Eta Iota News

Eta Iota Awarded 2026 Peterson Significant Chapter Distinction

2026-08-01T00:00:00Z

Make room on the wall! The undergraduates are heading home from LTW with another plaque.

More details coming soon...

Property/Lawn Maintenance Update

2026-07-21T00:00:00Z

As members of the Sigma Chi House Corporation, we are committed to maintaining and improving our chapter property for both current and future brothers.

Over the past few years, we have unfortunately experienced the theft of multiple lawn mowers and landscaping equipment. After evaluating the ongoing costs, security concerns, and maintenance needs of the property, the House Corporation made the decision to partner with a professional lawn care company.

We recently completed a major property cleanup, and the transformation has been great. In addition, we have contracted the same company to provide bi-weekly lawn maintenance moving forward to ensure the grounds remain safe, attractive, and well-maintained year-round.

The before-and-after photos below highlight the significant improvements that have been made. We appreciate the support of our alumni, volunteers, and stakeholders as we continue investing in the upkeep and appearance of our chapter home.

Eta Iota's Sterling Stein Named 2026 International Balfour Award Finalist

2026-06-24T00:00:00Z

We have some exceptional news to share, putting Eta Iota on the national stage of Sigma Chi in a way it never has been before.

For the first time in Eta Iota history, a brother from our chapter has been named a finalist for Sigma Chi's most prestigious undergraduate honor.

Brother Sterling Stein ('25) has been selected as one of three finalists for the 2026 International Balfour Award — presented annually to the person believed to be the Fraternity's most outstanding graduating senior based on academic achievement, campus and community involvement, and Sigma Chi leadership. Sterling earned the distinction alongside brothers from the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Cincinnati, after first winning the award at both the chapter and province levels.

Sterling recently graduated summa cum laude from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, earning recognition as a Distinguished Military Graduate and finishing among the top Army ROTC cadets in the nation. At ERAU he served as Cadet Battalion Commander, competed in the prestigious Sandhurst International Military Skills Competition, and earned selection for the U.S. Army's highly competitive Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) program. Professionally, he completed internships with Northrop Grumman in support of classified programs, earning both Secret and Top Secret security clearances.

Within Eta Iota, Sterling served as Consul, Pro Consul, Magister, and Scholarship Chairman, mentoring new members and strengthening chapter operations throughout his tenure. His commitment to Eta Iota was recognized twice by our own Educational Foundation — as the 2022 recipient of the Eta Iota Military Appreciation Scholarship and the 2024 recipient of the Ryan Donley Memorial Scholarship. His path from scholarship recipient to IBA finalist is a testament to what those awards are meant to inspire.

Sterling and the other finalists will be interviewed by a national selection committee at the 2026 Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. The winner will be announced on August 1, 2026 and will serve on Sigma Chi's Executive Committee for two years as an advocate for undergraduates, in addition to receiving a postgraduate scholarship.

You represent Eta Iota well, Brother Stein. In hoc signo vinces.

Eta Iota Educational Foundation Announces Spring 2026 Scholarship Recipients

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

The Eta Iota Chapter of Sigma Chi Educational Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of our Spring 2026 scholarships. These awards recognize brothers who exemplify the values of Sigma Chi through academic achievement, service, and commitment to the chapter and to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Eta Iota Military Recognition Scholarship — Charles Bellett

Charles Bellett — B.S. Aeronautics, graduated Spring 2026.

Established in 2016, the Military Recognition Scholarship recognizes and financially assists Eta Iota brothers who are current or former U.S. Armed Forces personnel or who have completed at least one year of ERAU's ROTC program.

Brother Bellett has been a dedicated member of Air Force ROTC Detachment 157 since his arrival at ERAU, earning a Meritorious Service Award and ranking in the top 5% of all AFROTC cadets at Field Training in 2024. He holds a Private Pilot and Instrument Rating and carried a 3.53 GPA while simultaneously serving as chapter Consul and as Project GO Coordinator — a DoD-funded language and cultural immersion program.

Charles held four chapter officer positions — Blue and Gold Chairman, Assistant Magister, Pro Consul, and Consul — and is a past recipient of the competitive Project GO Arabic language immersion scholarship, to which he later returned as program coordinator for his ROTC detachment.

Chuck Torrisi Memorial Scholarship — Bronson Bowman

Bronson Bowman — B.S. Aeronautical Science, minor in Airline Operations, graduating Class of 2026.

Created in remembrance of Brother Chuck Torrisi (Eta Iota, 1994), this scholarship recognizes brothers who demonstrate outstanding character, academic motivation, and commitment to the Eta Iota Chapter and to ERAU.

Brother Bowman is an accomplished aviator with a Commercial Pilot certificate with Instrument rating and Tailwheel endorsement, and over 230 hours of flight time. He graduated high school summa cum laude with a 4.8 GPA and accumulated more than 270 hours of community service as president of the Lions Heart volunteer organization before arriving at ERAU.

As chapter Quaestor, Bronson keeps chapter finances and operations on track while contributing his construction experience to house projects, collaborating closely on risk management, and making one-on-one check-ins with his fellow executive members a personal priority — embodying exactly the kind of brotherhood Chuck Torrisi represented.

Support the Next Class of Recipients

Scholarships like these are only possible because alumni give back. As the chapter's 501(c)(3), the Eta Iota Educational Foundation is the only tax-deductible way to support undergraduate members — and many employers will match your gift dollar for dollar.

Donate to the Educational Foundation

Learn More

Learn more about all Eta Iota Educational Foundation scholarships — and apply for upcoming semesters — at foundation.etaiota.org. Spring deadline: February 21 • Fall deadline: October 1.

Congratulations to Brothers Charles and Bronson. In hoc signo vinces.

October 2025 House Corp Workshop

2025-11-01T00:00:00Z

Meeting: Workshop/Town Hall

Location: Zoom

Date: 10/20/2025 Time: 21:40 EDT

Officers present: Gregg Dudzinski, Mark O'Neill, Bill Kingsley, David Craig

Trustees: Larry Hesterberg, James Wasef, Dave Fraser, Scott Quinn, Derek Pizzo

Special guests: Chris Adam, Tyler Lautieri, Joby Titus, Grady Massey

Total brothers in attendance: 13

Minutes from the previous meeting were approved. Brother Fraser with a motion and brother Pizzo with a second.

Old business: None

President Report

Gregg highlighted the need for more undergraduate participation in house maintenance and discussed a recent visit, noting issues with room readiness and the need for better communication with contractors regarding extra work and billing. The group agreed to implement room inspections after students move out and to address any necessary repairs or updates, with the cost of these updates to be covered by the previous occupants if extra work is involved. Currently the only vacant rooms are 24 and the closet (room 20).

Most rooms were in good shape, but noted issues with multiple refrigerators in some rooms, which will be restricted to one per resident next year. He also discussed changes to the fire alarm system, which is now under a new contractor. The new contract will be approximately half what the current vendor wants to charge.

Projects recently completed:

Battery operated sump pump installed in laundry room.
Barrier around hot water heater placed to keep things from falling into the hole around it.
Stucco repairs on the back part of the house were previously approved by house corp due to the urgent nature of the repair, but they have to be formally approved in new business. The repairs are currently around 85% complete.

A/C condenser/air handler in the south wing may need to be replaced in the near future.

Tyler and Chris reported concerns that contractors were working unprofessionally, including one who was gambling on his phone and another who had fallen off a ladder. Gregg acknowledged the issues and said he would address them, noting that the work was at the scratch coat stage and had started on October 8th. Gregg suggested that the undergrads' perceived timeline of when the stucco work should be completed was unrealistic due to the process involved with the repair, and that it has only been 2 weeks.

The group also discussed plans to order 20 bricks for a wall project, with Larry offering to share a picture of the original center brick's inscription.

Vice President Report

Mark has been primarily helping brother Kingsley with fundraising projects for birthday.
Mark reiterated the process for nominations for upcoming elections, which need to be held 90 days before March birthday.

Secretary Report

Making sure etaiota.org has the correct information of the officers and trustees.

Treasurer Report

Bill presented the treasurer's report, highlighting the current cash position of $102,000, monthly expenses of $9,000–10,000, and monthly income around $17,000 per month from rent, parlor fees and donations of about $4,000 per month. He expressed concerns about accounts receivable and the need for an increase of the emergency fund to $75,000, while also discussing potential upgrades to the invoicing system.
There is approximately $87,300 in promissory notes with 3% flat annual interest, due in June.
Chris Adam provided an estimate of accounts receivable, noting that about 6 brothers are behind on rent due to issues with receiving invoices from Tenant Cloud. Gregg emphasized that semester rent should be paid upfront and threatened to take eviction action for non-payment.

Fundraising

Bourbon barrel was purchased to sell individual bottles at birthday. The barrel should yield 260–300 bottles. We have access to an identical barrel if we are able to sell more than the first barrel yields. The group agreed to use PayPal for payments, noting that shipping was restricted to Florida due to licensing. Chris inquired about undergraduates purchasing bottles, and Gregg confirmed they could with proper ID.

Over 120 bottles sold will be profit for the house corp.

New business

Back wall stucco. Already approved at a previous meeting. $8,500 was the amount approved for the project. Motion to formally accept the project by Dave Fraser. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
Pool mixing tank. $1,400 for pool mixing tank and install. Motion to formally accept the project by Mark O'Neill. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
Bourbon bottle pricing. The group agreed that $100 per bottle would be the price. Motion to formally set the price of the bourbon at $100 per bottle by Dave Fraser. The motion was seconded and approved.

Undergraduate Report

There is a lot of interest from undergraduate brothers to move into the house. However, a potential issue is upcoming because of the two-year on-campus rule from the university. There may not be enough eligible brothers to move into the house as others graduate and leave. We are trying to get an exemption from that rule.

The brothers expressed concerns about the quality of maintenance work at the fraternity house, noting that while initial work was good, subsequent repairs were shoddy and items were deteriorating faster than expected. Gregg explained that the house operates as affordable undergraduate housing and clarified that no money was missing from the budget, with any discrepancies in the books having been resolved. He agreed to address specific maintenance issues, such as malfunctioning doors, and emphasized the need for the brothers to report problems while acknowledging the house's age and limitations.

Meeting adjourned.

Alumni Newsletter – September 2025

2025-10-09T00:00:00Z

Good afternoon, worthy brothers. For those who do not know me, my name is Alexander Nathan, rollbook number #1077. I am an Aeronautical Science major finishing commercial, and I have the honor of being the current Eta Iota chapter editor. I've decided to create a new initiative as chapter editor: a monthly newsletter so you, as alumni, can stay informed about current events throughout the month.

As alumni, you have the right to know what's going on at the chapter, and I hope this newsletter helps you stay in touch with the chapter you pledged yourself to.

Up-to-Date Exec and Non-Exec Positions

Executive Committee: Consul Tyler Lautieri · Pro Consul Charles Bellett · Annotator Milo Malkowski · Quaestor Bronson Bowman · Magister Griffin Goedde · Tribune Nick Legenza · Kustos Nico Cambruzzi

Non-Exec Committee: Merchandise Chair Emmerson Kohl · Scholarship Chair Douglas Griswald · Social Media Chair Owen Rogers · Historian Nathan Rowland · Social Chair Steven Palomba · Recruitment Chair Lukas Blomquist · House Manager Chris Adams · Intramural Chair Matt Cater · Risk Manager James Fallon · Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair Ryan Alevizatos · Blue and Gold Chair Ethan Kaminsky · Philanthropy Chairman Will Short · Senior IFC Representative Steven Palomba · Brother at Large Jack Meier · Junior IFC Representative Steven McCormick · White Rose Chair Nate Stein · Chapter Editor Alexander Nathan

A New Pledge Class

Worthy Brothers, I'd like to formally introduce you to the new fall pledge class, Delta Tau. These 30 young men are comprised of different temperaments, talents, and convictions, coming from all different parts of the world, and are now striving to become formal brothers of this Eta Iota chapter. Thanks to the help of Lukas Blomquist, our current Recruitment Chair, we brought in a staggering 30 new pledges with a 94% bid acceptance rate — one of the highest on campus.

Another Peterson for the Eta Iota Chapter

Over the summer, our current Consul, Tyler Lautieri, attended the Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop — a very prestigious workshop in the Sigma Chi community that's been running since 1947, helping build leaders of men. While there, Brother Lautieri had the honor of receiving another Peterson for this chapter — a blue Peterson for the sixth consecutive year in a row, representing our excellence as a chapter in academics, philanthropy, recruitment, and following our founding values.

The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi

My name is Magda Myslenski, and I have the privilege of serving as this year's Sigma Chi Sweetheart of Eta Iota. I'm currently pursuing a degree in Aeronautical Science and hope to become a commercial pilot. Outside of academics, I have a passion for volunteering with Mission 22 and Folds of Honor. I'm so excited to start fundraising for Huntsman, with a goal of $10,000 for the Sweetheart Challenge. I personally love to hike, go to the beach, and spend time with the brothers at the house. I'm so grateful to have been welcomed into this brotherhood and hope to meet you all soon!

The Eta Iota Chapter is Welcomed into the 50K Club

This year, Sigma Chi Eta Iota raised a record-breaking $63,059 — the largest amount in campus history for a student organization. We couldn't have achieved this without the high ambition of our Philanthropy Chair, Christopher Adam. Under our new Philanthropy Chair, William Short, we're inspired and committed to hit $100K this school year.

Christopher Adam: "The Huntsman trip was a meaningful experience that provided us with the opportunity to collaborate and exchange ideas with other chapters. It served as a powerful reminder of the challenges we've overcome and reinvigorated our drive to reach our $100,000 goal. Beyond its purpose, the trip was also a memorable time to connect with hundreds of brothers from chapters across the nation and Canada, strengthening our shared bond and commitment to the cause."

William Short: "The Huntsman Retreat was one of the most impactful and inspiring weekends I've been a part of. It allowed me to connect with hundreds of Sigma Chis, forming new friendships and sharing a sense of purpose. Touring the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah made the mission a lot more real for me. Seeing where our efforts go and the lives they touch sparked a deeper motivation to continue raising money and become the generation to end cancer."

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

Alumni-Eta-Iota-News-Sept-2025 Download

President's Update – 2024

2024-03-16T00:00:00Z

Welcome Brothers! The 23-24 year has been a busy one that has seen much progress. I would like to thank all of the Alumni Officers and Trustees who have unselfishly given their time.

The work we have done started with the repair of the retaining wall, removal of the dead palm tree, repair of part of the pool concrete skirt and replacement of the unsafe stairs with an accessible walkway. That project also included the reinforcement of the BBQ gazebo.

We also had electrical work done by a licensed electrician to repair and upgrade the GFCI circuitry and lighting servicing the pool and pump room. The pool pump and safety cut off have also been replaced along with automated feeders for the chemicals. I am pleased to announce that the pool has passed state inspection and is open.

Our Summer work week saw a complete renovation of the kitchen with stainless steel walls, counters, sink and appliances. The tile floor was also repaired and extended under the counters sink and appliances. We also painted the bay window trim on both wings. Will and Bill McNiell and I worked together with the undergraduates to replace the floor ring under the machines in the laundry room — Massey, Swiss, Cam Archibald and Joe Sarli.

The final camera installation and upgrades were also completed at that time. Thank you Marino, Adams, and Hesterberg on the security cameras with Banta, and a big thanks to our kitchen crew, Cassino, O'Neil, Hammond and brother Ken Bording who served as supervising safety and tool procurement officer. Finally Brother Ahrens served as BBQ master and beverage supplier for the end of week gathering. Gio and Kingsley for the help removing the furniture to the dump. If I forgot anyone I thank you.

Fall semester was quiet other than dealing with the city on our back parking lot, which can no longer be used until a formal plan with the FL Dept of Environmental Protection is filed, approved and implemented — this has been added to our going forward roadmap.

The renovation of rooms 1-4 on the south wing is under way and has already passed rough plumbing and electrical inspection. We hope to have it completed right before initiation. We had an unusually large number of residents graduate this past December and reached out to the undergraduate chapter to ask if we could start during this semester. The chapter has agreed and to date I am not aware of any impact issues. I will be in Daytona next week to inspect the work. Rooms 15-18 will begin renovations at the end of this semester during this summer to complete our work.

Work Week will be moved to coincide with move in week to better align with the undergraduates schedules. A project list will be forthcoming and a BBQ to share some brotherhood — please plan on volunteering and joining us.

Duties Performed.

Gregg Dudzinski HC President

2023 Annual Meeting & Elections Notice

2023-02-28T00:00:00Z

Happening March 30, 2023

Greetings my Brother,

We hope this email finds you and your families well. Our annual House Corporation meeting will be held on Thursday, March 30th at 21:00 EST. Some members of the House Corporation will be present at the Chapter House for the meeting. We would like to invite any brothers in the area to join with us. For all those unable to attend in person, an email closer to the meeting date will be sent providing a Zoom link for live streaming.

The structure of the House Corporation is bicameral in nature: the Executive Board, which comprises the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, and the Board of Trustees, which comprises six members. The terms of the Executive Board are one year in duration, and the terms of the Board of Trustees are three years in duration. Two Trustees are elected each year in order to ensure continuity and overlap.

The House Corporation only works when our alumni base of over one thousand brothers actively participates and volunteers. We ask all those who are interested to submit their intentions to run for a House Corp position, by nomination, to hi.hc.sec@gmail.com. The nomination window will stay open for at least thirty days and will close one week prior to the annual meeting.

Once nominations are finalized, all contested positions will be sent out for electronic balloting, as we did in 2021. An email detailing that process will be sent closer to the date of the meeting. Please make sure your email is up to date via the etaiota.org database.

Thanks for your continued participation and brotherhood in our beloved Eta Iota Chapter of Sigma Chi.

IHSV,

Dave Marino '99 Eta Iota House Corporation Secretary hi.hc.sec@gmail.com

ERAU President's Letter on Eta Iota's 50th Anniversary

2022-04-05T00:00:00Z

Our House Corp received the attached letter below from ERAU's President, Dr Barry Butler, congratulating Eta Iota for 50 years at Embry-Riddle.

Nice!

Letter Butler2022 Download

President's Update – April 2022

2022-04-01T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

I'd like to open this report with an abundance of thanks to all the officers, trustees, committee chairmen, volunteers, financial contributors, and undergraduate brothers without whom none of this would have been possible. Their continued selfless sharing of time, talent, and treasure has not only met our challenges but exceeded our expectations. I'd also like to specifically point out the continued supportive efforts of Brothers Mike Wyble and Seth Downs during the transition and into the future. On behalf of the active chapter and its alumni, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of them and their families.

To say we faced a crisis upon our transition would be a severe understatement. Extremely low cash balances, mounting liabilities to both the contractor and operational expenses, and a completely unresponsive and uncooperative past president left us in a position I can only describe as an advanced spin. To add to our difficulties, the town code enforcer had filed multiple violations and set an impossible deadline to close the already severely overdue building permit. It was time to neutralize our throttle and stop all work. We partnered with the undergrads to address the property issues the code enforcer noted, and they responded quickly and efficiently, buying us additional time on the open building permits — neutralize the ailerons. 1855 revenues, the creation of a stop-gap funding via promissory note with 11 alumni, and summer rent all contributed to replenishing our funds to resume work — apply opposite rudder to stop rotation.

The team then created and participated in an Eta Iota Chapter House work week in August 2021, during which the active chapter rolled up its sleeves alongside our dedicated undergraduates and alumni to clean, trim, paint, retile, install floors, and repair the house for fall occupancy. This, alongside additional work from the contractor, direct use of subcontractors, and a visit to the magistrate by our House Corp VP Mark O'Neill, got us an extension to early September — push the nose down. Within the following week, all inspections were done and all but room 10 was made available for rent — neutralize the rudder. I'm happy to announce that the chapter has 19 of 21 rooms rented, room 10 was completed in the fall, and we're currently projecting a waiting list for this upcoming fall — returning HC to a financially stable state, return to level flight, on course to the future.

When we ran for office last year, our slate of candidates set forward both a mission statement and a vision for House Corp. I'm pleased to announce we've had great success advancing our mission:

To provide, protect and maintain a suitable house for the cultivation and maintenance of Friendship, Justice and Learning for the undergraduate members of the Eta Iota chapter of Sigma Chi. Manage the infrastructure for Alumni communication, involvement, and lifelong bonds of our Brotherhood. Facilitate these objectives through a system of synergistic management and mentorship.

We also outlined 14 directives in our vision, of which only four remain works in progress. Understanding that our quest is of a lifelong nature, we'll continue to improve and update everything on that list. Of the accomplishments of our team, I'm most proud of the repair of the relationship between our active brothers and the House Corporation, which was our top priority. The cooperation between all brothers is vital to the health and smooth operation of our chapter and House Corporation, and the positive environment allows for collaboration and prioritization of the needs of our business. We continue to work on creating a capital improvement fund — with an eye to our future above and beyond our maintenance fund — so we can act proactively on the needs of the facility. We're also still looking for a professional maintenance/property manager to handle the tactical concerns of day-to-day operations for a house of 21 brothers. The other two open directives, Scholarship and Website, have more to do with sharing the load of both the website and the scholarship fund — an unequaled thank you to Brothers Palmer, Banta, and Sprueil for their unwavering support in their respective efforts.

Looking to the future, we still have a good deal of work to go: replacement of the smoke detector motherboard (currently being sourced), 8 rooms left to renovate, an A/C upgrade and replacement for the wings, continued pool repairs including replacing the concrete deck with pavers for easier repair and maintenance access, exterior stucco repairs, gutters, a fire suppression sprinkler, and fencing of the property with accessible gates. The funding and prioritization of these strategic initiatives will be handled so they're only undertaken during the summer trimester, where impact to living conditions is minimal for our active brothers and finances are solidly in hand.

Our committee structure has allowed us to make significant progress on all our initiatives, as you'll see in their successive reports. Our efforts with the university and community relations will be self-evident this weekend through their recognition and attendance. This is only year one of the next great 50 years of Eta Iota, but we can only do it if we all work together.

Duties performed.

Gregg Dudzinski HC President

Sweetheart/Tribune Newsletter – June 2021

2021-06-24T00:00:00Z

This edition covers the last two semesters at Embry-Riddle, Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Cameron Archibald, Tribune, and Jesse Andrews, Sweetheart, will be writing the monthly newsletters moving forward!

Embry-Riddle COVID Update

The school has announced that masks will be optional for everyone and the university will function as normal going forward. We're looking forward to a normal fall semester, without restrictions.

Alumni/Career Networking Event

We recently held our first alumni career/networking event, and it went very well! Thank you to all the brothers who came and spoke with the undergraduate brothers about their prospective careers. We'll be looking to host another one in the fall and will keep you updated on the date and time.

Fall 2021 Rush Week Update

Rush Week will take place September 15th-24th. We're continuing the recent tradition of an alumni Zoom event as part of recruitment — this year on Tuesday, September 21st (time TBA). It's been one of the favorite events among potential new members over the past year, and we'd like to build on that with even more alumni attending than ever before. If you're interested in attending, reach out to Recruitment Chair Brandon Rollins.

Chapter Achievements

Despite the adversity the chapter has faced over the last year due to the pandemic, brothers have still been thriving with plenty of achievements and opportunities:

Prajwal Srikanth is interning at Cummins Inc. in Columbus, Ohio.
Nick Hudson is completing a security internship at Shanty Creek Resort, Bellaire, Michigan.
Reade Allen recently obtained his A&P to go with his commercial single/multi and CFII.
Christopher Halprin and Andrew Wang both received pilot slots in the U.S. Air Force.
Omar Lopez received an Air Battle Manager position in the U.S. Air Force.
Junior Bastian is beginning his standards to become a CFI at Embry-Riddle.
Ronak Tanna and Ranvir Israni are attending CFI/II academy at Epic Flight Academy, finishing certifications by the start of Fall 2021. Ranvir passed his AGI & IGI and recently got a job as a Ground Instructor at the Aviation Learning Center in ERAU's College of Aviation.
Atharv Dangore is a summer undergraduate research fellow with a $3,000 stipend, characterizing microplastics in the atmosphere with Johns Hopkins to determine their effects on humans when inhaled (publication expected by end of summer) — he's also researching piezoelectric energy harvesting from a smart beam with a master's student.
Denzell Wilson recently commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force as a Cyberspace Officer, training in Keesler, Mississippi starting September 2021 — and recently got engaged to his girlfriend, Paula!
Tilo Moeller recently commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, headed to ENJJPT at Sheppard Air Force Base.
Eshaan Patil started as a Chief Pilot Operations Intern with Alaska Airlines in Seattle, working alongside technical pilots, captains, and directors, testing new flight-deck technology via jump-seat flying.
Cameron Archibald and Andrew Cebula started internships at MITRE as Avionics Systems Engineers, testing the effects of 5G on radar altimeters — thank you to Ben Brandt (#535) for the opportunity!

We also had 5 brothers accepted to Horizons this summer (4 attending), plus 3 brothers attending KRACH.

Congratulations to This Year's Graduates

Johnny Janiak, Tico Moronta, Aleksei Ruci, Gary Wegener, Luka Suskavcevic, Nicholas Distefano, David Marsilio, Christopher Hunter Smart, Danny Juchtman, Austin Sorrells, Denzell Wilson, Tilo Moeller, Carter Crowley, Joey Antaya, Christopher Olmo, Reade Allen, Mason Fischman, Ryan Johnson

As a chapter this past year, we successfully initiated 10 new brothers despite the difficulties of COVID, making us the 2nd biggest chapter on campus currently — even with over a dozen brothers graduating over the past year. We have high expectations for the fall without restrictions and are looking to recruit our biggest pledge class to date.

As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.

In Hoc,

Cameron Archibald #937 and Jesse Andrews

Original document

HI Newsletter June 2021 Download

House Corporation 2021 Annual Report

2021-03-20T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

It has been an extremely busy and productive year at Eta Iota as we took on the largest and most critically important phase of the renovation replacing the deteriorated main waste lines and feed lines which also committed us to renovating 8 apartments and 9 bathrooms. We no longer have the looming threat of a burst water line under the slab with no way to isolate it. Although this phase is not yet complete, we expect to be finished within 4 weeks. The current phase of the renovation was important to complete not only because of the threat of a burst pipe but also because the next phases of the renovation are contingent on completing this phase. The Eta Iota house corp was also awarded our 5th Gold House Corporation in a row! Thank you to all that helped to support the House Corporation through your generous donations and or help. I would personally like to thank Mike Wyble and Seth Downs for their extraordinary contributions to the effort. Unfortunately for us, Seth accepted a new position with FedEx and will be moving with his family to Germany, leaving the treasurer's position open. Our solace is that Seth has agreed to stay available to mentor his successor in the position. Thank you for your years of hard work and dedication to Eta Iota — Godspeed Brother.

Five years ago at the 45th Birthday, we announced our vision for the house and chapter which included a 5-year plan to renovate 520 S in phases according to cash flow. Our plan was to make everything we touched last 30 years or more — make it perfect and then move on to the next phase. The trustees of the House Corporation for the next few years were outstanding listeners and made great decisions enabling Eta Iota House Corporation to function synergistically to produce the incredible results you see today — a house that is 65%–70% renovated with no debt added to the property. It also enabled us to win 5 gold House Corporations in a row. Mike Wyble and I had also envisioned "cleaning up" the area around Ridgewood and Segrave. When I would tell alumni Brothers or people in Daytona that 5 years ago, they would laugh and say "good luck"! But today, no one can deny that the area around 520 South has changed dramatically for the better. This didn't happen by accident, it took a lot of expertise and hard work.

I'm happy that the undergrads of today and beyond will never have to know about the problems of the past: the rat problem, A/C malfunctions, electrical and plumbing issues and waste line backups, etc.

The phased plan or pay-as-we-go plan was created to alleviate concerns about potentially repeating the problems of the 1987 renovation. The idea was to complete the renovation in phases depending on cash flow (rent and donations). At the time there was absolutely no appetite for taking loans against the property — alumni were dead set against it. I had asked for years for a brother to take the reins of a capital campaign and finally, this year Rob Pacheco stepped up as fundraising chair and the donations he raised let us address the largest, most complicated, part of the renovation. Thank you Rob for your effort.

Current phase of renovation

As I mentioned, the goal of the current renovation was to replace the deteriorated main waste line across the house from room 5 in the south wing to room 14 in the north wing. The line had become very thin, porous and scaled on the inside and the north wing partially filled with kitchen grease. At the same time and even more critical was to be able shut off the old plumbing under the slab (old galvanized feed lines) before a pipe burst. Some of the pipes above ground were fed from under the slab up through the block walls and few of them were already weeping / dripping such as above Johnny Janiak's room 12 bathroom and room 10. When we cut the slab and accessed the pipes, we could not believe the pipes had not burst due to their condition. We were lucky to have taken action on this now.

An important note: all of the underslab lines were tied together. If one of the underslab lines had burst during a semester while school was in session, there would have been no way to isolate the wings from the main house, therefore, we would have had to close the house down and begin the process that we are currently completing. Although the main waste line ran from north to south in the house, the feed lines under the slab were a completely different layout — a maze that we could not see that ran underneath the main house but fed the wings as well. The trick was to figure out where and how to uncouple the main house from the wings and temporarily feed the wings so that we could reopen the wings for the brothers. We set up new temporary feed lines for the wings and abandoned the old pipes under the main house slab enabling the occupancy of 13 rooms. Now, if the old lines break under rooms 1–4 or 15–18, we can isolate them from the rest of the house if the need arises.

Issues created from previous renovation

When we began to demolish the bathrooms it became apparent that there were a slew of issues related to the previous renovation — some of them dangerous — that needed immediate attention. The shower bases were leaking so badly from poor installation that it rotted the plates and studs on two load bearing walls. Some of the exterior concrete block walls showed signs of shearing which have been repaired. One such block breakage was found in the northwest corner of room 10 that supports the second floor. During the previous renovation, this major structural defect was ignored and sheetrocked over causing constant breakage in the exterior stucco, water penetration, and a lack of proper support for the upper floor.

What's more, in the rooms an improper construction technique was used — gluing sheetrock directly over a layer of painted plaster which created a double vapor barrier, causing mold growth in between the two layers. Improperly installed and stuccoed windows caused windows to leak down the interior walls of the house also causing damage and mold growth under the windows. When we opened the walls and ceilings to renovate the bathrooms and apartments, we found much of the cloth wiring was severely deteriorated, some without wire nuts, still live enclosed in walls or buried under insulation. Jumper wires fed power between 2 circuits, preventing breakers from tripping. Lastly, many of the rooms were originally wired from the same circuit causing overloading and signs of overheating wires (see pictures below). When the house was built as a motel the only electrical devices in a room were a TV and a lamp. Today, there are many different electrical devices in a typical apartment, demanding more electricity. The only course of action was to rewire rooms 5–14 correctly. There seems to be some misinformation floating around that the whole house was replumbed and rewired in 1987 — it wasn't.

Since the beginning of the 5-year plan at the 45th Birthday we have stayed on top of contractors to prevent this kind of malfeasance from ever happening again.

The current renovation and construction techniques

Renovating this property is not at all like renovating your bathroom at home. The walls are concrete blocks with 1 or 2" of mud holding the tiles to the wall and floor. The demolition portion of this job is tedious and time consuming cutting the concrete floors and chiseling the tile and mud off the block walls. You cannot go in with a sledge hammer and start wailing away on the walls, this would break the concrete block and destroy the wall's structural integrity. During a previous renovation, this is what was done with walls behind shower valves — concrete blocks broken with a hammer, damaging the wall's structural integrity, covered up with cement and sheetrock. Instead of framing like in a typical home, furring strips are drilled and attached to the block and then drywall.

It has always been difficult to mount proper curtain rods to the windows at 520 S, so above each window we added 1x6" lumber which will enable us to properly mount a heavy duty curtain rod to install a heavy "blackout" curtain much like a hotel room. This is something this house sorely needed.

Each room will be outfitted with a new CAT 6e line and a new cable outlet. We have also added more electrical outlets. The shower pans are ¾" thick solid surface material with solid surface shower walls and a single handle Moen shower valve. New vent fans and lighting have been added and the dropped ceilings above the showers removed making the bathrooms feel much larger.

Because of its commercial nature, there are much more stringent codes and procedures required. On a normal property renovation, you need to be thinking ahead; on this property, it is 10 fold. When we began, it was difficult to decipher much of the plumbing runs or electrical circuits but at this point I have it streamlined.

Why is the order of operations so important?

This property, as with any other, the order of operations is particularly important to the flow of the job — not everything is intuitive. It is necessary to know what needs to be done before the next, in turn, setting up for the next phase of work. For example, before we continued renovations on anything above ground such as bathrooms or the kitchen, we needed to be able to shut off and abandon the deteriorating water lines and replace the main waste line which obligated us to do 9 bathrooms and 8 apartments. Once the feed lines from below ground were shut off, we were able to remove the old water lines and sister new joists to the termite eaten joists in rooms 8, 9 & 10. Another example is the windows… Brothers have asked why we installed new hurricane windows and didn't immediately put trim around them. The answer is that the old windows were leaking so badly that it was necessary to install new ones prior to gutting the rooms so that the old windows didn't leak all over the new framing and sheetrock (see pictures below).

Where does the renovation stand now?

We are approximately 4 weeks away from finishing this phase. The bathroom showers and walls are complete and painted, ready for tile. We just passed electrical inspection for rooms 5–9 and we have begun hanging drywall. Next week, the electrician will continue his rewiring of rooms 10–14 and we will have that inspected and continue with drywall. After drywall, we will tile the bathrooms and then complete the trim and fixtures.

What's next? Goals for the next 12 months

Replacing the main waste lines and feeds were critical not only because they were about to rupture but because so many other projects were contingent on their replacement. Now that the main waste line and feeds are taken care of, it enables us to do the next phase or phases of the project. Now we can begin talking about renovating apartments 1–4 and 15–18 as we did 5–14. We are also able to start planning for a new kitchen and drop ceiling in the chapter room. For years alumni were dead set against borrowing money for a renovation, that is why we have been completing the renovation in phases which has worked tremendously well for us. At the HC meeting, we will discuss what the alumni would like to see as far as the speed of the renovation and methods of funding the rest of the renovation. This will give me an indication if they want to keep the same method or change pace.

There will be a straw vote to take the pulse of the alumni to see if they would like to keep the phased renovation or something else.

Electrical

One thing that must be said is that moving forward, we are going to have to bring all the dilapidated wiring up to par which will be expensive but necessary.

Benefits of renovation Brothers have or will notice

Windows don't blow in during a stiff breeze.
Rooms no longer smell like sewer and mold.
Will be able to hang up proper blinds and curtains.
Bigger showers with taller ceilings.
No clogging.
Functioning shower fans.
Shower doors not curtains.
More outlets in each room.
No circuit breaker tripping.
No 70's style popcorn or heavy plaster ceilings.
Doors will function correctly.
Rooms will be more aesthetically pleasing.
No shower valves breaking off or washers going bad.
No shower tile to collect mold.

Bylaws

As some of you may know, a vote was held to change the voting rules of the Eta Iota House Corporation. It is my belief that something as important as that should be brought up to a general meeting of all the alumni. Although bylaws occasionally need to be updated, they are not meant to be changed often otherwise they become "bylaws of convenience". In other words, they become whatever the current board wants or needs them to say instead of adhering to what the majority of the brothers want. What is appropriate to change and when? What bylaw changes need or should be presented to the greater Brotherhood? We will have this discussion at the meeting.

Function of House Corporation — Gold HC award

As I mentioned earlier, fulfilling required obligations, hard work and filing all paperwork in a timely manner, we have earned the Gold House Corporation Award for a 5th year in a row. This does not just happen, it takes leadership and a lot of know how. The first few years that I was President of the corporation and Mike Wyble VP, we had an amazing group of Trustees that challenged each other sometimes with passionate debates but with the end result being a synergistic decision. We were able to complete large phases of the project as a team.

Two years ago a couple of Brothers came onto the HC with some political agenda. Instead of focusing on what was best to protect the asset — the Eta Iota property — they chose to harass and harangue me in meetings. Nowhere in a trustee's job description does it say, "to harass or harangue the President" — simply put, that isn't their purpose. I was elected by the alumni to do a job and I'm doing it. My total focus goes into my work and I don't have time to engage in contrived political nonsense.

Please take time to read what Fortune 500 leaders and Significant Sigs, Mike Calbert and Scott Thompson have to say about me in their endorsements. Seth Downs has also shared his endorsement as well.

I have a very thick skin so it doesn't affect me personally but I brought this up for another reason: we had an incident this past year where someone called the building department to try to create a problem during this phase of the renovation. After receiving the phone call, the building inspector (with whom we have a good rapport) came directly to 520 S and spoke to me and Larry the carpenter about it. Although he wouldn't repeat exactly what was said, he did say that from the building department's assessment, the person was involved with the chapter and seemed to know a lot of details about the Fraternity and house. I tried to tell him I didn't think it was a brother but he was convinced that it was. The inspector said he liked our work and there was no issue that way but he just wanted me to be aware of the call. In short, I hope this call was not from an Alumni or UG Brother but if it was, know that it didn't affect us but reflects poorly on the Fraternity.

Summary

We took on a complicated task this year to change the waste lines and replumb the domestic water feeds. It was important to initiate and complete this part of the project before a line burst, which would have caused the emergency shutdown of the house (see pictures below of rusted pipe). We anticipate this phase of the project will be finished in 4 weeks and the rooms open for occupation. The issues caused by previous contractors are extensive — like the gift that keeps giving — but we have many of them under control now. After completion of this phase the house renovation will be approximately 65–70% finished.

Tom McSwiggan for President / Mike Wyble VP

Over the past 5 years, Mike Wyble, Seth and I have worked hard to bring our vision of a fully renovated 520 S to fruition. Powerpoints, pictures of badges, wings and overused platitudes are not going to get the renovation finished at 520 S. It takes on site management with expertise in contracting and an intimate knowledge of the property and its uniqueness. Further, I believe that I am the only one running that has a contractor's license. To complete this project, it will take the same steady leadership, expertise and hard work that you already know and trust from Mike and I.

Endorsement of Tom McSwiggan by HC Treasurer Seth Downs

I will not be running for office this year. Next month I start training for the B757 and will be based in Köln, Germany. My family and I will be living there for a few years, but plan to return to Alaska eventually. I want to thank the alumni for their 15 years of trust and support as your House Corp Treasurer. Once I knew I was moving to Germany I set about finding a replacement. I reached out to John Gagne '08 whom I enjoyed working with when he was Quaestor. Kyle Stuhlweissenburg '18 (current HC secretary) has since raised his hand as well. I think both candidates will do the job admirably and I look forward to working with the next treasurer as I hand over the books.

At this meeting you will be offered a choice for House Corp leadership. While I think having the option to choose from a host of candidates is a sign of a healthy organization, I also think it would be a mistake to change course midstream in a very successful house renovation. Tom McSwiggan has volunteered thousands of hours over the last 7 years and saved us over $100,000 in general contractor fees. The complexity and scale of a 60 year old commercial property renovation, while balancing a limited budget, academic calendar considerations and a few hurricanes cannot be understated. Anyone that has been to the house can attest to the quality of work that is being completed. Additionally he has shown good governance; spearheading the purchase of the corner lot and subsequently putting all 3 lots under our original tax free deed. He has revamped the relationship between the chapter and House Corp to better align it with best practices outlined by Sigma Chi. He has engaged the local community leaders to make the neighborhood a better living environment for the actives. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated, knowledgeable and hard working alumni donating his time for Eta Iota.

Fraternity chapters are under constant scrutiny and threat of being banned from colleges nationwide. We all know that Sigma Chi, RMF and the rules of the chapter have become more strict over the decades. We don't rush the same way, actives don't maintain the property or pay utilities anymore, there are no keg parties and hard alcohol is banned by national. Tom McSwiggan loves this chapter and works tirelessly for its success (that includes the active chapter as well as House Corp). If there are any hard relations between House Corp and the actives I believe it is in the nature that no one likes changes and rules that require a modification in behavior. Additionally years of renovations have been a strain on everyone, but I feel that we have chosen a solid and logical path forward considering our alternatives.

In sum Tom has overseen and actively participated in the successful 2/3rds remodeling of the chapter house. I think Greg could be a very successful House Corp President, but to switch leadership to a new president with less construction and building knowledge and the inability to commit months of his time directly supervising this project is not the best course for our chapter. Our costs will increase, the quality of work will decline (contractors need near constant supervision otherwise mistakes will be left as is) and we may be wondering 5 years from now why the house is still being renovated. Tom and Mike are eager to complete the renovations that the alumni directed them to oversee five years ago. In that time they have put in countless hours and have done an exceptional job on our behalf. Voting for them to complete our renovations is the most logical course to see Eta Iota enjoy another 50 years of brotherhood.

Guard well and if you find yourself in Germany, be sure to stop by for beers and a brat!

In hoc, Seth Downs '92

Renovation photos

Wires found in attic under insulation

Overheated / burned main feed — rewired with separate circuits feeding individual rooms

Broken masonry preventing door from being mounted correctly — now repaired

Mold caused by incorrect construction method creating a double vapor barrier — walls like this were completely removed and rebuilt

Typical termite damage because the house was not protected properly from insects

Rot / mold / termite damage: example of window leaking down wall from blocked drain

Old bathroom fan buried in insulation, still wired live

Room 5 refurred, fire blocked, rewired — with added nailer for curtain rod above each window

Overloaded electrical fan box with cloth wire — note the broken wire

Deteriorated pipe below room 5 slab

2x10's sistered to termite-eaten wood with new electrical conduit added

One of many trailers filled with concrete and debris

New drywall up in room 12

Room 7 back in sheetrock — note added outlet, CAT6 wire placement and cable

Old cast iron — room 9

New room 9 plumbing with PVC

Chiseling out an old shower

Mike and Becky Wyble's tile floor in the study

Bathroom 10 — what a mess!

A pile of old waste lines

Room 12 bathroom shower area, shown before paint

President's Update – December 2020

2020-12-22T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

I hope this finds you and your loved ones healthy. As you are all aware, we have been making good progress renovating the Fraternity House over the past few years - The condition and functionality of the house is far better today than ever before. This renovation has only been possible due to the passion and generosity of the Eta Iota alumni. This past year, we took on the enormous task of replacing the deteriorated waste and feed lines under the slab which included jackhammering concrete to access the plumbing. The new plumbing under the main house has been replaced and has been fully functional throughout the fall semester. In total, 9 bathrooms were gutted and are currently being reassembled. Along with the bathroom and plumbing renovation, we are also renovating the 9 corresponding apartments. The renovation plan has been to do top-quality work to ensure that the Sigma Chi, Eta Iota house and chapter will live on in perpetuity - something that Eta Iota alumni understand.

Unfortunately, the most recent pledge classes have not shown the same adoration for the Fraternity House as is noted in these pictures.The alumni have always held the chapter and house in high-esteem but as you will see from the attached pictures, there has been a sharp increase in malicious damage to the house as well as a blatant lack of care by many undergraduates (and a few younger alumni). Although the semester was short this fall due to Covid, the amount of damage was extreme. These behavioral problems can no longer go unchecked.

During the renovation we installed a new Carriage House shingle roof at a cost of over $100K and low-e, tinted, hurricane windows at a cost of approximately $50K. In addition, almost every door on the house is new within the past 3 years. The pictures detail damage such as a crushed roof vent, damaged doors and broken door jambs and crap thrown on a new window. You will also note stains from eggs thrown on the new roof, doors and various walls of the house. Upon leaving for the semester break, brothers left 7 or 8 large garbage cans full and overflowing causing an unbelievable stench with beer cans and other trash abound. The laziness factor has gotten to the point that brothers take the garbage from their room and put it outside their doors in the hope that it will magically disappear along with intentionally throwing beer cans and bottles on the front lawn. You will also note: broken lights that were recently installed, meat left to rot in the sun, the new study room ceiling damaged and a chunk taken out of a new front column.

During house corporation meetings or in discussions with alumni, undergrads often make dramatic speeches and impassioned pleas with a list of demands for the house corporation… we want, we need, give us…or inevitably we are doing something unsatisfactorily. The truth is that at Eta Iota and other chapters, the damage, the lack of care and other issues come directly from the undergraduates themselves and it costs house corporations a fortune to repair. For example: my door doesn’t lock. True, because you broke the door jamb!

When I think about this issue, what comes to mind is the saying: If you receive something without working for it, you won’t know how to value or maintain it. Could it be that the reason the house is held in high-regard by the older alumni is due to the fact that they had to work so hard to purchase it (and found the chapter)? Could it be that today’s shorter pledge periods are not long enough to properly vet or train the new brothers? Young brothers need guidance and oversight from those that came before them.

It is impossible to put into words the type of time, effort and money that has gone into this project to ensure that the current brothers and future generations of Sigs can have a respectable place to call home. Admittedly, this pronouncement puts the house corporation in the difficult position. We cannot ask alumni for further donations until this issue is taken care of otherwise we are just subsidizing bad behavior and bad policy.

To finish, I fully understand that there will always be incidental damage at a Fraternity house. I am also not looking for a totally sterile atmosphere. I want the brothers to have fun but anyone thinking that malicious damage to the Fraternity house is fun needs their head examined. I have two business associates that have large rental apartments that rent to students. In discussions, they both make it known that if the students damage the property, they will pay dearly- they don’t tolerate it. This is made clear from the signing of the lease. This has worked out very well for my associates and it has worked at other Sigma Chi chapters. Why does Sigma Chi and Eta Iota have these behavioral issues? Because we tolerate them. As the owners of the house, it is time for the Eta Iota alumni to put their foot down and stop tolerating stupidity - full stop.

The chapter will be back billed for the damage and new rules and policies put in place to prevent future occurrences. I would like input from alumni in regard to this matter.

Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year to all!


Tom McSwiggan President Eta Iota House Corp hi.hc.pres@gmail.com	Mike Wyble Vice-President Eta Iota House Corp mtwybleex@gmail.com

2020 Officer & Trustee Elections

2020-05-01T00:00:00Z

Below are positions for our 2020 Officer & Trustee election that will take place starting Saturday, May 2, 2020 2pm EST and conclude on Monday, May 4, 2020 at 11pm EST.

We are using an online voting tool this year - see below for voting instructions.

Officers

House Corporation President - 1 year term

Tom McSwiggan

Tom McSwiggan - incumbent

House Corporation Vice-President - 1 year term

Mike Wyble

Mike Wyble - incumbent

Tom and I have been doing this job for four years now. We think we have assembled an excellent team of officers and trustees. During the meeting Tom will be presenting an extensive power point presentation of what has been done and where we are going next. In a nutshell, if you like what has been accomplished we would appreciate you vote. We would like for the house to be completed before the 50th, right now it is a question of money, and the virus isn't helping much. Hopefully things will get back to normal soon.

House Corporation Treasurer - 1 year term

Seth Downs - Incumbent

This will be my 15th year as your Treasurer, if you don’t know who I am then clearly you have a life, congrats. The brothers of Eta Iota deserve the best Treasurer possible, until he shows up, you may want to just vote for me.
In hoc,
Seth Downs ‘92

House Corporation Secretary - 1 year term

Kyle Stuhlweissenburg

Kyle Stuhlweissenburg - Incumbent

Delta Alpha Pledge Class 2016 (#871)

Graduation : December 2018

My name is Kyle Stuhlweissenburg (Stuh), I graduated ERAU in Decmeber of 2018 with a bachelors in Aeronautical Science and a minor in Business Administration. Since graduation I have been working as a flight instructor at Phoenix East Aviation in Daytona Beach.

I am seeking reelection as the Eta Iota House Corporation Secretary in 2020. Over the past year I have worked diligently with the members of the House Corporation to help improve communication and transparency among the undergraduate brothers, alumni and house corporation members. Since taking on this role I have worked with brothers in revisions and review of our current bylaws, introduced a semesterly newsletter and brought a different perspective to the table. I am in the fortunate position that I am a recent graduate and have a good working relationship with the house corporation and undergraduate chapter. My goals this year are to :

Implement more frequent meetings for the HC to every 6-8 weeks, which would allow us to keep on top of the goals and objectives we set each term.
Similarly I’d like to provide our undergraduate chapter with a monthly report of what we are actively working on at the house, to aid in transparency between HC and the Undergrads.
Create it so all official House Corporation communications to the alumni and undergraduates are coming from one source and not multiple email chains or individuals, to clarify the messages we are sending out.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to message me or call my cell 845-664-4158.

Stuh 871

Trustees (2 spots available)

We have two (2) trustee positions open. The 2 nominees receiving the highest total vote counts will fill those positions.

House Corporation Trustees - 3 year term

Tom Henion

Tom Henion - incumbent

Brothers,
This is Tom Henion, known to some as Onion, and I’m running for reelection as Trustee for the House Corporation.
Here’s a little background. I was initiated in January of 1973 and graduated in December of 1974. I held several chapter offices including Consul. After graduation I flight instructed and flew charter and corporate. I was eventually hired by American Airlines and I was there 38 years, flying the last 8 on the B-777. I retired in March of 2018.
I have been a Life Loyal Sig since shortly after graduation. I’m in the 1855 club at the Constantine level. I had planned on spending several weeks at the house helping out with renovations but I was sidelined with an aortic valve replacement (I’m doing great) last year and of course covid-19 this year. I’ve lived my life by practicing the principles of Sigma chi. I will be a Sig through all eternity.
The House Corporation has kept things going on a straight, responsible course. The House Corporation Officers have tackled the improvements and repairs on priority basis. Tom, Mike and Seth have done a great job with the renovations while being financially responsible.
I would like to see communications improve. I realize that the everyday business is done by the Executive committee. But, I don’t like being asked a question from an other alumni about something happening either with the House Corporation or Chapter and never having heard about the point in question. A monthly update would be appreciated.
I would appreciate your vote. If you have any questions or comments just give me a call at 585-317-8508. Thanks!
In hoc,
Tom

Dave Marino

Dave Marino

Hello, my name is Dave Marino and I would like your support as an Eta Iota House Corporation Trustee. As the Eta Iota chapter and house enter a new decade, I would like to step up and lend my experience in guiding them into a new age.

I currently reside in Gig Harbor, Washington with my wife, Heather, and six year old daughter, Olivia. My work obligations consist of flying for Delta Air Lines as a B767/B757 First Officer.

I was initiated in the Fall of 1995 and graduated summer of 1999. During my time as an undergraduate, I had the pleasure of serving the chapter in various positions. Some of the positions included: Pool boy, Historian, Peterson Significant Chapter Chairman and Pro-Consul. In my last year as an undergraduate, I had the honor of being Eta Iota’s Balfour Award candidate for our Province. Other undergraduate distinctions include membership in Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society.

After college, I had the opportunity to continue to build upon the ideals of Sigma Chi and volunteer in other organizations. After college I returned home to New York and began serving as a Stony Point Volunteer Fire Fighter. The Stony Point Fire Department, like Sigma Chi, has a long tradition of service and leadership. It was founded in 1894 and is an all volunteer force serving a community of approximately fifteen thousand residents. While flying at Continental Express/Express Jet Airlines I served as the Contract 2004 Picket Chairman and was an active member of both the Grievance and Aeromedical Committees. During that time, I also attended training at FLETC to volunteer as an FFDO. At Delta Air Lines, I had the opportunity to serve as an ALPA International Council 66 Secretary/Treasurer. My primary responsibilities consisted of overseeing and managing an eighty five thousand dollar annual budget.

I am a Life Loyal Sig and have been both a long term 1855 Club and International Fraternity Foundation donor. Most recently, I helped to coordinate a pool brick donation in honor of our pledge class, Beta Eta.

I would be remiss if I did not thank outgoing Trustee Ramano Sprueil for his dedication to our chapter. Ramano has been an instrumental fixture in the lives of Sigma Chi’s throughout the world. We are very fortunate to have a fellow Eta Iota brother who has given so unselfishly of himself to Sigma Chi. Just as the ideals of true brotherhood are a constant endeavor, so is the attempt to fill his shoes. If elected, I will strive to follow the standard he set.

Thank you for taking the time out of your lives to continue to be an active and instrumental part of our chapter. Once again, I humbly seek your support as one of Eta Iota’s House Corporation Trustees. In Hoc Signo Vinces.

Rob Pacheco

Rob Pacheco

Eta Iota, Alpha Xi ClassInitiated 1987 (#387), Graduated 1990
Undergrad positions held: Pro-Consul, Quaestor, Magister, Chapter Editor, White Rose Chairman

Post Graduate: Life Loyal Sig Eta Iota 1855 ClubHouse Corp Trustee in the mid 90's
Chapter Advisor for the Iota Eta chapter at Western Connecticut ~1994-1998Active with the DC and Baltimore Alumni Chapters since 2015Alumni Advisor for the Sigma Chi Delta Colony at Towson University since 2017

Professional experience: Over the last 30 years I have evolved from an airline management, sales and marketing guy into a loyalty marketing director and consultant with a concentration in partnerships and loyalty / engagement technology professional leveraging behavioral and data science Career track: Embraer, VARIG Brazilian Airlines, US Airways, American Express (12 years), Points.com, Maritz Motivation

My goals as a Trustee

1. To serve my chapter as an active representative of my Brothers, leveraging my experience and interaction with the General Fraternity (CMO, grand trustees and foundation board members).
2. Develop engagement with our younger brothers and encourage them to step up and step in to House Corp positions. I would rather have a Trutsee born in the 80's than one initiated in the 80's. We need a better representation of our brotherhood of all ages. In the end my goal is to be replaced by a much younger brother.
3. Cross-pollinate ideas from other House corporations and active chapters to strengthen Eta Iota and Sigma Chi.

Daryl Gerow

Daryl Gerow

My name is Darryl Gerow, I am a Graduate of the 2020 class of Embry-Riddle. I have a bachelors in Homeland Security with a minor in Terrorism Studeis. I am a newly commissioned officer in the Military Police branch of the US Army.

I want to run for a trustee position to get myself involved in alumni/undergrad relations, as well as provide insight to House Corp as being a younger generation and seeing the issues and troubles the undergrads face at Riddle currently. In July I will be in MO follow that I will be stationed in Savannah Ga for roughly 3-4 years. Meaning I can be a local voice and eye for House Corp and make trips down to the House for checkups and provide any feedback House Corp has and vice versa for undergrads.

If you have any questions for me on this position feel free to reach out to my cell at 360-485-7118. IH

Very Respectfully,
Darryl L Gerow Jr.

Voting instructions

Voting will be entirely online this year. All voting-eligible members of House Corporation will receive an email on Saturday, May 2, 2020 with their voting credentials. You will use your Voter ID (a 4 digit number) and Voting Key (a 4 digit number) to cast your ballot on the website linked to from the email.

If you do not receive and email with your voting credentials, email John Banta or Kyle Stuhlweissenburg and we will send it to you.

Polls will open immediately following the House Corp meeting (approx 2pm EST) on May 2, 2020 and will conclude at 11pm EST on Monday, May 4, 2020.

Denzell Wilson Receives Eta Iota Military Appreciation Scholarship

2019-11-11T00:00:00Z

Congratulations to Undergraduate Brother Denzell Wilson for receiving the Eta Iota Military Appreciation Scholarship for Fall 2019! Brother Wilson is a recent initiate from the Fall semester's pledge class and is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics with an expected graduation in 2021.

Denzell currently serves as an Airman in the Florida Air National Guard where he supports fueling and support operations. In addition to the Eta Iota Military Appreciation Scholarship, Denzell has received numerous other awards and recognitions, including Florida Air National Guard Airman of the Year for 2019.

The Eta Iota Military Appreciation Scholarship was created in 2016 to recognize and financially assist members of the Eta Iota Chapter of Sigma Chi who are currently serving or have previously served in the US Armed Forces. This scholarship provides a monetary award to be used towards educational expenses while enrolled at Embry-Riddle.

The Eta Iota Military Appreciation Scholarship is part of the Eta Iota Chapter of Sigma Chi Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization created to provide financial assistance to deserving students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. For more information on the Foundation or if you would like to support future scholarship recipients with a tax-deductible contribution, please reach out to John Banta or Seth Downs.

House Corporation Update – April 2019

2019-04-30T00:00:00Z

Prepared by Tom McSwiggan, 4/25/19

Brothers,

The 2018–2019 year was another very busy and productive year for the Eta Iota House Corporation. We continued to make steady progress on our phased renovation, completing many projects while focusing our efforts on the mechanics of the house and temporarily putting aesthetics aside.

To date we have completed approximately 55% of the renovation (60% after windows — summer 2019), paid off the new property, and acquired no debt. What's more, our emergency repairs — once budgeted in the thousands of dollars per semester — are almost zero.

This year we addressed a few long-running issues such as updating fuse boxes and replacing the exterior sewer lines. I'm sure some of you remember circuit breakers popping continuously and sewer backups — those days have ended. We also continued removing and replacing the old plaster ceilings with sheetrock. The house now has new high-speed internet with Wi-Fi, which was long overdue. Brother Dan Rees came to visit and was extremely generous, donating new gates for the backyard among other items, and it was a pleasure for the chapter and myself getting to know him.

External to the Eta Iota property itself, we also have news — some good, some bad — that will affect the house. Our efforts to clean up "Old Daytona" and Ridgewood Ave are working with the help of the city, as they continue to raze blighted buildings and increase patrols of the area. The city of Daytona also passed a panhandling and vagrancy ordinance that went into effect two months ago, which made a noticeable difference on Ridgewood and ISB.

The not-so-good news is that Embry-Riddle has changed its housing policy. Beginning with next year's incoming class, ERAU's new policy will require both freshmen and sophomores to live on campus, which will affect Eta Iota and Delta Chi. I've been in contact with Embry-Riddle and Delta Chi about the matter — we need to stay on top of this, as time is of the essence.

Moving toward the 50th Birthday, we have much on the agenda. This summer we'll be installing new impact "hurricane" windows, replacing the less-than-adequate units we have now, and continuing to replace the last few plaster ceilings still remaining in the wings.

Two items many of you have asked about are the soffits and the status of the pool. The soffits were installed by Jerry Roush and look outstanding. The Health Department is requiring us to bring the pool up to code, and the pool engineer will be finished with his drawings imminently; in the meantime, C.F. Pools has been maintaining the pool and keeping it clear. We don't anticipate beginning the pool renovation until January or May of 2020.

As I'm sure you're all aware, the work on the house is being completed on a cash-flow basis. We'll be starting a full-scale capital campaign in June 2019 to help complete the renovation before Eta Iota's 50th Birthday in spring 2021. I thank all alumni brothers who have donated to the cause, and especially the House Corporation members for their dedication.

Current Projects Underway

1. Wing ceilings

The ceilings in the wings are ½" plaster board with about ½" of plaster coating — like having an inch of concrete overhead. Over time, a combination of termite-damaged joists and small nails has made the ceilings unsafe. As part of the remodel we've been replacing them with ⅝" fireproof sheetrock: each ceiling gutted, joists sistered and treated with termiticides, insulated with R30, and reassembled. Four more wing rooms to go.

2. Impact "hurricane" windows

Not many upgrades will be as beneficial as installing new impact windows. The current windows are ⅛" clear glass with a heat-gain coefficient (SHGC) of about 1.0; the new windows will bring that down to roughly 0.2, meaning less HVAC run time, longer compressor life, reduced exterior noise, and glass that's nearly impossible for a burglar to break through (it may spider, but can't be penetrated). Installed cost for the 46 impact windows will run approximately $35–39K (not including trim or sheetrock/taping). We're also widening the wood window bucks a few inches past the interior frame edge, solving the long-standing problem of not having anything to screw blinds into.

3. Pool engineering and renovation

We hired a new pool company on 8/31/18 — $500/month including labor and chemicals. The pool is officially red-flagged by the Volusia County Health Department, requiring renovation to bring it up to code; this has been a long-running problem where we'd previously been able to buy time, but that's no longer an option. Engineering is almost complete, but we need a significant fundraiser before work can begin.

4. Small projects

Along with the large projects above, there's the usual list of smaller projects and routine maintenance completed throughout the year.

Change in Embry-Riddle's housing policy

A new concern for House Corp: beginning fall semester 2020, all incoming freshmen and sophomores must live in university-run housing, and ERAU does not consider Sigma Chi or Delta Chi as university-run housing, with no exceptions for any organization. I've been trying to get a hard copy of the new policy from ERAU for about a year without success. I've reached out to Delta Chi's House Corp, and we agree this needs to be challenged together — I can see ERAU adding even more stringent rules on fraternities and sororities if we don't push back now.

Delta Chi's situation

Delta Chi has put itself in a precarious position with their new house — high carrying cost, limited revenue, little reserve. It's worth relaying as a cautionary tale: years before Delta Chi made their deal with the university, I ran the numbers on moving 520 South to campus or elsewhere, and it made no sense without millions of dollars we didn't have. Delta Chi took the path we declined — a long-term ground lease with limited ownership rights — and their undergrads soon found rent too expensive and disliked double-bunking; they also had disciplinary issues and were placed on suspension by ERAU. This isn't meant to belittle the Delts — they're good guys — but a house is a big responsibility, and this is why we're doing 520 South as a phased, pay-as-we-go renovation. Fortunes can change in an instant. If there's anything we can do to help the Delts, we should.

Protecting the undergraduate experience

I've heard people say they're all for "protecting the undergraduate experience" — I agree, so much so that for years I've donated my time, money, and expertise to help Sigma Chi chapters correct operational issues and repair facilities. When a house is falling apart or poorly managed, it affects chapter operations too. When our insurance company inspected the house a few years ago, the inspector told Roger Moody and me it was "the worst one he had ever inspected." I'm glad today's undergraduates will never know that struggle.

Alumni behavior — HQ rules apply to alumni too

Young brothers making mistakes is part of growing up, and we all understand that. But graduated brothers in their mid-to-late twenties need to be accountable for their actions. Intentional damage to the house and misbehavior by alumni is expensive and sets a bad example for undergrads — this year's undergrads took a stand against people trashing the house. Sigma Chi has a rule that alumni must adhere to the same rules as undergrads or face consequences, and RMF now forbids hard alcohol at any Sigma Chi property or event. We've banned a couple of alumni from the property, for cause — please be aware these rules pertain to everyone.

