TAU KAPPA EPSILON q EPSILON CHAPTER q IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY q SPRING 2017

THE CHIMES

Oftentimes when we meet new people, it’s common to ask what school or university

they attended, and presumably the question of whether they were Greek usually comes up. But the question is often posed in the past tense, “What fraternity were you in?” I’d like to challenge us to think in the present tense—that we are all Epsilon members of TKE!

For more than a century, Epsilon Chapter of TKE has been a proud and respected member of the Iowa State campus community. Since our founding in 1915, hundreds of young men have bonded as Fraters and learned to be better men for a better world. Epsilon Chapter continues to grow both in numbers and in stature. We now have more than 100 undergraduate members on campus and over 1,500 living alumni. I think most of us would agree that TKE has had a significant impact on our lives, both during and after our time at Iowa State.

With this in mind, the TKE Alumni Association has committed to building a more formal alumni relations program. As part of that program, we plan to mail two hardcopies of The Chimes newsletter each year containing information on upcoming Epsilon events, news on fellow Fraters, reports on various Chapter activities, and current lists of undergraduate new members and officers. A more timely and consistent

Chimes and other alumni relations programs are designed to help Fraters stay in better touch and to cultivate increased awareness and involvement in our Epsilon Chapter. We want you to not only be proud of your Epsilon Chapter experience but also confident when you say that you are an Epsilon member of TKE.

In addition to the newsletter, we will send a biographical update requesting alumni to update our records each year. These biographical updates provide the means to collect information for the alumni news section of the newsletter. The updates play a vital role in maintaining ties with one another. Please return your form if you have not done so already.

I welcome your feedback on the revamped communications plan and encourage you to get more involved. We are seeking Fraters interested in serving on the alumni association or assisting as alumni advisory board members; contact me if you are interested in getting involved. Hopefully our efforts will remind you that we are all Epsilon TKEs for life, not just during our college years.

Yours in the bond, Roger Underwood E-1239 ’80Epsilon Alumni Association(515) 231-0151 / rogeru@riverwoodmgt.com

BY ALUMNI FOR ALUMNI Epsilon Chapter Launches Revamped Alumni

Communications Program

Epsilon continues to recruit a strong group of Fraters each year. See pages 3 and 4 for details on our fall and spring new members, and to read what the Chapter is up to.

William “Bill” Roe E-702 ’65 Realizes

Importance of TKE Membership

Friends and Family Are Most Valuable to This Frater

Fraternities “were not on my radar,” says William “Bill” Roe E-702 ’65, when he

was considering universities. After deciding that ISU’s engineering college was the right fit for him, his cousin, Thomas Stille E-686 ’63, suggested Bill go through recruitment. Bill ultimately pledged Epsilon Chapter, and his class of 33 “became one of the best in Chapter history, leading to top awards with leaders in all areas of campus.”

Bill developed lifelong friendships as a result of his membership and learned about working with a group of people toward a common goal. He says this lesson would prove valuable when he started a small business with two partners, as well as in other ventures. In addition to forging new relationships and preparing Fraters for life after college, TKE provided a supportive alumni network. “We always had mentors in the Fraternity—men I looked up to and wanted to emulate.” Appreciative of that experience, Bill has made it a point to be a mentor throughout his life.

(Continued on page 2)

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While Bill says there are too many memories to name as his favorite, he specifically recalls a late night spent discussing the future (and past and present) with a handful of Fraters. He also treasures the many late-night pledge events and bridge games with Chapter Advisor Spike Kratochvil, Drake ’38. “As the years pass, you start to realize the quality of the fraternal experience.”

Bill keeps in touch with several Fraters, and two men have been especially important in his life, Charles “Chuck” Kolbe E-691 ’66 and Ed Schram E-693 ’65. “Chuck and I had daughters at Kappa Kappa Gamma together, and then he convinced me to join him on a bike ride across Iowa—my first RAGBRAI.” Several years later, Chuck was in a bicycle accident, leaving him confined to a wheelchair. Bill visited him yearly and spoke on the phone monthly before Chuck passed away. After Ed moved to Santa Barbara, he and Bill would get together about every year. “I try to stop and see him on every trip we make to Southern California. He is currently battling Alzheimer’s.”

