Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter of Fresno

Mike Patton

Brother Robinson Is First to Receive the Alumni President’s Citation

During the April 15 monthly Zoom meeting, alumni president, Seven Lights Alumnus and Significant Sig Brad Fisher (78-S) announced the new Epsilon Eta recognition awards.  They are the Outstanding Alumni Award that recognizes alumni who over a long period of time have exhibited a high level of commitment, dedication and service to the Epsilon Eta Chapter. The other new award is the Alumni President’s Citation which is presented to undergraduate or alumni members who perform outstanding service to the Active Chapter, Alumni Chapter, Endowment and/or House Corporation.

Brad chose this Zoom meeting to recognize Bill Robinson (70-F) by awarding him the first Alumni President’s Citation. When Bill pledged he began exhibiting leadership skills by serving as pledge captain, and this began one-hall century of contributions to the Active Chapter, the House Corporation, the Sigma Chi Endowment and the Alumni Chapter. Bill served two terms as Alumni Chapter President in the 1980s and two terms as Housing Corporation President in the 1980s. He also created the Alumni Chapter Newsletter, “SIGnificant News, and composed and published it from 1977 to 1985. He served on many committees continuously to the present most recently fighting to prevent a developer from building into the Fraternity Mall and erecting a five-story apartment complex in the vacant lot next to the Chapter House.

If you were not there on April 15, you missed the best Zoom meeting yet.

On April 15, 2021 the Fresno Sigma Alumni meeting attracted the largest number of Sigs of any meeting during the pandemic. This meeting was held at 4:00 PM to be more convenient for brothers who live in the eastern United States. Mike Lorenzen (79-S) who lives in Louisville, KY has attend four meetings, and for the first time Brian Stout (63-S) Mechanicsville, VA, attended.

And there were two special guests: Jim Lawson, SAN DIEGO STATE 1985, Director of Development, Western U.S., Sigma Chi Foundation attended as did brother Significant Sig, Brandon Chaney, INDIANA 1993 Proprietor and CEO of In Hoc Napa Valley as well as Fairwinds Estate Winery, Calistoga CA. Brother Chaney started a company to take advantage of the early changes in the telecommunications industry.  A few years ago he sold the company and purchased the 4th oldest winery in Napa Valley. He described how his winery burned down during last year’s fire noting that everything burned down except the Sigma Chi flag hanging high on a flagpole.


Brandon Chaney (Indiana 1993)

Brother Lawson talked about what he and brother Brandon had put together to raise money for the Sigma Chi Foundation which awards scholarships to our undergraduates. 20% of each from In Hoc Napa Valley will go to the foundation, and they hope to raise $7 million in ten years. Brandon offers his great wines names and logos that relate to Sigma Chi, and he named this wine club the 1855 Club. After only eight months over 1,500 brothers have joined.

If you have not joined the In Hoc wine club but would like to, click here:https://inhocvino.com.

Brothers attending were John Ballinger (65-S) President House Corp, Don Beauregard (62-S), Steve Coleman (78-F),  Ryan DeYoung (00-S) UCSD, Tom Downing (62-F) Past Consul, Brad Fischer (78-S), Randy Garabedian (81-S), Jim Green (58-S) Grants Pass OR, Sergio Ilic (87-F), Marc Jason (81-F) Denver CO – Past Consul, Dusty Lacefield (12-F) Chapter Advisor, Ron LaRocca (61-F) San Diego, Mike Lorenzen Louisville KY, Scott Moore (14-S), Rick Nelson (65-S), Dan O’Brien (61-F) Sun City West AZ, Mike Patton (63-S), Gary Renner (62-S), Paul Renner (65-S), Dave Reuland (69-F), Bill Robinson (70-F), Chuck Sant’Agata (56-S), Dennis Schmal (69-F) Alamo, Evan Selander (12-S), Bill Smittcamp (73-S), Larry Spikes (75-F) Hanford, Brian Stout (63-S) Mechanicsville VA, Jack Tacchino (66-S), Serge Tomassian Irvine and Tim Vaux (66-F).

Epsilon Eta Creates New Alumni Recognition Awards

“Each year, the Order of Constantine recognizes a group of Sigma Chi brothers for their commitment, dedication and service to the Fraternity. Induction into the Order of Constantine is considered to be the highest honor that the Sigma Chi Fraternity bestows upon one of its members. The honor of being named an Order of Constantine Sig has been conferred on just over 720 brothers since the Order’s inception at the 47th Grand Chapter in 1948.” This averages only ten new Order of Constantine inductees per year. 

