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Title:
2014 Fall Newsletter Mu Upsilon (Miami University)
Abstract:
Fall 2014 newsletter of the Mu Upsilon chapter at Miami University. The newsletter is 12 pages in length.
Date/Date Range:
00/00/2014
Subjects:
Newsletter
Chapter:
Mu Upsilon
University:
Miami University
Era:
2010s
2014 Fall Newsletter Mu Upsilon (Miami University)
PHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
THE END OF THE SLANT
Construction of the New House Begins!
With the beginning of another year comes a
surge of excitement and energy from all of
the undergraduate brothers at the Mu
Upsilon chapter. This past spring, the
Chapter initiated one of its largest classes in
recent history of 33 fine FIJI gentlemen.
Going into recruitment season, our
recruitment team has already held the annual
Phi Gamma Delta Fall Recruitment
Cookout. The event was a massive success
as 100+ freshmen attended the event,
excited to meet the Phi Gam brothers. The
Chapter intends on finding a great class of
men to keep the strong core values of FIJI
alive as the chapter progresses.
Coming Soon!
Dedication of the New House
Fall, 2015
More Info to Come!
Since the fire on May 25, 2013, the
concerted rebuild effort has been put forth
from both the undergraduates and the
graduate house corporation. Due to all of
this hard work, we are happy to announce
that we were able to overcome one of our
greatest obstacles and have secured a bank
loan for the rebuilding of 130 E. High, and
since then crews have begun pouring the
cement for the houses foundation.
This has been a critical focus for both the
Executive committee and House
Corporation (HC). It has been amazing to
see everyone work together as a collective
team to reach our goals. This great win for
the chapter has served as a reminder for all
of us as to what we are working towards.
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
With this newest installment of the End of
the Slant, we would like to focus on those
who have made substantial contributions to
the rebuild effort A dedicated team of
undergraduate brothers has interviewed
these key individuals and the following
pages hold short summaries of each of these
interviews.
Index
Page 3……………………………………………………..Brother Bob Coletti Interview
Page 4,5……………………………………………………Brother Gerry Bird Interview
Page 5………………………………………....Faculty Advisor Rocco Manzo Interview
Page 6…………………………………………………Brother David Lindner Interview
Page 7………………………………………..A Letter From the President: Andrew Bell
Page 8…………………………..A Message From the Purple Legionnaire: Allan Payne
Page 9……………………………………………………Thank You Graduate Brothers!
Page 10………………………………………Update:1828 FIJI House Rebuilding Trust
This newsletter was created by the Corresponding Secretary of Phi Gamma Delta
Contact Info
Andrew Bell – President
o 440.554.5934
bellam2@miamioh.edu
Eric Eschliman – Treasurer
o 614.270.7135
eschlieh@miamioh.edu
Matt Smith – Recording Secretary
o 614.580.1457
smithm43@miamioh.edu
Andrew Karle – Corresponding Secretary
o 513.227.8940
karleaa@miamioh.edu
Ian Huron – Historian
o 513.295.0433
huronim@miamioh.edu
2
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
Graduate Brother:
Bob Coletti ‘79
Interview conducted by: Jack Onulak and Andrew Karle
Brother Coletti is a partner at Keating
Muething & Klekamp PLL where his
practice is concentrated in the corporate,
securities and financing areas where he has
extensive experience in forming joint
ventures, initial public offerings of
securities, and mergers, acquisitions and
divestitures representing both public and
closely-held corporations.
From the Bronx, New York, Bob Coletti
attended Miami University after hearing
about the school through family
connections. Having been initiated into Phi
Gamma Delta in 1976, he held the position
of President of the Chapter during his time
at Miami. He reflects on his opportunity to
serve as President and being involved in
Greek life as pivotal experiences that have
helped him become the successful man he is.
Coletti lived in the house at 130 E. High St.
for 3 years, and lived in “East”, “West”, and
later “Room D”. Among others, some of
Brother Coletti’s fondest memories include
meeting his wife Brynn, a Gamma Phi Beta.
The two had their first date at the coveted
Fiji Island party.
experience. He shared a story of how he
realized his skill in the subject area while
helping a fellow brother study for his law
school entrance exams. He went on to
graduate from the University of Cincinnati
College Of Law.
Brother Coletti has made a very generous
contribution to the 1828 Fiji House rebuild
fundraising effort, and when asked why he
believed that 130 E. High was a good
investment he replied with a strong and
concise answer: “I could never repay FIJI
enough.” For him it was an easy decision;
He has gotten so much out of being a Mu
Upsilon FIJI and feel an obligation to give
what he can to the fraternity that had given
him so much.
