Fall 2010 Laurel

Laurel the

FALL 2010

OF PHI KAPP PA A TA TAU AU CONVENTION IN REVIEW LEADERSHIP ACADEMY RECAP

ADVERSITY OVERCOMING

THREE PHI TAUS FACE TOUGH SITUATIONS AND COME OUT STRONGER ON THE OTHER SIDE

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UNDERGRADUATE ADVISORY BOARD PRESIDENT TREY PIPPIN, LOUISVILLE ’09, TALKS WITH NATIONAL PRESIDENTELECT GREG HEILMEIER, BETHANY ’86, AND NATIONAL COUNCILOR WES FUGATE, CENTRE ’99, AFTER DINNER IN BOULDER, COLO., AN EXCURSION DURING Learning. Leading. Serving.

PHI

NATIONAL

KAPPA

TAU’S

CONVENTION.

MORE ON PAGES 18-23.

59TH LEARN

THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

Contents The Laurel

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FALL 2010 VOL. 98, NO. 2 Editor-in-Chief Lane Shetzer Copy Editor John Sayers, Bethany ’78 Graphic Designer Stacey Castle About The Laurel The Laurel is the exoteric publication of the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation.

Published prior to 1919 as SIDELIGHTS, a journal devoted to topics related to higher education involving college and alumni interests, The Laurel is now published each year under the direction and authority of the Board of Trustees of the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation.

The next issue of The Laurel will be Vol. 99, No. 1 and will be published in the summer of 2011.

Printed in the USA | ISSN Number: 0023-8996 Printed by The Watkins Printing Company, Columbus, Ohio.

Address ChangeS Visit www.phikappatau.org and choose “Update Your Information” or call (800) PKT-1906 or mail changes to: Phi Kappa Tau, 5221 Morning Sun Road, Oxford OH 45056 or e-mail Cindy Morgan at cmorgan@phikappatau.org FEATURES 11

Overcoming Adversity Three Phi Taus face tough situations and come out stronger on the other side.

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Member Fraternity Communications Association

Convention in Review A look at the Fraternity’s historic 59th National Convention.

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Leadership Academy Recap A look at the Fraternity’s first annual Academy.

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A True Man of Character A Mu chapter alumnus selflessly enters Chapter Eternal.

DEPARTMENTS 4

Directory

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Perspectives

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Foundation Update

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We Are PKT

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Chapter Eternal

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Our Chapters

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Laurels

THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

This Laurel is printed on 100-percent recycled paper and fits the Forest Stewardship Council’s requirements for environmentally mindful publications.

Learning. Leading. Serving.

Phi Kappa Tau 4

The mission of Phi Kappa Tau is to champion a lifelong commitment to brotherhood, learning, ethical leadership and exemplary character.

The vision of Phi Kappa Tau is to be recognized as a leadership organization that binds men together and challenges them to improve their campuses and the world.

FRATERNITY NATIONAL COUNCIL NATIONAL PRESIDENT Gregory M Heilmeier, Bethany ’86 NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Stephan M Nelson, Southern Mississippi ’73 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER *Steve Hartman, Muskingum ’89 Joshua J Bleidt, Eastern Kentucky ’96 Michael D Dovilla, Baldwin-Wallace ’94 Wesley R Fugate, Centre ’99 J Kenneth Loewen Jr, Colorado ’80 Sean J McManus, East Carolina ’94 David A Ruckman, Ohio State ’62 Scott G Stewart, Nebraska-Kearney ’69 Cliff D Unger, Arizona ’98 UNDERGRADUATE ADVISORY BOARD PRESIDENT Trey Pippin, Louisville ’09 Steven E Binzel, Case Western ’08 Michael Disotell, Westminster ’08 Philip Frandina, RIT ’08 Jason M Lustig, Cornell ’08 Matthew Marone, Florida State ’08 NATIONAL ADVISORS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/TREASURER: David N Bauer, Bethany ’83 CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER: Thomas A Jeswald, Ohio ’63 RECRUITMENT/RETENTION: Michael T Gabhart, Georgetown ’95 RITUALIST/CHAPLAIN: Fr. Nicholas R A Rachford, Cincinnati ’64 SERVICE: Matthew Parker, Evansville ’93 National Advisors are ex-officio, non-voting members of the National Council.

Learning. Leading. Serving.

FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES

EXECUTIVE OFFICES STAFF (800) PKT-1906 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steve Hartman, Muskingum ’89 shartman@phikappatau.org

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FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR David Boggan dboggan@phikappatau.org

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DIRECTOR OF CHAPTER SERVICES Tim Hudson, Truman State ’97 thudson@phikappatau.org

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DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES Vinny Sandy, Ohio ’02 vsandy@phikappatau.org

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FINANCE COORDINATOR Lisa Adams ladams@phikappatau.org

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COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR Lane Shetzer lshetzer@phikappatau.org

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COORDINATOR OF VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT Tyler Wash, Georgetown ’06 twash@phikappatau.org

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EXPANSION COORDINATOR Mike CasaSanta, Tennessee ’03 mcasasanta@phikappatau.org

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EXPANSION CONSULTANT Ray Sophie, Southern Illinois ’08 rsophie@phikappatau.org

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EXPANSION CONSULTANT Alex Koehler, Mount Union ’07 akoehler@phikappatau.org

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EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Cindy Morgan cmorgan@phikappatau.org

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ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT-CHAPTER SERVICES Lori Foister lfoister@phikappatau.org

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ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT-FOUNDATION Angie Van Winkle avanwinkle@phikappatau.org

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To view a complete list of Fraternity leaders, visit www.phikappatau.org

CHAIRMAN David A Ruckman, Ohio State ’62 FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN Scott G Stewart, Nebraska-Kearney ’69 SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN Bill Fisher, Miami ’80 TREASURER William G Braund, Westminster ’54 SECRETARY James S Hamilton, Ohio State ’63 *David Boggan Steve W Chaddick, Georgia Tech ’70 John M Green, Nebraska Wesleyan ’60 *Steve Hartman, Muskingum ’89 Reza Hashampour, Georgetown ’82 Joseph J McCann Jr, Spring Hill ’74 Richard F Michael, Michigan Tech ’70 Stephan M Nelson, Southern Mississippi ’73 Donald J Phillips II, Texas-Austin ’82 Ross E Roeder, Michigan State ’58 Joel S Rudy, Bethany ’60 Brent W Vickery, Texas-Austin ’81 *non-voting DISTINGUISHED TRUSTEES Jack L Bartholomew, Ohio State ’55 Raymond A Bichimer, Ohio State ’53 Mark M Boyd, Miami ’71 Norman W Brown, Ohio State ’50 Gerald G Carlton Jr, Ohio ’58 Melvin Dettra, Ohio State ’45 F Fred Fether, Bowling Green ’51 Lawrence L Fisher, Ohio State ’60 Hugh C Fowler, Colorado ’45 John D Good, Ohio ’47 Jim K Heilmeier, Kent State ’47 Theodore A Hendricks, Bowling Green ’59 Gregory M Hollen, Maryland ’75 Dan L Huffer, Ohio State ’57 David W Lawrence, Miami ’61 Robert Leatherman, Akron ’60 James C McAtee, Ohio ’65 F L Mac McKinley, Oklahoma State ’51 Frederick E Mills, Ohio State ’66 Fr. Nicholas R A Rachford, Cincinnati ’64 Timothy F Smith, Bowling Green ’62 Donald E Snyder Sr, Cornell ’49 Carl D Vance, Miami ’67 Graydon D Webb, Ohio State ’69 THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

Perspectives ATLANTA, FALL 2005: An owner of a small retail business, Bob Tobey, New Mexico State ’71, usually counts on 70 percent of his annual revenue to come during the holiday season. Tobey is accustomed to the hustle, and he doesn’t “have time” to get sick. So, when he can’t shake a nagging sore throat, he begrudgingly calls his doctor to see if he can solve the problem with a quick round of antibiotics. He needs to get well, and quick.

Six weeks later, Tobey awakes in great pain. He tries to speak, to even let out a yelp, but his vocal cords don’t respond.

He fixes his ears on the sound of deep breathing, like Darth Vader hiding behind the door. He fastens his eyes on his surroundings—the room is stark and cold, there are IVs running into each of his arms, and a feeding tube is snaked into his left nostril. He then fixes Never, ever, NEVER, no matter how bad you on the faces of his wife and three daughters standing around his hospital bed, and then he hears the breathing again, that deep breathing, that Darth look or feel, acknowledge out loud the potential of Vader breathing. anything other than a positive result or outcome.

He then understands. He lays in recovery from “radical neck” surgery.

There will be plenty of folks around you who are The reluctant recipient of a new tracheotomy, Tobey has left behind a few all too willing to play the role of the fatalist. Let ’em, muscles, several lymph nodes and one very stubborn malignant tumor.

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but don’t be one of them. Love ’em, but don’t listen to ’em. It takes no more effort to believe in and expect a positive result than a bad one.

—Rick Keltner, Sacramento State ’76

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SACRAMENTO, FEBRUARY 2006: As Tobey plods through the next steps of treatment—chemotherapy, radiation and rehabilitation— 2,000 miles away, Rick Keltner, Sacramento State ’76, prepares for another normal, cool, crisp, winter day. As he shaves, Keltner’s razor opens a small cut on the right side of his neck. Upon examination, he notices a lump.

OCTOBER 2006: Kelter lays on the surgeon’s table undergoing a similar procedure as Tobey’s. Their lives are now interwoven in a common experience.

Connecting through Tim Hudson, Truman State ’97, at the Phi Kappa Tau Executive Offices, and having met at the 2002 Phi Kappa Tau National Convention, Tobey and Kelter talk often as Keltner starts radiation therapy following surgery.

Knowing well the effect of three months of daily radiation treatments, Tobey prepares Keltner for the dry mouth, lack of appetite and general “blahs” that he is about to experience.

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*** THE PRESENT: “I am convinced that the key to getting through the entire course of the radiation therapy was Bob helping me understand what was happening to me, to my body and, most importantly, what was going to happen next, and Bob was NEVER wrong,” Keltner remembered.

Although both Tobey and Keltner still have some lingering effects of treatment, including damage to their saliva glands and taste buds, their scans indicate that they have returned to life as “normal.”

“My cancer seems more like a bad dream than anything else,” Tobey said.

Perhaps it’s also “normal” that, in addition to their families, their Phi Tau family was able to provide support in times of crisis.

“When word began to circulate, I [received] a lot of calls from the brothers that I went to school with,” Tobey said. “It was very comforting to know that they all cared.”

In this issue of The Laurel, you’ll meet several brothers who overcame adversity, just like Tobey and Keltner. Each set their sights on positive outcomes, accepting that life’s detours can be worth the extra miles. As the holiday season gets underway, it will be normal for most of us to give thanks for our blessings. Remember to count those trials-turned-blessings twice. ΦΚΤ Steve Hartman, Muskingum ’89, is chief executive officer.

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Learning. Leading. Serving.

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Phi Kappa Tau Foundation 6

Why I Give

Jack Alvenus, St. John’s ’89

WAYS TO GIVE There are many reasons that alumni, parents and friends are motivated to step forward and support the young men of Phi Kappa Tau through a gift to the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation.

Jack Alvenus, St. John’s ’89, has two.

“First, there is an obligation,” said Alvenus, who is program manager for Bridgewater Associates, LLP, a hedge fund concern in Westport, Conn.

“I gained such joy and established so many friendships through my association with Phi Tau that I feel a very positive obligation to support the organization in whatever way possible so that others might experience those same joys and lifelong friendships.”

Alvenus has been a member of the Ewing T. Boles Society since 2003. The Boles Society designation recognizes those individuals who contribute $1,000 or more annually to support the work of the Fraternity. Alvenus said he is pleased to support Phi Kappa Tau at this level and admited he is motivated in part by what he receives in return.

