Pig Dinner is a Success! The 62nd annual Norris Pig Dinner was held April 27 in the Miami University Armstrong Center and was attended by over 150 graduate and undergraduate brothers. This year‘s theme “stronger than ever” was fully apparent as everyone had a great time with the great men of their years. The highlight from this year‘s Pig Dinner was the undergraduate involvement, especially in the keynote undergraduate speakers at the dinner who gave everyone the sense that these young men truly loved being FIJIs and we’re in the right direction as a chapter. The graduate brothers also attended the house corp meeting on Saturday in record numbers and gave their full support for the new fundraising efforts to build out the kitchen at the house. Improving the attractiveness of fraternity living is the logical next step for our success. Next year‘s Pig Dinner weekend will be April 24 through April 26, 2020 and is shaping up as one of the largest attended Pig Dinners to date. More information to come! We need you there!! Al Molina, Pig Dinner Co-Chair Photos on page 3 \r\nNew Pledge Class Matt Rittendale Westfield, NJ Teddy Witt Washington D.C. Danny Barstow Columbus, OH Mikey Ryan Oakland, CA Grant Condry Wilmette, IL Gabe Gleeson Bethesda, MD Joe Faflik Canton, OH Brandon Heimsoth Hinsdale, IL Grant Winkel Peoria, IL Colin McGregor Barrington, IL Alex Fitzgerald Washington D.C. Jimmy Pudlowski Saint Louis, MO Nolan Reynolds Columbus, OH Christopher Scott Chicago, IL Ryan Hamilton Columbus, OH Jack Wolf Columbus, OH Colgan Karcher Toledo, OH Isaac Weycker Wellesley, MA Kyle Naderhoff Columbus, OH Dan Baka Hudson, OH Anthony Marraccini Cincinnati, OH Evan Ford Columbus, OH Winter Pledge Class Quick note of recognition to our chapter cabinet for taking the Winter Pledge Class to IHQ in Lexington yesterday for activation. The 5 cabinet members were all there and led the formal activation ritual in a way that can only be done at IHQ. I enjoyed watching the cabinet work together to deliver a meaningful ceremony despite the discomfort of a new process. Jake Lueck, Director of Expansion, was there to welcome everyone, provide tour and history, as well as support the formal activation ceremony. I got to spend some time with the pledge class and I was impressed with their character (although you can tell they had an accelerate pledge period with gaps in understanding of the fraternity– and wow are they young). 2 I really appreciated the effort to get everyone down to Lexington to make this ceremony special. Thanks to Allan for inviting me to go in his place–I added a couple of photos to the House’s Instagram account if interested. Perge! Brian Gravitt \r\nBrothers, Thank you to those brothers who attended the Annual Pig Dinner in Oxford on April 27. We had great attendance and enjoyed a few days of FIJI brotherhood. We are happy that you found the house and chapter to be in good shape. Your House Corporation consisting of Matt Deevers, Rick Graeff, Mike McGurk, Clay Barnard, Steve Unger, Chuck Goodwill, Greg Smith, Mike Wagner, Al Molina, Jud Sims, Joe Takacs, John Fountain, Dick Hutchinson and myself have worked overtime to steady the ship. While our incoming new initiates are small in number, they are ready to move into the house next August and continue our success at the End of the Slant. And as we discussed at the House Corporation on Saturday, things have changed tremendously since each of us lived at 130 East High Street. The rules from Miami are making it tougher and tougher to meet and comply. We will be adding a new onsite House Director, Roosevelt Jackson, next fall. Yes, he will live in the house and add a real sense of direction for those brothers residing there. You should know that having a house director is now required by Miami but we have to cover his salary, housing and board. If you did not get the chance to meet Roosevelt, you will be glad to know he is an employee of Miami in the Farmer School of Business. He has been the assistant track coach and has real business experience at Dow Chemical and James River since he graduated from Miami. However, you should know that our fundraising never ends. While we collected more than $1.4 million to rebuild after the fire in 2013, there is still a need for more funds. Soon we will reactivate the “Porch Club” that will enable YOU to donate monthly through your checking account or from a credit card. Today, we have only three members of the Porch Club. This is an area where you can