With a legacy of more than 330 recipients since 1953, the Top Dog Alumni Award is a proud Fresno State tradition. The award is given to alumni and friends of Fresno State who embrace the Bulldog spirit through their work, careers and commitment to community. The Fresno Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter is proud that numerous Sigma Chi alumni have been chosen for this prestigious award.

1954	Ray Harris (52-T)	Distinguished Alumni Award
1972	Ray Harris (52-T)	Distinguished Alumni Award
1976	Allan Hunter (52-T)	Distinguished Alumni Award
1977	Phil Sanchez (52-T)	Distinguished Alumni Award
2012	Marvin Meyers (54-S)	Distinguished Alumni Award
2014	Bill Smittcamp (80-F)	Distinguished Alumni Award
2015	Marvin Meyers (54-S)	Jordan College of Ag Sciences
2004	Bill Smittcamp (80-F)	Craig School of Business
2008	Steve Heinrichs (65-F)	Craig School of Business
2014	Leo Wilson (55-F)	Craig School of Business
2015	Kyle Stephenson (72-F)	Craig School of Business
2001	Mike Patton (63-S)	Lyles College of Engineering
2005	Tom Downing (62-F)	College of Science and Mathematics
2016	Dante Simi (58-F)	College of Social Sciences
2008	Phil Sanchez (52-T)	Division of Student Affairs
1990	Jim Mayer (52-T)	Arthur Safstrom Service Award
1990	Rodger Jensen (52-T)	Arthur Safstrom Service Award
2002	Tom Downing (62-F)	Arthur Safstrom Service Award
2005	Bud Richter (47-S Stan)	Arthur Safstrom Service Award
2014	Brad Fischer (78-S)	Arthur Safstrom Service Award
2018	Chris Morse (83-F)	Student Affairs/Enrollment Management
2019	Chuck Sant’Agata (56-S)	College of Arts and Humanities

And several Fresno Sigma Chis have their names on buildings and rooms on the Fresno State campus.

Meyers Family Sports Medicine Center

R. Stephen Heinrichs Trading Room

Rodger and Margaret Jensen Library in the Fresno State Alumni House

Downing Planetarium

Smittcamp Alumni House

In his memory, the Leon S. Peters Award was created in 1984 and continues to be sponsored annually by the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. This award was established to preserve the memory and legacy of Leon S. Peters and to honor a central valley leader who, over a period of time, has clearly demonstrated in his or her personal and business life the values, ethics and character exemplified by Mr. Peters.

The awardees are people who have demonstrated business and professional success, been a servant leader, been a moral and ethical person, been a caring person and  been a mentor. Several Fresno Sigma Chi alumni have been awarded the Leon S. Peters:

• • • 1986 brother Jim Mayer
    • 1992 brother Bud Richter
    • 2017 brother Bill Smittcamp

The Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning

Jon “Goose” Gallinetti – Major General, USMC (Ret)

Significant Sig Jon Gallinetti is thought to be the highest ranking military officer to graduate from Clovis High School and California State University-Fresno. Jon was in the fall 1970 pledge class at Epsilon Eta. He graduated in 1972 receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. His career culminated as the Deputy Commander of Marine Forces Command in Norfolk, VA when he retired in 2007. Major General is the third highest rank in the Corps.

Jon was a Top Gun aviator and from September 2003 until April 2004 he was deployed in Iraq as chief of staff for Combined Joint Task Force Seven. He was responsible for numerous joint exercises around the globe, as well as the joint training of Combatant Commanders and Joint Task Force Commanders, along with joint doctrine and joint education. In this capacity, he deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa.

He had accumulated more than 5,000 flight hours in a wide range of helicopters and jets, including the A-4, AV-8B and F/A-18, and has attended the Naval Fighter Weapons School’s Top Gun Adversary Course.

During his career he earned Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and Master of Science degree in Management from Salve Regina University.