“A second reason that I give to the Foundation is that being able to be a part of affording others the type of experiences I had—continuing to help keep the undergraduate experience alive— gives me the chance to relive my own personal fraternity experiences.

“For example, every time I go to Convention, I’m excited to go,” he said. “I’m a little depressed when it is over. I see people I’ve known for years.

And I meet undergraduates who will come up to me and start a conversation, and I’m really impressed by who they are and the experiences they enjoy as part of the Fraternity.”

Alvenus said he never imagined being a fraternity man upon entering St. John’s years ago. Today, however, he recalls the diverse group Learning. Leading. Serving.

of people he was able to meet because of his association—“people I never would have had contact with otherwise”—and considers himself fortunate to continue to be an active member of the Fraternity today.

“It’s those little gems from the undergraduate experience that come to mind every now and then that make me glad I’m supporting the Fraternity with my time and my financial resources,” he said.

Financial support from alumni, parents and friends is crucial as the Foundation works to provide resources for the burgeoning education programs that Phi Kappa Tau makes available to its undergraduate members.

“I would encourage every Phi Tau alumnus to follow the example of Jack Alvenus and other supporters of the Fraternity,” said David Boggan, executive director of the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation. “Jack examined what was important to him in his life, came to an understanding of how the Fraternity helped shape his life, and then determined to help make similar experiences available to another generation of Phi Taus.”

The Phi Kappa Tau Foundation, Boggan pointed out, is uniquely positioned to accept charitable donations and invest those gifts so that each dollar given helps strengthen and expand the educational and leadershipdevelopment opportunities available to today’s 3,300 undergraduates.

“The time to step forward and add your strength to the Phi Tau brotherhood has never been more critical,” Boggan said. “Because the Fraternity is adding additional members through new chapters and because educational programs are expanding to accommodate that growth, funding from our alumni, parents and friends is needed.

“As we approach the traditional season of charitable giving, I encourage everyone who has a stake in the future of Phi Kappa Tau to invest in these young men by making a thoughtful, proportionate gift to the Foundation.” ΦΚΤ

Visit www.phikappatau.org/donate or call (800) PKT-1906 ONLINE Donate securely, efficiently and completely through the Foundation’s online giving feature at www.phikappatau.org/donate CREDIT CARD Phi Kappa Tau accepts VISA, American Express and MasterCard.

Call (800) PKT-1906.

CHECK Send all correspondence to: Phi Kappa Tau Foundation 5221 Morning Sun Road Oxford, Ohio 45056 AUTOMATIC FUNDS TRANSFER Regular monthly bank drafts make giving more convenient and might allow you to increase your philanthropic goal.

Call (800) PKT-1906 to join.

ANNUAL FUND The Foundation invests your unrestricted gifts where the opportunity is greatest. Restricted gifts are also accepted.You join thousands of Phi Taus in assuring that education, leadership and service priorities are well-funded.

CORPORATE MATCHING GIFTS Many companies match their employee’s personal charitable contributions. Ask your employer if your company participates in a matching gift program and make the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation your non-profit of choice.

PLANNED GIFTS Through your will, trust or other estate plan, your charitable gift establishes a lasting legacy and provides for future generations of Phi Tau undergraduates.

THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

OU R I D E N TITY

Three Phi Taus are making a name for themselves, and they haven’t forgotten their Fraternity roots.

Jason Sweet “Cardinal Man” and Student,xxxx Saginaw Valley State University University Center, Mich.

We Are

ΦΚΤ

The Spirited Fan Jason Sweet, Saginaw Valley State ’09, is the kind of guy you want on your team.

One of Saginaw Valley State University’s biggest fans, he serves the school as a resident assistant (RA), tour guide for prospective students, intramural sports participant, model student and the “Cardinal Man.” Oh, and he’s a founding father of Zeta Beta chapter, what he says kept him in school.

“When I started college, I got involved, or over-involved looking back on it. I threw myself into Saginaw Valley State and did not put effort into school. I knew I wanted to join Phi Kappa Tau with Nu Lambda Nu, the local chapter that became Phi Tau, but I couldn’t with

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUCY MANALD

my grades. With help from my brothers, I turned around my college career. Had it not been for my brothers’ guidance and support, I would be at home, not experiencing all that college has to offer.

“These days, you could probably call me Saginaw Valley’s No. 1 fan. I’m at every football game wearing my ‘red pride’ to prove it. Thanks to Phi Tau, I know what it means to be part of a team and take pride in the little things. It’s how I live my life every day, and I’m completely fulfilled because of it. ΦΚΤ THE LAUREL LAUREL||www.phikappatau.org www.phikappatau.org THE

Learning.

Learning.Leading.

Leading.Serving.

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Tom Hope Writer, “Bonding For Life” Rochester, N.Y.

The Storyteller Tom Hope, Texas-El Paso ’41, has more than a few stories to tell. In May 1942, he was drafted in World War II and became an Army sergeant and motion-picture cameraman with the First Special Service Force. After threeand-a-half years with the service, he had plenty of lifelong friends and enough memories to write a book. So, he did.

Recently, Hope wrote “Bonding for Life,” a post-war story about peacetime bonding of Force veterans. Currently, he is completing a second book on his Army experiences, “My Tour of Duty.” He recounts thrilling stories, like serving as photo officer and capturing a famous picture of Gen. Patton after he accidentally stepped on the general’s foot … and the general apologized for getting his foot in the way! Hope’s picture appeared in The

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEN RIEMER

New York Times and all across the country.

But, most importantly, his stories describe the bond he and his comrades formed during and after the years they spent defending the country. More than 60 years after the war and some major career changes, they still reunite, proving that the bond of brotherhood can endure the ages.

As the first chapter president of Alpha Psi chapter, Hope gained some of his earliest experiences with brotherhood and leadership— and some of his first stories, too—with Phi Kappa Tau. Learning. Leading. Serving.

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“One of the books that I read in high school intrigued me, ‘The Americanization of Edward Bok,’ about the long-time editor of the Saturday Evening Post. He was Dutch, coming to this country in 1870, and as he left Holland, his grandmother’s parting words were, ‘Edward, you must leave the world a little better than you found it!’

“What sage advice. And, what a challenge for me. I chose it for my life’s goal.

“I like to think that I started my challenge at then-Texas College of Mines, when my brothers and I helped Phi Kappa Tau become the first national fraternity at the school. Roland Maxwell, Southern California ’22, came to El Paso to induct us, and we were all so pleased with him.

“I went on to serve in the Army as a photo officer and, using movies, helped change the style of parachute landing in both the American and Canadian armies. I also taught, and then ran, the Army Motion Picture School in New York City.

“Post-war, I served as an industrial film producer at General Mills in Minneapolis and helped move ‘The Lone Ranger’ from radio to television. Then, I became a Marshall Plan consultant in Paris, helping the French recover after seven years of war. That led me to Eastman Kodak as a film consultant in Rochester, where I eventually started Hope Reports, a media market research firm.

“While I’ve changed careers, certain things in my life have been constant—my family and my Army brothers. That goal of mine, to make positive changes in the world, has only been possible because of the people I’ve known along the way. ‘Bonding’ was done as a labor of love, describing the comradeship of soldiers fighting together and continuing that intense connection post-war. This relationship is often stronger than between blood brothers.

“As I continue my storytelling and recount my experiences, I think about that challenge I set for myself back in high school. I hope I have helped make this world a better place.” ΦΚΤ THELAUREL LAUREL| www.phikappatau.org | www.phikappatau.org THE

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Tom Hope looks through his photo albums.

Hope’s photo of Gen. Patton (left) appeared in The New York Times on Sept. 4, 1944.

Learning. Leading. Serving.

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David Dodd VP of Operations, Fantastic Fountains Tampa, Fla.

The Passionate Leader David Dodd, Tennessee ’79, started in the computerized water feature craft at Sea World Park in Orlando. His business, Fantastic Fountains, has since gone international with recent projects—musical fountains, animated fountains and dancing fountains, to name a few—completed at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio and the Atlantic City Pier. Currently, he’s working on a project in downtown Columbus (pictured) aimed to beautify the city and bring more people downtown. He credits his time as a Phi Kappa Tau undergraduate for giving him the leadership skills necessary to create, maintain and grow a successful business.

“Learning to grow the chapter in various officer roles and expanding my involvement at National Convention were invaluable to me and, I believe, a great benefit in my professional life. Phi Kappa Tau gave me confidence to follow my passion and start my own company, from which I still get satisfaction after more than 20 years. It gave me other things, too: lifelong friends and my wife, who I met playing interfraternity intramural sports.

By joining Phi Kappa Tau, I received wonderful opportunities to serve others, lead the chapter and stretch my potential. I’m still reaping the benefits.” ΦΚΤ Learning. Leading. Serving.

THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

ADVERSITY OVERCOMING

IT’S INEVITABLE. It’s inevitable that life will throw you curveballs, and the only way to move past those dark days is a whole heck of a lot of resolve and mental toughness.

IT SOUNDS EASY . . . BUT IT’S NOT ALWAYS. For three Phi Taus, toughness wasn’t a choice. When their worlds got a little darker, they made up their minds to keep going, even when it was incredibly hard. One learned a valuable lesson, one became a better leader, and one found that the strength of brotherhood and the importance of service can make all the difference.

IT’S NO SURPRISE. It’s no surprise that a member of this Fraternity would come out stronger after an extremely bumpy ride. That’s what Phi Taus do. They band together and resolve to use what they’ve experienced for good. It may not be easy, but maybe that’s the point.

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Learning. Leading. Serving.

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ADVERSITY 12

t c A g n i c Balan

By An d y Fr uth, S outher n I l linois ’08

the journey of Robbie Falkenrath, Southern Illinois ’08, through college and Phi Kappa Tau has been anything but normal. In his first year at Southern Illinois University, he struggled and seemingly lost everything, only to come back stronger and lead his chapter to success.

The transition from high school to college can be difficult for a young person, and Falkenrath’s case was no exception. Living on your own, being your own boss, and making your own decisions for the first time can be an overwhelming experience, regardless of whether you’re prepared or not.

Throughout high school in Highland Park, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, Falkenrath had a very structured routine as many involved students do.

He was on the swim team, captain of the water polo team and senior patrol leader with Boy Scouts. He made Eagle Scout while serving as president of venture crew, a part of the Boy Scouts program.

Falkenrath’s typical routine during sports season went something like this: practice, school, practice, dinner, homework, sleep … and work during any extra time. But along with his involvement came coaches, advisors and, of course, his parents to keep him on track academically.

After the first few weeks on SIU’s campus, Falkenrath joined the Beta Chi colony of Phi Kappa Tau with the fall 2007 associate member class.

“I was drawn to Phi Tau immediately,” he said. “I clicked well with the guys and thought by joining the colony that I could be a part of something special.”

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While Falkenrath made a great new member, no one knew that he was having difficulty adjusting to the newfound freedom college offered. He struggled with attendance in his early morning classes, and that led him to academic probation after his first semester.

“I basically went from structure to nothing,” Falkenrath said when comparing his life in high school to his first semester in college.

His second semester started off better than the first. He was able to rebound significantly, enough so that he was allowed to initiate when the colony chartered.

Shortly after the chartering, however, things took a turn for the worse, and Falkenrath found himself reverting back to where he was at first semester. He came to the realization that he might not be able to raise his grades enough to come back to school the next fall. That fear was confirmed a few days before his dad came to pick him up for the summer.

“It came as a shock to me,” Guillermo Flores, Southern Illinois ’08, said of Falkenrath’s news. “We used to eat lunch in the dining hall every day and talk about classes and the Fraternity.”

To make things worse, his dad brought the family boat to SIU so they could go fishing before they made the five-hour drive back home.

Falkenrath knew at the time that he wouldn’t be allowed to come back to school in the fall but couldn’t bring himself to tell his father until a couple days later.

“It was the most awkward fishing trip of my life,” Falkenrath said.

But home wasn’t any more comforting.

“When I got back home and my parents found out, everything changed,” he said. “Their expectations of me were different from before.

