Howard R. Alter '41 Memorial Page — Theta Chi of Penn State
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Howard R. Alter, Jr. '41 Memorial Page

1918 - 2009

  • Omega Chapter President

  • Omega Chapter Treasurer

  • National President 1962-1966

  • Executive Director 1968-1984

  • National Board of Truestees President - 1992-1994

  • Executive Director Emeritus

  • Awards - Theta Chi for Life, Theta Chi Distinguished Service Award, Theta Chi Citation of Honor, Theta Chi Alumni Award Grand Chapter, Theta Chi Alumni Award, Theta Chi Silver Legion, NIC Gold Medal Award (Dec. 4, 1993)

  • Chapman Alter Library Photos

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Howard R. Alter Jr. Bio

Howard R. Alter Jr. was born on November 1, 1918.

Howard graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1941. As an undergraduate, he served Omega Chapter as treasurer and as president.

He served in the U.S. Navy Seabees during World War II in the Pacific area of operations. Brother Alter rose to the rank of lieutenant commander during his service to our country.

He was appointed to the Regional Staff of our Fraternity in 1955. In 1960, Howard was elected to the Grand Chapter. He served as National Chaplain from 1960 to 1962. In 1962, he was elected National President. He served two terms as National President, and completed his service on the Grand Chapter as National Treasurer from 1966 until October of 1967, when he resigned in order to become Executive Director.

On January 1, 1968, Howard became our fifth Executive Director, following George Chapman, another Omega/Penn State alumnus who served as CEO of the Fraternity from 1948 to 1968.

Howard served as Executive Director for sixteen and one-half years, during one of the most turbulent periods in the history of American college fraternities. He became an interfraternity leader, serving as president of the Fraternity Executives Association in 1978-1979.

In July of 1984, Howard was appointed Executive Director Emeritus. He was subsequently elected to the National Board of Trustees (now the Norwich Housing Corporation) in 1984 and served two five-year terms on the NBT. He served as president of the National Board of Trustees, and thus became the only man in the history of Theta Chi Fraternity to serve as Executive Director, National President, and President of the National Board of Trustees.

Howard also continued his interfraternal service as a director on the board of the National Interfraternity Conference (now the North-American Interfraternity Conference). Howard received the National Interfraternity Conference Gold Medal, which is the most prestigious award in the fraternity world, in 1993.

Brother Alter also served on the boards of both foundations in our Fraternity-the Foundation Chapter and Theta Chi Funds for Leadership and Education, Inc.

The Howard R. Alter, Jr. Award for Chapter Excellence was created in 1984, upon the occasion of Howard's retirement as Executive Director, by a group of former Field Representatives who served under Howard. The Alter Award was first presented in 1985 to chapters that met or exceeded the standard of excellence.

The Howard R. Alter, Jr. Award for Chapter Excellence is the highest honor which our Fraternity can bestow upon a chapter and is presented annually during our summer event. Colonies and interest groups as well as chapters may apply for recognition in most of the specific areas of chapter operations. The Alter Award may only be given to active chapters.

Howard R. Alter Jr., passed away on May 9th, 2009.

Rattle Stories about/from Howard Alter