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On behalf of the Trojan Sig Foundation, I wanted to share some of the exciting news happening with the Trojan Sig Foundation (TSF), the Trojan Sig House Corporation (TSHC) and the AU chapter. In this September edition of our newsletter, you'll read about the Fall Pledge Class of 2024, the Fourth Annual Goat Classic, the chapter’s newest Exemplar Award winner, some fun facts about the AU Chapter, celebrate the accomplishments and legacy of Significant Sig William Shaeffer, ‘54 and last (but not least) meet the Trojan Sig Foundation Board of Directors.
We are making great strides with the Four Pillars Capital Campaign and are extremely grateful to all the brothers who have already contributed to this important effort that will help ensure Sigma Chi’s bright future at USC for decades to come…
In Hoc,
Kerry McCluggage
President, Trojan Sig Foundation
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AU Welcomes 53 New Pledges
On the evening of September 4, 53 new pledges were pinned with the Norman Shield. For the last two years Sigma Chi has been ranked by Trojan students as the #1 fraternity at USC (source: Greek Rank) and that momentum is reflected in the quality of the young men pictured below. Congrats to Rush Chairs Justin Knott, Jake Petroff, Cade Holden, Sebastian Demarais, and the entire chapter on a job well done, and let’s all give a big Trojan Sig welcome to the Fall Pledge Class of 2024!
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It's All Fun and Games when You're a Goat
On August 23rd, 31 Trojan Sigs gathered at Strawberry Farms Golf Club in Irvine for the Fourth Annual Goat Classic! After a day of perfect weather and challenging golf (it’s not easy to grip a club with hooves…) the fun continued off the course as the herd made their way to the home of Rick John, '77. There, the brothers enjoyed an evening of camaraderie, reminiscing about the good old days, and creating new memories. Organized by Dan Plunkett, '79, this cherished tradition brings together Trojan Sigs of pledge classes from 1973 to 1981, showcasing the enduring strength of the AU Chapter of Sigma Chi.
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Trojan Sig House Corporation - Who it is and What it Does
The Trojan Sig House Corporation (TSHC) was established in its current status as a 501(c) 7 entity in 2018. The AU Chapter house was transferred from the Trojan Sig Foundation (TSF) to the TSHC, making TSHC the current owner of the property and landlord to the AU Chapter. The TSHC performs such duties as managing housing contracts, collecting rent from the Chapter, and working directly with the Chapter’s property management company on issues relating to the House’s physical structure, general maintenance and housekeeping services.
As part of the close partnership, when construction of the new AU Chapter house is being planned, TSHC and TSF will ensure that the Actives are well-informed about the process and timeline, and further, that during construction, the TSHC will make every effort to secure a safe, comfortable place that is close to campus for members of the AU Active Chapter to reside in and is conducive to maintaining the operations of the fraternity as well as the strong relationships and brotherhood of AU.
TSHC is comprised of a wide range of Alpha Upsilon Sigs spanning several decades: President Dan Vogelzang, ’78, Secretary/VP of Housing Billy Walk, ’02, Treasurer Kendall Young, ’83 (who just took over for retiring Lacy Marlette, '86), Legal Counsel Matt Matteson ’81, VP of Real Estate Development Jon Muller,’84, and Director Bob Vogelzang, ’81. Like TSF, TSHC is a volunteer Board. It has also been recognized by the Sigma Chi Board of Trustees as an exemplary house corporation. Just recently, TSHC received its seventh Gold Award for Outstanding House Corporation. "Though winning the award clearly isn’t the reason that our board members choose to serve, it is gratifying to know that we’re doing right by a Fraternity and Chapter which has given us so much,” said Billy Walk.
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Shane Foley, '24 Wins 2024 Exemplar Award
San Diego Native, Shane Foley, ‘24 grew up with a twin brother and older sister and has always had strong role models growing up. That didn’t change when he got to USC and pledged Sigma Chi. Mentored by Charlie Johnson, ‘22 and Emmett Pernecky, ’23 (last year’s Exemplar Award winner). For Shane, the values of Sigma Chi stood out as a blueprint for the kind of man he aspired to become.
When Shane earned the prestigious Exemplar Sig award, it wasn’t the accolade itself that made it special -- it was who it came from. "Earning the Exemplar Sig award meant so much to me because of the quality of the men who voted for me. I believe you are the people you surround yourself with, and I am honored that my peers thought so highly of me. Shane humbly credits many of his achievements to his fraternity brothers and their support while at USC. "Whether it’s on campus or off, at the chapter house, or on the Coliseum field, my Sigma Chi brothers have continually inspired me," said Shane.
