Clemson Alumnus Appointed President of MassMutual Advisors Association

Adam Goetz, Clemson ’95, has been appointed President of the MassMutual Advisors Association for a one-year term from 2020-2021.

Goetz is a partner at Burstin & Goetz in Pittsburgh, a chartered life underwriter (CLU), and retirement income certified professional (RICP). He serves as a registered investment advisor (RIA). Goetz has served on MassMutual’s Advisors Association for over a decade, most recently as vice president/treasurer and secretary.

“Now, more than ever, people are looking to MassMutual and their affiliated advisers to provide financial security for their families, protect their businesses and optimize market opportunities,” Goetz said. “It’s an honor to lead an organization that coordinates the efforts of financial professionals who are on the front lines with the company’s clients.” As President, Goetz will advocate for opportunities and issues related to client experience, adviser development, technology, product offerings, and wealth and financial planning strategies.

 Additionally, Goetz serves as board member and past president of the Financial Industries Network and board member of the Pittsburgh Chapter of Risk Management Association. He is a member of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. After graduating Clemson, Goetz worked on Phi Kappa Tau’s staff first as a Leadership Consultant and then Director of Chapter Services.  

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Meet Your Founders Four

The following four chapters scored the highest among our Borradaile Challenge metrics, qualifying them to compete for the 2020 Roland Maxwell Trophy for an Outstanding Chapter. Meet your 2020 Founders Four chapters:

Delta Chapter

School: Centre College

City: Danville, KY

Chartered: 1914

GPA: 3.23

Chapter Size: 37

Total Service Hours: 914.75

“We believe that one of the most important parts of developing impressive chapter members is instilling in them an effort to make contributions in a number of meaningful ways, both in and out of the chapter,” Delta wrote on their Maxwell application.

Delta chapter aims to set its members up for success. This past year, they have had brothers go on to attend graduate school at Harvard, MIT, and Duke, they have received Fulbright Scholarships to teach abroad, and many other brothers were employed upon graduation. They hold their brothers to a high standard of involvement; 12 members are NCAA athletes across five different sports, they are involved in the Centre Pride Alliance, student government, Centre Singers, and Centre’s IFC. They are deeply rooted in Centre’s Greek community. In the 2019-2020 academic year, Delta chapter brothers took home awards for Greek Man of the Year, Greek Athlete of the Year, Greek President of the Year, Greek Leader of the Year, and Chapter of Excellence. “We hold our brothers to a high standard academically, in the hopes that they will achieve their potential and thus be truly distinct.”

Delta holds global citizenship and awareness in high regard as well. Over the past year members have travelled to Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, El Salvador, and Finland in the pursuit of scholarship. Their commitment to understanding, also drives them towards philanthropy and a successful lemonade stand event that raised money for SeriousFun Children’s Network.

“We firmly believe that care and compassion are the most important ingredients in developing men of character into Men of Distinction,” they said, “And we hope to continue a legacy of success and brotherhood for generations to come.”

Gamma Chapter

School: Ohio State University 

City: Columbus, OH 

Chartered: 1912

GPA: 3.13

Chapter Size: 69

Total Service Hours: 2,506.5

After winning the Maxwell at Conclave in 2019, Gamma chapter was in a great spot. They were leaders on campus, they had broken records in philanthropy and service, and academics were at an all-time high. But when they returned to campus and asked, “What’s next?” instead of feeling motivated, they were burnt out. “Raising expectations made Phi Tau feel more like a job than a brotherhood. We had erroneously focused on our image rather than trying to develop bonds. We lost sight of why we were in the Fraternity in the first place because we were so focused on winning awards and gathering titles.”

During their Building Men of Character retreat, they changed their focus from winning the Maxwell to building what they believed their Fraternity should be. They focused primarily on their relationships. Now, rather than being total business, chapter meetings incorporate mission-based discussions. They shifted the emphasis of their annual hyper-successful pumpkin sale away from the branding of the chapter and onto how it brought fulfillment to the chapter brothers. This ended up fueling sales, as brothers and non-members ended up at the pumpkin sale because it felt less like a fundraiser and more like a home to hang out.

They put an increasing focus on mental health by encouraging brothers who were acting out of character to seek counseling with campus mental health services. They opened communication between the Executive Board and the rest of the chapter so decisions being made were discussed and polled throughout the group. This has led to a more open and respectful relationship between the Executive Board and membership, where feedback leads to meaningful change.

