On March 24, 2024, a large contingent of Beta Pi alumni, some with their wives, met for a buffet breakfast at the Inn at Penn. Prior to seating, an Inn at Penn representative took a hungry group on a tour of the all-you-can-eat buffet tables. Pointing to the fruits, coffee stand, omelet station, baked goods, etc., Beta Pi alumni were now fully prepared to grab plates and get to work enjoying a sumptuous breakfast.
Approximately twenty persons were seated at two very long communal tables in a private room. There was plenty of opportunity to mingle at the buffet tables and in the dining room that allowed visiting the other table without disturbing other patrons.
As this was the end to Founders Day Weekend, fond goodbyes were exchanged, and everyone expressed the desire to return next year.
On Friday, March 22, 2024, a group of Beta Pi alumni met, for what has become an annual event, at the White Dog Café on Penn’s campus.
Enjoying the fine cuisine at the White Dog were Rich Myers ‘69, Dan Keefe ‘06, Morty Cohen ‘65, Fred Bailey ‘70, Mark Perna ‘68, Rich Sussman ‘69, Bruce Wolfson ‘71, and Paul Zaentz ‘69.
There was great food and beverages, from the newly expanded White Dog, and plenty of laughter. Besides sharing their recent personal activities, travel locations, triumphs, and accomplishments, other topics of conversation included the role of transgender women in female sports, the art of making movies, Woodstock, the differences of small children today compared to when the Beta Pi alumni were young, and Foamhenge. Foamhenge is a roadside tourist attraction in Virginia where England’s Stonehenge has been duplicated true to size but made from styrofoam.
Few things are better than lifelong friends getting together. All look forward to White Dog dinner 2025.
Prior to the Founders Day Dinner on March 23, 2024, the annual meeting of the Beta Pi Alumni Association and the Alpha Phi Delta Corp. took place at the Sheraton Hotel University City.
In attendance were:
Fred Bailey ’70
Morty Cohen ’65
Dave Edman ’73
Dan Keefe ’06
Steve Leventhal ’67
Harvey Mackler ’72
Richard Myers ’69
Kaden Stenger ’19
Mark Perna ’68
Rich Sussman ’69
Ross Weiner ’80
Bruce Wolfson ’71
Todd Wieseneck ’72
Paul Zaentz ’69
Justin Wang ’22
Jaume Pujadas ’22
Ernesto Baci ’23
Jasper Ip ’23
Beta Pi Alumni Association President Ross Weiner ’80 chaired the meeting. The meeting focused on the physical condition of the Chapter House and the need to satisfy the residency requirement set by Penn.
Justin Wang ’22, President of the active chapter, spoke of the difficulty to bring in enough brothers to comply with the Penn residency requirement imposed on Beta Pi. Maintaining a full house has been difficult since the University mandate that no sophomores at Penn may reside in fraternity houses. Nevertheless, they are working hard to resolve the problem by offering incentives to the upperclassmen brothers.
Bruce Wolfson ’71 stated that he is in contact with Pi Kappa Alpha Inter/National Fraternity (Memphis) to obtain PiKA Foundation funds, that our Beta Pi brothers have previously donated with Memphis, to subsidize rents at the Chapter House, thereby making it a more desirable choice of residency.
The undergraduate representatives to the meeting explained how recruitment (Rush) and maintaining a successful fraternity on Penn’s campus is problematic in the environment Penn has created. Recently, two fraternities, Sigma Nu and Tau Epsilon Phi, were unable to sustain their presence on campus and have had to close.
The undergraduate brothers were pleased to announce that 17 new members were initiated this academic year. This also pleased the alumni in attendance. There followed a lively discussion and exchange of ideas. Many suggestions and encouragement were offered.
After the Beta Pi/Alpha Phi Delta meeting was concluded, everyone was eager to join other alumni and undergraduate members who had started to arrive for the pre-dinner cocktail hour.
The University City Sheraton Hotel was the perfect facility for Founders Day on March 23, 2024. Alumni brothers came from faraway locations, such as Tennessee, Florida, Canada, District of Columbia, California, West Virginia, Switzerland, and New Hampshire, to attend.
A lively cocktail hour began the evening in a large foyer, meeting room, and an extra wide corridor, with numerous tables and chairs. An open bar was up and running. The tight accommodations for the cocktail hours at the Inn at Penn were now a distant memory. After the cocktail hour, more than 50 undergraduates and alumni found their way to a nearby event space to continue the evening activities.
55-year loyalty award recipients.
The agenda began with Ross Weiner ’80, Beta Pi Alumni Association (Beta Pi AA) President, providing opening remarks and a brief update on the status of the Beta Pi AA. During his brief address, he emphasized the importance of being a PiKA is the establishment of lifelong friendships.
Ross Weiner ’80 makes welcoming remarks.
Justin Wang ’22, current President of the undergraduate members, brought everyone up to date on the status of the fraternity on campus. Due to the restrictions placed on all fraternities at Penn, the active brothers face challenges that Beta Pi has not previously had to face. Following a year that brought a very small class of new initiates, the remaining brothers forged ahead with vigor and persistence to establish stability within the fraternity. There is a positive attitude amongst the members. They had a successful Spring Rush and are looking forward to bringing PiKA back to its previous prominence and stature as a top fraternity on campus.
A buffet dinner followed. The Sheraton provided brisket, chicken, fish, and an array of salads, vegetables, and desserts, to satisfy even the hungriest of PiKA brothers.
After dinner, Bruce Wolfson ’71, Beta Pi AA Vice President, provided an update on Pi Kappa Alpha Inter/National (PiKA Memphis). He mentioned that PiKA has had a tremendous change in the last 40 years. The fraternity is now focused on the personal and professional development of its members to be better persons and leaders in the communities they reside. Hazing, sexual harassment, and use of illegal drugs are not tolerated. In addition, despite the anti-fraternity postures by college administrations, membership in Pi Kappa Alpha is increasing.
Justin Wang ’22 discusses chapter status.
