Hello Brothers and Sweethearts!

This is last article that I am required to write. But, like I wrote last month, I am sure I will be checking in with all of you when the mood strikes me.

I first want to thank all of my brothers and their sweethearts for such a memorable journey through the chairs.   The love and brotherhood I received everywhere I journeyed in PDK land was phenomenal.   I would like to thank my Chapter, Beta Nu, for their moral support as I traveled.  A special shout out to PNP and Emir Jim Myers for being my travel buddy on most of the adventures.   Jim’s heart is into Phi Delta Kappa more than anybody I have ever been around.

I was blessed to have several other PNP’s at Beta Nu to bounce my ideas and receive guidance from.  Thank you to Brian Nelson, Greg Sumpter and Jon Handy.  All of the brothers I have spent time with in the chairs have been fantastic.  They taught me what I need to do and how to do it.   I have leaned on and learned from brothers Chris Linsinbigler, Craig Brutout, Jeff Woolf, Chris Parks and Greg Trombly quite a bit over the years.

I have built many wonderful friendship that will last a lifetime.  Scott Dull, although he never liked me (LOL), has become a fantastic friend and mentor.  Pappy Reid is another PNP that I bounced many of my ideas off of.  All of the officers under me are learning the ropes and will do the Fraternity well as they move on up the ladder.  Hopefully they can each improve PDK every year until the end of time.  God Bless you all.

I wanted to go over some of the things in my life that have changed since I got in the chairs.  When I started I had two grandchildren, Lilly and Myles.  That number is now SIX!  Kamryn followed by Grayson, Carson, and Creighton joined the family.  My youngest child, Alex, got married to a wonderful and smart young lady.  I am very proud of all of my children and their spouses.  I love my family!

I am so blessed my dad became a brother at Delta Nu.  I also was able to put a 50 year pin on his friend Pete Martin in Plymouth this year.  Beta Eta came to Kokomo to initiate my dad.   It was incredibly moving just sitting back and watching the initiation by THE BEST ritual group in all of PDK.

I listened to several of the PNPs to get the Spring SEC back on the road at a neutral site.  I decided to do that when it was my time.  We now have had two great weekends in the Smoky Mountains.  I am looking forward to see where Doug Leach picks for next year.

I got the opportunity to get back into coaching baseball after a 10 year absence.  I love baseball and I love coaching.   I had the idea to get the 20/20 into a national bank (PNC) to make it easier for everyone after me to make deposits and not have to flip banks every couple of years.  It seems to have worked out nicely.

I missed an article once and I wanted a fix so that it would never happen again.  The SEC came up with emailing our article to each other and the editor.  That way you get six reminders to get your article into the editor!  It seems to be working well.

Sadly I saw two Chapters close their doors for good during my VP year.  Since they were both Indiana Chapters I kind of took the reins on both of the closings.  We brought all of the Marion brothers into Beta Nu.  Emir Buck Rodman from Beta Beta joined the brotherhood at Delta Nu.

I have witnessed the outstanding charity work that the individual chapters do grow each year during my years in the chairs.  We picked St. Judes Children Hospital as our National Charity.  I have seen many great brothers step and take care of all kinds of issues and problems at their chapters.   I have witnessed several chapters find new charities to help out and spread the massive amount of love to others in need.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my wonderful wife Sarah from the bottom of my heart for all the love, support, traveling (booking the flights, rental cars and hotels) other help and proofreading my articles during my journey.

It has been my pleasure to have been given the opportunity and the support as I made the journey of my lifetime through the National Officer Chairs.  Seven years and it seemed to fly by.  I LOVE the Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity and I will continue to do whatever I am called upon to do.  I will jump in if I see a problem and I can help fix it.  I am a very blessed man!    I hope you all have enjoyed my monthly articles for the last seven years.  It has been my pleasure to serve you all!  I  hope to see many of you at the National Convention in Kokomo this July!

Until next time remember to tell your loved ones every day that you love them.  Hug a brother and get involved.  Proud to be a Phi Delta Kappa!