Page 1 - Cal Delta Spotlight - Fall 2014

Cal Delta Spotlight USC House Corporation of Phi Delta Theta | Fall 2014 | University of Southern California Alumni Offce | P.O. Box 80828, Atlanta, Georgia 30366 | www.phideltatheta-caldelta.com USC House Alumni Spotlight: Robert R. Selby ’68 Corporaton A Word From Our President Editor’s Note: For this edition of the newsletter we’re shining the Spotlight on Brother Robert s the 2003 Selby ’68. From the hometown of Pomona, CA, Bob started out at USC as a Brigham Young A c o l l e g e transfer student and basketball player. Our past football season President and Rush Chairman, Bob earned his began, Auburn degree in International Relations. After working fans were up in for twenty years with J. Walter Thompson arms over the Company as a Senior Offcer, Bob became a school’s new rule business owner and seller of several businesses that prohibited fans such as Peter Piper Pizza. His success allowed from setting up tailgate parties too him to pursue a 4-year degree in Music Theory early before a game. The university at the University of Arizona. Currently living in said that before a Saturday game, fans Paradise City, Arizona, he is working towards could arrive at the stadium no earlier being a Conductor on the international level than—wait for it—Wednesday. and is preparing for a conducting debut in OK, so ’SC fans may not match that Europe in 2015. Outside of music, Bob has taken level of fervor, but there is something about 30 trips across the globe and has recently to be said for having enough discovered a new love for world travel by ocean perspective to spend less than four liner. Bob is the proud father of two sons, Jack, My experience at USC and Phi Delta Theta helped days languishing in a Winnebago. Our who co-founded PayPal, and Brad, his little shape my life and my varied careers. more balanced approach might have brother, who was educated at Stanford and been best summarized by a University Oxford, and Dolly, his Old English Sheepdog. How did you get a job with Young and of Chicago professor back when the Read on to fnd out more about Bob! Rubicam after graduation? school had a team that actually rivaled Michigan. He said the school had I worked in the mail room part-time – it was great two purposes: “to spread the light of What was your favorite memory of being for networking. The position had been another knowledge over the western world in the chapter? Phi’s before I took over. I loved the industry and was promoted to a full-time position in the LA and to lick Michigan.” My memories are vivid: in sports, beating the KA offce, then promoted to San Francisco. At the Phi Delt house the actives house in football as we rolled to win the Iron Man are on board with both missions, Trophy for the third year in a row (all sports). The What else did you do to get through school? USC House (Continued on Page 4) KAs were loaded with athletes but the Phis were I worked my way through college as a basketball smarter, faster and student-athlete for two years, rough necked in the tougher led by our oil felds, unloaded box cars, hashed at sorority D-1 level QB Ned houses, worked on local movie productions, and Reilly ’66 and all- even worked for NASA. Studied hard. My major, around player Tom International Relations, was very interesting and Schriber ’67. Early, challenging, particularly during the Cold War. I caught an acrobatic When I funked the Foreign Service exam, I decided pass, dropped the the advertising business was “international” and next two and Reilly clearly “a relations-sensitive” business. u nd er s tand ab ly didn’t call my When did the J. Walter Thompson Company number again. I come into the picture? blocked hard. The work as President While at Young and Rubicam, I was hired away and Rush Chairman by J. Walter Thompson Co where I worked for developed skills twenty years, mostly in Chicago, Dallas, Detroit new for me and it and New York. It was a great career working was gratifying the with very talented folks at the largest and most house achieved our respected agency in the world. Most of my work goals. We had 100 as a senior offcer was with two world-leading unique Phis and that brands: Ford trucks and Schlitz beer and a scrappy was the real strength number two, Burger King. I was a managing of our highly director when I decided to thaw out after working regarded fraternity. Fall 2014 Sigma pledge class. Thanks Kevin! Selby (Continued on Page 4)