Luke Baber ’22 and Ryan Patino ’21 then introduced the three initiates of the Alpha Eta class in the fall and the 14 new initiates of the Alpha Theta class this past spring. That PiKA Memphis refers to itself as an international fraternity is apparent by the hometowns of our latest initiates. There are members of the Alpha Eta and Alpha Theta classes from Macedonia, Slovakia, China, Germany, Kosovo, Poland, and Syria.
Phillip Trieu ’22 and Jose Garza ’22 presented the SLAG Awards to:
Scholar: Jaume Pujadas ‘22
Leader: Ryan Patino ‘21
Athlete: Dimitri Kallins ‘22
Gentleman: Hayden Siesel ‘22
Daniel Hwang ’23 handed out the Alumni Appreciation Award to Jerry Herman ’72. Jerry sponsors the Dave Herman Award every year in honor of his father, the oldest initiate into Beta Pi. This year, he deservedly received the award for all he has done for Pi Kappa Alpha at Beta Pi as well as PiKA Memphis. In his brief acceptance speech, Jerry emphasized the need for everyone who has benefited in life to “give back.”
Morty Cohen ’65 presents 5-year loyalty award to Kaden Stenger ’19.
Bruce Wolfson ’71 bestowed the Dave Herman Award of $500 to Hayden Siesel ’22.
Harvey Mackler ’72 then presented the Scott Mackler True Grit Award, named for his biological brother and our fraternity brother who fought a valiant battle against ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Scott’s achievements, in the development and use of technological equipment, received national attention when he was featured on the 60 Minutes television show. The winner of this $750 award is Justin Wang ’22.
Alumni Loyalty Awards were handed out by Morty Cohen ’65, Beta Pi AA Secretary. Kaden Stenger’19, a leader at Beta Pi and a former student member to the PiKA Memphis Supreme Council, received a five-year certificate.
Ed Shamy, Gary Sachs, Stephen Robinson, and Michael Yost, all 1974 initiates, received 50-year certificates for their devotion to Beta Pi. When they were students at Penn, Beta Pi earned multiple Smythe trophies designating our chapter as one of the most exceptional of all Pi Kappa Alpha.
With a brand-new Chapter House at 3916 Spruce Street, they set a standard of fraternal living for years to come. Receiving certificates for 55 years of devotion to Beta Pi, were Rich Myers, RichSussman, Paul Zaentz, and Mark Mancini, all 1969 initiates.
After the new initiates regaled us in song by singing Down in Old Virginny and How’d You Like tobe a PiKA, Justin Wang ’22 provided closing remarks and offered an invitation to return to the Chapter House for fun and games.
As of right now, we are about $10,000 short of our annual fund goal of $25,000. As the end of our giving year on July 1st approaches, your support is more crucial now than ever. Please consider making your contribution to the annual fund today.
We have only 3 months left until the giving year ends, and we would like to thank the 6% of our brothers who have donated so far this year. Your donations make it possible for us to stay connected through frequent communications and events, maintain our database, host our website, and assist us in various other ways to keep our brotherhood connected.
Unfortunately, support has been down in recent years, and we are nearing an all-time low. In order to maintain our alumni relations communications program, our fund needs to be replenished by contributions.
If you have been enjoying our publications, please consider donating to the annual fund. If even 15% of our brothers contributed, we would be well on our way to achieving our goal of $25,000 by July 1st.
Thank you once again to the core group of brothers who continue to support our alumni association. None of what we do would be possible without your consistent and dedicated support, and you are greatly appreciated.
Previous articles in Beta Pi’s monthly eLetters have set forth the problems with Penn’s mandated meal plans for all freshmen and sophomores. Besides being expensive, there have been many health issues at some of Penn’s dining locations. In particular, those locations have previously not passed required Philadelphia government inspections.
In a January 30, 2024 issue of The Daily Pennsylvanian (DP), DP journalists Nicole Muravsky and Kelly Yang report that in January 2024, involving three separate incidents, students have found a maggot, a cockroach, and a piece of glass mixed in with the food they were served.
As reported in the DP, Penn’s response to these incidents by Bill Hess, the Residential District Manager for Bon Appetit Management Company, the operator of Penn’s dining facilities, is that “Penn Dining staff have been and will continue to be extra vigilant when thoroughly cleaning produce since fresh ingredients are used, rather than frozen or canned ingredients.”
Following the cockroach sighting on January 14, an online petition was created demanding an “immediate overhaul of its dining services to ensure the health, satisfaction, and well-being of its students.” As of January 30, the petition had 358 signatures.
Controversy on Campus Update
As reported in the February 5, 2024 issue of The Daily Pennsylvanian, “Interim Penn President Larry Jameson criticized recent political cartoons published by a lecturer at the Annenberg School for Communication…Jameson said that the cartoons do not reflect his or the University’s views, describing them as ‘reprehensible, with antisemitic symbols, and incongruent with our efforts to fight hate.’ The artwork facing scrutiny was made by cartoonist and freelance writer Dwayne Booth, who teaches courses at Penn on political cartooning.”
Two cartoons were described in the article. One depicts three persons drinking blood out of glasses labeled “Gaza” in front of Israeli and American flags. The other depicts Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel shoveling skulls into a steam engine with a caption explaining the skulls are Palestinian.
The article notes that “The Daily Pennsylvanian has not independently verified several of the cartoons alleged to have been made by Booth.”
Regarding the criticism that his cartoons are antisemitic, Booth states they were taken out of context.
Steven G. Friedman, Beta Pi ’67, Donates Book Collection to Penn Libraries
As reported in the March/April 2024 edition of The Pennsylvania Gazette:
“Steven G. Friedman W’70 is an attorney specializing in commercial real estate in the Washington, DC, area. After being introduced to writer Samuel Beckett’s work as a student at Penn, Steve purchased a graduation present for himself—a limited-edition (200 copies) set of the Collected Works of Samuel Beckett (Grove Press, 1970), signed by Samuel Beckett. For the past 50-plus years, Steve has displayed the books in his home in Potomac, Maryland. In December of 2023 he donated the Beckett book collection to the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts at Penn Libraries.”