I knew I wanted to work my way back to SIU but it became very clear from talking to them that I would be on my own in this endeavor.”

Falkenrath had to pay his own tuition and fees, as well as the gas he used for the hour-and-a-half daily commute to and from class at the local community college. He worked all summer and throughout the fall, lifeguarding and teaching swimming lessons.

To get back to SIU, Falkenrath had to average a 3.4 GPA in 24 credit hours. He took four classes that summer but said the big reality check came in the fall when his friends returned to school.

“They were at school and I was living at home again,” he said. “That’s when it really sunk in that I had to step it up.”

He, once again, took a full load during the fall semester, and even made the dean’s list.

“When you are footing the bill it definitely provides a new incentive Robbie Falkenrath (first row, middle) accepts his chapter’s Maxwell plaque at the to do well in your classes,” Falkenrath said.

59th National Convention in Denver.

Learning. Leading. Serving.

THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

OVERCOMING

ADVERSITY 13

When the spring 2009 semester rolled around, he was able to return to SIU. He felt he had to prove himself and wanted to show everyone— his parents, the Fraternity and himself—that he had changed.

Falkenrath jumped back into Phi Tau immediately upon returning.

That semester, he moved into the chapter house, served as sergeant-atarms, and made a successful transition back to SIU. That summer, he attended Leadership Academy 2009 in Oxford, Ohio, and returned to campus in the fall as the chapter’s philanthropy chair. Falkenrath performed so well in his position that his brothers elected him chapter president that November.

He attended Phi Kappa Tau’s Presidents Academy before the start of the spring semester, an experience he said helped him tremendously with his duties.

“At Beta Chi, we always seemed to run on crisis mode, as if the sky was falling, but after talking to other presidents at Presidents Academy, I realized that although Beta Chi wasn’t [yet] an elite chapter, [we were still doing something right],” he said.

Past Chapter President Derrick Wildes, Southern Illinois ’08, relates Falkenrath’s growth to the chapter’s.

“I think the Fraternity was in a better place overall when Robbie came back,” Wildes said. “He joined Phi Tau when we were a colony, still struggling with finding an identity and recruiting quality men, and returned to lead a chapter that was motivated and had a shared vision for its future.”

As president, Falkenrath has worked especially hard to delegate responsibilities to other officers, and then hold his executive board members accountable for their jobs.

“We have these other positions for a reason, and we all mutually depend on one another,” he said.

His efforts have paid off. With Falkenrath at the helm, Beta Chi chapter was one of only 12 Maxwell chapters in 2009-10, the highest chapter honor based on performance in the Borradaile Challenge.

Falkenrath has maintained at least a 3.0 GPA since returning to school, but his overall GPA is still much lower as it reflects his poor performance freshman year, a very real reminder of what he’s still working towards. Despite this, he is on track to graduate in December 2011 with a bachelor’s in graphic design and minors in marketing and art history.

Falkenrath serves as a testament to Beta Chi’s new members. He is always willing to talk about his experience and give perspective on what could happen if they don’t take school seriously.

While Falkenrath said those semesters at home were some of the hardest of his life, he owes it to himself to look at how far he’s come. Learning from his mistakes makes him resilient, and a great Phi Tau. ΦΚΤ

THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

Robbie Falkenrath; his mother, Mary; father, Randy; and brother, Chris, pose for a family photo.

Beta Chi chapter members celebrate their 2009-10 success at Convention (Falkenrath pictured third from the left).

Beta Chi chapter members celebrate winning the large float division in the school’s homecoming parade (Falkenrath pictured in front).

Learning. Leading. Serving.

OVERCOMING

ADVERSITY 14

Racing for

BY SCOTT CONROE, CORNELL ’01 raig Hairston, New Mexico State ’72, does not mind telling anyone about how rich his life has been, even after suffering a spinal cord injury that left him, as experts say, an incomplete paraplegic.

He can walk with a cane but spends most of his time in a wheelchair—that is, when he is not pursuing his passion for auto racing near his home outside Columbia, S.C. With hand controls he designed and built himself, Hairston has a drag-racing car with his well-known emblem on the side: the traditional handicapped symbol with a racing helmet on the figure’s head. He hoped to drive it for the first time in December, after building the car slowly over the past few years, adding pieces as he had the money and mechanical help.

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Learning. Leading. Serving.

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Before his own car was complete, Hairston raced Legends cars around Charlotte, N.C. The cars are replicas of old-time race cars powered by motorcycle engines. He also raced off-road dune buggies and mini sprint cars, and has worked as a motorsports consultant for racing teams in the South. Not only is Hairston’s life rich, it’s full.

It was a car accident that left him partly paralyzed in 1979, but he says that painful event actually helped him become a better manager of time and people. So did his days as a Phi Kappa Tau. “You need to want to succeed badly, to learn how to turn and race a vehicle in my situation, and some of that comes from my college years,” Hairston said. “Our Phi Tau chapter, like most, was a little of both partying and a place where we did projects—community work, fundraising, house projects. I was a brother only my last two years, so I was not an officer and I didn’t live in the house, but I played intramurals … and took part in our community projects. My jersey with our letters was … cool and represented something pretty good.”

The Fraternity provided him with friends to turn to when classes or other aspects of his life were not going well.

All these years later, he remains friends with his big brother and classmate, Bob Tobey, New Mexico State ’71.

“Craig was involved. He was always around our chapter, and he would have made a fine chapter officer,” said Tobey,

One of his clients was Rob Bush, who owns a drag race track and competes in motorcycle drag racing. He helped Hairston build his drag racer after Hairston helped him land corporate sponsors for his racing, although Hairston calls them “marketing partners,” which casts them less as bosses and more as part of a team.

“Craig has a can-do attitude,” Bush said. “He might be a little limited in what he can do but that doesn’t stop him. He wrote a plan that got me a $10,000 sponsorship from American Suzuki. He put it together and got me the backing.”

Hairston returned to racing a few years after adjusting to his new life in a wheelchair. He drove dune buggies in the desert. He liked the fact that, while there are sports for handicapped athletes such as the Paralympics, auto racing has no handicapped competition level; he would not receive special treatment. Racing officials were at first reluctant to let him on the course, but he showed them how much control he had using just his hands. He entered the Baja 1000, an off-road race in California, and finished first in his racing class. That boosted his confidence enormously.

Hairston’s voice becomes full of energy when he talks about the drag racer he is finishing near his home. His goal is to drive it at 200 mph.

“His car will be the quickest in the world when we’re

the chapter advisor at Alpha Rho chapter at Georgia Tech.

“He was a very good athlete … in intramural football and softball. Just a great guy.”

Hairston has no doubt that Phi Tau played a role in his life after he graduated in 1974 with a degree in math and a concentration in computer science, what would be a computer science major these days. Post-college, he managed programmers who were mapping solar energy resources at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Hairston also raced motorcycles. He loves the smell of oil and engines, and spending time in garages, tinkering with any machine that could go fast.

He had just become a supervisor of one of those Los Alamos teams when he suffered his spinal cord injury, as a passenger in a car that was involved in a terrible one-car accident on the icy mountain roads of New Mexico. As he slowly recovered, he said, he learned to delegate, to ask other people to lend a hand. He held staff meetings from his hospital bed.

“I had to trust people and give them credit for their efforts,” Hairston said. “I was perceived as a better leader after that.”

He went on to spend more than two decades in software management for gas companies in Texas, and product support and quality improvement for SIERRA Geophysics in Washington, a Halliburton company. His love for conversation and people opened doors. Among other things, he was master of ceremonies for an annual customer dinner at one company.

Hairston switched gears in 1994, becoming a consultant for motorsports companies. His South Carolina firm offers data analysis, teamwork training, customer-service training and performance-improvement strategies for auto racers, some of the people he loves best.

done,” Bush said.

When asked about the risks of crashing, Bush said that is always the case with road racing.

“It’s a risk,” but it rarely happens on a drag course itself. He said the adrenaline rush of racCraig Hairston’s drag racer ing is “something you live for,” so he understands its appeal for Hairston.

“Craig really picked up the pieces and moved forward,” Tobey said. “He couldn’t race motorcycles anymore but he found other ways to race instead.”

Hairston has turned to teaching lately. He taught leadership strategies and management courses at Midlands Technical College in Columbia for a decade, and spent the last four years developing an apprenticeship program for facilities and housing workers at the University of South Carolina.

He is looking for his next challenge beyond racing.

“There’s no doubt that some of what I was able to do over the years came from my Phi Tau experiences,” Hairston said. “I learned to be part of a team and gained insight into how to accomplish things. In the business world, people dig in and butt heads. In a fraternity, you’re thrust into a situation where you must pull together. You learn to rally your resources.” ΦΚΤ

OVERCOMING

ADVERSITY 15

Success

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Hairston sits with the drag racer he built himself.

Learning. Leading. Serving.

OVERCOMING

ADVERSITY

LeaningBrotherhood

16

on the Bond of

By I a n Andre ws , Mount Union ’01

t started d with a phone call––the type of call in Fraternity attracted were perfect for him. which the th bearer of bad news tells the receiver to Youtz’s sophomore year ended well. first, sit it down. For Andrew Youtz, Mount Union “I had a girlfriend, was going to play football again, ’06 his news came across the line from nearly and things were going my way,” he said. ’06,, th this 900 miles aaway. And it would forever change his life.

He was working out in anticipation of that summer’s “He said sai aid my mom had cancer and that I needed football practices and had decided to major in sociology tto fly h t said, id vividly i idl remembering b i hi ith a concentration t ti iin criminal i i l jjustice. ti B home,”” Y Youtz his with Butt jjustt as hi his father’s call. life was taking shape, he received the call.

Three days into a 10-day Florida vacation with his His mother, Helen Youtz, was diagnosed with then-girlfriend’s family, Youtz found himself searching pancreatic cancer on July 17, 2007. The aggressive for a flight to return to his native cancer was in a late stage—it Ohio. The trip would be one of had spread to her lymph nodes, the last he’d take for pleasure spinal cord and stomach—and but marked the beginning of doctors gave her seven to nine the most difficult journey he’d months to live. ever known.

Informed one day after Youtz grew up in Alliance, the diagnosis, Youtz headed Ohio, home to the University home to see his family. During of Mount Union. As a high his trip, he thought about school football center, Youtz was the future. He didn’t want recruited by several Division I to abandon his pursuit of collegiate teams, but the ties to returning to football but was his family and the chance to torn by his love of family. win a national championship at “I was selfish,” he said. a local college led him to attend “I started thinking about Jay, Andrew, Helen and Nick Youtz celebrate Mount Union. myself. I had worked hard Entering his sophomore Andrew’s high school graduation. [for football] but then it came year, however, Youtz suffered an crashing down.” injury that kept him from playing. His friend Ryan Youtz traveled straight to the hospital.The relationship Shannon, Mount Union ’06, often invited him to the he had with his mother was special. Upon entering her Epsilon chapter house, not with the explicit intention hospital room, she said, “Hey, baby.” of recruiting but just to play video games or hang out.

“I lost it,” Youtz said. “My mom was my best friend.

With more time to socialize, Youtz found himself at I would tell her anything, and she was always there to the Phi Tau house quite often. get me through tough times.”

“I wasn’t interested [in joining] at first,” he said. But Almost immediately, the family held an impromptu after witnessing the chapter’s bond of brotherhood, he meeting. realized that associating with Phi Kappa Tau might be “She wanted to fight,” he said. “She said she was a good idea. The atmosphere and type of people the going to beat this thing and would fight. She even

I

Learning. Leading. Serving.

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sent negative or sad people away. She didn’t want them bringing her down.”

The family decided she should travel to Indianapolis to receive treatment at Indiana University Cancer Center, one of the leading cancer-treatment centers in the country. Within five days, arrangements had been made, and the family set off to Indiana.

“Her attitude was amazing,” Youtz recalled. “She was an inspiration to the entire family.”

