Knight Errant V2:2020

T H E
KNIGHT ERRANT
Captain of Industry –
Fred Minnick
Veteran’s Heritage
Runs Deep for
Medical School
Student Receives
Top Scholarship

THE KNIGHT ERRANT | THE DELTA CHI EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
M
Chairman’s Welcome
A
Quick
Pivot
Rod Arnold, Texas A&M ‘88
Making choices in 2020 has been, for everyone, a harrowing attempt to predict the
future and avoid pitfalls. I’ve heard from many businessmen that, while it has become
easy this year to fall into defense mode, that is the one mindset which inevitably leaves us
most vulnerable in life. This sentiment reminds me of a classic business quote I first
heard years ago while listening to recordings of Earl Nightingale, the recognized dean
of self-improvement…
“A ship in the harbor is safe;
but that’s not why ships are built.”
The publication you hold in your hands is a direct effort to press forward, maintain
momentum and continue to be an organization for growth. For years, alumni
supporters of our brotherhood have asked for an updated format of communication
which would more adequately address the interests of brothers whose undergraduate
years had ended: “What are alumni brothers doing out in the real world? Where do
they work? Hobbies? Interests? Any opportunities to attend alumni gatherings? How
can we help support the brotherhood?” This refreshed Knight Errant is reflective
of the efforts by every one of our donors and volunteers to press on during these
challenging, unprecedented times.
You will notice the format has been updated and expanded in a number of ways. We
will highlight brothers who have become leaders in their chosen field of endeavor, successful
in their own right. We will share opportunities to gather with other alumni in
your local area or region. We’re going to talk about areas of programming where your
gifts help strengthen our foundation and sustain our commitment to support academic
and leadership opportunities for our undergraduate brethren. You can read about how
other brothers have found ways to do so. In addition, circulation has been almost
tripled from the previous incarnation, reaching more of our alumni brethren donors
than ever before.
Our cover story highlights the success of Brother Fred Minnick, Oklahoma State ’01,
well-known as a leading professional journalist in the interesting field of fine spirits.
You may not know that he is also an Iraqi war veteran, serving in the Army as an
infantryman and photojournalist. He’s also a husband and father of two young sons.
We hope you enjoy learning more about this brother who has given generously of his
time and talent in major fundraising efforts during the past two convention cycles.
We thank our foundation staff for their extra effort toward this new layout. And a
special thank you to Brother Eric Kerstetter, Auburn ’00 and his professional team at
Drummond for their expert guidance and professional service on the project. We hope
you all enjoy the results.
In The Bond,
Rod Arnold
Chairman of the Board

Heritage Society
Thomas Maroldy, Florida ‘58
A Life Lived in Service, A Legacy Left Behind
Brother Thomas Maroldy, Florida ‘58 lived a life dedicated to his country, his
family and Delta Chi. Maroldy joined the Naval Reserve in 1953. Shortly after, he
attended the University of Florida where he was initiated into Delta Chi in 1955 and
graduated in 1958 with degrees in aeronautical engineering and nuclear physics.
After graduation, Maroldy was commissioned in the Navy as an Ensign and
earned his Naval flight wings in 1959, serving for 33 years in the U.S. Navy.
His career included two tours of duty in Vietnam aboard the USS Ranger Aircraft
Carrier where he earned a Navy Air Medal with two gold stars and Combat V.
Maroldy graduated from the Navy Test Pilot School, Class 54, and served in
the Weapons Systems Test Division at the Naval Air Training Center (NATC).
His primary project was the testing of the EA-6B Prowler. He also served as
Operations Officer, then Executive Officer of the Naval Air Station, Patuxent
River where he retired from the Navy on July 1, 1984 as a Commander.
Maroldy was an avid sailor, a founding member of Southern Maryland Sailing
Association, and a long-time member and past Commodore of the Alberg 30
Association (served as Vice-Commodore and Commodore from 1996-1997).
He was the President and founding owner of Trident Yacht Sales in Solomons,
Maryland.
Brother Maroldy made sure to include those he loved in his estate; Primarily his
wife Sheila, the University of Florida, and the Delta Chi Educational Foundation.
In recognition of Brother Maroldy’s gifts to the Foundation, he has posthumously
earned the title of 2 nd Degree New Founder ($250,000 - $499,999), and is recognized
as a donor in the Heritage Society.
