Acacia Fraternity Foundation Nominees for term as AFF Directors 2011 - 2014

Please refer to the following list of bios for those alumni brothers nominated to serve as Acacia Fraternity Foundation Directors for 2011 - 2014.  
To vote in the AFF Proxy Vote process, click the following link to complete the online survey.

Christopher Caywood - University of Michigan ‘80.  Order of Pythagoras.  Attorney.  Acacia Fraternity Foundation Director (2008 - present). President of Online Services at DeVry, Inc.  Resides in Kenilworth, IL.

Gerald C. Cook - Shippensburg University ‘66.  Order of Pythagoras; Award of Merit.  George F. Patterson Award. Past President, Board of Directors of the Acacia Fraternity Foundation, 1994 - 1998; International President, Acacia Fraternity, 1998-2002; Board of Directors, Acacia Fraternity Foundation, 2005-present.  Past Southern Region Director of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.  Currently Lead Public Health Advisor for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Atlanta, GA.  Resides in Roswell, GA.



Mark Guidry - Louisiana State University ‘57. Order of Pythagoras; Award of Merit; past Chapter Advisor, Louisiana State Chapter. Board of Directors, Acacia Fraternity Foundation, 1996-2000. Retired CEO, Avasem Corporation; General Manager, Avanti Bufalini, LLC and Avaline Partners, LLC.  Resides in Henderson, NV.

James N. Katsaounis - Ohio University ‘95.  Order of Pythagoras.  Past Alumni Director and President, Ohio Chapter Alumni Association and House Corporation.  Past Chapter Advisor, Ohio Chapter.  Past Assistant International Treasurer and Communications Director, Acacia International Headquarters.  Past director of public relations, Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania. Associate Vice President, University Communications, Drexel University.  Resides in Philadelphia, PA.

Gregory J. Owen - Carleton ’88.  Award of Merit, Order of Pythagoras. International Counselor, International Council, 2004-2010.  Founding Father, Carleton chapter. Chapter Advisor, Carleton chapter.  ALA Fellow, 1995, 2005, 2006.   Currently President of a public affairs/communications firm which he co-founded.  Served in government at the provincial and federal levels, including as a senior advisor to the Premier of Ontario and as Chief of Staff to a senior cabinet member.  Resides in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada.

L. Dennis Smith, Ph.D. - Indiana University ‘56.  Order of Pythagoras, Award of Merit. Professor and President Emeritus of the University of Nebraska.  Former Dean, Executive Vice Chancellor & Acting Chancellor of the University of California- Irvine.  Former professor at Purdue University and Staff Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory. Professor of Biology.  Acacia Fraternity Foundation Director (2005 - present), Acacia Fraternity Foundation Vice President and Co-Chair of the New Century Campaign.  Dennis divides his time between Monticello, IN & Naples, FL.
 
Donald W. Solanas, Jr.- Louisiana State University ‘68.  Order of Pythagoras; Award of Merit; George F. Patterson Award.  First Undergraduate Counselor on National Council; Regional Counselor; Second Vice-President 1982-1992;  President  1992-1998,  International Council of  Acacia Fraternity.  Past Chapter Advisor, Louisiana State Chapter. Board of Directors, Acacia Fraternity Foundation (2003-present). Co-Owner, COO Arrowhead Energy Exploration, LLC, Baton Rouge, LA.  Resides in Baton Rouge, LA.
Lamar Tims - University of Texas ‘61.  Order of Pythagoras.  Acacia Fraternity Foundation Director (2008 - present).  Assistant Vice President, Commercial Loan Operations, Citibank, Dallas, Texas.  Resides in Dallas, TX.


Harold Zarr - Iowa State University '73.  Order of Pythagoras, Award of Merit.  Alumni Board President, The Acacians at Iowa State.  Member of Investment Committee, Acacia Fraternity Foundation.  Professor, Mathematics and Business Finance, Des Moines Area Community College.  Resides in Ankeny, IA.

Nebraska Chapter "Acacia Open 2011"

The Acacia Open returns this year after a brief hiatus to the Knolls Golf Course in Omaha, NE -  Saturday, June 25th, 2011.  The format for this tournament will be a four man scramble with a shotgun start.

Each team will consist of four Brothers.  You can submit as a four man team, as an individual, as a pair, etc.  Brothers that submit as some combination other than a full team will be matched with other Brothers in order to create a four man team.

The cost of the event will be $60.00 per person which includes 18 holes of golf, a cart and your choice of lunch item (burger or brat and a bag of chips) and various pin prizes.  Your entry fee is due at registration.

Registration will start at 8:00 a.m. at the Knolls Golf Course and the shotgun start will begin at 8:30 a.m.

Please RSVP for the Open by emailing or phoning the following:
Chad Hartnett             chad.hartnett@cox.net            (402) 960-1251
Nate Rezac                         nrezac1@gmail.com            (402) 669-3653


Details for Event: 

The Knolls Golf Course
11630 Sahler Street
Omaha, NE 68164
(402) 493-1740

Saturday, June 25th, 2011
Cost: $60 per Brother
Registration 8:00 a.m.
44 Golfers (teams of 4) with room for additional Brothers. 


Directions to the course are the following:
From I-80
·      From I-80 going W, take 680 N and turn off on the Maple St exit and turn W.
·      Go to 120 st. and go N to Old Maple Road.
·      Old Maple Road is your first right on 120 going N.
Go accross the bridge and take your first left and this will lead to the Knolls Clubhouse.
Or just break out your Garmin.

Indiana Acacia Cycling Team places 5th in Little 500, Wins Dixie Highway Award

The Little 500, an annual bike race at Indiana University, has been called "the largest intramural event in the nation".  Teams train throughout the year for this 50-mile race in which all of the teams use a standard, single-gear bike to ensure that no one has an edge by having better equipment than any other teams.  Event coordinators report that over 25,000 fans are in attendance each year.

Amidst a windy, and at-times rainy, afternoon, 33 teams took the track for the Men's Race on Saturday, April 16th.  Many of the teams participating represent Indiana University's fraternity chapters, and there are a number of "independent" teams that represent cycling clubs or dormitories.

Historically, the Acacia Fraternity Cycling Team has been a consistently strong contender, winning the race in 1961, 1983, & 1991.  The team website (http://www.acaciacycling.org/ ) provides additional information, and has this to say about the history of the team: "Since the race was first run in 1951, Acacia has participated in every race except one. This extensive race career, coupled with consistent top performances, have given Acacia Cycling the distinction of ranking second all-time among teams ever to participate in the Little 500."

This years team had a very strong race, after a less-than-glorious qualifying spot, starting 30th out of 33 teams.  However, that just meant that the men had an opportunity to make huge strides once the race began, and that they did.  Leading the entire field for a number of the laps, our team held strong and competed until the end.  Finishing in 5th place, the team won the Dixie Highway Award, which goes to the team that advances the highest number of spots from the start to the finish of the race.  They also set the event record for that particular honor, no team has ever advanced that many spots over the course of the race.

This years team was comprised of brothers John Ferry, Brian Howaniec, Blake Swinehart, Greg Bortz & Josh Minnick.  Each team is only allowed to dress 4 riders with one reserve rider.  Ferry, Howaniec, Swinehart & Bortz dressed for the race, and Minnick was geared up and ready to go in case we needed a replacement rider.  View the Team Roster here.

Congratulations to this years team!  None of these men will be graduating this year, so we will have one of the strongest teams going into next year.  Join us in congratulating these Acacians who exemplify dedication and excellence!