Page 1 - Eigth Point Newsletter - Summer 2014

Gamma Chi Chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity | Indiana University Alumni Relations Offce | P.O. Box 80828, Atlanta, Georgia 30366 | Summer 2014 Building Corporation >> Alumni Spotlight: Thom Crimans ’69 A Message from the President Editor's Note: For this edition of the newsletter we’re shining the Spotlight on Brother Thom Crimans ’69. Thom graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration Dear Alumni from Indiana University. After about twenty years of working in Human Services, he took charge of his future and turned to the independent franchising business. Brothers, With a newfound taste of freedom and entrepreneurship, Thom invested into hope this the consultation business and is now helping others see their dreams evolve. I letter fnds Currently the President of FranNet of Mid-America located in Louisville, Thom you and your is a consulting professional specializing in franchising. He is also a member of both the International Franchise Association and the American Association of families doing Franchisees and Dealers, but also serves as Member at Large of the FranNet Board well. As I write of Directors. Outside of work, Thom is contributes to his local community through this brief update, the undergrads Rotary International and the Rotary Promise Scholarship opportunity. He also of Alpha Sigma Phi are putting serves as a volunteer for Every 1 Reads, a community-wide effort to have every the fnal touches on a spring child in Louisville’s Jefferson County Public Schools system reading at grade level. semester that saw the group Thom enjoys visiting with his grandchildren, and is looking forward to traveling continue to gather momentum. and retirement fun with his wife Kathy. Read on to fnd out more! The group is not just growing in What is your favorite Gamma Chi memory Why did I relocate so often? Normally it was numbers but are starting to make from back in school? promotions to higher levels of responsibility. I their presence known around don’t know if it is so common now, but it was campus and within the Greek I can’t say there is one “favorite” memory. I would pretty standard then that you needed to be willing community. I recently joined say that the fraternity experience was a good one to relocate to get ahead. around eight of our undergrad for me. We were a young chapter without an brothers at the Irish Lion for extensive, wealthy group of alumni providing What sparked your interest in personal dinner where they were very support. We had to fgure out a lot for ourselves business ownership? eager to let me know that they about everything. It was good preparation for life had earned the second highest While I enjoyed my work with large companies, I GPA among IU fraternities. How do you stay in touch with the Brothers think I was always a small business person at heart. Perhaps it was in my blood. My father and grandfather Their excitement and energy was today? ΑΣΦ contagious and I look forward to One of my Gamma Chi brothers, Jim Gleason ’69, were business owners. Also, while we did enjoy what the group will accomplish is a business associate. Another, John Chaney ’67, living in different parts of the country, we were tired in the upcoming school year. is my brother-in-law. It is pretty easy to stay in touch of relocating. Our children were now school age and I encourage any and all alumni with them. With others it has been more diffcult we wanted them to have a stable experience there. to reach out to our Housing And I especially wanted to be more of a citizen of my Board and/or the undergrad Working in HR for many years, what did community. As a corporate employee who expected chapter to fnd out how you can you enjoy, and why did you relocate so often? to move, you never really put down roots. get involved or at least come out I became interested in Human Resources, then Lastly, I had come to realize I wanted more than a for an event and catch up with old known as Personnel, at a career day in high school. Crimans (Continued on Page 4) friends. Have a great summer! This eventually led to me pursuing a degree in In Phi, Business with specialization in Personnel and Labor Relations. I worked in manufacturing facilities so what I enjoyed was the wide range of Jeremy Buchanan ’02 things I did: recruiting and staffng, labor relations and union avoidance, and more. Perhaps one thing that stands out is, entering the feld in 1972, In This Issue: integration of the workforce was still in its infancy. While blacks had token representation, often at Alumni Spotlight ....................1 entry level positions in these traditionally white Chapter Spotlight ...................2 male organizations, many barriers remained to be Vacation with our daughter and Grandkids: L to R: Thom, Upcoming Events .................. 3 broken. Placing minorities and women in all levels granddaughter Lillian Pettus (princess), grandson Everest Pettus (like the mountain), Daughter, Jenny Crimans Pettus (Indiana University Chapter Offcers ......................3 in the workforce was rewarding and challenging. Alum), back row, Son in law, Ian Pettus, wife, Kathy Chane Alumni News ...........................4