Brother Coletti currently resides in
Kenwood, Ohio and is still very closely tied
to Miami as he currently serves on the
Miami University Board of Trustees.
Bob was a Business major here at Miami,
but his decision to attended law school was
actually directly impacted by his FIJI
3
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
Graduate Brother:
Gerry Bird ‘71
Interview by: Jordan Cook and Kyle Sheahan
Write up by: Jordan Cook
Phi Gams of the Mu Upsilon chapter believe
that being a member is “not for college days
alone.” Gerry Bird ’71 embodies this phrase
with the integral role he has taken in the
rebuilding and planning of 130 E. High
Street. Bird participated in Fall Rush in 1966
and was initiated in the Spring of 1967.
Gerry was drawn to Greek life because of its
strong presence at Miami University. When
asked why he chose Fiji, Bird replied,
“As an architecture major, which required a
significant time commitment outside of
class, Greek life was difficult to join
simultaneously. But when I met Ron Filson,
who had the same major and was a Fiji, I
found that not only was it feasible, but that
Fiji was where I wanted to go because it was
a smart, talented, and diverse group.”
Bird lived in the house in Gamma room and
enjoyed the energy, brotherhood, and
especially the location of the house. Greek
week, bike race, and serenades are memories
that he and many other past and present
members of Fiji all share.
A true entrepreneur and architect at heart, he
began an ambitious project with two friends
by borrowing $1000 from the property
owner of 112 S Main Street, pooling $1800,
and constructing a small home in the
summer between his sophomore and junior
year to reside in the remainder of the time in
Oxford, Ohio. Bird rented the property in
the summer to help pay for tuition. The
structure still stands today and continues as
a rental property. This extraordinary feat
was Gerry’s first real world building
development experience and has helped
shaped him into the professional that he is
today.
Gerry’s experiences as a Fiji and at Miami
brought him to further his education with an
MBA from Capital University and a Masters
of Architecture from The Ohio State
University.
Never forgetting his college days, Bird has
now returned to lead the single most
important endeavor that Mu Upsilon has
undertaken since its chapter founding over a
half century ago. With a vision to preserve
the historical design and feel of 130 while
creating a multidimensional product to keep
the house flexible and relevant for
generations to come, Bird is very optimistic
and confident about the new construction.
Designing for the community rather than the
approval and satisfaction of other architects,
the new home to Mu Upsilon will be
practical yet traditional. His plans call for
updated features such as an expansive west
4
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
wing of semi-private upperclassmen units
while restoring the Barr room, huts, and
front balcony.
With concrete currently being poured and
construction well underway, Gerry Bird’s
efforts have come to fruition as 130 East
High Street and Phi Gamma Delta rises from
the ashes.
Bird now resides in Buckeye Lake, Ohio and
has an architectural development firm in
Gahanna. He has three stepdaughters and a
son, Justin, who is 37. Gerry recently
became a grandfather with the birth of
Justin’s two sons, Cohen and Hudson.
Academic Advisor:
Rocco Manzo
Interview by: Sawyer Kuck and Kyle Sheahan
After some initial concerns about time
commitment, he decided to give FIJI a try on a
temporary basis. Since then, Rocco has really
come to enjoy working with the undergraduates.
Rocco Manzo, now in his 7th year of teaching at
Miami University, is a professor in the
Management Department of the Farmers School
of Business. Prior to that, Manzo worked for 18
years in Human Resources at Xerox, in
Rochester, NY and in Pittsburgh.
“I really like the personalities of the brothers and of
the chapter as a whole. There’s a strong group of
leaders serving on the chapter’s Executive
committee, and both ‘Exec’ and the chapter as a
whole seem willing to consider suggestions to make
more effective, and individuals more successful.”
He attended Miami University, graduating with
a Finance degree in 1986. As a very active
student body member, Rocco served as an RA,
and was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi
fraternity. He later earned an MBA at Indiana
University. Professor Manzo has had a number
of FIJI brothers in class, and several were very
persistent in asking him to join us as our faculty
advisor.
Rocco has since committed to become the
chapter’s full time academic advisor and looks
forward to making a difference with brothers
who are struggling academically. In addition to
that, he will assist in making sure FIJI meets the
various programming requirements that Miami
has in place for fraternities, and will ensure that
the chapter builds solid relationships with the
University, alumni, and the Oxford community.
5
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
Graduate Brother:
.
David Lindner ‘88
Interview by: Ian Huron
Brother David Lindner is an owner and the
VP of Retail Marketing at the Cincinnati
based United Dairy Farmers (UDF). He
directs the retail division of UDF, and is
involved in marketing and operations of the
gasoline side of the company.
