Category Archives: Announcements

Illini Fraternity & Sorority Greek Hall of Fame to be established in 2014 – Nominations needed!!

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TACAshley Dye, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs at the University of Illinois recently announced that the University of Illinois Order of Omega greek honorary will be launching a Fraternity & Sorority Hall of Fame this year. They will be recognizing a few successful Illinois alumni each year through this program. They will also host an event this year on May 3 to recognize these alumni as well as offer the opportunity for our student leaders to learn from and interact with them.

She is looking for nominees from each fraternity and sorority for the Hall of Fame. We’ve compiled the attached draft list from ATO Gamma Zeta but need your help. Please email the names and basic information of anyone who you believe should be added to this list to daneluhrsen@gmail.com. Also, if you know of additional notable bullet points that should be added to any of these guys, please send them as well.

They didn’t provide any specific criteria for inclusion in the list so please submit anyone who you believe is notable and deserving.

Draft Alpha Tau Omega Nominees for Greek Hall of FameContinue reading→

The Lifeblood of our Chapter – Recruitment

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recruitmentDear Gamma Zeta alumni,

The Membership Committee is preparing for Spring Rush. The House very much seeks to have strong half class this year and the undergraduate Rush Team has done a great job assembling a list of potential recruits for the upcoming semester. However, we can still help them. I realize that we polled the network last summer, but please let me know if you have since learned about any freshmen (or sophomores) at the University of Illinois that could be potential recruits.Continue reading→

Gamma Zeta Alumni Celebrate the Holidays Together in Chicago

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Southbranch Holiday Happy Hour 2013Over 100 Gamma Zeta alumni passed through South Branch Tavern & Grille in Chicago for our 24th annual “buy a brother a beer” holiday party in Chicago on December 20. South Branch, at 100 S Wacker Dr. turned out to be an ideal location close to both train stations and we had our biggest turnout ever. This event is really growing. This year we had representatives from the class of 1975 through the class of 2012. Special thanks to Bill “BB” Barry ’77 who backed our tab!! See pictures from the party at our Facebook page at – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.186519891553884.1073741831.139580319581175&type=1&l=621cb582b5

Alumni Volunteers needed for Mock Interview in Chicago on January 15

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We’re going to hold a Mock Interview program for the ATO Gamma Zeta undergrads in Chicago at 4:00 PM in Chicago on January 15. We’re looking for alumni volunteers to conduct the interviews. You don’t need to be an HR expert. If you don’t have a set of questions, that you normally use, we’ll provide a template and guidance. This will be practice for initial “screening/trait” interviews so anyone should be able to help. However, if you or your company has something that you regularly use for something like this, that would be great too. Here’s a draft agenda. We’re still finalizing the details:

  • What:                      ATO Gamma Zeta Mock Interview Session
  • Who:                        All Gamma Zeta undergrads and pledges are eligible
  • Date:                       Wednesday, January 15th, 2014
  • Time:                       ~4:00 PM – 6:30 PM
  • Location:              Illini Center, 200 S Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606 (easy walk from both train stations)
  • Agenda:
    Introduction and explanation of format
    Mock Interview 1 (30 minutes) and feedback session (15 minutes)
    Mock Interview 2 (30 minutes) and feedback session (15 minutes)
    Wrap up
    Pizza reception

Please send me an email at daneluhrsen@gmail.com if you’d be willing to participate and let me know if you have any questions and/or suggestions.

We believe that this will bring tremendous value to our current undergrads in preparing them for the upcoming interview process for jobs and internships AND it will be a tremendous and unique to Gamma Zeta activity that they can talk about during rush with prospective new members. We’d really appreciate your help.

Rob Kneupfer, Jr. 1974 Dennison recognized with Order of Merit from Hungary

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Knuepfer“…to have no narrower limits within which to work together for the elevation of man than the outlines of the world…”

We all know those words from the ATO Creed but few exemplify them better than Robert C. Knuepfer, Jr. 1974, Dennison. Normally, we reserve reporting here for Gamma Zeta News and Rob wasn’t a Gamma Zeta. But, his grandfather, Russell S White 1917 was GZ Worthy Master in 1916/17 and his uncles, Robert L. White 1946 and David N. White 1954 are Gamma Zetas. Also, Rob served as Gamma Zeta Chapter Consultant and went on to be National Worthy Grand Chief… so, we’ll proudly claim him.