Aesthetics, functionality, budgets, and order of operations

A common mistake I see in Sigma Chi House Corporations is concentrating on aesthetics rather than structural and mechanical integrity, or overprojecting revenue while underestimating costs — spending on what doesn't matter instead of resolving critical problems (painting instead of replacing sewer lines). Many of you remember the disastrous late-1980s renovation: over budget, unfinished, shoddy work, major debt and legal issues. The current renovation is designed to avoid all of that — everything we touch is built to last 30+ years.

At the 45th we announced a 5-year plan; we're 3 years in, approximately 55% finished (60% after windows this summer), with no debt on the property. In 2020 we'll remodel all 18 bathrooms in the wings, cutting and jackhammering the concrete floor to replace rotting, scaled cast-iron waste and feed lines under the slab — an expensive phase that, once begun, is fully committed (the old galvanized feed lines are brittle).

Fundraising / Capital Campaign

Note: IRS code specifically prohibits a university 501(c)(3) from being used as a conduit to fund a 501(c)(7). We estimate another $250K to finish the house renovation and $50K to renovate the pool — we won't sacrifice quality for speed or lack of funds, and will continue doing each project correctly as funds permit. The Capital Campaign begins June 2019, running in parallel with the still-active 1855 Club.

Mike Wyble has already begun selling granite bricks as part of the fundraising effort. In preparation for the pool renovation, Mike, Becky, and I disassembled Dave Fraser's donation wall by the pool (originally built to raise funds after the problematic late-'80s renovation) to preserve it; it will be rebuilt elsewhere with room for many more donor names. If you'd like your name linked with Eta Iota in perpetuity, buy a brick!

What's been accomplished

New decks, new front columns, new roof, community Wi-Fi, doors on the laundry and pump rooms, a clean asbestos certificate, upgraded electrical system, modern above-slab plumbing, six new bathrooms on the second floor (thank you, Mike Wyble!), new A/C in the main house with the wing A/C repaired, new exterior waste lines so the wings don't flood with sewage, and purchase of the Shackman property to secure the house's future — and not a rat in sight. Our emergency repair budget is near zero, down from thousands a few years ago.

To keep costs down and quality up, we do much of the work ourselves, hiring contractors only as needed (and even the good ones need oversight). Mike Wyble has been an incredible asset — before the 45th, he and Becky painted 80–90% of the house exterior themselves, and Mike gutted, reframed, and replumbed the second-floor bathrooms. Thank you, Mike and Becky, for your dedication.

Thanks also to outgoing Trustees Jeff Penn and James "Gassi" Ahrens for their service — they won't be running again but will continue to serve in other capacities. And thank you to all House Corporation members for making time for the meetings and the decisions that keep Eta Iota moving forward.

Steve Whitlock — RMF man. Steve had a 40-year career in insurance and has volunteered his time to review our RMF status and make recommendations. We just received a lot of paperwork back from him and are still digesting it. His note to us: "This information is a good start but we have more work to do."

Safety and security

New chain-link fence gates in the backyard; new white vinyl privacy fences on the sides of the house to block trespassers; maintenance on security lights and locks. Daytona passed new laws to stop panhandlers and vagrants, and 331 Palmetto, the Crooks Den (Bayview motel), and local crack houses were razed. A continuing concern: undergrads need to make sure doors are closed and locked at night.

Wi-Fi

The new Wi-Fi is working flawlessly — special thanks to Brother John Banta for designing the system and Jeremiah Poff for help with installation. This is the first time the house has had community Wi-Fi in the chapter room and study room, strong enough to reach the backyard; each room also has its own ethernet and individual Wi-Fi capability.

Digitized composites and charter

I took the time this year to digitize all the composites and the charter, to preserve Eta Iota's history in case of fire or natural disaster. There are also a few trunks of old photos in the Brothers' office I plan to scan — looking to purchase a new copier/scanner before starting.

New pressure washer

We purchased a new gas pressure washer, to be locked to the pump-room wall when not in use (lock code limited to the House Manager). Ethanol-free gasoline only, 10w-30 for oil changes.

Redevelopment of Old Daytona

A major development over the past few months: condemnation and razing of the two largest crack apartments 2.5 blocks from the house (331 Palmetto, and a week later the hotel/apartments that housed Crooks Den, which burned and was also razed), plus the old lime-green two-story deli at Loomis and Segrave. These buildings were a large part of the drug, prostitution, and burglary problems affecting Ridgewood and the surrounding area — combined with the new panhandling/vagrancy ordinances, there's a lot of good happening here in the 32114.

Other opportunities for alumni to help

Ask Gassi if he needs help planning the 50th.
Thousands of old chapter photos need to be identified, labeled, and scanned for preservation.
We'll be removing and replacing the remaining plaster ceilings in the wings.
Depending on finances and manpower, we anticipate renovating the wings next year and can definitely use the help.
Help update the alumni list / help fundraise.

Chapter needs

20 folding chairs (all-plastic seats preferred — padded chairs get ruined outside, all-metal is uncomfortable), and a new scanner/copier for old chapter photos (fast copy speed, low ink cost, good resolution).

Update your contact information

Please take a moment to update your contact info on etaiota.org and at sigmachi.com, and reach out to your pledge class to make sure they do the same. While you're on sigmachi.com, consider becoming a Life Loyal Sigma Chi if you aren't already.

House Corporation Update – January 2019

2019-01-22T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

It's been a while since our last House Corporation update, other than Seth's monthly letters so I will attempt to give you all the complete picture all in one document.

As most of you know we, actually mostly Tom, have devised a five-year plan for the renovation of 520 S. We are well into year 3 and doing well. Here is a list of what we have accomplished so far.

New roof.

As many of you know this was a huge undertaking, we had significant structural damage from rot and termites that was not visible until the old roof was removed. We planned on some damage but not as much as we found. Now that it is complete we have a 35 year roof, very solid structure underneath and properly flashed, so we should be good for a long time.

New bathrooms.

All the upstairs bathrooms are completely renovated with solid surface showers, Toto toilets (well built, high efficiency, virtually clog free) new vanities, new vent fans, tile floors, new PEX plumbing, PVC drains. These should last for a long, long time and be virtually maintenance free.

Drains, vents.

All the cast iron drains and vent stacks above the slab have been replaced with PVC pipe. Roof vents were combined where possible to reduce the number of holes in the new roof.

Supply lines.

All the supply lines in the main house are now either copper or Pex, reducing the possibility of leaks and corrosion down the road. This will be done in the wings when they are renovated.

Security system.

The house has multiple cameras, motion activated recording etc. We have already used it to recover some ladders and tools stolen last year. The entire exterior of the house and rear parking lot is now lit with LED (to reduce electricity) security lighting.

Underground utilities.

This paid dividends almost immediately. When the hurricane came through several limbs in the back parking lot came down which would have taken out the overhead power line. Instead, we were one of the first to get power back after the storm. Thanks to Vince Parrinello for funding this project.

High-speed WiFi.

The house now has super fast WiFi throughout. Thanks to techno wizards John Banta and Jeremiah Poff for their help in procuring and installing the system.

Insulation.

All exterior walls have been filled with expanding foam insulation. Cinder Blocks walls are not the best at keeping heat/cold in or out but this was an inexpensive way to keeps walls from sweating and losing cool air in the summer. Attic insulation will be added to the main house and wings at a later stage in the renovation.

All this has been done with NO DEBT. I'm sure quite a few of you can remember how much fun we had burning the mortgage. This is of major importance to us. Most of you know Delta Chi, amid much fanfare, finally has a house "on campus" It is actually located on ERAU property about a mile south of campus on Clyde Morris Blvd among other apartments ERAU owns. The problem is they took on a huge debt to build the place and now, unfortunately, they are having problems meeting that obligation. We, of course, wish absolutely no ill will on our greek brothers but we could have been in the same place if we built new instead of renovating 520 S. This was mostly due to the expert guidance from our HC President Tom McSwiggan.

Tom has also spent time meeting with city fathers, ERAU brass and others to "reshape" our part of "Old Daytona" This has resulted in two nearby crack houses being closed down by DBPD, reduction in nearby prostitution, Segrave Ave being cleaned up, less vagrant traffic and other improvements.

Now for the next phase.......

Downlighting front exterior.

Before we close in the soffits from the roof job we will be adding downlighting on the entire front of the house. This will allow the house to be "bathed in light" of several different colors, green for St Patty's day, red for Christmas, blue for Sigma Chi etc.

Soffits.

The underside of the roof overhang will be closed in with aluminum soffit material

New Hurricane windows.

These will be much better for multiple reasons, reduced energy costs because they reflect heat out and keep cool in. Much heavier frame so it will hold up to extended use. Allow screens to be installed on all windows, no storm windows needed either. More aesthetically pleasing.

Wing air conditioning.

The wings will be fitted with Mitsubishi splits. These are the small single room units. They are more efficient, up to eight units can be run off one compressor so we only need one compressor for each wing. This also allows for the A/C to be turned off if a room is vacant without having to shut down the whole house. This will also place a much smaller load on the A/C units in the main house attic.

Fencing.

We will be fencing in the back yard with a more private (style to be determined) fence. The poolside fence will be moved several feet south toward the Raintree Hotel. We own the property and Tom has already informed the owners of our plan and they are fine with the idea. We will also be putting up a fence beside room 1 south to the Raintree. This will keep unwanted folks from traversing the property between the two buildings.

The Pool.

Last but not least the pool, the money pit that has been there forever. First a little history. The actives, in an effort to save money wanted to take care of the pool themselves. Tom took the appropriate pool maintenance class, and got certified, showed the actives how to maintain the pool and they took over. After a few weeks Tom went home, the pool turned green, a new inspector for the county wanted to make a name for herself and RED FLAGGED the pool. This means closed, no swimming until further notice. After several meetings with the county, the county pool engineer and Cal, the fellow who took care of the pool for decades and is now maintaining the pool for HC again.

We have two choices:

Put a band-aid fix on it that will have to be mostly thrown away when we do the real fix to comply with 2018 code.
Do it right the first time to comply with 2018 code.

Volunteers Needed

This is where the 800+ alumni of Eta Iota come in. We usually do very well at 5 year Bday parties, everyone comes back, gets re-acquainted with old buddies and they open up their wallets. Make no mistake here Brothers we are VERY MUCH appreciative of your generous donations. We would, however, like to have all this finished by the big 50!! One option would be to get a loan and finish it up, and hope we can pay it off after the 50th. We would like to do this debt free though.

ERAU has just enacted a new policy forcing every new student to stay in ERAU provided housing for their first two years in school. Only exceptions are if you are 21 years of age or transfer in about 28 credit hours. This is a two-pronged sword for us. It means we will have a smaller pool of actives to draw from to fill the house, but the actives who do live in the house will be a little older and more mature.

Here is my idea for fundraising. I would like a non-HC member for every 2 year bracket that Eta Iota has been around. This person would presumably know most everyone in his 2 year bracket so they could personally contact each Brother in his group. Using a personal touch will hopefully stimulate some donations. Let me stress one thing here, ANY donation is needed and appreciated, $10/month, $20/month. Of course, those of us older, more established alumni may be able to make larger donations. This would require about 24 volunteers, out of almost 900 alumni how hard could this be?

If you would be willing to be one of these folks please contact me.

If you would prefer to donate through 1855 or make a recurring or one-time donation please see the HI web site under 1855 Club.

Thanks for taking the time to read this,

IHSV

Mike Wyble

Trey Pulliam Receives Eta Iota Military Appreciation Scholarship

2018-05-25T00:00:00Z

Brother Trey Pulliam, girlfriend Devin and their daughter, Stella

Congratulations to Undergraduate Brother Trey Pulliam for receiving the Eta Iota Military Appreciation Scholarship for Spring 2018! Brother Pulliam is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and is expecting to graduate in December 2018.

Trey currently serves in the United States Air Force Reserves as an Aviation Engineer in Cocoa Beach, FL where he is a Craftsman on HH-60 Pave Hawk and CV-22. Since joining Sigma Chi in the Fall of 2015, Trey has ben deployed twice - once to Bagram Afghanistan for Operation Freedom Sentinel and also to Djibouti, Djibouti for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Brother Pulliam was selected for this scholarship based on his current and past military service and solid academic achievements at ERAU.

President's Update – February 2018

2018-02-01T00:00:00Z

Alumni Brothers:

It has been another successful year for the Eta Iota House Corporation with many accomplishments and a few trials and tribulations thrown in for good measure. The house is at full occupancy and we had 100% rent collections in the fall. We have 5 new bathrooms on the second floor and a new roof that should last decades. The new property is scheduled to be paid off by June 2018 and all three properties are now legally adjoined and tax exempt.

Like last year we had unplanned challenges to contend with such as preparing and cleanup before and after Hurricane Irma. We also had to fire a questionable roofing contractor and contend with extensive rot and damage to the roof that was not foreseen.

In an anticipated development, congratulations are in order to Delta Chi Fraternity, who finished their new house. For the first time in many years, there is a rival fraternity at ERAU with a house.

Sigma Chi International Fraternity Inc. has announced a major institutional change to the drug and alcohol policy that will go into effect February 1, 2018. Sigma Chi Headquarters has prohibited the possession or use of hard alcohol on any Sigma Chi property or at any Sigma Chi event. The abolition of hard alcohol is in response to universities' unprecedented wave of Greek system suspensions and expulsions nationwide in 2017 due to alcohol related incidents. Knowing the statistics, I believe this change is necessary and House Corp will fully adhere to and enforce the new alcohol and drug policy.

The Eta Iota House Corporation is looking forward to a productive 2018.

The following is a list of what was accomplished in calendar year 2017 and our plans for 2018.

Projects Completed in 2017

5 New Bathrooms – The second floor bathrooms were not on the "to-do" list for 2017 but were in dire need of renovation. Mike Wyble's friend was willing to give us a deep discount on the shower pan and wall composite material so we decided to proceed. Mike and I gutted the 5 second floor bathrooms and rebuilt them. This included reframing rotting floor joists, removing the old cast iron waste lines and replacing them with PVC. The domestic water feeds were replaced with Pex and Moen single handle shower valves instead of the old 2-handle valves. The floor joists were replaced as needed and the plywood with ¾" pressure treated. Mike's friend made very heavy duty custom composite shower pans and shower walls that are aesthetically pleasing and mold resistant – the pans are approximately 1" thick, not like the flimsy units at Home Depot. The tight mating of the walls and pans will prevent any water leakage or intrusion.

In a further effort to contain water and prevent damage, we installed shower doors on all the new units. We installed Toto brand elongated 1.6 gal toilets. Toto toilets have a large 3" flush valve and fully glazed traps reducing friction to help prevent clogging. Each bathroom was fitted with a new fan/light which are all vented to the exterior of the building. At this point all plumbing from the second floor down to the first floor slab level is new (pipes under the slab will be next year). I appreciate Mike and Becky's time and hard work.

Special thanks to Jerry "Fat Albert" Anderson and Bruce "Sief" Balensiefer for their help.

New Roof – After considering bids from multiple roofing contractors, the contract was awarded to Wayne's Roofing. Wayne's had been in business for years and had a good reputation in the Daytona area. I had discussed my expectations with their managing partner, Steve, and told him all rot and termite damage was to be repaired – we didn't want to cut corners. Another requirement was that there be no workers with criminal records on property. Wayne's was supposed to start the job in January of 2017 but the hurricane in October 2016 put them behind schedule. They finally started the job in May of 2017 with a dozen or more unskilled workers. The quality of work was terrible. They were stripping the roof and installing the ice and water shield material directly over all the rot and termite damage. I had warned them several times that I was watching, but they continued the same shoddy work. It came to my attention that the majority of these workers were not actual roofers but inmates that were on work release from the local prison. It was clear to me that Wayne's did not have the workforce with the skills to complete the roof correctly, so the decision was made to fire them.

Because of the recent hurricane, most of the roofers were backed up 6 months to a year, making it difficult to find one to finish the job in a timely manner. WKL Roofing – one of the largest in Daytona – agreed to complete the job but could not start the work for 3 months. This was a very stressful time because Wayne's had stripped the roof in a haphazard manner leaving us with just a thin layer of tar paper on the roof coming into rainy season.

To expedite the process, we hired Mark McNeeley from Dream Home Builders to repair the rot and termite damage so the roof deck would be ready when WKL arrived in August. Before putting the roof out to bid, I had known there was rot and termite damage but the extent of the damage became clear when Mark's crew began to work. Mark's crew worked steadily all summer replacing the damaged roof framing.

WKL arrived on time in August and was able to get the roof completed before the school year began but unfortunately, while they were installing the new roof, many of the old heavy plaster ceilings in the wings fell, creating another problem to deal with.

Ceilings in Wing Bedrooms – With approximately a week to go until the fall semester began, the ceilings in rooms 3, 4, 5, 7 & 15 had fallen and needed to be fully replaced. To compound the problem, the ceiling joists needed to be sistered due to termite damage. Once again, Mark's crew got to work and helped to get the ceilings repaired. As school began we had all but 2 of the ceilings repaired. We were able to get the other 2 ceilings finished within a reasonable time period but to his credit, Seth Downs took money from his own pocket to prorate brothers' rental fees that were affected. Thank you, Seth.

Although we were forced to replace some of the ceilings sooner than expected, we knew that they needed to be done. I just look at it as part of a project we finished ahead of schedule and therefore, less that we need to do in the future.

Hurricane Preparation and Repair – Another unanticipated event this year was Hurricane Irma. In October, just when I thought we were wrapping up projects for the year, we received a prediction for a possible CAT 4-5 hurricane for the second time in under a year. Due to the size of the house and the fact that lumber becomes scarce immediately upon the prediction of a hurricane, an immediate decision was made to board the house and secure the property. Mark's crew and I worked to obtain plywood and get the house ready for the storm.

The house and new roof fared well during the storm with some tree limbs down in the rear.

Digitizing Composites – In last year's end of the year report I had stated that I wanted to have the older unframed composites digitized to preserve the chapter history in case they were damaged by fire or a natural disaster, so there would be some record of them.

We began the process by sending years '72, '74, '75, '76, '77, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84 out to be digitized. I had called around to see if we could have the composites digitized locally but nobody would touch them. The original composite company still has the rights to the photos so they can only be duplicated by Fraternal Composite Corp. in N.Y. State. The composite company has completed the work and the digitized composites will be shipped back to the house shortly.

When this group of composites is returned, we will look to see if there are any others from the 80's or 90's that need digitizing. At some point during the 90's all photography and composites became digitized, therefore no action will be needed.

Sometime during spring 2018 I would like to make a duplicate of the charter so the original is not exposed to damage or theft. The original charter should be kept in a locked room.

Does anyone know if there was a composite picture taken in 1973 or 1978? If so, does anyone know where they are? I'm not sure if the chapter had composites done in those years – please advise at tgmcswiggan@gmail.com or hi.hc.pres@gmail.com.

We don't have any photos of the 45th birthday loaded onto Etaiota.org. Does anyone have pictures they can share?

Projects Planned for 2018

Depending on cash flow and alumni donations, we will do some or all of the following projects:

Routine maintenance – A/C filters, clean showers, clean under deck, full pool service, etc.
Patch stucco – The stucco needs to be patched in the areas that were affected during the roof replacement. Estimate $6,500.
Install new soffits and downlighting – We will be installing all new soffits on the house. After the roof was completed, we left the soffits off until after the stucco work is completed. While installing the new soffits, we will be installing LED downlighting on the house. I have always thought the face of the house looks too dark at night. It will look much better with downlighting. Soffit estimate $6,000, light budget $2,500.
Bedroom ceilings – wings – We have sistered the joists and replaced ceilings in 5 wing rooms. We will continue to replace ceilings in the wing rooms as money and time permits. Average $4,000 per bedroom.
Replace exterior waste lines – Two years ago we replaced the worst 40' of the exterior waste line. In preparation for renovating the bathrooms in the wings, we need to replace the rest of the deteriorating exterior waste lines – the job includes demo and replacement of portions of sidewalks in front of wings. $7,000.
Install 46 new impact (hurricane) windows – We have had new windows on the agenda for a while but the roof and other projects were costly so they had to be put on the back burner. The existing windows in the house are cheap ⅛" clear glass causing extreme heat gain in the house. The tilt wash latches are all broken or misfit causing the windows to blow in during a strong wind, let alone hurricane force winds. When we do the windows they will be tinted and impact rated, helping to keep the house cool. They will also lessen the need to board the house in the event of a hurricane and cannot be broken by potential burglars. If we have enough funds, I would like to get them done this year. Estimated $32,000.
Wi-Fi hookup – The new Wi-Fi wires are run throughout the house but have not been terminated. We will be finishing this up ASAP. I have been in contact with John Banta who has made some suggestions for equipment. It was estimated by a professional installer but I have had John Banta and other alumni offer to do the work themselves. We will need three commercial routers and other hardware to complete the task. Hardware $700.
Fencing – Privacy fencing is needed at different areas of the property but the two areas that I would like to do this year are the areas up front, blocking off the accessway (the right driveway) and the area between the left front of the house and the Raintree. People trespass most often using these two areas. Not yet estimated.
Exterior fan/light for bar – The tiki bar needs lighting. There is a wire run but we need to install lighting or an exterior fan/light combo. $250.
Exterior speakers – At some point House Corp will install exterior speakers. They range in price $79-$449 pair. We will wait until after the new soffits are installed. TBD.
Cushioned folding metal chairs – We need to order 20 chairs for the chapter rooms so the brothers don't take the good furniture out of the study room and kitchen for chapter meetings. These chairs run about $20 each x 20 = $400.
Complete renovation of the wings, 2019 – Renovating the wings will be costly so the actual schedule will be heavily dependent on our financial position and cash flow. House Corp will be discussing the future plans more over the next 6-9 months. We have been doing preliminary work to the wings so that the project will go smoothly once commenced. Anticipated $250K.

Opportunities for Alumni Involvement

Vacant House Corp Positions

The House Corporation currently has 4 executive officers and 6 trustee positions that are all fulfilling their duties. It must be noted that we are missing Bill Palmer's input and gifted abilities since his retirement from HC. There are a few vacant HC positions we are looking to fill. These positions may be filled by the current HC members or new alumni volunteers.

Fundraising / Keeper of the List – It is important for the perpetuity of the House Corp and communications in general that the HC have its own alumni list that is as accurate as possible. The job's description will include keeping all alumni contact info up-to-date and to make sure all graduating seniors are immediately added to the list. The fundraising chair will also be responsible for the new Eta Iota HC initiative to get alumni to remember to bequeath us in their will.
Technologist / Webmaster – This is the job that Bill Palmer did so well for 25 years. The responsibilities of the position are to keep Etaiota.org and any other platforms or pages that we use up to date.
RMF Chair – This job is to ensure House Corp and the undergraduate chapter are in compliance with RMF rules and insurance regulations.
Birthday Coordinator – Gassi has been the birthday coordinator for years. The position requires enough work that we need volunteers for the committee. Alumnus Chris Giovanetty has recently joined the committee.

Other Opportunities to Help

John Banta will be finishing up the new WI-FI at the house in late February or early March and might need help.
Thousands of old chapter photos need to be identified, labeled and scanned for preservation.
We will be removing and replacing the plaster ceilings in the wings.
Depending on finances and manpower we anticipate renovating the wings next year and we can use a hand.

Anyone interested in these positions or helping can contact me or any House Corp member or email hi.hc.pres@gmail.com.

Update Your Contact Information

Please take time to update your contact information on our Etaiota.org site as well as headquarters' sigmachi.com site. Also take a few minutes to contact members of your pledge class to have them update their information as well. While you are on Sigmachi.com consider becoming a Life Loyal Sigma Chi if you aren't already.

Go to etaiota.org and click on the "member directory" tab, then look in the center of the page for "add / update personal data."
Go to Sigmachi.com and click on the "members only" tab all the way on the right and then drop down to "update my contact info." You will need to remember your username and password. If you need help call HQ at (847) 869-3655.
If you know of any changes in a brother's contact or health status that might not be able to update their own contact information, please let us know by email at hi.hc.pres@gmail.com.
Contact your pledge class and other alumni brothers to make sure they all update their info as well and are on the Sigma Chi – Eta Iota Chapter Facebook page and are also aware of hi.hc.pres@gmail.com if they need to communicate with us.
If it pertains, please update your contact information with your local Sigma Chi alumni chapter.

New House Rules with Demerits

Some aspects of the undergraduate chapter are functioning well while other aspects require a lot of work. The chapter has done great work fundraising for Huntsman Cancer Institute and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.

This being stated, the House Corp must address some behavioral concerns: a broken door jamb, a broken window, damaged doors, overflowing garbage cans, beer cans on the lawn and assorted other issues. Most recently, over Christmas break 2017 the city gave the chapter a citation for $500 because of the amount of garbage in front of the house. Jerry Anderson, Bruce Balensiefer, Mike Wyble, myself and other alumni have tried to explain that treating the house with this type of disregard is completely unacceptable. I have told the chapter repeatedly that there is an ordinance regarding garbage cans out front and that all garbage in and out of the house must be emptied twice per week but it goes on deaf ears.

Broken items and citations are not only costly to repair but more, portray a complete lack of pride in Sigma Chi and are also a slap in the face of the alumni that have given so much. I realize that bringing this information to the attention of the alumni could cause a visceral reaction but it is important to know these behaviors didn't start recently. Behavioral problems have been long running and will be addressed by raising expectations as well as instituting long needed house rules, coupled with a system of demerits.

This critique is in no way meant to denigrate the current undergraduate chapter or to lessen their achievements, only to ensure Eta Iota's perpetuity. Starting in Spring 2018 the House Corp will be instituting house rules that will be enforced.

House Corp Function, University Environment & Policy Changes

Undergraduates and alumni alike don't always understand what goes into making a house corporation function effectively, how it is organized or what factors influence the decision making process. I hope the following explanation makes clear the need for rules as well as how and why they are formulated.

There are many things that are considered when making decisions and formulating policy as it relates to House Corp, some of which are: the needs of the chapter, finances, student schedules, Sigma Chi rules, university rules and environment, local ordinances, state and federal laws, regulations and statutes (including IRS), insurance guidelines (RMF), fire code, health code, building code, etc.

It is important to know that the undergraduate chapter does not own the house and cannot be members of the house corporation. The Eta Iota House Corporation is a Florida corporation and the Eta Iota alumni its shareholders. The House Corporation is a completely separate entity from Sigma Chi International Fraternity Inc. The primary purpose of the officers of any house corporation, or any corporation for that matter, is to "protect the asset." The undergraduate chapter, although brothers, are considered renters. Of course, because they are brothers, we watch out for their well being and always have their best interest at heart.

Why does this make a difference? Beginning about 5 years ago, universities across the country have shown zero tolerance for any misbehavior or missteps by fraternities and sororities. They are quick to suspend or expel them at the drop of a hat for incidents that the universities would not have blinked at years ago. Over the past few years Sigma Chi has lost numerous chapters across the country for incidents that included hazing, alcohol or behavioral related problems – all of which are usually related. This past year, many universities took the unprecedented step of suspending or completely expelling their Greek systems, which has been a wake up call to Sigma Chi and other Greeks.

This might seem unfair to members of the Greek system because we know that hazing and behavioral issues are not limited to the Greek system but are prevalent among independents, sports teams and other clubs, etc. Although this being true, we all must realize the number of drug, alcohol and hazing related incidents universities deal with and the corresponding liability has caused them to protect their assets. These incidents not only have a direct effect on the reputation and liability of universities but that of members of the Greek system as well, e.g. the Penn State hazing death. To reiterate, now more than ever before, misbehaviors blemish reputations, cause injury, raise insurance rates and cost us out of pocket for general repairs and maintenance.

Although we do not have hazing problems at Eta Iota, and the ERAU Greek system at Embry-Riddle does not appear to be in peril, it just takes one incident to change that. If we don't keep our house and chapter in order, the university will do it for us. Sigma Chi International's new rule prohibiting hard alcohol along with Eta Iota's house rules will set an acceptable code of conduct for the brothers. This is for the good of the House Corporation and it will ensure the perpetuity of the chapter.

The tenets of Sigma Chi's new rules are as follows:

No hard alcohol at any Sigma Chi property or event.
No social events with alcohol while recruitment or pledge operations are active.
Pledge period must begin and finish in 5 weeks.
All Sigma Chi events must be capped at a 3:1 guest to brother ratio.

Delta Chi's New House

Delta Chi is to be commended for completing their new house. The house is an attractive and functional 2-story modern concrete structure. It has 12 bedrooms and sleeps 24, therefore brothers don't have their own rooms or private bathrooms as we do at Eta Iota. The property is smaller than 520 South and of course has no pool. At this time, their house is fully occupied. We do not know the actual cost of the Delta Chi house yet but it was estimated to be over $2.4 million.

The Delta Chi house is built on a small parcel owned by the university on a long term ground lease ½ mile from campus. This arrangement places Delta Chi under a microscope – not only are they constantly being watched but it also gives the university "all the cards" for any "perceived" wrongdoing of their chapter.

As we expected, this has created some healthy competition for Eta Iota. For the first time in decades there is another fraternity house at ERAU, which helped the Delta Chi chapter to better their typical lackluster RUSH this year. Not to worry, our Eta Iota chapter had a robust RUSH this year as well. As I have said many times before, I believe competition is healthy, but our Eta Iota undergraduates need to stay on their "A-game." Eta Iota alumni can help ensure this happens by showing your support and keeping high expectations of the undergraduate chapter.

Eta Iota Renovation Compared to Delta Chi

Recently, Eta Iota House Corp trustee Brad Vomacka asked, "How are we doing on our 5 year renovation plan?" We are doing very well. We are ahead of schedule on the renovation, completing an estimated 45-50% of the project at a cost of $325-350K, which to date is only 14% of Delta Chi's estimated $2.4 million to build their house.

Our strategy is to complete our project in phases, fully funding each phase as cash flow permits. Before Eta Iota is complete we will spend another projected $300K, equating to 26% of Delta Chi's $2.4 million – what a bargain!

The people that should be the happiest with the Eta Iota House Corp strategy are the undergraduate brothers. They will be living in a beautiful house at a much lower rent than their counterparts at the Delta Chi chapter.

The New Property

The new property was purchased for $55K and alumni donations have us ahead in payments. We have $7,500 left to pay on the property and Seth has it budgeted to be paid off by the House Corporation's fiscal year end, June 2018. We purchased the property using a promissory note, therefore we already have clear title to the property. This year we legally adjoined all 3 properties – now they are all considered 520 South Ridgewood. With the lots now adjoined, it significantly raises the value of the melded 520 South.

The Pool

The good news is that the pool equipment continues to function well so we haven't had to spend money for repairs. Although the equipment is functioning, the undergraduate chapter is having difficulty finding brothers to consistently maintain the pool. The current agreement between the HC and chapter is the undergrads are responsible for pool maintenance and the HC pays for major repairs. Our thought was that if the undergrads did the maintenance themselves, they would save themselves $6-8K/year – this has not worked so far.

The House Corporation will be taking over the responsibility of both maintenance and repairs of the pool beginning in January 2018. This will provide the consistency required by the health department. I have asked Seth to submit a financial plan to recoup the costs from the chapter.

Positions in Chapter

Starting in the Spring of 2018 the following undergraduate positions will need to give a weekly report to House Corp.

Pool Manager – the pool manager will be responsible for making sure the pool area is clean and safety rope is installed after the pool is used. He will need to check the pump equipment and inform HC of any pool related issues.
Kitchen Steward – the chapter now has a kitchen steward position who is responsible to make sure the kitchen is clean: dishes are clean and not left in the sink, the fridge is clean and the garbage emptied twice each week. The kitchen steward will also have a budget for supplies.
House Manager – Lane Wisnewski is the new undergraduate house manager for spring 2018. He will be responsible for the management of keeping the house and yard clean and organized. He will also be responsible for reporting any items that need to be repaired to House Corp.
RMF Representative – the RMF chair will need to give a weekly report of any incidents that happen relating to RMF.

The house manager or risk manager will be responsible for making sure to lock all doors and gates at night – TBD.

Move In / Move Out Checklist

Beginning in Fall 2018, a video will be taken of each room before brothers move in and another when they move out. Videos will be filed in House Corporation files.

The rest of the move-in / move-out list will be developed soon.

Alumnus Sheldon Leonard (Gamma Lambda 2014)

After being a big part of Eta Iota for years, Sheldon graduated from ERAU in May of 2014 with a bachelor's degree in aviation business and a bachelor's degree in meteorology. He moved back home to the British Virgin Islands and worked at the Taddy Bay International Airport for the British Virgin Islands Airport Authority. Sheldon rose to the level of Assistant Professional Cadet in charge of operations and revenue management. His island was destroyed by Hurricane Irma, and as a result, Sheldon has no home or job. Sheldon would like to move back to the United States and return to Embry-Riddle to earn a master's degree in business administration and economics. Sheldon has reached out to the school and chapter looking for help returning to school. Does anyone have sway with the university that can speak to the administration on Sheldon's behalf? I would like to see if ERAU can fast track him into a master's program and if the university will supply him with a dorm room. If anyone can help in any capacity, please contact me (Tom) and I'll put you in touch with Sheldon.

Donations & Bequeathments

The House Corp would like to thank all of the alumni for your generosity again this past year. Although we are ahead of schedule on our 5 year renovation plan, finances are limited and we can only accomplish as much as cash flow allows. As detailed in this report, we have a lot on the agenda and we greatly appreciate any donations you give.

As part of the House Corp donation program we have also instituted a system of bequeathing the Eta Iota House Corp. If you have fond memories of Eta Iota and believe that Sigma Chi has played an important role in your life, please join with other alumni in our new bequeathment program. Brothers can be confident that their donations are spent wisely and watched over dutifully by Seth Downs. If you have any questions about the work that is going on at the house or how to make a donation, please contact Seth Downs (hi.hc.treasurer@gmail.com), myself or any member of the House Corp.

Future Capital Campaign

After the 47th birthday this April, the House Corp will be announcing a capital campaign to help pay for the renovation of the wings. The 50th anniversary is only 3 years away and the House Corp would like to have the renovations completed for the big soiree. To accomplish this, we will need to raise $250K.

Donations – Tom Henion

Congratulations to Tom for becoming the latest Constantine level member of the 1855 Club. We will be purchasing a printer/copier/scanner and some other "hi-tech stuff" for the house with his donation. This will enable us to scan the thousands of old chapter photos for historic preservation. It will be placed in the new study room for use by the chapter. Further congratulations are in order as Tom will be retiring from American Airlines March 16th, 2018.

Date of Eta Iota Birthday 2018

The tentative date for Eta Iota's 47th Birthday is April 6-8, 2018. Gassi is planning a BBQ at the house. If possible, please attend in person. If that is not possible, we will be live-streaming our House Corp meeting on Facebook again this year.

Summary

Once again I have to thank Mike Wyble for the hard work he put into renovating the bathrooms. Seth Downs dutifully watches over the finances of the House Corp and spends many hours gathering, organizing, streamlining and analyzing information to keep things on track. I appreciate all the members of House Corp that help share their time and opinions helping to ensure our success.

Although we were able to accomplish more than expected this year, it was costly. As you all know, the success of the undergraduate chapter and House Corp is directly related to alumni support. This year again, you, the alumni, showed your unwavering support of House Corp and the chapter and we couldn't have done it without you. Let's repeat again in 2018.

IHSV, Tom McSwiggan Eta Iota House Corp President tgmcswiggan@gmail.com 203-788-1669

Original document: Eta Iota 2017 calendar year end report

President's Update – January 2017

2017-01-06T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

Happy New Year! I hope this finds you and your families well.

I would like to share with you some of the accomplishments of the house corporation since April 2016 as well as our plans for 2017. Included in this draft are some thoughts on helping the undergraduate chapter set lofty goals and how we as the alumni can help them achieve these goals.

Lofty Goal – Going for the Gold

Three years ago we started to revamp the house and chapter as well as rebuild the rapport between the undergrads and alumni – we had quite the challenge. The condition of the house and chapter were sub-par to say the least. I promised the undergrads if they listened attentively and became part of the solution, they would become a Peterson chapter. To my word, working with the chapter and alumni, we have been able to achieve the blue Peterson two years in a row. This year, I would like to challenge them to go for the GOLD.

The GOLD PETERSON is not handed to chapters, it is earned by chapters – it is awarded to only a few chapters each year at BLTW. Some of the criteria to win the Gold Peterson are as follows: the chapters must have a high GPA as well as good chapter attendance, be in good standing with the University and General Fraternity, and must also raise money through philanthropic events such as "Derby Days." The typical Gold Peterson chapter raises $20K or more. The criteria are the same as for a Blue Peterson except the chapter must score a 97% on the application. This takes planning and execution through leadership.

The few chapters that win the GOLD PETERSON every year tend to have strong undergraduate leadership but just as important, they tend to have very strong support from their alumni. Raising $20K at a smaller University like ERAU can prove difficult without alumni support. Brothers might think this task impossible but at another chapter a mother raised $6K by herself!

Winning the GOLD will be a lot of work. The undergraduates would really have to be on their "A-Game." The reason I believe that the Gold is possible this year is because the newly elected undergraduate officers Nick Bailey, Kyle Martinez, Mike Conway and J.D. Denton not only have strong leadership qualities but are also good listeners and hard workers. The balance of the undergrads, including the new initiates, are very solid and quite capable of performing up to the task.

As we all know, Eta Iota has the best alumni, consistently having the highest percent of life loyal Sigma Chi's in the General Fraternity. With alumni help and guidance the GOLD PETERSON is achievable.

If we make the decision that we are indeed going to help the undergraduates achieve this goal, we must start quickly. The Peterson application is due in May and there is a lot of work to do in between. I believe we should start by forming a GOLD PETERSON committee made up of undergraduates and alumni mentors.

What Has Been Accomplished Since 45th, April 2016?

At the 45th Birthday this year we had outstanding attendance and a great time was had by all.

Through the generous donations of the alumni at the 45th and throughout the year, house corporation was able to plan and complete many of the following projects:

The New Study Room – Update

With no designated study area, it seemed difficult for brothers to find a comfortable area to sit and study at the house. To create a studying culture at Eta Iota, we needed a proper study room. The room was part of last year's renovation but completed the day before 45th birthday. To see the brothers use the room is truly gratifying. In April 2016 they texted a pic of themselves using the room to study for finals. There have been many late nights the lights have been on in the study room, with one or more brothers hard at work. During the summer, brothers invited friends to the house to study physics. They all passed their physics class – success.

We Purchased the Shack-Man Property

This is the property at the northwest rear corner of the Eta Iota property. The reasons for the purchase were many. The primary reason was to obtain control of the lot to prevent future development that would affect the usage of the Eta Iota house and property. Without owning and controlling 509 South Segrave Ave., I would not have felt confident investing large sums of money into the Eta Iota house.

Through researching the property, we found out there had been plans floated to build an apartment complex which would have abutted our property. Another plausible scenario was the possibility of the new club next door purchasing the lot to expand their parking. Eta Iota's purchase of the lot immediately checkmated the club. Either one of the scenarios could have adversely affected the usage of the fraternity house.

Before beginning negotiations on the property, we had a full survey performed on 520 South Ridgewood and 509 S. Segrave Ave., so we were aware of property boundaries.

House Corp VP Mike Wyble negotiated to buy the property for $20K down, $35K over a 3-year period. Attorney Tom Hart wrote the contract and the deal was done through a title company to protect the interest of Eta Iota House Corporation. We hold clean title to the property.

Many alumni have donated generously to the cause, adopting one monthly mortgage payment. The note on the lot is well over half paid already! We have 21 more payments of $1,080 to go. I would like to have the balance of the note paid as soon as possible. Do we have any other generous brothers who would like to adopt a monthly mortgage payment?

Illicit Sex Club Next Door

As some of you might already know, in August 2016 a sex club opened next door to the house at 500 South Ridgewood. This is a concern to us because their clientele's background is completely unknown. The club advertises on the internet to attract potential customers from all over the world.

The business is not licensed and has no tax permit. If they are not licensed correctly, more than likely they are not insured either, especially if they are running an illicit operation.

Furthermore, the area is not zoned for a sex club. I know some of you are asking how they are getting away with running the club; the quick answer is they claim to be a private fraternity/club – no kidding.

I have been working with the city attorney to try to close the business. I have attended 4 hearings and testified twice. In my court testimony, I questioned how long it would be before one of their customers followed one of our sweethearts home from a party – the question hit home with every female in the courtroom.

The city has given a cease and desist order to the club and property owners. Although we have won each time, I do believe the club will challenge the ruling. The City of Daytona Beach has taken up the mantle of the court case against the club – the city is paying the legal costs.

Update: I received notice stating the City of Daytona Beach has filed in a higher court and has asked me to testify again.

New Leases and Other Legalities

Upon taking office, one thing I wanted to accomplish immediately was to update the leases to bring them into compliance with Florida law and the Sigma Chi Risk Management Foundation (RMF insurance). This took many long hours and the legal expertise of Sigma Chi brother and attorney Tom Hart (Emory '71, UF '76).

In observing the chapter operations, I realized the Quaestor position was overloaded but also had many items on their ledger that should have been the responsibility of House Corp. An undergraduate quaestor has enough to do with his own schoolwork and collecting dues; he doesn't need the added responsibility of paying utilities and collecting rent as well. The chapter house leases are now set up like an apartment house with a master lease to the chapter and individual leases for each brother renting a room. All are tenants of Eta Iota House Corporation, not the undergraduate chapter. This enables us to have more enforcement of non-payment and behavioral issues. The new system has worked well so far. HC has 100% rent collection for the fall semester.

Legal Opinion – Property Tax

Also as part of bringing the House Corporation up to date, we had Tom Hart give a written legal opinion on the property tax status of 520 South Ridgewood. This was to verify that the tax-exempt classification of the property was correct and to make sure nobody could come after us for money later. Getting this legal opinion was important before investing more money into the property. We now have legal opinion on file.

The Pool

This year, through the suggestion of many alumni, we had the chapter revert back to maintaining the pool themselves, as it had in the past. This would not have been possible without the consistent generous efforts of alumnus Jay Smullen. Jay came up from his home in Stuart, Florida and gave the undergraduates a lesson on pool maintenance.

The new maintenance regimen got off to a slow start but undergraduate brother J.D. Denton took the reins and things have been going well since. Having the undergrads maintain the pool themselves saves the chapter approximately $6-7K/yr.

To keep us legal, I obtained my Commercial Pool Operator's license (CPO) in Florida.

Jay and I went over the pool mechanicals and maintenance together. Jay donated a new high-tech pump, filter cartridges, a leaf skimmer and much more. Since firing the pool maintenance company and taking over ourselves, there have been significantly fewer breakdowns.

The pool skimmers will need some work in the future but it is not critical at this moment – it's working fine. Jay can guide us along as needed. Again, I can't thank Jay enough for his expertise and generosity.

Routine Maintenance, Summer 2016 (Partial List)

I performed much of the summer maintenance myself this year so we could divert the usual "summer budget" money to the purchase of the new property. Some of the maintenance items this summer were:

Fixing and adjusting toilets
New LED lights in the pump room
Replaced ventilation fan in pump room
Replaced sump pump in pump room
Replaced ceiling fans in rooms 9, 10, 22
Bleached showers as necessary
Had 2 washing machines repaired by Washco
Added 2 electronic locks on the second floor for ease of access & security
All new (6) GFI outlets in kitchen to replace non-functioning ones
Changed all HVAC filters
Installed new 32-compartment mailbox/mail sorter in study room
Changed electronics and security closet to second floor – we had Brighthouse Cable run a new cable wire from Segrave Ave. all the way to the new second floor closet
Ran new Cat 6 wire in the main house and north wing in preparation for a new outstanding internet system, 80% finished (summer 2017)
Repaired hinge screw and door strike on exterior kitchen door
Removed abandoned vehicles
Repaired rear chapter room door hinges and saddle – normal wear and tear
Installed new LED emergency & exit lights to replace burned out units
Serviced all fire extinguishers
Giles Electric performed the annual fire alarm inspection
Undergraduate Christian Celeste made a CAD-CAM of 2nd floor to map out emergency exit routes
Cleaned and serviced the pool filter multiple times
Repaired the E-Z Up canopy used for RUSH by the chapter

Other Ongoing Planning-Related Items

As you all know, this renovation is being done in phases. Some of the items that are in the planning stages are:

Ductless Split A/C

I met with the Mitsubishi HVAC engineers in Orlando to discuss changing the A/C units in the wings. We had a discussion regarding what style units, cost and issues related to installation, etc. This plan is ongoing.

Note: these units are much more efficient than the current units in the wings and the temperature can be set separately in each wing bedroom. Mr. Efficient – Seth Downs – wouldn't settle for anything less.

Bathrooms

We have to renovate the bathrooms. Mike Wyble and I have been discussing which way we want to approach this. We are planning to use solid surface shower bases and walls but there is still galvanized and cast iron plumbing under the slab that needs to be changed. Therefore, both operations need to be done at the same time.

Waterline

Once we start to do the bathrooms, we will need to change the main water line under the chapter room floor because of its age. I have had discussions with the city engineers about our waterline – the plan is ongoing.

Exterior Fencing by the Pool

We have an area prepared for a new privacy fence to replace the current chain link fence by the pool. The new fence will be set back approximately 8.5' towards the Raintree Motel, placing it directly on our actual property line, thus enlarging our pool deck area. This will be done at some point after the roof, depending on our finances.

Utility Companies and Tree Work

I have contacted Florida Power and Light (FPL) to remove an abandoned power pole back near Segrave Ave. This will be done gratis. We have a work order on it; we just have to wait our turn.

I have also contacted AT&T to try to have them remove any trees or limbs laying against their lines on our side of Segrave. These trees need to be cut or heavily trimmed before we consider fencing off the back lot.

Unplanned: Hurricane Matthew Preparation and Cleanup

Hurricane Preparation

As Hurricane Matthew developed, the preparation went into high gear. When they started forecasting possible category 4-5 winds, I removed most of the composites from the house along with the charter.

Chuck Bonini came to give me a hand removing the hanging badge over the front portico.

The undergrads and I filled sandbags to prevent water from flooding the pump room and laundry room. We also placed bags in front of all the doors to add weight so they would not blow open as easily.

Hurricane Cleanup

The preparation did us well. The house itself had minor damage – mostly shingles blown from the roof.

The backyard and rear lot did not fare as well and had many downed trees and limbs. There were no arborists available after the storm, so I did the cutting while the brothers and pledges dragged branches and stacked the wood. The storm actually did well by us because it downed some limbs and trees that I was concerned about.

We ended up with approximately 2+ cords of wood.

Preparations Before the New Roof

Before the new roof is installed the following list of items needs to be completed – most have been completed except for removing old pipes from the attic.

Tree Cutting Over Wings

Before the new roof is installed, I thought it best to do a heavy cutting of the large oak trees hanging over the north and south wings to mitigate any potential danger of trees falling on them. Brian Barker of Barkerscape did a masterful job of cutting the most threatening trees and branches while still leaving an attractive canopy. Thank God this work was done a month before the hurricane, otherwise we could have had a real problem on our hands.

Electrical Service

Another step before the new roof installation on the house was to remove the low-hanging overhead electrical service and roof mast to bury it. The old wire and meter panel were not up to code and the sheathing on the wiring and roof boot were worn out. Although I have many brothers to thank for their time and donations, I must thank Vince Parrinello, who paid for this project in full.

Note: the new service wire was installed in August. When the hurricane hit, we had power back on by 11pm the night of the storm – one of the only buildings on Ridgewood that did have power. The trees that came down during the storm would have torn our old wires and roof mast off – it would have been untold how long our power would have been out.

Extermination and Fumigation

Over the past year I had noticed more and more termite wings in the house so I called our termite company – Elite Termite – who claimed there was no problem. As the number of wings continued to grow, I called in 3 more companies for their opinions. All three agreed the house had dry wood termites and needed to be fumigated. After bidding the job out, the company I felt most comfortable with was Imperial Exterminators. They seemed most knowledgeable and were also the lowest bid at approximately $3,600 (the highest was Terminix at almost $9,000).

Because dry wood termites are a known issue in Old Daytona, I have asked Imperial Termite to come back after the new roof sheathing is installed to spray Timbor or a similar product on all rafters, joists and sheathing to mitigate any future infestation. One treatment of Timbor should last at least 20 years or more.

We have had the monthly extermination contract rebid and consolidated all the extermination to Imperial Exterminators, saving us money and hopefully we get the proper job.

Note: the fumigation only kills any current vermin in the house but does not protect the house from future infestation, therefore the need for Timbor afterward as a prophylactic.

The fumigation was just completed 1/1/17.

Cut Old Pipes From Wing Attics (Not Complete)

The old abandoned galvanized pipes in the attic need to be cut and removed. The easiest method is to cut a small hole in each wing roof (before the new roof) to remove the pipes.

Check Badge Hanging Chain (Not Complete)

The badge in front is hung by a chain. The chain has been holding the badge up for years. Before we put a new layer of TPO roofing on the front portico, I am going to have Mark McNeeley check the condition of the chain. If it needs to be replaced, it needs to be done from the top down through a hole in the roof, before the new flat roof is installed.

New Roof and Windows – Imminent

Roof

We put off installing the new roof on the house because of the list of prerequisite projects that needed to be finished as listed above, especially the fumigation. This worked to our benefit because the hurricane blew off some old shingles instead of what could have been the new roof. I asked the roofing company to update the contract information to reflect accurate dates, etc. I will be signing the contracts imminently but we might not have the work done until the spring semester ends, to be considerate of the undergraduates.

The shingle chosen decisively by the alumni at the 45th birthday was the Carriage House shingle by CertainTeed and the color is Victorian Blue. This shingle will look outstanding on the house.

Windows

Depending on finances and the flow of donations at tax time, I would like to move right into replacing the windows with low-e hurricane-rated windows. The existing windows are old aluminum clear glass units. Although hurricane windows are more expensive than standard low-e units, there are a few reasons to install them. First, the low-e stops the heat gain in the house due to the blazing Florida sun. Second, of course, is to mitigate hurricane damage. The 3rd reason is to prevent would-be burglars from breaking windows, and the last is to prevent brothers from going through the windows from the inside, causing severe lacerations.

The anticipated cost of the installed low-e hurricane windows will be approximately $27-32K.

Other Miscellaneous

Digitize Composites from the '70s and '80s

Starting early this semester I am going to ask an alumnus and undergrad to team up to find a reputable company to digitize the early composites. We need to preserve those haircuts, facial hair and clothing styles for future generations to laugh at. When we come up with an estimate of cost, I will let you all know.

Update: alumnus Jian West has volunteered to locate a reputable company to digitize the composites.

Need to Purchase Copier/Scanner

Now that the study room is up and functioning, I would like to purchase a good copier/scanner. The scanner will be used to scan the thousands of photos stored in trunks to preserve the history of the chapter. After we are done scanning photos the undergrads can use it for their schoolwork.

I think the alumni should purchase a scanner right away so the undergrads can start scanning.

Update: First House Mom Karen "KB" & Ray Belcher are working on the copier/scanner purchase.

Need for High-Tech "I" Items

Although I cannot go into detail in this report, there is new high-tech equipment related to "I" that I would like Eta Iota to have. The cost of the items will be about $1,200-1,500. If the alumni don't want to pay for the items in full, maybe we can split the cost with the chapter. If Eta Iota chapter is going to go for the GOLD, we will need to purchase the equipment in late February or the beginning of March to make sure it arrives in time for "I."

If any brother has a question on this item, please contact me directly and I will explain it in detail.

Need Commercial Ceiling Routers

I had mentioned earlier that we are in the middle of upgrading the internet/Wi-Fi in the house. This will include Cat 6 wiring and commercial ceiling routers. The Cat 6 is strung but isn't functional yet. We need at least 2 commercial/industrial ceiling routers.

Portico Hanging Badge

Since we removed the badge during hurricane preparations, we made a plywood template so we can build a new cross in the near future.

46th Birthday Party

We will be announcing the time and date of the 46th birthday within the next few weeks. You can expect a formal announcement from HC Secretary Nick Weiss soon.

How Can Alumni Help?

There are many ways for an alumnus to help. As I always say, you can give your money, your time, or both.

There are work projects being planned at the house if you would like to join Captain Wyble and me. Contact myself or Mike.
Coordinate with the undergrads to digitize the composites.
Scan some of the thousands of chapter photos.
Donate for ceiling routers.
Purchase a new scanner/copier or donate a good used one.
Adopt a project – work/donate.
Donate towards the new property mortgage.
Coordinate with the undergrads – start a Gold Peterson committee.
Donate or start fundraising to help the undergrads win a Gold Peterson.
Please come to the 46th birthday – ask Gassi what he needs.
Leave Eta Iota House Corp in your will (SERIOUSLY).
Please update your contact info at Headquarters and with the chapter on etaiota.org.

One of the most important things that alumni can do to help is to please update your contact information with House Corporation. In case you forgot, it's as simple as going to etaiota.org, then to the Member Directory tab at the top, and then entering the founder's name or the dog's last name.

If you have not spoken with a particular brother(s) in a while, you can also search for his information by finding "member contact" in the lower right quadrant of the homepage. If you do call a brother, please remind them to update their information as well.

If you know a brother's information is out of date, please let us know.

Conclusion

To conclude, the Eta Iota House Corporation had an outstanding year. We got a lot of work done, some of it planned, some of it definitely not. We bought a property, fought a sex club, weathered a hurricane, smoked out some vermin and got some work done on the house as well. This was only possible because of the dedication and generosity of the alumni brothers – thank you.

In 2017 we will be keeping our phased house renovation on track while helping the undergraduate chapter strive for the Gold.

As tax season is upon us, if you find yourself with too much money and feel you would like to give a tax-deductible donation please contact fundraiser John Wrightington, John.Wrightington@gmail.com.

If you would like to help in another way please contact Tom McSwiggan, tgmcswiggan@gmail.com, or Mike Wyble, mtwybleex@gmail.com.

If you would like to volunteer with the undergraduate chapter call Chapter Advisor Chuck Bonini, slackercb@hotmail.com, or one of the undergraduate officers.

IHSV, Tom McSwiggan Eta Iota House Corp President tgmcswiggan@gmail.com 203-788-1669

Mental note for all alumni: if there is a hurricane forecast in the future, always remember to contact the undergraduates to remind them to take the charter. We need to formulate a plan for the charter and other important items for future storms.

Original document: Eta-Iota-2016-year-end-summary

House Corporation Update – January 2016

2016-01-31T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

Before we jump into the January House Corp Update, are you one of the 150+ that are already registered for 45th Birthday? If not, what are you waiting for?

OK, so a lot of great stuff going on in House Corp this month:

Tom McSwiggan has put together an extensive overview of work done at the house since last summer and has outlined the next projects he is tackling as Director of Operations.
After years of requests with no viable solution, the chapter has a new tax-deductible donation channel! This has been in the works for many months and is finally ready for rollout so we're excited to announce the details.
The nomination process for 2016 officers and trustees is now open. We are looking for a few great men to help out!

Project Summary at 520 S Ridgewood

For those of you who haven't been back to the house lately, you're in for a treat at 45th when you see first-hand all the great improvements that have been made. Tom McSwiggan, our Director of Operations, has been kicking ass over the past year, knocking out many long overdue projects. There are too many to mention here and we'll be running through the details at the annual HC meeting on April 2nd but here's just a teaser of the big ones (big thanks to Tom for the write-up):

We ran a camera down all drains to inspect the cast iron waste lines and found a few bad areas that needed attention. We replaced two vertical waste lines in the wall between the chapter room and room 9 due to rust and heavy scaling which prevented adequate water flow. The exterior waste line were mediocre with the exception of a very bad area that extended approximately 30' from the north wing flagpole to the street. This area was also scaling heavily but was rotted and cracked with roots growing through also trapping waste products. This area has been replaced.
The wood front column covers were replaced with a plastic PVC material for longevity. We installed vinyl soffit material on the ceiling of the portico, the old paint was peeling. Vinyl is much more appropriate for the application because the heat of the sun would continually bake the paint off the ceiling.
While the columns were done, we ran new wires inside the columns and added 2 new LED flood lights to the top of the portico to replace the Halogen units. These flood lights use approximately 20 watts vs the gas halogen 300 watts each. The LED units also last much longer and burn cooler preventing the chance of a fire or someone getting hurt climbing 16' to change the old bulbs.
The cement areas and stairs in the rear of the house were originally coquina stone which was severely deteriorated to the point of being dangerous and was in need of refurbishing. Because coquina stone is very brittle, the area behind the chapter room and stairs were redone in stamped concrete with added color. Similar work was done on the broken coquina flat work in the front of the house that also posed a liability.
The North deck was the main project of the summer. The original deck was made of wood and although not rotted, the stairs to the second floor and railings were not to code. Furthermore, the posts holding up the second floor were weak and the posts that were holding up the main portion of the deck were not on stable footings which was hazardous. Closer inspection revealed sand washing out from under the foundation near the study room and breezeway. This area was starting to show signs of settling stress. The new deck features much better materials and is now extended approximately 9.5' to the north and a retaining wall underneath. This now retails the dirt under the foundation and gave us room to add a door into the library / study to access a bathroom directly from the deck which also brings us closer to A.D.A compliance (some of you older folk will appreciate it at the 45th). It gave us a short three step stair down to the back yard - this comes in handy during parties and makes egress much easier. Last but not least, There is more room to get mattresses and furniture up the second floor staircase - it's easier to turn the corner. As part of the deck redesign, the second floor deck landing "THE EAGLES NEST" was increased 2' to the south and 2' out towards the backyard. This extra area also makes it much easier to move furniture and it also covers the area below which will become a covered bar. New grab rails were installed on all new exterior stairs. Again, moving the house closer to A.D.A compliance.
Numerous interior doors on the 2nd floor were replaced and a few more exterior doors. There are only 3 more doors that need to replaced on the whole house; rooms 7, 8 , & 12
We built a new regalia closet on the second floor across from the Brothers office (now called the brothers study). This closet is 96''h x 50"w x 22"d. It is finished on the inside with FRP paneling and a vinyl floor all materials for easy cleaning and mold and mildew resistance.
The entire house is now re-keyed on a new master key system. Over the years, many copies of the old master key had been made. Now each brother has his own unique key for his room and to maintain key control, there are 5 master keys - Consul, House manager, Chapter adviser and myself and HC president. All room key codes are stored. There is a $100 fine for loosing or not returning a room key at semesters end. We also added a few electronic punch pad locks strategically throughout the house. At this point, the house is functioning much more fluidly.
A new pump timer was installed on the pool pump motor, reducing run time from 24 hours to 8-9 hours per day. Installation of the timer has significantly cut the energy used and the draw. I'm sure it will extend the life of the motor too.
As some of you know, the undergraduate brothers applied for a grant from the University / SGA and received funds for a new camera security system and a cement riser for the fire pit. The fire pit ring is installed but the cement arms of the cross need to be done before the 45th. The cross arms have not been done to date because we are planning on burying the electrical service to the house which will need to be buried under one of the arms.

Despite completing all of that, Tom is still not done and has worked closely with House Corp Officers and Trustees on plans and approved financing for additional projects, in the following priority order:

Insulating the exterior block walls with injected spray foam. This will improve energy efficiency as the current walls have virtually zero r-value.
Trimming all trees around the perimeter of the building to avoid damage from branches and keep insects & animals from using hem as access points to the house.
Bury the electrical service. This needs to happen before the new roof is installed. The Florida power and Light engineers have already designed this for us.
Replace the shingled roofing on both wings as those have exceeded their life expectancy and showing signs of wear.
Numerous other projects which we will cover at HC meeting.

New Tax-Deductible Donation Option

House Corp Trustee and Fund Raising Chairman John Wrightington has been leading an effort in coordination with the Sigma Chi Foundation and ERAU to explore options for alumni to give to the chapter in such a way that qualifies for tax deduction under IRS rules. We explored many options and have landed on one that is not only simple but also helps the chapter maximize the value of the donation with zero processing costs.

Here's how it works:

Alumni donate to a fund set up specifically for the Eta Iota Chapter of Sigma Chi through ERAU here.
Donors will receive confirmation of their deposit from ERAU with necessary IRS details to be used for tax deduction purposes. House Corp will also receive a monthly report of donor activity so we can recognize those who are participating.
The University maintains the fund until it is drawn upon by the active chapter for authorized expenses such as house renovations. There are certain restrictions where funds cannot be allocated towards social events or new house construction costs.
House Corp will send invoices to the undergraduates for recent and upcoming house improvement costs to be paid for by these funds.

As an added benefit, there is no cost to the chapter which actually makes this the most cost effective options for both the donor and Eta Iota! On top of that, if your employer offers charitable matching, this can further increase the benefits of your donation dollars!

If you have any questions, check out the FAQ page for more details.

House Corporation Nominations Now Open

Hear Ye, Hear Ye...

Calling all alumni to consider playing an active role in Eta Iota's future as an officer or Trustee of the House Corporation. Time requirements are nominal and the responsibilities can be carried out remotely (though I suggest the role of President would benefit from local presence now and then at the house).

If you are interested or know someone who would make a good candidate, make a nomination on the online form. If you have questions about the roles or not sure if you're a fit, feel free to contact me or any of the current House Corp Officers or Trustees.

That's about it for now. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a note.

In Hoc,

John Banta ('96)

Eta Iota House Corporation President

Pete Zaccagnino Receives Significant Sig Award

2016-01-26T00:00:00Z

Pete Zaccagnino

Congratulations to Eta Iota Brother Pete Zaccagnino on being selected as a part of the 2016 class of Significant Sigs.

Pete will be formally recognized in June during the Grand Council meeting and is now the third Eta Iota alum to receive this prestigious award. Our 2 other past recipients were Brothers Hugh Mills and John Bailey.

Here's a snippet from Pete's professional bio on sportclass.com:

Pete Zaccagnino was born in New Brunswick, NJ and currently resides in Park City, UT. This is his 10th year racing in the Sport Class and in 2007 took the gold championship. He holds an ATP, CFII and MEI, Rotorcraft, SES, MES, Commercial Glider and over 17,000 hours TT. In 2013 Pete won the Gold Championship in the Jet class at 509mph, and as in an instructor for the same. Pete has multiple Jet type ratings and has Test Flown numerous aircraft for both civilian and military operations worldwide. He is an Aeronautical Engineer and has built a highly modified Lancair Race Legacy.

