As part of Sunday’s Tony Fusaro Leadership Conference, keynote speaker Ron Binder centered on risk management techniques to help NIU Greek community leaders understand the importance of values and friendship in their roles.

Officers of campus Greek organizations attended the conference, designed to train sorority and fraternity chapter officials and create leadership within the community. About 250 Greek officers, including the president, new member educator, treasurer, philanthropy chair and public relations officer for each organization, attended the conference at the Holmes Student Center.

The conference was dedicated to Tony Fusaro, a Phi Sigma Kappa alumnus. Fusaro served as Phi Sigma Kappa chapter adviser from 1967 to 1990. He also served as grand president of Phi Sigma Kappa International Fraternity and is now the president of Phi Sigma Kappa National Education Foundation.

“Tony has always been able to represent not only his own fraternity but that which is important and valued by all,” said Elliott Lessen, Pi Kappa Alpha chapter adviser. “His sagacity, wisdom and prudence with regard to all issues has been a great asset for me to emulate.”

Binder, a former Greek adviser to the University of North Dakota and University of Kansas, questioned the role of values in Greek leadership.

“I try to explain risk management and try to put it in content of our value,” he said. “All Greek members took an oath, a promise to uphold certain values. Are we upholding those values?”

The slogan for the conference, “Letters Today, Leaders Tomorrow,” focused on increased leadership and unity among the Greeks.

“I hope to learn better leadership skills,” said Vivian Boettger, a junior corporate communication major and member of Sigma Sigma Sigma. “Hopefully, it will help to bring us together and to be stronger.”

The five-hour conference began with a Greek Life Panel, along with discussions led by Bertrand Simpson, assistant director of University Programming & Activities. Discussion topics included Greek action and behavior, Greek public image, the importance of sisterhood/brotherhood and the future of the Greek community. Members then broke out into small sessions dealing with the specific duties of their office.

“I attended the session for presidents and learned about the Greek Life Standards Board,” said Tiffany Moyer, president of Alpha Omicron Pi and a senior corporate communication major. “I understand it better, and it was beneficial.”