Page 1 - The Lamppost - Spring 2016

Spring 2016 | Alumni Relations Office | P.O. Box 80828, Atlanta, Georgia 30366 | 770-903-3987
From the
Alumni Board
When I joined
TKE Omicron,
we were in the midst
of a membership
reorganization after
fallout in the late 90’s.
The house I joined
was a small one by
any standard but we
knew we were part of a chapter with a
big history. And the small size of our
chapter allowed for a particularly strong
brotherhood. Of course, our goal was
to put the chapter on a solid footing so
that it could regain its historically large
membership. And it wasn’t long after
I had graduated that we were able to say
that the chapter was 100+ men strong.
I got involved with the Board of
Control a short while later and have
served for nearly ten years now. In
this time, I have witnessed tremendous
institutional growth and maturity on both
the Board and undergraduate side.
The undergraduate chapter was
awarded multiple Top TKE awards and
saw its membership flourish. It also
regained its financial footing. And while
there have inevitably been ups and downs
over these ten years, I can say without
reservation that the undergraduate men
have been excellent stewards of our
legacy. And, true to form, they have
learned a great deal about themselves in
the process.
The Board has made great strides in
this time as well. We established bylaws
together with an efficient institutional
framework under which we continue to
operate to this day. And we undertook
the harder task of reconnecting with our
alumni – many of whom had not heard
from the chapter in decades. These
alumni have started to come back to
the chapter in droves through various
outreach and alumni events hosted at
the house. While we are sure the alumni
President (Continued on Page 3)
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AlumniSpotlight: Ryan McFadyen ’09
Editor’s Note: For this edition of the newsletter
we’re shining the Spotlight on Brother Ryan
McFadyen ’09. From the hometown Pickerington,
OH, Ryan graduated from OSU with a B.S.Ed.,
Exercise Science Education, Minor in Nutrition
’09. He continued his education at OSU and
earned his MBA in General Management.
Ryan had the opportunity to study abroad
in International Business at China Europe
International Business School. He later became
the International Distribution Manager at Rogue
Fitness. Today, Ryan is the owner of his own fitness
club, Ohio Strength. In addition to his success in
business, Ryan recently became engaged to his
fiancé, Lacey Best, while in Costa Rica. For fun,
he enjoys travel, snowboarding, CrossFit, and
spending time with family.
What did you enjoy as an active chapter my decision to return to Ohio State for my MBA.
member back in school? My undergrad was in Exercise Science and
Omicron was an integral part of my social Nutrition so going back for that MBA allowed
experience during my undergrad years, allowing me to develop a more concrete skill set for the
me to bond with young men from a variety of business world.
backgrounds that I possibly would not have Once back at Ohio State for your MBA, how
encountered elsewhere. I was involved in a did you end up in China?
number of other organizations during those years,
but Omicron was a place that I could really let loose I chose China because I felt like it was a
and enjoy myself, while surrounded by friends. bit off the beaten path. I wanted to see one
of the explosive emerging economies that had
After graduation, become so important in the global
why did you move marketplace.
out to Colorado?
In my last What was it like working
couple of years for Rogue Fitness as the
of undergrad, I International Distribution
wasn’t 100% what Manager?
I wanted to do after Rogue Fitness was an exciting
college, and we company to work for a number
were at the peak Ryan hanging of reasons. As the leading
of the recession so out with his manufacturer of American
options for those nephew, Chandler, made strength and conditioning
without a clear at his birthday, equipment, it was closely
direction were September 2014. related to both my exercise and
limited. I took business interests. Being located
this opportunity to in Columbus was a huge perk
throw caution to the wind and join some of my because after living in Colorado, Michigan and
fraternity brothers in Colorado. I simply wanted China I determined that I wanted to remain close
to try something different and step outside of to family, friends and The Ohio State University.
my comfort zone a bit. Colorado was beautiful It was a rapidly expanding startup company
place, and working with my friends helped guide
McFadyen (Continued on Page 4)
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