Bill is owner and manager of Tandem Properties, which started out building houses then developed into rental projects as investments. When asked what advice he’d impart to undergraduates, Bill says, “My Iowa roots encouraged me to be frugal, and low overhead helped me weather a few financial storms. Your possessions will never be as important as your friends and family. Treasure them, maintain them, and develop them.” He also believes in following one’s passions. “Don’t be afraid to fail. You often learn more from your failures than your successes.”

Bill and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 48 years and live in Davis, California. They have two children, Eric and Whitney, and five grandchildren. Bill’s hobbies include photography and cycling, and he and Nancy love to travel several months of the year. You can reach Bill at bilroe@sbcglobal.net.

William “Bill” Roe E-702 ’65 Realizes

Importance of TKE Membership

(Continued from page 1)

Bruce Stewart-Brown E-1264 ’80 is one of nearly 20 family members in the last

100 years to attend Iowa State University. That Cyclone connection eventually led Bruce to the family-like Greek system.

He began his college career at Arizona State then transferred to ISU in order to get into veterinary school. His first year in Ames was spent living with his grandmother and working at Aunt Maude’s restaurant, where he met many students. He became friends with a number of Delta Upsilon members, who encouraged him to go through recruitment. When it came down to making a decision, Bruce was torn between DU and TKE. However, he felt that “TKE was a group of guys I could relate to more. I was right about that.”

Bruce says the ISU fraternal system was very strong. “It was large, respected, and active. It was a kind of family in and of itself.” Membership in TKE prepared Bruce for personal and professional success by encouraging teamwork, respect for others, and proving that group accomplishments take a lot of work but are very rewarding.

Just one example of how family oriented the Epsilon Chapter is—even after graduation—came last year, when Bruce’s father passed away. Several Fraters attended the funeral to show their support. “That was a big deal [to me] and is a testimony to our fraternity days in the early ’80s.”

Bruce is a poultry veterinarian and works for Perdue Foods as vice president of food safety, quality, and live operations. He started as a field vet for Perdue in 1998, then moved to

VP of Food Safety and Quality in 2002, and the last several years his responsibilities have expanded to live operations: chickens, hatcheries, and feed mills. He says the company is run by a strong family that wants to do things the right way, meaning the focus is on making sure the animals in their care are raised in such a way that things like antibiotic use can be virtually eliminated.

Recognized as one of the Top 25 Future Icons in the meat and poultry industry, Bruce says being successful requires determination and persistence, as well as working with other great people toward the goal.

Bruce and his wife, Barbara, a retired veterinarian, live in Salisbury, Maryland. They have two children; Ben is a graduate student at UGA, studying to be a plant breeder, and Lauren is a University of Delaware graduate, working in food safety for a Chicago-based candy company. Bruce enjoys spending time with family and staying active, playing golf or running. He and his son have signed up for a half-marathon in April. “I know there will be some walking involved, at least for me!” You can reach Bruce at stewart-brown@comcast.net.

Bruce Stewart-Brown E-1264 ’80 Is Thankful for Strong ISU Greek SystemEpsilon Chapter Provided Another Family, Support Network

FOUR EPSILON MEMBERS INDUCTED INTO CARDINAL KEY SOCIETY

Membership in the Cardinal Key Society is the highest honor a student can receive at Iowa State. The society was founded in 1926 and is extremely selective, taking no more than

a third of 1% of all juniors and no more than one half of 1% of all seniors. Currently, there are 101 members of Cardinal Key. Applicants must fill out both a written application and be selected for an interview. Four members of Epsilon Chapter were accepted into Cardinal Key:

Noah Jackson E-2215 ’18, Urbandale, IowaRiley McCloskey E-2192 ’17, Highlands Ranch, Colorado Nick Meyers E-2224 ’18, Monticello, IowaJohn Maubach E-2199 ’18, Webster City, Iowa

If you see any of these men, be sure to congratulate them on this achievement.

