Tau Kappa Epsilon - Iowa State University

2 T erry Lutz '73 E-1142 and Don Zimmerman '73 E-1153 knew each other from childhood, living two blocks apart in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Joining the same wrestling teams in school made them closer friends, and their team even won the state championship their senior year. Both Don and Terry agree that wrestling (which they continued at Iowa State) was one of the top influential experiences in their lives. The other? Joining Tau Kappa Epsilon together. Don was sold on ISU after experiencing Veishea in high school. When he and Terry both chose it for college, Terry's older sister (in Chi Omega) encouraged them to attend rush week—and specifically to visit the Epsilon Chapter House. "That's all it took. After seeing the house and meeting so many top-notch Tekes, we were sold on TKE and Epsilon Chapter," Don recalled. "As soon as we showed up for rush, a couple of Tekes took us up in a small private airplane ride," Terry added. "Pretty good rush technique!" Wrestling with New Perspectives Don continued to wrestle at ISU via a scholarship, and Terry joined him until the end of his freshman year. Meeting such strong athletes inspired Terry to work harder than before, both at the sport and in his studies. Both men also credit their TKE years with shaping the people they became and the lasting connections they've formed. "Growing up in a very middle-class, blue-collar family in Cedar Rapids, I was not exposed to 'the other side of the tracks.' TKE taught me respect, table manners, discipline, and time management," Terry said. "Several Fraters showed me another world of doctors, lawyers, and business owners—I saw in them what I wanted to become." "Being the first four-year graduate from my direct family, I saw the goals our fellow Fraters were pursuing; they proved to me that I could do the same," Don said. "The manners and camaraderie we developed in our TKE years were key factors in my development." Don's time as Epsilon's business manager, under the mentorship of the legendary Spike Kratochvil, was key to starting and running his own business after college. The summer between their junior and senior years, Don and Terry were selected as co-recruitment chairmen. The two Fraters enjoyed the paid gig of traveling across a multi-state region, hosting recruitment parties (at Fraters' parents' homes, with their support and blessing), and visiting incoming ISU students to pitch to them the Fraterhood. "We both like to say that it was the best summer job we ever had," Don said. "We recruited a stellar pledge class that year too." Making It Last With Don in Texas and Terry in Iowa, getting together isn't always easy. But they see each other at least annually (and more so in recent years), and both have enjoyed connecting with fellow alumni as more Fraters retire and send their kids to college. For Epsilon's centennial anniversary, their pledge class organized a wonderful turnout of catching up and rekindling great friendships. Multiple Fraters continued the festivities at Terry's home in Lake Okoboji. "All these years later, I hang out at Okoboji often—all because of the TKE experience almost 50 years ago!" Terry said. When Roger Underwood '76 E-1239 approached both Tekes about supporting the Epsilon capital campaign, they decided to contribute a significant sum—together. "It was the perfect opportunity for both of us, as we shared so many memories there. I believe in giving back to organizations that helped shape my life, and the TKE experience certainly did," Terry shared. "We challenged each other to give as much as we could. It was well worth it to give back to a place that gave us so much," Don added. Character and Gratitude Both Teke men have raised families and run successful businesses, and they still brainstorm and share best practices to the benefit of both their careers. Don thinks of it as "free, top-notch consulting" that they still benefit from after 50 years as Fraters. Terry agrees that wrestling and TKE gave him the courage and discipline to accomplish challenging career goals. "My inner satisfaction comes from sharing all these lessons with family, friends, students, and others in my life," Don said. "Hopefully, in the end, my life will have been a positive force for this world in some way. (Wow, that got heavy!)" Terry and Don are both thankful for the bond they share with each other and many more Tekes. "Friends are all that matters," Terry shared. "It is hard to stay connected as our lives grow and change, but to make it happen in the last few years has been so rewarding. Make the effort and cherish it!" "Of the many Tekes to whom we should pay respects, two in particular are Millard 'Spike' Kratochvil and Roger Underwood," Don said. "Gentlemen like these two are significant reasons that Epsilon is where it is today and why so many of us TKE Epsilon alumni are as close and active as we are." You can connect with Terry at tlutz@mcclurevision.com and with Don at donz@homeelevator.com. Fifty Years of Fraterhood A Friendship Grows Stronger in TKE

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