From Cincinnati, Lindner attended Miami
University starting 1984 until he graduated
with a Finance degree 1988. He was
initiated as a brother of Phi Gamma Delta in
’86 and lived at 130 E. High Street for two
years. Some of his fondest memories of the
house include watching the world go by
from the house’s balcony.
He asserts that his years spent at Miami as a
FIJI brother helped him to become
successful because of the opportunity to get
to know different kinds of people from all
different types of backgrounds. “A lot of it
had to do with living in the house together.
50 guys in close quarters, eating dinner
together, hanging out on the balcony,
playing pool in the basement… …Learning
to get along with everyone made me a better
people person.”
David still keeps in touch with good friends
from his pledge class. They held a twenty
year reunion at Hueston Woods, featuring a
reggae band that they used to listen to back
during their Miami Days.
Brother Lindner has pledged a very
substantial amount of resources toward the
rebuilding of 130 E. High St. His efforts are
fueled by his belief that “there is something
special about that location”. He says
“thinking about all the people that have
come through there, and how special that
house made my experience” were some of
the reasons that he invested so whole
heartedly in the project.
The “leisure king”, as he was nicknamed,
still resides in Cincinnati and frequently
visits Miami for hockey games. He and his
wife intend on returning to Oxford for
alumni weekend this year.
6
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
A Letter from the President
Andrew Bell ‘15
Brothers,
It is my delight to render another issue of “The End of Slant Walk”
full of the exciting news surrounding the Mu Upsilon Chapter to our
alumni and support networks. The undergraduates are truly
appreciative of the support and selfless contributions made from our
graduates and because of this it really is a great time to be a FIJI at
Miami University.
As we start the 2014-2015 academic year, the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta at Miami University are
proud to look back and reflect on the great successes of a chapter determined to press on through one of
the most trying times in Mu Upsilon history. The past six months has brought forth a reoccurring theme
of wins for the chapter, starting with formal recruitment in the spring. We were able to welcome a wellrounded group of 33 gentlemen, holding a 3.3 average GPA, including two of Miami University’s own
intercollegiate football players. We believe it is imperative to continue to recruit high caliber individuals
who possess the qualities and leadership necessary to represent FIJI and impact the community around us.
The next success came when Professor Rocco Manzo from the Management Department at The Farmer
School of Business committed to becoming our full-time faculty advisor. Professor Manzo has been a
great resource to the undergraduates and we are sincerely grateful for his service and support.
We place high value on our philanthropic efforts and I am pleased to see the impact that we have on our
community. During our annual Mother’s Weekend we were able to display the strength of our
brotherhood by donating the proceeds of our silent auction to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in
the name of an undergraduate brother’s mom who is affected by such cancer. Our philanthropic efforts
continued to shine throughout the semester hosting our annual Monday Night Football flag football
tournament, cooperating with Skippers Pub to raise funds for the Oxford Fire Department. and selling
formal cooler supplies to benefit Nourish International.
Closing out spring semester, the brothers enjoyed a weekend of reminiscing and preparation for the road
ahead during our annual Pig Dinner. We were overwhelmed to see the amount of graduate support and
were proud to display how strong we are as a chapter. To all who attended, it was clear the brothers of the
Mu Upsilon chapter have continued and will continue to press on through adversity.
Every day, when I see the construction at 130 E. High, I am reminded about the journey we have taken in
the past few years and I am very proud to see a chapter that has remained resilient even when the future
was plagued with uncertainty. I believe in the amazing things happening in our chapter and community
and it is my honor to be able to make a lasting impact here.
Fraternally,
Andrew M. Bell
Perge!
7
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
Purple Legionnaire: Allan Payne ‘69
Brothers of Phi Gamma Delta:
Over a year ago, 130 E. High St. was torched by someone throwing an incendiary device into the side of the
House in the old dining room area. After I saw the actual video of the House burning on local Cincinnati
TV, and being agonized over how the fraternity could continue, my mind quickly shifted to seeing this as an
opportunity.
Why? Two reasons: First, the insurance money would get us to “1st and 2nd base” in rebuilding the
House. Second, and more importantly, I felt sure this would be a rallying cry for all of us who walked the
halls of 130, to do what we’ve always done – band together to accept a big challenge, in this case, getting us
from 2 base to Home.
nd
The original early 1800’s House is standing and has been saved, in solid condition. “Them guys really knew
how to build stuff.” The rest of 130 E. High is but history – gone – removed by the pick and shovel, which
any building campaign would have had to do anyway. So, therein lies a providential gift – the part of the
House we wanted to remove, as part of a planned building campaign, is gone, and we have almost $1,700,000
in insurance money with which to begin bringing 130 back!