Shane reflects fondly on his time living in the chapter house, an experience he misses daily. "Living with 40-50 of your best friends is something I’ll always cherish. Fridays were the best—whether we were playing volleyball in the backyard, shooting hoops, or hitting the golfing net, the house was full of life.”
Looking back, Shane acknowledges that his experience at Sigma Chi was transformative for him. "I came into college with an 'Animal House' mindset, but I left with a deeper understanding of what I wanted out of life. My brothers, and the people I met through the fraternity, have guided me to be the best version of myself” and Shane knows he and his brothers will continue to be lifelong friends as they move forward in their post-college lives.
Having majored in real estate development, Shane is following in his family’s footsteps and pursuing a career in commercial real estate and now works as a commercial real estate agent at Marcus & Millichap in San Diego. He understands the challenges that come with commission-based work, but he’s ready: “Many AU Sigs are involved in the real estate world, and most of us are aware that commission-based work isn’t for the faint of heart -- it takes a ton of hard work.” But Shane saw that commitment “while being around so many other driven people in the house and I’m looking forward to working hard so I can follow in the footsteps of other great Alpha Upsilon Sigs.”
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Shane Foley, '24 with Gene Erbstoesser, '70 | |
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Did you know...?
The Alpha Upsilon Chapter has a long, and interesting history. Each month we'll share some fun and compelling facts about the Trojan Sig legacy and why it continues to be the most sought-after fraternity for incoming USC freshmen.
- Sigma Chi was the first men’s Greek letter fraternity at USC house and was officially founded in 1889, just nine years after the University began as a small Methodist college with only 53 students and 10 faculty
- Current starting Trojan Quarterback, Miller Moss, an AU Sig, earned his bachelor’s degree in Law, History and Culture with a minor in Business Finance from USC, graduating in just 2 years! He lived in the chapter house and made the 2021 and 2022 Pac-12 Academic Honor Rolls. Miller is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Entrepreneurship and leading the Trojans in their exciting Big 10 conference debut
- All founding AU Chapter members were also USC campus leaders. Four became Presidents of Aristotelian Society; two became USC Class Presidents, and four were on the Trojan football team - with William C. Whitcomb, 1889 as the very first team Captain
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Sigma Chi AU Chapter Founders | |
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Lacy Marlette, '68 Passes the Torch to Kendall Young, '83
After over 20 years of combined, dedicated service to the Trojan Sig House Corporation (TSHC) and Trojan Sig Foundation (TSF), Lacy Marlette, '68, hands over the reins of TSF Treasurer to Kendall Young, '83. Lacy will remain on the Trojan Sig House Corporation's Board of Directors.
After graduating from USC, Lacy became a CPA, practicing for the past 50 years. He proudly retired from Piazza, Donnelly, Marlette, LLP this August. Born and raised in Long Beach, Lacy and his wife, Nikki, have four children and six grandchildren. While at USC, Lacy was a pledge brother of Tom Selleck's, an outstanding member of the SC baseball team, and reportedly feared in intra-squad practice games by eventual Hall of Fame pitcher and USC teammate, Tom Seaver.
Kendall Young, '83, is currently the CEO & President of Northstar Healthcare Income. In addition to having experience as a CPA, Kendall has over 40 years of experience in many facets of real estate, including acquisitions, joint ventures, dispositions, asset management, lending, and restructuring. Kendall holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from USC and an MBA from UCI. He and his wife, Cami, live in Newport Beach, have three children, and have fostered over 50 dogs for the Labelle Foundation to help them find loving, forever homes.
Please join us in thanking Lacy, wishing him well in his retirement and welcoming Kendall. TSF and TSHC are grateful for both of you and your commitment to Sigma Chi and the AU Chapter!
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Spotlight on Alumni William (Bill) Sheaffer’54 :
A Distinguished Sigma Chi
William "Bill" Sheaffer’s life story is one of dedication, leadership, and a relentless pursuit of excellence -- both on and off the field. A proud brother of the Sigma Chi/Alpha Upsilon chapter, Bill’s journey is a testament to the values and principles that guide our brotherhood.
Bill’s academic and athletic journey began at Lynwood High School, where he was not only a varsity football starter, but also the Student Body President. His leadership on the field mirrored his leadership in the classroom, setting the stage for a lifetime of achievement. After high school, Bill received a football scholarship to attend the University of Hawaii -- a scholarship he accepted when Hawaii was still a territory. However, his path soon led him to the University of Southern California, where he transferred to continue his studies and play football for the Trojans.
Bill pledged Sigma Chi in 1954 where his strong leadership skills and commitment to the fraternity’s core values of Friendship, Justice and Learning earned him the honor of House Captain, and later, Significant Sig. Bill set an early and high bar, as to date, less than 1% of Brothers earn the title of Significant Sig. While at USC, Bill met the love of his life, Doreene, who was then president of Alpha Chi Omega. As Consul of the Alpha Upsilon chapter of Sigma Chi, Bill turned many heads on the Row when he pinned Doreene, and their love story continues to inspire as they are still happily married today.