On Friday, November 22 at a reception in Chicago, Rob was honored with the Order of Merit of Hungary by Zswolt Nemeth, Deputy Foreign Minister. Rob was recognized for his years of service to Hungary and in large part for his efforts in helping Hungary transition from socialism to capitalism. Just to put Rob’s influence in perspective, he also oversaw the opening of Baker & McKenzie offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Tashkent, Baku, Warsaw and Prague, and helped bring high-profile U.S. companies to Hungary, including General Motors, Ford, General Electric and Pepsi.

Here’s a link to an article in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin which provides a great deal more detail about Rob – “A knight-like recognition” – http://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/Articles/2013/12/02/Amicus-Curious-Knuepfer-12-2-13.aspx

Bob Simonds (Gamma Zeta ’46) was invited to represent ATO at the reception honoring Rob. Bob was unable to attend so he invited John Aymond ’80 and Dane Luhrsen ’77 to stand in for him and they were honored to represent ATO in support of Rob at the reception.

Chapter Eternal – Stephen Hill ’55

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Steve HillWe’re very sorry to pass on the news that Stephen Hill ’55 passed away last November. Stephen was originally from Springfield, IL but in his later years, lived in LaGrange. He was part of a great group of guys who became Gamma Zetas from Springfield at that time including Carl and Bob Baker, Bob Phillips, Dick Kurz, Paul Hayes and Dick Walbaum.

He earned his undergraduate degree in commerce and law in 1955 from the University of Illinois and continued his studies in law, passing the Illinois Bar Exam in 1957. Continue reading→

Catching up with Senator Alan Dysert ‘73

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Alan DysertWell… Alan isn’t exactly a Senator but he’s doing the next best thing… playing one in a movie.

Alan, I just saw the Youtube video preview posted on Facebook of your movie project “The Senator: Islandcare is Born” (check out http://youtu.be/dk-IuudzmAk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ce7nTkjn-Y&feature=youtu.be ).  It looks like a lot of fun.  Can you tell us a little bit about the project… where it stands now and where and when we might be able to see the final product?

I finished shooting it as of 2 weeks ago and have been editing as we went along. I just have some musical transitions to write and then start locking in the whole piece. The rough edit is done. It has been great fun. I wrote, directed, produced ( as well as played the Senator). For once I wanted to do a project that I wanted to do- the way I wanted to do it. The only way I could do that was to finance it myself. I have served as executive producer, producer or director on many different projects- but that was all hired gun stuff. I already owned the equipment and the studio- so all I had to do was gather up my crew (that already worked with me ) and the funniest actors that had ever passed through the door of The Actor’s School. It is way over the top comedy. I like that. I kind of did this one for me. It’s a bucket list thing. In the end it will be a comedy series – instead of film- but there will be a film version for film festivals. I was a comedy guy before I did All My Children- but people only know about the soap. This goofy stuff is more of who I am.Continue reading→

Memorial Stadium Football Suite Available

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suitePer, Dr. James DeBord, ’69 – my suite—719—is available for remaining few years on my contract if anyone interested.

Contact Jim directly at jdebord@peoriasurgical.com if you are interested and have any questions. These suites are an excellent way to watch the Illini. Many other Gamma Zeta’s have Suites or portions of Suites and it’s a great way to get together with brothers. Consider teaming up with your pledge brothers and sharing the cost of the Suite. It’s a lot of fun!

You’re Invited!!! December 20 – Annual ATO Holiday Get Together in Chicago

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  • Holiday party 2013What:                      Annual ATO Holiday Get Together in Chicago
  • Who:                       Gamma Zeta ATOs of all ages, friends and family
  • Date:                        Friday, December 20
  • Time:                       3:30 PM – ~7:00 PM
  • Location:               South Branch Tavern & Grille

100 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606
Chicago, IL 60601

  • Post Party:            Boss Bar – ~7:00 – ???

420 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60610

This is our annual, informal, stop by and say hello, buy a brother a beer, post work, extended happy hour. Don’t miss it!! It’s a lot of fun. Please pass this on to any others who you think would be interested.