Controversy on Campus Update
As reported in the March 1,2024, issue of The Daily Pennsylvanian, twelve pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted a meeting of Penn’s Board of Trustees. The meeting was scheduled for one hour. However, after seven minutes, the meeting was adjourned.
A University spokesman said that despite Chairman of the Board of Trustees Ramanan Raghavendran advising the protesters three times that they were “heard and acknowledged,” the protesters continued the disruption in violation of rules for visitors that only allow them to observe. As violators of the University’s Code of Student Conduct and Guidelines on Open Expression, the protesters have been referred to Penn’s Center for Community Standards and Accountability for possible disciplinary action.
Philadelphia Magazine Top Dentist
The March 2024 edition of Philadelphia magazine on its annual list of Top Dentists in the Philadelphia region, under the category of General Practitioner, has once again named Dr. Louis P.Tarnoff, Beta Pi ’66. Brother Tarnoff is an Assistant Professor at the Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry. Philadelphia magazine states that selections are made for this list on the basis of “thousands of detailed evaluations of dentists and professionals by their peers.”
Congratulations to brother Tarnoff for this very notable achievement.
Parker Weil, Beta Pi ’85, organizer of Faux Founders’ Day 2024, could not have chosen a better date or location for the event. A warm sunny day and a tavern that was open only to Beta Pi brothers set the stage for one of the most successful Faux Founders’ Days.
Olde City Cheesesteak & Brew (Olde City) at 66 Madison Avenue, near 27th Street, in New York City, was the place. Ownership of Olde City includes Scott Krase, Beta Pi ’86, and a PiKA from Gamma Lambda, Lehigh University. Olde City has a decidedly Philadelphia ambience as a bar that presents itself as the place to view Philadelphia sports teams, both collegiate and professional, on their many televisions. The walls are covered with posters, banners, flags, photos, and pennants displaying Philadelphia-based teams and Penn State University.
For two hours, Olde City was closed to the general public. Pi Kappa Alpha had exclusive use of the premises. Approximately forty Beta Pi brothers were there enjoying beverages, food, and conversation.
Personalized service kept the drinks flowing to an appreciative crowd. Brothers were able to order delicious cheesesteaks, fries, wings, and burgers. As brothers gathered in small groups to discuss family, careers, and recent events in their lives, the noise level was very loud.
Among the brothers in attendance were:
Andrew Rubenstein ’87
Bruce Derringer ’87
Hank Weiss ’85
Rob Katz ’85
Keith Gottlieb ’83
Jeff Tepper ’84
Jeff Horing ’83
Ari Horowitz ’87
Reed Slogoff ’87
David Stonberg ’86
Jon Belmonte ’87
Rob Epstein ’83
Andy Kurtz ’85
Steven Wayne ’85
Morty Cohen ’65
Ken Esterow ’83
Zev Abraham ’84
Andrew Gold ’85
Mark Stein ’87
Ben Young ’86
Barry Steiner ’83
Ross Weiner ’80
Scott Tolchin ’86
Dave Eigan ’87
Kyle Solomon ’87
Jeff Spear ’83
Michael Seeve ’87
Larry Israeloff ’83
Mike Kuzca ’86
Scott Krase ’86
Gary Stein ’86
Parker Weil ’85
Brad Silver ’86
Rob Heffes ’83
Dean Frankel ’87
Jamie Gertler ’85
Sorry to anyone who attended and is not named above.
Once again, Parker Weil promised everyone a good time and delivered on his promise. Thanks to Parker for his hard work organizing the event. When asked how he is able to bring so many Pikes together each year, he replied, “We like each other.”
Faux Founders’ Day is scheduled for March 6, 2025, at a location to be named in later communications. All Beta Pi brothers should look forward to this date. No matter when you were initiated, you are always welcome. If you missed it this year, you missed a great time. Don’t miss it next year. If you live in the NYC area, gather brothers from your era and join the fun. You will not be sorry. Start your own annual get-together.
The recent 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK) has reignited a sudden wide-spread interest in theories and conspiracies surrounding his death. The “rebirth” of these theories brings to mind the role played by Dr. James A. Cottone, BetaPi ’66, in debunking one of these conspiracies.
Eighteen years after the death of JFK on November 22, 1963, a conspiracy theory arose that JFK was not killed by Lee Harvey Oswald (Oswald). Rather, a Russian agent posing as Oswald did the killing. Two days later, Oswald was assassinated by Jack Ruby.
Oswald was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas. A British journalist, believing the theory to be true, was willing to pay all the costs associated with an exhumation and autopsy to prove his theory. Before Oswald could be exhumed, permission had to be granted by the next of kin, Oswald’s wife Marina. Marina had her own doubts as to who was really buried in the grave and chose not to oppose the exhumation provided the journalist paid all the costs. However, Oswald’s brother opposed the procedure. When the brother realized how much it would cost in legal fees, and in consideration of the anxiety of the family related to the publicity, he withdrew his objections. The exhumation took place on October 5, 1981.
Upon exhumation, due to a crack in the casket causing moisture to enter, the body was found to be badly decomposed. However, a small team of forensic dentists, led in part by brother Cottone, conducted a forensic examination of the body’s teeth and determined that the dental charts of Oswald matched the teeth in the body beyond a reasonable doubt. In consideration of the forensic dental findings and means of identification from other body parts, it was determined that the body was that of Lee Harvey Oswald.
After graduating from Penn, brother Cottone earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. During the Vietnam War, he served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps. Following his release from service, he obtained a Master of Science degree in Dental Medicine at Indiana University. He then became a member of the faculty at the Texas School of Dentistry in San Antonio, Texas. When he retired, he was a full Professor.