Yours in the Bond,Derek Thilges E-2265 ’20, Histor

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Throughout the last six months, the men of Epsilon Chapter have seen great success in

many aspects of the Greek experience. From one of the busier fall semesters we have experienced recently, we eagerly rushed into the spring semester with yet larger goals. I am excited to share with you some of our talented members’ achievements so far this academic year.

FRATERS COMMITTED TO PHILANTHROPY Last year, Epsilon Chapter largely contributed to the most successful Up ’til Dawn event to date. Philanthropy Chairmen Gavin Hellmich E-2230 ’17 and Derek Gushiken E-2251 ’19 also guided our Chapter philanthropy, Judapalooza, to a huge increase in dollars raised. Up ’til Dawn—a campus-wide event led by a committee comprised primarily of Tekes—raised a record-setting $80,000, while Judapalooza garnered $2,713 for the kids of St. Jude, more than doubling its total of $1,345 last year. Of the $80,000 raised during Up ’til Dawn, $24,000 came from Tekes alone—this is a $9,000 increase from the $15,000 raised by Teke last year!

NETWORKING AT REGIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCEOn February 17, nearly 20 men made the long drive to Indianapolis to attend one of TKE’s annual Regional Leadership Conferences. We networked with other chapters from the Midwest and high-ranking officials from TKE International. For the newest members of our Chapter, this was a wonderful opportunity to expand their leadership potential while making meaningful connections with other chapters in our region.

GREEK WEEK ON THE HORIZONWe had a great performance during Greek Week, which took place from March 26 to April 2. We were fortunate to have on our team the wonderful women of Delta Delta Delta, as well as the men of Phi Kappa Theta and Theta Chi. We performed in Lip Sync, and our Greek Week co-chairmen introduced a successful intra-Chapter competition to raise money for the Special Olympics of Iowa.

THANK YOU, ALUMNIAs you can see, spring is in full swing at Epsilon! The men are hard at work, and I have full

confidence we will see success in all we do this semester. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the alumni reading this letter. The prosperity we see now exists only because of the sacrifice and dedication to the Chapter you all have shown. It is because of you the Chapter stands tall today, and it is our top priority to ensure we never grow complacent and always strive for greater accomplishments.

Yours in the Bond,Tom Scallon E-2220 ’18Prytanis (515) 360 4964 / tscallon@iastate.edu

Epsilon Chapter Makes Record-Setting Donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital

Members Appreciate Opportunities at Regional Leadership Conference

Members gather for a spring all-Chapter retreat.

PrytanisThomas Scallon E-2220 ’18Norwalk, IowaComputer Science, Mathematics, Statistics

EpiprytanisNick Meyers E-2224 ’18Monticello, IowaAerospace Engineering

HegemonLuke Peters E-2236 ’19Urbandale, IowaMechanical Engineering

HypophetesEvan Wieczorek E-2256 ’19Palatine, Ill.Aerospace Engineering

PylortesBlake Davis E-2255 ’17Waukee, IowaHistory

CrysophylosMatt Tjaden E-2262 ’19Bettendorf, IowaFinance

GrammateusCaleb Townsend E-2260 ’19Cedar Falls, IowaKinesiology and Health

HistorDerek Thilges E-2265 ’20Ames, IowaMaterials Engineering

Recruitment ChairmenNolan Vollstedt E-2250 ’19Des Moines, IowaChemical Engineering

Noah Gratias E-2234 ’19Waukee, IowaPre-Business

CHAPTER OFFICERS

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WELCOME, NEW MEMBERSJakob Allison E-2289

Waukee, IowaFinance and Management

Justin Ashley E-2276Waukee, Iowa

Mechanical Engineering

Ty Austin E-2270Ames, Iowa

Biology

Tyler Battle E-2259Naperville, Ill.

Supply Chain Management

Jonathan Bliss E-2272West Des Moines, Iowa

Athletic Training

Zach Buerger E-2271Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Pre-Business

Aditya Deshpande E-2261Palatine, Ill.

Aerospace Engineering

Kyler Estenson E-2287Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Pre-Business

Conor Goerg E-2283Naperville, Ill.

