February 1983 Omegaphone
Alumni President's Report
United Efforts Result in Heightened Progress
Alumni to Extend a Helping Hand
It is with much pride that I inform the alumni brothers of Omega Chapter of the great progress made in our beloved fraternity house in State College. These achievements result not only from undergraduate efforts, but also, to my delight, from a major thrust by the alumni.
Founders' Day 1982 brought forth a new spirit of brotherhood at Omega Chapter. Alumni brothers from all over the country--not just Pennsylvania--attended the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday affairs at Omega Chapter. Songs and stories floated in between beer and vodka in the downstairs dining room. The new beer taps kept a steady flow of energy throughout the Homecoming party, and the Homecoming chapter meeting was so greatly attended that we may have to double the size of our meeting room. Your alumni board is working hard to continue the spectacular progress by you, the alurnni.
If there is any criticism to be directed at a Theta Chi member, it certainly rests on us, the alumni, never the undergraduates. We must realize that these young men not only attend classes every day, but some also have jobs, and together they must run a house the size of which would be a burden to a lesser group.
There were years when the undergraduate membership was very low; the brothers who kept our house going should get a medal for their courage and Omega spirit. The only possible way to keep this forward force intact is for us, the alumni, to support not only in money, but also by our being there at the chapter house in State College.
To report, as your alumni president, on the Chapter Capital Campaign Fund, almost everyone contacted has not only agreed to contribute $100 a year for three years, but has also already paid the first $200. A list follows of the alumni who have joined us to date, and the alumni board and I apologize if we have neglected to place your name on the list.
A plaque for each member with his name and year now hangs in our Theta Chi reception hall. Please continue to contribute so that our house renovations may continue and so you will be proud to return to a beautiful Omega Chapter. The list of contributors to the Capital Campaign Fund are as follows: Howard Alter '41, Joseph T. Crudo '55, Toby Froehlich '72, S. Thomas Hornyak '72, Edward Keller '53, Louis Wm. Martini '54, Thomas J. Peters '51, William H. Renton '46, Angelo Spinazzola '51, Robert Spinazzola '56, Frederick T. Vansant '20, Ken White '54, Louis Wilson '53, Thomas W. Butch '78, James Stalder '62, Charles Englehardt '78, Drew Tomlinson '79, as well as brothers Gerry Kistler, Brad Davy, Keith Davy, Gienic, and Zedellis. Dick Gruder is the first with a $300 check. Congratulations, class of '29!
The alumni board also came up with an idea that is really very fundamental and, surprisingly enough, never before used at Theta Chi: as graduates of the excellent Pennsylvania State University, we have all met with some success--if not great success--in our field of business, medicine, or the arts. Let us return some of this knowledge, accomplishment, and success to the present undergraduates at Theta Chi. A list will be made up of those alumni who are available to pass down to the undergraduates a helping hand (be it direct help or guidance) in the field of their choice. As an example, I have been elected to the alumni board of our medical school of Philadelphia. Any of the undergraduate brothers of Omega Chapter who would like to contact me for a recommendation to medical school, I would be more than happy to assist. When this idea was brought to the floor of the alumni meeting, immediately, S. Thomas Hornyak said that he would be happy, as audit manager for Touche-Ross and Company in Pittsburgh, to aid in the guidance or placement of anyone in the accounting field. Jim Stalder of Price Waterhouse also offered a helping hand to anyone interested in contacting him. Lou Wilson in Atlanta and Bob Zedellis in San Francisco, both prominent physicians, could be of value for guidance to anyone going into the medical profession. Etc., etc., etc.
With such a list available, our undergraduates, year after year, will be assisted by the helping hand of Theta Chi. In return, when these same undergraduates themselves become alumni, they will give a helping hand to the brothers that fol-low. This will be like a chain reaction, so that in the coming years, Omega Chapter will have one of the strongest national and international alumni associations in the history of Theta Chi fraternity.
Founders' Day weekend will coincide with the Blue-White game, and we are going to start our Saturday morning with the biggest and best breakfast in town--pancakes, sausage, scrapple, eggs, bacon, coffee, and Bloody Marys. (One must be fortified for the trip to the Stadium.) A pre-game tailgate will be held at the Stadium and a chapter meeting and dinner will follow the game.
Door prizes will be awarded to lucky returning alumni:
Two tickets to a-Penn State football- -game- with-blue- park—ing.
