Celebrating talents and achievements of our members, our member Milestones section include thrilling Phi Psi stories. We celebrate with our brothers and their families as they mark momentous occasions in their lives. Amici! We invite all brothers to share their milestones with us for a chance to be featured in future editions of The Shield.

Below is a list of recent milestone submissions from brothers, including those featured in the Winter 2025 issue of The Shield.

Submit your own milestones to us by clicking the button below!

George Jedenoff Stanford ’37 was born in born in Petrozavodsk, Russia, in 1917. His parents were of Russian nobility and had to flee from the bloodied action of the Bolsheviks, emigrating to the United States. George survived the Great Depression, graduated from Stanford, served in World War II, and established a lifelong career managing steel producing operations. According to a 1938 edition of The Shield, while at Stanford, George played rugby – a team referred to as the “Phi Psi Ruggers.” He was a member of Tau Beta Pi (honorary engineering society) and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. At Cal Beta, George was the house manager. In 2019, George published a book called “My Centenarian Odyssey,” which candidly chronicles many valuable life lessons. Up until the past couple of years, George could be found snow skiing with fellow powder hounds at the Alta Ski Area near Salt Lake City, Utah. In July 2025, George will turn 108.

Florida Alpha – Florida State

Jinsue Park ‘93 was inducted into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame in August 2024 in Munich Germany. He competed internationally for the U.S. Taekwondo Team and FSU at National Collegiates. He was recruited to FSU and was a redshirt place kicker for the Seminoles in 1992.

By Jim Babcock Indiana ‘65

On Sept. 20, 2024, Olympic swimmer Kevin Berry ’65 (1945 – 2006) became the seventh Indiana Betan inducted into the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame. Other Brothers already in the Hall of Fame are Mike Troy ’59, Dr. Alan Somers ’60, Fred Schmidt ’62, Mark Spitz ’69, John Kinsella ’71 and Make Stamm ’71. All seven were members of Coach James “Doc” Counsilman’s powerhouse IU swimming teams that dominated Big Ten and U.S. swimming during that era. 

The induction ceremony in Memorial Stadium was held in the Henke Hall of Champions, which was named for Brother Steve Henke ’70. Kevin was represented by his daughter, Laura, who traveled from Australia for the ceremony.

Kevin was born in Sydney, Australia. At age 14 he earned a spot on the Australian Olympic team and finished sixth in the 200-meter butterfly at the Rome Olympics. The gold medalist in that race was Mike Troy, who was so impressed with this young Australian that after the games he sent Kevin an autographed postcard and suggested that he would have a chance of winning in the next Olympics.   

In 1963, Kevin matriculated to IU to swim for the legendary Counsilman. In 1964, he represented Australia in the Tokyo Olympic Games where he set a world record while winning a gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly. He also won a bronze medal as part of the 4×100-meter relay team.

Following college, Kevin returned to Sydney where he pursued a career in photography and journalism working for The Sydney Morning Herald and later for ABC Sports, Australia, before starting his own private sports business.

Kevin coached the 1967 and 1968 Phi Kappa Psi Little 500 bike team, and in 1980, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Indiana Gamma – Wabash

Dakota Stacy ‘23 finished the 2024 Ironman Wisconsin 140.6, a triathlon with a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile run. Brother Stacy trained and completed this race while being a Wabash College golf team member and balancing academics.

Indiana Zeta – Butler

In September 2024, Jim Kissling ‘96 and Jason Bontrager ‘98 entered into a business venture together, building and selling ambulances all over North America. AutoFarm Ambulance and High Ground Conversions (a division of Bontrager Industries) unveiled their newly co-developed Type II ambulance at the EMS World Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. As one of the largest EMS-only events, the EMS World Expo drew over 6,000 attendees, providing the ideal platform for the vehicle’s introduction. AutoFarm Ambulance, known for delivering high-quality emergency vehicles nationwide, partnered with Bontrager Industries, whose multi-generational history in vehicle manufacturing adds a significant edge to the product. The collaboration stems from their longstanding connection as Phi Psi Brothers and makes for a natural partnership.

Marsh Davis ‘77, the longtime head of Indiana Landmarks, a not-for-profit that has helped preserve scores of historic buildings across the state, plans to retire in April 2025 after 19 years at the helm. Brother Davis has served as president of the Indianapolis-based preservation group since 2006. He also previously worked in other roles for 18 years, for a total of 37 years with the organization.

Indiana Epsilon – Valpo

Ryan Hayes ‘01 and his wife, Jessica, welcomed their first child, Wilder, in March 2024.

Iowa Beta – Iowa State

Will Cooper ‘21 received an Undergraduate Award of Distinction from the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). This honor recognizes excellence in the fraternal experience and awards groups or individuals who exemplify leadership, service and fraternal values.

