Alumni News
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Gamma Theta in the 1940s – I was there!
Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Jerry Frost ’48 for sharing memories of his time at Sigma Nu, and his wonderful donation of $25,000 to the windows renovation project.
Yes, World War II did come to Cornell and Gamma Theta. I (and I presume thousands of others across the country) was allowed to enlist in the Navy and graduate from high school in three years. Thus, my high school class of ’45 graduated on a Monday night in 1944. The following Friday afternoon I was marching up the hill to Sage Hall to be issued uniforms, shoes, and bedding. Arms full, I was directed to my dorm, which carried the strange name: Llenroc. (I later learned that these fancy digs had been the home of Cornell’s first president and the word was Cornell spelled backwards.) All fraternity houses, as well as other facilities across campus, had been requisitioned by the Navy as housing for the V-12 Naval Officer trainees.
As we were officially in the Navy, we were in uniform at all times. Campus swarmed with sailors dressed in “whites” and those funny hats in summer, “blues” and a knitted watch cap in cold weather. Reveille at 6:00 a.m.; muster (roll call) for breakfast at 8:00 a.m.; inspection and lunch at 12:30 p.m., muster for dinner at 6:00 p.m., in our room at 8:00 p.m. and lights out at 10:00 p.m. Saturday afternoons were reserved for drill. All meals were served in dining halls (temporary buildings long since removed) situated below the Baker halls. Someone was on fire watch in all dorms 24/7. Heaven help you if you had a quiz the morning after you stood a 2:00–4:00 a.m. watch at a remote building.
Owen “O.J.” Black was one of my three new roommates at Llenroc. It was O.J. who introduced me to Sigma Nu. I am told that during the war years, the chapter, significantly reduced in size and, burdened by restrictive military schedules, was able to hold only a few sporadic meetings in a building downtown. I pledged in the spring of 1946 and moved into the house that fall. Preston “Hack” Hackley, general factotum, had been retained by the Navy to maintain the building, so if you will excuse me, everything at Willard Way was “shipshape.” The carpets, furniture, pool table, and dining tables were returned from storage and were unharmed.
Fraternity life seemed normal. We studied in our rooms, slept in the loft, and were served excellent meals in the dining room. Chapter meetings were according to protocol. I bought the candy store under the stairs. Bad debts were not a problem. There were many more students on campus, particularly women, which previously had been in short supply, and guys in sailor suits were missing.
Three-day house parties took place three times a year, a long enough period to permit “imports” from off-campus. Hack maintained a strict requirement that women slept on the third floor and no men above the second. Barton Hall was the scene of the Saturday night dance. Big bands were the rage at that time: Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Vaughn Monroe, and Johnny Long. Vaughn was primarily known for his rendition of “Racing with the Moon” (“high above the midnight sky”). A Johnny Long special was “The White Star of Sigma Nu” (the bright star of Sigma Nu). Three bands rotated continuously throughout the night, and we could relax on furniture from the house that had been moved to curtained-off spaces surrounding the dance floor. These were magical events in my memory. However, after spending three whole days with the same girl, I never saw fit to date her again.
Rush was in springtime as I recall. The stunts of the time included ice hockey on the dining room tile floor, bob for apples in a pail of water, then immediately search for a quarter in a pan of flour, followed by brothers in the window above attempting to drop the contents of a raw egg into the open mouths of the pledges below. GIs who had returned to campus from the horrors of war in Europe or the Pacific rightfully did not appreciate this humiliation from youths who had not served. I regret my part in these events.
It has been good to reminisce. I treasure my two years at 230 Willard Way.
Fraternally,
Jerry Frost BCE ’48
jerryfrost10@comcast.net
In Memory of Arthur Wolcott ’49
We are saddened to inform you of the passing of Arthur Wolcott ’49. The Wolcott family’s ties to Sigma Nu extend back nearly 100 years, as Arthur’s older brothers Jerome ’29 and Sam ’36 were also Sigma Nus (Sam was the one who built the walk-in cooler in the kitchen). Son Mark ’83 is a Sigma Nu, as is Mark’s son, Michael ’15. Daughter Grace ’87 was a Sigma Nu Little Sister and is married to Sigma Nu Aaron Wadell ’83.
Arthur was born in Corning, NY, in 1926 and passed away peacefully on September 24, 2021, in Sarasota, FL, at the age of 95. He graduated from Cornell in 1949 with a BA degree in economics and was a veteran of World War II, having served in both the European and Pacific theaters.
Arthur married the love of his life and best friend, Audrey Strode, in August of 1949. During that same month, Arthur founded Seneca Foods Corporation by leasing a bankrupt grape juice plant in Dundee, NY. Today, Seneca is headquartered in Janesville, WI. The company is one of the largest processors of fruits and vegetables in the United States. Arthur was chairman and president of Seneca Foods from 1949 to 1987, and he served as chairman of the Board of Directors until his passing. In 2008, he received the Forty-Niner Service Award, the food processing industry’s highest award in recognition of his career.
Arthur was a true champion of all things Sigma Nu, Cornell, and the Big Red. He was a Presidential Councilor of Cornell University and a member of the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame. For many years, Arthur, Audrey, and the Wolcott family hosted a Homecoming football tailgate party attended by many Sigma Nus.
“My Dad loved Cornell and Sigma Nu, and he would often talk about his days living in the house, taking my mom to parties at the house, and he stayed in touch with most of his classmates over the years,” said Mark. “He also loved Cornell Athletics and was a regular at football games ever since he graduated. He and my mom were there in 1951 when Cornell beat Michigan at Schoellkopf Field!”
Arthur was also an avid skier and sailor. On the slopes he was a member of the Hunt Hollow Ski Club and enjoyed many ski trips to the Rocky Mountains and the European Alps. He was also a member of the Keuka Yacht Club and the Sarasota Yacht Club, competing in regattas and cruising to Europe, the Florida Keys, and throughout the Caribbean. In addition to Audrey, his wife of 72 years, Arthur is survived by four children, including Mark and Grace, and 12 grandchildren, including Michael.
The brotherhood of Sigma Nu extends our condolences to Mark, Michael, Grace, and the entire Wolcott family. Arthur will certainly be missed and remembered for so much.
Remembering ArtMy wife Madolyn and I first met the Wolcotts at a party at the Lodge after a Cornell football game during Trustee-Council weekend, sometime in the 1970s. After that, we saw each other at Cornell and in Sarasota, FL, where we both had homes.
We went on a Cornell University trip to Cuba with the Wolcotts. During some down time, Art hired a taxi to take him to a grocery store so he could see if Seneca products were being sold. He bought a can of Libby’s peaches, which cost about three times as much a can would cost in the U.S. When he returned to our hotel, he cut the label off as he wanted to trace the shipping route it had taken to get to Cuba and gave the peaches to the taxi driver.
Over many dinners, Art loved to talk about how Seneca produced and canned their product, especially corn. I learned about developing new seed, planting, harvesting, can manufacturing, canning, and shipping. I think I am qualified to be a Seneca employee!
Glenn Dallas ’58
mgdallas@hotmail.com
In Memory of Charlie Moore ’51: a Cornell, Sigma Nu, and Olympic Legend
Sigma Nu lost one of its most beloved brothers when Charlie Moore ’51 passed away on October 8, 2020. As noted on the Cornell Athletics website, “the impact on his family, the Big Red, and the sporting and business worlds will long be told.” The same is true of his impact on our chapter, because Charlie was not only an esteemed alumnus but continued to be a staunch supporter of the chapter. He coined the “Building a Bridge” phrase for our current fundraising effort while attending our annual property association meeting in the fall of 2019.
A fierce competitor on the track, Charlie never lost a race in the 400-meter hurdles during his outstanding career, which included a gold medal in the 1952 Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. More information on Charlie’s life and legacy can be found at www.CornellBigRed.com.
Remembrance by Jack Vinson ’51
Jack has been a life-long friend of Charlie. They first met when they joined Sigma Nu together in the fall of 1947.
Charlie Moore was born in 1929 at RD4 Wawaset, Pennsylvania, just south of highway 80, a few miles west of Philadelphia. His father was president of a steel plant that was originated by his grandfather. His father had been on the 1924 US Olympic team. Charlie graduated from Mercersburg Academy, where he was on the track team and was never beaten in the hurdles, which was his specialty. Upon graduation, he planned to go to Penn State, where his father went, but could not be admitted due to the fact that he was not a World War II veteran, something that was necessary at that time. Incidentally, I could not be admit¬ted to Stanford University the same year because I was not a World War II veteran either. Each of us then applied to and was admitted to Cornell University in the fall of 1947. In that year, only veterans of WW II were admitted at Penn State and Stanford.
As fall classes began, so did fraternity pledging at the dozens of fraternities at Cornell. During the two weeks of pledging, Charlie and I met and got to know each other. Sigma Nu was primarily a fraternity that involved many students who were active in various major sports on campus. After the two-week pledge period, we joined the nine¬teen students who pledged Sigma Nu, ten of whom were veterans and nine of whom were the first recognizable group of civilians who became undergraduate students. Charlie and I were two of the three pledges who were engineering students. During our freshman year, we lived in dormitories but ate meals and enjoyed activities at Sigma Nu. It is important to remember that, for us nine civilian undergraduate students, all other male students were significantly older than we were. During our second year at Cornell, Charlie and I roomed together at Sigma Nu in a two-man study room and slept upstairs as all of us did then, in the dormer.
We became very close and over and above on campus activities. I also was welcomed at Charlie’s home in Wawaset many times during my return from Kansas City, Missouri, where my folks lived during the five-year undergraduate program.
At Cornell, Charlie was super as a member of the track team. As a hurdler, he never was defeated while at Mercersburg Academy, and he never was defeated as a Cornell hurdler. He won his hurdling event in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, taking gold against a favored Russian, and one week later at White City Stadium in London, he set a new world record. After that, he hung up his cleats and was never beaten in his specialty in his life.
After the sophomore year of the five-year academic program, Charlie married his girlfriend, Judith, who lived in Newark, Delaware, and moved into an apartment in Ithaca. I was the best man at Charlie’s wedding. Charlie took over the operation of his father’s firm, later sold it, and became the CEO of several Fortune 500 firms, as well as a member of the US Olympic Committee and its financial committee. He also returned to Ithaca as Cornell’s athletic director in 1994.
During the remainder of our lives, we have retained and enjoyed our friendship since 1947, as evidenced by the fact that he attended my 90th birthday here at the Quadrangle in Haverford, Pennsylvania, where I have lived since 2016. I have been an engineering professor at the University of Delaware, where I have served as chairman of mechanical and aerospace engineering for 14 years and the H. Fletcher Brown Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering for 42 years.
Lastly, I am sorry to say that Charlie passed away this last fall.
Brothers interested in connecting with Jack can email his son, Chris Vinson, at ceevee830@gmail.com.
Remembering Rich Shaffer '77
In the summer 2020 Sigma News, we memorialized the passing of Tom Paddrik ’77, one of the “Jamestown 5”: five high school friends from Jamestown, New York, who all went to Cornell’s engineering school as freshmen members of the class of 1977 and who all joined Sigma Nu and stayed in close touch after graduation. Unfortunately, we must report we have lost another member of the Jamestown 5 when brother Rich Shaffer ’77 lost his 18-month battle with abdominal cancer on March 30, 2021.
Gamma Theta extends condolences to his wife, Natalka Bukalo Shaffer, the entire Shaffer family, and his many friends in and out of Sigma Nu. Memories of “Shafes” shared here are from his wife of 41 years, Natalka, and one of the brothers who knew him best, another member of the Jamestown 5, Tom Swanson ’77.
Rich and I (Tom) were literally connected from birth. We were born on the same day, May 3, 1955, in the same hospital in Jamestown, New York, about an hour apart. We did not formally meet until a few years later, in the seventh grade at Lincoln Jr. High School. Our paths intertwined ever since as junior-high-school, high-school, and then college classmates; brothers at Sigma Nu; and lifelong friends as part of the Jamestown 5 (Tom Paddrik ’77, Rich Shaffer ’77, Rick Turner ’77, Russ Cusimano ’77, and me). We did not plan on attending Cornell as a group, but we all applied and got accepted, and it just worked out that way. Rich’s uncle was the Cornell baseball coach at the time, and he did a good job of talking up the school. Neither did we plan on all joining Sigma Nu, but during rush season in 1973, Tom Paddrik got the idea we would rush as a “block,” and Sigma Nu was either smart or too naive to take us all; not sure which. We all lived in the house for three years, where Shafes served as steward and social chairman. Four of the five graduated from the engineering school, while Rich figured out sophomore year engineering was not his calling and transferred to the ag school and concentrated on business and the money end of things.
