Pi Kappa Phi Alpha Iota
 
History

Pi Kappa Phi
Alpha Iota Chapter
861 Lem Morrison Dr.
Auburn, AL 36832

Alumni Updates



Brian P. Matisak
A.I. 1164
Class of '89
Brian.Matisak@nasa.gov
"I work for NASA at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama. I've been here since I graduated from Auburn in the summer of 1989. My current duties reside in the Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Booster Project Office as the Kennedy Space Center Integration Subsystem Manager here in Huntsville. My wife Annie (also a NASA-MSFC employee and an Auburn grad) and I live in Huntsville with our two Jack Russell terriers.
The two photos I am enclosing chronicle a bit of my memories at Auburn as well as my professional experiences. The Auburn photo is self-explanatory -- not sure where the shorts are these days -- they got passed down through the years. The second photo is a recent one of me in the commander's seat in the flight deck of Space Shuttle Endeavor. As you recall, I spent a few months at KSC lately working with the folks who prepare every Space Shuttle for launch (that includes the solid rocket boosters, the external tanks, the main engines, and the orbiters)."


Joe Forehand
A.I. 784
Class of '71
joeforehand@jwforehand.com
"I recently retired as Chairman of Accenture, where I spent the last 34 years. I met my wife Gayle at Auburn in 1967. We have twin sons, Chris and Kevin with a grandchild on the way. I live in Dallas and Santa Fe. My main hobby is golf, and I am attaching a recent picture. When one retires, you have to think of new goals, so I decided to not shave in 2007 until I broke 80 for the first time. It finally happened on February10, so this scruffy face is now clean shaven again.
There are too many Auburn memories to single out one, but life at the Pi Kapp house on College Street was always jumping. We had some pretty good parties by our standards, and there were always card games. poker on the third deck and bridge in the downstairs card room. We had some pretty good Pi Kapp athletic teams and we caught part of the Sullivan/Beasley era with some good Auburn football. And the nicknames.there was B-Cup, Rosebud, Bird, Animal, Ruby John, Buster, Yank and that only scratches the surface. It was the best of times, and we even did some good things now and then and learned some things along the way. Send my regards to all."


(James ) Ernest Johnson
A.I. 1001
Class of '80
Ejohnson@pmrg.com
Ernest Johnson graduated from Auburn University in June 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Accounting).  He worked in the Administrative Office Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity from 1980-1984 as a Chapter Consultant, Executive Vice President of Pi Kappa Phi Properties (the housing division); Executive Vice President of the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation (the scholarship and educational division of the fraternity) and as the Assistant Director of the Fraternity.  Ernest currently serves as the President of the Alpha Iota Club. Brother Johnson also served as a volunteer to Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity as Secretary and President of Pi Kappa Phi Properties; Chairman of the Finance Committee; and as National Historian, National Secretary, two terms as National Treasurer, National Vice President and National President from 2004-2006.  He also was the Chairman of the National Headquarters Committee which was successful in developing and funding the new headquarters for Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Ernest has also served on the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation’s Board of Directors.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Fraternity’s philanthropic project, PUSH America.  Ernest worked for JMB Realty Corporation in Chicago for ten years achieving the position of Executive Vice President of the Real Estate Services Division.  In 1995, Ernest left JMB when he and two partners acquired PM Realty Group, a privately held real estate services, investment and development firm.  PM Realty Group operates in 50 states, Canada and Dubai and manages leases and owns over 160,000,000 square feet of commercial real estate.  He is currently the Executive Vice President of the Capital Ventures Group and President of the PM Realty Group affiliate, HealthRealty Partners. When not working for PM Realty Group or Pi Kappa Phi, Ernest serves on the Board of Governors of the Lone Stare Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  Other interests of Ernest include bicycling, water and snow skiing, golf, hunting, fishing, the Houston Texans, the Atlanta Braves and of course any sporting event involving the Auburn Tigers. Susanne Berry and Ernest were married in 1991.  She graduated from Tulane University where she was a member of Chi Omega.  Susanne received her law degree from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles and is a member of the California Bar.  The Johnsons do not have any children but do own two black Chows, Dixie and Pistol who live with them in Houston, Texas.


Billy Norrell
A.I. 1217
Class of '90
norrell@alrba.org
Billy began his career with the Alabama Road Builders Association in 1998. He previously served as Associate Director of Governmental Affairs for Auburn University. He also served as Senior Legislative Assistant to US Congressman Sonny Callahan (R-Mobile) and former US Congressman William L. Dickinson (R-Montgomery) for more than four years in Washington, DC. Since arriving at ARBA, Norrell has been named to the boards of the Alabama Council of Association Executives, the Business Associations' Tax Coalition, the Alabama Civil Justice Reform Committee, Senator Jeff Sessions' Transportation Advisory Council and the University Transportation Center for Alabama's Advisory Council. He also serves on the Alabama Commission on Infrastructure, appointed by the Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Seth Hammett to address statewide transportation issues facing Alabama. Norrell served as Archon of Alpha Iota chapter of Pi Kappa Phi in 1989-1990 and graduated from Auburn University in 1990 with a degree in Public Relations. He and his wife Stephanie live in Montgomery and have three sons, George, William, and Walton.