Prior to his retirement, he was a major contributor to the field of Oral Medicine, Infection Control, Forensic Dentistry, and AIDS research. He was a sought-after lecturer on these topics at national and international conventions for fellow dentists. As an author, he authored Practical Infection Control inDentistry, a reference book for practicing dentists, and Outline of Forensic Dentistry.
At Penn, brother Cottone was an extremely active member of Beta Pi, including a term as Vice President.
Bruce Robertson, Beta Pi ’82, created this poem, with the help of ChatGPT, in recognition of the response of so many PiKA brothers, in their combined desire and actions, to rid Penn of the Liz Magill administration that made the University of Pennsylvania a national disgrace.
In the halls of brotherhood, a story unfolds,
Of a group of men, with hearts brave and bold.
Pi Kappa Alpha, their bond forged in youth,
Now adults, united by friendship and truth.
Through the years, their paths have diverged,
Yet the flame of brotherhood, still fully emerged.
Each one with a story, a journey they’ve trod,
But together they stand, as brothers of PiKA.
In their hearts, the memories of days long past,
Late nights of laughter, friendships that last.
From college adventures to life’s grand stage,
They’ve grown and evolved, with wisdom and age.
They’ve faced challenges, both great and small,
But with brotherhood’s support, they’ve conquered them all.
Through triumph and failure, they’ve learned to persist,
For the strength of their bond, they couldn’t resist.
They’ve built careers, with passion and drive,
In different fields, they strive to thrive.
Yet their shared values, a compass they hold,
Integrity, honor, and a love that’s untold.
In times of joy, they celebrate as one,
With laughter and cheers, under the same sun.
And in times of sorrow, they lend a hand,
For brotherhood’s embrace, helps them withstand.
Their bond, unbreakable, like a chain of gold,
Through the years, their friendship has only grown.
Pi Kappa Alpha, a brotherhood so true,
An amazing group of men, now adults they grew.
So let this poem be a tribute, a heartfelt ode,
To the fraternity brothers of PiKA, who’ve showed
That brotherhood endures, through the test of time,
An everlasting bond, so brilliantly sublime.
It started when former Penn President Liz Magill permitted Palestinian student organizations to organize a “literature festival” on campus that any reasonably-thinking person knew would be a platform for antisemitic speech. That’s when the antisemitic incidents on campus began, including bomb threats at Hillel House and Chabad. It was exacerbated when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and committed unspeakable atrocities to over 1200 babies, women, men, and the elderly. Palestinian students and their supporters marched through campus with signs and chants demanding the destruction of the State of Israel and the genocide of Jewish people everywhere.
The Penn administration’s support for the Jewish students and organizations on campus was woefully lacking. Jewish students were harassed and afraid to go to classes or walk on Penn property. Magill appeared in front of the House Committee on Education where she expressed the Penn administration’s opinion that demanding the genocide of Jews was not a violation of Penn’s code of student conduct because no Jews have been physically attacked or killed on campus due to these protests.
The Internet has provided a means and platform for Beta Pi brothers to come together to discuss the terrible troubles that have befallen Penn, express their opinions as to what should be done, and to keep everyone informed on the latest news and developments.
Early on, David Berkman ’80 prepared a letter addressed to Magill. He found Magill’s actions to be “appalling” and “The University has failed to provide the necessary leadership to set the tone for both a safe and non-hostile environment.” He received emails of support from John Joseph ’80, Bora Sila’80, John Feder ’80, and Ross Weiner ’80.
After Magill appeared before Congress on December 5, 2023, Fred Rubin ’80 provided a video of a portion of Magill’s testimony that members of the Committee called unacceptable. David Berkman then sent a more extensive video of the proceedings that included now former Harvard President Claudine Gay’s testimony that was also deemed unacceptable to members of the Congressional Committee. Harvey Mackler ‘72 sent an excerpt from the Jewish Press. Bruce Robertson ’82 indicated the situation was “all so sad.” Ken Wyman ’81 found it “painful” and said, that for many of us who felt that going to Penn was a source of pride, that it is “a major loss for all of us.” Eric Morgenstern ’81 related that he was “embarrassed and ashamed of my alma mater.”
John Joseph informed us that he had sent a letter to the Penn administration expressing his “severe distress and outrage.” Adam Amsterdam ’79, also in distress of Penn’s lack of response to antisemitism on campus, said the “enduring benefit I derived from my years at Penn is all of you.” Marc Rothman ’82 and Michael Feuerman ’87 sent messages of concurrence.
Following the lead of other donors to Penn, Ross Stevens ’88 withdrew a donation to Penn worth $100,000,000. David Konstandt ’88 applauded brother Stevens. Supportive emails were sent in by Bruce Wolfson ’71, Tom Brodie ’81, Paul Zaentz ’69, and Samuel Weinstein ’81. The question was raised if Ross Stevens was following the Beta Pi email exchange. The question was answered when Ross Stevens replied, “I’m on the chain, gentlemen. Feels great to get support from my brothers.”
Eric Morgenstern then provided a copy of a letter that had been sent to Penn by the CEOs of Holocaust Museums in Illinois and Los Angeles. If Magill had no idea what she did wrong, this letter explained, “You as a University President, with a global stage, including through your recent Congressional testimony, had a pivotal moment, one that cried out for moral leadership and strength. Instead of speaking to our common humanity, decency, and what is not only good but right, when asked a very simple, straightforward question, you waffled, invoked context, and let demons win this round. That is the opposite of meeting the moment and the opposite of the leadership we expect of a University of Pennsylvania president.” The letter drew approval from Gary Survis ’83.
By this time, Magill had resigned but is allowed to remain on campus. Bruce Wolfson mentioned that there is no quick solution to restoring the reputation of the University of Pennsylvania, a sentiment echoed by Bora Sila ’80 and Fred Rubin ’80. They believe that antisemitism is entrenched at the University. Robert Stavis ’81, a member of the Penn Board of Trustees, replied, “Now the hard work begins.” On December 10, 2023, one day after Magill resigned her position, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Scott L. Bok, resigned.
