Sigma Phi Delta - University of Illinois

2 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS W e would like to recognize and thank Rick Woods '86 for 14 consecutive years of contributions as a member of the Delta Alumni executive board. Brother Woods was first appointed to the position of capital campaign study researcher in June 2006 by then Delta Alumni President Tom Dagenais '99…OK, it took us a bit to get that project kicked off! In June of 2007, he was elected as the Delta Alumni secretary. In the spring of 2008, Brother Woods expressed an interest in running for treasurer, following in the footsteps of Andy Hill '88, who had been in that position since the inception of paper money. Rick was formally elected as treasurer in June of 2008 and held the position for the next eight years. At the annual meeting in June of 2015, Rick again replaced Andy, this time as Delta Alumni president. Brother Woods served as the president until June of 2020 after declining to run for re-election. He has recently purchased a new house and is working on setting up his home brewery, humidor, and model railroad. During his time on the executive board, Rick spent countless hours driving projects large and small. To say he has been instrumental in making the house renovation project a reality is an understatement to say the least. Rick has remained incredibly active with the Alumni Chapter, spearheading projects related to the renovation such as the new kitchen design. It is unfortunate that we couldn't thank him for his contributions in person at the annual meeting by purchasing an endless number of tasty ales for him. However, we hope that each of you will thank him the next time you see him and buy him a pint. Fraternally, YFN Delta Alumni Executive Board A Tribute to Rick Woods '86 M ichael R. Kuhn '93 came to the University of Illinois knowing that he wanted to be part of Greek life, understanding that doing so while earning an engineering degree would be a challenge. "Going all in on both the fraternity experience and focusing on rigorous academic work would require balancing priorities," Mike said. "Sigma Phi Delta provided the best environment in which to do so." He pledged Delta Chapter during his freshman year and lived in the chapter house throughout his undergraduate career. "It was an amazing experience that I still miss to this day," Mike said. During his time as an active member, Mike made many good memories with his brothers. Some of the best memories come from Table Wars, Barn Dances, Anchor Splash, Rooms Party, and other Greek events. "I am really glad that I got a lot of pictures," Mike said. "Occasionally, I pull them out and get full-on laughs. I'll always remember living with Lindenberg in the cave, lifting with D-Dog, study breaks with stogies on the entry roof, taking Bob's Blazer to Key West, and seeing Metallica and Anthrax at Assembly Hall." On top of all the fun he had, Mike took his membership in Sigma Phi Delta seriously. He served terms as social chairman and little sister chairman, and was elected chapter president during his senior year. Outside of his involvement with Delta Chapter, Mike held summer internships during each year of his undergraduate career with the Illinois Department of Transportation. This gave him valuable, real-world experience to put on his resume. Mike graduated from the University of Illinois in 1993 with a degree in civil and environmental engineering. After graduation, he moved to Tampa, Florida, to escape the cold weather. "Winter walks to Loomis Lab put me over the edge," Mike joked. In Tampa, Mike's first full-time job was with a large environmental firm conducting field work involving contaminated water and soils. Much of his job involved travel and staying in hotels for months at a time. After that, he worked for a few different consulting firms before beginning his career with Veolia, where he is today. Mike serves as vice president of operations at Veolia in the North American zone. Veolia is the global leader in optimized resource management with around 178,780 employees worldwide. The company designs and provides water, waste, and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. Mike has been with Veolia for nearly 15 years and has held his current position for 10. "I oversee a mix of water, wastewater, and composting facilities in six states," Mike said. "My routine duties involve client management, sales activities, financial activities, technical assessments, and a fair amount of travel." While at Veolia, Mike earned his master's in technology and innovation management from the University of Tampa. He is a licensed professional engineer in Florida, a board-certified environmental engineer, an ABC Class IV professional operator (water), an ABC Class IV water operator (national water operator certification), and an Alabama Class IV water operator. Mike believes that the work hard, play hard mentality he learned while living in the chapter house was key to establishing a valuable mindset that he has carried into his adult life. "We learned to effectively balance social activities, house duties, and challenging academic situations," Mike said. "That required discipline that applies to real-life situations, such as balancing a challenging job and travel while being an involved spouse and parent." Mike hasn't been back to campus since the late 1990s, but hopes to change that in the near future. "The time I spent at Sigma Phi Delta was amazing," Mike said. "I would do it again if I could." Mike and his wife, Christina, have been married since 1998 and have two daughters, Kaitlyn and Kylie. Kaitlyn is a junior at the University of South Florida, and Kylie is a freshman at the University of Central Florida. Mike resides in Valrico, Florida, and can be reached at btls2020@gmail.com. BALANCING PRIORITIES Mike Kuhn '93 Reflects on His Time as an Active Brother of Delta Chapter

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