Currently only twenty-one brothers can be inducted into the Order of Constantine each year. Epsilon Eta has a total of thirteen with seven still living. Epsilon Eta has more living and more deceased Order of Constantine brothers than almost any of the 244 chapters in North America. Because of the limits placed on annual inductions, on average a chapter would be able to induct one brother every 11.6 years.

We at Epsilon Eta are fortunate to have so many brothers who contribute to our local Active Chapter, Alumni Chapter, House Corporation and our Foundation, but until now we did not have a system in place to recognize those who do so much.  To correct this deficiency, we have created two new awards to recognize our local alumni.

Outstanding Alumni Award

This award recognizes alumni who over a long period of time have exhibited a high level of commitment, dedication and service to the Epsilon Eta Chapter. They have also not been awarded the Sigma Chi International Fraternity Order of Constantine.

The criteria for the award shall be contributions in an extraordinary way to one or more of the following Epsilon Eta Chapter organizations: Active Chapter, Alumni Chapter, Endowment or House Corporation. The service to Sigma Chi shall be demonstrated Internationally and/or locally, and can be contributions of time, talent and/or treasure.

The Fresno Alumni Chapter President shall appoint an Award Nomination Committee consisting of Sigma Chi alumni. The Award Nomination Committee shall review contributions of alumni and select brothers for the award that satisfy the criteria. The number of awardees shall not be limited, and the award shall not necessarily be awarded annually.

A suitable commemorative gift shall be presented to the awardee at an appropriate social gathering.

Alumni President’s Citation

The Alumni President’s Citations are presented to undergraduate or alumni members who perform outstanding service to the Active Chapter, Alumni Chapter, Endowment and/or House Corporation. The citation can also be presented non-members in special circumstances. The Alumni President selects the recipients, who receive certificates to honor their service.

Sean Gallaher Creates Momentum for Endowment

The Fresno Sigma Chi Alumni website, fresnosigsalumni.org, was busy between March 16 and 18. The website can be used to purchase donor bricks, pay alumni chapter dues and make donations to our endowments. During those three days, 10 donor bricks were purchased by Fresno Sigma Chi alumni. This easily sets the record for any three-day period.


Sean Gallaher

March 16 started off on the right foot when brother Dennis Ford went online and ordered a brick. Over the next three days ten more brothers made purchases for themselves. The catalyst for the purchase of 8 bricks was brother Sean Gallaher. Sean contacted several brothers in his era, and this created a landslide of orders. Brothers who purchased bricks over this period include Travis Bader (01-F), Peter Flores (01-S), Dennis Ford (91-F), Sean Gallaher (02-F), Jeff Hibbard (91-F), Matt Helon (00-F) who’s father is Marv Helon (71-F), Michael Luckey (02-F), Joe McCann (98-F), Brian O’Rourke (01-F), Frank Puccio (01-S) and Brian Stenklyft (00-S).

A brick is obtained by a $250 contribution to the Fresno Sigma Chi Endowment. Each brick is engraved with the purchasing brother’s name, or it can be designated in memory of a brother who has passed on to the the Chapter Eternal. The bricks are cemented on the patio south of the Chapter House.

The purpose of our endowment is to provide scholarships to brothers living in our Chapter House. Today many brothers must work full-time in order to meet their financial obligations while attending Fresno State. Donations for 289 bricks have been received to date, and we will end the donor brick program when we reach 400. When the goal is reached, $100,000 will have been raised providing $4,000 scholarships in perpetuity. We are within 111 bricks of our goal.

400th Donor Brick Purchased on July 7, 2021

Significant Sig and Order of Constantine Tony Flores (56-S) started the Donor Brick program in 2017 to raise money for the Fresno Sigma Chi Endowment, and the goal was to sell 400. He got the idea from the patio area at the Smittcamp Alumni House at Fresno State, and by April 1, 2021 300 bricks were purchased. As the Covid vaccines became available during the spring of 2021, everyone became more optimistic about their future. After “laying low” for a year, on May 30, Tony sent emails to our alumni reminding them of the brick program and what it would accomplish. This triggered something no one expected. Brothers from various eras began to contact their closest brothers and encouraged them to buy bricks, and they created a landslide. It took four years for brothers to purchase 300 bricks, but only 37 days to sell the final 100. On July 7, 2021 the last brick was purchased. The weight of the fifteen month pandemic countered by the lift of the vaccine, appears to have brought out the best in our alumni.


