Alpha Delta Phi - University of Washington

e Washington Alpha Delt 2 Many Hands, One Heart Bob Davis '92 Holds Steady Commitment to ΑΔΦ S hortly after Bob Davis '92 was accepted to the University of Washington, Alpha Delt brothers from the 1960s offered him a small gift to help pay for textbooks. This act of kindness made a great impact on his decision to not only join Washington Chapter, but follow in the footsteps of his father, Robert L. Davis '63, who passed away when Bob was young. "The friendships he made were an important connection for me and the chapter house was part of that too," Bob said. "It was something my father experienced that I was able to experience with my brother and cousin, who I loved going to college with." As an alumnus, Bob served Washington Chapter in numerous ways, including helping with the restart of the chapter and volunteering as president of the Alumni Board. "We were fortunate to attract Doug Self '07, who really did the hard work of getting an initial group together," Bob said. "We also needed to create a unique position while holding onto the values and traditions that are part of being an Alpha Delt. Those values and traditions are as relevant today as any time in our history and they were appealing to a small group of young men who wanted the challenge of starting something new." Today, Bob is in awe of the active chapter and believes they're doing an amazing job of exceeding all expectations. "Just to get accepted to the University of Washington these days is an incredible achievement. The stakes are incredibly high to get here and higher to perform well," he said. "With all of that, brothers are getting the most out of their ΑΔΦ experience and it's great to see ties that bind established and know they will last a lifetime in the same way they have done for us alumni." Outside of Washington Chapter, Bob is involved with the university through the Information School Founding Board and serves as a foundation director. Professionally, Bob is a corporate vice president at Microsoft, where his team is responsible for the large- scale cloud services that power communications within and between businesses. Bob was introduced to this field through Howard Hawk '85 and is thankful for the connections he's made with fraternity brothers over the years. "The best part of being involved for the last 10 years has been reconnecting with my brothers and those from other classes," he said. "The current success in the chapter is no accident and is the result of active members and alumni who have really stepped up. We need volunteers to bring their energy and unique experience to the board. Please contact any of us if you are interested in serving in any capacity." Bob lives in Redmond, Wash., and can be reached at bob.davis@microsoft.com. I n October of 2015, with finals around the corner, Sam Tanner '16 developed a business plan that left the University of Washington and Alpha Delta Phi, quite figuratively, buzzing. Born from a class project, Sam's idea of caffeinated chocolate became a hit on campus. Now, as recent college graduates, Sam and Peter Keckemet '16 have taken Joe Chocolates and made it their full-time business. "We knew it would be more than a school project when the people we were selling to were really into it. There was so much chocolate going around the fraternity at one point and we could tell that people enjoyed it and it was working," Peter said. Initially, Sam and Peter didn't have the equipment or space to make the chocolate and in the early months of the business, they faced the challenge of remaining motivated when Joe Chocolates felt like it was far from reality. With a lot of willpower and determination, the business has started growing into a strong pacific northwest brand, and hired its first employee, Greg Maggioncalda '17, in March. "The fact that we are able to spread energy, happiness, excitement, and engagement with wholesome ingredients is absolutely awesome," Sam said. "Second, we are creating jobs and that is a level of satisfaction that I never could have imagined." Aside from being steady customers, Washington Chapter brothers offered Sam and Peter the encouragement they needed when Joe Chocolates was first starting out and helped create the first flavors for the chocolate. "They were there and interested and fired up for us," Peter said. "Enthusiasm that circulates around the fraternity is contagious and always, they were willing to help out and give motivation." Peter and Sam also had support from older generations of Alpha Delts, including Peter's father, John Keckemet '81, and other brothers from the early '80s. With a strong fraternity backing, the partners hope to see continued growth from Joe Chocolates and to one day offer more job opportunities to those in the Seattle area. "Your emotional and monetary support are the foundation this company is built on," Sam said. "The chocolate you stole from my room when Joe Chocolates was only a few weeks old was a key indicator for me that we were doing something good. I have nothing but love for my brothers." Joe Chocolates is sold in several stores throughout Washington and can be bought online at www.joechocolates.com. Sam and Peter both live in the Seattle area and enjoy spending their time outdoors. Bits of Buzz in Every Bite Brothers Invent Joe Chocolates During Undergraduate Years

• Cover