PROUDLY GRADUATED OVER 1300 BROTHERS
The Alpha Phi chapter has proudly graduated over 1300 brothers since its founding. Our reach extends over UA's campus - from the namesake of the new Student Union, to the Hower House museum - all the way to U.S. Congress - to around the globe with a CEO of Goodyear International operations, our chapter is deeply rooted.
The brothers highlighted below are in no way the only exceptional men who have pledged their loyalty to our fraternity.
* Indicates a landmark, hall, space, or historical museum is their namesake at/around UA. ** Indicates family-related landmarks.
National Republican Party Chairman - Namesake of Bliss Institute at UA - Political Strategist
RAY C. BLISS (1908-1981), known nationally as a consummate political strategist and organizer, was Summit Count, Ohio, and National Republican Party Chairman. During his tenure as National Chairman (1965-1969), following the Goldwater debacle of the 1964, he was given credit for the revitalization and later successes of the National Republican Party.
In 1926, Mr. Bliss, as an undergraduate, pledged Sigma Beta Nu (affiliated with Phi Kappa Tau National in 1938). An incident during his active chapter years is often cited as the beginning of his success as a political strategist. The incident involved the election of May Queen, a prestigious campus event during the 1920’s and 30’s. Ray Bliss was chosen to manage the campaign of the Sigma Beta Nu candidate. Under Mr. Bliss’ leadership, in a spirited and hard-fought campaign, the Sigma Beta Nu candidate won by a few votes. A losing fraternity, which had dominated previous elections, contested the election results. While not responsible for the protested campaign violations, as campaign chairman, Mr. Bliss took responsibility for the infractions and was disciplined by the University. However, the Sigma Beta Nu candidate was declared the winner.
Ray Bliss was a double winner in that he later married Helen Palmer, the Sigma Beta Nu candidate, and, as a result of his experience, decided to make politics his career. As an alumnus, Mr. Bliss was a loyal Phi Tau and an Alpha Phi supporter. As example of his loyalty and sense of brotherhood was his willingness to place brothers in important positions within the local party organization. A further demonstration was the establishment of the scholarship fund for Political Science majors attending Akron University. Members of the Alpha Phi have a priority as recipients. In 1977, he was the recipient of The Borradaile Award, given by the Phi Kappa Tau National Fraternity for outstanding achievement. To honor Mr. Bliss and Alpha Phi’s alumni, the RAY C. BLISS AWARD was established. Each year, at Alpha Phi’s Founder’s Day Dinner, an alumnus who has demonstrated outstanding achievement is presented with the Award. Winners of the Award have included Mayors, Legislators, Judges, business and community leaders who have, in the mold of Ray C. Bliss, made significant and successful contributions to their communities and nation.
Creator of Zippy - Artist
Joseph T. Dick, a cartoonist and proud member of Phi Kappa Tau, graduated from the University of Akron in 1956 after honing his artistic skills as a Buchtelite cartoonist and Tel-Buch yearbook editor. In 1953, he captured campus enthusiasm by sketching “Mr. Zip,” a boxing-gloved kangaroo in a zip-front sweater, winning the student contest to give the then-nickname “Zips” its first mascot—and inadvertently creating one of the nation’s only female collegiate mascots.
Dick is also well-known in the Fraternity world for initiating a famous Chimpanzee into our fraternity (Bonzo the Chimp, from Ronald Reagan's Bedtime for Bonzo). Pictures attached.
Dick’s bottom-up approach to creativity and involvement in student life not only solidified school spirit but also paved the way for Zippy’s evolution into a costumed emblem beloved at football games, featured in national mascot competitions, and celebrated in documentaries. Decades later, his original drawing remains an Akron treasure, regularly showcased in alumni publications and museum exhibitions which are actively hosted at the Summit Country Art Space, and his role as an Akron Phi Tau continues to be a point of fraternity pride and university lore.
JERRY GLINSEK
Akron area lawyer, longtime advisor of the chapter
Gerald “Gerry” J. Glinsek was born in 1938 in Akron, Ohio. He grew up on Akron’s west side and graduated from St. Vincent High School in 1956. An excellent student with a gift for debate, Glinsek decided to attend the University of Akron for college. He was drawn to law and public affairs from an early age; family stories recall him avidly following courtroom news as a teenager. Entering UA in the late 1950s, he was part of a wave of post-war students who were the first in their families to pursue higher education. His background instilled in him a strong work ethic and a deep loyalty to the Akron community.
TOM SAWYER
Democratic Congressman and Akron Mayor
Tom Sawyer became Mayor of Akron in 1983. Notably, his election involved a contest against the incumbent, fellow Alpha Phi alumnus Roy L. Ray, a testament to the chapter's deep entrenchment in local civic leadership. Prior to becoming mayor, Sawyer had served in the Ohio House of Representatives. In 1986, he transitioned from the mayor's office to serve Ohio's 14th District as a United States Representative. Sawyer is also recognized as a notable alumnus of The University of Akron in broader university listings.