In the private sector, Bill became a division manager at General Electric and later at General Motors, leading with the same commitment and integrity he displayed throughout his life. Even in semi-retirement, Bill’s passion for making a difference did not wane. He served as Executive Director of a non-profit organization focused on displacing the use of petroleum fuel -- a role that earned him induction into the U.S. Department of Energy Hall of Fame.
As we celebrate Bill Sheaffer, we are reminded of the values that bind us as brothers and the incredible impact that one Sigma Chi can have on the world.
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Meet the Trojan Sig Foundation Board of Directors
The Trojan Sig Foundation was incorporated as a 501 (c)3 in November of 2018, and its primary function is to support the educational mission of both the undergraduate chapter and the Trojan Sig House Corporation. This includes providing funds for the advancement of leadership training and academic scholarships.
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Four Pillars Capital Campaign Update
As you probably already know, we are actively raising funds to build a new chapter house for Alpha Upsilon at 907 West 28th St., still the largest piece of land on The Row and establish an endowed scholarship fund for deserving AU undergraduates. The existing chapter house (now 65 years old) has served the chapter well, but is extremely costly to patch and repair and cannot accommodate the current live-in demand. Simply put, it needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Great strides have been made with nearly 35% of our $14,000,000 goal already donated or pledged, and two $1,000.000 gifts are already being discussed.
The Four Pillars Capital Campaign, has been met with great enthusiasm and support from Sigma Chi alumni (and parents!), but we still have a long way to go. Brothers, this is where you step up. This is where you make history. This is where your name gets added to the growing Donor Roll as one of the men who helped usher the Alpha Upsilon Chapter and its new home into its next proud era. Become a part of our long history and bright future at USC.
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And, in closing, a huge and grateful thank you to the generosity of the following brothers who have already stepped up and contributed to preserving the AU chapter legacy for decades to come! | |
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Gerald Anderson, '87
Jeff Armour, 77
Kory Arntson, '91
Hunt Barnett, '80
Jim Burk, '74
Scott Burnham, '79
James Carreon, '89
Mike Cobo, '78
Jim Connelly and Family, '77
Dylan Dann, '11
Matt Douglas, '19
Gene Erbstoesser, '67
Mike Femino, '92*
Shane Foley, '91
John Geisbush, '78
Dr. G Wayne Gertmenian, '62
Jeff Gill, '78
Andy Gilmour, '76
Doug Hadnot, '68
Chip Herman, '78
Joe Hillings, '59
William Holl, 79
Kirk Jensen, '78
Rick John, '80
Craig Johnson, '91
Kevin Jones, '08
Marc Kazarian, '78
Sean Kell, '91
Stephen Kiefer, '78
William Kiefer, '81
Keith and Metta Krach
Kent Lucas, '78
Lacy Marlette, '68
Greg Martin '86
Matt Matteson, '81
Doug May, '81
Kerry McCluggage, '76
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Brad McCroskey, '77
John Miller, '69
Jim Morouse, '83
Jon Muller, '84
Scott Mullins, '93
Rick Myers, '79
Fred O'Banion, '69
Dr. Paul Olivera, '78
Jeff Olson, '81
Dan Plunkett, '79
Gary Potter, '63
Spiro Psaltis, '81
David Pyle, '80*
Bill Rakow, '68
Tom Ralphs, '75
Robert Renouard, '85
Jeffrey Schwartz, '88
Mike Severson, '84
Dennis Slattery, '67
Jimmy Slusher, 08
Dan Smith, '85
Stephen L. Smith, 70
John Sorgenfrei, 76
Rick Sullivan, '80
Joe Tavarez, '78
Tony Tootell, '01
Garrett Van Konynenburg, '23
Bob Vogelzang, '81
Dan Vogelzang, '78
Billy Walk, '02
William Waller, '17
Derek Westervelt, '78
Nelson Wheeler, '77
Dana Woudenberg, '68
Joe Wirht, '81
Jim York, '70
Kendall Young, '83
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To join your your fellow Trojan Sigs and learn more about making a donation to the campaign or underwriting any of the highly coveted and prestigious Four Pillars naming opportunities, please click on the link below... | |
Stay Connected on Social Media | |
All gifts to the Trojan Sig Foundation's (a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization) Four Pillars Capital Campaign are tax deductible and can include one-time gifts, matching funds or pledges of up to three years. Non-cash assets (like equity stocks or bonds), in-kind gifts, and more are appreciated as well | | | | |
