19 minute read
Remembering Our Brothers
Remembering Our Brothers Edward Wedbush Enters Chapter Eternal A Loss for Triangle and the Business Community
JACK HOCHADEL cin52 & RANDALL DREW rose67
EDWARD W. WEDBUSH cin50, born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 14, 1932, graduated in 1955 from the University of Cincinnati in Mechanical Engineering entered Chapter Eternal on January 5, 2020, at the age of 87 in his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Ed received a Wagner Electric Company scholarship to attend Cincinnati where he was involved in campus politics becoming the first engineering student to be elected University Senior Class President. Ed also played tennis there and Tony Trabert (former #1 tennis champion and longtime tennis author, TV commentator, instructor & motivational speaker) used him for workouts. Upon graduating in 1955 Wedbush received a scholarship position at Hughes Aircraft in Culver City, California which included attending graduate school at UCLA to earn his MBA. The following year in 1956 he assisted Hughes in recruiting Cincinnati Triangle brothers Michael Kausch cin52 and Jack Hochadel cin52 for positions at the company. The three of them then purchased a beach home just a five-minute drive from the Hughes facility. The three men were then involved in starting the Triangle chapter at UCLA and made loans to assist in the purchase of the chapter house. During these early years, Ed met his soon-to-be wife Jean, a young nurse, when she was brought to a party at the house by a mutual friend. The early days of his Wedbush & Company stock and brockerage (now Wedbush Securities) operated on the dining room table of the beach home. Their first real office was opened in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles in 1957, and he subsequently accrued several other area brokerage businesses. In 1971 they bought a membership in the New York Stock Exchange. After over 60 years of growing the business, it is the leading independent West Coast stock brokerage company with over 800 employees and 99 offices in several states. Wedbush & Company is now owned and run by Ed’s sons Gary and Eric. Among the many accolades he has received were in 2000 an Honorary Doctors Degree and in 2004 a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Cincinnati. He was also named one of the top 100 executives by the Los Angeles Times. Wedbush was an early member of the Triangle Wall of Fame in the fourth class to be inducted in 1998. In 2011, Wedbush received the Fraternity’s highest honor, the Triangle Service Key. Wedbush served two decades on the Triangle Education Foundation Board of Directors from 1996 to 2016 also serving as the Board’s Investment Chair where he oversaw significant growth of the Foundation’s endowment. Ed was also a member of the University of Cincinnati Foundation Board. When Ed attended Board meetings on campus, he always enjoyed stopping by the Cincinnati Chapter house and chatting with the actives. Always when asked when he was going to retire Ed would answer “I am now only working half-days, from 5:30AM to 5:30PM”. Both the Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal ran extensive stories and pictures about his passing, his life, family and companies. It is said that the founding and growth of Wedbush Securities is a true American success story. s
Pat Kelly, Brother, General, and Leader
In honor and remembrance of Major General Patrick Joseph Kelly marq56 September 2, 1937 - September 13, 2019
JIM HELDER marq57
My wife Margie and I were traveling in France, sharing a car with the Kellys, the ladies in the back seat, Pat and I in front sharing the duties of driving and navigating, I had not seen Pat since college and we were getting caught up on our lives since then. I was particularly interested in Pat’s military career, especially his overseas tours of duty. Here is the story we discussed as best as I can recall: It was Pat’s second deployment to Vietnam getting toward the end of the US participation. I asked Pat how much difference there was in this tour compared to his first, “Oh my gosh; what a change. Morale was really low.” These troops had seen enough of body parts flying through the air and body bags being flown home. There was loss of respect for the leaders of the military as well as the leaders of the country. The troops were outright resisting and disregarding orders, which in earlier times would have led to courts martial and even execution. Pat was probably a major by this time and was soon given the orders to move his men out through an area known to be booby-trapped and seeded with land mines. The non-coms told him, “Major, the troops ain’t gonna go.” Decision time. Pat knew that applying the old rules probably would not work well now. He told his sergeant to get a truck, “We’ll put sand bags under and around the seats; more sand bags in the truck bed and you and I sergeant are going to back the truck through the mine field and the men will follow in our tracks. If we hit a mine the sand bags should give us some protection.” Nobody had ever tried it before and he never found out how effective the sand bags would have been. They never hit a mine.