A Phi Tau and Akron native, earned both BA and MA degrees from the University of Akron before embarking on a decades-long political career. He served in the Ohio House, was elected Mayor of Akron in 1983, then served eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (1987–2003), where he championed fair census policy and education reform. Later a State Senator, he helped pass redistricting reform in Ohio. Sawyer was known for his bipartisan work ethic and dedication to public service at every level of government.
Mayor of Akron, later UA faculty and Board of Director
John Ballard, WWII Army veteran and FBI agent, was a UA alumnus and Phi Tau brother who served as Summit County Prosecutor before becoming Akron's longest-serving Mayor (1966–1979). His administration oversaw urban renewal and navigated Akron through significant economic and social change. Ballard's steady leadership and legal background helped modernize the city, while his time on the University’s board and legal mentorship established him as a civic icon and role model for public service.
Democratic Congressman and Akron Mayor
Roy L. Ray, a 1962 UA graduate and Phi Tau brother, served as Akron’s Finance Director, then Mayor (1980–1983), and later as a long-serving Ohio State Senator (1987–2001). Known for his expertise in finance and local government, he chaired the Senate Finance Committee and advocated for redistricting reform and state-local cooperation. Ray's work shaped Akron's infrastructure and Ohio’s policy landscape, while his Phi Tau and UA ties remained central to his legacy.
Roy credits his political drive and interest to the spark that started during his fraternity days.
BYRON H. LARABEE
Vice President, Goodyear International
Byron Larabee, UA class of 1926 and an early leader in Sigma Beta Nu, became a high-ranking executive with Firestone Plantations Company (later Goodyear International), overseeing global rubber operations and earning international honors. He served on the UA Board of Trustees and played a pivotal role in the chapter’s national affiliation with Phi Kappa Tau. Larabee’s legacy spans industry leadership, civic engagement, and foundational fraternity development.
KENNETH B. WELLS
Founder of Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge
Kenneth B. Wells, a 1920s UA student and early Phi Tau member, made his mark nationally as a minister, mental health advocate, and founder of influential community programs. A pioneer in faith-based social services, Wells consulted for federal agencies and authored key works on welfare and citizenship. Listed in Who’s Who in America, his life exemplified the service ideals of Phi Kappa Tau and left a legacy of compassion, advocacy, and institutional reform.
By the end of his career, Kenneth B. Wells had served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Health, advised major philanthropic foundations, and even participated in early White House conferences on youth and mental health.
Notable Akron football player and coach
Zazula was a star Akron Zips football player in the late 1930s (playing quarterback and halfback) and went on to a coaching career in college football. He later became head coach at the University of North Dakota. A member of Akron’s Sports Hall of Fame, Zazula’s legacy bridges the chapter’s influence in athletics.
MORRIS JOBE
President and CEO, Goodyear Aerospace
Morris "Morrie" Jobe, a UA chemistry student in the 1930s, led the successful effort to affiliate Sigma Beta Nu with Phi Kappa Tau, preserving the chapter during hard times. He later became a respected executive in Goodyear’s production division, earning patents and government honors for synthetic rubber innovations during WWII. Jobe’s legacy is that of a behind-the-scenes leader who shaped both Akron’s industry and his fraternity’s future.
GEORGE BOSS
Founder, Akron Touchdown Club
Boss was a prominent figure in local sports philanthropy as the organizer of the Akron Touchdown Club, which supports youth and college football programs. His involvement reflects the fraternity’s ties to sports and community support.
Alumni are essential to the mission of Phi Kappa Tau. They are committed to championing a lasting brotherhood that provides opportunities to build valued relationships and support the continued growth of our Fraternity. Phi Kappa Tau promotes meaningful programs, benefits, services and communications at the local, regional and national level.
They are the lifelong stakeholders of the Fraternity as a result of the relationships they build with the gifts of their time, talent and resources. The passion and loyalty one develops during his time as an undergraduate member must continue through his life as an alumnus, even until he enters Chapter Eternal.
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Photo taken in 2001 (L-R)- Former Akron mayors Roy Ray (1979-1983) and John Ballard (1966-1979) and former mayor (1983-1986) and Congressman Tom Sawyer with Mayor Don Plusquellic and Akron Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sylvester Small (middle). They are with youngsters at Miller South School for a rally to promote Issue 64. Issue 64 was an 8.9 million dollar operating levy to benefit the Akron Public Schools.
For two consecutive decades, from 1966 to 1986, the office of Mayor of Akron was held by an alumnus of the Alpha Phi chapter. This concentration of leadership from a single fraternity chapter within a major city is highly unusual and points to a potent combination of factors, such as a strong chapter culture emphasizing civic duty and leadership development, effective alumni networking within the local political sphere, and potentially the influence of key mentors.