“We have the mechanisms and the systems in place that took us to the Maxwell-level before. Now is the time to take an introspective look at the culture of our chapter and how we can make this an environment that does not just value recognition, but how we treat each other as brothers and as men,” Gamma said.

Upsilon Chapter

School: Nebraska-Wesleyan University  

City: Lincoln, NE

Chartered: 1923

GPA: 3.55

Chapter Size: 42

Total Service Hours: 2,485

Upsilon focuses on long-term goals of the chapter by starting at the beginning – with associate members. “All of our associates possess qualities and values that reflects those of the mission, vision, Creed, and Ritual of Phi Kappa Tau. These men – who live each moment of their lives in consideration with strong values – are the men we want to join our sacred brotherhood.” The eight-week new member education program allows associates, especially those who are joining their first semester on campus, to adjust to a new community surrounded by a group of men who want to see them succeed.

Upsilon uses the metrics of the Borradaile Challenge as a measurement to drive passion for academic success and philanthropy. The intense focus on academics provides chapter brothers with study spaces, tutoring, and the equipment to succeed, like recycled textbooks and computers. Their 3.55 GPA is the highest in chapter history. They also offer resume workshops for brothers to help them meet their professional goals upon graduation.

Upsilon believes community involvement is a crucial aspect of being a Man of Distinction and offers the flexibility for members to pursue other interests, including campus organizations, individual philanthropic endeavors, and military service. This past academic year, close to 90% of members were involved in other campus groups. They focus on personal improvement by inviting guests to speak on issues that may be uncomfortable, including male empathy, mental health, and sexual assault.

“College ought to be a time of tremendous growth and personal development. Phi Kappa Tau at Nebraska Wesleyan takes this to heart and goes the extra mile to develop our men of character into Men of Distinction,” Upsilon said. “To be a member of Phi Kappa Tau is to challenge one’s ideas, develop exceptional capabilities, and make positive commitments to themselves and those around them.”

Delta Tau Chapter

School: California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

City: Pomona, CA

Chartered: 1984

GPA: 2.67

Chapter Size: 54

Total Service Hours: 1,002

“Here at the Delta Tau chapter, we build men into leaders who make a positive impact to those around them,” Delta Tau said.

Delta Tau chapter places an emphasis on identifying personal strengths and focusing on individual growth and improvement. They encourage brothers to pursue their goals and challenge them to achieve bigger and better things, especially by becoming leaders on campus. They prioritize passing on knowledge to future classes of men by requiring older members to work closely with associate classes on new member education. They build brotherhood by hosting monthly events and form bonds with associate members early on by hanging out with them one-on-one. They recruit for success by hosting six events during the fall, like a field day on campus and a BBQ, that engage alumni and appeal to brothers who will fit into the chapter well.

Unusual for a Fraternity house, the Delta Tau chapter house is completely paid off, which allows rent to be affordable and for the Housing Corporation to work on repairs and improvements. They go above their service requirement in their dedication to SeriousFun children’s camps. Delta Tau raises at least $5,000 annually for The Painted Turtle Camp, the local SeriousFun camp, and they have brothers attend the camp every year as summer counselors or one-day volunteers. The chapter is rich with diversity and draws members from all backgrounds: the city, rural areas, military, and foreign exchange students. “What makes our Fraternity experience great beyond the Borradaile Challenge is our amazing sense of brotherhood, our respected chapter house, and our diversity,” they said.

Congratulations to these four chapters on your commitment to living the vision, mission, and creed of Phi Kappa Tau. The Founders Four will present virtually to our panel of judges on July 21st. The winner of the Roland Maxwell Trophy for an Outstanding Chapter will be announced on July 23rd, 2020 at 8:30 PM EST on Facebook Live.

RSVP Here to Watch!

Kappa House Progression

Progress is being made on the Kappa house at University of Kentucky, which is expected to finish this fall.

This new house can hold 55 members and includes a study area, a library, and a patio.

The Kappa chapter at University of Kentucky was chartered in 1920 after being founded as Theta Rho Fraternity in 1917. After renting several houses, the Phi Kappa Tau House Association of Lexington, KY, was incorporated in 1948 to purchase a house. Kappa went on to build the largest chapter house on the UK campus.

