Written By: Chris Carter Sigma Pi Fraternity announces Patrick Patterson, Kevin Pons, Neil Thorsbakken, Joseph Turck have been hired to fill the new positions of Regional Director for Chapter Services.
The Regional Director is broadly charged with strategically and sustainably growing and developing Sigma Pi in number and strength in one of four Sigma Pi regions as well as working closely with those chapters to increase average chapter size for the Fraternity. They will serve as the primary contact for their chapters, alumni associations, house corporations, host institutions, and members within each established geographic region. Regional Directors will reside in their respective region.
“We’re raising the bar on the level of service we’ll be able to deliver to our undergraduate chapters, alumni clubs, and host institutions,” said Michael Ayalon, Executive Director. “Our new Regional Directors are all dedicated members of Sigma Pi that have backgrounds in higher education and business that will help grow our chapters, develop deeper relationships with our alumni, and create stronger connections with our universities. They will also live in the regions that they serve, so they will be able to react faster and be more responsive to the needs of our members. We couldn’t be happier to see these brothers step up and take the challenge, it will have a significant impact on our organization.”
Patrick Patterson (Theta-Rho, Grand Valley State ’08) has a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis with a concentration in Student Affairs from the University of Missouri. Most recently he served as an academic advisor at the University of Missouri for over 460 sports management students. His background also includes residence hall coordinator at Missouri and graduate assistant for fraternity and sorority life at St. Cloud State University. Honors include STAR Award for Resident Life’s Academic Persistence Program at Missouri and Case Study Winner at Mid-America Greek Council Association.
Kevin Pons (Eta-Omega, Johnson & Wales ’06) has a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Delaware. Most recently he served as Assistant Director of Residential Education for Fraternity and Sorority Affairs at Bucknell University. His background also includes graduate assistant to the Director of Student Centers and leadership research assistant at Delaware. He has presented on fraternity and student affairs topics at Sigma Pi Mid-Year Leadership Conference, Province workshops, Bucknell University and the University of Delaware.
Neil Thorsbakken (Theta-Omega, Middle Tennessee ’08) has a Bachelor of Science in Recording Industry from Middle Tennessee State University. He has previously served as Senior Midwest Educational Leadership Consultant and Senior Expansion Consultant for Sigma Pi. He has served as Chapter Director for Theta-Omega Chapter since 2010 and president of the Theta-Omega Alumni Association since 2009. Honors have included Sigma Pi Consultant of the Year and Theta-Omega Alumnus of the Year.
Joseph Turck (Delta-Omega, Southern Illinois, Edwardsville ’98) has a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and has 15 years of management experience. Most recently he has served as store manager for a midwest area audio and gaming retail company. He served four years as Chapter Director for Delta-Omega Chapter (SIUE) and has served as Central Missouri Province Archon since 2003. He has served on various international Sigma Pi committees and was chartering president of the 1897 Alumni Association. Honors include Delta-Omega Chapter Alumnus of the Year.
While chapters have not yet been specified, Patterson will be based in the Midwest, Pons on the West Coast, Thorsbakken in the South and Turck in the Northeast.
Sigma Pi Fraternity was founded in 1897 at Vincennes University, in Vincennes, Indiana. Our headquarters is located in Brentwood, Tennessee. The Fraternity is one of the top men’s collegiate organizations in North America, with more than 120 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada. With nearly 95,000 alumni and 5,300 undergraduates; our men strive for excellence by living our core values to promote fellowship, develop character and leadership, advance heightened moral awareness, enable academic achievement, and inspire service. Sigma Pi is the only Greek letter organization with an international philanthropic program, The ACE Project, specifically designed to give back to our host institutions.