As he was finishing the story his wife Marilyn from the back seat stopped her conversation with Margie and said, “Pat, you did what? I never heard that story! My God, you could have been killed!” “That’s why I never told you.” He also told me later on that there were more stories from that time that he had not told her or anyone else, and that was probably true of most of those who were over there. I think the narrative exemplifies the role of true leadership in a man who recognized how to be an effective true leader: being able to assess the situation, immediately coming up with a solution that isn’t quite according to protocol, but not really against the rules, and getting the job done. He could have said, as had many before him, “Troops, get out there and cross that field.” There’s a big difference in those who lead from the front and those who lead from the rear. Leadership is more than giving orders and expecting others to follow; a true leader doesn’t ask others to do something he himself will not do. s
Triangle Education Foundation Expands Support of Chapter Campaign
New Services Available to Assist Chapters and Alumni with Major Fundraising Efforts
AARON GIRSON
In response to increased interest from chapters and alumni organizations in making major fundraising pushes for chapter housing and other funding needs the Triangle Education Foundation now offers chapters and alumni organizations comprehensive support for their fundraising efforts. The Foundation offers campaign services for major fundraising initiates, including campaigns for major chapter house renovations or building a new facility. We can also incorporate other chapter needs such as funding scholarships, support for leadership programs and meeting a chapter’s ongoing educational needs into a campaign.
Campaign services include:
• Pre-Campaign Study & Alumni Relations Assessment • Prospect Research • Comprehensive Campaign Counsel/Management
As part of the Triangle family the Triangle Education Foundation is well positioned to support the fundraising needs of Triangle chapters: • We understand the unique culture of Triangle and have experience working with Triangle alumni. • We are already working with your alumni and often already have connections with many of your chapter’s potential supporters. • We coordinate support with the National Fraternity and Triangle Building & Housing Corporation.
The Triangle Education Foundation has 60 years of fundraising experience with more than 50 years of
experience in the fraternity industry and all of our senior level staff hold the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential. We offer a range of services to fit chapter needs, for more information please contact Triangle Education Foundation Vice President Aaron Girson at agirson@triangle.org or 317-837-9641.
Iowa State Campaign Update
Securing Our Future – Triangle’s Home Campaign approaches $1,800,000! After moving into their new facility in the fall of 2018 the Iowa State chapter and alumni engaged the Triangle Education Foundation to undertake a campaign to raise $2,000,000. To date, nearly $1,800,000 has been secured and we are well on our way to reaching the $2,000,000 goal by the fall of 2020. For more information on the Securing Our Future – Triangle’s Home Campaign please contact Triangle Education Foundation Vice President Aaron Girson at agirson@triangle.org or 317-837-9641. s
SAVE THE DATE 2021 NATIONAL CONVENTION
Date: June 24-26, 2021 Location: Rosen Plaza Hotel Orlando, FL
Triangle Building & Housing Corporation
2020 - 2021 BOARD ELECTIONS
The Triangle Building & Housing Corporation’s Leadership Team is an all-volunteer board of directors consisting of a chairman, secretary/ treasurer, assistant secretary, and two directors. Every year, members of the Fraternity have the opportunity to elect a Director for the TBHC. Director terms last for five years. This year the elected Director will begin his term July 1, 2020 and will conclude on June 30, 2025.
Nominated for Director | Jim Marshall, pur65 Term Length: 5 years Employer Retired from Purdue University Biography Brother Marshall pur65, was previously the Associate Director of Computing Research for the Office of Space Management and Academic Scheduling at Purdue University. He received his bachelors of science degree in 1967 and a master of science in 1970, both from Purdue University. He worked in the Office of Space Management and Scheduling for Purdue for 46 years, retiring as Associate Director of Computing Research in 2013. Jim is a distinguished leader in his field as he was instrumental in the development of the computer program that brought classroom space and class scheduling and final exam assignment out of the dark ages of paper and pencil and into the computer age. This development was the “big bang” of computerized scheduling for higher ed, a system originated by Jim and Purdue that after decades of evolution is now in use around the world. Jim was initiated into the Triangle Chapter at Purdue in 1965 and graduated in 1967. After graduation his passion for Triangle only grew. Jim served for nearly 40 years on the Purdue Triangle Alumni Board and 30+ years on the Triangle National Building Loan Fund/ Building & Housing Corp. Jim twice served as Triangle National President (1979-1980 and 1987-1988); Triangle National Council 1976-1981, 1986-1989; and received the National Service Key in 1995.
Triangle Building & Housing Elections are now open! Visit www.triangle.org to vote. If you would like a paper ballot, contact Triangle HQ at 317-837-9640.