In the mid-1990s, the house was demolished while the chapter was temporarily closed. Kappa re-chartered in 1996 and a new house was purchased. In preparation for the chapter’s centennial, Kappa rallied to build the group a new home.

This project has been a huge undertaking. If you are interested in making a gift to help Kappa’s housing project, contact the Director of Philanthropy Charlie Ball here.

“Don’t Talk About It, Be About It”

CJ Donald, Centre ’12, an LLP of Haynes and Boone, graduate of Vanderbilt Law, and member on the Board of Directors for Dallas Young Lawyers, has written an article about the ongoing fight to end systemic racism for The American Lawyer.

In “Don’t Talk About It, Be About It,” published in June, Donald writes, “If we waste this moment, we will certainly be here again, talking past each other, waiting for future generations to cure the ills of our society.”

Read his article on the steps we can take in the fight against racism here: https://bit.ly/38fndqM

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Phi Tau Foundation Partners with Classy.org

The Phi Kappa Tau Foundation is pleased to announce our new partnership with the platform Classy.org!

Classy is a donation processing website designed specifically for non-profits. The Foundation selected it based on its simplicity, user-friendly interface, and clear transparency into where your dollars go. With Classy, you can give to the Brotherhood Fund, our annual campaign that supports the Fraternity’s greatest needs, directly to your chapter, or to one of our other four giving designations for scholarships, education, and philanthropy.

To make a donation, please follow these steps:

1. Visit phikappatau.org/give, where you will see our newly redesigned donation page.

2. Select your giving designation. If you would like to make a gift to your chapter, you will be asked to select it off an alphabetical list.

Our new giving home page

Select your chapter from this list

3. Once you are redirected to a Classy page, select “Donate Monthly” or “Donate Once” and your amount.

4. Add your payment information and click “Give Now.”

5. Your donation will be processed and you will receive a receipt to your inbox moments later.

Phi Kappa Tau has survived periods of economic uncertainty before, and with a return to campus still uncertain for many, we need your help now more than ever. Your gift provides leadership programming, educational resources, and ensures our continued operation. With your help, we can continue to achieve the vision of Phi Kappa Tau.

If you have any questions about the new platform, please contact our Philanthropy Coordinator Darryl Thompson, Old Dominion ‘14.

2020 Founders Four Announced

The 2019 Maxwell Trophy winners from Gamma at Ohio State

The 2019 awards committee is done with their work and we are happy to announce the Founders Four for the 2020 Maxwell Award Trophy are Upsilon at Nebraska Wesleyan University, Gamma at Ohio State University, Delta Tau at Cal Poly, Pomona, and Delta at Centre College!

Congratulations to these four chapters on their outstanding accomplishments. While Convention has been postponed, these four chapters will still have the opportunity to present virtually on why their chapter deserves to take home the Maxwell Trophy. The date of these presentations will be announced soon.

 Go Far!

Louisville Alumnus Subject of Recent Biography

Terry Forcht, Louisville ’58, is the subject of a recent biography by Gary P. West and Eddie Woodruff.

Terry Forcht is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Forcht Group, a business empire in Kentucky that encompasses more than 93 companies. The book, Start Right. End Right. The Terry Forcht Story “not only provides readers with the life story of the man who built 93 businesses, but also provides a blueprint for success for those with the entrepreneurial spirit,” reads the article. Forcht’s work ethic, tenacity, and determination are cited as much of the reasons for his success.

The book released on May 1st and is available on terryforcht.com as well as Amazon.

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Hall of Fame Member Harry Huge Enters Chapter Eternal

Content Submitted by Kevin Boatright, Nebraska Wesleyan ‘71

20 May 2020 - Oxford, Ohio: On the 27th of April, Harry A. Huge, Nebraska Wesleyan ’56, entered the chapter eternal at the age of 82.

Harry graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a bachelors degree in 1959 and received a J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law School in 1963. He received honorary degrees from Nebraska Wesleyan (2005) and the College of Charleston (2017).

Harry was a distinguished attorney, entrepreneur, and government advisor who practiced law nationally and internationally. During the Civil Rights Movement, he was President of the Voter Education Project in Atlanta, which registered black voters throughout the south. He was a member of President Carter’s General Advisory Committee on Arms Control and Strategic Weapons. As a legal advisor to the emerging Republic of Estonia, Harry contributed to its independence movement and was presented with its Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana. In 2005, he was named Estonia’s Honorary Consul in Charleston, SC.