Aerospace Engineering

Brandon Johnson E-2279Willowbrook, Ill.

Computer Engineering

Cameron Johnson E-2274Adel, Iowa

Finance

Nicholas Johnson E-2267Davenport, Iowa

Kinesiology

Matthew Kaczynski E-2286Hinsdale, Ill.

Industrial Technologies

Lucas Karns E-2269Grimes, IowaCriminology

Kail McCarter E-2268Trenton, Mo.

Construction Engineering

Dillon Minshall E-2264Urbandale, Iowa

Pre-Design

Logan Peterson E-2280Libertyville, Ill.

Marketing and International Business

Andrew Ranchino E-2292Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Chemical Engineering

Ian Reed E-2281Prairie City, IowaPolitical Science

Seth Rohs E-2277Omaha, Neb.

Mechanical Engineering

Nicholas Scigliano E-2273Des Moines, Iowa

Biochemistry

Derek Thilges E-2265Ames, Iowa

Materials Engineering

Matt Thompson E-2291Grinnell, Iowa

Mechanical Engineering

Matt Tjaden E-2262Bettendorf, Iowa

Finance

Caleb Townsend E-2260Cedar Falls, Iowa

Kinesiology

Zachary Trochlil E-2285Plymouth, Minn.

Mechanical Engineering

Jack Underwood E-2275Omaha, Neb.

Mechanical Engineering

Callum White E-2284Chaska, Minn.

Industrial Engineering

Benjamin Whittington E-2266Chicago, Ill.

Political Science

Wesley Woods E-2278Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Mechanical Engineering

Sebastian Yates E-2290Libertyville, Ill.

Chemical Engineering

Jordan Yaukovitz E-2282West Des Moines, Iowa

Open option

Taylor Zeller E-2263Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Software Engineering

Matthew Zemlicka E-2288Golden Valley, Minn.

Meteorology

We had more than 30 students interested in TKE and we narrowed this number to six

exceptional individuals. We were very selective throughout this process and made sure to get the potential new members to the house more than three times before considering them for a bid. We had two large events; the first was during the second week of the semester, and we had about 25 guys come to the house to play poker, pool, video games, and get a house tour. The second event took place at Lied, and we played multiple pickup basketball games. Our

successful recruitment could not have been possible without the outstanding participation of the Chapter. It’s really exciting to see how much the rest of Epsilon cares about our future members. We are extremely pleased with our spring pledge class of 2017, and we know they will keep us moving in the right direction.

Yours in the bond, Nolan Vollstedt E-2250 ’19 Noah Gratias E-2234 ’19Recruitment Chairmen

Epsilon Chapter Signs Six Men This Spring

• Ben Sarbacker, a freshman studying business, is from Peoria, Arizona, and plays on the ISU hockey team.

• Mark Deutsch, from Newton, Iowa, is a sophomore studying agricultural engineering.

• Nathan Leon is a freshman studying civil engineering and is from Des Moines, Iowa.

• Isaac Welsch, a transfer TKE from Michigan Tech, is a freshman studying mechanical engineering and from Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

• Ty Sandene is a freshman studying aerospace engineering and is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

• Brennen Reynolds, from Le Claire, Iowa, is a freshman studying chemical engineering.

In the fall 2016 semester, Epsilon earned a 3.14 GPA. This grade point average was

high enough to place Epsilon eighth overall in the Interfraternity Council, beating 23 other fraternities on campus. This number comes with an impressive 3.23 active member GPA, which is above the all-Greek active member GPA. However, Epsilon did see a slight setback with the new member GPA last semester, which averaged a 2.96. With these results, changes to the academic system are coming to enforce the ideals of academic success into the new member education process this semester. The Fraters of Epsilon, however, are confident that the slight setback in GPA, after several semesters of significant growth, is just part of the learning process. With a strong spring semester performance, TKE at Iowa State University will be right back on track to setting the academic standard on campus and nationally.