Two tickets to a home Steelers game.
Western boots.
A date with Lynda Carter.
Etc., etc., etc.
Again, let me say how proud I am of both the active brothers and our alumni for making Theta Chi even better than it used to be. My last comment is that I thought my class as active brothers at Theta Chi had big drinkers. But let me tell you fellows something: the only place I saw more empty kegs of beer at one time in one place was at the Irish Day celebration in New York 15 years ago when 18,000 people rioted in the streets yelling more, more, more!
The food will be good, the girls pretty, the weather perfect, and number one Penn State will preview its new 1983 version of the national champs on Founders' Day weekend, May 7, 1983. See you there!
Fraternally yours,
Louis Wm. Martini '54
Omega to Host 1983 Region III Assembly
The 1983 Region III Assembly will be hosted by Omega Chapter the weekend of March 25, 26, and 27, 1983. Notifications have gone out to all chapters in Region III, and we now wish to extend an open invitation to all of our alumni, This Assembly promises to be the best ever, and it wouldn't be complete without you. The weekend starts with a Friday night party welcoming all Theta Chi's. Saturday will begin with morning seminars and an afternoon address by a distinguished Theta Chi. The remainder of the day will include a delicious banquet followed by a band party to highlight the weekend. The cost to all actives (including Omegas) is $25; if only the parties and dinner are attended, the charge will be $15. Please come the Assembly should be fun for all! Hope to see you the weekend of March 25 - 27!
Chapter President's Report
A Chapter Review of '82 A Look Back . . . and Forth
Greetings to all our alumni from the undergraduates of Omega. I am happy to report that the year 1982 was a successful one for the chapter, beginning with the brotherization of a ten-man pledge class -- the largest in years. These fine men started off right, as their pledge project, the demolition of the plaster hallway walls, prepared the way for the installation of our new wooden panels. Another accomplishment of which we are very proud is our winning of the Man Miles Award at the Regional Assembly at Drexel University. With 13 in attendance, it was the largest representation we have had in a while.
We were also happy to be visited by one of our founding brothers, Frederick T. Vansant '20, who was here this past spring for the Department of Civil Engineering's 100th Anniversary. Brother Vansant entertained us with stories of "the way things were" when he was an active Theta Chi; we were surprised to find out how wild our older brothers could be! They make the present actives look meek! But seriously, we greatly appreciated brother Vansant's visit and encourage any alumni to do as such, for our doors are always open.
Spring ended the best Founders' Day in years, as well as our traditional Mother's Day dinner, where we bid farewell to our eight graduating brothers.
National Convention - L to R: John Cunningham, William Renton, Howard Alter, Gerald Kistler and Gary Hicks
in 1983
Summer was also eventful for Omega, as we learned that brother Gary L. Hicks '82 was selected as a field representative for our National Fraternity. He and four other Omegas attended the National Convention in New Orleans, where brother William H. Renton '46 was elected to the National Board of Trustees. A belated congratulations to brother Renton from the actives at Omega!
As the leaves started to fall, we finished our hallways in time for Homecoming, and our pledge class repainted the side porch and built stairs to the front yard, Our Homecoming was the best in years, as many alumni returned and rekindled old friendships over a great dinner. We hope that this is a start of many more well-attended Homecomings. And for those alumni who pledged to the Helping Hands of Omega Club, we graciously appreciate your assistance.
The Chapter house is prettiest - in the winter when the snowfall
Now, as the snow falls, we prepare ourselves for one more year here at Omega; a year which will see Penn State convert to the semester calendar and a newer, younger brotherhood taking charge of the chapter. We hope to see you at the Regional Assembly or Founders' Day, or both. Remember . .. "Theta Chi for Life."
Fraternally,
Hugh D. Cadzow '83
hapter President
Alumni in the News
RAYMOND B. POEPPEL '20 is retired and lives at Alden Park Manor, Philadelphia, PA.
"I am in excellent health, reasonably active, and enjoying life," writes FRED T. VANSANT '20. Fred celebrated his 85th birthday this past April and lives in Summit, NJ.
ANTHONY V. PICKARD '21 lives in Pottsville, PA.
RICHARD A. GEUDER '29 recently moved into a Williamsburg-style condominium and enjoys it very much.
