Sigma Chi - University of Mississippi

2 LOCAL ALUMNI MEET-UPS In early August, we hosted our first alumni steak dinner at the house. The purpose of this dinner was to kick off opportunities to come by the house and engage with chapter members. We had a great turnout with over 50 men in attendance. We were very pleased that we had men there who had graduated in the 1950s, as well as new alumni who are still in Oxford for graduate school. We will continue having these opportunities, so keep your eyes on your email inbox. SAVE THE DATE On November 3, we will host our annual parent and alumni get-together at the house. Typically, this occurs before the game unless we have a very early kickoff. More to come on this event, but please plan to drop by the house before you head out to The Grove and the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks. In Hoc, Jon T. Fisher '84 Chapter Advisor Jtfisher6149@gmail.com Great Turnout by Alumni at Steak Dinner (Continued from page 1) Hal Binkley '83 and Doug Boone '85 Jerry Montgomery '89, Tim Porter '90, Tonquin Stovall '90 Sid Mashburn: Living True to the Spirit of Sigma Chi Successful Alumnus Creates Retail Experience Like No Other S peaking with Sid Mashburn '83 for the first time is like talking to an old friend. There is an immediate friendliness, a warmth. He is interested in what you're reading, and when he asks how you are he wants an honest answer. Sid is exactly how he describes the Ole Miss community: hospitable and charming. These traits have served him well first as a Sigma Chi undergraduate, throughout his early career working with America's leading fashion designers, and now as co-owner with wife Ann of their eponymous clothing shops. Sid grew up in the small town of Brandon, Mississippi, and in determining which college to attend, he wanted to take the path less traveled while staying in the state. Choosing Ole Miss, his plan was to pursue liberal arts and possibly law school. He was also looking forward to broadening his friend base. Accordingly, Sid's reasoning for joining Sigma Chi when several of his friends pledged Pi Kappa Alpha was simple: "I really connected with the ΣΧ guys; they were smart and ambitious with big hearts. The Pike guys were already my friends. I knew I could keep them as friends and make more at ΣΧ." Sid says he loved Eta Chapter because of "the different temperaments, talents, and convictions (to quote the fraternity's founders in The Spirit of Sigma Chi) of the members" yet everyone got along while learning comportment, how to be a part of a team, and responsibility. Sid served as the chapter rush chairman and on the IFC. And while he claims to have not been a great student, "except for the classes I really liked," he was proud to contribute to the chapter's achievements, including earning their second-highest GPA, winning many Peterson Awards, and hosting Derby Days, the "best fraternity charity on campus." Working retail as a young man and possessing a longtime interest in design led Sid to New York after graduation. And thus began his path to making the Mashburn name synonymous with classic style and exceptional service. He was the first men's designer at J.Crew, then was recruited by Ralph Lauren himself to design for Polo Ralph Lauren, and went on to become vice president of design at Tommy Hilfiger and senior vice president of design at Lands' End. The experience of working with these worldwide recognized creators was invaluable to Sid. "It's hard to beat those jobs, but the highlight of my career has been working with my wife and daughters." Sid and Ann, a former assistant and editor at Vogue and Glamour, moved to Atlanta in 2007 and opened the Sid Mashburn shop, offering Sid's own clothing designs, as well as pieces they love and want to share, in a comfortable and welcoming space. In 2010 they expanded with the Ann Mashburn women's shop and the following year launched their websites, sidmashburn.com and annmashburn.com. Today there are additional shops in Dallas, Houston, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Their goal is "not only to offer great things, but to provide over-the-top service." You can shop for clothes, get fitted for a custom suit, enjoy the music, have a soda, and "be properly taken care of in every way." While Sid says their labor of love has reached a certain level of success, "we are still a mom- and-pop small business." Their five daughters, Elizabeth, Louisa, Daisy, Harriet, and Pauline, all help and work for the family business. And the company's service philosophy is rooted in taking care of people first. Sid and Ann aim to enhance lives and provide a place for everyone to feel good about themselves. This reflects strongly on Sid's Sigma Chi membership at Ole Miss. He says, "College is a degree in life. It's a safe place to grow up." The lessons he picked up, the bonds he does not take for granted, and the pride of representing others and not just himself are evident in his daily life. He is passionate about his work and family and cares deeply for others. And he does it all with a genuine charm and kindness. Sid can be reached at his Atlanta office: (404) 551-5201.

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