CHAPTER ETERNAL
Kenneth Stevenson cin49 Edward Wedbush cin50 Carl Bhame cin53 Philip Tayntor cl57 George Brunish cl59 Dennis Thorpe cl61 Dean Macri conn81 David Harriott cor50 Theodore Wong cor50 Lionel Baldwin csu70 Walter Kevern ill47 Bristol Conklin ill50 George McGee ill63 Douglas Franz ill80 Daniel Varble ill81 Thaddeus Reavill ill89 Richard Carlson is71 James Book kan53 Dean Eaton kan64 John Miller ks65 Leroy Page ks86 Walter Stover lou49 William Bergner, Jr. marq47 Pat Kelly, Maj. Gen. marq56 John Heidbreder marq62 Jim Burkemper marq63 David Osborn, PE mich50 John Shafer mich53 James Straley, Jr. mich80 Russell Larsen mich81 Eugene Bregmann minn44 Ronald Hermone neb63 William McLaughlinnu45 Guy Hunter nu45 Richard Harris nu50 Donald Manhard nu51 Alan Hart nu53 Darold Jackson nu54 Dennis Gibson nu56 H. Jack Allison oks64 Gilbert Coddington os29 Forest Slagl os37 Roy Merryman os38 Carl Royer os40 Edward Werner os41 Everett Garratt os42 Robert Barrow os47 Burton Bicksler os47 Frank Racher, PE os47 Kenneth Adams, Jr. os48 Walter George os48 Edward Kreider Richard Orth John Waugh Richard Kirk Ronald Kinsey Robert Brenza Douglas Glantz John Bowden Robert Chandle Robert Vickers John Gantz H. Jack Sargent Roger Conant William Roberts Donald Bloss Robert Lee Stephen Sanders os48 os48 os48 os50 ps51 ps56 ps69 ps81 pur35 pur42 pur44 pur55 pur57 pur58 pur67 pur67 rose86 Nathan Steinbach John Pavlat James Reiter James Smith William Haseman Jeremiah Bryar William Ille Jule Bergauer George Hensersky sdm41 sdm52 sdm69 ucla65 uwm70 uwm02 wis42 wis53 wis80
Know a member who has entered Chapter Eternal? Please let us know by contacting Triangle Headquarters at 317-837-9640.
Oklahoma Chapter Works to Heal Neighborhood Rift
CONNIE SIEFERMAN, CONTRIBUTOR
A dictionary search for the word “fraternity” yields this definition: the state or feeling of friendship
and mutual support within a group. That meaning of the word certainly holds true for the members of
Triangle’s chapter at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. However, their sense of friendship and mutual
support extends beyond the walls of the chapter house. A surprising and occasionally turbulent history
with their residential neighbors has become a heart-warming turnabout story worth sharing.
The historic and architecturallysignificant chapter house was originally built in 1930 for another fraternity. A couple of years later, it was sold to a sorority. Purchased in 1959 by a religious organization, it was then intended for use as a retirement home and served as such for more than 40 years. Triangle acquired the property at auction in 2000. With 22 bedrooms, a commercial kitchen and other useful communal spaces, this was viewed as a good investment for a fraternity of modest size. In addition, its location close to campus engineering facilities was seen as a convenient plus. Since the house sits in a residential area composed largely of singlefamily dwellings, the local neighborhood organization objected to Triangle’s purchase from the very beginning. The neighbors had hoped that the house would be converted to a private residence. The concerns associated with the purchase eventually led the neighborhood group to bring suit, attempting to prevent the fraternity from occupying the property. Attorneys for Triangle based their response to the suit on the argument that use of the structure as a fraternity was essentially the same as its prior use as a retirement home. Additionally, they pleaded the case for its original 1930 zoning exception to operate as a fraternal organization. Despite their efforts, the City of Norman declined to continue the zoning exception. The case then proceeded to progress through several courts. In the first two years after Triangle’s purchase of the house, it was occupied by the maximum allowed number of three brothers. Because that did not produce enough income to pay expenses, the building was temporarily leased out to another organization. Meanwhile, the troubling legal case finally reached the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2002. In a surprising turn of events, the high state court rendered a decision in favor of Triangle Fraternity. By overturning previous decisions, a judgement was entered against the City of Norman to allow occupation of the house by the fraternity. Thus it happened that, in January of 2003,
a total of 12 men moved into the chapter house. Plans were put into place for necessary renovations to the 73-year-old property. As one might imagine, relationships with the long-standing residents of the surrounding neighborhood were rough. The community association was not happy about the fraternity moving back into the area, fearing that a Greek organization might make modifications to a historic landmark cherished by the neighborhood. Triangle men, all too aware of their neighbors’ opposition to the presence of a fraternity, naturally kept to themselves and their own interests while seeking to recruit and build the Oklahoma chapter successfully. Time has a way of healing wounds. Neal Helfrey rit08, a transplanted alumnus, has lived in the Oklahoma house as superintendent for the past two years. He describes his first contact with a neighborhood homeowner. “I was working hard at the house
