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Board of Directors

Grand High Zeta

The Grand High Zeta is the Board of Directors of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, and it is the supreme executive, legislative and judicial body of the Fraternity in the interim between General Assemblies. It consists of a chairman (the Grand High Alpha) who serves a 4-year term, eight (8) members elected by the General Assembly to serve a 4-year term, two (2) members appointed by the Grand High Zeta to serve a 2-year term, and four (4) undergraduate members selected by the Student Advisory Committee to serve a 1-year term. The Board generally meets quarterly, but it also takes action without meeting when appropriate. Among its powers and duties are establishing Associate Chapters and granting charters, hiring and supervising the Chief Executive Officer, authorizing the budget of the General Fraternity, and planning for the strategic advancement and improvement of the Fraternity.

Grand High Alpha – Chairman
Steve Pattison (Florida State)

Steve joined Auxilior Capital Partners as Executive Vice-President, General Manager of the Franchise Finance Division in January 2021. Auxilor is a commercial finance company backed by some of the largest financial institutions in the world and includes a deep bench of experienced finance professionals in the transportation, construction and franchise verticals.

Prior to joining Auxilior, Steve served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President, Business Analysis and Risk Management of Restaurant Services, Inc., (RSI) located in Coral Gables, Florida. RSI is an independent purchasing and distribution services cooperative formed for the purpose of purchasing and managing the supply chain for all products and services necessary to operate Burger King restaurants in the United States. Steve also serves as General Manager of RSI’s wholly owned for profit subsidiary, Supply Chain Services LLC.

Prior to joining RSI in 2001, Steve was Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer for Sunglass Hut International, an international retailer with approximately 2000 locations. In this capacity, Steve was responsible for all finance functions (approximately 50+ staff) including Investor Relations, Tax, Treasury, Audit and Corporate Finance.

Prior to joining Sunglass Hut, Steve held a number of progressive roles at Burger King Corporation (“BKC”) for ten years. Steve’s roles included Vice President, Corporate Planning, Reporting & Treasury, responsible for global planning, forecasting, internal reporting, external reporting, internal control assessment, cash management and captive franchisee financing program. Steve also represented BKC on board of directors of Franchise Acceptance Corporation Limited and Diversity Foods Processing LLP. As Vice President, Corporate Finance, Steve’s responsibilities included oversight of BKC’s shared services center. As Senior Director, Treasury, Steve was responsible for development of captive finance program, which ultimately funded over $600 million in loans to BKC system. Steve also served as BKC’s Director of Internal audit for three years.

Prior to Burger King, practiced as a CPA for 12 years with KPMG Peat Marwick LLC providing auditing, accounting and business advisory services to clients in a variety of industries, including not for profit organizations.

Grand High Beta – Vice Chairman
Dr. Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver (Baylor)

Oliver has been serving as the president of Union University (Jackson, TN) since 2014. He previously served as the 12th president of East Texas Baptist University. Prior to the ETBU presidency, Oliver served his alma mater, Baylor University, in several roles including vice president for student life. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member throughout his career. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Oliver served in the U.S. Air Force. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Baylor University and a Master of Science degree in educational psychology and a Doctor of Philosophy in educational administration from Texas A&M University. He and his wife Susie have one daughter, Callie, a son-in-law, Zach, a granddaughter, Betsy Blake, and a grandson, Oliver.

Grand High Gamma – Secretary
Scott M. Jackson (Eastern Kentucky)

Jackson is president and CEO of East End Plumbing Supply, a plumbing supply wholesaler based in Louisville, Kentucky. He started at the company 20 years ago as the assistant warehouse manager after graduation and worked his way up to his current position. He also has served Lambda Chi since graduation, first as the Alumni Association president of his home chapter, then as the chapter advisor at Eastern Kentucky, and most recently as the chapter advisor at Louisville. He is an active runner and hiker and resides in Louisville with his wife and three children.

Grand High Tau – Treasurer
Chris Meyer (Akron)

Chris is Director of Institutional Investing at Truepoint Institutional Advisors, a company he formed in 2015 to provide institutional investment advisory services to smaller and mid-sized institutional investors, which are often underserved. Prior to Truepoint, he had 22 years of experience as an investment consultant, working mainly with university and college endowment and foundations and other nonprofits. He earned a B.S. in Statistics and Economics from the University of Akron and an MBA in Finance from The Ohio State University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Chris served on the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation Board of Directors for nine years, including as Board Chairman from 2016 to 2018 and as Investment Committee Chairman for six years. He chaired the Educational Foundation CEO Search Committee in 2018 and he was a member of Fraternity CEO Search committee in 2018 as well. Currently he serves on the Board of Directors as Secretary and Investment Committee Chair of The Catholic Community Foundation of West Central and Southwest Ohio, on the Board of Trustees and Treasurer of the Catholic Inner-city Schools Education (CISE) Foundation, on the Finance Council of St. Antoninus Parish, on the Investment Advisory Committee of Glenmary Home Missioners, and the Investment Sub-Committee of Mount St. Joseph University. He previously served as President of the Board of Trustees for the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum and on the Board of Trustees of the Cincinnati Retirement System, where he served as Board Chair and Investment Committee Chair. He and his wife have four daughters and reside in Cincinnati.

