VOICE OF THE ESA

As my tenure on the Supreme Council comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on the remarkable strides the Fraternity has made in advancing our mission, vision, and values so that our members have the best experience possible throughout life. Serving as your Eminent Supreme Archon for the past biennium has been an absolute pleasure, even with challenges brought forth by moving operations to a virtual format in 2020. While the current situation has necessitated virtual communication and interaction, brotherhood and friendship cannot be extinguished.

I am incredibly proud of the efforts many of you have taken to stay safe during the pandemic. As successful as the virtual Founder’s Day celebration was, I am even more excited that we will be celebrating our brotherhood in-person very soon. The 165th Anniversary Convention is scheduled to take place in Des Moines this July. The Supreme Council is committed to our members’ health and well-being and will reinforce and promote social distancing practices outlined by local and state guidelines.

Supporting our members remains a top priority, and I hope that each of you has noticed more timely and prompt services and communication from our professional staff. All three entities (Fraternity, Foundation, Financial & Housing) have aligned their strategic plans and now share objectives, ultimately for the entire organization’s benefit. I could not be more proud of the current team working out of the Levere Memorial Temple and their dedication to serving the Realm. For the first time in a long time, we have a complete staff in place - a credit to Eminent Supreme Recorder Chris Hancock. His implementation of a leadership team is proving very effective in all aspects of Fraternity Operations.

The Supreme Council continues to focus on expansion, bringing the opportunity to join our beloved Fraternity to more men across the country. Since the start of this biennium (July 2019), we have returned to twelve schools, with an additional ten colonies expected over the next year. However, expansion encompasses more than just opening chapters. Recruitment strategies and services have been redeveloped to bolster the growth of our current chapters. Our alumni have been an integral part of our success in all areas of expansion. The Fraternity’s emphasis on alumni engagement, including the development of “The Alumni Leadership Academy,” is giving much-needed support to our front-line alumni volunteers.

It has been my honor serving as your Eminent Supreme Archon, and I appreciate the support and contributions that many of you have made. Your collective efforts continue to advance our Fraternity into greatness. Together, we can achieve anything. As the next biennium comes into view, remember that while being a male is a matter of birth, being a man is a matter of age, and being a gentleman is a matter of choice. I thank each of you for choosing to be True Gentlemen of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

Phi Alpha,

GREGORY D. BRANDT Eminent Supreme Archon (Drake ‘84)