is another significant milestone for our 100-year old fraternity,” Farkas said. “The importance of giving back to their local communities is one of the key experiences college men learn when they join Lambda Chi Alpha. I believe this partnership with Feeding America will provide our 10,000 undergraduate members with the resources and tools they need to dramatically increase our collection totals for local Feeding America food banks.”

For the fall 2013 semester, our chapters reported totals of more than $75,000 and 1.5 million pounds of food.

Feeding America states that for every $1 raised,

As announced in July 2013, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, and Feeding America, formally announced a new national partnership designed to improve the Fraternity’s food collection programs on nearly 200 college campuses.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

24

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

FRATERNITY NEWS Feeding America can secure the equivalent of eight meals on behalf of our national network of food banks. The pound equivalent instead of meals: $1 equals 10 pounds of food

Fall 2013 Semester: Chapters Reporting Totals • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Under the partnership with Feeding America, chapters are encouraged to conduct food drives during both the fall and spring semesters. Lambda Chi Alpha hopes to report more than two million pounds of food raised by the end of the spring semester.

Hunger Statistics Unfortunately, hunger exists everywhere in the United States; in every county and every community. Last year, Feeding America provided 2.82 billion meals to 37 million people in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Some of the most shocking statistics about hunger are: • 1 in 6 Americans faces hunger • According to the USDA, nearly 17 million children are living in food-insecure households • 36 percent of households served by Feeding America network include at least one adult who works • Approximately 23 percent of the adult clients interviewed by Hunger in America 2010 have attended college or a technical school • Approximately 3 million rural households experience food insecurity • According to the USDA, limited resources prevent more than 50 million Americans from getting enough food

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

25

Alpha-Alpha, Butler -- $6,272, 30,106 pounds Alpha-Chi, Richmond -- $450, 0 pounds Alpha-Delta, Missouri S&T -- $4,260, 66,000 pounds Alpha-Eta, Oklahoma State -- $1,542, 11,259 pounds Alpha-Mu, Texas-Austin -- $2,372, 28,471 pounds Alpha-Omega, Ohio -- $500, 1,153 pounds Alpha-Pi, Denver -- $400, 5,125 pounds Alpha-Xi, New Hampshire -- $0, 1,138 pounds Beta, Maine -- $1,100, 342 pounds Beta-Alpha, Angelo State -- $0, 991 pounds Beta-Iota, Villanova -- $294, 240 pounds Beta-Kappa, Georgia Tech -- $0, 4,263 pounds Beta-Nu, Florida Tech -- $1,200, 4,321 pounds Beta-Upsilon, North Carolina-Charlotte -- $0 2,444 pounds Beta-Zeta , Western Carolina -- $1,280, 1,685 pounds Chi, Illinois -- $400, 0 pounds Delta-Beta, Northeastern State -- $0, 6,700 pounds Delta-Eta, Western -- $0, 13,520 pounds Delta-Kappa, San Diego -- $1,800, 20 pounds Delta-Lambda, Nevada-Las Vegas -- $0, 775 pounds Delta-Pi, Elon -- $0, 457 pounds Delta-Psi, Loyola Marymount -- $0, 1,686 pounds Delta-Rho, Wyoming -- $0, 2,240 pounds Delta-Tau, Millersville -- $665, 1,251 pounds Delta-Xi, George Washington -- $0, 336 pounds Epsilon Zeta, Pennsylvania -- $0, 95 pounds Epsilon-Chi, Mississippi State -- $0, 79,351 pounds Epsilon-Epsilon, Toronto -- $200, 1,750 pounds Epsilon-Eta, Rensselaer -- $783, 2,658 pounds Epsilon-Mu, Florida -- $450, 354 pounds Epsilon-Psi, South Carolina -- $300, 249 pounds Epsilon-Rho, Alberta -- $612, 2,621 pounds Epsilon-Upsilon, Tulsa -- $240, 976 pounds Epsilon-Xi, Florida Southern -- $0, 4,225 pounds Gamma-Sigma, Southern Methodist -- $1,200, 9,948 pounds Gamma-Upsilon, North Carolina State -- $89, 594 pounds Gamma-Xi, Kansas State -- $8,885, 1,873 pounds Iota-Alpha, Ball State University -- $0, 934 pounds Iota-Beta, Lycoming -- $0, 197 pounds Iota-Chi, Iowa -- $180, 1,215 pounds Iota-Delta, Nebraska-Omaha -- $1,123, 2,177 pounds Iota-Epsilon Colony, Indiana State Colony -- $0, 3,872 pounds Iota-Omega, Louisiana-Lafayette -- $5,199, 49,140 pounds Iota-Pi, Texas Christian -- $1,218, 504 pounds Iota-Psi, Ferris State -- $0, 110 pounds Iota-Sigma, Valparaiso -- $204, 231 pounds Kappa-Omega, Georgetown -- $0, 2,660 pounds Kappa-Phi Colony, Baldwin Wallace Colony -- $0, 365 pounds Kappa-Upsilon, Bradley -- $1,130, 10,457 pounds Lambda-Alpha, New Orleans -- $2,430, 121,490 pounds Lambda-Beta, Delaware -- $1,639, 778 pounds