After graduating from Cornell in 1977, Rich and fellow Sigma Nu brother Steve Vaccaro ’77 moved to northern New Jersey as roommates to begin careers in banking. Rich Rich Shaffer ’77 worked for First National Bank and, after completing the management training program, became a commercial loan officer. Rich met his wife, Natalka Bukalo (from the Ukraine), at the First National Bank management training program in 1978, and they were married in April 1980. In 1979, Rich joined Barclays Bank in New York, where he was an officer in investment banking for their energy lending group. While at Barclays, he worked in the UK while attending the bank’s executive development program and was also sent to the Darden School at University of Virginia for an executive management program. Rich also became a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), which began his shift from banking into investment consulting. In 1994, Rich and Natalka cofounded Chartwell Consulting, an investment consulting firm working with retirement plans, endowments and foundations, and family offices. This experience would later profoundly help the Gamma Theta Chapter.
Rich loved what he did, but he did not just live to work; he worked and lived a full life. Rich participated in sports growing up. He was our high-school quarterback, and while the sports changed over the years, his passion for sports did not. He loved golf. Rich and I spent many hours together on the Cornell course. He later participated in golf leagues and tournaments. A highlight for him was participating in the Franklin Templeton “Shootout,” a pro-amateur event in 2002, where he was paired with golf pros Steve Elkington and Lee Janzen. Rich was introduced to sailing and skiing (as were we all) by Rick Turner. Sailing vacations in the Greek Isles and Belize followed, as did ski trips to Austria, Colorado, Utah, and Canada. Rich also combined his love of good food and wine with traveling. Over the years, he attended four cooking schools in France, Italy, and Spain. He “amortized” the cost of those programs by hosting many themed-dinner parties over the years! In 1998, Rich purchased a second home in Colorado Springs, where he was looking forward to retiring. He spent two to three months a year there, enjoying old passions like golf but developing new interests in fly fishing, bird shooting, and deer hunting.
Rich’s expertise with Chartwell Consulting was tapped by the Gamma Theta Property Association in 2017 as part of the GT capital campaign to develop a tax-deductible contribution pathway. Thus, the 501(c)(3) Fall Creek Leadership Foundation was formed and approved in May of 2018. His work proved fortuitous during the subsequent suspension, helping to sustain the GTPA until reconstitution of the chapter this year.
Rich loved a cigar during golf and poker games and in the evenings. At Sigma Nu, he was a regular at the all-night poker table in the library.
The Jamestown 5 is now the Jamestown 3, but the comradery, friendship, and brotherhood will never end. Believe in the life of love, walk in the way of honor, serve in the light of truth. Always.
PS: In the memorial to Tom Paddrik, it was said he was an avid shortwave radio fan and held multiple conversations with Saddam Hussein. Not so. It should have said King Hussein of Jordan, two entirely different people.
Brothers interested in connecting with Tom Swanson ’77 can email him at tgswanson@cox.net.
Snakes, Memes, and Musk
By Alex Krakoski ’16, Vice President, GTPA
For the last two years, Max Tave ‘15 and I have been working part-time with Dot Capital, a NYC-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies globally.
Dot Capital’s founder and managing partner Joe Saviano, father of Brett Saviano ‘17, launched the firm in 2012 after previously serving as a partner at Baker Capital, a private equity firm that backed companies such as Akamai, which helped develop the first forms of global Internet and networking infrastructure that evolved into what powers the digital economy we live in today. Joe attended Lehigh University and is a Kappa Sigma, which is why he supports the persistence of a strong brotherhood like we have at Gamma Theta at Cornell.
Dot Capital primarily focuses on early-stage investments in technology startups with business models focused on software-as-a-service, digital media, computing infrastructure and Internet of Things at the seed or Series A stage. That typically means we are amongst their first investors that aren’t friends or family and have invested an average of $1 million per company across 17 companies to date. IMGN Media, which manages some of the most popular meme brand channels on Instagram and Snap was just acquired by Warner Music Group for just under $100 million after receiving investment from Dot in 2018, bringing us to eight total exits. We specifically seek companies whose business models show a realistic path to profitable unit economics in 18-24 months (or before they need more financing) so that they don’t need to raise another round of financing just to stay afloat, but can raise more capital to accelerate their growth from an already somewhat solid foundation.
Max and I met Joe after graduating and began introducing him to friends that launched their own promising technology startups that fit Dot Capital’s investment profile. As Joe came to know us better and realized significant returns from prior investments that suggested Dot was ready to move up in weight class, Max and I formally joined part-time to help Joe grow the firm with the intent of eventually joining full-time.
While our fund is small, Dot typically tries to lead investment rounds. This is important because we are able to negotiate the valuation and other terms of investment such as taking board seats. Our most recent investment, Blue Wire, a sports podcasting network that produces and distributes high quality original and hyperlocal sports-themed podcasts, exemplifies this strategy. We led their $1.2 million seed financing round, which helped bring in strategic investors such as Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones (through his investment firm Forty5 Ventures) and retired NBA star Baron Davis. Baron will launch his own podcasting company, Slic, on Blue Wire’s network and also help recruit other athletes to join.
Since joining, we’ve also led investments in Hanzo - a Brazilian company that offers a white -labeled digital payments and loyalty platform. Hanzo’s software allows any organization to recreate the Starbucks app experience for a brand driving mobile consumption and repurchase without any engineers. Their clients consist of big companies such as Mastercard, Unilever, and McDonald’s (their ice cream machines in Brazil work!) as well as some smaller startups. With the emergence of COVID-19, they doubled down on supporting contactless deliveries after learning a lot from their work with Petz - the biggest pet retailer in Brazil. Hanzo built Petz a mobile app using their e-commerce suite and mobile orders now represent a third of their sales after one year!
Working with Dot Capital has been especially rewarding for Max and I as a “hands-on-MBA” of sorts since we get to work directly with leaders of high growth companies to solve real problems all over the world and learn a lot about their unique business and technology along the way. Every once in a while, we get to meet especially interesting entrepreneurs such as Tosca Musk, who launched her romance-focused streaming service after receiving a small investment from her brothers Elon and Kimbal, as well as Dot Capital. Joe has also provided hilarious uncensored feedback and mentorship, which certainly reminds us of Brett’s own ability to sniff out BS!
We’re always looking for ways to work with and support brothers. I had lost my home to foreclosure in the fall of 2016, but am now back on my feet and doing things I like and I owe it all to the support I received from my brothers over the last few years. Through working with Dot, Max and I have developed extensive networks in startup communities and are able to help refer brothers who might have been impacted by recent layoffs (or anyone looking to get rid of their boss) to high-growth technology companies. We’re happy to begin returning some of the favors that have helped us in our early careers. Please feel free to reach out.
Catch up with Alex at ank43@cornell.edu and Max at myt22@cornell.edu.
Remembering Tom Paddrik ’77
Sigma Nu lost a brother to COVID-19 on May 26, 2020, when Tom Paddrik passed away in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Tom was born on May 5, 1955, and was one of the “Jamestown 5,” five high school friends from Jamestown, New York, who all went to Cornell’s engineering school as freshmen members of the class of ’77, and they all joined Sigma Nu and stayed in close touch after graduation.
Gamma Theta extends condolences to the entire Paddrik family. Memories of Tom are shared here by one of the brothers who knew him best, Rich Shaffer ’77 (rshaffer03@gmail.com).
“Tom was my best friend in high school. We were in Jamestown High’s G & T Program, so we were in mostly the same classes for three straight years. Even then, Tom was an organizer. And, sometimes, an instigator. He had a lot of interests, including ham radio and debating. And, he always aimed high. He organized our debate team’s ‘summer school’ at Georgetown University. He developed a ham radio relationship with Saddam Hussein. A high school kid!
“Tom graduated Jamestown High in 1973. We both enrolled in Cornell’s Engineering School. So did three of our classmates. All five of us were Cornell Engineering! We were all pretty close in high school, and got closer at Cornell. Tom and I roomed together freshman year. When it came time that fall to rush fraternities, Tom came up with a radical plan—we would rush the houses together. We’d attend dinners and smokers together. Houses gradually came to understand that we might all join the same one. Thus, the ‘Jamestown 5’ was born. And, Tom was our leader. When we came back early in January ’74 to be interviewed (rushed) by the houses, it was Tom who suggested we do it together. Two brothers would show up to see Tom, and they would have all five of us to deal with. The rooms got plenty smoky, but the brothers of Sigma Nu took it all in stride.
“Tom was interested in sports cars—Jaguars, Ferraris, and Austin Healys to name a few. He would help organize the brothers’ trips to the Grand Prix races at Watkins Glen. Again, Tom aimed high.
“So it was with women. He met his wife, Viviana, when she was a visiting student from Argentina. She hit him like a thunderbolt when they first met. They married very shortly after her graduation, and stayed that way until Tom’s passing earlier this year. We will all miss him.”
Reunion Year Alumni Profiles
Rob "RT" Williams ’79
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown (during college): Edison, NJ
Current town and State: Wayne, PA
Employer: Boeing (retired 2018 after 29 years), Fox School of Business, Temple University, 5 years
Job Title: Program Manager at Boeing, Adjunct Professor at Temple
Job Responsibilities: Boeing, international marketing, R&D, new product development; innovation; Temple Fox: teaching innovation management to MBAs.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Travel and work with partners in many countries in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Led innovation management practices for the defense side of Boeing, collaboration with Boeing Commercial Airplane on new products. Teaching and mentoring MBAs was very rewarding.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Now chair of the historic commission of my township preserving local historic buildings.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: The comfort, comradery, and friendships in our house down the hill and set apart from the main Cornell campus.
E-Mail Address: robboeing@aol.com
Henry Hendriks ’84
Major: Materials Science & Engineering
Hometown (during college): Wakefield, MA
Current town and State: Bedford, MA
Employer: Cirtec Medical in Lowell, MA
Job Title: Sr. Engineer, Process Development
Job Responsibilities: New product introduction (NPI), process development, improvement, mentoring, lean Six Sigma, etc.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Learning new things everyday and working as a team with younger engineers to meet various customer requirements.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Finance, investments, skiing, singing, exercising, etc.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: The daily interaction with fellow brothers.
E-Mail Address: henrythendriks@gmail.com
Matt McGinity ’89
Major: Meteorology
Hometown (during college): Madison, NJ
Current Town and State: Naples FL & MA (snow bird!)
Employer: SuperLogics Inc.
Job Title: President
Job Responsibilities: Overseeing company operations.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Testing new ideas.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Corkstashes, friends and family, Matty’s Margs, Joel’s ’80s playlist…all at once.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: Gathering at dinner, hosting parties, morning-after clean ups with Killer.
E-Mail Address: mattm@superlogics.com
Will Macias ’09
Major: Sociology
Hometown: North Bergen, NJ
Current Home: North Bergen, NJ
Employer: Cetera Investment Services
Job Title: Financial Advisor
Job Responsibilities: Helping clients (individuals/small businesses/employers) plan, save, and protect their financial goals.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Understanding how someone's past history forms their thoughts and feelings about money and financial security.
Hobbies/Personal Interests Gym, dancing, spending time with friends and family.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: Many things, but simply just spending time with the boys...and dartying.
E-Mail Address: william.macias5@gmail.com
Drew Lawrence ‘89
Major: HotelHometown: Aiea, HI
Current Home: Boston, MA
Employer: Retired. Taught math at Needham High School for 24 years, and currently coach boy’s varsity tennis (26th year).
Hobbies/Personal Interests golf, snowboarding, pickleball, curling, and travel. Married Alina Martinez (younger sister of Sigma Nu little sister Annalisa Martinez).
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: Fraternal bliss on the roof.
E-Mail Address: drew_lawrence@msn.com
Ryne Posey ‘09
Major: ILRHometown: Kansas City, MO
Current Home: Los Angeles, CA
Employer: Skadden, Arps
Job Title: Partner
Job Responsibilities: I represent companies and executives in various labor and employment matters, including transactional, advice and counseling, and litigation and dispute resolution.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: I have a hybrid practice, so on many days, that means I will be in court to argue a motion in the morning and then back to the office in the afternoon to negotiate high-profile employment-related agreements (working on Lionel Messi's contract has been the most exciting) or the employment provisions in a mega M&A deal or both.
