Delta Upsilon - University of Missouri

Delta Upsilon, University of Missouri P.O. Box 442100 Lawrence, KS 66044-2100 Address Service Requested Duck call The STAYING SHARP Tom Laco '51 Shares How Lessons from Delta Upsilon Led to Career Success T om Laco '51 was born in Czechoslovakia and grew up on a farm in Upstate New York. With the help of an NROTC scholarship, Tom had the opportunity to attend the University of Missouri. As a farm boy far from home, he knew the importance of finding and joining a good group of like-minded guys. When he met some of the brothers at the Missouri Chapter of Delta Upsilon, he knew he had found his friends. The Fraternity was filled with World War II veterans on the GI Bill, ROTC cadets, and an array of other men from all over the country with different backgrounds and skills. The best memories that Tom has from the Delta Upsilon house were the bonds he made, including two lifelong friends. He, Bob Lusk '51, and Gene Feldhausen '51 enjoyed traveling to visit each other for more than 50 years until Bob passed on to Chapter Eternal. "The ideal thing to happen to you as a fraternity member is to have friendships so strong that you keep them on for 56 years after the fact," Tom said. "That's real commentary on the kind of relationship you can build in the right fraternity." Besides his studies and cadet duties, Tom was involved with extracurricular activities, including being elected student body president his senior year. His positions in student government and the Fraternity helped him develop his leadership skills, which grew dramatically in his years in the Navy in the Korean conflict. Although academics were important, he learned as much or more about people and life by sitting around and talking to his Fraternity brothers at all hours of the day and night. Through Delta Upsilon, he learned the importance of hard work, leadership skills, salesmanship, and how to multitask and delegate. These skills served Tom in the Navy and in the business world. He spent his entire career at Procter & Gamble, advancing from copy supervisor to vice chairman of the board over the span of 35 years. "When you are in any organization, from a fraternity to a navy destroyer to a multi- national corporation, it's all about the people," Tom said. "You need strong leadership, talented people, good ethics, and a system to allow the people to work effectively together and to the best of their abilities." Tom Laco '51 celebrates his 92nd birthday. Tom Laco '51 retired from Procter and Gamble in July 1989. From left to right: Tom Laco '51, student body president; Phil Klein, captain of the Mizzou football team; and Forrest Smith, former governor of Missouri, in 1951. "The ideal thing to happen to you as a fraternity member is to have friendships so strong that you keep them on for 56 years after the fact," Tom said. "That's real commentary on the kind of relationship you can build in the right fraternity." His time at Delta Upsilon wasn't the only aspect of Tom's life that shaped him for his career. His high school sweetheart and wife, Barbara, also played a key role. "She turned out to be just the best human being, the best mother, and the best wife that I could have," Tom said. "She was an integral part of my success." Tom has four children, Susan, Thomas, Randy, and Greg, who all live in different parts of the country. Over the years, Tom has had a variety of hobbies, from training bird dogs and breeding racehorses to playing golf. Now at 92, he's investing in the stock market to keep his mind sharp. Connect with Tom at ricegate@me.com.

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