Our Celebration of Brotherhood was a tremendous success on Saturday April 30, 2022.

Thank you to our Celebration of Brotherhood (coined by Ron LaRocca 61-F) Committee. Also, Don Beauregard 62-S, Norm Bishop 77-F, Jim Calandra 60-S, Brandon Cohrs 98-F, Chris Cole 82-F, Brad Fischer 78-S, Tony Flores 56-S, Marc Jason 81-F, Rich Klopfstein 74-F, Tom Kusaka 79-F, Dusty Lacefield 12-F, Ron LaRocca 61-F, Sam Mann 91-S, Dan O’Brien 61-F, Mike Patton 63-S, Bill Robinson 70-F, Mark Scott 69-F, Bill Van Skike 78-F and Zack Worden 11-F.

1960s Era

The short program featured a welcome by Tony Flores and a letter of congratulations from 72^nd Grand Consul Tim Sanderson, WESTERN 1985. Proclamations presented by Norm Bishop from the State Legislature, County of Fresno and City of Fresno. Presentation of the Significant Sig Award to Bill Smittcamp, 73-F by Significant Sig Jeff Burnside, Associate Director of Development of the Sigma Chi Foundation.

1970s Era

Brad Fischer presented Semi Century Sig certificates to David Arakelian 72-F, Bruce Quan 72-F & Kyle Stephenson 72-F. A new alumni chapter award, Pinnacle Award for the highest achievement was presented to Mike Patton. A letter of memories of Sigma Tau by Rodger Jensen 52-T was read. We closed the program with the singing of the Sweetheart of Sigma Chi to the Sweethearts and other women in the audience.

1980s Era

The Fresno Sigma Chi Endowment Board awarded $2,000 scholarships to the following Fresno Sigma Chi undergraduate brothers: Trenton Benevedes 20-F, Christian Cruz 20-F, Will Jacobs 20-F, Luke Karagozian 20-S, Bassel Khoury 21-F, Coopers Lilles 21-F, Logan Mann 20-F, Anthony Rojas 21-F, Navid Sadavi 21-F, Zaid Srouji 22-S, Matthew Tatum 20-S, Payton Thomason 21-F, Austin Tuell 21-F and Trey Wood 20-F. 

We are told our endowment is the largest of any Sigma Chi alumni chapter in North America. We now have $2.250,000 donated or pledged with the ultimate goal of reaching a total of $3,000,000. The scholarships we give to our Active Chapter brothers not only encourage academic excellence and living in the Chapter House, but also provide for the long-term financial strength of our House Corporation. Living in the Chapter House provides the opportunity for brothers to learn leadership and social skills, and to form life-long bonds of brotherhood, all of which may only be possible for students today by being members of a fraternity or sorority.

Brother Karagozian Receives Simi Scholarship

The Fresno State Alumni Association scholarship committee announced that Luke Karagozian (20-S) was awarded a $1,600 scholarship for the 2022/2023 school year from the Dante Simi 58-F Endowment.  Luke is a straight-A student.

On Saturday, May 14, 2022, we were finally able to get together and enjoy T.A. Heckel’s fine wines from his personal cellar. We set a maximum of 100 participants, but felt compelled to allow the total to rise to 102 which was just right for brother Jahn Ballinger’s backyard. John is a collector of antique cars, and he displayed them as part of the ambiance of the wine tasting.

Wine Tasting Committee chairman, Tom Kusaka, paid the entry fee for six undergraduate brothers who enjoyed the event, but also participated by setting up tables and chairs, taking credit card payments and taking down tables and chairs. We thank them for their help, and acknowledge that we could not have done it without them. Wine Tasting Committee members included Greg Baxter, Steve Coleman, T.A. Heckel, Tom Licouris, Titus Moore, Jim Norquist, Mike Patton, Bruce Quan, Gary Renner, Dave Reuland and Mark Springer.

This year we were honored to have a special celebrity guest, Significant Sig Brandon Chaney (Indiana University 1993), proprietor and CEO of Fairwinds Winery in Napa Valley. Brandon brought and poured some of his In Hoc Nape Valley wines.

Although the primary purpose of the event is social, by creating a few fun ways to benefit our endowment, we were able to raise $24,000. We are told our endowment is the largest of any Sigma Chi alumni chapter in North America. We now have $2.250,000 donated or pledged with the ultimate goal of reaching a total of $3,000,000. The scholarships we give to our Active Chapter brothers not only encourage academic excellence and living in the Chapter House, but also provide for the long-term financial strength of our House Corporation. Living in the Chapter House provides the opportunity for brothers to learn leadership and social skills, and to form life-long bonds of brotherhood, all of which may only be possible for students today by being members of a fraternity or sorority. All six undergraduates purchased raffle tickets, two bought auction items and Bravo Bites the taco provider purchased the weekend at the Baxter’s Fish Camp cabin.

