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Te Teta Chi at Adrian College | Summer 2014 | Zeta Beta Chapter | Alumni Relations Ofce | P.O. Box 80828, Atlanta, Georgia 30366 | 770-903-3987 Alumnii Decker Dispatch Spotlight: Jim Grissinger ’90 ike a lot of By Tim Storm ’11, Chair, Communications L you, I spent the better part s Theta Chi’s, in becoming a probation offcer. of June 2014 A we are expected Jim kept working while taking business classes enthralled with to live up to our at a community college, and was offered to start USA soccer. I motto and “extend an assistantship at Bowling Green University watched the better the helping hand.” in the fall of 1993. The transition from 40-hour part of every World Jim Grissinger workweeks to being a full-time graduate student Cup game and I felt ’90 is a brother was tough, but Jim adapted. Jim fnished his very let down when they lost to Belgium who continuously degrees in 1996, graduating with a Masters in extra time. One of the coolest things overextends his of Business Administration and a Masters of about the World Cup is also one of the helping hand. He Education in Training and Development. things I dislike the most about it; it’s is a past member of the Regional Council of In the fall of 1999, Jim and his wife, Janet, great for a short while, then I go back Theta Chi and former president of the House moved from Bowling Green to Cleveland after to not caring at all about soccer. (To Corporation. “Griss” is the chair of the committee she accepted a job offer. Jim is currently a human let you know, I did play three years of organizing this year’s 50th Anniversary resources manager at PolyOne, a company that soccer at Adrian so I have a pretty good Celebration October 24-26. manufactures high-end plastic for automobile, understanding of the game.) I should Jim started his fall semester at Adrian in 1986 health, and technology products, in northeast Ohio. be more into it on a regular basis than with intentions to play football. Little did he know Shortly after graduating, from Adrian, Jim I am. However, there are so many other he would soon become a Theta Chi. joined the Theta Chi House Corporation. things fghting for my sports attention Initially, Jim was not interested in fraternities. “This was a way to keep involved,” Jim said. that soccer gets forgotten. However, after some coercing by brothers, he “Had I not joined, I would have lost touch with the At this time, two big Theta Chi started hanging around the chapter house. members of the chapter much quicker. The House events are on the horizon: our 50th “The thing that I was most interested in was, Corp allows me to keep current with the guys.” Anniversary Celebration in October once you leave this place, the guy who lives in 101 Jim served as House Corp President during the and the National Convention in Estes Hall doesn’t care who you are or that you mid 1990s and was soon appointed to the Regional Minneapolis, Minnesota, in July. The lived there for four years,” Jim said. “He doesn’t Council for the National Board of Theta Chi. World Cup coinciding with these two want to care about who you are. There are no “I had thought about being a Regional Counselor events made me realize that my focus traditions or anything.” as a way to become more involved with more than on Theta Chi is very similar to my Jim was initiated in the spring of 1987 and just Zeta Beta,” Jim said. “I have good role models attention to soccer. simultaneously held the positions of chapter with Al Richards ’86 and Pete Lund ’86, so I tried Every meeting, event, or conference president and IFC president before graduating it. Doug Miller ’90 then asked me to do it again I’ve attended as a Theta Chi— in 1990. as he became more involved at the national level.” undergrad or alum—left me with Jim graduated with a major in religion and a Jim is the chair for the 50th Anniversary the desire to make my chapter and minor in psychology, but was unsure of what Celebration Committee, an event scheduled for fraternity better. I was on fre for about to do with his degree. Originally, a career as a late October. This is the fourth alumni event he two weeks before and after those youth pastor at a Lutheran church was his goal. has organized; he’s been organizing the 50th meetings and then my attention started However, Jim changed his mind three years into Anniversary Celebration for the past fve years. going in other directions. The other his undergraduate education. During that summer, “The committee is great and this event wouldn’t responsibilities of life would catch up he worked as a dairy delivery driver, and was able be possible without them,” Jim said. “This to me and Theta Chi would become one to keep the job for the summer after graduation. committee is different. We have people on the of those things that “I’ll get to later.” While continuing work as a delivery driver, committee who graduated in the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, Think about that as you’re making Jim picked up a second job at Boysville, a and ’00s, and this gives me the opportunity to get your plans for the 50th celebration. Of Juvenile Detention Facility, to test his interest Grissinger (Continued on Page 3) course, I’d love to see every one of you there and I want you to have a great time and reconsider your involvement Register for the Details on with your fraternity. There are always Back Page opportunities to contribute to our 50th Anniversary Celebration Decker (Continued on Page 3)