NEWSLETTERS Troy TKE Vol 2002/1 A Publication of the Beta Sigma Alumni Association August 2002 We're Building a New House! Completion Set for Fall 2004 The Board of Trustees is proud to announce that we are building a new TKE House! We will demolish the existing TKE East house located at 625 W. 28th Street at the end of the 2003 spring semester. Construction will begin immediately on a brand new fraternity house. The new house will be open and ready for occupancy at the beginning of the 2004 fall semester. The total cost of the project is $1,200,000. We have saved almost $200,000, and will have $270,000 saved by the time of demolition. Our goal is to raise an additional $200,000 in tax-deductible donations. TKE East is showing the wear of countless generations of TKEs, not to mention previous fraternities who occupied it before. It has well served our needs to date and was an excellent investment when originally acquired in the early 1970's. The existing structure with its vast parking area has allowed TKE to grow beyond the limits of the original West structure providing both significant revenue and a facility for countless social events. It is our intention to replicate the benefits of the existing structure while providing new benefits far beyond those offered elsewhere on the row. TKE West will remain as our main fraternity structure offering the kitchen, dining and library facilities for both structures for the foreseeable future. Our building concept for TKE East is simple and straightforward: 1) Two stories of new dormitory style rooms over a partial subterranean parking structure. 2) Californian Craftsman architectural style intended to blend with the neighborhood and historical context surrounding the USC campus. 3) Main entrance to the structure centered on the south elevation facing 28th Street. 4) Side entrance providing direct access to TKE West through a private courtyard between the houses. 5) The subterranean parking structure offers added security while providing the necessary parking required by zoning ordinance. Cars will enter the gated, partial subterranean parking structure via the alley at the north of property. The two-man rooms have 11-foot ceilings allowing for sleeping lofts, creating space for couches and desks below. All rooms will have high speed Internet access and provide independently controlled heating and air-conditioning. A large first floor social space will be provided. The new social space has been designed with consideration given to functionality, security and privacy, offering a significant advantage over what is offered elsewhere on the Row. To help raise money for this project we initiated the "Dynasty Campaign." The word dynasty is defined as a group that maintains power for several generations. The Bush family is a political dynasty, the Lakers are a basketball dynasty, and the Beta Sigma Chapter of TKE is a fraternity dynasty in the making. TKE is now a preeminent fraternity at USC and one of the best chapters in the nation. Our top-notch recruitment, academic achievement, competitive victories, and strong alumni support are evidence of our strength. Now it is time to do more. Over the next few months you will be asked to make a tax-deductible donation to our campaign. We know we can count on you. We are building a new TKE house for the next 50 years. We are building a dynasty! Salute to Troy - Salute to TKE! With great regret, our annual membership kickoff golf tournament has been postponed until August 2003. However, to replace the successful golf tournament this year, we have a great program. In cooperation with the USC Athletic Department, TKE will be a big part of this year's annual Salute to Troy football kickoff party at Dedeaux Field. For those of you who have not attended this event before, the USC Football Team is officially introduced to fans and friends in a barbeque style dinner and party on Friday, August 23. The event includes performances by the Trojan Marching Band and Song Girls, along with speeches from players and coaches. And the TKE's will have our own assigned seating! Without question, the best part of the event is the great food and OPEN BAR! To encourage a strong turnout, you get a discount on your annual Beta Sigma Alumni Association membership dues with your $45 paid entry fee to Salute to Troy. The discounts are as follows: Cherry & Grey Regular: $250 Reduced: $225 Beta Sigma Boosters Regular: $150 Reduced:$140 General Membership $75 No discount (read article on page 4) Simply complete both the membership form and the Salute to Troy form enclosed in this newsletter. On the membership form, write in “Salute to Troy” so we know to discount your annual fee. Be sure to postmark your two forms by August 12. We'll contact you about your ticket to the event. Questions? Call Mark Easterday at 714-429-2831. The Tent is Movin' On Up! Beta Sig Forges Partnership With Natural History Museum By Mark Easterday, #888 You knew it was coming...the tent is being outsourced. Since the inception of "the Tent" 6 