*From the General Fraternity:*The Significant Sig Award is one of the highest honors the Fraternity can bestow upon one its members, and is given annually to those persons whose achievements in their chosen fields of endeavor have brought honor and prestige to the name of Sigma Chi. We are excited to welcome Pete into this elite group of brothers, joining actor John Wayne, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 1929; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, PURDUE 2001; philanthropist Jon M. Huntsman, PENNSYLVANIA 1959; and many others.

In Memoriam: Sid Barling ('71)

2016-01-25T00:00:00Z

Sid Shelby Barling, Jr., 72, a founding member of Eta Iota (class of '71) passed away January 21, 2016. He was born in Oakland, California and resided in Orange Park, Florida. Fellow founding brother Terry Owens remarked that Sid was "instrumental in the founding of the chapter".

In his early years, Mr. Barling lived in Arkansas, and graduated from Cutter-Morning Star. He served four years in the Navy, and then worked at the Tampa Fire Department. He graduated from Embry Riddle University in 1971 with a bachelors'degree in Aeronautical Science. He was one of the founding brothers of the Sigma Chi, Eta Iota chapter. After college, he flew with Shawnee Airlines in Orlando. He obtained his General Contractor's license in 1976, and he specialized in commercial construction.

After returning to Orange Park, Mr. Barling, an avid fisherman, became a member of The North Florida Bassmasters where he served as president for many years. Many people knew him as the announcer for the Working Man's Tournament on Thursday night at Whitey's Fishcamp. For a year, he served as Worshipful Master at Cabul Lodge in Green Cove Springs.

Mr. Barling is survived by his wife of 44 years Carole Barling, son; James Shelby Barling, daughter; Jessica Jewell (Justin), brother; John Barling, sisters; Becky West, Barbara Heiner and Liz Griffin, 2 grandchildren; Sydney Jewell and Summer Jewell, sister-in-law; Donna Drake (Ed), and mother-in-law; Kathryn Blalock.

A graveside service will be held privately for the family 11 AM Thursday, January 28, 2016 at Holly Hill Memorial Park, 3601 Old Jennings Road Middleburg, FL. All are invited to attend the celebration of his life on Thursday from 4 to 7 at Whitey's Fishcamp 2032 County Road 220, Fleming Island, Fl In lieu of flowers please send memorial contributions to Haven Hospice Custead Care Center, 745 Blanding Blvd Orange Park, FL 32065. Arrangements by HARDAGE-GIDDENS HOLLY HILL FUNERAL HOME. Please leave words of comfort at www.hollyhillfunerals.com.

Obituary source: http://holly-hill.tributes.com

House Corporation Update – December 2015

2016-01-04T00:00:00Z

Greetings Brothers! I hope everyone had a great holiday with friends and family and had a chance to recharge for 2016.

We have a lot of stuff lined up for Eta Iota in the coming year with ongoing focus on important house renovations, maintaining a solid balance sheet for future operations and of course, celebrating 45 years at Sigma Chi at ERAU.

Invitations have been mailed for Eta Iota's 45th Birthday and you should have received them by now. This month's update will recap how we've incorporated feedback from the last major birthday event and Birthday Chairman, James "Gassi" Ahrens('90) has the Top 10 list of reasons to attend (as if you needed that many).

Two items covered in this month's briefing:

We listened to feedback from past birthdays and made some changes for 45th we think you'll enjoy.
Gassi's Top 10 reasons to attend Eta Iota's 45th Birthday

Feedback from 40th Shaping 45th

Immediately following 40th birthday, we sent a survey to all alumni and received some great insight from 107 responses. The following are some highlights from the survey:

85% of responses rated the entire weekend as "excellent" with the highest ratings coming from the Friday night house party and the Saturday night casual banquet. Good news - those are in the schedule again with some improvements (read on for details)!

Despite bad weather for the campus tour in 2011, you guys still enjoyed the Thursday event at ERAU and several suggested an additional tour on Friday. That's the plan this time so even if your travel plans don't get you into Daytona until Late Thursday or early Friday, you can still enjoy a follow up tour scheduled for Friday.

The Friday night party at the house was a big hit with everyone but we did get some really good insight from the responses with the main topics being:

"Band was too loud and made it difficult to mingle." Got it! This was by far the most common comment so we cut back on the band and have lighter entertainment planned early on followed by some casual tunes on the back deck. This will make it much easier to meet other alumni, actives and pledges while taking in the recent improvements to the house.
"Transportation to/from the hotel would be nice." Got that too! We are arranging pre-paid options for the main hours and looking at securing Uber discounts for those who choose to stay late.
"Great food & plenty of beer but more wine would've been nice." We are bringing back the same BBQ menu and beer options and will have plenty of wine along with a few non-alcoholic beverages on hand for those looking for an alternative. You won't be thirsty!

The House Corp meeting on Saturday morning received mixed feedback with most of the suggestions focused on shortening the time and keeping the discussions on track. We're doing a couple things different this time to help with this. In addition to a streamlined agenda, we will be soliciting nominations ahead of time for House Corp Officers and Trustees. Look for details on this in next month's HC email to volunteer or make a nomination.

The causal parrot head theme of the anniversary's main event Saturday night received a ton of great feedback so we are keeping this similar with a few improvements to be even better. Notably, there will be an open bar with beer & wine this time around as everyone seemed to plow through their drink budget pretty quickly. Also, the menu will feature steak and fish choices to be different from Friday night's menu (a suggestion made by many from 40th).

Last but not least, several people mentioned in the survey that they wanted to see and engage with more of the active brothers. Feedback indicated that ticket prices may have been part of the issue and prevented many actives from attending. This year, we are making it easier for actives to attend by reducing the cost of their registration.

First off, their registration costs are already $100 lower than alumni ticket prices but we are also trying a new option for alumni to help offset the costs even further. When you register for 45th you can add a small donation in increments of $25 to help sponsor an active brother.

We are seeing some really great participation with this option so far with just over half of alumni registered so far chipping in $25 or more to reduce total costs for our active brothers. So far, the total amount has reached $1,000 which paves the way for 8 brothers to attend at no cost or a 16% discount if spreading the discount across all 50 actives. We're off to a great start here but I know we can do more so please consider this when registering!

Top 10 Reasons to Attend 45th Birthday

In case you needed any further encouragement to register now, James Ahrens has authored the following Top 10 Reasons to Attend the 45th Birthday.

10) Be amazed at all the great work done on the house in the past few years - See the new decks, staircase, upstairs bathroom, new columns, upgraded fire pit, and much, much more. Thanks to the latest fund raising effort we’ve had a tremendous amount of work done to the house and there is still more to do, but you’ll be blown away at what we’ve accomplished so far!

9) Meet the undergraduate Actives and Pledges - The current occupants of 520 S. Ridgewood Ave have been doing a great job upholding the values of Sigma Chi so come see why we have found them worthy!

8) Meet Alumni from the past 45 years - No organization on campus has over 850 initiates comprised of so many different temperaments, talents, and convictions. We are the strongest alumni group from Embry-Riddle and we are some of the best pilots, engineers, mechanics, computer geeks, and business people across aviation, aerospace, technology, & many other industries!

7) See how Embry-Riddle has grown - Don’t forget to come early on Thursday March 31st for the campus tour and reception hosted by the Embry-Riddle Alumni Association. The campus has expanded greatly over the years with new facilities, degree programs, and student amenities. If you come in Friday there will be additional tours at 11am and 2pm on Friday April 1st!

6) Hang out at The Ocean Deck - After the Thursday tour we’ll all be hanging out at The Ocean Deck all night long. So if you’re flight gets in after 8pm you know where to find us. Everyone gets a discount card to use all weekend long at the Deck for food & drinks!

5) Sigma Chi Golf Scramble - For those who chase little white balls we are playing at the Spruce Creek Golf & Country Club on Friday April 1st at 10am. Lunch, drinks, and prizes for all golfers playing so bring your sticks or arrange to rent clubs before you come down!

4) Jersey Night at the House Friday - The big house party starts with awesome BBQ at 6pm. Enjoy the sounds of Dan & Ryan (J’s, O’Malleys, the Bank) who will reunite just for us!

3) House Corporation Meeting - Roll out of bed and crawl downstairs at the Hilton for House Corp at 9:30am. Come hear all the stuff we’ve done and plan to do over the next several years. There will be elections for officers & trustees and morning refreshments will be served to rehydrate and caffeinate you.

2) Parrothead Cocktail Party, Silent Auction, & Margaritaville Dinner Party - Enjoy the sound of steel drums while you drink FREE Beer & Wine as you bid on awesome gift baskets and prizes. We have up for bid a ride in a Hot Air Balloon in Colorado with John Downey, a weekend in the Keys with Joe Bilotti flying you from Boca Raton to Key West in his Eclipse jet, and ride with Pete Zaccagnino in his de Havilland DH-115 fighter jet that he flew winning Gold at the Reno Air Races! Then enjoy a wonderful island inspired dinner as we celebrate our 45th Birthday with special guests and entertainment!

1) Sunday Chapter Meeting - Book you flight later in the afternoon so you can enjoy sharing the bonds of brotherhood at Sunday’s chapter meeting at the hotel from 9:30am to Noon. You don’t want to miss out on this experience!

Register online at www.etaiota.org/birthday where you can also sponsor the undergraduates to help reduce their ticket cost, book your hotel room at the Daytona Beach Hilton Resort, and order your 45th Birthday Party shirt.

In Hoc,

James “Gassi” Ahrens ‘90

Birthday Party Chairman

That's about it for now. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a note.

In Hoc,

John Banta ('96)

Eta Iota House Corporation President

President's Update – November 2015

2015-11-30T00:00:00Z

Greetings Brothers! I hope everyone has recuperated from Thanksgiving feasts & family time.

I stepped back into House Corp as President on November 20th following the resignation of Roger Moody and wanted to take this opportunity to send a quick note on some of the main items House Corp is working on now and what is coming up.

For those of you who remember my first stint as HC President back in the late 90's, I sent monthly email updates on progress & plans and I will be picking this up again starting with this update.

Three things to take away from this month's briefing:

45th Birthday is coming up (March 31-April 3) and full details will be sent out very soon.
520 South Ridgewood is looking fantastic following recent large projects - you'll be amazed at 45th.
House Corp finances are in good shape with strong support from fundraising efforts and some exciting upcoming opportunities.

45th Birthday

James "Gassi" Ahrens ('90) has been spearheading the planning to date and is going to be assisted by a recently formed 45th Birthday Committee comprised of myself, Josh Chancey ('12), Derek Pizzo ('09) and Seth Downs ('90). Joining the group will be Chuck Bonini (Chapter Advisor) and a couple of undergraduate brothers to help coordinate activities with the active chapter.

If you haven't already, block your calendars for March 31-April 3 2016 as this is shaping up to be another great birthday weekend. The detailed timeline of events are still being finalized but will be similar to 40th as we had very positive responses from the alumni who attended that event. The weekend will kickoff with an ERAU campus tour on Thursday, a BBQ and party at the Sigma Chi house Friday night, House Corp Annual Meeting Saturday morning followed later in the evening by the 45th birthday Reception and Dinner and a chapter meeting Sunday morning to close out.

Finishing touches on the events and budget are being worked out which is why the invitations have not been sent out yet but stay tuned for updates via Facebook and etaiota.org for complete details over the next 2 weeks.

House Projects

Eta Iota's been rocking out some impressive house improvement projects with Tom McSwiggan, our volunteer Director of Operations. Tom joins us from Iota Eta chapter (Western Connecticut State University) and has been onsite helping oversee and coordinate projects with House Corp, the undergraduate brothers and select contractors.

For a taste of some of the projects completed in recent months:

Upcoming projects will focus on the roof and what has turned out to be a substantial lack of insulation in many areas of the house. Our attention on those 2 areas will mitigate risk of future leaks and improve overall efficiency of AC systems/reduce utility costs.

House Corp Finances

House Corp Treasurer Seth Downs has been doing a great job during his 9+ years in this position and has kept regular updates on financials here on etaiota.org. I won't repeat his updates but check out his latest update here if interested.

John Wrightington has been leading the charge on fundraising and has reported new records in the count of 1855 Club members thanks to our active alumni base and communication channels. John and I have been talking with the Sigma Chi Foundation and ERAU to explore new opportunities for making future donations tax deductible. Stay tuned in the next 2 weeks for updates on this as we are targeting to have this in place before end of year.

That's about it for now. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a note.

In Hoc,

John Banta ('96)

Eta Iota House Corporation President

House Repair Update

2015-02-05T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

This report is an update of the work accomplished on the Eta Iota house during the summer of 2014.

As most of you know, this past summer's work was not about aesthetics but rather to repair the mechanicals and components of the main house making it more comfortable for the brothers but also more serviceable and reliable. The work that was performed such as removing the asbestos and installing isolation valves on the plumbing were in preparation for further work during summer 2015.

More work was accomplished than expected. The list of items on the work itinerary were completed plus an a slew of additional items such as electrical upgrades and a new community bathroom.

Although aesthetics were not on the agenda, the undergrads took it upon themselves to paint approximately half the interior of the house as well as power wash and landscape the exterior. More than any other chapter that I have worked with, this group of undergrads are standouts.

The rest of the report will detail the work completed as well as future work to be done. The plan is to have the house spit-shined for the 45th.

Asbestos abatement

A complete asbestos survey was completed in spring 2014 to let us know what products in the house were made of asbestos. We were lucky to find that the pipe wrap surrounding the old galvanized heat pipes was the only building product that contained asbestos. The asbestos was removed in July by A&L abatement . This required some walls and ceilings to be removed and a few days work in the attics. At the end of the removal process, a licensed abatement inspector was called in to ensure that all work was done properly. We now have an abatement certificate that is in Seth Downs possession. The certificate is good forever - asbestos in no longer an issue. The main goal of removing the asbestos was to enable us to work on or remove the old galvanized plumbing and to work in the attics uninhibited - We achieved that goal.

Demolition

The summer's work began with the removal of the old broken second floor HVAC system. This included removing the whole system inside and out along with selected ductwork. The old B.O. bathroom was were the HVAC air handler was installed causing heavy mold and mildew issues therefore the bathroom and closet were both gutted. Upon removing the walls I found that one of the past contractors had buried uncapped live wires behind the walls making it necessary to rewire two rooms - I will address this more under "electrical".

The ceiling tiles were removed in the chapter room to access asbestos and plumbing components along with the ceilings and some walls in room 9 & 10 during the asbestos abatement too.

Redesign and Reframe

After the demolition was done, I framed a "purpose built" HVAC utility closet. The best option was to redesign the existing closet area at the back of the B.O. closing off the old closet door and installing a new door to the exterior hallway so that A/C contractors wouldn't have to walk through the B.O to get to the air handler for maintenance. For those of you that don't know: The regalia was removed from the old B.O. a few years ago when the second floor air handler was moved from the attic to a old bathroom on the second floor and put in the "closet" bedroom for storage. The brothers kept the regalia in the closet bedroom so hvac maintenance contractors couldn't see it. In other words, the old B.O wasn't being used for its original purpose but once it is renovated, it will be once again (February 2015).

During the course of the job, I realized that the old bathroom had to be rewired immediately because it was dangerous. Before the bathroom could be rewired, it was necessary to reframe it. The redesign of the bathroom included a new door to the hallway and a closet for paper products. Framing a door directly to the hallway enabled it to be a new common sweetheart bathroom for the house.

While some of the walls and ceilings were open throughout the house, I looked at the condition of the framing and replaced or strengthened things as necessary.

Additional framing: Observing the functionality of the house, I saw that the brothers use the kitchen to cook every day but there is no kitchen table - When the dinner table is missing, a large social aspect of the house is missing. The space for the table was taken by the HVAC air handler. When the new first floor HVAC system was installed 2 years back, the contractor installed the first floor air handler in what was the kitchen eating area consuming a great deal of space that should be used for a table or refrigerator.

At this point I looked for a way to move the first floor air handler to the second floor and feed the ductwork down from upstairs. The answer was to use the HVAC room that was just built for the second floor air handler for the first floor unit instead and feed the conditioned air directly straight down into the chapter room. This would only work if we could find another area for the new second floor air handler. The answer was to reframe the second floor telephone closet and repurpose it to house the second floor air handler.

Now that the HVAC has been moved, it gives us the ability to open the kitchen back up to its original size- (easy-to be done February 2015).

HVAC - 1st floor

As noted above, the first floor air handler was moved up to the new HVAC closet on the second floor. Opening the kitchen was just one of a few reasons for moving the hvac unit. The second was because it was very hastily installed and the refrigerant line was installed across the attic and diagonally across the access door to the attic (not properly insulated or strapped up) so people would use the line to pull themselves up into the attic and they would also walk on the line once they were in the attic. The third reason, was to be able to move the first floor refrigerant line from its former position on the side of the house near the deck in preparation for a new extended deck. Some of you might remember, as you walk through the pass-through (tunnel from front yard to back) the benches stick out creating a knee breaker. The solution: When we build the new north deck, it must be extended 3 or 4 feet (to the north) which in turn will move the benches further away from the hallway. The line is now moved to a better position enabling the large deck. Because the HVAC equipment was under two years old, the same equipment was used just thoroughly cleaned and a new 4" filter door added.

HVAC - 2nd Floor

A new Carrier system was installed in the modified (purpose built) telephone closet. This worked extremely well. All the equipment in the house is now made by carrier corporation or its subsidiaries. They make excellent equipment but part of the decision to use carrier was about commonality of equipment and ease of service. Since the other 3 units were carrier or carrier offshoots, it only made sense.

I asked Justin and Eric from Atlantic Coastal HVAC to look over everything and make everything perfect the first time. Upon inspecting the attic ductwork, it was apparent that some of the ductwork needed to be replaced due to mold, water damage, and prior vermin issues. I told them to replace any damaged components and hang the ductwork from the rafters as it should be. They did a remarkable job.

HVAC - Other

As mentioned, all the HVAC components are products of carrier corp.

All ductwork and grills were professionally cleaned.

Both new HVAC rooms were 'purpose built'. fully rewired, fire code sheetrock, semigloss paint and vinyl flooring with rubber cove base.

LED lights were installed.

Freeze and overflow cutoff switches are installed to protect the new units.

Condensate pumps are installed instead of gravity drains that can clog.

The units have 4" filter doors adding service longevity, better airflow and efficiency.

All new copper lines with armaflex pipe insulation was used on all work - the best of its kind.

4 new digital lockout thermostats were installed in the house to set the conditioning range from 68-72 degrees. This also helps to protect against coil freeze.

Sight glasses were installed giving a technician an instant diagnosis capability.

Plumbing

Stabilizing the plumbing in the main house was also one of the goals of the summer work. As you all know, the house was a mix of copper and almost 60 year old galvanized pipes. The galvanized pipes have a maximum lifespan of 50 years we are already past that point. The galvanized pipes rot internally, many times the first sign of a problem is a leak or a burst. The old galvanized also sends rust down the line clogging toilets fill valves and faucets. In the past, if the house had a leak, there were no ball valves to isolate one part of the house from another, therefore, it was necessary to shut off the water at the street - a big inconvenience for the brothers. Here is a list of some of the plumbing completed by myself or Billy Wilson:

We removed any active galvanized plumbing (above the slab) in the main house including in walls and ceilings and converted over to copper or cpvc as needed. At the same time we installed isolation valves so that the wings can be shut off independent of the main house and vice versa. Just this one modification has already profoundly changed the maintenance of the house.

We removed old galvanized steam lines from the walls and repurposed the clay pipe chases to the water heater room for 2 new 1.5" CPVC lines in preparation for future work replacing the main galvanized line under the slab this summer. One of the new lines is going to be for a cold water main feed and the other for the hot water main feed. They are both in place but not yet in use. Eventually they will be tied into the new CPVC main line (under the chapter floor) and water heater. It is a bit difficult to explain but instead of cutting up the chapter room floor to replace the old galvanized main line, the plumbing is now set up to use the current steel main line under the chapter floor as a "chase". In summer 2015, we will install a new CPVC pipe within the old pipe so we don't have to break up the chapter room floor or driveway.

We roughed in the new common / sweetheart's bathroom on the second floor. Although the bathroom was not planned this summer, this turned out to be the most opportune and cost effective time to do it. With the ceilings and walls already open below the new bathroom to remove asbestos and install the new A/C lines, it seemed to make sense to do the rough in plumbing. Before we started the feeds lines, I noticed an area in the wall that appeared to be damp. Upon further inspection, it was a cracked horizontal 4" cast iron waste line cause by a previous plumber hitting it with a hammer...That's where the funny smell was coming from. At that point, it only made sense to just go forward and replace the plumbing as necessary including the waste line to the new bathroom. This included redoing the shower drain in bathroom #22 that was previously done incorrectly by the same plumber that cracked the 4" waste line.

Seth Downs made me aware of a reported leak in the "closet" bedroom shower. We repaired a bad solder joint in the wall. The closet bedroom is now fully useable after we put the regalia back in the refurbished B.O.

We went through each and every room bathroom and repaired:

rotten sink traps as needed
dripping sink faucets as needed
adjusted leaking packings or replace stems as needed
replaced shower heads as needed... (Seth downs has supplied water saving shower heads T.B.I.)
repaired all toilets as necessary.

** Galvanized under the slab was not slated to be replaced this past summer. Summer 2014's work was preparing for the plumbing to be replaced under the slab summer 2015.

Waste lines

Talking to the brothers, I had become aware of sewer backups and issues especially with the north wing. Upon a quick inspection, I saw the exterior sewer cleanout caps were broken or missing and I could not see as many as are required by todays plumbing codes. After consulting with Billy Wilson, we decided to repair the cleanouts that existed and to cut two more cleanouts to bring things up to todays codes. This new setup makes it easier for us to diagnose and clear a clog.

I couldn't see the city cleanouts that are supposed to be at the edge of our driveway. I called the water authority and they came out and found one of their cleanouts buried under our driveway near the north wing - it had been paved over. They brought it up to level - gratis. The city knows where the other cleanout is (under the raintree motel's driveway). It too must be brought up to air, so I will deal with that in February when I am back in Daytona.

Some of the waste lines are showing signs of roots but not to worry, I will snake them with a camera snake and give a full report before summer 2015.

Electrical

Giles Electric performed all the electrical work. They fully rewired the new sweetheart's bathroom and the two new HVAC rooms. They also wired in the new outdoor HVAC condensers and ran new wiring from the fuse boxes direct to the new air handlers on the second floor. All of their work was done while the ceilings and walls were open from the asbestos removal and plumbing work so it is all installed high and tight in the joists.

I had asked them to fix a few small items around the house as well as disconnect some unused circuits while they were on site.

Roger Moody and I were also present for the annual fire system check which Giles performed in September. This test was not on the summer agenda but it was done by Giles.

Plaster work

After all the sheetrock was back up, Scott Krohl came in and did a masterful job plastering the walls and ceilings in the rooms that we had done plumbing, electrical and asbestos removal. he also did a fantastic job cleaning up the rooms that were in disrepair. I am waiting for him to come back to redo the brothers office so it can be fully reassembled.(February 2015)

As renovations have progressed, I am removing all popcorn and sand paint from the ceilings in the house because it is a dirt magnet and difficult to patch and paint. The new surfaces have a very light texture to them that will work much better for us.

New doors

I had planned to replace a few exterior doors with new fiberglass outswing units. The outswing doors are also much more difficult to kick in during a robbery or blow in during a hurricane. I replaced more doors than anticipated on the exterior due to their condition and one on room #9 because the door was mounted backwards letting rain soak the carpet floor & wet the sheetrock walls. That, along with the cracked waste line is the reason room #9 always smelled musty and damp.

I also installed three doors on the new work on the second floor.

Front columns

Roger Moody was able to have a friend of his that is a structural engineer come to the house and give his opinion of the 4 steel lali columns on the front of the house. We were both of the opinion that the internal steel columns are sound and the aesthetic surrounds can be replaced at our leisure. This will be done summer 2015 in a PVC material.

Doors - pump & laundry rooms

In the spring of 2014, I redid the masonry and installed fiberglass doors on the pump and laundry rooms. Within a short time, I noticed the bottom of the doors start to swell & bind. I removed the door slabs and found that the manufacturer had installed a wood filler strip on the bottom of the door instead of a piece of composite plastic, therefore, causing the door to swell. The manufacturer warrantied the doors and they have been delivered to the house. I will install them in February 2015.

Painting

The brothers were very helpful with the house repairs this summer. After most of the heavy work had been done, Chris Giovanetty painted the new HVAC rooms a color that we had chosen called 'Arizona White'. A pleasant creamy off white color, not the previous hospital white. He asked me if he and the brothers could paint more rooms that color. We had not planned on doing any aesthetics or painting but as long as they were willing to do it... Have at it. Chris, Poff and a handful of others literally painted half the interior by the time the fall semester started; rooms 1,6,8,9,10,18,21,24 & chapter were painted. We will do the rest summer 2015... They worked hard and did an amazing job!

Winter work February 2015

Call water department to raise the south wing waste cleanout to surface.

Camera snake all waste lines.

Install pump & laundry doors.

Sink and mirror in new bathroom.

Plaster, trim & paint brothers office and 2nd FL hallway.

Carpet B.O.

Install all door knobs on new interior doors.

New LED light in brothers office.

Trim all new exterior doors.

Remove old A/C closet and mailboxes from kitchen.

Have Giles check ground wires to electrical panels and pool.

Giles check for loss of neutral to spot lights on south wing.

Flagpole?

Build new mailboxes for exec / study room.

Pool related

Check pool leak on skimmer line

Skimmer filter ?

pool motor timer

pool LED light

Future work - summer 2015 and beyond

aluminum chase covers on exterior refrigerant lines.

patch soffit grilles

new cement parking space car stop from cemex in South Daytona

install string of work bulbs in the south wing attic

ridge vents & power vents

spray foam above 2 new A/C rooms

**camera snake up main line under chapter floor to see where tee's are (different than camera snake on waste).

North wing A/C- renew system add 4" filter (system has been problematic since installed).

South wing A/C- Remount add 4" filter

replace galvanized pipes under slab including new CPVC inside old galvanized main (LARGE JOB).

Front column covers

set up "closet bedroom" as guest room.

security fence on front of pass through

fix rear gate new punch pad

fix fences all around yard

painting

new north deck

Thoughts moving forward

Over the past year, we have made great progress renovating the house. The house is at full occupancy and the chapter is at the top of its game. They have been a big part of the renovation process and are intent on maintaining the house correctly.

Moving forward, we still have a lot of work to do. Now that the main house is stabilized, we can concentrate on negating the galvanized pipes under the slabs first in the north wing and then the south wing - once we start the modification of the galvanized in the wings, we are committed because some of it will disintegrate as we remove it. There are a couple of different ways of accomplishing the replumbing of the wings, after consulting with Billy Wilson, we will make a decision and report to house corp. As I mentioned earlier, we will also camera snake the waste lines in both wings in February and report the results. Another large item that will be on the agenda is the A/C units in the wings, modifying or replacing them for proper operation (the north wing coil freezes constantly). The front column surrounds will also need to be done in summer 2015 to be ready for the 45th birthday. If we have the time and the money, we can consider replacing the north deck.

The 45th birthday is just over a year away so the house will need to be in shipshape. That being duly noted, we a need to stay the course to make the sure the house is first structurally sound (good) second, mechanically sound and last, aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, after I complete the winter 2015 work, I will consider what needs to be done and make an itemized itinerary to make sure the house is prepared for the 45th. I will have the itinerary prepared for the 44th birthday house corp. meeting March 27 & 28, 2015.

IHSV,

Tom McSwiggan

Eta Iota - Summer 2014 house renovations proposal

2014-06-23T00:00:00Z

From: Thomas McSwiggan

Subject: Sigma Chi - Eta Iota - Summer 2014 house renovations

Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2014

Brothers,

By now you should all have been emailed a copy of my initial house inspection I performed in March. James presented the report at the House Corporation meeting for the brothers in attendance. This report is an update of some of the findings and work that has been completed since then, as well as, a plan for work that will be done this summer.

Taking into account the findings from the inspection, I feel that the money budgeted this summer would better serve us if it were spent on the structure & mechanicals of the house. These items are, an asbestos survey, an engineering report of the house columns and asbestos and mold abatement. Another concern is the removal, routing and replacement of the rotted galvanized plumbing. The HVAC system on the second floor is also broken and mold ridden and must be replaced. These items are not a surprise; they were identified in the initial inspection.

Some projects have been completed or are in the works since the last report. Paul Prizmonte of Pro Air Monitor Inc. has performed the asbestos survey. Materials samples have been taken throughout the house to identify asbestos and we now have a formal report. An electrician has looked at the pool and pool pump for proper wiring. A pool specialist has confirmed my belief that the pool skimmer & filter system is incorrectly plumbed, which I will explain in detail later. Another project that has been completed is all new light housing with efficient LED bulbs fully illuminating the rear parking area.

I have also been working with the city of Daytona Beach to cleanup the neighborhood. As a developer, if you don't like your neighborhood, change the neighborhood. As I explained to the city fathers, we are not going to create a compound and wall ourselves in. We are going to work with them to change the area. I gave them a detailed list of things that we needed them to do, such as, new neighborhood watch signs, replace burned out street lights, clean up illegally dumped refuse on Segrave as well as more police patrols at all hours. To their credit, they began working on it right away! Now by the same token, we aren't fools, although we aren't going to wall ourselves in, I do believe that the house was too easy a target for the locals. My understanding is that many lawnmowers & weed-whackers have been stolen from the pump room and clothes from the laundry room. For this reason, we are installing doors on the pump room and laundry room; along with a security gate in front pass through by the kitchen.

I have made a list of the work to be done this summer and put some numbers to it. The list of work takes into consideration a 20-30K summer budget.

THE SUMMER PLAN- Repair house and repurpose rooms

This summer I plan to remove the galvanized pipe "above the slab" from the main house: At the same time I will install new copper pipe while rearranging the water flow so that the hot water works correctly. The closet in back of the library -the old brothers room- will be turned into a closet specifically for the new air handler. The room that the air handler is currently in is an old bathroom, this will be returned to it's original purpose except it will be a common bathroom for the house with its door in the second floor hallway. This common bathroom is needed in the house. The current library is the old brothers office and it will be returning to the brothers’ office. The current brothers office "the closet" will go back to being a rentable bedroom. The current Executive room will be a new combined library, study and exec room. I have found the undergrads don't have a decent study room setup in the house. I have seen Grady and other brothers studying in odd corners of the house. I think it will benefit them immensely when the new study / library is set up.

Asbestos survey - Completed

An asbestos survey is performed before any work on old houses is performed. It is the initial step in telling us what building material contains asbestos. Asbestos was used in over 3000 building products in the U.S. from the early 1900's to the mid 1970's. This was VERY important to know because of the health risks involved. Asbestos is not all the same. Asbestos is one of 6 naturally occurring silicate minerals that have great insulating properties. The type of asbestos used in 90% of America's building applications was Canadian Chrysotile, more benign than the blue asbestos that came from the mines of New Zealand and Africa. To be clear, none of it is good to breath. Asbestos has very rigid sharp fibers that when inhaled lodge in the lungs and cause mesothelioma or cancer, years later.

People have asked if having the asbestos survey done is going to open up a can of worms for us and the answer is NO. The reason the survey was completed was to let us know what building products contain asbestos in the house. We actually found out that there was much less in the house than previously thought. On the other hand, if we remodel, sell or raze the house, it needed to be done. Furthermore, it is my understanding that it has been difficult to get some of the contractors to work in the attics because of the asbestos stigma, so now is a good time to remove it, this will let us have proper maintenance work done in the attics from now on. It is also wrapped around pipes that need to be removed for this summers project and that cannot happen without the removal of the asbestos wrap. It is important to know that the company that does the asbestos survey and manages air quality during the abatement must be different from the company that performs the actual asbestos abatement. This method is a check and balances to make sure fly-by-night contractors are not going to cause more harm than good.

There is no need for the brothers to move out of their rooms while the abatement is in process.

Asbestos survey results just in: After testing all building materials in the house, the pipe wrap was the only product found to contain asbestos. I can't overstress how great this result is. This is much less asbestos than anyone had anticipated.

Survey cost $ 1800

Asbestos abatement (removal)

We have received two estimates of $4500 to remove the asbestos pipe wrap from the house, which is a pittance of what it originally could have been. My suggestion for this year is to completely remove all asbestos from the house to remove the health hazards and general stigma that is caused by asbestos.

I just want to explain that the cost differential between the pipe wrap containing asbestos and needing abatement versus what the cost could have been if the insulation and popcorn ceilings needed abatement is tens of thousands of dollars or higher. This is the equivalent of winning the lottery.

(est. included) complete abatement $ 4500

Engineering report

An engineering report is needed for the columns on the front of the house. The 16' tall square wood boxes that are visible are not actually supporting the roof above. Inside those boxes are 16'x 4" round steel columns that are the support for the roof. The bottoms of the wood boxes are rotted so I removed some of the material so that an engineer can see the inner steel tubes. It appears that 2 of the tubes are in good condition, one acceptable and one questionable. With the amount of weight on the columns, it is important to know the columns' integrity. Work on the columns can be done later but I want to get the engineer in now so we can plan for it. If the columns are going to be worked on in the future, the building department is going to want a Florida engineers seal on it.

* I would like to see if we could get a Sigma Chi - Florida Licensed structural engineer to volunteer to inspect the columns.

Sigma Chi engineer - Gratis ?

Galvanized pipe replacement / removal- above slab

Galvanized pipes are actually steel pipes with a zinc coating on the inside, outside or both. They were used extensively for years until the late 60's and early 70's when copper became the norm; today we use copper or pvc. Galvanized pipes are tricky because they rot from the inside out. Depending on the thickness of the zinc and the mineral content of the water, Galvanized pipe's normal life span is about 40-50 years- At this point their functional life is over. The telltale sign of galvanized pipes rotting from the inside is lack of pressure and flow as is witnessed in many of the brother’s bathroom sinks. Sometimes the telltale warning never comes and the first indication of a problem is a sudden burst.

The galvanized pipe that is in the house ranges in size from 1/2" to 2". Needless to say, the bigger the pipe and the more pressure the worse the potential damage. Much of the galvanized plumbing inside the house has been changed over to copper pipe but there is still a significant amount left to replace. At some time, the easiest pipes to access were changed but as expected the harder to replace pipes remain. The pipes that remain to be changed in the house are hidden behind walls wrapped with asbestos or embedded under the concrete slab.

From experience and examination, I have an idea how the plumbing schematic runs but it is impossible to say for sure until I open a couple of walls and send a camera through the pipes under the floor. The plumbing in the house has been pieced together over time and it is not always done correctly or logically, for this reason, the plumbing must be done on a time and material basis (well material anyway:-). something that I do know is that there are not many shut-offs to isolate waterlines incase of a burst, so I will be installing isolation valves in the new plumbing so the whole house doesn't need to be shut down for a leak.

I have removed approximately 100 feet of 3/4" galvanized to date. There are corresponding photos attached.

Priced in plumbing below

Plumbing - Hot water piping, recirculator system, etc.

As stated in my report, the Rheem commercial water heater is 22 years old. We should make a plan to replace it in the future but not this year. The cost of the unit alone is approximately $8200 (no labor incl.) Since the unit is isolated in the laundry room and can't do too much damage if it leaks, I would rather concentrate our efforts this year on removing the asbestos, and improving the mechanicals inside the house. One of the undergrads chief complaints is that they have to leave their showers running for half an hour before it turns hot. This is a tremendous waste of water. There are two main causes of the hot water being cold; the hot water heater line runs down the exterior of the house and up the exterior wall and then through the attics cooling down the whole way. The other is that the hot water sits in the attic pipes and cools overnight because it has no way to recirculate back to the water heater. The first remedy is to open up the wall inside the house and install a new 2" copper feed directly into the interior of the house from the laundry / hot water heater room, negating the exterior hot water pipes.

To resolve the second issue, there is a brand new product on the market that will be installed to recirculate the water to keep it warm in the pipes; as a result, the brothers should have hot water as soon as they turn on their showers. This system has a timer that can start up an hour or so before the brothers wake up. Between this new inexpensive system and the rerouting of the plumbing, I think it will resolve the hot water issue and save us money on both water and sewer bills- remember, the city charges for water used and basically again on the way out for a sewer charge.

A new toilet hub flange is needed on the second floor, this will be installed too.

New Recirculation system

Move Hot water line

Replace toilet hub

Total plumbing $ 4200

* Important plumbing note: Initially I had thought that we would remove all galvanized plumbing from the house but before that happens the asbestos must be removed. After doing some preliminary exploratory work, it seems that some of the galvanized "main feed lines" are under the concrete slab and probably have branch lines off of them. Taking into account money and time, I want to postpone replacing just the portion under the slab until next year. I do want to send a pipe camera through the pipes under the slab so that there are no surprises next year.

(sublet) pipe camera budget $ 750

HVAC (heating, ventilation and air cond.)

In my original inspection report, I had noted that the second floor HVAC unit was bad and needed to be replaced. It consists of the interior air handler and outside compressor. This unit was originally installed in 2001 and uses R-22 refrigerant which is costly and being phased out. It seems that this unit was never installed properly whether in the attic or the bathroom where it was installed in 2013. The bathroom/closet that the unit is in was not designed to house HVAC equipment and has created mold problems, in turn; the mold spores are spread throughout the house by way of the A/C ductwork. The new room for the new air handler will be in the closet at the back of the old brothers office and will be designed correctly to avoid mold problems. The filter on the new air handler will be 4" wide, which allows for six months of operation before a change as opposed to the 1" filters that are currently in all the machines. This way they can be changed between semesters.

All the filters on all the air handlers will eventually be changed over to the larger style for practical and functional purposes.

All the thermostats will eventually be changed to models that have a 68-degree lower limit on the temperature setting to make sure that nobody can lower the temp and freeze the coils, which damages the units.

All exterior lines will be covered with aluminum capping and sealed correctly so that rodents cannot enter the attic again.

To do the HVAC work, I have received estimates between approximately $6- 9K.

(est. included) HVAC Approx. $ 7200

Duct cleaning

The second floor ducts are very dirty and have had mold spores blowing through them. It is important to clean all the ducts for health reasons and to prevent contaminating the new equipment. The duct cleaning will include a microbial spray to remove mold, mildew & other contaminants.

Cleaning $ 700

Pool filter & pool plumbing

As some of you know, Blue Ribbon Pools (as opposed to Blue Water Pools who was the prior servicer) has been maintaining the pool; this means both the cleaning and mechanical maintenance. As far as the cleaning of the pool, they seem to show up and keep a log of when they are there. They bill a steady rate for that service. On the other hand, I think their mechanical maintenance has been very questionable & problematic. An example of the questionable service is that they had installed a new pool pump a few months back that the bearings went bad on, squealing like crazy! Although Blue Ribbon was at the house cleaning the pool every week, they never said a word until I said, "Hey that motor you installed is bad." There was also a leaking PVC line that they overlooked in the pump room as well. After speaking to Maurice the owner about the pool loosing water, he said, "We can fix it for $275 from the top or $800 if we have to break concrete". Well, they didn't break concrete and billed us $800. When confronted Maurice said, he would correct the bill to $275 and again it came in wrong at $400. They corrected it to $275 when confronted once again.

Another issue, the pool equipment froze and cracked this winter because of freezing weather. It wrecked the pump and split the filter tank. Do you think they suggested making sure the pump room was kept warm in the winter???

The last problem that put me over the edge with them was when I realized the skimmers on the pool weren't working- they were turned off. I had mentioned this to Blue Ribbon many times but to no avail. I looked at the system and realized that there was no filter on the skimmer lines and it was sucking in and recirculating crap into the pool meanwhile destroying pumps and that is why the skimmers were shut off.

Through a contractor friend, I got a referral that is supposed to be the best in Daytona who looked at the system and confirmed that indeed, there was a filter missing and that it was plumbed incorrectly. He also told me that the pump motor is too large for the pump. It is a 3hp that runs 24hrs per day!

What makes this story so interesting is that Jimmy Eden's (the pool expert) dad Cal maintained the pool for 26 years for us without a problem until someone (nobody seems to know who made this decision) decided they wanted to maintain the pool themselves to save a few bucks. Cal said he showed the undergrads how to do it and hasn't heard from us in years. Cal knows the complete history of the pool and confirmed that indeed someone removed the big filter tank for the skimmers that was once in the corner of the pump room.

Furthermore, someone has cut the ground wire to the ladder and there is no GFI circuit breaker on the pump or pool deck lights to protect against electrocution.

Now, is there any wonder why the pool is costly?

* Note I don't want to do anything besides the electrical updates on the pool this summer. We will wait until the cooler weather to install the skimmer filter; in the meantime, we will get more estimates.

Estimates in future

Pump & Laundry doors / new locks

As I mentioned previously, the masonry is done and the doors are installed. The purpose is so we can secure tools and laundry but also maintain some heat in both rooms as they both have a significant amount of plumbing in them that can be damaged by freezing weather. The cost of the doors is attached to the spring 2014 receipts. We need to install 2 mechanical punch code locks on the new doors. There are many different lock options and prices but the mechanical punch code locks that will work are about $300 each.

Two locks $ 600

Electrical

Some electrical work will be needed in the new air handler room including wiring the unit from the fuse box to the new equipment as well as a new outlet and a light.

Some wiring work will be needed in the old bathroom to return it to a common bathroom- this is the room that the air handler is currently in. A fan / light, vanity light, GFI outlet will be installed.

We are having GFI breakers installed on the pool pump and pool deck lights to protect the brothers from electrocution.

Repair the pool ladder grounding.

New bathroom fan in Room 6 and 15.

Approx. electrical cost $ 2150

Safety gate

There is a new gate designed for the pass-through from the front to back that will have a punch code lock on it.

gate $ 1100
lock $ 300

Miscellaneous building material

Two new doors (upper hallway), one for the new air handler room and the other for the new bathroom. Sheetrock, 2x4's, tape, compound, primer, paint, tape, screws, quikcrete, Pex tubing and fittings, plumbing supplies, vanity & toilet, doors, knobs & trim for new bathroom and air handler room. We will need some flooring too.

bldg. material $ 2000

Doors for wing bedrooms

There are a few doors on the wings that have broken doorjambs. These are the older style in-swing doors and should be replaced with outswing doors this summer. We should do at least 3, maybe 4 this summer. There are 10 doors in total that will need to be replaced over time.

door allowance $ 900

Summary

I am asking for permission to spend up to $26,200 this summer for needed repairs and updates. I am also asking for a reserve fund of $2000 incase I want to hire sublet labor. I am not asking for any labor costs for myself.

INVITATION TO ALL ALUMNI - Josh Chancey set up an Evite

I will be back down at the house for the whole month of July maybe the first week of August as well. Any alumni that want to help or just come down to visit would be welcomed. There will be no shortage of things to do. Come on down even if you don't know much about construction, but want to help or learn. Someone can man the BBQ. I would like this to be fun and you might set an example for the undergrads ;-)

Tasks that alumni can help with:

sheetrock, taping, sanding
priming & painting - interior and exterior
rehang fans
hang doors
flooring
power wash exterior
yard work
running to Home Depot or Ace hardware - "Gofer"
fundraising

Report prepared by:

Thomas McSwiggan

203-788-1669

tgmcswiggan@hotmail.com

Feel free to contact me with questions and / or comments.

House Inspection Report by Sig Tom McSwiggan

2014-04-21T00:00:00Z

Structural Condition

Built in approx. 1960, the foundation slab & supporting walls are made of poured concrete and cement cinder block. They appear to be in great condition with no major signs of weakness or structural flaws.

Framing – Floors & Roofs

The framing of the wood floor joists and roof rafters is in acceptable condition but has evidence of past termite infestation, which appears to have been properly treated and is no longer an issue. If a new roof is added to the north & south wing, replacement of some roof rafters and sheathing will be necessary at that time. At this time, the termite damage is a non-issue.

Roofing

The main roof has a flat portion which appears relatively new and a sloped portion of 3-tab shingles. Although older, it's in acceptable condition.

Roofing – The Wings

Both the north & south wings have 3-tab shingles that will need replacement in 7-10 years. The top ridge cap shingles & ridge vents need immediate replacement.

Roof-Attic Ventilation

The main roof has less-than-adequate ventilation: a thermostatically controlled electric attic fan (inoperative) and soffit vents. The thermostat operation & startup temperature need to be checked. Both attic fans in the north and south wings are also inoperative. As mentioned above, the ridge venting on the north and south wings is crushed, blocking hot moist air from escaping the attic — this must be addressed by replacing the ridge vents.

Electrical System

Overall condition is good; the majority of the system has been updated, with no signs of rodents chewing wiring. The biggest problem was layer upon layer of new wiring done with old wires abandoned in place, making it a pain to service any circuit — I've spent a lot of time removing abandoned wiring (sometimes live) from the house, pump room, and under the deck, and identifying/labeling circuits for future work.

Lighting, Interior & Exterior

Interior: All interior lighting is working except one light in the library, to be fixed when I renovate that room for the new air handler. Bulbs and exit signs should be replaced with LEDs as practicable going forward.

Exterior: All circuits identified and lights running except the rear parking lot lights — their housings are broken and fill with water, shorting the units. I need time to find LED-style replacements. All other bulbs are LEDs (3-8W, 25,000hr life), except the large area lights, which require sodium bulbs. Requesting funds for 6 new lights for the rear parking area.

Plumbing

The plumbing has been upgraded over the years — mostly copper tube (great), with a mix of galvanized (not so good) and some PVC. Waste lines are cast iron with some PVC upgrades, in good repair.

Needs attention: the main water line needs replacement (rerouted more directly), removing the old galvanized pipe, rerouting the hot water heater pipes (removing galvanized pipe at the same time), and replacing the hot water heater with a newer system. Galvanized pipe closes down over time and breaks down from minerals, causing leaks without notice and flaking that clogs fixtures.

The hot water heater is a commercial Rheem model G-65-360A in the laundry room — a 65-gallon natural gas unit, 20 years old, against a 7-8 year average lifespan (3x its expected life), showing burn marks turning to rust on the case. Beyond age, its placement in the laundry room means a long travel distance for hot water, losing heat along the way — two on-demand units or rerouted piping might serve better. Current heater replacement cost (no labor) is approx. $8,200; efficiency has dropped from 80% new to around 60% now, versus 97% for new units.

Masonry

I'll be doing some masonry to frame out a proper doorway for the pump room and laundry room.

Exterior Stucco, Paint & Anti-Rodent Modifications

The rat problem traces back to a 1980s/early-90s contractor who built 3 chases up the side of the house to hide refrigerant lines and conduit, creating a rat superhighway from ground level to all three attics. I've removed 2 chases and modified a third. HVAC companies had also put aluminum gutters over refrigerant lines without properly sealing them, creating another entry point. Future HVAC work needs to be done properly to keep the rat problem from returning.

Windows

Aluminum frames with clear glass; some need new tilt hinges and latches (checking availability). Changing the rear windows to "low-E" panes would reflect out heat-gaining rays — whether we replace full windows or just panes depends on hinge/latch availability. Panes run about $95 each.

HVAC System

On arrival, it was clear something was wrong with the whole system — 4 condensers/compressors and 4 air handlers, with no airflow from the ducts and all 4 filters completely plugged (causing ice blocks and equipment failure risk).

First floor: Carrier 2.5-ton straight A/C with electric heat strips, installed 2012, 410A refrigerant (great).
Second floor: 14-year-old American Standard 3-ton heat pump using R-22 refrigerant, which has leaked out — needs immediate replacement.
North wing: 2009 Payne (Carrier) straight A/C with electric heat strips, R-22 refrigerant (good condition, wrong refrigerant).
South wing: 2010 Payne (Carrier) straight A/C with electric heat strips, 410A unit (great).

The second-floor unit may have been damaged by constant freezing, which breaks the coils — not worth repairing given its age, repair cost, and R-22 being phased out. Its closet installation has also caused mold/mildew that needs fixing; a proper conditioned-air room needs to be built for the new unit, ASAP.

Asbestos Survey & Abatement

Asbestos pipe wrapping was found in the north and south wing attics. Whether the house is renovated or sold, it will eventually need to be identified and addressed — starting with a licensed asbestos survey (samples with results in 3 days), which doesn't obligate us to remove anything, just tells us where it is. The survey costs approximately $2,000.

The Pool

An old in-ground cement pool with direct suction line skimmers (not the trap-door style), modified over the years for the current suction/return lines. This skimmer type is more prone to leaking at the skimmers and underground lines. The pool company suspects the skimmers, but undergrad brothers report the skimmer line pulling a lot of sand when running, which suggests a broken underground pipe to me. The health/pool inspector has closed the pool until the leak is fixed and chemicals stabilize — Blue Ribbon Pools has repeatedly missed appointments this week.

Bedroom & Bathroom Conditions

Overall very good. Room 1 has a broken exterior door jamb.

Oil Tank

The old oil tank under the north deck needs to be removed at some point.

Fencing and Gates

Worth considering a wrought iron gate at the front pass-through from the front yard to the rear deck. Looking into replacing the rear fence gate with a locking, punch-code entry to take pressure off the front parking area.

Projects That Need Attention Soon

Asbestos survey & estimates; build a new room for the air handler and install new 2nd-floor A/C with aluminum capping on the line and rear soffits; ridge vents on the wings; repair pool skimmer lines; replace the rear fence gate with a punch-code lock; masonry & doors on laundry/pump room; replace rear windows with low-E; new water main; new door jamb in Room 1; straighten the flagpole; photocell on backyard lights; replace the rear parking area light; wash and paint the house.

Other Notes

No more walking on the roof — it damages it, especially in hot weather. A/C filters must be changed regularly. No more Sigma Chi letters or crosses out front — it looks gaudy. No more labeling parking spaces — it looks sophomoric. Garbage cans are allowed in the kitchen again.

Large Projects in the Distant Future

Remove asbestos; replace the hot water heater and re-plumb galvanized lines; remove the oil tank; redo the pool; new cement deck around the pool; new wood deck and stairs to the second floor; roofing on the wings.

Estimates for New Air Conditioning

Three estimates received for the new second-floor air handler and condenser (replace the 3-ton heat pump with a new Carrier unit, install new refrigerant lines, relocate the air handler, and provide aluminum capping for exterior refrigerant lines):

Jeff's Mid Florida — $6,560
D.G. Meyer — $6,626
Total Comfort — $8,275

These are pre-tax, approximate estimates; more bids being accepted this week. To modify the room for the new air handler, I need a budget of $2,500. Cost of materials (no labor) to date: $3,443.06.

Some of the Accomplishments to Date

Replaced ceiling tiles in kitchen & chapter room; new kitchen lights; replaced fire pull in kitchen; new kitchen light switch; removed waste disposal, installed 2 new sink strainer baskets; fixed front door closer; replaced all HVAC filters; recorded all HVAC equipment serial/model numbers; diagnosed the second-floor unit failure; cleaned 40 years of accumulated junk out of the attic; cleaned the library, exec room, pump room & laundry; new shower valve and light switch in Room 22; removed rat chases from the side of the house and re-stuccoed; removed a lot of old wiring under the deck, pump room, attics & DJ deck; traced and labeled circuits; replaced blown lights with LEDs; fixed the pool lights; repaired a lot of holes knocked in concrete in and out of the house; repaired the attic fire wall so rats can't get through; fixed the pool pump (thanks, Roger); found and fixed a leaking PVC line; traced down plumbing lines; quick repair to the DJ deck; installed a mirror and LED lights in the Exec bathroom/room.

Sigma Chi – Eta Iota House Inspection Report, prepared by Thomas McSwiggan (tgmcswiggan@hotmail.com, 203-788-1669)

Update on Brother Ron Moore '73

2013-10-18T00:00:00Z

You may recall that on August 17th, a notice was posted on the passing of Brother Ron Moore (HI, '73), on July 31st of this year.

We received the following note from his wife, that those that knew Ron might be interested in.

The original post stated, based on the data in our records, that Ron and his wife were just shy of their 45th wedding anniversary. As you will read below, that was out-of-date information.

Ron's widow, Diana Moore, wrote:

Thank you for sending the notification of Ron's death to his fraternity. He was still quite proud of his association with Sigma Chi. I want to point out that Ron and I were married only one year before he died.

At the time he was at Embry-Riddle he was married to a woman named Colleen. They divorced in 1982. He was married to another woman, coincidentally named Diana, 1995-2006, with whom he had two wonderful daughters. He was very healthy, fit, and active when we married June 6, 2012. Tragically, we learned on September 5 that he had lung cancer.

The Worth Street address given in the original message was one of his previous local homes.

Bill Palmer Releases New Book on Air France 447 Accident

2013-08-21T00:00:00Z

Eta Iota alumnus Bill Palmer '79, has just released a new book "Understanding Air France 447."

The book provides the insightful details behind the 2009 crash of Air France 447, an Airbus A330 lost in the Atlantic Ocean north of Brazil.

What you want to know. What you need to know.

Weather, human factors, and lots interesting of airplane detail are covered in this "must read" narrative. The factors behind the crash, the errors made, and how the crew may have been powerless to avoid them are covered in detail, along with what has been done and needs to be done in the future to prevent this accident from happening again.

Bill is currently an A330 captain and has instructed and written many materials for his A330 fleet.

Understanding Air France 447 is currently available as an ebook from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and through the iTunes store.

See the book's companion website understandingAF447.com for details.

The book is receiving excellent reviews and retails for $9.99.

In Memoriam: Ron "Crash" Moore ('73)

2013-08-18T00:00:00Z

I am sorry to inform you of the passing of one of our Eta Iota alumni into the Chapter Eternal.

Brother Ron "Crash" Moore '73, was initiated in September 1972 as roll number 99, just 18 months after the chapter's founding. He died at the age of 65 on July 31st, 2013 just two weeks shy of he and his wife Diana's 45th wedding anniversary. They lived at 6925 Worth Ave E, Benton, AR 72015

Ron had last listed his job title as USAF retired "world's greatest fighter pilot."

An obituary is found on line at: http://bentoncourier.com/content/ronald-gerald-moore which reads:

Ronald Gerald Moore, 65 of Benton met our Lord on July 31, 2013. He was born May 27, 1948, in Pontiac, Mich., to Lloyd Gerald Moore and Joyce M. McKendry Moore.
Ron was an intelligent, energetic, outgoing person, and the kind of friend we’d all hope to have and to be. He enjoyed flying, golf, auto sports and traveling. He served in the U.S. Navy as a weatherman in the early 1970s. After completing college at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, he entered the U.S. Air Force and was trained as a navigator, then qualified as weapon system officer. He was then selected to attend Air Force pilot training. He continued to serve as a fighter pilot, holding many commands until he retired in 1997. He continued his aviation career as a private corporate pilot until late 2012.
Of all his many accomplishments during his distinguished military career of almost 30 years, his treasure and his love are his two wonderful daughters.
Col. Moore was preceded in death by his father and by his sister, Victoria Moore Hunt.
He is survived by his wife of one year, Diana; two daughters, Victoria and McKenzie of Benton; his mother, Joyce Moore of Metamora, Mich.; his siblings, Thomas Ivan Moore of Orlando, Fla., Winfield Clyde Moore and wife Colleen of Metamora, Mich., Christine Moore Sierakowski and husband Walter of Metamora, Mich., and Michel Moore of Flint, Mich.; eight nephews and four nieces; and several great-nephews and great-nieces.
In addition to family, Col. Moore leaves many friends to cherish his memory.
A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5, at Dial & Dudley Funeral Home, with Brother Carl Wright officiating.
Visitation is planned one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity or to Saline Memorial Hospice House.
Online guest book: www.dialanddudleyfuneralhome.com.

All honor to his name.

Deck Fundraising Standings

2013-07-20T00:00:00Z

$14,148 total funds raised — updated 10/17/13

By Pledge Class Total

Pledge Class	Total
Alpha Tau	$2,866
Alpha Phi	$2,316
Beta Gamma	$1,250
Psi	$794
Alpha Omicron	$644
Beta Iota	$500
Epsilon	$500
Alpha	$500
Rho	$383
Alpha Chi	$350
Beta Alpha	$350
Beta Nu	$250
Beta Zeta	$250
Beta Omicron	$250
Alpha Iota	$222
Xi	$222
Alpha Upsilon	$212
Beta Eta	$200
Nu	$200
Alpha Sigma	$200
Theta	$200
Zeta	$200
Alpha Rho	$111
Eta	$111
Mu	$111
Alpha Xi	$100
Alpha Gamma	$100
Beta Tau	$100
Founder's	$100
Beta Xi	$100
Alpha Alpha	$100
Beta Rho	$100
Delta	$100
Alpha Gamma	$50

By % of Pledge Brother Participation

Pledge Class	Participation
Beta Zeta	100%
Alpha Phi	63%
Alpha Xi	38%
Psi	36%
Xi	33%
Rho	33%
Beta Gamma	29%
Alpha Upsilon	29%
Alpha Chi	29%
Alpha Tau	24%
Beta Xi	20%
Alpha Sigma	20%
Theta	18%
Beta Alpha	18%
Alpha Omicron	18%
Beta Eta	15%
Zeta	13%
Nu	13%
Beta Nu	13%
Alpha Rho	11%
Alpha Alpha	10%
Eta	9%
Nu	8%
Beta Tau	8%
Alpha Iota	8%
Epsilon	7%
Beta Iota	7%
Mu	7%
Alpha Gamma	6%
Beta Omicron	5%

By Total Number of Pledge Brothers Donating

5 — Alpha Phi 4 — Psi, Alpha Tau 3 — Alpha Omicron, Psi, Rho, Beta Eta, Alpha Xi

The Challenges

Todd Weeber got things started: "I challenge any pledge class to beat the amount donated so far by Alpha Tau ($1,966). If you can, we will kick in another $500. Good luck. Seth Downs, care to put numbers up by class? It is on, no?"

That challenge was quickly met by the Alpha Phi pledge class when Ryan Steffey made a large donation, and longest-standing 1855 Club monthly member Chris Edmondson completed the challenge. Ryan then put out his own challenge to his pledge class: "To all of my Alpha Phi pledge class, if we get up to Alpha Tau's total ($2,766) or within $100, I will put in another $500. Come on Brothers, we were taught to always strive to be the best." Three more pledge brothers (John Spilotro, Mark Pfister, and Doug Sherwood) donated since, putting them within $350 of meeting Ryan's challenge.

John Banta: "Let's make this happen. I'm matching the next 4 alumni who commit to putting up $250." That challenge was met by Ramano Sprueil, Allen Cassino, Anthony Hammond, and George Yurcic.

Seth Downs: "I'll throw in $100 for each fellow Alpha Upsilon pledge brother of mine that joins in at the base 1855 Club level of $112 or higher." Michael Tomlin was the first to accept.

Donors to Date: 59

Allen Cassino, Anthony Hammond, Bill Barsin, Bill Dlhosh, Bill Ulm, Chad Bright, Chad Brisbane, Chris Edmondson, Chris Nevins, Chuck Bonini, Dan Bush, Dave Spaller, Dave Wilkinson, David Campbell, David Marino, Doug Sherwood, Drew Jones, Gary Marville, Gary Wolf, George Pence, George Yurcic, Gerard Filippone, Glenn White, James Ahrens, James Bull, Jere Anderson, Joby Titus, Joe Adkins, John Banta, John Spilotro, John Williams, John Wrightington, Keith Harrison, Kevan Mackenzie, Kurt Kienast, Mario Scalzo, Mark Pfister, Michael Tomlin, Mike Gehman, Mike Pelosi, Neil Campbell, Nick Cornwell, Phillip Reinfeldt, Ramano Sprueil, Rich Schooley, Rich Winter, Rob Pacheco, Rob Paulus, Roger Moody, Ryan Carson, Ryan Steffey, Scott Ekey, Seth Downs, Shawn Lowe, Steve Schmidt, Steve Whitlock, Terry Owens, Thomas Henion, Todd Weeber, Tom Reynolds

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Volume 3, Issue 1

2012-12-22T00:00:00Z

Hey, I'm Maggie Micinski, 2013 Sweetheart. This is the first newsletter in Volume 3 — hope you enjoy!

What a Year It's Been!

Sigma Chi worked hard this past semester and is keeping a strong reputation in the Greek community — a great recruitment brought in a pledge class of 10, three men graduated, and White Rose, Thanksgiving, and White Elephant were all fantastic.

Save the dates: First Chapter Meeting, January 13th · RUSH WEEK, January 27th–February 2nd · Derby Days, March 3rd–8th.

Meet the Graduates

Daniel "Billybob" Duquette (Gamma Lambda) graduated with a degree in Aeronautics, concentration in Aviation Maintenance Science. His plan as an alumnus: become a Life Loyal Sig, join the 1855 Club, and stay involved. "Every moment of time you can spend with your brothers is a blessing in itself, and not many other college students get to share that same common bond that holds us all Sigma Chi's so close."

Chuck "First Base" Kwon (Gamma Lambda) graduated with a 3.0 GPA in Aeronautics, having served as Quaestor. He's continuing his career in the U.S. Army.

Josh "Monthly Gift" Chancey (Gamma Nu) graduated with a degree in Air Traffic Management, having held Pro Consul, Quaestor, Risk Manager, House Manager, and Social Chair, attended Horizons and BLTW, served as IFC Vice President, and was named 2010 Greek New Member of the Year. He's now commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. (Thanks to Kirk Haun for help with this article!)

Meet the Chapter Advisor and Pro Consul Advisor

Derek Pizzo, Chapter Advisor: As Chapter Advisor, I chair the Advisory Board and appoint its members, working mostly with the Consul while the board works with the others. I switched from Aerospace Engineering to Air Traffic Management at Riddle, graduated in 2009 (Gamma Gamma), and now live in Tallahassee working at the Regional Airport, working toward Certified Professional Controller. My fondest chapter memory is winning Greek Week — we manipulated the rules and won fair and square, which also changed the rules for future generations. I'd love to see someone who lives closer to the chapter take over one day. Never stop learning — as soon as you think you have it figured out, someone else is already getting better.

