1993 Volume 116 No 1–4 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

spiritual education you often carmot
get in a classroom," he says.
An auctioneer by profession.
Furrow has a conunanding voice.
He donates his talents frequently to
the Red Cross, United Way, Boy
Scouts, Jimior Achievement,
American Heart Assodation, Boy's
Club, and other community organizations.
His rapid-fire auctioneering
raises thousands of charitable
dollars each year. He was chairman
of the 1990 Knoxville United Way
campaign which raised $5.8 million.
Furrow firmly believes in the value
of giving to the community.
"As an alumnus, I am more
interested in whether a chapter has
done commuruty service than
whether they have won athletic or
scholarship awards," he says.
"When I see a chapter doing service,
I think That is a win-win-win
situation.' If s a win for the chapter,
for the individual members, and for
the recipients. Service makes better
members, and it foUows you after
college. The alumni who were at the
Knoxville Founders Day are also
community leaders
who support many
service organizations."
Furrow owns the
Knoxville Mercedes-
Benz dealership.
Furrow Auction Co.,
Furrow Machinery
Corp., and Prime Real
Estate. Many of his
employees and
business associates are
Phis, and he often
associates the Fraternity
with his success as
a businessman.
"The wonderful
thing about the
Fratemity is that is has
shaped my entire Ufe in
one way or another,"
he says. "Every day 1 am touched by
my Phi Delt relationships. It is truly
a Fratemity for life."
A member of ROTC at UT,
Furrow was disenchanted with
fraternities because of hazing and
excessive driiddng associated with
the system. He and some of his close
friends formed a Phi Delt colony
with the purpose of dealing with
these shortcomings. With the
guidance of his mentor, Elden
Wright, West Virginia ' 54, Furrow
helped establish a successful and
award-winning chapter. His
participation reaffirmed his belief
that fraternities could have a
positive influence on student
development. He believes this is
even more true for today's students.
"In today's sodety where people
have a need for instant gratification,
a fratemity might slow you down
and give you reason to establish
relationships during those formative
college years," he says.
As a Phi aliuimus in the sales
business, he has concrete advice for
undergraduates in this time of
increasing rush competition.
"As in any sales situation, I
would look at a rushee's needs and
show him how Phi Delta Theta
could meet those needs. A fratemity
is not for everybody. Rush is not so
much of a sales job as it is conveying
how a fratemity meets the needs of
the rushee, and rush hasn't changed
that much over the years. There is
still a need for fraternities," he says.
He also has a strong opiiuon
about the legacy issue. His son
recently pledged another fraterruty
at Vanderbilt University.
"I see now, at this stage in my
life, the value of having continuity
of family members in the Fraterruty.
I don't think that chapters should be
required to initiate all legacies, but I
think they should be given the
opportunity to pledge, and if
inadequacies arise during the pledge
program, then [the chapter]
shouldn't iiutiate them."
Rxmners-up for the Ra5nnond L.
Gardner Award are: J. Hyatt Brown,
Florida '55; Jack R. DeWitt, Wisconsin
'40; William Lloyde "Boots"
Richmond Sr., North Dakota '33;
Frank Hill, Kansas State '82; and
Morgan Holmes, Nebraska '58. m
Raymond L. Gardner Winners
1960 - Sidney O. Smith Sr., Georgia '08
1961 - O. N. Torian, Sewanee '93
1962 - William H. Mounger, Mississippi '38
1963 - Robert J. Behnke, Washington '43
1964 - Roger D. Branigin, Franklin '23
1965 - Ralph W. Sockman, Ohio Wesleyan '11
1966 - J. Quincy Adams, SMU 'SO
1967 - Carman E. Kipp, Utah '48
1968 - Carey Croneis, Denison '22
1969 - Dr. John Davis Jr., Washburn '38
1970 - S. Stanley Learned, Kansas '24
1971 - Wales H. Madden Jr., Texas '49
1972 - Ray L. Hunt, SMU '65
1973 - William A. Howard, Albeita '41
1974 - Perry C. McGritf, Florida '60
1975 - Harry W. Massey Sr., Florida State '55
1976 - Clarence H. McGuire, Kansas '28
1977 - Aloysius Hackenberg, North Dakota '46
1978 - Russell D. Thomas, Emory '48
1979 - Elliott A. Johnson, Chicago '27
1980 - William F. Martin, Oklahoma '38
1981 - Howell E. Adams Jr., Vanderbilt '53
1982 - Donald S. Kennedy, Butler '23
1983 - Robin A. Bell, Ohio State '28
1984 - W. Richard Wright, Akron '35
1985 - Howard A. Hobson, Oregon '26
1986 - John F. Scovell, Texas Tech '68
1987 - Donald L. Jackson, Indiana '60
1988 - Robert W. Hoysgaard, Wisconsin '63
1989 - Monte C. Johnson, Kansas '59
1990 - Dean M. Hoffman II, Dickinson '41
1991 - Paul E. Martin, Akron '35
Summer 1993 * TheScroU 105