Fruth (right) with CEO Tim Hudson at the Omega Chapter Chartering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
After an extensive search, Andy Fruth, Southern Illinois ‘08, was recently named the Heartland Domain Director for Phi Kappa Tau.
Fruth is no stranger to the Domain Director Program. In 2008, he was appointed to the Vacant Lincoln Domain Director position by then CEO Steve Hartman, Muskingum ’89, and would serve in that capacity until 2012 when he was named Presidents Academy Dean. After completing that role in 2016, he was named Domain Director Committee Chairman by National President Mike Dovilla, Baldwin Wallace ’94, to begin working with Executive Office Staff, tasked with modifying the Domain Director Program to better suit the fraternity’s evolving needs.
“The old structure called for dozens of directors covering unequal geographical areas. We always had high turnover rates and vacancies so we weren’t giving the chapters the support needed to be successful,” Fruth added.
He noted that he probably would have stayed involved in the program longer, but the 2017 birth of his boy/girl twins and the 2020 birth of another son put those plans on the back burner. “I think Mallory [Fruth’s wife] probably would have killed me if I didn’t take a break from Phi Tau for a little while, but don’t tell her that!” stated Fruth.
Andy (left) with Father (center) and brother Alex (right). All Phi Kappa Tau brothers.
Andy joined the Beta Chi Colony at Southern Illinois University in 2005. Within a semester he took over as Colony President where he would remain until graduation, then transitioning into the role of Chapter Advisor before signing the charter in 2008. His brother Alex Fruth, Illinois-Springfield ‘14, is a founding father of his chapter and father Terry Fruth, Illinois-Springfield ‘14, is an honorary initiate, so Harvard Red and Old Gold run strong in his family.
Professionally, Fruth is an Elementary School Teacher in his hometown of Freeport, IL. He noted that teaching elementary school isn’t that different than working with fraternity men, “We all struggle with the same things sometimes—managing emotions, cleaning up after ourselves, and getting along with others.”
Fruth is looking forward to working with alumni from several different chapters to recruit volunteers to their boards, and will be organizing some alumni networking events in some of the regional hubs such as Chicago, St. Louis, and Milwaukee.
If you are interested in volunteering with chapters in the Heartland Domain, please contact Andy Fruth at andrewfruth@gmail.com. (States included in the Heartland Domain are: North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, and Wisconsin)