GUY W. KNIGHT '30 writes that he would be glad to hear from any Theta Chi.
After retiring from the Internal Revenue Service in 1980, JOSEPH S. ALEXANDER '35 has been developing a small tax and accounting practice in the Union County area of New Jersey. He is majoring in golf and duplicate bridge and is also a treasurer of the Old Guard of Westfield, a retired group of professional and business persons.
The director of the Pittsfield Regional Education Center, THOMAS H. WHITE '36 resides in Dalton, MA 01226.
CHARLES A. CANTLEY '37 boasts that his family has provided him with ten grandchildren and that "we enjoy visiting privileges in Texas, California, Louisiana, Maryland, and New Jersey--good places to go to get away from the 'four walls'!" When not visiting, he can be found in Springfield, PA.
FRANKLIN H. PRITCHARD, JR. '37 says his family consists of three children and seven grandchildren. He and his wife, Jean, enjoy sailing and living in Roanoke, VA.
Since January 1981, HENRY F. PIERCE '43 has been the president of BFC Chemicals, Inc., a subsidiary of an inter-national agrochemical venture.
WILLIAM A. GRUN '47 writes, "I retired as chairman of the Industrial Arts Department at Abington High School in June of 1980. Since then I have taken courses at Princeton Theological Seminary and operated a house painting business. One of the reasons I retired at age 60 was so that I could do some bicycle touring which I have done in Maine and Florida."
Home address for ROSS B. BRODE '49 in Lewistown, PA.
HAROLD N. WELLS '53 has two children in college and a son who works for Honeywell. His wife, Barbara, opened a new real estate office with four other brokers and is "prospering in the face of recession." Their home is in Wellesley Hills, MA.
"My oldest daughter is now a freshman at Penn State, and I am presently the president of the Penn State Club of NE Ohio," beams ALEX A. GREGAL '54. He lives in Poland, OH.
GEORGE F. KELLER '55 is the president of Keller Marine Service, Inc.
Home address for THOMAS W. HERRALA '60 is in Longmeadow, MA.
A partner in charge of tax services in the Pittsburgh office of Price Waterhouse, JAMES C. STALDER '62 lives in Pittsburgh, PA.
KEITH L. STRALEY '62, vice president of finance and administration of Acadia Manufacturing Corp., can be contacted in Baldwin, MD.
CHARLES M. MITCHELL III '63 is an executive in the Department of Navy and lives in Vienna, VA.
"After graduating as an industrial engineer," advises GARY RISER '64, "I worked for IBM's data processing division, obtained an MBA from Ohio State, a CPA from Tennessee, and have worked for Union Carbide now for over 14 years. I am only 30 minutes from the World's Fair and hope to hear from some of the brothers." Gary can be reached in Oak Ridge, TN.
THOMAS D. KILEY '65 was recently appointed to the board of directors of Genencor, Inc., a joint venture of Genentech and Corning Glass Works. The father of three, Tom can be found in Hillsborough, CA.
TOBY M. FROEHLICH '72 tells us his new home is in Erie, PA.
Plant industrial engineer and production operations manager KURT NATHAN '73 lives in Iowa City, IA.
DAVID A. BEISSWANGER '74 can now be contacted in Bridgewater, NJ.
Please note the new address for RONALD W. HERTZ 74: is in Baltimore, MD.
Home address for BILL ROONEY '75 is in Reading, PA 19605.
Congratulations to PAUL R. WASSERBACH '76: he was married on June 6, 1981 and is also the proud father of a baby girl, Julie Annel. He is the marine supervisor, CIGNA Corp., inBaltimore, MD.
International underwriter PAUL V. BENDER '79 writes that he would welcome any brothers for a weekend visit to see New York. "Gumby" in Larchmont, NY 10538
Home address for RICHARD R. COLE '80 is in Ambler, PA.
DUSTON L. HAYWARD 'S2 was a busy man in 1982: in March he married Brenda J. Long; in April he began working as a mathematician/computer scientist at Patuxent Naval Air Test Center; and in September he and his wife relocated to Waldorf, MD
Chapter Eternal
We regret to inform you of the death of:
DANIEL O. EVANS '22
WALLACE E. DIXON '45
CHARLES G. ZINK JR. '45
RICHARD ROGERS '50
Thank you to all those brothers that shared their news.
Checkout past issues of the Omegaphone by clicking here.