On December 12, 2023, there was a formal announcement by the Penn administration that J. Larry Jameson has been installed as the interim Penn president. The announcement does not address whether he will be “sitting on his ass” waiting for a permanent replacement for Magill to be named or if he will make actual attempts to remove the antisemitic elements from campus.
The January/February issue of The Penn Gazette featured a statement by Interim President Jameson setting forth his credentials that qualify him for the position. The Gazette also had an additional puff-piece detailing Jameson’s qualifications. Sadly, neither article offered any explanation as to why the Penn administration allowed antisemitism and the call for the genocide of Israel and Jews to fester and grow on Penn’s campus. Neither does it address what actual steps, if any, will be taken to remove the antisemitic element from campus.
Despite a beautiful day for exercise, the Scott Mackler Memorial 5K Run/Walk fell slightly short of expectations for this annual event that is now in its 23rd year. On November 5, 2023, a smaller than usual turn-out enthusiastically completed the course in this event to defeat ALS.
ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It is a progressive neurodegenerative affliction that leads to paralysis due to the degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain. There is presently no cure.
Scott Mackler, Beta Pi ’77, a medical doctor and brilliant scientist, contracted ALS while doing research at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine to find a cure for cocaine addiction. He valiantly fought the effects of ALS for many years. During this time, he was able to continue his employment due to the existence of advanced technology that provided the tools and devices enabling him to continue his research. Prior to his unfortunate demise, Scott was featured on the 60 Minutes television program highlighting the technical advances that had been made to ease the pain, discomfort, and inability to communicate for people living with ALS, a highly debilitating disease.
Among the assistive technology devices presently available through ALS Philadelphia are remote door chimes to call for help, control units that provide hands-free access to electrical devices, electronic devices that enable ALS sufferers to read books, communication devices that convey messages, and computers with voice output and the ability to access the internet.
The Mackler 5K was created by Scott Mackler, Scott’s brother, Harvey Mackler, Beta Pi ’72, and the entire Mackler family. Harvey has personally planned, organized, and managed every running of this “Race against ALS” that is now in its 23rd year. Scott’s sons, Alexander and Noah, have devotedly and successfully assumed management of the event. Over these years, nearly $3,000,000 has been raised by the Mackler 5K. Harvey and Scott’s sons ensure that every dollar raised is given to ALS United Mid-Atlantic (formerly known as ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia) to provide the assistive devices needed by sufferers of ALS.
Thanks to the generous donations of a group of Beta Pi alumni, the Beta Pi team contributed $1300 to the approximate $65,000 total from all contributors. Beta Pi donors were:
Joel Catania ’71 Jerome Goldberg ’74 Morty Cohen ‘65
Harvey Mackler ’72 Paul Zaentz ’69 Joey Cohen ‘02
Ron Perilstein ‘77
An additional Pi Kappa Alpha donation was made by Robert Tkachick, Delta Eta, University of Delaware.
A personal message from Joel Catania, Beta Pi ’71, Beta Pi Alumni Association Treasurer:
Brothers:
Our annual Founders’ Day dinner will be held Saturday, March 23, 2024 at the Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel (3549 Chestnut Street). The event will begin with a cocktail hour (cash bar) at 6:00PM followed by a buffet dinner beginning at 7:00PM. For those of you who are in town earlier, we will hold an alumni association meeting at 4:00PM.
The charge for attending the dinner is $130 per person.
As in the past, this amount includes a subsidy to help offset the dinner cost for our active undergraduate brothers. The chapter contributes a portion of the cost for each undergraduate and the alumni association picks up the balance. The additional subsidy required for each undergraduate brother is $40, so we ask each alumnus attending the dinner to include an additional subsidy for at least one of our undergraduate brothers. The alumni association maintains a separate “Undergraduate Assistance Fund” that is used for this dinner subsidy as well as subsidizing travel costs for undergraduate chapter leaders to attend PKA educational programs. Additional donations to this fund are greatly appreciated.
The alumni association needs your support for another reason. In the past, dues and donations to our General Fund have enabled us to break even on the costs of our alumni relations program spearheaded by Elevate, our alumni relations partner. They maintain our database, host our website, provide assistance with the content for our printed and electronic newsletters, publish our monthly e-letters and biannual printed newsletters, and assist us in various other ways to keep our brotherhood connected. These services could not be provided by our small group of dedicated supporters and volunteers. This fund needs to be replenished in order to allow us to maintain our alumni relations communications program.
When we chartered the association in 2003, we had 110 dues-paying members. This number of annual donors has fallen off significantly since then and we have been able to fund our alumni relations program only with the additional support of a core of very generous supporters. I would like to ask you to help us remedy this situation by paying your 2023-24 alumni dues if you have not already done so. The minimum amount is $100; the suggested amount is $150. Your dues and additional donations go into our General Fund, the source of funds for our communications program.
If you are not sure of your dues status for this school year, please send me a NEW message at [email protected] and I will advise you of your status for the current giving year: (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024).
We thank you in advance for your support of our undergraduates and the alumni association. The continued vitality of the alumni association is essential to keeping us in touch, organizing Founders’ Day and other events, and supporting our undergraduate brothers. Please do whatever you can to help by paying your 2023-24 dues, attending the Founders’ Day dinner, and sending in additional donations to support our undergraduates and the Alumni Association.
I remind you again that any replies to this message will be disseminated back to the entire list-serve for everyone to read! If you would like to reply to me personally and directly, please do it with a NEW message.
If you are planning on attending the dinner, please do the following:
1) Send a “Founders’ Day RSVP” email message to me at [email protected] indicating that you will be attending.