Yours in the bond, Evan Wieczorek E-2256 ’19Hypophetes

High GPA Earns Chapter Eighth Place

among Fraternities

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CHAPTER ETERNALDean Coons E-405 ’50 passed on to Chapter Eternal on December 18, 2016, at his home in Lafayette, Calif. He and his wife, Chris, had their 65th wedding celebration August 18, 2016. Dean lived a life full of family, faith, and volunteer service.

Helmut Seaman E-434 ’52 passed on to Chapter Eternal on June 21, 2016, in Madison, Wis. He was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on February 3, 1929, and left for the United States as a 12-year-old with his mother and sister in September 1941. After reuniting with his father, who emigrated to the U.S. a year earlier, the family started life together in Ames, Iowa. In 1956, after graduating from ISU and serving two years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, Helmut moved to Madison to work as an architect. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects and the supervising architect for at least two buildings on the University of Wisconsin. He married Mildred Haller in 1961, and they lived in Madison for many years before moving to Middleton in 2002.

Richard Olson E-442 ’53 passed on to Chapter Eternal in May 2016 as a resident of Medford, Ore. His daughter, Arlee, says, “Dad was always proud of his fraternal affiliation.”

Willard H. Rogers E-480 ’54 passed on to Chapter Eternal on December 21, 2016, as a resident of Ft. Collins, Colo. His family was by his side after a year-long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Barbara, his son, Steven, and daughter, Betsy.

Steven Hart E-837 ’68 passed on to Chapter Eternal on November 17, 2016, as a resident of Red Wing, Minn. Steven is warmly remembered by family, Fraters, and all who knew him.

ALUMNI NEWS George Burnet E-333 ’48 reports that it’s been 75 years since he joined Epsilon Chapter (1943). The intervening years provided special times with Fraters from his undergraduate years and beyond. Activities with the Chapter have also been an enjoyable part of his life. In 1995, George retired from Iowa State after 39 years on the faculty administration in the College of Engineering. E-mail: gaburnet2@ghhome.com

Robert Gregory E-412 ’51 is 87 years old and a widower. He has four children, 12 grandchildren, and 27 great-grandchildren living from Maine to California. Frater Wayne Jennings E-5780 ’50 was his best man at his wedding. After graduating, Robert went to work for General Motors as a consulting engineer and directed R&D for a rubber and plastics machinery manufacturer in Akron, Ohio, followed by directing for a machinery manufacturer in Somerville, N.J. He became self-employed as a consulting engineer in the plastics and rubber industries in 1970. He continued consulting until 2005. During his employment, Robert obtained

16 patents and presented 20-some technical papers to the Society of Plastics Engineers and the Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Institute of America. In his final years working, he served in many legal cases as an expert witness, typically involving patent litigation, theft of trade secrets, and personal injury. Robert lives in an independent living facility in Peachtree City, Ga.

Donald Rogers E-444 ’52 reports that he and his wife, Chantry, are in good health and ready to celebrate their 65th anniversary. They have seven grandchildren who all live nearby. They are avid bridge players, and Don is the director of a 35-person harmonica band that performs gigs at retirement homes.

Robert Lindemeyer E-580 ’58 has spent the past 20-plus years serving on the board of directors of the Stanton Memorial Carillon Foundation at Iowa State University, four of those years (1999-2003) as president. E-mail: robert@lindemeyer.com

James Weigle E-710 ’61 enjoys his eight grandchildren and also takes care of his 102-year-old mother-in-law. James likes to spend time at his cabin and travel when he can. E-mail: djweigle.42@gmail.com

Gordon Reisinger E-681 ’63, his wife, Barbara, and their three children all graduated from Iowa State. He has been in the cattle business all his life. Barb was VEISHEA queen and a Pi Phi. Their daughters, Kristin and Kathy, are also Pi Phis, and their son, Todd E-1540 ’91, is an Epsilon TKE. Gordon remembers TKE as a great experience, especially working with Spike Kratochvil, Drake ’38 as Chapter advisor.