Brother Gerry Bird (Miami 1971, President, Bird Houk Collaborative Architects) has been working on the
design of the new House since long before the fire, when we were then planning 130’s new look and
renovation, and keeping the old portion. He has given us hundreds of hours of his architectural expertise and
designs and has worked with local Oxford authorities to get all requirements and permissions
resolved. Brothers – this was painstaking, but Bro Birdie got it done! We are going to have THE premier property
in Oxford!!!
Recently, Brother Dick Hutchinson, on behalf of House Corp, asked me to be the new PL. I had been at the
House quite regularly prior to the big 50-year celebration, overseeing some upgrading of the physical plant.
Likewise, since then I had been part of the BCA (Board of Chapter Advisors) whose purpose is to stay in
tune with undergrads on a monthly and even weekly basis.
Obligation alone was not enough to get me to consider the PL position. What clinched it for me was having
met many of the undergrads over the last few months. They are bright, talented, and enthusiastic, and they
exemplify Fiji hospitality. They are now some 90 strong in Mu Upsilon membership. And, they’re doing this
even though they’re temporarily living in the Sigma Chi house, which is way out of mainline “traffic”.
130 E. High St. is rising! All you need to do is meet these young men to know this is true. They have a great
faculty advisor, Rocco Manzo (Miami 1986, Indiana University Bloomington, IN 1989, Clinical Professor),
who has been working with them regularly.
See him on LinkedIn or go to
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=1041963 and you will see the stellar comments on
him working with students at Miami. I have met Rocco and we will be working together with Mu Upsilon.
Likewise, Brother Phil Cagwin (Miami 1975) is joining me in working with the undergrads. He has been
superintendent of the Talawanda and Monroe school districts in southern Ohio. You will see accolades on
Bro Cagwin on the internet and you can find him on LinkedIn. Should anyone desire to know more about
me, I am also on LinkedIn.
With Pig Dinner coming in April, this will be the perfect time to see 130 Rising! I invite you to see for
yourselves the caliber of these young Fijis and to see the progress on rebuilding 130 E. High.
Allan Payne, MU 1969
Perge!
8
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
“130 Rising!”
1828 Fiji House Rebuilding Trust Campaign
Clay Barnard ‘69
Chair, Fund Raising Steering Committee
October 7, 2014
What is the objective of the campaign?
The Mu Upsilon Association is seeking funds to rebuild 130 E.
High! The plan is to preserve our historical 1828 House while
creating a space with up-to-date amenities for 45
brothers. Rebuilding and furnishing the House will cost about $4.5MM, and is covered through
insurance proceeds ($2MM), debt financing ($1MM, 20 year mortgage) and philanthropic
support.
What is happening with the campaign?
We are in the silent/major gift portion of the campaign. To-date we have received cash and
pledges totaling more than $600,000. Brothers David Lindner ’88, Gordon Harnett ’64, and Bob
Coletti ’79 have pledged generous anchor gifts. In addition, FCN Bank of Indiana has agreed to
finance a $1.4MM construction loan which consists of a four year $400,000 building loan and a
$1MM 20-year mortgage.
Will I be asked to support the campaign?
YES! Every member of the Mu Upsilon Chapter community will be asked to support the
campaign, including graduates, parents of current undergraduates, and selected past parents. We
will be contacting you in the future with specific pledge commitment detail.
Will my gift be tax deductible?
A certain number of gifts of $25,000 or greater can be made to a restricted fund administered by
the Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation, and will qualify for a charitable tax
deduction. When the total amount of donations to the Foundation reach approximately $1MM,
gifts will be directed to the Mu Upsilon Association and will not be tax deductible. The actual
limit for funds (now estimated at $1MM) accepted through the Foundation will be calculated by
a Fraternity law expert based on the portion of the House used for educational purposes.
Gifts less than $25,000 are to be paid to the Mu Upsilon Association (House Corporation) and
are not tax deductible.
9
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
How long is the pledge period?
A pledge period of up to five years has been established to facilitate the generous levels of giving
necessary for the success of the campaign.
May I/we make a contribution other than cash?
Yes, a certain number of $25,000+ gifts of appreciated stocks and bonds will be gratefully
received. A planned giving expert will be made available upon request to help you understand
the benefits of different methods of giving.
How will I/we be recognized for my/our gift?
Named gift opportunities have been created allowing donors to be permanently recognized for
their contributions. In addition, it will be possible to remember other brothers and/or family
members with your giving.
Why doesn’t Mu Upsilon create its own 501 (c) (3) instead of having donations go through
the International Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation in Lexington, Kentucky?
The Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation is set up to work with individual chapters and is
able to assure donors their gift will be used for the purpose designated and that donors will be
allowed the greatest level of tax deductibility. The Foundation was established in 1945 and
raises charitable contributions for fraternity programs, scholarships and fellowships, leadership
training, and restricted chapter funds. It has paid employees who are experts in their field and
most importantly, it has the support staff needed to run a 501(c)(3) organization. The leadership
team of Mu Upsilon is made up of brothers serving as volunteers and often changes
annually. Additionally, if we were to try to gain 501 (c) (3) status, it would take a minimum of
12 months, which does not meet the needs of this campaign, and once established, requires legal
and accounting work on an ongoing basis.
We have established a Mu Upsilon Restricted Fund with the Phi Gamma Delta Educational
Foundation thereby allowing tax deductibility of gifts and ensuring that all contributions are used
as the donor intended. Working with the Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation in
Lexington, Kentucky guarantees Mu Upsilon brothers full accountability for all funds raised.
Are there pro-formas for the first five years of a new chapter house?
Many cash flow pro-formas have been run based on levels of debt and undergraduate occupancy
rates. In all scenarios there is a positive cash flow. At least $1MM of donations must be raised
in order to finish enough rooms to make this project viable. Ideally, if we raise $1.5MM we can
create a capital reserve fund and fast-pay a portion of our mortgage. It is thus incumbent upon
us to step up to the plate and stretch to raise the $1.5MM.
10
\r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA – MU UPSILON CHAPTER
__________________________________________________________
Who is on the current Mu Upsilon Association Board - commonly called House
Corporation?
Mike Wagner ’10 President
203.770.3759
mwmwagner13@gmail.com
Dick Hutchinson ’69 Treasurer 203.676.7056
hutchRIA@RCN.com
George Simonds ’59 Asst. Treas 513.523.2298
simondsg1959@yahoo.com
Clay Barnard ’69
843.384.5874
barnardclay46@gmail.com
Mike Bevis ’70
937.439.3801
mbevis@strategicsalesmmp.com
Michael Schlabig ’10
216.870.6002
michaelschlabig@gmail.com
Jim Secor ’67
989.430.6785
jimsecor@gmail.com
Steve Unger ’75
937.623.6284
steve@roseliusinsurance.com
What percentage of board members has made commitments to the Campaign?
100% of our board members have made their commitments to this effort.
Who is on the campaign steering (fund raising) committee?
Clay Barnard ’69 (chair)
843.384.5874
barnardclay46@gmail.com
Cory Foster ’67
308.633.1164
coryfoster@allophone.com
Jim Secor ’67
989.430.6785
jimsecor@gmail.com
Steve McLane ’69
614.327.5263
sbmclane@aol.com
Mike Bevis ’70
937.439.3801
mbevis@strategicsalesmmp.com
Jeff Torrence ’73
678.618.3456
Jtorrence@southpro.com
Dave Cook ’75
740.361.5015
dfc089@yahoo.com
Tom Slusser ’88
614.406.8111
tslusser@gmail.com
Brian Gravitt ’90
513.309.8526
briandgravitt@icloud.com
Mu Upsilon Founders - In Memoriam
Glenn R. Barr (Allegheny ’19)
Harmon C. Darrow (Denison ’36)
John S. Davis (Ohio Wesleyan ’36)
Phillip C. Ebeling (Ohio Wesleyan ’28)
Robert A. Howell (Purdue ’12)
William G. Payne (Denison ’26)
Harold H. Staff (Colorado College ’25)
John A. Thiele (Denison ’14)
Dwight H. Thompson (Virginia ’16)
Carl D. Werner (Wittenberg ’21)
We are being guided by Sinclair, Townes & Company, a professional fundraising firm in
Atlanta, Georgia. Mark Wilkison, Senior Vice President of the firm has kept our feet to the fire
and helped provide structure for this funding effort. Additionally he is a Fiji from the University
of Vermont and the former Executive Vice President of the Phi Gamma Delta Educational
Foundation in Lexington, Kentucky. He knows our Fraternity!
How can I help with the campaign?
Please consider a generous financial donation. We will be in touch to provide details on how
you can make your pledge. In addition, if you would like to volunteer your time, services, or
expertise please contact Clay Barnard at 843-384-5874 or barnardclay46@gmail.com.
11
\r\nPhi Gamma Delta International Headquarters
1201 Red Mile Road
Lexington, KY 40504
From all of the Brothers at
The Mu Upsilon Chapter, Thank you Graduates!
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Fall 2014 newsletter of the Mu Upsilon chapter at Miami University. The newsletter is 12 pages in length.