Hobbies/Personal Interests Traveling, real estate investing, and sports, sports, sports.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: The epic day parties and haggling with Dan to get money for the kegs.
E-Mail Address: rcp33@cornell.edu or ryne.posey@skadden.com
Bob Kaleel ‘19
Major: Human Biology, Health, & Society (’19); Master of Healthcare Administration (’20)Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Current Home: Cleveland, OH
Employer: Cleveland Clinic
Job Title: Director of Hospital Medicine – Cleveland Clinic
Job Responsibilities: Lead and manage operations for the Department of Hospital Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, which includes around 150 physicians and about 50 APPs, with a budget of over $160M.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Getting to work with some of the best and brightest in healthcare.
Hobbies/Personal Interests golf and basketball.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: The backyard and Cindy's cooking.
E-Mail Address: kaleelr2@ccf.org
Patrick Moylan ‘84
Major: Aeronautical EngineeringHometown: Sudbury, MA
Current Home: Monument, CO
Employer: Northgate Aviation
Job Title: Chief Pilot
Job Responsibilities: After retiring from the USAF after a 25-year career, I now fly several corporate jets, including Phenom 100, Citation II and V. I'm also a part-time tow pilot at the Air Force Academy here in Colorado Springs, and I instruct pilots transitioning to tailwheel aircraft and teach local high-school students in gliders.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Love it all, but instructing high-school students is very rewarding.
Hobbies/Personal Interests hiking, camping with the family, reading, bagpiping with the local Pikes Peak Highlanders, and fifing with the Mile High Fife and Drum Corps.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: Hanging out with a great bunch of guys.
E-Mail Address: pomoylan@aol.com
Herb Riband ‘84
Major: History, Spanish and EconomicsHometown: Fort Washington, PA
Current Home: Lutry, Switzerland (4 minutes from Geneva)
Employer: Self employed (InnAxx Consulting)
Job Title: Managing Director, Chief Everything
Job Responsibilities: Innovative approaches to global health, healthcare delivery, and healthy ageing.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Engaging with private sector companies, NGOs, WHO, UN agencies, governments, academia, etc. - and find ways to get s**t done.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: Intramural ice hockey (Snakes!), funnelating (it’s a hit!) and fun chapter meetings with delirious Recorder reports.
One Thing You Don’t Miss: Red bug juice!
E-Mail Address: hfriband@gmail.com
Ed Reiss ‘69
Major: Civil EngineeringHometown: Milford, CT
Current Home: Westport, MA
Employer: Retired now
Job Title: Executive with specific responsibilities for fulfillment of “Honey Do” list.
Job Responsibilities: Keeping client (Lucy - wife) satisfied with condition of home.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Being well fed for achieving job success.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Working with Westport Council on Aging by offering training and classes on computer operations.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: Miss the relationships with my brothers. This was the most important part of my Cornell experience.
E-Mail Address: ereiss@gmail.com
Ty Bostain ‘14
Major: Dyson Business School (AEM)Hometown: Bucks County, PA
Current Home: Skaneateles, NY
Employer: Epic Gardening
Job Title: eCommerce Director
Job Responsibilities: General Manager of our online/DTC business focused on digital marketing, site development and growing our product assortment.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Digital businesses are evolving so fast today. I enjoy learning every day about the latest eCommerce tech tools like AI, growth marketing and Shopify tools.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Cycling, time at the lake, working out and spending time with my young family.
One Thing You Miss Most About Sigma Nu: Those first "warm" days in the Spring as we'd head straight to the roof with a speaker and soak in the sun.
E-Mail Address: ty.bostain@gmail.com
Ken Kunken ‘73
Major: Industrial Engineering, then remained at Cornell for my Master of Education degree in Counseling and Student Personnel AdministrationHometown: Oceanside, NY
Current Home: Rockville Centre, NY
Employer: Nassau County District Attorney
Job Title: Deputy Bureau Chief of the County Court Trial Bureau
Job Responsibilities: Supervised Assistant District Attorneys prosecuting felonies. Retired in 2016, but have continued working part-time.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Prosecuting criminal cases.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Serve on the Board of Directors at the Viscardi Center in Albertson, NY, an organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities. I have recently completed a book about my life, titled: “I Dream of Things that Never Were, The Ken Kunken Story,” which will be published before the end of the year. My triplet sons will be graduating high school this year. The best part of my life has been watching them grow up.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Camaraderie with the brothers.
Contact Ken at ken.kunken@gmail.com.
Vinny Serpico ’73
Major: Engineering, then remained for my MBA at Cornell after graduationHometown: East Meadow, Long Island, NY
Current Home: Princeton, NJ
Employer: I started my career in the beauty industry in 1975 after graduating B school, working for Estee Lauder, Max Factor and the last 28 years for L'Oreal. I retired in 2013 from the corporate world and I now work part time with private equity firms serving on industry boards and doing advisory work.
Job Title: My last position was Chief Operations Officer for L'Oreal North America (2006-2013).
Job Responsibilities: With 7 plants and 15 distribution centers in the North American zone, the team was responsible for engineering of new products, supply chain and production support with distribution to the final customer.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Finding the right talent and ensuring that there was career growth for new hires. In addition, L'Oreal was involved in many acquisitions during my last 15 years and the challenge was the integration of the new acquisitions into our global footprint and their adaptation to the L'Oreal culture.Truly an international company with a strong French heritage, North America was their second largest market. I was blessed to travel often to Paris and visit L'Oreal plants throughout Europe.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Still trying to improve my golf handicap. We travel often and have experienced many cruises, both river and ocean. We were snowbirds for many years but sold our home in Naples, Florida in 2020 to spend more time with our kids (2 daughters) and grandchildren (four ranging in age from 4 years old to 20) with both families based in New Jersey. Approaching 48 years of marriage to my wife Claudia.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: So many memories of the great parties we would have (that probably contributed to the need to renovate the house!). I loved the competition of intramural football with other fraternities. Our frequent visits to the Fall Creek House with memories that will last a lifetime. The camaraderie and brotherhood that we enjoyed was the gift that will always be remembered.
Contact Vinny at vjms1111@gmail.com.
Marc Bruno ’93
Major: HotelHometown: Glen Ellyn, IL
Current Home: Rose Valley, PA
Employer: Aramark
Job Title: COO
Job Responsibilities: Celebrating 30 years at Aramark, started as an intern. Enjoy the travel, dealing with different cultures, challenges, and cuisines across the globe. But, always nice to be home and spend time with my wife, Brynne (also Hotel ’93), and three daughters (16, 14 and 12).
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: I miss House dinners, negotiating the bar tab with Nick at Dino’s at the end of every night during rush week, and throwing everything imaginable out of the windows into the dumpster during fall move-in. And Spring Breaks with 40 brothers, trying not to laugh during court, and determining just what was a joke vs. a riddle.
Contact Bruno at bruno-marc@aramark.com.
Dr. Darren Carpizo ’93
Major: Biology and SocietyHometown: Arlington Heights, IL
Current Home: Pittsford, NY
Employer: University of Rochester Medical Center
Job Title: Professor of Surgery - Chief, Division of Surgical Oncology, Vice-Chair of Research Department of Surgery
Job Responsibilities: Manage a division of 12 surgical oncologists, teach residents and medical students, principal Investigator of an NIH funded cancer research laboratory.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: I perform complex liver and pancreatic surgeries on patients to treat cancer. I am also a scientist and develop new drugs to treat cancer.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Running, golf, cooking and traveling.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Throwing huge house parties, hot truck and IM sports.
Contact Darren at darrencarpizo@gmail.com.
Mark Meulenberg ’93
Major: Business Management and Applied EconomicsHometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Current Home: Charlottesville, VA
Employer: Masonry Capital Management
Job Title: Chief Investment Officer
Job Responsibilities: Manage a hedge fund.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Searching for new investment opportunities.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Coaching youth sports. I will be joining the faculty at the University of Alabama in the fall of 2023 to teach courses in Value Investing.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Hanging out with the guys. You could always find someone to do something with!
Contact Mark at vmark.meulenberg@gmail.com.
Jeff Woodring ’93
Major: AGEC, Applied Economics and Business ManagementHometown: Victor, NY
Current Home: Wilton, CT
Employer: Retired! I was a derivatives trader and ran single stock derivative trading desks at UBS, Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs. Spending time in Frankfurt, Germany and Hong Kong, I “grew-up” in the dawn of high-frequency trading. I focused much of my time bridging the gap between programmers and trading. This proprietary trading transitioned into facilitating customer flow for some of the biggest hedge funds, institutions and high net worth customers. I still find myself trading a decent amount, especially being online to ”’trade the open” and recently got my son Parker involved.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Recently bought a Cayuga lakehouse. Spending more time in Ithaca fixing things up.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Spontaneous gathering of brothers to do things with, such as library hours from 8-11 pm before hitting C-Town, laundry at the Creeker, video store outings, to name a few. Regardless of what was on the list of things to do, or wanted to do, there were others in the house that wanted to do them also.
Contact Jeff at teamwoodring@gmail.com.
Sean Maloney ’18
Major: Hotel AdministrationHometown: Silver Spring, MD
Current Home: Los Angeles, CA
Employer: Nancy Silverton
Job Title: Director of Hospitality
Job Responsibilities: Running group of Italian restaurants.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Traveling and meeting fascinating people.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Working out, eating pasta & drinking wine.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Messing around cooking late night at the house!
Contact Sean at vsm955@cornell.edu.
Ron Chretien ’72
Major: College of Operations Research & Industrial EngineeringHometown: Grew up in Wollaston, MA but spent most of my life in Union Springs, NY, just up Cayuga Lake from Ithaca with my wife Nancy (former Pin-mate) and sons Tim and Kevin. We celebrated 50 years of marriage this past January.
Current Home: The Villages, FL
Employer: Retired in 2007. President and Co-owner of the R.G. Wright Agency, an independent insurance agency located in Auburn, NY.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: The Villages is a very golf-oriented community with 13 country clubs and an additional 40+ executive courses. That has become my newest passion. Certainly wish I took the game up before I retired. I belong to a golf group ranging from 12-20 guys. I always remark that it's the closest thing to my fraternity days....too much beer, too much trash talk. I am also a volunteer marshal at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, the LPGA Tournament of Champions & the PNC Father/Son Classic...all in Orlando.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Certainly it is the brotherhood that I miss the most. I also miss the nights in Lynah Rink watching the national champion hockey teams. I fondly remember housing many brothers at my house in Wollaston, MA when we traveled to the ECAC hockey tournament at the old Boston Garden.
Contact Ron at ronchretien@yahoo.com.
Jack R. Vinson ’52
Major: Mechanical EngineeringHometown: Kansas City, MO
Current Home: Haverford, PA
Employer: Retired from the University of Delaware. I was a faculty member in the department of mechanical engineering from 1956 until 2012, including being the chairman of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from 1956 until 1981, after which I was the H. Fletcher Brown professor until I retired from the university in 2012.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Reading and working on my coin collection.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: The late-night table tennis and bridge games with fraternity brothers at the house.
Contact Jack at vinsonsma@aol.com
Orion Corcilius ’97
Major: BS Hotel Administration, MBAHometown: Blue Mountains, Australia
Current Home: Westchester County, NY
Employer: Orion Hospitality Corp.
Job Title: Founder and Managing Partner
Job Responsibilities: Commercial real estate capital markets advisory.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Capital structuring and the destination hospitality and mixed-use projects themselves.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Mountain bike racing, golf, surfing, snowboarding, outdoors, food, wine, music, entertaining, and travel.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: House parties.
Contact Orion at occ2@cornell.edu or ocorcilius@hotmail.com
Peter Hufnagel ’12
Major: Interdisciplinary StudiesHometown: Scarsdale, NY
Current Home: Atlanta, GA
Employer: The Lemon Perfect Company
Job Title: Special Assistant to the CEO
Job Responsibilities: Administrator, office manager, and miscellaneous duties at beverage startup.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Seeing consumers choose our product every day.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Lifting weights, swimming, hip-hop music, cooking.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Christopher Sheridan ’12 knocking down my door in the dormer.
Contact Peter at peterdhufnagel@gmail.com
Thomas Doupé ’12
Major: Applied Economics and ManagementHometown: Westlake Village, CA
Current Home: San Francisco, CA
Employer:JLL
Job Title: Senior Vice President – Agency Leasing
Job Responsibilities: Office leasing on behalf of institutionally owned office buildings downtown.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Building relationships.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Golf and spending time with my family.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Having free time and fewer responsibilities.