The Heritage Society recognizes and honors donors who name the Delta Chi
Educational Foundation as a beneficiary in their estate plan. Please allow the
Foundation to honor and recognize you for your commitment to Delta Chi
before you reach that higher court. If you have made this commitment, or
are considering this commitment to Delta Chi, contact the Foundation (Director
of Development, Peter Lane, plane@dcef.com) so your generosity may be
appropriately documented.
s
1
V2:2020
Chairman’s Welcome
Rod Arnold,
Texas A&M ‘88
Heritage Society
1
Thomas Maroldy,
Florida ‘58
Aged to Perfection
2
Fred Minnick,
Oklahoma State ‘01
Foundation for Fraternal
5
Excellence, President
Jason Butler,
Central Missouri ‘99
Graduate Student Scholarship
6
Payton Mangham,
Louisiana Tech ‘18
A Road Less Traveled
7
Jason Michael Walker,
Arizona State ‘05
Fundraising / Financial Report
8
9 Impact Sponsors
To learn more about the Heritage
Society & Planned Giving, visit:
www.deltachi.org/dcef-planned-giving/

24
KNIGHT ERRANT | THE DELTA CHI EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Fred Minnick, Oklahoma State ‘01
Aged to Perfection
This is the story of a Delta Chi from humble beginnings, a veteran who battled and overcame PTSD, and who’s risen to the top of his craft
to become one of the most sought after names in his industry; a man we can all be proud to call “Brother”.
Fred Minnick, Oklahoma State ‘01 is a Wall Street Journal-Bestselling Author, Bourbon Curator & Taster. Minnick’s lived one of the most
extraordinary lives, becoming the world’s leading whiskey critic, renown wine & spirits tastemaker, an iconic storyteller who practices the
lost art of no bullshit interviewing with flares of dry wit and sardonic humor.
Minnick has become a drinks whisperer. Through his television work and his live appearances, he engages with celebrities and pairs whiskies
to their palate, while interviewing them about life, love and the pursuit of good drink. Billionaires, politicians, celebrities and regular folk fly
into Louisville, Kentucky, Minnick’s home, just to have drinks with the man, who is also considered the “Face of Bourbon.”
Minnick grew up in Jones, Oklahoma, a small town about 30 miles from Oklahoma City. When he was a teen, his parents became bornagain
Christians and banned alcohol from the house. Minnick was a member of a Future Farmers of America chapter known for raising
prize-winning hogs. His wife, Jaclyn, says he is never happier than when he is in the hog shed at the Kentucky State Fair. He wanders from
pen to pen, breathing the dusty air. “It’s a riot,” Jacyln says, “He tells us why this one is going to get first place, why this one isn’t. It’s like
going to school.”
Minnick’s career as a writer is directly traceable to his time in the world of competitive pig husbandry. He thought his town’s award-winning
FFA chapter didn’t get the attention it deserved. At his teacher’s suggestion, he wrote an article about the chapter’s successes and sent it to
the local paper. “I saw my name in the paper, and I remember thinking, ‘This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to be a writer.’
I couldn’t tell you what kind of writer I wanted to be. I just wanted to be a writer,” Minnick says.
When a terrorist blew up the federal building in 1995 in Oklahoma City, Minnick was close enough to feel the ground shake. He volunteered
to help dig through the wreckage; Partly out of a sense of duty born that day, he enlisted in the National Guard when he enrolled at Oklahoma
State University. He told the recruiter he wanted to be an Army journalist.
After a turn as a sportswriter for the Daily Oklahoman, the agricultural communications major gravitated back to writing about farmers.
He also encountered bourbon for the first time. Reminiscing recently, Minnick recounts his 21 st birthday with fondness.
“I walked the winding Oklahoma State campus sidewalks, skipped up the stairs, and raced to my room, where a bottle of Jim Beam White
Label awaited me. The sun had just set, an orange-and-blue Oklahoma skyline shimmered upon the Delta Chi House, and I leaned against
the balcony with a red Solo cup in hand and looked at the horizon. “Wow,” I thought, appreciating the moment, “I’m 21.” I kicked the red
Solo cup back and proceeded to have an unfor gettable night. That was the moment of my first legal sip of whiskey.

5
I knew not the flavor of bourbon then, the pronounced
grain and hints of caramel that lived inside Beam’s
entry-level bourbon. I didn’t know it was four years old,
distilled by the great Booker Noe or Baker Beam, or that
Beam was an iconic and historic brand. All I knew: It
was smooth, a word you used for the spirit not burning.
Fall 2001, the world changed. Army National Guard
captain: “You’re going to Iraq. Get ready,” he said. In the
following months, Fred trained, overcame Lyme disease
and led a small unit of Army journalists into an area
of the world so tattered and torn that former Saddam
Hussein exiles accompanied him on night patrols throughout
Iraq, all for a chance to get their country back.
Fred became the Army’s leading photographer, photographing
car bombs, fire fights, beheading chambers and
multiple classified operations with special forces, generals,
political leaders and many others. On numerous
occasions, bullets missed Fred’s head by mere inches and
an RPG landed 10 feet from him but did not explode.