Tony Flores

The purpose of the Fresno Sigma Chi Endowment is to provide scholarships to brothers living in our Chapter House and for the 2021/2022 school year, $38,000 in scholarships are available. Today many brothers must work full-time in order to meet their financial obligations while attending Fresno State. The Donor Brick goal has now been reached, and $100,000 has been raised providing $4,000 scholarships in perpetuity. The following brothers have bricks in their names:

Sigma Tau: Stan Alloway, Jim Chamberlain, Jim Mayer, Al Appling, Richard Beers, John Caire Jr, Ken Carter, Roy Davis Jr, Jose Elgorriaga, Bud Fisher, JimHarkness, Clarence Harris, Ray Harris, Max Hayden, John Holland, Allan Hunter, Bert Irola, Rodger Jensen, Oran McNeil(2), Pat Mon Pere, Allen Barr Olson, Harold Paul, Homer Potts, Phil Sanchez(2), Dick Schwartz, Glenn Sheets, Bob Sherrill, Lyle Smith, Traves Summers, Sy Tacchino, Sidney Wilson.

50s: Joe Bowerbank Sr., Tony Campbell, Bob Long, Jim Crookham, Frank Small, John Yankey, Joe Monachello, Jake Andresen, Marvin Meyers, Rich Bryant, Leo Wilson, Ron Wright, Denny Milligan, Roger Morey, Roland Beiden, Gene Andrade(2), Ev Brown, Bill Ceresa, Robert West, Bob Buckenberger, Bill Burrows, Victor Giraudo, Tony Flores(2), Charles Smith, Chuck Sant’Agata, Jay Tomlinson Jr, Gene Wilkinson, Elvin Bell, Harvey Casey, Don Giacomazzi, Charles Odle, Bill Sparks, Bryce Carey, Willy Kollmeyer, Bill McGuinness, Ron Ranagan, Norm Winslow, Robert Roginson, Bob Arnold, Ed Boswell, Ron Houston, Morris McKellips, Ted Pollard, Jack Shannon, Dante Simi, Chuck Smith, Ron Tukloff, Jerry Bode, Edwin Charlebois, Carl Peterson, Nigel Yandell, Jerry Evangelho, Jim Green DDS(2), Jimmie Johnson, Rich Rose.

60s: Eric Brandon, Tom Downing, Tom Gist, George Koolery, Jim Calandra, Les Sherry, Ron LaRocca, Clyde Luomala, Dan O’Brien, Tom Oliver, Bob Rich Jr, George Waltimire, John Waterhouse, Gary Renner, Jim Wright, Larry Dorsey, Brian Ehmke, Warren Williams, Colin Kelly, Dirk VanGelder, Jerry Waters, Skip Acker, Ron Alloway, Richard Ballow, Don Beauregard, Henry Brock, Bob Costa, John Lauck, Jim Underhill, Bill Matesso, Bud Olson, Jerry Traxler, Marv Broderson, Ken Farley, Jerry Fogle, Tom Gillespie, Paul Myers, Mike Patton, Larry Peasley, Les Schuler, Jerry Sparling, Brian Stout, Pat Stuckey, Ted Tukloff, Jerry Zulfa, Bob Dinkel, Terry Harper, Joe Pressutti, Clark Londquist, Tim Summers, Scotty Williams, Mike Hayes, Steve Grimm, Rob Crossland(2), Charlie Johnson, Bob Painter, Art Renney, Bill Crossland, Dan Hammack, Steve Heinrichs, Steve Crawford, Ed Musolff, Tommy Eichman, Jim Turner, Ted Harcksen, Art Wahlberg, Van Woolley, Gene Sousa, John Ballinger, Bill Colgate, Rick Nelson, Dave Dungy, Larry Harris, Jim Vaux, Tim Vaux, Mick Gilles, Dan Kelley, James Silveria, Rich Barsanti, Dave Jensen, Roger Peterson, Michael Alaga, Jeff Ehmke, John Garcia, Dick Harris, Mike Elliott, Rocky Taylor, John Crossland, John Marinovich, Jim Efird, Lindsay Brehm, Jim Norquist, Dave Reuland, Dennis Schmal, Mark Scott (2), Larry Calvino, Steve Pallios, Wes Viets.

