Curt Taylor

Graduation Year: 1986

Major: Business Administration

Current Career: Sales Manager – Ryan Homes, the 5th largest builder in the US

Undergraduate Leadership Positions: Two term Chapter President, IFC President, Vice President of Student Government.

What do you enjoy doing with your free time:  My wife, Diane, and I enjoy traveling which has recently included: Ireland, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic to visit our youngest daughter, Anna, as she finished her final year of college studying abroad.  Also, we enjoy visiting our other two daughters, Kathryn and Mary, who live together in Washington, D.C..

Interests: I love to learn about history and stay in touch with local and national politics.

Why did you join the SigEp:  I joined Sigma Phi Epsilon in the Fall of 1983.  At the time, I lived in Livingston Hall which is now the current Student Union.  One of the first students I met on campus was a guy named JD Johnson, who had been friends with several of the bothers of the fraternity at that time.  I got to know these brothers:  Joe Zammita, Mark Masterson, Bill Fuellgraf, Matt Wilson, Bob Monahan, among others who really took me in as a friend.  I pledged that year with 6 other brothers including JD Johnson and John McGraner and enjoyed every minute of the comradely in our pledge group.

How has the SigEp experience impacted your life outside of College: First of all, the friends that I made during my Sig Ep years are still my good friends today:  Chip Patterson, Kurt Rich, Andy Zikeli, JD Johnson, etc….  We still get together several times a year and know that we can call on each other for help or advice when needed.  The brotherhood that we formed as SigEp were bonds formed for life.  Also, the brothers that I have met throughout my personal life as well as my career have allowed me to quickly bound with our common beliefs of HFF.

How has being a SigEp set you up for success:  The time I spent living and working with my Brothers during college were some of the most important part of my development for later success.  I learned very quickly what words like team, comradely, brotherly love, forgiveness, and compassion was truly about.  I also learned how to be an effective leader by understanding that compromise and listening is more important that always being right.

What moment made you the most proud to be a SigEp:   It was a sad brotherhood memory but it was one of my proudest.  Our brother, John Carron, passed away suddenly in the Summer of 1987.  He was an incredible friend and brother that had reached out to me only hours before his death.  My pride was in the wonderful turnout of our brothers to John’s funeral in New Jersey and the true heart felt love that we all had for him.  He touched us all in his short time with us and we all pulled together as a brotherhood and fraternity to show how much we loved him and were going to miss him.  I still miss him to this day.

Favorite SigEp Memory: I had many incredible times during my college years as a SigEp at Thiel.  From road trips to Canada, a spring break in , D.C., a conclave in San Antonio, and many house events with too many stories to tell.  If I had to pick one single event it would be the Greek Week during the spring of 1986.  All of the Thiel fraternities and sororities were there with live music, sporting events, great food, and wonderful friendships.  It was a great weekend of events.

Fondest Brotherhood Memory: Truly the best memories I have are just hanging out in the God Box with my friends/brothers talking, drinking (pop), cooking a meal, and listening to music on my turntable.

What advice would you give to younger alumni or active members whom just graduated or about to graduate from Thiel: “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be”, Ralph Waldo Emerson.  I have this posted at my desk because I never want to forget that I am responsible for my success or my failure, no one else.  You only have one life and this isn’t a rehearsal so live it!!!

What would you say to a prospective student considering joining SigEp: Joining the fraternity is about lasting friendships, about learning how to be a leader, about making memories that will last a lifetime.  What you get out of being a Sigma Phi Epsilon Brother is so much bigger than you could have ever imagine.

If you would like to Nominate a Penn Nu Alumni to be spotlighted, just send an email to Thielsigep@gmail.com.  Please include the nominees name and contact information.