help our house with a donation monthly. This is the easy way to help the house and work toward the future. Please contact me for more information. When the house was rebuilt in 2014 and 2015, we did not build in a kitchen or a House Director Suite. Now we realize that there is a real need to do both. Brothers living in the house currently have to eat uptown or within the university’s food plan. We think we can offer better food at very competitive pricing while increasing brotherhood at each meal. I know many of you can remember having meals together in the old dining room. In the immediate future, we will be coming back to you with a new campaign. It is believed that the cost to build out a new kitchen will be near $150,000 and the house director’s suite could be $50,000 to convert East and West into comfortable adult living quarters. We will be asking you to pay it forward to keep FIJIs number one at Miami. Thank you to those brothers who return to Miami and to reconnect with the best days of your life. None of us are getting any younger and now is the time to start thinking about leaving your legacy to future FIJI brothers. Throughout the summer, we will be transitioning the House Corporation leadership to Brian Gravitt (1990) and Jud Sims (1993). It is time for me to step back and hand over the reigns to a much younger team. I’ll stay on the House Corp for a while but then will move to the Board of Chapter Advisors. This will help us expand this team and work more closely with the undergrad brothers. The last six years have been a challenge but your House Corporation Board of Trustees have weathered the storm and look forward to bigger and better opportunities in the next few years. Thanks for your support. Perge! Mike Bevis (1970) Mu Upsilon Chapter House Corporation President mike@strategicsalesmp.com 937-609-8457 3 \r\nPurple Legionnaire Update Brothers: Much has transpired over the last few months. First, one week of “rush” (all MU allows now) brings in 21 pledges who went active after 4 weeks (again an MU mandate). Second, Fiji wins basketball and softball. Third, grades were raised a whole .2, and forth, we have a new Academic Advisor who will also be a live-in House Director. Introducing Roosevelt Jackson! I met Assistant Track Coach Roosevelt at the 50 year MU Reunion when my wife, Connie, convinced me to go to the track reunion. We talked and I invited him to the House where we had an informal get together with several of the undergrads who instantly took a real liking to him. We understood that he would be moving to the Farmer School of Business and after reviewing his fit for a role we needed to fill, we offered him the position of our new Academic Advisor, which he enthusiastically accepted. His new position in the Farmer School is the Associate Director of Development. Miami has a major funding program underway, of which Roosevelt is now a major part. He is meeting with Miami grads and potential Miami donors on a weekly and monthly basis. This is not the only way Roosevelt is now connected to us. He has also accepted the position of live-in “House Director” at 130 E. High St. Live-in directors are now mandated by Miami as one response to campus fraternity violations (We have not had any, but all fraternities have had to comply). While the undergrads have had a tough time accepting this new MU mandate, Roosevelt’s connection to our undergrad brothers has made the transition a whole lot easier. For you track aficionados, Roosevelt held Miami’s 1,500 meter record for 32 years with a time of 3:41 and change. His 800 meter time was 1:46+ and was good for almost as long. He finished 3rd to Marcus O’Sullivan and Peter Elliott in the world-famous 1988 Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games. Brothers, it’s still a pleasure to be working with our undergrads at 130 E. High St. Our current House Cabinet is great and each member is a real asset to PGD. Best to all of you! Allan Payne (“Alphonse”), PL MU (1969) 4 Phi Gamma Delta – \r\n-Mu Upsilon 62st Norris Pig Dinner 2019 \r\nTyler Magill Jun 30, 1995–Mar 23, 2019 Tyler was born in Livingston, New Jersey. A 2013 graduate of Chatham High School and a 2018 graduate of Miami University, Oxford, OH. He worked as an analyst for Stifel, New York, NY and was an avid sports fan and liked rooting for the New England Patriots or just enjoying a good sports game either college or professional. In his spare time he enjoyed staying active by working out, eating