Dear Brothers:
On Saturday, April 2, 2016, the Grand Chapter, The Foundation Chapter Board of Directors, and Norwich Housing Corporation Board of Directors will gather at the Theta Chi Fraternity International Headquarters to honor a group of outstanding Theta Chi alumni. On this date, Theta Chi will officially unveil its donor recognition wall for contributors to the Cornerstone Capital Campaign and will bestow the Fraternity’s Distinguished Achievement Award on a group of inaugural inductees into Theta Chi Fraternity’s Hall of Honor.
About the Cornerstone Capital Campaign
In 2014, The Foundation Chapter of Theta Chi embarked on a mission to support the top leaders in our Fraternity. The Presidents Conference rose to become the Fraternity’s premiere leadership experience, providing our Chapter Presidents with the training needed to succeed in today’s college environment. The decision was made to embark on a Capital Campaign aimed at endowing the conference with $1,500,000 in tax-deductible gifts. The gifts made to Cornerstone will alleviate financial burden on our Chapter Presidents for generations to come.
Two hundred forty-four Brothers from 94 chapters gave of their personal wealth in order to pave the way for the next generation of Theta Chis. Furthermore, the participants of the 2015 and 2016 Presidents Conference made their own pledge commitments in order to ensure this conference is a staple in our Fraternity.
Through this endeavor, a leader emerged with a vision to provide our Presidents with an executive level education. Dollar Tree CEO Bob Sasser (Gamma Rho/Florida State 1973) made the lead gift of $250,000 to anchor the funding of the campaign. In honor of his commitment to executive education, this leadership event has been renamed the Sasser Presidents Conference.
Those who contributed to the Cornerstone Capital Campaign will have their name inscribed on the donor recognition wall at the International Headquarters.
About the Distinguished Achievement Award / Theta Chi Hall of Honor
The Distinguished Achievement Award was created to recognize alumni for extraordinary accomplishments outside of the Fraternity, which may include success in business, government, academia, athletics, entertainment, in the community, and/or any other appropriate field. Theta Chi is pleased to announce the creation of the Hall of Honor as a means to recognize those men in our brotherhood who have been honored with the Fraternity’s Distinguished Achievement Award.
Those men recognized with the Distinguished Achievement Award will be inducted into Theta Chi’s Hall of Honor, which serves as both a symbolic honor for our members as well as a physical “Hall of Fame” at the International Headquarters building in Carmel, Indiana. Those men selected for the Hall of Honor will have their photo prominently displayed in an impressive manner on the walls of the headquarters.
To date, the Fraternity has officially awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award to 51 Theta Chi Fraternity members. The Grand Chapter has approved an additional class of award recipients, eleven of whom will be recognized at the Hall of Honor induction on April 2.
To date, the following award recipients have confirmed their attendance for the April 2 induction:
Ernest W. Accorsi (Gamma Omicron/Wake Forest 1963)
GM of Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants
Bruce P. Bagge (Gamma Upsilon/Bradley University 1959)
Senior Vice President, Gruntal & Co.
Marvin R. Baxter (Beta Upsilon/Fresno State 1961)
California Supreme Court Justice
Rep. Dennis A. Cardoza (Alpha Psi/Maryland 1981)
Former U.S. Congressman, California
Melvin D. George (Delta Iota/Northwestern University 1953)
President Emeritus, University of Missouri
Brig. Gen. Harrison B. Gilliam (Eta Gamma/Morehead State 1990)
U.S. Army
Arnold L. Hansmann (Beta Phi/Nevada 1966)
Director/Advisory Council Member, MIRUS Information Technology Services, Inc.
Kevin W. Krepinevich (Zeta Alpha/Slippery Rock University 1976)
CEO and Internal Secretary, Kiwanis International
Col. Duane A. Lamb, Retired (Alpha Phi/Alabama 1976)
U.S. Air Force
Marlon D. Longacre (Eta Gamma/Morehead State University 1986)
Co-Founder, Northstar Church
Alan K. Saunders (Gamma Xi/San Jose State 1969)
Senior Offensive Assistant, Cleveland Browns
Maj. Gen. W. Russell Todd, Retired (Alpha/Norwich University 1950)
President Emeritus, Norwich University
The biographies of each of these men will be published on thetachi.org and through social media in the days leading up to the Distinguished Achievement Award presentation. Additional nominees for the Distinguished Achievement Award who are unable to attend the April 2 event will be recognized and have their names published at a future date.
Recognition Ceremonies
The ceremonies to formally unveil the Cornerstone Donor Wall and present the Distinguished Achievement Award will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at the Theta Chi International Headquarters (865 W. Carmel Drive, Carmel, Indiana). A reception with hors d’oeuvres and cash bar will follow and will conclude at 6:00 p.m. All Theta Chi members and their guests are invited to attend. There is no charge to attend the recognition ceremonies, although attendees are required to register no later than Friday, March 18 by contacting Executive Assistant Jennifer Junge at 317-848-1856 / jjunge@thetachi.org. Dress code for the ceremonies is coat and tie.
I hope you will consider joining us for this historic event. Should you have any questions regarding the events on April 2, please feel free to contact Executive Assistant Jennifer Junge at 317-848-1856 / jjunge@thetachi.org.
Fraternally,
Mike Mayer
Executive Director