Brothers who registered for the event were: Tony Flores 56-S, Elwood Enns 60-F, Warren Williams 61-S, Tom Downing 62-F, Jerry Waters 62-F, Don Beauregard 62-S, Gary Renner 62-S, Mike Patton 63-S, Ted Harcksen 65-F, John Ballinger 65-S, Tim Vaux 66-F, Ken Blom 66-S, Jack Tacchino 66-S, Rich Barsanti 67-F, Greg Baxter 67-S, John Garcia 67-S, Steve Pavich 67-S, Tom Beggs 68-F, Michael Elliott 68-F, Jim Norquist 69-F, Dave Reuland 69-F, Shurl Rosenkrantz 69-F, Mark Scott 69-F, Larry Calvino 69-S, Don Ruiz 69-S, Peter Britton 70-F, Tom Licouris 70-F, Bill Robinson 70-F, Richard Wright 70-F, Michael Lynch 70-S, Chris Visser 71-F, Pat Beggs 72-F, Bruce Quan 72-F, Bill Smittcamp 73-S, Serge Tomassian 74-F, Kirk Wethey 74-F, Kevin Wren 74-F, Rodney  Gavroian 76-S, Rob Hauser 76-S, Steve Coleman 78-F, Brad Fischer 78-S, Jon Hollenbeck 79-F, Tom Kusaka 79-F, George Neves 79-F, T.A. Heckel 82-F, Marc Graham 84-S, Sergio Ilic 87-F, Alan Hansen 88-S, Jason Weiner 90-F, Brandon Cheney 90-S λ, Mark Springer 09-F, Evan Selander 12-S, Mike Colgate 14-F, Trenton Benevedes 20-F, Christian Cruz 20-F, Matthew Tatum 20-S, Cooper Lilles 21-F, Payton Thomason 21-F and Zaid Srouji 22-S.

After weeks of fog the skies finally cleared for our second golf tournament of the year, the Sigma Chi Brotherhood Open, hosted at Eagle Springs Golf and Country Club near Millerton Lake on Sunday, November 21st. A total of 60 brothers competed in the three man scramble with proceeds benefiting the Epsilon Eta chapter.

After a chilly morning the sun was shining for the 9:00am shotgun start and it turned out to be a beautiful day. Brothers were once again provided custom Sigma Chi golf balls, tees, ball markers and breakfast provided by the course. After the round, brothers gathered at the clubhouse for the raffle prize giveaway and announcement of winners.

Epsilon Eta Chapter Fundraiser Chair, Logan Mann (F’20), along with four other active chapter brothers, assisted with selling raffle tickets and other charitable opportunities, including a move up hole donation, two Vegas holes, and parimutuel betting, with proceeds going to the Epsilon Eta chapter. In total, Logan and the brothers raised nearly one thousand dollars, for a total of over four thousand dollars raised from both tournaments this year!

The Epsilon Eta chapter would like to thank all our alumni for the continued support and we look forward to seeing you all at the next tournament in the Spring of ‘22!

Gross Handicap Winners
1st place: Zach Worden (F’11), Dusty Lacefield (F’12) and Hayden Sorbo (F’15) – 63
2nd place: Andy Samuelson (F’09), Dustin Campbell (F’10) and Derrick Lacy (F’10) – 68
3rd place: Jeff Little (F’82), Scot Wilson and Larry Johnson (F’71) – 72

Net Handicap Winners
1st place: Jacob Balfanz (F’10), Zachary Gavroian (S’11) and Zac Black (non-Sig) – 57.8
2nd place: Devin Morales (S’13), Matt Morales (S’20) and Reiley Johnstone (F’12) – 59.3
3rd place: Martin Cortez (S’14), Justin Dykstra (non-Sig) and Blake Aguiar (non-Sig) – 59.5
*Winners were only eligible for prizes in one category. If a group placed in both categories, they received the greater prize and forfeited the other.

Longest Drive Winner
Jacob Balfanz (F’10)

Closest to the Pin Winner
Patrick Hawkins (F’18)

Best Dressed
Evan Selander (S’12), Chase Simpson (F’13) and Blake Garabedian (F’14)

 

House Corporation President John Ballinger 65-S permanently placed important Sigma Chi information on the walls in the Chapter House library. The items included a photo of a painting of past Consul, Significant Sig and Constantine Sig Phil Sanchez (52-T) in his ambassadors uniform, the Epsilon Eta charter, a plaque with the pictures of the five founders of Fresno Sigma Tau and what John calls the Wall of Honor. 

Besides being a quiet and comfortable place to study, the items on the wall are all important to our history and also indicate the values of Sigma Chi. It is a perfect place to bring potential new pledges to show them what Epsilon Eta is all about.