healthy, traveling and spending time with his family and friends. He lit up any room with his presence, his quick wit and his insightful nature. He is survived by his parents Douglas and Lauren, brother, Brandon and fiancé Emily, maternal grandmother, Lois Schnell, uncles; Richard Schnell and wife PC, Eric Schnell and wife Susan, and Scott Magill. Tyler was predeceased by his grandparents; Emil Schnell, Thomas and Louise Magill and uncle, Robert Schnell. He will be deeply missed by his beloved family and cherished friends. From his FIJI Brothers: When asked to describe Tyler “Ty” Magill in one sentence, his friends almost unanimously said: “Ty was larger than life”. This is evident from the impact he so clearly had on those who were lucky enough to cross paths with him in their time at Miami University and, in particular, the brothers of Mu Upsilon. If you stepped foot within the walls of 130 E High Street, even once, from 2013 - 2017, it was impossible not to have heard of Tyler Magill and, almost equally unlikely, that some of your most cherished memories did not involve him in a major way. Ty was never the most dedicated student, but he could always be counted on to find a way through anything (including classes, doors, and walls), and get a laugh out of his friends in the process. He was also never afraid to let his friends know how much he cared about them—helpful reminders, given how often he made fun of them, usually with one of his own catchphrases. Many of his friends and others—even those who have never met, but only know of, Ty–still use them today. Although he would be the first to admit it, Ty was strikingly handsome. Referred to frequently by the girls on campus as “The Hot Fiji,” he rarely went out of his way to talk to them, preferring to “let them come to [him].” While his friends had serious doubts about the effectiveness of this strategy, they would hardly complain, as this meant they had more time to talk to him. Thank you, Tyler, for being a best friend to many, and a source of joy and laughter to all. You are loved dearly and will always be missed, but never forgotten. Charles Burgess Pettis December 3, 1939– March 21, 2019 Chuck, from Roswell, Georgia, passed away suddenly on March 21, 2019. He was sitting at the kitchen table with his binoculars next to him. He loved his bird watching and knew the names of every bird. Chuck received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio in 1961. He married his high school sweetheart, Alberta (Wiggins) Pettis, on July 15, 1961, after both graduated from Miami. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother, and good friend to all he met. He began his career with Cincinnati Bell in 1961 and then with AT&T in both New Jersey and later Atlanta. Upon retirement from AT&T in 1994, he spent his remaining years doing what he always wanted to do–sing, write, and act. Chuck sang with Barbershop Quartets and Choruses from Junior High until his passing. In Cincinnati, he sang with the Southern Gateway Chorus, always doing a funny role in their shows. In Atlanta he first sang with the Marietta Big Chicken Chorus until 2009. In 2009, he joined Atlanta Vocal Project and sang with them until his passing. He was very active in his fraternity at Miami–Phi Gamma Delta, the Fiji’s. In 2012, he was introduced as the official person to induct the classes celebrating their 50 years from graduating from Miami University. That was his role every year since then. He conducted the “Hughes Society Induction Ceremony” with an unusual wit, warmth, and charm. He was an active writer and spoke at various events. For many years, he did voice-over work and was a “standardized patient” for medical students. During the school year, he read every week to 3 kindergarten classes at River Eves School in Roswell. He didn’t just read the books, he would stop and ask the kids questions about what he read, explain words to them, act things out and used his voice talents to emphasize things. Continued on page 7. 