Youtz still wavered between his desire to play football and allegiance to his family. His final decision required a grueling schedule. He attended classes Monday through Friday, then left for Indianapolis each week after his last Friday class. On Sunday night, he’d return to campus to start all over.

Earlier that summer, Youtz had called his Phi Tau big brother, Shannon, to tell him the news. Shannon said he was there for Youtz and would do all he could to support him.

“He told me that I was going to get through this [and that I wasn’t] going to go through this alone,” Youtz said.

Shannon later informed the chapter about the Youtz family crisis. Nearly every brother called or texted Youtz, offering him everything from an ear to a place to stay. “[Andrew’s] strength gave us strength,” Shannon said. “His pride became our pride. He inspired us not to just be better, but be better Phi Taus. There is nothing we wouldn’t do, nothing we wouldn’t try to overcome for our friend, our brother.”

Once school resumed in August 2007, the chapter didn’t forget its pledge to Youtz. The men assured him that his family came first.

“If I missed a chapter meeting or another event because I was traveling between Alliance and Indiana, they understood,” Youtz said.

The chapter itself benefited from helping Youtz. It survived reorganization in 2006 but was still suffering from the effects of poor decisions made before many of the current brothers had even begun their college careers. A deep appreciation of what their brother was going through helped guide chapter members and gave them an immediate and renewed sense of purpose. For Epsilon chapter, the 2007-08 academic year would become Youtz’s year.

“Everyone was there to support Andrew, especially Ryan Shannon and Alex Koehler [Mount Union ’07],” Chapter Advisor Roy Clunk, Mount Union ’75, said.

The chapter helped Youtz through the situation “by giving him the love and support he needed, being there when he needed someone to talk or cry with.”

When an anonymous donor, or several donors, paid his dues, Youtz knew the men surrounding him were not only chapter brothers, but lifelong brothers.

“They wanted me in the chapter,” he said. “One of the best things they did was to be there to sit and talk with. You realize they actually do love and care about you and will walk through hell with you.”

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OVERCOMING Shannon said it was easy to support Youtz.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more gracious and inspiring human being,” Shannon said. “He was always the quickest to be polite and thank anyone and everyone for their condolences and all the help they offered.”

At the beginning of the 2008 spring semester, the chapter arranged a surprise for Youtz. He was told when to be at a local building, with not many other details. When he arrived, he found himself in the middle of a spaghetti dinner fundraiser, staged by the chapter to support the Youtz family. The entire chapter was there and nearly every fraternity and sorority was represented. Dozens of students and community members arrived throughout the day to support the Youtz family, as well as Epsilon’s effort on their behalf. ’s end Youtz “Once I saw the guys wearing er, Jay, att th fa is h d n black T-shirts that read ‘Team Andrew Youtz a Helen’ on the front and our senior banquet. letters on the back, I lost it,” Youtz said. “We all wore Team Helen wristbands.”

Not long after the chapter’s fundraiser, Helen passed away, despite doctors’ best efforts. Although Youtz’s grades suffered during this traumatic year, he rebounded and graduated in May 2010. He still speaks regularly with his Phi Tau brothers.

“Andrew’s dad has shared more than once that it was the support and friendship of the Phi Taus that got Andrew through the harrowing ordeal of seeing his mother suffer with cancer,” Clunk said.

Most of all, Youtz remembers his mother reinforcing that he never take life Epsilon chapter broth ers show their Phi Tau and Mount for granted, to live it to the fullest and Union spirit (Youtz pictured far left, back row). have fun.

“She told me, ‘Don’t be afraid to tell people you love them,’ ” he said.

That’s how Youtz lives his life today.

And it’s the friendships, support and dedication that he experienced with Epsilon chapter that guides him to be a good, real friend to people. He lives by a credo of “no regrets” and strives to always find In the Summer 2010 Laurel, time to listen to people. we will feature brothers who While Youtz’s hard season started with a phone have served in other countries. call, it ended with much more. Epsilon extended Please e-mail the hand of brotherhood, and a sad and difficult laurel_editor@phikappatau.org experience deepened that bond, bringing an entire if you or someone you know chapter together to support a brother at his lowest has a related experience. moment and galvanize members to move onward from a troubled past. ΦΚΤ

ADVERSITY

Learning. Leading. Serving.

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18

Undergraduates, alumni and friends of Phi Tau traveled from across the country to attend the Fraternity’s 59th National Convention July 14-18, 2010, at The Westin Westminster in Denver, Colo. More than 300 participants spent the week in brotherhood, strengthening the Fraternity in its core ideals: learning, leading and serving.

Business on the Convention floor included electing national officers, determining National Constitution and Statues changes and National Council structural changes, and making recommendations on the policies and operation of the Fraternity.

Appointed committees, including scholarship, technology, Borradaile Challenge, service, housing, finance

and risk management, also gave reports on the Convention floor.

The following Constitutional amendments were discussed in length, voted upon and passed on the Convention floor: • The Past National President was removed as a member of the National Council.

• Undergraduate National Councilors were removed as members of the National Council, and an inaugural Undergraduate Advisory Board was developed in its place.

• The Borradaile Challenge reporting process was moved from academic year to calendar year.

In addition, delegates voted to add Harvey C. Brill, the man

who had the most impact on Phi Kappa Tau’s founding along with the four founders, and the Fraternity’s second National President, to Phi Kappa Tau’s official membership role.

Other Convention activities included a dinner in Boulder, Colo., Dave & Buster’s outing, alumni excursion to Estes Park, and service project in downtown Denver, followed by an afternoon at Elitch Gardens Theme Park. The Fraternity’s accomplishments were recognized during the Hole in the Wall luncheon, Awards Banquet and Brotherhood Banquet.

Convention pictures and video are available under “Programs,” “National Convention” on the national website. ΦΚΤ

national leadership The following members were elected to, or changed positions on, the National Council: • Greg Heilmeier, Bethany ’86, National President • Steve Nelson, Southern Mississippi ’73, National Vice President • Mike Dovilla, Baldwin-Wallace ’94 • Josh Bleidt, Eastern Kentucky ’96 The following members completed their National Council term: • Bill Macak, Florida State ’73 • Rick Keltner, Sacramento State ’76 • Charlie Ball, Miami ’82 • Patrick Keal, Kentucky ’04 • Efrem Bycer, Cornell ’06 The following members volunteered their time at this year’s Convention: • Wes Fugate, Centre ’99, for banquet planning Marshalls • Chris Greenland, Georgia AM • Parker Macak, Florida Gulf Coast AM • Brian Quatch, San Jose AM • Giovanni White, William Paterson AM • Saron Woodworth, Charleston AM The following members donated Convention items: • Jim Hamilton, Ohio State ’63, for Recognition Banquet favors • Scott Stewart, Nebraska-Kearney ’69, for banner and poster decorations • Greg Heilmeier, Bethany ’86, for snack giveaways

harvey C. Brill No one is alive today who could say why it happened (or didn’t).

Sometime between 1918 and 1920 a decision was made to assign consecutive badge numbers to the men who were members of the Non-Fraternity Association, Phrenocon and Phi Kappa Tau prior to 1916. For reasons forever unknown, the name of Harvey Clayton Brill, a member of the organization from the start and the second president of the Non-Fraternity Association, was omitted. Thus, since the 1920s, Brill was not listed on the Fraternity’s member-

Learning. Leading. Serving.

By Bill Jenkins, Bowling Green ’57

ship roster.

Until July 17, 2010. On that date, at Phi Kappa Tau’s 59th National Convention in Denver, a resolution was passed to posthumously place Brill’s name on the Fraternity’s rolls.

Presented on the Convention floor by Past National President Charlie Ball, Miami ’82, the resolution was fully supported and endorsed by Past National Presidents Mel Dettra, Ohio State ’45, and Ray Clarke, Bowling Green ’51; past Phi Kappa Tau Executive Director Bill Jenkins, Bowling Green ’57; Coordinator of Volunteer Development Tyler Wash, Georgetown ’06, and past Recruitment Coordinator Charles Underwood, Eastern Kentucky ’03.

Not surprisingly, as one of the original 21 men who as-

sembled on Miami’s campus March 17, 1906, Brill was often labeled the “fifth founder.” He graduated in 1908 and earned his Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Michigan. As a student at Michigan, he was recruited by and joined another general fraternity (Phi Sigma Kappa).

Brill returned to Miami in 1911, played an integral advisory role for the men of Phrenocon, and ultimately served as chairman of Miami’s chemistry department until his retirement in 1952. He died at age 90 and is buried in Oxford’s cemetery, just a few yards from his lifelong friend and colleague Founder William (“Doc”) Shideler, Miami ’06.

For trivia buffs, Harvey Clayton Brill’s assigned member number—after 104 years—is 88,333.

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19

Q&A With president heilmeier

Gregory M. Heilmeier, Bethany ’86, took the Fraternity’s helm July 17 in Denver, Colo., during Phi Kappa Tau’s 59th National Convention. As National President, he is looking towards the future by accomplishing operational goals today.

After graduating with a B.A. in politics and public policy, Heilmeier quickly became involved with Phi Kappa Tau as an alumnus, serving as a Domain Director, BOG member and Foundation Board of Trustees member before serving on the National Council.

Here, Heilmeier shares a little about his personal, professional and Fraternity life.

Profession: Co-owner of Tasty Pure Food Company, a wholesale food distributor serving Northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Family: Wife, Theresa; Father, Jim, a charter member of Beta Mu chapter at Kent State; brothers, Kevin and Bill, members of Alpha Phi chapter at Akron, and Dan; and two mini schnauzers, Winston and Bosco.

Hobbies: Bowling and golf; finished the bowling season with a 212 average, my highest ever. Let’s not talk about the golf score.

Favorite sports team: Any Cleveland team; still waiting for the first championship season.

Favorite food: My wife’s homemade pasta sauce.

Most interesting place you’ve ever visited: Hawaii; the diversity of climate and culture is incredible.

Most surprising thing about me: I’m a licensed pilot.

Person who has most influenced you: My father.

Best advice you’ve ever received: Nothing worth achieving is easy.

Favorite Phi Tau memory: Initiation, and realizing that my father was there to watch.

What do you consider Phi Kappa Tau’s biggest accomplishment in its 104.5 years? Initiating the great men who have shaped our Fraternity, our country and our world. We truly stand on the shoulders of giants.

Where do you hope the Fraternity is in two years?

Stronger, in membership numbers, chapters, programming, volunteer involvement, housing and financially. Every facet of our operations will be examined and areas of improvement will be determined and the necessary changes will be implemented. My main concern isn’t two years from now, but really 25, 50, even 100 years from now.

Are we making a difference in young men’s lives?

How do we make a difference in our world?

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Phi Kappa Tau Elects Inaugural Undergraduate Advisory Board • Jason Lustig, Cornell ’08 • Matt Marone, Florida State ’08 • Trey Pippin, Louisville ’09

Undergraduate and alumni Convention delegates voted to remove Undergraduate National Councilors as members of the National Council and develop an Undergraduate Advisory Board in its place. This push came from Undergraduate National Councilors Patrick Keal, Kentucky ’04, and Efrem Bycer, Cornell ’06. The advisory board does not have a vote on the National Council, rather its job is to advise the Council, but will allow more undergraduates

to get involved at the national level—six brothers were elected at Convention and a few more will be appointed in 2011. Members will serve a two-year commitment.

The following brothers were elected and took the oath of office to the inaugural Undergraduate Advisory Board to the National Council at the Brotherhood Banquet on July 17: • Steven Binzel, Case Western ’08 • Mike Disotell, Westminster ’08 • Philip Frandina, RIT ’08

“I decided to run for the Undergraduate Advisory Board because I saw a unique opportunity to be a part TREY PIPPIN of expanding undergraduate involvement on a national level. I appreciate the opportunity to serve in this important role. The confidence that has been placed on me is humbling, and I’m sure our efforts will help usher in new representation for undergraduates.”

