Tau Kappa Epsilon - Iowa State University

Securing Epsilon's Legacy 3 James Remington '48 E-428 Reflects on the Family Epsilon Chapter Provided A General Electric Company interview helped James Remington '48 E-428 choose which college to attend. As a high school student in upstate New York, James decided on ISU after eliminating the other nine colleges the company recruited engineers from. And after arriving on campus as a freshman, he met Epsilon Chapter members who invited him to the house and offered him a bid to pledge. At that time, the majority of upperclassmen at Iowa State and in TKE were returning veterans on the G.I. Bill. James says, "Having such mature and worldly classmates was very rewarding." The Fraters had high morals and ethics, which set a good example for James both during and after college. Having limited funds kept James from traveling home to New York except during Christmas and summer breaks, so "Epsilon was my home and family at all other times." The Epsilon friendships James made as a young college student have stood the test of time. "Several Fraters came to my wedding, and I still have contact with Roger Buckmaster '48 E-424, but most of the others from my class have passed on." James and his spouse, Jean, who passed away in 2014, have five children, Karen, Leslie, Jill, John, and Eric, and 10 grandchildren. Although James now lives in Virginia and isn't able to visit the campus or Chapter, he enjoys reading about the achievements of Epsilon in the newsletter and receiving updates on building projects. "It seems that the Chapter is not standing still but is keeping up with the needs of today and tomorrow." Reflecting on his own experience and wanting young men to also have the same opportunities, James contributed to the campaign, providing funds for a four-man study room. "Hopefully it will provide high-quality study conditions for the members living in the house." And he encourages other alumni to make a commitment. "If you can afford to make a gift, what better place could you choose?" James can be contacted via email at remington2671@comcast.net. TKE: HomE from THE BEginning for CHad STEvEnS '93 E-1746 I f not for a visit to his sister at ISU, Chad Stevens '93 E-1746 may have become an Iowa Hawkeye. He says the campus atmosphere was vibrant and provided plenty of opportunities to get involved. He was invited to Greek Week by Chad Bush '91 E-1667 and says, "After watching Aaron Thatcher '92 E-1696 and Lundy Anderson '90 E-1630 dominate the bed race and Jonathan Ticku '92 E-1698 do the best Prince lip sync I have ever seen, I was hooked on the Cherry and Gray." Becoming a member of TKE made Chad's transition from high school to college more manageable, and his pledge class formed an instant bond. "TKE was home from the start and gave me many lifelong friendships." He credits the older members for "turning a selfish kid into a respectful young man" as they were willing mentors to the pledges and available to provide guidance when needed. Although many of Chad's undergraduate memories probably shouldn't be published, he did share that simply hanging out on the front porch was the best. "One or two guys and a little music could turn into a gathering of hundreds enjoying the prime location of 224 Ash, as well as the sand volleyball court that Dan Schmidt '75 E-1197 would so generously, and cheerfully, build for us each spring." Chad graduated in 1997 with degrees in finance and accounting and is senior vice president and investment manager at City State Bank. He and his wife, Emily, whom he met while he was co- chairman for Greek Week, have been married for 19 years and live in Norwalk, Iowa. They love to travel with their two children, Sofia (8) and Sawyer (6), and plan their trips around concerts and baseball games. "The joy of seeing things that I love through my kids' eyes and them loving it as well is incredible." Even with a busy career and family life, he makes time to connect with Fraters. He started the bank's trust department with David Albrecht '96 E-1801 and plans get-togethers and events with many others, including Chad Bush, Cory Baird '93 E-1727, Kris Ghosh '93 E-1736, Kevin Orchard '93 E-1741, Lance Sivertsen '93 E-1745, Chuck Stroo '93 E-1747, Brian Hemesath '94 E-1762, and Michael Killmer '94 E-1765. "Several of us meet up in Kansas City for the Big 12 games also." These men and Fraters who gave so much of their time to Epsilon Chapter and still do—Dan Schmidt, Roger Underwood '76 E-1239, Brad Williams '78 E-1287, and Brad Olson '86 E-1519—inspired Chad to contribute to Securing Epsilon's Legacy campaign. "The fraternity taught me respect and responsibility. These men taught us to give back after our time at 224 Ash." Among the multitude of requests for donations, Chad says, "I could not find one that has made a bigger impact on me and my character." And he believes the improvements to the Chapter House will undeniably benefit today's Fraters. "The brotherhood that is created living under the same roof is unique." When he visited the Chapter a few years ago, Chad felt a level of excitement and passion for TKE from the undergraduates, making him feel good about the house that still means so much to him. "This campaign is a great way to share our resources with like-minded Fraters." Chad can be reached at cstevens@citystatebank.com.

• Cover