Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Five

March 3, 2011 · Michelle Rodio

Eta Iota Hosts Florida Tri-Province 2011!

This past weekend, Eta Iota welcomed roughly 150 Sigs and Sweethearts for the Florida Tri-Province Leadership Workshop. Attendees included the 3 Grand Praetors, 2 of 3 Assistant Grand Praetors, Grand Trustees, Grand Quaestor Mike Greenburg, Grand Pro Consul Dennis Santoli, and HQ staff Kent Shackelford, Greg Morgan, and David Baars. Mike Greenburg facilitated exercises helping each chapter refine its vision statement. Eta Iota's own vision statement: "Enduring Leaders Promoting Respect, Accountability, and Philanthropy to better our Brotherhood and Community." Conference Chair Jeramiah Poff put in months of planning, with Tim Englehardt (Co-Chair), Consul Taylor Quackenbush, Alumni Advisor Roger Moody, and Chapter Advisor Brian Lojko all pitching in. Sweethearts from Jacksonville University, UNF, Florida Gulf Coast, FIU, and USF also attended.

Sigma Chi Road Trip — Florida to Oklahoma

Over President's Day weekend, I road-tripped to Oklahoma City with my fiancé, Eta Iota alumnus Derek Pizzo. We stopped at James Parks Caldwell's memorial in Biloxi, Mississippi (with white roses left by fellow brothers), then visited chapters at University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State (whose Sigma Chi gated complex includes a dedicated learning center and library), Ole Miss, University of Memphis, and University of Arkansas (currently the largest chapter in the country, with a 3-story house housing 70+ guys). We caught University of Tulsa fresh off their White Rose Formal, and finished at Oklahoma State, whose recently renovated house has a theater room, computer room, game room, and separate gymnasium — Derek got a private tour of their chapter room. Every brother we met, everywhere, was happy to see us.

Meet a Tri-Province Chapter Liaison — James Anderson

From Escondido, California, the 789th initiate at Eta Iota (Gamma Nu, "Doughboy Skypes"), James was Chapter Liaison for Tri-Province. He studies Aerospace Engineering (Mathematics minor), planning to concentrate in Astronautics, and enjoys surfing, snowboarding, SCUBA diving, and mountain biking.

Meet a 4th-Year Student — James R. McCarthy II

From Lumberton, NJ, "Del Monté" was the 733rd initiate, served as Chapter Editor (Spring 2008) and Public Relations Chair (Fall 2008), and is studying Aerospace Engineering toward a Spring 2012 graduation. He enjoys backpacking, hiking, camping, and coin collecting.

Meet a Historian — Francisco Josef Lapkovitch Gonzales

From Wrightwood, California, "Al Gore" was the 786th initiate (Gamma Nu) and is Eta Iota's current Historian — also a Sigma Chi legacy, with an older brother who's a Sig. He studies Aeronautical Science (Business and Human Factors minors) and enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, BMX, and flying.

Meet a Brother Far From Home — Spencer Edwards

From Southport, England, "Van Gogh" (Gamma Nu, roll #775) enjoyed his first-ever Thanksgiving dinner this year with pledge brother Paul McCarthy. He studies Aeronautical Science and enjoys flying, rugby, snowboarding, and surfing.

Meet an Active Brother — Matthew Robert Otto

From Odessa, Florida, "Dozer" was the 780th initiate (Gamma Nu) and studies Homeland Security (Terrorism Studies, Safety, and International Relations minors). His high school football team went to State two years running, and he keeps a pet bullfrog whose weekly feeding is quite the spectacle.

Where Are They Now?

Mike Gehman (Rollbook #436, initiated 1/20/1990, BS Aviation Business Administration '93, Big Bro Michael Remmert) treasures countless Eta Iota memories from his undergrad years. After graduation he eventually moved to Boston for grad classes at Boston University, then found work developing insurance software. He married his high school sweetheart Bonnie in 1998 and moved to Pennsylvania in 2004, where he's now an independent insurance broker running a small office of about 25 employees. He's reconnected locally with fellow Sig Mike Pelosi. He and Bonnie welcomed a daughter in January 2011 — on the anniversary of his own initiation. Unable to make the 40th Birthday festivities, Mike sent in his annual 1855 Club donation instead, with congratulations to the chapter on paying off the mortgage, the Peterson Award, and ongoing alumni communication.

Seth Downs (Alpha Upsilon, Spring 1990, Aeronautical Science '92) has worked for FedEx for the past ten years, including 9 years in Anchorage, AK as an MD-11 First Officer, and has been House Corp Treasurer for the last 5 years. Last February, while on a FedEx layover, he won a 50km cross-country ski race in Japan — a story that made it into Sigma Chi Magazine. His wife Erika gave birth to their son in October 2010; two months later Seth broke his fibula in a ski race, and in January, while on vacation in Hawaii, the family was caught up in an armed standoff that made local news. It's been quite a year — Seth's looking forward to the 40th!

Greek Week 2011 — Bring Out the Togas!

Greek Week has begun and the brothers have made their entrance in traditional togas, ready to show the other fraternities and sororities what they've got. Results in the next issue!

More Legacy Sigs

Following up on last issue's legacy call: Rich Winter ("Skinny," 2005) shared his own story — his uncle F. David Winter became a Sig at Epsilon Chi in 1968, his father at Delta Omega (University of Tulsa), later affiliating with Alpha Xi (University of Kansas, '77). Rich was the 645th initiate at Eta Iota, December 1, 2001, with his dad there to pin his badge. His pledge class also included fellow legacy Jason Kreisher (#646); Rich also names Brett Miller and John Gagne as legacies.

Norman Shield Award & Shirts

Donations for the Norman Shield Award can still be sent to me or Quaestor Chuck Kwon. Shirt orders (benefiting the Children's Miracle Network) were due by Sunday, March 6th at 5pm — email sweetheart@etaiota.org to reserve yours, with payment to follow by mail. A new Philanthropy shirt design debuted at Province to collect CMN donations.