Yearly Archives: 2015

Catching up with “Tau Tank” Veteran Kyle Cushing ’11

Posted on by

cushingLast spring Kyle Cushing ’11 was one of four ATO presenters at our “Tau Tank” networking lunch in Chicago.  He talked about his startup, ClearContract.  Here’s a quick update…

Kyle, for those who weren’t at the “Tau Tank” event, tell us a little about ClearContract and what progress you’ve made since that event?

First, thank you Dane for revitalizing the alumni community.  It has been great to get to know GZ’s from multiple eras.  For me it has led not only to multiple friendships but also a number of fruitful business relationships.

When I spoke at Tau Tank we were pre-product, pre-revenue and still very focused on solving a niche problem for a niche industry.  Now we are working with Microsoft!

In the last year we’ve launched with a number of paying customers in the financial services space and have grown our employee base by 2.5x (what I really mean by this is we have grown our team from 2 to 5 J).  Our team is currently in Seattle working with Microsoft to expand our product functionality and distribution channels.  We’re leveraging the Microsoft Office suite to make it easier for attorneys and business professionals to manage their contract negotiations, regardless of length or complexity.  Our market segments are expanding from solely focused on financial services to in-house counsel, commercial real estate, and consulting.Continue reading→

Nine time Illinois Sportscaster of the Year – Brad Palmer ’61

Posted on by

Did you know that former Chicago sportscaster Brad Palmer is a Gamma Zeta ATO ’61?

Known as “The Professor” by his viewers, Brad was voted “Illinois Sportscaster of the Year” a record 9 times by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. He joined WBBM-AM (CBS) the day it became Chicago’s first all-news station in 1968 and went on to become Sports Director and sport anchor of both morning and afternoon drive-time.

In 1977, he also became the color analyst on the Chicago Bears broadcasts, alongside play-by-play man Joe McConnell.

In 1985, Brad moved to WLS-TV (ABC). It was his weekly analysis of upcoming Bears’ games in front of a chalk board that prompted the nickname “The Professor”. Brad went 14-2 predicting Bears’ games in 2005. He went 10-1 both straight-up and against the point spread in the playoffs, and, on that note, he retired in January, 2006. He now resides in Phoenix, Arizona.

He’s created an incredible Youtube Channel featuring highlights of his 40 year career covering Chicago sports. If you love Chicago sports or sports in general, you need to check this out.

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway, here’s some hockey history, an interview that Brad did with Blackhawks Hall of Famer, Stan Mikita.

Intern opportunity from Trent Jackson ’04/Bob Cavoto ’75

Posted on by

2aedd2aHi guys,

My name is Trent Jackson and I am a Managing Principal with Axiom Group and 2020 Foresight Executive Search. I was an ‘04 ATO at IL and we are interested in a paid intern for the summer. Details below:

2020 Foresight – leading international executive search firm specializing in C-Level real state placements and owned by Bob Cavoto (Illinois ATO ‘75) – is interested in a paid summer intern. The role will involve supporting the firm’s recruiting efforts with industry and candidate research and various related projects throughout the summer. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the real estate industry as well as the executive search industry and the opportunities involved. We are a privately owned firm and this internship will be much more hands-on than those programs with larger, Fortune 500 type organizations. You’ll interact directly with the Owner/CEO and Managing Principals of the firm and your work will play an integral part in the firms search operations. Please reach out with a short message and resume if you are interested. My contact info is below.

Thanks guys.

Trent Jackson
Managing Principal-Quantitative Trading Recruitment
Axiom Group
312.476.9962 Office
773.494.5646 Cell
tjackson@axmgrp.com
http://axmgrp.com/

What an incredible group this was!!

Posted on by

IMG_8119Throwback Thursday – Our undergrad Alumni Relations Chair, C.J. Donohue ’16, was in the library yesterday and came across a 1921 Illio. Take a look at the list of names who were affiliated with the chapter that year.

Several faculty members including:

  • Thomas Arkle Clark – was our initiate #1 and recent Illinois Fraternity HOF selection.
  • Nathan A. Weston – was the first Dean of the College of Commerce and Business Administration, and an economics professor for nearly 30 years. He was a Charter member of Gamma Zeta and initiate #2. Weston Hall, which is part of the 6 Pack, was named after him.
  • Roger Adams – was an organic chemist and Head of the University of Illinois Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from 1926 to 1954. Adams Laboratory on campus is named after him.

Undergrads at the time included:

  • Hugh Cross – went on to be Lieutenant Governor of the State of Illinois and was a candidate for Governor at one time.
  • E.L. Simmons – ran a construction company that built FAR and the Six Pack and many other buildings on campus. He co-led the fundraising campaign to build ATO National HQ in Chapaign (with another Gamma Zeta, Jack Powers) and was instrumental in the campaign to build the extension to the ATO house in 1959. The dining room of the chapter house is named after him.
  • Howard Cook – was also involved in the campaign to build the ATO extension. One of the wing rooms of the chapter house is named after him.
  • Stew Daniels – went on to a long career as Executive Secretary, and Worthy Grand Chief of ATO. The east living room of our chapter house is named after him and his son, also Stew, and also a Gamma Zeta.
  • Ruben Carlsen – was appointed by Thomas Arkle Clark who was Dean of Men at the time to lead the student committee charged with raising funds to build Memorial Stadium. His student committee raised over $700,000!!! Just unbelievable in 1920’s dollars. His son John Carlson ’50 told the story at one of our Chicago networking events last year.
  • Rex Seiler – was the grandfather of our current alumni scholarship committee chairman, Dave Seiler ’77 and the father of John Seiler ’54. Both Dave and John still live in Champaign.  Dave’s son Cam Seiler is an ATO from Purdue…The only four generation group of ATOs that I know.

What an incredible time it must have been to be an ATO!!

Mom’s Weekend at Gamma Zeta

Posted on by
Mom's Weekend Auction

Mom’s Weekend Auction

Mom’s weekend has been a tradition at U of I that dates back to 1922 and I am happy to inform you all that it is still very much in full swing.

This past Saturday, the undergraduate brothers of Gamma Zeta gathered together with their mothers to celebrate this sacred holiday and keep the tradition going.

At 11 am, everyone convened in the front rooms for a lunch-in, where various forms of beverages and barbeque were served. Following lunch, all the brothers and their mothers participated in the annual Mom’s day auction which was hosted by your very own, brothers Jack Polancich ’15 and George Adams ’15. Items that were sold included an ATO inscribed box of cigars, an ATO bean bag set, and several gift baskets–just to name a few. The auction raised a whopping $5,650, all of which will go towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma society.

After the auction, the moms of Gamma Zeta were able to spend some quality time with not only their sons, but with the other moms of Gamma Zeta as well. Parents don’t always get a chance to casually interact so it was a great time for them to finally get to know one another.

image1

Brothers Tom Wolfe ’16, Jimmy Kowalczyk ’16, Sal Fratto ’16, and Gage Callahan ’17 with their moms

By the time dinner came around, everyone was pretty well acquainted. The dinner was held at a local bar and grill called ‘Cowboy Monkey’. Everyone who attended had nothing but good things to say about it–marking a great end to a great day!

A big thanks goes out to all the moms who sacrificed time out of their lives to come down and visit!