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

FRATERNITY NEWS

About Feeding America • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Lambda-Delta, Minnesota State -- $944, 2,223 pounds Lambda-Eta, Murray State -- $3,332, 30,309 pounds Nu Beta Nu, Test Chapter -- $200, 1,000 pounds Omicron, Cornell -- $226, 270 pounds Phi-Beta, Eastern Kentucky -- $250, 1,190 pounds Phi-Eta , James Madison -- $0, 1,083 pounds Phi-Iota, Shepherd -- $75, 25 pounds Phi-Kappa, Auburn-Montgomery -- $48, 2,147 pounds Phi-Lambda, St. Joseph’s -- $1,350, 0 pounds Phi-Mu, Bowling Green State -- $70, 760 pounds Phi-Rho, Tarleton State -- $0, 174 pounds Phi-Sigma, California Polytechnic -- $1,000, 10,000 pounds Phi-Theta, North Carolina-Greensboro -- $200, 300 pounds Phi-Upsilon, Texas-San Antonio -- $4,324, 43,243 pounds Pi-Beta, California-San Diego -- $1,531, 1,069 pounds Pi-Delta, Wilmington College -- $0, 1,360 pounds Pi-Epsilon, Incarnate Word -- $1,000, 0 pounds Pi-Gamma, Kent State -- $1,200, 700 pounds Pi-Lambda, St. Louis College of Pharmacy -- $100, 539 pounds Pi-Omicron, American -- $64, 350 pounds Pi-Phi, Florida International -- $0, 1,000 pounds Pi-Pi, Lake Forest -- $501, 175 pounds Pi-Zeta, Elmhurst -- $450, 3,000 pounds Sigma, Michigan -- $1,440, 153 pounds Sigma-Beta, St. Mary’s University -- $365, 4,125 pounds Sigma-Chi, Alabama - Birmingham -- $0, 5,906 pounds Sigma-Rho, Missouri-Kansas City -- $1,231, 7,182 pounds South Dakota State Colony, SDS Colony -- $0, 130 pounds Theta-Chi, Eureka -- $65, 588 pounds Theta-Eta, Millsaps -- $0, 12,281 pounds Theta-Kappa, Rose-Hulman -- $536, 4,950 pounds Theta-Pi, Gettysburg College -- $1,508, 1,005 pounds Theta-Tau, Wake Forest -- $0, 495 pounds Virginia Commonwealth Colony, VC Colony -- $0, 160 pounds Zeta, Pennsylvania State -- $439, 50 pounds Zeta-Alpha, Coe -- $0, 30,312 pounds Zeta-Omega, Mercer -- $0, 12,161 pounds Zeta-Omicron, Oregon -- $3,000, 773 pounds Zeta-Psi , Arizona State -- $20, 3,952 pounds Zeta-Upsilon, Miami (OH) -- $1,125, 56,250 pounds

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Feeding America is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 37 million people through 61,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in communities across America.

Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses, and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate.

Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica. org/. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ FeedingAmerica or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter. com/FeedingAmerica.

26

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

FRATERNITY NEWS

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

27

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

FRATERNITY NEWS

2014 Spring Expansions

Lambda Chi Alpha is recolonizing at Missouri State University and Shippensburg University.

By Matt Roy (Drury)

As directed by our Board of Directors, expansion is one of the core aspects of our strategic plan.