It’s a miracle he’s still alive.
And with that gift of life came survivor’s guilt and the
battles of war as a civilian. Fred fought Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) and used a therapy technique
called “mindfulness,” in which he focused on the tastes
and smells to ground him. As bad as it got, both Minnick
and Jaclyn say, he never used alcohol to self-medicate.
The celebration of Thunder Over Louisville was
“the absolute worst. We got up on the roof to watch
the planes and the helicopters. I had a flashback, the
Blackhawks coming around, and most of my time I’m
hoping a sniper didn’t get me.” He thought he could
watch fireworks. “I had to sprint back. I was running
and I was crying. There were mortars flying at me.”
In search of peace, he eventually sought therapy at the
Louisville VA Medical Center, enrolling in a cognitive
behavioral-therapy and other treatment techniques.
Jaclyn, after observing Minnick’s experience with PTSD,
became a specialist in counseling veterans and is now
Chief of Mental Health and Behavioral Science Services
at the Louisville VA Medical Center.
In that period of constant self-analysis, he turned to
whiskey — not for its dulling effect but for its complexity.
He used the development of his palate as a point of
focus to distract himself from his feelings. “It’s ironic,
I know,” he acknowledges.
“It gave me something to put a lot of energy toward
learning,” he says. “It allowed me to keep my focus on
what’s happening inside my mouth instead of on a jet
that is about to drop a bomb or something. It kind of
changed everything for me. It’s why I can taste all kinds
of random stuff other people can’t taste... The thing I
look for in whiskey is the way it feels in the mouth. In
blind tastings, you need something that can entertain
your tongue in different spots.”
While trying to ignite his freelance career, he sent
more than 500 story pitches. Wine and bourbon became
the two parallel thrusts of his work. He felt more at
home with the whiskey makers, but there was a more
developed market for wine writing, so he focused there.
He traveled extensively, learning from European winemakers
and sommeliers how to taste and take notes
for reviews. When he came home, he applied that
knowledge to bourbon.
He broke into the big time at Whiskey Advocate with
an article about two guys who spend their days in the
stifling heat, plugging leaks in barrels. “That was a story
no one else was telling, a story that bridged generations
in the industry,” says Lew Bryson, then-editor of
Whiskey Advocate.
“I’m sure Fred has sat down with every master distiller at
their home,” says Martin Duffy, Glencairn whiskey glass
U.S. representative. “He’s not just some guy who pops
around and writes a little article. He has real relationships.
He eats, breathes and obviously drinks bourbon.
It’s something he can’t get enough of.”
Writing for Sommelier Journal he earned a nomination
for a Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Award.
He and Jaclyn attended the awards ceremony in London.
It was a regal affair, the wine world’s equivalent of
the Academy Awards. “I’m at the Four Seasons Hotel,”
Minnick says, “and I’m in this room with the most legendary
wine writers of all time. They’re all there. And all
I can think about is, I want to be with bourbon people.”
He has written seven books and contributed to several
others. His third book, Whiskey Women, published in
2013, changed the way the industry thinks about half
of the population. “For a business steeped in tradition
and history,” he wrote, “whiskey has forgotten its better
half. Women have always been part of whiskey history;
they’ve just never received credit.”
He has written with admirable clarity about the technical
and aesthetic obscurities of spirits for every major
whiskey magazine and a long list of general interest
publications, including Parade, the New York Times and
Scientific American. He has a regular column in Forbes,
where he recently speculated on a theoretical end of the
bourbon renaissance. “The greatest threat to the bourbon
industry is bourbon itself,” he wrote. “If and when bourbon
brands stop working together for the greater good,
fighting over a piece of the pie versus making the pie
bigger, other spirits categories will seize the opportunity
to steal their customers.”
Minnick, at 41, dismisses his power. Yet without
question he has become an invaluable cog in the Big
Bourbon Machine. If Minnick says good things about a
whiskey, its sales blossom. If he finds a whiskey uninteresting
or unpleasant, blood pressures rise in distilleries
where thousands or even millions of cases await sale.
“I think he influences markets,” says Peggy Noe Stevens,
an industry consultant and the founder of Bourbon
Women, a nonprofit with chapters all over the country.
