Sigma Phi Epsilon - Colorado State University

2 | The Spear www.CSUSigep.org T here is much that can be said for a man who has lived life large for over 88 years. The experience Dale Dodrill '52 had with the Pittsburgh Steelers and later as a defensive coach with the Denver Broncos led to his induction into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team. While he has enjoyed an incredible career in Pittsburgh, he has a big heart for his home in Colorado. Dale and his wife, Jan, have lived and worked in the same area of Denver for the past 50 years. He started Dodrill Insurance after selling insurance in the off-season of his professional football career. It was during his time as the Bronco's defensive line coach that he opened his own insurance agency in Lakewood. Building long- term business relationships with clients was his mission. Considering they just celebrated 50 years in business in 2013, it's safe to say he put the same heart into his insurance business as he did on the gridiron. The agency is now owned and operated by his two sons, Garrett and David, and the office walls are adorned with items from his past, including CSU and SigEp memorabilia. Dale's early years were very different and he moved around a lot. His family moved from Kansas to Loveland in 1936 during the heart of the Dust Bowl years. Their family farmed near Laporte but moved to Englewood when his father found a job there. When Dale was a junior at Loveland High, he had already discovered his love for football. Since his family moved, the Elks Club provided a room so Dale could stay and graduate from Loveland High. He appreciated the hospitality and care he received from the people in Loveland and the people of Loveland appreciated Dale. As the captain of the football team, Dale helped lead the Loveland High School team to the 1942 State Championship. In 1944, he recalls having his diploma handed to him one day and being in his Army uniform the next. He spent the next two years traveling the world as he served in Patton's Army 30th Infantry Division in France and Germany. In the summer of 1947, before starting college, Dale lived in Pingree Park and worked at the saw mill. When asked why he chose A&M, he said Coach Patterson at Loveland helped him develop a lifelong love for the game, and he didn't want to wait even a year to play on the varsity team. He wanted to go to DU to be closer to home, but they told him he couldn't play varsity his first year; CU told him the same thing. Colorado A&M said if he could play varsity level ball, he would play varsity level ball. So he went to Colorado A&M. Dale valued his relationships with his coaches there too and found Coach Davis to be a man that you had to respect. Dale formed a close relationship with the assistant coach, Mark Duncan, who had a big influence on his own coaching style. Even though Sigma Nu had a reputation as an athletic fraternity, John Randall '47 brought Dale to visit SigEp and he liked the diversity of the fraternity. One of Dale's favorite things about his time in the chapter was that "being there was like going home." He added, "I don't know anyone who could forget the flower dances!" Dale is a man who values relationships and the people that guided and supported him in his life. He doesn't involve himself in things halfway. He knows it takes dedication, tenacity, and courage to achieve great things. He applauds the leadership he is seeing from the Red Door House Corporation to revitalize Sigma Phi Epsilon and the house that sits at 121 E. Lake Street in Fort Collins. He thinks one of the single most important changes that must take place when the fraternity returns is to have more mature men living there. "These must be strong leaders who can instill leadership qualities in the students." He also said he hopes all of his brothers contribute to the effort. "If everyone pitched in a little, it will be a big help." SigEp Was Home Away from Home for Dale Dodrill '52 Charisse Bowen, CSU director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship, John Monckton '99, Bryan Harmsen '01, and Jon Heinrich '98 at CSU Innovation: Turning Ideas into Business event in Manhattan on March 20. SigEps Turn Out for CSU Innovation Event in NYC T o promote CSU's Blue Ocean Enterprises business case competition (blueoceanchallenge.com), the College of Business and Alumni Association hosted CSU Innovation: Turning Ideas into Business in Midtown Manhattan on March 20, 2014. The event was emceed by brother Greg Osberg '79 and numerous SigEp brothers attended the event, including John Monckton '99, Bryan Harmsen '01, and Jon Heinrich '98 (pictured here with Charisse Bowen, CSU director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship). It was also great to see a large number of SigEp College of Business undergraduates out from Colorado for the event. The event was very engaging with one of 16 teams competing in the business case competition presenting their ideas to CSU alumni and undergraduates in attendance. CSU's College of Business is truly innovating in their approach to education that integrates world class business expertise and experience in the educational process. It was a great event and it was another great opportunity to connect with SigEp brothers.

• SPE CSU Su14 FINAL
• SPECAT 2014 Entry Form one pg