Harry was inducted into the Phi Kappa Tau Hall of Fame in 2006. He served on Nebraska Wesleyan’s governing boards for more than 25 years. He and his wife, Reba, endowed the Huge-Kinne Chair and Huge Prizes in its Department of History, and he received his alma mater’s Young Alumni Achievement Award, Alumni Achievement Award, and Medal of Honor in recognition of his professional accomplishments and service. The Harry and Reba Huge Foundation provides student scholarships and academic program support at Nebraska Wesleyan and universities in Charleston and Estonia.

At its May 8th meeting, the Nebraska Wesleyan Board of Governors adopted a resolution in his honor, read by Richard Peterson, Nebraska Wesleyan ’56, thanking “the graciousness of God for having brought Harry A. Huge into our midst as a leader, visionary, counselor, entrepreneur, benefactor, enthusiast and friend. We give thanks for the wisdom, thoughtful intensity and loyalty he so very generously shared.”

His full obituary can be read here: http://hosting-24909.tributes.com/obituary/show/Harry-Arthur-Huge-108483654. 

Photo from Nebraska Wesleyan homecoming 2016, when Harry returned to Nebraska Wesleyan and was recognized by the chapter, parents, and alumni. He was introduced by Warren Mattox, Nebraska Wesleyan '69, chair of the Upsilon BOG (right).

Update on Summer National Programs

Brothers,

We reach out to you with news that all previously scheduled summer programming has been cancelled or postponed. All three sessions of Leadership Academy are cancelled and, after a motion approved and distributed by the National Council, a majority vote by the Residents Council’s passed, which postpones the 64th National Convention.

The impact of Covid-19 and forecasts for prolonged difficulty in gathering groups of any size led the National Council to make these difficult decisions. The National Council actively sought input from the leadership of the Undergraduate Advisory Board and the Executive Offices staff throughout this process. The health and safety of our membership was top priority. 

Additionally, the financial resources of our members and chapters was considered thoughtfully. The financial impact to the organization has been mitigated through the cancellations and postponement. Conserving resources and helping our brotherhood focus on the immediate trials that we face with the uncertainty of the Fall academic term is paramount. The leadership of the organization is buoyed by the support of the brotherhood and the understanding that we have precedent in postponing a Convention during times of difficulty. Notably, our predecessors have postponed around the Great Depression and World War II, as well as economic struggles in the 1970’s.  

To be clear, the National Council takes seriously their duties to project the well-being and stability of our Fraternity. We realize that many questions will surface and many programmatic details must still be worked out. We will be addressing these matters in a professional, timely and conscientious manner. We need to be responsible and agile during this time of uncertainty. This is a historical moment for our brotherhood. The Fraternity is committed to preserving our mission and providing for the current and future generations of Men of Distinction. 

In Phi,

Bill Brasch, Louisville ‘67
National President

Dale Holland, Kent State ‘87
National Vice President

Tim Hudson, Truman ‘97
Chief Executive Officer

 FAQs:

When and where will the events take place?

The continued unknowns that face the Fraternity have left the re-scheduling of these programs open ended. We will continue to work with the formerly contracted locations while also evaluating options that are in the best interest of the brotherhood.  

What if I had already registered for Convention?

We will work with chapters and individuals on refunds for the registration ticket/package fees that may have already been purchased online. 

Chapter Convention and Leadership Academy pools: 

Chapters that have paid in full (meaning, no debt owed as of the end of Spring 2020 academic term) will have fully paid into the noted pools and will not be charged either fee in the upcoming academic year (this will be a savings of up to $1,600.00).   

Mount Union Senior Named Outstanding Fraternity Man

Logan Cooper, Mount Union ’16, has been name the university’s 2020 Outstanding Senior Fraternity Man.  

Cooper is a sociology major from Cleveland. He served for three years on the Epsilon standards board and spent a term as the Community Service Chair. Cooper was also a Greek Leadership Institute facilitator and a Greek Member Academy intern.

“I oftentimes describe the fraternity and sorority life community as an organization with a soul,” said Cooper in the press release. “We are a living, breathing, network of actively engaged young adults who want to make a positive impact on the world and our communities.”

He was recognized alongside his Mount Union peer Haley Crews, a member of Alpha Delta Pi, a sociology and neuroscience double major, who was named the Outstanding Senior Greek Woman.

Congratulations to these two seniors for making an impact on their community!

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