years ago, a small, dedicated group of fraters have provided the blood, sweat, and tears for putting on USC's largest independent tailgate party. Thanks to their efforts, the Tent is, without doubt, the place to be before USC home football games. I am proud to announce that the Beta Sigma Alumni Association has formed an alliance with the Natural History Museum – the building in whose shadow we reside. Going forward, the staff at the museum will set up the tent and provide a tasty buffet for all 300 of us. In addition, we will have our own port-o-poddy! You might be laughing, but how many of you have stood in line for 20 minutes with some UCLA guy whose badmouthing Trojans – I've done it and I don't want the legal problems with smashing his face in. The addition of the port-o-poddy will make our event that much more enjoyable for our female guests as well. So now you're saying, "What's this going to cost me?" For those of you who join as Cherry & Grey or Beta Sigma Boosters ($250 and $150 respectively), there is no change in dues. For you General Members ($75) who attend tent festivities, we ask that you upgrade your membership to at least Beta Sigma Booster level at $150. If you join as a General Member ($75), feel free to maintain your current level, but be prepared to pay $20 per person when you attend the tent. Here are a couple examples to clear things up: "I plan to attend the Auburn game and the Notre Dame game and I normally pay $75 for dues. What should I do?" If you plan to bring a guest, the two of you will pay a total $80 to attend the tents in "per game" fees. That plus the $75 is $155 – you're better off paying the $150 upfront. "I live in California and don't plan to attend any games this year. What should I do?" You should pay the $75, unless you're generous, to be a general member. Only if you live OUTSIDE California should you pay the Out-of-state $25 membership fee. We feel that $150, and even $250, is a tremendous value for those of you who attend more than one football game. Think of the food and drink you consume, not to mention the fact that the tent brings your fraternity brothers together for a great time. Fill out the envelope and send in your money right away. For additional savings – be sure to read the article on this year's kick-off event "Salute to Troy - Salute to TKE" The Tent - 2002 Sep 2 Auburn Sep 28 Oregon State Oct 12 Cal Oct 19 Washington Nov 16 ASU (Homecoming) Nov 30 Notre Dame *Nov 23 @ UCLA The Tent goes on the road with RVs courtesy of Jerry Murphy and Dave Bohline! TKE Spotlight: Thomas Thorkelson (#118) Beta Sig Makes News for His Mountain Size Feats When the “Troy TKE” contacted frater Tom Thorkelson, we weren't sure what to expect. What we got was a fascinating story of courage, strength and commitment. At the experienced age of 70, Tom has taken to climbing the world's tallest mountains. Tom has long been a man of adventure – after all, he joined TKE in 1950. “My time at USC was unusual. I went to USC to be a minister at the school of theology.” After he gave up his scholarship, he found himself a live-out member at Beta Sigma – he lived out at a Jewish mortuary in LA. He picked up bodies while working a brutal 90 hour work week. . Tom mentioned how many TKE's, including Gerald Carr (#124), would go with him to the Mortuary to study – it was quiet there. Due to his change of major, he took 20-24 units to catch up each semester. To make a few extra bucks, Tom waited tables at AGD sorority during breakfast and lunch. Sounds like a great work-study program. “TKE wasn't as strong then as it is now,” described Tom. TKE was, however, a strong political force on campus. Tom found himself involved in the fraternity as the Hegemon and on campus as a squire and a knight. Tom also fondly remembers his big brother, Dean Tyler (#115), as a mentor and someone he still keeps in touch with today. MassMutual Financial Group. Tom's hobby is what draws the Troy TKE to tell his story. Last year, Tom accompanied a long-time Marine buddy, Ed Weihenmayer, to the 20,000 foot base camp on Mount Everest. Ed's son Erik was to be the first blind man to summit the tallest peak on Earth and Tom was along for support. Admittedly, Tom was turned on to the sport of mountain climbing at a late age. He spent 6-8 weeks a year in Mammoth and grew to love the mountains. In 1990, he trekked to Maccu Picchu in South America hasn't stopped since. The trip in May 2001 to Everest was quite an experience. As the effort of a blind man was chronicled for its obvious significance, Tom was living out a dream. He had no intent of summitting Everest himself, but was able to scale above base camp to 20,600. Due to terrible weather at the intense altitude, Erik was delayed in his summit attempt. On the last day of the effort, the weather broke and Erik successfully completed his record-setting journey. That day, 19 people summitted Mt. Everest – the most on any single day in history. In his travels, Tom has climbed Mt. Kilamanjaro, Patagonia, and Mt. Whitney. Two other accounts