Pi Kappa Alpha - Purdue University

Candlelight Page 2 Leadership, Confidence, and Pride in Being a Pike Spotlight on Josh Bellman '08 Q: Going through recruitment can be an over- whelming process, why did you join Pi Kappa Alpha? What made you stay a part of the brotherhood? A: There were several brothers from my hometown that were a part of Pi Kappa Alpha when I rushed. It was nice to see some familiar faces, but the house at the time was very diversified compared to some other houses I rushed. I liked the camarade- rie of the athletic aspect and the attitude of the house overall. Q: What sense of pride did you gain as a Beta Phi member? A: I gained a lot of confidence and pride that I could hold my head high walking around campus and now in the job world. I can't tell you how many times in air- ports, bars/restaurants, sporting events I get in random conversations about my time at Beta Phi. There are a lot of people who know Pikes around the country, and we all have that sense of accomplishment and pride. Q: What was the impact that Pike University (or another leadership program) had on you as an undergraduate? A: Pike U was fairly new when I was an undergraduate. It not only opened my eyes as to what companies were looking for and what the real world would be like, but it was a great networking opportunity to see what others in our Fraternity were doing to achieve their goals. It made me laser-focused on getting the job I wanted right out of undergrad, and several jobs after as well. Q: How, if at all, did being in Pi Kappa Alpha impact your career path? A: Networking is a big deal. Knowing the right people in the right places has helped me in my career. Not only being Greek, but being a Pike has accelerated my career through the contacts I have made over the years. Q: Were there any alumni involved in your Chapter that had a positive impact on Chapter operations and your overall college experience? A: We had our differences, just like all undergrad and alumni leaders do, but Joe Conti '85 was probably the most influential during my time at Beta Phi. We were right at the fork in the road at the time of either going down the path of being a great Chapter, or probably being kicked off campus or going broke. Joe held the Election of New Beta Phi Foundation Officers A t the annual fall 2014 meeting of the Beta Phi Foundation Board of Directors the board accepted the retirement of Charlie Hetrick '63. Charlie joined the Foundation board when it started in 1992 and has been a very loyal and dedicated board member. He was extremely helpful in overseeing the complete renovation of the Chapter House. The board honored Charlie with a plaque and made him a lifetime Foundation board member emeritus. The board unanimously elected Bill Kinder '95 as a new board member. Bill and his brother, Doug '91, are partners and owners of Michael Kinder and Sons, general contrac- tors based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Bill is a past Chapter president of Beta Phi and general contractor for the recent renovation of the Chapter House. The following Beta Phi brothers were elected as new officers of the Foundation board: Joe Conti '85 was elected president. Joe is a past Chapter president, home association past president, past chairman of the alumni advisory board, and immediate vice president of the Foundation board. Joe brings years of service, time, and loyalty to Beta Phi. Let's all support Joe as he leads the Foundation. Brian Doolittle '70 was elected vice president. Brian recently chaired our very success- ful capital campaign and has been a Foundation board member for several years. Bruce Pershing will continue as Foundation treasurer and Rex Martin'72 will continue as Foundation board secretary and historian. The Foundation board elected Rich Russell '58, past president of the Foundation board for 23 years, to a new position: chairman of the board. In this new position he will chair a long-range planning committee. He will work closely with the board president on exploring new concepts to help foster and strengthen the future of Beta Phi. He will also coordinate and cultivate a closer relationship with the university. The Foundation board consists of 10 dedicated directors and three board emeritus. The board has three meetings a year, a winter conference call, and a spring and fall board meeting at Purdue. The Foundation works closely with and supports the Beta Phi Home Association and the Alumni Advisory Board. The Foundation continues to have a strong financial base. We appreciate the continued support of our Purdue Pike alumni. Our struc- ture, by design, has kept us a desirable top fraternity on Purdue's campus. In the Bond, Rich Russell '58, Chairman of the Board, Beta Phi Foundation Thank You, Annual Donors W ith the first year post-capital campaign under our belt, a number of alumni have stepped up to invest in Beta Phi's annual campaign once again. Thank you to the 70 donors who committed more than $13,000 in 2014. Your gifts help support our undergraduates' scholarship, recruitment activities, and leadership training, as well as our alumni communications. (Continued on page 4) Chairman of the Board Rich Russell '58 rich@richandphyllis.com President Joe Conti '85 joscon_61@yahoo.com Vice President Brian Doolittle '70 Treasurer Bruce Pershing Secretary and Historian Rex Martin '72 Members Richard Duncan '69 Mike Wright '85 Mike Kristakis '86 Kirk Cerny, Beta Gamma '92 Bill Kinder '95 Board Members Emeriti Bob Rain '55 Roy Hofer '57 Charlie Hetrick '64 Beta Phi Foundation Board

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