Sigma Phi Epsilon - University of Florida

Page 2 SigEp Gator Heart Florida Alpha Sweeps 2019 Conclave Awards A t the SigEp Grand Chapter Conclave on July 24-28 in Houston, Texas, Florida Alpha received more recognition, accolades, and awards than any other Chapter in the nation. In addition to winning the Buchanan Cup and being recognized for our charter, Florida Alpha received the following recognition. • Mike Watford '75 received a Citation Award. Bryson Ridgeway '05 presented the Citation award to his friend and brother, Mike Watford '75. Mike was one of only five men selected out of all SigEp alumni to be recognized for uncommon success and stature in their professions and careers, and have brought honor to themselves and to their Fraternity. Mike has been a leader in the oil industry and a tremendous supporter of SigEp, donating $1.4 million to our capital campaign. F lorida Alpha is a special organization, and the SigEp house at Florida has a special place in my heart. At 5 Fraternity Row, I met brothers who to this day are my best friends, and I learned what it meant to be a leader. After graduation, I was afforded the opportunity to serve on our AVC board, and to no surprise our brothers on that board became an important part of my life as both friends and mentors. A decade later, I am embarking on a new journey. Since graduate school, I have been at Stiles Corporation, developing and acquiring institutional quality real estate throughout the southeast United States. I spent the last eight years as an executive of Stiles' private equity fund and acquisitions group. Last July, I started my own private equity group, Intalex Capital. With less time to dedicate to Florida Alpha, I decided it was in everyone's best interest to nominate a new AVC president. It has been my great honor to serve as your AVC president for the past decade. Manny Vargas '07, our new Alumni Volunteer Corporation president, is your classic leader, of steady temper, and a talented problem solver. This July, the AVC Board unanimously approved Manny's elevation to president. I am confident that Manny will take Florida Alpha to new heights! Over the past decade Florida Alpha has climbed from the lowest of lows, back up to the top. We have embraced change, seized challenges as opportunities, and we are now among the best Chapters at both the University of Florida and SigEp nationally. Five years ago, Florida Alpha was without an undergraduate Chapter, our home was vacant and in need of material renovation. Today, we have a highly awarded Chapter of 120 brothers, who live in a facility that, thanks to many of you, underwent a $4 million renovation. Over the past four years Florida Alpha has been awarded nearly every undergraduate and volunteer award and honor available: • We earned our charter in 2017 (it took us less than two years, a remarkable feat). • Bert Harris '74 was inducted into the Order of the Golden Heart in 2017–the Fraternity's highest honor, awarded to alumni who, with great personal sacrifice, have given exceptional service to Sigma Phi Epsilon. • The Buchanan Cup in 2019. • Mike Watford's '75 SigEp Citation Award in 2019–presented to a highly- select group of alumni who have achieved uncommon success and stature in their professions and careers and have brought honor to themselves and to their Fraternity. • The Cornerstone Award – Awarded by our National Headquarters to the AVC for our house renovation that created a new academic center that includes classrooms, a library, a visiting professor's office, and housing for a resident scholar. • Voted the Best Fraternity on Campus 2019. • Maintaining the highest GPA among ALL fraternities for seven consecutive semesters. So much has been accomplished since we lost our charter in 2012 and were recolonized in January of 2016. None of it possible without strong leadership from many of you and without significant financial support from those who contributed to the capital campaign. We are blessed with an active brotherhood of exceptional young men who are dedicated to living the Balanced Man philosophy of "Sound Mind and Sound Body" every day. The "Good Book" tells us: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." So many of you have lived that lesson in support of Florida Alpha. If you aren't growing, you are dying: I am excited about the new energy and vision that Manny Vargas brings to Florida Alpha. We spent the better part of the last decade building Florida Alpha back to its former glory. Now we are focused on being better than we have ever been. The Golden Heart of SigEp at the University of Florida beats stronger by the day. Where we once looked to get back to where we were, we are now looking to go places we have never been. HFF, Bryson Ridgway '05 Outgoing President, Alumni and Volunteer Corporation bryson.ridgeway@gmail.com • Our AVC received a Cornerstone Award. Florida Alpha AVC received this award with Bryson Ridgeway accepting. Cornerstone Awards were awarded to six AVCs for their commitment to providing undergraduate Chapters with facilities that position them for ongoing success. The Cornerstone Award recognized Florida Alpha's culmination of an eight-year capital campaign that raised more than $2.8 million, with the Chapter during three of those years. A spectacular job of project management was performed in managing a total renovation of the house, completing it just in time for the start of the 2017 fall semester despite tremendous problems that emerged during the renovation. Read more about all the Citation and Cornerstone Award recipients at https://sigep.org/sigepjournal/arete-luncheon-highlights-career-and- housing-success. Going Places

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