Minnick’s books
include:
The Brand That Changed
Beef: How Certified
Angus Beef Brand
Became a Worldwide
Icon of Quality
Camera Boy: An Army
Journalist’s War in Iraq
Whiskey Women: The
Untold Story of How
Women Saved Bourbon,
Scotch, & Irish Whiskey
Bourbon: The Rise, Fall &
Rebirth of An American
Whiskey
Rum Curious: The Indispensable
Tasting Guide
to the World’s Spirit
Mead: The Libations,
Legends, and Lore of
History’s Oldest Drink
Bourbon Curious:
A Simple Tasting Guide
for the Savvy Drinker
All available on
Amazon.com

46
KNIGHT ERRANT | THE DELTA CHI EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
“He has a tremendous following of consumers who want to know his
thoughts, his opinions and his take on the stories of the distilleries.
He is also a reporter on the industry side and has an impact as well
on legislative issues like the tariffs.”
With partners, he produces an elegant quarterly magazine, Bourbon+,
and anchors the Amazon Prime series Bourbon Up, on which he interviews
not just distillers and executives but also chefs, musicians, actors
and other interesting bourbon drinkers. He is co-founder of the annual
Bourbon & Beyond, a music festival intended to help turn Louisville
into the Napa Valley of American whiskey.
The “beyond” part of Bourbon & Beyond is a diverse lineup of more
than 40 musical acts that have included the Foo Fighters, Robert Plant,
the Zac Brown Band and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Around
that, the “uniquely Louisville” activities are a bourbon Disneyland
built to Minnick’s specifications: tasting rooms, pop-up speakeasies,
bourbon-nerd panel discussions, standing-room-only seminars with
master distillers and personalities who are, in the bourbon subculture,
as important as the acts onstage. Minnick’s involvement has helped
attract 30 bourbon brands to participate. He organized all the panels
and will moderate one about the history of slavery in American bourbon.
“Bourbon is its own celebrity,” Minnick says, “its own rock star. I
believe that the populace is at a point for bourbon that they want to
look at bourbon the way they look at their favorite sports team.”
He is a speaker in high demand, an emcee of events that have raised
millions for charity, and a judge at the San Francisco World Spirits
Conference, one of the most prestigious whiskey competitions in the
world. When he hurries through these events, people recognize him —
often by his signature ascot. “Here’s the thing about the ascot,” he says.
“People see the ascot and they don’t notice that I’m wearing jeans and
shitty shoes. It’s a really good diversion from the rest of my attire.”
“Voracious,” is how Colleen Thomas of the Kentucky Distillers’
Association describes him. “He always needs more. More research,
more knowledge. He’s always more, more, more.”
In a whiskey world overrun with wannabes and pompous, self-declared
“experts,” Minnick’s growing prominence generates resentment. They hint
that he may be corrupt, in the pockets of the big distillers — something
both Minnick and everyone who knows him vehemently deny. “Pure sour
grapes,” is how one observer explains it. “Goes with the territory.”
Visibility and hard work are the pixie dust that turns ideas into actualities.
He promotes himself because, as one friend puts it, “Who else is
going to?” He’s building a small empire doing what he loves in what is,
at the moment, one of the most exciting and competitive industries in
the world. Jealousy is a predictable side effect.
“He has a really wide scope and an enormous curiosity,” says Bill
Samuels Jr., Chairman Emeritus of Maker’s Mark, which did more
to put the boom into bourbon than any other brand. “He’s a fine
craftsman, but what he really is, is a business builder. I think he’s
just getting started.”
For the first time in years, Minnick is not working on a book. But
he’s busy with other things. His commentary on the Bourbon Pursuit
podcast and taping his segments for Amazon Prime take big blocks of
his time. (He recently traveled to Portugal to record a show about cork.)
He still has reviews and columns to write, to say nothing of his timeconsuming
work on Bourbon+. It will, he said in a press release, “help
accomplish my goal of having a hand in every media for spirits.”
“The path to get here has not been one where doors were open to me,”
he says. “I was always pushing to get something, even to get better from
war. If I didn’t want to fight for that, I wouldn’t have gotten better.
“There’s not a single thing I’m doing that I don’t enjoy,” he continues.
“I love telling the stories. I love writing the reviews. I love tasting
everything…and I love getting on camera and interviewing people and
talking about the whiskeys. At the festival, my name is right there with
Eddie Vedder and Sting and these incredibly famous musicians. I love
all of it.”
Minnick proudly adorns the Delta Chi Men at War pin on his lapel,
which he wore for the September 2019 Louisville Magazine feature,
“Becoming Fred Minnick.” He’s proud to be a fraternity man, and sets
an extraordinary example for how we should conduct ourselves in
society, with grace, purpose, and integrity.
Lending his time and talent, he’s helped raise nearly $100,000 for the
future prosperity of the Delta Chi Educational Foundation. Minnick
volunteered to serve as Master of Ceremonies and Auctioneer at a
pair of fundraisers, hosted by Rod Arnold, Texas A&M ’88, designed
to raise money for the DCEF Endowment Fund, at the Louisville and
Denver Conventions.
