The GATOR Fiji Published by the Graduate Association of the Upsilon Phi Chapter of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta at the University of Florida November 2006 NEWS FROM YOUR GRADUATE ASSOCIATION by Warren Smith (Florida 1962) - President, House Corporation Board of Directors Much has been accomplished since our last communication with you, whether that was at Pig Dinner last February, or in the last issue of “The Gator Fiji” which was published just about a year ago. The most exciting accomplishment to date was the first step in the rebuilding of the Upsilon Phi undergraduate chapter--the pledging of 16 quality young men last month on the UF campus. It’s a great beginning, and those of us who have met these young men are really impressed with them. For a photograph and more detail on the newest men wearing the white star, see page 4. As an extra incentive for you to circle February 10, 2007 on your calendars, these men will complete their formal pledge training and be initiated into Phi Gamma Delta at Pig Dinner! Be there! David Smith is heading up the festivities for that weekend and provides planning information for you later in this newsletter. After many years, we once again have a full management complement guiding your Graduate Association, consisting of the ten-man Board of Directors of the House Corporation, but now also including a ten-man Board of Chapter Advisors (formerly the graduate trustees) who will guide and direct the new undergraduates more closely than has ever been possible in past years. Jim Hayhurst, the BCA Chairman and Purple Legionnaire, introduces you to the ten BCA members and their responsibilities on page 3. goal of $500,000 has been realized, the number of brothers participating has been somewhat disappointing. This degree of involvement pretty much carries over into all things associated with Upsilon Phi and our activities. With over eight hundred living graduate brothers, fewer than ten percent of those ever step forward to support the chapter, and At long last, and after considerable anguish, I can report to you that your fraternity house now boasts a completely functional fire sprinkler system throughout the public areas and individual “I challenge each of you over the coming rooms as well. year to get involved in your fraternity in Thanks to a lucrative some way. While your money would be $90,000, 1½%, five-year loan welcomed, what is really needed is a offered by UF, we have not little of your time and energy.” only completed the installation of the sprinkler this includes those attending Pig system but have continued with Dinner each year. We also have significant upgrading of the house almost 3,500 non-Florida Fijis to include new ceiling tiles almost living among us here in the state. throughout the house, additional At least some of them might enjoy painting, new heavy-duty gutters a fraternity home away from and new soffit and fascia on the home as well. If you know any of outside of the house. Vice-President them, why not consider inviting Ed Kellar has done yeoman’s duty them to join us in supporting our in supervising most all of this UF Chapter? work, and he provides us with more I challenge each of you detail later in this update. over the coming year to get inWith the intermediate goal volved in your fraternity in some of retiring our IHQ mortgage at Pig way. Offer the few who are trying Dinner this year, the five-year capito make things go now a helping tal campaign, “A New House for a hand. While your money is welNew Century” continues into its (Continued on page 2) third year. While over 20% of the \r\nPAGE 2 T HE G AT OR F I J I HOUSE STATUS – SPRINKLERS ARE DONE! by Ed Kellar (Florida 1970) - Vice-President, House Corporation Board of Directors After fall rush and between two home games, # 7 Fraternity Row has gotten quite an internal make-over. From August through October, a UF administered and inspected contractor crew including WW Gay, Acousti, Rockcoustics, and several others completely sprinkled