Delta Upsilon - University of Missouri

Page 2 Page 2 The Duck Call Missouri DU CEO of Yum! Credits DU for Early Growth Shows Support for the Chapter's Current Leadership P utting together sales presentations for recruits and parents as rush chairman for DU was a stepping stone for David Novak '74. "That was one of my very first managerial positions. It was a great job that taught me how to put my best foot forward and helped me learn how to interact with others." Now the CEO of Yum! Brands, which includes Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut, David has advanced far beyond marketing the fraternity. He oversees the company's brands while shaping their strategic direction and building a unique company culture that focuses on the enthusiasm and commitment of team members. David's work extends to World Food Program USA, The Business Council, and The American Society for Corporate Executives. He and his wife, Wendy, and their daughter Ashley Butler, run the Lift a Life Foundation, which supports programs that develop leaders and help individuals in need. He was the recipient of the 2012 UN World Food Program Leadership Award and the national 2008 Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship. Even after earning such prestigious credentials, David still reflects on his time as an undergraduate at Mizzou and the advice that he would pass on to today's young men. "When you go to school, you're there for a reason—to learn, get an education, and build relationships that can stay with you over a lifetime. Very rarely is there a time in your life that you can really dedicate yourself to something single-mindedly. If I had it to do over again, I would have taken college more seriously, studied harder, and spent more time learning with the time I had." F One area that he recalls with fondness from those days was the camaraderie found in Delta Upsilon, particularly on the intramural fields, playing softball, volleyball, and ping pong. "Delta Upsilon helped form all of our lives and helped us prepare for whatever future we've been able to make for ourselves. To be in a fraternity and get an education is a blessing and gives you a head start in life." This appreciation in thinking back to DU led David to contribute to the campaign efforts for the chapter's new home. "I learned a lot through my education at Missouri, but I learned as much or more by being a part of a fraternity and interacting with the brothers. That was an extremely valuable experience that helped me enter the workforce and grow. I feel indebted to DU for that experience, and it's nice to be able to give back to something that has helped you over the years." "The current facility is not in good shape, but the members are performing well across the board—academically, athletically, and within the community. We need a facility that mirrors the leadership our members display. We need to look like a leader and act like a leader. Right now we are acting like a leader, but we don't look like it. The biggest thing the campaign will do is give us the look of a leader. We need to make our asset as vibrant as the people who are keeping the fraternity moving in the right direction and attract the best possible people for the future." David and Wendy make their home in Kentucky. In his spare time, David enjoys a round of golf. Grateful for Lifelong Friendships, Jeff Kreutz '99 Gives Back to DU rom his involvement in DU, Dance Marathon, and Greek Week, to his positions as house manager, pledge class president, and Greek Week co-director, you'd never know that Jeff Kreutz '99 came to Missouri "quiet, uninvolved, and not very outgoing." "Besides my wife and kids, the best thing I ever did was join Delta Upsilon. DU gave me the opportunity to become who I wanted to be. It was a chance to develop my character in the midst of the most fun five years of my life." It was within those five years that Jeff saw how the fraternity could rally to achieve a goal. "Greek Week and Homecoming were two highlights of each year. The whole house came together to build the house dec, prepare the float, or perform our skits. It was neat to see what we could achieve as a group with the involvement of everyone." The potential within a focused group has yet another opportunity to be released as Delta Upsilon embarks on today's capital campaign. For Jeff, this is an opportunity to accomplish something enormous by combining forces. "Building a new chapter house is a huge project and isn't the kind of thing that can happen if people don't pitch in and show that the fraternity has our support. If we don't take it seriously, this effort won't succeed the way it should." "DU is among the strongest and largest fraternities on campus. The undergraduates have excelled at Missouri and within DU internationally. They've succeeded in spite of their environment and held up their end of the bargain. It's our turn to pay them back and set them up for future success." The lasting impact that DU had on his own life also prompted Jeff to support the campaign. His friendships, in particular, make giving back a natural decision. "Being a DU is more than a year or two that you live in the house. It's a lifelong experience. Stop and think about your friendships from Mizzou and those that have lasted. For me, DU brothers are the ones that I tailgate with and play in a soccer league with. They stood up in my wedding. They're my kids' godparents. They're my business partners. To continue this type of brotherhood into the next generation, we must take care of our fraternity and provide for today's members." Jeff and his wife, Adrienne, live in Lenexa, Kansas, four children: Jackson, Cooper, Parker, and Adelyn, age from two to 15. For 12 years, Jeff has run his own company—owning, developing, and managing apartment throughout the Midwest and southeastern U.S. He can be jeffkreutz@yahoo.com. and have ranging in real estate complexes reached at

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