For the spring of 2014 we have two new colonies underway: Missouri University in Springfield, Missouri, and Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Both of these expansions are recolonizations of dormant chapters.

If you know of an interest group or another campus where you would like to see a Lambda Chi Alpha chapter, please contact me, Matt

Roy, the associate director of Chapter Services, at mroy@lambdachi.org.

In addition, if you know of any qualified men on the Missouri State or Shippensburg campuses who would make good Lambda Chis, please let me know.

Missouri State Lambda Chi Alpha was originally installed as Beta-Psi Zeta on the Missouri State University campus in

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

28

Springfield on October 28, 1972, and went on to initiate 872 undergraduate members. There are currently 16 other fraternities present on this campus of over 23,800 students.

More outreach will continue in the weeks ahead so if you are interested in assisting with the colony, or know any students at Missouri State University who could become great Lambda Chi Alpha members, please contact Expansion Manager Jon Moss at jmoss@lambdachi.org or Expansion Manager Erik Silvola at esilvola@ lambdachi.org.

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

FRATERNITY NEWS

Current Colonies

Jon Moss, an International Headquarters expansion manager from Ball State University, is responsible for managing, planning, and executing the expansion of a Lambda Chi Alpha colony to a specific campus during the fall and spring semesters.

Jon graduated in 2012 and spent the 2012-2013 school year traveling as an Educational Leadership Consultant.

“I am most looking forward to involving a wide variety of brothers in the Missouri State expansion. Being able to include our collegiate brothers from Theta-Sigma Zeta at Drury, as well as a plethora of alumni from various other zetas, will enable us to show our new colony members, as well as the entire Missouri State campus, an example of true lifelong brotherhood and how it should operate.” -Jon Moss Erik Silvola, an International Headquarters expansion manager from Florida Southern College, is responsible for managing, planning, and executing the expansion of a Lambda Chi Alpha colony to a specific campus during the fall and spring semesters. Erik graduated in 2012 and spent the past year working as an Educational Leadership Consultant for the fraternity.

Fraternity requires a mission-focused, loyal, and disciplined traveling staff that is mindful of values-based role modeling for both undergraduate and alumni brothers. Educational Leadership Consultants (ELCs) must be servant-leaders who are committed to fulfilling the specific duties of an ELC, while following directions toward aiding in the larger goals and objectives of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. It is essential that the ELC embody what Lambda Chi Alpha is supposed to stand for, as well as to invest the required time, passion, and energy not only in the development of subordinate zetas, but also the individual brothers whom the ELC serves.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Directed by: Director of Chapter Services Managed by: Associate Director of Chapter Services

“The future will be very bright on Missouri State’s campus. With the foresight Jon and I will provide to the colony, I believe the colony will soar to new heights at MSU and provide a blueprint to future expansions on campus.” -Erik Silvola Overview: Lambda Chi Alpha www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

29

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

• •

The following is a current list of active colonies and their current membership count: Baldwin-Wallace College (Fall 2010), 31 undergraduate members Rollins College (Spring 2011), 20 undergraduate members John Carroll University (Fall 2011), 33 undergraduate members Indiana State University (Spring 2012), 47 undergraduate members Virginia Commonwealth University (Spring 2012), 38 undergraduate members Fresno State University (Fall 2012), 12 undergraduate members Texas Tech University (Fall 2012), 58 undergraduate members Wichita State University (Fall 2012), 6 undergraduate members Boise State University (Fall 2012), 12 undergraduate members South Dakota School of Mines (Fall 2012), 29 undergraduate members Huntingdon College (Fall 2013), 23 undergraduate members South Dakota State University (Fall 2013), 14 undergraduate members Stetson College (Fall 2013), 13 undergraduate members

FRATERNITY NEWS

Shippensburg Lambda Chi Alpha was originally installed as Phi-Tau Zeta on the Shippensburg University campus in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, on April 3, 1982, and went on to initiate 459 undergraduate members. There are currently eight other fraternities present on this campus of over 6,900 students. More outreach will continue in the weeks ahead so if you are interested in assisting with the colony, or know any students at Shippensburg University that could become great Lambda Chi Alpha members, please contact Expansion Manager Michael DeCourcy at mdecourcy@lambdachi. org.

