Page 1 - The Rho Extra - Spring 2016

Spring 2016 | Phi Kappa Sigma, University of Illinois | Alumni Relations Office | P.O. Box 80828, Atlanta, Georgia 30366 | 770-903-3987
A Message from the
>Alumni Advisory Board
In a recent gathering of the
Rho alumni advisory board,
our discussion moved
towards “what the fraternity
means to us alumni.” I shared
with them a discussion I had with
a fellow alum after last summer’s
golf outing which I thought summed it up best.
His comment went something like this: “I have
friends that I grew up with that I enjoy hanging out
with. I have a wife and child that I love being with
and am truly grateful for the time I have with them.
But when I spend time with the guys from the house,
I laugh like I do with no one else. I don’t know what it start their own brewery. Two Brothers Brewing Company
is, but I’ll be literally crying because I’m laughing so was founded by Jim and Jason Ebel in late 1996 and has
much when we get together.” I couldn’t agree more.
I love the fact that when I’ve been at past alumni
gatherings I would see someone that I haven’t talked
to in 15+ years, yet we can have a conversation as if
we have been in constant contact since graduation.
It’s a bond that’s hard to describe, yet everyone at the (16), and daughter Kaia (13). Jason enjoys going out for local
table understood it and had similar feelings.
Knowing that, we set forth the rest of the
evening with the goal to plan and promote
alumni events. We’d like to take the events that
have already seen moderate success and make
them even better, plus are looking for new events
that may draw more interest. Event details are
included later in this newsletter, and will also be
sent out via e-mail and Facebook.
There are “mini-Skull Reunions” happening
all the time. I know of guys that are regular golf
foursomes; others vacation together; some meet
each year for fantasy football drafts; others get
together for dinner and drinks. This is great and
we hope this continues. Our goal is that you’ll see
a planned alumni event and your small group will
come out for the fun. Worst case, you’ll have fun
with the guys you already keep in touch with. More
likely, your group will meet up with other alumni
that you have not seen in years and have a great
time. We urge you to come on out and remember
what the fraternity meant to you in the past, and
learn again what it means to you now.
Looking forward to seeing you,
Mike DiMaggio ’92 ΦΚΣ
RhoAlumniPKS@gmail.com
Alumni Spotlight:
Editor’s Note: For this edition of the newsletter we’re shining the
Spotlight on Brother Jason Ebel ’94. Originally from Geneva, IL,
Jason earned his B.S. in architecture and served the chapter as
Social Chair while an active at UI. After graduation, he gained
brewery experience in Denver, Colorado before accepting a
position at an architect firm in Chicago. He soon realized that
he should follow his dream. He left the architecture firm, took
a job as a brewery assistant, and started his brewing studies
at the Siebel Institute of Technology, where he received his
diploma in Brewing and Fermentation Sciences. Along
with his brother Jim, a law school graduate, they started
a home-brew store, The Brewer’s Coop, in 1992. The retail
store fueled their passion for brewing and their desire to
grown into an award-winning brewery today. The company
has not only secured the World Beer Cup several times, but
it has brought home twelve medals at the Great American
Beer Festival throughout the years. Outside of work, he enjoys
spending time with his wife of 18 years, Letty, and their son Teegan
cuisine and stays active with golf, running, and hiking.
What led you to join the chapter tied up in my day-to-day life. Thankfully,
back in school? there are a few brothers that reach out to me
regularly or come to some of the events at my
There were very few people from my high brewery. I always love it when that happens;
school that went to U of I and I really didn’t I think that I am lucky they still track me down.
know any of them very well. So, I figured It always feels great when we get together and
I would join a fraternity to meet some people. I we can pick up right where we left off.
went to several houses, but the minute I got to
the Skull house and meet a few of the guys, I felt How did your experience studying
totally comfortable. They invited me back to the abroad in Europe change your life?
Skull BBQ and that really sealed the deal.
I went on a study abroad program to France
Do you have the opportunity to see my junior year in architecture school. That
any of your pledge brothers today? was one of the most important events of my
life (besides marriage and kids of course).
I tend to be a fairly busy person and get That year really shaped who I have become. It
not only made me much more self-confident,
Jason with his family during their vacation - party time but it is also where I discovered beer with
on the beach in Puerto Rico, New Year’s Eve 2015/2016. flavor and had that “Aha!” moment. I spent
most of the year traveling throughout Europe
and trying every beer I could get my hands on.
After graduation, you took a job at a
brewery in Colorado – what type of
work did you do?
I followed my then-girlfriend – now wife –
out to Colorado when I graduated and thought
I would be an environmentally friendly
architect. Unfortunately, that job didn’t really
Ebel (Continued on Page 3)