2) Send a check payable to “Beta Pi Alumni Assn of PiKA” in the amount of $130.00. If you have not yet paid your dues for 2023-24 (Minimum $100; suggested $150) you may include them along with any additional donations in the same check. If you are not sure of your current membership status, please send me an email. You may also include any subsidy or additional donation in the same check. Please be sure to itemize what your check is for if it includes more than just the cost of the dinner in the following manner:
Dinner: $ ______ / Dues $ ______ / U-grad subsidy $ ______ / Association Donation $ ______
Please mail your checks to arrive no later than March 8, 2024 to:
Beta Pi A.A.
c/o Joel Catania
P.O. Box 7332
Garden City, NY 11530
We hope that brothers initiated in years ending in “4” or “9” might make a special effort to gather one or two of your fellow initiates and join us in recognizing notable anniversaries.
Looking forward to seeing you at Founders’ Day and I thank you in advance for your support of our Beta Pi brotherhood.
Our Founders’ Day dinner has been set for Saturday, March 23, 2023 at the Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel at 3549 Chestnut Street.
We have a room block for 5 rooms for Thursday night, 15 rooms for Friday night and 15 rooms for Saturday night. The nightly rate is $179.00 plus taxes.
For those of you wanting to book a room at the Sheraton you can reserve by clicking on the link below. Reservations are open now and will be accepted up until February 23, 2024.
You may also call the main reservations number at 888-627-7071 and specify the room block for the Pi Kappa Alpha Event Reference # M-R4TDA0E
The Annual New York City Faux Founders Day 2024 get-together with other Beta Pi brothers for drinks and conversation, organized by Parker Weil ’85, is scheduled for 6:00pm, Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at Olde City Cheesesteak & Brew, 66 Madison Avenue, New York City. Save the date. If you wish to attend, contact Parker at telephone # 201 575-2030 or at his email address: [email protected].
Last year’s event had a large turnout. This year’s event is expected to be even larger. Do not miss this opportunity to meet and greet with your fellow brothers from Penn.
Interfraternal Giving Tuesday Competition
In a one-day friendly competition among eight national fraternities, Pi Kappa Alpha was able to raise $123,286 in donations from 216 Pi Kappa Alpha members and friends. Richard Sussman, Beta Pi’69, was placed on the PiKA Honor Donor Roll for his generous contribution that was the 5th largest donation to Pi Kappa Alpha for this competition.
Controversy at Penn Update
As reported in The Daily Pennsylvanian:
On December 13, 2023, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted to withhold $31,000,000 in funding for Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine. According to The Daily Pennsylvanian, a letter was sent to Interim Penn President J. Larry Jameson, by the Republican Leader of the Pennsylvania House, “expressing concern with the lack of immediate changes to address antisemitism on campus”. The letter further states that the resignation of Penn President Liz Magill and the formation of a task force was not sufficient and does not help current and prospective students.
As reported in The Daily Pennsylvanian:
The House Committee on Ways and Means (Committee) of the United States House of Representatives is conducting an investigation into whether the University of Pennsylvania should retain Federal tax-exempt status for “failing to comply with anti-discrimination laws and remain focused on their educational mission”. Current investigations are also being conducted by the United States Department of Education and the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workplace regarding instances of antisemitism on Penn’s campus.
In a letter dated January 10, 2024, to Interim Penn President I. Larry Jameson, Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) cites Penn’s failure to uphold their educational mission and “is concerned about the lack of an appropriate response and support for Jewish people and students”. The letter makes reference to former Penn President Liz Magill’s testimony before Congress and criticizes Magill’s answers at the hearing. The letter further says the Penn Administration allows “preferred speech” but not all speech, “The University of Pennsylvania did not hesitate to investigate and seek to strip tenure from a law school professor for holding controversial views, despite allowing professors who repeatedly denied Hamas’ worst atrocities and ‘romanticized the murder of over a thousand Israeli Jews’ to remain employed.”
Bruce Wolfson holds Charter for new Nashville PiKA alumni association.
Bruce Wolfson is Active in PiKA in Tennessee
Bruce Wolfson, Beta Pi ’71, continues to remain active in Pi Kappa Alpha following his move to Nashville, Tennessee. He is an organizer and co-founder of the newly formed Nashville Area Alumni Association of Pi Kappa Alpha. He is allowing younger alumni to lead the way but expects to be actively engaged with the leadership. He is thrilled that two life-long friends of his from Vanderbilt University will be joining him. The accompanying photo shows Bruce in the center holding the Charter.
Jake Wieseneck Takes the Initiative
Larry Wieseneck, Beta Pi ’84, and his wife Gale, take pride in announcing that their son Jake is a principal of Maniv Mobility, a venture capitalist firm that has partnered with other firms to carry out “Operation Falcon”, an initiative that provides emergency supply kits to Israel, including thousands of first aid kits and hundreds of generators, thereby furnishing much needed assistance during these current times of shortages and suffering.
John D. Woodward Jr., Beta Pi ’78, Authors Book on American Espionage
As reported in the January/February issue of The Pennsylvania Gazette:
“John D. Woodward Jr. W’81, a Professor of the Practice of International Relations at Boston University since 2015, has authored Spying: From the Fall of Jericho to the Fall of the Wall (Waynesburg University Press). He writes, ‘Spying is a comprehensive study of the history of intelligence activities from ancient times to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, with special attention to the American experience with espionage.’ In his book, John, a former Central Intelligence Agency operations officer and US Department of Defense official, drew on the pioneering scholarship of his colleague, the late Boston University professor Arthur Hulnick, who also served as a CIA intelligence officer.”
On December 6, 2023, Jeff Kaufman, Beta Pi ’80, hosted an annual cocktail party and dinner for 23 Beta Pi alumni at the Redeye Grill in Manhattan.
Once again, the Redeye Grill provided Beta Pi with the premier location within the restaurant for the occasion. In the front room, featuring a full-glass wall for viewing, the Beta Pi faithful had a grand view of 7th Avenue. This time, the weather cooperated; it was clear and brisk weather outside while the Beta Pi alumni enjoyed the warmth of the indoor temperature as well as the warmth of renewing their life-long friendships.