Nick Weiss, Pro Consul Advisor: I worked last semester helping the Pro Consul identify chapter goals and increase officer accountability. I've spent the last year and a half at Honda as a Systems/Chassis Design Engineer in Columbus, OH — a tremendous early-career experience. I enjoy golf, backpacking, and traveling. My favorite memories are also Greek Week — setting aside differences to chase a common goal, testing everyone's leadership and planning skills. My advice to alumni: communicate — stop by, email an undergrad or advisor or House Corp member, share input and stories. My advice to undergrads: take your ideas for the chapter and make them real — every gap is an opportunity to build your own leadership, planning, and communication skills.

In Case You Missed It!

White Rose: At Reunion Resort in Orlando, brothers and alumni reunited for a great White Rose Formal, planned by Blake Ditlow. Maggie Micinski was announced as the new Sweetheart, with International Sweetheart Sydney Binnington also in attendance.

Thanksgiving: Sigma Chi hosted its now-traditional Thanksgiving feast for brothers who couldn't make it home — Pedro fried up three delicious turkeys, and everyone shared in the Sigma Chi Grace.

White Elephant: Another great tradition, with a roast beef and ham dinner ahead of the (infamous, thieving) gift exchange. Every brother received a personalized mini stocking with a candy cane and shot glass, marked with his pledge class, initiation number, and a white cross.

Introducing Your New Sweetheart!

My name is Maggie Micinski, and in November I was named the 2013 Sweetheart — I'm really excited! I'm an Aeronautical Science major with an ATC minor, recently installed as President of Theta Phi Alpha, and previously served as their Recruitment Chair. As Sweetheart, I hope to help strengthen the chapter and brotherhood, keep the Jordan Standard alive in every brother, and build an academic program the chapter can use semester to semester.

Contact me anytime at sweetheart@etaiota.org — with questions, Norman Shield Award donations, or your "Where Are They Now" story!

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Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart, Volume 3 Issue 1 Download

The Eta Iota Chapter House is now completely on Central A/C

2012-08-04T00:00:00Z

Room 9 had the last wall mounted air conditioner. It was moldy and leaky to the bitter end... it shall not be missed. DG Meyers is completing the final central A/C ducts for room 8 & 9 this month. It has been a 3 year process to bring the entire chapter house to central A/C. Hopefully this will reduce our on going maintenance costs and eliminate eye sores like the image below. The central A/C in the wings has reduced the actives electricity bill by $3k a year.

Ah the new wall:

In Memoriam: H. Bruce Harrison ('74)

2012-03-04T00:00:00Z

I am sorry to report that Eta Iota brother Hubert Bruce Harrison '74 passed away in his home on March 2, 2012, after a brief but tenacious battle with cancer.

Here is a link to his obituary:http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/charlotte/obituary.aspx?n=h-bruce-harrison&pid=156253053&fhid=10177

His daugher, Julia Harrison Hayes, reports that he stayed in contact with brother Gary Michael Dyer, who was also her godfather.

There will not be a funeral, as he found them depressing. Instead, there will be a celebration of his life in April.

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Volume 2, Issue 1

2012-01-30T00:00:00Z

Hi, my name is Mariah Law — your 2012 Sweetheart! I look forward to getting to know all of the Sigma Chis that I possibly can. This year I'll keep everyone updated on Eta Iota events and undergrad news in each issue, continuing the excitement of learning about the accomplishments of the chapter.

A Little About Me

This past year at White Elephant I was named the 2012 Sweetheart of Eta Iota — I'm so honored! I'm a sophomore at ERAU majoring in Space Physics with an Astronomy minor, serving as Secretary of Sigma Sigma Sigma, on the Orientation Team, and a Resident Advisor in Doolittle Hall. My plan for this year is to help the chapter with campus/community involvement, recruitment, and organization, and be there for every brother whenever they need me.

Meet the Executive Officers – 2012

Consul — Tim Englehardt, from Bradford, MA, studies Meteorology and hopes to become a broadcast meteorologist (already doing weather for ERAU's Eaglecast). He's previously held Kustos, Tri-Province Co-Chairman, Finance Chairman, Tribune, Assistant Magister, and Risk Manager, and is on the Orientation Team. His goals this semester: improving chapter GPA and community/campus involvement.

Pro Consul — Matt Otto, a sophomore studying Homeland Security (Terrorism Studies and Safety Science minors), has held House Manager, Assistant Magister, and Pro Consul. A former professional paintball player who once co-owned a paintball field in Tampa, he holds the record for the largest bore killed in Hillsborough County (making the front page of a local hunting magazine) and enjoys hunting, fishing, and shooting sports.

Annotator — Francisco Gonzales, an Aeronautics major, dreams of flying search-and-rescue for the Forest Service. He loves hiking and plans to backpack across the U.S. this summer.

Magister — Trevor Simms, from Long Island, NY, is in his second consecutive semester as Magister (Gamma Mu pledge class) and initiated 16 new brothers in 2011. He plans to write a step-by-step Magister guide for future chapter leaders, plays club volleyball for ERAU, and is a member of Iota Alpha Tau honor society.

Upcoming Events — Spring Recruitment Week (Jan 30 – Feb 4)

Monday, Jan 30: Bowling at Bellair Lanes
Tuesday, Jan 31: Flag Football at Richard Petty Fields
Wednesday, Feb 1: Go-Karts and Batting Cages
Thursday, Feb 2: BBQ at the Sigma Chi House
Friday, Feb 3: Spaghetti Dinner, 8pm at the COA Atrium

For more information, contact Recruitment Chair Andres Villalobos.

The 2nd Annual Norman Shield Award

At HI's 41st Birthday, I'll present the 2nd Annual Norman Shield Award to the brother who best exemplifies Sigma Chi's values. The award began last year, created by 2011 Sweetheart Michelle Rodio — its first recipient, Jim Baldyga, is now working as a co-op for American Airlines in Dallas. I'll work with the Scholarship Chair to track grades and set up study hours; brothers who report their grades weekly, attend study hours, help tutor others, and stay active in recruitment/philanthropic/social events while paying dues on time will be considered. The winner is decided by me and a chapter-wide vote. Donations can be sent to me or Quaestor Dan Duquette.

Feel free to reach out anytime with questions or suggestions — sweetheart@etaiota.org. I look forward to meeting all of you this year, and to introducing our newest initiated brothers before Birthday. If you'd like to be featured in "Where Are They Now," send me a picture and a short bio!

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Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart, Volume 2 Issue 1 Download

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Ten (Final)

2011-12-30T00:00:00Z

Happy Holidays from Eta Iota!

Since the last issue, Eta Iota celebrated Thanksgiving together at the house (for brothers who couldn't go home) and decorated for Christmas — rooftop lights, Sigma Chi decorations, and a chapter room tree — capped by the annual White Elephant Christmas party and gift exchange on December 8th. The night started with a dinner from Alpha Xi Delta, who won Penny Wars (and the dinner-cooking honors) for the second year running.

Diva Derby Days Results

This year's 4th Annual Derby Days, organized by Jeramiah Poff, ran November 6-10 with Alpha Xi Delta, Sigma Sigma Sigma, and Theta Phi Alpha competing around a "Divas" theme. At the Coaches Auction, Alpha Xi Delta won Brothers Andres Villalobos and Pedro Pinero, Tri Sigma won Taylor Quackenbush and David Cruz, and Theta Phi Alpha won Jim Baldyga and Jason Auger. Events included a Banner BBQ, a "make the brothers laugh" campus chase, an underwater obstacle course, "Slick Sig" (coaches oiled up and chased), and the finale Diva Dance.

Total raised: just over $3,500. Tri Sigma won the Banner BBQ and Slick Sig; Alpha Xi Delta won the laughing contest and underwater obstacle, and edged out the Diva Dance too — taking the overall win for the 2nd time since Derby Days began in 2007, raising $2,500 of the $3,500 total themselves. Half the total went to Wounded Warriors, Children's Miracle Network, and the Huntsman Cancer Society; the rest split by sorority placement. Johanna Petrocelli of Sigma Sigma Sigma was named Derby Queen for her exceptional fundraising effort.

Eta Iota Initiates 15 New Brothers — Now Over 800 Winged Sigs!

On Saturday, November 19th, Eta Iota initiated 15 new brothers of the Gamma Omicron pledge class, guided by Magister Trevor Simms, pushing the chapter past 800 total initiated brothers: Devin Huff (#792), Ramy Ghaly (#793), Mike Woodward (#794), Conner Trotter (#795), Trevor Johnson (#796), Blake Ditlow (#797), Alejandro Baza (#798), Zach Bettis (#799), Liam Riden (#800), Paul Renart (#801), Adam Frazier (#802), Joe Sarli (#803), Kirk Haun (#804), Frank Nosek (#805), and Carlos Giraldo (#806).

New initiate Kirk Haun was pinned by his own older brother, 2001 alumnus Chris Haun — a special moment for the family. Also present: Central Florida Grand Praetor PJ Stephens, former Chapter Advisor Roger Moody, new Chapter Advisor Derek Pizzo, ERAU Faculty Advisor Joe Gablin, Birthday Chair James Ahrens, and recent grads Ryan Rush and Arash Sabet-Rasekh.

Christmas Gifts for the Brothers

For the second year running, every brother received a personalized ornament, stocking decoration, and mini candy-filled stocking — this year extended to everyone initiated over the past year, plus a decorated photo frame for each as a personal memento.

News from New Chapter Advisor Derek Pizzo

Eta Iota has a new Chapter Advisor: Derek Pizzo, a 2009 ERAU grad who previously served the chapter as Quaestor, Consul, and House Corp Trustee, and most recently sat on Florida State's Chapter Advisory Board. He succeeds Brian Lojko, who resigned. In his introductory letter, Derek wrote: "I am both honored and humbled to be the next Chapter Advisor to Eta Iota... During my term I will emphasize the 'advisor' in Chapter Advisor." His first priority: establishing a Chapter Advisory Board (now required for Peterson Award eligibility), with Chuck Bonini, Nick Hugo, and Sean Stefanak already volunteered — Chuck working directly with the Magister/pledge program, Nick paired with the Recruitment Chair, and Sean with the Quaestor. Derek is still looking for volunteers.

Eta Iota Alumni Making a Difference

Brad Vomacka (2005 alumnus, HI House Corp Trustee) shared an update: he and Jason "Wej" Morang (2006 alumnus), both in the Manchester, NH area, became founding members of a new Sigma Chi Colony at the University of New Hampshire after a push from DC-based brother Josh Hartman — now in their 3rd semester of colonization, growing each term, on pace for a Spring 2013 installation. Fellow Eta Iota brother Scott Bacon (2006 alumnus) is also involved, balancing it with his Army Reserve schedule.

2012 Sweetheart Crowned — Meet Mariah Law

On December 8th at White Elephant, Eta Iota crowned its 2012 Sweetheart: Mariah Colleen Law, 19, of North Salem, New York — class of 2014, studying Space Physics with an Astronomy minor. She's a Resident Advisor, active on the Orientation Team, a Sigma Sigma Sigma sister, an Honors Program member, and on the Crew Team. She enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and the outdoors, and told me she's "ready to begin to make a mark in the hearts of Brothers, the Chapter, and hopefully the whole Fraternity."

My Final Farewell

It's officially my last newsletter, and I can't help but reflect on this incredible past year and how grateful I am to have represented Eta Iota as your Sweetheart. This past year has forever changed my life. It was wonderful meeting everyone at the 40th Birthday and learning about all the brothers who've been initiated over the years — thank you for sharing your stories with me. I look forward to coming back in future years with my soon-to-be husband and Eta Iota's Chapter Advisor, Derek Pizzo, to see how the chapter has grown.

I've made great friends this past year, many of whom have become family. Being part of the Eta Iota family will forever leave an impact on my heart. Thank you all for what I've experienced this past year — I hope we'll meet again.

Love, Your 2011 Sweetheart

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Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart, Issue 10 (Final)Download

In Memoriam: John deLafosse (Founding Brother)

2011-12-14T00:00:00Z

Eta Iota founding brother John deLafosse passed away today, December 13th, after a battle with cancer.

John was one of Eta Iota's founding brothers, initiated on it's founding date March 6, 1971 as rollbook number 2.

The final entry on John's carepages.com page reads:

Farewell

Dearest Friends and Family,

John has taken his last flight west. He died Tuesday, December 13 at 1340 in Beaufort, SC, just a mile or so from his storied Parris Island. We were all with him when he left: his daughters, Malissa and Lindsey, and their husbands, Rob and Chris were at his bedside with me. He was listening to Michael Buble's "Home" when he left us.

John was given compassionate and gentle care in his final days and he will be cremated this week. He had long insisted he wanted no memorial service and we are honoring that request. As a family, we will gather at Kill Devil Hills, NC and scatter his ashes; a fitting tribute, we think, to a man who simply loved to fly.

John was born on August 28, 1947 in Odessa, TX and grew up in the Texas Panhandle, graduating from Tascosa High in Amarillo in 1965. That's where he began washing and gassing airplanes in exchange for flying lessons.

He spent his freshman year at Texas Tech, joining the U.S. Marine Corps as a Reservist and graduating from boot camp at Parris Island Marine Corps Depot on November 4, 1966. He always claimed that the Marines taught him lessons he used all of his life and he was "proud to claim the title of U.S. Marine." One of our simple pleasures, living here in Bluffton, was driving over to Parris Island frequently to attend the graduations held on the parade deck. John loved shaking hands with those newly minted Marines and thanking them for their service.

He graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach where he was a Founding Father of the Eta Iota chapter of Sigma Chi. He was also a campus Flight Instructor and trained many students who would become lifelong friends as he moved into commercial aviation.

Flying for Zantop, Ozark, TWA, Piedmont, and US Airways, John flew everything from a DC-6 to a Fairchild, a DC-9 ("if you're going to hit the ground, you want to do it in a DC-9"), a 737, MD-80, F-100, and F-28. His favorite time in the industry was as an Instructor Pilot on the Airbus 319/320 in Charlotte, NC for US Airways. He was a superb instructor.

After enduring endless furloughs, John's flying career finished with stints at CitationAir and NetJets, and finally, as a private pilot on a Citation-XL for D.E. Rice Construction Co. in Borger, TX. He came full circle, back to the Texas Panhandle, still doing what he loved.

John had two wishes for his life: to live long enough to raise his daughters and to fly until he died. Both were granted and he was a happy man. Professed to Christ, John was at peace with himself. I was truly blessed to be married to him for 20 years. No one has ever made me laugh so much.

If anyone wishes to honor him, donations may be made to the Jasper Animal Rescue Mission (JARM), P.O. Box 1179, Ridgeland, SC 29936, where we volunteered. He was a staunch supporter of our 2nd Amendment rights and gifts can also be made to the NRA at 11250 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030.

Please forward this to those folks who knew him that I may not know. Thank you all so very much for your love, your kind words and your prayers.

I will leave you with this: one of the things John used to say to our daughters as they were leaving the house each day was, "Don't forget to sing along and have a good time!" I think he would say that to all of us now.

Love, Teresa

33 Catamaran Lane Bluffton, SC 29909 843.645.4424 tadelafosse@gmail.com

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Nine

2011-10-10T00:00:00Z

Fall Recruitment Knocked It Out of the Park!

Mission 365 Recruitment Seminar (Sept. 10th), with help from Fraternity staff and alumni Derek Pizzo and Chuck Bonini, set the chapter up for a huge Activities Fair and Meet the Greeks turnout. Recruitment week (starting Sept. 19th) hosted a full slate of events and pledged in 29 guys — thanks in part to custom Recruitment Business Cards, donated by alumnus Nick Weiss, that every brother (and the Sweetheart!) handed out.

Recruitment week: Monday — beach BBQ, football, and waves with potentials; Tuesday — bowling at Ormond Lanes; Wednesday — Go-Kart City (mini-golf, batting cages, go-karts); Thursday — house tour and Buffalo Wild Wings; Friday — the traditional Spaghetti Dinner, with speakers Consul Taylor Quackenbush, Chapter Advisor Brian Lojko, and alumni Derek Pizzo and Chuck Bonini, plus visits from alumni Arash Sabet-Rasekh and Chris Haun throughout the week.

As Sweetheart, I made sure everyone was well fed too — strawberry shortcake, blue and gold cupcakes, chocolate brownies, buffalo chicken and spicy bean dip, and my mom's baked mac and cheese with Oreo dirt pudding for Spaghetti Dinner.

Intramurals Are Back!

Brothers are competing in football and volleyball this season, and cheering on the sororities too — pledge Kirk Haun has even taken on coaching Alpha Xi Delta's team.

Diva Derby Days 2011

This year's 4th Annual Derby Days brings together Sigma Chi and four sororities (Alpha Xi Delta, Lambda Theta Alpha, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Theta Phi Alpha) around a "Divas" theme, each sorority picking a pop-culture diva to incorporate into the competition. Half the proceeds go to Sigma Chi's philanthropy, the rest split among the sororities'. The Coaches Auction was held October 5th, pairing two Eta Iota brothers with each sorority as coaches. Derby Days runs November 7th through the Awards Banquet on Friday, November 11th (Veterans Day), including the Diva Dance (formerly the Lip Sync) on the 10th. The record to beat is $5,000 raised — Eta Iota is determined to top it this year. Sponsorship inquiries went to Jeramiah Poff.

Vegas Style — Future Brother Event

Several brothers from the chapter's early years are planning a Las Vegas trip, July 23-28, 2012, staying at the Luxor and visiting Boulder Dam, the Grand Canyon, and other Vegas attractions — a totally unstructured five days, with group meals planned at the start and end of each day and open invitations to join. Organized by Mark Rogers and Bob Sween.

News Update — Eta Iota Joins Twitter

Follow the chapter at SigmaChiERAU.

Want More Shirts?

Leftover shirts from Birthday are still available (My Kinda Guy $17, I ♥ SC $20, Winged Sigs $20, Children's Miracle Network $10), plus this year's recruitment shirts ($15) — contact me or Recruitment Chair Pedro Pinero.

Sorry it's been a while since the last issue — I've been swamped with school and Derby Days fundraising (about halfway to my personal goal!). If you'd like to donate, let me know. Back to schoolwork for me — I'll update you again soon!

Farewell until then... Love, Your 2011 Sweetheart

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart, October 10, 2011 Download

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Eight

2011-09-09T00:00:00Z

Eta Iota Starts Fall 2011 with a Bang!

Monday, August 29th began a new school year for Eta Iota. Some brothers attended Grand Chapter 2011 (electing a new Grand Council and crowning a new International Sweetheart), while others attended Horizons and BLTW, meeting Sigma Chis from across the U.S. and Canada. To welcome everyone back, I made each guy a Back to School gift: popcorn, peppermints, pens, gum, a condom, a photo magnet from last spring's Spaghetti Dinner, and a wallet card with the Jordan Standard and Eta Iota's vision statement.

This semester brings Mission 365 training (Sept. 10th) ahead of recruitment starting the 19th, followed by the chapter's biggest philanthropic event, Derby Days.

Labor Day BBQ

Eta Iota hosted a Labor Day BBQ (also celebrating Brother Trevor Simms' birthday) — hot dogs, hamburgers, cornhole, and pool time with a sorority social and plenty of recruitment potentials in attendance.

Meet the 32nd International Sweetheart — Sydney Binnington

Our Consul Taylor Quackenbush represented Eta Iota at Grand Chapter this summer, where Sydney Binnington of the University of Western Ontario was crowned the Fraternity's 32nd International Sweetheart — and the first international one. Sydney wrote a letter introducing herself: born in Toronto, entering her final year at Western studying History (with plans for law school or broadcast journalism), active in her sorority Pi Beta Phi and Western's Sigma Chi chapter, Epsilon Omicron. She hopes to encourage every chapter to raise $5,000 for a brick on the Huntsman Foundation's Wall of Hope, something she accomplished herself earlier this year. "Get ready for a great two years, I really cannot wait to come down and meet all of you!"

Hypnosis at Eta Iota

Touch-N-Go Productions brought hypnotist CJ Johnson to campus for the annual first-day-of-school show, with Brothers Pedro Pinero, Daniel Duquette, and Tim Englehardt volunteering to be hypnotized on stage.

Summer Adventures — Grand Chapter, Horizons, and BLTW

Consul Taylor Quackenbush and Josh Chancey attended Horizons this summer; Taylor also served as Eta Iota's Grand Chapter delegate. Quaestor Jeremiah Poff joined Taylor at Grand Chapter (with an executive suite upgrade courtesy of the outgoing Grand Consul) and later attended BLTW — the largest ever, with over 2,000 brothers — alongside Josh Chancey, Andres Villalobos, Pedro Pinero, and Tim Englehardt. At both events, Central Florida Praetor PJ Stephens and Chapter Advisor Brian Lojko were present; at BLTW, the chapter received eight executive chairs donated by Grand Pro Consul Michael Greenburg for the new conference room. Eta Iota won the Henning Award for the 10th year running (highest percentage of Life Loyal Sigs), and House Corp won an award for outstanding operations.

Derek Pizzo attended BLTW as chapter advisor alternate to Florida Southern College, participating in the Cornerstone alumni-to-advisor transition program, which he found especially valuable. FSC's chapter house was condemned to build tennis courts, but a billionaire alumnus is funding a rebuild. Derek was also appointed to Florida State's chapter advisory board.

Ryan Wakefield, who trained as a Horizons guide in 2010 alongside fellow Eta Iota Sig Ramano Sprueil, returned to guide his own group at Snowbird in summer 2011. Horizons — a values-based leadership academy centered on mountain "missions" and small-group teaching — runs four sessions of 48 undergrads each summer. Eta Iota has 14 undergraduate Horizons graduates plus Ryan and Ramano as trained guides; Taylor Quackenbush and Josh Chancey also attended this year.

Bringing Back the '80s

The chapter threw an '80s-themed night to celebrate the new semester, with visiting alumni joining in the costumes and fun.

Enhance Your Business with Keith Ferrazzi and Dylan Conroy

Dylan Conroy, a Sigma Chi from UC Santa Barbara (Assistant Grand Praetor for LA Coastal Province, Choices Program facilitator since 2008), works as Head of West Coast Sales for Significant Sig Keith Ferrazzi's Relationship Masters Academy — a training/consulting program for corporate professionals and entrepreneurs. Interested brothers could use code SIGMACHI for a discount.

Eta Iota's Fall 2011 Recruitment Schedule

Surfing with the Sigs/Beach Day — Monday, Sept. 19th, 6:00 PM
Bowling at Ormond Lanes — Tuesday, Sept. 20th, 6:00 PM
Go-Karts, Mini-Golf & Batting Cages — Wednesday, Sept. 21st, 6:00 PM
Buffalo Wild Wings at the House — Thursday, Sept. 22nd, 6:00 PM
Spaghetti Dinner at the COA Atrium — Friday, Sept. 23rd, 7:00 PM

For more information, contact Recruitment Chair Pedro Pinero.

It was a nice long summer, and I was so happy to be back at ERAU with all the guys — looking forward to a new and exciting semester! Email me anytime at sweetheart@etaiota.org.

Farewell until then... Love, Your 2011 Sweetheart

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart, September 9, 2011 Download

Eta Iota Receives 2011 Henning Award

2011-07-16T00:00:00Z

Congratulations to the members of the Eta Iota chapter of Sigma Chi at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach for winning the Fraternity’s 2011 Henning Award, which recognizes the undergraduate chapter with the highest percentage of new Life Loyal Sigs throughout the school year. The award is named for 18th Grand Consul William C. “Pop” Henning, DEPAUW 1890, who is Life Loyal Sig No. 1.

In tribute to their loyalty and support, the Eta Iota chapter will receive a custom Life Loyal Sig plaque to display in the chapter house, as well as a $1,000 scholarship from the Fraternity, to be used for one of the following purposes:

- Recruitment (recruiting event, scholarship for brother-to-be, etc.)

- Educational (upgrades to the house library, scholarship fund for an active undergraduate, etc.)

- Brotherhood retreat or similar event that builds unity within the chapter

- Philanthropy (costs associated w/ hosting a fundraiser)

The award and plaque will be presented to their chapter at the 2011 Balfour Leadership Training Workshop, which will be hosted July 28-30th at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

To those of you who are Life Loyal Sigs, I want to personally thank you for your unyielding desire to perpetuate our brotherhood by becoming a lifelong member.

For those of you who are not yet Life Loyal Sigs and would like to take the first step toward becoming one today, please visit our secure payment form at lifeloyalsig.org, or call John Loes, director of membership programs, at (847) 869-3655 , ext. 218.

IHSV,

John Loes, director of membership programs (847) 869-3655 , ext. 218 john.loes@sigmachi.org

House Corporation Newsletter – June/July 2011

2011-07-10T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

Happy 4th of July Brothers and Happy 156th Birthday to Sigma Chi. After taking a look at last month’s email, I realized I never sent out last month’s update. So there are a number of things I must bring you up to speed on. First, congratulations to everyone, especially the efforts in last year’s Board of Directors and Trustees on winning the 2011 Outstanding House Corporation Award. Not only were we the only school in Florida but the only corporation in the South Eastern United States to be bestowed this honor.

Read this newsletter as a pdf

Grand Chapter

As most of you know our Grand Chapter just took place in Dallas, TX where by unanimous vote of the delegates, Sigma Chi can proudly state “Size Does Matter.” During his State of the Fraternity address Past Grand Consul Tucker proud announced the initiation of our 300,00th member (Nick Cafero, Univ. of Virginia – April 29, 2011), Sigma Chi now has 240 Active undergraduate chapters, the largest number of undergraduate houses, the greatest number of alumni chapters, the largest leadership workshop, the most money donated to philanthropic organizations, and the greatest number of active alumni. All of these milestones makes Sigma Chi the largest Greek letter organization, with Eta Iota leading the way with the greatest percentage of Life Loyal Sigma Chi’s. We have been at the top of this list going on 10 years, having almost 40% of our alumni’s being Life Loyals. So tomorrow you can proudly proclaim size definitely matters.

Dennis Santoli is our new Grand Consul, Mike Greenberg our Grand Pro Consul, Grand Quaestor Thomas (Tommy) Geddings Jr – Former Grand Trustee of Georgia, North and South Carolina, Bill Fleming and Rev. Skip Flynn continues as Grand Historian and Grand Tribune respectively. PJ Stephens remains our Grand Praetor and Bill Robinson continues to be our Grand Trustee.

Other noteworthy happenings from Dallas: Julio Varela was awarded the Order of Constantine. Julio has not only worked on a number of committees for the Fraternity (currently chairman of the New Chapter Development Committee) but was also Eta Iota’s Chapter Advisor for 10 years. Finally our own Brother Ramano Sprueil has stepped down as Grand Praetor of Northern Texas after 6 years. However Congratulations are in order as he is now the New Chapter Advisor at the University of Texas at Arlington. Speaking of new Chapter Mentors & Advisory board members, the following Eta Iota brothers are assiting other chapters: Brother Vomacka and Brother Morang - Sigma Chi Upsilon Colony, Univ of New Hampshire; Brother Bucklew - Sigma Chi Phi Colony, Florida Atlantic Univ.; Brother Pizzo - Epsilon Zeta, Florida State. I would be remised if I did not also mention Don Haddox, Alumni Ambassador for the Northern Ohio Province. Don began this role shortly after BLTW last year and I never got to wish him well. If I have missed anyone, please let me know.

On to our House. Renovations have been under way for the past 2 weeks and looks like they will continue into the beginning of next month. Our plan and goal is to have half the rooms back to “standard.” Again a huge thank you goes out to Brother Tetrault for setting up the contractor service last year. So guys, when you return and see that the bathrooms are no longer painted black, ceilings aren’t blue, and walls are certainly not neon orange don’t be shocked. It’s still your room, just without spear holes in the ceiling. We have also been tackling some preventative maintenance issues with plumbing and electrical issues.

The new Housing Commission has been working vigorously as of late. Mike Wyble and his team have started figuring out what we need and what we would like to have. With the help of PJ we’ve contacted an architect (Significant Sig) out of Winter Park to see if he would be interested in helping us. Each location option has its own challenges, but here’s where we are on each one:

Embry Riddle, On-campus Option:

We have been in talks with the University several times. They have sent us several documents to fill out. Currently those documents have been looked over by a Real-estate Lawyer (Sig). Three out of the four documents are easy; it’s the fourth that we’re looking at closely. The intention is to ensure we are not signing some form of commitment contract with the University. The information I have currently does not mean it is, but the lawyer just needs some more time to research the legalities of the document. Most of the paperwork is questionnaires about the House Corporation, not the Chapter. The University is looking for established housing entities to move this project forward. Once this paperwork is completed it will be reviewed by the Planning Committee at ERAU and either approved or declined by ERAU’s Board of Trustees. Here’s the hang up, we can’t even begin to discuss site selection, structure type/amenities, services provided, restrictions, costs, etc., until we are approved by the Trustees. I have no issue moving forward with the University option in an investigative capacity; however I will NOT sign any document that legally binds us to university housing.

Mike has also had several discussions with Delta Chi’s Housing Board. They are looking at moving on campus as well, but are not closed minded to other options we may be able to present. Delta Chi and ourselves are the two prominent candidates for the University. We have the longest established housing corporations and certainly the most capital. Pike (Pi Kappa Alpha) has the largest chapter on campus but a very small alumni base. On the flip-side Pike’s national fraternity financial backing is strong, parallels on our own international capabilities. DU (Delta Upsilon) is new on campus as of 2 years ago. Lambda Chi (Lambda Chi Alpha) is three years younger than ourselves but without the alumni support, Phi Delt (Phi Delta Theta) have been on campus for almost 15 years now with good alumni backing, but just not the longevity of our 40 year history. Lastly, Fiji (Gamma Phi Delta) is coming to campus in 2012. That’s everyone. SAE, AHP, Sigma Pi are all gone. So it’s again left to us to lead the way.

New Location Option:

I went driving around Daytona with a commercial realtor (Sig) to see what we could find. In a nut shell, there’s nothing left. In South Daytona, near the old bowling alley, on Ridgewood there’s some land, but this puts us further from school. The old sand hills across from the University and the airport are all owned by the school (for future development) or the city utilities, and they’re not selling. On the far side of I-95 near the flea market (but not as far as the auto yards on International Speedway Blvd.) there is some land we could purchase. This option is affordable, but doesn’t make much sense. We’re just as far from the University as we are currently but further away from everything else. I think this land would hurt us more then we could benefit from it. To the South, from Ridgewood to Williamson, is all residential. We could purchase land once used for a strip mall, but again the cons outweigh the pros. The only other land is located between the Belview extension (back side of the airport near the tower, Yellington and 7R/25L) and Beville Ave. The land to the East (close to the backside Publix shopping center – corner of Beville and Cylde Morris) is owned by either the City for utilities or Daytona Speedway/Daytona USA. Once you pass the industrial parks westbound on the Extension there is approximately 200 acres owned by a company Norpak. This land is for sale. We contacted the firm handling this property. The owner is not willing to “break up” the property (smallest being 40 acres). The tax appraisal for this 40 acre area is roughly $566,000. During this conversation it was made clear the owner would prefer to sell this land as one large sale. As much as that would be nice for the undergrads to have, I think we could all agree this is a bit much.

Build New on Ridgewood Option:

We all know the neighborhood our House is in and the challenges of this neighborhood. I went ahead and invited several contractors to the area for a (rough) estimate for a concrete wall around the sides and back of the property. An emergency crash/escape gate would be required on the rear of the current lot and the front would need to remain open. I asked for a concrete wall, 8 feet tall with “decorative spikes” on top. The quotes were close if not a bit over $200K. I’m already looking into other options to potentially secure the entire property.

The good news is the City of Daytona Beach is currently working on a 20 year plan to improve the Downtown area (that’s the area the house is located in: Ridgewood to Nova, South of Int’l Speedway Blvd to South Daytona). The goal is to make it into residential housing for young professionals/families. The City is supposed to be sending us updates on the area as new information is released.

This is where we are right now. Next we’ll look at our needs vs. wants. The plan is to talk to the Sigma Chi Foundation next to see what different financial options we have. Also we’ll continue to move forward with the architects. The concept here is to devise a single plan that we could implement at any of the three sight locations. There was a recent thought thrown out about suite style buildings (a small Greek community for a single organization). It’s an interesting concept and like always I’ll keep everyone up to speed on all different ideas. If anyone has something to add, please feel free to email myself or Mike.

For those of you who haven’t seen them yet, the response survey from 40th Birthday is on the website ( link on the home page under the heading “40th Birthday Party Survey”. Also we’re 12 donors shy of having 100 Brothers actively contributing to the 1855 Club. I’d like to make this our goal by the close of our fiscal calendar 2012 (just under a year from now). If you’re not a member yet and would like to help us out please, contact Seth (907 360 1921). Finally, the undergraduates have asked for some help with their section of the website. Since Facebook went viral, their area of the website has been neglected. Anyone that has the time to get it back into shape please contact Consul Taylor Quackenbush.

Happy Birthday to all June and July Brothers. Enjoy the rest of your summers. Talk to you all again in August.

Guard Well,

Brett

HI.HC.Pres@gmail.com

New House Committee

2011-05-17T00:00:00Z

We are very excited about the "New" new house committee.
I know that every Birthday we all say we need to do something and in a few months the "fire goes out " and nothing happens. We have a very dedicated group of Alumni who are determined to make this happen. We are looking into two possibilites, moving to Greek row at ERAU and buying land near ERAU. Both options have pros and cons. We would like you to seriously think about 1855, without your support NOTHING will happen. We will be issuing quarterly reports on progress made in both directions. Thanks for your support.
Mike Wyble '77

House Corporation Update – May 2011

2011-05-08T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

It’s been a quiet month at our house. We made some repairs to a few rooms to make them more appealing to the brothers living there. Our house inspection went as well. We’re now reviewing the critical issues that we plan on dealing with over the summer months. Mostly smaller problems that have arisen from normal wear-and-tear. For our usual summer projects; we’re currently getting bids on fixing the main house roof, central air for the main house, and fixing some drywall issues on the second floor. As most of you know our roof on the main house is not in great shape. We’ve had multiple leaks over the past several years, mostly stemming from the gable (pitch) of the roof and the drain itself. If the bids are too high, we’ll discuss another patch for the roof until we have the capital to fix it properly the following year.

The housing commission is moving progressively forward. Mike Wyble has agreed to see the commission through these first phases of planning for our future. It is my understanding that the commission has made initial inquires with the school and realtors/land developers in the Daytona area. For now that’s a start, but we need your help with the next part. I’d like to hear from everyone about what they would find important in a new house, e.g., pool, dedicated chapter room, executive meeting space, commercial kitchen, deck space……help us plan for the future. Please send your comments toHI.HC.Pres@gmail.com

We’ve also been slowly putting our records together from the past several years. Currently we’re putting proposals and reports together from 2008-2009 undergraduate academic years. Our Secretary Phil and Trustee Jeff have volunteered to take on the task of auditing all this information and figuring out the costs. Like I said previously, my hope is to make a transparent House Corporation while at the same time collecting data for the housing commission’s recommendations.

Hope everyone enjoys their upcoming month. Happy Birthday to all those Brothers born in May. Don’t forget; if you are planning on attending Grand Chapter in Dallas or BLTW at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill – registration is currently open to all and I look forward to seeing you there.

Brett

HI.HC.Pres@gmail.com

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Seven

2011-04-27T00:00:00Z

Eta Iota Initiates Two More Brothers!

In the early morning of Saturday, April 16th, the chapter welcomed Mark Hannan and Patrick Gonsalves as the 790th and 791st Brothers at Eta Iota.

Mark "Boomer" Hannan (790th Initiate) is from Wickliffe, Ohio, where he played football and baseball through high school despite a back injury and a torn shoulder that required surgery. He's closing out his freshman year at Embry-Riddle majoring in Aerospace Engineering, dreams of running a company that manufactures military aircraft and weapons, and enjoys working out and pickup basketball. His Big Brother is Taylor Quackenbush.

Patrick "Vidah" Gonsalves (791st Initiate) is from Norton, Massachusetts, where he grew up close to family and played baseball, football, and basketball throughout school. He's majoring in Aerospace Engineering; his Big Brother is Tim Englehardt.

Greek Life Awards for Eta Iota

The ERAU Fraternity and Sorority Life Office honored Josh Chancey (initiated Fall 2010) as Greek Community New Member of the Year for 2011, and recognized Jim Baldyga for holding above a 3.75 GPA.

Sigma Chi Summer Dates/Events

Horizons (Josh Chancey attending): June 5-12, June 13-19, July 10-16, July 17-24 · Balfour Leadership Training Workshop: UNC Chapel Hill, July 28-30 · Grand Chapter: Dallas, TX, June 23-26.

Meet the J-Board Chair — Aaron Christopher Newman

From Grantsville, Maryland (a huge Pittsburgh Penguins fan), "Pvt Cowboy" was the 755th initiate (Gamma Lambda, Fall 2010), majoring in Aeronautical Science with a Business minor. He enjoys golfing, flying, swimming, and fishing, and has been on two hurricane-relief mission trips to Biloxi, Mississippi.

Meet an Active Brother — Marc Halikas

From Surf City, New Jersey, Marc was the 765th initiate (Gamma Lambda) and previously served as Chapter Historian. He studies Aeronautical Science with an Air Traffic Control minor, and enjoys the beach, surfing, and skimboarding.

Meet a By-Law Committee Member — Kyle Sellers

"Duck Bane" was the 783rd initiate (Gamma Nu, Fall 2010), coming to ERAU all the way from Indiana. He's majoring in Aerospace Engineering (considering a switch to Engineering Physics), enjoys Xbox and snowboarding, and is an Eagle Scout.

Where Are They Now? — Arash Sabet-Rasekh

Arash came to Embry-Riddle in fall 2006 to study Aerospace Engineering and pledged Sigma Chi in fall 2007 (Gamma Eta), holding Pro Consul, Quaestor, Tribune, and Chapter Editor over the years, plus a job as a school lab manager. He attended BLTW in '09 and '10 and won the fall 2010 Torrisi Scholarship. He graduated with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering (Mathematics and High Performance Vehicles minors) in fall 2010, and is now in ERAU's graduate program for a Master's in Mechanical Engineering while working full-time as a business/systems analyst for Embry-Riddle Worldwide.

Eta Iota Brothers Celebrate Their 40th Birthday!

Eta Iota's 40th Birthday was a true celebration. Thursday, March 31st brought a campus tour and reunion at the Ocean Deck Bar and Grill despite cold, rainy weather. Friday's festivities included golf, beach time, and a fantastic BBQ with live music. Saturday morning brought the annual House Corp meeting, which installed the new executive committee: President Brett Miller, Vice President Nick Weiss, Secretary Phil Holloway, Treasurer Seth Downs, and Trustees Bill Palmer and Mike Wyble (through 2012), Jeff Penn and Brad Vomacka (through 2013), and Ramano Sprueil and Derek Pizzo (through 2014).

Saturday night's luau feast at the Hilton included a heartfelt letter from Founding Consul Terry Owens, read by Brother Rob Tetrault:

To my fellow brothers of Eta Iota, I am so disappointed that I am unable to attend our 40th Birthday Party... From our first meeting as Sigma Chi Delta, myself and the rest of the founders set out to become a chapter of Sigma Chi in the shortest time possible. We were able to accomplish this in a little less than a year... One of my fondest memories was the reading of a telegram from John Wayne congratulating us on becoming the newest chapter of Sigma Chi, signed "The Duke." It is hard to believe it has been 40 years since that day and that there are now over 700 brothers of Eta Iota... Please share your experiences and love of Sigma Chi with others and help continue the traditions of Eta Iota for another 40 years. — In Hoc, Terry Owens, Founding Consul

Significant Sig Brother Hugh Mills gave the keynote, speaking on his military experiences and how Sigma Chi shaped his life. Ramano Sprueil awarded the annual Torrisi Scholarship (1st to Jim Baldyga, 2nd to Trevor Simms), and Founder's Awards went to Trevor Simms, Taylor Quackenbush, David Cruz, Jeramiah Poff, Rick Lapp, Josh Chancey, and Jonny Jacobs. The first-ever Norman Shield Award went to Jim Baldyga.

The weekend raised significant funds: a 50/50 raffle brought in $1,250 for the active chapter, and House Corp's donation drive (with Seth Downs tracking a $20,000 goal on a paper thermometer) ended the month at roughly $11,000 in direct donations plus pledges — pushing annual 1855 membership from 49 to 82 members, with 8 more pledged to join.

The celebration made the press too — James Ahrens' recap ran in eagleNEWS, the ERAU alumni news source, noting over 300 alumni, guests, and active members attended the 4-day celebration, plus remarks from guest speaker Hugh Mills '74 (shot down sixteen times over two Vietnam tours, three Silver Stars, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Bronze Stars with V) and closing with a chapter meeting spanning 40 years of brothers.

Brothers Celebrate Easter 2011 at the House

Brothers and Sweethearts gathered for an Easter feast — honey-baked ham, scalloped potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, and more — followed by a competitive Easter egg hunt (160 eggs!) coordinated with Bridget Cox (Sweetheart 2009 and 2010).

Well, it's come time to part for the summer — I'll be busy with my internship at Lockheed Martin, but will try to stay in touch. Thank you to all the brothers who serenaded me at Birthday; it's a memory I'll treasure for a lifetime. Farewell until fall!

Farewell until then... Love, Your 2011 Sweetheart

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart, April 27, 2011 Download

President's Update – April 2011

2011-04-08T00:00:00Z

Newly elected House Corporation President Brett Miller speaks to the chapter in this inaugural address.

The linked PDF (presletter-April_2011.pdf) no longer exists on the legacy server or anywhere in the archive — it 404s live and isn't in any local backup. Full text could not be recovered for native conversion; only this summary survives from the original post.

House Corporation President's Letter April 2011 — link preserved for reference, but broken.

Walt Dewitt Enters Chapter Eternal

2011-04-04T00:00:00Z

I was informed that Brother Walt Dewitt passed away in December 2010.
I understand that his widow, Susan, was receiving emails at Walts listed email address.

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Six

2011-03-24T00:00:00Z

Contributing authors: Trevor Simms and your Sweetheart

Eta Iota Competes in Greek Week 2011!

Embry-Riddle held its annual Greek Week competition the first week of March — Eta Iota didn't win, but the brothers gave a valiant effort and had a great time. Monday's "Minute to Win It" (2nd place) featured a soda-can stack, tissue-box emptying, water bottle toss, and cup/golf-ball stacking challenges. Tuesday brought a chariot race; Wednesday a cardboard-and-duct-tape boat race that capsized halfway across the campus pool; Thursday a relay of egg-on-spoon, wheelbarrow, three-legged, army-crawl, and saltine-eating races; and Friday a tug-of-war (2nd place).

Meet the By-Law Committee Chairman — Peter Sanchez

From Cherry Hill, New Jersey, "Sensodyne" was the 784th initiate (Gamma Nu) and a Tri-Province Chapter Liaison. He studies Aeronautical Science with an International Relations minor, enjoys Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and finished in the top 10% of AFROTC last semester.

Meet the Pool Chair — Paul Edward McCarthy

From Stratford, Connecticut, "Take Two" was the 787th initiate, switching his major from Aerospace Engineering to Aircraft Maintenance Science. A certified private pilot, he enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding, RC vehicles, paintball, and rock climbing.

Meet a Professional Rugby Player — George Ishmael Apudo

From Nairobi, Kenya, "Pretty Much" (Gamma Nu, Roll Book #788) is the current SGA Representative and Steward, studying Aerospace Engineering with an International Relations minor. Before Riddle, George killed a hyena in self-defense with a spear and played professional rugby in Kenya — he plans to found the first Aerospace Industry company in Africa, and has been dubbed Eta Iota's "Chief Hyena Exterminating Officer."

Meet a Floridian — Raphael Kai-Makena Alland

From Sarasota, Florida, "Ripe" was the 785th initiate and a Tri-Province Chapter Liaison, majoring in Aerospace Engineering with a High Performance Vehicles minor. He enjoys SCUBA, surfing, shooting, and racing cars, graduated top of his high school class, and carries a semi-professional polo handicap.

Meet a U.S. Veteran — Phillip Yopp

From Memphis, Tennessee, "Wet Willy" (Gamma Mu, Spring 2010, the 772nd initiate) served in the U.S. Army before coming to ERAU, where he studies AMS and has served as PR Chair. He enjoys dirt bikes, baseball, fishing, boating, and building things.

Where Are They Now?

Ken Bording was in Eta Iota's very first pledge class, the 15th initiate. Born in Memphis and raised near San Francisco, he entered Army Rotary Wing Aviation training in 1965, flew UH-1H Huey combat assault missions in Vietnam, trained Republic of Korea pilots, and returned for a second tour flying CH-47 Chinooks in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia — 2,400 flight hours, 2,150 in combat. He joined the FL Army National Guard and enrolled at Embry-Riddle in August 1969, pledging Sigma Chi Delta and becoming president of the founding Alpha pledge class, initiated with all the Founding Brothers on 3/6/71. He took over as Quaestor just as the chapter was working out how to lease the run-down former motel that became the Chapter House — somehow, it worked. He graduated ERAU in 1971, became an FAA Air Traffic Controller in Jacksonville, married Cathleen "Colleen" Saunders in 1974 (their son Steven is now a Lt. Col. flying B-52s), returned to active Guard duty in 1981, earned an MBA from ERAU in 1990, and later served as the Army Reserve subject matter expert on the $197M AVCATT virtual training simulator program. He retired from the Army in Feb. 2000 as a CW5 with over 7,000 flight hours across four aircraft types, and has since worked as Safety and Security manager for the H.J. Heinz plant in Jacksonville.

Ramano Sprueil (Alpha Chi, #475, initiated 5/4/91, "Miner") transferred to the University of Florida in 1991 to study Psychology/pre-med, graduated medical school in 1998, and moved to Dallas for his Emergency Medicine residency — he now works as an ER physician there. He's been a chapter advisor at two chapters and currently serves as Grand Praetor for the Northern Texas Province. He's traveled to 37 countries.

Rob Papandrea married his wife Kim last month in St. Thomas, the first stop on a 7-day cruise — the night before the wedding, his pledge brother Scott Rehn turned out to be dancing 10 feet away, having booked the same cruise days earlier without knowing. Small world.

Around the House

Eta Iota celebrated Greek Week and Greek unity with a pig roast alongside Delta Chi. HI Consul Taylor Quackenbush competed in Alpha Xi Delta's annual Xi Man competition, helping raise over $4,200 for Autism Speaks and finishing 1st Runner Up. Eta Iota also hit Facebook, with fan pages for "Sigma Chi – Eta Iota Chapter" and "Eta Iota Sweetheart" (the Sweetheart profile runs under the name "Swet Hart," the closest approximation Facebook's real-name policy would allow).

40th Birthday is Almost Here!

In just over a week, Eta Iota celebrates its 40th Birthday:

Thursday 3/31: ERAU campus tour & welcome reception, 4-7pm
Friday 4/1: Golf tournament at Spruce Creek Country Club (11am-5pm); "Living the Spirit of Youth" BBQ & house party at 520 S. Ridgewood, 6pm (wear jerseys!)
Saturday 4/2: House Corporation Meeting & Luncheon at the Hilton (noon-2pm); Parrothead Cocktail Party (6-7pm) and Margaritaville Banquet (7pm-midnight) — wear a luau outfit!
Sunday 4/3: Chapter meeting at the Hilton, 11am-1pm

40th Birthday shirts are available for $20, with proceeds going to the active chapter.

Farewell until then... Love, Your 2011 Sweetheart

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart, March 24, 2011 Download

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Five

2011-03-03T00:00:00Z

Eta Iota Hosts Florida Tri-Province 2011!

This past weekend, Eta Iota welcomed roughly 150 Sigs and Sweethearts for the Florida Tri-Province Leadership Workshop. Attendees included the 3 Grand Praetors, 2 of 3 Assistant Grand Praetors, Grand Trustees, Grand Quaestor Mike Greenburg, Grand Pro Consul Dennis Santoli, and HQ staff Kent Shackelford, Greg Morgan, and David Baars. Mike Greenburg facilitated exercises helping each chapter refine its vision statement. Eta Iota's own vision statement: "Enduring Leaders Promoting Respect, Accountability, and Philanthropy to better our Brotherhood and Community." Conference Chair Jeramiah Poff put in months of planning, with Tim Englehardt (Co-Chair), Consul Taylor Quackenbush, Alumni Advisor Roger Moody, and Chapter Advisor Brian Lojko all pitching in. Sweethearts from Jacksonville University, UNF, Florida Gulf Coast, FIU, and USF also attended.

Sigma Chi Road Trip — Florida to Oklahoma

Over President's Day weekend, I road-tripped to Oklahoma City with my fiancé, Eta Iota alumnus Derek Pizzo. We stopped at James Parks Caldwell's memorial in Biloxi, Mississippi (with white roses left by fellow brothers), then visited chapters at University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State (whose Sigma Chi gated complex includes a dedicated learning center and library), Ole Miss, University of Memphis, and University of Arkansas (currently the largest chapter in the country, with a 3-story house housing 70+ guys). We caught University of Tulsa fresh off their White Rose Formal, and finished at Oklahoma State, whose recently renovated house has a theater room, computer room, game room, and separate gymnasium — Derek got a private tour of their chapter room. Every brother we met, everywhere, was happy to see us.

Meet a Tri-Province Chapter Liaison — James Anderson

From Escondido, California, the 789th initiate at Eta Iota (Gamma Nu, "Doughboy Skypes"), James was Chapter Liaison for Tri-Province. He studies Aerospace Engineering (Mathematics minor), planning to concentrate in Astronautics, and enjoys surfing, snowboarding, SCUBA diving, and mountain biking.

Meet a 4th-Year Student — James R. McCarthy II

From Lumberton, NJ, "Del Monté" was the 733rd initiate, served as Chapter Editor (Spring 2008) and Public Relations Chair (Fall 2008), and is studying Aerospace Engineering toward a Spring 2012 graduation. He enjoys backpacking, hiking, camping, and coin collecting.

Meet a Historian — Francisco Josef Lapkovitch Gonzales

From Wrightwood, California, "Al Gore" was the 786th initiate (Gamma Nu) and is Eta Iota's current Historian — also a Sigma Chi legacy, with an older brother who's a Sig. He studies Aeronautical Science (Business and Human Factors minors) and enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, BMX, and flying.

Meet a Brother Far From Home — Spencer Edwards

From Southport, England, "Van Gogh" (Gamma Nu, roll #775) enjoyed his first-ever Thanksgiving dinner this year with pledge brother Paul McCarthy. He studies Aeronautical Science and enjoys flying, rugby, snowboarding, and surfing.

Meet an Active Brother — Matthew Robert Otto

From Odessa, Florida, "Dozer" was the 780th initiate (Gamma Nu) and studies Homeland Security (Terrorism Studies, Safety, and International Relations minors). His high school football team went to State two years running, and he keeps a pet bullfrog whose weekly feeding is quite the spectacle.

Where Are They Now?

Mike Gehman (Rollbook #436, initiated 1/20/1990, BS Aviation Business Administration '93, Big Bro Michael Remmert) treasures countless Eta Iota memories from his undergrad years. After graduation he eventually moved to Boston for grad classes at Boston University, then found work developing insurance software. He married his high school sweetheart Bonnie in 1998 and moved to Pennsylvania in 2004, where he's now an independent insurance broker running a small office of about 25 employees. He's reconnected locally with fellow Sig Mike Pelosi. He and Bonnie welcomed a daughter in January 2011 — on the anniversary of his own initiation. Unable to make the 40th Birthday festivities, Mike sent in his annual 1855 Club donation instead, with congratulations to the chapter on paying off the mortgage, the Peterson Award, and ongoing alumni communication.

Seth Downs (Alpha Upsilon, Spring 1990, Aeronautical Science '92) has worked for FedEx for the past ten years, including 9 years in Anchorage, AK as an MD-11 First Officer, and has been House Corp Treasurer for the last 5 years. Last February, while on a FedEx layover, he won a 50km cross-country ski race in Japan — a story that made it into Sigma Chi Magazine. His wife Erika gave birth to their son in October 2010; two months later Seth broke his fibula in a ski race, and in January, while on vacation in Hawaii, the family was caught up in an armed standoff that made local news. It's been quite a year — Seth's looking forward to the 40th!

Greek Week 2011 — Bring Out the Togas!

Greek Week has begun and the brothers have made their entrance in traditional togas, ready to show the other fraternities and sororities what they've got. Results in the next issue!

More Legacy Sigs

Following up on last issue's legacy call: Rich Winter ("Skinny," 2005) shared his own story — his uncle F. David Winter became a Sig at Epsilon Chi in 1968, his father at Delta Omega (University of Tulsa), later affiliating with Alpha Xi (University of Kansas, '77). Rich was the 645th initiate at Eta Iota, December 1, 2001, with his dad there to pin his badge. His pledge class also included fellow legacy Jason Kreisher (#646); Rich also names Brett Miller and John Gagne as legacies.

Norman Shield Award & Shirts

Donations for the Norman Shield Award can still be sent to me or Quaestor Chuck Kwon. Shirt orders (benefiting the Children's Miracle Network) were due by Sunday, March 6th at 5pm — email sweetheart@etaiota.org to reserve yours, with payment to follow by mail. A new Philanthropy shirt design debuted at Province to collect CMN donations.

Farewell until then... Love, Your 2011 Sweetheart

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

Sweetheart Newsletter, March 3, 2011 Download

House Corporation Newsletter – January/February 2011

2011-02-22T00:00:00Z

40th Birthday

The Eta Iota Birthday Committee continues preparations for the birthday weekend, scheduled March 31st through April 3rd — you should have received your invitation in the mail by now. If not, you most likely don't have an updated address in the HC database; please take time to update your biography, mailing address, and other information on the website. To date we've received and processed over 200 brother and guest RSVPs — if you haven't registered, there's still time at www.etaiota.org. The B-Day Committee has extended the pre-February 4th early-bird registration prices until the end of February, giving our pilot brothers a chance to review their flight schedules. A heartfelt thank-you to those who've completed and paid through registration, which has let the committee leave house operational funds untouched while securing event deposits. We're extremely pleased to have Brother Hugh Mills accept our invitation as keynote speaker at the Saturday night dinner — when asked to speak, Hugh said, "I'd be more than happy to talk to my brothers, especially while wearing a Hawaiian shirt and holding a beer in my hand." Thank you, Hugh!

Undergraduate Finances

When the spring semester began, the New Year brought a host of financial challenges for the undergraduates. But with a newly elected undergraduate executive committee, the leadership of Chapter Advisor Brian Lojko, and input from HC Treasurer Seth Downs, the undergrads created a realistic budget and have been receiving guidance on proper bookkeeping and enforcing bylaws that hold brothers accountable for their financial responsibilities. They've managed to collect all back rent from the fall semester and are current through February, while staying focused on the upcoming semester's bills and the summer budget.

Florida Tri-Province Workshop

The brothers of Eta Iota will host the annual Florida Tri-Province Workshop on the ERAU campus and at the house on February 25-26th. Sigma Chi chapters from the North, Central, and South Florida Provinces, along with alumni leaders, will gather in Daytona Beach to discuss leadership skills and exchange best practices (FYI, beer pong is not a best practice). The capstone event is a formal dinner with a keynote speaker Saturday night.

House Projects and Long/Short Term Plans

HC has made significant progress establishing workable processes to identify areas for repairs and upgrades. After a final walkthrough in late December, a triage of work was created, ranging from simple repairs to preventative maintenance. Brothers can now complete an electronic room repair request form on the website, sent directly to the house manager and building manager. HC will also discuss short- and long-term property plans at the annual birthday meeting — there's been ongoing discussion (since 2008/2009) around three basic options: move and build elsewhere, stay and renovate, or move on campus. A structured format will keep the conversation focused and aim for clear direction by the meeting's adjournment.

Leadership Opportunities

Per HC bylaws, three Board of Trustees seats (including one vacancy created by Brother Lojko's Chapter Advisor appointment) and all Board of Directors positions will be up for re-election at the annual birthday meeting. Visit the HC page on the website to download the bylaws PDF and read about roles, job descriptions, term lengths, and eligibility. Consider contributing to the undergraduates and our house through a potential leadership opportunity.

New Board Room

Thanks to a Constantine Level 1855 Club (Capital Improvement Fund) donation by Brother Lojko, the old library — a.k.a. the game room, a.k.a. the place to put all your stuff when you're out of storage — is undergoing a complete renovation as the new "House Board Room." This gives HC and the undergraduates needed meeting space to conduct business in a professional setting, including a renovated bathroom, new doors and flooring, upgraded ceiling and lighting, and possible Wi-Fi meeting capability. Contact Brother Lojko if you can help furnish the new room with chairs or a conference table via an in-kind donation.

Note from the President

I'd like to thank all the brothers who've joined and continue to donate through Eta Iota's 1855 Club (Capital Improvement Fund). Over the last 10 years, these donations have totaled over $100,000 and have supported House Corp's efforts across a variety of projects and overall house maintenance and capital improvement. The upcoming birthday is a great opportunity to start donating, as there are many projects on the horizon needing significant financial support. I look forward to seeing all of you in just a few short weeks.

IHSV,

Robert Tetrault, "Mr. Burns" 2002

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January/February 2011 House Corp Newsletter Download

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Four

2011-02-14T00:00:00Z

Happy Valentine's Day, Eta Iota!

Another Great Recruitment for the Books!

This week marked another successful recruitment for the Brothers at Eta Iota. Between tailgating for ERAU's biggest basketball game of the year, mini-golfing, go-karting, bowling, and touring the house, the chapter had 5 guys accept bids and get pledged in on Tuesday, February 8th! Alumnus Derek Pizzo gave a wonderful speech at the Spaghetti Dinner that excited attendees about pledging Sigma Chi. As the brothers prepare with Magister Jim Baldyga for the Gamma Xi pledge class, they're also gearing up for this year's Tri-Province Leadership Conference, hosted at Embry-Riddle February 25-27th.

Meet the Tri-Province Co-Chair — Jeramiah Poff

From Sewell, New Jersey, Jeramiah was initiated Fall 2009, nicknamed "Syl-la-balls" (for telling everyone to slow down during an icebreaker). An Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, he studies Aeronautics with minors in Human Factors and Communications. He's Tri-Province Co-Chair (with Tim Englehardt and Roger Moody), Assistant Quaestor, and Fundraising Chair, having previously served as Social Chair, Public Relations Chair, Assistant Magister for two pledge classes, and Assistant Derby Days Chair. He was instrumental in Sigma Chi's win in Alpha Xi Delta's Penny Wars competition. He enjoys live music, a good story, and mountain climbing.

Meet an Assistant Magister — Pedro Pinero

From Los Lunas, New Mexico, Pedro is a U.S. Army veteran (AH-64 Apache Longbow mechanic). He came to ERAU in 2009, pledged Gamma Lambda as the 761st initiate ("Titanic"), and studies Business Administration with a Management focus. He's served as Risk Manager and is currently Greek Standards Board Representative and an Assistant Magister.

Meet a Graduating Senior — John Waybright

From Houston, Texas, John was in the Gamma Eta pledge class, the 732nd initiate ("Kleenex"), and has held Music Chair, Birthday Chair, and Annotator. He studies Aeronautical Science with a Business minor, and is a CFI, CFII, and MEI. He enjoys DJing at Sigma Chi events.

Meet the Public Relations Chair — Jonny Jacobs

From Tallahassee, Florida, Jonny was in the Gamma Nu pledge class (Fall 2010), the 777th initiate ("Pixie Shot"). He serves as Public Relations Chair and Network Chair, enjoys dirt-biking and skim-boarding, and is double-majoring in Aerospace Engineering and Software Engineering with a Business Administration minor.

Graham Jones, Eta Iota '05, shared a quote from his father, Milton R. Jones, on how times have changed since he was notified of his own pledging by pay phone, collect call — after Graham's news arrived by text message: "In contrast, your Grandfather's letter traveled part of the way by wagon, part by train, and part by horseback."

Where Are They Now? — Valentine's Day Special: Past Sweethearts

Maggie von Stein (Sweetheart 2002-2003) met Brent von Stein in 2001 and married him December 16, 2005, with Brothers and Sweethearts there to celebrate. She was an International Sweetheart Finalist in 2005 and attended the Fraternity's 150th Birthday in Cincinnati. Since graduating, she's lived in San Luis Obispo, California, working in the television industry, currently as a Project Manager for LEVEL Studios, a digital marketing agency.

Bridget Cox (Sweetheart 2009 and 2010) treasures the spontaneous moments — a slip-and-slide into the pool on a random summer Wednesday, brothers breaking into song, congratulating new pledges in the backyard. Since graduating in 2009 she's been pursuing her MBA at ERAU (graduating that May) and works in Orlando as an Operations Analyst for Signature Flight Support.

Heather Owen (Sweetheart 2007) treasures a commandeered "Heather Ln." street sign, gifted by Brothers Daniel Lee and Jared Schulz. She graduated ERAU in Fall 2008 with a B.S. in Communications (minors in International Relations, U.S.-Asian Relations, and Homeland Security), completed a Spring 2010 internship with the U.S. Department of State in Munich, Germany, and was finishing a Master's in Aeronautics (Safety Systems focus) before moving to Montreal for a research assistantship with the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Jennifer Morrow Moates (Sweetheart 1989-1990, Big Brother Jaime Mercado, Big Sister Brooke Hosler) is Founder/Principal of Moving Ideas, Inc., a design/branding firm in Huntersville, NC. She married Brian Moates in 2002 and has three children. On Eta Iota: "Rarely have I met a better, more diverse and dynamic group of people than the brothers and little sisters of Sigma Chi Eta Iota chapter."

Legacy Sigs Update

Following up on the last issue's call for legacy Sigs: Rob Papandrea noted Russ Bucklew and Rich Winters are legacy Sigs. Mike Wyble shared that his son Jordan Michael Wyble was initiated on HI's 39th Birthday (3/6/2010, Rollbook #403) at Clarkson University's ZI chapter, with Mike honored to pin his own son's badge — Jordan planned to attend Eta Iota's 40th Birthday. Mike also noted Vinnie Parrinello has a Sig son from USC. Graham Jones ('05) has several Sig family members: his father Milton R. Jones (Gamma Nu, USC '67), grandfather Emerson P. Jones (Beta Lambda, Duke '31), and uncle Harry L. Graham (Zeta, Washington and Lee '61).

