Page 1 - TN Delta Shield - Fall 2015
P. 1

Tennessee Delta Chapter of Phi Kappa Psi | Vanderbilt University | Fall 2015
                                                Alumni Relations Office | P.O. Box 80828, Atlanta, Georgia 30366 | 770-903-3987

From the President AlumniSpotlight: ROSS A. RAINWATER ’65

            Brothers,                           Editor’s Note: For this edition of the newsletter we’re shining
                                                the Spotlight on 50-YEAR MEMBER and dedicated volunteer
        Through the years,                      to the betterment of our chapter, LTC Ross Rainwater Ret. ’65.
                         all fraternities       From the hometown of Sapulpa, OK, Ross earned his BA in political
                    change including            science at Vandy, and then went on to earn a Masters in Business
                    Tennessee Delta. By         Management from Southeastern Institute in AL. Ross is a retired LT.
                    the time your son           Colonel from US Army after 24 years Active, National Guard, and
                    joins a fraternity, it has  Army Reserve service. He is also retired as Section Operations and
                    changed from what           Planning Manager from Philip Morris USA after working in sales
you remember and when your grandson             for 16 years. Currently retired from the business world, Ross stays
joins, it is barely recognizable. I will        busy by lending his time to the House Corporation as the Secretary/
try to bring you up to date on some of          Treasurer for well over a decade. As an active he served the chapter
the changes that effect alumni.                 as Historian, Treasurer, and chapter President. Ross and his wife
  BOTH our National and Vanderbilt              Suzanne have been married 22 years and they share four children:
have imposed many new rules on                  Jenny & Sara for Ross; and Brad & Stephen for Suzanne. When
fraternities. Violation of these rules          he’s not traveling the country, Ross enjoys working on computers,
can cause a chapter to receive social           attending his church, and occasionally teaching Sunday school.
probation. If violations are serious or
recurring, the chapter can be suspended.         Picture from left to right: Ross’ older daughter Jenny, Ross,  newest house on campus... and the first fraternity
Alumni violating these rules not only            and his wife Suzanne at the Prime Meridian in Greenwich,       with air conditioning - giving us an advantage.
set a bad example but can also cause             England on a recent trip to the UK. “Jenny’s in the Eastern
the chapter to be punished.                      Hemisphere; my wife and I are in the Western Hemisphere!       What do you think about the recent
  The following rules apply to ALL                                                                              upgrades to the house?
alumni:                                         After 50 years of being a TN Deltan what                        Our Resident VU Engineer, Bro. Chuck Higgins
1.	 NO HAZING OF PLEDGES.                       is your favorite memory?                                        put his degree, experience, and expertise to
   Hazing has a very broad definition.          Construction starting on the house. My pledge                   work to coordinate the renovations and upgrade
   Telling a pledge to go downstairs            class was there when the new house foundation                   which have produced exceptional results and
   and get your coat or get you a drink         was first begun in spring 1965. Not having a new                improvements. I couldn’t be happier!
   is hazing. Any violation of this rule        house adversely affected rush efforts. We were all
   is a major violation.                        very excited about the building, which produced                 After graduation, why did you volunteer
2.	 NO HARD LIQUOR OR WINE IN                   a newfound pride in the chapter for having the                  for the Army?
   THE HOUSE. This is a Vanderbilt                                                                              As the son of a WWII bomber crewmember, it
   rule enforced on all fraternities and                                                                        never occurred to me *not* to enroll in ROTC
   sororities. Only BEER is allowed                                                                             in 1964. This was just before the Vietnam War
   and only 6 beers per person during                                                                           broke out in 1965, which meant ROTC grew to
   parties. Alumni must follow this                                                                             be very large. I entered the Army in 1968 as a
   rule while visiting the house.                                                                               2nd Lt. Since VU didn’t have Air Force ROTC,
       President (Continued on Page 4)                                                                          I had set my sights on Army helicopter flight
                                                                                                                school (Hueys) and then additional gunship pilot
                                                                                                                training (Cobras), serving immediately afterward
                                                                                                                in Vietnam. I was on active duty for seven years.

Special thanks to all of the Class of 1965 brothers celebrating                                                 Once you completed flight school where
50 Years with Tennessee Delta that have shown their support                                                     were you stationed?
                                                                                                                After completing Cobra school and 30 days
      with a gift to the Capital Campaign or Annual Fund.                                                       leave, I reported to Vietnam, where I served with
                                                                                                                an Air Cavalry Unit.
         We AppreciateYou!
                                                                                                                When you returned home from active duty
 Larry E. Matthews                               Robert C. Perry                                                what type of work did you do when you
   Carl C. Cassell                              Russell E. Yester                                               joined Philip Morris?
  Grady L. Warren                               Ross A. Rainwater                                               I started at the bottom as a sales representative
                                                 Robert K. Brown                                                and later became an area manager calling on
Richard F. Brewer III                                                                                           wholesalers; then a sales division manager of six
                                                                                                                reps; a supervisor of area managers; a personnel
TN DELTA! TN DELTA! TN DELTA! TN DELTA! TN DELTA!                                                               manager for the SE US; and finally the #2 manager

                                                                                                                                 Rainwater (Continued on Page 4)
   1   2   3   4