Alumni & Chapter News

Alumni News

Issue: Fall 2025

See your news and accomplishments here in the next edition. We encourage you to send in your personal and professional updates and memories using this form. Thank you. It’s great to be a ZBT!

By State

By Antecedent

Phi Epsilon Pi
Phi Sigma Delta

Alabama

Psi (University of Alabama)

Kenneth A. Grodner, 1981, has served as a Psi Chapter trustee for 23 years. He and the trustees met in person at the house in September. Thank you, brothers.

California

Gamma Beta (California State University – Northridge)

Harvey A. Smith, 1989, married Phyllis A. Friedrich in Clearwater, Florida, on May 23, 2025. Mazel tov!

Eta Mu (California Polytechnic State University)

Jason J. Colombini, 2014, was featured in West Coast Nut magazine in a recent article on sustainability and water policy. Read it here.

Colorado

Iota of Phi Sigma Delta (University of Denver)

Edward (Ned) Porges, Ed.D, 1962, of Seattle shared a memory from his youth at the university.

Military Memoires: The Five S’s

Phi Sigma Delta Kept Me Out of Vietnam

“Some things are important to recall; some not. This is in the “not” category. But, on the other hand, this one is stuck in my memory bank, so it must have had some impact. Here goes and thanks for your patience.

“I was 21 years old, a not so good student at the University of Denver. With two others I got involved in a campus prank, was called in to the dean’s office who then suggested I take a year off to “mature.” So, much to my folk’s dismay, I got on my BMW R-50 motorcycle, and rode back to Queens, New York. Within a couple days, I received a government letter in the mail. It was my draft notice. My S-2 student draft deferral had been cancelled.

“The year was 1962. The war in Vietnam was being cranked up. The President was JFK. And draftees tended to be less educated, lower social status, young men many not yet past their teen years. A few days later I was in line, holding a paper bag filled with my clothing, getting a draft station physical. Despite very poor vision without glasses, (20/400), I passed. I was categorized as 1-A, prime for military duty. Where does the “5 S’s come in to this memoire? Hold on, were getting there.

“My mother was downcast given the daily news about military casualties. She told me to check in with a neighbor on the next block, a member of the local draft board. The neighbor was able to arrange a 30-day extension to my being drafted. But I had to get into some other military unit. It was suggested I try to enlist in the Naval Air Reserve at Floyd Bennet Naval Air Station in Brooklyn. However, I was also advised to get contact lenses to pass the Navy physical. Otherwise, it would be back to the Army. A Denver U. Phi Sigma Delta fraternity chapter brother from Long Island had a father who was a local optometrist. He arranged for the lens. Very unpleasant to wear, I must say. Soft lens were not yet invented.

“A few days later, was again in line. This time, at the naval air station. Was being examined for possible navy enlistment. At the vision testing station, was a young man in uniform. On his hand was a Phi Sigma Delta college ring. I told him I too was a Phi Sig, Iota Chapter from Denver U. He said he was a recent NYU grad. I also mentioned my wearing contact lenses. Without them I would be ineligible for navy service due to poor vision and then would be drafted in the army. He smiled, wrote down the minimum vision number, (20/200) and shook my hand. “Glad to help, brother.” Next, was the hearing exam. They tested me three times just to be sure. I scored perfectly each time. They said I would be assigned to sonar training for service aboard a PBY4, a four-engine airplane. Where does the “5 S’s come in to this memoire? Hold on, were getting there.

“Two days later, about 50 of us new recruits, standing, raised our right hands and were sworn in. My rank was E-1, the lowest, existing military rank. Not even a single stripe on the uniform. Then we marched to a warehouse. We were issued a duffle bag, and our uniforms to include shoes, a swim suit and underwear. For the few of us who lived nearby, we were dismissed around 4 PM and went home and were told to reassemble in the morning at 8 AM. This was my Navy recruit schedule for the next five and a half months. After being dismissed for the day, I rode my motorcycle to Flushing, site of the New York World’s Fair. I had a job there selling hot dogs until 10 PM, then back home for the night. The next morning, back to Floyd Bennet Naval Air Station on my motorcycle.

