Omicron Capital Campaign

A Campaign for the Omicron Chapter of Phi Kappa Tau at the Pennsylvania State University.

For more than 90 years, Omicron has been the home, training ground, and anchor for over 900 brothers. We lived, played, studied, and learned from each other during our years at Penn State. We are proud of our Chapter, our Legacy, and our House, and look forward to another 90 years of helping young men mature into solid citizens. We have survived – and thrived – through wars, depressions, recessions, social upheaval, and all manner of challenges. The House has been the place where young men made lifelong friendships, learned and sharpened key life skills, and set out to build their lives and careers. Our House and Brotherhood are exceptionally strong today – thanks to the contributions of our brothers.

It is now time to take the next step to ensure our future.

Our Chapter House was built back in the 1930s—and the Annex, which we purchased in the 1950s, actually predates the chapter house. Given their ages, our facilities need continual care and capital replacements. We’ve made huge strides in the past couple of years, but we have much more to do. Our 2040 capital plan provides a roadmap of key improvements and replacements for the next 28 years. One goal is to return the first floor to its Classic Fraternity appearance; other goals include key renovations and replacements that are sorely overdue. Our fraternal strength, however, extends beyond bricks and mortar. Omicron is continually strengthened through scholarships and leadership development activities. Our Board of Directors, Board of Governors and other volunteers are proactively building men of character to carry our fraternity – and our communities and country – forward to new successes.

Your financial support makes a positive difference in the Chapter, and in the lives of our undergraduates.

Our goals are ambitious, but achievable.

Pay it Forward.

Think back to your first days at Penn State, when you walked into an unknown world of wonder. You joined Phi Kappa Tau and it influenced your life then, and likely continues to do so now. The fellowship, knowledge, and truth we discovered as undergraduates remain key tenets of our lives and a central part of our Penn State experience. Now is the time to ensure our permanent presence at Penn State. Each member of the Capital Campaign Committee, Board of Directors and Board of Governors has made a substantial financial commitment to our campaign. One hundred percent of the undergraduates have pledged to contribute upon graduation. Join us in securing our future and making Phi Kappa Tau the best fraternity at Penn State.

Omicron is on a high! Help us keep it moving forward by making a campaign pledge to renew and rebuild our House and establishing educational opportunities that mold the brothers of tomorrow.

Omicron Association is the owner and manager of our House and the Founder’s Annex.

 

Robert Kaiser ’77, Chairman

Bob is in his 25th year as project manager specializing in transportation and environmental planning with Michael Baker Jr., Inc. He leads Baker’s planning practice in the Baltimore, MD office. Since his years at Penn State, he served on the Omicron Board of Directors for over 10 years, recently assisted the Board on several financial planning endeavors, and was an instructor at the last several planning and leadership retreats for the undergraduate chapter. As an undergraduate, he served the chapter as a president, vice-president and pledgemaster. He and wife Marsha have two grown daughters who live in the Baltimore-Washington area. Bob enjoys fly fishing camping, hiking and historical tours.

 

 

 

 

 

Walter Scott ’58

Walter retired from AMP, Inc. (now Tyco) in 1999 with 40 years of service. He was Director of Sales Administration for AMP’s Computer Division. He resides in Mechanicsburg, PA with wife Barbara, and his two grown daughters reside in the Harrisburg area. Walt pledged in Fall 1956, and was senior advisor to the Phi Taus from 1957 and 1958, social chairman, and party entertainer during his undergraduate years. He joined the Board of Directors in 2001 and served as Chairman for six years. He is the organizer of three major reunions for 1950’s Bothers, and has attended homecoming for 50 years. Walt plays tennis and golf, and enjoys bike riding.

 

 

 

 

Lee C. Olsen ’62

Lee is a registered architect and a member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. A native of Reading, he is President and CEO of Olsen Design Group Architects, based in Reading. The firm provides architectural, master planning, interior design and construction management service. He is also Executive Vice President of “Capital Ideas, Inc.,” a subsidiary that provides assistance to the not-for-profit community in “packaging” the design components of capital campaigns and fund raising projects. Lee’s service to Omicron includes multiple years on the Omicron Association Board of Directors, member of the Omicron Educational Foundation Board, and Chair of the 1995 Omicron Capital Campaign. He has led and been involved in multiple fundraising campaigns in Reading and Berks County. Lee resides in Reading, PA with his new wife, Debbie.

 

 

 

 

Richard Struthers ’77

Ric is now the CEO of Ashford Point Enterprises, a Financial Services Consulting Company, following his retirement as President of Bank of America’s Global Card Services Division. He is a graduate of PSU’s Smeal Business School. He served as House Manager during his tenure at Phi Tau, and has assisted the Omicron Board of Directors in several financial studies. Ric is a current member of the Business School Board and Past Chairman of the Board, and Chair of Development Committee Member of PSU Executive Committee of the For The Future Campaign. He also served as a member on the Executive Committee of the PSU Grand Destiny Campaign, and chaired PSU’s Annual Giving Campaign for three years. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including Alumni Fellow in 1998 and Distinguished Alumnus in 2002. Other current philanthropic activities include Honorary Chair of the Wilmington Grand Opera House Capital Campaign, and serving as a board member of Homeward Bound, a non-profit organization for homeless families. He is currently a member and past Chairman of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. Ric lives in Greenville, DE with his wife, Sharon. His son Ryan is a 2010 PSU graduate, and son Brice is a 2012 JMU graduate. Daughter Corrie graduated high school in 2012 and just started her freshman year at PSU.

 

 

Mike Gillespie ’86

Mike is Director of Business Solutions / professional services at GHX (Global Healthcare Exchange). He has focused on the healthcare industry since graduating from PSU, working in hospitals, Big Four consulting and the healthcare banking industry. While an undergraduate at Phi Tau, Mike was very involved in Rush activities and Pledge orientation. Mike currently lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Gilma, and their 20-month old daughter, Isabella.

 

 

 

 

 

Dan Bicehouse ’90

Dan grew up in State College, PA. Since graduating from Penn State in 1993 with a degree in Business Logistics, he has continuously worked in the field of supply chain management. After spending the last seven years with Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln, AL, he recently relocated back to the Washington, DC metro area, accepting a position with Volkswagen Group of America’s finished vehicle logistics team. Dan and wife Tracy recently became grandparents in January of 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vince Bilovsky ’90

Vince is currently the manager of the commercial fuel engineering and reactor physics unit at Babcock & Wilcox. He previously held domestic and international senior management roles in the nuclear power industry, where he has spent his 15 year career. Vince is from Philadelphia and has lived in Europe, but currently lives in Lynchburg, VA with his wife, Stephanie (a PSU Alum) and daughter, Zoya. As an undergrad, he served as Social Chairman (three semesters), and Rush Chairman. He holds Penn State MS degrees in Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering as well as a BS in Nuclear Engineering, and an MBA from UPenn’s Wharton School.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jason Birdsell ’99

Jason is an executive with Accenture, the world’s largest consulting company, where he has been focused on serving clients in the pharmaceutical and insurance industries for 13 years since graduating with a B.S. in Finance and International Business. As an undergraduate, he served as Secretary, Rush Chair and Social Chair. In 2004, he joined the Omicron Board of Directors and focused on the critical issues of undergraduate recruitment, retention, and morale. Jason has conducted several recruiting seminars and completed many small projects, such as the Omicron “Hall of Traditions,” which have contributed to the success of the chapter’s membership. Jason lives in Phoenixville, PA with his wife and two children, and enjoys travel, entertaining friends and time with family.