The Phi Gamma Delta Fall 2007 Volume 129, Number 1
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TTheTThehhee PPHIPPHIHHII GGAMMAGGAMMAAAMMMMAA DDELTADDELTAEELLTTAA VVOL.OL. 112929 NNO.O. 1 FFALLALL 22007007 Guiding the PGA Tour A Visit with Commissioner Tim Finchem p. 32 Life After Duke Lacrosse Mike Pressler Persists p. 38 The Future of Phi Gamma Delta Grads and Growth p. 28 The Phi Gamma Delta Fall 2007 Volume 129, Number 1 Editor William A. Martin III (Mississippi State 1975) [email protected] Director of Communications Melanie K. Musick [email protected] Circulation 59,986 159,886 men have been initiated into the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta since 1848. Founded at Jefferson College, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, on May 1, 1848, by John Templeton McCarty, Samuel Beatty Wilson, James Elliott, Ellis Bailey Gregg, Daniel Webster Crofts, and Naaman Fletcher. Phi Gamma Delta Web Site www.phigam.org For all the latest information, updates, and anything you need to know about Phi Gamma Delta. Change of Address Send any address changes to the International Headquarters by email to [email protected], by phone at (859) 255-1848, by fax at (859) 253- 0779 or by mail to P.O. Box 4599, Lexington, KY 40504-4599. AtAt RightRight Spring recruitment: the brothers and newest pledge class of Omicron Chap- ter at the University of Virginia. OnOn thethe CoverCover As the Commissioner of the PGA Tour, Tim Finchem (Richmond 1969) holds considerable power in the industry, and he does it without wielding a club. The Phi Gamma Delta (USPS 429-880) is published by Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, 1201 Red Mile Road, P. O. Box 4599, Lexington, KY 40544-4599, (859) 255-1848. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The International Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta P. O. Box 4599 Lexington, KY 40544-4599. Member of College Fraternity Editors Association and 2 THE PHI GAMMA DELTA www.phigam.org Friendship, the Sweetest Influence COVERCOVER STORYSTORY Guiding the PGA Tour A Visit with Tim Finchem (Richmond 1969) 32 Life After Duke Lacrosse Mike Pressler (Washington & Lee 1982) persists. 38 Our Strategic Plan Graduates and Growth 28 F E A T U R E S 16 Chi Iota Re-charters at Illinois 18 Annual Awards 20 50th Anniversary at Miami 21 Ask Brother Governor 22 Lessons in Leadership 36 Ruling the Racetrack 40 From the Fiji Bookshelf D E P A R T M E N T S 4 President’s Message 5 GammaGram 7 On Campus 24 Graduate Almanac 42 Spotlight 45 Foundation Focus 51 Ad Astra 55 Fraternally Speaking The Mission of Phi Gamma Delta Phi Gamma Delta exists to promote lifelong friendships, to reaffi rm high ethical standards and values, and to foster personal development in the pursuit of excellence. Phi Gamma Delta is committed to provid- ing opportunities for each brother to develop responsibility, leadership, scholarship, and social skills in order to become a fully contributing member of society. Not For College Days Alone FALL 2007 THE PHI GAMMA DELTA 3 PRESIDENT’S Archon President EUGENE D. “Buddy” MESSAGE COTE III (Maine 1981) REVIVE, REVIVE! What kind of bond could sustain such a comfort of his home in Wilton, CT, (at At a recent graduate gathering in level of commitment that all those men, age 82 no less) to attend a chapter offi cer Providence, RI, Tim Kilduff (Kent State most well beyond their college songs installation and chartering banquet, 1968) told me how excited he had been and college days, would reunite so many he simply said, “I love seeing a chapter in late August as he traveled to Chicago years after the place of their common reborn and the gratitude on the faces of for a reunion of his contemporaries from experience, their undergraduate chapter, the graduates when it happens.” the Kappa Upsilon Chapter at Kent had ceased to exist? State. Sixty brothers traveled from most For many of you, it’s likely that simple, every state and converged on Chicago to The Archons are convinced that within too. There is no Fiji experience more celebrate over 40 years of brotherhood the answer to that question lies the great electrifying than the presentation of a – with one, Ray Petrisek (1968), return- solidarity and strength of Phi Gamma new (or renewed) chapter’s charter. And ing from Moscow, Russia, to win the dis- Delta: the uncommon loyalty of our again, the event is most often spawned tance-traveled award. Tim related how graduate brothers. by the vision of just a few men, be they they had reminisced well into the night freshmen who somehow grasp the and throughout the weekend, sharing As I write this article on a fl ight to Dal- deeper meaning of Phi Gamma Delta, or their respective updates on