September 2013

Additional Gala Info Book Your Room Room reservations at the Nittany Lion Inn can be made

online at www.nittanylioninn. WWW.THETACHIOMEGA.COM psu.edu or via phone at 800-233-7505. Please use Upcoming Event code THEJ13D to ensure best pricing and access to the Theta Are You Signed Up for the Party of the Century? Chi block of reserved rooms. The culmination of a Century in the Making Nominate a Brother is almost here! Join us for our gala celebra- Submit your nomination for the tion the weekend of October 19th. This is Board of Directors elections, not your standard Theta Chi & Penn State to be held October 19, at party. Consider the following itinerary, which www.thetachiomega.com/ is outstanding, and keep in mind that many nominations. generations of Omega Chapter brothers will be in town for the weekend, creating an incredibly Bring the Family valuable and unique opportunity to reconnect, During our grand reception relax, and enjoy. and black tie gala, your This is an exciting time for the fraternity kids will be entertained in a and a great and unique opportunity to catch separate room with certified up, have a fun trip with the family, and cel- professionals providing ebrate what we all know is an outstanding supervision, including games, Fraternity and University. movies, and a child friendly Find full details of the weekend’s activities The Theta Chi letters adorning the house are an menu. No need to worry, Mom at www.thetachiomega.com/gala. A few of the iconic symbol of our home at Penn State. The 2013 and Dad can dance the night highlights include: spring pledge class added new letters to the front of the house in April. The last time the letters were away and celebrate Theta Chi black tie style knowing the kids changed was back in 2007. Friday, October 18 are having plenty of fun as well. • Check in at the Nittany Lion Inn. The Theta entertainment, great food, plenty of dancing, Chi of Penn State reception desk will be open and time to connect and network. Penn State Quotable Quotes Friday and Saturday in the Rotunda to assist Trustee Anthony Lubrano will be the keynote with any arrangements and to provide infor- speaker. “It truly is amazing and worthy mation regarding the weekend. of serious contemplation • Optional mid-afternoon golf outing at Sunday, October 20 that Omega Chapter has Toftrees Golf Resort, hosted by Jeff Damcott. • Sunday Brunch at the Inn, providing time to been a stable, renowned, • Evening welcome reception at the chapter reconnect, remember the fun of the previous and contributing member of house, with drinks and light hors d’oeuvres two evenings, plan for future events and pre- the Penn State community (shuttle from Nittany Lion Inn provided). pare for another day at University Park and for nearly 95 years, bringing State College. young, aspiring men together Saturday, October 19 to ‘Extend the Helping Hand,’ • Annual Corporation meeting at the Nittany Don’t miss out on being a part of a Century in while establishing lifelong Lion Inn, with a continental breakfast and relationships and improving the Making! Take advantage of the last chance plenty of opportunity to connect with the to register by: the university experience for brotherhood. well over 1,500 fellow Omega 1. Returning the RSVP form enclosed in the • Complimentary bus tour of campus hosted brothers.” invitation you received in the mail by the Nittany Lion Ambassadors, with a - Richard Elder, National 2. Logging on to www.thetachiomega.com/ stop at the chapter house for a buffet lunch President of Theta Chi gala-rsvp and drinks before returning to the Inn. Fraternity 3. Calling 800-975-6699 • Saturday evening marks the big celebration, Read more of Richard’s letter at A Century in the Making with a grand www.thetachiomega.com. reception outside the Inn’s boardroom, We are looking forward to celebrating with you followed by a black tie gala with in October!

Omegaphone www.thetachiomega.com 1 Additional Gala Info A Century in the Making Honorary Chairmen The following alumni will be serving as honorary chairmen during the Century in the Making weekend…