every room in the house….and we have the Fire Marshall’s inspection/approval to prove it! A new 6-in water line was brought from the street into the boiler room, then the main cast iron riser piping was hung from the structural steel and extended to all the main rooms. From these lines, orange CPVC lines were run above the hung ceilings into all rooms and other spaces. The only exposed piping is in the Kitchen and ten of the Bedrooms, and these can be painted out later. As part of the effort, all abandoned electrical, communications, and other strange wiring was removed (by us), and the Rec Room, Dining, Foyer, and Upstairs Hall ceilings all got new or repaired grids, upgraded ceiling tile, and in most cases new T8 2 x 2 fluorescent light fixtures. Believe it or not, replacement is often safer and no more costly than the effort to demolish, save, tie up old wiring, and replace it all with no damage. All electrical, phone, Cox, and wireless systems have now been properly tied up according to code, and all wall penetrations properly fire caulked. The single story Dining Room ceiling required re-insulation above the new tiles. The overall effect is tremendous – light, bright, non-sagging ceilings, with MATCHING tile. We did save the old tile where possible for use as replacements in the Living room and House Director’s apartment. Despite the no ceiling appearance and lots of dust for three weeks, the tenants were tolerant and responsive when anything needed to be moved to stay ahead of the crews. Like me, they were very glad when it was all done in time for Homecoming. Overall, I must say I was surprised at how sound the house is when you look beneath the skin. Better still, we found no new problems. Stay tuned for a before – during – after slide show at Pig Dinner. We have asked for and received comments from contractors regarding the condition of the house. Without exception, foremen have agreed that our house is in the top tier of physical plants on Fraternity Row and in far better shape than many other houses. Restoration drywall, painting, re-sodding the trenched front yard, and general cleanup are nearly complete, and the second full 20-ft roll-off dumpster is leaving. By December, we will have been trained on the new fire panel and valve operation in the event any sprinklers are ever activated. Other significant work contracted by the HC during this pe- New lighting and ceiling tiles in the dining room. riod also included over 140-feet of new facia, soffit, and supergutters around the courtyard interior – no more shredded and hanging screen soffit openings for critters to roost in, not to mention eliminating courtyard flooding and a real eyesore. All this commercial grade work was done by Halter Metals in a matching gray with demolition and caulking that will serve us well when it is time to paint the exterior shell. Other than some on-going plumbing work, our next “projects” will likely include 1) exterior siding repairs in several spots, 2) paint, and 3) demolition and removal of the now abandoned basement boiler and chiller equipment. NEWS FROM YOUR GRADUATE ASSOCIATION CONTINUED... (Continued from page 1) comed, what is really needed is a little of your time and energy. The Upsilon Phi Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta is on its way back! We’re creating a beautiful house for our undergraduates once they’re ready to move back into it. Our national fraternity has been more than helpful in the rebuilding effort, and is totally com- mitted to our presence at the University of Florida. All that may be missing is you! Proud to be a Fiji! \r\nT HE G AT OR F I J I PAGE 3 GRADUATE LEADERSHIP by Jim Hayhurst (Florida 1962) - Chairman, BCA & Purple Legionnaire • Bill Valentine (Florida 1967) - CA for Recruitment • Ryan Vaughn (Florida 1995) - CA for Community Service & Public Relations We’re also pleased to report that graduate support is even more than the commitments from our “At least 30 graduate brothers While under suspension, our Chapter was