Contact Thomas at tdoupe1@gmail.com
Joe Pierik ’17
Major: SociologyHometown: Corona, CA
Current Home: Los Angeles, CA
Employer: Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate
Job Title: Associate Broker
Job Responsibilities: Represent office tenants and landlords in the Southern California market, advisor to clients on commercial real estate buying/selling and leasing of office space.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Every day I am doing something new, always meeting new people and no two deals are the same.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Disc golf at least once a week, hanging with my Cornell buddies.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: I miss having meals with the other Sigma Nu brothers; truly had some of the best times at Cornell in that Sigma Nu dining hall.
Contact Joe at jtp94@cornell.edu
Jack Reardon ’96
Major: PsychologyHometown: Falmouth, MA
Current Home: West Springfield, VA (we've been in the D.C. area for six years now)
Employer: U.S. Navy (25 years and counting...)
Job Title: Still active duty and currently hold the rank of captain. Current job title is Deputy Chief of Congressional Affairs, Office of Corporate Communication at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
Current Job Responsibilities: Just started here this spring, so I'm still getting my feet wet at NGA. My division is responsible for supporting all NGA interactions with Congress, including hearings, briefings and responses to requests for information. We track legislation and congressional activities of interest to NGA, and we are the liaison/touch point with a number of other federal agencies.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: TBD since I just started here, but working with Congress is a completely different type of staff work than I'm used to. After flying helicopters for the majority of my career, I'm finding that each new staff job (non-flying) is a completely new experience. I was working Navy manpower issues on OPNAV Staff in Arlington, VA, for the last three years, and I was at the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency as a part of the Joint Staff for the three years before that. All great jobs...but yes, I miss flying helicopters...every day...seriously.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Travel, biking, skiing, golf, boating, long/late sessions by the fire pit, all Boston/New England sports teams, and our dog, Finley. Completely consumed with kids’ sports (Jack–11, Alex–8) from season to season, but can't get enough of watching them grow and get better each year.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: The brothers, of course. Still keep touch with a number of folks from the '95-'97 classes (Greg Fairbank '96, Joe Adiletta '96, Adam Hills '97, Lou Giampa '97, and Tom Van Buren '95, to name a few), as well as my little/big/big-big brothers from time to time (Jules Sherwood '99, Mike Boorstein '94, and Nate Moyer '93). Nothing but great memories of the house and the brothers I shared it with.
Contact Jack at jack.reardon7@yahoo.com
Alex Krakoski ’16
Major: Chemical Engineering and EntrepreneurshipHometown: Miami, FL
Current Home: Chicago, IL/Orlando, FL
Employer: Helpr is my full-time employer and I still do part-time work with Dot Capital and Taurus Ventures.
Job Title: Director of Operations at Helpr, part-time associate with both Dot and Taurus
Current Job Responsibilities: At Helpr I report directly to the CEO and work with her and the rest of the team to help scale the company. I joined as employee number 14 (we are now at 20) this past fall and am immediately focused on raising our Series A round, and also help with almost everything else ranging from hiring to technology partnerships. We worked with a California State Assemblywoman Wendy Carillo to help bring a bill to the floor recently that, if passed, would begin to help a ton of families that are struggling right now.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: I am excited to help build an impactful business that can stand on its own alongside a team I trust.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Illiquid early-stage technology investments, skiing.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: I will always miss living so close to all my brothers!
Contact Alex at alexkrakoski@gmail.com
Steve Gettins ’96
Major: Biology & SocietyHometown: Newport, PA
Current Home: Coopersburg, PA
Employer: Self Employed, Right at Home Franchisee
Job Title: Owner/VP
Current Job Responsibilities: Oversee all sales and operations for Right at Home of Eastern PA. We provide companion care, personal care, and support services for the aging population and disabled adults so they can stay safe, healthy and comfortable in their homes.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: First off, we get the opportunity to support some of the most vulnerable people in our communities by allowing them to age in place where they most often want: in their homes. Helping seniors and disabled adults is incredibly rewarding. Second, I love being my own boss. Having spent almost 20 years in the corporate world, it has been refreshing to chart my own course. There are no politics or bureaucracy, and there are very few roadblocks to decision-making and execution of change. And, you can’t beat the flexibility.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Travel, anything at the beach, whiskey and beer (some things never change), Steelers and Penn State. I love spending time with my wife, Christina, and our son, Gavin. The pledge class of ’93 still gets together occasionally, and I cherish those moments!
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Football with friends, small and large gatherings on the roof, the march to the hill on Slope Day, and the annual Christmas tree hunt. Contact Steve at steveg@easternpahomecare.com
Matthew Doneth ’16
Major: Hotel SchoolHometown: Flint, MI
Current Home: New York City (although currently doing nomad life and working remotely)
Employer: Apollo Global Management
Job Title: Private Equity Associate
Current Job Responsibilities: Sourcing and underwriting of commercial real estate investments across the U.S.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Going on site tours (especially for hotels!) and doing deep dives into new cities and markets.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Travel, foodie, live music, coffee enthusiast.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Beers on the backyard at sunset!
Contact Matthew at Matthew.D.Doneth@gmail.com
Matt Altomare ’06
Major: GovernmentHometown: Fairfax, VA
Current Home: Arlington, VA
Employer: Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense (DoD)
Job Title: Deputy Director, Cyber Policy Plans and Operations
Current Job Responsibilities: Establish and oversee the implementation of DoD cyberspace policy and strategy. Integrate national cyberspace policy and guidance with DoD cyberspace policy. Provide guidance and oversight on DoD cyberspace activities as they relate to foreign cyberspace threats, international cooperation, engagement with foreign partners, and international organizations, and implement DoD cyberspace strategy and plans, including those related to cyberspace forces, capabilities, and their employment.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job:Daily interactions with the National Security Council Staff and other senior DoD leaders.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: CrossFit, travel, history and home improvement.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: The people and the dynamic schedule.
Contact Matt at matt.altomare@gmail.com
Andy Inkeles ’85
Major: Mechanical EngineeringHometown: Great Neck, NY
Current Home: Los Angeles, CA
Employer: ManTech International
Job Title: Risk Management Lead
Current Job Responsibilities: Systems Engineering and Integration Risk Management Lead for United States Space Force (USSF) National Space Security Launch (NSSL) Program.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Get to play with rockets!
Hobbies/Personal Interests: High school baseball umpire, Little League baseball umpire.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: The "feeling" of brotherhood.
Contact Andy at ari4@cornell.edu
Tom Cooney ’90
Major: CommunicationsHometown: Berkley, MI
Current Home: Royal Oak, MI
Employer: General Motors
Job Title: VP for Global Public Policy
Current Job Responsibilities: Manage GM's global government relations team.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: This is a new job for me — only since mid-2019 — after retiring from 25 wonderful years as a State Department foreign service officer. I have been thrust into the middle of GM's global restructuring transactions, have survived a long UAW strike, and am now working hard on GM's effort to manufacture critically needed breathing ventilators for COVID-19 victims. Not a dull moment since joining! Also is a bit surreal to return to the Detroit area, where I grew up, after living in Asia and South America for so many years. Good to be back in Motown, although it was never in the plans.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Live music, sports, watching my three children develop. Maybe one will go to Cornell, who knows?
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: The beauty of the Ithaca area and the old Chapter House on Stewart Ave.!
Contact Tom at oahu.tom@gmail.com
Taylor Betros ’15
Major: Applied Economics and ManagementHometown: Jacksonville, FL
Current Home: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Employer: PGA TOUR
Job Title: Manager, Business Development for Corporate Partnerships
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Pitching companies from all industries on why they should partner with the PGA TOUR versus other professional sports leagues.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Golf and football.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Hanging with the boys in the backyard overlooking Cayuga Lake!
Contact Taylor at trb94@cornell.edu
Peter McDonough ’15
Major: ILRHometown: Darien, CT
Current Home: Santa Monica, CA
Employer: CBS
Job Title: Showrunner's Assistant
Current Job Responsibilities: My "company" is a TV show and my boss is the "CEO" of the show. He manages the show's budget, hires the producers, decides on the actors cast for each role, and has creative control over the story by serving as its head writer. My job is to make sure my boss can do his job well. Like other assistant positions, I manage my boss' calendar, handle the phones, and organize the rest of the team to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: There were only four people on the team when I started, but by the time the show pilot is finished, there will be 75-plus. The most interesting thing about the job is to watch how 30 pieces of paper turn into the shows we watch on TV.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Screenwriting, surfing, and playing for the Santa Monica Club Rugby team.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: Sig Nu sunset from the roof! #BringBackTheRoof
Contact Pete at peter.mcdonough28@gmail.com
Shane McManamon ’15
Major: Hotel AdministrationHometown: Westlake, OH
Current Home: New York, NY
Employer: Distributed Solar Development, LLC
Job Title: Commercial Finance Associate
Current Job Responsibilities: I report directly to our CFO with a dotted line to our CCO. Some of my main responsibilities are owning cash forecasting and all pipeline reporting and forecasting. I also have ad hoc responsibilities that fluctuate according to the priorities of the business.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: I think the cash forecasting is one of the most interesting aspects of my job because I get to see the sources and uses of our cash and help to drive decision-making for the business.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Traveling, eating, golfing, and watching/playing basically any sport.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: The best views on campus and a huge, fully stocked kitchen available 24/7!
Contact Shane at swm86@cornell.edu
Sam Wood ’15
Major: Biology & SocietyHometown: Jacksonville, FL
Current Home: Chicago, IL
Employer: VillageMD (co-founded by CEO Tim Barry '93)
Job Title: Senior Product Manager
Current Job Responsibilities: Responsible for the roadmap and delivery of interoperable technology products supporting the docOS ecosystem. Currently working on establishing an API-first methodology for current and future product development, leveraging the clinical and claims data of ~4M patients in the VillageMD network.
Most Interesting Aspect of Your Job: Besides working at a Sigma Nu-founded and run company, I would say the ability to see our technical products deliver value to primary care physicians and their patients, enabling new and effective ways of delivering the best care to the right patient at the right time.
Hobbies/Personal Interests: Golf, any intramural sport, reading, discovering new donut shops.
One Thing You Miss Most about Cornell or Sigma Nu: The constant camaraderie.
Contact Sam at samdw12@gmail.com
The Class of '84 Takes the Spotlight
It's been 35 years since the class of '84 left 230 Willard Way. That class was one of the biggest of its time, graduating 27 brothers. They've gone on to do many things — from a naval aviator to an assistant U.S. attorney to managing investments at a hedge fund, and much more.
Alumni Profile: Back to School for Herb Riband '84
What was your major at Cornell and how did it prepare you for your career?
I double-majored in history and Spanish, but also took many economics courses in both the arts and ag schools. All of these, plus law school, helped prepare me for international careers in law and business, working in the U.S., Spain, England, and Switzerland. But it goes without saying that the most practical courses I took at Cornell were wines & spirits and human sexuality.
You’ve worked most of your professional life as an attorney and in healthcare market access and policy, and for the last 20 years you have been living in Switzerland working in the life sciences industry. Tell us about your recent work in Switzerland.
In Switzerland I worked for Amgen, the California-based biotechnology leader, and before that Medtronic, the Minnesota-based medical technology leader. My last position at Amgen was vice president international policy & government affairs, leading the company’s work in these areas outside of the United States. Before that, I was vice president value access & policy, leading Amgen’s European market access, pricing, health economics and healthcare policy activities, supporting the launch of five new medicines, as well as the company’s portfolio of existing medicines. A highlight for me was co-leading the launch of Amgen’s “Value Based Health Care” program in Europe, which developed innovative “beyond the drug” healthcare solutions and promoted healthcare policies focused on measuring and improving patient health outcomes.
Right now, you are at Stanford doing a one-year fellowship. What’s it like to go back to school mid-career and what will you take away from this fellowship program?
After working for 31 years, my wife, Jeanine Thomas Riband ’84, and I decided to go “back to school.” In September 2018, we embarked on a one-year DCI fellowship at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, as part of a relatively new program to help mid/late-career people assess how they want to make unique and positive contributions for the rest of their lives. The primary focus of my fellowship is on developing new approaches and technologies to enable innovative global health and healthcare delivery models. I am hoping to generate insights, identify new solutions, and make contacts that bring together innovation projects at Stanford and in Silicon Valley with health system thought leaders from around the world. But I am also having a great time taking many other types of courses, plus giving lectures and mentoring students.