Delta Chi Educational Foundation’s Executive Director, Justin Sherman,
Central Missouri ‘08, remembers receiving the call from Minnick.
“He heard we were holding the Delta Chi Convention in Louisville and
Brother Arnold was holding a bourbon tasting fundraiser benefiting the
Foundation; He wanted to help make it a success. We didn’t realize we
had someone the caliber of Brother Minnick in our membership ranks,
let alone in-town for our big event. We were thrilled he took it upon
himself to stay informed and reach out to get involved; we raised a lot
of treasure with his assistance, and raised the enjoyment of the entire
experience for everyone.”
Minnick - through all his complexity - has aged to perfection.
Sources:
• Excerpts reprinted with permission from Louisville Magazine’s
September 2019 article “Becoming Fred Minnick,” by Tom Johnson
• louisville.com/content/fred-minnick-bourbon-whiskeywriter-louisville
• bourbonplus.com/a-love-affair-with-jim-beam/
• FredMinnick.com
• tkoco.com/portfolio/fred-minnick/
• Photo by William DeShazer, williamdeshazer.com/index

57
Eric Kerstetter,
Chief Revenue Officer
Auburn ‘00
President, Foundation for Fraternal Excellence
Jason Butler, Central Missouri ‘99
For the first time ever, a Delta Chi has been elected President of the Foundation
for Fraternal Excellence (FFE). Jason N. Butler, Central Missouri ‘99 chairs a
board of 11 industry peers representing more than 60 men’s and women’s fraternal
foundations, including their professionals and volunteers. The FFE has evolved
and developed its own niche – serving fraternal foundations through professional
development opportunities for staff.
Butler volunteers and serves on the Delta Chi Educational Foundation Board of
Directors, and is a key member of the Fundraising Committee. He leads a very
successful non-profit career raising money for Greek organizations, having spent
15 years at Pennington & Company, and now with the Farmhouse Foundation
responsible for soliciting Major Gifts across North America. He previously served on
the Delta Chi Fraternity’s Board of Regents (Region IV), and as Delta Chi’s Director
of Chapter Services. At the undergraduate level he served as “A”, “D”, “E”, Associate
Member Counselor, and as an alumnus as a “BB”, and Alumni Board of Trustees
President.
In addition to giving his time and talent to advance the Greek Life industry, Brother
Butler has also given generously of his treasure. He is an annual Trustee Society
donor to the Delta Chi Educational Foundation, and has reached the lifetime giving
level of “Leges.”
The North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) was established in 1909 as the
trade association for America’s growing number of national/ international fraternities;
Delta Chi joined in 1911. Since that time, Delta Chi has been proud to have
five men serve as President of the NIC. The NIC Foundation (NICF), now known as
the Foundation for Fraternal Excellence (FFE), was established in 1992 and works in
collaboration and partnership across the NIC’s member fraternities.
Congratulations Brother Butler! We are proud to be associated with you and your
commitment to excellence!
www.foundationfe.org
www.nicindy.org
Special thanks
to Drummond
for overseeing
the design,
printing and
distribution
of The Knight
Errant
www.drummond.com
Delta Chi’s five
NIC Presidents
John J. Kuhn,
Cornell 1898
Dr. Charles W. Gerstenbergm,
NYU 1904
Russell C. MacFall,
NYU 1922
Lewis S. Armstrong,
Washington 1939
Gregory F. Hauser,
Michigan State 1975
Create a Facebook Fundraiser today to support the Delta Chi Educational Foundation –
any reason will do; why not make it your annual fundraiser on your Birthday!
https://www.facebook.com/fund/deltachifraternity/
birthday fundraiser

68
KNIGHT ERRANT | THE DELTA CHI EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Regional Scholarship Accounts
Now Available
Since 2019, multiple Regions have set up Scholarship
Accounts for the benefit of the members of their
respective Regions. Alumni from Region II (southwest),
Region III (southern midwest), Region VIII (southeast)
and Region IX (mid-atlantic) have combined their
resources to help Delta Chis attend leadership training
and ease the burden of the cost of education. Whether
your chapter is opened or closed, you can take pride in
knowing there are designated funds available to help
advance collegiate members in your backyard.
Grow these funds by making a gift at
www.deltachi.org/give
Scholarship Spotlight
Payton Mangham
Louisiana Tech ‘18
As a 2020 Graduate Student Scholarship award winner,
Brother Payton Mangham’s Delta Chi story starts off with
RUSH. “I wasn’t 100% sure that I wanted to actually go
through Rush. I was a legacy at another fraternity on
campus, but decided to go through rush anyway. I am
happy I did. I met Allen Lormand, Louisiana Tech ‘17 at
an event; he pulled me aside and talked to me about the
Brotherhood in Delta Chi. I was able to see the brotherhood
on display at multiple events during rush, and found
the place I wanted to be.”
