Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter of Fresno

News

2025 Wine Tasting Silent Auction is online now and open for Bidding

We currently have several outstanding items on the Auction Site with many more to be added as they are received.  

LOBSTER FEED & WINE EXTRAVAGANZA

Get your favorite brothers or friends together to enjoy this spectacular Auction Item.  A Lobster Dinner for 10 hosted at Sergio and Becky Ilic’s home with wine pairing provided by T.A. and Michelle Heckel. Enjoy an outdoor Lobster Dinner cooked before your eyes by Sergio!  Personally selected wine pairings by T.A. will complement the evening’s culinary selections!  This will be an experience you will never forget.  The Maine Lobsters will be flown in the day of the event.  The feast will be done in an East Coast Lobster/Crab/Clam Bake style.  Each participant will receive a full Lobster and T.A. will have the wine flowing throughout the entire evening.  This item can be purchased online at the buyout price.  DON’T MISS THIS MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE!!!

LUNCH FOR 6 WITH 2 FORMER FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFFS

Enjoy a fabulous lunch for 6 people at the renowned Elbow Room with former Sheriffs Magaret Mimms and Steve Magarian. This will be an opportunity to “pick their brains” and hear some of the experiences they have had over their decades of service as Law Enforcement Officers and Fresno County Sheriffs. 

To bid on these or the many other item visit the 2025 Wine Tasting Website by using the link or QR code below.

https://www.32auctions.com/sigalumniwinetasting2025

Brad Fischer Named Order of Constantine

On February 12, 2025, Sigma Chi International recognized brother Brad Fischer (78-S) as an Order of Constantine Sig.  Brad will be inducted at the 85th Grand Chapter of Sigma Chi which will be held June 26–29, 2025, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado.

“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 829 brothers since the Order’s inception at the 47th Grand Chapter in 1948.” Because of the limits placed on annual inductions, on average a chapter would be able to induct one brother every 21 years while Epsilon Eta averages one every 5 years.  Currently only 21 brothers can be inducted into the Order of Constantine each year. Epsilon Eta now has a total of 15 with 8 still living.

Brad Fischer (78-S)

Through the many years Brad’s leadership, mentoring and attention to detail the Fresno Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter has become the only fraternity alumni organization on the Fresno State campus that has enough critical mass to create significant activities for its alumni and to strongly support an undergraduate chapter. Epsilon Eta has the finest fraternity house on the Fresno State campus, it is maintained in pristine condition and has no debt.

4th Fall 1970 Brother Honored by EX International

Brother Dana McManus received his Significant Sig pin and certificate at the November 21, 2024 Fresno Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter dinner. He is the 4th in his pledge class to receive Sigma Chi International attention: Jon Gallinetti was named Significant Sig in 2007, Bill Robinson was named Order of Constantine in 2022 and Mike Gallo was named Significant Sig in 2023. This has to be a record. Who was rush chairman and magister during the fall 1970 semester?

About 50 alumni and active brothers met at The Old Spaghetti Factory to celebrate Dana’s achievement.

Bill Robinson introduced Dana, Dana graciously accepted the award, then Kenny Jelacich recounted stories of Dana’s days of Quaestor living in the Chapter House sparing no details.

Sigma Chi Alfresco Tapas Dinner and Wine Extravaganza

On October 27, 2024, Brothers Sergio Ilic (87-F) and T.A. Heckel (82-F) hosted this fabulous event to raise money for the Fresno Sigma Chi Endowment that provides scholarships for our undergraduate brothers.  Sergio is a master at the barbecue while T.A. is Epsilon Eta’s renowned wine expert.  Michelle Heckel and Becky Ilic were keys to the event’s success needless to say.

T.A. and Sergio getting ready to get serious.

The evening started with Pisco Sours, a Chilean and Peruvian drink, then over the course of the evening T.A. paired all 19 Chilean menu items with the perfect wines.  These included Champagne, rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, red Burgundy, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chef Sergio flambeing the pineapple
Chef Sergio finishing the disc seared filet bites

Dinner items included lobster bisque, salmon ceviche, blue crab gratin, pan seared duck breast, sautéed mushroom medley, autumn harvest salad, kale salad, garlic shrimp, pineapple flambé, Mediterranean pork riblets, herb crusted lamb lollipops, disc seared filet bites…and more.  Sergio and wife Becky were both born in Chile where barbecuing is an olympic sport.

Shelly displaying the encrusted lollipops prior to cooking

The guests for the evening were Shelly and Tom Beggs (68-F), Chris and Warren Williams (61-S) and Ellen and Mike Patton (63-S).

The gang enjoying lemon/lime posset and mil hojas cake
T.A. displays the 14 bottles of wine he and wife Michelle served, oh my.

Past Grand Consul to Speak at January Dinner

EVANSTON, Ill. (Oct. 4, 2024) — The Sigma Chi Foundation Board of Governors has announced that 68th Grand Consul Michael Greenberg, ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 1982, has accepted the position of President effective Monday, October 7.

Mike Greenberg

“For more than four decades, Brother Greenberg has held every major volunteer position within our International Fraternity. He led the development of the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute and served a vital role on our Foundation Board of Governors, where he has played a crucial role in securing more than 90 percent of all transformational (seven-figure) gifts received by the Foundation since 2014,” said Foundation Chairman, Order of Constantine Sig and Significant Sig Jeff Muir, GEORGIA 1971.

Past Grand Consul Mike Greenberg will attend and speak at our January 16, 2025 alumni dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory. As far as we know, this is the first visit to our chapter by a former Grand Consul since we affiliated with Sigma Chi in 1952.