Lambda Chi Alpha. Each collegiate man deserves the experience of Lambda Chi Alpha, and I am excited to have the opportunity to provide this experience to the Shippensburg campus. Shippensburg University will be a beneficial addition to the General Fraternity and will serve to further the advancement of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity,� - Anthony Linder

Michael DeCourcy, an International Headquarters expansion manager, is responsible for managing, planning, and executing the expansion of a Lambda Chi Alpha colony to a specific campus during the fall and spring semesters. He is a graduate of Wittenberg University and traveled in 2012 as one of the Educational Leadership Consultants.

Along with Michael, Anthony Linder will be assisting with the expansion to Shippensburg. Anthony is a 2013 graduate of Tarleton State University and will be traveling as an educational leadership consultant throughout the semester in addition to helping with the expansion. “I am looking forward to recruiting new outstanding brothers and initiating them into the bond of

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

30

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

HISTORY

Authenticity of our Coat of Arms Our coat of arms has been corrupted in terms of traditional British heraldry.

By Mike Raymond (Miami-OH) This article is about the authenticity of Lambda Chi Alpha’s current coat of arms. I thought a little background information about heraldry would be helpful in putting this article in its proper context.

This article is about the authenticity of Lambda Chi Alpha’s current coat of arms.

I thought a little background information about heraldry would be helpful in putting this article in its proper context.

Heraldry is the art and science of correctly designing armorial bearings, usually called a coat of arms. The most likely origin of heraldry stems from the desire of warriors to identify themselves in battle by the distinct ornamentation of their shields.

It must be remembered that a crest is not a coat of arms but a three dimensional object on the top of the helm at the apex of the coat of arms. In the case of Lambda Chi Alpha the crest is the familiar cross and crescent.

College fraternity heraldry is basically derived from the rules, common practices, and traditions of British heraldry. The College of Arms (www.college-of-arms.gov.uk) governs the use, properties, and other aspects of coats of arms in the United Kingdom and its Commonwealth of Nations. American individuals and organizations are not bound by the practices and traditions of the College of Arms. However, individuals and organizations may apply to the College of Arms for armorial designs.

The heraldry of American college fraternities most resembles the armorial designs of cities, corporations, and medieval guilds. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

31

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

HISTORY

Introduction In September of 2013, an e-mail was brought to my attention as our Fraternity’s historian. It had been circulated among our staff at the International Headquarters in Indianapolis and was initially routed to David Huffine, then passed to Joseph Citro, and then on to Tad Lichtenauer, editor of the Cross & Crescent magazine. I have worked with Tad for a number of years and he was well aware of my interest in the history of Lambda Chi Alpha.

The e-mail was from Vijay Raj Kaul, a 2005 graduate of our chapter at Rose-Hulman, and contained some of his observations and questions about our coat of arms.

Four Possible Problems Brother Kaul was initially concerned with two possible problems he saw in an animated version of our coat of arms.

He thought that the escutcheon, or insert shield, should be white (technically representing the metal silver) and the clasped hands on the shield’s fourth quarter should be depicted white (also meaning silver). Brother Kaul, quoting information from our Visual Styleguide and the Ritual: What and Why booklet, constructed a convincing case that errors have slipped into our authorized coat of arms.

Kaul also pointed out in his e-mail a third possible problem.

He noted an anomaly in the current rendering of the white lion that is outlined in brown in the colorized version of the coat of arms (see fig 1). The color brown is seldom if ever used in heraldry. I could not find an example of brown being used on any Lambda Chi Alpha coat of arms in my collection.

red, but this changed to black before being adopted by LCA....”

A black lion? How did a black lion morph into a white lion?

Almost all of my Lambda Chi Alpha coat of arms collection show a white lion. There is one exception to this rule. I have a large, hand painted tray that depicts our coat of arms in full color. This beautiful tray has a black lion holding a white rose on the escutcheon.

Investigation I have a personal interest in heraldry, having written an article on the subject in an earlier issue of the Cross and Crescent. The article highlighted the career of Emily H. Butterfield, a pioneer female architect and prolific designer of fraternity and sorority coats of arms.

Butterfield’s body of work includes the design of the Theta Kappa Nu coat of arms. I began my investigation with a review of her work in the field of heraldry.

