Lending Our Hands to Help a Stricken City:
Convention 2006 in New Orleans
Theta Delta Chi’s 159th Convention was unlike any other. Post-Katrina, the Grand Lodge, Educational Foundation, and Founders’ Corporation agreed to see it through and honor the commitment already made to take Minerva’s annual festival to the Crescent City, devoting the day usually spent in educational sessions to work in the ravaged neighborhoods of the city.
Under the direction of Peter Niche, Chi ’77 (Rochester), and under the auspices of the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ Helping Hands project, undergraduates and a respectable contingent of alumni toiled in New Orleans’ humid August heat to clean up storm-wrecked houses and gardens in the Mid-City area.
Thanks to Bro. Niche’s direction, the project was achieved without problems and the returning Good Samaritans reported a strenuous but rewarding day of useful labor. Hats off to all of them. See full story here.
Elections and Other Business
The serious business of a Convention usually falls into two categories: legislation and elections. This year there were no legislative proposals, rendering the business sessions comparatively brief. The Nominating Committee, however, chaired by Bro. Larry Sarchin, Xi Deuteron ’77 (Washington), met for long hours interviewing candidates for the three Grand Lodge positions in play this year: Graduate Treasurer (a two-year position) and undergraduate Treasurer and Secretary (one year each).
Results are that former Charge Consultant Jerome Arnold, Xi Deuteron ’00 (Washington), stood uncontested for the Graduate Treasurer position and joins the Grand Lodge until 2008. At the undergraduate level, 2005-06 Treasurer Andrew Welch, Epsilon ’07 (William and Mary), achieved re-election in a contested election and Marc Tohme, Alpha ’07 (Union) overcame opposition to win the position of Treasurer. Both will serve until Convention 2007.
PGL Bob LoParo, Alpha ’87 (Union) and Graduate Secretary Adam McCready, Chi Deuteron ’02 (George Washington), will complete the second year of the terms to which they were elected at the 2005 Convention.
The delegates also have the responsibility of choosing two one-year (alumni) members of the Board of Directors of the Educational Foundation; these positions will be filled in 2006-07 by Diego McDonald, Chi Deuteron ’00 (George Washington) and Scott Kniaz, Kappa ’06 (Tufts). Diego served in this position the previous year and Scott has logged in several years of part-time work at the CFO in Boston.
The Entities
Convention is when the other two entities of the Fraternity, the Founders’ Corporation and the Educational Foundation, meet to elect their own officers and directors. Long-time Founders’ Corporation President Don Noveau, Beta ’70 (Cornell) had announced his intention to step aside this year and in his place Phil Curley, Kappa Triton ’76 (Northwestern), a Chicago lawyer and a serious golfer, now guides the fortunes of the entity that serves as a holding company to support the Grand Lodge.
Also new to the rank of the Governors of the Corporation is Jamie Phillips, Kappa Deuteron ’91 (Illinois).
At the Educational Foundation’s meeting, the resignation as Director by long-time member Marshall Baker, Theta Deuteron ’49, was received with appreciation of his service and thanks for his continuing to serve on the Foundation’s Investment Committee. Replacing him as a Director is Adam Marks, Nu Deuteron ’99.
John “JB” Geisler, Gamma Triton ’83 (Michigan State), continues to lead the Foundation as President.
Honors
 The Awards distributed at the Grand Banquet were numerous and are summarized here. Outstanding among them, however, was the recognition of Boine T. Johnson, Iota Deuteron ’53 and 45th PGL, as Theta Delt of the Year. Boine was instrumental as a Trustee of the Partridge Trust in transforming a modest legacy into an approximately $1.4 million fortune, one-half of which was destined to the Fraternity (the other to Williams College) and which is now the major part of the endowment of the Founders’ Corporation.
Also noteworthy are the new Philanthropy and Service Awards, recognizing Charges that were outstanding in good works to others. Theta Deuteron (MIT), as has been the case for many years, walked away with the Loyalty Cup, and Omicron Deuteron (Dartmouth) with the Victory Cup.
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