Very quickly, leadership roles found Payton as he was
elected President of his Associate Member class. He also
assisted the Philanthropy Chair, and then was elected
“A” of the chapter. After serving as Chapter “A”, he was
elected President of the Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC) on
campus and served throughout his remaining two years
on campus.
Payton earned a B.S. biology with a minor in chemistry
and took a year off before applying to Louisiana State
University-Shreveport for medical school. “I chose to
work at a Level II Trauma Center in Houston, Texas for a
year and was able to stay with a Brother, Colin McKenzie,
Louisiana Tech ‘18 (whose family owns McKenzie’s BBQ,
check it out when you’re in the Houston area!) and work
as a scribe in the emergency department. My job was to
follow around emergency department doctors and nurse
practitioners taking detailed notes on patients and entering
them in the digital medical records. It was a great
experience.”
Delta Chi has been there for Payton throughout his
college career. “I was accepted to Louisiana State
University-Shreveport (about an hour from Louisiana
Tech in Ruston) and spoke to another Brother, Andrew
Wilkinson, Louisiana Tech ‘18, attending the same
program and asked if he needed a roommate. We now
live together and are both attending medical school.”
When asked his goals for after school, he stated “At the
end of this year (2 nd year), I’ll be taking a test called a
“Step One.” This test will give me a better idea of what
specialties I’ll be able to go after. My short list of specialties
includes orthopedic surgery and emergency medicine.
In emergency medicine, I like that it is fast paced and the
traumas that come in are very interesting. Also, in the ER,
patients are treated regardless of their insurance status. People
get sick regardless of their ability to purchase insurance
and I believe helping others is a very worthwhile cause.”
“On top of going into these specialties, I would like to go
back and get my MBA. Especially in emergency medicine,
there is a high rate of burnout. Although I don’t foresee
getting burnt out since I like the long shifts, the night
shifts and the fast pace of the ER, burn out is something
to be prepared for. If I have my MBA, I could go into
hospital administration if the need or want should
ever arise.”
As an award winner of the Graduate Student Scholarship,
what does this Scholarship mean to you?
“This award is a very nice piece of recognition. In medical
school, we receive very little feedback throughout the
degree program, maybe one or two quizzes and a test per
course. We don’t see the fruits of our labor very often.
To receive an award like this means the world to me.
It means that the work I have put into school and into
the positions I’ve held is valued and that my efforts are
worthwhile!
“Financially, this $10,000 scholarship came at the perfect
time for me. I had been accepted for the summer to work
as a teacher’s assistant at the anatomy lab which would
have helped me pay for living expenses and school expenses.
Due to COVID, that job was cut short, and getting
a different medical school job for the shortened summer
was very difficult. Thank you to all the donors of the
Delta Chi Educational Foundation for allowing me to
focus on my studies and my future.”
Congratulations to Payton, and all our scholarship award
winners this year. You make Delta Chi proud!

9
Jason Michael Walker, Arizona State ’05
A Road Less Traveled—
Experiencing Life and Serving Others
Every issue we’ll highlight a leadership impact story.
In this issue, we’re highlighting Jason Michael Walker,
Arizona State ’05. But this isn’t the story of how a
young Delta Chi joined a thriving chapter, attended a
leadership academy, and enjoyed a sky-rocketed path
to the top of corporate America. Instead, it is a story
about a struggling chapter, the trials and tribulations
and ultimately the growth that was born out of a chapter
closure, and one man achieving multiple life dreams
by taking the road less traveled. All the while, building
friendships with Delta Chi members across the world,
and giving back to make the organization and his
community stronger.
As a freshman at Arizona State University, Jason rushed
and joined Delta Chi with three of his good friends from
the dorms. But the chapter was far from thriving; He
and his Associate Member Brothers were immediately
thrust into leadership roles as the chapter lost its house
and struggled to stay alive. Within 21 short months of
joining, his Chapter was closed. Despite the closure, the
leadership opportunities and experiences made a lasting
impact on the young man.
“During my time at ASU in Delta Chi, I was able to
attend Regional Leadership Conference and International
Convention. At Convention, I was able to see the bigger
picture of Delta Chi. There is a ton of support available
from many brothers that care about the chapters and
about the brothers. My Regent, and many brothers from
all levels of Delta Chi leadership, were very supportive.