Dustin Thompson (Left in above picture)
A.I. 1439
Class of '05
drt1800@gmail.com
"I was born in Thomaston, GA in 1982, lived in Buford, GA for 13 years and spent the last 10 living in Indianapolis, IN. I attended Auburn from 2001-2005 and after graduating I decided to move back south to Atlanta where my true roots are. While at Pi Kapp I served as House Manager 2002-2004, Secretary 2002-2003, Internal-Vice Archon 2003-2004 and Archon 2004-2005. Also, I helped establish and charter the Auburn University Marketing Association (AUMA) and served as the Vice President of Communications 2003-2004. The Auburn Tigers went undefeated the year I graduated from Auburn and as you all know got the shaft for the BCS Championship game. I'm presently living and working in Atlanta, GA (Buckhead). I'm currently working for BBDO Atlanta (advertising agency for Cingular Wireless/AT&T, Dell, Georgia Lottery, Capital One, ING, and Georgia Natural Gas to name a few)."


Matthew S. Evans, III
A.I. 1244
Class of '91
evans@cbknlaw.com
"I am practicing law in Annapolis, Maryland and Have been for 8 years after graduating from the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama. I am married to Margaret Rose Evans. We have one son, Matthew Strohm Evans, IV, born May 1, 2006. We are expecting our second child on May 14, 2007. I try to make it to 1 football game a year and cannot wait to bring the family and children back to Auburn in the Fall for a game. Any and all Brothers in the Balt. - D.C. area are welcome to contact me. I would like to hear from you."

Mr. "Pete" Van Robinson Comfort, Jr.
A.I. 343
Class of '51
vcomfort@bellsouth.net
"I retired in '86 after 33 years with Sonat and Southern Natural Gas Co, VP of Personnel. I have twin daughters (now 48 yrs of age) who are both Auburn grads. I enjoy Auburn sports( particularly the Tubberville football era) and golf (3 times a week). My golf started when I won a set of old golf clubs in a poker game there in the frat house. My last year at AU (it was API then) we lost every game 0-10. Even Wofford beat us but in '48 we beat UAT in Birmingham 14-13."

Lt. Col. Charles William Beaird (Ret.)
A.I. 259
Class of '48
au48gdad@comcast.net
"This is Charles W. Beaird graduate of Dec. l948 after about 2 and 1/2 years of service with almost one year in Japan for occupation duty. Retired as a Lt Col from the US Army. Had about 37 years with the Veterans Administration as an Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Staff. Playing a lot of golf and fishing. My wife is a graduate of Sept. 1948. We married in Dec. of 48 in Sheffield, AL. We have 3 daughters and later 2 Sons. We have 4 granddaughters and one great granddaughter. My wife and I have traveled overseas several times and to Hawaii a couple of times and over most of the United States. Thank you for the apparently good job you are trying to do."

Jimmy Lee Butt
A.I. 184
Class of '43
jimmybutt@webtv.net
"I'll provide a brief summary of my career after graduating in February of 1943.
We were in the midst of WW II and were in ROTC. We thought we would be inducted into active duty immediately. However, they allowed us to continue in school until we graduated in February of 1943. As we moved out of the fraternity house, girls from the dorms moved in and the dorms were taken over by the army for Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) students. We had been asked to go to summer school so we could graduate early.
Two weeks after graduating we were inducted and sent to Officer Candidate School (OCS). This was in lieu of summer camp which we had missed to attend summer school. I was in Field Artillery so I went to Ft. Sill, Okla., for training.
After getting my commission, I was assigned to the 63rd Infantry Division at Camp Van Dorn, Miss. in the town on Centerville. There we trained for combat and went to Europe at Christmas, 1944. We were in combat in the southern sector near Saarbrucken, Germany where we breached the famous Siegfried Line and then "rat raced" into Germany down toward Austria. We then began training to invade Japan until the atom bomb was dropped and ended the war. I was then transferred into U.S. Military Government to help get German governmental functions working.
Following WW II, I felt I needed to go back to school as I had not practiced my profession for 3 1/2 years. I was talked into going for a Masters Degree and then was invited to join the staff as a research engineer. So I was on the Auburn faculty for the next ten years, Department of Agricultural Engineering. In 1956 I was among six candidates interviewed for the position of Executive Vice President of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers in St. Joseph, Mich. I was the candidate they chose and we moved here that summer. I held that position for over thirty years and retired here.
Along the way, I have been honored to serve as President of ASAE (now ASABE), President of the national Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives, President of both the Auburn and St, Joseph Lions clubs; and I received Auburn's Outstanding Alumni Award from the College of Engineering in 1968.
I feel that my Pi Kappa Phi experience was to a very great extent responsible for my successes. My Brothers were of the finest caliber and a most constructive influence on me. They pushed me into campus politics which led to my being President of the Executive Cabinet (Student Body), class of '43. Unfortunately, I have lost contact with them due to the responsibilities of my work, but I will never forget what they meant to me."

Donald Worth David, Jr.
A.I. 578
Class of '63
d2david@cox.net
"I retired December 21,2006 after practicing architecture for 43 years and am not having any trouble adjusting to retirement. I was Archon when I was at Auburn and married the Rose, Madelon Murfee, in 1961."


A. Jared Scheeter
A.I. 1414
Class of 2004
jscheeter@mail.com
"Served as Chapter Archon 1998-1999. Graduated Building Science in '04. Presently living in Birmingham and working for Hoar Construction as a Project Manager. Getting married March 31st to Elizabeth Meadows from Toccoa, GA."