PHOENIX, ARIZONA – A weekend of Brotherhood spent in the Arizona sun and Phoenix desert was certainly one to remember. In the short time that over 350 brothers and guests spent together, so much was accomplished. Directors were elected, brothers grew as leaders, brothers who have passed into Chapter Eternal were remembered and memorialized, and the accomplishments of individuals and chapters were praised and rewarded.

Founders Day and The House of Delegates

To kick off the weekend, Sig Tau celebrated our 98th Founders Day – Grand Conclave style. The 48th House of Delegates were called to order and Grand Conclave is was officially underway. Many traveled from across the country to join together in the Grand Canyon State for business and brotherhood.

To wrap up the Opening Ceremonies 39th National President, Jonathan Proehl, UW- River Falls presented the State of the Fraternity address. Together, brothers celebrated the enormous success of the Fraternity over the past two years including the Sig Tau brand, chapter growth, and the new Fraternity Headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana.

To end the evening, all Grand Conclave attendees traveled to the Buffalo Chip Saloon & Steakhouse, an Arizona favorite, for dinner and brotherhood fun to wrap up our 98th Founders Day together. Brothers enjoyed classic southwest BBQ, yard games, and mechanical bull rides.

The Foundation’s Impact

Day two began with brothers, staff members, and attendee guests enjoying the Arizona sun and warm weather with a run around the beautiful JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.

During the Brotherhood Lunch, sponsored by the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation.  We recognized those chapters and brothers who have given their time and commitment to the Foundation through service and charitable giving. This event included the presentation of a check of $23,413.70 to Special Olympics. This generous donation to Special Olympics was made possible by the hard work and dedication of the undergraduate members and alumni.

It was a day full of voting and passing of legislation for the House of Delegates. The Fraternity elected a new President-Elect and Board of Directors. Jeremy Daus, UW – River Falls was elected as

President-Elect, and will serve as the Fraternity’s 41st National President. Constitutional amendments were passed, resolutions were approved, and the House of Delegates closed with the recognition of the 2016 – 2018 Board of Directors.

To close out the evening, the National Alumni Advisory Council Secretary Clayton Whitehead, Georgia, gave an opening statement as all alumni and guests joined together to celebrate alumni service for the Fraternity, Foundation, WPN Housing.

The Foundation saw tremendous success and growth during Grand Conclave. The Azure and White Giving Club grew by 49  undergraduate members; these men celebrated by sporting their exclusive Sig Tau tie during the rest of Conclave. In addition, the Foundation sold over 1,000 Noble Man Accolades, and raised 13,367.98. Thank you to all who made a gift to the Foundation!

Fun to Formal for Day Three

The final day of Grand Conclave kicked off with the House of Trotter Donor Recognition Breakfast. Many graduated to the next level of our Foundation Giving Societies and two members of the Foundation Board of Trustees will be transitioning to Trustee Emeritus. Kenley Hoover, IU – Pennsylvania, and Joe Feldhouse, Cleveland State, have served the Foundation for decades and we are forever grateful for their dedication to Sig Tau.

For the remainder of the morning, Grand Conclave was centered around educating our members. Twelve different educational sessions were presented to both undergraduate and alumni members. Sessions included the basics of recruiting, having open dialogues on diversity and inclusion, and how to be an engaged alumnus. Facilitators from various organizations, higher education professionals, and partners such as OmegaFi helped present the sessions.

During “resort time,” brothers and guests were able to enjoy the lazy river, relax by the pool, or hit the back nine for a round of golf.

The night ended with a bang, as Jim Johnston, Carnegie Mellon was installed as the 40th National President of Sigma Tau Gamma, and both chapter and individual awards were given to worthy recipients. One final surprise for the evening was the unveiling of the Centennial Brand, signifying that our 100th Anniversary will take place just two short years from now in Kansas City, Missouri.

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ABOUT SIGMA TAU GAMMA FRATERNITY
Founded at the University of Central Missouri on June 28, 1920, the organization will commemorate its 100th Anniversary in 2020. With a presence on 85 campuses in 31 states, our membership includes 3,000 undergraduate men and 61,000 living alumni. The Headquarters, which is home to the Fraternity, Foundation, and WPN Housing Company, is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, 12 miles from the center of downtown. Visit https://sigtau.org for additional information.