Her rare book, College Fraternity Heraldry (1931), is a classic in the field of American heraldry. Her commentary on the significance of fraternity coats of arms generally supports the assertions made by Kaul. Butterfield emphasizes the importance and placement of colors in her book. She addresses the issue of color in heraldry by saying that the color white was at times used in place of silver and the color yellow for gold. She also mentions that “a color, fur, or metal was never repeated in a description if it could be avoided.” All of her comments supports Kaul’s observations about the technical errors that have crept in over the years.

Of course, our black and white version does not suffer from The color problems seem to go back to the creation of the this deviation from the norm. In my opinion the black and white copy is much more accurate in heraldic terms than the original color coat of arms. The white or yellow colors for metals were not used as a substitute for silver or gold. The color version (see fig 2). pattern of using silver, instead of the color white, for the clasped hands and shield seems to have been established Finally, Kaul writes that “... the lion on the white shield from the very beginning of our coat of arms. should be a ‘color’: originally Theta Kappa Nu’s lion was I also communicated with Jason Pearce, past director of communications and IT for Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

32

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

HISTORY

Brother Jason e-mailed back to me stating that he didn’t recall why the lion outline was brown and not black. He did say that he based his color scheme on past examples and on future branding ambitions. He recalled having difficulty selecting the specific color values because of the many variations in colors over the past 100 years or so.

same colours, and greys are not used. Where grey is used on the design you have sent, therefore, heraldry would, I imagine, deploy either black or white.

The most important rule of heraldic design is that one must not place a colour on a colour, or a metal on a metal. Designs must therefore alternate between colours (black, red, green, and so on), and the metals (gold and silver). Your design broadly does obey this rule, save some details. One is the central shield, which has a white lion on a grey or silver background. This would not be permitted in heraldry. Similarly, the binding of the book in the upper right hand of the shield is in gold on a gold background. Heraldic designs are intended to be clear and intelligible from a distance.

Since no one had a definitive solution to the four problems posed by Kaul, I decided to turn to the recognized leader in the field of heraldry.

The College of Arms For many years I have received a newsletter published by the College of Arms in London, England. This is a beautiful newsletter that features full color coats of arms as issued by the College. It is a treasure trove of information about heraldry.

In late September 2013 I contacted the College of Arms and asked if someone could determine if our modern coat of arms followed the accepted rules of heraldry. I also sent them copies of the original Lambda Chi Alpha coat of arms, the Theta Kappa Nu coat of arms, and the current Lambda Chi coat of arms.

Two More Problems In a matter of days I received a reply from Peter O’ Donoghue, York Herald of the College of Arms.

Here is his e-mail letter: “Thank you for your e-mail of 22 September. I am happy to provide thoughts on the design provided, in the context of the law of Arms as it pertains in Britain.

Heraldry uses a small range of colours, called in heraldry tinctures. These are the metals: gold (often shown as yellow), and silver (white); and the colours: black, blue, green, purple, and red. It does not employ tones of the

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

33

In general the design is much more complicated and obscure than a genuine coat of Arms would be. It has a shield divided into quarters: this is never done in heraldry. The reason for that is that quartering the shield is a device that is used to enable more than one coat of Arms to be marshaled together. By dividing the shield, therefore, the design might be considered somewhat confusing, as it mimics a family shield bearing several different coats of Arms. Similarly the small central escutcheon is not needed, or only very rarely, in heraldic design in this way. Again, this is because the placing of a small central shield of a family in the center of another, has a specific meaning in heraldry.

The encircling wreath and circlet would not be used in corporate heraldry, as they feel like a conscious mimicking of the rule by which the shield of a person who has been awarded certain specific honours from the Crown, can encircle their shield with the circlet of the Order of Knighthood to which they belong, and with laurel or oak. My own feeling is that heraldry should be honest and not seek to give an impression of something that is not in fact the case. Having said that of course as a US institution there is nothing to prevent the fraternity from using whatever design of coat of Arms it chooses to adopt.”

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

HISTORY

Conclusion This is a complicated set of problems to solve. The language of heraldry can be hard to master, the history of the development of our coat of arms is incomplete, and it is a fact that American organizations are under no obligation to conform to the rules of heraldry.

His letter concluded with an explanation that American corporations can petition for a coat of arms. He also mentioned the process involved and an estimated cost of 12,000 Pounds ($18,000) for a new coat of arms.