careers, fam- las, I am winging my way to a reunion graduate brothers longing to have their ily, and health, their assorted accom- of six chapter (Omega Mu) brothers, all chapter back. plishments and inevitable challenges. diehard New England Patriots fans. We are converging from all corners of the Loyalty, as we all know but often forget, On October 19 in Pittsburgh, Lee Mc- continent to spend a weekend together can be expressed in so many ways. You Fadden (Pittsburgh 1944) kissed the and root ourselves silly at the Pats-Cow- don’t have to attend a meeting every pig’s snout to the shouts and applause boys game. All married, we each some- month or even once a year. You don’t of 90 of his fellow Pi Sigma Chapter how elicited the permission of our wives have to contribute, or raise, a million brothers. The class years ranged from and families to gather for the big game. dollars. You just have to raise your hand. Brother McFadden’s 1944 to the relative A day earlier, a college football Saturday, Maybe punch a few numbers on your youngsters of the class of 1995. For most no doubt hundreds of Fijis did the same phone or a few keys on your computer. of those brothers, it was their fi rst Pig — tailgating, reminiscing, prognosticat- Call a long-lost brother. Get together. Dinner in over 10 years. ing …“telling lies”… and basking in the Take a drive to your alma mater, or stop uncommon communion of brotherhood. by another chapter that may be closer, These are scenes probably repeated where you may very well fi nd a new, one hundred-fold or more by countless Your fraternity is now keenly focused on hospitable Fiji home away from home. pledge classes and Fiji brothers who, two Strategic Initiatives that converge Or join one of our growing list of gradu- often spurred by the persistence of a in a common mission: to return to those ate chapters, soon to be active in as many single ring-leader, gather for a weekend campuses at which we once had chap- as 75 North American cities. Let us know of reunion, frivolity, and fraternal revival ters – and to make them great again. Our how you feel once you’ve taken that fi rst that makes real the unmatched, timeless main purpose is to provide a hospitable simple step. friendship that we Phi Gams know as home again for countless graduates who, brotherhood. for a variety of reasons, have lost their We’re betting you will enjoy the experi- chapters, and with it, the ready continu- ence. Phi Gamma Delta truly is not for So what makes the experiences of Tim ity of brotherly experience so many of us college days alone. It’s for all your days. Kilduff and Lee McFadden so special? are blessed to enjoy. Even if your own chapter is not active now, you always have your chapter While such reunions may be even more I had the pleasure and honor of ac- brothers … and the chance to revive your common than we readily know, what companying George Sternad (Ohio own experience, to begin anew. makes Tim Kilfduff’s journey so special Wesleyan 1948, Pennsylvania 1948) on a is that his Kent State chapter was closed recent journey to the re-chartering of our I’m Mighty Proud to be a Fiji! 27 years ago in 1980. In the case of Broth- Omega Chapter at Columbia University er McFadden, his chapter at Pittsburgh in New York City. When I asked George was closed 10 years ago. during our drive why he would leave the 4 THE PHI GAMMA DELTA www.phigam.org Friendship, the Sweetest Influence GAMMAGRAM NEWS, EVENTS, FEEDBACK Purdue’s Deschner Appointed to Archonate Ben Deschner was appointed by the says Archon President Buddy Coté. Ben is a health Archons to serve as an Archon Councilor sciences and for a two-year term beginning August Ben has chaired his chapter’s Campus biology major 31, 2007. “We are excited to have Ben Relations Committee and served on who has achieved join our Board of Archons, following the Risk Management Committee. He Dean’s List honors each semester at what we know was a highly competitive served on the installation teams for the Purdue. nominations process. The opportunity recharterings at Hanover College (May to select just one brother each year 2006) and Illinois (April 2007) and at- “Ben’s extensive leadership experience in among so many undergraduate leaders in tended the 2006 Ekklesia and the 2007 his own Lambda Iota Chapter, as well as our fraternity is truly a challenging one,” Fiji Academy. his impressive accomplishments within the greater Purdue University commu- On campus, he has participated in the nity, uniquely qualify him for service as Emerging Leaders Program and the an Archon, joining our other outstanding University Honors Program, as well as undergraduate Councilor, Dustyn Cur- FFEEDEEDbbackack serving as an Old Masters Program Host.