Delta Chi - Kansas State University

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY page 3 A s a young freshman looking into student government, Tracey Mann '00 had not planned on joining a fraternity at K-State. That changed when he was introduced to the members of Delta Chi. "The brotherhood helped teach me to grow relationships with people of different backgrounds, beyond my campus leadership roles," Tracey recalls. "Many of the skills I learned at K-State were thanks to the fraternity." A Passion for Kansas Those skills would serve Tracey well in his business career after college; he specialized in industrial real estate brokerage. In 2018, Tracey was appointed by then-Governor Jeff Colyer to serve as the 50th Lieutenant Governor of Kansas. A passionate advocate on rural and agricultural issues, he truly enjoyed holding the office and getting to know tremendous people all over the state. Since leaving office, Tracey has worked with a group of partners in the property business, mostly dealing with multifamily properties in Kansas. He is also running to represent the state's first congressional district in the 2020 elections. Support from Delta Chi Tracey served as the chapter's alumni relations chairman and was honored to have Delta Chi's support in his successful run for student body president. "The fraternity was absolutely instrumental in helping me win that race," he said. "I was so grateful for their support and still am today." Delta Chi did not yet have a chapter house when Tracey came to KSU, but he enjoyed living in apartments with several brothers until the house opened his senior year. Fully understanding the benefits of a new chapter house, Tracey is proud to support the Securing the Future of The Delta Chi Fraternity campaign. "I believe it's important to give back to those who help you, and Delta Chi gave me so much in college. Having a house on campus truly helps foster friendship and brotherhood." Tracey was the keynote speaker at the 2018 Founder's Day Banquet and has had the pleasure of meeting various chapter members over the years, including visits as lieutenant governor. "The chapter is doing remarkably well, and that's something we should all be proud of and support." Tracey lives in Salina, Kan., with his wife, Audrey, and their four children. He can be reached at traceymann2000@yahoo.com. Fostering Friendship and Brotherhood Former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann '00 Believes in the Future of Delta Chi HONORING THE BROTHERHOOD Phil Martin '04 Reflects on His Time with Delta Chi and Shares Why He Gave Back P hil Martin '04 grew up 15 minutes from Kansas State University, so he was looking to branch out and meet different people once he got to college. Going through recruitment, Phil quickly realized that Delta Chi was the landing spot for him. "Delta Chi had such a diverse group of people which made it great," Phil said. "I liked that it wasn't a cookie cutter fraternity." Throughout his time as an active member, Phil became close with many people in the Delta Chi at K-State brotherhood. "I wouldn't have met most of my brothers had I not joined Delta Chi," Phil said. "Now I have these wonderful lifelong connections with brothers I can reach out to any time." He loved spending time in the chapter house and having the chance to live with all of his friends. Phil also served as "C" secretary and "A" president, gaining early leadership experience within the chapter. "The experience I gained as a leader at Delta Chi has served me well throughout my career," Phil said. "I enjoyed working with and being around hundreds of people every day whether it was in the chapter house or on campus." Phil misses spending time with his Delta Chi brothers and would love to catch up with more of them in the future. "We are all busy with work and family nowadays," Phil said. "With only 52 weekends in a year, it's hard to find time to spend with friends." He says it's always great to catch up with brothers any time you can and that part of the enjoyment of the fraternity experience is rekindling those connections. "Being part of the Delta Chi brotherhood was such a great time for all of us in our early adulthood experience," Phil said. In reminiscing on his undergraduate years and speaking with Aaron Otto '98, Joe Lane '04 and John Kattenberg '03, Phil knew he needed to find a way to give back to the Delta Chi brotherhood. This is why he chose to contribute to Securing the Future of the Delta Chi Fraternity capital campaign. "I want to see these younger generations get the same experiences I had in college," Phil said. "I recommend supporting this cause in whatever way you can to give these younger guys the same opportunities we had. There were alumni before us who supported us monetarily and through volunteering. Now it's our turn to support that same cause as those before us." Today, Phil works in HVAC wholesale distribution as the chief operating officer for cfm Distributors Inc. He got started with cfm, a 100% employee-owned company, directly after graduating from K-State with his mechanical engineering degree. "I never really saw myself working in the HVAC field," Phil said. "I just kind of fell into it after reading the job posting and being confident that I had the skill traits necessary." Phil lives in Leawood, Kansas, with his wife Lesley and three kids. His 18-year-old son, Tyler, will be attending the University of Kansas in the fall, and he has an 8-year-old daughter named Emma and a 6-year- old daughter named Molly. Phil loves reconnecting with his Delta Chi brothers in the KC area and sharing his homebrewed beer. He also spends as much time as possible outdoors hunting, fishing, hiking, and snowboarding. You can reach Phil at philliprmartin@gmail.com.

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