Delta Chi - Educational Foundation

THE DELTA CHI EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION The KnighT erranT Spring 2018 William B. Vollbracht Embodies Men of Character W illiam B. Vollbracht, Kansas '60, ini- tiated in 1958, celebrates his 60th year of being a Delta Chi this March. William is a New Founder, having given more than $100,000 to the Delta Chi Educational Foundation. This makes him one of our top 20 all-time donors, a level matched by less than 0.00002% of initi- ates, which he achieved by sending in his final donation on check #1890. But more than the money he gave, William embod- ies our core value of Character. • Founded Land Title Guarantee Company in 1967 • Co-founded Alpine Bank in 1972 • Co-founded Steele Bank in 2003 • Chairman, Colorado Open Lands • Commissioner, Colorado Commission on Higher Education • Co-founded with his wife, Leslie, The Vollbracht Family Foundation • Colorado Business Hall of Fame Honoree, 2008 Born in Wichita, Kansas, in 1938, Wil- liam grew up spending the summers at his family's cabin near Colorado Springs, where an intense love for the Centennial State developed. He moved to Denver in the early 1960s and in 1967 founded Land Title Guarantee Company, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, with more than 50 offices and 600-plus employees. LTGC is one of the largest, private title companies in the nation, with over 50,000 successful closings each year. "Ev- eryone wanted to work at LTGC; they were the premier company to work for," says Vice President Diane Evans. Notable transactions include Denver Interna- tional Airport, and Mile High Stadium, home of the Denver Broncos NFL team. The company's success was attributed in large part to the type of culture William established, using his base principles: • Do the right thing • Honesty is always important • Always be the best • Treat people well • Take care of clients • Do your best • Be respectful • Focus on: Relationships, Employees, Customers, and Service In 2008, William was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame. You may watch the induction video on our website. Several of his contemporaries shared their thoughts on William's success: • Jerry Probst, lifelong friend: Bill embodies "tenacity, focus, passion… integrity, excellence in service. He took great pleasure from helping philanthropic things and people. Very compassionate and humble." • Rod Slifer, Slifer, Smith & Frampton: "honest, straight forward. Bill knows a lot of people, which is part of his success; [he leverages] his circle of friends that is ever expanding." • Ray Baker, Gold Crown Management Company: "Bill quietly played a greater impact as it relates to higher education, Colorado Open Lands, University of Colorado Children's Hospital; instrumental in accelerating the timeline to complete the Fitzsimons Medical Center." William Vollbracht's New Founder sketch. William's com- posite picture from 1958. • John Freyer Sr., Co-Chairman, Land Title Guarantee Company: "Bill carries a yellow pad with him all the time and writes down projects that he's asked other people to do; it's like his bible." In his leisure time, William has always enjoyed horseback riding. He owns several ranches near Evans, Colorado, and enjoys the great outdoors. For several years he hosted a Round-up Ride; over 60 men would go up and ride for 7-10 days, like they were on a cattle drive. Huge tents were set up at each campsite along the journey, conjuring images from Roosevelt's The Winning of the West. In addition to his love of the outdoors, William is an avid baseball follower and a big fan of the Colorado Rockies MLB team. William and Leslie still live in Colorado but also have a winter home in Arizona. The couple has two daughters, Dana and Alison. As William celebrates his 80th birthday this summer, we can think of no one better who embodies Delta Chi's core principles; and he has lived it every day of his life. It is our privilege to recognize William as our first Man of Character. His life is a testament to all that is good about fraternity men, and he represents the silent majority of us the Fraternity has helped to mold. More than ever, it is important to rally behind our ideals and invest in Delta Chi, as our Fraternity continues to build leaders who positively impact our society in their communities. Thank you, William, for setting an extraordinary example of what it means to be a Delta Chi Fraternity man. William during the prime of his career in 1973.

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