New Sigma Cabinet Officers Begin Term



Left to right: Dylan Conroy '15, new Recording Secretary; Derek Walro '14, outgoing Recording Secretary; Matt Miely '16, new Treasurer; Greg Gernetzke '15, outgoing Treasurer; Kyle Jessup '15, new Corresponding Secretary; Ben Imlay '14, outgoing Corresponding Secretary; Bill Downing '15, outgoing President; Jack Mapes '16, new President; Chad Downing '13, Purple Legionnaire; Tyler Strong '14, outgoing Historian; and, Drew Morrison '15, new Historian.

Sigma Chapter's newly-elected officers completed their transition retreat on December 8, 2013, and were officially installed that same day.  Chad Downing ('13), Purple Legionnaire, and Skip Buckley ('80), facilitated the retreat.

The new Sigma Officers are:

President: Jack Mapes (’16)

Treasurer: Matt Miely (’16)

Recording Secretary: Dylan Conroy (’15)

Corresponding Kyle Jessup (’15)

Historian: Drew Morrison (’15)

The new officers will attend the Fiji Academy leadership-training convention in St. Louis in early January 2014 along with nearly 600 other Fiji Brothers.

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80

Perge!

Jim Fortney (Sigma '63)

Sigma Brothers:

Jim Fortney (Sigma '63) passed away last week.  Several of his Sigma Brothers contacted me, asking that I post this notice.  My thanks to Dick Keier (Sigma '61), Jim's Sigma Big Brother, and Gil Belles (Sigma '62) for sending along this sad news.

Condolence notes can be sent to Jim's wife, Sally, at this address:

Sally Fortney

421 Wisner Ave.

Park Ridge, IL 60068

Donations may be made in Jim's name to:

Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation
PO Box 4599
Lexington, KY  40544-4599

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley (Sigma '80)

Perge!

Sigma's Bill Downing '15 Elected to International Fraternity Board of Archons

 

 

Sigma Chapter's current President, Bill Downing '15, was recently elected as an Archon Councilor for the International Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta.  His two-year term will begin September 1, 2013, and end on August 31, 2015.

 

This is an incredible achievement for Bill, and a high honor for Sigma Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta at Wittenberg.  There are only nine Fiji Brothers on the Board of Archons (international board of directors), and only two of them are current undergraduates.  There are about 100,000 living Fiji Brothers throughout the world.  Do the math.  Bill joins an elite group, and now has the responsibility of approving new chapters and colonies of Phi Gamma Delta, enforcing the bylaws for 150-plus Fiji chapters on college campuses across the United States and Canada, and overseeing our International Headquarters staff in Lexington, Kentucky.  This is a huge responsibility, but Bill is well qualified.

 

There are few Fijis anywhere who will, even over a lifetime, achieve the fraternity resume that Bill has accomplished in only 14 months as an initiated Brother:

 

• Current Chapter President of Sigma Chapter
• Delegate to the 2012 Ekklesia (biennial convention) in New Orleans
• Delegate to the 2013 Fiji Academy (leadership training convention) in St. Louis
• Member of the International Fraternity Alcohol-Free Exemption Committee
• Officer for the ritual installation team for the chartering of Ohio Wesleyan chapter
• Recruitment Chair (Fall 2012)

(Bill, far left, with his blood brother Chad Downing '13, Nick Van Dyne '13, and Kevin Bond '14, in front of the International Fraternity headquarters building in Lexington, Kentucky, in August 2012.)

Bill will continue on to serve as Sigma Chapter's President through December 2013, while also performing his responsibilities as an Archon Councilor, as well as maintaining his high academic standards as a student. 

 

On behalf of all of Sigma Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta at Wittenberg University's Graduate and Undergraduate Brothers, I salute and congratulate Bill Downing for this special privilege and extreme honor to serve on the Board of Archons.

 

Please feel free to send Bill a congratulatory email at: downingw@wittenberg.edu

 

Fraternally,

 

Skip Buckley '80

 

Perge!

 

 

 



Spring/Summer 2013 Sig Fiji Newsletter Just Released!

