Selection Committee decides on 17 brothers as inaugural inductees into 'Hall of Fame'

Chair says we've had 103 years of generating scores of other worthy nominees to honor in ensuing years

Seventeen brothers are the inaugural class of inductees into the new Beta Upsilon chapter of Sigma Chi Hall of Fame, the Selection Committee announced.

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Among them, NFL player and coach Harland Svare (in photo) who was also a Cougar All-American player. Harland passed away in summer of 2020 and is a member of the Chapter Eternal group of inductees which also includes Rod Simons, Emmy-award winning sports broadcaster.

Beta Upsilon joins other major chapters across North America in creating a Hall of Fame, in part, to honor those men and to also help inspire undergraduate brothers to think big.

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"We have so many qualified brothers," says Selection Committee chairman Rob Krause, "many of whom will be automatically renominated next year." Krause says the committee made a tough decision to select only a few winners so that the Hall of Fame remains elite. But with a backlog of alums over our chapter's 103-year history, Krause says we'll have a good supply of candidates for many years.

Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductees 2022:

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(by year of graduation)

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DICK BARRY, 1962              LARRY CULVER, 1964

HOWIE NEILL, 1967            GORDON DAVIS, 1968

ERIC JARVI, 1964                FRITZ BRAYTON, 1975

TIM COOKE, 1976               BILL UKROPINA, 1979

JEFF BURNSIDE, 1979         JEFF PYATT, 1981

WADE BARRINGER, 1998*   NICK BIRKLID, 2004*

KENZIE HANSELL, 2003*

* inducted as a group

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Chapter Eternal Inductees:

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ERNEST O. HOLLAND, 1895

ROD SIMONS, 1982

HARLAN SVARE, 1953

JACK WATKINS, 1944

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Click here to see full details.

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Questions: Call Rob at 206-940-2815 or Amedeo at 253-389-7790.

All brothers owe gratitude to this Inaugural Selection Committee: 

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• Rob Krause (1972), chair

• Amedeo Gallucci (Consul 2016), co-chair

• Jerry Herres (1965)

• Garith Krause (Consul 1965)

• Garrett Gluck (Consul 2019)

• Crane Chantrey (1995)

• Dane Lucero (current Consul)

• Blake DeJarnatt (current Historian)

• Dom Sicilia (current Alumni Relations Chair)

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After the first year of inductees, those inductees, and the inductees in all future years, will become the Selection Committee.

NFL player and coach Harland Svare

Beta Upsilon's most famous athlete was among 17 selected to the chapter's new Hall of Fame. Read more about Harland Svare here.

   SEE ALL THE HALL OF FAME WINNERS HERE   

Nearly 400 alumni and undergraduate brothers, parents, Sweethearts and friends attended the ceremonial Grand Opening of "America's best new fraternity house" on September 11th, 2021 - after a year of the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the celebration for a year.

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And immediately our Beta Upsilon chapter began the 2021 school year announcing it was awarded the Peterson Significant Chapter award, the Sigma Chi Fraternity's highest honor. It was the first time in more than 50 years that the chapter has been awarded a Peterson. 2021 Consul Dane Lucero praised 2020 Consul Patrick Summit for his leadership during the global pandemic that earned them the award.

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WSU President Kirk Schulz spoke to the crowd and reminded the undergraduate Sigs how fortunate they should feel for being able to live in such a spectacular house (with a house bill no higher than many fraternities).

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Jeff Pyatt and Bill Ukropina and the House Corporation Executive Committee unveiled the new Centennial Club. Donations will support:

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• Reducing the mortgage debt

• Seeding a fund for major renovation or all new construction in 75-100 years (undergrads are also paying into this)

• Renovation of the Castleberry House

• Emergency fund

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For details, click here.

The Grand Opening ceremony's honored guest was Jim Sweeney, Consul in 1953. Jim recounted for the crowd how Sigma Chi has played a key role in shaping his life. "Joining Sigma Chi," he said at the podium, "was the best decision I've ever made."

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Also speaking was Grand Praetor Duane Ray who read the Sigma Chi Chapter Installation as House Corporation President Howie Neill, a 2020 Constantine Sig, handed Consul Lucero a ceremonial key to the new house.

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Special Grand Opening programs were snapped up. But you van view the program here.