Beta Theta Pi - University of Texas

Page 3 GreG Bair '70 is Thankful To Be a BeTa I joined Beta Theta Pi in the fall of 1969 with 42 of my pledge brothers. During recruitment week I felt a natural bond of camaraderie and friendship with my class, as well as the actives, which still remains today. The night of our initiation to actives is a memory that will never be lost—a surprise accomplishment and relief felt by all. Upon graduation with a bachelor's degree in finance, I began my professional career in Houston with an oil/gas conglomerate. After six years of the corporate world, I moved to Wichita Falls and formed an independent oil/gas company with my pledge brother, Andy Lee '70, which we successfully ran until the market bottomed out in 1986. I returned to my home town of Austin and got involved in the security systems business. I remained in this occupation until my retirement in 2009, although I'm still invested in the oil/gas sector. It is because of Beta Theta Pi that I always try to stay in touch with my brothers. A particular instance of this is our annual get-together in Austin hosted by my pledge brother/dentist, Dr. Steve Parker '70. Attendees come from all over to share memories and catch up on the present. To further the Chapter legacy and the Building the Future of Texas Beta campaign, we will have many of the new members attending this fall. In doing so, we hope to perpetuate the Fraternity so that new members will enjoy the same lifelong friendships and relationships. Donating to this endeavor will allow for the achievement of this goal. I am married to my wife, Ann, whom I first met on a blind date to a Wichita Falls recruitment party. I have two stepsons, Will and Blake. Will and Lindsey reside in Austin with their two sons, where he deals in commercial real estate, while Blake is a licensed fly fishing guide out of Bozeman/Big Sky, Mont., where we also maintain a residence. My hobbies include golf, travel, my recently acquired 1967 GTO, and my grandsons. E-mail: wgbair@gmail.com Greg and his family. The brothers who stayed at the lake house we rented for the Texas/Oklahoma weekend. BETA OMICRON GAINS SOLID REPUTATION ON CAMPUS Chapter Recruits 23 Men A s a general state of the Chapter, we are doing very well. We are growing at a sustainable and very healthy rate, taking a pledge class of 23 outstanding men this fall. We clenched a very close second in the IFC average cumulative GPA ranking at 3.35 last spring and we are on track to improve on that score this semester. We've gained a very solid reputation among the Greek community and the general student body as a group of well-rounded and great men—both socially and societally relevant. We have multiple men in leadership positions across campus from Silver Spurs to student government and beyond. Our men are simply some of the best on campus. They are genuinely interesting and down-to-earth people with their priorities in order. I often get comments from friends who met a few brothers on campus or at an event, speaking about how great they are. One of my favorite stories (and there are a few) is about how a few brothers saved a life last semester during Roundup by calling an ambulance and staying with a stranger after she had collapsed. Our chapter has embraced the Men of Principle initiative and has even added to it, gaining us a reputation of trustworthy gentlemen, leaders, and scholars. We have a firm presence on campus and it is difficult to find a student who hasn't heard of us. As far as recruitment, we learned a wealth of knowledge about UT's fall recruitment this first time around. We are already setting up a plan for the spring and next fall recruitment cycles. The biggest impediment to our success during recruitment, and otherwise, is the lack of a Chapter House. It is a main attraction to the Fraternity experience at UT and plays a great part in establishing brotherhood, but I'm proud to see the phenomenally generous work of our alumni thus far. Our culture is set, our processes are now in place, our men are excited about what we're doing, and our campus knows us well. Yours in _kai_, Jacob Villarreal '16 Chapter President (210) 833-0146 jacobavillarreal@gmail.com Brothers during a Texas watch party. Members helped with move-in at Hardin House.

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