“The national level is where a lot of policy decisions are made that affect the day-to-day operations of the STEVEN BINZEL chapters. I want to get involved in that process and give my input for how these regulatory changes and choices will have an effect on the vitality and viability of our chapters.

We’ve been picked to be the voice of the undergraduates. We need to make sure that they know we’re here and we want to know what their concerns are.”

“I feel like it’s important to get involved at the national level because in many ways, it is the last step one can MIKE DISOTELL take to fulfill the true spirit of brotherhood. Also, in many ways, it is symbolic of a final destination for the journey we all began when we became associated with Phi Kappa Tau. With a panoramic view, it is much easier to appreciate everything Phi Tau contributes to one’s life.”

“The national level gives young men the chance to be much stronger leaders than at a local level.

PHILIP FRANDINA Once I started attending national and even regional events, I soon realized that Phi Kappa Tau brings the greatest minds from the entire country and gathers them as one Fraternity. It was then when I realized how great Phi Kappa Tau truly is, and everything that the Fraternity has stood for for over 100 years.”

“Many brothers of the Fraternity never get to experience the national organization.

It’s a real JASON LUSTIG shame that these people don’t get to realize that they are a part of something that is so much bigger than them. You walk onto the Convention floor, you pause, and you realize your jaw dropped and your mouth is open: Wow, this is an incredible thing I am a part of. ”

“Having made a positive impact in my own chapter, I felt the need to help the National Fraternity in a similar manner. I MATT MARONE plan on helping to identify ways in which the Fraternity can provide solutions to specific problems individual chapters may be encountering. I believe the strength of Phi Kappa Tau begins with the strength of each chapter and the brothers who form it.”

At the group’s first meeting with the National Council on July 18, Pippin was elected president of the board.

The Undergraduate Advisory Board met Sept. 24-26 in Cincinnati with the National Council and Foundation Board of Trustees. The advisory board will meet with the same group in February 2011. ΦΚΤ

Learning. Leading. Serving.

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Maxwell trophy

National President-Elect Greg Heilmeier presents the Maxwell trophy to past Chapter President Joe Manalastas.

For the first time in Phi Kappa Tau’s history, Delta Tau chapter at Cal Poly-Pomona received the Fraternity’s Maxwell Trophy during the 59th National Convention Brotherhood Banquet on July 17. The Maxwell Trophy is Phi Kappa Tau’s highest honor awarded to a chapter.

During the 2009-10 academic year, Delta Tau chapter most exemplified the Fraternity’s values in all aspects of operation and programming. The chapter attained Maxwell-level achievement in 13 of the 14 criteria of the Borradaile Challenge.

Out of the last 25 years, Delta Tau chapter has won the top greek award on Cal Poly’s campus 16 times, including in 2010. In the last year, the group averaged more than 30 hours of community service per member, raised more than $6,000 for philanthropy and had the second highest GPA within the school’s IFC. Over the course of the year, the men volunteered at local schools, the L.A. Marathon, an MS Walk, local food and toy drives, and Hole in the Wall Camps.

The men of Delta Tau chapter are also dedicated to serving their school.

The majority of the leadership positions within Cal Poly’s IFC, Greek Council, orientation board and Associated Student Government are held by Delta Tau chapter members. In recommendation letters,

Learning. Leading. Serving.

numerous school officials expressed their gratitude for the group’s leadership and unwavering commitment to the university.

In addition to their commitment to scholarship, leadership and service, the men of Delta Tau are equally dedicated to fostering brotherhood.

“With all they’ve accomplished, they’ve worked as a team, as a family, and as a true brotherhood,” said Chapter Advisor Brian Smith, Cal Poly-Pomona ’91.

National President-Elect Greg Heilmeier, Bethany ’86, presented the

Maxwell Trophy to the group. The award memorializes Roland Maxwell, Southern California ’22, National President from 1934 to 1959, former president of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and winner of the NIC Gold Medal for distinguished service.

Past Chapter President Joe Manalastas, Cal Poly-Pomona ’08, Chapter President Dan Moussavi, Cal Poly-Pomona ’08, and VPAR Bryan Burns, Cal PolyPomona ’08, presented Delta Tau’s Maxwell application to the awards committee July 15. All three have been friends since third grade and became associate and initiate members together.

“Our chapter’s biggest strength has always been trying to better ourselves each year,” said Manalastas.

“But the key to our success is a strong brotherhood and supportive alumni base.”

Delta Tau chapter is well-known for consistently bringing the most members to national events. This Convention was no exception. More than 30 undergraduates and alumni were in attendance for the Maxwell presentations and Brotherhood Banquet.

Each Delta Tau member’s memory of the Brotherhood Banquet is a little bit different, but everyone remembers Heilmeier’s exact words, and the point at which the celebrating began. Past Chapter President Jeremy Botica, Cal Poly-Pomona ’06, tells it like this: “It took longer than I thought to

announce the winner, but as President Heilmeier stated that the Maxwell winner had met 13 out of the 14 metrics, I knew we were at a 50-percent chance of winning.

And then he said it: ‘… and for the first time in Phi Tau history, the Maxwell Trophy goes to a chapter from the state of Calif—’ We all erupted with excitement.” otica credited the chapter’s values for keeping the group on the right path year after year.

“We don’t worry about how others are doing or what others are saying about us, we just remember our brotherhood and do as many events, outings and philanthropies as we can get our hands on,” he said. “And we do it because we get to do it together.”

After Convention, Smith sent an e-mail to his chapter brothers to describe the experience to those who could not attend. An excerpt follows: “From the moment that it was announced that Delta Tau had won the 2010 Maxwell Award, I truly began to believe that anything is possible. That even when someone tells you something is not possible, with perseverance, dedication, leadership and balance, you can make the impossible become possible.

That a group of men with a common goal and a strong brotherhood can find the right balance of fraternity, school, work, family, leadership and service to reach any goal that it sets out to achieve.”

ΦΚΤ

Delta Tau undergraduates and alumni celebrate their Maxwell Trophy win.

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21

palm award Greg Hollen, Maryland ’75, and Dave Lapinski, Penn State ’74, were named Palm Award winners at the 59th National Convention in Denver, Colo. The Palm Award is one of the Fraternity’s most prominent awards. It is presented to alumni, after a nomination and vote of the National Council, who show outstanding service to the national organization.

Both Hollen and Lapinski have impressive résumés with Phi Kappa Tau. During his tenure with the Fraternity, Hollen has served on the Foundation, National Council and countless committees. He held the positions of National Vice President and National President, has established an endowed scholarship with the Foundation, and regularly attends Phi Tau events. Hollen even has an award named after him—the Greg Hollen Colony President Award.

Lapinski’s track record is equally impressive. He served on the National Council, as a Domain Director, national housing advisor, and BOG chairman and chapter advisor of his own chapter.

Lapinski, too, is a loyal Foundation supporter and makes it a priority to attend national, regional and local Fraternity events.

Both recipients said they were humbled to receive the Palm Award.

“The Palm Award is an honor that no brother can really ever think he ‘deserves,’ rather it’s something one could hope to receive someday,” Lapinski said.

Often times, alumni choose to serve the national organization because their undergraduate experience was lifechanging. For Hollen it was no different, and he said he was hooked on working with the Fraternity as a national entity after his first Convention in 1977.

“My first job out of college was to work on the Headquarters staff, and that deepened my love for the organization and my determination that I should help it grow stronger and greater,” he said. I realized that by surrounding yourself with brothers, you always have someone THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

looking out for your business and personal development.”

Lapinski believes that getting involved at the national level helps you fully understand what the Fraternity is all about.

“No matter how good a brother’s undergraduate experience may be or how outstanding his chapter is, you cannot truly grasp the significance and meaning of what Phi Kappa Tau is called to be until you experience it on a national level,” he said. “The diversity and breath of our brotherhood is both impressive and, in its own way, challenging. The young men who follow us need the mentoring and guidance just as much, and perhaps even more today, as we did at their age, and it is our duty to provide it to them.” ΦΚΤ

Shideler award Brian Browne, Case Western ’06, was named the 2010 William H. Shideler Award recipient as the Fraternity’s most outstanding senior. First presented in 1938 and now awarded annually, the honor memorializes Founder Shideler, Miami ’06, and is the Fraternity’s highest individual undergraduate award.

Browne served Alpha Delta chapter in a number of roles. From his initial responsibilities as secretary, philanthropy chairman and vice president, he held the position of membership orientation officer during his last semester at Case.

“My Phi Tau experience was one of the most rewarding and developmental experiences of my undergraduate career,” Browne said. “Through Phi Tau, I was able to make lifelong friends, grow as a person, develop as a leader, and learn how one committed group of men can enhance and improve the community around them.”

An avid participant in national, regional and local Fraternity programs, Browne was part of the chapter’s Maxwell presentation team at Phi Kappa Tau’s Leadership Academy 2007, where the group won the Maxwell Trophy as the Fraternity’s most outstanding chapter nationwide.

On campus, Browne took academics seriously and graduated with a 3.91 GPA with degrees in economics and political science. He made the dean’s list seven times during his undergraduate career and

is a two-time Phi Kappa Tau Foundation scholarship recipient.

Browne said he was honored just to apply for the award, but never expected to be the recipient.

“Finding out I had won the Shideler Award was pretty surreal. I couldn’t believe it. Even accepting the award at Convention and holding it in my hands, I can still hardly believe it. It’s definitely a very humbling and exciting opportunity.”

After being presented with the Shideler Award, Browne spoke to Convention attendees about not settling for “good enough.”

“The mission of Phi Kappa Tau is to champion a lifelong commitment to brotherhood, learning, ethical leadership and exemplary character,” Browne said.

“Leadership isn’t ‘good enough’ when you’re a Phi Tau, it must also be ethical. Character isn’t ‘good enough’ when you’re a Phi Tau, it must also be exemplary. We aren’t striving for these things, we are championing a lifelong commitment to them, and by no stretch of the imagination is this one an easy calling to meet. Joining Phi Tau isn’t like joining another group or finding a new group of friends. Joining Phi Tau is committing to adopt a philosophy on life and committing to being a man of character. It is swearing off and never accepting ‘good enough.’ ” ΦΚΤ

National President Bill Macak presents the Palm Award to Greg Hollen.

Dave Lapinski poses with his Palm Award.

Vice President-Elect and past Shideler Award winner Steve Nelson presents the Shideler Award to Brian Browne.

Learning. Leading. Serving.

22

Awards

The Phi Kappa Tau Awards Committee announced the recipients of the 2009-10 awards during the Fraternity’s 59th National Convention in Denver, Colo.

Chairman Les Fugate, Centre ’99, oversaw the presentation ceremonies, which were held during the Hole in the Wall Luncheon and Recognition Banquet on July 15 and Brotherhood Banquet on July 17.

Academic Excellence

Presented to those chapters and colonies that exhibit an outstanding record of academic achievement. The chapter or colony must be 0.1 above the all men’s average GPA. Delta, Centre; Epsilon, Mount Union; Eta, Muhlenberg; Kappa, Kentucky; Mu, Lawrence; Alpha Delta, Case Western; Alpha Eta, Florida; Alpha Pi, Washington; Alpha Tau, Cornell; Alpha Upsilon, Colgate; Alpha Phi, Akron; Beta Theta, Kansas; Beta Iota, Florida State; Beta Lambda, Indiana; Beta Omicron, Maryland; Beta Chi, Southern Illinois; Gamma Tau, Old Dominion; Delta Theta, Georgetown; Epsilon Gamma, College of New Jersey; Epsilon Nu, Clemson; Epsilon Sigma, Chapman; Zeta Alpha, Belmont

Administrative Excellence

Presented to those chapters and colonies that exhibit an outstanding record of compliance with administrative reporting. The chapter or colony must file 100 percent of required reports, 90 percent on time.