While our Chapter eventually failed, I was able to learn
a great deal about Delta Chi. I’ve always stayed involved
to try to help other chapters and brothers in times of
need so they can feel the support I felt, and hopefully
help them avoid the fate of my Chapter. The more I get
involved in Delta Chi, the more I see the positive impact
Delta Chi has on our brothers!”
Jason has worked to achieve many goals in life: working
in higher-education at the University of Phoenix;
Insurance industry, assisting seniors looking into
Medicare; Most recently getting accepted into the Peace
Corps, fulfilling a 20-year goal. He and his fiancée,
Amber, traveled to Senegal, Africa to help a local village
with their agriculture.
“I’ve wanted to join the Peace Corps since I was in
college. That dream finally came true in 2019, after
20 years. This was a long-time goal in which I wanted
to serve my country but also learn more about the
Environment and how I can help. My service was cut
short by the Coronavirus. I am now working on a new
journey and have accepted a position to work with the
Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C.”
“I love experiencing life and seeing things on my journeys”
Jason tells us. “I always try to learn about history
during my travels. As we continue to get older, we ask
ourselves what we are going to do. Do we want to get to
our ultimate destination with nothing to show for it, or do
we want to take time to experience life? Let’s do things
and have memories together. That’s how I see life.”
When asked about the leadership and outgoing personality
he exudes, Jason tells us: “I am not always the
most outspoken leader, but you have to be ready to act
when the opportunity presents itself. I do have the drive
to keep pushing myself to attain my goals. Once a goal
is achieved, I re-evaluate, set a new goal, and move
toward it.”
Jason has been a steadfast supporter of the DCEF by
continuing his gifts as an annual Trustee Society donor
over the years. But Jason is also an advocate for the
mission of the DCEF and works to involve others,
ultimately growing the donor-base and raising more
funds. In July, 2020 he organized a Facebook fundraiser,
challenging brothers to “show up” for Convention
in a virtual manner by donating just $5. Engaging 156
(mostly new) donors he raised nearly $2,000!
“I have always had a feeling that you need to give back,
help people and help your community. I find so many
opportunities to learn while I am serving Delta Chi, the
environment and my country. I really enjoy it. Delta Chi
has a special place in my heart when it comes to serving.
“In Delta Chi, there are brothers all over the world you
can meet and work with. In other organizations, you
do some work together and then move on. In Delta Chi,
you meet brothers, you help them, they help you and the
relationship continues on. It’s a great feeling!”

10 8 KNIGHT ERRANT | THE DELTA CHI EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
D
2
A
3
Y
4
O
D O N O
$
81,922
F
G
I
V
I
G
N
Top 10
Fundraising
Chapters During
Founders’ Day
of Giving 2020
1 Embry Riddle
2 Huntsville
3 LSU
4 Texas
5 Troy State
6 Marquette
7 New Mexico State
8 Minnesota
9 Central Missouri
10 Georgia Southern /
Virginia Tech
3 Ways to
Make a Gift
1
2
R
Instruct your
financial institution
to make a gift by
December 15
Return Envelope via
Mail: Must be postmarked
by December 31
DCEF
P.O. Box 2113
Iowa City, IA 52244
3 Online:
www.deltachi.org/
givetoday
S
FUNDRAISING REPORT
2020
Every issue you can check-in here for a progress report
on Fundraising, and what’s coming up.
Traditionally, the Foundation has existed largely as a
pass-through non-profit organization; 75% of gifts received
in 2020 have been designated for special purposes
including chapter scholarships and chapter housing.
Undesignated gifts to the General Fund are used to run
the Foundation in addition to providing crucial educational
grants to the Fraternity and general scholarships
to members. $43,000 remains to be raised by the end
of our fiscal year on 12/31.
Strictly speaking of the General Fund, the Foundation
started the year out strong in January and February, but
felt the negative impact as the pandemic created economic
uncertainty during March - May (-26% YoY). The summer
was bolstered by an unconventional “Repurpose your
Convention Registration” campaign, closing the gap on
gifts traditionally made at the Convention. The fourth quarter
will make or break the Foundation’s operating budget.
In October, The 3rd Annual Founders’ Day of Giving,
A Day for Delta Chi resulted in the biggest response
from the donor base in as many years with 234 donors
(+2.6%) raising $81,922 (+4.8%); a strong start to the
fourth quarter. 106 chapters participated, and 21 raised
$1,000+; $40,000 in matching gifts spurred the
campaign effort, led by New Founder David Cloutier,
Embry Riddle ‘92, along with George & Tera Preussel,
Huntsville ‘09.
The Foundation’s 4th Annual Giving Tuesday raised
leadership funds for the second consecutive year,
during this international day of giving, benefiting the
Ray Galbreth Leadership Fund; available to the Delta Chi
Fraternity to request grants supporting the educational
portion of its leadership programs, such as the “A”s’
Academy and Emerging Leaders Academy.
