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J. Gorman Houston Jr.: (Honorary Chairman)
Gorman Houston is a native of Eufaula, Alabama. His father and his brother are also Beta Theta initiates.
At Auburn, Gorman was President of the freshman class, a member of Squires and other honoraries, and served the chapter as Lt. Commander.
After completing his undergraduate work in three years, Gorman enrolled in law school at Tuscaloosa and served Theta chapter as Rush Chairman during his freshman year of law school. His law school career included many honors including Presidency of the Senior Class.
Judge Houston practiced law in Eufaula from 1960 to 1985 and served numerous organizations as an officer or a board member. In 1985, he was elected to the Alabama Supreme Court from which he retired in 2005 as Chief Justice.
He currently is a partner with the firm of Lightfoot, Franklin, and White.
Judge Houston and his wife, Martha, have two children and three grand children. |
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Maury Gaston: (General Chairman)
Maury graduated in 1982 with a mechanical engineering degree and has had a 26-year career in sales and marketing with the American Cast Iron Pipe Company. He spent 15 years out of state in New York, Florida, California, and Texas, and has been home for 11 years. Upon his return, Maury joined the House Corporation and succeeded Dick Mullins upon Dick's retirement as President in 2004. In 2007, Maury was recognized at College of Chapters in Lexington as the national House Corporation Officer of the Year. Maury also serves as Fund Development Chair for the College of Engineering Alumni Engineering Council.
While at Auburn, Maury was Recorder and Treasurer and received the chapter's E. Meade Wilson award in 1982. He is married to the former Nancy Runyan and they have a six-year-old daughter, Alison. |
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Cary Chandler: (Vice Chairman)
A Beta Theta Commander in '81, Cary has over 25 years of successful leadership experience in a broad range of business fields. He has successfully launched five start-up ventures and has been responsible for sales and marketing for large and small firms in 55 countries around the world. He and Suzanne (Lawrence) have four children (one now at AU) and reside in his hometown of Carrollton, GA. |
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Howard Nelson: (Vice Chairman)
Howard B. Nelson, Jr. graduated from Auburn University in 1969 with a BS degree in Business Administration.
Howard retired from Colonial Properties Trust in 2004, where he served as Chief Financial Officer. In 2006, Howard formed H. Nelson & Associates, LLC, which provides consulting services to companies developing, managing, and financing commercial real estate.
He currently serves on the AU College of Business Advisory Council (Chair 2004-2006), AU College of Business Capital Campaign Committee, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Supporters Board, and Business Council of Alabama PAC Board of Directors.
Howard resides in Birmingham, Alabama. He is married to Carolyn J. Nelson (Auburn '70). They have four children: Howard B. Nelson, III (wife-Jennifer Wood Nelson - AU '00), L. Bentley Nelson, Dr. James W. Samford - AU '99 (wife-Dr. Abnous Abbey Samford), and Christopher Samford.
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Courtland Williams: (Vice Chairman)
Courtland is a Tuscaloosa native and attended Auburn from 1998 - 2002, serving the chapter as Chaplain. He and his wife, Kaitlyn, live in downtown Birmingham, and Courtland is a Financial Advisor and Assistant Branch Manager for Morgan Keegan. Courtland is the host for a monthly luncheon of Sigma Nus in Birmingham. Contact him for more information if you'd like to come. |
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W. Bailey Bowline: (Area Chairman)
I have been in Cumming, Georgia for the past twenty six years where I have started two businesses and continue to be active in Precision Millworks, Inc. which produces windows, doors and speciality millwork products. We have customers in twenty nine states and I travel to meet with them regularly. I have met Sigma Nu's from eleven chapters. I am always proud to tell them I am from Beta Theta at Auburn.
I cherish the time and the lasting friendships I have enjoyed through my association with Sigma Nu. I encourage all brothers to participate in our effort to ensure that our chapter continues the heritage and tradition Beta Theta has enjoyed over the years. |
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Sonny Cone: (Area Chairman)
Sonny Cone served the chapter as Commander in 1971 - 1972, and was graduated that spring with a degree in Finance. He is a Montgomery native and resides there now with his wife, Nancy. They are the parents of two sons, Matthew and Brian.
