The AEPi blog will be featuring a number of interviews with active brothers, alumni, staff, and other people with something interesting to contribute. I am proud to include the first interview below, an e-mail discussion with a Re-Founding Father of the Chi Alpha Chapter (UC Berkeley). The interviews will be longer than most of the posts here, so I am including the first questions below, with the rest behind a link. (I guarantee it’s worth your time, as there are comments below the fold about a certain Supreme Governor drinking throw-up.) Finally, If you know of someone who the AEPi Blog can interview, please drop us a line, as we are always looking for great new people to talk to.

I went to Cal from 1984-1988, I started off as a computer science major, but the math class requirements proved too much. So I transitioned to a Music degree while still taking computer classes that interested me. Between studying, AEPi and trying to get laid, I had a full schedule.

One day during my Senior year I noticed that someone was speaking about advertising careers on campus. I had wanted to do film composition and heard that the best way into the industry was to start out doing advertising jingles. So I attended the presentation, was quite impressed with the company (Chiat/Day) that was featured, and decided to try and just send a letter to ask about an internship for the summer. I got the internship and then worked that summer in the video room for Chiat/Day in San Francisco. The company was impressed enough with me to offer me a job at the end of the internship, so I worked there part-time while finishing school and then became a full-time employee the day after I graduated.

After around 3 years at the agency, I decided that I wanted to do what I was doing for the company for other companies, not wanting to limit myself to a single place. So I left the ad agency and started computer consulting. That was 15 years ago. I still am doing it, with my brother Alex (Cal, AEPi, ‘90) as my business partner and around 20 other people.

1. Why did you decide to become a re-founding father for the Chi Alpha chapter?
Rob Ackermann was a transfer from San Diego State and had been in AEPi there, he met a number of other students around the time that AEPi was being reformed. After one initial discussion about AEPi, Rob came into my dorm room, I was lying on my bed, he lifted the entire mattress up against the wall, pinning me between the mattress and the wall. He said (in the voice of a drill sergeant), “WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER BE OR DIE?” - I didn’t know what he was talking about, but finally realized that “AEPi” was the answer. And so I committed to joining. True story.

2. What was your most memorable experiences from that first semester?
First semester was 20 years ago, so there’s not much that I remember specifically other than it was not easy. We didn’t have a house, we had to figure out what we wanted to do, we didn’t have any precedent to work from. Rob was a strong leader and helped focus the group. We had great road trips, and generally bonded in shivering on Sproul Plaza at night for good & welfare, or dinners at Kip’s - we didn’t do very well in our sporting events, so I do recall us winning a number of games because the opponents didn’t show up.

3. Is there anything you regret about AEPi/being a founding father?
We spent too much time bickering about silly stuff. We let little things bug us too much. If you have a bad egg or two in the house, confront them, address it, deal with it, then move on. We let it bother us too much on several occasions.

4. What were your most memorable experiences from college? The funniest moments? The most exciting? The saddest?
Too many funny moments. No sad ones, fortunately. Elan Carr being so caught up in the brotherhood of an event that he drank puke out of a guy’s beer cup before the guy had a chance to say, “uh, Elan, I just threw up in that” is still one of my happiest memories. Having another one of the brothers (who turned out to be gay) show his excitement at the stripper we had for an initiation weekend (holy denial, batman!)

We had a brother named Michael Sofris who was a character. During one of our meetings at Hillel, some sorority girls were laughing and chatting while walking down the street outside of our meeting. Rob Ackermann casually said “will someone tell those bitches to shut up,” not intending for someone to actually ACT on it. Michael promptly opened the window and shouted “shut up, you bitches!” - these probably sound really corny as far as memories, but it’s what I remember just from us laughing so much.

5. What did you experience in AEPi that has stuck with you the most after college? What lessons did you learn?
I had no idea that the bonds I would make would be lifelong friendships. People tell you that when you’re there and it sort of sounds like a crock, but it’s true. These are friends for life. For us it was a bonding because of our home-less status. Lessons learned: don’t be afraid to be different. It’s ok to be the “smart” guys, don’t worry about the jocks.

6. What didn’t you know as an undergraduate that you know now (and that you wish you knew then)?
I didn’t know about the importance of just going for it if you have an idea or inspiration. Ignore people telling you you can’t do something (unless it is the police).

7. What has been your connection to AEPi after you graduated? To the Chi Alpha chapter? To your pledge brothers?
Many of my founding fathers and early pledge classes still stay in touch. I have two kids now, so I’m not as able to hang out with the chapter as I once was, but I very much enjoyed dropping by the house while my company was recruiting at Cal.

8. Finally, is there anything else that you would want to add about your experience with AEPi/Judaism/college/your post-graduate career?
It’s hard to impart wisdom without it sounding like a cliche, but savor the time you have while in school. Enjoy it, enjoy the freedom. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe, don’t be afraid to fail. Make lots of mistakes early on. Go right on up to the girl that you like from a distance and just ask her out. JUST DO IT. If she says no, you have your answer. If she says yes, your friends will never believe you.

If you aren’t feeling like you are getting much out of AEPi, ask a chapter advisor, or email me or another founding father. I know they’ll offer some advice. I’m at hmann@mann.com and I’m happy to help.