Charles “Chuck” Carl E-690 ’64* spent a fulfilling career in marketing and product development with Caterpillar, including 13 years in Hong Kong, before retiring in Florida in 2002. Chuck’s hobbies now include old cars and old tractors. E-mail: chuckjudycarl@aol.com

Steven Pugsley E-869 ’69* is officially a stage-four cancer survivor according to the results of his latest CT scan. He still works on business development projects in renewable energy. One project uses carbon dioxide in generators and their compressors instead of Freon. E-mail: sepugsley@gmail.com

Kingford Bavender E-926 ’73 reports that after serving clients for more than 40 years in the custom clothing industry, he is expanding his business by training other custom clothiers throughout the United States on how to create a bespoke garment. He found this to be very rewarding and it allows him to travel to areas of the country he would not normally go. He looks forward to moving his headquarters to Arizona in the next couple years. He also has enjoyed reconnecting with Epsilon since his son, Kyle E-2178 ’17, has joined. E-mail: kingford@bavender.com

Alumni Update

TAILGATEWITH TKE

The inaugural Epsilon TKE tailgate in 2008.

TKE tailgate in 2009.

TKE tailgate in 2012.

TKE tailgate in 2013.

TKE tailgate in 2014. (Continued on page 6)

Epsilon Chapter of Tau Kappa EpsilonIowa State UniversityP.O. Box 442100Lawrence, KS 66044-2100

Address Service Requested

Attention: This newsletter is intended for Tau Kappa Epsilon alumni and parents. If your son is still attending Iowa State University, he will receive a copy at the chapter house. If he is no

longer in school, please send us his permanent address to update our records. Thank you.

THE CHIMES

Continuing a longtime ISU Greek life tradition, members participated in the Varieties competition in February. Varieties showcases the theatrical talents of Greek members. Chapter pairings prepare,

create, and perform a 16- to 22-minute skit. In this mini-musical, there is singing, dancing, acting, and comedy. Our pairing for 2017 was Pi Beta Phi, Acacia, and Alpha Omicron Pi, and our skit was Night at the Music Museum, with music from Justin Timberlake, Stevie Nicks, James Brown, and others. Yours in the bond, Romon Thach E-2244 ’19Vasudev Nambury E-2245 ’19Kip Krehbiel E-2214 ’18Varieties Chairmen

Epsilon proudly competes with three other teams in the final cuts in Varieties this spring.

Varieties 2017: Night at the Music Museum

HISTOR INVITES ALUMNI HOME

Since I joined TKE I have been looking for ways to help improve the Chapter and

myself. After several discussions with the previous Histor, Luke Peters E-2236 ’19, I knew that this position would be beneficial in that endeavor. This semester I am trying to bring as many alumni to visit the house as possible; please stop in even if you’re just passing through town. I would love to get to know as many of you as possible, and I know others would as well. I also hope to add at least one more large alumni event to the calendar. If you have any ideas on this let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in the bond, Derek Thilges E-2265 ’20Histordthilges@iastate.edu

David Burrell E-1114 ’76 is happy that his son, Matt Burrell E-1924 ’05, is also an Epsilon TKE. E-mail: dburrell1@mchsi.com

David Gaskill E-1559 ’91 is a retired Air Force colonel. He is a farm manager and district agricultural sales manager in northwest Iowa. E-mail: dbg0218@gmail.com

Paul Nelson E-1611 ’93 has a daughter, Claire, who is a freshman at Iowa State and is a Kappa Delta. E-mail: paul@penarchitect.com

Peter Hurtgen E-1929 ’04 has been teaching and coaching for seven years, mainly basketball and track. In the past three years, he has had one student win at Texas state track in long jump, and last year, another won third in the triple jump. The school has built a strong jump program at Oak Ridge High School in Conroe, Texas. E-mail: phurtgen@iastate.edu

Damon Schmidt E-2151 ’15 is stationed in Twenty Nine Palms, Calif. A second lieutenant, he is the company executive officer. This spring, he will start a tour in Afghanistan. E-mail: schmidtdamon28@gmail.com

*Printed copies of The Chimes misrepresented news on these Fraters. Clarifications are listed here. We apologize for the error.

Tau Kappa Epsilon – Iowa State University

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Alumni Update (Continued from page 5)