Norman Shield Award & Shirts

You can still donate to the Norman Shield Award — send cash/checks to me or Quaestor Chuck Kwon. Sigma Chi shirt orders (benefiting the Children's Miracle Network) are due by March 1st for pickup at 40th.

Happy Valentine's Day to all the Eta Iota Sigs!

Farewell until then... Love, Your 2011 Sweetheart

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

Sweetheart Newsletter, February 14, 2011 Download

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Three

2011-02-01T00:00:00Z

Eta Iota Ready for Another Recruitment!

Tuesday, January 25th kicked off a new year of recruitment for Eta Iota at Embry-Riddle's Activities Fair. The brothers have their sights on some excellent potentials after Meet the Greeks on January 28th — especially after that night's BBQ and basketball game tailgate! This week has open house (pizza and cornhole), go-karts/batting cages/mini-golf, bowling, and a Friday afternoon Spaghetti Dinner where brothers will share what Sigma Chi truly means to them. By week's end, Eta Iota looks forward to bidding some great guys who could one day call themselves Brothers.

Keep the Emails Coming and Get Ready for 40th!

I can't even begin to express how much I've enjoyed speaking with many of you, getting to know you, and how excited I am to meet you and your family at Birthday! The active chapter is just as excited — from upper classmen to newly initiated brothers, everyone is psyched to meet the alumni who helped shape Eta Iota into what it is today. Some undergrads recently did a food tasting at the Hilton with James Ahrens, and the reports were good — so if you haven't yet, get on Eta Iota's website and book your tickets for 40th! And as always, keep the emails coming — let me know what you'd like to see in future issues, or just say hi.

Meet the Tribune — Timmy Englehardt

Timmy studies Meteorology with a Media concentration at ERAU and hopes to become a broadcast meteorologist. He was in the Gamma Nu pledge class, nicknamed "Kraymah" (he reminded people of the Seinfeld character, before shaving off his long curly hair as the 778th initiate of Eta Iota). Hailing from Bradford, Massachusetts, he's a huge Patriots/Red Sox/Celtics fan, enjoys the beach and hanging out with brothers, and loves The Late Show with David Letterman (a fellow Sigma Chi!). Since being initiated, he's been elected Tribune and Chairman of the Finance Committee, and is involved in the Orientation Team with Consul Taylor Quackenbush.

Meet the House Manager — Josh Chancey

"Chancey" served as Gamma Nu Pledge Class President and was the 781st initiate, nicknamed "Monthly Gift." Born a twin, he lives in Lakeland, Florida. He currently serves as House Manager, Athletic Chair, and Greek Standards Board alternate chair, likes any and all sports, and enjoys flying and bowling. He's studying Air Traffic Management and will commission as a U.S. Army officer upon graduation.

Meet the Newly Appointed Annotator — Tony Romano

Tony, from Plymouth, Massachusetts, was in the Gamma Lambda pledge class (Fall 2009), the 745th initiate, nicknamed "Finger Food." In fall 2010 he served as Athletic Chair and Kustos; he now serves as Peterson Chair and was recently appointed Annotator when Jim Baldyga (previous Annotator) was elected Magister. An Aeronautical Science major, he enjoys soccer, golf, tennis, pool basketball, rugby, and Xbox, and hopes to fly for FedEx or UPS after graduation.

"When I became a Sigma Chi it was great, because they were the people I enjoyed being with and I was very proud of the association. It was kind of an instant confidence builder for me... So it was a really good social experience and for me it was also a social maturation. It was a great benefit." — David Letterman

Meet the Kustos — Marc Gonzalez

Marc became the 771st initiate at Eta Iota in spring 2010 (Gamma Mu), nicknamed "Opossum" (Captain America during his pledge period). Born and raised in Liberty, New York (the Catskills), he serves as Kustos and studies Aeronautical Science with a business minor at Embry-Riddle. He enjoys hunting, fishing, off-roading, and the outdoors, and is a Giants fan. Marc is also a legacy — his uncle, Juan Gonzalez, was an active brother in the mid-'70s.

Where Are They Now?

Gary Towers was initiated April 28, 1979, graduating ERAU in 1981 with a B.S. in Aeronautical Science. In spring 1981 he served as Eta Iota's Consul and hosted the 10th Birthday. Gary has flown for United Airlines since 1985 and is currently a Boeing 777 Captain based at Chicago O'Hare. He lives in the northwest Chicago suburbs with his wife of 17 years and their two children, and looks forward to seeing Sigs of the past and present at the upcoming 40th.

Brent von Stein (Fall 2000 pledge class, Beta Rho, "Sparky," 627th initiate) graduated with a B.S. in Aeronautical Science and became a pilot for SkyWest Airlines based in his hometown of San Luis Obispo, California, later completing his MBA at Cal Poly in 2009. While at ERAU, Brent won the heart of Eta Iota's 2002-2003 Sweetheart, Maggie Hays — now married, they're expecting their first child, due this July! In their free time, they love using Brent's SkyWest travel benefits; their most recent trip was Tokyo, and Hawaii has become their favorite getaway.

Legacy Sigs

Did you know Eta Iota has two sets of father/son initiates and one uncle/nephew pair? Donald and Hayden Haddox (1976 and 2004); Dave and Jay Fraser (1977 and 2010); and Marc Gonzalez with his uncle Juan (see above). Don Haddox and I have been talking about finding out just how many Eta Iota alumni are proud grandfathers, fathers, uncles, brothers, or cousins of fellow Sigs — so let us know if you have family members in Sigma Chi or Eta Iota! We'd love to share your stories.

Chapter Advisor Update

Brian Lojko, Eta Iota's Chapter Advisor, wanted everyone to know how great the active chapter is doing: the undergrads have made tremendous strides on their financial processes, clearing all debts from last semester and recovering well over half of their accounts receivable, plus over half of this semester's dues and rent paid in full. They're now working with alumni advisors to further improve their budgeting and tracking tools. Sweetheart Michelle Rodio and Scholarship Chairman Trevor Simms are also working hard on an academic improvement program including study sessions, awards, and scholarships — strong academics are job #1.

Norman Shield Award & Shirts

Just a reminder — you can still donate to the Norman Shield Award (described in the Jan. 1st and Jan. 16th issues); send cash/checks to me or Quaestor Chuck Kwon. The actives are putting in tremendous effort on grades, finances, and chapter involvement, and I can already see the improvement in morale. Sigma Chi shirt orders are still open too — all proceeds benefit the Children's Miracle Network, orders due by March 1st for pickup at 40th.

Thank you for all the support for this newsletter — without the interest of past and present brothers, these publications wouldn't be possible. Get ready for the next issue — I already have great alumni stories and, after this week's recruitment, plenty more pictures to share!

Farewell until then... Love, Your 2011 Sweetheart

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

Sweetheart Newsletter, Issue Three, 02/01/2011 Download

In Memoriam: Gary Schroeder ('81)

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Brother Gary Schroeder passed away unexpectedly in his home in Hampton, VA on Friday, apparently due to illness.

Gary was initiated in January of 1981, a member of the class of '82.

His obituary, and a guest book link, can be found at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dailypress/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=147888885

Funeral information (as published in the obituary) is:

Friends are invited to visit from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 17, at Parklawn-Wood Funeral Home.
A celebration of Gary's life will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18, at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 118 Old York Hampton Hwy. in Yorktown.
Private interment will be at a later date.

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Two

2011-01-16T00:00:00Z

Thank you for all the wonderful emails about the last issue! Spring semester began Wednesday, January 12th, with brothers sharing winter break stories — trips to Thailand and Singapore, a Bahamas cruise, and visits home across the country. Now everyone's gearing up for recruitment, hosting this year's Province workshop, Derby Days, and the 40th Birthday.

The Norman Shield Award

A reminder from the January 1st issue: at 40th Birthday, I'll be presenting the first-ever Norman Shield Award to the brother who best lives up to Sigma Chi's values — judged by me and a chapter vote, based on accountability, respect, and dedication to recruitment, philanthropy, grades, and financial responsibilities. Donations can be sent to me or Quaestor Chuck Kwon.

Meet the Recruitment Chair — Christian "Glee" Schirra

The 768th initiate (Gamma Mu, Spring 2010), 19, from Ellington, CT, Christian has wanted a commercial aviation career since his first flight at 16 months old. Studying Aeronautical Science, he holds his private, instrument, and commercial licenses (~150 hours logged) and is working on his CFI, aiming to captain a 747 or A380 across the Pacific someday. He's involved in SGA, is a Resident Advisor, played on the ERAU soccer team, and is a member of the Catholic Student Union and ALPA ACE.

Meet the Scholarship Chair — Trevor Simms

"Facial" (Gamma Mu, the 770th initiate) hails from Roslyn, New York, majoring in Air Traffic Management with four minors (Meteorology, Psychology, Homeland Security, Human Factors). He's held Secretary, Treasurer, and Fundraising Chair for his pledge class, and enjoys volleyball, soccer, golf, and the beach.

Meet an Active Brother — Andres Villalobos

The 764th initiate ("Houdini," Gamma Lambda), Andres is from Guatemala City, studying Aeronautical Science with a Business minor, graduating May 2012. He served as Assistant Magister in Spring 2010 and Magister in Fall 2010, leading the Gamma Nu pledge class. He enjoys volleyball, the beach, and flying — and is dating Eta Iota's 2009-2010 Sweetheart, Bridget Cox.

Meet a Newly Initiated Brother — Rick Lapp

"Night Vision" (Gamma Nu, Fall 2010) was the 774th initiate, from White Plains, New York, majoring in Business. A former high school pitcher on track for Division I baseball, a heart condition ended those dreams — he's found Sigma Chi fills that void, calling it the family he lost through baseball. He's the IFC representative and plans to transfer to Marist College next fall to pursue finance.

Where Are They Now?

Michael Wyble (Spring 1974, 163rd initiate, "Mike") lives in Caledonia, NY, and has worked for American Airlines for 22 years, nearing retirement. He and his wife Becky have five children, including son Jordan, who was initiated into Sigma Chi at Clarkson University on March 6, 2010 — Eta Iota's own founding anniversary date.

Terry Owens, Founding Consul of Eta Iota (7th initiate, Alpha Class), led the transition from local social fraternity Sigma Chi Delta to the Eta Iota Chapter of Sigma Chi in under a year. He graduated in 1971, moved to California in 1974, and has been a banker for over 30 years, the last 22 with U.S. Bank in Newport Beach. His little brother Dave Wilkinson, also of the Alpha Class, lives just two miles away in South Orange County — the two reconnected by chance at a grocery store about a decade ago and both stay active in the local Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter. Terry credits Sigma Chi with bringing him countless friends and business connections over the years.

Remembering When... A Blast from the Past

A look back: the undergrads' 4-on-4 Flag Football Championship team (Nick Nelson, Jim Lambertson, Derek Pizzo, Russ Fortin, Joe McCaffrey), and a photo from Eta Iota's 35th Birthday celebration — getting everyone excited for the 40th!

Sigma Chi Shirts

New and returning designs available: "Sigma Chi Brother" ($14, renamed from "Alumnus" so sons and nephews can wear it too), unisex Philanthropy ($18), "I Love my ΣΧ" ($20), "Sigma Chi's are my kind of Guys" ($17, runs small), and a new "Winged Sigs of Eta Iota" design ($20). All proceeds benefit the Children's Miracle Network — orders due by March 1st for pickup at Birthday, or shipped if you can't make it.

Keep the emails coming — sweetheart@etaiota.org! And if you'd like to be featured in "Where are they now?" or share photos for "Remembering when...," send them my way.

Talk to you all again soon! Love, Your Sweetheart

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart, January 16, 2011 Download

Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – January 2011

2011-01-03T00:00:00Z

Happy Holidays to the Brothers of ΣΧ!

Hi, my name is Michelle Rodio — your 2011 Sweetheart! I look forward to meeting all of you outstanding men of the Eta Iota Chapter at this year's 40th Birthday Celebration. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with family and friends and have an even better new year.

This year, I plan to keep the Eta Iota alumni engaged in what the active chapter is doing and introduce you all to the undergraduate men here at ERAU. I hope that by the time Birthday comes around, you'll know who's leading the chapter, how the active chapter is doing, and how your fellow alumni have been since graduation. In each issue of Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart, I'll introduce you to the active chapter a few brothers at a time, rekindle you with other alumni, and share highlights on intramurals, Derby Days planning, and other happenings on Ridgewood — the things that made your own undergraduate experience at Embry-Riddle so memorable.

A Little Bit About Me

Once again, my name is Michelle Rodio, and at this past White Rose I was named the 2011 Sigma Chi Sweetheart — I couldn't be happier! In May I graduated with an undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering and am currently working on a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering (to be completed May 2012). I'm an alumna of Alpha Xi Delta and was last year's Derby Days Queen. In my last two years at ERAU I worked as a co-op for United Space Alliance. As Sweetheart, I plan to help the chapter with recruitment and academics, and be there for all the brothers whenever they need me — helping strengthen the Three Aims in each brother and helping them grow stronger both in the chapter and their brotherhood.

Meet the Consul — Taylor Quackenbush

Taylor Quackenbush, hailing from Athens, Georgia, is really excited about being Consul. Known to brothers as "Ducky," he previously held the Recruitment Chairman and Annotator positions, and was President-Elect of IFC this past semester before declining in order to be Sigma Chi's Consul. In the Gamma Lambda pledge class, he bears the nickname DryHump and the number 748. He's also active on ERAU's Orientation Team as their social chair, and enjoys sailing, SCUBA diving, flying, and lacrosse. He's studying Aerospace Studies, class of 2013.

Meet the Pro Consul — Jason Auger

Also in the Gamma Lambda pledge class is Pro Consul Jason Auger, from Mandeville, Louisiana. With nickname "16:09" and number 751, he enjoys flying, soccer, rugby, and paintball, and attended school in both Taiwan and Qatar. "Auger," as everyone calls him, previously held Historian, House Manager, and Assistant Magister. He's entering his 4th semester studying Aeronautical Science with an ATC minor. During last year's Derby Days, Auger was one of three Sigma Chi brothers chosen by Alpha Xi Delta, alongside Consul Taylor Quackenbush, to coach them during the event.

Meet the Annotator — Jim Baldyga

Jim Baldyga is from Castle Rock, Colorado, studying Aerospace Engineering at ERAU. Also in the Gamma Lambda pledge class, he was the 753rd initiate into Eta Iota with the nickname "Wax Shot." He was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and enjoys playing guitar, snowboarding, and boating. Set to graduate in 2013, he's also the pool manager.

Meet the Quaestor — Chuck Kwon

Along with Taylor, Jason, and Jim, Chuck was also in the Gamma Lambda pledge class and became the 756th initiate. Before ERAU, Chuck was enlisted in the U.S. Army and worked as a mechanic on the AH-64D Apache Attack Helicopter from August 2001 to March 2009. From Diamond Bar, California, with nickname "First Base," Chuck is a fan of the Lakers and Dodgers, and is studying Aeronautical Science.

"What you do in life by yourself doesn't mean as much as what you accomplish with a group of people. Sigma Chi was one of the greatest things that happened to me. I really appreciate what it has done for me in my lifetime, and I hope I can continue to give something back." — Mike Ditka

Where Are They Now?

Derek Pizzo (Gamma Gamma pledge class, 698th initiate, "Gordon") graduated ERAU in May 2009 with a degree in Air Traffic Control. He received his call from the FAA and will begin ATC training in Oklahoma City on February 23rd, then report to Tallahassee Tower to begin his career. Still living locally with Brother Nick Weiss, Derek stays active with the chapter, helping with recruitment, Greek Week, Derby Days, and I-Period/initiation events.

Nicholas Weiss (Gamma Alpha pledge class, 688th initiate, "Schiezer") graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering in May 2009 and is currently a valet at The Shores Resort and Spa in Daytona Beach — looking for engineering work anywhere (hint hint!). Since graduating, Nick has competed in the Disney Half Marathon and is training for the full marathon. He stays very active with the chapter as current Vice President of House Corp, and is now a proud dog-dad to a black lab, Wrigley.

Also pictured catching up: Kyle Fanelli, Taylor Roynon, and Zach McKenna hanging out with Nick and Derek at McKay's; Nick Nelson and Daniel Lee joining Nick Weiss at Disney's Half Marathon; former Sweetheart (2004-2006) Jamie Szczecinski visiting Daytona; and several past Consuls — John Gagne, Perry Lewis, Paul Brandau, Paul Smith, Nick Hoefer, and Brent von Stein — at Paul Smith's wedding.

The Norman Shield Award

At HI's 40th Birthday celebration, I'd like to reward the brother who best lives up to the values of Sigma Chi with the very first Norman Shield Award — considering personal accountability, service to others, willingness to help struggling brothers, meeting financial obligations, and respect for oneself and one's brotherhood.

A Sigma Chi is a man who continues a pursuit of learning for the development of knowledge, wisdom, and character; has diverse temperaments, talents, and convictions; believes in the inherent value of all individuals and treats others with respect and dignity; and acknowledges and accepts responsibility for himself and his actions.

As Academic Chair for my sorority, I'll be working closely with this year's Scholarship Chair to help improve the chapter's GPA — setting up study hours with tutoring from myself and available brothers. Each week, brothers will send their grades (good or bad) to the Scholarship Chair so poor grades can be addressed early and good grades rewarded — with a Smarties candy from me, to keep everyone trying!

The Norman Shield Award recipient will be the brother who best held himself responsible for his grades, attended study hours and/or helped tutor others, asked for help when struggling, attended the most recruitment/philanthropic/social events, paid dues on time, held himself and his brothers accountable, and treated everyone with respect. The award will be judged by me and by a chapter vote. If you're able, please donate to the award fund — send cash or checks to me (ERAU PO Box 147110, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114, Attn: The Norman Shield Award) or to Quaestor Chuck Kwon (520 S. Ridgewood Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32114, Attn: The Norman Shield Award). Checks payable to Sigma Chi Fraternity. The winner will be announced at Birthday.

Sigma Chi Shirts

New shirt designs are available — proceeds benefit the Children's Miracle Network. Instead of the yellow "Sigma Chi Pledge" Norman Shield shirts from the Fall 2010 newsletter, get a blue "Sigma Chi Alumnus" shirt (or "Sigma Chi Brother," if there's enough demand). Also available: a unisex Philanthropy shirt, an "I Love my ΣΧ" shirt for the ladies in your life, and a "Sigma Chi's are my favorite Guys" fitted shirt. Prices ranged $14-$20 depending on style; orders were due by March 1st for pickup at the 40th Birthday.

Contact Me

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to reach out any time — sweetheart@etaiota.org. I look forward to meeting all of you at Birthday this year, and introducing you to most (if not all) of the active brothers by the end of March! And if you'd like to be featured in a future "Where are they now?" section, send me your picture and a short bio.

Original document

The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.

"Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart" Newsletter, January 2011 Download

Undergraduate Newsletter – Fall 2010

2010-12-28T00:00:00Z

Sigma Chi Eta Iota, Fall Issue, December 2010

Fall '10, a Semester in Review

The fall semester proved to be yet another successful and eventful one. The chapter welcomed sixteen new brothers from the Gamma Nu pledge class. We held many great social events, including the annual Halloween party, and were active in intramural sports and various campus activities with other Greek organizations. We participated in Alpha Xi Delta's Autism Speaks campaign, winning the penny challenge and participating in a dodgeball tournament fundraiser. Expansion and increased campus involvement are among our main aims for next semester. With a new executive board and many positions filled by new and returning active members, it'll be interesting to see how spring plays out — Derby Days is one of the most anticipated events for 2011.

Congrats to the recently initiated Gamma Nu pledge class: Rick Lapp, Francisco Gonzales, Raphael Alland, Matt Otto, Zach Wallace, Josh Chancey, Johnny Jacobs, Paren Patel, George Apudo, Kyle Sellers, Spencer Edwards, David Cruz, Paul McCarthy, Tim Englehardt, Pete Sanchez, James Anderson.

Christian Schirra, Tribune

Pro Consul's Report — Campus Outreach, PIT Proves Effective Again

The two main goals as Pro Consul were weekly Post-Initiation Training (PIT) sessions for newly initiated brothers, and running more efficient executive meetings. PIT followed the guide from headquarters' Balfour Leadership Training Workshop; we held four sessions, mainly focused on Sigma Chi history and lifelong commitment, all conducted ritualistically. Executive meetings were held every Thursday at 6pm, with every officer prepared to report on his position, keeping chapter meetings shorter and more focused on ritual.

Sigma Chi's campus involvement took a hit when almost 20 of our oldest, most active brothers left in May 2010 — multiple SGA representatives, Orientation Team leaders, tour guides, and TAs. During this recovery phase, as Annotator I've been trying to further integrate our brothers into campus life. It's been difficult with our brothers' already-loaded schedules, but we've begun to make a name for ourselves as young Sigma Chis on campus. Many of our younger brothers applied for Orientation Team and Student Government — not all were successful, but the networking built alliances with other Greeks and the rest of the school.

Sigma Chi participated in Here Comes the Sun Day, a clean energy festival in New Smyrna Beach, giving our pledges a chance to experience the service side of Sigma Chi. Alpha Xi Delta hosted Penny Wars, a contest to raise money for Autism Speaks — with help from every active brother's donations and organizational efforts by Social Chair Jeremiah Poff, Sigma Chi assembled a little over $400 in pennies, plus negative points brought in by other jars, raising over $600 to fund Autism research and treatment. The overall event income was roughly $1,200, with Sigma Chi contributing about half. As a reward, Sigma Chi has a social planned with Alpha Xi Delta the day before study day in December, where the ladies will make dinner for both chapters.

Sigma Chi also participated in Alpha Xi Delta's Dodgeball Tournament, making it to the semifinals before Air Force ROTC knocked us out — another good opportunity to involve pledges and build relations with a sorority and other fraternities. Future plans include a "Siglympics" competition (golf-chipping, putting, cornhole) and ideas to generate donations for Children's Miracle Network and the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Arash Sabet-Rasekh / Taylor Quackenbush, Annotator

Recruitment a Great Success

After the largest initiation in Eta Iota history — the Gamma Lambda pledge class in Fall 2009 — expectations were high for Fall 2010 recruitment. Sigma Chi began recruiting during Summer B, meeting many of the roughly 24 incoming male students; two joined early, before Fall started. Fall recruitment began with orientation and move-in, with Rush Week 3 full weeks into school for preparation time. True success came from brothers staffing on-campus info booths and one-on-one interactions during move-in, classes, and ROTC. Of 22 bids given, we'd met and befriended about 15 through "Meet the Greeks," the Activities Fair, and a Greek BBQ.

Rush Week itself: Monday was a beach day at Sunsplash Park with BBQ, surfing, and cornhole; Tuesday a Winghouse party at the house (with about a dozen Winghouse girls helping out); Wednesday the traditional Go-Karts and Mini-Golf day; Thursday a dodgeball tournament, with Brother Daniel Duquette running sound both nights; and Friday the traditional Spaghetti Dinner at the College of Aviation Atrium, with distinguished guest Julio Varela sharing stories with our prospective brothers.

Taylor Quackenbush

Sports — Sigma Chi on the Field

Although we lost a lot of talent with our most recent graduating class, Sigma Chi still poses a threat across the intramural sports leagues on campus. Our football team clinched the Greek division championship, with strong participation in basketball and soccer too — we're looking at the upcoming spring soccer tournament next.

Christian Schirra

Social Corner

Theta Phi Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha, and our chapter kicked off the fall semester with a BBQ social at the house. That same weekend we had a broomball event with the ladies of Sigma Sigma Sigma at the Daytona Ice Arena. Our brotherhood camping trip with pledges was held at Tiger Bay State Park, full of brotherhood-building exercises. For Halloween we threw a party with Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Delta Upsilon — 650 attendees, a great success. Eta Iota's White Rose 2010 was held at Reunion Resort Orlando, where we crowned our 2011 Sweetheart, Michelle Rodio.

One of the most meaningful events of the semester: the engagement of Brother Derek Pizzo and Michelle Rodio. The Eta Iota chapter extends our best wishes and congratulations to the newly engaged couple!

Lastly, the White Elephant Semi-Formal will be held at the house with Alpha Xi Delta, who'll help decorate and prepare dinner as their reward for losing Penny Wars, on the last night of classes, followed by a gift exchange.

Jeramiah Poff, Social Chairman

Magister's Report

We began the fall semester with a pledge class of 23, who showed real dedication and willingness throughout the process. Thanks to donations from the Quackenbush family and other sources, we were able to offer a pledge scholarship, awarded based on test grades and performance throughout pledging.

Close to the end of the pledge process we faced an issue: pledges reported that one of their pledge brothers had cheated on some exams, including the National Exam. After discussion with the chapter, that pledge was released from the program. I'm proud to report we were able to initiate 16 new members into this great fraternity, and I look forward to seeing each new brother continue to better himself through PIT and the rest of his brotherhood.

Andres Villalobos, Magister

From all the Brothers at the Eta Iota Chapter — In Hoc Signo Vinces! Mail donations to 520 South Ridgewood Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32114.

Newsletter created by Brother Christian Schirra, #768, "GLEE," Tribune, Fall 2010

Original document

Fall 2010 Undergraduate Newsletter Download

House Corporation Newsletter – Holiday 2010

2010-12-12T00:00:00Z

Brian Lojko New Chapter Advisor

House Corporation Trustee Brian Lojko has accepted an offer from Central Florida Grand Praetor P.J. Stephens to assume the role of Chapter Advisor at Eta Iota, and has relinquished his role as an active HC Trustee. Brian replaces Tim Wargo, who stepped down due to overwhelming work and family commitments. HC will address the Trustee vacancy after the holidays; we thank Brian for his service to the Board and look forward to assisting him in his new role.

40th Birthday

Believe it or not, the 40th Birthday Party is just around the corner: March 31 – April 3, 2011. We already have many brothers signed up. Have you? Now's the time to start planning — book your flight yet? Hotel? The Hilton still has rooms for $109/night. Planning to golf Friday? Register and pay online for B-day & the Golf Tournament at www.EtaIota.org, where you can also find more info on all the events.

Final 2010 Projects

The final large-scale project for 2010 is underway: local A/C contractor DG Meyers will install the south wing central air conditioning system beginning the week of December 6th. Once complete, our building manager, Shannon Lytle, will remove the old individual window units from rooms 1-7 and permanently seal the openings. Central air in the north and south wings reduces energy consumption, reduces repair and replacement costs, adds value, and creates a better living environment. This marks the end (with the exception of rooms 8 and 9) of a project that's been discussed or in the works for nearly a decade.

Walkthrough

HC Vice President Nick Weiss, Undergraduate House Manager Jason Auger, and building manager Shannon Lytle conducted an extensive walkthrough of the entire Eta Iota property in late November. HC is reviewing the list and determining triage by order of importance. The walkthrough identified opportunities in both common areas and individual rooms — leaking faucets, inoperative bathroom vent fans, damaged door jambs, carpets, drywall repair, and tile/grout work, plus larger projects like rear decking, landscaping, parking lot repairs, exterior stucco, and soffit work. A detailed list is forthcoming for Board review against the existing fiscal budget.

Undergraduate Initiation

On November 13th, our Eta Iota brothers initiated 16 candidates into Sigma Chi. Post-Initiation Training (PIT) commences at the first chapter meeting following initiation and continues into the following semester, covering Sigma Chi "mechanics" as well as a deeper understanding of our philosophies and beliefs — a continuation of pledge training that reemphasizes the roles and responsibilities of the lifelong commitment. Congratulations to the new brothers, and job well done to the undergraduates.

A Note from the President

We're right in the middle of the holiday season. Schools are preparing for winter break; families are getting ready to travel, attend parties, shop, and reunite with loved ones. We all get wrapped up in the spirit of the season, but should take a few minutes to remember what it's truly about. I encourage you to think of those less fortunate — suffering from physical or mental illness, overseas fighting for what we believe in — and remember our fallen comrades and brothers, and how you might make a difference in their lives or their families'. Savor the company of friends and family and be thankful for our blessings.

I look forward to the continued success and challenges of our brotherhood as we roll into the New Year and work toward the betterment of our chapter and fraternity. A heartfelt thank-you to all of you who contributed to our noble cause through your volunteer efforts.

Have a great holiday!

IHSV,

Robert Tetrault, "Mr. Burns" 2002

Original document

Nov-Dec 2010 Newsletter Download

Morris Ford Arlington Cemetery Internment

2010-11-05T00:00:00Z

Brother Morris Ford will be laid to rest on Monday, November 15, 2010 at 3:00. at Arlington National Cemetary

Brother Jeff Lee is serving as the contact for Sigs wishing to attend. Please contact him at r.jefflee@charter.net

You may go to www.arlingtoncemetery.mil for site information.

We are to gather at 2:30 at the Administration Building at Arlington. At that time we will be given guidance as to what is going take place. My understanding is that friends will follow us in a procession to the site of Morris' internment. He will have full military honors.

There is a sit-down dinner at a restaurant planned after the ceremony, but space is limited. Please be understanding.

Tommy Alouf's Eulogy

2010-11-05T00:00:00Z

During the funeral mass for Tom, the presiding Monsignor Lehman gave a homily that referred to the final flight west. He actually added a friends version of flying east into the sun (or Son).

Thanks to Gary Towers for acquiring the text and forwarding this.

This wasn’t supposed to happen - not yet anyway. Tommy looked so good ten days ago. His spirits were up (they were always up). His fight, his will were strong. And he had plans….Tommy always had plans. So many plans. Grand plans. A new project or two or three in mind. Another way to make it big. And there was always another vehicle to make fly.

As his mother Gail said yesterday: sick people don’t make plans. But Tommy did. Even when he was physically whipped by the chemo, Tommy was scheming; he was thinking about tomorrow and the next day and the days after that. And as he talked about his plans, his eyes would start to dance about, his speech would get faster and louder, and his smile would get even huger and brighter. It was not hard to get caught up in his plans with him.

Plans and hopes…these are what we hear about in the scriptures today. Hopes and plans are what we celebrate around this table this morning. Much larger and much better plans than Tommy’s were. God’s plans.

St. Paul tells us these plans of God for us include our being raised from the dead. Death had..death has.. no lasting power over Jesus. Neither does it have lasting power in the lives of those Jesus claims as his own. And just as nothing could take the life from Christ, we who look to Christ also live…even as we sleep in death.

St Paul also teaches us about the crown of victory awaiting those who stay in the race and remain faithful in the struggle. Think not only of what you’re going through today, he wrote to Timothy and to us….think too of the something better that awaits us. For The victor with the capital T and V waits to make all things right for us.

And then in the gospel, there’s the table and the wedding feast. And the master waiting on the guests. It’s a wonderful image of our God tending to us. Taking care of us. feeding us. fulfilling our every hope. This table then is a foretaste of the one to come. Its a share in the feast to come. In other words, here we taste heaven.

And here today - in our shock over this unexpected loss, in our great sadness- does this sound like non-sense? I should hope not.

For in times of tradegy, loss, and sadness, what would Tommy do? His bigger than life big self would be at our side, he’d flash that big white grin made brighter under that huge dark mustash, he’d crack a joke, and he’d get us thinking about tomorrow and about things bigger, better, brighter.

Friends, permit me please to share one more thought before I close. In one of the on line condolences, a friend of Tommy’s wrote this “we all have to fly west on that final flight”. Although it’s commonly said that “we ride into the sunset”, or we travel into the night, today, let’s think differently. Lets think about riding into the east – into the sun – not s-u-n- but S-o-n. Into the bright and blinding light that scatters all darkness, into the love that heals and makes us whole… into the heart of God that is our eternal home!

Tommy, enjoy your flight. And don’t forget to tip your wing.

In Memoriam: Tom Alouf ('81)

2010-10-25T00:00:00Z

10/23/2010

Tom Alouf, an Aeronautical Science major with the class of '82, was initiated at Eta Iota on 01/17/81, passed away Saturday 10/23 after a battle with cancer.

Remembered as bigger than life, Tom embodied the spirit of youth, and will be dearly missed!

Tom's obituary as published in the Roanoke Times is found here.

Tommy's last wish was for more participation in the bone marrow transplant system, www.bethematch.org to register.

Tom's wife Laurie, had asked that the chapter be informed.

Funeral Information

Viewing: Wed. 10/27, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. at the Funeral Home:

Oakey's South Chapel, 4257 Brambleton Ave, Roanoke, VA 24018
Funeral Mass: Thr. 10/28 at noon, with reception to follow.

Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church, 2505 Electric Road (Rt. 419), Roanoke, VA 24018

Flowers should be sent to the funeral home

In the meantime, our strong arms and hearts go out to his wife Laurie Ann and his family. For questions, please contact Glenn White (gaw410@gmail.com) 757-969-8884 (cell) Those desiring to send flowers should be send them to the Funeral Home (just tell the florist to send to Oakey's South Chapel).

Those desiring to send flowers should be send them to the Funeral Home (just tell the florist to send to Oakey's South Chapel). However, the family requets donations in lieu of flowers . Donations can be made to the American Cancer Society or Sigma Chi Fraternity - Eta Iota Chapter.

House Corporation Newsletter – October 2010

2010-10-24T00:00:00Z

40th Birthday Web Link Open

The 40th Birthday web link is online and active — please take time to visit and register (it's on the main page of this website). This birthday promises to be one of the biggest turn-outs yet. Once at the site, you can register yourself or your family, check out planned activities, see who has already registered, and book your hotel room at Sigma Chi's discounted rate at the Hilton Oceanside, Daytona Beach. In addition to the web link, the Birthday Committee will be mailing reminder refrigerator magnets for those procrastinators. As part of the fundraising effort, we're soliciting alumni who have products or services (please keep it clean) that can be donated for an auction or similar fundraiser during the weekend. A formal invite to donate is forthcoming, but if you have an idea, please forward it to robtetro@aol.com.

Taxes

The undergrads successfully submitted their IRS Form 990 (in the 11th hour, of course) to continue realizing the benefits of their 501(c)(7) tax status. Until now, undergraduate Sigma Chi chapters had linked themselves as a subordinate to the group exemption letter held by headquarters, and the IRS hadn't required individual chapters to file separately. The form is kept on file for 3 years and will need to be resubmitted at expiration.

House Corp is also determining whether to incorporate our two parcels (520 S. Ridgewood Ave. & 525 Segrave Ave.) into one entity, or simply file the second parcel with Volusia County as tax exempt. The Grand Trustees indicated it would be prudent to use a real estate attorney for this type of transaction (local Sig Tom Hart of the Cobb Cole law firm was also contacted). This should be completed by year's end.

ERAU Back at It Again

Embry-Riddle has once again begun researching a "Greek Row" similar to other college campuses with multiple fraternities and sororities. Historically, ERAU administration hasn't garnered enough support to get such an idea off the drawing board. ERAU officials Richard H. Heist (Executive VP and Chief Academic Officer) and Daniel E. Montplaisir (VP of Institutional Advancement) have invited Greek organizations to be part of a "Phase I" development of real estate adjacent to Richard Petty Boulevard. Initial interpretation of the announcement memo indicates the financial responsibility of designing, planning, building, and land lease will fall on the Greek organizations, with it unclear what ERAU will provide in grants or incentives. Unsubstantiated rumors indicate Delta Chi — who, until 2005, was the only other ERAU Greek organization offering undergraduate housing — may be first to move to the next level of negotiations with the university. Sigma Chi HC has offered and invited open dialogue on any future on-campus Greek housing discussions; further developments will be broadcast via our website.

Annual Budget

A comprehensive annual operating budget was passed last month, underscoring House Corp's commitment to continuing to address our undergrads' housing needs while looking toward future projects and challenges and protecting our investment. After nearly a decade maintaining a baseline rent of $5,000/month, it was decided to modestly raise rent to $5,625 — an increase of $5K per year. While fee increases are always heavily scrutinized, sound fiscal policy dictates that income meet and exceed operating expenses. HC also decided to take an increasingly active role in maintenance, overhaul, and planning for challenging areas like the pool and landscaping, and is working with a building manager on an hourly basis to proactively identify and address preventative maintenance issues. Undergrads still have the ultimate responsibility of being good tenants while meeting the obligations expected of a Sigma Chi.

South Wing A/C

The second bid for the south wing central A/C was received. Both bids will be reviewed by HC, and once a decision and formal contract are reached, installation will begin and the last of the old window units will be removed, with the holes in the south side walls permanently sealed. The main house will still have two rooms using window units, to be addressed when a plan for the main house A/C is outlined. The south wing A/C is the last large-scale project planned for 2010.

A Note from the President

Even though the 40th Birthday celebration seems distant, the date will arrive faster than you think. We'll gather with family and friends to celebrate the upcoming holidays and tend to put off what can be done now. I encourage all of you to make the commitment today to be part of our 40th. We're extremely fortunate to be the sole Greek organization at ERAU providing a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience for our undergraduate brothers, and it's important that we have your support to continue delivering and developing this living experience. For those who've already committed your time and resources, thank you! For those who haven't, please do it now — you can make a difference not only to brothers who've already pledged their lifetime commitment to our Fraternity, but to future brothers who aspire to be part of something bigger than themselves. I look forward to seeing you at the 40th!

IHSV,

Robert Tetrault, "Mr. Burns" 2002

Original documents

October Newsletter Download

FY 2010-11 Eta Iota HC Budget Download

Greek Housing Announcement Memo Download

House Corporation Newsletter – Fall 2010

2010-09-06T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

As the summer winds down, many of you will be preparing yourselves or your children for the ritualistic return to academics. The Eta Iota House Corporation is also preparing for the return of undergraduate activity to the House.

Peterson Award

Congratulations to the undergraduates for achieving a Peterson Award for 2010 — the first since 2005, having come within a half point of winning last year and finally achieving success this year. The award was presented to the brothers of Eta Iota during the annual Balfour Leadership Training Workshop (BLTW) held at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The Eta Iota House Corporation was represented by HC Trustee Brian Lojko and HC Executive Vice President Nick Weiss. Nick attended workshops conducted by the Grand Trustees, learning and sharing best practices regarding house issues. Brother Lojko was heard saying, "I really want to relive my undergraduate days," and attended BLTW simply to enjoy the plush housing accommodations and Vegas-style food buffet.

Fire Alarm and Monitoring System

The House has a newly installed fire alarm and monitoring system, the culmination of many months of preparation, estimates, and work with contractors and Sigma Chi Headquarters. The Risk Management Foundation (RMF), Sigma Chi's insurance mechanism, mandated last year that this type of system be installed to lower fire risk and better protect our brothers and our asset. RMF offered a $3,000 grant and the insurance company proposed a $600 yearly premium deduction for chapters complying with the change. The finished upgrade cost approximately $8,000 ($5,000 after the grant); with the grant and yearly premium deductions, ROI will be realized in approximately 8 years, against a system life expectancy of 10-15 years. Monitoring is internet-based and the monthly service cost is paid by the undergrads.

40th Birthday

Plans for the 40th Birthday are well underway — Thursday, March 31st through Sunday, April 3rd. Registration and event information will be available starting October 1st at www.etaiota.org. To ensure fiscal success and relieve the burden of planning from one individual, the Birthday Chairperson role has been streamlined to a committee format: Brothers James "Gassi" Ahrens, Brian Lojko, and Rich Schooley, who will collectively coordinate and help execute the weekend's events. There will also be opportunities for alumni to donate products or services for a silent auction or similar fundraiser during the weekend — a formal donation process is forthcoming.

HVAC Installation

The second phase of the central A/C system is underway — the south wing will join the north wing in having an updated HVAC system, replacing the existing wall units. This $12,000 capital improvement project began in fall 2009 and should be complete by the end of September 2010. The upgrade should lower utility costs while eliminating mold and condensation damage from the old wall units, and reduce/eliminate the annual budget burden of A/C replacement costs.

Wings and Waves

Embry-Riddle is hosting another "Wings and Waves" airshow and alumni weekend October 9th-10th (not to be confused with Homecoming, scheduled for November 5th-7th). Eta Iota HC hasn't planned formal events for either weekend due to the financial focus of our own 40th Birthday party, but if you're in the area, stop by the House and spend some time with the brothers — they'll have their own RMF-compliant, non-alcoholic activities planned.

Chapter Advisor

An email transmitted August 22, 2010 by our Grand Praetor, P.J. Stephens:

"I am pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Wargo (George Mason '91) as the new Chapter Advisor for Sigma Chi Fraternity's Eta Iota Chapter at Embry-Riddle. Tim's appointment is with immediate effect. He replaces Roger Moody, who has served the chapter with distinction over a number of years, culminating with the chapter's designation as a J. Dwight Peterson Award recipient for 2010, the highest honor Sigma Chi bestows on an individual chapter.

Tim lives in the Brevard County community of Rockledge, Florida. He serves as a Federal Supervising Agent based in Central Florida for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Immigration and Drug Enforcement, where he directs a team of agents.

ERAU/Sigma Chi alumnus Brian Lojko attended the Fraternity's Balfour Leadership Training Workshop at UNC Chapel Hill this summer in the Chapter Advisor division, and is prepping Tim for his role. Tim will also work closely with Roger during the transition period."

We thank Roger for over 8+ years of service and dedication to the chapter, and wish Tim well in his new role.

Note from the President

And finally, as with any older home or building, repairs are usually consistent with the age of the property — the older the structure, the more maintenance it requires. The house at 520 South Ridgewood is no exception.

There have been numerous discussions regarding renovations, upgrades, moving the property, the elusive "Greek Row" on campus (how many times have we heard that one), etc. While discussions and meetings continue, the house still must be maintained in a condition that continues to attract and retain undergraduate tenants, and that's comparable in price and amenities to other apartments or dormitory accommodations. Until a decision is made as to "what happens next," we must plan our maintenance upgrades and become more proactive rather than reactive — and coordinate and forecast our fiscal objectives accordingly. Repairs, renovations, and upgrades require capital, and rental income alone can't meet all of those goals. Membership in the 1855 Club and donations directly to House Corp make many capital improvement projects and goals achievable, and help the HC team plan for the future. Even without a mortgage, donations are vital to the success and growth of our chapter.

This fall, the undergrads are preparing to initiate the 800th brother from Eta Iota. Your contributions and membership in the 1855 Club have helped make this milestone possible.

As acting HC President, I encourage you to continue supporting the House and the undergrads as you have in the past, and I cannot emphasize enough the importance of your support and attendance at the upcoming 40th Birthday party — not only to celebrate, renew, and relive, but also to help plan and build for the next forty years and beyond.

IHSV,

Robert Tetrault, "Mr. Burns" 2002

Original document

September 2010 House Corp newsletter Download

Memories of Morris H. Ford

2010-06-06T00:00:00Z

By Art Jacobs, 5 June 2010

(A eulogy for Morris Ford spoken by Art Jacobs at the memorial service in Charlotte on Saturday, June 5th.)

There are a 1,000 other things I’d rather be doing right now.

This is a trip I did not want to make. But, I am not telling any of you anything that you don’t already feel.

Kathy, on my flight to Charlotte, I wrote out some notes on what I wanted to say so that I could collect my thoughts and be organized. (And heaven knows that Morris would want this to be organized!)

And now, I’m afraid that if I do not read them – if I do not use my notes as a crutch – to get me through this, my emotions will take over and not allow me to say what is in my heart.

One day, who knows when, I might be able to make some partial sense of what has happened. Right now, for the life of me, I cannot get my head around this tragedy.

All I know is this, like you, I have an aching space in my soul that will never be totally filled again.

We all have our unique memories of our time spent with Morris – times well-remembered, and certainly not to be forgotten.

All that I can do right now, for you Kathy, for Mary and Paige, for my brothers, for his colleagues at US Air, and for the rest of his friends, is to tell you what kind of special man and caring friend Morris was to me.

I think that first and last impressions of certain people, events, and paces are indelibly etched in our brains. That is the case for me with Morris. So, I would like to tell you about the very first, and, then the very last time I saw Morris Ford.

We met in 1973 when I was invited to pledge the Sigma Chi Fraternity at Embry-Riddle. Only a little over a year before that, I had been on my second tour flying attack missions over Vietnam and Laos, and managing to get wounded. By the time I got out of the hospital in Japan, out of the military, and finally back to school in Florida, a little “college fraternity hazing” seemed a very small consequence to me.

I had obviously not reckoned on meeting one Morris H. Ford!

As I approached the front door of the Sigma Chi house that Spring evening in Daytona Beach, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure to my left. Morris had come bounding out of his room with a big grin on his face. He walked right up to me, reached right out and shook my hand.

I could tell right away that he was proud of his very strong grip – he had this almost impish look in his eye, as if to say, “I’ll bet I can squeeze harder than you!”

Morris was the first brother I met at the house. I realized right then that Morris Ford was going to make this fraternity thing a meaningful “consequence” for me.

His enthusiasm, his swagger (oh, he had a swagger), his knowledge, his intensity, his confidence, and his penetrating gaze are an image I will always have of him.

I was inspired by this young man who cared so much about everything he did; school, flying, Sigma Chi, even his room was highly organized, and of course, his eventual decision and plan to join the Navy.

Morris was deadly serious about the studies and tasks that a pledge had to complete. He taught us about the brotherhood, but in every sentence you could hear him on another frequency: “Pledge, do you really want this? Are you prepared to work? Are you willing to dedicate yourself to becoming a brother in Sigma Chi?” He was both teacher and taskmaster – but all for the greater good.

Morris and I exchanged hundreds of emails over the last 10 years or so. Mostly they were about our politics, current events, and anything that had to do with veterans, patriotism, and military aircraft.

We were kindred spirits in our views, and I loved him all the more for his passionate opinions. (By the way, those opinions were always correct.)

The last time I saw Morris was just this past December in Philadelphia at the annual Army-Navy game – more than 37 years after that balmy evening in Daytona Beach!

A high school classmate of mine had made the military a career, and had been a West Point Professor before he retired in the 1990’s. He had sky-box seats to the “big game” – was I interested? (What a silly question.)

I knew that Paige was at West Point in her senior year and immediately emailed Morris on the chance that he would be attending. I was thrilled that we would meet up somehow in that huge crowd.

And, there he stood. Morris was wearing a United States Military Academy black fleece jacket with the dates of his daughters’ graduation years on his chest.

I watched in admiration – his arm around Paige and the utter, indescribable pride in his smile – that very same smile from all those years ago!

I had told Morris earlier in the year that the best testimony to success was not fame or riches, but in watching your children grow up with good values and to turn out well.

In my estimation, by that measure, Morris Ford was an incredible success as both a man, and as a father. I will never forget his beaming face from that moment with Paige and Kathy at his side. I truly envied his joy that day.

My chief regret now, is not having spent more time with him, the wonderful Morris I knew (and his family), after those years in school way back when.

I also regret that I was not there (that we were not there) – for him in his hour of unimaginable need.

If there is a silver lining to all of this, and I know that it is hard to find one, it’s the message or lesson that life can be so fragile, and sometimes, (certainly this time), way too short.

We all need to cherish our loved ones and our friends – and to tell them just that, and right to their faces. They are the most important things we can have after all. And, I’d like to think Morris would be telling us that right now if he could.

I saw two quotes recently that seem to fit the lesson that should come out of why we had to be gathered here today. They both remind me of Morris, and, in a way, I feel that they are a tribute to how he lived. They go like this:

“Live every day as if nothing was a miracle, yet live every day as if everything was a miracle.”

“You make a living by what you do. But, you make a life by what you give.”

(Of course, I specifically numbered those quotes in proper sequence, just as Morris would have expected me to do!)

Morris, you gave me much. You were a miracle in my life, and many others. We were all made better by knowing you. I know that I was.

Mary, Paige – you know what lies before you: Duty, Honor, Country. You have experienced a profound loss. It may sound odd today, but I hope you will take some comfort in the responsibilities you have in leading young soldiers; to be an example to others on how to overcome tragedy with dignity.

You’ve taken a courageous path in your lives, and as a veteran, I thank you for your service. We all thank you. Just work hard to make your Dad proud. That way, you will always do well.

Kathy our hearts and prayers are with you.

Morris, I will sorely miss you.

Goodbye, my brother.

Farewell, my friend.

In Memoriam: Morris H. Ford ('75)

2010-06-02T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that Brother Morris Ford '75, has unexpectedly passed away under tragic circumstances.

A reception and memorial service for Captain Mo Ford have been planned as follows:

Location:

Matthews United Methodist Church

801 S. Trade St., Matthews, NC 28105

704-847-6261

For directions:

www.matthewsumc.org
Date: Saturday, June 5th

Time: Reception - 10:30 -11:30 AM

Memorial Service - 11:30-12:30

Interment:
Arlington National Cemetery

214 McNair Road

Fort Myer, VA 22211-1304

(703) 697-5187

www.arlingtoncemetary.orgDate: TBD

Obituary as posted in the Charlotte Observer:

Morris Ford
'Mo'
Mr. Ford, a retired Naval Officer and US Airways pilot, died at his home in south Charlotte early Wednesday, June 2, 2010. He was 57 years old. Morris was born to Dr. J.T. and Mary Helen Ford, February 8, 1953 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Mo spent his childhood in Atlanta, Georgia and Alexandria, Virginia. His passion for flying developed as a young student watching planes from his classroom window seat growing up near the Nation's capital. Upon graduation from Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach Florida, he began his career as an officer in the United States Navy. Hired in 1982 by US Airways, Mo served as both a pilot and a flight instructor. He considered his legacy of teaching other pilots over his 28 year career his greatest accomplishment with the organization he so passionately loved. He was also a devoted Sigma Chi belonging to the Eta Iota chapter at Embry-Riddle.
During his 20 years of military service, he flew P-3s as a Soviet submarine reconnaissance pilot, later transitioning to T-2 jets in Meridian, Mississippi. The final years of his Navy career were spent as a Blue and Gold recruiting officer for the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.
Mo is survived by his wife of 25 years, Kathleen Jane Ford, along with his two daughters, 1LT Mary Ford, currently serving as a U.S. Army Officer in Afghanistan, and 2LT Paige Ford, who recently graduated from West Point. He is also survived by his parents, Dr. J. T. and Mary Helen Ford, brother Tom Ford and wife Pam, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He is preceded in death by his brother, Warren Ford, Snellville, Georgia.
A memorial service will be held at Matthews United Methodist Church at 11:30 Saturday morning, June 5, 2010, preceded immediately with a visitation at 10:30.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to support Soldiers for the USO Support System at USO-Charlotte Center, 5501 Josh Birmingham Pkwy, PO Box 21, Charlotte, NC 28208 or Matthews United Methodist Church, 801 S. Trade St., Matthews, NC 28105.
Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Funeral Home, Weddington Chapel. An online guestbook is available at www.heritagefuneral.net.

Guestbooks:

[Heritage Funeral Home](http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=631662&fh_id=12124&s_id=1F2D660A301601059BEB5CF6AFD3927E&sms_ss=email
) (click on the guestbook link at the top of the obituary)

Charlotte Observer/ Legacy.com

House Corporation Update – May 2010

2010-05-05T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

It is my pleasure and honor to serve as the Eta Iota House Corporation President for the 2010-2011 term and I look forward to addressing our challenges and celebrating our successes. I want to thank all of you for your continued support and commitment to HC and the Brotherhood of Sigma Chi. Congratulations to Brothers Penn and Vomacka for their new/continued role as HC trustees.

In a communiqué to our Executive Board and Trustees earlier, I stated that my goals and objectives are simple: focus on the basics. The primary reason HC exists is to provide adequate, safe, livable housing options for our undergraduate Brothers. I feel this is accomplished through sound fiscal policy, delegation and accountability of our trustees and our officers. During the month of May, the HC executive officers will be discussing the 2010-2011 budget to include dialogue on current and future proposed projects, rent, RMF and the installation of the mandatory monitored fire alarm system. Details of those discussions will be posted through the fraternity website.

Additionally, there are many milestone type events that your HC team is preparing for that include Embry-Riddles “Wings and Waves” oceanside airshow set for the Fall of 2010, possible involvement in the Tri-Province (North, Central and South Provinces) Weekend Workshop hosted by the brothers of Eta Iota scheduled for early Spring, 2011 and the capstone 40th birthday celebration tentatively scheduled for the first/second week in April of next year.

To that end, it is my hope that we will reengage our alumni brothers to participate not only with financial support but also to assist as mentors and leaders to our fellow undergraduates so that we may all may grow while continuing to challenge each other to live up to those obligations that we have voluntarily taken upon ourselves.

On behalf of the Eta Iota House Corporation, we look forward to a great year!

IHSV,

Robert Tetrault

House Corporation Newsletter – January 2010

2010-02-10T00:00:00Z

My Brothers,

The month of January has been one of the most trying months I have seen in the past 10 years. We have had some major security and safety issues. Let me assure everyone; all the Brothers are safe, that corrective actions have already been taken and we will continue to evaluate the long term effect these recent events have on the property and the young men that live there.

Over the Christmas Holiday break, the property was broken into several times. The first of these events took place somewhere around 3:00-4:00am, whereas some of our neighbors proceeded to use a cinder block to break the door and door-frame into the pump room and laundry room. The damage was severe enough that we needed to replace the doors and frames. Within these two locations the suspects made off with Brother Scalley’s BMX bike (which was chained to the wall in the back of the pump room), some power tools, and other odds and ends. The following night, the DJ booth was hit and the amplifier was taken. Neither incident was captured on our video surveillance system.

The next day, during our final preparations for the termite extermination we smelled gas from under the deck. Teco, our gas supplier, was quick to respond and within several hours rebuilt and fixed three gas leaks in our system; one being in the riser from the ground, one prior to the regulator, and one bring just downstream of the meter. All the leaks were from normal wear-and-tear, not the Brothers messing with it.

The termite spraying went off without any problems. We are now Bonded (insured) at least for the next ten years. The entire property was inspected and re-secured that evening after the exterminators completed their work. A few days later when Brother Parmlee re-entered his room (Room 4), he found his back window broken into. The suspects had sat in the thorn bushes between our house and the Raintree and cut their way through the re-enforced 1” steel bars over the windows, broke the deadbolt that secured the bars and gained access to the property. The police and our vendors that customized the window bars in the first place three years ago said they have “never seen anything like this.” The police went on to speculate that the suspects must have been working on that window for upwards of 2 hours to gain entry, do to the amount of finger-prints and other evidence they gathered. Luckily, Brother Parmlee was cover under his parents home-owner’s policy, and all his missing items were able to be recovered.

Later that same evening I received a call from some of the local alumni Brothers in town; that they spelled smoke on the property. To make a very long story – short, we had an electrical fire in room 1. The exhaust fan in that Bathroom had sparked a fire that was burning through the opening in the ceiling, onto the floor and up into the crawlspace. The fire department was called out and after approximately an hour the house was declared safe. In the end, some drywall and the toilet needed to be replaced in room 1. The worst part of this whole incident is the fire alarm never sounded. We contacted our electric contractor, Giles Electric (while the fire department was still onsite), to have them fix whatever electrical problems existed and to ask questions about the alarm system. When all was said and done, the honey-comb element in room 1’s sensor had gone bad. It pasted its test when the house was recertified in September, it had failed between those points. Since this event Giles has come back out multiple times to repair the electrical mishap in the crawl space to room 1, recertify the entire house, and fix any other problem the alarm system may have.

In light of these events, the house corporation has taken initial steps to price out up-grades and/or overhauls to our existing systems. The fire alarm is not a monitored system, nor can our current panel be retrofitted to be monitored. Per RMF (Risk Management Foundation) guidelines our systems need to be monitored. Also, we are at least looking into the possibility of installing an alarm system in the building, much like many of you have at your homes. Each room would have its own key-pad, disarming/arming PIN, and sensors on all openings (i.e., doors and windows). We will continue to explore these possibilities and will discuss the matter in-depth at the House Corporation meeting at this year’s Birthday.

On a happier note, I am pleased to announce our 1855 club enrollment continues to rise. Thank you once again to all our contributors. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at our Birthday celebration this year.

Guard Well,

Brett Miller

Undergraduate Newsletter – February 2010

2010-02-06T00:00:00Z

The Eta Iota News — A Publication of the Eta Iota Chapter of Sigma Chi, Edition I, February 2010

From the Desk of the Consul

After a successful doubling of the chapter this past fall, we look forward to a semester filled with adventure and excitement. Some of the great fun in store this semester includes Derby Days, Greek Week, Province Workshop, and the installation of the Florida Gulf Coast University chapter, at which Eta Iota has been asked to take a lead role. The success of any strong organization lies in recruitment, which is why this semester the chapter is bringing in the Mission 365 team after the initiation of the spring pledge class. With their help, our fresh new brothers and remaining senior brothers will take on Fall '10 as strong as ever! Whether you're a newly initiated brother taking one small step toward graduation, or a senior brother about to take one giant leap into your career — get ready, because these are the times of your life!

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christopher Payne '10, Consul

Pro Consul's Report

This semester we've hit the ground running. Our executive committee is one of the most dedicated I've seen in my undergraduate career, and our newly initiated brothers are quickly taking up leadership roles. Because so many brothers are graduating this May, education has become the main focus of the semester.

Post-Initiation Training (P.I.T.) was minimal at best a few semesters ago but has become a critical part of gearing up our young brothers to protect our charter and expand our campus influence. Our first P.I.T. session this semester was led by Recruitment Chair Bhisham Mahtani, focused on recruitment techniques and building confidence. Since then, we've trained new brothers in Eta Iota's history and assessed their ritual and I-Period experiences. Coming up: an alumni relations session led by Chapter Advisors Roger Moody and Robert Tetrault, and I-Period training led by Kustos Paul Ouellette.

Our executive committee has also started an "apprenticeship" program, pairing every executive position with a younger brother shadowing them for the semester. New brothers will also attend Province Workshop at the Kappa Omega chapter in Tampa. We've taken a hard look at scholarship this semester too, working on positive incentives for a 3.0+ GPA and revising the pledge process to protect academic integrity.

I'd like to thank the chapter for the honor of nominating me for the 2009-2010 Outstanding Senior Balfour Award — I'll represent our chapter at the Central Florida Province Workshop through the application and interview process. As this is my last semester, I'd like to see it close with nothing but success. Good luck to our Recruitment Chair, Magister, and Kustos organizing the pledge process, and here's to a successful Derby Days and another Greek Week trophy.

Taylor Roynon '10, Pro Consul

Chapter Officers: Chapter Advisor Roger Moody '73 · Consul Christopher Payne '10 · Pro Consul Taylor Roynon '10 · Quaestor Arash Sabet-Rasekh '10 · Annotator John Waybright '11 · Magister Daniel Lee '10 · Recruitment Chair Bhisham Mahtani '10 · Tribune Sean Stefanak '10 · Historian Jason Auger '13 · House Manager Colby Parmelee '10

The Social Corner

This semester is shaping up to be the best semester for Sigma Chi socially in recent history. The spring social calendar kicks off with a Super Bowl party, then the Daytona 500 and Derby Days in February. Once March starts, our focus turns to a fourth Greek Week trophy in five years, followed by the XI Man competition, and then every college student's favorite part of spring semester: Spring Break! About fifteen brothers are going on a cruise, recent alumni to Las Vegas, and others to various parts of the U.S. and the world.

The Eta Iota Chapter's 39th Birthday celebration is March 26-28, a weekend no one wants to miss — golf tournament, barbecues, bands, and drinks. This semester we're also planning our big party for April. Last April we held our first on-property party in almost four years, with over 500 people in attendance and no major incidents — the BYOB Safari Party went off without a hitch and was, by far, the best party ERAU had seen in a long time. We have the same expectations this year for a fun, safe, memorable party. We also have 15 young men (and one old man, Taylor Roynon) graduating this spring, with a graduation party planned. All this, plus drive-in movies, bowling, and s'mores nights, are going to make this spring one to remember!

Steven Turner '10, Social Chairman

A Focus on GPA

Eta Iota initiated twenty-three very motivated and active brothers this past semester — a record high for the chapter. We're all proud of our newly initiated brothers, but there's a slight issue we'll have to overcome: for the past few years, Sigma Chi at Embry-Riddle was known for having the highest GPA of any Greek organization on campus, along with many other notable qualities. After this past semester, we no longer hold that title.

All our brothers are trying their best to maintain an outstanding GPA this semester. As Magister, I'm personally going to emphasize the importance of education throughout the pledge program — since recent initiates had the most impact on our grading scale last semester, I'm planning to revise the pledge program's academic component so we don't repeat those mistakes. Other than academics, our pledge program is flawless, and I'll help bring the chapter back on top.

Daniel Lee '10, Magister

In memory of fallen brother Drew "Gary" Hunter — brothers honored him after I-Period this semester.

Tribune's Note

Welcome to Eta Iota's Undergraduate Newsletter! I'd like to begin by apologizing on behalf of the chapter for not publishing a newsletter last semester — we promised more newsletters and failed to deliver. I've made it my goal this semester to keep alumni informed and actively involved in the chapter's current state. Feel free to email or call me with suggestions, or articles you'd like to see in the next newsletter.

Sean Stefanak '10, Tribune

Sigma Chi Falls to Rugby Team

The Sigma Chi flag football team returned to the field this season with high expectations, after concluding the 2008 season with an upset win over the defending champion Neighborhood Raptors (49-0-1 in 3 years). After outscoring opponents 151-0 in the regular season, the team powered through the playoffs week by week, but met its match in the semi-final against the ERAU Rugby team's high-powered offense, falling 26-0. As spring semester gets underway, brothers will be actively involved in the 4-on-4 flag football league, softball league, and basketball league. Thank you to everyone who made the team a great success.

Sean Stefanak '10, Tribune

39th Birthday Just Around the Corner

Birthday Weekend Schedule of Events:

March 26, 2010 @ 6:00 PM — Barbecue and drinks
March 27, 2010 @ 12:00 PM — House Corporation Meeting
March 28, 2010 @ 6:00 PM — Party at the house, featuring a live band, food, and drinks

Cost: Alumni $100 · Additional Guests $90

Invitations were recently mailed to all alumni for Birthday weekend. Contact Brett Miller, House Corp President, for more information.