placed in the hands of an Archon-appointed Graduate Board of Trustees. This Board is separate from the pre-existing House Corporation Board that continues to administer the Fraternity House at 7 Fraternity Row. The Trustees’ role will continue for a minimum of one more year according to both University and IHQ requirements, with inherent reporting responsibilities to each. This is a collective responsibility of this Board that has been organized with individual commitments to the Chapter by function. Think Chapter Advisor (CA). They are: • Jim Hayhurst (Florida 1962) - Chairman and CA for Administration; email jhayhurst@aol.com, (352) 473-3221; 6015 Klare Drive; Keystone Heights, FL, 32656 [Contact info is an invitation for input]. • Randy Scott (Georgia Tech 1984) - Vice Chairman & CA for Member Development • John Cornell (Florida 1962) - CA for Scholarship & Judicial • Eddie Daniel (Arkansas 1976) - CA for Risk Management • Josh Forgione (Florida 2002) - CA for Awards & Ritual • Jeff Greenert (Florida 1985) - CA for Grad Relations • Charlie Holloway (Rose-Hulman Institute/ Kentucky 1996) - CA for Pledge Education • Hal Kendrick (Florida 1961) - CA for Finance attended one or more recruiting events during the expansion effort on campus.” brothers who serve on this Board. Example: At least 30 graduate brothers attended one or more recruiting events during the “expansion” effort on campus: All ten CAs, five members of the House Corporation, seven additional UF graduates, Section Chief Brent Ellis, and three additional IHQ expansion team members; plus other undergraduate brothers from JU, UCF, FIU & UF also among them. Upsilon Phi graduate leadership is not limited to UF initiated brothers, and we are pleased with the level of support serving the start-up of our new Chapter. \r\nPAGE 4 T HE G AT OR F I J I NEW UPSILON PHI PLEDGE CLASS by Jim Hayhurst (Florida 1962) - Chairman, BCA & Purple Legionnaire Thirteen men were pledged on October 19, 2006 (pictured right). Since then, they have gone through several hours of orientation and recruitment training. Subsequently they have recruited four additional pledge brothers, all of whom are expected to be initiated together on the morning before Pig Dinner. They are an enthusiastic and impressive pledge class. Since UF - IFC limits pledging times, further recruitment this semester is expected to acquire advance-committed pledges ready for formal pledging during the formal recruitment week at the beginning of the spring semester. Fiji is committed to “Recruitment 365” - Open recruitment, limited formal pledging. The weekend before the spring semester there will be a Fiji Academy in St. Louis, MO. IHQ has graciously waived the registration fees for the President, Treasurer, and Recruiting Chairman of the Pledge Class to attend. All three are planning to attend these “separate by function”, intense training sessions along with the same officers from other Chapters. New pledges from left to right, front row: Teryl Walthaw, Julio Peres-Downes; second row: Russel Donini, Ronnie Cosse, Shaun Perez, Mitch Morgan; back row: Dan Burroughs, Eric Downes, Lee Summerlin, David Burns, Nick Basford, Jared McDonley and Vitul Patel. Not pictured are Frantz Duncan, Greg Garcia, Jim Milligan, and Jeff Stanton. The Chapter Advisors have arranged for two additional, high potential freshmen to also accompany them. We expect this will strengthen all of their leadership skills and help to prepare them for the following semester in which they will become our Brothers. Elected Pledge Officers: • President Ronnie Cosse (2009) - Temple Terrace, FL; Health Science/Physical Therapy • Treasurer Vitul Patel (2008) - Tampa, FL; Finance • Recording Secretary Nick Basford (2010) - Jacksonville, FL; Health Science • Corresponding Secretary Dan Burroughs (2010) - Conyers, GA; Philosophy - History • Historian Jared McDonley (2008) - Boca Raton, FL; Microbiology/Cell Science Elected Committee Chairmen: • Recruitment Chair Mitch Morgan (2009) - Key West, FL; BioChemistry (Pre-Med) • Social Chair Teryl Walthaw (2010) - Tampa, FL; Microbiology/Cell Science - Business Admin. \r\nT HE G AT OR F I J I PAGE 5 NORRIS PIG DINNER 2007 by David Smith (Florida 1985) - Pig Dinner Chairman This year’s Norris Pig Dinner is shaping up to be one of the largest attended Pig Dinners in Upsilon Phi history. It’s gonna be absolutely awesome! I have already been contacted by long lost grads from all over the United States who are planning to attend. Many have not made the pilgrimage back to Gainesville in years. Let me tell you…this is the year you will want to attend! The theme of this year’s dinner is “Back to our Roots…Fiji Style”. We’ve got “stuff” planned over a two day timeframe so plan on getting there early! The official date has been set for Saturday, February 10, 2007 with Pre-Pig activities on Friday. The location is the Paramount Plaza Hotel and Suites, 2900 SW 13th Street in Gainesville. Gamma’s finest (where we will start telling stories about all of you who aren’t here) at the Paramount Plaza beginning at 7:00 PM in the ballroom. The hotel will have a seafood buffet and we will have a cash bar. Dress is casual. SATURDAY, February 10th Pig Dinner Celebration Please fill out the Reservation Form on the back page and send it in. As always, you are on your own for room reservations. We have reserved a block of rooms at the Paramount Plaza for Friday and Saturday nights ($82/night). Call 1-877-992-9229 before January 9th. Ask for the Fiji Room rate. Also, if you have not yet received your Silver or Gold Owls (25 years and 50 years as an initiated Fiji, respectively) let me know in advance so that I will be sure to have your pins/certificates on hand. FRIDAY, February 9th Pre-Pig Celebration Events will begin at 10:30 AM at the Paramount Plaza where we will have formal Initiation of the newest pledge class of Upsilon Phi. Stand oop-Hands Round… there’s a new Nooch in town! No further comments are required here! Now where did I put those “horns of truth?” Pig Dinner is reunion! Plan your pilgrimage to come back and hang out with brothers you have probably not seen in years. The added bonus is that there will be some new brothers to welcome as well. So…how is the Cow?…Sir? This is the year to get back. It’s gonna be awesome! Pre-Pig will begin on Friday for those of us who recall how fun it was to blow off classes and order up the Full Meal Deal! Our own Dan Getson (recent winner of the Palm Beach CC Association Tournament) has agreed to chair and organize the Gainesville Golf Tournament/Outing. Bring your clubs and your seven “essentials”. Remember what those are? Details on golf are forthcoming but tee times will be after lunch on Friday and various prizes will be awarded for spectacular and not-sospectacular play. Be sure to check the website at www.floridafiji.org. Also, e-mail Dan at L4dang8rz@yahoo.com Following Pre-Pig Golf is the Pre-Pig Gathering of Following the initiation ceremonies and some time to welcome our newest brothers, we will break for lunch and re-group from 2:00 – 4:00 PM for the annual House Corporation Meeting, which will also be held at the Paramount Plaza. Purple Pilgrims are optional. Pig Dinner will kick off with cocktails (cash bar) beginning at 5:30 PM in the Bivens Ballroom at the Paramount followed by a buffet dinner, speakers, and other tra- ditional, and some non-traditional, events. Cost for Pig Dinner is $50 and can be paid at the Dinner on Saturday night. Cash, checks or credit cards (MC or Visa) will be accepted. \r\nPAGE 6 T HE G AT OR F I J I A NEW HOUSE FOR A NEW CENTURY by Ray Martinez (Florida 1962) - Chairman, HC Capital Campaign Our five-year capital campaign, which kicked off in March 2005, has raised $117,500 in contributions and pledges as of October 1, 2006. This total has come from less than 5% of Florida graduate brothers. The dollar amount is great from so few brothers and they are to be congratulated. There are two major components to our campaign. The first is a one-time contribution or a pledge