Follow Conclave 2012 online

Greetings from the Acacia HQ staff! We are excitedly making final preparations for our journey across the hot desert sands to our 57th biennial Conclave in St. Louis, Missouri (okay, the drive from Indianapolis to St. Louis is more like prairie than dessert, but it is going to be hot as Egypt for the duration of our stay - check out the five-day weather forecast).



Can't make it to St. Louis? Follow from home!
We invite Acacians from all over the world to join us online as brothers from across North America assemble in St. Louis to conduct the business of the fraternity and strengthen the ties of friendship.

Where we'll be sharing online:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/acaciafraternity
Twitter: http://twitter.com/acaciahq
Storify: http://storify.com/AcaciaHQ/acacia-conclave-12
And find updates right here on the Acacia blog.

Twitter users contribute with hashtag #Acacia12:
Are you on Twitter and attending Conclave? Or following from home? Use hashtag #Acacia12 so we can find and share your Tweets and pics. We'll put our favorites on Storify.

Thanks for following, and we'll see you in St. Louis!

Pastko returns to headquarters staff

We are excited to announce the return of Michael Pastko, Purdue '04, to the Acacia Headquarters staff. Brother Pastko picks up where he left off in 2010, leading the fraternity's efforts in the digital world.


In his role, Michael oversees Acacia's efforts online, spanning from Acacia.org to social media to new initiatives, and provides technology, graphic design, and communications support to our chapters, headquarters staff, and Acacia Fraternity Foundation. With his primary responsibilities existing online, Michael is working remotely from Boulder, Colorado, and reporting directly to Keith Bushey, Executive Director.


Brother Pastko re-joins the staff after spending the last three years in the online and mobile technology industries, creating two startup companies with customers spanning North America and Europe. Michael previously served the fraternity beginning in 2007 as Co-Director of Membership Development before taking on the role of Director of Communications. He was awarded the Order of Pythagoras in 2008 and served as Venerable Dean of the Purdue Chapter as an undergraduate.

Acacia Fraternity Foundation Directors 2012 - 2015

Please refer to the following list of bios for those alumni brothers nominated to serve as Acacia Fraternity Foundation Directors for 2012 - 2015. 


To vote in the AFF Proxy Vote process, click on the following link to complete the online survey. 

John C. (Chip) Brueckman III

Cornell ’76. His career has been in marketing for Proctor and Gamble, Seven Up, Cadbury-Schweppes and most recently for the company that oversees the Texas state lottery. Sales, Merchandising, and Business Development Manager at GTECH, Inc. Resides in Plano, TX

Bryan W. Dowd

Morningside College ’02.  Treasurer of the Morningside Chapter 2002-2003.  Alumni Representative (Morningside College) for 2008 & 2010 Conclaves.  Currently Vice President of Commercial Banking & Treasury Management for First American Bank.  Resides in Fort Myers, FL.

Brian R. Durst

Wisconsin ’87.  Order of Pythagoras.  Current Vice President and Past President, Acacia Housing Corp of Wisconsin Chapter.  Founding Father, Wisconsin Chapter.   District Sales Manager, American Family Insurance.   Resides in Woodstock (Atlanta), GA.  

Amos D. Meyers, Jr.

Shippensburg ’66.  Founding member of Shippensburg chapter.  Member of the Acacia Fraternity Foundation Board of Directors, serving as chairman of the AFF Scholarship Committee.  Elementary classroom teacher and administrator (retired). Chairman, Hawaii County Transportation Commission.  Resides in Volcano, Hawaii.

Melvin W. (Mel) Rapp

Illinois ’49. Order of Pythagoras, Award of Merit.  Member of the Acacia Fraternity Foundation Board of Directors.  Managing director of Quality Chekd Dairies (retired).  Treasurer, Illinois Chapter House Corporation and Illinois Capital Campaign Committee.  Co-Chapter Advisor, Illinois chapter.  Resides in Wheaton, Illinois.

William M. (Bill) Riley, Jr.
Kansas State '60. Order of Pythagoras, Award of Merit. Currently serving as President of the Acacia Fraternity Foundation Board of Directors. President of The Pathfinder, Inc., retail outdoor clothing and equipment. Chairman of the National Trustee Council of the Nature Conservancy, Chairman of Colorado Association of Fund Raisers, CFRE, Board of Trustees Kansas United Methodist Foundation. Past president of Kansas 4-H Foundation and the Kansas State chapter alumni board. Resides in Manhattan, KS.

Richard S. (Rick) Rasmussen

California ’80. Order of Pythagoras.  Member of the Acacia Fraternity Foundation Board of Directors.  Director and Vice President of California Chapter House Corporation since 1982.  Venture Capital investor and member of Sand Hill Angels.  Silicon Valley trade commissioner for the Consulate General of Canada.  Former marketing vice president and general manager for C-Cube Microsystems, LSI Logic and other technology firms. Resides in San Jose, California.

Larry E. Schroeder

Georgia ’77. Order of Pythagoras, Award of Merit, George F. Patterson Award. Currently serving as Treasurer, Acacia Fraternity Foundation.  Software consultant, IBM DB2 Content Management.  Msonic Lodge, 32nd degree.  Resides in Cary, North Carolina.

Dewayne E. (Dewey) Ullsperger

Nebraska ’82. Order of Pythagoras, Award of Merit, George F. Patterson Award.  Vice president and chief actuary, United Healthcare.  Co-chair of the AFF New Century Campaign.  Currently serving as Vice-President, Acacia Fraternity Foundation.  Resides in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

William A.(Bill) Utic

Cornell, ‘74.  Order of Pythagoras, Award of Merit, George F. Patterson Award. Past President, Secretary/Treasurer of Acacia Fraternity Foundation and current member of Acacia Fraternity Foundation Board of Directors.  Past President, Director, California Chapter House Corporation; Presently, Manager of Corporate Real Estate for San Francisco-based Pacific Gas and Electric Company.  Resides in Fremont, California.