Where will you go after the fellowship ends?
Jeanine and I plan to return to our home in Lausanne, Switzerland, with frequent trips to the U.S. to visit our two children and extended families. I expect I will continue to travel around the world for both work and pleasure.
What advice do you have for undergraduates interested in a career in law and/or healthcare?
I highly recommend both, provided you find the right employers who help you develop your skills and share your values. Working as a lawyer in law firms and corporations helped me to develop strong analytical and advocacy skills and taught me how to operate at the intersection of law, ethics, and business. I have very much enjoyed working in healthcare: in addition to learning a complex, highly-regulated, technology-intensive business, I have had the satisfaction of knowing that the work my team and I did every day helped patients somewhere in the world get access to a treatment that saved or dramatically improved their lives.
How did your time at Sigma Nu prepare you for life after Cornell professionally and personally?
I was fortunate to live with a great bunch of guys, and serve as social chairman (with my roommate Mark Vanacore ’84) and then as commander. Particularly in the latter role, I learned a great deal about leadership, management, motivation, talent recruitment, and financial responsibility. The learnings came from both accomplishments and mistakes. But they have served me well.
What is your favorite memory of living at 230 Willard Way?
Too many to list: serving on an elite “Varmint Cong” unit that took apart Collegetown during the Phi Psi 500 (all for charity of course), some amazing social events (prohibition party, Bahamas party, spring break in Fort Lauderdale, spring party weekend, etc.) and, of course, working together as a brotherhood to win the fraternity all sports trophy my senior year.
Life at Sigma Nu has changed over the years. For instance, the “tube room” name is lost on younger brothers who typically watch TV in the dormer. What’s one aspect of your time at Sigma Nu that you want today’s students to know about?
I felt like we were able to maintain a “sense of balance” that included social activities, sports, academics, and volunteer activities (Big Brother program, looking after the elderly neighbor across the street, etc.). We had a group of great people who (mostly) worked hard at school, excelled at sports and other activities, and generally had a hell of a lot of fun.
Greek intramurals and the pursuit of the all sports trophy was a “big thing” at Sigma Nu while you were in school. Which team was the best Sigma Nu ever fielded—name the sport and year.
I am, of course, biased, but the 1983-’84 Sigma Nu Snakes ice hockey team was the best team I played on at Cornell. Winning the fraternity ice hockey championship was a Cornell highlight for me, especially after we beat the pretty boys from Phi Delt and the jocks from DU—which fielded three to four varsity and junior varsity hockey players in a pathetic attempt to try and stop us. We still beat the b**t**ds!
How do you stay in touch with Sigma Nu and Cornell?
Reading the Sigma News and staying in contact with some of my other brothers.
Alumni Profile: Meet John Kowalchik '84, A Foodie for Life
What was your major at Cornell and how did it prepare you for your career?
I started out as a pre-med biology major. However, my role as a student manager at Cornell Dining and Catering made me realize my real passion was food service. I desperately wanted to become a hotelie, but the implication of having to start school over again was a non-starter. So I switched my major to food science, remaining in the ag school. As a full time student, I continued to work 40 to 50 hours a week as student coordinator of Cornell Dining throughout my junior and senior years. I truly credit the leadership experience gained as a student manager as the foundation of my career in food industry management.
You’ve worked most of your professional life in food manufacturing. Tell us about your current work as president and CEO of Baxters North America.
I joined Cincinnati-based Wornick Foods in 2001 to build a commercial business for a company with a proud history of making field feeding rations (MREs) for our nation’s warfighters. We successfully grew the business through contract manufacturing shelf stable foods for some of the world’s most iconic food brands. After several cycles of private equity ownership, the business was acquired by the Baxter Food Group in 2014. I was named CEO at that time. Baxters is a 150 year old, privately held global food company headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. Baxters is best known in the UK for its premium Baxters soup products. I run the North American business for Baxters, inclusive of Wornick Foods. We have four plants and over 750 employees. We have built a tremendous business focused on serving soldiers, babies, and people in crisis.
What’s your favorite Baxters product?
My favorite product is the Meal-Ready-Eat (MRE) that we have been making for the U.S. government since its inception 40 years ago. The MRE replaced the K-ration and is the foundation of our military’s field feeding program. Anyone who has served as a U.S. warfighter readily recognizes the MRE as an integral part of their training and military experience. It is difficult to express the pride of leading an organization that is such an integral supplier to our nation’s military and the extraordinary men and women who serve our country.
What advice do you have for undergraduates interested in a career in the food business?
Some of brightest individuals that I have ever met surrounded me at Cornell. I honestly feel that most were a hell of lot smarter than me. I have learned that the food business, like any manufacturing-centric business, is a “people” business. Gaining leadership experience, whether serving as social chairman at the fraternity house or supervising a campus catering event, are valuable building blocks in learning how to effectively engage and motivate people. There is nothing more fulfilling than developing teams that routinely accomplish things together that they never thought possible. Those who thrive in leadership roles have demonstrated they can win the hearts and minds of the employees they serve. I have found that those pursuing a career in management are well rewarded by focusing on honing these “soft skills.”
How did your time at Sigma Nu prepare you for life after Cornell professionally and personally?
The years that I spent at Sigma Nu (’81-’84) were the most formative and best of my life. My first date with Eleanor Donohue ’85, my wife of 33 years, was at a Sigma Nu Bahamas party. Brothers Matt Wiant ’84, Matt Kalaycio ’84, and Mickey Harris ’84 remain my closest friends. The opportunity to live in the house for three years (and summers) provided countless memories and relationships with an incredibly diverse and talented group of young men who favorably changed the direction of the house and all of those who were fortunate to have shared the experience.
What is your favorite memory of living at 230 Willard Way?
My role with Cornell Dining and Catering provided broad access to university “assets.” They were certainly put to good use when the house put on the first annual “Spring Wing Ding,” where we served buffalo wings for charity for thousands of students on a sunny spring afternoon on the Arts Quad. Unfortunately, some brothers learned the hard way that eating cooked wings while simultaneously loading fryers with raw chicken can get you pretty sick. We are fortunate that no brothers died of salmonella.
Life at Sigma Nu has changed over the years. For instance, in the ’80s, almost everyone lived in doubles and triples, now undergraduates prefer singles. What’s one aspect of your time at Sigma Nu that you want today’s students to know about?
Our class was large (27, I think) and almost everyone lived in the house for three years. Since my roommate (Wiant) and I had the distinction of the lowest pledge numbers, we doubled up in the smallest room in the house (on the wing). Looking back, It is hard to believe we made the room work. But I never remember it feeling too small.
You have plans to be back at your 35th Reunion in June. If you could live one more day at Sigma Nu, what would that day look like?
Breakfast in the dining room—sharing the stories of the previous night. Drinking refreshments in the sun all afternoon on the house roof, Big Red hockey game, chapter room party followed by the Corner afterward. Then watching the sun rise on the roof with my best buds.
How do you stay in touch with Sigma Nu and Cornell?
Wiant, Kalaycio, Harris, and I have remained close over the years. We shared our 30th birthdays in Cabo, brought in the millenium (2000 New Years) with our families together in a mansion in Key West. Ski trips, weddings, bar mitzvahs too numerous to count. Harris, Wiant, and I even got to do a NYC-based internet start-up business together in 1999-2000. To my kids, they are “uncles.” To me, they are my best friends and always will be.
Hard Work and Passion Drive Career Success for Sigma Nus
Every brother finds his own way forward after graduation, and those career paths can take interesting turns along the way. In this Sigma News, we’ll look at the career paths of two members and close friends who graduated a dozen years ago—Johnny Hill ’06 and Adam Sansiveri ’05. One built a fast-growing taco business before moving into private equity, and the other was producing Broadway shows and is now in wealth management. Both share a common interest in giving back and helping others, and show how passion can drive career success.
Alumni Profile: Meet Johnny Hill ’06
What was your major at Cornell and what were your career aspirations then?
I was an economics major in the College of Arts & Sciences. When I first got to Cornell, I thought I wanted to go into politics, but sometime around my junior year, I knew I wanted to do something entrepreneurial and creative with my career.
You got your start in private equity working at L Catterton focused on food and beverage and hospitality companies. What were your responsibilities?
My responsibilities were split between evaluating and acquiring new companies and helping our portfolio companies optimize their business for scale. As my career at L Catterton progressed, I found myself gravitating toward the operations side of the business more than the acquisitions side.
What was the inspiration for Tacombi and how did you transition into the role there as president?
I wanted to initially leverage my private equity experience at L Catterton to start my own fast casual restaurant concept. However, never having been a true operator, I decided I would get some experience first. I was introduced to the founder of Tacombi, who had just brought this Volkswagen bus from Mexico to New York City to sell tacos out of and I thought, this sounds fun. I brought growth and financial expertise to the table, he brought a passion for brand building and Mexican culture, and together we were a pretty good combo and built something special.
We grew Tacombi from one location and 15 employees in 2011 to six locations and 200-plus employees in 2017, as well as launched Vista Hermosa—a line of all-natural Mexican food products including tortillas, chips, and salsas—which can be found in Whole Foods and other specialty grocers across the northeast.
What was it like running an entrepreneurial taco business?
When I was serving as the CFO at Tacombi, my Sigma Nu pledge brothers liked to joke that I was literally a bean counter at a Mexican restaurant. Running Tacombi was a ton of fun and incredibly challenging, but most importantly it showed me how impactful a business can be on its people, community, and environment. I think it also prepared me for having kids because a start-up is like a child—sometimes it needs to be nurtured, other times it needs to be pressured, but it’s always challenging and rewarding.
You left Tacombi in in an operational role earlier this year to found Lagniappe Capital Studio, a new type of private equity company. What does Lagniappe stand for and what was the genesis of this effort?
A “lagniappe” is traditional to Louisiana heritage (where I am originally from) and is an unexpected token of generosity or way of good measure. Our mission at Lagniappe Capital Studio is simple: to reshape the relationship between capital, communities, and companies to make change.
The genesis behind LCS was that the approach that I took at Tacombi could be applied to other brands that have a great story but lack the operational/financial infrastructure to scale up and pursue pro-social initiatives in order to create long term value. Our mandate at LCS is to invest in authentic, heritage-rich brands that want to grow their businesses AND create a lasting, positive impact on society by adhering to the highest standards of social and environmental accountability.
Our pro-social approach is two-fold: 1.) “Plan B,” which is our commitment toward getting each one of a brand’s investments on track to becoming certified B-Corp, whose mission is to use business as a force for good (good examples are Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and Warby Parker); and 2.) our “Community Carry” initiative, which is our reinvestment approach whereby half of our carried interest at exit is reinvested back into the local communities our investments call home to causes that LCS and the management teams are mutually passionate about, delivering a win-win-win to the company, the community, and our investors. That’s the lagniappe!
What types of businesses will Lagniappe be investing in?
Our first investment was into a group of New York City cafes, The Grey Dog, which has been a New York favorite for over 22 years. We serve coffee, brunch, dinner, and drinks all day every day, bringing a little bit of upstate charm downtown.
Our plan is to grow from four locations to 20 over the next five years and tighten up the brand and menu for scale, focusing on creating super simple and delicious food made from awesome, local ingredients. Despite being in business for 22 years, each of our locations still has lines out the door every weekend, so we’re pretty excited to share this with a larger audience.
We plan on investing in other verticals outside of hospitality once we’ve raised our first committed fund, but our immediate focus is on making The Grey Dog as strong and impactful of a brand as it can be.
Where do you want Lagniappe to be five years from now?
I want Lagniappe to be a pioneer in reshaping the way capital markets think about impact and show that financial returns and impact are not mutually exclusive. Hopefully, in five years we will have a fully committed fund and a team of folks who are equal parts entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and investors all rolled into one.
How did your time at 230 Willard Way prepare you for life after college?
The thing I probably learned most from my time at Sigma Nu was how to connect with people who come from all sorts of backgrounds with varying ideals, perspectives, and passions. As commander, I also learned how to run an undercapitalized organization there as well. :)
What advice do you have for undergraduates interested in a career in food/beverage services or hospitality?
Pursue things that you are really passionate about. And don’t be afraid to not make a lot of money.
How about a career in private equity?
Try to find a firm that invests in industries that you are deeply interested in. And like everything else, it all comes down to people. Make sure you love the people you will be working with.
What are your fondest memories of life at Sigma Nu?