Delta, Centre; Theta, Transylvania; Beta Epsilon, Southern Mississippi; Beta Kappa, Oklahoma State; Beta Lambda, Indiana; Beta Chi, Southern Illinois; Beta Psi, Cal State-Long Beach; Gamma Alpha, Michigan Tech; Gamma Beta, Cincinnati; Gamma Nu, RIT; Gamma Xi, East Central Oklahoma; Delta Theta, Georgetown; Zeta Alpha, Belmont

JACK JAREO AWARD Presented to Alpha Tau chapter at Cornell by National President Bill Macak, Florida State ’73 (Scott Conroe, Cornell ’01, accepted the award)

DR. EDGAR EWING BRANDON AWARD Presented to Roy Clunk, Mount Union ’75,

by Macak and Bob Leatherman, Akron ’60 (also pictured is Clunk’s wife, Lynne)

Borradaile Undergraduate Award

implements the best alumni relations program.

Dan Moussavi, Cal Poly-Pomona ’08

Presented to the undergraduate who, by his actions, has shown leadership and a true understanding of brotherhood.

David Rodocker, Oklahoma State ’08

Harold E. Angelo Award

Presented to the chapter that has shown the greatest improvement compared to its record the previous year.

Epsilon Rho, Indiana U of Pennsylvania

Jack L. Anson Award

Presented to a non-member for outstanding lifelong contribution to interfraternal spirit.

Thad Doyle, Kappa Alpha Order

Jack L. Anson Undergraduate Award

Presented to an undergraduate for outstanding interfraternal service.

Andrew Lopez, Cal State-Fullerton ’08

Board of Governors Award

Presented to up to three BOGs for outstanding contribution to their chapters.

Gamma Omicron, Cal State-Fullerton

Borradaile Alumnus Award Clinton D. Boyd Vice President Presented to up to three alumni for outstanding achievement in their field of of Alumni endeavor.

Relations Award Cliff Shields, Mount Union ’41

Learning. Leading. Serving.

Presented to the undergraduate who

Dr. Edgar Ewing Brandon Award Presented to a chapter advisor who has shown outstanding service to the Fraternity.

Roy Clunk, Mount Union ’75

Community Service Award

Presented to the chapters and colonies that accumulate the most hours per man, as well as the most cumulative chapter hours. There are scrolls for the two runners up for each category. All chapters and colonies that average 20 or more hours per man are awarded Maxwell status and a scroll. All chapters and colonies that average between 10 and 20 hours per man are awarded Order of the Star status and a scroll.

Hours per man Delta, Centre—74 hours Alpha Upsilon, Colgate—66 hours Beta Kappa, Oklahoma State—60 hours

Total Hours Delta, Centre—4,460 hours Alpha Upsilon, Colgate—4,166 hours Beta Kappa, Oklahoma State—3,484 hours

More than 20 hours per man Epsilon, Mount Union; Alpha Tau, Cornell; Beta Lambda, Indiana; Beta Phi, Westminster; Beta Chi, Southern Illinois; Beta Omega, Cal State-Chico; Gamma Beta, Cincinnati; Delta Theta,

GREG HOLLEN COLONY PRESIDENT AWARD Presented to Saron Woodworth, Charleston AM,

by Macak and Greg Hollen, Maryland ’75

Georgetown; Delta Tau, Cal Poly-Pomona; Epsilon Beta, West Virginia Tech; Epsilon Gamma, College of New Jersey; Epsilon Delta, Virginia Wesleyan; Epsilon Epsilon colony, William Paterson; Zeta Alpha, Belmont

More than 15 hours per man Kappa, Kentucky; Alpha Lambda, Auburn; Beta Epsilon, Southern Mississippi; Gamma Lambda, Central Michigan; Gamma Nu, RIT; Delta Nu, Wright State; Epsilon Rho, Indiana U of Pennsylvania

Dwight I. Douglass President’s Award

Presented to up to three chapter presidents who demonstrate general administrative excellence.

Matthew Long, Baldwin-Wallace ’08 Jesse Green, Oklahoma State ’07

Frederick R. Fletemeyer Prize Presented to the Fraternity’s most outstanding colony.

Epsilon Epsilon colony, William Paterson

Greg Hollen Colony President Award Presented to the colony president who demonstrates general administrative excellence.

Saron Woodworth, Charleston AM

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Michigan Tech; Gamma Beta, Cincinnati; Gamma Lambda, Central Michigan; Gamma Nu, RIT; Gamma Omicron, Cal State-Fullerton; Delta Delta, Bryant; Delta Nu, Wright State; Epsilon Rho, Indiana U of Pennsylvania

Outstanding Advisor to a Chapter Award FREDERICK R. FLETEMEYER PRIZE Presented to Epsilon Epsilon colony at William Paterson by Macak and Expansion Coordinator Mike CasaSanta, Tennessee ’03 (Giovanni White, William Paterson AM, accepted the award)

PAUL NEWMAN AWARD Presented to Gamma Omicron chapter at Cal State-Fullerton by National Service Advisor Matt Parker, Evansville ’93 (Jesus Ornelas, Cal State-Fullerton ’08, accepted the award)

Presented to the most outstanding chapter advisor who has served in the role for a minimum of two years.

Matthew Della Mora, Cal StateFullerton ’03

Presented to those chapters that meet Maxwell expectations within the Borradaile Challenge and are selected to present for the Roland Maxwell Trophy as the Founders Four.

Delta, Centre; Alpha Tau, Cornell; Delta Tau, Cal Poly-Pomona; Zeta Alpha, Belmont

Presented to the most outstanding colony advisor.

Sean Hopkins, William Paterson ’89

Outstanding Jack Jareo Award Roland Advisor to a Presented in recognition of the most Colony Award Maxwell Scrolls outstanding alumni-produced newsletters and alumni programming.

Alpha Tau, Cornell Gamma Omicron, Cal State-Fullerton

William D. Jenkins Interfraternity Excellence Award Presented to a non-member undergraduate for their outstanding contribution to the greek community.

Adam Hood, Alpha Tau Omega (nominated by Epsilon chapter at Mount Union)

Key Award

Presented to an alumnus for outstanding service to a chapter other than one’s own.

Dr. David Smith, Louisville ’76

Richard Massock Award Presented to the chapter with the most outstanding chapter-produced newsletters and alumni programming.

Delta, Centre

Honorable Mention Gamma Tau, Old Dominion

Roland Maxwell plaques Presented to those chapters that meet Maxwell expectations within the Borradaile Challenge.

Epsilon, Mount Union; Alpha Delta, Case Western; Beta Beta, Louisville; Beta Kappa, Oklahoma State; Beta Lambda, Indiana; Beta Chi, Southern Illinois; Delta Theta, Georgetown

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Roland Maxwell Trophy Presented to the most outstanding chapter in the Fraternity.

Delta Tau, Cal Poly-Pomona

Monroe Moosnick Scholarship Trophy

Presented to the chapter that has the highest cumulative GPA. Alpha Tau, Cornell—3.4 GPA Delta, Centre—3.25 GPA Alpha Delta, Case Western—3.22 GPA

Paul Newman Award

Presented to the chapter that raises the highest dollar amount to benefit the Hole in the Wall Camps.

Gamma Omicron, Cal StateFullerton—$6,500

Order of the Star Chapters

Presented to those chapters that meet Order of the Star expectations within the Borradaile Challenge.

Theta, Transylvania; Kappa, Kentucky; Alpha Lambda, Auburn; Alpha Omega, Baldwin-Wallace; Beta Phi, Westminster; Beta Omega, Cal State-Chico; Gamma Alpha,

Outstanding Greek Advisor Award

Presented to a greek advisor in recognition of their tremendous contribution to our Fraternity and their respective greek community.

Jennifer Adams, advisor to Delta Tau chapter at Cal Poly-Pomona

Palm Award

Presented to alumni who show outstanding service to the national organization.

Greg Hollen, Maryland ’75 Dave Lapinski, Penn State ’74

Phi Award

Presented to an alumnus who shows outstanding service to his own chapter.

Nicky Francis, East Carolina ’77

Philanthropy/ Hole in the Wall Camp Certificates

Presented to those chapters that raise funds to assist both local philanthropic causes and the Hole in the Wall Camps, Phi Kappa Tau’s national philanthropy.

The following is in order of amount donated ($2,000 minimum).

Omicron, Penn State ($54,294); Alpha Phi, Akron ($19,842.87); Gamma Omicron, Cal StateFullerton ($16,300); Delta, Centre ($16,110); Beta Chi, Southern Illinois ($11,020); Kappa,

Kentucky ($8,445); Epsilon, Mount Union ($8,080); Delta Tau, Cal Poly-Pomona ($6,310); Beta Beta, Louisville ($6,255); Alpha Upsilon, Colgate ($5,890); Beta Lambda, Indiana ($4,390); Delta Nu, Wright State ($4,300); Eta, Muhlenberg ($4,250); Alpha Tau, Cornell ($4,133.77); Epsilon Kappa, Rutgers ($4,075); Alpha Delta, Case Western ($3,827); Beta Kappa, Oklahoma State ($3,614); Alpha Pi, Washington ($3,550); Beta Phi, Westminster ($3,222.73); Delta Delta, Bryant ($3,115); Zeta Alpha, Belmont ($2,556.59); Epsilon Rho, Indiana U of Pennsylvania ($2,406); Zeta Beta, Saginaw Valley State ($2,390); Gamma Nu, RIT ($2,280); Epsilon Nu, Clemson ($2,270); Beta Omega, Cal State-Chico ($2,215); Delta Beta, Evansville ($2,215)

Recruitment Pacesetter Award

Presented to those chapters that set the pace for the largest recruitment classes in the country.

Eta, Muhlenberg; Omicron, Penn State; Beta Beta, Louisville; Beta Kappa, Oklahoma State; Beta Phi, Westminster; Beta Omega, Cal State-Long Beach; Gamma Mu, Bradley; Delta Delta, Bryant; Epsilon Nu, Clemson; Epsilon Sigma, Chapman

Sonny Strange Recruitment award

Presented to the chapter with the highest recruitment and retention rate.

Beta Iota, Florida State

William H. Shideler Award

Presented to the most outstanding graduating senior in Phi Kappa Tau, this is the Fraternity’s highest undergraduate honor.

Brian Browne, Case Western ’06

Thomas L. Stennis II Award Presented to the Domain Director with the most outstanding domain program.

David Ozag, East Carolina ’05

Learning. Leading. Serving.

23

Leadership Academy 24

By

Marty

D u n n i n g , Ke n t u c k y

’07

Recap

L e a d e r s h i p A c a d e m y 2 0 1 0 was ter and avoid the challenges other chapters may be facing,” said a first in many regards: it was held away from Miami University at Sam Donets, Southern Illinois ’08, a graduate of both Leadership Camp Rock Eagle in Eatonton, Ga., it was hosted as a smaller event Academy 2009 and 2010.

Highlights of Academy included the Association of Hole in the to better serve participants, and it was held as an annual program, instead of biennial. Nearly 30 undergraduates and eight leadership Wall Camps dinner, where attendees learned more about the camps coaches attended the event, which will now be held every summer, and participated in a pudding-eating competition; the Brother-toBrother session, where participants talked to each other about what targeting recent initiates and up-and-coming leaders.

Under the direction of Leadership Academy Dean Wes Fugate, they learned at Academy and how they plan to enact it within their chapter, and an opportunity to develop a vision Centre ’99, members participated in curriculum statement for the future of their chapter and condesigned to highlight members’ strengths as a Volunteers & way of developing values-based leadership skills.

Staff Members crete goals for enacting that vision.

One benefit of the event’s location was the “Leadership Academy has been a great program camp’s challenge course. Participants joined tofor more than two decades and has maintained a D e a n gether to complete different exercises and, in consistent focus on values and principles,” Fugate Wes Fugate, Centre ’99 turn, developed tight bonds. said. “Over time, however, the needs of today’s Lead “The challenge course was a great addition students and the organization have changed.

