Beta Theta Pi - University of Wisconsin

3 ALPHA PI CHAPTER Patrick J. Krill '91 Oyvind Wistrom '92 Bradley H. Garcia, Ph.D. '94 Michael Powers '96 Andrew J. Stravers '07 Jacob J. Hentges '18 Samuel L. Haack '19 John Boosalis '20 Henry Cooper '23 Canoe Hole ($100 to $999) Paul E. Tausche '48 Charles E. Kuehn '53 Rolland S. McGinnis '53 Theodore E. Crabb Jr. '54 Terence J. Gautsch '55 Richard G. Oakford '56 Allan J. Payleitner '57 William F. Boettge '59 Charles E. Elliot '59 David G. Meissner '59 John M. Nolan '59 Douglas D. Russell '59 James B. Gollhardt '60 Alan C. Cole '61 Richard F. Vitkus '61 Ronald B. Williams Jr. '61 Stephen W. Larsh '63 John W. Lierk '63 Curt M. Garmager '64 James H. Ball '65 John R. Davenport '66 Richard M. Kimberly '66 Robert M. Tasker '66 Patrick N. Sommerfield '67 Dan M. Kimberly '69 Richard Schwarte '69 William R. Yanakos '69 Martin J. Ciotti '70 Robert T. Waddell '70 Edward G. Albright '71 Gregory A. Barney '72 Robert E. Liebhauser '72 Craig R. Johnson '73 Ric Speaker '73 Charles R. Gross '75 James R. Haas '75 James L. Mellor '77 Gerald G. Schmidt Jr. '77 Michael J. Terry '77 David R. Zimmermann '77 Jeffrey S. Schaefer '78 David C. Dretzka '79 James M. Olson '79 Thomas F. Brennan '80 Joe R. Gonzalez '81 Gregory G. Zimmerman '81 Rick L. Abegglen '82 Timothy G. Eigenfeld '82 Paul J. Hanusa '82 James D. Atterholt '84 Michael Berghammer '84 Jeffry B. Hampton '84 Michael J. Wahl '85 Ethan E. Vielehr '86 Christopher J. Flood '87 James M. Gould '87 John R. Curtis '88 Ramin Eghbali '88 Scott R. Running '89 Daniel M. Edelman '90 David Tennessen '90 David L. Walters '91 Robert Nicholas '93 Andrew R. Danner '94 Nicholas G. Stephani '95 Michael M. Goggin '96 Daniel T. Schuster '96 Mark J. Zenkner '97 Jeffrey J. Freemyer '99 Dan Polenska '01 Adam Stein '01 Daniel K. Breitenbach '06 William B. Maguire '06 Travis R. Lemke '09 Jesse Graewin '10 Justin D. DeAngelis '11 Hunter J. Holtshopple '11 Nicholas J. Norton '12 Donald Buteyn '13 Lee Southwell '15 Nathaniel Ford '17 Derek T. Campbell '19 Louis M. Monette '19 Matt P. Berghoff '20 Russell Knight '20 Austin Mose '20 Ben Peterson '20 James Rohde '20 Alex Mendelson '21 JP Remijas '21 Wyatt Begley '23 Ben W. Kangas '23 "At that time, I was putting myself through dental school at Northwestern, and to me, that money was tuition dough," Clyde said. "But I thought if I don't write a check this minute and send it off, I'll likely regret it for the rest of my life. So, I mailed the check." With Ted's letter, the Beta Fund began their journey to become a financial source for these brothers to remain connected. The Fund wouldn't be complete without its current members: Bruce Defnet '66, Jay Capouch '67, Thomas "TJ" Johnson '67, Cort Condon '68, Larry Kener '68, Jim Mestl '68, John Oros '69, Dick Schwarte '69, Jim Weingart '69, Alvin Krug '70, Charley Giesen '68, David Mayland '68, John Boyajian '68, and Frank Quinlan '70. "From an investment standpoint, the Beta Fund has done well," Ted said. "However, and more importantly, we now have college friends that are still able to come together and have remained close friends for over 50 years." The Fund started with $6,000 and some monies have been added along the way, but a $500 investment made at the outset has grown to approximately $475,000—a 16.4% compound rate of return over 53 years. Total assets of the Beta Fund stand at $40.1 million today. The initial purpose of the group is achieved every year by holding conventions. Their first convention was in the winter of 1972 at a rented house in Park City, Utah. Ensuing conventions have included ski trips, golf outings, numerous Wisconsin Bowl visits, bare boating, and foreign excursions. "The bond among Beta Fund is fabulous and unique," Charley said. "I have never known so many people taking divergent life paths and still remaining as close as we were 53 years ago when we graduated from UW. When we get together, it is always exciting to see each other again—it seems as though we pick up exactly where we left off." Additionally, the Funders meet for mini conventions every so often as well as holding special conventions for the brothers and their wives. A few outrageous gatherings have been held to focus on commemorating investment milestones; these celebrations are stag events that last several days and involve fun maximization! "The continuing camaraderie and fraternal esprit de corps have been a joy," Clyde said. "It doesn't matter what you have achieved, how big a dog you are, or where you live, because when you are with this group for a convention, it's no holds barred. There is nonstop needling, lots of pranks and yuks, and usually sleep deprivation—rather like at the Beta Theta Pi house." The Inception of the Beta Fund Beta Fund members gather at Harrah's Casino in Southlake Tahoe in the late '70s. (Continued from page 1)

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