6 \r\nFiji ‘RFactor’ Just before the end of the 1st semester, Fiji Alumni Matt “Kuch” Kuchers (1982) along with his son, Corey, introduced to the incoming cabinet and Purple Legionnaire, Allan Payne, the ‘RFactor’. As Miami has continued to raise its standard of performance for the Greek system, every fraternity and sorority chapter has been tasked with higher “above-the-line” behavior of its respective members. We have instigated various incentives to encourage the men to be more responsible and mindful for their attitudes and actions over the last few years. We believe the “RFactor” system is the best resource to help transform the leadership and performance of the Miami Phi Gams. The frame of the “RFactor” is the “Performance Pathway” which states: Leaders create Culture which influences Behavior which delivers Results Culture is made up of 3 components: Belief Behavior The Experience delivered Leaders, those with designated titles and leaders by influence, are the catalysts to create this transformative culture. So we will start with the executive and a select group of leaders by influence. The “RFactor” is system, not merely, documented values, inspirational quips or even a program, but a step by step SYSTEM. The Ultimate Objective is “Above The Line Behavior” informed by the timeless and immutable Physic of Life: E+R=O [Event + Response = Outcome] You don’t control the EVENTS of life. At best you can influence the OUTCOME. BUT you have total control over your RESPONSE [Extreme Ownership of Your Life/TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE] “RFactor” stands for The RESPONSE Factor Here’s the System–It’s a 6 step path. With every event of life, especially those that are the most important and costly practice this system: 1. PRESS PAUSE 2. GET YOUR MIND RIGHT 3. STEP UP He was a natural “teacher” who loved children. His wit, warmth, and charm were evident with his readings at River Eves. The kids loved “Mr. Chuck” and every one of them wanted to sit as close to him as possible. Chuck is the author of two books –“Scraps of Paper”– containing every poem, every story, every song, every card he wrote from 7th grade on. The second book is “The Hummingbird and the Hawk”–a wonderful fantasy set in a mythical Native American village. It is available on Amazon. Along with his parents, Chuck was preceded in death by 4. 5. 6. ADJUST & ADAPT MAKE A DIFFERENCE BUILD SKILL NOTE that the end result of this system is building skill or habits that create character and are productive. This protocol is predicated on Leaders influencing leaders who will influence others. We’re eager to get the RFactor system started before the beginning of the fall semester. We look forward to giving you a progress report in the near future. his brother, Edward Eugene Pettis, and his sister, Sarah (Sally) Louise Pettis. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Berta, his two sons, Charles Edward Pettis (Deborah), Maineville, Ohio; James Christopher Pettis, Canton, Georgia; 5 granddaughters – Jacqueline Sarah Pettis Myers (Matt), Melanie Anne Pettis, Ashley Nicole Pettis, Jamie Christine Pettis, Amanda Catlyn Pettis; and two nephews–Jon Martin Pettis and Mark Edward Pettis. Donations can be made to the American Cancer Society in memory of his brother, Edward Eugene Pettis; and Miami University Alumni Association, Oxford, Ohio. 7 \r\nPhi Gamma Delta Fraternity Mu Upsilon at Miami University 1201 Red Mile Road P.O. Box 4599 Lexington, KY 40544 Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Lexington, KY Permit # 540 THE END OF THE SLANT SPRING 2019 MU UPSILON CHAPTER AT MIAMI UNIVERSITY Kitchen The May 25, 2013 fire that destroyed the Fiji house created a wonderful opportunity for Fiji alums. The Brothers rose to the challenge of building a new house. With a year to break ground, or face losing the zoning variance, Gerry Bird (1971) stepped up on the design and construction of the house, Dick Hutchinson (1969) stepped up to manage the financing, and Clay Barnard (1969) led the fundraising campaign. Major decisions were made quickly and with help from the generosity of our graduate brothers we came back from the ashes for the start of classes in August 2015. Under significant time pressure when designing the house and gaining approval from the City of Oxford for the plan, it was necessary to shelve construction of a kitchen – although space for a kitchen and dining room was provided. Now we are seeking to “turn the house into a home”. The goal is to be serving meals in the house by the end of 2019. Once again, we need help from our Fiji brothers to make this happen. HC’s goal is to have approval from the City of Oxford and Butler County by August, 2019, and funds available on or before that date in order for us to proceed with construction. Every effort will be made to control costs, including purchasing used equipment, and leasing items such as a dishwasher (the highest maintenance cost of all kitchen equipment).