That’s an impossible question. Some things that immediately come to mind are dinners and sharing laughs in the dormer. Nobody will ever laugh more or harder than they did during their time at Sigma Nu, particularly in the dormer.
If you could live in Sigma Nu for one day, what would you do that day?
Assuming it’s a Saturday in football season, I would wake everyone up fairly early to start tailgating. We’d go cheer on the Big Red, and then head back to the house for a little backyard barbeque and cornhole. Wrap up the night with an after hours. Sounds glorious.
How do you stay connected to Cornell and Sigma Nu?
Our crew is still very tight from college and many have invested in LCS, which I am tremendously appreciative of. We get together occasionally as well, most notably for Double Duck dinners around the holidays. For the guys not in New York City, fantasy football serves a great way of staying in touch. A bunch of us recently took a weekend trip back to Ithaca and it was great to stop by the house and chat with the guys.
Brothers who want to connect with Johnny can reach him at johnny.r.hill@gmail.com. You can find out more about Lagniappe at www.lagniappecap.org, and if you want a great brunch or tacos in NYC, check out The Grey Dog (www.thegreydog.com) or Tacombi (www.tacombi.com).
Alumni Profile: Meet Adam Sansiveri ’05
Career paths are rarely straightforward. How did yours unfold out of college?
I moved to New York City with medical school in mind. I had wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon since I was three years old. That plan shifted quickly when I found success as a professional singer and actor. In under two years I performed in a number of major productions in and around New York. I performed at Carnegie Hall and the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, amongst many others. However, I realized it wasn’t the lifestyle I wanted and that I wanted to create something myself. I decided to start a small business, which is how I got into design and technology. I partnered with a pal from the track team at Cornell and we launched a company called RNA Designs.
How did you add being a theater producer into the mix?
While performing in New York, I became friends with a young theater producer. After I exited RNA Designs, I was looking for ways to create art and leverage my passion for business and creation. He taught me the ropes before I went on to co-produce my first show. At 24, I was the youngest above the title Broadway producer ever at the time. It was a thrilling experience to help create such impactful art that was touching millions of people. We went on to co-produce a number of shows together after that, and I’ve invested in over a dozen shows since then.
What was the Broadway experience like?
It’s a great business in so many ways. Every day you’re surrounded by some of the most talented people on the planet, and you get to help create the medium that allows them to showcase those talents. It’s also a hard business. Seven out of 10 shows lose all their money, two break even, and one is a huge financial success. Picking the winners can sometimes feel like the lottery, but that is the art of being in the business of entertainment. I decided to go back to school and get my master’s degree in media management and economics while I was producing, with the desire of doing more and continuing to learn.
Tell us about Broadway Dreams and your ongoing work with this nonprofit as chairman of the board to create opportunities in musical theater.
Broadway Dreams is one of the most inspiring and prolific performing arts education foundations out there. Each year, we help dozens of students (about 63 in 2017) reach their dreams by being cast on Broadway or other major professional productions. I joined the board about eight years ago and have since sat as the finance chair and then as the chairman these past two years. As someone who understands the true value and impact that performing arts education has on a student, regardless of whether you are an aspiring professional or not, it’s been incredibly rewarding to help further the mission of the organization. Since joining the organization, I’ve seen it grow to over 10 U.S. cities and five other countries. We have some other really big things in the works that we’ll be announcing in 2019.
You are currently a managing director at Bernstein Private Wealth Management and have spent eight years with Bernstein. What satisfies you most about this job?
It’s an incredible company that is wholly unique in the money management world. I would never do this job anywhere else. I was drawn out of being an entrepreneur and into Bernstein because they knew how to shape my diverse array of passions and excitement for people into something greater. I was hired as one of the youngest advisors ever at the company and saw fast success building a practice focused around prominent musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, and other inspiring individuals. In 2015, I became one of the youngest principals in the history of the firm, and this year became the youngest managing director. The most satisfying thing about my job is helping incredible people realize their missions of impact on the world while getting to bring all of my own passions into my job every day.
I’m fortunate that I’ve had another Sigma Nu brother to mentor me along the way, Joel Stevens ’90. He has worked for Bernstein for more than 20 years, is a good friend, and we get to work together in the New York office.
How has the role of a wealth manager changed since you started and where do you see things going in the next few years?
The investment world continues to become commoditized on the lower end of the wealth spectrum due to technology and price compression. However, the upper end of the spectrum continues to become more complex and advice continues to become ever more important. I see a continuation and acceleration of this trend and sophisticated firms like ours thriving along with it.
Where do you see yourself in five years, as clearly you are a motivated entrepreneur?
Thank you for the compliment. I always have my hands in different things, so I never know what will be on my plate a year from now. I see myself running or potentially creating an entire new office with Bernstein as the next step of my career, continuing to increase my support and involvement in start-ups and the arts, and focusing even more on philanthropy.
Are there any common themes that tie together all your professional experiences?
Passion. I learned early on while trying to pursue a career as an opera singer that it is far more scalable to bring your passions with you than it is to chase them. That realization is what has allowed me to do so many different things and do them well. My passions for giving back, helping others, content creation, performance, business, and disruption are the same things that allowed me to thrive as an entrepreneur and on Wall Street.
How do you manage working to be an expert and capable across many fields at the same time?
I think this is more of an art than it is a science. It is partly driven by passion and the underlying skills that are translatable to many different things. It’s also part being a good leader and knowing when to surround yourself with great people. Add in a lot of hard work and curiosity about the things you must be an expert on to succeed and you can surprise yourself how much can be accomplished in a day.
How did your time at 230 Willard Way prepare you for life after college?
There are friendships and bonds formed in that house that will never break. Being commander of Sigma Nu for my time gave me an early taste of what it was like to need to work to understand what is most important to other people. Then taking that knowledge and translating it to action is something I learned during my time at Willard Way that I use every day.
What advice do you have for undergraduates interested in a career in wealth management?
Be interesting and different. Do as much as you can and it will make you far more valuable in this industry and almost all others. I see hundreds of candidates with just basic finance backgrounds, but it is those who have far more complexity and intellectual curiosity that grab my attention. And of course, hard work pays off.
How about a career in theater?
Find a mentor who can help guide you. Broadway is a very hard and competitive industry within which to reach the top. You need to be ready to work as hard as those graduates going into entry level finance jobs.
What are your fondest memories of life at Sigma Nu?
Dinners with all our brothers. Also learning how to and how NOT to party.
How do you stay connected to Cornell and Sigma Nu?
I’m on the alumni executive committee for the Cornell Track and Field team, so I stay involved this way. Beyond spending time with my best friends from Cornell and Sigma Nu, I try to hire a lot of Cornellians and visit the house every couple of years.
Brothers who want to connect with Adam can reach him at Adam.Sansiveri@bernstein.com. To learn more about Bernstein visit www.bernstein.com and see www.broadwaydreams.org for Broadway Dreams.
Sigma Nus Earn All-Ivy League Football and Academic Honors
Congrat’s to our Sigma Nu brothers who earned All-Ivy distinction for their play on the gridiron this fall. Senior safety Nick Gesualdi ’18 was a first-team selection, and senior linebacker Kurt Frimel ’18 was a second-team pick.
Kurt, who joined Nick as a defensive captain, led the Big Red and ranked fourth in the Ivy League in tackles for loss (9.5). He had 55 tackles, two sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble in nine games. The CoSIDA Academic All-District selection was a two-year starter and letter winner who compiled 148 tackles, 16.5 for a loss and 4.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups.
Nick is a repeat unanimous selection on the first team, becoming the first Cornell defensive player to be placed on the first team in consecutive years since 1992 and 1993. He ranked second on the team in tackles (60), leading the team in solo stops (42), and was third in the Ivy League with three interceptions (55th nationally). The team captain had an interception in the season finale at Penn, giving him 14 for his career, the most by a Big Red player in 68 years and second on the school’s all-time list.
Additionally, the Cornell football team placed three student athletes on CoSIDA’s (College Sports Information Directors of America) academic all-district team, and they are all Sigma Nus: Seniors Kurt Frimel ’18, Jack Gellatly ’18, and Seth Hope ’18. A senior defensive end, Seth was named to the Academic All-America Division I Football first team. Hope becomes the fifth Big Red football player to twice be honored as a two-time Academic All-American after capturing second team honors in 2016. Hope is the eighth Cornellian to earn first-team honors and the first since Luke Siwula '07 (also a Sigma Nu!) in 2006. Gellatly is making his second straight appearance, while Frimel is being recognized for the first time. In all, 19 Ivy League football players reached the academic all-America ballot.
Well done Nick, Kurt, Jack, and Seth and Go Big Red!
Snakes Helping Snakes: My Summer Internship at S3 Partners
By Nate Porter ’18
This past summer, I interned at a financial data-analytics firm in New York City called S3 Partners, located in midtown Manhattan. The company provides extensive short-side market research and data analytics to clients (primarily hedge funds) through numerous platforms, including a financial software application that provides real-time short-interest data via a Bloomberg terminal. During my time at S3, I worked closely with Head of Research Ihor Dusaniwsky ’84, providing extensive short-side research using S3’s data-analytics software and the Bloomberg terminal.
Together we regularly tracked and provided research on the most- and least-profitable shorts in international and domestic stocks, ETFs, sectors, and indices. Some of our work was cited by The Wall St. Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Business Insider, and Investopedia, among others. I also worked with other members of the firm in analyzing borrowing and lending activity to help create Excel templates, showing profitable opportunities for securities lending in a client’s portfolio. Proprietary software generated a “true market rate” for borrowing securities, which could also be measured against the borrowing rate charged by a client’s prime broker.
I can safely say I learned more about the Street during my first week working at S3 than I had during all my years at Cornell. Getting to use a Bloomberg terminal was an incredible asset; the people at the company were professional, yet fun to work with, and Ihor was a fantastic mentor, who was patient in teaching me the nuances of the company and never hesitated to answer my numerous questions concerning the market. Even though he was a Sigma Nu over 30 years before me, I still felt a level of camaraderie with him during my time there. I remember the first day of work; one of the first questions he asked me was whether or not we still did the same initiation traditions. The internship and living in the city made for an incredible summer, and after graduation, I hope to find a satisfying career there, but I will never forget this past summer, when I got my foot in the door.
I want readers to know that I was fortunate to land the internship after networking with a number of Cornell Sigma Nu alumni with substantial experience in the financial services industry, most of whom were eager to provide me with guidance and advice during my internship search, despite having never met me. Just a few weeks after leveraging our network this past spring, I received a call from Ihor, who asked me if I would be interested in interviewing for a position at S3.
“When I heard that some of the active brothers were looking for internships and we had an opening this summer, I contacted Nate and, after speaking to him, offered him the position,” said Ihor. “Nate’s resume showed me he had the skill sets I needed for the role, but more importantly, as a Sigma Nu brother, I knew he was the kind of person that I could trust and feel comfortable working with. I knew, as a brother, he would impress me with his drive and work ethic, and he exceeded my high expectations.”
“Our firm enjoyed a summer with a productive and friendly intern, and I enjoyed the fact that I was able to give a little back to an institution that was a big part of my young adult life, “ continued Ihor. “If any of our established brothers have a chance to reach out and help one of our active Gamma Theta student brothers, I urge you to do so. You won’t be disappointed. Your success can be a stepping stone to their future success! After all, this is the Life, the Way, and the Light of Sigma Nu.”
The whole experience was truly an inspiring one for me; a network of people I had never met before were willing to take time out of their busy schedules to chat with me and provide valuable career advice. It goes to show what the brotherhood is all about and how our values and traditions as brothers of Sigma Nu carry on with us throughout our lives. I hope that one day I can return the favor.
Interested brothers can connect with Nate at nateporter1465@gmail.com and Ihor at ihor.dusaniwsky@s3partners.net.
Meet Cindy Smith, Sigma Nu’s Top Chef
Sigma Nu has been fortunate to have its share of great cooks over the years, but our current cook likely tops them all.
Cindy Smith has been in our kitchen for the last seven years, and she helps make meal time at Sigma Nu extra special. The brothers know they are always going to get an excellent meal, and the quality of the food entices virtually all the live-outs to come to the house for dinner. This brings our brothers closer together than other houses, because they spend time as a chapter almost daily. Also, Cindy’s delicious cooking gives Sigma Nu a real advantage during rush, as potential new brothers get a taste–literally–of living at Sigma Nu and discover we have the best food on the Hill.
Sigma News: When did you first come to Sigma Nu?
