Washington State University Alumnus Bob Hall experienced firsthand the benefits of fraternity membership as a Beta Theta Pi collegiate member. He’s applied the leadership and communication skills, teamwork, and organizational talents he honed as a member of Gamma Theta chapter to running a successful car sales business in Yakima, WA, for nearly 50 years.
Those same skills helped him lead the Beta Theta Pi Gamma Theta Alumni Chapter Board of Directors and volunteers to successfully execute a record-breaking capital campaign in 2020.
Hall is once again leveraging his leadership skills and leading the Gamma Theta Board to implement an annual campaign effort, with the support of Pennington & Company. The annual campaign features email blasts and biannual print newsletters with solicitations woven throughout and organizing and growing the Gamma Theta alumni database.
“When you hire Pennington, you know it’s going to be a partnership,” says Hall. “Dan, our consultant, is responsive when we provide advice and guidance. That’s something we admire about him. Our relationship is a give-and-take. It’s not that Pennington is doing all the work, or we’re doing all the work. It’s full steam ahead for all of us, together.”
Funds from a successful 2020 capital campaign provided collegiate members living in the fraternity house with the live-learn spaces they needed. As a result of the campaign, the chapter house features an expanded and remodeled basement, renovated kitchen spaces, remodeled restrooms and day rooms, and renovated walls, flooring, and lighting.
The annual campaign’s goals are to maintain relationships with all Gamma Theta alumni generations and encourage them to give year-round. Another goal is to engage 800 alumni who haven’t yet invested. Hall calls the Pennington team “Knowledgeable,” and believes that if an organization doesn’t have fundraising expertise in-house, that organization should call the Pennington team.
“Pennington gave the board of directors and alumni volunteers the peace of mind we needed to carry out the capital campaign, and now annual campaign. The team has met our goal of keeping our brand pertinent in the minds of our alumni, the current chapter, current board of directors and advisors.”