“For the next few months, we were instructed in military regulations, codes of conduct, military insignia, how to march, and more. It would soon be that we recruits were to be shipped out to train for our assignment, me being a sonar operator. I was assigned to Great Lakes Naval Air Station, near Chicago. A couple days before being shipped out, we were given one more physical exam. A medical doctor asked what was that on my knees and elbows. I told him it was mild psoriasis. I was then instructed to turn in my uniforms, that I was no longer qualified for service. I was given a DD214, a Department of Defense Honorable Discharge certificate. JFK was assassinated, war in Vietnam was increasing, and I was told was OK to return to the University of Denver, which I did by motorcycle. So, where does the “5 S’s” come in to this memoire? Hold on, we are there.

“Among the many rules and regs of Naval service were the “five S’s”, or so we were told by our instructor before we marched to breakfast. He said with clear certainty that upon awaking, we do the following in order: #1 Sh- -, #2 Shower, #3 Shave, #4 Shine, and #5 Salute shouting SIR!. To this day, I clearly remember the routine and do the 5 S’s, number 5 being a greeting to my wife. So, there it is, a memory, affixed in my head, for the past sixty-four years. And special thanks to that long ago Phi Sigma Deltan from NYU.”

Connecticut

Gamma Beta (New Haven)

A great group of brothers enjoyed Homecoming festivities at New Haven in early October.

Florida

Alpha Zeta (University of Florida)

Alpha Zeta alumni are pairing with ZBT National Housing to purchase 667 Fraternity Row and make it the permanent home of Florida ZBTs for years to come. These parties need to raise $750,000 by Jan. 31, 2026. The good news is that they are already over halfway there — $400,000 is already committed, but they need to swiftly raise the additional $350,000. The $3.2 million property has 20 bedrooms and will receive upgrades before move-in.

Alumni leadership of this project includes: Cliff S. Schneider, Esq., 2000, cschneider@cohenschneider.com; Hunter A. Biederman, Esq., 2000, friscolaw@gmail.com; and Laurence A. Bolotin, Ph.D, CAE, 2001, zbtgator@gmail.com. Donate: The Zeta Beta Tau Foundation is supporting this project with donation collection. Visit their website and enter “UF Housing” in the memo for any gifts.

Alpha Omega (University of Miami)

Neil H. Goldberg, 1958, is still very active in the health insurance industry, such as with Affordable Care Act plans as well as Medicare Advantage Plans. He says he still lives an active life and loves sports. He just became a great-grandfather to a beautiful, adorable girl.

Delta Iota (University of Central Florida)

Daniel A. Balva, 2014, recently published a piece in The Times of Israel focused on addressing antisemitism in mental health. Read Brother Balva’s article, The Abandonment of Jewish Therapists: Antisemitism in the Mental Health Field, here.

Georgia

ZBT Atlanta Area Alumni Association

The Zeta Beta Tau Atlanta Area Alumni Association recently returned to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, a Feeding America partner, for our annual volunteer shift in the Hunger Action Center and Community Food Center. Along with groups from Delta Air Lines and Home Depot, we did very meaningful, personally rewarding, and transformative spirit-of-giving work for the benefit of the Brotherhood of Man. Together, the shift-team processed a total of 16,831 pounds of product for distribution to Senior Centers (CFC) and other ACFB agencies (HAC); that volume translated to 14,025 meals for food-insecure people in our community.

The ZBTAAAA volunteer team included brothers from 13 different alma maters / chapters, from Buffalo, Delaware and Marshall to Georgia, Emory, and Georgia Tech to Alabama, Tulane, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky, and on to Indiana, Wisconsin and Bradley, plus four volunteers from Bauman & Company.