Cindy: I came to Sigma Nu about seven years ago, when Dan Galusha ’72 hired me along with then Commander Caleb Crim ’13. I remember feeling very much at home when I first came. The guys were all very friendly and excited to have me in their house.
Sigma News: What do you enjoy most about the job?
Cindy: Well, I must say my job is very rewarding. The brothers are so appreciative of everything I do for them.
Sigma News: What is the favorite dish the brothers like you to make for them?
Cindy: I’m going to say sweet-and-sour chicken. They really love it, so I love to make it for them.
Sigma News: What dish do you most like to make for the brothers?
Cindy: I answered this one, but as a joke we can say stir fry. We kind of have a laugh when stir fry is on the menu. Some of the guys are not sure they care for it (LOL!), but it’s a given and saves money so we can have steak on occasion.
Sigma News: Are the brothers healthy eaters?
Cindy: Actually, the guys eat all the veggies I make, so you can let the moms know their boys are, for the most part, making healthy choices.
Sigma News: You have a great reputation for making fantastic food. What sets you apart from the other cooks on campus?
Cindy: I think what sets us apart from some of the other houses is that I try to make the guys feel like they can ask me anything, and I do my very best to help them or to cook them what they like. It’s as close to home as we can get, and I love all of them!
Sigma News: How many brothers are you cooking for daily?
Cindy: During breakfast, I usually see as many as 10 to 20 of the guys. This semester, lunch is always busy, because most of them come for that meal. Dinner is buffet style; I cook for 60, and most of the time there are no leftovers.
Sigma News: What is a typical day like in the Sigma Nu kitchen?
Cindy: I can start breakfast by 8:30 a.m. for the early guys. For lunch, I usually have them coming any time after 11:30 a.m. If I have everything ready, we are good to go, and dinner tends to be at 6:00 p.m. I also try to have things ready for the guys I know will need to eat early or late. That’s what sets us apart from the rest. The guys will text me for early meals or late ones. Some will get a wrap or a sandwich at breakfast to take with them if they can’t make it back to the house for lunch.
Sigma News: Who sets the menu?
Cindy: I do the menu, but I always check with the guys for their input. Just the other day, I lacked a lunch idea, so I asked them for suggestions, and they decided on turkey club sandwiches. We work together.
Sigma News: Is there anything the brotherhood can do to help make your job easier or to improve our kitchen?
Cindy: I do think, because we will always do buffet style meals, that a hot steam table would be an awesome addition.
Sigma News: Last question: are the brothers still doing kitchen raids?
Cindy: We have been most lucky to have a new sandwich cart in the pantry area. It does help to keep down traffic in the kitchen, but (LOL!) does not stop those pesky midnight kitchen raids.
Brothers interested in connecting with Cindy can e-mail her at cinsm3456@yahoo.com. If you are ever in Ithaca, stop by the house at dinner time to say hi to Cindy, and enjoy a delicious meal.
Welcome to the Village: Sigma Nu Alumnus Working to Reshape Primary Health Care at VillageMD
The healthcare system in the United States is in the headlines almost daily. Many Sigma Nu brothers today work in healthcare across a broad range of job roles, including physicians, administrators, medical-device manufacturers, and pharmaceutical sales reps.
Tim Barry ’93 is the founder and CEO of VillageMD, a Chicago-based company that is innovating primary care. VillageMD is a leading national provider of primary-care management services for healthcare organizations moving toward a primary-care-led, high-value clinical model.
What marketplace problem is VillageMD working to solve?
The U.S. healthcare system is horribly broken. We currently spend about $3 trillion per year (2.5 times that of other industrialized nations) on healthcare with quality of care outcomes that are slightly better than Slovenia (not a joke).
At the core of our healthcare quality and cost problems are two phenomena: (1) a fee-for-service healthcare reimbursement model that pays providers more to do more services (e.g., more hospitalizations equals more revenue for a hospital), and (2) a lack of support for primary-care providers to take care of the 20 percent of our population with chronic and debilitating illnesses that incur 80 percent of the total medical spending.
What was the genesis of VillageMD?
After years of running medical groups and health-insurance companies, my co-founders and I built a healthcare model that redefines the way primary care works. We embed sophisticated analytics, technology, and a slew of people into primary-care practices to help create better outcomes for all of our patients. Most importantly, we do this in a way that doctors and patients love, because doctors can now meet all of the needs of their sickest patients, while simultaneously improving the health of their overall population of patients.
We have now brought this model to a network of over 600 primary care practices around the country and manage about $1.5 billion of total medical spend.
Healthcare is in the news literally every day for many reasons. From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges in healthcare today for the average consumer/patient, and can VillageMD help them?
For those of us who are incredibly fortunate to maintain good health, we should consider ourselves lucky that we do not need to navigate this confusing healthcare system.
For those struggling with chronic disease or some other form of illness (the 20 percent that incur 80 percent of the total spending), our fee-for-service healthcare system does a horrible job of coordinating care across all of the needs that sick people have.
It is sad to say, but our system generally requires people to navigate the complexity of their disease(s) on their own. A person with seven or eight chronic conditions might have to see 10 to 12 medical specialists, take 15 to 20 medications, and purchase all kinds of medical equipment. Unless you are a medically savvy individual, you will experience all kinds of difficulties trying to manage your own health.
The VillageMD model was built to solve this problem.
What are the primary business goals for VillageMD in 2017?
Our primary goal is to wake-up every day and have a positive impact on the lives of our primary-care partners and their patients. If we keep doing that, we will continue to grow around the country, and our results will speak for themselves.
Where do you see VillageMD five years from now?
It has taken decades for our healthcare system to get as screwed up as it is today, and I expect it will take decades to fix it. So, in five years, I expect us to be a few more steps along on this journey to create a better healthcare system that works for physicians and patients.
What career advice do you have for Sigma Nu brothers interested in a career in the medical field?
Dive into the details. At nearly 20 percent of the GDP, healthcare is a huge, complex industry and difficult to learn. With that said, if you want to have real impact on the healthcare system, you can’t do it from the cheap seats. You need to go where the rubber meets the road, and that is always where patients, doctors, and data intersect.
What was your major at Cornell?
My major was agricultural economics, now called applied economics and business management.
Many Sigma Nu alumni today work in fields or with tools that were not even remotely a part of their undergraduate experience, like the internet. How do you personally adapt to changing technology and marketplace influences that are hard to predict but potentially profound in impact?
Healthcare is pretty bipolar from a technology standpoint. Some of the greatest advances in science occur in healthcare (e.g., genomics, medical devices), yet we also seem to have data and administrative systems that act like the banking industry in the 1990s. Personally, I try to read as much as I can on the scientific discovery front, while also having a cutting edge group of technologists in our company who push us to think differently about ways to embed technology into our information systems and workflow.
What are your fondest memories of Sigma Nu?
My experience at Sigma Nu was incredible. My closest friends in life are still the guys from Sigma Nu, and my fondest memories are mostly just hanging out. It’s hard to pin down a particular set of memories as they measure in the hundreds or thousands. It is mostly the faces and laughs I think about.
What activities did you participate in at the house?
I was house manager, dishwasher, and played intramural sports. The majority of us also lived in the house “back in the day,” so we all seemed to be a part of all activities. There was a special camaraderie of everyone being together that just added an entirely new dimension to the experience.
How did Sigma Nu prepare you for life and your career?
Living with over 40 guys, you learn a ton about yourself, about getting along with others, and about being a part of something larger than yourself. I think these are all applicable for life after you leave the hallowed halls of 230 Willard Way.
How do you stay in touch with Sigma Nu and Cornell?
Living in the Midwest, raising a family, and running a business make it fairly difficult to keep the same ties that I’d ideally have. It is mostly through Reunion, social media, and phone that I stay in touch. With that said, VillageMD started recruiting at Cornell in 2015, and we have been lucky enough to recruit some amazing talent. I’m able to generally stay in touch through the work we do on campus.
If you could go back to school at Cornell today and live at 230 Willard Way, what’s the first thing you would do?
See if there is some leftover pizza in the fridge!
Brothers interested in connecting with Tim or learning more about VillageMD can email him at tbarry@villagemd.com.
Running for Glory: Chad Levitt’s Run for the Record Books
Twenty years ago this fall, Big Red football fans were thrilled by the incredible rushing prowess of Sigma Nu’s Chad Levitt ’97. In his senior year, Chad had the opportunity to break the all-time Cornell and Ivy League career rushing record held by Ed Marinaro ’71. An elbow injury in the ninth game of the 1996 season left him just 59 yards shy of the record. Chad finished his four-year career for Cornell with 4,657 rushing yards and he led the Ivy League in rushing, scoring, and all-purpose running per game for three-straight years. Chad still holds many Cornell records, including the most 100-yard rushing games at 24. Chad was drafted in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders and went on to play for three teams. Since the NFL, Chad’s career has been in commercial real estate financing. Today, he is a vice president on the capital markets team with Colliers International in his hometown of Philadelphia. He is responsible for securing commercial debt and equity financing for an array of investment property types including multifamily, retail, office, industrial, senior’s housing, and hospitality.
The Sigma News was excited to catch up with Chad and reflect back on his time at Cornell and Sigma Nu.
It’s been 20 years since your senior season with the Big Red. What are your favorite memories of playing football for Cornell?
The best times I had playing football at Cornell was the time spent just hanging out with my teammates. Whether it was in class, the locker room, during practices, eating in the dining halls, the fraternity, or film sessions. The comradery is something that I really miss. Road trips were great too, especially when you came home a winner.
You had one of the best careers in Ivy League history for running backs. What expectations did you have as a freshman when you played that first game against Princeton in 1993?
In my first game, I was just hoping not to get knocked out running down on kickoffs—which I almost did. When I was just a freshman I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would achieve the level of achievement and success that I did. My confidence and belief in myself grew over the years to the point where I expected to get drafted and make an NFL team. I expected to break Ed Marinaro’s records, too, but eventually fell just 59 yards short.
With each passing year, your yardage count grew. Was there a point in time where you became aware of Ed Marinaro and the Ivy League record he set in 1971?
Ed is a Cornell football legend. But regarding his record, some alumni mentioned something to me about the record in the Hall of Fame room above Schoellkopf Field after a game my junior year. I didn’t think that much of it at the time. However, after that junior season I started doing the math and realized it was a possibility if I had a very good senior season. I was going to need to average of about 175 yards per game, which I did for the first eight games that senior season. During my senior year I was convinced I was going to break the record, as I was on pace to do so, until I broke my elbow instead in the second-to-last game. It happened while playing Columbia in New York City. I caught a check down pass and was tackled low. When I went to break my fall I landed awkwardly on my right elbow and completely blew out the joint. And, just like that, my Cornell career ended. I’ll never forget athletic trainer Bernie DePalma and my father helping me off the field as I held my elbow in place. I was immediately taken to St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital for surgery the following day.
Very few college players make it to the NFL. What was it like to be drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft?
It was an incredible day. I remember watching it on Sunday morning at my parents’ house, waiting for their land line to ring with the big news. Back then the first three rounds were on Saturday, and rounds four–seven were on Sunday. I was projected as a third–fifth round pick. After not being selected on Saturday, I got up early the next day and planted myself in front of the TV. Halfway through the fourth round the phone rang. On the other end I heard, “Congratulations, you are an Oakland Raider. Please hold for your coach.” Moments later the ticker flashed on ESPN, under Mel Kiper: ‘With the 123rd pick in the fourth round, the Oakland Raiders select Chad Levitt, running back, Cornell.’ Within minutes, my friends, neighbors, and old teachers began showing up at my parents’ house. Everyone came bearing gifts, including bottles of wine and Raiders’ gear. It turned into a nice little celebration. It was the best day of my life up until my wedding day this past March.
What surprised you most about the transition from the Ivy League to the NFL?
I knew to expect a bigger faster game. What was hardest was picking up the NFL offensive sets. I had to learn four different offensives in four years. At Cornell, I basically had three plays to remember—run right, run left, and pass. The amount of formations, shifts, motions, and responsibilities in the NFL were dramatically higher. In addition, I was now playing fullback, so I had to learn an entirely new position while competing at the highest level. That was the difficult part.
Regarding the lifestyle, the amount of attention and respect that you get as a professional player is incredible though. People were in awe just to be in your presence. Everywhere you went you were treated like a celebrity. It was pretty cool, definitely a different feeling from playing ball at Cornell. You get used to it really quickly, and it ends just as quickly when you get cut.
