HOMETOWN LIFE, PICKING OWU
Bill Rowland, more often known as “Billy R.” by his brothers, was raised within a stone’s throw of Delaware and didn’t even know that OWU existed until he enrolled. Bill was raised in Sunbury, about l0 miles due east of Delaware. He attended BigWalnutHigh School where he was A very active young man. Bill was the captain of his basketball team and he was also film tam all league; he also starred in track. He was involved in many class activities including the school yearbook, band and national honor society and graduated as class valedictorian with a perfect 40 GPA!
All though he had no intention of going to college, his father had other ideas, and so with dad’s prodding, Bill looked for a college and enrolled at Bowling Green. “Not so,” said dad, who insisted he find a small private school. Bill applied M OWU’ and was immediately accepted, receiving a tuition grant, probably in no small pan due to that 4.0 Gap! As Bill now says, “What a great stroke of luck it was for me to come to OWU for the most wonderful experience of my life.”
BETA EXPEDIENCES
Upon arrival at OWU, Bill and a Sunbury buddy, john Burner ’68, were both rushed by Beta. Both were impressed with the upperclassmen and the house and were quickly pledged. Bill has fond memories of his early impressions of Beta and of the very. strong outstanding upperclassmen: Tom Sanders ’66 (who later became Bill’s. Big Brother, John Richards ’66, Dick Gustely ’67 (deceased), John Enfinger ’68 (a football player who still lives in his hometown of Marysville, where he has a career in law) and Rich Amendola ’67, just to name a few.
“These Were Outstanding Men, who gave much to Beta and TO the brothers, and it is with found memories that I recall these experiences in the Beta house. In fact, the best thing about the fraternity was living in the house.”
The new Beta house had only been opened two or three years before bill arrived. “The house was beautiful, and we treated it with pride. Oh, we did our share of horseplay, but we always had respect for the house, and we knew the meaning of cleanup with spit and polish — and recognized that treating the house as our own home was a commitment we each shared-. “The house holds Many fond memories for Bill “… just living in the house, having some great guys to be a part of your life and enjoying many happy memories for cards, ping pong, pool and a few hours of television .. not to forget the hours of hitting the books, Singing fraternity songs was still somewhat popular, although the ’60s were probably the time when singing, was on the decline — and in fact, never has returned to play the role in fraternity life it had played in the previous several decades.”
Mama Linn, housemother from the ’30s, through the early ’60s, had retired before Bill’s arrival, and her place had been tilled my ‘mom’ Stewart who lived in the beta house apartment while looking After her “boys.”
“We had over 80 in the house and of the 35 in our pledge class, 33 were initiated,” said Bill with a proud smile, “What a great bunch… and I still have strong relationships with many, including Chuck Underwood, Marty haskell, John -B”, Larry Plum and Don Cooper to name a few. There was always something to do, and always someone who was willing to do it with you… we had a wry diversified group and that was a very rounding part of our experience in the house,”
Bill was kitchen steward for two years, but spent most of his few moments of spare time playing varsity basketball, lettering in his Continued, next page.
junior and senior years. During his freshman year he played on the junior vanity basketball team when Barry Cleamons, a senior, was starring for the varsity. Barry earned honors himself and OWN as little All-American and later played in the NBA for the Knicks, Bulls and Cass. His varsity sports experiences were under basketball coach Frank Shannon and bob Strymer as athletic director.
CAMPUS LIFE
Outstanding faculty during Bill’s years at own included professors Grimes and Woltemonty (economics) Stanky (math) and, of course, Ruth Davits (English), all of whom left lasting impressions on their students.
The MUB was a very busy student union and became the center for social gatherings along with a couple of local spots, including The Brown Jug, which was still located on Sandusky Street across from C.J. WiLson’s (Of course). The MUB, fraternities and sororities were the center of students’ social life; about 65 percent of the student body were Greek.
“We still had freshmen dinks, mandatory chapel, a fine theater series wonderful programs in Gray Chapel, including big bands, musical concerts and outstanding speakers, such as Mayor Sensenbrenner of Columbus, who made a special impression on Bill.
CAREER
Following graduation from OWU with cum Laude honors, Bill received his MBA from Wharton in 1971. He then served Bank One Trust for five years as investor officer and five years with Physician Insurance Co. of Ohio as vice president and treasurer. He then moved on to Midland Mutual life Insurance as vice president and Chief investment officer. Bill took his current position in 1993 with Microcom. microcom Corporation, where he saws as president and CEO. Microcom Corporation, founded in 1982, is a manufacturer of direct thermal and thermal transfer printers located about five miles north of Worthington’s intersection of 1-270 and State Route #23.
Bill has one of the longest periods of service of any of our alumni (other than Bob mauck ’48 perhaps) on the Theta House Corporation, having served several times as its president since becoming active in 1973. Most recently, he was president in the ’90s until 1997. Bill has been loyal to Theta chapter during his 25 years on the house Corporation, serving during periods of undergraduate greatness as well as during several years of great difficulty. It was dining Bill’s leadership that the difficulties, of the house in the ’80s were faced; the chapter had fallen to some very low points. Bill praised Bob Mauck ’48, Stan Van Buren ’52 and Bob Wyant ‘5O for their help with the recovery of the chapter. Don Bishop from the OWU faculty Was activated and helped in many ways, plus Bill received outstanding support from Beta national officials, including Vice President Pete Barnhart and
suspended, but it was placed into a state of “transition,” and into the hands of the alumni during that period. “the charter for Theta remained intact and was never “pulled,” so we still have a continuous chapter at OWU dating back to 1853 and will be able to have our 150th celebration in the year 2003. “We had four underclassmen that was all– and with that nucleus and the help of many, we returned the chapter to lift and have seen it grow back to the proud chapter it is today,” Bill recalled with justifiable pride.
FAMILY
Bill ha a daughter, Christy, an OWU grad from the class of ‘95, and two sons, Dan, a junior at Emory University (Phi Delta Theta) and Mike, a sophomore at Bexley High School.
ADDRESS
BiII’s address will soon change as he will be moving to a new home on 14 acres located a little north of Sunbury. There he will be joined by his soon-to-be bride, Dec- dee Scott, whom he met at the golf Club Groveport. Bill can be reached at his microcom office, 614-548-6262, or you can send e-mail to to browland@miecrocorpp.com, His current street address is 1551 8 Olive Green Rd.„ Centerberg, OH43011; phone, 740-625-5034.
SALUTE
Bill Rowland represents the best of the Theta chapter alumni. He is a loyal supporter, an active officer., a member of the House Corporation and a brother who can be counted on when the chips art down. Others have always depended on his strength to support their needs. It is because of Bill Rowland that Theta chapter is today the proud group of young men whom we take great pride in calling brothers, and we all— alumni and undergrads a like — say to you, Billy R,
THANK GOD YOU’RE A BETA.”
Bill Rowland
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