Text: RAY to the #: 91-999 to make a leadership gift
throughout the year.
Trustee Society donations ($1,000+ undesignated
annually) are up 13% to 86 at the time of printing.
The stretch goal is to reach 125 Trustee Society donors,
representing a 25% growth rate vs. 2019.
Meet your responsibility to advance Delta Chi, by
making a year-end gift during this Season of Giving.
No amount is too small and certainly none too large!
FINANCIAL REPORT
2020
Brothers,
The Delta Chi Educational Foundation has had a strong
year thus far financially. The Foundation is on track to
meet the financial targets for the year, even through a
tumultuous 2020. For the year-to-date (YTD) through
October 31, the Foundation is only 1% under budget
in unrestricted revenue, and is 13% below budget for
expenses. To date, $37,500 in unrestricted funds have
been granted towards costs of the Fraternity’s 2020 “A”s’
Academy and are on track to reach $50,000 by year’s
end. Over $200,000 has been granted for student
member scholarships, housing grants, and Fraternity
educational initiatives. The Foundation is also on track
to grow our endowment fund by over $450,000 this year.
A successful, unqualified audit was completed in June
by our auditors, Blue & Co. LLC. The Foundation’s
annual IRS Form 990 for the past six years can all be
found at www.DCEF.com under the Financial Statements
section. DCEF’s bookkeeping and accounting services
are provided by VonLehman CPA of Indianapolis, IN.
Through October 31, our total DCEF investment portfolio
had a YTD return of -1.88%. This lags the S&P 500
return of 0.37%. However, the Foundation’s investment
portfolio maintains approximately a 60% growth position
in equities with a 40% position in lower risk funds
(e.g. bonds, certificates of deposits and cash). This allows
the Foundation to grow assets while protecting principle
of the individual accounts. DCEF’s investment strategy
enables the Foundation to prudently manage assets,
which total $3.56 million
Please join me in making an end-of-year donation to
the Foundation. As a reminder, you can take advantage
of a one-time deduction up to $300 on your
2020 federal income taxes via the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)
Act for contributions to a 501(c)(3) charity like DCEF.
You are eligible for this deduction even if you don’t
itemize your tax returns. Contact your tax advisor for
more information.
Fraternally,
John Ziegler
Louisiana Tech ‘01
DCEF Treasurer
You already shop on Amazon. Use it to support the
members and programs of Delta Chi. Simply head to
smile.amazon.com instead. When checking out, select
‘Delta Chi Educational Foundation’ as your charity of choice.
Use the App?
Click on Settings, select ‘Amazon Smile’ and follow the
on screen instructions to choose your charity as ‘Delta
Chi Educational Foundation’.

Impact Sponsors
Impact Sponsors are Brother-Owned Businesses that believe in the value of a quality publication, which engages and cultivates
our constituency towards advancement of the Delta Chi Educational Foundation. We are grateful for their generous support.
11 9
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EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
DCEF International Headquarters
3845 N. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46208
Use the camera on your
mobile device to capture
this QR code, and follow
the link that pops-up
to easily make your gift.
Become a sustaining
donor with an automatic
monthly gift. Thank you.
As we wrap up 2020 and look forward to 2021, your support of the Foundation and Fraternity is needed more than
ever. The Foundation’s goal in 2021 is to provide greater financial support for the Fraternity and their educational
programming. When you support the DCEF, you enhance the collegiate experience of our members, and impact the
future of our society. Thank you.
Justin Sherman, Central Missouri ‘08
DCEF Executive Director
DCEF Annual Membership Meeting -
Just Brotherhood
June 10-13, 2021 in Lexington, Kentucky
@ The Lexington Marriott City Center Hotel
AAll Voting Members, having given a minimum of
$200 lifetime to the Foundation, are invited to
attend the 2021 Membership Meeting. The Board of
Directors will hold its annual board meeting in conjunction
with the weekend’s activities; open to all.
Make a vacation out of it! This ground-breaking
experience is designed to provide members with
an opportunity to reconnect and relax with fellow
alumni, friends and family. The event is light on
programming to give guests ample time to enjoy
the host city, building friendships that advance
the mission of the DCEF through shared experiences
and common values.
Enjoy exclusive Donor excursions, only possible
through the Brotherhood network, including the
3rd Annual Trustee Society Experience!
Make your donation today to become a Voting
Member and punch your ticket to Horse Country!
Reserve your room now: http://bit.ly/DCEF_2021AnnualMtg
*We’re aware of the impending health concerns, and will monitor developments closely; the
CDC guidelines will inform our decision making, and if we need to host virtually we will.