Alphabetically, the ZBTAAAA volunteers were: Joel Ackerman, Xi (Georgia Tech) 1973; Billy Bauman, Psi (Alabama) 1973; Bradley Bauman, Beta Gamma (Indiana) 2005; Bill Berger, Zeta (Buffalo) 1965; Doug Bodner, Xi (Georgia Tech) 1987; Jeffrey Bogart, Gamma Eta (Bradley) 1969; David Borsuk, Alpha Kappa (Wisconsin) 1968; Robb Bunnen, Sigma (Tulane) 1977; Ryan Gotlieb (Bauman & Co); Matthew Green, Mu (Georgia) 1977; Laura Halbrook (Bauman & Co); Tommy Hughes (Bauman & Co); Gary Kaplan, Epsilon Theta (Delaware) 1988; Howard Karchmer, Xi (Georgia Tech) 1969; Harry Lutz, Xi (Georgia Tech) 1967; Sam Lutz, Xi (Georgia Tech) 1972; Mike MacLellan, Xi (Georgia Tech) 1989; Bob Miller, Alpha Iota (Kentucky) 1968; Sean Sullivan, Eta Lambda (Emory) 2004; Jim Summers, Gamma Epsilon (Marshall) 1970; Brian Taylor (Bauman & Co); Craig Varon, Xi (Georgia Tech) 1972; and Lane Wolbe, Alpha Gamma (Vanderbilt) 1966.

We also had five brothers register to volunteer but had very valid last-minute reasons for having to cancel; alphabetically they were Joe Gillette, Gamma Epsilon (Marshall) 1973; Jeff Goodman, Xi (Georgia Tech) 1971; Jonathan Halitsky, Omicron (Syracuse) 1999; Jason Sain, Alpha Zeta (Florida) 1997; and Alan Wind, Alpha Mu (U of Washington) 1981.

Jeff Bogart and Sam Lutz had to leave early and are not pictured in the team photograph.

Indiana

Alpha Alpha (Purdue University)

ZBT was proud to recognize recent graduates Brothers Kiefer Earl, 2025, and Luke Ford, 2025, who received ZBT International Awards for Most Outstanding Undergraduate Brother and Most Outstanding Campus Leader in 2025. Congratulations, brothers!

Louisiana

Sigma (Tulane University)

After many years of serving the Sigma Chapter, ZBT was proud to initiate Chef Michael Alexis as a brother. The Ritual was performed at 2025 International Convention in New Orleans before the full brotherhood delegation as a tribute to Chef Mike’s longtime support of the chapter.

Max Shafron, 2015, and his wife, Stephanie (Tulane Sigma Delta Tau, 2015) welcomed their daughter, Maya, in May 2025.

Seniors in the chapter met up with Class of 1991 brothers at the Tulane-Ole Miss game in September to honor H. Andrew Schwartz, 1991, after his sudden passing in summer 2025. Brother Schwartz was a sitting Supreme Councilor of the Fraternity and recent Chapter Advisor to the Sigma Chapter. He was a highly respected communications professional in Washington, D.C., serving as Chief Communications Officer at the Center for Strategic International Studies, where he worked for 20 years. Andrew is survived by his wife Amy and three sons, Benjamin, Eli and Daniel Schwartz. Eli is a brother of the Sigma Chapter, Class of 2025. Read his obituary here.

Zachary D. Warter, 2026, was honored at the Gift of Life LA Gala in late October with an award presented by Montana Tucker. The Steven Bochco Award is presented annually to a Gift of Life volunteer, donor or recipient who exemplifies the qualities Steven was best known for: vision, innovation and storytelling. This award celebrates Steven’s life and the positive and powerful role our volunteer leaders play in fighting blood cancer. Read more on Brother Warter’s life-saving commitment: Donor brother meets transplant recipient.

Pi (Louisiana State University)

Richard Lipsey, 1961, has completed his memoirs, published in August by Amplify in New York. It is available from several book seller websites.

Massachusetts

Gamma Psi (Northeastern University)

Evan Y. Dogus, 2024, has been traveling quite a bit while completing a master’s degree in marine biology through Northeastern’s Three Seas Program. After finishing coursework in Boston; Bocas del Toro, Panama; and Friday Harbor, Washington, Brother Dogus is now spending six months in Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). He is working in the Global Change Ecology Lab under Dr. Maggie Johnson, focusing his thesis on how sea cucumbers impact coral reef health, growth and recruitment — an important piece of understanding reef resilience where coastal development and sedimentation are major stressors. He says he is excited to keep exploring this side of the world and looks forward to linking up with ZBT brother soon in the UAE!

