Reunion Event Attracts 150 Including CSUF Officials and Key Alumni Celebration of 30 Years at The Barn, Highest GPA at CSUF, and Return of Founder of the 1962 Intercollegiate Elephant Races In the Fall of 1968 the Phi Kappa Tau Chapter at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) purchased and moved into"The  Barn", a local landmark in Fullerton. On September 13, 1998 over 150 alumni, actives, new associates, parents and guests gathered at the Barn to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of ownership.  "Phi Tau" alumni from the early 1960's to the present took the opportunity to meet, network, participate in trivia games, raise money for charity, and recall their fraternity experiences. To read the Fullerton News Tribune coverage of the Reunion, click here! A highlight of the day was the address by Jack Hale (affiliated in 1960). Hale, one of the founders of the local fraternity and its second president, was the "mahout" (elephant rider) for Cal State Fullerton (then Orange County State College) in the first Intercollegiate Elephant Races in 1962. "It's a thrill to return to the campus and to the Phi Kappa Tau house.  Its hard to believe that it was 37 years ago that we came up with the idea for the Elephant Races. It also seems just like yesterday that we were negotiating to buy the Barn…. " said Hale, who in 1968 was a member of the committee which arranged the purchase of the property. It was from the Elephant Races that CSUF derived "Titans" as the mascot for the university sports teams. Other Alumni guest speakers of the day reflect the broad diversity of the Chapter's alumni, over 600 men since its founding in 1960. Speakers of the day included: Steven Sundvold (1965) recently elected Judge of Orange County Superior Court, Peter Wesselink (1964) locally known advertising  executive and President, Wesselink Advertising; Carl Arena (1972) Vice President, Real Estate for Carl Karcher Enterprises, Jeff Paulus(1966), Educator, Marcus Gallo(1989) Regional Manager, Ingram Micro, Dennis Blake (1968) President, Better Floors, Tim O'Connell(1973) President, Ceramtec, Lee Huffman(1993) President, Affinity, Inc, and Joe Tatar (1963), well-known local entertainer, who also played a few songs for the crowd. Also taking the podium as special guest speaker was Loydene Keith, current Dean of Students at CSUF, who commented: "This is my first visit to the Barn.  It looks like your organization has done some reflection and has made new commitments of which you can be proud…we are looking for the Phi  Taus to be seen as leaders here on the campus. I hope I'll be invited back!" To read the Fullerton News Tribune coverage of the Reunion, click here!

Many awards were announced during the day, including the CSUF Scholarship Award, given to the fraternity with the highest Grade  Point Average (GPA) at the university for the most recent semester.  Tom Tinker, current Chapter President noted, "Not only did we have the highest GPA among all fraternities; we had the highest grades of all Greek organizations, including sororities".  The individual Chapter Scholarship award was presented to immediate past Chapter President Tom Smith (1994).  On the alumni side, Steve Lucero (1986), BOG Chairman, was presented with the Phi Award for his outstanding service to Gamma Omicron by previous Phi winner Jim Keffer (1973). GO Chapter's Board of Governors was presented the national "Outstanding Board of Governors" award for 1997/98 by Mitch Bernardo (1975), former National Chapter Consultant. "We really wanted this event to show the positive side of the fraternity system at Cal State Fullerton" commented Tim Clark (1967), event organizer and BOG member. "With all of the negative press on our Fullerton fraternities lately, we wanted the campus and the community to know that Phi Kappa Tau provides a rewarding experience for men while attending the University, with friendships that last for the rest of their lives". Sgt. David Stanko, a spokesman for the Fullerton Police Department and a 1967 alumnus of the Chapter noted: "We have seen a lot of calls coming in to our department regarding Cal State Fullerton fraternities lately…thankfully very few have involved the Phi Tau house".

Between speakers and award presentations, the "Phi Tau/CSUF Trivia Contest" was held, with the Gold Team, captained by Pete Wesselink trouncing the Red Team, led by Dennis Blake, in a struggle to retrieve questionable trivia from weakened and atrophied brain cells. With questions like:  "What is the field area next to the PE building called?" (Dumbo Downs); "When  was the last year the Titan baseball team won the College World Series" (1995); "Which famous Phi Tau alumni once said: "Hell, the FALL will probably KILL ya!" (Paul Newman, in Butch Cassidy  and the Sundance Kid); "Sigma Phi Omega/Phi Kappa Tau was known for a certain type of social event. What was it?" (Barn Dances) and "What is the mascot of Cal State Fullerton?" (Tuffy Titan) …the audience laughed and learned at the same time. The contest ended with the Red Team vowing to avenge the loss at the next Gamma Omicron reunion scheduled for March 1999. Throughout the day funds were raised for the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang Camps from the sale of tickets to a local comedy club by the Chapter members. The festivities concluded with the cutting of a 30-Year Anniversary cake with the likeness of  "the Barn" on it, and later that evening seventeen new associates to the fraternity were welcomed into the Chapter in a pinning ceremony witnessed by many of their parents who had attended the reunion..

To read the Fullerton News Tribune coverage of the Reunion, click here!
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