Congratulations to Bill Geist ’76. His daughter is Liz is the new senior vice president of People & Culture and chief HR officer for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. “Liz...you rock. And I couldn't be prouder of all of my girls,” Bill writes in a recent blog. (Bill blogs about music and other items on his mind which you can find here https://billgeist.typepad.com/blog/)

Below: Liz Geist is the Chicago Bears’ new SVP of People & Culture

Bill edited our e-letters and newsletters for a decade, which was a lot of work and low pay (OK, no pay). A Brother Beta and Lambda Spirit Award recipient, Bill explains why DKE still matters to him almost 50 years later:

“Having drinks the other day with someone that professed a degree of skepticism of the value of fraternities, knowing that I am a member of my fraternity's alumni council. I stated my reasons for initially joining and then staying involved decades on..and we moved on to other topics of more import.

“But, it got me thinking. Why really? I had tossed off the usual reasons in our conversation. But, really...why?

“As I thought about it over the weekend, I boiled it down to one thing: Shared Experience. I imagine it's the same principle behind veterans reunions (not that we were even 1/100th as noble as those that served). But, for those who served in combat, why reunite with others with whom you shared an experience that most would rather forget? Shared Experience.

“For those that didn't do time in the "Greek world," you probably had a posse of three or four close friends with whom you stay in touch (or should) that you together entered adulthood. For me, it was closer to 30 guys that lived together, ate together, drank together and committed minor acts of rebellion and petty crime together.

“We were a Band of Brothers, standing together against the other fraternities for bragging rights on the intramural football fields, who had the best parties (and dance mix tapes) and who could score the best men of the incoming class (our version of this week's NFL Draft). Together we watched the lotto-style real-life draft telecasts deciding who would go to Vietnam, sometimes hugging out the results. We had rituals that bound us together (sadly lost to today's culture of political correctness) because it wasn't hazing; each had a profound message, some that I still draw upon decades later in my business and my life.

“And, like the lyric in the Bon Jovi song, "If I got that call in the dead of night, I'd be right by their side."

“Which is why we are drawn, like moth to flame, to our annual reunions where, yes, the conversations flow like we last hoisted one yesterday. 30 guys with a shared experience. Something that should be celebrated.