The cocktail hour conversation fell heavily on a discussion pertaining to Liz Magill, President of the University of Pennsylvania, and the impact she had on Penn. At this time, she had already appeared before the Congressional committee investigating the rise of antisemitism on college campuses but had not yet resigned. The consensus was that she had made a string of unpopular decisions that has thrust the University of Pennsylvania into the national spotlight in an unfavorable way. In addition, the world looked on as she answered the committee’s questions with what some people described as a smirk (perhaps showing her contempt for the committee?) or a smile as she explained that advocating genocide of the Jewish people is contextually permissible.
Dinner was served at two round tables seating 11 or 12. Over a menu featuring a guacamole starter, appetizers of salad and calamari, entrée choices of salmon, chicken, and pasta, and dessert choices of delicious chocolate cake or cheesecake, brothers moved onto different topics of conversation.
Between courses, the subject matter was mainly about personal experiences, family, and business. It seemed four or five conversations were simultaneously going on at each table. If you were there, you could have learned how to barbecue steaks directly on the charcoal – no grill needed, Benjamin Netanyahu attended Cheltenham High School in the Philadelphia area, and which of your fraternity brothers was inducted into Serbian royalty as a Commander of the Royal order of Stefanovich/Lestari.
The one thing everyone agreed on is that they all were looking forward to this year’s dinner. As mentioned by Ross Weiner ‘80, Beta Pi Alumni Association President, “A good time was had by all.” Many brothers came from afar to enjoy the company of their life-long friends. Those brothers that made an extra effort to attend from a distance are given special recognition. In attendance were:
Buddy Altus ‘80
Eric Brodsky ‘81 (Boston)
John Feder ‘80
Mike Halpern ‘80 (California)
Dave Horing ‘81
Eric Morgenstern ‘81
Lawrence Orans ‘80
Paul Reszutek ‘76
Fred Rubin ‘80
Marc Rothman ‘82 (Philadelphia)
Greg Sembler ‘80 (Florida)
Bora Sila ‘80
Rob Stavis ‘81
Ross Weiner ‘80
Pete Gordon ‘82
Sam Weinstein ‘81 (Nashville)
Rob Oringer ‘79 (Florida)
Adam Amsterdam ‘79
Jeff Abramowitz ‘80 (California)
Steve Kreichman ‘79
Tom Brodie ‘81
Jeff Kaufman ‘80
Morty Cohen ‘65
Make it a point to attend the annual December 2024 dinner. Contact Jeff Kaufman at [email protected] to be placed on his personal invite list. When arrangements are made later this year, you will receive the information and first notice of the event.
A big thank you is extended to Jeff Kaufman for organizing this very special event. Make plans to attend. You will not be sorry.
The Beta Pi Alumni Association is pleased to announce that Founders Day 2024 is set forMarch 23, 2024. Once again, the occasion will be celebrated at the University Sheraton Hotel. The alumni association meeting and the meeting of the Alpha Phi Delta Housing Corp. will be scheduled at the Sheraton prior to the dinner.
Further information regarding times, costs to attend the dinner, and guest room rates at the Sheraton, can be found in this eLetter.
Shield & Diamond Announcement
The Pi Kappa Alpha Inter/National Fraternity has announced that the Shield and Diamond magazine will be issued twice each year in a larger format (i.e. additional pages). Previously, the Shield & Diamond had four issues each year.
Jeffrey Marrazzo Honored by Philadelphia Magazine
The November 2023 issue of Philadelphia magazine, in an article honoring the 150 Most Influential Philadelphians for 2023, named Jeff Marrazzo, Beta Pi ’97, as one of the 150 people that are “movers, shakers, power players and doers driving this burgeoning, vibrant region boldly into the future”.
Ranked as number 85 on the list, brother Marrazzo is described as “Gene-ius” with the following comment: “Stock: Mellowing out? Since exiting Spark, the co-founder and CEO is not only still engaged in advising bio-tech companies (board seats include Prime Medicine and Chroma Medicine, plus a just-announced appointment at CHOP); he seems to have the ear of Josh Shapiro on economic and business affairs as well.” Josh Shapiro is the Governor of Pennsylvania.
Also appearing in this issue of Philadelphia magazine as one of Philadelphia’s most influential is Katherine High. Ms. High was the leading scientist at Spark Therapeutics that developed Luxturna that earned the first FDA approval for “a gene therapy for an inherited disease”. For her work, she received an award from the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. Luxturna was developed when brother Marrazzo was CEO at Spark Therapeutics.
Mackler Family Receives Special Recognition for ALS Fundraiser
The October issue of the ALS United Mid-Atlantic (formerly the ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia) newsletter provides special recognition to Harvey Mackler, Beta Pi ’72, and the entire Mackler family, by showing a picture of brother Mackler and other members of the family, with the following message:
“Thank you, Mackler Family. On Sunday, November 5th, the Mackler family held their annual Scott A. Mackler 5K Run/Walk to benefit Assistive Technology for ALS families. Events like this make our programs possible.”
Scott Mackler, Beta Pi ’75, valiantly fought the debilitating effects of ALS for many years. Every year, the Mackler family organizes and manages this event. All proceeds of the event go toward ALS programming. The Mackler family personally pays for all costs associated with staging the event.
Controversy at Penn Updates
As reported in the Daily Pennsylvanian:
On November 15, 2023, the Daily Pennsylvanian reports that the former Governor of New Jersey and present candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. President, Chris Christie, called for President Liz Magill to be “fired without hesitation”.
On November 16, 2023, the Daily Pennsylvanian reports that the University of Pennsylvania is one of six schools of higher education being investigated under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 due to “alleged” instances of antisemitism on campus.
The same article stated that the Brandeis Center, a Jewish legal rights advocacy group, filed a federal complaint with the Department of Education that Penn failed to respond to the harassment of Jewish students.
Further antisemitic acts have occurred. Projections of antisemitic messages have appeared on campus buildings. Also, there was a theft of an Israeli flag that was being flown on a Campus Apartments property. The police arrested a Penn student who has allegedly called the Hamas attack of October 7 to be “glorious” and made her feel “empowered and happy”.
