Bill Vipond takes additional governance role to serve the Iowa Beta House Corporation
Like so many people who joined the Iowa Beta chapter of SAE in the early 1980s, Bill Vipond (IABE ’86) walked onto the campus of the University of Iowa with no intention of ever joining a fraternity. But again, like so many, once he engaged the fraternity, he fell in love with it and has dedicated himself to it for life.
Vipond, an Ankeny, Iowa real estate attorney, who serves as the Governance Officer for the Iowa Beta Alumni Association, has also been appointed as the Governance Officer for the Iowa Beta house corporation. Vipond will serve a three-year term.
In this new role, Vipond will advise and make recommendations to the house corporation Board of Directors on all matters related to non-profit governance; including ensuring compliance with relevant local, state, and federal laws and regulations. Additionally, he will help ensure smooth transitions of Board of Director members as terms of office may expire or vacancies occur. The Governance Officer serves in an ex officiocapacity to the house corporation Board of Directors. Vipond will continue to serve in a similar role for the Iowa Beta Alumni Association.
The house corporation is the real estate holding and property management company that owns and maintains the chapter house. The Iowa Beta Alumni Association is the primary vehicle for alumni involvement; focusing on engagement, outreach, communications, and scholarships for undergraduate members. It will serve as the Iowa Beta chapter re-installation and advisory board.
In the fall of 1982, Vipond left Denison, Iowa and started his undergraduate political science studies at the University of Iowa and was a resident of Burge Hall. He was shy and did not know a lot of people on campus. He talked to some men he knew from his hometown who had already joined the SAE brotherhood, including Dr. Denton Weiss (IABE '85) and Brad Janssen (IABE '86). After being introduced to some of the members, Vipond became interested in SAE.
“One of the first people I met was Wayne Schwertley (IABE '85),” said Vipond, “and he really impressed me and he was one of the big reasons I decided to join. I met him at Weiss’ wedding reception in the summer of 1983." On December 3 of that year, Vipond was initiated into the fraternity. He received SAE badge number 190570.
“During his collegiate days, Bill served the Iowa Beta chapter as Eminent Recorder and as Eminent Correspondent, among other roles. To this very day, he volunteers his time and effort to serve his SAE brothers," said Iowa Beta Alumni Association President Marc Rosenow (IABE '86). “Bill is a True Gentleman of the highest order and an integral part of our leadership team.”
Phillip D. “Flip” Klinger (IABE ’64) continues to serve as the Registered Agent for both the house corporation and Iowa Beta Alumni Association.
Iowa Beta House Corporation President Randy Iskowitz (IABE ’88) also said he was excited to have Vipond in the loop.
“Bill was unanimously approved by our Board of Directors and I am thrilled to have him join us,” Iskowitz said. “We absolutely need someone of Bill’s talents and legal expertise and I could not be happier that he is willing to serve.”
One of Vipond’s closest fraternity brothers was his roommate, Joel Lueck (IABE '86), with whom he roomed all four years of college. They shared a room on the first floor of "The Lodge" (the interim SAE house at 603 S. Dubuque) their junior year and moved to the third floor their senior year. Lueck and Vipond also played on the Iowa Rugby Club their freshman year. Vipond said he was also close to Richie Paragas (IABE '88), who lived across the hall in The Lodge.
“We had so much fun in those days,” said Vipond. “Now that it has been 30 years and it all kind of blends together but I remember tail-gating parties as being exceptionally fun. Hanging out with your brothers before a football game was huge."
Vipond is a member of Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. He received his J.D. in 1989 from the University of Iowa and was awarded membership into the Order of the Coif for academic excellence. Vipond has served in private practice and as in-house counsel for several companies. Currently, Vipond serves as Assistant General Counsel at Nationwide in Des Moines.
Vipond said that when he entered Iowa, he always had his sights set on law school.
“I started thinking about being a lawyer my senior year of high school,” he said. “My dad was a lawyer and he was appointed a state district judge by Gov. Robert Ray (Drake '52) before I left for Iowa. So there was a legal pedigree in my family.”
Vipond lives in Ankeny with his wife Carolyn, son Jimmy (a sophomore at the University of Iowa), and daughter Tasha, 16, who attends Ankeny Centennial High School.
“Jimmy pledged Delta Upsilon and is following our similar experience of bringing back a dormant fraternity,” Vipond said. “DU was off campus for a while and so he and his friends are involved it its revitalization.”
Jimmy, a computer science and math major, could not pledge SAE as the Iowa Beta chapter is temporarily dormant.
“I was a bit disappointed that Jimmy could not pledge SAE,” Vipond said. “But he gets to live and enjoy his own unique experience and I am glad that he is doing what we did as undergrads: reviving a chapter and making it strong again. Sure, I wish he could be bringing back SAE -- but bringing back the DUs is a good thing, too.”
Vipond has another close relative who also went Greek: his brother Bob Vipond (IABE '87) joined Iowa Beta on the heels of his brother, and was part of the chapter’s early 1980s growth spurt. Bob was initiated in the spring of 1984.
