Lambda Chi Alpha - University of Oklahoma

Lambda Chi aLpha page 2 Leaving Lambda Chi Better Than He Found It I n 1972, Lambda Chi Alpha became the first fraternity to take a strong stand against hazing when it installed the associate membership program. Had it not been for the associate membership program, Bob Stewart, ΓΡ 816 probably wouldn't have given Greek life a second chance during the spring semester of his freshman year at the University of Oklahoma. Thanks to brothers like Bob, Gamma- Rho fully got on board with LCA's vision. "I think there were 20-something members when I joined and a bunch of them were going to graduate," Bob said. "We went through a rebuilding period, and I was the recruitment chairman my freshman year and managed to get a decent class to get things back on track." Due to Gamma-Rho's low numbers during the early 1970s, Bob was presented the opportunity to lead right away. He served as recruitment chairman (twice), president, social chairman, and house manager during his Gamma-Rho undergraduate experience. "I ended up wearing a lot of hats and I know that has helped me as I've gone through business. It hasn't always been sales-oriented things where Gamma-Rho has benefited me," Bob said. "It was, 'OK. The toilet is stopped up in the basement. Someone has got to go clean it out. I'm the house manager, so that's what I get to do.'" Bob has been the president of Tulsa Automatic Music since purchasing the small business in 1998. Tulsa Automatic Music owns several bars. Despite not operating them, Bob and his coworkers put their company's pool tables and jukeboxes in the bars. "I'm a salesman by nature," Bob said. "The same things that gave me some success as a recruitment chairman I've applied in every job I've had in sales." Gamma-Rho taught Bob and the brothers from his era to be responsible with their money. It was a big challenge to keep Gamma-Rho financially stable while they were rebuilding the Chapter, so much so that members were giving blood to make house payments. Following his second stint as recruitment chairman, Bob finally saw some signs of significant progress with Gamma-Rho's membership. "We had to balance the need for cash with the need for quality members. We did a pretty good job of that," Bob said. "We were starting to be an attractive Chapter for people. We had guys calling us instead of having to beg people to come to recruitment parties." While Bob hasn't remained heavily involved with Gamma-Rho as an alumnus, he still remains in touch with Jim McCarthy '71 and helps the Chapter financially. You can connect with Bob at r.s.stewart@cox.net. "I'm very proud of the way it's turned out," Bob said. "Many people would say that Lambda Chi is the number one fraternity on campus. They do well in intramurals and grades." "I'm a salesman by nature. The same things that gave me some success as a recruitment chairman I've applied in every job I've had in sales." Bob Stewart, ΓΡ 816 Reflects on Building Up Gamma-Rho Bob Stewart, ΓΡ 816, left, and Jim McCarthy, ΓΡ 794 attend a party last fall at the ranch of their mutual friend.

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