Sunday, August 17^th, 2025

Dear Brother’s,

I am taking this opportunity to express my gratitude to the membership of Tau Beta Iota Alumni Association for being nominated and then elected to the office of President of our association.  For me and those that have held this office, “It is an honor to serve Brother TBI’s.”

Officers’ Elected for the 2025-2026 Operational Year Include:

1. Mr. Kevin C. Iaconis, President
2. Mr. Marshall Lupo, Vice President
3. Mr. Jeffery L. Adams, Secretary
4. Mr. Gerald L. Johnson, Treasurer
5. Mr. David A. Roth, Special Liaison to the President
6. Mr. Charles T. Hillberry Jr., Historian

Scholarship Committee Composition:

1. Mr. Kevin C. Iaconis, Alumni President
2. Mr. Marshall Lupo, Alumni Vice President
3. Mr. Gerald L. Johnson, Scholarship Commitee President, Member at Large
4. Mr. Bradley W. Dobbins, Scholarship Commitee Vice President, Member at Large
5. Mr. David A. Roth, Member at Large
6. Faculty Advisor: Vacant

Our outgoing President Charles T. Hillberry Jr. has done an outstanding job in his role and tenure as President.  Many of the things that we have in place such as the Master Alumni List, Founders’ Day, TBIAN, Pledge Class Lists, and safeguarding of the “Sacred Relics” are just to name a few.  We as an organization would not have these things had sweat equity not been put into the recreation of what should have been common practice and communication between the active chapter and the alumni association through the years.  Great Job Chuck you have done Yeomans work, I thank you and commend you for staying on in the role of historian.

I have called an incoming president’s meeting for Thursday, August 21st, at 6:30 P.M.  The meeting will be held at the Highland Avenue United Methodist Church, 204 Highland Ave, Fairmont, WV, 26554.  Association Officers’ and Scholarship Committee Members have been informed. Any member wishing to attend may do so as this is an open meeting. 

The first topic on the agenda is updated processes for the TBI Turley / Wallman Scholarship.  These process revisions are being driven by FSU’s Office of Financial Aid and requested by Fairmont State Foundation Inc. After my meeting with foundation representatives, it is imperative that our scholarship committee review my proposals and decide on a course of action as there is a change of submission dates for scholarship awardees.  This concerns Founder’s Day activity scheduling and our February monthly meeting.

The second topic on the agenda is the 2026 schedule of events for the 100th Convention. Dates of the convention are Friday, July 31st and Saturday, August 1st of 2026.  At the annual meeting the membership voted to hold the convention at the Fairmont Field Club.  Marshall Lupo and I have a meeting with Sarah Yost manager of the Fairmont Field Club on Tuesday, August 19th, 2025, to go over services, contracts, and guest capacity for events. This being the 100th convention I suspect that there will be a large turnout of members and their spouses.  For us to plan this event it is imperative that we receive accurate attendance numbers early in the planning process.  If you know that you will attend or are planning to attend, please let us know now even though we are a year out from the event so we can start the guest list to receive preliminary numbers.

I am going to mention the results of the vote that we called for regarding the future of the convention and of Tau Beta Iota Alumni Association as an organization.  My intent is to clear up confusion as to the alumni association’s future status. 

The 1st vote called for the convention in 2026 (100th Year) to be the last convention. The vote passed.  There will be no more conventions coordinated and held by Tau Beta Iota Alumni Association in the future unless the entirety of the membership elects to change this by written ballot.

The 2nd vote called for was to completely shut down the alumni association. It failed.  Thus, the Course of Action (COA) selected by the membership was COA 1 for a “No Vote”.  Our bimonthly meeting schedule remains unchanged, and we shall have an annual business meeting to pass any motions that need the consent of the membership.

COA 1 for a “No Vote” States: “Do nothing.  Continue to operate as a functioning organization that does not need recreating in the future.  All offices and accounts stay in place.  We remain a placeholder, presence, and information source for our Alumni Brother’s.  Reinstate the “Elimination Dinner” as a fund raiser to support the organization with a portion of the monies going to the Turley Wallman Scholarship to grow the Corpus.  Thus, increasing the award amounts to future applicants.  Thus, Tau Beta Iota Alumni Association becomes the sole scholarship body to safeguard the decision-making process of the scholarship contract.  This Course of Action becomes the limit to which the organization’s continued existence depends.”

Our association will continue to operate in the future though slightly leaner than before.  Our presence will remain at Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community and Technical College.  I have taken the liberty of creating a new officers’ position within our association.  Mr. Dave Roth accepted my offer to become the Special Liaison to the President of Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community and Technical College.  In his capacity each administrator will have a go to TBI Alumni that knows our organization and what our best interests are.  And how can our organization serve the best interests of both institutions.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message.

Fraternally,

Mr. Kevin C. Iaconis, Fall 81

President, Tau Beta Iota Alumni Association