Cross & Crescent

At the 2004 General Assembly, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity launched the “Call to Lead” campaign, the first major fund-raising campaign in our Fraternity’s history. Our stated goal was to raise $6.5 million.

These monies were to be used to fund leadership development programs, provide scholarships, fund alumni and chapter adviser training programs, and provide funds for individual chapters as designated by the donors.

I was honored to be asked to chair this important campaign, with the support of a campaign cabinet comprised of some of our Fraternity’s most dedicated and hard-working brothers.

I would be less than honest if I did not tell you we had significant misgivings about our prospects for success at the campaign’s start.

Lambda Chi Alpha has not done a good job over the years keeping in contact with our alumni members and offering them opportunities to stay involved with our Fraternity.

We wondered whether we should take some time to improve communications with our alumni before undertaking this campaign.

In addition, we were facing financial challenges as an organization when this campaign began. We were concerned that the campaign would be misperceived simply as a device to generate cash flow to meet current obligations.

In the campaign’s early stages, we also were in the midst of significant leadership changes in the General Fraternity. These changes were already putting pressure on staff, a number of our alumni volunteers, and created some uncertainty as to future policy direction.

Tremendous Alumni Response

Despite the challenges we elected to proceed, and the results have been a true testament to a heartfelt commitment to this Fraternity on the part of our alumni.

As I have traveled the country meeting with our brothers and discussing the current state of our Fraternity and our goals for the campaign, I have experienced firsthand the lifelong bond that abides in Lambda Chi Alpha.

With the help of a relatively small number of our brothers, many of whom have made sacrificial contributions that go “above and beyond,” I am pleased to announce that we have exceeded our $6.5 million goal by nearly $200,000, and that we have now successfully closed the “Call to Lead” campaign.

We could not have achieved these results without the efforts of a number of people, both Fraternity Staff and alumni.

Special Recognition

I wish to recognize Educational Foundation President and CEO Mark Bauer (California State-Fullerton 1979), as well as his assistants, former Director of Development Rob Walker (Western Ontario 1999), Executive Assistant Teresa Carlson, and Director of Annual Giving Amy Posavac, for their tireless work behind the scenes. They have been a joy to work with.

Pat Ryan (Kentucky 1962), a principal of Skystone Ryan and our campaign adviser, provided outstanding service and guidance, and we offer him our sincere thanks as well.

Also, since his arrival as our new executive vice president in July 2005, Bill Farkas (Butler 1988) has played an invaluable role in focusing us on the future and giving our entire organization a positive feeling about where we are going. Our success in the campaign owes much to Farkas and his positive vision.

But the real thanks must go to the selfless volunteers who have given this campaign so much of their time and talent.

I wish to recognize former Educational Foundation Chairman Jerre Stead (Coe 1965) and current Chairman Gregg Behrens (Iowa State 1974) for their inspiring leadership and extraordinarily generous donations to the campaign.

The rest of the campaign cabinet also deserves recognition for their efforts and contributions in making this campaign a success, including past Grand High Alpha Ted Grossnickle (Wabash 1973), Lambda Chi Alpha Properties Chairman Larry Mansfield (Mansfield 1983), and 2006 Order of Merit recipient Ron Neville (Drury 1969).

And lastly, I want to acknowledge the many brothers who responded to this campaign with donations that exemplified the best in Lambda Chi Alpha’s high ideals.

Our Fraternity has already recognized two of these brothers for the magnitude of their contributions. At the 2006 General Assembly, we announced that our leadership seminars for the next 20 years will be named The Jerre L. and Mary Joy Stead Leadership Seminar.

At the January 2007 Winter Brotherhood Retreat in New Braunfels, Texas, the Grand High Zeta voted that the Fraternity will host the Ronald A. Neville Alumni Adviser’s College at general assemblies and leadership seminars for the next 10 years as well.

We will offer appropriate appreciation to all of our members who have contributed so selflessly to this campaign by way of recognition at the upcoming 2007 Leadership Seminar in Memphis, Tennessee, and by way of a plaque at Headquarters.

Leaders Answer the Call

Since this has been designated the “Call to Lead” campaign, you may be wondering how broadly the rest of your Fraternity’s current and former leadership have participated.

In this regard, consider the following: current and former Grand High Zeta members gave $530,000; current and former Fraternity staff members gave $550,000; Order of Merit recipients gave $940,000; Order of Achievement recipients gave $1.6 million; and, current and former Foundation board members gave $3.1 million.

In total, we have received more than 1,000 individual gifts, with 16 of those gifts being $100,000 or more. Without question, your Fraternity’s current and former leadership has stepped forward to answer the call. In fact, these contributions to the campaign raised the assets of the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation to more than $5 million.

The monies raised will be used to strengthen chapter leadership training, provide recruitment scholarships, and give our alumni the opportunity to continue their involvement and realize the benefits of membership.

All of these are important practical results of our success.

More Than Just Money

We have found that the success of this campaign goes well beyond mere financial issues. Approximately 700 personal visits with alumni were made in the course of this campaign, giving us the opportunity to bring them up to date on the great things happening in our Fraternity.

As we have reached out to our alumni across the country we have seen a re-engagement with Lambda Chi Alpha that will produce significant benefits for years to come.

We have seen an outpouring of commitment that will inspire our members -– undergraduate and alumni alike -– to see firsthand a tangible demonstration of our values and ideals.

We started this campaign with the belief that Lambda Chi Alpha has always been a leader in the Greek world and with the determination that we would honor that legacy with a successful fund-raising drive.

In the end, we have proven -– as much to ourselves as to the rest of our peers -– that we were right.

Lambda Chi Alpha is and will continue to be a leader in the Greek world, proving once again that we are an organization of lofty goals and great achievement. All of us have every right to be proud of our Fraternity.

Jack Mason (Pennsylvania 1913) recognized that we are an organization of high ideals, but he cautioned that those ideals are mere platitudes unless we turn our ideals into action.

Sincere thanks to all of our brothers who have responded to Mason’s vision, and who have so resoundingly answered this “Call to Lead.”

Note: Lynn Chipperfield is the chairman of the “Call to Lead” campaign and is currently the Fraternity’s Grand High Pi.