Beechwood Educational Foundation – Donor Profile
During his high school senior year in South Bend, IN, Harry Lamberson’s friend, David “Dingles” Dunlap (Zeta 1963, who passed “ad astra” in 2020) encouraged him to consider the I.U. fraternity system. Mr. and Ms. Lamberson were not overly receptive to their son exploring Greek life, so David’s parents were summoned to help “tip the scales” in support of Harry pledging Zeta Chapter in 1961.
Brother Lamberson earned his FIJI nickname “Hairs” due to his thick head of hair. The nickname is still apropos today, as you can see in the photo. Brother Hairs was voted Most Outstanding Freshman by his pledge brothers and was also elected to serve as Chapter Treasurer in the 2nd semester of his Sophomore year. His excellent service as Treasurer led to him being asked to serve again in that role for a semester during his Senior year. Brother Lamberson also played IM football and table tennis during his days at Beechwood on Third Street. He was also Zeta Chapter’s 1965 nominee for the National Wilkinson Award and served as President of the Blue Key Men’s Honorary.
One of Harry’s proudest moments was watching the FIJI bike team capture the 1965 Little 500 race while he was serving on the IU Foundation Steering Committee with Pledge Brother Jim Gothard (Zeta 1965). After graduating with a degree in Economics and a minor in Government, Brother Lamberson attended the University of Michigan School of Law, where he met his wife Susan (Kappa Kappa Gamma).
Brother Lamberson practiced law for 30 years for Chapman and Cutler in Chicago, reaching the level of Managing Partner. A client offered him the opportunity to work in a firm focused on domestic and international options and futures trading and private equity investments, where he worked for several years. Harry started the Lamberson Consulting Group in 2002, which is focused on legal consulting, where he still advises clients today. Harry and Susan raised their three children in Lake Forest, IL, and all three are successful business professionals.
Brother Hairs organizes and participates in reunions of his pledge class, which take place every 5 years, and they recently celebrated their 55-year reunion. Harry is proud to proclaim that every living member of his pledge class made a Beechwood Second Century Campaign pledge to support the construction of the new Zeta Chapter house at 431 N. Woodlawn. He and Susan split their time between homes in Lake Forest, IL and on Marco Island, where he enjoys golf and backwater fishing in the Florida Everglades. Harry is active in the Southwest Florida FIJI Graduate Chapter, and frequently gets together with Brother Jim Gothard, Brother Ned Pfau (Zeta 1965) and Brother Dwight Tigges (Zeta 1965), as they all spend time in the Naples/Marco Island area.
Brothers can connect with Brother Lamberson via email (hplamberson@aol.com) and by phone at (847) 561-8639.
November 2023
Andrew “Denzel” Bruns, Class of 2016
As a senior at Carmel High School in Carmel, IN, Brother Bruns learned of Phi Gamma Delta and Zeta Chapter through Brothers Tyler “Blade” Zipes (Zeta 2014) and Adam “Smug” Burns (Zeta 2014). Brother Zipes was Rush Chairman and invited Andrew down for a weekend, where he received a bid to join the pledge class of 2012.
Brother Bruns’ smile and mannerisms reminded his pledge brothers of actor Denzel Washington, and the nickname was born. During his time at Zeta, Brother Denzel served as Pledge Educator, House Manager and Chapter President. He was also a member of the FIJI intramural basketball team that won the All-Campus Championship in 2016. He participated in the IU Dance Marathon and was also Vice President of SCOMA (Supply Chain and Operations Management Association) in the Kelley School of Business.
Andrew received his BS degree in Management and Supply Chain Management from Kelley and went to work at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Pittsburgh, PA. He earned his MBA from the Katz School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh. He currently serves as Buyer of Men’s Apparel for the Under Armour® brand at Dick’s. Denzel and his wife Libby (IU Alpha Chi Omega) live in suburban Pittsburgh where they continue to avidly follow IU basketball.
Denzel keeps in touch with many of his FIJI pledge brothers through a fantasy football league and numerous group trips. He can hang with Brother Slater “Timber” Long (Zeta 2016) on occasion, since Brother Long also lives in Pittsburgh.
We are proud to have Brother Bruns as a member of the Beechwood Educational Foundation (BEF) Trustee team. Brothers can connect with Brother Bruns via LinkedIn.
October 2023
Taylor “Cream” Hougland, Class of 2008
Brother Hougland learned of the reputation of Zeta Chapter during his senior year at Homestead High School in Ft. Wayne, IN. A neighbor was the president of Kappa Alpha Theta at IU, and she introduced him to Brothers Tom Horton (Zeta 1966) and Tom Kimbrough (Zeta 1977), who referred him to another Fort Wayne Zeta, Brother John Westfall, MD (Zeta 1975), whose son, Rob Westfall (Zeta 2006), was serving as Rush Chairman. From there Brother Hougland earned a bid to pledge Zeta FIJI in 2004.
Brother Hougland was both a Pledge Educator and Chapter President during his days at Zeta and was active on campus, serving on the Board of Aeons, Executive Committee of the Interfraternity Council, Investment Banking Workshop, and Indiana University Dance Marathon. He was the recipient of the Wilkinson Award in 2008, which is the highest honor the national fraternity bestows on an undergraduate brother.