Missouri

Omega (University of Missouri)

The 10-year anniversary of the Chapter’s rechartering was part of the annual Alumni Weekend over Nov. 7 and 8. Brothers enjoyed a tailgate, going to the football game and a banquet.

Marc D. Stine, 1969, entered the Chapter Eternal on November 16. Brother Stine was a long-time ZBT international volunteer and advisor to Beta Alpha Theta Chapter at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He served as the Greek Advocate at CU-Boulder for 15 years after retiring from a long career in high school education administration. Marc Stine is the father of Brother Jonathan D. Stine, Esq., Beta Alpha Theta 2004, who is a current director on the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation Board of Directors, and brother of Brother Alan C. Stine, Omega 1964.

New Jersey

Beta Delta (Rutgers-New Brunswick)

Barry G. Kaiman, 1972, recently retired from the private practice of law after 50 years. He and wife Toni Victor are now enjoying retirement in Rancho Mirage, California. They are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year. They are blessed with happy and productive children, fine friends and excellent health. Last summer they attended the ZBT International Convention in Washington, D.C. Brother Kaiman’s feedback: “We were pleased to observe firsthand that ZBT continues to cherish its Jewish heritage.”

Garry A. Klein, 1979, became a grandfather for the second time on March 21, 2025! Mother and child are doing great. Her name is Colbie Reese.

Zeta Tau (Seton Hall University)

Stephen J. Jarman, 1981, shared his story.

“After graduation, I never really found the ‘right’ position or job. So I joined the U.S. Army and ended up doing a career. As a military policeman, I went from presidential/vice presidential/foreign head of state to working with German Special Police. Then working in the jungles of Honduras; jumping out of airplanes; and the Battle of Mogadishu.

“Later in Korea, back to the States as a company first sergeant. Then selected as the enlisted advisor for anti-terrorism/force protection to the U.S. Ambassador and crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Back to the States, where I finished my military career as the operations sergeant major for 16th Military Police Brigade, all military police east of the Mississippi. Well, what to do now, selected as an operations specialist under Special Operations Command working all theater mission planning for a separate brigade, from there I retired after serving 40 years.

“Along the way I married Miss Shannon Donohue of Jacksonville, North Carolina, who in her own right was a well decorated speech and debate student and teacher, having been on NC S&D Board of Reagents. One son, Andrew, who now is the knowledge management specialist for the JFK Special Warfare Center on Fort Bragg.

“Now I run Coonhound Farm, a holistic farm on the North/South Carolina border just outside Dillon, S.C. Growing organically with an approach to manage resources that aims to enhance the health of the agro-ecosystem. We are a start-up farm converting traditional row crop farmland into holistic organic farmland.

“This is our five-year post-retirement dream aimed at soil health and land management, animal welfare and farmer and worker fairness. Currently we manage over 200 fowl ducks, turkeys, chickens and quail. Produce a plethora bounty of vegetables and fruits.

“During our travels to complete the transition we can offer scheduled visits to see our progress; learn of our methods and discuss different options you are considering. I offer this as this is the only real future for sustainable farming. Giant row croppers spraying chemicals on GMO altered plants will become a way of the past.

“Finally, we are a canine rescue specializing in saving Coonhounds that are abandoned after hunting season. We are a Robeson County-recognized rescue and help collect lost dogs, nurse them back to health, work with local veterinarians to get them healthy. We work on adopting out as a family pet never to hunt again.

“Well, that’s my story. Coonhound Farm is located on Google Maps, just off Stewart’s Crossroad, Rowland, N.C.”

New York

Delta (Columbia)

Henry A. Solomon, 1958, has launched a blog at ThePatientWas.com which can be accessed on any web browser, that describes unusual encounters between patients and himself during a long medical career. There are humor, pathos, irony and a panoply of human reactions.

Beta Upsilon (Youngstown State University)

Dennis J. Foreman, Ph.D, 1967, says life has been good. In 1967, after graduation and marriage, he moved to Endicott, New York, where he was a programmer for IBM. A year later, during the Vietnam War, he entered active duty and received commission as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, eventually becoming a captain and receiving the Outstanding Unit Award. His son was born during that time. Four years later, his family returned to IBM Endicott and bought a home in Vestal, a few blocks from Binghamton University.