I responded to Mr. O’Donoghue e-mail about a week later: “Thank you very much for your detailed thoughts about my fraternity’s coat of arms. Your comments about the proper use of color and placement on the coat of arms are most appreciated.

The design is complex and obscure to the uninitiated viewer. Our coat of arms is used much like the tracing boards of Freemasonry. The coat of arms is used to explain many of the symbols used in our Ritual. So, I am afraid that the worthy goals of simplicity and clarity do not work in this case.

In some ways it does mimic a family coat of arms. When my fraternity united with Theta Kappa Nu fraternity in 1939 it was viewed as the uniting of two equal partners.

The white lion, originally a red lion, was taken from the TKN coat of arms and placed on the small shield to denote this union.

Lambda Chi Alpha has taken justifiable pride in the accuracy of our coat of arms; but it is not perfect. Mason, and later Krenmyre of Theta Kappa Nu, did a masterful job of arranging the elements of a coat of arms worthy of the Ritual, history, and philosophy of our organization.

There is a depth of symbolic meaning incorporated into our coat of arms that is not matched by many other fraternities.

Here are the problems that were identified by Brother Kaul and two additional problems that were identified by O’Donoghue: 1) insert shield should be white 2) clasped hands should be white

The man who designed our coat of arms viewed our fraternity as an Order of Christian Knights. He traced our mythological heritage back through at least six Orders of Knights.”

3) lion is outlined in brown

I ended my e-mail with an expression of my appreciation for his time and help in addressing my questions.

5) book binding should be another color

4) lion should be black instead of white

6) encircling wreath and circlet should not be used with corporate heraldry

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

34

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014

HISTORY

What are we to make of these errors? I believe that Kaul is correct in his observation that our coat of arms has been corrupted in terms of traditional British heraldry.

However, it appear that the first two problems have been with us from the beginning of Mason’s original coat of arms design.

Mason’s black and white coat of arms appears to be correct. It is when color is introduced that problems appear. I could not find a single example among the various renditions of the coat of arms that showed the insert shield or clasped hands in white. They were always depicted in silver.

I would support leaving these two elements as designed by Mason. He was an excellent researcher and he may have intentionally chosen to violate the color rules. The problem is that there is no clear evidence about how or why he made his color choices. The fact that these design elements have been with us from the beginning, and the fact that there is no record of Mason’s thinking about his use of silver or white, leads me to the conclusion that we should not tamper with what he did.

The next two problems that Kaul identified are of major concern to me. I believe that these two problems represent major deviations from the design of the Theta Kappa Nu “union” coat of arms.

I believe that the brown colored outline of the lion should be removed from our current coat of arms and our style guide. The color brown, as pointed out by Kaul and O’Donoghue, is seldom used in heraldry. I believe that the black outline of the lion should be reinstated in all future editions of the coat of arms. The black color is historically correct and its use has been consistent over the years.

I can find no reference to Mason and Krenmyre selecting a white lion to replace Theta Kappa Nu’s red lion. It is clear that Mason did not like the color red for the lion. Once again the black and www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

35

white versions of the “union” coat of arms show the lion as black. As pointed out earlier, I have a coat of arms, probably from the 1950s, depicting the lion as black. Both men are silent on their color choice for the lion.

I think that tradition is on the side of a white lion. It has appeared on almost every version of our coat of arms since it was designed. As with other aspects of our coat of arms we are free from the strict rules of British heraldry. In the absence of definitive evidence for a black lion I would support retaining the white lion on our coat of arms.

I personally think that using another color for the binding of the book would be an appropriate change to our coat of arms. As in the case of the insert shield and clasped hands, the book has been bound in gold from the very beginning. Apparently, that is what Mason wanted as his color choice. This is as good a reason for leaving the binding in gold as any other reason to change the color.

As to the use of the wreath and circlet, I believe that their use is appropriate for a fraternal organization.

The wreath and circlet represent the honors and awards that have been earned by our members. Our coat of arms uses these symbols as a reminder to all of us to grow and develop as men.

When we look upon our coat of arms we see much meaning that is hidden to the uninitiated. Our coat of arms is rich its use of symbols. That is why our coat of arms is more complex, and even obscure, to some.

Cross & Crescent October February2013 2014