O ur id e ntity
Three Phi Taus are making a name for themselves, and they haven’t forgotten their Fraternity roots.
We Are
Robert Rippy President, Jungle Rapids/ Wrightsville Farms Management Group, Inc. Chairman, International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Wilmington, N.C.
FKT
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The King of Fun
Robert Rippy, East Carolina ’71, is in the business of fun. Following a successful career as a Wall Street investment banker, Rippy invested in the attractions industry. Today, he owns or has interests in a number of businesses, including Jungle Rapids, a successful family entertainment center in Wilmington, N.C. This year, he has also served as chairman of the world’s largest trade association for the global attractions industry, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). “As treasurer and president of Phi Tau, I learned how to run a business. Managing a fraternity is certainly different than operating a family fun center, but the primary issues and opportunities are very similar. And of course, living with 38 fraternity brothers I also learned a lot about tolerance, which has served me well. I made lifelong friendships and business partners in Phi Kappa Tau. From taking care of our guests at Jungle Rapids to leading IAAPA to sharing ideas and best practices with fellow attractions operators around the world, it all started with the foundations I built within the Fraternity and at East Carolina. Those lessons have traveled with me—from Hong Kong and the UK to Colombia, Australia and China—and have helped me understand that the right combinations of commitment, passion and hard work in a close-knit community will pay big dividends in the long run.” The Laurel | www.phikappatau.org
Laurel Winter 2011 pages 1-32.indd 13
Learning. Leading. Serving.
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