Sonny is President of The Cone Insurance Company, and he has served Huntingdon College in their recently successful capital campaign. |
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Robert S. Craft: (Area Chairman)
Robert and his family are long time residents of Gulf Shores, Alabama. Robert graduated from Foley High School and attended Auburn University, majoring in Agriculture Economics.
Robert S. Craft is the owner of "Craft Farms" which is located in Gulf Shores, Alabama. He is actively involved in the growth and development of Baldwin County. Craft Farms is comprised of two Arnold Palmer designed golf courses, a Courtyard by Marriott hotel, Cypress Point Condominiums and a 1,800-acre turf grass farm.
He is presently a Gulf Shores City Councilman, Chairman of the Board for the Gulf Coast Region of Colonial Bank, and a member of the Colonial Bank State Board in Montgomery. He is also a member of the AIUA (Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association).
Robert and his wife of 33 years, Beth, have two children, Mitchell and Libby. Mitchell is an Auburn University graduate and owns the "Down Under Dive Shop" in Gulf Shores. Libby recently graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and is currently working in California. |
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Gary W. Davis: (Area Chairman)
Gary is a 1984 Accounting graduate. While at Auburn, he served Beta Theta as Rush Chairman.
Gary is currently the Branch Manager and Senior Vice-President of Investments for Morgan-Keegan in Huntsville. He and his wife, the former Mary Beth Flynn have two children. Taylor is a Sigma Nu sophomore at Auburn, and Katie is a sophomore at Huntsville High. |
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Thomas M. Glanton: (Area Chairman)
Thomas (Tom) M. Glanton, Beta Theta 1891, is married to the former Kelly Garrett who was a Beta Theta Little Sister. They have three children: Pete, 17; Grace, 16; and Bess, 14. Pete will be a freshman at Auburn in the fall of 2008.
Tom served as Scholarship Chairman and Sentinel while an active Sigma Nu at Auburn University. He was graduated with a degree in Finance in 1986.
Tom attended Auburn on an Army ROTC scholarship and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in The United States Army in June of 1985. He served almost five years on active duty in the Army, obtaining the rank of Captain.
Tom and Kelly reside in his hometown of Carrollton, Georgia, where he is a Vice President at J. Smith Lanier & Co., serving as a commercial insurance agent. |
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Walter E. Hargrove, Jr.: (Area Chairman)
Walter Hargrove has served as House Corporation Treasurer many years. He is a native of Montgomery, and was graduated from Auburn in 1965 with a degree in Business.
While at Auburn, Walter and Girault Jones, Beta Theta 1223 of Grenada, Mississippi, selected, transported, and placed the rock that remains today at our chapter house.
Walter and his wife, Marian, reside in Montgomery and have two children and one grandchild, six month old Lydia Franks. Walter is a Senior Vice-President with Colonial Bank and has recently served as President of the Montgomery Lion's Club. |
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Patrick L. W. Sefton: (Area Chairman)
A 1993 Auburn graduate and native of Huntsville, Alabama, Pat is a partner in the Montgomery law firm of Sasser, Sefton, Connally, Tipton, and Davis. While at Auburn, Pat served the chapter as an officer and the university as SGA President. Pat is also a member of Spades, Auburn's most distinguished male honorary (outside of Sigma Nu). Pat has served the House Corporation for six years, and also serves in leadership roles at church and throughout the community. |
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Carl C. Sharpe: (Area Chairman)
Carl is currently retired after a 36 year career with Ciba-Geigy as National Sales Director and Corporate Accounts Director. Carl currently lives in Birmingham, Alabama, on the golf course at Greystone with wife, Janice, of 39 years. Carl can be found splitting his time between Perdido Key, Weiss Lake, Tyn Tymes, and the golf course. Carl and Janice have a daughter who graduated from Auburn University, married, and has two daughters of her own. Their son graduated from Auburn University and is also a member of Sigma Nu. |
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Jim Sprayberry: (Area Chairman)
Jim is an Auburn native and Auburn High graduate of 1970. He completed his undergraduate degree at Auburn in three years and then received his law degree from Alabama in 1977. Jim returned to Auburn to practice law and served as Chapter Advisor from 1979 - 1989. Jim and his wife, the former Patti Waldrip, have twin children. His son, Jeb, is a freshman Sigma Nu and his daughter is a Kappa Delta, both at Auburn. |