Dick Jones ’60 Ed Brown ’87 George Chapman ’49 In addition to serving as treasurer and Ed Brown ’87 is former longtime president of George Chapman ’49 has quite the family president of Theta Chi the Alumni Association connection with Theta during his college days, of Omega Chapter of Chi, as his father served Dick Jones ’60 also Theta Chi. Honoring as Executive Director participated in IFC, the lifelong friendships of the Grand Chapter Alpha Nu, Kappa Phi made through our of Theta Chi Fraternity Kappa and Jazz Club. fraternity, he organizes through 1968. While Today, he is captain of frequent reunions with in school, George Jr. a 40-passenger launch brothers from his era. majored in Mechanical cruising around Mystic “I’d strongly urge all to attend [the gala]. Engineering, and served as president of Seaport on weekends, and through the week There will only be a very limited number Omega Chapter and secretary-treasurer of his he sets up boating education courses in the of significant milestones and celebra- freshman class. He also participated in IFC as community. He writes “I enjoy my annual tions during our lifetimes that will bring president, and in Parmi Nous, Pi Tau Sigma, trips to the Theta Chi house. They treat me generations of Omegas back to State Lion’s Paw, Glee Club, Sophomore Counsel, like a king. Wish we could get more of the old College. The gala is sure to be a great ASME and track. crowd back to State College.” time. Let’s party like it’s 1999 as we head “If we as alumni continue the work of the “[At the gala] I hope I’m able to find at toward the first 100 years of Omega recent classes, we can remain one of the least a few brothers from the 1956-1963 Chapter at Penn State.” best Penn State fraternities and student era, along with some of the actives who leaders. The feeling of pride in being an have been very generous to me during Omega member can result in greater my recent stay at the house.” leadership ability in college and business.”

Read the full Q&As on these Gala Chairmen on our website at www.thetachiomega.com/gala-chairmen/.

Honoring a Tradition, Celebrating a Century

Leo Sugg ’88, chairman for the Century 75th Anniversary Celebration ebrating Theta Chi at in the Making celebration, drew inspiration Weekend. Bill Renton was our Penn State’s Century in from fellow Theta Chi honorary chairman for the the Making. I am also Bill Renton ’46, who event, and he spoke eloquently thrilled to see Omega served as honorary about how special Omega was, reconvene our corporation chairman at Omega is and always will be, and fond- meeting for the second Chapter’s 75th anni- ly of the many Theta Chi mem- time in our history at the versary celebration in ories and lifelong relationships L to R: Robert Kramer ‘88, Owen historic Nittany Lion Inn 1994. that were formed. We enjoyed Fishman ‘85, Joey Kopetsky ‘86, Leo on Saturday morning, fol- He writes: “In an amazing level of support Sugg ‘88, Phil Katchur ‘88 and Mark lowed by many activities the spring of 1994, I in 1994, experienced a unique Holst ‘88 at the 75th Anniversary throughout the weekend, and Celebration. had the privilege of opportunity to reconnect that of course, a Black Tie Gala at Howard Alter ‘41 (L) and weekend, and had an absolutely great time - the Nittany Lion Inn on Saturday evening.” working with many William Renton ‘46 at others to help cre- the 75th Anniversary Omega Chapter black tie style. I am extremely Join us as we continue honoring this tradi- ate Omega Chapter’s Celebration. excited to help continue this tradition, cel- tion the weekend of October 18-20.

PSU Trustee, Spikes’ Ballpark Namesake to Serve as Gala’s Keynote Speaker

We are honored to have Anthony Lubrano served on the Athletic Committee at Penn opened June 2006 and serve as keynote speaker during our gala State during A Grand Destiny Campaign, a serves as home to the event. A PSU Trustee, Mr. Lubrano fundraising effort that resulted in over $1.3 State College Spikes. is simply an amazing supporter of the billion in gifts. A former baseball player Mr. Lubrano is also a University and is very happy to be part of at his alma mater, his lead gift to Penn member of the Laurel the Theta Chi reunion. He is a lifetime State Intercollegiate Athletics led to the Circle of the Mount member of the Alumni Association and a construction of Medlar Field at Lubrano Nittany Society as well member of the Nittany Lion Club, and has Park, the 5,400 seat baseball stadium that as the Presidents Club.

2 www.thetachiomega.com September 2013 Capital Campaign Update Preserving Our Home at Penn State for the Next Century Your Participation Needed to Meet Our Goal and Complete Items on Project List

As we celebrate a Century in the Making, there’s Project List no better time to pledge your commitment to the Omega Chapter capital campaign in Goal: ✓ Window replacement Replace doors on the first and second floor our effort to raise $500,000 ✓ Replace the shutters Paint, repoint and clean the exterior of the $500,000 to renovate from 470 alumni ✓ Remove the old dishwasher and replace it house the chapter house with a commercial sink Repair/replace the entry roof from the parking at 523 S. Allen St., Raised to ◉ Remove the glass block, install new structural lot to the kitchen and to fund an date: supports and install new glass block Renovate the first floor walls and floors endowment that $154,021 ◉ Replace porch railings to code Replace the water damaged concrete floor in will enable Omega from 78 alumni Chapter of Theta Chi ◉ Replace porch stairs, repair slab edge and the kitchen to remain a viable and repaint Renovate the basement bathroom leading force at Penn ◉ Replace porch roof and provide new gutters Rebuild the bathroom on the first floor State. and conductors Renovate the stairs from first floor to 2nd and You should have received a thorough update ◉ Replace the French doors from the living 3rd floors on our campaign status in the mail this summer (if room to the porch, from the downstairs Investigate and repair water leaks from the 1st you did not, you can view it online at dining room to the parking lot and the floor www.thetachiomega.com/update). interior doors to the bar Install radiator thermostats Your participation is critical to completing the Update the electrical system in the basement, Bring to ADA compliance projects on this list so that we can preserve Theta first floor and second floor Chi Omega for another century. To pledge your Renovate the second floor bedrooms ✓ = Completed ◉ = In progress commitment, go to www.thetachiomega.com/ capital-campaign-donations/.