 

The latest issue of Sigma Chapter's The Sig Fiji newsletter is now available to view and download.  Here's the link:

 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwImNLvWpcx_OVU2dlpIVE14VmM/edit?usp=sharing

 

This is a great issue to get caught up on what's been going on at 20 West Ferncliff.  Some features with LOTS of photos:

 

• New Cabinet Officers' profiles
• Spring Pledge Class profiles
• Graduate Brother reports
• Pig Dinner re-cap
• Scholarship, Philanthropy, and Community Service coverage
• PL profile of Joe Angle (Sigma '11)
• Moms' Dinner report
• Wittenberg President's report

Congratulations to Sigma's Corresponding Secretary and Sig Fiji editor Ben Imlay '14 for a great first issue.  And, thanks to Craig Olson (Sigma'74) for the beautiful layout and design, as well as printing and mailing the hard copy to all Sigma Graduate Brothers.

 

If YOU have updates you would like included in the next Sig Fiji newsletter, please send an email to Ben Imlay at: s14.bimlay@wittenberg.edu

 

Thanks, Brothers,

 

Skip Buckley (Sigma '80)

 

Perge!

 

Sigma Chapter House to Open for 2013-14 Academic Year on August 16th

Sigma Chapter's house will open for the 2013-14 academic year at Noon on Friday, August 16th.  Final preparations to get the house ready include professionally cleaning all carpeting, repairing the dishwasher, testing the fire alarm system, and waxing the Back Lounge floor.  See the photos below on how the Back Lounge looks before the Brothers return!

 

 

Summer 2013 Cleanup Session a Success!

My sincere thanks to over a dozen Graduate and Undergraduate Sigma Brothers who gathered at 20 West Ferncliff on Saturday, June 29th, to clean up the outside of the house and perform some needed landscaping!  It was hot and humid, but we got a LOT done!

 

The Graduate Brothers who helped out were: Dale Finley, Joe Angle, Chad Downing, and Skip Buckley.  Phil Downing, father of Chad & Bill Downing, isn't a Fiji, but he helped out and did a great job!  Dick Rice (injured reserve) stopped by to lend support, and Dave Hickinbotham (injured reserve) did the same (and to grab a Schuler's donut).  The Undergraduate Brothers present were: Bill Downing, Derek Walro, Lukas Bohlander, Adam Kapuscinski, Justin Yates, and Drew Klamar.

 

See the photos below -- the house and grounds look great, and this helps with any college-tour, drive-bys for prospective students this summer!  (The FIRST person to write and complain that the hedges were NOT cut evenly has to pay DOUBLE for next year's Pig Dinner registration!)

 

 

Thanks, Brothers - GREAT JOB!

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80

Perge!

 

Dale Finley (Sigma '58) Will Keynote Pig Dinner on April 20, 2013

Sigma Chapter at Wittenberg's 129th Anniversary Norris Pig Dinner details:

 

What:              Norris Pig Dinner

When:             Saturday, April 20, 2013

                        6:30 pm - Brotherhood Reception (Cash Bar)

                        7:30 pm - Pig Dinner

Where:            Sigma Chapter House, 20 West Ferncliff Place, Springfield

Also:                Annual Golf Outing

                        Windy Knoll Golf Club

                        1:30 pm - Shotgun Start

Fee:                $100 - Golf AND Pig Dinner (discount if both)

                       $75 - Golf ONLY

                       $35 - Pig Dinner ONLY

Charity:           Net proceeds from the entire day will go to The USO

Donation:       THANK YOU to our caterer, Campus Cooks, for donating

                       the majority of the cost of the Pig Dinner

RSVP:            Complete and return the registration form:

                         https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwImNLvWpcx_Q0I0eVQ2YXdfSzg/edit

 

Symposiarch: Marcus Hitt '05

Keynote Speaker: Dale Finley '58 - Dale has a resume we'd all wish for, and too long to list here, but note: Mayor of Strongsville, Ohio, for 7 years; President of the Greater Cleveland Convention & Visitors Bureau for 15 years; Sig Fiji Alumni Association Trustee; and, multiple honors and awards.  He has an amazing life story to tell, and lessons for Graduate and Undergraduate Brothers alike.  His love for Phi Gamma Delta and Sigma Chapter is impenetrable and inspiring.

 

Please join us on April 20th!

 

Fraternally,

 

Skip Buckley '80

 

Perge!