2009 Edition - Theta Chi Fraternity

FEATURE: BUDDY DAVIS ]8,500 parts will likely fail. Reliability meansmaking sure that none of those parts thatfail will scrub the mission.”Following the success of the Apollo missions,Buddy and Douglas Aircraft—nowMcDonnell Douglas—made launching payloadsinto orbit economical and routinewith the Delta program, launching an averageof one per month for more than fourdecades. The program continues today,with Delta launches scheduled through2013. His resume’ also includes theHarpoon missile—an all-weather, over-thehorizon,anti-ship missile system, the KC-10aircraft aerial refueling tanker, and themast-mounted visual laser and infraredsensing system for Scout helicopters. ThisMMS system allows an unarmed scout helicopterto find, identify and target enemyassets while hiding behind hills, trees orbuildings.The aerospace industry’s insiders know Brother Davis as a pioneeringengineer and rocket man who was equally familiar with the corporateboardroom. He earned the reputation as the man who could take programsin trouble and turn them around, fixing the engineering problemsas well as the organizational and administrative challenges. When youwanted a success, you called Buddy Davis.He was asked why he chose electrical engineering as his career: “It’swhere the money was at that time.” Never content, Buddy was always lookingto improve. “I was fortunate enough to earn a good steady salary, so Istarted working with a broker to invest some of my money. After sixmonths, half of my money was gone, and I thought, who needs a broker?I think I can do better all by myself. So even after a 60-hour week at work,I started spending at least two hours a day on learning how to invest andmake money.”His stock market success paralleled his engineering career, earninghim enough to support his family comfortably, and giving him the meansto support many educational institutions and organizations. He is a principalbenefactor for the College of Engineering at Auburn University,where, in June of 2007, at a ceremony attended by state and local dignitariesand distinguished Auburn alumni, the Aerospace Engineeringbuilding was rededicated as the Charles E. Davis Aerospace EngineeringHall. His $4 million gift is the third largest in the history of the college.He said at the time, “I feel so honored to represent the thousands ofengineering students who have graduated from Auburn who have beenan integral part of the space program—from Auburn astronauts such asJim Voss, T. K. Mattingly and Jan Davis, to NASA directors McCartney,Kennedy and Dick Smith. To be the one whose name will be on thisbuilding on behalf of all of these graduates is a tremendous privilege andan honor for me and my family.”During his Founders Day Address, he told the story of a phone call hehad just received from a young scholarship student, thanking him forhelping make her college career a possibility. “It’s wonderful to be able toprovide the finances that make the difference for these kids, knowing as Ido how much my education helped me achieve what I have.”Brother Davis is also a major supporter of Chi Chapter at Auburn.Buddy made the lead financial donation necessary to help the Chapterrealize the completion of their new chapter house (see cover story, TheAl Zale (Gamma Theta/San Diego State ’54) and BuddyDavis at the annual Founders Day celebration in SanDiego, California.Rattle, fall 2007), described as “the mostbeautiful fraternity property everdesigned” by its architect.Brother Davis provides this heartfeltexample of how the principle of theHelping Hand can make a huge differencein people’s lives. “Brother Dentonpersuaded me to come to Auburn, madesure I had a place to stay, and helped mebecome a part of Theta Chi Fraternity.Theta Chi in turn helped me learn howto organize, communicate, socialize, andcooperate to solve problems and getthings done, skills which were essentialthroughout my career.”Brother Davis continues to support ThetaChi nationally and locally as well, attendingthe 2008 National Convention (seecover story, The Rattle, fall 2008), workingwith the Foundation Board, and attendingFounders Day.Rounding out his fascinating address at Founders Day, Brother Davispaid loving tribute to his wife Charlotte, also in attendance, and to histhree sons—Steve, a 1988 Auburn graduate and Navy veteran, and Brianand Neil, both graduates of West Point Military Academy in 1990 and1994, respectively. He also enjoys the attentions of four grandchildren.He and wife Charlotte finance a family vacation for all 12 members at adifferent location in the world every year.Buddy’s activities include a love for cars—he has six Corvettes, includinga mint 1954 with only 2,400 miles on it, a mint 1958 fuely, a 1963 splitwindowedhoneymoon car, along with a 1968 Firebird, five Cadillacs, andother miscellaneous cars. He bought all of them new. He also enjoys collegefootball, supports the arts at the Orange County Performing ArtsCenter, and maintains a museum-quality collection of documents, photographs,blueprints and other original items from his years with thespace program, a sampling of which were on display at Founders Day.Answering questions after his presentation, Buddy was asked if insteadof always pushing the button, he would have liked to be the guy ridingthe rocket. “Oh you bet! I’d still go today!” he answered enthusiastically.“I told (astronaut and fellow Auburn alumni) Jim Voss that any time hecouldn’t make it, I’d be happy to take his place!”In his view, how are things in the American space program differentnow from what they were during the Apollo program? “We had a sense ofteamwork, where everybody was behind the mission, the government andall the contractors working together to get the job done right. Today,everybody is more interested in their profit.” How about the developmentof private space entrepreneurs? “They’re a joke. They just do notdo the proper testing required, trying instead to cut costs as much as possible.”What advice does he have for young Theta Chis in general and engineersin particular? “Education combined with effort is what makes it possiblefor individuals to succeed. Everything I have achieved I can traceback to Brother Denton, who got me into school and into the Fraternity.My challenge to all of you is to be the Brother Denton to some otheryoung person just starting out.”Brother Davis and his family have helped make America great, andTheta Chi strong. His presentation at Founders Day was a reflection of hislove of life, his friends, colleagues, and Theta Chi brothers.THE RATTLE/2009 25