Brother Foreman then worked in two other IBM locations nearby, one of which was eventually sold to Lockheed Martin. His work was in compiler design and the architecture of the VM operating system, for which he received two U.S. patents. He eventually had 30 years of service with IBM and retired. Ten years earlier, he had started teaching computer science part-time at BU and obtained a master’s in computer science there.

When he retired from IBM, he took a full-time position as a lecturer in the Watson School of Engineering (now Watson College) and eventually earned a Ph.D in CS. In 2022, he retired again after teaching for a total of 36 years. He and wife, Sondra, have enjoyed traveling to many countries. He still writes software and volunteers, doing the I.T. at the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton. Their son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren live nearby. For a few years, he held the position of Executive Trustee of the ZBT chapter at BU.

North Carolina

Alpha Pi (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Brother Barnett Greenberg has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. Read more.

Eta Sigma (Elon University)

Brother David A. Campbell, 2013, and his wife, Rachel, have endowed a scholarship to support students in securing internships through Elon. Read their profile by the university.

Ohio

Alpha Phi (Miami University)

Dr. Richard D. Shapiro, 1959, retired from ophthalmology almost 20 years ago. He spends six months in Ohio and six months in Naples, Florida, now.

With three other ophthalmologists and the Bonita Springs Lions Club, he established the Florida Lions Eye Clinic, which sees 3,000 patients a year and who are 200 percent below the poverty line and have no insurance. Everything is free including surgery. A very rewarding project and much needed.

Brother Shapiro says hi to all his brothers from Miami. “Wish we still had the chapter house,” he adds.

Beta Eta (Bowling Green State University)

Jeffrey B. Witjas, 1968, is a partner and senior vice president at Independent Artist Group, a powerhouse talent agency with offices in Los Angeles and New York. He recently established a scholarship at Bowling Green. Read more.

Pennsylvania

Iota of Phi Epsilon Pi (Dickinson College)

Brother Bruce Garrett, 1970, shares a historic brotherhood fact: Dickinson College was the first small college in the U.S. to have a chapter of a Jewish fraternity, Iota Chapter Phi Epsilon Pi, founded in 1914.

Texas

Lambda of Phi Sigma Delta (University of Texas at Austin)

Harold Eichenbaum, Jr., 1963, has retired. Congratulations, brother.

Zeta Lambda (Stephen F. Austin State University)

Alumni turnout with the new Prospective Chapter for Homecoming weekend was fantastic. Axe ’em, Jacks!

Virginia

Delta Xi (Virginia Tech)

The Fralin ZBT Fellowship to fund Virginia Tech graduate students’ needs continues to offer fellowships at VT. Several chapter alumni, most of whom attended school together in the ’70s, funded a fellowship to support graduate students conducting research at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. Read more on the current research.

The fellowship honors and memorializes friends and family of the Delta Xi Chapter. “We take Tech’s motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) to heart,” member Greg Metcalf, 1977, told local media when the brothers first embarked on the project.

West Virginia

Gamma Epsilon (Marshall University)

George T. Smailes, Jr., 1971, has been selected for induction to the City of Huntington (WV) Wall of Fame. He had previously been honored by the City of Huntington in 2017 when a two-block section of Tenth Avenue was named George Smailes Jr. Way. Read more on Brother Smailes’ contributions in local media.

Wisconsin

Alpha Kappa (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

The 2025 ZBT graduating class of Alpha Kappa had a great sendoff party. Over 150 people participated in celebrating the grads at this special dinner, including parents, siblings and grandparents. Almost the entire class stuck together throughout their four years and only a couple missed the farewell dinner due to other plans.

Phi Epsilon Pi

Iota (Dickinson College)

Brother Bruce Garrett, 1970, shares a historic chapter fact: Dickinson College was the first small college in the U.S. to have a chapter of a Jewish fraternity, Iota Chapter Phi Epsilon Pi, founded in 1914.

Phi Sigma Delta

Lambda (University of Texas at Austin)