when I assumed the role of superintendent. Gutting some of the interior areas for renovation, painting outside and in, cleaning and so on. It was a big job! A lot had been neglected for quite a while. I loved it, but it was hard work.” As he toiled outside the building one day, a neighbor ambled over to chat and compliment him on the effort he was making to improve the property. That conversation was a beginning. “That was Lee Hall, president of the neighborhood association. She had only lived across the street for a couple of years, but was aware of the troublesome history between the residents and the fraternity. We started talking and hit it off right from the beginning! That conversation opened up the opportunity to continue speaking to each other occasionally.” When people start talking, things change. It wasn’t long before Hall reached out to the chapter president with an idea. She tells the story with great enthusiasm. “I asked if he (the president) would be interested in hosting a neighborhood get-together at the house. They have a big front yard which I thought would make a great gathering place for everyone. He was very willing!” The event was scheduled and the neighbors turned out in good number, along with many of the Triangle men. Hall adds, “And the fraternity was so gracious. They provided ice cream for the event. It was a wonderful time.” The next thing that evolved from those first steps toward reconciliation was a Halloween event for the neighborhood children. Helfrey recalls the conversation when Hall broached the idea. “She came to us and asked if we would mind them doing a pumpkin-carving party on the lawn. Our answer was yes. Can we help?” Hall nostalgically remembers the involvement of the fraternity at that event. “It was fun for the neighbors, a safe place for the kids to trick-or-treat. When we reached out to the men, they were – once again – very willing. They helped get pumpkins ready for carving, they set up tables, they
Oklahoma chapter members gathering with neighborhood
played with the kids. It felt like we were really building a relationship.” The Active President to whom Hall originally reached out with her idea for neighborhood events was Trevor Cooper ok16. He echoes her sentiments regarding those early gatherings and the subsequent impact of bringing everyone together. “The men of Triangle and I believed that having and supporting the neighborhood events was a great way to show our neighbors that we could have a positive influence on the community. The biggest influence in our relationship is our neighbors Lee and Rick Hall. In reality, the only steps I had to take were to support the neighborhood programming and encourage Triangle members to assist at these events. Due to this, most of the neighbors who were originally against us occupying the house eventually seemed content to have us live there. I think most of this can stem from how tame we are, relative to other fraternal organizations on campus.” Those first couple of neighborhood gatherings proved to be the launch pad for additional events. In 2017, Triangle opened up the house for a tour and a hamburger cookout on that big front yard. Local families from 15 different households showed up, along with most of the active members and – perhaps best of all – alumni who had been in residence during the court cases. The event was successful at shedding light on both sides of the earlier issue, and significant at bringing everyone together in good faith and goodwill. Hall talks about that opportunity for the neighborhood to see first-hand the work Helfrey was doing on the property. “Because the old house had not been properly maintained, Neal did a lot of interior renovations, selling off lots of stuff that had been left behind, replacing old stuff with new furnishings, refinishing the floor, painting. There were lots of updates to increase membership. He did everything under the sun to create a good environment. It was a wonder to watch! Everyone was very impressed. We all loved what he tried to do. “Neal was just such a positive represen-tative of the chapter. Great guy, so responsible in trying to take care of the house and model that for the guys. The neighbors now
try to support all of them during finals week with snacks. We make a concerted effort to get to know the Active Presidents and the guys we’ve worked with. We all make great neighbors now! It is truly an intergenera-tional, very diverse neighborhood.” There are more necessary improvements and upgrades needed for the house, and the chapter is working with Triangle Building & Housing Corporation to accomplish those goals within a fiscally-responsible and budget-conscious timeline. It is a journey that includes investment at the national level, a belief in the sustainability of the chapter, and open lines of communication every step of the way. Even longterm observers of the process freely acknowledge the impact of a good relationship between all parties involved. Cooper, now serving as president of the Alumni Board, sums up the past experiences and the impact those have on the future. “I see the relationship continuing to grow, moving forward. It is my goal as Alumni Board President to express the importance of building these relationships. I am still very local, in graduate school at the University of Oklahoma. Since I am a five-minute drive from the house, I have made it a point to be there multiple times a month, if not multiple times a week... Whenever my time as Chairman is complete, I plan on educating my successor about the importance of these relationships.”
The feeling of friendship and mutual support within a group is certainly a good definition of a fraternity. In the case of Triangle Oklahoma, it also defines an entire neighborhood. s
Have an article idea for the next edition of The Review? Email your ideas or your article to communications@triangle.org!
Clockwise, from foreground: Malmquist, Cerrato, Coller, Bova, Pritchard, Beaubien, Marshall, Pennington, Hatfield. Not pictured: Fouts
The 2020 TBHC Annual Meeting was held in Orlando, Florida, on February 8.
In attendance were:
Joe Cerrato | Fraternity President Tom Pennington | Fraternity Exec Dir John Pritchard | Foundation Chrmn Scott Bova | Foundation President Richard Beaubien | TBHC Chrmn John Malmquist | TBHC Vice Chrmn James Marshall | TBHC Sec/Tres Don Hatfield | TBHC Asst Sec Mike Fouts | TBHC Exec Dir
Triangle REVIEW | Vol 109, No.1 | Spring 2020 120 S. Center Street | Plainfield, Indiana 46168-1214
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