Walt Davis Receives Distinguished Service Award
Carmel, IN – M. Walt Davis (Delta Upsilon/Arizona State 1965) has been named the 139th recipient of Theta Chi Fraternity’s Distinguished Service Award. The Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor that the Fraternity may confer upon a member and publicly recognizes and properly honors Theta Chi alumni who, by reason of outstanding international service, personal effort, and unselfish interest, have made distinguished contributions to the lasting good and general welfare of Theta Chi Fraternity. At no time can the number of awards made exceed the number of years in age of the Fraternity.
Brother Davis’ dedication to Theta Chi Fraternity spans nearly 60 years. He is a recipient of Theta Chi Fraternity’s Citation of Honor, three George T. Kilavos Alumni Awards (including one from the Grand Chapter), and the Earl D. Rhodes Theta Chi for Life Award.
Transferring to Arizona State from Keystone Junior College, Brother Davis pledged Theta Chi as a junior, bringing the total chapter size to eight members. He served as Social Chairman and was then elected President of Delta Upsilon Chapter. By the conclusion of his term, the chapter had grown to more than 30 members.
After graduating from Arizona State in 1965, Brother Davis was hired by then-Executive Director Mr. George W. Chapman as a Field Secretary. After Mr. Chapman retired, Walt then served as Assistant Executive Director under Howard Alter. During the period of working for two Executive Directors he and another Field Secretary, Ed Jacobson (Sigma/Oregon State 1967), volunteered to work weekends as Editors of The Rattle and brought the publication of issues up to date.
Walt Davis (C) receiving his Distinguished Service Award from Past Foundation Chapter President Lindsay Olsen (L) and Past International President Tait Martin (R)
Brother Davis was also instrumental in the recruitment of several local fraternities that subsequently became chapters of Theta Chi Fraternity. He participated in the installation of 12 chapters.
While working for the Fraternity he was given honorary titles of ‘Admiral’ in the Navy of Nebraska as well as ‘Lt. Colonel’ in the Alabama State Militia. He also earned the title of ‘Boyfriend’ when he met Miss Jeannine Re on a blind date while visiting a chapter in Missouri. He traded the title of ‘Boyfriend’ for ‘Husband’ when they married in 1969 and upgraded his title to ‘Father’ following the birth of his two children.
Upon his return to Arizona, Brother Davis served countless hours for Delta Upsilon Chapter in an advisory capacity as well as on its House Corporation. Brother Davis also assisted with the sale of the chapter house to Arizona State due to eminent domain and arranged for the proceeds from the sale to be placed in a chapter specific fund. This fund provides academic scholarships and helps to cover the costs for Delta Upsilon Chapter members to attend various Theta Chi International leadership education events.
Following the closure of his beloved Delta Upsilon Chapter in 2015, Walt assisted with the recolonization efforts in 2018/2019 and looks forward to its eventual reinstallation in the near future.
At the International level, Walt served as a Regional Counselor and as President of the Central Arizona Alumni Association. Brother Davis was also among several other Theta Chi leaders who established Theta Chi Funds for Leadership and Education, Inc. in the mid-1980s and served on its board of directors. In 2016, Walt was appointed to The Foundation Chapter Board of Directors.
Brother Davis recently retired after a dedicated career in the insurance industry. Upon his retirement, the president and chairman of the board of Mutual Insurance Company of Arizona stated that “Walt Davis was ‘LEADERSHIP DEFINED’,” and that, “While many individuals had played consequential roles in developing the company, none had stayed for 40 years and no one individual contributed as much as Walt."
Brother Davis was also active in the Professional Liability Underwriting Society and the Physician Insurers Association of America where he chaired the Convention Committee. PIAA presented him with an award that signified honesty and integrity and Walt was the first non-medical doctor to receive this honor. Walt also received the Distinguished Public Service Medal from the Maricopa County Medical Society for his service in working with medical doctors.
Brother Davis remains busy in post-retirement after accepting an appointment from the Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court to serve on the Attorney Discipline Probable Cause Committee.
Brother Walt Davis has always stood for upholding the values of our Fraternity and has helped many to attain them through his servant leadership.