Congratulations to the Largest Initiated Class (23)

Tony Romano, Jonathan Lebowitz, Sheldon Leonard, Taylor Quackenbush, Shane McIntosh, Jeramiah Poff, Jason Auger, Darren Jennings, Jim Baldyga, Ryan Maloney, Aaron Newman, Chuck Kwon, Jay Fraser, Daniel Duquette, Evan Pionkowski, Josh Kiddy, Pedro Pinero, Brett Smith, Nick Miley, Andres Villalobos, Marc Halilkas, Alan Nelson, Omar Moreno

Community Service

As we turn the corner on a new decade, our philanthropic activity is taking a turn for the best. Following one of the most devastating earthquakes in history, Sigma Chi and the Embry-Riddle community joined together — during Haitian relief week at school, Sigma Chi helped bring in valuable funds to aid the recovery effort. We'll also be taking an active role fighting cancer during this year's Relay for Life, marching in the fight against cancer, alongside our continuing regular philanthropies.

Jonathan Waybright '11, Annotator

Finances

Now that I've concluded my term as Quaestor, I'm proud to offer my final report on the chapter's financial status. The position taught me a great deal about bookkeeping and finances that I believe will be an asset going forward.

Brothers continue to maintain their financial accountability to the chapter — accounts receivable stood at $4,000 for January, after an excellent fall semester where $0 was owed at many points. Unfortunately, that accountability hasn't translated into outstanding financial status for the chapter overall. Last semester was one of the most challenging for Eta Iota since my initiation in fall 2006: high recruitment costs, two vacant rooms at the house, and a small chapter of only twenty-one active brothers placed a serious financial burden on us. We significantly reduced budgets to keep dues reasonable and moved our largest philanthropy event, Derby Days, to the spring. Expenses also exceeded expectations due to higher utility bills and unforeseen costs like a new pool filter. The chapter was "squeezing by" in the fall, and we're happy to have larger numbers to help cover spring expenses.

Thank you to our chapter officers for spending their allocated money sparingly given our difficult financial situation. It's been a pleasure serving as Quaestor, and I'm confident Arash will do an outstanding job as my successor.

Sean Stefanak '10, Tribune/Finance Chair

House Corp. Officers & Trustees

President Brett Miller · Vice President Brad Vomacka · Treasurer Seth Downs · Secretary Phil Holloway · Trustees Mauricio Aguilar, Gary Granger, Dave Elert, Brian Lojko, William F. Palmer Jr., Jeffrey B. Penn

A personal-contact directory for every active undergraduate brother also appeared in the original newsletter (individual names and cell phone numbers) — omitted from this native conversion as an unnecessary privacy exposure; officer/leadership contact information above is retained since it was already published as chapter-business contact info. The original PDF, with full layout and photos, is preserved below.

Original document

January/February 2010 Undergraduate Newsletter Download

House Corporation Update – January 2010

2010-01-15T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

In This Issue
Happy New Year

New initiates

39th Birthday Party

House Update

(A/C, Termites, Pool, Security)

1855 Club

Let me begin with a hardy Happy New Year and best wishes to you and your families in this coming year. I hope everyone had a save holiday season filled with much rejoice. I would be remiss if I did not apologize for my lack of communication to you all over the past three months. My efforts have been directed more at undergraduate successes and overseeing the improvements at our beloved house. This is no excuse for not informing you, our alumni Brothers, as to the conditions at 520 S Ridgewood via monthly e-mail updates. I will do all I can to correct these action in the months to come. I appreciate your patience and continued support over the past year. If you have not received any monthly updates I implore you to visit www.Etaiota.org and update your email/contact information. We, your House Corporation, continue to be steadfast in our mission to improve the living and educational experience of the current undergraduate chapter. We will continue to build toward tomorrow while respecting our historical legacy.

The undergraduate chapter initiated 23 Brothers this past November. On behalf of all the alumni, I wish to welcome our newest Brothers to our Order and Eta Iota family. With these new Brothers our roll now totals 767 men. Congratulations pledge class Gamma Lambda on your success, I know the White Cross of Sigma Chi will gain new luster by your lives.

I welcome all brothers and their families to visit Daytona Beach on March 26-28th for Eta Iota’s 39th Birthday celebration and House Corporation meeting. Keep an eye out for more information as we finalize details for 2010 and out 40th Birthday in 2011.

As for our Chapter House, we have been working on correcting issues with long term solutions. I would like to publicly thank each and every House Corporation officer, trustee and chairman for their endless support over the past months. Their vision of a cleaner/improved Chapter House should be an inspiration to the Undergraduate Chapter and House Corporations in years to come.

The central air/heat in the north wing has been working flawlessly since its installation. The Brothers in the south wing are looking forward to the installation of their system some time in the summer 2010. We are also looking into the possibility of replacing out the two central units in the main building and adding returns. All of these units could be removed and reused in any new structure when the time comes.

We also have just completed the extermination of thousands of termites throughout the buildings structure. By completing the tenting process we have become bonded (insured) against termite re-infestation for at least the next ten years. This problem had been getting progressively worse over the last decade, finally culminating this fall when we discovered damage to roof trusses and/or load bearing supports.

The State of Florida now has some new laws about direct suction pools. This issue has been prompted by State Health Department legislation. Our pool drain cover was recently changed to be in compliance with an interim standard, but we need to comply with the final regulatory configuration by 2013. We will be discussion the future of our pool drain system at this years House Corporation meeting.

The main house security has been improved with exterior combination locks on all common doors. This has been prompted by recent security events that have taken place at our house. We have also been forced to repair/replace the gate doors to the pump room and laundry room. During some improvement projects other leading-cause issues have been discovered, namely water leaks from behind walls or from grout issues in showers. As you would expect, as these issues are located and causes determined, they are dealt with as soon as possible.

These are just a few of the improvements to the property we have taken. The undergraduates have been doing their part also. The entire chapter has been working together to keep common areas, including exterior areas, clean. The former pledge class, with the assistance of a few Brothers, has improved our grilling area. For the most part, they have taken pride in the House we all call home. Several Brothers have taken personal interest in the holiday seasons and have donated lights and decorations to the house over the past two years.

Some items that are being evaluated for consideration right now are, as previously mentioned; the central air, the repair or repaving of the front driveway, the elimination of the pavers between the rooms and concrete being poured in its place and a locking gate securing the backyard through the breeze-way.

I’d like to thank all of our contributors to the 1855 club and encourage everyone to join. Finally, thank you for your continued support of your House Corporation, the Eta Iota Chapter, and our Order.

Guard Well,

Brett Miller

Eta Iota House Corporation President

Happy Birthday this month to the following brothers:
01/01 Sky Brown '70

01/01 Brian Hendrix '80

01/02 Robert O. Talamo "Bobby " '79

01/03 William Jakeman "Jake " '71

01/04 Pete Perkins '84

01/04 Erik Visser "Shakes " '00

01/05 Walter DeWitt "Walt " '74

01/05 Dave Gotwald '71

01/05 Larry Robertson '73

01/05 Scott Wareham "Bones " '97

01/06 Steven K. Robinson "Mouse " '86

01/06 Charles Brisbane "Chad " '77

01/06 David R. Biddiscombe "Dave " '80

01/09 Bryan Cody "Hot Garbage " '97

01/10 Paul Smith '06

01/15 Bob Weisenseel "B-O-B " '94

01/16 Philip Holloway "Brick " '08

01/16 A Clay Wilson '88

01/16 James Lee '89

01/17 Marius S. Alecsa "Goat " '04

01/17 John Hall III "Goose " '95

01/18 Michael A. Day '86

01/19 Brent von Stein "Sparky " '04

01/20 Tony Vaz '87

01/22 Dan Eberhardt '86

01/22 Tim Hyland '87

01/22 Scott Curll "Vanlier " '92

01/23 Theodore D. Sheyda "Ted " '72

01/23 Frederick W. Burton "Fred " '72

01/23 Dave Klase '74

01/23 Joe Di Pietro '74

01/23 Peter Moriarty "Pete " '90

01/23 Robert M. Toups Jr. "Tex " '91

01/24 Ross Giamportone '94

01/25 Fred Block '93

01/27 Don David Weiffenbach "Bump " '81

01/28 Sean Carey "Scarecrow " '99

01/29 Chi Pyon "Ray " '99

01/30 Hubert Harrison '74

01/31 Dan Kelley '72

Mariann English Passes Away

2009-12-13T00:00:00Z

Brothers, it is with a heavy heart we learned of Brother Paul English ‘89 lost his wife Mariann this July. Mariann was a beautiful person, inside and out. We will always remember the good ‘ole days we shared at J’s, the Bank bar on Main and how much she was loved by all. You will be sorely missed.

Please keep Brother Paul English in your thoughts.

Winged Sigs Advisory Circular – Fall 2009

2009-10-19T00:00:00Z

Winged Sigs Advisory Circular — Sigma Chi Fraternity, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fall 2009 Alumni Relations, 520 South Ridgewood Avenue, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

"This badge requires more of me than the world requires of other men"

Alumni Leadership Encouraged by Undergraduate Accomplishments

The latest house upgrade has been completed as of the time I push the send button for this newsletter. The north wing central air conditioning installation has been completed and nary an electrical fire was to be seen at 520 S. Ridgewood Ave.

Plans for installing the South wing unit have been budgeted for the next fiscal year. We're also taking a look at replacing the main house's two units — the one in the attic and the one above the drop ceiling in the kitchen. There's a good possibility we'll be able to install one unit in the attic to feed down to the first floor, which would also let us access rooms 8 and 9 without cutting the load-bearing exterior walls of the main house.

Some brothers have asked why central air, why now? The answer is fairly easy: cost of repairs. On average over the past 5 years we've had 4-5 window A/C units fail per year. To adequately cool these rooms — keeping in mind modern students' needs (aka electronics) — we were purchasing 8,000-12,000 BTU units, and about three-quarters of them would leak down the interior walls, causing structural failure of the drywall, carpet damage, personal property damage, mold, etc.

The new units will be more cost-effective for House Corporation in maintenance costs, and the reduced electric load should lower undergraduate energy bills. We'll also be removing the old units and sealing up the open space, reducing the amount of cool energy lost through those openings, and making us more competitive in today's rental market.

Termites are our latest non-paying residents. We think they're Lambda Chi Alphas trying to squat and take over our house. At first we thought they were jealous Delta Chi's who lost their house some years ago, but they seemed a bit festive, responded favorably when "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" was played, and one brother noted they reminded him of Steel Works — a sure sign of a Lambda Chi.

In Memoriam

Brothers, it is with a heavy heart we learned that Brother Paul English '89 lost his wife Mariann this July. Mariann was a beautiful person, inside and out. We will always remember the good 'ole days we shared at J's, the Bank bar on Main, and how much she was loved by all. You will be sorely missed. Please keep Brother Paul English in your thoughts.

1855 Club — Stronger Than Ever

First announced in 2000, the 1855 Club is stronger than ever with 49 members — up over 20 new members since March of this year. This phenomenal achievement is attributed to the hard work of Seth Downs '92 and his squadron of 10- and 5-year captains. Thanks Seth, thanks 10- and 5-year captains, and thanks to all of the 1855 Club members. Our most recent addition is Robert Sween '72 — thanks, Robert. 1855 Club income for September 2009 was $1,226.

39th Birthday — March 26-28, 2010

Sigma Chi, Eta Iota Chapter, 1971–2010: 39 great years of fun and still counting. Hope to see you here!

Have You Seen These Brothers?

The following brothers are lost — we've either had the Post Office return mail from their last known address, or they haven't filled out their online profile. If you've seen any of these brothers or know their whereabouts, please have them contact our database administrator Bill Palmer '79.

Marius S. Alecsa '04, D. Windsor Barringer '98, William Berg '74, Alexander Bingham, J. Scott Bond '72, Steve Boyd '79, Matt Catalanotto '96, Glen Catania '82, Matthew Clarkson '05, Tom Costello '87, Vince Davis '81, Ken Dolan '73, Buddy Evans '73, Quincy Evans '04, Joe Fabiano '95, John Ferguson '75, Timothy Forman '74, Ablelardo Garcia '10, Rodney George '72, Steve Goldman '83, Juan Gonzalez '77, Jim Hamblin '72, Hubert Harrison '74, Dale Hawkinson '90, John Hillman '74, Nick Hoefer '05, Herb Huston '78, Todd Kaylor '83, Dan Kelley '72, Rich Kiever '77, Edwin Lesley Jr. '05, Larry Maddox '77, Andrew Martin '04, Bob Matthews '90, John McDaniel '73, Mark McNally '91, Steve Meade '75, Dennis Miller '73, Pat Mooney '83, Francisco Moreno '72, Pete Perkins '84, Michael Read '95, Ryan Schubert '99, Andy Shiver '04, Gregory Snell, Bert Somers '89, Rick Spicer '72, Clair Stahley '84, Bryan Stevens '04, Logan Sultenfuss '02, Gerry Taggart '82, Robert M. Toups Jr. '91, Howard Trimble '73, Jonathan Walrath '02, Don David Weiffenbach '81, Phil Williams '91, Bill Wood '04, Chris Wood '04, James C Wozniak '96.

House Corp 2009

President: Brett Miller '04 — Port Orange, FL
Vice President: Brad Vomacka '05 — Belmont, NH
Treasurer: Seth Downs '92 — Anchorage, AK
Secretary: Phil Holloway '08 — Daytona Beach, FL
Trustees: Gary Granger '90, Reese Aguilar '89, Bill Palmer '79, Jeff Penn '90, Dave Elert '06, Brian Lojko '97

Original document

The full designed newsletter (with photos and the 1855 Club bank-draft authorization form) is preserved below.

Fall 2009 Winged Sig Advisory Circular Download

House Corporation Update – October 2009

2009-10-16T00:00:00Z

House Update
39****th Birthday
Website
Birthdays

House Update

There comes a time in everyone’s life to throw in the towel, just give up on failed policy, to move on. Well my Brothers that time has come. Not for me, for the window air conditioning units around the house. The cost of repairs from replacement of these units and damage to the walls has gone on long enough. Your House Corporation Officers and Trustees have determined the time has come for Central Air conditioning throughout the wings of our House. By the time you read this update, the North wing will be installed. We will also be sealing up the walls for the final time. We hope this will make our house more efficient and cost effective in the years to come. Due to budget constraints for the current fiscal year we will not be able to install the South wings units until sometime in May or June. But don’t worry, we have full intentions of installing this unit in May or June. I know that some of you have been asking about what will happen to these new units if we move out of our current structure. The contractor we are dealing with will be able to install these units into the new structure, maintain their warranties, and use them in some manner in the new place either in separate zones or combined.

This brings us to the New House Committee. I have had a lot of questions about this recently, where we stand, etc. Currently the entire project is on hold. The numbers at the current property are extremely low and even though we have 27 pledges I can’t count on that number as future tenants unit they are initiated. We have had 5 guys become brothers in the past 4 years during the spring semester, so I’m not holding my breath there. Also, let’s be honest with each other right now; the economy sucks and we’re mostly all in industries/business that has been extremely effected by this downward tread. I could not nor will I ask or have someone else ask alumni for money at this time. Little things here and there; Yes, 1855 club; absolutely, $10,000 over the course of 5 years, no way. And these are the kinds of numbers we’re looking at. So we, your House Corp, will do everything we can to maintain our current house and deal with its’ issues as they come up.

Does that mean the new House Committee is dead? No. Of course not. We are suspended our operations at this moment. We have completed a Programming analysis with an architecture firm specializing in Fraternity housing. We have attended a few regional conferences on the issue. We have talked to our Grand Trustee about the topic. All of which recommended that we continue to explore options, but deal with the property we have until the economy comes back around. We have also put into place the 5 year captain and pledge class representatives to widen the communication system. This seems to be working but we have had limited feedback on the program. Your New House Committee will continue to move forward towards our long term goal of having something to present to the alumni base at the 40th Birthday celebration in 2011.

39th Birthday

This coming years Birthday celebration will take place on March 26-28. So everyone mark your calendars, bid that weekend off, etc. Look for more information soon. Our Birthday coordinator and the undergraduate’s representative are putting the final touches on the agenda and prices. It will also be posted on etaiota.org

Website Updates

Speaking of the website, thanks goes out to Brother Palmer for posting hundreds of pictures from years past. A majority of the scrap books, slides, and random pictures from around the house are now on the website. Enjoy the memorizes everyone.

September Birthdays

Happy Birthday to those Brothers celebrating this month:

10/01 David A. Newman "Dave " '73
10/02 Mark Burroughs '79
10/02 Eric Hockman '91
10/02 Christopher Koerner "Uhaul " '06
10/04 Bob Sween '72
10/04 Roger Gross "Bullfrog " '93
10/05 Seth Downs '92
10/05 Chris Marrero "Flobee " '99
10/06 Ross Stearn "R-Ross " '86
10/06 Ed Lowry '99
10/07 Brett Reasner "Ashley " '87
10/07 Dan Moquin '94
10/08 Nicholas Nesta Jr "Nick " '85
10/09 Joe McCaffrey '07
10/09 Robert Hartley '74
10/09 Jim Furman "HUX " '72
10/09 Michael J. Remmert "Remy " '89
10/10 Bussey Allsup "Buzz " '71
10/10 Ryan J. Steffey "Pie " '93
10/10 Patrick McKelvey "Mefesto " '01
10/11 James Javurek "Jamie " '79
10/11 Jeff Hosler '91
10/12 Terry Roberts '71
10/12 Jon Brickner '90
10/12 Allen Cassino "Fingers " '96
10/13 James W. Dillon "Jim " '83
10/14 Tyler Grinnell "Cabbage " '08
10/14 Steve Gregory '78
10/14 William T. Reynolds II "Toby " '91
10/15 Bradley J. Bennett "Squirrel " '05
10/16 Phil Williams '91
10/16 Mark Que "Mooch " '05
10/17 Mitchell Nimey "Mitch " '90
10/18 Scott Card "Relish " '01
10/18 Bret Hunter Bergman "MOOSE " '05
10/19 Walt Hansen '73
10/19 Jon Kalic "Doubletake " '92
10/20 Tom Costello '87
10/20 Thomas Maugeri Jr "Cliff Claven " '99
10/21 Michael Read '95
10/22 John Ferguson '75
10/22 Brad Nunn '81
10/23 Shawn Lowe "Forrest Gump " '99
10/23 John Haszard '72
10/23 John Banta '96
10/24 Colby Aaron Parmelee "Cookie Monster " '10
10/24 Michael Pelosi III "Mode " '81
10/24 John Emhoff "Quiver " '99
10/24 Rob Papandrea "Tic Tac " '00
10/24 Joel Fenton "N2GETHER " '05
10/26 Jason Alan Kreisher "Sea Bass " '05
10/27 Michael Wyble "Mike " '77
10/27 Perry Charles Lewis "MILF Hunter " '06
10/27 Michael Libonati "Mike " '82
10/28 Greg Bull '76
10/28 Micheal J. Plapp "Mike / Doc " '79
10/29 Joseph J. Gablin "Knees & Toes " '09
10/29 Chris Holloway '81
10/29 Todd Lake '83
10/30 Chuck Hall '89
10/30 Pete Cameron "Roxanne " '03
10/31 Scott Ekey '82
10/31 Jonathan Walrath "Lawn Dart " '02

Guard Well,

Brett Miller

Alumni Newsletter – August 2009

2009-09-10T00:00:00Z

House Update Leases Announcements & Birthdays

House Update
Not much new at the House this past month. I’d like to thank all the alumni who participated in the Alumni Work Weekend efforts. Thanks to your help, the undergraduates have a much improved (both in looks & organization); library, brothers office, chapter room, and kitchen. Our major overhauls can be found in the pictures below.

The undergraduates have completed their clean up of the planting beds out front as well as their continued quest of maintaining a clean/”mother approved” house.

Currently our undergraduate numbers dwindle in the low twenties. A majority of this issue is due to graduating students, not disciplinary actions. Over the past 5 years, all Greek letter organizations have had significant problems recruiting/retaining individuals, especially during the spring semester. The undergraduates have done all they can, stretching every penny during these difficult times. With Recruitment week (Rush Week) beginning today, the boys have “gone all in” on recruitment. I am pleased to report nearly a dozen young men have been offered bids at the onset of this week. The boys have approximately sixty other names and contact information of potential pledges they have been in communication with. The undergraduate chapter is not scarifying quality for quantity, they are looking for the right guys, performing dinner interviews with potentials, answering questions and doing all they can to assure our future Brothers are the leaders needed for the next generation of Winged Sig’s. For this the undergraduate chapter especially Brother Hugo and Brother Radford deserve our upmost praise.

Leases:

It’s been the ultimate question for some time now; what is House Corp. responsible for, what is the undergraduate chapter responsible for, how; and to what lengths does accountability stop and Brotherhood take over? Well thanks to Brother Lojko and Brother Tetrault’s hard work / sleepless nights we finally have our answer. The lease agreement between the House Corporation and undergraduate chapter has been overhauled to answer these questions. The needs andexpectations of the current students has changed and we have been lacking an understanding of how to explain our expectations to them. In the new lease agreement; language has been altered to provide a better understanding of our expectations of them, while at the same time improve our operation. Like any other major change, there will be growing pains on both sides. However, I’m confident this will improve House Corp. / Undergraduate Chapter relationships for years to come. If anyone would like a copy of the new lease agreement package, please contact myself via email and I will be happy to email it to you

Announcements:

Eta Iota has some new looks. We’ve stepped up our stakes with some professional embroider polo’s. Make sure you check these and some classic Eta Iota merchandise out on our website. Make sure you include your size and quantity in your email. There is a zero percent mark up on these items. The intention is to dress our finest while still sporting the emblems of the order we love so much.

Birthdays

And here's to our September birthdays:

09/01 Larry Prosser '75

09/01 Trevor Prigge "Chesta " '04

09/02 Stephen Avery III '71

09/03 Ken Bott "Excalibur " '90

09/04 Tony Russo "Oneder " '08

09/04 Gary M. Homanick '82

09/04 Edward Gomez "Edie " '92

09/04 Bryan Hogan '94

09/04 Ron Hoye "Cupcake " '94

09/06 Joshua Donaldson "Snagglepuss " '02

09/07 David Torres "Nacho " '98

09/08 Thomas Haught '95

09/08 Nickolas Hugo "Radio " '11

09/08 Christopher Sanscrainte "Chris " '95

09/09 Dennis Hall '74

09/09 Dan Bush '75

09/09 Brent Gillam '89

09/09 Brent McBratney '93

09/11 Eric Bowen '81

09/11 Dave Stepien "Step " '86

09/12 Jere Anderson "Fat Albert " '72

09/12 Darrell A. Beard Jr. "Skip " '73

09/12 Dudley Mecum '83

09/15 Art Jacobs '74

09/15 Chris Haun "Fieval " '01

09/16 Hayden Haddox "Burglekutt "

09/16 Tom Moore '81

09/16 Roger Ebbe "Rod " '85

09/17 James Gierhart "Gearhead " '93

09/18 Dave Stuart '79

09/18 Ted Sandoval "Ted " '86

09/20 John Paul DiGiacobbe "Lil' Peepers " '05

09/20 James Slater "Up Chuck " '10

09/20 Lawrence Rea Jr "Larry " '75

09/20 Eric Eichmann '92

09/20 Jason Clancy '93

09/21 Chauncey Clark '73

09/21 Steve Schmidt '76

09/22 Nikolaos Renieris '92

09/23 Geoffrey P. Harned '77

09/23 Dwight Cheek '75

09/24 George E. Pence PhD "Doc " '61

09/24 Mark Rogers "Stormy " '73

09/25 Ron Delle Donne '80

09/26 Mark Schachtel '80

09/26 Neil Campbell '92

09/26 Colin Malaker '92

09/26 Anthony Hammond "the Dominator " '95

09/27 William F. Palmer Jr. "Bill " '79

09/28 Joshua Ru Vincent Selvadurai "OPEC " '08

09/28 Timothy Forman "Tim " '74

09/28 Rich Rossell '95

09/29 Kevin Ergenbright '88

09/30 Jim Hamblin '72

09/30 Dan Ward '88

09/30 Frank Bokulich '95

Happy Birthday to those Brothers celebrating in August:

08/01 Patrick L. Caylor '84

08/02 Edward Goerges '73

08/03 Ryan Tucker Schubert "compass " '99

08/03 Sean Stefanak "K-Y " '10

08/03 Christopher Charles Cox '90

08/04 David L. Bonifield '73

08/04 David E. MacMullin "Lunchbox " '05

08/05 Rick Spicer '72

08/05 Bryan Gleason '96

08/05 Quincy Evans '04

08/06 Kevin Stocker '85

08/06 Charles Eric Culbertson "Maytag " '05

08/07 Bill Foulk '85

08/08 Michael Ryan "Squeak " '10

08/09 Brian Valimont "Frenchy " '00

08/10 Paul Brandau "Dizzle " '05

08/10 Larry R Kolar '73

08/11 Thomas A. Robbins "Tom " '84

08/11 Christopher Nevins "Chris " '96

08/11 Thomas Jacobs Turfitt III "Tommy " '04

08/13 Roger Moody '73

08/13 Dave Evans '77

08/13 Mike Rossbach "Cheech " '77

08/13 Scott Reiter '80

08/13 Mike Plessinger '85

08/13 Brett Watrous '88

08/13 Jason Googe '93

08/15 Michael McKenzie CCUE "Spike " '73

08/15 Hugh Reynolds '74

08/15 Matt Hanson "Cannon " '91

08/16 Archie Roberts '74

08/17 John Ehrenreich '83

08/17 Stuart Fraenkel Esq. '89

08/17 Steven Todd Weeber "Todd " '93

08/18 Alec Shovlain "Waterboy " '02

08/18 Scott C Bacon "Farva " '06

08/18 Bradley D. Bower "Brad " '91

08/19 Jason Koehler '99

08/20 George Yurcic "Shovelhead " '96

08/21 James Thompson "Jet " '74

08/21 Jack Barsin '71

08/21 Robert C. Lambert "Bobby " '77

08/21 John Belleau '91

08/21 Mike Kline Jr "Hula Girl " '04

08/22 Kevin Lower '85

08/22 Brian Kilday '94

08/23 Doug Sherwood '95

08/23 James Dianto "Meatbaul " '90

08/23 Andy Fischer '99

08/23 Zachary McKenna "Ranger " '10

08/24 William Frey "Billy " '77

08/24 Tom Waterman '86

08/24 Craig Jenkins "streaker " '92

08/25 Joe Ferrell '78

08/28 John deLafosse '72

08/28 Juan Gonzalez '77

08/28 Blair Shiplett "Shaggy " '02

08/29 Nick Nelson "Clip On " '07

08/29 William Craig "Bill " '73

08/30 Buddy Evans '73

Hope everyone enjoys their last days of summer.

Guard Well,

Brett Miller

Thank you letter from the parents of Drew Hunter

2009-09-05T00:00:00Z

We would like to thank all of Drew's Sigma Chi Brothers for the incredible support you have given us and his family and friends. From the moment Drew lost his life in the kayaking accident, we were enveloped by the love, support and compassion of his fellow Sigma Chi's.

Several of you came to Vail and gave us immediate support. And when we returned home to Marshfield many of you flew in to help out and attend his Celebration of Life Service. Beautiful flowers were sent from the his Eta Iota chapter and its' sister sorority, Alpha Xi Delta, to our home and to the church. The White Rose ceremony led by his little brother, Brad Vomacka, was incredibly meaningful and touching to everyone. To have so many Brothers participate, even some who had never even met Drew, speaks for the strong bonds that Sigma Chi develops.

When Drew first pledged, we immediately saw how seriously he took his commitment to Sigma Chi. We will always treasure the letters he wrote to us and the life reflections he made during that time. We have no doubt that the values he was raised with were strengthened due to his membership in Sigma Chi. He even told his fiancee that joining Sigma Chi had changed his life and help make him the man he was.

We thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts who knew and loved Drew, not only for your compassion to us, but also for giving him so many fond memories and strong friendships over the years. We will always consider you his brothers, and offer our home to you as he would have.

With affection and gratitude,

Gail and Jeremy Hunter

House Corporation Update – July 2009

2009-07-29T00:00:00Z

In this Issue: House Update Treasurer’s Update 1855 News Announcements & Birthdays

House Update

All in all a pretty slow month at the house. The undergraduates have done some major landscaping this month. The grass is green and alive (which doesn’t sound like much, but it is light-years forward from where we have been in the past). They have also overhauled the planting beds; digging them out completely, laying down new weed-block fabric, removing the old wood that lined the beds and installed new, repainting the house walls that were stained from the old bushes and finally they will beginning to plant scrubs/bushes in these beds in the next few days. Some limited funds from the alumni have been allocated with some stipulation ensuring the survival of these plants over time.

As for the alumni, we have given the chapter room a bit of a face lift. The wooden trim is still there, however it was sanded smooth, removing the old stain for a fresh coat and lighter color. We have patched all the holes in the walls and added a fresh coat of paint to the remaining chapter room wall faces. We also put in new door trim around the front and rear exit doors as well as the kitchen door. And even though this does not sound like that big of a task, we could not have finished this job without the help from some of our undergraduates; namely Joe Gablin, Nic Hugo, and Ryan Rush. We’ll be doing some final polishing to this room and others during the alumni work weekend.

Speaking of which, thank you to all who replied; attending, not-attending, or unsure, to the e-invite for the alumni work/relax weekend. We’ll be helping the undergraduates with some final touches that weekend, and I hope all can attend. I do understand we did not put out this information early enough for some of you to attend this event, for that I apologize. We will make every effort to announce event dates earlier in the future. With that being said, next month the House Corporation will be announcing its planned dates for this coming year’s birthday celebration. We understand that non-five year celebrations are smaller in size, however the hope is to make it affordable enough and announce the plans far enough in advance that more alumni and their families can attend.

Treasurer’s Update

Our fiscal year (2008) ended on June 30th, 2009 with a net gain of 18k. For the first time since 2004 we were in the black, which at face value is a good thing, but considering that the burden of $20k in mortgage payments no longer exists, we should be saving a lot more. We spent over $17k maintaining the chapter house, which due to its age, needs constant attention. Our fundraising has increased by 32% but is still is a long way from building the kind of down payment that will be necessary for a new chapter house. Full details of our financial reports are posted on the Eta Iota news page, click on the Treasurer Report tab on the right.

1855 News

The 1855 club has seen significant growth in the past 3 months since our 38th Birthday celebration. A realization that the future success of our chapter and the of building a new chapter house will require a long term financial invest by the alumni, seems to be resonating more clearly now. We started the year with 36 members, and finished June with 52 members. We hope that by the end of 2009 to have doubled our membership to 72.

Of note is that Kurt Kienest's 5 year group of initiates from 1995-'99 are leading the way with a participation rate of 19%, which is far and above any other 5 year group.

We would like to thank the following brothers for their investment in the 1855 club:

Larry Hesterberg

Ryan Carson

Gabe Davis

Darren Wilson

Grant Petronsky

Chris Fox

Brett Miller

Tyler Grinnell

Joby Titus

Ty Gibson

Jere Thome

Malcolm MacGregor

Lastly a big thanks to Bill Kingsley & Bill Isakson, who have donated the funds needed for the first phase in the special projects fund.

Announcements:

Quick reminder, we’ll be having our alumni work weekend, August 15th & 16th. Also check out the undergraduate’s website for our RUSH schedule. Everyone is welcome to the spaghetti dinner September 11th, 6:00pm at the house. Contact Nic Hugo – Rush Chair for more information.

July Birthdays

Happy Birthday to those Brothers celebrating this month:

07/01 James D. Atkins '85

07/01 Mauricio Aguilar "Reese " '89

07/02 James Lambertsen "Jack Ryan " '06

07/02 Steve Bobonick '78

07/02 Jeff Oltman '82

07/02 George Zimmer "Zoomer " '82

07/02 Mike Knizewski "Ski " '86

07/02 Jon Burrows "scam " '91

07/05 Sidi Lemnouni '73

07/05 Mike Murray '75

07/05 Robert Paulus Jr. "Rob " '81

07/05 Mike Patterson '95

07/07 Randy Symanski "troll " '00

07/08 Bryan Clauss '08

07/09 Don A. Miller '79

07/09 Chris Michael Ferguson "ACE " '03

07/10 Richard A. Farina "Rich " '76

07/10 Frank Memolo '84

07/10 Mike Sleeper '92

07/11 Ramano Sprueil MD "Miner " '94

07/12 Frank Bloomer '81

07/12 Andrew Martin '04

07/13 William Berg "Bill " '74

07/13 Pat Mooney '83

07/14 Chad Ciaravella '00

07/15 Pat Muncie '75

07/15 Christopher Fox "Zegular " '99

07/16 Ryan G Jarvis "Wiggum " '05

07/18 Roy Lockwood '72

07/18 Chadwick Conner "Chad " '90

07/18 Ken Zaccagnini '85

07/19 David Little '95

07/20 James Richard Allison IV "Dickie " '03

07/20 Rich Winter "skinny " '05

07/21 Guy Shore '71

07/21 James L. Webre "Jim " '74

07/21 Cory Weir '97

07/22 Mario Scalzo Jr '87

07/23 Jason Smith "VANILLA " '00

07/24 Stephen A. Blake "Steve " '74

07/25 Hobson Morgan '73

07/25 Lawson Mansfield '77

07/25 Gerry Taggart '82

07/25 Tommy Alouf '82

07/26 Scott Rehn "Corncob " '99

07/26 Jeff Feliciano "Hummer " '05

07/27 Richard Bush "Rich " '75

07/27 Mark McNally '91

07/27 John Williams III "Chewy " '92

07/28 Scott McIvor '93

07/29 Kevan MacKenzie "Fuzzy " '01

07/30 Scott Peery "Bruce Wayne " '10

07/30 Keith Kelly '99

07/31 David L Campbell '78

07/31 Bill Krebs "Toto " '86

7/20/ Ryan C. Rush "SOOEEE " '10

Enjoy your summer BBQ’s , and like always check the website for the latest Eta Iota / Sigma Chi news/updates.

Guard Well,

Brett Miller

House Corporation Update – June 2009

2009-06-26T00:00:00Z

From the desk of the Prez – Bonds of Brotherhood:

Does it feel like time just slips away? Wasn’t Birthday just last week? Where does the time go? As the months/years fly by it seems the less and less time we have to stay connected with each other. This is no more apparent than the list of lost brothers. We all know we’re a small chapter, yet we have a rich history. Personally, that’s one of the greatest assets of our chapter. We’ve earned 17 Peterson Significant Chapter Awards, 2 Legion of Honor awards, a Public Relations Award, 2 Character in Actions, and countless Grand Consul’s Citations. Eta iota also has produced 2 Significant Sig Awards; Brother John Bailey 75 and most recently Brother Hugh Mills 74, our White Cross has gained new luster by their lives….Not Bad for 38 years.

Despite all of this, as well as an undying devotion to our order we still have almost 100 Eta Iota Sigs: Lost.

Over the past two months Seth Downs, Bill Palmer, Jon Wrightington and others have “Cut Loose” so to speak, implementing new/exciting programs to reconnect our chapter. Communication is the name of the game now, and I’m proud to formally announce our 5 year captains:

70-74 Mike Wyble

75-79 Dave Fraser

80-84

85-89 Jeff Penn

90-94 Brian Lojko

95-99 Curt Kienast

00-04 Jason Kreisher

05-09 Nick Weiss

These Brothers have volunteered themselves to lead the charge for their respected years, to reconnect the bonds of Brotherhood between all of us. Brothers I thank thee.

We are now looking for pledge class representatives. These Brothers will get updates from our 5 year captains and will relay the information to their class. Of course the House Corporation will continue to inform everyone, just as before, but we want to make sure the message is getting out. But most importantly these representatives will be responsible for finding/reconnecting with our lost Brothers, welcoming them back into our circle.

This has already been evident last month with great success in participation towards the 1855 club. We had our best month of fund raising (May) since the 35th Birthday. For those Brothers that joined and to the Brothers that continue to graciously give what they can, I thank you for your continued predication to Eta Iota. If anyone would like to become/renew their membership to the 1855 club; contact Seth or Rich Schooley. All information can be found at Eta Iota.org.

Speaking of our website; ahs anyone noticed a few changes lately? Thanks to Bill and John Banta the website has gotten a bit of a facelift. New features keep on being rolled out. Keep an eye out at etaiota.org for the latest information and Blogs.

Eta Iota Blog:

That’s right, Eta Iota is now Blogging. No more E-Groups for the alums. We can now make a thread and post comments on our website. Thanks to Bill & John we have the capabilities to instantly inform, ask questions and get opinions on all things Sigma Chi / Eta Iota. The latest tread posted is asking what information you would like answered about the state of our chapter. This will also be where you can find monthly updates. The House Corporation wants to hear your thoughts; How are we doing, what areas need improving? This will also be where undergraduates can go for advice from us. We’ve all “been there, done that, got the t-shirt.” They don’t need to re-invent the wheel every 4 years, just remember how it works. We are bridging the gap between alumni knowledge/experience and the undergrads lack there-of. This will serve as a first step towards a (much needed) Alumni Advisory Board. For now however, this allows for Q/A, a healthy move for the future.

Check it out: A new undergraduate newsletter has also just been posted (in the printed Newsletters section of the News page). : Click here to download a copy of it, but also go to the page and see how all of our newsletters are now posted.

You can also subscribe to the news so that you don't even have to visit the page. The news and comments are separate RSS Feeds so take one or both.

To subsribe in a news reader (built into most browsers), enter http://www.etaiota.org/news/feed, or http://www.etaiota.org/news/comments/feed

Or even easier! Subscribe by email, by clicking on the desired link(s)

To subscribe to news: Subscribe to Eta Iota News by Email

To subscribe to comments: Subscribe to Comments for Eta Iota News by Email

Chapter Eternal – Drew Hunter

With all this positive news for our chapter it is with a heavy heart that I must announce the passing of Brother Drew Hunter from our circle. Drew was a member of pledge class Beta Omicron (Fall 1999), a graduate in aeronautical science (Spring 2003), former Annotator, Historian, Public Relations chair, Captain for Shuttle America and a great friend. Drew died in a kayaking accident in Vail, Colorado on June 4th. He is survived by his father Jeremy, mother Gail, and Fiancée Jenna. There are numerous updates/links to newspaper articles about Drew’s passing on our website. On behalf of Drew’s family I’d like to thank everyone who sent cards, flowers warm wishes, and those who travelled to Marshfield for his memorial. The White Rose was lead by Brother Vomacka, not one eye was dry during this; a Sigma Chi’s unending journey into Chapter Eternal.

Drew; you will Always be with us, Always our Brother, Always a Sigma Chi. You have fought the good fight and finished your work. I bid you fresh powder and tailwinds my Brother….In Hoc Signo Vinces.

520 South Ridgewood:

The House has received some much need T.L.C. over the last days. Alumni and undergraduates have worked independently as well as jointly to improve the conditions at our House. A lot of what was fixed might seem like cosmetic repairs as oppose to overhauls, but these are the repairs necessary to maintain our heritage. The majority if not all of the stucco damage over the years has now been fixed. The undergrads are slowly but steadily painting the exterior. We’ve had a few electrical and plumbing issues that have been addressed. A few rooms have gotten bathroom overhauls (everything but the shower itself). Thanks to Brad Vomacka and especially Derek Pizzo our security has improved dramatically. After one of our test cameras positively identified the perpetrator stealing then returning an Eta Iota alumnus personal articles & laptop, we invested in more/improved cameras. We now have 8 working cameras covering our community areas in front, back and inside of the property. Most of the cameras are so low profile; you’re already recorded by the system before you noticed they are there.

We’ve had to do a bit of a repair to the roof after a few heavy down-pours revealed leaks. Our rodent problem has also finally come to an end. Animal Control Management has been true to their word to flush the problem out and to guarantee it for three years. Both times we’ve had problems after their initial work was completed; they have come back out and “removed” more of the problem. The actives are placing bets on the size of the “problem” being caught; in a way its now comical.

The actives have also begun to plan some landscaping for August, just before Rush. They are also going to be doing some significant painting and giving the chapter room a new look. They have asked for our help with these and other projects. So on August 15th & 16th we will be hosting an alumni/undergraduate work weekend. The more Help, labor, moral and/or financial support we can get, the better. Even if you’d like to just come down to escape for a weekend, we’d love to have you. Lunch, most materials and some beverages will be provided.

Finally I’d like to ask a favor of everyone. The undergraduates have gone to great lengths to improve the look and “feel” our House. I know this sounds like B.S. but its true. Even though it IS our House this is their current residents. Please respect this. Please refrain from making a huge mess out back, or throwing trash or chapter articles around or spray painting doors, etc. during your visits. It might be cute when your 18/19 years old, but it’s down-right disrespectful as an alumni. To most of you reading this I apologize and this does not pertain to you. But to those who insist “This is the way it’s always been, This is the way it will always be, Don’t tell me what to do, Blah, Blah, Blah”. Do me a big favor and try and control yourself. After you leave the actives are stuck repainting, patching holes in walls, trying to get paint out of concrete. Believe me, I give them enough work without you creating more……Okay, I’m off my soapbox.

Programming – New Facility

The New House Committee Design team met with our architecture firm in Atlanta recently. We discussed a wide range of topics; focusing on a substantial renovation of our current facility or a new structure on our current property. We outlined a “dream” house with the complete understanding it would never come to fruition. However we use this outline; “Programming” to narrow the scope of the project to a working plan – something we can afford without compromising our unique chapter facilities.

From our current property; we said we Must (and I can’t emphasize this enough) keep the pool. Also the front walk with Smokey & Ford’s memorials must be undisturbed and must be visible in some way. Beyond that we requested a majority of the rooms be single occupancy while sharing a bathroom with one other room, also a few suites with private baths, and one house parent suite. Improved security for the bedrooms would come from interior common hallways. A larger (then our current) common/entertainment room was request. Also from multiple suggestions from undergrads and alumni alike; a dedicated chapter room. Our last request was for a commercial kitchen. We expressed the importance of our deck/backyard capabilities for entertainment, social and “other” events. Besides that, we left the rest up to the interpretation of the architects.

The programming should be done within days of this update. We will then continue to work with the architects to narrow our scope. Once the programming has been shaped we will post the programming documents at etaiota.org. It will then take approximately 6-8 weeks to get conceptual floor plans and elevation (what the House will look like from the front, back, etc). I challenge us to raise the money for these concepts in that time frame. We have pledges for $1500 towards our Goal of $8500 for these drawings. I know we can get the rest. Lets see if we can’t have these designs by the end of October (at the latest). You can send money to Seth or Rich, and watch our progress at etaiota.org.

Announcements:

We will be having a House Corporation Teleconference on July 11 @ 12:00 noon. This is the first of the quarterly meetings (Birthday was the first Saturday in April, normally I’d try and make the call on the first Saturday 3 months later, But this year that’s July 4th, so we’ll have it a week later), look for details at etaiota.org

June Birthdays

Happy Birthday to those Brothers celebrating this month:

|
06/01 Dave Fraser '77 06/01 Herb Huston '78 06/01 John Wrightington '79 06/01 Shawn Williams "Yankee " '00 06/02 Bill Lark '86 06/02 Jeffrey B. Penn "Jeff " '90 06/02 Matt Catalanotto '96 06/03 Dave Elert "Big Dick or Farmer Fran " '06 06/03 Larry Sweeney '72 06/03 Kevin Lupinacci '93 06/03 Graham Smith "Hank Hill " '01 06/04 Dennis Miller '73 06/04 Gary Dyer '74 06/04 Kurt Routenburg '94 06/04 Ryan Collins "Saber " '04 06/05 Robert Burgio "Bob " '80 06/05 Russ Bucklew "Grape Ape " '99 06/06 Akeary Vick '72 06/07 Ronald Bates '04 06/09 D. Windsor Barringer '88 06/10 Brian Frost "Jack " '93 06/10 Derek DeBolt '96 06/11 Benjamin Brandt "Opie " '98 06/12 Adam Gunter "FNG " '08 06/12 Craig Borger '75 06/13 Chris Chapman '07 06/13 Mark Milham '79 06/14 Bob Matthews '90 06/15 Robert Weikel '73 06/15 Rodney George '72 06/15 Bruce Balensiefer "Sief " '78 06/15 Jim Vittetow '81 |
06/15 Howard Hamilton '90 06/15 Tony Kalka '99 06/16 Chris Edmondson '95 06/17 Bill Wood '78 06/17 Jon St. Louis "Durdin " '06 06/18 Ken Bording CSP, OHST '71 06/18 Matthew Sorensen '96 06/20 Larry A. Hesterberg "Big Lar " '96 06/21 Spencer K Smith II '93 06/22 Claude Franco "C. Francs " '86 06/23 Ken Dolan '73 06/23 Robert D. Jordan "Rob " '90 06/23 Richard Haberman "Elvis " '92 06/23 Keith W. Harrison '94 06/24 Doug Bloch '93 06/26 R.Mike Busch '71 06/26 Robert Busch '71 06/26 Gary Schroeder '82 06/27 Joseph Adkins Jr "Joe " '92 06/27 Dan Ruth '91 06/28 Gary Marville '74 06/29 Steve Boyd '79 06/29 Joe Bilotti '89 06/29 Michael Chad Bright "BUS " '01 06/30 Cameron Lee Radford '10 06/30 Harry Wilkes '71 06/30 John Hillman '74 06/30 Pete Eggler '79 06/30 Kevin Meeder '83 |

Grand Chapter

If you have nothing else to do on July 4th weekend; Grand Chapter is being hosted in Charleston, South Carolina. This will be a great time to reconnect to your Eta Iota family & Sigma Chi. There is registration at the door, so don’t feel that if you missed pre-registration that you can’t go.

Hope to see everyone at Grand Chapter. Remember to keep an eye on the website and like always please give to the 1955 club or the New House Project.

Guard Well,

Brett Miller

Friends and family share memories of Drew Hunter

2009-06-18T00:00:00Z

: Drew Hunter and Jenna Seoane on the beach in Duxbury

By Dana Forsythe MARSHFIELD MARINER Wed Jun 17, 2009, 12:00 PM EDT

Marshfield - To his friends and family, Drew Brian Hunter was a beacon of inspiration, joy and love.

Hunter, a Marshfield High School graduate, died June 4 at age 29 after a kayaking accident in Vail, Colo. On June 8, he was remembered in an informal ceremony along the Black Gore Creek. Approximately 50 friends and family members gathered as they took turns singing songs, reading poems and carving messages and memories into a snowboard-shaped piece of wood.

The memorial — a horizontal piece of wood shaped like a snowboard mounted on a stake carved to look like a mountain peak — was placed a few feet from the site of Hunter's accident. During the ceremony, when it started to snow, many of the gatherers said it felt as if Drew was looking down from above, having a bit of fun.

In his 1999 Marshfield High School yearbook, Hunter listed his goals as “to go to college, flight school, become a pilot, snowboard across the globe, travel to the ends of the Earth.” Within 10 years, he had met all of them, including traveling across the country from Marshfield to Daytona Beach, Fla., and then out to Vail.

After finishing high school in Marshfield, he attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in aviation, and later became an airline captain at Shuttle America.

Always the outdoorsman, he followed his passion for snowboarding and moved to Colorado four years ago. According to friends and family, Hunter lived for the exploring the snow-capped mountains in Colorado.

0Every chance he got, he could be found tearing up the mountain on his snowboard in the powder,” wrote Hunter’s fiancée Jenna Seoane in an e-mail.

A month ago, along with Seoane, also an MHS 1999 graduate, Hunter backpacked through Peru, exploring Machu Picchu and the Andes. He listed it as one of the highlights of his life after the trip.

In his former classmate Seoane, Drew found a partner who shared his passion for life, adventure and outdoor sports. Seoane and Hunter reconnected by chance five years after he graduated high school. After college, Seoane was living in California and had recently decided to travel to Africa to do volunteer work. When she returned, she had planned on moving to Colorado to become a “ski bum.”

“Someone mentioned Drew was living in Vail, so I got in touch with him asking if he knew anyone needing a roommate. He said he didn't,” Seoane wrote. “As I was getting on the plane to go to Africa, Drew called me and said his roommates had fallen through and he had an extra room for me if I wanted it. I moved in after four months being in Africa, and we became best friends before dating. I played hard-to-get.”

Seoane said she picked up a greater sense of responsibility and gratitude for life just being around Hunter.

“Drew was my only and first true love. He taught me all there is to know about love: the passion, the tr oubles, the sacrifices, the trust, the importance of each other’s feelings no matter how much you wanted it another way, and he taught me that when you find the right ‘one’ you feel it in your heart, and you caress it and cherish it, because it is a very hard thing to find,” Seoane wrote. “Drew helped to bring out the best of me; he protected me, and he loved me unconditionally. (We) shared our deepest, funest (sic) and most real experiences and secrets with one another, and it was done so with trust.”

“He taught me to be positive no matter what the situation was,” she added. “He taught me that our own experiences together were unlike anyone else’s, and that we are lucky for that, that we didn’t have to live an ‘ordinary’ life, and that adventure and unconditional (love) is what we really wanted together.”

During their years spent in Colorado, the pair embarked on adventures every day they had together.

“We were truly passionate about skiing, hiking, camping, biking, rock climbing, climbing 14,000-foot peaks in the Rockies, trying anything new and attempting to excel at it, and we were passionate about each other,” Seoane wrote.

Seoane said she and Hunter quickly bonded over their shared love of skiing and snowboarding.

“We had an absolute blast, and I could feel him becoming a best friend right before my eyes it was just happening,” she wrote. “He gave me an extra spark of light at the end of the night just when he made eye contact with me.”

In Vail, with Hunter’s friends from his Sigma Chi days in Florida, Seoane said a makeshift family formed.

“It became a family when Drew and I moved to a house on the river in Vail, where constant visitors and best friends stayed with us nearly every weekend,” she wrote.

In the last two years, Seoane said she and Hunter had planned out their lives — three children, a small house in Marshfield to be near their families when he was away flying and a small spot in Vail to visit and share when family and friends came to visit.

“We wanted to live on a sailboat; he wanted to build all the furniture in our homes, and we wanted to travel across the world, with and without our children, and later retire volunteering in Africa,” she said.

While Hunter thrived in the environment of the Rockies, he always appreciated Marshfield as his home, and his connections with friends and family remained strong. Hunter enjoyed frequent visits back home with his parents, Gail and Jeremy Hunter and his late sister Anjuli.

In December of 2006, Anjuli, Drew’s only sibling and younger sister, died in a car accident in Portland, Maine.

“Drew’s strength inspired=2 0me,” Seoane wrote. “He lost his sister just weeks before we met each other in Vail, and he thrived to get back into his life, return to his job as a pilot and get up on the mountain no matter how hard his heart ached. He talked to his ‘Mamacita’ nearly every day, comforting her after losing her daughter and exciting her with the adventures he was experiencing in his life.”

With the addition of Seoane to Hunter’s life, Gail Hunter felt that she had gained a new daughter.

“One of the best gifts Drew gave us was (Jenna),” Gail wrote in an e-mail. “When we lost Anjuli, we lost our only daughter. When Drew fell in love with (Jenna) and brought her into our lives, we truly felt we had gained a new daughter. We will always feel that way about her. We know how lucky he was to have found his soul mate, and how much he loved Jenna and spending the rest of his life with her. He was happy and in love with life. What more could parents want for their children?”

Looking back, Drew’s mother said she would always remember how happy her son was.

**“**He was the happiest baby you ever saw…always smiling and always making us smile,” she wrote. 9 CHis sunny disposition matched his birthplace, Tortola, (in the British Virgin Islands). I could never stay mad at him; he hated having anyone mad at him. He wanted everyone around him to be comfortable and enjoying themselves.”

With his mother, who he called "Mamacita,” and his father, also a pilot, Hunter shared his passions of flying and biking, hiking, kayaking, snowboarding and his new passion, kite boarding.

“He showed his love for us in so many ways, big and small, and he gave the best hugs,” Gail wrote. “I loved the way he would talk to me about almost anything, often to the discomfort of his friends. He was a source of comfort and strength after we lost his sister, Anjuli. He was a constant reminder that life was still precious and should be treasured. A mother or father couldn't ask for more from a son. He was a gift to us that brought us so much joy. His enthusiasm and thirst for life was palpable and contagious. He will be missed more than words can convey, but I can't help but believe that he will somehow help us feel his spirit around us.”

For those Hunter left behind, many said they were comforted in knowing that he accomplished so much that he had set out to do.

“Drew was a happy, kind, compassionate, motivating, and enthusiastic young man; his zest for life was contagious,” his mother said.

To his friends in Vail as well as in Marshfield, Hunter was a shining example of a person living for the moment.

“Drew always lived life to the fullest, following his dreams and achieving them, even at such a young age” said Meghan Richter, a fellow Marshfield High 1999 graduate and friend of Hunter’s. “He will forever be remembered as the fun loving, laughable, adventurous sweet person that he was, and he will be sorely missed but never forgotten. He put his heart into everything he did, and at least we can find some comfort in the fact that he died doing something he loved.”

Noel Coakley, one of Hunter’s friends throughout high school and college, said his friend had recently been talking about how loved he felt before his accident.

“He had been talking a bit about his friends, family, and future that week,” he said. “It's nice to think that he felt loved.”

“He was a great friend, to all of us,” said another high school classmate and friend, Melissa Keough. “He was always there to give support and listen or just talk things through. I'll miss the ski trips; we used to have so much fun and I don't know who else would be able to convince me to go down such hard crazy trails!”

Derek20Loomis, one of Hunter’s closest friends, said he would always remember the life lessons his friend has passed on.

“He had a mantra of ‘Take risks and don't live in fear,’” Loomis said. “I think that sums up Drew pretty well.”

Jason Kreisher, a fellow fraternity brother at Sigma Chi, knew Hunter through college, but didn’t become close to him until he moved out to Wyoming.

“I heard he was out there and I thought it was the coolest thing ever, so I got a job in Wyoming, bought a season (ski) pass and during the last two years, we made it to the mountains almost every other weekend,” Kreisher said. “He showed me stuff I wouldn’t have found or even attempted otherwise.”

When Hunter announced that he’d be taking a trip to Peru to climb mountains, Kreisher said it hit home how adventurous his friend was.

“He told me and I kind of shrugged it off, not because it wasn’t cool, but for Drew it sounded pretty normal,” he said. “He was always going off and doing stuff like that. Drew was also an eternal optimist, a glass-half-full type of guy. It was definitely good for me; he’d always be able to help me fill the glass up. Wherever he is now, he’ll be skiing fresh powder from now on.”

“Drew taught me that this time in life is just a raindrop in a puddle,” Seoan e said. “Drew and I knew from the bottom of our hearts that we had each found the one. I want him to know that I will be with him until that droplet of water in the pond spreads, so I may look into his eyes and thank him once more for the most passionate love I could ever ask for.”

A celebration of Drew's life will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 21, at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 842 Tremont St. (Route 3A) in Duxbury. Family and friends have asked that people in attendance wear casual, bright-colored clothing.

----- Service Information---

Unitarian Universalist

842 Tremont St.(RT 3A) Duxbury, Massachusetts

on fathers' day Sunday June 21.

2:30 pm-------please no obligation whatsoever

After the s ervice, there will be a tea in the reception hall at the church, and then special friends and relatives back here. (54 Old Barn Path). Probably 5pm on. Lou got a tent. Of course, you are all welcome. Just find a parking spot somewhere in our development if you choose to drop by. I have hired a policeman.

For those of you who do not know, Gail and Jeremy Hunter lost their only other beautiful child Anjoli just two years ago in a car accident involving black ice, no booze, no drugs, these two children were both golden. I know Gail does not want to be reminded of this---"Sunday must be all about Drew"---she insists.

Jenna insists wear casual

Thank you for your undying support. Together, we are all survivors.

Love you,

Jane

Jen's address for now 54 Old Barn Path, Marshfield, Ma 02050

Jen's email jennalane99@hotmail.com

Gail and Jeremy Hunter, 23 Tanglewood Trail, Duxbury, MA 02332

and email texmexgail@aol.com

We have lost a brother today

2009-06-05T00:00:00Z

Brothers and Friends,

I'm sorry to have to be the one who give everyone the bad news, but our Brother and friend Drew Hunter has passed away in a kayaking accident. He was with friends yesterday afternoon when he became stuck in the river. They tried to help him but it didn't work. The search party found our brother Drew this morning.

This is the link to the news story from Vail, CO.

As of now there are no plans for a funeral. As soon as I find out the information I will pass it on. I am out in Denver with Drew's fiance and family and will keep everyone up to date. Please use me as a contact, 603-630-4181.

Guard Well and Strong Arms Brothers,

Brad Vomacka

Hugh Mills Receives Significant Sig Award

2009-06-03T00:00:00Z

Brother Mills will be inducted as a Significant Sig on Friday, July 3rd, at the 77th Grand Chapter. During the 39 years of Eta Iota's existence, we have only been recognized for one Significant Sig, Brother John Bailey' 75.

I am humbled to have nominated Hugh for this great honor and am thrilled that he will finally be recognized for the tremendous sacrifices he has made for his community and our nation.

Brother Mills attended Officer Candidate School in the height of the Vietnam war. He was selected for Flight School and received his Army Aviator Wings as a helicopter pilot. At age twenty, he commanded a squadron of ten aircraft, and twenty young men in combat.

At the hands of the enemy, Brother Hugh Mills was shot down sixteen times in combat! Repeat...sixteen times!

After completing three tours in combat, Hugh had become one of the most, if not the most, highly decorated pilots in the Viet Nam war. He went on to command many units. He also "re-wrote" many of the Army helicopter tactics manuals. After completing twenty-six years of service in the Army, he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He has been director of security for several corporations, and has recently completed a career and retired as a Kansas City Police Officer/ Helicopter/Instructor pilot. Now, as a high demand speaker and author, he still finds time to fulfill an additional career as number two in command of the Sheriffs Department of the Kansas City area.

Brother Mills is a Life Loyal Sig, former Consul, Jordan Award recipient, Officer of the Year from the Kansas City Police Department, inductee of The Gathering of Eagles at Maxwell AFB (along with John Glenn and Chuck Yeager) and an inductee of Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame.

Hugh and his wife Sharon have been married for thirty six years. She serves a "Vice" detective for the Kansas City Police Department.

Please join us in congratulating Brother Mills. As you may recall, the Significiant Sig Award is Sigma Chi's highest recognition for achievement in a Brother's professional career and civic endeavors. His success has brought new luster and prestige to the White Cross.

1855 numbers over the past 9 years

2009-06-01T00:00:00Z

5 - Inaugural members in May 2000
43 current members (all time high)
$73,000+ donated
62 brothers have joined at some time in the last 9 years
17 brothers who donate monthly for the past 8 years

The 1855 Club turns 9 years old!!!

2009-05-09T00:00:00Z

That's right the 1855 Club was created in May 2000. I asked John Banta to share some of his early thoughts in creating the 1855 club:

I took on the role of House Corporation President back in 2000 along with Brian Lojko as Vice President and we knew right away that Eta Iota was facing a challenge with long-term capital improvement savings. Rental income from the undergraduate chapter covered mortgage payments, RMF Insurance premiums and the increasing maintenance costs but not much more. Past fund-raising initiatives of the chapter such as the Eta Iota Honor Wall demonstrated what we already knew - Eta Iota consists of very generous members who want to support the chapter but a vehicle was needed to facilitate the process.

The idea for the 1855 Club originated as we explored the various fund raising options for Eta Iota's capital improvement reserves and I wanted a solution that would meet several key criteria:

Perpetual. One of the frustrations I wanted to avoid with the 1855 Club was the fact that most formal fund raising campaigns consist of a massive drive to get one-time donations from their donors. These are often tough checks to write and the sales cycle often starts all over again the following year with the next campaign. I designed Eta Iota's 1855 Club to consist of recurring transactions of smaller dollar amounts, making it as pain-free as possible to both the chapter and our brotherhood with payment options available as low as $9.27 per month - key to the 2nd objective:

Affordable for members. Keeping the monthly donation amounts small but repeating allows more people to participate and join. Think about it - who can't spare $9 a month (the cost of less than 3 gallons of gas these days or maybe 3 drinks at Starbucks) for a cause they really believe in and want to support? The amounts are hardly missed, but the fact that it is a recurring transaction each month gives the chapter the important benefit of growth potential over time and a consistent revenue stream. Of course the member can pause or change their donations any time but the small amounts hopefully minimize the need to do so.

Low overhead. With so many professional fund raising organizations out there wanting to design and manage a program for groups like Eta Iota, they may provide an easy option but the costs would be painful to the fraternity - some charge as much as 50% of all revenues received. I wanted something where we would keep as much revenue as possible for the bottom line. Costs had to be minimal and with the 1855 Club approach, this requirement was met quite successfully with negligible operating costs to cover mailings and recognition gifts for our donors.

Social factor. One of my objectives with The 1855 Club was to make a membership within the chapter comprised of current donors that could attract future donors from within to enable to program to grow. I set out to do this through creating the recognition gifts, mainly the 1855 Club coin which serves as an easy way to show off your membership and commitment to Eta Iota, as well as keeping the market-ability of the club simple and straight-forward. It's not a campaign with an end date, dollar goal or specific purchase objective. It is a group of Winged Sigs demonstrating their continued financial support of the Eta Iota Chapter.

So after a few months of design work on the promotional materials, getting a page up on etaiota.org and making a few calls, The 1855 Club was launched in May of 2000 with 5 inaugural members. Nine years later, I think the program has come a fair distance but is certainly capable of doing much more. I am glad to see the current House Corporation Leadership renewing interest in the program with a push towards increased memberships and renewing those that have lapsed.

House Corporation Update – May 2009

2009-05-01T00:00:00Z

Monthly Emails

It has been a long time coming, but the monthly updates are back. I have always heard requests for better communication from the House Corporation with the Eta Iota alumni base. It might take a few months to be fully up to speed with these updates; we have some catch up to do for the lack of information in the past few years. In preparation for writing this email, I took a few minutes to review the last monthly updates, newletters, etc., that both the House Corporation and undergraduate chapter have. In a nut shell, we (your House Corporation) have done a terrible job at getting information out to our alumni, and for that I deeply apologize.

So here’s what we’re going to do: I’m going to fill you in on the events of last month and then you’ll find a link on etaiota.org, under newsletters, there’s a section for House Corp., email me your questions/comments (none will be omitted), and I will do everything I can to answer them. The goal is to get you the information you want and not bore you with BS. All questions and answers will be included
in the monthly updates.

