Pi Kappa Alpha - Purdue University

ALUMNI UPDATE Page 5 PI KAPPA ALPHA CHAPTER ETERNAL Ralph Born '72 entered Chapter Eternal on January 14, 2021, after contracting COVID -19. He remained very active with Beta Phi Chapter and a close friend to many alumni of his era. Born May 22, 1949, in Staten Island, N.Y., he attended Terre Haute Gerstmeyer High School, and then Purdue, where he was president of our Chapter. He graduated in 1972 and was a successful engineer and project manager for Jacobs Engineering, retiring in 2019. He was one of the original members of our Beta Phi Alumni Association, a participant in our Old Masters' program, and an avid fan of the Boilermakers. You would often see Ralph attending the annual Homecoming and reunion gatherings where his kind spirit and genuine, caring persona made for instant friendships. He was a member of the PIKE New Year's group that has gathered every year since the mid-1970s, celebrating a bond that was born out of our Chapter and continued on as a lifelong brotherhood of friendship and camaraderie. He also was an active member of the Upstate South Carolina Purdue Alumni group and was instrumental in the establishment of the Theta Sigma Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha at Winthrop University. He often spoke with great pride of this accomplishment. Ralph will be remembered as a dedicated Pike, whose personal qualities of dedication, loyalty, empathy, and a robust love of life have endeared him to so many of his family and peers. He is survived by his wife, Dana, and his three sons, Nathan, Alex, and Andrew. A memoriam has been set up in Ralph's name, and contributions can be made to the Beta Phi Foundation at P.O. Box 2853, West Lafayette, IN 47996-2853. Please write "Ralph Born Memoriam" on the memo line. John B. McCormick '73 unexpectedly entered Chapter Eternal on March 13, 2021, at the age of 69. He was born and raised in Green Bay, Wis., and always had an unwavering allegiance to the Green Bay Packers, attending many games at Lambeau Field. He was also a season ticket holder for the Minnesota Twins. After graduating from Purdue University, John went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School. He was a dedicated public servant, practicing law in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He joined the City Attorney's office in St. Paul, where he rose to deputy city attorney, retiring in 2012. John will be remembered for his positive approach to life, quick wit, outgoing personality, eagerness to help others, and deep love for his family. He was an outstanding brother, making Beta Phi Chapter proud each day with his compassion, friendship, and humor. John will be missed by his friends, family, and Pike brothers. A memoriam has been set up in John's name, and contributions can be made to the Beta Phi Foundation at P.O. Box 2853, West Lafayette, IN 47996-2853. Please write "John McCormick Memoriam" on the memo line. ALUMNI UPDATE Harry Chase '59 has volunteered as a family and child advocate in distressed areas of northeast Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky since retiring from Wakefield Engineering. He lives in Knoxville, Tenn. Email: hgchase@yahoo.com Joseph Haseman '61 has a son who just retired after 30 years of service in the Army. Joseph volunteered at the St. Vincent orthopedic unit prior to the pandemic, but lately, he has been hibernating in retirement. Joseph lives in Evansville, Ind. Email: shaseman@live.com Robert Brockhaus Sr. '66 was recently honored by Saint Louis University, which established the Robert H. Brockhaus Chair in Entrepreneurship. (No professor has been recognized with an endowed chair in their name in the 100-plus year history of the SLU Business School.) Bob is the president of Progressive Management Enterprises, a real estate management firm that he established in 1969. He is also the managing director of The Brockhaus Group, which provides consulting services to large family-controlled businesses in the U.S., Europe, and Africa. Bob lives in St. Louis, Mo. Douglas G. Clay '70 has lived in Colorado for 44 years; he resides in Greeley. He enjoys camping, hiking, sailing, skiing, biking, mountain climbing, playing tennis, and golfing. He recently bought a condo in Vilano Beach, Fla., where he spends the winter. There, he likes to go backpacking as well as kayaking in rivers and swamps. "No alligator wrestling as of yet." Email: dgclay@prodigy.net Peter A. Velde '71 retired as a senior partner after 35 years at Kightlinger & Gray LLP in Indianapolis, Ind., and after 44 years of practicing law. In 1997, he retired as lieutenant colonel with the Indiana National Guard after 21 years. Peter has coached youth league football in Carmel, Ind., for 10 years, and he was an Indiana football referee for eight years. He and his wife, Doreen, compete in ballroom dance. They live in Carmel, Ind. Email: pvelde@k-glaw.com Jamie Maas '85 has been married to his wife, Denise, for 30 years. They have two grown children, Andy and Rachel. Jamie and Denise became first-time grandparents after the arrival of their granddaughter, Margaret, on June 17, 2020. They live in O'Fallon, Mo. Email: maasjt@aol.com Joseph L. Gerzema '92 resides in Farmington Hills, Mich., with his wife, Melanie. He works at Fox Sports Detroit as the national sales manager; his wife is a nurse anesthetist. They have four children, Patrick, Noah, Elizabeth, and Jack. "Looking forward to getting back to Purdue and visiting the Pike house soon! Hail Purdue!" Email: josephgerzema@mac.com Jeffrey Langston '92 is looking forward to starting the multi- faceted housing project at Purdue on the corner of Airport Road and State Street. He has been blessed this year to have helped launch the third Safe Families house in greater Indianapolis. Jeffrey lives in Carmel, Ind. Email: jeff@oldtowndesigngroup.com President Conall Farney '23 Wheaton, Ill. Sergeant-at-Arms Alek Rudy '23 Flemington, N.J. VP Membership Anish Saha '23 Santa Clara, Calif. Internal VP Augustus Rupp '23 Elkhart, Ind. External VP Sean O'Sullivan '23 Fort Wayne, Ind. Treasurer Eric Billy '24 Danville, Calif. VP Communications Levi Siewert '23 Floyds Knobs, Ind. Risk Manager Matthew Willson '24 Allendale, N.J. Chapter Officers

• Cover