are particularly remarkable. On Mt. Fuji in September 2001, a monsoon had delayed his group's climb. When the monsoon lifted, he had one day to summit the mountain. He did it in what he called a “significant trial.” In April this year, during an attempt to climb the 2nd highest mountain in the world (outside of the 5 highest peaks in Nepal), he was trapped in a tent for 20 days. His group ran out of water and could not light a fire. This experience on Mt. Aaconcagua was one that he will not soon forget. Tom's accomplishments on some of the world's tallest mountains pale in comparison to the coming 50th wedding anniversary to his wife, Pat, in 2004. Tom is proud to be a Mormon Bishop. He performed the sermon in the wedding of Erik Weihenmayer and his college sweetheart at 13,000 feet on Mt. Kilamanjaro. Beta Sigma is proud to have Tom Thorkelson a contributing member of the Alumni Association. Keep it up, Tom! Heard From the Bond: Gene Herrera and his wife, Elaine are scheduled to have their first child on August 7. Wil Simpson (#830) was married in May and works as a merchandiser for Universal Studios. Charles Johnson (#368) and his wife, Kathy (USC Alpha Chi Omega) is happily living the retired life in PA. Charles is still doing some consulting on nuclear power plant management. Arlyn Baggot (affiliate) graduated from Arizona State in May '01 w/ MBA / Information Mgmt. degrees. He is working for Accenture in the Bay Area. Jim Hatch (#264) graciously recognized last year's newsletter for its professionalism. Thanks for the kind words! More importantly, thank you for your generosity as a ($150) BOOSTER who lives in INDIANA. That's brotherhood, Jim! Tom Miller (#643) and his wife Susanne (USC Alpha Chi) had their 2nd child in August of '01. Scott Johnston (#633) updated us that Jim Tertocha (#635), Commader US Navy retired in July of '01 and is now working for Raytheon in Falls Church, VA. Tony Kathol (#755) is working as a Snr. Property Manager for Equity Office Properties in Pasadena. Gary Hafen (#541), a regular at the Tent in the Fall, is the Lockheed Martin corporate executive liason to USC. He is involved with the Lockheed Martin recruiting and career opportunities for USC Grads. Mike Salas (#792) is a physician in the Navy and is married with two children. Bill Moon (#1) and Barr E. Ruston (#200s) have passed into the Chapter Eternal. Those Fraters who have tied the knot or will soon: Jason Angelos (#926) and Stephanie Zamboukos (USC Delta Gamma) Mark Easterday (#888) and Maggie Mikuleky Richard Balue (#925) and Kelly Dimick (USC Pi Beta Phi) Bryan Weinstein (#948) and Gina Martinez Tony Castaneda (#935) and Shawna Murdy Mike Ranshaw (#940) and Ashley Neilsson (USC Alpha Delta Pi) Shawn Talbott (#823) and Lori Beard Jeff Ruggels (#806) and Mary Jane Buckley Erik Brannon (#808) and Heather A. (you couldn't pronounce it anyway.) Eric Haase (#909) and Ginny Chandler State of the Chapter Prytanis – Brian Bishop #1086 The year 2001-2002 has once again proven to be a success for the gentlemen at the Beta-Sigma chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Not only did we reach the top of the ranks athletically, academically, socially and in rush, we have been striving for increased continuity within the chapter.. Currently we have sustained the Ironman trophy for yet another year. This will mark the 8th consecutive year of the trophy being at TKE. It appears to us all that we have the best work ethic out of all the Fraternities to stay dominate on the field as well as off. Over the course of the year, we have proven that we are still a chapter that excels academically by achieving a cumulative 3.18 G.P.A for the house. Our achievement beat the all-mens average, and earned us the top third G.P.A. of all Fraternities and Sororities on the row. Socially, TKE has attracted a lot of attention through the use of elaborate decorations and themes. The overall goal for the year was to explore new frontiers by challenging the process of what has been done in the past. To that end, we were proud to host exchanges with Kappa Alpha Theta, Delta Gamma, and Gamma Phi Beta. I'm happy to say that it has been an inspiring journey, and will continue to be one. During the course of the year we initiated 27 new members. In the Fall we had 27 pledges and initiated 22. In the Spring we had 6 pledges and initiated 5. Overall, every year we keep getting a little better and continue to strive for higher numbers. In addition, the University has acknowledged our program with the Excellence in Membership Recruitment award. On a different note, the future has a bright future in store for TKE. With Fall we hope to continue our dominance in everything we do by perpetuating success. In the Spring of 2004, a live in consultant will take on the normal administrative operations of house manager, kitchen steward, risk management and dues collection. Fortunately, we feel confident this decision will greatly help the executive board by allowing them to concentrate on more important things. Finally, a