House Update

The undergraduate chapter has taken great pride in our house over the past few months. This all culminated with a graduation sit-down dinner for the graduates and their families at the house. The parents I talked to were extremely impressed at the condition/cleanliness of the house. I talked with one parent that remembered helping their son move in and was very hesitant about leaving their child due to the look/feel of the facility. This parent also expressed their shock at arriving at dinner since they have
not been there since. The look on their face was priceless and we should all be proud of the undergraduates for stepping up over these past few years.

As you can see from the House Corp meeting minutes we have had an on-going security issue and the cameras we have invested in seem to be working. We have been able to recover personal items and positively identify the persons responsible. The initial set of cameras have done well but did not cover all the grounds. We have since invested in another set of cameras to bring our total to eight. At the time of this update we have five cameras installed, working, and recording. The other cameras should be
installed by the end of the week.
We have also addressed the rodent problem that was brought to our attention. We have always had some problems but lately it has gotten out of control. We hired a professional company to come out and do repairs to the property in order to prevent them from getting in. They sprayed down the attic and crawl spaces above the wings to kill the odor left by the animals, and set traps throughout the property/house.
Apparently, not only did we have a significant rat problem but also a raccoons. We also have a three year warranty on all the work, so if we have rodents coming back into the house these guys will come out and remove them.
We’ve also had some stucco issues around the backdoors to the chapter room, Room 1, and Room 9.
These issues are all currently being addressed as we speak. For those of you who might not have heard, about 2 years ago we replaced all the top boards and runners for the entire back deck and back staircase. The only piece that was not replaced was the four steps
leading down to the pool deck and its adjoining deck sections. These have also now been all replaced with new boards.
These issues and a handful more will be addressed over the summer term. The undergraduates have agreed to repaint the house and exterior doors, add some fresh landscaping, refinish the chapter room, and some other odds and ends. I know this doesn’t sound like much, but believe me, this is light years ahead of what we could expect from the undergraduates in previous years.

Update your Eta Iota Profile:

Like always, please verify your information is correct on the database:

Go to Eta Iota's online database. (www.etaiota.org and click on Member Directory in the top
menu)
Enter your last name & the last name of the mascot pictured (ford)
Verify your information and upload an optional photo of yourself.
Click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.

May Birthdays

Happy Birthday to those Brothers celebrating this month:
05/01 Tyler R Thies "Rainman " '08
05/01 Fernando Giuffra "Little Castro " '01
05/02 Steve Meade '75
05/02 Timothy J Sperbeck "Confusius " '01
05/03 Nick Edward Hoefer "Grinch " '05
05/05 James C Wozniak "Happy Jack " '96
05/05 Cyril Maramangalam "Roadrunner " '02
05/06 Chris Ashman '05
05/07 Dave Nelson '95
05/08 Kevin Rossignon "Dip " '06
05/08 James Doncaster "Jim " '84
05/09 Phil Morrow '77
05/10 Barrett Frain "Bighead " '96
05/10 Mike Ruganis "Ragu' " '79
05/10 Paul English '89
05/10 Aaron Pauly "Mrs Muffet " '04
05/11 Eric Dreisbach '84
05/11 Robert Pacheco "Rob " '90
05/12 Drew Hunter "Gary " '03
05/13 Richard Sturtevant "Skip " '74
05/13 Ron White '74
05/13 Albert A. Chacos '74
05/14 Gary Prestipino '91
05/14 Christopher Rosen '93
05/14 Andy Shiver '04
05/14 Jeff Guthrie "Frank N Beans " '03
05/16 Ed Tobin '77
05/16 Michael Donahue "Mike " '99
05/17 William F. Gutierrez "William " '86
05/18 Russell A. Strine "Russ " '73
05/18 John Buckner '78
05/19 Ray Santa '75
05/20 Mark Happ "Fatboy " '85
05/22 Jere Andrews '73
05/22 Sebastian Ciepiela "TeaBag " '05
05/23 Ken Hoyt '75
05/23 Ross Guscette '76
05/23 Roger Hughey "Vasco Da Gama " '01
05/24 Steve Foster '71
05/24 Gaspare Martino '80
05/25 Robert Paul Tetrault "Mr. Burns " '04
05/25 Paul Eddy '71
05/25 Chad Greer '97
05/26 Gary Zambito "Z " '74
05/26 Bill Ross '77
05/26 Joe Agro '87
05/26 Shane McGoldrick '93
05/27 Ron Moore Col "Crash " '73
05/27 Gary Towers '81
05/27 Charles Bonini '96
05/27 Travis Motes '95
05/28 Dane Slough '90
05/30 William F. Teague Bill '89
05/31 Fawaz Atchoo "Uzi " '92
05/31 Guy Ligon III '88
05/31 Dan Milicevic '94
05/31 Randall A Sarver "Shakespere " '99
5/31/ Matthew Pillon "Cuffs " '08
Finally, I’d like to thank everyone on the House Corporation and all the other volunteers for their endless
dedication and time.

Hope everyone has a great month. Be safe and we’ll talk to you again soon.

IHSV,
Brett Miller

1855 Club — Flight Path to 40th

2008-10-18T00:00:00Z

Eta Iota Mortgage Burning Party, Spring '08

Dear Brothers,

The mortgage burning signals the start of the flight path to the 40th Birthday. Our goal is to add 50 brothers per year to the 1855 Club up through the 40th Birthday — that will give us $100,000 in the bank and cash flow of $50,000 per year.

The money will go into a capital fund earmarked for renovations, rebuilding, or a new house on Greek Row (that's right, ERAU is talking about it). Whatever the proceeds are used for, we need to start now — our friends at Delta Chi have a head start.

You can set up a monthly draft from your bank or credit card, or send an annual check.

How can you participate?

Blue — $9.27/month
Founder — $18.55/month
Gold — $41.67/month
White Cross — $83.33/month
Constantine — $154.58/month

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

To join online, go to etaiota.org.

In Hoc,

Rich Schooley

Original document

1855 Club — Flight Path to 40th (postcard)Download

OF HOUSES, HOPES, AND HORRORS . .

2004-04-07T00:00:00Z

There is currently considerable interest and effort being directed to address the deteriorating condition of the Eta Iota Chapter House. This is admirable and necessary in the short term, and as an ongoing process. Our obligations are mandated by our commitment to the Brotherhood as well as a legally binding fiduciary responsibility and the mandates of Title VI, Chapter 83 of the Florida Statutes (“Landlord and Tenant”). It occurs to me however; that at some point it would be in everyone’s best interests to explore a long-term solution. Long-term solutions are just that. They do not – and should not - happen rapidly. They do however have to start somewhere. Thus, I put these thoughts to paper; to discuss, to tear apart, to laugh at, or such other reactions as deemed appropriate.

It’s an oft-used phrase, but true. With the exception of extensive work in 1989, we have been putting band-aids on a basket case. The existing House was built in 1960, and has had forty-four years of hard wear with minimal maintenance. We can continue this practice for some years, but not indefinitely. Again, long-term plans have to start somewhere. I do not believe a renovation of the existing House is a viable option, due to the age and ill-maintained condition of the basic structure and the inadequacy of its mechanical systems (heat/air, plumbing, electrical, etc.). If the existing property is to be used, I believe it would be far more cost-effective to raze the current structure, and start over. I should hasten to add that I am not an expert in such matters, but I have dealt with several properties over the years and I believe the current state of the House does not lend itself to renovation. Further, this option would leave us with additional – and substantial – debt without realizing any gain from the existing equity. In addition, it leaves us in the same location and I’m not sure that is desirable (remember, we’re thinking long-term).

What then, pray tell, is the answer? I propose we discuss the acquisition of property, and construction of a new Fraternity House. (No, I have not been drinking.)

We have equity in the existing property. What that equity is I don’t know – that is one of many questions to be answered. According to the Volusia County Property Appraisers Office, the valuation for tax purposes in 2003 was $418,773.00. What its value is on the open market will have to be determined, although it should be considerably more than the tax valuation. That is useable capital for acquisition of new property. The matter of financing, funding, and debt-service will obviously have to be explored in depth.

I propose acquiring a minimum of four to five acres (appx. 174,000 to 218,000 sq. ft.) for the purpose of constructing a two or three story building and an appropriate parking area, and to allow for future expansion and a “buffer” to better accommodate activities at the House. (Our current House, including living area, paved area, and decked area totals 17,383 sq. ft. This does not include unpaved areas and areas not under roof.) The building might include a first floor devoted to common areas (Chapter room, rec. room, library/study/computer room, kitchen, office, laundry room etc.). Upper floors would be residences. Land is available around the community – land that is relatively affordable, properly zoned, and convenient to the University. There are areas along Clyde Morris Blvd, Williamson Blvd, and US 92 west of I-95 that are examples.

We do not exist in a vacuum, and any efforts to acquire property and construct a house will involve various entities and require considerable research.

ALUMNI APPROVAL.

If this goes beyond discussion at the House Corporation Officer level, then I recommend seeking feedback from all Alumni for whom we have a point of contact, as well as Active Chapter Brothers. After all, they (hopefully) will be involved and committed for a long time!

VALUATION OF EXISTING PROPERTY.

This will involve research of property tax records, real estate sales records, and direct contact with a real estate professional. The result of this search will produce a capital gain figure for planning and acquisition of financing. The alumni of the Eta Iota Chapter will have to become and remain involved in funding and debt-service.

COST ESTIMATE OF LAND ACQUISITION.

This will involve utilization of the same records and real estate professional, as well as site exploration. Once again, the emphasis will be on affordability, location, and zoning.

COORDINATION WITH SIGMA CHI NATIONAL.

I am vaguely aware that Sigma Chi offers assistance in House financing. Clearly, coordination with the National Fraternity is essential, and will probably be beneficial. Someone with close ties to the National Fraternity should explore these possibilities in depth.

COORDINATION WITH E-RAU.

If only as a courtesy, the University should be aware of our endeavors. Whether there are University policy or legal ramifications regarding the existing House, and/or acquisition of new property I do not know. In any case, we do not need to alienate the University in this matter.

CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

We will need to work with an architect and/or contractor to plan and estimate cost of construction of a new Fraternity House. When dealing with various professionals (real estate, contractor, architect, etc.), it obviously would be advantageous to involve Sigma Chi Alumni.

It is probable that land acquisition and new construction will be far more cost effective than major renovation of the existing property. This is true both in terms of long-term debt and ongoing maintenance costs. A brand new property is easier to maintain and more cost-effective than an existing, or even renovated, property. To this end certain covenants must be created and observed by the Active Chapter and the House Corporation. There are intangible advantages as well. Ownership of a new, dedicated Fraternity House would undoubtedly enhance our prestige on the E-RAU campus with favorable results to our rush programs. It is even possible that other, more financially stable organizations within the Greek World on campus might emulate our efforts. I do not expect to see the long-sought “Fraternity Row” in my lifetime, at least not at the instigation of the University. Maybe we can get the ball rolling. It should be noted that while I am proposing a long-term solution, we cannot ignore the escalating value of real estate in the Daytona Beach area. Simply stated, while haste would be ill advised, the cost of land is increasing in eastern Volusia County at an astonishing pace. With the increasing rate of growth in this area, availability of land in areas suitable for our needs is diminishing.

I do not know how this proposal will be received. To be sure, it is ambitious. I believe - at the very least - it needs to be discussed. I do know that is a long-term project. I do know that it will require a serious and ongoing commitment from all our Eta Iota Brothers. I do know that it will require a substantial effort on the part of many. I firmly believe it can be done. Some scoffed at Eta Iota’s Founding Fathers when they proposed buying an old motel. All they did was accomplish precisely that. I ask that the House Corporation Officers discuss this. If it goes no further than that, then so be it. I put forward the idea because I believe it is necessary and I believe that it can be done.

In Hoc

Walt Sharpe

April 7, 2004

Daytona Beach, FL

President's Update – October 2003

2003-10-03T00:00:00Z

Eta Iota Life Loyal Milestone

For those of you who have not yet noticed, check out page 50 of The Magazine of Sigma Chi. Our dedication and commitment has been recognized as our chapter has the highest percentage of Life Loyal Sigs of any chapter at 34% Congratulations to those newest members also listed in this same issue: Jordan Lanford, Kevan Mackenzie, Mark Nicalek, Nikolaos Reineris.

Information about being a Life Loyal Sig can be found online at www.sigmachi.org/resources_hq/life_loyal.phtml.

Wings & Waves 2003

Time is running out to make plans for this years Wings & Waves and Alumni Weekend. The undergrads have been planning a weekend of events for any brothers and guests who will be in Daytona November 7-9 for the festivities. Sponsored in large part by Embry Riddle, this year promises a dose of Sigma Chi with the activities of our annual homecoming along with many more events for the centenial of flight.

Check out ERAU's official web site for Wings & Waves at wingsandwaves.org or the our own site for additional chapter info: etaiota.org/2003homecoming.shtml

House Update

In preparation for Alumni Weekend and to take care of some necessary maintenance, the undergraduate House Manager, Rob Tetrault, has been leading the charge on several impressive projects. Rob and his flock of devoted helpers have so far tackled replacing the aging sliding glass doors in the chapter room earlier this year and more recently, the back yard with several landscaping improvements. His latest efforts have yielded a new, more secure kitchen door after it's predecessor finally gave out.

House Corp would like to thank Rob and those who have helped him for all of their efforts for a job well done!

Guard Well,

John Banta

Eta Iota House Corp President

As always, Happy Birthday to those Eta Iota Brothers celebrating in October:

October Birthdays

10/01 David Newman '73

10/02 Mark Burroughs '79

10/02 Eric Hockman '90

10/02 Christopher Koerner '05

10/04 Bob Sween '72

10/04 Roger Gross "Bullfrog " '93

10/05 Seth Downs '92

10/05 Chris Marrero "Flobee " '99

10/06 Ross Stearn "R-Ross " '86

10/06 Ed Lowry '99

10/07 Brett Reasner "Ashley " '87

10/07 Dan Moquin '94

10/08 Nicholas Nesta Jr "Nick " '85

10/09 Robert Hartley '74

10/09 Jim Furman '73

10/09 Michael J. Remmert "Remy " '89

10/10 Bussey Allsup "Buzz " '71

10/10 Ryan Steffey "Pie " '93

10/10 Patrick McKelvey "Mefesto " '01

10/11 James Javurek "Jamie " '79

10/11 Jeff Hosler '91

10/12 Terry Roberts '71

10/12 Jon Brickner '90

10/12 Allen Cassino "Fingers " '96

10/13 Randall L. Cohen "Randy " '85

10/13 James W. Dillon "Jim " '83

10/14 Steve Gregory '78

10/14 William T. Reynolds II "Toby " '91

10/15 Bradley J. Bennett "Squirrel " '05

10/16 Phil Williams '91

10/16 Mark Lester Que "Mooch " '05

10/17 Mitchell Nimey "Mitch " '90

10/18 Scott Card "Relish " '01

10/18 Bret Bergman '05

10/19 Walt Hansen '73

10/19 Jon Kalic "Doubletake " '92

10/20 Tom Costello '87

10/20 Chad Denlinger '95

10/20 Thomas Maugeri Jr "Cliff Claven " '99

10/21 Michael Read '95

10/22 John Ferguson '75

10/22 Brad Nunn '81

10/23 Shawn Lowe "Forrest Gump " '99

10/23 John Haszard '72

10/23 John Banta '96

10/24 Michael Pelosi III "Mode " '81

10/24 John Emhoff "Quiver " '99

10/24 Rob Papandrea "Tic Tac " '00

10/26 Jason Alan Kreisher "Sea Bass " '05

10/27 Michael Wyble "Mike " '77

10/27 Michael Libonati "Mike " '82

10/28 Greg Bull '76

10/28 Micheal J. Plapp "Mike / Doc " '79

10/29 Chris Holloway '81

10/29 Todd Lake '83

10/30 Chuck Hall '89

10/30 Pete Cameron "Roxanne " '03

10/31 Scott Ekey '82

10/31 Jonathan Walrath "Lawn Dart " '02

President's Update – August 2003

2003-08-01T00:00:00Z

Back Again

I know, I fell behind on these monthly updates. I am now settled into Chicago after resigning from American Airlines a couple months back and that will be my excuse for anyone who is looking for one. After spending six years at AA between Revenue Management and a more enjoyable stint in technology with AA.com, I decided it was time to take a job with the king of pop-up advertising. Yes I realize my new employer's pop-up banners can annoy some but that's not my job so don't bother sending any complaints my way.

A lot has happened since my last update: Eta Iota turned 34, a new class of Spring initiates filled some of the voids left by a rather large departing class of graduating seniors, and up in the northeast, House Corp has been undergoing a thorough financial check-up thanks primary to the tremendous efforts of Mike Gehman...more on that below.

I recognize that communication has not been what I would call timely over the past few months except for the occasional updates in the online guestbook but I expect that to change. At this year's House Corporation annual meeting, we reviewed our plans for a communication campaign that we are calling "Relive the Experience"...you will see why. You will be receiving more information in the coming weeks as this campaign kicks off but I think everyone will enjoy the concept.

Again, thanks to everyone for your continuing support! On to the updates...

Finances Update

I am pleased to report on the hard work and dedication of House Corp's Treasurer, Mike Gehman, and all of his recent accomplishments since taking over our books. Mike called me last summer with some ideas and suggestions for how we could become more efficient and bring attention to a few areas that House Corp has not, until now, had the time nor resources to really provide the level of attention necessary. Over the past several months, Brother Gehman has accomplished many more tasks than anyone else on House Corp has been able to do in several years and I want to thank him for that. Great job Mike!

Volusia County Alumni Chapter

Back in Florida meanwhile, a handful of dedicated local alumni have organized the Volusia County Alumni Chapter with the help of Grand Praetor, Julio Varela. We all knew Julio was about to give birth to something any time now. For those who are members of local alumni associations elsewhere in the country, you recognize the value of these groups so it is great news to finally have one off the ground so close to Eta Iota. For more information on the V.C.A.C, visit their website at daytonasigs.com or drop Julio an email at jvarela@sig1855.com.

2003 Wings & Waves

If you missed last year's performance of the national lesbian skydiving team, book a room in Daytona for November 7 - 9, 2003 as one can only imagine what they've got planned for this year's celebration of 100 Years of Flight! Sponsored in large part by Embry Riddle, this year's festivities promise a dose of Sigma Chi with the activities of our annual homecoming along with many more events for the centenial of flight.

Prelimiary info from ERAU is available online at erau.edu/wingsandwaves. House Corp and the active chapter are also currently at work planning events around the house during this weekend. You will soon be receiving more information from the active chapter but in the meantime, mark your calendars and save the date!

New Payment Options for the 1855 Club

I'm proud to report that as the 1855 Club continues to grow year after year, we have also introduced additional ways to become a members. For those of you who have not yet joined or would like to renew an annual membership, we have introduced new options to make joining easier than ever before!

You can now join using any of the following methods:

The original method of automated, monthly drafts from your checking account
Most banks now offer online Bill Pay services where you can designate House Corp as an automatic payee for monthly amounts
You can use one of two credit card features we have online whereby you make a one-time payment or set up any major credit card for automatic monthly payments.
Of course you may also send a check for the full amount to House Corp for an annual membership.

For complete information and membership options, please visit etaiota.org/1855club/1855club.shtml.

To date, the program has raised nearly $30,000 thanks to the continuing support of our members. Just in the past couple months, several new members have signed up and I would like to thank Neil Campbell, Chris Nevins, and Mike O'Donnell for their ongoing support.

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corp President
As always, Happy Birthday to those Eta Iota Brothers celebrating in July or August:

July Birthdays

07/01 James D. Atkins '85
07/01 Mauricio Aguilar "Reese " '89
07/02 James Lambertsen "Jack Ryan " '
07/02 Steve Bobonick '78
07/02 Jeff Oltman '82
07/02 George Zimmer "Zoomer " '82
07/02 Mike Knizewski "Ski " '86
07/02 Jon Burrows '91
07/05 Sidi Lemnouni '73
07/05 Mike Murray '75
07/05 Robert Paulus Jr. "Rob " '81
07/05 Mike Patterson '95
07/07 Randy Symanski "troll " '00
07/09 Don Miller A '79
07/09 Chris Michael Ferguson "ACE " '03
07/10 Richard A. Farina "Rich " '76
07/10 Frank Memolo '84
07/10 Mike Sleeper '92
07/11 Ramano Sprueil MD "Miner " '94
07/12 Frank Bloomer '81
07/12 Andrew Martin '04
07/13 William Berg "Bill " '74
07/13 Denny Marvicsen '73
07/13 Pat Mooney '83
07/14 Chad Ciaravella '00
07/15 Pat Muncie '75
07/15 Chirstopher Fox "Zegular " '99
07/16 Ryan G Jarvis "Wiggum " '05
07/18 Roy Lockwood '72
07/18 Chadwick Conner "Chad " '90
07/18 Ken Zaccagnini '85
07/19 David Little '95
07/20 Fred Allen '78
07/20 J.Richard Allison IV "Dickie " '03
07/20 Richard Winter "smuckers " '05
07/21 Guy Shore '71
07/21 James L. Webre "Jim " '74
07/21 Cory Weir '97
07/22 Mario Scalzo Jr '87
07/23 Jason Smith "VANILLA " '00
07/24 Stephen A. Blake "Steve " '74
07/25 Hobson Morgan '73
07/25 Lawson Mansfield '77
07/25 Gerry Taggart '82
07/25 Tommy Alouf '82
07/26 Scott Rehn "Corncob " '99
07/26 Jeff Feliciano "Hummer " '05
07/27 Richard Bush "Rich " '75
07/27 Mark McNally '91
07/27 John Williams III "Chewy " '92
07/28 Scott McIvor '93
07/29 Kevan MacKenzie "Fuzzy " '01
07/30 Keith Kelly '99
07/31 David L Campbell '78
07/31 Harry Nostrant '87
07/31 Bill Krebs '86

August Birthdays
08/01 Patrick L. Caylor '84
08/02 Edward Goerges '73
08/03 Christopher Charles Cox '90
08/03 Ryan Schubert '99
08/04 David L. Bonifield '74
08/05 Rick Spicer '72
08/05 Bryan Gleason '96
08/05 Quincy Evans '04
08/06 Kevin Stocker '83
08/06 Charles Eric Culbertson "Maytag " '05
08/07 Bill Foulk '85
08/08 Ron Toy '92
08/09 Brian Valimont "Frenchy " '00
08/10 Paul Brandau "Peaches " '05
08/10 Larry Kolar '73
08/11 Thomas A. Robbins "Tom " '84
08/11 Christopher Nevins "Chris " '96
08/11 Thomas Turfitt "Tommy " '04
08/13 Roger Moody '73
08/13 Dave Evans '77
08/13 Mike Rossbach "Cheech " '77
08/13 Scott Reiter '80
08/13 Mike Plessinger '85
08/13 Brett Watrous '88
08/13 Jason Googe '94
08/15 Hugh Reynolds '74
08/15 Matt Hanson "Cannon " '91
08/16 Archie Roberts '74
08/17 John Ehrenreich '83
08/17 Stuart Fraenkel Esq. '89
08/17 Steven Todd Weeber "Todd " '93
08/18 Scott C Bacon "Farva " '06
08/18 Bradley D. Bower "Brad " '91
08/19 Jason Koehler '99
08/20 George Yurcic Jr "Shovelhead " '96
08/21 James Thompson "Jet " '74
08/21 Jack Barsin '71
08/21 Robert C. Lambert "Bobby " '77
08/21 John Belleau '91
08/21 Mike Kline Jr "Hula Girl " '04
08/22 Kevin Lower '85
08/22 Brian Kilday '94
08/23 Doug Sherwood '95
08/23 James Dianto '90
08/23 Andy Fischer '99
08/24 William Frey "Billy " '77
08/24 Tom Waterman '86
08/24 Craig Jenkins "streaker " '92
08/25 Joe Ferrell '78
08/28 John deLafosse '72
08/28 Juan Gonzalez '77
08/28 Blair Shiplett "Shaggy " '02
08/29 William Craig "Bill " '73
08/29 Timothy J. Rooney "Tim " '90
08/30 Buddy Evans '73

President's Update – December 2002

2002-12-01T00:00:00Z

Happy Holidays from House Corporation

As this time of year is upon us once again, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our brothers and their families a safe and enjoyable holiday season. With 2002 having both it's highlights and unfortunately, unavoidable tragedies, it has been a memorable year and one that reminds us of the strength in the bonds of our brotherhood and the underlying purpose of Sigma Chi

The loss of Brother Ryan Donley earlier this year reminded us that we are not resistant to loss and far from impervious to the tragic circumstances that usually happen to 'the other guy'. While we as a chapter shared the loss with Daphne and Ryan's family in a way that seemed to feel natural to us, they were overwhelmed at the support and generosity brought forth by the chapter and individual friends and Brothers who knew Ryan personally and those of you who had never met him.

I had a chance to attend the Alumni Spaghetti Dinner at the house this past fall and Daphne was present as she has been in previous semesters to help out with our obvious inability to cook a decent dinner and speak of her experiences as a past Sweetheart.

This time however, was clearly different as she captured the attention of everyone in attendance as she described her time with Ryan and her experiences with the chapter following his passing. They were, by far, the most meaningful and heart-felt thoughts and reflections of our brotherhood and our bonds that I think I have ever heard spoken at the house.

Other challenges, much less critical in the overall picture, faced us as well over the course of the year. With the aviation industry seeing a reduced work force, many of our brothers have found themselves facing challenging career decisions and some dealing with unemployment.

Eta Iota's insurance premiums continue to increase at record paces with no relief expected in the immediate future. The overall economy has turned south, making fund raising considerably more difficult as everyone feels the pain of a recessed economy.

With all of these challenges on our proverbial plate, some brothers have asked "How is House Corp doing?" My answer is that House Corp has never been better! We have proven in the past that challenges encourage us to focus on those issues that are most important and to pull together whatever loose ends need to be brought in to achieve our goals and overcome the obstacles.

With dedicated brothers at the helm of the executive positions in House Corp and at the undergraduate level, I am confident that we are heading in the right direction and are prudently planning a course of action to deal with each of these challenges.

On November 23rd, Brian Lojko, Julio Varela and myself met in Daytona with Mike Gehman joining us via conference call. Along with the undergraduates, we reviewed the purpose and responsibilities of House Corp, current insurance issues, alumni communications, a high-level review of future housing, and specific house projects that we would like to address. I was personally very impressed with the level of interest and participation shown by the actives over the weekend as they joined us to better understand our operation and to review possible solutions to the challenges we face.

Many alumni brothers have also stepped forward with a renewed level of commitment to the chapter. We continue to add new members to the 1855 Club and receive renewal memberships as well, for which we are incredibly grateful. We also realize full well however that not everyone is in a position allowing him to take part financially…and they have come forward with alternative support. I have received several calls from our brothers with ideas and suggestions and the underlying statement that "I want to be more involved". This is the type of support that will be invaluable as we continue to grow.

This level of cooperation and commitment leads me to sincerely believe that we are in a great position and heading in the right direction for 2003 and beyond. Stay tuned to our updates and our newsletters as we keep you posted on our progress. The years to come hold many opportunities for us as a chapter to look forward to.

New Undergraduate Newsletter

The undergraduates recently mailed out their latest Winged Sig Newsletter to those of you who are signed up to receive paper copies. For everyone who did not receive one in the mail, your electronic version is available for your reading pleasure. Don't forget that copies of all newsletters and monthly emails are available online at etaiota.org/newsletters.

Not sure if you are signed up to receive paper copies??? Check out your online profile:

Visit the Eta Iota Online Database
Enter your last name and the dog's last name as a password
If you're already receiving paper newsletters, it will indicate that under the address column
To update your preference, click on Edit

Newest Initiates

On November 23rd, the undergraduates initiated the Beta Phi pledge class capping off another successful I-Period. Congratulations to the undergraduate chapter for all of their hard work and welcome aboard to our newest Brothers:

Robert Tetrault

Jason Morang

Brad Bennett

Scott Bacon

Tyler Carlson

Pat McGrath

Andrew Fletcher

Mac Netto

Dave Elert

Thank You Brother Ebbe

Latest thanks goes out to Rod Ebbe, who just this past month renewed his annual membership in The 1855 Club. Thank you Rod and everyone else for your continuing support! Joining is easy - Check out www.etaiota.org/1855club right now for more info including the various levels and great gifts for members!

Guard Well,

John Banta

Eta Iota House Corp President

December Birthdays

As always, Happy Birthday to those Eta Iota Brothers celebrating this month:

12/01 Doug Trommer '84

12/01 James Ahrens "Gassi " '90

12/01 Bryant Jones '92

12/01 William Cannon "Gopher " '98

12/01 Duncan Copeland "Bull " '93

12/01 William Jones "Nomad " '99

12/01 Lee Jordan Lanford "Snoozer " '01

12/02 John Feliu '71

12/04 Murdock MacGregor III "Malcolm " '91

12/04 Glen Wilkinson '91

12/04 Jim DeForest "Muscles " '94

12/05 Harold Belcher Jr "Ray " '73

12/06 Tom Santurri '72

12/07 Scott Kropp '87

12/07 Brett Reasner "Ashley " '87

12/08 Robert Johnson '74

12/08 James Bull "Jamie " '76

12/10 Tom Reed '71

12/10 Graham Crippin "Crip " '87

12/10 Kieran Sullivan J. "Kerry " '88

12/11 Jerome Nichols "Jerry " '72

12/12 Brian Jones "Chatty Cathy " '02

12/14 Tony Kralich '77

12/14 Rich Kiever '77

12/14 Greg Maltese '77

12/15 Michael S. Plantz "Mike " '72

12/15 Robby Long '00

12/15 Curt Kienast "Agent 99 " '01

12/15 Bryan Stevens "altarboy " '04

12/16 Tim Woleben '72

12/16 Bill Isakson '87

12/16 Gregg Dudzinski "Dudz " '89

12/16 John-Paul Maydak "J.P. " '99

12/17 Chris Thiel '87

12/18 Joseph Gamarano III "Joe " '72

12/19 Ryan Carson '99

12/20 Stephen Woerz '75

12/23 Douglas Phillips "Doug " '73

12/24 Gerald Hayman '72

12/24 Ed Vogel '72

12/24 Ted Branscomb '79

12/24 Frank Gangichiodo '04

12/24 Bradly Vomacka "Door Jam " '05

12/25 Howard Trimble '73

12/26 Steve Goldman '83

12/28 Mark Eberle '77

12/28 Danny Shellhouse '82

12/30 Mark Becker '80

12/30 John Bruns '83

12/31 Kevin Parker "Ghost " '97

12/31 Ryan Wakefield "houdini " '01

President's Update – November 2002

2002-11-01T00:00:00Z

New look for etaiota.org

Our esteemed Webmaster, Bill Palmer and I have been throwing around ideas for improving our website and have already begun rolling out some of the changes. You'll notice changes to the site upon your next visit that we hope you will find useful:

New homepage - We have grown over the years and so has our homepage. We have cleaned up the content and improved the legibility with a crisp look & feel.
Header images - New header images have been added for each of the main sections of the site. You will find different images appearing in the top-left corner of your browser window depending on which area of the site you are viewing.
Standardized navigation - You will notice that every single page has a standard navigation bar along the top edge. With this, you can get to any area of the site very easily and with only a couple of clicks. This nav bar has links to the homepage, the undergraduates' site, our membership directory, current and past newsletters (both printed & email versions), The 1855 Club section, our very popular guest book, job listings and the photo album.
Style sheets - We are moving towards using style sheets on more and more of our pages. That basically means more consistent (and thereby more readable) pages.

Take a look at the new site and let us know what you think. There is a lot of pretty useful functionality on here to help you keep in touch with our brothers and find out what is going on with your chapter and House Corp.

Homecoming & White Rose Update

Sorry for the late notice but this year's Career Expo and homecoming weekend is this week, Nov 6-10. See ERAU's official schedule of events for complete information and details about the festivities planned. Want to go to White Rose? You'll have to ask the active for details as we have not heard anything.

1855 Members Update

Thank you to Brothers Bonini, Morrison and Marino for their recent contributions to The 1855 Club. Many of you are taking advantage of our new form of payment for the program by making a full year's contribution by credit card. It's easy - what's stopping you from joining?? Our membership continues to grow and past members are renewing their contributions for which we are grateful. Thank you once again to all members and their continuing support of Eta Iota!

Know of Any Job Opportunities

As layoffs and furloughs become more common, our career listings on etaiota.org becomes more helpful to our brothers. If you know of any positions or openings in any field that may be of interest, please contact Bill Palmer with any details so that they can be posted for our members.

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corp President

November Birthdays

As always, Happy Birthday to those Eta Iota Brothers celebrating in November:
11/01 Andy Roberts '93
11/02 Terence McCullough "T " '85
11/03 David Hines "Dave " '93
11/04 Pete Ripley '73
11/04 Mike Van Hamburg '81
11/04 Philip Humbert "Phil " '80
11/04 Jim Schlosser '85
11/04 Carmine Respucci '85
11/04 Jeffrey Alan Fejfar "Shark Bait " '00
11/05 Bernie Palmer '75
11/06 Paul Williams '71
11/06 George Waterman '72
11/07 Gregg Rorabaugh "Bam Bam " '86
11/08 Paul Jensen '80
11/08 John Clough '83
11/08 Thomas E Falkner "Tom " '87
11/08 Jude Gableman '99
11/10 Sean Cantwell '04
11/11 George G. Cannady "Guy " '74
11/12 Drew Kelley '86
11/12 Ian McVeigh '93
11/12 Jason Mesteller "Surgeon " '00
11/13 Paul Mercandetti '72
11/13 Theodore Janiec "Ted " '85
11/13 Bert Somers '89
11/14 Eric Zimmerman "EZ " '92
11/14 Michael Tomlin '94
11/16 Thomas E. Nanfelt "Tom. " '72
11/17 Dave McGloon '73
11/17 Joe Fabiano '95
11/17 Greg Tennille '89
11/20 John McDaniel '73
11/22 Mark O'Neill '97
11/24 Jack Sheehan '74
11/24 Dan Kessler '70
11/24 Jaime Mercado '91
11/24 Michael Tomai "Daniel San " '05
11/25 Michael Pusch "Mike " '76
11/25 Michael H Mathewson "Mike " '80
11/25 Mike Clohisy "Skip " '82
11/27 James W Patterson "Jim " '73
11/28 Sid Barling '71
11/28 Richard Gadd Jr "Dick " '72
11/28 John Houghtaling '72
11/28 Thomas Kachmar "Kach " '77
11/29 Gary Granger '90
11/30 John Benedict '72

President's Update – October 2002

2002-10-01T00:00:00Z

Spaghetti Dinner a Success

The kitchen at the house was stirring during the day of the 20th as actives and past Sweetheart's together tackled the task of preparing a spaghetti dinner for prospective members, active brothers and alumni, from both Eta Iota and elsewhere.

As has become tradition, Alumni came to the house on this night to have an opportunity to speak with ERAU undergrads interested in our Fraternity and share some of the experiences that we have been fortunate enough to have as Sigma Chis. Among those in town included Jeff Fejfar and his fiancé, past International Sweetheart, Wendy Papson, Grand Praetor and past Chapter Advisor, Julio Varela, past Chapter Advisor Kent Krause, Roger Moody, Chris Edmondson, Bob Weisenseel, Brian Lojko, and myself. The night was a huge success due to preparation of the actives and the positive turnout of alumni to support the event. Special thanks again to everyone who's hard work was very much appreciated, including Ryan Collins, Tommy Turfitt, Mark Nicalek, and past Eta Iota Sweethearts, Daphne Winegartner and Amy Misakonis.

Room 16 Discovery

Following the spaghetti dinner, the actives asked me to look at the ceiling in room 16 as it looked as though it was starting to come down along one seam in the drywall. Brian Lojko and I looked at it and suspected water damage from a leak in the roof or a busted pipe. To settle the mystery, we pulled down a small section of the loose drywall and were immediately presented with a scene from NBC's Fear Factor as hundreds of carpenter ants fell from the infested insulation just above the ceiling. Both Lojko and I agreed as we watched the ants scurry across the carpet with larvae in tow that it was definitely one of the most disgusting events we had witnessed during our time at Eta Iota (and I had a rat die within the walls when I lived in room 10).

A full can of ant & roach spray combined with Crazy Bob armed with a wooden paddle made quick work of the pests as we tore down more and more of the ceiling to investigate the extent of the damage. The following morning, Brian and I worked to pull down the remainder of the ceiling to prepare for the replacement. It turned out that there was fairly significant damage to a couple of the ceiling joists that caused the drywall to start coming loose. It's unclear at this point if the damage was solely caused by the ants or was done by past termites prior to the '95 tenting and extermination.

Estimates from local contractors pinned the repair costs at about $1,000 more or less to replace the damaged wood and drywall. A couple of the pledges however have run contracting/renovation businesses in the past and have volunteered to showcase their skills and run this as a pledge class project resulting in a significant cost savings for House Corp. The work started on 9/28 and so far has progressed very well with professional results.

For complete pictures of the progress, check out the room 16 page.

Budget Overview

With the recent issues regarding our insurance coverage through RMF and things like the above repair work to room 16, I think it's important for everyone to know about our operating budget.

As you can imagine, House Corp operates on a tight budget but we have obviously taken that to new levels. Highlights of the current budget for 2002-2003 are as follows:

|
Revenue |
|

|
Rent ($4750*8months) |
$38,000 |

|
|
|

|
Expenses |
|

|
Mortgage |
$20,640 |

|
Insurance |
$13,000 |

|
Maintenance |
$3,000 |

|
Postage & mailings |
$850 |

Our only source of operating income is rent collected by the actives at a monthly rate of $4,750 for the 8 months out of the year they pay rent to House Corp. Some may ask about the 1855 Club income but that is not considered operating income as that money is set aside for long-term savings and not used to support annual expenses.

As you can see, with insurance being as much as it is, we don't have much room for extensive maintenance funds so we are forced to be more mindful than ever of how and when things are being fixed or replaced. The actives have been cooperative so far although the year is still young and we will certainly be testing our resourcefulness by the end of the spring and into next summer.

Much like the airlines, we are financially blessed with having had several years of profitability to help us endure any modest crisis. We will continue to keep our tabs on our costs and work closely with the undergrads to keep the house maintained within our means. As I stated before, our fundraising does not go into our operating budget. If you would like to make a financial donation specifically to the chapter's maintenance fund, please contact us:

John Banta
214-979-0850

Mike Gehman
508-883-2673
mikegehman@attbi.com

Joining The 1855 Club

As we covered in the latest newsletter, we've made it even easier to join the 1855 Club with an online payment option where you elect to pay in a single lump sum with a credit card. Membership options start at just 9.28 per month or $111.30 annually. Be sure to see The 1855 Club page for complete information.

Etaiota.org Guest Book

Looking for a way to waste some time at work? Check up on recent messages from our bothers on our chapter's virtual guest book or leave your own for others to read. You can also provide your email address from this page so that any new updates are sent to you automatically so no need to keep visiting the page to check for updates.

This and much more right from the homepage at etaiota.org.

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corp President

October Birthdays

As always, Happy Birthday to those Eta Iota Brothers celebrating in October:
10/01 David Newman '73
10/02 Mark Burroughs '79
10/02 Eric Hockman '90
10/02 Christopher Koerner '05
10/04 Bob Sween '72
10/04 Roger Gross "Bullfrog " '93
10/05 Seth Downs '92
10/05 Chris Marrero "Flobee " '99
10/06 Ross Stearn "R-Ross " '86
10/06 Ed Lowry '99
10/07 Dan Moquin '94
10/08 Nicholas Nesta Jr "Nick " '85
10/09 Robert Hartley '74
10/09 Jim Furman '73
10/09 Michael J. Remmert "Remy " '89
10/10 Bussey Allsup "Buzz " '71
10/10 Ryan Steffey "Pie " '93
10/10 Patrick McKelvey "Mefesto " '01
10/11 James Javurek "Jamie " '79
10/11 Jeff Hosler '91
10/12 Terry Roberts '71
10/12 Jon Brickner '90
10/12 Allen Cassino "Fingers " '96
10/13 Randall L. Cohen "Randy " '85
10/13 James W. Dillon "Jim " '83
10/14 Steve Gregory '78
10/14 William T. Reynolds II "Toby " '91
10/16 Phil Williams '91
10/16 Mark Lester Que "Mooch " '05
10/17 Mitch Nimey '91
10/18 Scott Card "Relish " '01
10/18 Bret Bergman '05
10/19 Walt Hansen '73
10/19 Jon Kalic "Doubletake " '92
10/20 Tom Costello '87
10/20 Chad Denlinger '95
10/20 Thomas Maugeri Jr "Cliff Claven " '99
10/21 Michael Read '95
10/22 John Ferguson '75
10/22 Brad Nunn '81
10/23 Shawn Lowe '99
10/23 John Haszard '72
10/23 John Banta '96
10/24 Michael Pelosi III '81
10/24 John Emhoff "Quiver " '99
10/24 Rob Papandrea "Tic Tac " '00
10/26 Jason Alan Kreisher "Sea Bass " '05
10/27 Michael Wyble "Mike " '77
10/27 Michael Libonati "Mike " '82
10/28 Greg Bull '76
10/28 Micheal J. Plapp "Mike / Doc " '79
10/29 Chris Holloway '81
10/29 Todd Lake '83
10/30 Chuck Hall '89
10/30 Pete Cameron "Roxanne " '03
10/31 Scott Ekey '82
10/31 Jonathan Walrath "Lawn Dart " '02

President's Update – September 2002

2002-09-01T00:00:00Z

Latest Newsletter Online

The latest semi-annual printed newsletter was mailed out recently and the online version has been posted on etaiota.org. You can access the online edition as well as past issues and the monthly emails at WWW.ETAIOTA.ORG/NEWSLETTERS.

A couple minor errors have surfaced since the newsletter was printed: the officer index on the front page should read "2002" instead of "2001" and our current treasurer, Mike Gehman's, email address should be "mikegehman@attbi.com" Eta Iota's Spaghetti Dinner

As part of their Rush activities, the actives are holding an alumni spaghetti dinner at the House on September 20th. They have asked that any alumni who may be in the area to stop by and enjoy themselves for a night of reliving the EXperience with our undergraduate and prospective brothers.

Roofing Issues

A section of the flat roof over the main house has recently sprung a significant leak. This protion of the roof was replaced back in 2000 and luckily, the workmanship and/or products should be covered under warranty. Unfortunately, the roofing contractor has been rather slow in responding to calls and getting a crew out to make necessary repairs. We have enlisted the help of local lawyer, Tom Hart, to send a 'reminder' note to the contractors and mention the urgency of the situation.

ERAU Homecoming Approaching

Mark your calendar for November 6-10 for this year's Homecoming & Alumni weekend in Daytona. The following dates were pulled from ERAU's website at http://www.erau.edu/0Universe/06/events/dbhomecomingal.html

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6

3rd Annual Distinguished Alumni/Corporate Awards Dinner

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6 - 7

Industry/ Career Expo

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Alumni & Parent Event Registration/Check-In

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Eagle Athletic Association Scholarship Golf Tournament

3rd Annual Alumni Volleyball Match

1 p.m. ~ ICI Center

Homecoming Parade

4 p.m. ~ Parade route on campus

Alumni & Parent Tailgate Party & Pep Rally

Alumni , Students, and parents are invited to join in this traditional homecoming celebration. Enjoy live entertainment, great food, giveaways, and more. One complimentary adult beverage ticket included.

5 p.m. ~ ICI Parking Lot ~ $15 early bird - $20 after 10/28

Alumni & Parent Tailgate Party & Pep Rally

5 p.m. ~ ICI Parking Lot ~ $15 early bird - $20 after 10/28

Alumni Reunion at The Ocean Deck

The best networking takes place during this traditional reunion at Daytona alumni most famous hangout. Enjoy live entertainment by the Caribbean Posse and great food/beverage specials.

9 p.m. ~ Ocean Deck Restaurant & Beach Club

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9

15K "Riddle Run-Around" Scholarship Race

7 a.m. ~ 15K course around campus ~ $15 early bird - $ 20 after 10/28.

2002 Fly-In & Static Display : "Embry-Riddle Salutes our Military Alumni"

As a tribute to the thousands of our military alumni, Embry-Riddle proudly presents the 2002 Fly-In & Static Display. Enjoy networking with alumni serving in the United States armed forces from all over the world. Over 75 aircraft are scheduled to appear, including : A-10 Thunderbolt, AH-64 Apache, AT-38C, B-1B Lancer, C-5 Galaxy, C-12 King Air, C-23 Citation, C-23 Sherpa, C-130 Hercules, C-130J, CH-47 Chinook, E-3AAwacs, F-4 Phantom, F-15 Strike Eagle, F-16 Viper, F-18, MH-6 Little Bird, MH-47 Special Ops, OH-58A Observation, P-3 UH60 Blackhawk and much more. Aircraft participation subject to change. General aviation and corporate aircraft will also be on static display. Other highlights include children's events and activities, merchandise, and food vendors. Amap with directions and parking details will be available at registration.

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. ~DAB Airport, Whiskey & Echo taxiways ~ $5 per car at 59, Richard Petty Blvd.

College of Aviation Open House & Tours

Tour this new 75,000 square foot state-of-the art facility, which is Phase I of the new flight line redevelopment. Faculty members will showcase meteorology labs, air traffic control simulations, and high-tech aviation equipment.

1 - 3 p.m. ~ Aviation Building Atrium ~Complimentary refreshments

Homecoming Dinner ~ "ERAU Salutes our Alumni in the Military"

Guest speaker Lt. General John M. "Mike" McDuffie ('77) enjoy a distinguished31-year career in the Army. He was an Army aviator and attack helicopter pilot, served as the president's military emissary for humanitarian relief operations in group vice president of defense programs and systems for the Anteon Corporation.

6 - 8:30 p.m. ~ Daytona Beach Jet Center Hanger ~ $30 early bird - $35 after 10/28

30th Birthday CDs

Last word from Gassi is that final touches are currently being put on the commemorative 30th Birthday CDs containing photographs & images from Eta Iota over the past 30 years. The CDs should be ready for mailing soon and we will update the status in next month's email.

September Birthdays

As always, Happy Birthday to those Eta Iota Brothers celebrating in September:

09/01 Larry Prosser '75

09/01 Trevor Prigge "Chesta " '04

09/02 Stephen Avery III '71

09/03 Ken Bott "Excalibur " '90

09/04 Gary Homanick '82

09/04 Edward Gomez "Edie " '92

09/04 Bryan Hogan '94

09/04 Ron Hoye '94

09/06 Josh Donaldson '01

09/07 David Torres "Nacho " '98

09/08 Thomas Haught '95

09/08 Christopher Sanscrainte "Chris " '95

09/09 Dennis Hall '74

09/09 Dan Bush '75

09/09 Brent Gillam '89

09/09 Brent McBratney '92

09/11 Eric Bowen '81

09/11 Dave Stepien "Step " '86

09/11 Robert R. Bergenstock Jr. "Bob " '85

09/12 Jere Anderson "Fat Albert " '72

09/12 Darrell A. Beard Jr. "Skip " '73

09/12 Dudley Mecum '83

09/15 Art Jacobs '74

09/15 Chris Haun "Fieval " '01

09/16 Tom Moore '81

09/16 Rod Ebbe '85

09/17 James Gierhart '93

09/18 Dave Stuart '79

09/18 Ted Sandoval "Ted " '86

09/20 John Paul DiGiacobbe "Lil' Peepers " '05

09/20 Lawrence Rea Jr "Larry " '75

09/20 Eric Eichmann '92

09/20 Jason Clancy '93

09/21 Chauncey Clark '73

09/21 Steve Schmidt '76

09/23 Dwight Cheek '75

09/23 Geoff Harned '77

09/24 George E. Pence PhD "Doc " '61

09/24 Mark Rogers "Stormy " '73

09/25 Ron Delle Donne '80

09/26 Mark Schachtel '80

09/26 Neil Campbell '92

09/26 Colin Malaker '92

09/26 Anthony Hammond '95

09/27 William F. Palmer Jr. "Bill " '79

09/28 Timothy Forman "Tim " '74

09/28 Rich Rossell '95

09/29 John Murphy '78

09/29 Kevin Ergenbright '88

09/30 Jim Hamblin '72

09/30 Dan Ward '88

09/30 Frank Bokulich '95

Guard Well,

John Banta

Eta Iota House Corp President

President's Update – August 2002

2002-08-01T00:00:00Z

Final Call for Printed Newsletter

We are putting the finishing touches on the next printed newsletter scheduled to mail next week. If you have any alumni updates, please send them as soon as possible to John Banta. We have received only a handful so far so we may omit the section altogether if there is no significant response. Also, you will ONLY get a printed newsletter if you profile specifically requests one. Of the 600 or so members, only a couple hundred have asked that they still receive a paper newsletter. Those who do not get one will still have access to an electronic version that will be posted on etaiota.org. Check below for instructions on how to verify if you will receive a paper copy.

Update Your Eta Iota Profile

Checking or updating your online profile is easy:

Go to Eta Iota's online database
Enter your last name & the last name of the mascot pictured
Verify your information and submit any changes as necessary. Note that you will only receive a paper copy of the newsletter if either a) we do not have your email address on file or b) we do have your email address on file but your profile indicates that you require a paper copy.

September Birthdays

As always, Happy Birthday to those Eta Iota Brothers celebrating in September: 08/01 Patrick L. Caylor '84 08/02 Edward Goerges '73 08/03 Chris Cox '90 08/03 Ryan Schubert '99 08/04 Dave Bonifield '73 08/05 Rick Spicer '72 08/05 Bryan Gleason '96 08/05 Quincy Evans '04 08/06 Kevin Stocker '83 08/06 Charles Eric Culbertson "Maytag " '05 08/07 Bill Foulk '85 08/08 Ron Toy '92 08/09 Brian Valimont "Frenchy " '00 08/10 Paul Brandau "Peaches " '05 08/10 Larry Kolar '73 08/11 Thomas A. Robbins "Tom " '84 08/11 Christopher Nevins "Chris " '96 08/11 Thomas Turfitt "Tommy " '04 08/13 Roger Moody '73 08/13 Dave Evans '77 08/13 Mike Rossbach "Cheech " '77 08/13 Scott Reiter '80 08/13 Mike Plessinger '85 08/13 Brett Watrous '88 08/13 Jason Googe '94 08/14 Leo Shamblen '86 08/15 Hugh Reynolds '74 08/15 Matt Hanson '91 08/16 Archie Roberts '74 08/17 John Ehrenreich '83 08/17 Stuart Fraenkel Esq. '89 08/17 Steven Todd Weeber "Todd " '93 08/18 Bradley D. Bower "Brad " '91 08/19 Jason Koehler '99 08/20 George Yurcic Jr "Shovelhead " '96 08/21 James Thompson "Jet " '74 08/21 Jack Barsin '71 08/21 Robert C. Lambert "Bobby " '77 08/21 John Belleau '91 08/21 Mike Kline Jr "Hula Girl " '04 08/22 Kevin Lower '85 08/22 Brian Kilday '94 08/23 Doug Sherwood '95 08/23 James Dianto '90 08/23 Andy Fischer '99 08/24 William Frey "Billy " '77 08/24 Tom Waterman '86 08/24 Craig Jenkins "streaker " '92 08/25 Joe Ferrell '78 08/28 John deLafosse '72 08/28 Juan Gonzalez '77 08/28 Blair Shiplett "Shaggy " '02 08/29 William Craig "Bill " '73 08/29 Timothy J. Rooney "Tim " '90 08/30 Buddy Evans '73

That is it for this month as the newsletter will fill you in on everything else going on with Eta Iota.

in hoc,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corp President

President's Update – July 2002

2002-07-01T00:00:00Z

RMF Costs to Rise Again

Just when you think our insurance providers have screwed us the best they can, they do it again. As you probably remember, we were notified of an estimated increase last year of somewhere around 25% that turned out to be 70% year over year. We just got word that this will probably be another devastating year for fraternity insurance costs (according to our own Risk Management Foundation) as we have again been notified of another increase...this time in the neighborhood of 70%. Obviously this is devastating news for many chapters and is certainly far from good news for Eta Iota.

I honestly don't know how many chapters will continue to stay afloat financially with these types of increases.
House Corp is awaiting the final figures to know exactly what our 2002-2003 premiums will come out to but we are already thinking of alternate payment plans for the actives to be able to afford such an increase without this becoming more of a crisis. We would gladly appreciate any assistance from our Insurance gurus in helping us identify ways to reduce costs. If you have any background in this matter, please contact either me at 214-979-0850 or Brian Lojko at 912-897-4659.

Quarterly Newsletter in the Works

House Corp is currently writing articles for an upcoming newsletter expected out later this month. In it, you will find an update on the housing situation at ERAU, house improvements recently done by the undergrads and some planned by House Corp, and of course the always popular updates from our Brothers on their careers and personal lives.
If you have any updates that you would like to submit, please send them to me as soon as possible before we run out of space. You can email any text to me at magnum@ntplx.net. Remember however that these newsletters will only be printed and mailed to you if you have explicitly requested a printed version in your profile on etaiota.org. In an effort to reduce costs, we are generating an electronic version in PDF format that will be accessible by everyone and sending actual printed version to those who request it.

Update Your Eta Iota Profile

Checking or updating your online profile is easy:

Go to http://etaiota.org/database/search.htm
Enter your last name & the last name of the mascot pictured
Verify your information and submit any changes as necessary. Note that you will only receive a paper copy of the newsletter if either a) we do not have your email address on file or b) we do have your email address on file but your profile indicates that you require a paper copy.

Greek Alumni Council

The Greek Alumni Council that Mike Lee from Delta Chi began last year is starting to pick up steam. They have applied for (and been granted) status as an official alumni chapter from ERAU which will provide the organization with some financial support and greater recognition from the university. The purpose again is to increase awareness of our intentions on campus and for a unified voice to the university when expressing our concerns about Greek housing. It's important to note however that being part of this organization does not bind us to the other Greek organizations on campus in terms of specific needs for future housing. We are still independent as Sigma Chi and will continue to pursue our own needs on an individual basis while utilizing the benefits of a common voice.
Officer elections have recently taken place and I hope to have the results in time for the upcoming newsletter. Because of time constraints and not being Daytona Beach locals, both Brian Lojko and myself have declined to run for an officer position within the GAC. However, I am glad to say that we do have local representation through Dave Fraser. Brian and I approached Dave and asked him to keep in touch with the semi-annual meetings held by the GAC and he gladly accepted.

House Updates

This past weekend, Brian and I visited Daytona for an update on the house and to investigate opportunities for some minor room renovations over the coming months. We were both pleased to see several improvement projects being managed by the actives improving the overall condition of the house. Thanks primarily to Brothers Mark Nicalek and Tommy Turfitt, they have rejuvenated the lawn in front and replaced the planting beds lining the north & south wings, repainted all doors and have installed new room numbers. They have taken other initiatives as well that have greatly improved the condition of the house. You will read more about this in the upcoming newsletter in articles being written by the undergrads.
While in town, we also took that opportunity to make additional improvements on behalf of House Corp such as a new microwave and message board in the kitchen and new kitchen sink fixtures to be installed in the near future. Brian and I also evaluated several rooms along with the actives as possible candidates for minor renovations. Right now, it looks like we will be updating the bathrooms in rooms 5 and 14 (both corner rooms in the wings), as well as replacing leaking plumbing fixtures in 3 or 4 other rooms. We are currently prioritizing these projects and will be requesting several estimates prior to getting underway.

July Birthdays

As always, Happy Birthday to those Eta Iota Brothers celebrating in July:
07/01 James D. Atkins '85
07/01 Mauricio Aguilar "Reese " '89
07/02 Steve Bobonick '78
07/02 Jeff Oltman '82
07/02 George Zimmer '82
07/02 Mike Knizewski "Ski " '86
07/02 Jon Burrows '91
07/05 Sidi Lemnouni '73
07/05 Mike Murray '75
07/05 Robert Paulus "Rob " '81
07/05 Mike Patterson '95
07/09 Don Miller '79
07/09 Chris Michael Ferguson "ACE " '03
07/10 Richard A. Farina "Rich " '76
07/10 Frank Memolo '84
07/10 Mike Sleeper '92
07/11 Ramano Sprueil MD "Miner " '94
07/12 Frank Bloomer '81
07/12 Andrew Martin '04
07/13 William Berg "Bill " '74
07/13 Denny Marvicsen '73
07/13 Pat Mooney '83
07/14 Chad Ciaravella '00
07/15 Pat Muncie '75
07/15 Chirstopher Fox "Zegular " '99
07/16 Ryan G Jarvis "Wiggum " '05
07/18 Roy Lockwood '72
07/18 Chadwick Conner "Chad " '90
07/18 Ken Zaccagnini '85
07/19 David Little '95
07/20 Fred Allen '78
07/20 J.Richard Allison IV "Dickie " '03
07/20 Richard Winter "smuckers " '05
07/21 Guy Shore '71
07/21 James L. Webre "Jim " '74
07/21 Cory Weir '97
07/22 Mario Scalzo '87
07/23 Jason Smith "VANILLA " '00
07/24 Stephen A. Blake "Steve " '74
07/25 Hobson Morgan '73
07/25 Lawson Mansfield '77
07/25 Gerry Taggart '82
07/25 Tommy Alouf '82
07/26 Scott Rehn "Corncob " '99
07/26 Jeff Feliciano "Hummer " '05
07/27 Richard Bush "Rich " '75
07/27 Mark McNally '91
07/27 John Williams III "Chewy " '92
07/28 Scott McIvor '93
07/29 Kevan MacKenzie "Fuzzy " '01
07/30 Keith Kelly '99
07/31 David L Campbell '78
07/31 Harry Nostrant '87
07/31 Bill Krebs '86

in hoc,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corp President

President's Update – June 2002

2002-06-04T00:00:00Z

Brother Leo Shamlen

The following was forwarded to me from Steve Robinson via Bill Palmer. I do not have any further information at this time but will keep everyone posted: From Steve: I spoke to his [Leo's] mom, who informed me that Leo passed away last year. It happened in Mexico, apparently due to a heart attack. The details I got were that Leo traveled quite a bit in his job and was living on his own at the time. His mom told me that it was about three weeks before she realized he was missing - because of the frequent travel. After she initiated the missing persons search, she was alerted that the body had been found on a beach in Mexico on the Baha Peninsula. She said there were a number of small fish camps in the area and apparently he had set up camp to fish.

His body was found on the beach with his sleeping bag rolled up under him as if he had fallen asleep that way. There was no evidence of violence or foul play at the time the body was located. That's about all I got. When she first took the call, I asked if Leo could be reached through that number (I knew it was his parent's address), she apparently thought I was calling about bills or other stuff. She spoke calmly, but you could tell she was still pretty shaken up talking about it.

BROTHER RYAN DONLEY

I want to thank everyone for their support on behalf of Daphne and Ryan's families. I had a chance to meet Ryan's father for the first time at the wake and he was truly impressed with the Brothers of Sigma Chi and the friends Ryan has made through his experiences at Eta Iota. The support and condolences offered by our brothers has certainly had a tremendous impact on those closest to Brother Donley.
House Corp has established an account from which Daphne can access the financial contributions as she sees fit. For more information, including complete details on the Eta Iota Memorial Fund, please visit http://etaiota.org/RyanDonley.html. My hopes are that we can keep this fund active for any future situations such as this.
Along with the contributions I have received many letters and cards from our alumni brothers, families, and even past sweethearts. The following was written by Brother Graham Smith following the White Rose cermony conducted by our brothers attending the funeral:

In selfish sorrow, I came upon a steep hill.
I could not see over to the other side.
Waiting patiently at the top were those who had gone before him.
They were calling him.
He rested quietly; sharing a peace with Christ that surpasses all understanding.
Trying to reach him, only breath and sadness filled the void of which I cannot solely bare.
I felt each unwanted tear of days past overtaking my strength.
Trembling were my hands as I placed a white rose where he lay.
The eternal chapter embraced my friend.
The face of God shone brightly overhead.

LETTER FROM ERAU's DR. EBBS

I recently received the following letter from Dr Ebbs outlining some of the changes made on campus and how, at least one of them, may benefit our chapter and the others:

Dear John,
I note that it has been almost a year since you and your brothers celebrated Sigma Chi's 30th Anniversary at the Plaza here in Daytona. And a year since we have had any communication. Frankly, there has not been much to report. Our attention has been focused on finding and installing a new Chancellor for the Daytona Beach campus as well as a new Chief Academic Officer for the University. Happily, noth of these searches have been successful and two great people are now in place to help me continue Embry-Riddle's forward momentum.
Dr Irwin Price, our new Daytona Beach campus Chancellor, is taking a good look at Greek life to see where and how we can strengthen and enhance the system on this campus. The enquiry ranges from housing to improving fraternity and sorority quality. While it has taken us a while to get started, this look is needed and finally provides an opportunity for constructive dialogue with our Greeks and their alumni. I have told Dr. Price of your interest in working with us. I have no doubt that he will be in touch.

Sincerely,
George H Ebbs, Jr.

Additionally, I got word from Ossie Palla that ERAU has recruited a full-time Greek Advisor (officially titled Assistant Director of Student Activities in charge of Greek Life). This has been one of Ossie's primary goals since starting at ERAU a couple years ago. She has supported everyone well in her part-time capacity and is very excited about the potential of a full-time resource. Kevin Snyder (ksnyder@gwm.sc.edu) started his new position June 1st and is eager to hear from any students or alumni from our chapter. Kevin just completed his Masters degree in Higher Education Administration at the University of South Carolina-Columbia and comes to us with a wealth of knowledge in Greek Life.

SUMMER NEWSLETTER COMING UP

Our semi-annual printed newsletter is coming up and, once again, I am looking for news and information that people are wanting to have published. Weddings, engagements, job updates, births of future Sigs & Sweethearts - send it all to me at magnum@ntplx.net. Remember too, that unless you specifically ask for a printed version of the newsletter, you will be receiving an email with instructions to acess an electronic version on the web. To make sure you are signed up for papper newsletters, check your profile at http://nwdc10.com/etaiota/search.htm. Simply search for your name and edit the profile if necessary.