Leadership because it allowed the men to develop a bond Thus, Phi Kappa Tau spent time with some of Coaches faster than in past Academies,” said Jeff Steller, the great minds within our Fraternity and from Don Stansberry, Ohio ’87 Kentucky ’06, a leadership coach at this year’s the interfraternal community to redevelop an Jennifer Jones-Hall Academy.

Academy that sets the Fraternity at the forefront At the end of the last night, participants beof leadership development.”

Leadership gan the traditional Candlelight Ceremony, only Participants used results from an assessment C o a c h e s to find that there was an addition—a Founder’s called “StrengthsQuest” to learn their personal Jeff Brown, Bradley ’95 Walk. The four brothers representing founders strengths, how to own their talents, and how to Thad Doyle led the entire group along a path with only the work with others using their assets, both in and Sarah Rochford Jeff Steller, Kentucky ’06 light from brothers’ candles to guide them. The out of their chapter. ceremony then continued outside with all the Members in attendance appreciated the Casey Stevens brothers circled together. changes to the program and felt that it better Cody Ward, Georgia ’09 The Commitment to Character Ceremony, helped them tackle the issues they face in their S t a f f or Leadership Academy’s “graduation cerchapters.

Marty Dunning, Kentucky ’07 emony,” was held on the last day of the event.

“After attending my second Leadership Acad- Alex Koehler, Mount Union ’07 Participants committed to the Fraternity’s emy, I feel the change to a smaller, more inti- Cindy Morgan cardinal principals and being men of characmate location really [helped] the brothers to get ter. ΦΚΤ a grasp as to how they can change their chap-

Learning. Leading. Serving.

THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

My Leadership Academy Experience By

Mikey

Kruszynski, Miami

’1 0

W

Brothers participate in the ropes course.

Brothers study and talk about values.

Participants have open conversation during the Brother-toBrother session.

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hen I was presented the opportunity to attend Phi Kappa Tau’s 2010 Leadership Academy, I knew I could not pass it up. I knew that attending Academy would not only help me become a more prominent leader with my chapter, Alpha at Miami, but it would also allow me to develop important leadership and managerial skills to be used in the future.

I had no expectations and no idea what I was in for. I knew: 1. That I would be going somewhere in Georgia for three nights and four days.

2. There were going to be men from other chapters around the country looking to strengthen their leadership skills, as well.

But, that was all I knew. What I didn’t know was the impact these four days would have on me as a leader.

When we arrived at Rock Eagle Camp in Eatonton, Ga., we checked in, unpacked and started Academy with some simple icebreakers. These few icebreakers really set the tone for the rest of our experience.

During my time at the Academy, I was asked to think about my vision for my chapter and decide on a mission statement. I learned how to manage certain situations, as well as step up and take the lead in certain circumstances. We broke into small groups for more intimate conversations about our personal and fraternal goals. We walked in the woods and did a ropes course and team-building exercises. We had very honest and real conversations with fellow brothers about problems we face, as well as successes we’ve experienced.

It was amazing to hear so many different people talk about how they ended up where they are today and why. Reflecting back on my experience, I feel that I learned more from my fellow brothers than anyone else. Hearing personal stories about a struggle or success really gave me huge respect for the brothers with which I was experiencing Academy.

A simple question seemed to turn into a deep, intimate and positive conversation about whatever the topic was on hand.

Whenever I step out of my comfort zone, I always try to remain as open-minded as possible. I make sure I give everything and everyone a fair chance and tell myself that every experience has a purpose.

I believe that keeping this open-mindedness allowed me to have a positive Academy experience. It goes back to that old cliché: You are going to get out of the experience what you personally put into it. At Academy, I participated as much as possible and always gave my honest opinion. I walked away from the experience with an appreciation for other people’s life stories and a great respect for the brothers who walked through Leadership Academy with me.

I didn’t know what to expect going in, and I think that made all the difference. ΦΚΤ

Learning. Leading. Serving.

25

CHAPTER ETERNAL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE REPORTED DECEASED TO THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES BETWEEN MAY 5 AND OCT 6, 2010.

26

AKRON

Roland H Swartzlander ’42 John W Reece ’53

BETHANY

Albert K Barth ’47 Richard J Meess ’48

CASE WESTERN

David L McDanels ’54 Norman H Gaber ’55 Richard W Noel Jr ’56

COE

Neal D Elkin ’52

COLORADO

James F Norling ’47 James Nakama ’88

COLORADO STATE

F Bing Johnson ’54 Roger L Serpan ’58

CONNECTICUT

Eugene W Martin ’62

CORNELL

Walter D Jennings ’39 Robert P Zabel ’39

FLORIDA

Walter F Price ’44

FRANKLIN & MARSHALL Lester R Gery ’36

IDAHO STATE

James A Huff ’54

ILLINOIS

MUHLENBERG

KANSAS

NEBRASKA WESLEYAN

Raymond D Kanzleiter ’72 Richard H Wilson Sr ’04

KANSAS STATE

Robert Rychel ’29 Benjamin L Webb Jr ’70

KENT STATE

Larry M Dubravetz ’65

KENTUCKY

Donald L Staib ’70

LAWRENCE

Brian R Wood ’99

LOUISVILLE

Marshall W Sprigg Jr ’55

MIAMI

Robert E Netzley ’42 Donald L Petersen ’45 William M Howard ’51 Graham B Campbell ’54

MICHIGAN

Hillary J Everson ’35 Richard S Rhodes II ’67

MICHIGAN STATE

Max H Smith ’34

WALTER JENNINGS, Cornell ’39, died March 4, 2010, at age 90. A World War II Army veteran, Jennings earned the Bronze Star, three Battle Crosses and the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross while serving. Post-war, he worked with the Hartford Insurance Co. for 32 years.

Jennings was a scout master and a member of the American Legion, Elks, and First Presbyterian Church of Glen Falls.

JOHN CORNELL, Ohio ’41, died May 13, 2010, at age 87. During World War II, Cornell served as an armored infantry commander with the 7th Armored Division. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, three Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart. Cornell was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans. Prior to retirement, he worked for Proctor & Gamble.

ROBERT NETZLEY, Miami ’42, died July 28, 2010, at age 87. An Ohio state representative for Learning. Leading. Serving.

John W Missall Jr ’41 Donald Moses ’44 Bruce E Satterlee ’66 Richard Collister ’45 Oscar L Wisbey ’47

NEW MEXICO

Robert C Colgan ’48 Clinton D Parker ’52

NEW MEXICO STATE

Edgar R Garrett ’50 Charles A Steinmann ’55

NORTHERN MICHIGAN

Arnold C Hungerford ’61

OHIO STATE

William A Copley ’46 Leonard W Novick ’51

OHIO

John C Cornell ’41 William H Beck ’44 Daniel Clark ’66 Christopher Gilks ’87

OHIO WESLEYAN

Paul A Callender ’48

OLE MISS

Peter B Lauer ’69

40 years, Netzley’s tenure was the longest of any member of the Ohio House. The Republican was first elected in 1960, after serving in the Navy during World War II. In 2006, Netzley was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.

NEAL ELKIN, Coe ’52, died June 22, 2010, at age 77. He served in the Trieste United States Troops, commanded by the Army, and later worked for the Federal Reserve Bank and Harris Bank in various cities. Once retired, Jennings volunteered at Cantigny Big Red One War Museum.

BING JOHNSON, Colorado State ’54, died Aug. 8, 2010, at age 75. After receiving a bachlor’s in bacteriology, Johnson went to the University of Colorado School of Medicine at Denver. He interned at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he received the Outstanding Intern Award, and went on to complete his residency at Colorado General Hospital in general radiology.

OREGON STATE

Richard B Atherton ’56

PENN STATE

Frederick N Wescott ’51 Richard A Puhala ’58 Gerald J Paddock ’71

PURDUE

Robert F Davis ’48

RENSSELAER

Gordon R Couchot ’54

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Edward C Cray ’25 Walter E Slike ’37 Robert L Crosby ’45

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

Edwin C Vantrease ’54

ST. CLOUD

Allen S Cooper ’69

TEXAS-AUSTIN

George A McAlmon Jr ’47 Harry A Nass Jr ’52

TEXAS STATE-SAN MARCOS Brian L Slade ’76 Mackey Houser ’82

TRANSYLVANIA

Embrey B Howson ’47

He was named chief resident after one year into the program. A couple years later, Johnson rejoined the University of Colorado School of Medicine as chief of the division of radiation oncology and associate professor of radiology. After retiring in 1986, Johnson started a radiation oncology practice at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, Colo., where he served until his death.

PETER LAUER, Ole Miss ’69, died Feb. 24, 2010, at age 62. A graduate of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, Lauer began his career with the American Medical Association in 1977 and continued with the organization in several key executive positions.

In 2003, he joined the Society of Interventional Radiology as executive director. Lauer was a member of the American Association of Medical Society Executives and American Society of Association Executives.

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A TRUE MAN OF CHARACTER MU CHAPTER ALUMNUS SELFLESSLY ENTERS CHAPTER ETERNAL

By Heath Gordon, Lawrence ’05 On Sept. 3, Brian Wood, Lawrence ’99, was driving to a family home in Washington state when a Chevy Blazer veered into his lane. With his pregnant wife, Erin, in the passenger seat, Wood had only seconds to react, hitting the brakes and steering his Subaru Outback so that he took the full impact of the crash.

Police said that this action saved his wife and unborn child, and many in the media have called it “The Ultimate Sacrifice.” Looking back on Wood’s life and achievements, it’s easy to see that this decision was not difficult, as his entire life was defined by a striking depth of character.

Wood’s father, Ed Wood, described a man who was, from a young age, “ethically centered” and able to do the right thing, even when it came to “tough decisions.” Singing played an important role in Wood’s life, and he took voice lessons in high school. One day, he witnessed his vocal coach sexually molesting a fellow student. He confronted his teacher and went to the police when the abuse continued. Where others might have remained silent out of fear or embarrassment, Wood did the right, yet the most difficult, thing.

Wood was perseverant, too. He became an Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts program, before graduating high school, a feat he achieved after leading a group of 25 men and boys for a number of days to make a campsite handicap accessible.

Wood showed the same confidence when joining Phi Kappa Tau at Lawrence University. Mu chapter’s member orientation officer at the time remembered bidding Wood several times. Like many people, Wood was uncertain about the whole “fraternity thing,” and only joined after he knew he could take the bonds of brotherhood seriously. His Phi Tau brothers described Wood as a man who always filled the room with good spirit and an imposing figure, something that served him well when he played the titular role in “Sweeny Todd.”

Erin said her husband had “fond memories” of his undergraduate time in Mu chapter and that each Thursday, he would make pizza for the house. The bonds of brotherhood did not break at graduation; he continued to keep in contact with many of his brothers.

Wood’s passion drove him to the video gaming industry, a notoriously competitive field. On numerous occasions he could have given up and taken a job that may not have been as fulfilling, but Erin described him as “always pushing himself,” never willing to “rest on his laurels.” And, he certainly reaped the benefits of his hard work: He earned a

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27

Wood, his wife, Erin, and their dog, Trogdor, in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

Wood and his parents, Ed and Janice, on Wood’s wedding day. pivotal role in the development of the “Company of Heroes” franchise, as well as working on the games “Axis and Allies” and “Kohan II: Kings of War.” In addition to “living the dream” as a video-game developer, Wood was intensely focused on improving himself and others. Mentorship was very important to him, and Wood felt a deep sense of satisfaction from cultivating talent inside of and away from his team at work. Although he learned a great deal from his former bosses and mentors, Erin notes that he “learned an equal amount from his adversaries.”

Wood was held in very high regard in the gaming industry, which led to an unprecedented show of support from the community when fellow developers and enthusiasts learned of his passing. So

much so, in fact, that Erin wrote an open letter to the community thanking everyone for their well wishes during “the most difficult, dark days of [her] life.”

It is always a tragedy when someone is cut down in the prime of their life, and there is an undeniable senselessness to Wood’s car crash. The driver of the Blazer was changing her sweater at the time, and the passenger had taken the wheel but lost control.