Brother Davis’ award was presented during an alumni reception in Phoenix, AZ, hosted by The Foundation Chapter Board of Directors on February 7, 2020.
The citation covering his award reads as follows:
A Theta Chi for Life by every measure, Brother Davis lives his life and serves his Fraternity with a true understanding of our traditions and ideals. Though never seeking credit, his contributions to our Brotherhood are recognized by many and serve as an example to all. Theta Chi is forever grateful for his dedicated service to Delta Upsilon Chapter, on the Executive Office staff, as an Editor of The Rattle, as a Regional Counselor, as a committee member, and on the Foundation Chapter Board of Directors.
Foundation Chapter President Pat O’Connor stated, “Walt Davis brings a voice of reason and experience to Theta Chi. He is one of the most thoughtful and committed men I have had the pleasure of working with over the years. Walt is a great asset to Theta Chi.”
Past Foundation Chapter President Lindsay Olsen explained, “Walt is amazingly dedicated and has been a lifelong contributor to Theta Chi in so many ways. He has always been the first to answer the call to duty for the Fraternity and we are all better off due to his hard work and dedication.”
Fellow Foundation Chapter board member Kirby Montgomery said, “While Walt has had a lifelong devotion to Theta Chi, I have only known him during the years we have served together on The Foundation Chapter and the Theta Chi Loss Prevention Committee. Among his many contributions while serving on the board of The Foundation Chapter role, Walt assumed the oversight of the Scholarship Committee and led the group in designing a response to manage the heavy increase in scholarship applications. As for Theta Chi’s Loss Prevention Committee, Walt’s insurance claims background has been invaluable to tasks this committee has been asked to address. Walt is a true brother in every sense of the word, through his ready and able volunteer work on behalf of Theta Chi and in his personal caring for brothers, having reached out to check on me regularly, as I managed through some medical challenges.”
Theta Chi CEO Mike Mayer shared, “Walt is a living example of the Assisting Hand of Theta Chi Fraternity. We are all very fortunate to be the beneficiaries of his many contributions to our Brotherhood.”
Past International President and Delta Upsilon Chapter Brother Mike Maloney (1987) wrote, "Walt Davis is the embodiment of brotherhood. Walt constantly provides the Helping Hand throughout Theta Chi. Walt helps individual brothers, he helps the local alumni group, he helps the local housing corporation, he helps the international organization - he never stops helping Theta Chi. I am honored to call him a friend and brother."
Former Field Secretary and Walt’s Co-Rattle Editor Ed Jacobson (Sigma/Oregon State 1967) reminisced, “Walt was my supervisor, mentor, roommate, and friend when I worked as a Field Secretary for Theta Chi from the fall of 1967 through the spring of 1969. He and I partnered to edit The Rattle for a few years, too. The Editor at the time at gotten a few issues behind schedule and the office decided to take charge of it. Because I was the only one on staff with any journalism experience, I got the Editor nod. Walt, however, was the force behind the effort to get everything up-to-date. His attention-to-detail was extraordinary. He thought of things and anticipated things others, including me, would have missed. He was a perfect right-hand-man for then-Executive Director Howard Alter.
Walt excelled in many aspects of the job, but most amazing to me, at that time, well before personal computers made travel-scheduling at your desk easy, Walt could find the perfect flight for any trip. He was better than any travel agent.
Walt’s sense of humor, which is still in play, often kept me on my toes. It was often off-the-wall, but never mean spirited. He kept things light and rarely found it necessary to use a heavy hand. In short, he was a damn good supervisor!
Our friendship has endured. He sends me humorous messages 10 times a week. Some are even hilarious!
He has also updated me on things Theta Chi. He has never lost his dedication to his fraternity and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honor.”
Walt Davis (R) with past Executive Directors George Chapman (C) and Howard Alter (L)
Congratulations to Brother Davis—and Thank You for all you have done for Theta Chi!
Founded in 1856, Theta Chi Fraternity is a men’s collegiate fraternity with more than 196,000 initiated members and has established 243 chapters. Leadership development, personal development, and service to alma mater are fundamental to Theta Chi Fraternity’s mission.