Longtime Fraternity leaders Douglas G. Schemenauer and Ronald J. Ramos were honored with the Distinguished Service Award, Theta Chi Fraternity’s highest honor. The awards were presented during the closing banquet of the 156th Anniversary Convention in Palm Springs, CA.
A secret committee considers all award nominees and selects a recipient or recipients. The members of the committee are known only to themselves, the National President and the Executive Director. This year, the committee selected two recipients.
Douglas G. Schemenauer (Epsilon Phi/Central Missouri 1989) is a past member of the International Headquarters staff, Regional Counselor, board member and president of The Norwich Housing Corporation. The inscription on Brother Schemenauer’s award reads:
“Brother Schemenauer has been the catalyst for the establishment and advancement of many chapters through his distinguished and continuous service. He has been a champion for safe and quality housing for our members. His numerous contributions to our Fraternity have been incalculable.”
Ronald J. Ramos (Gamma Theta/San Diego State 1968) served the Fraternity as a board member on the Gamma Theta Alumni Association, member of the Gamma Theta House Planning Committee, and from 2002-2010 on the Grand Chapter as National Chaplain and National Treasurer. The inscription on Brother Ramos’ award reads:
“Active for 45 years in the national and local affairs of Theta Chi, Brother Ramos elevated the role and importance of the Ritual for the Fraternity’s membership. He worked to enhance the fiscal condition of the Fraternity, and modeled the way for bringing brotherhood from an abstraction to an experience.”
The Grand Chapter established the Distinguished Service Award in 1938 to publicly honor those alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the lasting good and general welfare of Theta Chi. The presentation of the award is a formal gesture of the Fraternity’s appreciation for a recipient’s outstanding national service, personal effort and unselfish interest.
The first two Distinguished Service Awards were presented posthumously to Theta Chi’s founders, Frederick Norton Freeman and Arthur Chase. At no time can the total number of awards made exceed the number of years in age of the Fraternity.