Author Archive: Alpha Tau Omega - Gamma Zeta Chapter

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

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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

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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!!

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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!!

Founders’ Day Dinner

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2a05bdfThis past Monday, Gamma Zeta got together and organized a celebration dedicated to the founding of our chapter–an event that occurred over 120 years ago this past March.
Brothers dressed business casual as they came together to eat a home-cooked, family style meal. The bread, salad, pasta, meat, and desserts were all brought to each table in courses and everyone passed each of the separate dishes around the table to one another–creating a type of brotherhood meal that Gamma Zeta hadn’t seen in years.

Overall, it was a great moment for everyone to celebrate our history and look back on all that Gamma Zeta has accomplished.

Following the Founders’ day dinner, our friend and fellow Gamma Zeta, Norm Bilsbury, paid a visit to his old stomping grounds.

All the brothers gathered round as he gave some lasting words in regards to Gamma Zeta and its history. “One for all and all for one” he said and, after acknowledging how cliche it was to say, said that he was proud that this type of brotherhood–the type that’s willing to sacrifice for not only the entire group, but for the individual as well–still exists within Gamma Zeta today.

Aside from that though, he was also willing to share some career advice as well. He informed us all of a new organization on campus that helps students start their own businesses.

As always, he was very well spoken and informative and we were more than happy that he took the time out of his day to come see us.