Alpha Gamma Rho - University of Minnesota

To Make Better Men O ur brand new Chapter House has been made possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of many of our Lambda brothers. One of those brothers, Stub Nelson '53, has been involved from the very beginning— from the day the Blue Ribbon Committee was appointed until they made the final decision to rebuild the Chapter House on the present site, and continuing through the fundraising effort. Part of Stub's dedication to the Chapter House renovation stems from the original reason he joined Lambda those many years ago. "I was invited to Lambda for dinner, greeted at the front door by students dressed in ties and coats, escorted to the chapter room, engaged in conversation, and taken to the dining room where the tables were set with tablecloths, silverware, and monogrammed china. When they asked me to join, the decision was easy." Because of this, Stub knows firsthand the importance of having a welcoming and substantial house. "The house was at the end of its physical life. I felt we urgently needed to dramatically upgrade the facility if we were to continue as a fraternity. After my very positive experience at AGR I felt it was important to continue to give the present students those same opportunities." AGR even helped Stub get started in his career when Lambda brother Dean Cates '47 hired him directly out of college as a representative for New York Life Insurance Company. Stub went on to own an independent agency, a general agency, and manage a farm mutual insurance company. He has since retired from a lifetime in the insurance business, a career started thanks to AGR. Stub's lifelong dedication to Lambda and AGR is apparent and he is happy the renovation project is now done. "I certainly feel a sense of accomplishment. The new house is the result of many…hundreds…of brothers working together and making their own contribution to this fine Chapter House." Stub and his wife of 52 years, Ardith, live in Swanville, Minnesota. They have a daughter, Karin, and a son, Mikel '84, and a grandson, Andy '14, who just become a member of Lambda this fall. Stub enjoys waterfowl hunting with his Chesapeake Bay retrievers, gardening, and operating his small farm. They enjoy traveling to the Kona Coast of Hawaii, away from the Minnesota winters. Contact Stub at stubardith@sytekcom.com. From Start to Finish, Stub Nelson '53 Sees Six-Year AGR Housing Project Through F rom the beginning, Bill Manwarren '66 has been a proud Lambda member, flying the AGR colors on campus and promoting his membership as an undergraduate. AGR has influenced both his career and the person he is today. "AGR had a great impact on my career path. It started with a recommendation by Brother Sandy Ludeman '67 to teach VoAg at his hometown of Tracy, Minnesota. The other impact was the contacts I gained, many of them different eras than mine. Many of my industry contacts and friends are AGRs. We tend to gravitate towards each other after finding out we are brothers." Bill just had his fourth retirement after heading up and developing the seed operations team at Winfield. Many brothers served as role models for Bill. "Art Posch '65 had a way of stepping back and looking at the entire picture before making a decision, using common sense and listening. I had the opportunity to work with M.W. Knoblauch '17 on the Lambda 50-year celebration committee. He taught me how to organize a committee and carry out a big event." Bill hopes to teach undergraduates that "your reputation preceeds you into a room and your integrity follows you out. Never compromise your reputation." Today, Bill knows AGR has helped him develop over the years. "AGR had a big influence on who I am today. I learned how to never compromise my values, how to act with integrity at all times and in all situations, how to stand up for myself and others, and the social etiquette which helped me be comfortable in any social situation. AGR helped me understand that I won't take no for an answer when there is a need to prevail." Bill has served as president of the alumni board, as well as on other committees. This has allowed him to interact with many brothers and stay involved with the undergraduate chapter. "The collegiate members take more pride in their grades than we did while I was in school and do more philanthropy than we did. I am very proud of the group currently in the house." Since Bill has stayed involved, he has seen the joy reconnecting with Lambda brings. "I have often heard brothers say, 'I wish we would have gotten together more.' We all have more in common than we tend to realize. Make a point of getting back to Founder's Day." Bill and his wife, Cindy, live in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. They have three sons, Erich, Scott '93, and Adam '96. Bill feels life is a hobby and likes to meet people. "Everyone has a story and I always gain something by finding out other people's stories." Reach out to Bill via e-mail at bmanwarren@comcast.net. Bill Manwarren '66 Believes in Alpha Gamma Rho's Opportunities Albert Stub Nelson '53 and son Mikel Nelson '84 welcomed their grandson and son, Andy Nelson '14, into Alpha Gamma Rho. Congratulations on three generations of Alpha Gamma Rho brotherhood!

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