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Alumni Profile
“Embrace and live the philosophy of Sir Winston Churchill: Never, Never, Never, Give Up”
Name: Bill Michaels ’54 my first wife. For the past 20 years, I’ve been carrier (USS KEARSARGE CVA-33) during the
happily married to a woman originally from mid-1950’s which patrolled the waters of the Far
Employer and Occupation: Worked as a stock
Boston. Enjoy spending time with my nine East with the Seventh Fleet. In fact, I earned a
broker with three large firms, and then was an
grandchildren. couple of medals for my service.
independent financial
advisor for 20 years. Career Overview: I made a good living by Favorite Memory of Michigan Alpha: All of
Now I just manage my working hard and taking calculated risks in the them! We had a great group of men in my era. I
own stuff. always challenging field of financial services. I also enjoyed competing on the Michigan Track
bet the farm on a stock at 56 years old and made Team and earning two varsity letters.
Current Residence and
big money, but rode the roller coaster down like I am proud to have been able to financially
Contact Information:
many other investors during the past decade. give back to the Michigan Alpha as an alum.
74 Morgan Lane,
However, I’m still in the black and very thankful
Basking Ridge, NJ Message for the Brothers: Embrace and live the
for what I have earned. Looking forward to the
07920-3816 philosophy of Sir Winston Churchill: “Never,
next bubble!
Never, Never, Give Up.”
Family and Activities:
Interesting Career Fact or Experience: I served
Bill Michaels ’54 Married in 1959 and
as a Naval Officer on a 27,100-ton attack aircraft
had four children with
4 The Sword & Shield Spring-Summer 2010
Josh Dimkoff ’05 Message for the Brothers: Remember the the early pledge classes never got to see the
Current Residence: Hinesville, GA. pledge you all made as Phikeia. Invest in full fruits of their labors while they were
Occupation: U.S. Army, the fraternity, and you will see more return undergrads, but they should feel proud to see
attorney and Captain in than you can imagine. Phi Delta Theta is a what they helped to build.
the JAGC. great organization that will teach you many
Role in the Refounding important lessons and values that will stay Greg Lavigne ’06
of the Michigan Alpha with you throughout your life. Current Residence: Cincinnati, OH
Chapter: After joining Occupation: Attorney
the Phi Delt colony Ben Hanson ’06 at Peck Shaffer and
during my sophomore Current Residence: Ann Arbor, MI Williams, LLP
year, I succeeded in recruiting many of my Occupation: University of Michigan School Role in the Refounding:
fellow Refounding Fathers from the halls of of Dentistry class of 2010, General Practice I was Treasurer during
Mosher Jordan when the rest of campus wasn’t Resident VA Hospital Ann Arbor colony status, and the first
producing pledges. I was named “Recruiter of Role in the Refounding: Member of Re- President after the official
the Year” for 2003-2004 which really was our Founding pledge class. refounding of the chapter.
make-or-break year. Favorite Memory of Michigan Alpha: The Message for the Brothers: Take advantage
Message for the Brothers About the 5 Year many friendships that I cultivated as a Phi of the incredible opportunity you have to be
Anniversary of the Reestablishment of Delt. a part of a great organization and campus
the Michigan Alpha Charter: Believe and community. Phi Delta Theta transformed my
achieve, keep the faith. It was looking pretty Evan Isaacs ’06 college experience, and I hope it does the same
dicey for several months leading up to the re- Current Residence: Washington, D.C. for each and every one of you as well.
founding as to whether we would indeed make Occupation: Touchstone
our recruiting goals to achieve the magic 35. Consulting Group Nabeel Obeid ’06
A few of us held an unwavering belief that our Message for the Current Residence: Ann Arbor, MI
work would not be for naught. Optimism is Brothers: I would have Role in the Refounding: Member of chapter
contagious, but so are doubts and pessimism. never imagined such a for the first two years
I ended up living in the fraternity for just my strong, beneficial bond of my undergraduate
senior year, but that turned out to be one of to my brothers and this experience (2002-2004)
the best choices I made in college. organization when I first which was the beginning
walked through the doors back in 2002. Proud years of Phi Delta Theta’s
Jason Barley ’06 to Be a Phi! return to campus.
Current Residence: Peoria, IL Message for the
Occupation: Peter Islip ’06 Brothers: To see
Development Engineer at Current Residence: Los Angeles, CA Michigan Alpha alive and well speaks volumes
Caterpillar, Inc. Occupation: On Set Production Assistant about the type of men who are part of this
Role in the Refounding: Message for the Brothers: In the early days fraternity. Eight years ago, when I stepped
I started out as Risk there were several times that we were sure that onto Michigan’s campus, the house was not
Manager for the Fall 2004 we were going to fail, and thought the house even occupied by Phi Delt brothers. It makes
semester. I then proceeded was done. I am certain every one of us back me very proud to see the chapter continue to
to serve two terms as the then thought about giving up and quitting grow and improve with each semester.
chapter’s Secretary. I also started the ALS walk many times, but we didn’t. We always found
that took place in Ann Arbor before the Box our way through the fog, and we worked
Car Derby. determinedly to achieve our goals. A few of
Spring-Summer 2010 www.pdtumich.com 9
Paul Wezner ’06 to current active brothers. They are continuing during the time of when the charter was
Current Residence: Royal Oak, MI a great tradition. I’m very proud that my restored.