Grand High Pi – Chancellor
Gregory A. Castanias (Wabash)

Greg is a Washington, DC-based partner in the international law firm of Jones Day. A Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, he heads Jones Day’s Federal Circuit practice, and has argued five cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and over 100 before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the exclusive appellate court for patent cases. Greg also holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Law at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, where he teaches courses in Appellate Practice and Procedure and Federal Circuit Advocacy. Greg also serves on the Wabash College Board of Trustees, and the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Board of Visitors. For nine years, most of them prior to his 2018 election to the Grand High Zeta, Greg served as a member of the Fraternity’s Foundation Board of Directors, and, until his election to the Grand High Zeta, served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Alpha-Kappa Zeta Home Association. He previously served as president of both the National Association of Wabash Men and the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Alumni Association, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Gladney Center for Adoption in Fort Worth, Texas.

Grand High Phi
Michael Brady (Eastern Michigan)

Brady is President and Founder of Generosity Wealth Management, a financial services company headquartered in Boulder, CO.  Prior to founding his company in 2008, Brady was co-founder of a brokerage firm, multiple multi-strategy hedge funds, a publicly registered mutual fund, and author of two financial books.  In the past 15 years, Brady has been on numerous non-fraternity charitable boards addressing diverse areas such as genocide reconciliation in Rwanda, recidivism reduction and system change within the prison system,  international hosting and adoption with orphanages in Ukraine, Nicaragua, and Columbia, and various local Rotary clubs and foundations.  Within Lambda Chi Alpha, Brady was High Pi for 10 years at the University of Northern Colorado before being appointed in 2020 High Pi at the then Associate Chapter at Colorado State University.  He has facilitated at nearly every General Fraternity event since 2011, was a recipient of the Order of Merit in 2021, and was an International Ritual Coach in 2022.

Grand High Kappa
Orlando Rummans (University of Texas – San Antonio)

Orlando is a sixth and seventh grade science teacher and track and field (hurdles) coach at Joel C. Harris Middle School in San Antonio Independent School District. Additionally, he is a prior enlisted Soldier in the US Army Medical Department and served as an X-ray technician. He earned his commission through the UTSA Army ROTC program and is a retired Army Medical Service Corps officer and a veteran of the Gulf War including the liberation of Kuwait and two combat tours in Iraq. During his last deployment he served as the Theater Medical Evacuation Officer.  His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (two oak-leaf clusters) and the Bronze Star.  He has earned the Army Parachutist, Air Assault and coveted Expert Field Medical badges. He retired as Major after 22 years of service, and he recently earned a Master of Education, Coaching and Sports Administration from Concordia University Texas (Austin, Texas), finishing Magna Cum Laude with 4.0.

Grand High Delta
Lenard A. Bendo (Cal State-Sacramento)

Lenny has worked for more than two decades in the consumer packaged goods industry for three Fortune 200 companies. He spent his first 10 years with the Pillsbury/General Mills Co. in various sales & marketing roles. From there, he was recruited by Johnson & Johnson to lead the category management initiative for their Acuvue contact lens brand at Walmart, Costco, and other mega-retailers. He closed his corporate career with another 10 years at the HJ Heinz Co. in various global roles, most recently serving as their global chief diversity & inclusion officer. He is currently serving as President of the Board for the award-winning History Center in Orlando, Florida. Separately, he has volunteered with the American Legion Boys State and Boys Nation youth leadership programs for the past 35 years.

Grand High Epsilon
Steve Swafford (Kansas State)

Dr. Steve Swafford, IOM, Balance Warrior + CEO for Leadership Outfitters, working for more than 30 years for and with non-profits, trade associations, and professional societies in areas of strategy, leadership development, communication, engagement and executive management. He brings a practical knowledge of strategy and executive leadership with past organizations such as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), and American Subcontractors Association (ASA) where he most recently served as the executive director. He is active in California Society of Association Executives (CalSAE) and American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) leadership serving on the Board of Directors; Nominating Committee; Membership Committee Chair; Professional Development Committee Chair (aka Purple Cow Posse); and Southern California Regional Council. As a Fraternity volunteer, he has facilitated and coached at multiple Stead Leadership and High Alpha/Neville Advisor College events for nearly 30 years as well as past High Pi at the University of Oregon. Steve is also a 20-year faculty member for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute of Management and serves on the Curriculum Committee for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A native of Kansas, Steve has a B.S. in journalism from Kansas State University; a M.Div. from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC; and an Ed.D. from Pepperdine University’s School of Education & Psychology focusing on Strategic Organizational Change. In addition to Leadership Outfitters, Steve is a Full-Time Practitioner Faculty for Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School creating courses on leadership, strategy, organization design, and organization behavior. He is actively involved with the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force for the University. He is also a volunteer staff clergy for his church and co-founder of Leadership Outfitters, LLC.