over a five-year period. We have received $40,750 in cash and have pledges of an additional $16,750 for a total of $57,500. The next payment for brothers with pledges will be due by our Pig Dinner date of February 10, 2007. We encourage all brothers to join our drive to twenty-first century standards. I hope you all have a chance to see the improvements that have been made with some of the contributions thus far. Please make your checks payable to the All Florida Phi Gamma Delta Chapter House Corporation Building Fund. Your checks and pledges should be mailed to James G. Hayhurst, 6015 Klare Drive, Keystone Heights, FL, 32656. The second component is a loan from brothers to retire our long-term high interest mortgage with our International Headquarters. Our current mortgage amount is approximately $78,000. To date we have pledges of $60,000. This is “We encourage all brothers to join our only $18,000 short of our goal. Your drive to bring our forty-year old house money will earn up to twenty-first century standards.” 5% interest over a five-year period. The seven brothers who have pledged the $60,000 are bring our forty-year old house up to anxiously awaiting others to step up and join them with the additional $18,000 needed. Their goal is to announce the retirement of our mortgage at this year’s Pig Dinner. STEP UP BROTHERS !!!!!! For more information on this and other components of our capital campaign please contact me at gatorfiji62@aol.com or (727)785-4053. Status of the New and Improved House Repairs so far include: Repairs in the works: Upcoming projects: Flooring, carpeting and interior paint upstairs Sprinkler system Ceilings Light fixtures New fascia & soffit New guttering Drywall restoration Inside painting Re-sodding portion of the front yard General clean-up Plumbing Exterior siding repairs Exterior painting Basement boiler removal Furniture \r\nT HE G AT OR F I J I PAGE 7 Currently we do not have any valid contact information for the following graduates. If you can provide an updated address, phone number or email address for any of these brothers, please send them to: dsmith@sentineladvisors.com. Robert E. Caldwell 1937 Charles N. Quina 1937 H. F. Gale 1941 Hallett H. Germond 1941 Nicholas Tricarico 1942 David T. Sawyer 1943 J. B. Carter 1944 Thomas W. Hicks 1944 Francis H. Jack III 1944 Zenas H. Pilcher, Jr. 1945 C. G. Bush 1946 William A. LeMaster 1947 John S. Brady II 1948 Jose J. Rodriguez 1948 Carlos Castleblanco 1949 Caesar J. LaMonaca 1949 James M. McKay 1949 Robert H. McVay 1949 John W. Andrews 1950 Thomas H. Chapman 1950 Otis O. Clemons 1950 Samuel D. Hyman 1950 Thaus M. McDonald 1950 John A. McKay, Jr. 1950 William J. Shupe 1950 James B. McDonald II 1951 Lawrence J. Hoffman 1952 Felipe Munoz 1952 William A. Ross III 1952 Robert C. Ellyson 1953 Robert B. Hagan 1953 Herbert R. Fields, Jr. 1954 Harold E. Lewis 1954 Donald V. Smith 1954 Richard S. Breed 1955 Donald O. McFarland 1955 Haywood R. Thornton, Jr. 1955 Roger W. Cole, Jr. 1956 John W. Faltz, Jr. 1956 George D. Barnes 1957 Walter L. Stanley 1957 Robert W. Cameron 1958 Richard O. Hessler 1958 Russell S. King, Jr. 1958 Andrew P. Helseth 1959 William M. Holtz, Jr. 1959 Kenneth D. Jenkins 1959 John T. Ebert 1960 David A. Lowe 1960 Ronald D. Meyer 1960 John W. Ulrich 1960 James B. Young 1960 Edwin R. Carter 1961 Don R. Eckerson 1961 George W. Phillips 1961 Robert O. Richardson 1961 Peter Scheel 1961 Charles A. Blum 1962 Clifton C. Chew 1962 Earl J. Claire 1962 Stephen D. Gold 1962 James R. King 1962 George B. Maish 1962 Richard H. Ogle 1962 Robert D. Lindberg 1963 James B. Nelson 1963 Dennis A. Starcher, Jr. 1963 Michael S. Baker 1964 John W. Ditsler 1964 Dale W. Reece 1964 Robert A. Bezuch 1965 Joseph M. Emery 1965 Alexander A. Galenes 1965 Robert L. Hammer 1965 John T. Knight 1965 Jason C. Outler III 1965 Edgar O. Rawls, Jr. 1965 Robert E. Townend III 1965 John W. Edwards, Jr. 1966 Joseph T. Keenan, Jr. 1966 John L. Zambito 1966 Thomas L. Kimball 1967 John C. Topper 1967 Douglas J. Wronske 1967 