new Teke East will be built beginning in the summer of 2003 the expected completion is for the Fall of 2004. The new home will have 17 rooms in addition to underground parking and all the modern accessories. We, the gentlemen of Tau Kappa Epsilon, look forward to next year being even better than the last. Hopefully many of you will join us on our journey as one of Tau Kappa Epsilon's legendary chapters. From the Chapter Advisor's Perspective... By Cragin Orr #873 Yes Alumni, we did win Ironman, competed in Songfest with Pi-Phi, and held one of the highest GPA's on the row again. However, none of these were guaranteed, and the house's real benefit was having to work at each of these. The house is a young house. It will be filled to near capacity next semester. The majority of the new live-ins will be from last fall's pledge class. The new influx of live-ins should generate a lot of energy around the house. This provides the house with the opportunity to set new goals and develop new leaders. Everyone is excited to have such a large group of live-ins. The challenge is in developing new goals that the house can rally behind and get everyone involved. The university and row environment is continuing to change. The University is monitoring the fraternities more and has just kicked Phi-Delt off. Risk management continues to be a challenge. The student population has also changed. USC is now attracting more students from out of state and the academic standards have continued to increase. This is causing the chapter to change some of its traditional rush tactics. It is tougher to use events like Triangle Achievement and Weekend USC with today's incoming freshmen. Because of the changes needed in Rush, the board has hired a consultant to come in the week before rush and help the house generate ideas and a rush plan. Being Chapter Advisor has taken up a significant amount of time. I enjoy working with the Chapter, however, have less and less time since enrolling in my MBA. I would love to get recent alumni involved with the house in a roll that would fit their time. This summer Matt Beshear worked as the summer rush chairman, and was very helpful. If anyone is interested in assisting me with specific projects please contact me. Editor's Note: As busy as Cragin is, he still finds time for philanthropy. Cragin has a program benefiting “Clothes the Deal” – a charity that donates clothing to the needy. To get involved, check out Cragin's unique website at www.nakedcragin.com. TKE Beta Sigma Alumni Association - Membership 2001-2002 Cherry and Grey Jason Angelos #926 Doug Autenrieth #846 Richard Balue #925 Matthew Beshear #859 Robert Boesel #791 David Bohline #777 Matt Bohm #977 Erik Brannon #808 Schad Brannon #885 Mark Easterday #888 David Ferris #650 Peter Gutzwiller #804 Eric Hall #902 Dean Haney #779 Gregory McAndrews #418 Everet Miller #454 Craig Moyer #604 Jerry Murphy #376 Eric Olson #918 Nick Radtke #1001 Joseph Ramirez #796 Michael Ranshaw #940 Theodore Reynolds #883 Jeff Ruggels #806 Scott Sellers #911 Michael Sobolev #797 Conrad Solum #171 Ken Sweeney #822 Shawn Talbott #823 Dr. William Teaford #217 John Thompson #742 Mark Watters #603 Mike Westfall #870 Matt Willer #969 Justin Woo #857 Jon Workman #970 Chris Wulff #927 The Beta Sigma Boosters James Black #236 Tony Castaneda #935 Matthew Dukleth #824 Chris Eber #770 Jason Embick #975 Dr. James Hatch #264 Charles Horn #332 JJ Mahli #921 John Nelson #392 Manuel Ochoa #814 John Plumb #522 Thomas Rule #805 Brendan Sole #914 Edmund Sutro #490 Paul Warme #853 Matthew Weinberger #844 Michael Yagjian #469 James Yundt #966 General Members Arlyn Baggot Mark Barnes #754 Hon. Robert Barr #479 John Bibeau #936 Kevin Breen #934 Gerald Carr #124 John Chavers #80 Anthony Corallo #828 Dan Corbett #937 Brian Cox #512 Gordon Cox #871 James Cox #785 Michael Curry #758 Michael Daoussis #576 Dr. Leon Driss #622 Coleman Engellenner #963 Jeff Fiedorowicz #748 Larry Finkel #486 Greg Flowers #964 Stanley Gottlieb #356 Andrew Gray #1014 Eric Haase #909 Gary Hafen #541 Ryan Hallett #996 Gilbert Hershberger #10 Bryce Hill #946 Thayer Holbrook #352 Jacob Irwin James Ishii #562 Charles Johnson #368 Steve Johnson #939 Scott Johnston #633 Anthony Kathol #755 Robert Kettell #412 Brian Kittredge #991 Chris Kocaya #882 Brett Koren #860 Brian LaForce #933 Mike Laity #962 Steve Latin #994 Fred Leland #781 Art Lewis #1037 J.P. LoMonaco #789 George Loomis #122 Ronnie Makarem #839 Robert Meyer #6 Eric Miller #832 Thomas Miller #643 Justin Nast #829 Jim Newkirk #956 Steve Ngo #894 Alex Nichols #978 Doug Nixon #982 Erhan Oktay #1003 Cragin Orr #873 Alan Orsborn #309 Robert Pearl #117 Ellis Reyes #735 Andrew Robertson #421 Patrick Rowland #275 Thomas Ruygrok #560 Jason Rzutkiewicz #929 Michael Salas #792 Scott Schorling #1034 Matt Seror #1018 Newton Serrio #51 William Simpson #830 George Strella #21 Greg Thompson #685 Thomas Thorkelson #118 Brian Ulaszewski #973 Neil Velasco #818 James Vest #709 Creighton Ward #976 Bryan Weinstein #948 Gregory Woodson #533 Back