Grand High Iota
Paul Troy (Lehigh)

Paul is a Partner at Kane, Pugh, Knoell, Troy & Kramer LLP, specializing in trial practice defending professionals and businesses from tort claims and other civil lawsuits. Over his career Troy has tried more than 100 jury cases to verdict. He has served as President of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Montgomery Bar Association, the Young Lawyers Section and the Montgomery County Trial Lawyers Association. Over the past four years Troy has been named one of the 100 top attorneys in Pennsylvania.

Grand High Rho
Dr. Frederick A. Kam, Jr., MD (Miami-FL)

Kam is a physician and holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and graduated with his Medical Degree from the University of Miami in 1986. He has more than 33 years of experience in medical service delivery both at the University of Miami and Auburn University. Kam was chosen by his peers as one of the Best Doctors in America (1996- 97,1997-98, 2003-04), and he is in Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Mortar Board, Omicron Delta Kappa and Iron Arrow Honor Societies. He served as president of his medical school class, was voted as the Best House Staff Member of the Year (1988) and received the coveted Eric Reiss Award for Outstanding Teaching. as a faculty member. He is also a recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award in 2012 and our Order of Merit. He currently holds professorships at Auburn in the Department of Political Science, School of Nursing, and the School of Pharmacy. He serves as High Pi to Omega Zeta (Auburn University).

Grand High Sigma
Wyatt H. Slonnenger (Mississippi State)

Wyatt is from Pascagoula, Mississippi and is majoring in accounting with a minor in economics at Mississippi State University. He is graduating in May of 2024 with plans of obtaining his Master of Accountancy in the spring of 2025. Wyatt joined Lambda Chi Alpha’s Epsilon-Chi Chapter at Mississippi State during the fall semester of his sophomore year in 2021. During his time at the Epsilon-Chi, he has served as the Risk Manager and the Health and Wellness chair while also serving the General Fraternity as a member of the 2022-2023 Student Advisory Committee and the Advisory Committee on Governance.  

Grand High Theta
Yoani R. Suarez (Louisiana-Lafayette)

Yoani is from Lafayette, Louisiana and is a senior majoring in Civil Engineering and minoring in Mathematics and Spanish at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In the Iota-Omega Chapter, he currently serves as Chapter President and previously served as Recruitment Chairman and Risk Manager. He also participated as a member of the 2022 International Ritual Team. On campus, he has served as Vice President of Recruitment for The Interfraternity Council, Associate Justice for the UL Student Government Association, and as a SOUL Campus Mentor for The Office of Orientation. Yoani has also been a recipient of the Jeffery B. and Carol Burgan Scholarship, James R. Favor Scholarship, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. He was also named the 2022 IFC Council Member of the Year. After college, Yoani plans to attend graduate school to earn an MBA. 

Grand High Psi
Ethan M. Koren (Iowa)

Grand High Nu
Michael Pagan (Tennessee-Knoxville)

Michael is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He is studying Biology and is a Member of the Epsilon-Omicron chapter. He has served his Chapter as the Health and Wellness Chair and the Homecoming Director. Outside of the Fraternity, he is a member of many different organizations and participates in a number of community service events to give back to the city of Knoxville. After graduation, Michael plans to attend medical school.

2018-2022 Grand High Zeta Members:

  • Jeff Stuerman (Culver-Stockton)-Grand High Alpha
  • Dr. Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver (Baylor)-Grand High Beta 
  • Scott M. Jackson (Eastern Kentucky)-Grand High Gamma 
  • Steve Pattison (Florida State)-Grand High Tau 
  • Gregory A. Castanias (Wabash)-Grand High Pi
  • Dr. Timothy L. Tucker (Union)-Grand High Phi 
  • Orlando Rummans (University of Texas-San Antonio)-Grand High Kappa 
  • Lenard A. Bendo (Cal State-Sacramento)-Grand High Delta 
  • Steve Swafford (Kansas State)-Grand High Epsilon 
  • Chris Meyer (Akron)-Grand High Iota 
  • Dr. Frederick A. Kam, Jr. (Miami-FL)-Grand High Rho 
  • Andrew Goheen (Miami-FL)-Grand High Sigma 
  • Thomas Keisler (East Carolina University)-Grand High Theta 
  • Will Hones (Butler)-Grand High Nu 
  • Jack Branch (Montevallo)-Grand High Psi