Occupation: I am brothers and I had a hand in reestablishing Message for the Brothers: The first five
employed by Organic, Inc the premiere fraternity on campus that future years of the re-founding has only been the
– Senior Analyst, Marketing brothers will be able to enjoy as much as I did. beginning of Michigan Alpha’s return on
Intelligence. I am also campus. The future is in your hands and I
attending graduate school Matt Scarlata ’07 wish you continued success.
at the U-M Ross School of Current Residence: New York, New York.
Business and expect to earn a Occupation: Unilever. Jon T. Buck ’08
MBA by 2012. Role in the Refounding: Current Residence: Arlington, VA.
Role in the Refounding: As Alumni Secretary, I Occupation: BAE
I spent a term as the colony President of led the house in hosting Systems - Systems
Michigan Alpha from the spring 2003 through the first Founders Day Engineer.
winter of 2003. In addition, I served two Dinner event that had Role in the
terms as Secretary of the colony. been held in many years. Refounding: I
Message for the Brothers: You get out of the Since being reestablished, was Recruitment
fraternity what you put into it. The more you the Founders Day tradition has not only Chair in 2006 and
put in, the more fondly you’ll remember your continued, but it has flourished. Phikeia Educator in 2007. Went on to form
time with Michigan Alpha, and the more it Message for the Brothers: Although the the first State Street crew with Alex Johnson,
will mean when you return to see the chapter working world can be fun, challenging, and Nick Lynn, Tony Adan, Jon Lerner and myself
succeeding. rewarding, I envy the position you guys are as well as non-Phis Jon Acker and “Fisticuffs.”
in right now. The Phi Delt tradition is at an Message for the Brothers: One of my
Jacob Bach ’07 interesting point in time. Much of the tedious favorite things about the house has always
Current Residence: Ann Arbor, MI “grunt work” of re-establishing the chapter been watching it change and grow from year-
Occupation: Graduate school at U of M for has been complete for several years now, so to-year. It’s been amazing to see how far the
Education my hope is that you can take Phi Delt to an house has come in so short a time. It has also
Role in the Refounding: I served as Social even higher level on campus in terms of social, been encouraging to see how far the recently
Chairman. athletic and philanthropic activities. graduated brothers have gone. Stay strong
Favorite Memory of Michigan Alpha: The brothers. Show the world what you can do
Phi Delt road trips to away football games Kevin “Mr. Peace” Szawala ’07 both during your undergraduate years and
were great times. Current Residence: Northville, MI beyond. And of course, never stop striving
Occupation: to transmit the fraternity to those who may
Kellyn Parker ’07 Being Who I follow after not only, not less, but greater than
Current Residence: Los Angeles, CA Want 2 Be / it was transmitted to you!
Occupation: I’m working Motivational
in the agent training Speaker Cameron Young ’08
program at United Talent Role in the Current Residence: Grand Rapids, MI.
Agency, one of the leading Refounding: I Occupation: Marketing/
talent agencies in the served as IM Sports Chairman. Communications with
world. Message for the Brothers: Phi Delt is Nurture by Steelcase.
Role in the Refounding: different when compared to other fraternities Role in the Refounding:
I was in the last wave in the sense that it consists of a very special I was President of the
of brothers to join as we transitioned from group of brothers who have chosen to be a pledge class that put us
being a colony into a fully functional chapter part of something bigger than themselves. over the top -- getting
of Phi Delta Theta. I got to see us work our They have decided to put other’s needs and the enough guys to earn our
way through a lot of obstacles, and I helped needs of the greater community ahead of their charter and become a full-fledged chapter of
to establish our identity as a newly formed own. Focusing on that, along with striving to Phi Delta Theta.
chapter. I served as Recruitment Chairmen do what is morally right and always looking to Message for the Brothers: Being a member of
and President. It was extremely rewarding make a difference, are the basic principles in Phi Delt will be one of your fondest memories
when all our hard work culminated in the which Michigan Alpha was re-founded…As of your 4 (or 5 or 6) years in Ann Arbor. Work
refounding of the chapter. The Refounding you pursue your dreams, remember that the hard, recruit guys better than yourself, and
Fathers created a legacy at Michigan Alpha by opposite of success is not failure, it is quitting. foremost, enjoy one of the best times of your
both reestablishing old traditions and starting life.
up many new ones. William Todd ’07
Message for the Brothers: I cherish my time Current Residence: Los Angeles, CA
spent on campus and made some of my closest Occupation: Project Coordinator/Junior
friends through Phi Delt. I love to read the Architect at RNL
great updates in the Sword & Shield, and talk Role in the Refounding: I served as President
10 The Sword & Shield Spring-Summer 2010
464-055 FN MH