Taylor received his undergraduate degree in Finance and earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, with concentrations in Finance, Strategy, Marketing, and Organizational Management. He began his career as an analyst for mergers & acquisitions at UBS Investment Bank. He continued his career as a private equity investment associate at Hammond Kennedy Whitney, and then as Chief Financial Officer of one of its portfolio companies. Taylor since joined Whirlpool Corporation in 2013, where he has served in roles of increasing responsibility in both Europe and the U.S., most recently serving as the Sr. Director of Laundry Merchandising, North America. Taylor’s career has been blessed to have received support, counsel, and advice of Zeta Phi Gams, including Brothers Jeff Fettig (1979), John Morris (1982), David Haeberle (1983), Joe Lower (1990), Justin Friesen (1994), Jeff Akers (1997), David Schuppan (1997), Brad Morehead (1998), Will Haughey (2004), and Brendy Lange (2005).
Brother Hougland and his wife Madeline (IU and Kappa Kappa Gamma alum) currently reside in Saint Joseph, MI, and enjoy their time on the tennis court and following IU Hoosier basketball. Madeline’s father, Richard Bond (1975) and grandfather, James Bond Jr., also Zeta FIJI graduates. Taylor also keeps in regular contact with numerous brothers from his time in the house, including Mark Bower, Art King, Will Wright, Matt & Aaron Stoltz, Kyle Ems, Kyle Veatch, Mark Foster, AJ Barbato, John Rapp, John Reno, Stu Bannister, Michael Farless, John Zink, Brandon Ehrhardt, Nate Schnader, Mike Kasprzyk, Ben Troutman, and Andrew Dickson.
Brothers can connect with Brother Hougland via LinkedIn or personal email: taylor.hougland@gmail.com.
June 2023
Jeff “Boomer” Fettig, Class of 1979
Brother Fettig arrived in Bloomington and at Zeta Chapter in the fall of 1975 from his hometown in Tipton, IN. His two older sisters told him the only place to consider pledging was at 631 E. Third Street, and his connection to fellow Tipton native Whit Grayson (Zeta Class of 1977) was another factor. He played several intramural sports as a member of Zeta Chapter, and once his pledge brothers saw him “boom” a punt during a preseason practice, the nickname was established. Brother Fettig also was elected as President of Zeta Chapter in 1978. “Boomer” also served in several leadership roles on campus, including as a member of the IU Foundation.
He graduated from IU with a degree in Finance and followed that up with earning an MBA in Bloomington. Boomer and his wife Marcia (Alpha Phi) raised their two children Jay and Anne Elise in the Midwest, and Jay also earned his MBA from IU.
Boomer joined the Whirpool Corporation in 1981 and had a long and successful business career with that organization. He retired after serving as Chairman and CEO from 2004 to 2018. He now lives in St. Joseph, MI and enjoys time on the golf course and chasing his seven grandchildren. His connection to Zeta Chapter has never ended. For over 45 years he’s participated in the “Dick the Dog” Memorial golf outing in Bloomington, and for 21 consecutive years Boomer and Marcia have hosted 16 Zeta FIJIs for the “Big Dog” golf weekend in Michigan. Additionally, for each of the past 25 years they have participated in an “Adults Spring Break” in Florida and Boomer has spearheaded an annual golf trip to Scotland with fellow Zeta FIJIs Craig Colville, MD (Zeta 1979), Tom Backoff (Zeta 1981) and Nick Willett (Zeta 2010).
Brother Fettig also served as Honorary Co-Chairman of the Beechwood Second Century Campaign beginning in 2014, which led to the creation of the new Chapter House at 431 N. Woodlawn. When asked what drives him to support to the Beechwood Educational Foundation to this day, Jeff commented “Zeta Chapter had been in existence for over 100 years before I pledged, and when I thought about what the Zeta FIJIs before me had done to provide me with the opportunity to experience true brotherhood and keep the right focus on academics in addition to campus involvement, I wanted to make sure to ‘pass it on’ and ‘pay it forward’ to support future Zeta FIJIs.”
Brothers can connect with Jeff via email at jmmfettig@gmail.com.
January 2023
Jeff “Fender” Akers, Class of 1997
Brother Akers arrived in Bloomington and at Zeta Chapter in the fall of 1993 from his hometown in Wilton, CT. During his time at Beechwood, he played intramural flag football, volleyball, soccer and softball, and also served on the cabinet as Corresponding Secretary. “Fender” also served in several leadership roles on campus as President of the Student Recreational Sports Association (SRSA) and as a member of the Dean of Students Advisory Council.
Jeff graduated from IU with a degree in Finance, and shortly after beginning his professional career as an investment banker in Nashville, TN, he married his IU sweetheart Julie (Alpha Chi Omega). He and Julie are proud parents of three daughters, and their oldest daughter has followed in her parents’ footsteps and is currently an IU student (and member of Kappa Alpha Theta) in Bloomington.
After moving to the Chicago area Brother Akers earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern and has worked at Adams Street Partners, a global private equity manager, for over 15 years. His current position is Partner and Head of Secondary Investments, and he serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. He enjoys golf, and occasionally hits the links in Hinsdale with Brothers Howard “Zach” Bergdoll (Zeta, 1984) and Doug “Chumley” Elmore (Zeta, 1984). Brother Akers also is connected personally and professionally with other Zeta FIJI graduate brothers living in the metro Chicago area.
Reflecting on his days at Beechwood, in addition to the brotherhood and unity that was established immediately within his pledge class and that continues to this day, one of Fender’s most indelible memories was supporting the 1995 Little 500 championship bike team and meeting Lance Armstrong when he stopped by the Chapter house at 631 East Third Street. When asked what compelled him to contribute to the Beechwood Educational Foundation in 2022 to help support the establishment of a videoconferencing system, Jeff commented “I saw it as an opportunity to give back, as Zeta was a big part of my college experience, shaped my character, and I am still connected to many Zeta FIJIs today. I am also proud of the fact that there are several Brothers currently in the house that hail from Hinsdale!”
Brothers can look to connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.