“Bob and I hung out in college,” Bill said. “We had different personalities so we often would do things apart. There were times when we hung together and times we would go our own direction. But we definitely got along and had each others back.”
The Viponds were among the early blood brothers to become Iowa Beta SAEs when the chapter was revitalized in the 1980s. The others included the Souhrada (Charlie, Joe, Ted and Don), Rosenow (Marc, Matthew and John), Karras (Christopher and Tom), Betz (Marty and Chris), Lueck (Joel and Bill), Nystrom (Dwight and Mark), and Tack (Bryon and Jon) brothers.
Vipond said one of the bright spots of Iowa Beta being temporarily suspended in 2012 was that it resulted in the alumni communicating and working together.
“Some of us had not spoken to each other in 20 years or more,” he said. “It’s been great to get on the phone once a month and to hear familiar voices again.”
Vipond said the students who join the Iowa Beta chapter in 2016 can make their collegiate experience even more profound through the rebuilding experience.
"Even though they will have the SAE house, it is going to take a lot of work to get Iowa Beta back on top again,” he said. “But our alumni will be able to see these young men make a huge positive out of difficult situation.”
The alumni need to stay connected to the undergraduates, according to Vipond, for the house to have sustainable success.
“We have to engage the underclassmen through mentoring and other forms of contact,” he said. “If they feel like they have guidance and are not alone, I think they will be motivated to do the right things to keep themselves in good standing.”
Vipond said being a Greek, and particularly, an SAE, was a crucial part of his personal development.
“SAE showed me how to work in a group political structure,” he said. “The rules and systems we used to govern ourselves are very congruent with how things work in society. The fraternity brings a lot of different personalities and backgrounds and you have to learn how to navigate through these to deliver decisions for the good of the whole.”
Vipond said SAE helped him to connect and relate to his fellow man.
“In high school I was shy and even to this day I am not real outgoing, but the house really helped to bring me out of my shell,” he said. “I felt comfortable with my fraternity brothers. We were encouraged to have each others back and that meant to reach out and trust them.
"I learned that to get a friend, you have to be a friend. I also discovered that everyone there wanted to build their social networks just as badly as I wanted to build mine. The traditions and heritage of SAE gave us all a common thread and gave us all a sense of common purpose. It helped me to build confidence in engaging strangers. So it was a great experience.”
After his undergraduate degree was accomplished, Vipond immediately entered law school at Iowa.
“I really did not know what I wanted to specialize in during my law school years so I was keeping my eyes open for opportunities,” he said.
After graduation from law school, his first job was with Davis, Hockenburg, Wine, Brown, Koehn & Shors, which was the largest law firm in the state of Iowa at the time. Today, the firm, which began in 1929, is known as the DavisBrown firm.
“One of the attorneys at that firm knew my dad and he was a real estate lawyer,” said Vipond. “So he gravitated toward me and got me into the real estate arena and that is what I have done ever since. Lately my expertise and focus has been on the mortgage industry.”
Vipond said the True Gentleman is a part of his daily life and one of the greatest tools SAE provides it members.
“It is one of the most profound and succinct passages of how to live your life,” he said. “The line that really has spoken the most to me is the line that says, ‘who is himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another.’ Something about that line has always resonated with me. The whole piece is full of great advice.”
Promotion, relocation, engagement cap busy year for McKenzie
For Brian McKenzie (IABE ’08), 2014 has been a very busy year. First, he received a major promotion at work; next, he relocated from Chicago to Dallas; and then he got engaged to be married.
McKenzie pledged the Iowa Beta chapter and was initiated into the fraternity on February 20, 2005 and received SAE badge number 274026. He graduated in 2008 and went on to receive a master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Drake University.
"Jill and I crossed paths during Rush Week 2004 and started dating soon after,” said McKenzie. “It’s fair to say that we were connected from the beginning as she was my date at SAE formals and I was her date at Delta Gamma formals.”
Jill Rymarz, originally from Bartlett, Illinois, is a marketing manager for a data security company based out of Chicago.
The couple dated throughout college and maintained a long distance relationship when McKenzie was in graduate school. Subsequently, he moved across the street from her in Chicago and they later moved to Texas together.
"After 9 years of dating, I thought the time was finally right and I surprised her with a proposal on March 5. It was the greatest experience of my life!”
McKenzie, who hails from West Des Moines, Iowa, is currently the secretary of the Iowa Beta Alumni Association and has been a member of its Board of Directors since 2008.
“The Alumni Association has made a lot of enhancements over the past couple of years and it’s been great to see the strong support of so many alumni brothers," McKenzie said. “It’s funny to think that I’m the youngest board member, yet I’m also one of the longest serving members that’s currently active.”
As an undergrad, McKenzie served the Chapter in several roles, including Eminent Deputy Archon, Alumni Relations Chairman, and House Manager.
"I’ve held just about every role in the house with the exception of Eminent Archon and I learned many life lessons in SAE," McKenzie said. "One of them was to make sure that you’re not late for meetings; especially not during elections or you might get ‘elected’ to positions that you weren’t planning to run for!"