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Michael F. Swick: (Area Chairman)
Michael Swick was initiated in 1967. He has retired several times, and keeps being hired to replace himself. He is currently serving as vice-President and General Counsel for the American Kennel Club in New York City. He and his wife, Jamye, an Auburn Phi Mu, reside in Duluth, Georgia. |
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Dr. E. Gaines Thomas: (Area Chairman)
Dr. Thomas is a pediatric dentist in Mobile, Alabama. Gaines graduated from Auburn University in 1972 and the University of Alabama School of Dentistry in 1976. Gaines has been happily married to Linda Pritchett Thomas (Kappa Delta at Auburn) for 33 years. They have three sons, Gaines, Jr., Wilson, and Carter, all three are Beta Theta Sigma Nu alumni. Gaines is active in St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Mobile, Alabama. Dr. Thomas also serves as Vice-President of Alabama Dental Association. |
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K. Ted Wilson: (Area Chairman)
Ted Wilson is a native of Auburn and a 1964 Business graduate. His wife, Gina, is a native of Troy, Alabama, and a graduate of Troy State University. They have two children and three grandchildren.
After being graduated from Auburn, Ted had a commercial banking career, returning to Auburn in 1973 as President of a local bank. He was immediately became President of our chapter's House Corporation and served in that capacity for seven years. It was during this time under Ted's leadership and direction that the previous house at our current location underwent a major renovation in the summer of 1975.
In 1981, Ted founded The Wilson Investment Group. His financial planning firm currently includes four Certified Financial Planners and three full time support personnel. His office is located on the corner of South Gay Street and East Magnolia, exactly where the late, great Kopper Kettle stood.
For the past 35 years, Ted has held numerous leadership roles in the Auburn community. He recently retired from the Auburn City Council after serving for 10 years, and was soon thereafter appointed to the City of Auburn Industrial Development Board.
Ted has been a faithful and effective servant to Beta Theta chapter and the Auburn community. |
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John R. Burgess Jr.: (Chapter Advisor)
John has faithfully and effectively served as Chapter Advisor for the past 12 years. In 2004, he was recognized at the St. Louis Grand Chapter as national Chapter Advisor of the Year.
John has recently retired from Auburn's Admissions office where he helped thousands of students navigate their way into Auburn academics. He and his wife, Betty, have two grown children, Elizabeth deGraffenried Burgess and John Robert Burgess, III. Like their parents, they are members of Kappa Delta and Sigma Nu, respectively, and are both Auburn graduates and residents of Birmingham. |
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Bobby Lowder: (House Corporation Officer)
Bobby Lowder has served Beta Theta in many ways down through the years. As an undergraduate, he served as Treasurer prior to graduating with high honors in 1964.
Bobby was active in the fraternity construction project 12 years ago and has been a long-serving and faithful member of the House Corporation.
He has served the university as President of the Auburn Alumni Association from 1979 - 1980 and as a Trustee since 1983.
Bobby is founder and Chairman of Colonial BancGroup, Inc., and he and his wife Charlotte reside in Montgomery. |
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Will Searcy: (House Corporation Officer)
Will is Beta Theta 2430 and a native of Enterprise. He served the chapter as Kitchen Manager and was co-Rush Chair with Will Carn. Searcy is a 2003 graduate, majoring in Communications. His uncle, Maxie Searcy, was initiated in 1961.
Will is the operator and co-owner of Providence Funeral Home in Enterprise.
Will was very recently married on April 26 to Kate Rutledge of Marietta, Georgia, a Chi Omega from Alabama, and they live in Enterprise. |
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Scott E. Smith: (Alumni Advisory Board Officer)
Scott joined Sigma Nu in 1978 and was graduated from Auburn in 1981. Like his father, Scott had a successful career in the U. S. Navy, retiring as Commander. Scott currently flies around the world for FedEx, but is home a couple of weeks each month.
Scott and his wife, the former Connie Carpenter, live on Cary Drive in Auburn and have two daughters, one at Auburn University and the other at Auburn High (for now). |