Planning for the event quickly shifted to Plan B when the forecast predicted a 100% chance of rain. It was to take place on the patio where it was last year during the normal heat wave Fresno experiences continuously from May to October. The ever-resilient Sigma Chi alumni simply adjusted quickly to climate change.

There were many things to celebrate that night. First and foremost, brother Brad Fischer (78-S) requested a moment of silence for 2000 Order of Constantine, Oran McNeil (52-T). Oran entered our Chapter Eternal on April 7th.

He than introduced Significant Sig Colin Kelly (62-F) who, with his wife Karen, travelled all the way from Newport Coast to be back with us in Fresno again. Brad also congratulated Chuck Sant’Agata (56-S) for being named Top Dog by the Fresno State Alumni Association. He was nominated by the School of Arts and Humanities and is the 22nd Sigma Chi to be a Top Dog. Other Top Dogs present at the dinner were Mike Patton, Leo Wilson and Brad Fischer.

Brad noted that there have been 11 Fresno State brothers awarded Order of Constantine since the award’s inception at the 1948 Grand Chapter. Present were Chuck Sant’Agata, Mike Patton, Greg Baxter, Tom Downing, Dave Reuland and Bill Matesso.  And there have been 14 Fresno State brothers named Significant Sigs since that award’s inception at the 1935 Grand Chapter.  Present were Colin Kelly, Marvin Meyers, Col Elvin C Bell, Leo Wilson, Tim Vaux, Tony Flores and our 2019 recipient Mike Patton.  In 2011 the International Fraternity created the Seven Lights Alumni award which was given to Henry Brock in 2014 and Brad Fischer in 2018.

After introducing Chapter Advisor, Dusty Lacefield, Brad turned the program over to Bill Matesso.  Bill offered congratulations to brother John Ballinger for being the 2019 recipient of the William T. Bringham Best House Corporation Officer Award, the only one awarded in 2019 in North America.  John serves as president of our Epsilon Eta House Corporation.

Tony Flores (56-S) finished the program by announcing that during the previous week the Fresno Sigma Chi Endowment board had voted unanimously to take steps to raise the goal for the amount in our endowments from $1 million to $3 million.  The earnings generated annually will be used for scholarships awarded to undergraduate brothers who choose to live in the Chapter House and who achieve a minimum GPA.  When we reach our goal, he noted, Fresno Sigma Chi will be the first Greek housing in North America to provide affordable housing to its members.

Three undergraduate brothers were on hand at the dinner to help set up, serve and clean up.  They did a great job and we really appreciated their help.

Pictured above are brothers Kane Sawyer (18-F), Christian Cline (18-F), McKay Romero (18-F), Dusty Lacefield (12-F) and Dusty’s fiancé Haley Evans all singing The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi.  Dusty and Haley will be married this November.

On April 25, 2019 Sigma Chi International informed the Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter of Fresno that John Ballinger, president of the Fresno House Corporation, has been awarded the William T. Bringham Best House Corporation Officer Award. This award is given to only one (1) Sigma Chi brother in all of North America each year. This makes our Fresno alumni chapter #1 to have solar and we have the #1 House Corporation, both in all of North America. What can we be #1 for next? You will know this year.

First presented in 1974, the William T. Bringham Best House Corporation Officer Award is named for Order of Constantine Sig and Significant Sig William T. Bringham, ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 1946, Sigma Chi’s executive secretary from 1954–1989. This award is given to the house corporation officer who has demonstrated outstanding loyalty to Sigma Chi through personal leadership, time and effort.

The House Corporation is of vital importance to both our undergraduate chapter and our alumni chapter. This is an opportune time to thank John and the rest of his board for their tireless efforts in preserving the Chapter House in pristine condition so that our undergraduate brothers are able to have the best possible fraternity experience. The other board members are Darin Tockey 88-S (treasurer), Jerry Waters 62-F (secretary), Rick Nelson 65-S, Grant Petersen 84-F, Mark Springer 09-F, Steve Coleman 78-F and Titus Moore 09-S.