McKenzie began his career in the insurance industry with Allied Insurance in Des Moines shortly after graduating college and while working to achieve his masters degree. He then became a senior claims representative with Nationwide Insurance. In 2010, he became a Special Field Claims adjuster with Farmers Insurance in Chicago.
He quickly impressed management with his dedication, commitment to excellence, and work ethic. Subsequently, he received a major promotion to Supervisor of Field Property Claims, which prompted the relocation to Dallas.
Brian said The True Gentleman remains important to him to this day and that the time he spent at Iowa Beta helped shape him from a young college kid into a responsible adult.
“For me, my time at SAE was marked by being involved. I held a position every semester I was in college. During that time, I learned a lot; I made mistakes, I grew-up, I learned to lead my fellow brothers, and made some outstanding memories,” said McKenzie.
“It was only natural that I continued my SAE involvement by joining the Iowa Beta Alumni Association when I graduated.”
"Brian has played a crucial role in our success," said Marc Rosenow (IABE '86), president of the Iowa Beta Alumni Association. "With a wealth of great ideas, strong organizational skills, and a can-do attitude, Brian helps keep us on track and focused as we work towards the return of the Iowa Beta chapter."
If you or another brother has experienced a life event, please let us know so that we can communicate it to our members: info@iowabetasae.org
QUIZ ANSWER: D. Beta Theta Pi, Delta Tau Delta, and Alpha Tau Omega
The Civil War decimated Sigma Alpha Epsilon. But SAE soon began to rebuild itself and by the 1870s had established a fine reputation and a reasonably strong financial position -- even though it was a small, regional fraternity at the time.
In those days, the Fraternity did not have a national headquarters but instead selected a rotating "Grand Chapter" to serve between conventions and elected a "Grand Treasurer" to manage the finances. In 1877, the Kentucky Chi chapter was selected as the Grand Chapter. SAE had a total of 6 active chapters. Expansion was on everyone's mind.
The Beta Theta Pi fraternity, recognizing its own need for expansion, approached Kentucky Chi with the proposal of an amalgamation in 1879. The Grand Chapter initially looked favorably on this proposal since Beta Theta Pi was in a much stronger position than SAE at the time. However, the rest of the fraternity became indignant at the proposal and it was soundly rejected. Still, the news that SAE had even considered the possibility of almagamation lead to offers by other fraternities.
In August 1880, the Grand Chapter received a letter from Delta Tau Delta fraternity proposing a merger. Then, in February 1881, Alpha Tau Omega wrote to the Grand Chapter that: "We have heard that your fraternity at large contemplates disbanding or merger into some other fraternity. If such be the case, the High Council of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity would like to treat with the authorities of S.A.E. We have eight large and energetic chapters and five alumni chapters."
Not taking no for an answer, Beta Theta Pi again approached SAE about a merger in late 1881, feeling that SAE provides chapters at fine universities where the Betas were not present.
Needless to say, SAE rebuffed all of these overtures and grew rapidly and organically over the course of the next several decades.
Today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the largest North American Greek-letter social fraternity with more than 321,000 initiates and approximately 15,000 undergraduate members at 223 active chapters and 23 colonies across the US.
Its creed is The True Gentleman, which all members are required to memorize and try to live by its ideals.
The preeminent college fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is headquartered in Evanston, Ill. at the Levere Memorial Temple.
Beta Theta Pi is a North American social fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The fraternity currently consists of 127 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada. Approximately 184,000 members have been initiated worldwide since its founding and there are currently nearly 9,000 undergraduate members. Beta Theta Pi is the oldest of the three fraternities that formed the Miami Triad along with Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi.
Delta Tau Delta is an American Greek letter college fraternity founded in 1858 at Bethany College in Bethany, Virginia, (now West Virginia). It currently has 125 student chapters nationwide, as well as more than 25 regionally-based alumni support groups.
Alpha Tau Omega is an American social fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865. The fraternity has 250 active and inactive chapters and colonies in the United States and has initiated more than 204,000 members since its founding. Alpha Tau Omega represents one-third of the Lexington Triad, along with Kappa Alpha Order and Sigma Nu.
Did you know?
The Iowa Beta Alumni Association is recognized by the IRS as a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and your charitable contribution is tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes to the fullest extent of the law.
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Thank you and Phi Alpha!
SAE tailgate event slated for Nov. 1
Come root for the Iowa Hawkeyes as they take on the Northwestern Wildcats on November 1, 2014 in Iowa City. The Iowa Beta Alumni Association will be hosting a tailgate party for alumni and guests.
The event will begin at 8:30 am and will feature food and beverages. Brother Don Keeley (IABE '88) is the chairman of the event and will be manning the grill.
The menu will consist of pulled pork sandwiches and Keeley's Kinnick-famous Uncle Dougie's Wings.
The tailgate event will be held at 1421 Grand Avenue in Iowa City. It is located about 3 blocks from Kinnick Stadium. Limited parking is available for $30 on a first come, first served basis.
Look for the Iowa Beta Alumni Association flag.
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