In addition, the Penn administration notified the FBI after “staff members received antisemitic threats targeting Jewish community members and naming Penn Hillel and Lauder College House”. The specific threats were not presented in the DP article. However, it was noted that Hillel House was inspected by the Penn security force, after consultation with the FBI, with bomb-sniffing dogs.
Alan G. Mnuchin, Beta Pi ’79, has become a valued asset as a financial advisor for new and old firms. Brother Mnuchin, brother to former United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, has proven to be a successful and influential investor and deal-maker on Wall Street.
Using the knowledge and wisdom he obtained from Wharton and from the University of Chicago where he earned his MBA, he rose to Vice President at Goldman Sachs. After stints at Bear Stearns Company and Lehman Brothers, he founded AGM Partners LLC, an investment bank, and later Arliam Group LLC, a merchant bank.
While maintaining his position at Arliam, he became the Chairman and CEO at Falcon Capital Acquisition Corp. II (Falcon). Falcon is recognized as a SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company), also known as a blank check company, a company formed and designed to effect a merger. By providing necessary capital to another company, Falcon becomes a partner with the other company. By doing so, the other company avoids having to raise funds by an IPO (Initial Public Offering).
In this instance, Falcon merged with Sharecare Inc., a digital health company that helps people manage all their medical information in one place. As described by Falcon when the “business combination” was approved, “Sharecare’s comprehensive and data-driven virtual health platform is designed to help people, providers, employers, health plans, government organizations, and communities optimize individual and population-wide well-being by driving positive behavior change”.
After the merger was completed, Brother Mnuchin became a member of the Board of Directors for Sharecare. Besides his financial endeavors and accomplishments, he is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Lung Cancer Research Foundation.
Congratulations and best wishes to brother Mnuchin on his many achievements and his future successes.
In what has now become an annual fundraising event, organized by Pi Kappa Alpha Inter/National Fraternity (PiKA Memphis), the PIKE Now Chapter Challenge (PIKE Now) for 2023 has come to a close with a record amount of dollar donations.
PIKE Now was initially created in 2020 as a fundraising event to deal with the negative effects of the COVID 19 virus on PiKA chapters across the nation. The success of that event and subsequent events warranted a 2023 PIKE Now. The donations received will provide PIKE University scholarships, bolstering Chapter Endowment Funds (CEF) for silent chapters to use after recolonization, and to fund PiKA initiatives and programs intended to develop personal and professional improvements in individual members. PiKA promotes members to develop lifelong fraternal friendships, create a culture of health and safety in PiKA chapters, promote DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) within PiKA chapters, and achieve operational excellence in our chapters.
PIKE Now 2023 set a personal goal to raise $450,000. With 197 chapters participating, $524,205 was raised, an increase of $115,000 above the total for 2022. Donations sent in by 28 Beta Pi brothers and two friends of Beta Pi totaled $13,142. This total ranked third among all chapters. Bruce Wolfson,Beta Pi ’71, ambassador/fundraiser for Beta Pi, was given credit for producing $12,469 in donations. His total ranked third of all the ambassadors/fundraisers.
Thanks to the generous support of our donors, Beta Pi received certain awards. Beta Pi was one of twenty chapters to receive a free 3-night stay at the Historic Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, for the Chapter Executives Conference in January 2024. In addition, Beta Pi was one of nine chapters to receive a free hotel stay at the Omni Hotel in Oklahoma City for the PiKA International Convention in August 2024.
Beta Pi’s total donations will be split evenly between PIKE University scholarships and PiKA Memphis fraternity programming. Those Beta Pi Brothers who so generously contributed toward the success of PIKE Now are:
Mark Bodner ’79 Joel Catania ’71 Morty Cohen ‘65
David Edman ’73 Thomas Fogarty ’81 Lawrence Gordon ‘72
Mitchell Karig ’76 Jeff Kaufman ’80 Jeffrey Kirstein ‘97
Joel Levine ‘’70 Scott Lohmann ’75 Harvey Mackler ‘72
David Meyer ’76 Adam Michaels ’97 Eric Morgenstern ‘81
Howard Myers ’59 Richard Myers ’69 Fred Rubin ‘80
Gary Sachs ’74 Bill Scott ’76 Stanley Serocca ‘66
Jeffrey Serota ’85 Edeward Shamy ’74 Robert Stavis ‘81
Richard Sussman ’69 Justin Wang ’22 Ken Widelitz ‘69
Bruce Wolfson 71
Friends of Beta Pi who contributed: James L. Green and Michele Acker
Steven G. Friedman, Beta Pi ’67, Donates Book Collection to Penn Libraries
Philadelphia Magazine Top Dentist
Interfraternal Giving Tuesday Competition
Jake Wieseneck Takes the Initiative
John D. Woodward Jr., Beta Pi ’78, Authors Book on American Espionage
The cocktail hour conversation fell heavily on a discussion pertaining to Liz Magill, President of the University of Pennsylvania, and the impact she had on Penn. At this time, she had already appeared before the Congressional committee investigating the rise of antisemitism on college campuses but had not yet resigned. The consensus was that she had made a string of unpopular decisions that has thrust the University of Pennsylvania into the national spotlight in an unfavorable way. In addition, the world looked on as she answered the committee’s questions with what some people described as a smirk (perhaps showing her contempt for the committee?) or a smile as she explained that advocating genocide of the Jewish people is contextually permissible.
Between courses, the subject matter was mainly about personal experiences, family, and business. It seemed four or five conversations were simultaneously going on at each table. If you were there, you could have learned how to barbecue steaks directly on the charcoal – no grill needed, Benjamin Netanyahu attended Cheltenham High School in the Philadelphia area, and which of your fraternity brothers was inducted into Serbian royalty as a Commander of the Royal order of Stefanovich/Lestari.
Shield & Diamond Announcement
Jeffrey Marrazzo Honored by Philadelphia Magazine
Controversy at Penn Updates 