70s: Jim Hutton, Don Vineyard, Bill Robinson, Bob Soligian, Dr. Michael Lynch, Kenny Duncan, Jon Gallinetti, Chris Visser, Russ Efird, Tom Licouris, Mark Sanchez, Richard Wright, Mike Chin, Marv Helon, Larry Johnson, Amos Bagdasarian, Dwayne Murray, Kirk Stewart, Kevin Crandell, Kyle Stephenson, Wade Hedrick, Gerald Chooljian, Glenn Scott, David Arakelian, Bruce Ekmanian, Dave Price III, Bruce Quan, Jim Sandrini, John Tubbesing, Bill Arnold, Bill Smittcamp, Steve Vucovich, Tony Guerriero, Richard Klopfstein, Serge Tomassian, Kirk Wethey, Kevin Wren, Jim Sandrini, Larry Spikes, Mark Worthington, Ron Radoicich, Norm Bishop, Bruce Berger, Brad Fischer(2), Steve Coleman, Bill Van Skike, George Neves, Dick Arakelian, Mike Crowley, Steve Bachand, Tom Kusaka, George Matoian.

80s: Dan Marinsik, Glenn Davis, Steve Smith, John Hughes, Kevin Andrade, Michael Alfheim, Dan Klopfstein, Eric Rehn, Marc Jason, Mike Price, Kevin Kamimoto, Bill Miller, Matt Rowan, Ted Uyesaka, Mike Bowlden, John Ansolabehere, Kip Haverman, Randy Roby, Mark Fimbres, Craig Maddux, Jeff Little, Randy Garabedian, Ty Carroll, Andrew Sattley, Walter Mueller, Michael Smith, Russell Davenport, Stuart Patteson, Kirk Jacinto, Jeffrey Gaines, T.A. Heckel(2), David Atkinson, Chris Morse, John Peters, Barry Foley, Joe Robertson, Bob Whalen, Devin Wilson, Rich Mechikoff, Grant Petersen, Marc Graham, Doug Sampson, Justin Kempton, Todd Wilson, Gary Mooshagian, Mike Green, Brady McGuinness, Matthew Simonian, Greg Anderson, Roger Dibble, Jim Tjerrild, Steve Hobbs, Lance McAuley, Ron Ewing, Sergio Ilic, Scott Morse, John Sordi, Brian Lockhart, Chris Kollmeyer, Graham Harrison, Matt Kollmeyer, T.J. Leonard.

90s: Marc Forth, Will Richardson, Matt Machado, Sam Mann, Lee Cendaña, Casey Knowles, Jimmy Parsley, Derek Mahoney, David Folly, Chris Norton, Joel Levy, Chris Heinrich, Nathan Labiak(2), Jeff Hibbard, Sherif Awad, Mitchell Youree, Dennis Ford, Dave Marinovich, Nick Salvetti, Jason Karr, Andrew Clark, Joe Bowerbank Jr, John Bowerbank, Rob Bell, Ken Eynaud, Billy Purewal, Preet Purewal, David Esposito, Brandon Cohrs, Joe McCann, Michael Burke, Dustin Marzolf, Dick Arakelian.

00s: Anthony DeLuca, Ty Maroudas, Chris Rusca, Justin Johnson, Zack Moro, Rodney Rusca, Peter Flores, Matt Helon, Brian Stenklyft, Travis Bader, Frank Puccio, Brian O’Rourke, Kevin Wethey, Michael Luckey,  Sean Gallaher, Chad Calhoun, Nick Hooper, Sean Akin.

10s: Dusty Lacefield, Evan Selander, Bryce Martinho , Trent Braswell, Scott Moore, Tyler Davies, Austin Radke, Christian DeFendis, Blake McGuinness, Nathanial A. Wilson, Jack Wilson, Giordano Primavera, Jordan Ayerza.

20s: Logan Mann, David Mistretta.

Other: Mama Lou, Iggy, Victor Bulldog, Anonymous, Chapter Eternal Brothers, Sigma Taus, In hoc signo vinces, Carol McNeil, Marci Radoicich Miller, Bud Richter Stanford (47-S), Harry Saint John Dixon (2), Gavin Gladding UCSB (94-S), Marci Radoicich Miller, Pledge Class-1980.