John K. Dodson 1968 Edward W. MacLean 1968 Jeffrey W. Alford 1969 Michael D. Barnard 1969 H. R. Fogle, Jr. 1969 William J. Gay II 1969 Richard M. Hayes 1969 Brian D. Hill 1969 Robert O. Lightfoot 1969 Stephen D. Peck 1969 Samuel C. Perry 1969 Thomas L. Robertson 1969 James R. Doyle 1970 James D. Friedrich 1970 Marion W. Gooding, Jr. 1970 Robert C. Mildrum 1970 Thomas W. O'Brien 1970 Gary J. Spinks 1970 Roy E. Brewer 1971 Paul A. Kuester 1971 Lewis A. Lancaster, Jr. 1971 Luis Perez 1971 Steven G. Powell 1971 Gregory L. Wolfe 1971 Steve A. Young 1971 Michael A. Broadhurst 1972 James L. Butterfield 1972 David T. Hanson 1972 Julian D. Jensen 1972 Thomas R. Jepson 1972 John L. Meltzer 1972 Richard A. Miller 1972 Keith R. Sawicki 1972 Thomas C. Turturro 1972 Eugene S. Paul 1973 Robert J. Ryan 1973 Kenneth L. Fleming 1974 John W. Leach 1974 Lloyd D. Purdy, Jr. 1974 Arthur F. Thibodeau, Jr. 1974 Michael G. Yankovich 1974 John G. Baker 1975 Richard A. Brodhead 1975 Joe Waechter 1976 Edward R. Barnard II 1977 Mark W. Eckert 1977 Henry L. Hegert 1977 Thierry M. Ross 1977 Steven R. Schlitt 1977 Craig J. Kosuta 1978 Mark W. Lancaster 1978 George A. Risk 1978 Mark T. Savoff 1978 Thomas N. Tysall 1978 James H. Hartenstine 1979 Christopher F. Kenward 1979 Richard P. McDowell 1979 Luis A. Perez 1979 David V. Anas 1980 Larry K. Martin 1980 James B. Mosier 1980 Ronald C. VanSickle 1980 Michael J. Flanigan 1981 Dean J. Hanewinckel 1981 Robert C. Hollowell 1981 Benjamin T. Chen 1982 James P. DiMartino 1982 Nathan A. Sinclair 1982 Robert E. Vest 1982 Eric P. Watson 1982 Raymond N. Hannigan 1983 Steven L. Hogan 1983 John J. Kahoun 1983 Jeffrey T. Pile 1983 Keith A. Schoonmaker 1983 Mark A. Shaw 1983 Jeffrey W. Thomas 1983 Gregory W. Biehl 1984 Mark W. Young 1984 William P. Blount 1985 David A. Cyril 1985 Steve R. Henry 1985 Demetrios A. Kydonieus 1985 Jon B. Lindeman, Jr. 1985 Kenneth D. Ronald 1985 David P. Souza 1986 James F. Brown 1987 Steven T. Cush 1987 David M. Rosean 1987 Garrett M. Brennan 1988 Jeremy R. Brown 1988 Marc W. Libby 1988 John A. Nagy 1988 Richard T. Pile 1988 Joseph L. Scarpa 1988 Michael R. Stephenson 1988 Ronald A. White 1988 Daniel B. Moisand 1989 Charles T. Staats, Jr 1989 Thomas F. Novak, Jr. 1990 Donald R. Duvall 1991 Frank A. Fattizzi 1991 Kevin P. Barrett 1992 Jon R. Bryant 1992 Glen H. Chancy 1992 Michael J. Dobish 1992 John M. Ferro III 1992 Russell W. Fuller, Jr. 1992 Brandon W. Shearer 1992 Michael T. Abbott 1993 Samir Chokshi 1993 John D. Bicket 1994 Michael B. Craven 1995 William R. Scara, Jr. 1995 Patrick A. Altiere 1996 David A. Ballesteros 1996 Matthew C. Zirzow 1996 Michael A. Autell 1997 Saurin D. Chokshi 1997 Erik A. de la Iglesia 1997 Michael L. Infante 1997 Charles B. Jensen 1997 Joshua A. Johnson 1997 Brett A. Manley 1997 Matthew R. Rousseau 1997 Jason M. Testa 1997 Kenneth D. Welling 1997 John M. Kuehn 1998 Jared M. Goodman 2001 Jordan R. Silverstein 2001 Stephan T. Johnson 2003 Matthew D. Johnson 2005 Vladislav Yurovsky 2005 Peter M. Crowfoot, Jr. 2006 Daniel B. Haley 2006 \r\n2007 Norris Pig Dinner Reservation Saturday, February 10, 2007, Paramount Plaza Hotel & Suites, Gainesville, Florida I'll be there Friday Night & Saturday I’ll be there Saturday Only Sign me up for Friday Golf I’ll be in Exile and unable to attend. Please update my contact info I’ll be in Exile and unable to attend. Please update my contact info and accept the attached donation to the Florida Chapter. Please make checks payable to the All-Florida Phi Gamma Delta Chapter House Corporation. Name ______________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________ State ________ Zip _________ E-mail address ______________________________________________________ Phone Number __________________________Graduation Yr/School _______ Please mail, fax or e-mail to: David Smith, 13126 Zori Lane, Windermere, FL 34786 (407) 905-0957 Office - (407) 905-0958 Fax - dsmith@sentineladvisors.com PHI GAMMA DELTA Upsilon Phi Graduate Association 1721 Longview Lane Tarpon Springs, FL 34689