This fall, Sigma Nu has 18 brothers playing varsity football. How many brothers played football when you were at the house, and what other sports and activities did the brothers participate in?
I believe that we had approximately the same amount of guys playing varsity football that we do now, maybe a few less. At that time we competed with DU during Rush for football players. Chi Psi always had a few football players as well. About half of my pledge class played football as a freshman or on the Sprint football team. However, only about three or four of us played through our senior year. Our house was very well represented in athletics at the time, and not just in football. I remember we had baseball players, wrestlers, a lacrosse and a soccer player in the house at one point. Since I was at Sigma Nu in the ’90s, we have always been a very strong athletic house.
What are some of your fondest memories of your time at 230 Willard Way?
Definitely the down time spent just hanging out with the brothers at night. Ordering pizza and wings, or sending a pledge to the Hot Truck. Rush was always a lot of fun. Pledging was fun when you weren’t the ones going through it, although pledging was a great bonding experience. Slope Day was very memorable. We used to start the day on the rooftop, which I now understand is off limits. Parents’ Weekend was always a good event as well. Lastly, I have fond memories of competing in intramural sports (basketball, softball, tube water polo).
What were some of the fun things you and other brothers did?
Parties, road trips (Syracuse, Cortland, Niagara Falls), recreational sports. Skiing at Greek Peak. Putting the pledges through hell weekend.
How did being a Sigma Nu prepare you for life after graduation?
I learned that brotherhood, friends, and comradery are some of the most important things that you can have in life. Friends and relationships are everything.
What was your major and how did it relate to what you are doing today?
My major was business management and marketing in the Agricultural Economics department, which I now believe is the Dyson School. Today, I am a commercial mortgage banker. My coursework was definitely relevant to my career today.
What advice do you have for any brothers interested in real estate lending as a career?
Most importantly, make sure that you have good mentors and superiors who have a genuine interest in helping develop your career. It’s best to start as an analyst at a bank to get the experience. Being a broker, which I am, can be very difficult —while commissions can be lucrative—the deals take a long time and often you don’t always have complete control of the end result. Do not get into this industry unless you have a lot of patience. There are many other avenues in real estate outside of financial/mortgage brokerage as well. These include working for a direct lender, sales/leasing brokerage, development, property management, investment selection, raising equity capital, etc.
How do you stay in touch with Cornell and Sigma Nu?
I’d have to say Facebook is the best for keeping up with the brothers. I like to try to get to one or two Cornell football games every season, which is always an opportunity to see and reconnect with the guys. I’m looking forward to my 20-year reunion next June, and I hope to see a lot of my pledge class there!
Chad would love to hear from his classmates and all brothers. Chad can be reached at chadalevitt@gmail.com.
Brothers for Life: “Stash” and “Wags”
Still Working Side by Side More than 40 Years after Cornell
The brotherly bonds built at Sigma Nu persist in one way or another for every brother for his entire life. For two brothers, Sigma Nu was the genesis of a life-long bond that has had them working together as business partners for more than 40 years. Les “Wags” Wagner ’72 and Steve “Stash” Schaeffer ’73 met at Cornell, became fraternity brothers at Sigma Nu, and today are as close as any two brothers can be.
Their lives have been built around Wagner Lumber, today the largest hardwood producer in the Northeast. Their story includes remarkable success, fun along the way, and rebounding from disaster.
Sigma News: What was the genesis of Wagner Lumber, and how did the two of you get connected?
Stash: Wags graduated from engineering school in ’72 and returned to his hometown of Owego, where he went to work at his dad’s American Motors Rambler car dealership. Tiring of auto mechanics and after building a helicopter that actually got airborne, he decided to turn his creative instincts toward building a sawmill from scratch, powered by an old Rambler engine.
At an all-night poker game in the Sigma Nu library in 1975, we decided to take a week-long trip to Vermont to see what a real sawmill looked like. After returning from the road trip, I resigned from my banking job at Citizens Savings in Ithaca and moved to Owego. Together, along with a little assistance from another Sigma Nu grad, Tony Zieno ’75, we started a log-cabin producing sawmill called American Log Homes.
Sigma News: What were the early years at the mill like?
Stash: Our two-person company ran the mill seven or eight months a year, closing down for the winter every year at Sigma Nu’s Homecoming party. During the winter of 1977, we traveled cross-country in our 1968 customized Chevy Van (the “Blue Lunch”), dining and lodging at Sigma Nu frat houses all across the country.
The first fire in Wagner Lumber history was September 23, 1978. All (there wasn’t much) was lost. All, but we decided to rebuild bigger and better and become a legit full-time business.
Sigma News: What did you guys do for fun?
Stash: Becoming a full-time business did not prevent us from pursuing our newfound hobby of playing blackjack all thru Europe, the Caribbean, Vegas, and newly opened Atlantic City. Card counting and sawmilling were both a way of life in the late ’70s and early ’80s, both passions allowing for the opportunity to travel the world and make money at the same time.
Sigma News: What happened next with the evolution of the business?
Stash: The sawmill evolved thru the ’80s and ’90s, employing 75 people by 1993. No longer sawing for log cabins, the operation grew to become one of the four largest hardwood mills in New York State.
Between 2001 and 2008, Wagner Lumber acquired three competing sawmills, becoming the largest producing hardwood operation in the Northeast. Annual sales grew from $15 million in 2000 to over $75 million by 2010. Despite the horrendous economic downturn in the housing industry in 2008 and 2009, Wagner continued to grow in volume and profitability and now employs 350 people.
Sigma News: How long do you plan to keep going on with the mill?
Stash: Not unlike Jimmy Brown or Barry Sanders, we decided to “go out on top,” and successfully found a willing and able buyer for the entire business, except for the 5,000 acres of land acquired over the previous 30 years. The thought was to hold on to a part of the business that would keep us occupied together over the rest of our lives.
Having completed the sale to Baillie Lumber in 2012, we made a commitment to stay on for two years to manage the transition, and it appeared that retirement was in the cards for us.
On February 23, 2014, Wagner Lumber suffered the second fire in its history, this time burning up in excess of $10 million worth of sawmill equipment and buildings.
This catastrophic event unfortunately extended our careers; we could not just walk away from the challenges presented to the company of rebuilding the original Owego facility.
Sigma News: Where do things stand today?
Stash: After an 18-month building project, the brand new state-of-the-art sawmill is up and running. There appears to be some light not too far at the end of the tunnel, leading to at least partial retirement for both of us, but, there’s still lots of acreage for us to manage together on into the golden years.
Sigma News: The story of the mill is really amazing. How did Sigma Nu prepare you for life, personally and professionally?
Stash: Wags was prepared very well for the future based on his academic accomplishments in engineering school, and the discipline and “stick-to-itiveness” gained from four years of rowing. I, however, focused on those “intangibles” learned through life lessons taught mainly at the School of the Fall Creek House.
Not only are we two business partners for life, but also most of our best friends are old buddies from Willard Way. Many of us just got together in March for the NCAA wrestling championships in New York City to root on the Big Red. Living together for three years and managing the financial, social, and academic needs of the brotherhood is great preparation for the real world.
Sigma News: What are your favorite memories of your time at the house?
Stash: One of my favorite memories was initiation night. What a masterful day and evening that I will always remember.
Sigma News: It seems we keep many of our house traditions, but some fade with time. What part of your time in the house would you like today’s undergraduates to know about?
Stash: I know it was another era, but looking back, I loved the ritual of dining together as a brotherhood every night of the week at 6:00 p.m. sharp (except Saturday night). And Wednesday night was always “date night,” dressed in coat and tie with an extra-specially prepared meal. And we had hired waiters (paid for in meals) to serve the tables!
Sigma News: For any brothers visiting Ithaca, when is a good time to meet you at the Creeker?
Stash: Any time you are in Ithaca is a good time to meet me at the Creeker.
Brothers wanting to connect with Stash or Wags can email them at stash@wagnerlumber.com and leswagner@wagnerlumber.com.
Editor’s note: The brothers from the mid-’80s have fond memories of Stash, Wags, and others from the early ’70s visiting the house often for Thursday-night card games in the library. The brothers knew they came out on top when, in the morning, the alumni were found sleeping in the Great Hall and Tube Room!
MacroFuel and Brother Max Tave ’15 making news
Max Tave and his classmate came up with the idea for MacroFuel last year after enduring the effects of missing meals and subsisting off energy drinks and cheap protein bars as a result of long nights studying in the school library. Read the Sigma Nu National blog story here.
Members of the GTPA Interim Board
Left to right: Bob Linden ’71, Charlie Parker ’57, and Nick Carino ’69.
Bob Linden ’71 relates his recent Sigma Nu involvement
The 2011 SAE alcohol-related death spurred me on to learn more about current Cornell Greek life. The dean’s office was clamping down on fraternities, Dan Galusha ’72 was tiring after heading up the GT PA for the last 25 years, and the chapter was in the throes of both the installation of a much-needed fullhouse heating system and the design of a university-mandated total-house sprinkler, the latter required by the end of 2014. Nick Carino ’69 and I—along with others, including Charlie Parker ’57, Paul Deignan ’62, Dave Kelly ’73, Steve Schaeffer ’73, Vinny Serpico ’73, Chuck Grundner ’75, and Jaan Janes ’85—decided to roll up our sleeves and jump in head first to attack the multiple problems at hand. It’s been a tough haul but well worth it. The kids in the house have been fantastic to work with. Cornell remains an intense pressure-cooker school, and Greek life in general and Sigma Nu specifically must stay strong both as places where lifelong friendships are forged and as safety nets for struggling students.
In my second life, I retired from my office-based internal medicine/geriatrics practice at the end of 2007 and went on to write an award-winning book, The Rise & Fall of the American Medical Empire. Most recently, I’ve been heading up my local hospital’s Center for Innovation and teaching at Yale School of Medicine. Mentoring Cornell undergrads and Yale med students has been an interesting transition, but I have always loved teaching. The last wrinkle has been managing two houses in the U.S. Virgin Islands, one of which my brother, Rick ’75, and I built in 2012 on land our father purchased in the 1950s. On stressful, cold days in Connecticut, I just Google On a Clear Day … in St. John, lean back, and dream.”
A comprehensive update from Arthur Steffen ’62
For ‘Bing’ and Cathy Steffen, it was a fast 50 years, and there we were, not only celebrating the 50 years since my college graduation but 50 years since Cathy’s the following year, in 2013. But that wasn’t the end of it, for we went on to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in Paris with a three-week stay, enjoying the food and wine and, of course, the countryside of France. A trip to the beaches was most humbling, and a must for those who have not had the opportunity. The French love us there for sure. Then it was back to Paris and farther south to the wine region and a bit of a boat trip. Outstanding scenery with all the food and wine anyone could imagine.
We have been blessed with seven grandchildren, of whom one is at Cornell— a sophomore on the dean’s list and loving it. Another is returning to college in the fall, and one is on his way to Siena under a Division I lacrosse scholarship. The others are right behind, within three to seven years for college. Thus, we have been very active viewers of both lacrosse and football, as well as high-school basketball. It is a lot of fun to watch their skills develop and mature. Our very best to everyone. You are always welcome at the Steffens when in the area or on the way to the area. We’d love to see you.
Mike McGrann ’88 Joins Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame
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Sigma Nu is pleased to congratulate Mike McGrann ’88 on his September 2013 induction into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame!
McGrann was a two-time All-Ivy selection at linebacker, earning second-team accolades as a junior and first-team honors as a senior. A three-year starter, he was a co-captain of the 1988 Ivy League championship team as part of a defense that ranked first in the Ivy League and the East and sixth in the nation. McGrann’s teams went 20-9-1 overall and 16-5 in Ivy League play. He was named team defensive MVP as a senior and also earned the squad’s Defensive Freshman MVP award, the Charles Colucci Award as the senior who made the biggest contribution to the team, and the Coach’s Award. For his career, McGrann posted 188 tackles, including 7.0 for a loss and a sack, forced two fumbles, recovered another, and broke up two passes.
Today, Mike is the director of the Initiative for Family Business and Entrepreneuship at the Erivan K. Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, teaching undergraduate and MBA students how to make family businesses work. He also runs an outreach program, focusing on helping family businesses in the northeast compete and succeed in the long-term. His other job is as a business consultant, working with large family businesses in the U.S. and abroad.
Other Cornell Sigma Nu brothers in the Hall of Fame include Art Wolcott ’49, Charlie Moore ’51 and Chad Levitt ’97.