Sigma Alpha Epsilon - University of Illinois

BLAST FROM THE PAST Illinois Beta and the Whiz Kids ILLINOIS BETA CHAPTER A s the son and nephew of Illinois Beta alumni, Bruce Fales '83 was able to visit the chapter house with his father on many different occasions before formal recruitment began. Bruce's recruitment decision later came down to ΣAE and TKE (chosen by his older brother, Carl). "I decided ΣAE was the right fit for me, and I have never once regretted my decision," Bruce said. "Revisiting the campus for our 125th anniversary celebration, I was reminded of how Illinois Beta made me feel at home." ΣAE pledgeship taught Bruce to work in a group setting, relying on one another to achieve a collective goal (such as Paddy Murphy). "My experience as EA and running chapter meetings carried over to many areas of my career, including public speaking, conflict resolution, and working with budgets." Best of all, Bruce met his future wife, Tammy, playing cards at a Little Sister's party; they celebrated their 40th anniversary on October 13. Several brothers attended their wedding, including Peter Dressler '82 as Best Man and Thomas Leverenz '83 as a groomsman. Other standout memories include the countless road trips with brothers—plus an "honorable mention" for breaking his nose three times in his pledge semester. ("It was fun to rehash that with Brother William Stuff '81 at the 125th.") Between long stints as a sales professional, Bruce was an independent contractor for seven years (with skills honed during Paddy Murphy and redoing rooms at the chapter house) until his daughter, Kyra, was born. He then spent 15 years at InterMetro Industries, retiring in January 2019 as Regional Manager of the central U.S. and Canada for the Commercial Products Division. Bruce and Tammy are extremely proud of Kyra, who graduated with Highest Distinction in civil engineering this year and is staying at Purdue for her master's degree. Next year, she will work for HNTB, where she did her co-op work as an undergraduate. Today, Bruce keeps in touch with several brothers and attends PAGO as often as his B asketball season is upon us again! Coming off an Elite Eight run last year, the Fighting Illini have another promising squad with many new faces on the roster. Many of us can remember special seasons from the past, including the 1989 Final Four team and the 2005 squad that finished as NCAA tournament runners-up. There was a period, however, in the early 1940s when the Illini were a juggernaut. The 1940-41 team had a 13-7 overall record; the 1941-42 squad was 18-5 overall (and 13-2 in the Big 10); and the 1942-43 team was 17-1 overall, 12-0 in the Big 10, and had achieved a No. 1 rating in the polls at season's end. Two Illinois Beta brothers figured prominently on those teams. Art Mathisen '43 started as a center on all three clubs (freshmen were ineligible for varsity play), and Arthur John "Jack" Smiley '44, a year younger than Mathisen, started on the latter two teams. NO REGRETS WITH ΣAE Bruce Fales '83 Shares His Lessons Other members of the starting five (also known as the Whiz Kids) were Andy Phillip, Ken Menke, and Gene Vance. Sadly, a victory over the University of Chicago on March 1, 1943, was the last game these five would play together, as Mathisen, Smiley, and Menke were drafted into service in World War II. The other starters also left for active duty. Though invited to the NCAA tournament, the team declined to participate out of respect for their teammates who were no longer available. After the war, Smiley, Phillip, Menke, and Vance played a final season at the UI. Though a good squad, the magic they had before the war was lost. Art Mathisen, 1920-2004, was born in Dwight, Illinois. After the war, he lived in Danville, Illinois, where he was a teacher, coach, and principal of Danville High School for 30 years. Jack Smiley, 1922-2000, graduated from Waterman High School. He had a two-year NBA career and relocated to Des Moines, Iowa, after the war. Smiley was in the Army's 106th Division and was said to have fired his howitzer for 96 continuous hours in the Battle of the Bulge. From left: Phillip, Menke, Brothers Mathisen '43 and Smiley '44, and Vance. schedule allows. Retirement has offered more time for favorite hobbies like golf, boating, snowmobiling, hiking, and one he has enjoyed since well-before college: photography. "Before I went to college, my dad said something to the effect of, 'Enjoy the next four years because you will never have another experience like it the rest of your life.' Boy, was he right!" Bruce lives in Blue Ash, Ohio, and can be reached at brucef1978@gmail.com. Bruce's Key to Success: "Show up early, be ready to work, and don't let setbacks deter you from your goals."

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