Alumni Updates

Stephen Rozyckie ’92 Jacob Kerr ’10 away from Happy Valley! I have moved to (1548 Inverness Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA (1657 Westgate Drive Apt 203, York, PA Manayunk to work with Cornell Homes as a 17050; [email protected]) Just after Joe 17408; [email protected]) In February Project Manager and Sales Associate. Paterno’s passing I became involved in starting I moved to York for a new job as an R&D a charity called Success With Honor. A good Engineer for Magnesita Refractories, one of Edward Wallace ’12 friend/co-worker had the idea during JoePa’s the largest refractory companies in the world. (20407 Apple Harvest CIR, Apt. A, memorial service after hearing all the good As part of my initial training, I was sent to Germantown, MD 20876; ejwallace3@gmail. things that Penn Staters were doing to help Orleans, France for a week to participate in com) After graduation I moved to the DC others. He was pretty much fueled by all the what is called “FIRE School”, or simply a Metro area where I work for an engineering negativity that we’d been hearing for months. refractories education course. While I was firm specializing in commercial nuclear power. About 18 months later we’ve vetted over 50 there, I spent time with David Hartwich ’09, I have been traveling to different nuclear sites PSU charities, connected with the Lettermen’s who also works in the world of refractories across the US performing all kinds of various Club, and have about 20 or so volunteering and was attending the course through his work. Recently I have been heavily involved their time with us. I would love for some fel- employer. in performing modifications to US nuclear low Theta Chis to get involved. Learn more at In other fraternity-related news, over the plants to help mitigate Fukushima Daiichi- www.successwithhonor.org. past several months I was reunited with sev- like events. Sadly, my job has started to eral brothers at events including the weddings become my life. I was able to make it back to Steve Brummel ’03 of Kent Rentschler ’10 in October, Jared the house for fall initiation and I got to meet (13349b Faxon Road, Plano, IL 60545; Case ’10 in June and Jason Chottiner ’09 in up with brothers in Washington DC during [email protected]) I got married on September. a brotherhood trip for our new members. June 22, 2013 to my beautiful wife Lauren. We Hopefully as I get more free time I will be had a perfect wedding day with weather in the Tyler Doppelheuer ’12 able to be more active to the chapter. mid 80’s and an overcast sky. William Hertrick (1619 W Crawford Avenue, Connellsville, PA ’04 was able to attend. That was a huge surprise 15425; [email protected]) Regrettably, I for me. It was great to see him again. have left my job with Penn State and moved

Omegaphone www.thetachiomega.com 3 560‑125 FN MH Undergraduate Highlights

Did You Catch the Omega Brothers on the Brothers Visit AJ Bobby at Hershey Today Show? Undergraduate brothers traveled to the Hershey Medical Center to visit their THON Brother AJ Bobby on May 14. In February, Theta Chis Brothers Liam Fennecken (singing lead vocals) and Zach Kramer performed danced for 46 on the Today hours at THON Show with the for AJ and PSU Statesmen countless other on May 15. If you families afflicted missed it, you can by pediatric find the video and cancer. The others at chapter raised www. $30,788.83 for thetachiomega. THON 2013. com/video/.

From the Archives A Century in the Making On February 25, 1919, as The League of Nations was being established by treaty in Paris, marking the end of World War I, another remarkable event was also well underway – the installation of the last of the single Greek Letter Chapters of Theta Chi, founding the Omega Chapter at The Pennsylvania State College. We sure have come a long way since this photo was taken, but the Theta Chi legacy remains the same. Join us October 18-20 as we celebrate a Century in the Making. See page 1 for full details, and find many more pictures from Omega’s first 95 years at

www.thetachiomega.com/photos.

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4 STD PRSRT www.thetachiomega.com September 2013