Alpha Tau Omega - University of Oklahoma

W hether it's the Oklahoma football team lighting up the scoreboard in the fall or the Sooner softball team traditionally competing for national championships in the spring, it can sometimes be hard to keep up with all the success of OU athletics. While athletes and coaches are often in the spotlight, its people like Larry Naifeh '73 who put OU sports in a position for success. As the executive associate athletics director, Larry hashes out different contracts and other legal issues and plans various capital improvement projects. He is also involved with game day operations duties, facilities, and risk management. Along with putting his OU degree in law enforcement administration to good use, Larry is thankful for what he learned from the Delta Kappa Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega. "The chapter supported and helped develop my sense of values, work ethic, and team building. Our class and the chapter in general supported each other in all aspects of the college experience," Larry said. "We watched out for and supported each other. We studied, worked, competed, and grew up together." Under Larry's supervision, the OU athletic department has undergone more than $500 million in recent capital improvement projects that have impacted all Sooner sports programs. Larry's hard-working colleagues and OU's outstanding reputation in athletics provide him plenty of motivation to give it his all every day. Whenever he sees what University President Joe Harroz '86 and Board of Regents member Gary Pierson '78 have also done for OU, Larry doesn't have to look far for inspiration for his Delta Kappa brothers. "The challenges of coordinating all the diverse elements that must come together for a successful project that the whole world watches from start to finish keep you focused," Larry said. "We have an incredible university and department team that works to ensure the work performed by others is completed on time and on budget. No other options exist." Larry can't attend as many ATW alumni events as he would like due to his demanding work schedule, but he remains in close touch with several Delta Kappa brothers from his era. One of his favorite undergraduate memories is when the Delta Kappa new member class of 1972 served as doormen, ushers, and bouncers for the Quicksilver/Canned Heat Concert at the Fieldhouse. Larry's love for sports was apparent during his undergraduate years as well. He was active on ATW's intramural teams and played on OU's first club rugby team. Larry went on to play and coach rugby at the U.S. territorial and national levels. "I coached the U.S. College All-American team on a winning tour of South Africa, a world power in the sport of rugby," he said. Along with remaining involved with OU's club rugby team, Larry's hobbies include golfing, cooking, traveling, and finding the best local diners with his wife, Mary. You can connect with Larry at lnaifeh@ou.edu. T h e EACON Fall 2019 B A L P H A T A U O M E G A • D E L T A K A P P A C H A P T E R A Staple of Sooner Sports Success Larry Naifeh '73 Inspired by ATW Brothers "The chapter supported and helped develop my sense of values, work ethic, and team building. Our class and the chapter in general supported each other in all aspects of the college experience."

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