Drugs were found littering the floor of the Blazer.

The driver and passenger will most likely face charges of vehicular assault.

Anger is an obvious reaction to what happened that night, but Wood’s family doesn’t have room for that.

The only thing they can do is try to come to grips with the profound loss of someone who was overjoyed at the prospect of being a father. Erin is doing everything she can to preserve the story of what her husband did for his daughter, Sierra Grace, who was born Oct. 28.

On a personal note: As a fellow graduate of Mu chapter, it has been very hard. Our chapter is very tight-knit, and we all feel like we have lost a member of our extended family. Wood’s impact on everything he touched was undeniable. He will be deeply missed.

In both life and death, Wood exemplified all the things that we, as men of Phi Tau, hold dear: character of the highest degree and sacrifice for others. In all cases, he led by example.

A memorial has been established to help Erin and Sierra. Find out more at www. brianwoodmemorialtrust.com. ΦΚΤ

Learning. Leading. Serving.

OUR CHAPTERS A REVIEW OF CHAPTER NEWS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. VISIT WWW.PHIKAPPATAU.ORG TO READ MORE NEWS.

28

BETA CHI CHAPTER at Southern Illinois hosted a tailgate before the Southern IllinoisUniversity of Illinois football game in September. More than 45 undergraduates, alumni and friends participated in the event.

BETA OMEGA CHAPTER at Cal State-Chico held a fundraiser for the National Sept. 11 Memorial at ground zero in New York City. A local fire captain, pastor and university police officers were invited to speak at the event.

At a Louisville football pre-game tailgate, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Louisville ’61, and Retired U.S.Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky Dave Huber, Louisville ’62, mingled with Fraternity undergraduates and showed their Phi Tau pride. [From left to right] Huber, Evan Shepherd, Louisville AM, Trey Pippin, Louisville ’09, and McConnell.

ALPHA DELTA CHAPTER at Case Western hosted a 10th anniversary celebration of the chapter’s re-chartering. The weekend also commemorated the 85th anniversary of the chapter’s original charter signing in 1925.

ALPHA TAU CHAPTER at Cornell celebrated its 80year anniversary with nearly 60 undergraduates and alumni on campus and at the chapter house.

BETA BETA CHAPTER at Louisville teamed up with the University of Louisville Learning. Leading. Serving.

EPSILON DELTA CHAPTER at Virginia Wesleyan volunteered at the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in memory of Jamie Labbe, Virginia Wesleyan AM, a founding

men’s soccer team to host its second annual philanthropy benefiting Kick for Nick, a nonprofit organization that gathers and distributes soccer balls to Iraqi children. The two groups collected nearly 500 balls, up from 200 in 2009.

BETA THETA CHAPTER at Kansas held a car demolition fundraiser for the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Conn. Participants paid $1-5 to take a swing at the car. The group raised nearly $600.

Five Phi Taus met while volunteering at Double H Camp—a Hole in the Wall Camp in New York—over the summer. [From left to right] Tim Weaver (camper), Matt Parker, Evansville ’93, Phil Ruane, Maryland ’06, John Zamojski, Case Western ’05, and Alex Benninger (camper).

Dick Michael, Michigan Tech ’70, and Mike Disotell, Westminster ’08, not pictured.

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29 father of the chapter who died from complications of muscular dystrophy. The group participates every year.

Joe Manalastas, Cal Poly-Pomona ’08, participated in the inaugural Camp Challenge Ride at The Painted Turtle, a Hole in the Wall Camp in California.

The cycling event, in 18-mile, 36mile and 62-mile ride options, was a fundraiser for the camp.

EPSILON MU CHAPTER at UNC-Pembroke hosted “Climbing for Victory,” a 48hour event where brothers alternated shifts sitting at the school’s university center to raise awareness and funds for Victory Junction, a Hole in the Wall Camp in Randleman, N.C. EPSILON SIGMA CHAPTER at Chapman hosted a seminar on healthy relationships in conjunction with Chapman C.A.R.E.S, a student group dedicated to creating a rape-free

Get involved!

Phi Kappa Tau’s volunteers are critical to the success of the Fraternity. To ensure that Phi Kappa Tau continues to grow and prosper, the Fraternity must continue to expand its volunteer corp. Phi Kappa Tau offers several volunteer opportunities for its members to get re-engaged with the Fraternity and live out the mission of a LIFELONG commitment to brotherhood, learning, ethical leadership and exemplary character.

GET INVOLVED! DOMAIN DIRECTORS

The following domains are currently in need of directors: Big Apple (New York City Area) Bluegrass East (Kentucky Area) Buckeye South (Southeast Ohio Area) Cornhusker (Nebraska Area) Deep South (Mississippi Area) Great Lakes North (Northern Michigan Area)

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environment for students. Nearly 200 students attended the seminar, Dating 101: Sexpectations, which focused on how to spot signs of an unhealthy relationship, how to talk to partners about emotional and physical needs, and where to get help. After the presentation, students explored the history of Phi Kappa Tau and learned about the Hole in the Wall Camps.

Zeta Alpha chapter at Belmont volunteered with Extreme Makeover Home Edition, rebuilding a school that was destroyed in the Nashville floods. Also, Past Chapter President Tim Harms, Belmont ’06, led Belmont’s Students in Free Enterprise team to first place in the U.S. competition and third place in the world competition. SIFE is an international non-profit organization that works with leaders in business and higher education to mobilize university students to make a difference in their communities while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders.

Stay involved!

Great Plains (Kansas Area) Hawkeye (Iowa Area) Hoosier (Indiana Area) Lone Star (Texas Area) Ohio Valley (Southwest Ohio Area) Patriot (New England Area) Rio Grande (Arizona Area) Rocky Mountain (Colorado Area) Tar Heel (North Carolina Area) Upstate (Northern New York Area)

BOARD OF GOVERNORS VOLUNTEERS

The following chapter volunteer positions come available regularly: Board of Governors Chairman Alumni Advisor Chapter Advisor Faculty Advisor Financial Advisor Recruitment Advisor Risk Management Advisor Scholarship Advisor

If you are interested in one of these volunteer positions, please contact Coordinator of Volunteer Development Tyler Wash, Georgetown ’06, at volunteer@phikappatau.org.

STAY INVOLVED! VOLUNTEER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

The Volunteer Certification Program was developed to provide the necessary training for Phi Kappa Tau volunteers. Each certification program includes three online modules and a survey that, once complete and reviewed by the Executive Offices, certifies a volunteer in their position.

Participate in the program at www.phikappatau.org, “Programs,” “Volunteer Certification Program.”

For more information about volunteering, including volunteer job descriptions, visit www.phikappatau.org/volunteer.

Learning. Leading. Serving.

LAURELS 30

HONORING PHI KAPPA TAU ALUMNI IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS. VISIT WWW.PHIKAPPATAU.ORG TO READ MORE NEWS.

DARRALL IMHOFF, UC Berkeley ’58, and the late Pete Newell, UC Berkeley ’58, were part of the 2010 class inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The entire 1960 U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team, which Newell coached and Imhoff played on, was included for its gold-medal success in Rome.

• Jeremy Christ, Southern Mississippi ’93, participated in the 21st annual Fleur de Lis Regatta in Louisville, Ky. The two-day sailing event raised more than $17,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Christ was part of the crew on “Room 4 Crew” [foreground].

•

1940 •

PAUL NEWMAN, Ohio ’43, was posthumously inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame for his work to improve the lives of all Ohioans.

Phi Taus in the Dallas-Fort Worth area volunteered with the East Dallas Community Organization (EDCO)—Distinguished Foundation Trustee Jerry Carlton, Ohio ’58, serves as the organization’s president—to build a playground in a nearby community. [From left to right] Carlton, Travis Doyle, Oklahoma State ’97, Roger Toney, Muhlenberg ’63, and Dick Hodges, Oklahoma State ’61.

CHARLES YENTSCH, Louisville ’49, received the 2010 Jerlov Award from the Oceanography Society for his work on phytoplankton, microscopic plant-like organisms, which ultimately gave rise to the field of ocean color remote sensing. He was also recognized for founding new oceanographic institutions, nurturing future leaders in the field and providing a vibrant research environment for the study of bio-optics.

•

1950 •

JIM FOUSS, Miami ’58, was inducted into the Sidney City Schools Hall of Honor. He serves as the president of Fouss Market Research, a lecturer in the business management department of Washington College and community leader in Chestertown, Md.

1960 •

DAVID SYMPSON, Kentucky ’60, was elected the 107th president general of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution at the society’s 120th Annual Congress in Cleveland.

JIM RUTLEDGE, Louisville ’62, was inducted into the Atherton High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame.

He is the master distiller and president at the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Ky.

Eta chapter at Muhlenberg hosted the fourth annual Mules and Friends Golf Outing. More than 80 golfers attended the event that has raised thousands of dollars for charity since its inception.

Next year’s event will be held June 3, 2011. Contact Brad Fischer at bafish11@hotmail.com for more information.

Learning. Leading. Serving.

THE LAUREL | www.phikappatau.org

31

Charles Whittington, Florida State ’03, [left] served as a summer legal intern at Grant, Fridkin, Pearson, Athan & Crown, P.A., Attorneys at Law in Naples, Fla., where David Budd, Ohio ’56, is a shareholder. Whittington was later offered and accepted a position at the firm.

DR. ROBERT STAMPS, Coe ’67, was elected an honorary member of the Florida State Horticultural Society. Stamps, who works as a professor of environmental horticulture at the University of Florida/IFAS MidFlorida Research and Education Center, was recognized for his meritorious service to the society and advancement of horticulture in Florida.

•

1970 •

SCOTT ADAMS, Washington State ’73, was recognized as the Appraisal Institute’s May “Volunteer of Distinction” for Region 1. The Appraisal Institute

Staff Sergeants Steve Clark, Georgetown ’84, and Mike Lona, Louisville ’95, of the Kentucky Army National Guard recently completed a year-long deployment with Task Force Aviation, Kosovo Forces 12, in support of NATO peacekeeping operations in the Balkans. Clark is a firefighter and paramedic with Frankfort Fire/EMS and Lona works with the U.S. Army Aviation Support Facility in Frankfort. is the nation’s largest organization of real estate appraisers, and Adams was praised for his commitment to the institute, his profession and his community.

•

1980 •

MARK LOGRIPPO, St. John’s ’88, participated in the sixth annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City (BBBS of

Alumni members from Nu chapter at UC Berkeley reunited for a golf outing at Woodbridge Country Club in Woodbridge, Calif. [From left to right] Dan Hernandez ’63, Bob Albright ’60, Nick Sokol ’62 and Elliott Adams ’61.

NYC) RBC Race for the Kids that raises funds and awareness for the organization’s mentoring program. LoGrippo’s team raised $18,000 for BBBS of NYC. T.G. SHUCK, Georgetown ’88, received a Regional Emmy award in the 46th annual Ohio Valley competition for the AnchorWeather-Composite category. He is chief meteorologist at WKYTTV 27 in Lexington.

BILL SIMONITSCH, Florida State ’89, was promoted to partner at K&L Gates LLP, a global law firm. He was also appointed Southeast Regional Governor for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

•

1990 •

NICK PEZZAROSSI, Louisville ’95, was named a human resources specialist for the National Institute of Heath in Bethesda, Md. •

2000 •

ALLAN NACAPUY, Western Michigan ’00, entered the Chiquita Banana Sticker Design Contest for graphic designers and artists. His design was one of the 18 winners that will be featured on Chiquita bananas nationwide this November.

Alpha Phi chapter at Akron hosted its fourth annual Hole in the Wall Classic Charity Golf Scramble for Flying Horse Farms, a provisional member of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps in Mt. Gilead, Ohio. The event attracted 157 golfers to Sable Creek Golf Course in Hartville, Ohio, and raised $17,000 for the camp before camp founders matched the fundraising total at 50 percent, making the contribution $25,500.

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Learning. Leading. Serving.

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