HOUSING UPDATE

We've got some updates planned for the upcoming summer that will be spelled out in greater detail in the upcoming newsletter. Stay tuned for more information.

2002-2003 HOUSE CORP ELECTIONS

The House Corp meeting this year closed with the following elections for the upcoming year. Thank you as always to the officers and Trustees who have helped with the operations of our organization:

President John Banta
Vice President Brian Lojko
Treasurer Mike Gehman
Secretary Chris Edmondson

Trustees
Expiring 2003
Bill Palmer
Terry Owens

Expiring 2004
Reeese Aguilar
Rich Schooley

Expiring 2005
Nick Cornwell
Mike Wyble

And continuing with their invaluable support, Bill Palmer is continuing as the webmaster of etaiota.org and Dave Spaller as Database Administrator.

Happy Birthday to those who are celebrating (or have celebrated) their birthdays below. my apologies for falling behind in the annoucements:

April Birthdays

04/26 Jesse Adami '94
04/11 Steve Avakian '88 SAvakianJr@msn.com
04/02 John Bailey , "Jack " '75
04/19 Chris Beale '75
04/09 Bob Bernard '76
04/09 Larry Biddle '89 labiddle@prodigy.net
04/30 Blair Bogdan '92 Bbogdan@aol.com
04/04 Charles Boivin '73
04/03 J. Scott Bond , "Scott " '72
04/25 Zachariah Bowers , "Zach " '93
04/26 Gregory P. Chase , "Greg " '82 70633.3576@compuserve.com
04/03 Paul Clem , "P.C. " '87 ptclem@hotmail.com
04/26 Joe Diana '85 jnldiana@worldnet.att.net
04/05 Anthony Disantis , "Tony " '84
04/06 Jarid Feiertag , "Sperling " '00 sperlingjf@hotmail.com
04/23 Michael Gehman , "Mike " '93 mikegehman@attbi.com
04/18 Tyrel J Gibson , "Navigator " '03 gibsont172@hotmail.com
04/11 Don Haddox '76
04/11 Skip Hartmann '73
04/08 Steve Hartman '80
04/13 Dale Hawkinson '90
04/20 Bill Janak , "Old MacDonald " '04 janakb@db.erau.edu
04/22 Bruce Jones '85 bruce.jones4@worldnet.att.net
04/01 Drew Jones , "Milton " '04 slydogg_53@hotmail.com
04/13 Geoff Kaufman '85
04/17 Jeffrey L. Kennedy , "Jeff " '76 kennedj@ntsb.gov
04/03 William E. Kingsley III , "Bill " '84 kingsley@1scom.net
04/16 John Lojko Jr. , "Brian " '97 jblojko@bellsouth.net
04/25 William Lower , "Billy " '87 LowerBK@cs.com
04/01 Todd Ludwig '01
04/04 Berrae Meixsell '81
04/08 Hugh Mills '74 hmills16@aol.com
04/07 Dave Ming '99
04/15 Kenneth Monetta , "Kenny " '77 monetaberg@aol.com
04/09 Albert Montoya , "Tarzan " '93 montoya@scbbs-bo.com
04/22 Francisco Moreno '72
04/11 Joe Mullarney '82
04/07 Christopher Myatt , "Grimace " '99 SIG538@aol.com
04/30 Michael P O'Donnell , "Balboa " '00 Mikeohah@aol.com
04/03 Kenneth Owens , "Ken " '85 mechbet@unicom-alaska.com
04/01 Terry Owens '72 Terry4147@aol.com
04/08 Jan Paladino '95
04/14 Vinnie Parrinello '77
04/28 Luke Pestow , "Ralphie " '01 lpestow@yahoo.com
04/17 Doug Phifer '83 DOUGPHIFER@AOL.COM
04/16 James V. Pusateri , "Jim " '74 monateri@hotmail.com
04/21 Wolfgang Schuster '80
04/16 Ron Sicoli '97 ronsicoli@yahoo.com
04/29 Jay Smullen '77 poolmart@gate.net
04/30 Lem Terrell '81
04/02 Joe Torch '86
04/05 John Valentino '77 JV55TB@aol.com
04/26 Phil Wheeler '83 philip@go-concepts.com
04/10 Glenn White '80 gaw410@aol.com
04/20 Darren Wilson , "Heebo " '99
04/25 Dave Zabilansky '81
04/23 George Zinninger III '86 georgezinninger@cs.com
04/17 Vic Ziobro '86

May Birthdays

05/26 Joe Agro '87
05/22 Jere Andrews '73
05/31 Fawaz Atchoo , "Uzi " '92 fawaz03@yahoo.com
05/27 Charles Bonini '96 slackercb@hotmail.com
05/18 John Buckner '78
05/13 Albert A. Chacos '74
05/16 Michael Donahue , "Mike " '99
05/08 James Doncaster , "Jim " '84 jdoncaster@carolina.rr.com
05/11 Eric Dreisbach '84
05/25 Paul Eddy '71
05/10 Paul English '89 penglish@centurytel.net
05/24 Steve Foster '71 fostersa@aol.com
05/10 Barret Frain '95 bfrain@email.msn.com
05/01 Fernando Giuffra '01
05/25 Chad Greer '97
05/23 Ross Guscette '76
05/14 Jeff Guthrie , "Frank N Beans " '03 figment7@aol.com
05/17 William Gutierrez , "Bill " '86 SBD@marinecorps.com
05/20 Mark Happ , "Fatboy " '85 captainhapp@2z.net
05/03 Nick Edward Hoefer , "Grinch " '05 nehoefer@yahoo.com
05/23 Ken Hoyt '75 khoyt@bellsouth.net
05/23 Roger Hughey , "Vasco Da Gama " '01 tazmanian47@aol.com
05/12 Drew Hunter '04
05/10 Dana Kelder '56
05/31 Guy Ligon III '88 ligon@earthlink.net
05/24 Gaspare Martino '80
05/26 Shane McGoldrick '93
05/02 Steve Meade '75
05/31 Dan Milicevic '94
05/27 Ron Moore '73
05/09 Phil Morrow '77
05/27 Travis Motes '95
05/07 Dave Nelson '95
05/11 Robert Pacheco '90 robert.r.pacheco@aexp.com
05/10 Aaron Pauly , "Mrs Muffet " '04 Aaron8091@aol.com
05/14 Gary Prestipino '92 gp1013@aol.com
05/14 Christopher Rosen '93
05/26 Bill Ross '77
05/10 Mike Ruganis , "Ragu' " '79 mruganis@swfla.rr.com
05/19 Ray Santa '75
05/31 Randall A Sarver , "Shakespere " '99 dantes@rocketmail.com
05/14 Andy Shiver '04
05/28 Dane Slough '90
05/02 Tim Sperbeck , "Confusius " '01 TJS7man@aol.com
05/18 Russell A. Strine , "Russ " '73
05/13 Richard Sturtevant , "Skip " '74 richard1@cstone.net
05/30 William F. Teague Bill '89
05/16 Ed Tobin '77
05/27 Gary Towers '81 SailWindyCity@aol.com
05/13 Ron White '74
05/05 Jim Wozinak '96
05/26 Gary Zambito '74

June Birthdays

06/01 Dave Fraser '77 Fraser5@compuserve.com
06/01 Herb Huston '78
06/01 John Wrightington PhD '79 JWrighting@aol.com
06/01 Shawn Williams "Yankee " '00 sigma2chi@yahoo.com
06/02 Bill Lark '86
06/02 Jeffrey B. Penn "Jeff " '90 jetajeff@aol.com
06/02 Matt Catalanotto '96
06/03 Larry Sweeney '72 larsween@aol.com
06/03 Kevin Lupinacci '93 loopkjl@aol.com
06/03 Graham Smith "Hank Hill " '01 tedstriker@lycos.com
06/04 Dennis Miller '73
06/04 Gary Dyer '74
06/04 Kurt Routenburg '94
06/04 Ryan Collins "Saber " '04 collinry@erau.edu
06/05 Robert Burgio "Bob " '80
06/05 Russ Bucklew "Grape Ape " '99 sig574hi@aol.com
06/06 Akeary Vick '72
06/07 Ronald Bates '04
06/09 D. Windsor Barringer '88
06/10 Brian Frost "Jack " '93 xplovette@hotmail.com
06/10 Derek DeBolt '96
06/11 Benjamin Brandt "Opie " '98 bmbrandt@mit.edu
06/12 Craig Borger '75
06/12 Nik Renieris '92
06/13 Mark Milham '79 MMilham@chp.ca.gov
06/14 Bob Matthews '90
06/15 Robert Weikel '73
06/15 Rodney George '72
06/15 Bruce Balensiefer "Sief " '78 bbalen@aol.com
06/15 Jim Vittetow '81 70774.74@compuserve.com
06/15 Howard Hamilton '90 HowardZonya@aol.com
06/15 Tony Kalka '99
06/15 Shawn Lowe '99
06/16 Chris Edmondson '95 sig457hi@aol.com
06/17 Bill Wood '78
06/18 Ken Bording '71 bordingk@aol.com
06/18 Matthew Sorensen '96
06/20 Larry A. Hesterberg "Big Lar " '94 biglar@iname.com
06/21 Spencer Smith II '90 SmithiiS@aol.com
06/22 Claude Franco '86
06/23 Ken Dolan '73
06/23 Robert D. Jordan "Rob " '90
06/23 Richard Haberman "Elvis " '92 rhaberman@nyc.rr.com
06/23 Keith W. Harrison '94
06/24 Doug Bloch '93
06/26 R.Mike Busch '71
06/26 Robert Busch '71 mbusch@cirrusdesign.com
06/26 Gary Schroeder '82
06/27 Joseph Adkins Jr "Joe " '92 ItsAllJoe@aol.com
06/27 Dan Ruth '91
06/28 Gary Marville '74 Gmarville@aol.com
06/29 Steve Boyd '79
06/29 Joe Bilotti '89
06/29 Chad M Bright "Michael " '01
06/30 Harry Wilkes '71
06/30 John Hillman '74
06/30 Pete Eggler '79 pdeggler@smile.ch
06/30 Kevin Meeder '83 kevin.meeder@nwa.com

in hoc,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corp President

President's Update – March 2002

2002-03-01T00:00:00Z

Brothers,
As some of you have noticed, this is the first House Corp update of 2002 as I have been unable to devote as much time and energy to this position in the past few months as it deserves. American has been keeping me more than busy as we are approaching the launch of a brand new website for AA.com with a fresh new look and all sorts of functionality for our customers.

With it scheduled to launch later this month, my time for House Corp has been pretty limited. For those of you who are interested, we are having a beta-launch prior to the actual release for select customers. As airline employees and industry experts, drop me a line if you're interested in trying it out before the general public and I can set you up.

31st Birthday Plans

The Undergraduate Consul, Mark Nicalek, and the rest of the active chapter have been planning for this year's birthday celebration. Pricing for the weekend of festivities has been announced on the website as $47 per person. You should have receievd a postcard with basic info but you can find additional information as well as hotel arrangements online at www.etaiota.org/birthday. Feel free to contact Mark at nicklez@aol.com or by phone at 386-453-8240 if you have any questions.

House Corp Annual Meeting & Elections

The annual House Corp meeting will take place Sunday, March 24th at 11am at the Chapter House. Any local alumni as well as those in town for birthday are encouraged to attend to discuss developments over the past year and for an update on House Corp finances. At this meeting we will also be conducting the annual business of electing officers for the 2002-2003 term. If you have any nominations at this time, please email them to me at magnum@ntplx.net. The positions that are available include:

POSITION INCUMBENT
PRESIDENT John Banta
VICE PRESIDENT Brian Lojko
SECRETARY James Ahrens
TREASURER Mike Gehman
TRUSTEE Nick Cornwell
TRUSTEE Mike Wyble

Fire Sprinkler Update

Last Fall, the General Fraternity announced plans to consider allocating certain funds towards improving fire safety in light of recent events and increasing insurance costs. One of the proposals was to investigate assisting chapters with the costs of installing sprinkler systems for those that do not already have them. I have been approached by the General Fraternity and asked if we would be interested in participating with a limited number of other chapters to explore this option in greater detail. While I am still waiting to heaar back from headquarters, I am hoping that this is something that we can pursue with our current house. Obviously there will be many factors influencing the final decision, some of which include obvious costs we would have to pay, the expected savings that would result and of course the always asked: How much expected time left at 520 S Ridgewood. I'll keep you posted once we hear any developments.

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corporation President

Eta Iota Birthdays

Once again, as always, Happy Birthday to those brothers celebrating in March:
Name/Class Day
01 Felix M. Temples "Bud " '73 bitemples@cs.com
01 Mike Meck '72
01 Jeff Lee '73
01 Michael Saggese "Mike " '91 m.t.sdenco@att.net
01 David Craig '00
02 Bob McGill '80
02 John Wright '95 john@laker.net
02 Anthony W Leggieri "Jack-in-the-Box " '01 TLeggieri3@aol.com
05 Larry Maddox '77
05 Mike Kubanet '74 michaelkubanet@sprintmail.com
05 Fred E. Evans '75 fevans7294@aol.com
07 Robert Coffey '73
09 Tom McCarthy "Gorf " '84 macflytx@onebox.com
10 Gary Wolf '79 73431.42@compuserve.com
10 Mark Pfister '95 markcpfister@home.com
11 Christopher MacDougall "Chris " '93
11 Gregory Guzik '95
13 Gary Spangler '72
13 Chris Gohlke '97
13 Joseph Altomare '00
14 Jere Thome '90 Rhedbutler@AOL.com
15 Kevin Alston '95 sigchi525@aol.com
16 Edward Coholich "Ed " '84 eddie@nauticom.net
19 Don Osmundson Jr '72
19 Tom Henion '74 the5onions@aol.com
19 Nicholas Cornwell Jr "Nick " '77 NCorn59318@aol.com
20 Dan Vasilj '91
20 Timothy Glassett '04 ctgfly@aol.com
21 Richard Rouse '72
22 James Jocek "Jimbo " '80
22 John Alford '84 johngaryalford@aol.com
22 Thomas Schaeffer Jr "Curious George (Tom) " '99 schaeffer22@yahoo.com
24 Brian Bartlett '87 bkbartlett@earthlink.net
25 Todd Kaylor '83
25 Scott A. Quinn "Scooter " '88
25 Walt Sharpe '74 76627.1120@compuserve.com
26 Peter Zaccagnino "Mr Magoo " '92 9086722516@mobile.att.net
27 Dennis Caldwell '72
27 Kenneth R. Kuhrt "Ken " '71 kuhrtkr@worldnet.att.net
27 Gerard Filippone "Jerry " '78 71322.577@compuserve.com
27 James Thoms "Jamie " '85
27 Richard Schooley '91 rcschooley@aol.com
28 Bruce Lina '77
28 Chris Wood "duece " '04 cwoody44@aol.com
29 Bill Ulm '86 ulm5gang@aol.com
31 Clair Stahley '84

President's Update – November 2001

2001-11-01T00:00:00Z

I'm keeping this month's email short because we are currently writing the next printed newsletter due out later this month. In the meantime, here's what we have for this month's email update:

Alumni Updates Wanted

If you've got anything you'd like the chapter to know about: weddings, anniversaries, newborns, new jobs, needing a job, we'd like to know about it this week so we can include it in the printed newsletter. This is the best way to get word out to our Brothers as almost everyone receives it so speak up if you want to be heard. Submissions can be emailed to me at magnum@ntplx.net and should be sent by November 12th.

ERAU Homecoming This Week

ERAU is celebrating Homecoming this week with the annual career exposition and the 2001 Wings & Waves airshow. If you are interested in more information, you can find it all at http://www.embryriddle.edu/wingsandwaves/

Daytona's Area Code Changed

The house has a new area code so update your numbers. The new phone number is (386) 252-2277

White Rose Coming Up

Word from the actives a while back was that White Rose was going to be the week following Homecoming and the actual formal would be on Friday, Nov 16th. I haven't heard if this is still on or any updates so contact the Consul if you have any questions: gibsont172@hotmail.com

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corporation President

Eta Iota Birthdays

Once again, as always, Happy Birthday to those brothers celebrating in November:

Name/Class Day
1 Andy Roberts 1993
2 Terence McCullough 1985
3 David Hines 1993
4 Jeffrey Fejfar 2000
4 Philip Humbert 1980
4 Carmine Respucci 1985
4 Pete Ripley 1973
4 Jim Schlosser 1985
4 Mike Van Hamburg 1981
5 Bernie Palmer 1975
6 George Waterman 1972
6 Paul Williams 1971
7 Gregg Rorabaugh 1986
8 John Clough 1983
8 Thomas E Falkner 1987
8 Jude Gableman 1999
8 Paul Jensen 1980
10 Sean Cantwell 2004
11 George G. Cannady 1974
12 Drew Kelley 1986
12 Ian McVeigh 1993
12 Jason Mesteller 2000
13 Theodore Janiec 1985
13 Paul Mercandetti 1972
13 Bert Somers 1989
14 Michael Tomlin 1994
14 Eric Zimmerman 1992
16 Thomas E. Nanfelt 1972
17 Joe Fabiano 1995
17 Dave McGloon 1973
17 Greg Tennille 1989
20 John McDaniel 1973
22 Nicholas Kropog 1972
22 Mark O'Neill 1997
24 Dan Kessler 1970
24 Jaime Mercado 1991
24 Jack Sheehan 1974
25 Mike Clohisy 1982
25 Michael H Mathewson 1980
25 Michael Pusch 1976
27 Jim Patterson 1973
28 Sid Barling 1971
28 Richard Gadd 1972
28 John Houghtaling 1972
28 Thomas Kachmar 1977
29 Gary Granger 1990
30 John Benedict 1972

President's Update – October 2001

2001-10-01T00:00:00Z

I'd like to start this month's update with a collective sigh of relief that our own Brothers from Eta Iota were not directly involved with the tragic events of September 11th. While some of us were closer than others by either being in the air or in the vicinity of the disaster sites, I was relieved to hear that our members are safe and not among the list of victims.

The terrorists' actions of that tragic day have been both shocking and awakening for all of us as a nation and we are now beginning to feel it's implications as aviation professionals. With the aviation industry already pounded by a slowing economy, the new regulations and financial crisis facing the industry are sure to bring home unwelcome news for many of us. With a state of emergency declared at most major carriers and over 100,000 layoffs and furloughs expected throughout the industry, I think it's important to remind our Brothers that you find strength in the arms of our brotherhood.

The House Corporation will be publishing a printed newsletter next month and I would encourage anyone who is looking for employment for whatever reason to send me relevant information so that we can get the word out amongst our members. In the meantime, realize that we are a tremendous network of brothers brought together not only by a common thread of aviation or Embry-Riddle, but the close-knit brotherhood of Sigma Chi and the experiences we have shared. It is these times of uncertain circumstances when the fraternal grip or a simple phone call reminds us that we are there for each other and can give support in many ways. Take advantage of it if you are in a position to do so!

ERAU Requesting Greek Life Info

For those of you who have been anxious since 30th to do something about the university's stance on Greek Row, here's your opportunity. Please see the following email from the university requesting feedback from our members and insight into our need for future housing considerations. Realize however, that this is our opportunity for constructive explanations and a unified display of support rather than destructive criticism of any past broken promises or behaviors. Please take a moment and send Ken Dufour an email outlining your support for future Greek Housing at Embry-Riddle as he will be presenting his findings directly to ERAU's President, George Ebbs. Delta Chi and other organizations have been asked for similar input so please help us with this important initiative.

From the Office of Alumni Relations, ERAU:
Dear Gentlemen,
At the request of Dr. Ebbs, alumni Ken Dufour will be holding Student Life Trustee Meetings in October. The only thing on the agenda for the next two meetings are Greek Life. He will take what he learns to the Trustees of the university and the president.

Ken Dufour is an Alumni Trustee of the university and he knows nothing about Greek Life at ERAU. He knows nothing of the situations going on now. He wants to know our wants, needs, desires, problems, or concerns by calling, emailing, or writing him. Its the Greeks chance to have a voice directly to the President and Trustees. His contact info is provided below. I can get his mailing address if anyone needs it.

Ken4gps@aol.com
815-633-1684
Ken DuFour
University Alumni Trustee

2000-2001 Fiscal Results

Well, the unofficial results are in and we've done pretty well as an organization this past year. Our new fiscal year started September 1st and I've since had an opportunity to look over our performance from last year and it is good! Much of our success is once again due to the actives and their outstanding commitment to their financial responsibilities to House Corporation. Rent this past year was paid in full on the day it was due without a single reminder or notice!

Our balance sheet looks good and I will be including a detailed copy in the upcoming newsletter but let me touch upon some of the highlights:

30th Birthday came out as a financial success due to the tremendous response from those who attended. In the end, careful budgeting and attention to detail by Brother Brian Lojko and the other coordinators resulted in the celebration weekend contributing a small amount to House Corp revenues.
1855 Club Donations have again been fantastic due to the commitment of our members. We collected nearly $10,000 during the fiscal year which is quite amazing considering the program is still relatively young. Thank you once again to each and every contributor and Brother Rick Schooley for coordinating the collections so far.
House improvements continue to be our biggest expense as we invested nearly $15,000 into the house for several major renovation and repair projects including new central air conditioners for the main house, chapter room furniture, columns on the front porch, new carpeting for the upstairs and various plumbing and electrical repairs.
Long term savings continue to be a high priority for House Corp and we have continued with this trend by contributing a significant amount to our Dreyfus account.

1855 Coins & Shirt Update

Our monthly donors will notice a new look to the automatic drafts starting with the September deposits. We have switched to a new check layout that is more secure as it includes several safety features such as micro-printing and colored backgrounds. There is no change at all to the program and your deposits will not be affected in any way, I have just asked that this step be taken as an extra security measure.

For those of you who are awaiting your 1855 Club coins, I have a long awaited update for you. As several of you know, there was a dispute between the minter and distributor as to whether or not our order had been paid for. It has since gotten to be a fairly ugly situation between the 2 of them and our coins have been held hostage throughout the ordeal. I have just recently found a new contact who is one of the distributor's associates who seems to be more receptive to resolving this issue after I started mentioning our legal options. He is promising to have information for me the first week in October, so I hope to have them sent out shortly after that. I apologize for the long wait in getting these to everyone but will keep you posted on this as it develops. In the meantime, take a look at the coins on the web right here, they came out great!

As for the shirts, I have recently placed an order for new polos as we ran out during 30th Birthday for the White Cross and Constantine members. The new design is pretty sharp and is due out in a couple weeks. Hopefully I will be able to send those along with the coins to those who are on the list.

Homecoming 2001 - Wings & Waves

Check out the official ERAU homepage for more information on this year's Wings & Waves Homecoming events: www.embryriddle.edu/wingsandwaves

Fall Newsletter Coming Soon

As I mentioned earlier, we are planning a printed newsletter to be mailed out late October or early November. Last summer, I asked for anyone with information to share to send it to me so that we can include it in print and the response was very good. once again, I'd like to invite anyone with news to share (engagements, weddings, anniversaries, births, promotions and yes, even furloughs) to email it to me at magnum@ntplx.net so that we can include it. Send anything and everything as I would like to include as much as possible from those who have something to shout out to the world. We can also include a limited number of pictures so send those along if you have an extra copy and I'll do my best to include them all.

I Period Announced

The fall officers of the Eta Iota undergraduate chapter have been planning and setting dates for the fall semester. While at Balfour LTW, which was hosted at Ball State in Muncie, Indiana, I-Week and Initiation were put on the calendar. To make it a great initiation we would like for all the alumni to mark their calendars and attend if possible. The date set is Saturday, December 1st. We will hold to this date but depending on how the semester goes it may change. If and when it should change we will notify everyone immediately. If anyone should have any questions about the semester, feel free to call me or anyone at the house. We've got a great semester planned. Hope to see everyone there!

In Hoc,
Mark Nicalek
Fall '01, Pro Consul
386.453.8240

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corporation President

Eta Iota Birthdays

Once again, as always, Happy Birthday to those brothers celebrating in October:

Day Name/Class
1 David Newman 1973
2 Mark Burroughs 1979
2 Eric Hockman 1990
4 Roger Gross 1993
4 Bob Sween 1972
5 Seth Downs 1992
5 Chris Marrero 1999
6 Ed Lowry 1999
6 Ross Stearn 1986
8 Nicholas Nesta 1985
9 Jim Furman 1973
9 Robert Hartley 1974
9 Michael J. Remmert 1989
10 Bussey Allsup 1971
10 Pat McKelvey 2001
10 Ryan Steffey 1993
11 Jeff Hosler 1991
11 James Javurek 1979
12 Jon Brickner 1990
12 Allen Cassino 1996
12 Terry Roberts 1971
13 Randall L. Cohen 1985
13 James W. Dillon 1983
14 Steve Gregory 1978
14 William T. Reynolds 1991
16 Phil Williams 1991
17 Mitch Nimey 1991
18 Scott Card 2001
19 Jon Kalic 1992
20 Tom Costello 1987
20 Thomas Maugeri 1999
21 Michael Read 1995
22 John Ferguson 1975
22 Brad Nunn 1981
23 John Banta 1996
23 John Haszard 1972
23 Neil Tiedt 1971
24 John Emhoff 1999
24 Rob Papandrea 2000
24 Michael Pelosi 1981
24 Ron Sherr 1970
27 Michael Libonati 1982
27 Michael Wyble 1977
28 Greg Bull 1976
28 Micheal J. Plapp 1979
29 Chris Holloway 1981
29 Todd Lake 1983
30 Chuck Hall 1989
31 Scott Ekey 1982
31 Jonathan Walrath 2002

President's Update – August 2001

2001-08-01T00:00:00Z

University Status Letter

This past month, I received a letter from ERAU President, Dr. Ebbs, regarding their recent meetings on the topic of Greek housing following our 30th Birthday weekend. There was both good news and bad news in the letter and as we know well, it is too early to tell what will be done about the situation.

I'll start with the bad news. Dr. Ebbs included a copy of a letter sent by Dr Ledewitz in 1999 referring to a study that the university had done with University Housing Services, Inc. (UHS) to evaluate the feasibility and usability of a Greek housing on campus. The outcome of this study was, for the most part, no surprise.

The letter stated, "This study was intended as a guide to continue upgrading the ERAU housing system to achieve a stated goal of housing 60% of the students on campus. A secondary goal of this study was to provide the University with the financial and market analysis to expedite the financing process for any proposed new construction."

UHS recommended that:

the University's goal of housing 60% of students on campus should take precedence over housing single 'affinity' type organizations.
the 77 acres on Clyde Morris cannot be considered viable without extensive pedestrian and utility infrastructure investment.
the university consider designing and constructing 350-400 new beds in a new community to accommodate both affinity groups and the general student population on the "Genesis Property" (11 acres behind the Airway Science Simulation Labs if the university gets control of the land from the state of FL.

I've asked for an update from Ossie Palla on this matter as she was tasked with providing an updated report to Dr Ebbs by the end of the summer regarding how to best proceed with this topic. John Delafosse will also be heading our initiatives moving forward with a housing committee to determine our needs and communicate them with the university. I think it is clear that UHS did not take into account the full impact new housing would bring about in terms of alumni support that is so critical to a university such as Embry-Riddle. I will keep you posted on developments.

Cell Phone Field Added to Sig File

Etaiota.org now supports cell phone fields in the online database. Until now, nobody has been able to store this information in their profile so nobody else has ever been able to access it. If you have a cell phone and would like brothers to know the number so that they can reach you there, please send your name and cell number to the database administrator, Dave Spaller, at dave_spaller@yahoo.ca or you can fill out the online form at etaiota.org. Better yet, check the rest of the information we have for you to be sure everything else is accurate and up to date.

Central AC in the Wings

One of the take-aways from our annual House Corp meeting in April was to investigate installing centralized HVAC (heating ventilation & air conditioning) in each of the wings to address one of our biggest maintenance costs, the AC window units. Preliminary estimates have been provided from local contractors and it appears doing these upgrades will cost approximately $6-7,000 per wing. While this appears like an extraordinary amount of money, it may actually pay off in the short-term as we are continually purchasing $500 window units and paying to repair wall damage caused when one of these units fail. Brian Lojko is working on a cost/benefit analysis to compare each alternative. Again, we'll keep you posted as we get more info.

Insurance Costs Increasing 25%

I briefly mentioned in the last printed newsletter that RMF is raising all chapter's premiums due to current financial situations and recent losses that had a pretty significant impact to the pool of cash they pay from. I just got the invoice this week and it's a whopping $7,800 due in September. This increased cost was not predicted earlier in the year as we prepared budgets for 2001-2002 and will have to be closely reviewed for possible impact on other spending. I have slacked in the last couple months in getting our new Treasurer, mike Gehman involved like I should have so this will be a good starting point...expect the bill in the mail, Mike!

Room Renovations

To continue this newsletter's theme of spending a lot of money, we have been looking into possible room renovations for several of the more craptacular rooms to update things like bathroom vanities and showers, damaged drywall or ceilings and carpeting in the downstairs bedrooms. We may have some options for how to better utilize space in some bathrooms while also getting rid of the tiled showers with dual fixtures in favor of the fiberglass units with 1 water control valve. Our goal here is two-fold in that we need to make wise improvements now that will help our maintenance costs in the long run and also make the rooms more aesthetically pleasing when possible. Obviously any proposed changes will be put before the Trustees for this and any other project involving significant expenditures before moving forward.

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corporation President

Eta Iota Birthdays

Once again, as always, Happy Birthday to those brothers celebrating in August:
Day Name/Class
1 Patrick L. Caylor 1984
2 Edward Goerges 1973
3 Chris Cox 1990
3 Ryan Schubert 1999
4 Dave Bonifield 1973
5 Quincy Evans 2004
5 Rick Spicer 1972
6 Kevin Stocker 1983
7 Bill Foulk 1985
8 Ron Toy 1992
9 Brian Valimont 2000
10 Larry Kolar 1973
11 Christopher Nevins 1996
11 Thomas A. Robbins 1984
11 Thomas Turfitt 2004
13 Dave Evans 1977
13 Jason Googe 1994
13 Roger Moody 1973
13 Scott Reiter 1980
13 Mike Rossbach 1977
13 Brett Watrous 1988
14 Leo Shamblen 1986
15 Matt Hanson 1991
15 Michael McKenzie 1973
15 Hugh Reynolds 1974
16 Archie Roberts 1974
17 John Ehrenreich 1983
17 Stuart Fraenkel 1989
17 Steven Todd Weeber 1993
18 Bradley D. Bower 1991
18 Alec Shovlain 2002
20 George Yurcic 1996
21 Jack Barsin 1971
21 John Belleau 1991
21 Mike Kline 2004
21 Robert C. Lambert 1977
21 James Thompson 1974
22 Brian Kilday 1994
22 Kevin Lower 1985
23 James Dianto 1990
23 Andy Fischer 1999
23 Doug Sherwood 1995
24 William Frey 1977
24 Craig Jenkins 1992
24 Tom Waterman 1986
28 John deLafosse 1972
28 Juan Gonzalez 1977
28 Blair Shiplett 2002
29 Larry Ammirata 1980
29 William Craig 1973
29 Timothy J. Rooney 1990
30 Buddy Evans 1973

President's Update – July 2001

2001-07-01T00:00:00Z

Eta Iota @ Grand Chapter

This past weekend, over 500 Sigma Chis converged on The Big Easy for the fraternity's bi-annual Grand Chapter. Eta Iota was represented well with numerous undergraduates and alumni, including Tyrel "J-J" Gibson, Grant "big-britches" Petronsky, Julio "Papa-John" Varela, Tom "something's growing on my face" Maugeri (he swears it's not infectious), Jeff "Look who I'm dating" Fejfar, Mark "Have you seen my jet" Burroughs, Brian "any scissor lifts around here" Lojko, and the 99-01 Int'l Sweetheart Wendy Papson. A good time was had by all and the locals on Bourbon Street treated us well during the after hours festivities.

As for the business conducted during the legislative sessions, there was some mixed news on the elections of new officers for the General Fraternity. While Mark Burroughs unfortunately did not get the Grand Quaestor position, he is now a Grand trustee. As one of the primary responsibilities of the Trustees is to work on housing situations, Mark will certainly continue to be a helpful resource with future housing issues facing Eta Iota. Plus, he handled it well when I vomited in his loafers after White Rose a couple years back so how bad can he be?
Other business discussed was a planned increase in the pledging and initiation fees by about $75 per pledge as well as increasing the undergraduates' semi-annuals by $5 per semester. As for the new international Sweetheart, there were some unique candidates including Kim and Mary-Kay Howard, the co-ed twins from Vanderbilt who were running on the same ticket (another Sigma Chi first), a very attractive Emily Black from Ole' Miss, and Ellen Morgan from Arkansas State. The twins wound up taking the crown(s).
Mark Burroughs also announced the recent appointment of Julio Varela as the new Grand Praetor for South Florida. As most of you know, Julio was Chapter Advisor for our chapter for several years and assisted Eta Iota through potentially difficult times. Congratulations to both Mark and Julio on their new positions.

New Air Conditioners Installed

The main house has new air conditioners as of last month. A local contractor installed 2 new compressors and air handlers - one each for downstairs and upstairs. These should prove to be more efficient than the previous system and more reliable as well. Total cost for this project was approximately $6,000.

July Birthdays

As the 4th of July approaches, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all of our brothers and their families a safe and enjoyable holiday as well as Happy Birthday to those celebrating in July:

Day Name/Class
1 Mauricio Aguilar 1989
1 James D. Atkins 1985
2 Steve Bobonick 1978
2 Jon Burrows 1991
2 Mike Knizewski 1986
2 Jeff Oltman 1982
2 George Zimmer 1982
5 Sidi Lemnouni 1973
5 Mike Murray 1975
5 Mike Patterson 1995
5 Robert Paulus 1981
7 Randy Symanski 2000
9 Chris Fergueson 2004
9 Don Miller 1979
10 Richard A. Farina 1976
10 Frank Memolo 1984
10 Mike Sleeper 1992
11 Ramano Sprueil 1994
12 Frank Bloomer 1981
12 Andrew Martin 2004
13 William Berg 1974
13 Denny Marvicsen 1973
13 Pat Mooney 1983
14 Chad Ciaravella 2000
15 Chirstopher Fox 1999
15 Pat Muncie 1975
18 Chadwick Conner 1990
18 Roy Lockwood 1972
18 Ken Zaccagnini 1985
19 David Little 1995
20 James R Allison 2004
20 Fernando A Millon 2002
21 Guy Shore 1971
21 James L. Webre 1974
21 Cory Weir 1997
22 Mario Scalzo 1987
23 Jason Smith 2000
24 Stephen A. Blake 1974
25 Tommy Alouf 1982
25 Lawson Mansfield 1977
25 Hobson Morgan 1973
25 Gerry Taggart 1982
26 Scott Rehn 2001
27 Richard Bush 1975
27 Mark McNally 1991
27 John Williams 1992
28 Scott McIvor 1993
29 Kevan MacKenzie 2001
30 Keith Kelly 1999
31 Dave Campbell 1978
31 Bill Krebs 1986
31 Harry Nostrant 1987

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corporation President

President's Update – March 2001

2001-03-01T00:00:00Z

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ETA IOTA

Although the party is still about 6 weeks away, it's official this coming week: Eta Iota turns 30 on Tuesday, March 6th. What's in store for our chapter as we approach this big anniversary? Who knows? But based on our remarkable history so far, it's safe to say our chapter certainly has a bright future within Sigma Chi.

Looking back over the past three decades draws quite a picture of our accomplishments as a group as well as individual achievements. Starting from a group of 11 we have grown to over 700 brothers who, in my honest opinion, share some of the closest bonds of brotherhood within our fraternity. With a dozen or so Peterson Significant Chapter Awards we have proven our chapter to be comprised of true Sigma Chis capable of meeting and exceeding the standards of an exemplary chapter.

We have also had our fair share of hurdles and roadblocks along our journey but have emerged as a stronger chapter for having had those experiences. Just last year, Major General John Bailey set another milestone in Eta Iota's history as his personal achievements earned him the distinction of being the first "Significant Sig" from our chapter. Congratulations again to Brother Bailey and I look forward to future achievements and successes from within our chapter.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION UPDATE

Most of you probably got the email or have seen the web page indicating that the cutoff date for early registration has been extended until March 16th. We were able to do this after numerous brothers indicated that they were not yet sure of their schedules in late April but still wanted to attend if at all possible. The Plaza cooperated and we have been able to secure the same room rate and hold the room availability until this extended date. After the 16th however, rooms cannot be guaranteed and the weekend registration costs go up to $140 per person or $250 per couple. So be sure to register now if you haven't already. Some people have asked about the party on Friday night. We have some fantastic stuff lined up to make sure this is a memorable event worth attending. We are bringing back the caterers from 25th birthday to feed us all with their great back-yard barbecue. We'll also have some new stuff this year such as frozen drink machines serving up tasty concoctions in addition to the beer, wine and sodas. As for entertainment (and this will certainly be a highlight) we have booked Rev-7 from Jacksonville. These guys put on a pretty amazing show and have recently signed a recording deal that is bringing them playtime on several rock-alternative radio stations throughout the southeast. You'll hear about this group soon nation wide, come see them play at our house! Wondering who is signed up so far to attend Birthday? The list grows every day and can be seen in it's most recent form at www.etaiota.org/30thbday/whothere.htm.

HOUSE IMPROVEMENTS

In past newsletters I have written about the current condition of the house as 'needing some work'. Well, between the undergraduate chapter and House Corp we're doing something about it. In the past month we have re-carpeted the entire upstairs and stairway and have placed the order for new furniture for the chapter room. Prior to birthday, we will also be replacing the wood surrounding the 4 columns in front of the house as they have deteriorated since the renovations. All of these improvements have been made possible by revenues from the active chapter and alumni donations through the 1855 Club. Come by to see these improvements and the high-speed network installed last year by the actives…you're sure to be impressed.

TAX BREAKS ANYONE?

It's the government's favorite time of year once again and April 15th is just around the corner. If you're looking for worthy tax-deductible organizations, be sure to consider the Sigma Chi Foundation. Your contributions are 100% tax deductible and they may be designated to your chapter for future educational use. In case you're wondering how this works, let me give you an example, we currently have several alumni who contribute to this account. Over the past 4 years, contributions like these have made it possible for an undergraduate brother to receive the Terry Owens Founding Consul Award along with a scholarship check. Please consider helping the Foundation and Eta Iota by contributing this year to:

Sigma Chi Foundation
C/O Eta Iota
1714 Hinman Ave
Evanston, IL

Be sure to write on the check that your contributions should be earmarked for the Eta Iota Chapter account.

Let me know if you have any questions regarding any of the information in this email or your House Corporation.

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corporation President

Once again, as always, Happy Birthday to those brothers celebrating in March:
Name/Class Day
David Craig 2000 1
Jeff Lee 1973 1
Mike Meck 1972 1
Michael Saggese 1991 1
Felix M. Temples 1973 1
Anthony W Leggieri 2001 2
Bob McGill 1980 2
John Wright 1995 2
Fred E. Evans 1975 5
Mike Kubanet 1974 5
Larry Maddox 1977 5
ETA IOTA 6
Jere Andrews 1973 6
Robert Coffey 1973 7
Tom McCarthy 1984 9
Mark Pfister 1995 10
Gary Wolf 1979 10
Gregory Guzik 1995 11
Christopher MacDougall 1993 11
Joseph Altomare 2004 13
Chris Gohlke 1997 13
Gary Spangler 1972 13
Jere Thome 1990 14
Kevin Alston 1995 15
Edward Coholich 1984 16
Nicholas Cornwell 1977 19
Tom Henion 1974 19
Don Osmundson 1972 19
Timothy Glassett 2004 20
Dan Vasilj 1991 20
Micah Gautraud 2001 21
Richard Rouse 1972 21
John Alford 1984 22
James Jocek 1980 22
Thomas Schaeffer 1999 22
Brian Bartlett 1987 24
Todd Kaylor 1983 25
Scott A. Quinn 1988 25
Walt Sharpe 1974 25
Peter Zaccagnino 1992 26
Dennis Caldwell 1972 27
Jerry Filippone 1978 27
Kenneth R. Kuhrt 1971 27
Richard Schooley 1991 27
James Thoms 1985 27
Bruce Lina 1977 28
Bill Ulm 1986 29
Gabriel Davis 2004 31
Clair Stahley 1984 31

President's Update – February 2001

2001-02-01T00:00:00Z

30th BIRTHDAY UPDATE

We're down to 3 weeks and counting until the preliminary deadline! Be sure to send in your registration and make your arrangements. Ticket costs go up after Feb 22nd and the hotel rooms at the plaza Resort & Spa are already filling up quickly at our discounted rate. American and Delta are also starting to fill up with the start of summer vacationers so be sure to book soon if you want to take advantage of the 5-10% discount we've arranged with both carriers.

Send in your pictures before the $100 contest comes to a close. We must receive them by Feb 15th and the Trustees will determine the winning photo at that time. Remember, send whatever and however many you want & everyone is eligible! Got to http://www.etaiota.org/birthday.htm for complete information including the address where you can send your shots.

EtaIota.org has been updated to accept MasterCard/Visa payments for 30th Birthday. If you don't want to pay by check, just go to http://www.etaiota.org/birthday.htm and click on your desired ticket package and you'll be taken to paypal.com. This site is totally secure (I use it all the time) and they will process your one-time payment directly to House Corp (no extra fees). After paying, mail in your registration card with your name & banquet choices to the address indicated or you can email the info to etaiota30th@yahoo.com.

House Corporation Elections

Be thinking if you would like to serve as a House Corporation officer for the 2001-2002 term. Positions: President, VP, Secretary, & Treasurer. Also, two Trustee slots will be up for election this year. Officer terms are for one year & the trustee positions are three-year commitments. If you wish to run for one of these positions, call or email me.

Chapter Room Furniture Reminiscent of Sanford & Sons

Thank you to all of you who have helped with various contacts regarding furniture. We have received some great information and it looks like Blockhouse will give us the best deal. I have received all the details about our options and am awaiting approval from our Trustees. By the way, Blockhouse is the distributor for most campuses around the country and their furniture is pretty amazing. It looks nice, is really comfortable and even comes with a 10-year warranty against breakage (they claim it's a popular choice in our prison systems too)!

1855 Club Coins Coming Soon

The Trustees have voted and we will be having the 1855 Club coins cast in the coming month. They will be ready for Birthday for those of you who have become members. Thank you again for your continuing support…I am sure you will all like these custom coins - they are really cool. For those of you still waiting to sign up, call Rich Schooley or John Banta or you can sign up online at http://www.etaiota.org.
This year has started with a bang and The 1855 Club is progressing very well! We currently have 24 brothers participating and the program has collected over $3600 so far.

Lost Sigs - Where are You?

Take a close look at the list of brothers below. We do not have their current addresses so none of them have received any information about Birthday or anything else that the chapter is doing. If you know their whereabouts, give them a call and tell them to please get in touch with any of us and update their address.
John Emhoff 2000
Jason Smith 2000
Michael Donahue 1999
Craig Jenkins 1999
Zachariah Bowers 1993
Ron Toy 1992
Phil Williams 1991
Bob Matthews 1990
Harry Nostrant 1987
Ted Sandoval 1986
Earl Hines 1985
Nick Nesta 1985
Pete Perkins 1984
Steve Goldman 1983
Todd Kaylor 1983
Dudley Mecum 1983
Danny Wright 1983
Mike Clohisy 1982
Gerry Taggart 1982
Mark Becker 1980
Ron Delle Donne 1980
Gaspare Martino 1980
Dave Stuart 1979
Herb Huston 1978
Juan Gonzalez 1977
Rich Kiever 1977
Larry Maddox 1977
Chris Beale 1975
John Ferguson 1975
Steve Meade 1975
Mike Murray 1975
Lawrence Rea 1975
Stephen A. Blake 1974
George G. Cannady 1974
Hubert Harrison 1974
Col. Jerry Fry 1973
Larry Kolar 1973
Ron Moore 1973
Howard Trimble 1973
Richard Gadd 1972
Rodney George 1972
Jim Hamblin 1972
Dan Kelley 1972
Bill Jakeman 1971
Terry Roberts 1971
Harry Wilkes 1971
Gregory Snell

Happy Birthdays

And Once Again, Happy Birthday to those celebrating in February:
Name/Class Day
Bill Barsin 1973 1
Jon Downey 1987 1
John Schelke 2000 1
Dave Marino 1999 2
Mark Nicalek 2004 6
Everett Clark 1992 8
Morris Ford 1975 8
Rich Gandionco 1995 9
Dan Rees 1973 9
Agapito Rios III 1983 9
Jon Woodman 1995 11
Steve Whitlock 1977 12
Kim Scribner 1960 13
Chris Urquieta 1992 14
Michael Annichiarico 2000 15
Joseph Barrois 2004 16
Dave Simon 1993 16
Bob Butterworth 1973 17
Mitch Friedman 1991 17
Bill Dlhosh 1992 18
Dave Wilkinson 1973 18
Brian Hoefig 1987 19
Justin Dailey 2000 21
Bronte Marshall 1987 21
John Reynolds 1971 22
Earl Hines 1985 23
Randy Reinfeldt 1985 23
Vince Davis 1981 24
Bernard Morrison 1986 25
James Scotto 1980 25
Greg Stratford 1979 25
Col. Jerry Fry 1973 26
Jean Ajayakumar 2000 27
James Allen 1972 27
Anthony Kahler 1994 27
John Spankus 1989 27
Danny Wright 1983 27
Glen Catania 1982 28
Matthew Clarkson 2004 29
Joel Fenton 2003 29
Kent Krause 1991 29
Michael P O'Donnell 2000 29
Trevor Prigge 2003 29
Christopher Tomlinson 2002 29
Brent VonStein 2004 29
Mike Williams 1973 29

President's Update – January 2001

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

On behalf of The House Corporation, I hope everyone and their family enjoyed a safe and happy holiday season. We have accomplished a lot in 2000 and are keeping up the pace into 2001 in preparation for the big projects and events planned for Eta Iota.

30th Birthday Update

You should have already received your complete invitation packet for 30th Birthday (they were sent out earlier in December so let us know if it has not arrived). We have posted complete information on the website at http://www.etaiota.org/birthday.htm including the full weekend schedule, hotel & travel discounts, contact information, pricing and even the ability to make online credit card payments!

Brian and I were in Daytona recently to work with Grant Petronksy on finalizing the LPGA contracts for our Friday golf tournament. This looks to be quite an event by itself - not only do we have great rates secured on a world-class course, they're even giving us carts equipped with GPS and a roaming beverage cart stocked with complimentary drinks. Be sure to make your reservations early for the entire weekend package before the prices go up on Feb 22nd.

30th Anniversary mentioned in The Leader

You may have also noticed in the Fall 2000 issue of The Leader that ERAU has recognized our 30th anniversary in the calendar of upcoming events (page 11). They're almost as excited about this as we are and they are diligently working with us to ensure this will be a first class weekend for all visiting alumni.

Furniture Contacts Anyone?

As indicated in a previous letter, we're looking into replacing the chapter room furniture with some similar 'heavy duty' couches and tables. We have already spoken with ERAU housing director and they suggested we check out BLOCKHOUSE FURNITURE of Aiken, SC. We will likely get a substantial discount through them with our affiliation with the university but I wanted to ask if anyone else had any leads.

If anyone knows of a furniture distributor who may have contacts for industrial strength furniture (no cheap particle-board stuff), please drop me an email (magnum@ntplx.net) so we can contact them for comparison.

1855 Club Coins

The 1855 Club Coins are currently being designed and final designs will be presented to the Trustees for approval in the near future. The custom-made brass coins are turning out to be quite impressive. Our plan is to have the coins cast in time for the 1855 Club members to receive their numbered coin at Birthday weekend in April. For more information or to become a member, please contact Rich Schooley at (770) 552-7250 or John Banta at (214) 979-0850 or you can sign up online at http://etaiota.org/1855club/1855club.htm

January Birthdays

Once again, Happy Birthday to those Brothers celebrating this month

Sky Brown 1970 1

Brian Hendrix 1980 1

Robert O. Talamo 1979 2

Bill Jakeman 1971 3

Pete Perkins 1984 4

Erik Visser 2000 4

Walter DeWitt 1974 5

Dave Gotwald 1971 5

Larry Robertson 1973 5

Scott Wareham 1997 5

David Biddiscombe 1980 6

Charles Brisbane 1977 6

Tom Parker 1971 6

Steve Robinson 1986 6

Bryan Cody 1997 9

Bob Weisenseel 1994 15

James Lee 1989 16

A Clay Wilson 1988 16

John Hall 1995 17

Michael A. Day 1986 18

Tony Vaz 1987 20

Darin Chapman 1986 21

Scott Curll 1993 22

Dan Eberhardt 1986 22

Tim Hyland 1987 22

Frederick Burton 1972 23

Joe Di Pietro 1974 23

Natale DiPietro 1975 23

Dave Klase 1974 23

Pete Moriarty 1990 23

Theodore Sheyda 1972 23

Robert M. Toups 1991 23

Ross Giamportone 1994 24

Fred Block 1993 25

David Weiffenbach 1981 27

Sean Carey 1999 28

Todd Perlman 1995 28

Ray Pyon 1999 29

Hubert Harrison 1974 30

Dan Kelley 1972 31

President's Update – December 2000

2000-12-01T00:00:00Z

House Corp Update

We recently mailed out the fall House Corp newsletter and you should have received it by now. Enclosed you found an update from the undergrads and some important information about the big birthday bash next April. Be sure to check out the online page for updates (www.etaiota.org/birthday.htm) and be on the look out for your complete invitation package scheduled to be mailed in December!

Common 1855 Club question answered

Several Brothers have asked if it's ok to send in checks instead of sign up for the automatic draft for the 1855 Club. Absolutely! The automatic draft was set up as a convenience feature and has worked very well so far but we're not forcing people to use it. You may still send hand-written checks however often you want and for whatever amount you care to donate. All donations still count towards the 1855 Club levels and you will still receive the gifts no matter how you donate. Call Rich Schooley or John Banta for additional information or send checks to: John Banta 2816 Vine ST #167 Dallas, TX 75204

Welcome Beta Rho Pledge Class Initiates!

Brian and I would like to give a special thanks to Fawaz Atchoo, Mike Gehman, and Gary Prestipino for helping to initiate 12 new members to our order, and for generously donating money to purchase bbq after the ceremonies. By the way, for those of you who haven't heard, this most recent pledge class wired the chapter house to support a local area network and DSL access to every room as part of their house project. I'm looking forward to hearing more about this from the actives…when is the webcam being installed? Join me in welcoming the Brothers of the Beta Rho pledge class, initiated to our circle Nov 18th: Brian Jones Matt Clarkson Ryan Collins Justin Dailey Gabe Davis Joel Fenton Bill Janak Drew Jones Mike Kline Aaron Pauly Trevor Prigge Brent Von Stein

Win $100 off the price of your 30th Birthday ticket

Interested in the chance to win $100 off the price of your ticket to 30th Birthday??? Of course you are. We're looking for some memorable moments caught on film that commemorate 30 years of the Eta Iota chapter and the men that have passed through its doors. Get out your shoeboxes stuffed with photos and look for the great shots of your outstanding times with Sigma Chi.

The House Corporation Trustees will be asked to pick the one that best exemplifies the bonds of brotherhood in our chapter and that winning picture will be worth $100. Group pictures are great but send whatever you've got! We're looking for anything you may have that paints a picture of your experiences as a Sigma Chi. Send whatever you want, and however many you want, but don't be surprised if it winds up printed somewhere during birthday weekend! If you prefer, we can return all photos as long as you include a return address.

Official Rules:
· Everyone is eligible…. actives, alumni, sweethearts…. Anyone!
· Send as many pictures as you want…no limits
· Whatever size prints you have is fine: 3x5, 4x6, 5x7…whatever.
· The Eta Iota House Corp Trustees will vote to determine the picture that will be worth $100. In the event of a tie, the $100 will be split among the winning submissions.
· The $100 prize will be awarded as a discount off of the winner's ticket price to 30th Birthday.

Send your pictures to:
John Banta
2816 Vine ST #167
Dallas, TX 75204

Guard Well,

John Banta
Eta Iota House Corporation President

Brian Lojko
Eta Iota House Corporation Vice President

December Birthdays

As always, Happy Birthday to those Brothers celebrating in the coming month of December:

Name/Class Day
James Ahrens 1990 1
William Cannon 1998 1
Duncan Copeland 1993 1
Bryant Jones 1992 1
Bill Jones 2001 1
Lee Jordan Lanford 2001 1
Doug Trommer 1984 1
John Feliu 1971 2
James Deforest 1994 4
Murdock MacGregor 1990 4
Glen Wilkinson 1991 4
Harold Belcher 1973 5
Tom Santurri 1972 6
Scott Kropp 1987 7
Brett Reasner 1987 7
James Bull 1976 8
Robert Johnson 1974 8
Graham Crippin 1987 10
Tom Reed 1971 10
Kieran Sullivan 1988 10
Jerry Nichols 1972 11
Brian Jones 2002 12
Rich Kiever 1977 14
Tony Kralich 1977 14
Greg Maltese 1977 14
Curt Kienast 2000 15
Robby Long 2000 15
Michael S. Plantz 1972 15
Bryan Stevens 2004 15
Gregg Dudzinski 1989 16
Bill Isakson 1987 16
John-Paul Maydak 1999 16
Tim Woleben 1972 16
Chris Thiel 1987 17
Joseph Gamarano 1972 18
Ryan Carson 1999 19
Stephen Woerz 1975 20
Paul Lojko 1996 21
Doug Phillips 1973 23
Ted Branscomb 1979 24
Frank Gangichiodo 2004 24
Gerald Hayman 1972 24
Ed Vogel 1972 24
Howard Trimble 1973 25
Steve Goldman 1983 26
Alan Kotarba 1988 26
Ryan Donley 2000 28
Mark Eberle 1977 28
Danny Shellhouse 1982 28
Mark Becker 1980 30
John Bruns 1983 30
Grant Petronsky 2002 30
Kevin Parker 1997 31
Ryan Wakefield 2001 31

Lost Sigs

Lastly, if you know the whereabouts of any of the following brothers, please ask them to send their current address to House Corp.

First Name Last name Class Status description
Brian Austin Alumnus
Chris Beale 1975 Alumnus
Mark Becker 1980 Alumnus
Bill Berg 1974 Alumnus
Stephen A. Blake 1974 Alumnus
J. Scott Bond 1972 Alumnus
Zachariah Bowers 1993 Alumnus
Ted Branscomb 1979 Alumnus
Dennis Caldwell 1972 Alumnus
Guy Cannady 1974 Alumnus
Glen Catania 1982 Alumnus
Matt Clarkson Undergraduate
Mike Clohisy 1982 Alumnus
Ryan Collins Undergraduate
Justin Dailey Undergraduate
Gabe Davis Undergraduate
Ron Delle Donne 1980 Alumnus
Mike Donahue 1999 Alumnus
Joel Fenton Undergraduate
John Ferguson 1975 Alumnus
Tim Forman 1974 Alumnus
Mitch Friedman 1991 Alumnus
Col. Jerry Fry 1973 Alumnus
Richard Gadd 1972 Alumnus
Rodney George 1972 Alumnus
Steve Goldman 1983 Alumnus
Juan Gonzalez 1977 Alumnus
Jim Hamblin 1972 Alumnus
Hubert Harrison 1974 Alumnus
Earl Hines 1985 Alumnus
Ron Hoye 1994 Alumnus
Phil Humbert 1980 Alumnus
Bill Jakeman 1971 Alumnus
Ted Janiec 1985 Alumnus
Craig Jenkins 1999 Alumnus
Drew Jones Undergraduate
Todd Kaylor 1983 Alumnus
Dan Kelley 1972 Alumnus
Keith Kelly 1999 Alumnus
Rich Kiever 1977 Alumnus
Larry Kolar 1973 Alumnus
Larry Maddox 1977 Alumnus
Gaspare Martino 1980 Alumnus
Bob Matthews 1990 Alumnus
John McDaniel 1973 Alumnus
Dave McGloon 1973 Alumnus
Steve Meade 1975 Alumnus
Mark Milham 1979 Alumnus
Dave Ming 1999 Alumnus
Ron Moore 1973 Alumnus
Nick Nesta 1985 Alumnus
Jerry Nichols 1972 Alumnus
Harry Nostrant 1987 Alumnus
Aaron Pauly Undergraduate
Pete Perkins 1984 Alumnus
Michael S. Plantz 1972 Alumnus
Trevor Prigge Undergraduate
Terry Roberts 1971 Alumnus
Ted Sandoval 1986 Alumnus
Christopher Sanscrainte 1995 Alumnus
Mario Scalzo 1987 Alumnus
Ryan Schubert 1999 Alumnus
Mike Sleeper 1992 Alumnus
Dave Stuart 1979 Alumnus
Gerry Taggart 1982 Alumnus
Chris Tomlinson Undergraduate
Ron Toy 1992 Alumnus
Howard Trimble 1973 Alumnus
Tony Vaz 1987 Alumnus
Brent VonStein Undergraduate
Harry Wilkes 1971 Alumnus
Phil Williams 1991 Alumnus
Gary Wolf 1979 Alumnus
Danny Wright 1983 Alumnus

President's Update – August 2000

2000-08-01T00:00:00Z

Brothers,

The purpose of the House Corporation (as I see it) is two-fold:

Provide adequate housing for the undergraduate chapter at a reasonable price
Provide programs to our chapter alumni aimed at helping each of us retain the Spirit of Youth and maintain the strong ties of brotherhood that we forged as undergraduates.

Having stated our purpose from a high-level perspective, let me give you some detail on each of these challenges.

The current state of our house is less than satisfactory. The house has become somewhat of a money pit. House Corp.'s short-term goal is to make the house self-sufficient. By that I mean that the maintenance and capital item replacement schedule will be solely funded by the undergraduates' mortgage payments. The long-term goal of the House Corporation is to find a better solution to our housing needs. Both goals will take some time and resources.

The Board of Directors believes that we can achieve the first goal within two years. This maybe somewhat ambitious but we have made significant progress over the six months since taking office. We have overhauled the budget, adjusted the undergrads' montly rent to be more in line with university and local housing costs, and have agreed upon a revised maintenance and supporting finance plan. However the plan will not be complete until we make the current house a more attractive place to live for the undergraduates. This will require funds in excess of the current budget so that the necessary improvements can be realized in the near term. Most of the improvements are simple: new carpet, drywall, paint, air-conditioners, and refurbishing the bathrooms. Some problems, as rare as they may be, are considerably more extensive, like structural problems, electrical and plumbing.

Our long-term goal is to find a better solution to the undergraduates' housing needs. This will require a significant amount of money for planning and construction or purchase. What better way to insure our future success than by saving for a rainy day. We would benefit by having capital available so that we could work with Delta Chi in their attempts to lobby the school to a solution to our housing needs.

As with everything else, your House Corporation has renewed its commitment to providing regular correspondence, directories, and with the upcoming 30th Birthday celebration on the horizon, one BIG-ASS PARTY!!! Some of these programs will also require a small amount of funding in order to be successful.

1855 Club

Many of you are already participating in the chapter's new fundraising intitiative, The 1855 Club, and we thank you. For those of you who are still unsure about where the money is going and whether or not it will be properly allocated, let us explain our plan for how to use the funds. As we've indicated above, the current house needs work and while we're moving towards a self-sufficient environment, we are in need of immediate resources in order to accomplish our short-term goals. As this program will be in its infancy this year and next year, we've allocated the majority of the money to go towards immediate maintenance needs. As we move into 2002 and beyond, less of the money is planned for maintenance and we will concentrate on a long-term savings initiative for the new house.

Expected Allocation:

|
2000-2001 |
80% |
20% |
|

|
2002-2003 |
60% |
20% |
20% |

|
2004- ~ |
20% |
20% |
60% |

We've made it very easy to get involved with this program, simply check out your options online at etaiota.org/1855club

As always, please contact either of us if you have any questions or comments concerning your House Corporation.

Guard Well,

John Banta

President's Update – June 2000

2000-06-01T00:00:00Z

I just got the summer issue of The Magazine and while looking through it, it was great to find Eta Iota in so many places. From our alumni brothers submitting letters and photos to an article from the undergrads. For those of you who haven't seen it yet or do not subscribe, here's a quick wrap up…

As I mentioned in the last House Corp newsletter, Brother John Bailey was recognized as a Significant Sig at a Houston Alumni meeting earlier this year. More information of the event and a picture of John getting his award can be found on page??.

Alumni Brothers Brian Lojko and Chris MacDougall can be seen on page ?? in a photo taken in front of a Lockheed Martin C-5. The Magazine is usually pretty obliging in printing any photos we submit (however some pictures I've seen come out of our chapter are probably best left in the chapter photo albums). Send in some shots!

Our chapter showed a fantastic response to headquarter's request for submissions about memorable events in your life as a Sigma Chi. There will be more letters added online at sigmachi.org , but check out the printed version to see mention of our Brothers who made the print:
Chris Nevins
John Wright
Rob Pacheco

Unfortunately, there was also mention of an Eta Iota Brother entering the Chapter Eternal. Kim Scribner was an honorary member of Eta Iota and had an impressive set of credentials in the aviation industry.

As for a house update, I made it over to Daytona last month and found the general condition is improving significantly. The updated fire alarm has been installed and is working properly and we even have illuminated exit signs over the chapter room door (RMF insisted we do this). If someone couldn't find their way out of the chapter room in an emergency, he's probably a good candidate for Darwin's Law.

We are still looking at renovating 2 rooms this summer. Rooms 3 and 5 are both in pretty rough shape from previous leaks in the ceilings and bad A/Cs leaving water damage to the walls. I'd like to do a complete makeover for these 2 rooms but this is dependent on House Corp raising the necessary funds. You should have received a sign up form for the 1855 Club this past week along with a HC newsletter. Please consider a small monthly contribution to make projects like this and long term savings for a new house possible. You can now sign up online and contribute as little as $9 a month. Remember "Gaze into the eyes of the Brothers…they look to you for future support as an alumnus"!?

I hope everyone's having a great month and we'll talk soon.

Guard Well,

John Banta
House Corporation President