Louisiana Alpha  –  LSU

In August 2024, Sean Hammerle ‘90 was promoted to the position of presidend of OnQ, a global leader in elevated labor and technology outsourcing solutions. Having been with the company since before it opened its doors, Sean has been instrumental in driving OnQ’s growth and fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

Michigan Beta – Michigan State

Congratulations to Josh Tragge ‘22 and Josh Lauzon ‘21, who recently completed a Half Ironman. Their persistence and dedication are an inspiration to their entire chapter. 

Brad Gorman ‘02 has launched Gorman Strategies, a communication strategy and consulting firm serving business, government, and nonprofit clients. After two decades of corporate affairs leadership at companies like GM and Whirlpool, he is excited to embark on this new chapter. He cherishes the leadership lessons learned more than 20 years ago at the American Leadership Academy in Cabo with Phi Psi.

New Jersey  Alpha – Rider

Brian J. Heffernan ‘89 was recently promoted to director of regional payers at Bayer Pharmaceuticals.

Ohio Beta – Wittenberg

Gene W. Simone ’74 was recently welcomed to the Wittenberg’s Alumni Association Board, which is committed to serving as a liaison for the university by engaging and connecting the alumni body for the purpose of supporting Wittenberg’s mission and goals. Simone, who was named the Alumni Volunteer of the Year in 2023, graduated from Wittenberg with a bachelor’s degree in political science and was a member of the men’s lacrosse team. Simone has resided in Springboro, Ohio, since 1980 and is an active member of his community where he serves on the Springboro Planning Commission. He also has been a volunteer assistant coach for the freshman boys basketball team for 17 years. Dedicated to his alma mater, Simone is active on the Dayton Wittenberg Alumni Committee and the Homecoming Tailgate Committee.

Ohio Theta – Ashland

Jim Paponetti ’95 was named the Executive Vice President of Operations for Delta Zeta.

Ohio Iota – Akron

Last April, as part of National Volunteer Month, Brother Dan Schwitzgable ‘72 was recognized by Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio, for his dedicated service for more than six years. Two days per week, Dan volunteers in the pharmacy and in the emergency department. His primary role in the pharmacy is to send medications, prepared by the pharmacists, to various areas of the hospital using pneumatic tubes. In the ER, he restocks unoccupied patient rooms with fresh linens, gowns, and protective gloves and gathers used linens to be laundered. Dan takes great joy in serving at Aultman. (Excerpted from aultman.org/blog)

By Jeff Scott Oklahoma ’11

Every successful chapter has an alumnus who serves as the pilot light for its member’s passion and dedication to our beloved Fraternity. However, there is no alumnus like the cornerstone at Oklahoma Alpha, Richard C. Bower ’56. 

Initiated the spring of in 1956 as badge #541, Brother Bower was awarded the Outstanding Pledge Award of his class and attended his first Grand Arch Council in San Francisco that summer. He served as president of the chapter and the OU Student Senate in his time as an undergraduate. Upon graduation, Richard went to work for IBM and moved to Dallas, Texas, with his wife, Lou Ann, (Kappa Kappa Gamma). As an alumnus, he served as Oklahoma’s housing corporation president, an initial trustee to the precursor of the Canonsburg Corporation, and a pivotal advisor for the chartering of Texas Delta at Southern Methodist University.

Richard was inducted into the Order of the S.C. in 2000 and has attended nearly double the amount of Grand Arch Councils needed to achieve this honor. Brother Bower has helped shape our national Fraternity’s policies and elevated the reputation of the chapter with his service. There isn’t a single member of Oklahoma Alpha who attends the biannual conclave who isn’t regaled with a story about Brother Bower. It’s no wonder that at the belated Centennial Banquet for Oklahoma Alpha in 2021, Richard was awarded the Phi Kappa Psi Medal of Honor by past SWGP David Moyer Alabama ’91 for his lifetime of service to our Fraternity nationwide.   

For these reasons and so many more, we felt it was well overdue to induct Brother Bower into Oklahoma Alpha’s Ring of Honor. This distinction is denoted by a hand-painted portrait hung in the Catlett Room, the drawing room of our chapter house. On Nov. 23, 2024, at the Alabama vs. Oklahoma tailgate, over 75 brothers gathered for the surprise ceremony. As Richard’s portrait was unveiled, it was my privilege to recount the accolades of a man who is not only a mentor to me, bu also to so many men in our Fraternity. Brother Bower’s portrait is now one of only four portraits of Oklahoma Alphans to hold this honor, including past SWGP J. Bart Aldridge 1922 and the Catlett brothers, Eugene and Stanley 1920, two of our chapter’s founding members. The induction was capped with a moving speech by Richard filled with gratitude and his trademark call for every brother to be worthy of the trust reposed in them for our sacred Fraternity. 

Our chapter and so many others have been blessed to have a brother like Richard to look up to over the years. He will always be Oklahoma Alpha’s Alumni Advisor Emeritus, the brother who helped shape so many into the men they are today. Richard Bower is the glue that has held Oklahoma Alpha together for more than 69 years in its century on campus, and there will never be another like him. Live Ever. Die Never.