A Chance Encounter With a WWI Veteran Leads To a Lifetime of Love for LXA
Ask any man from any Fraternity the value of things gained by being part of a Greek-letter organization, and the answers will likely run the gamut from Brotherhood to leadership to learning financial responsibility in maintaining a budget and beyond.
Few, however, have probably had the honor of meeting a founding member of their respective fraternal organization. Such was the case for Zeta Alum Mike Heimowitz ’82.
“We (LXA Zeta) had a group of different backgrounds and places, but we shared an affinity for having a good time, hanging out together, poking fun at each other and having a laugh,” recalled Heimowitz.
Those experiences at 351 E. Fairmount led to a chance encounter that Heimowitz wouldn’t soon forget.
“Soon after graduation, I moved to Los Angeles and had the honor of meeting and having dinner with Gilman Crockett (class of 1915), one of our Founding Brothers,” said Heimowitz. “He was very excited about meeting a fellow Lambda. We toasted the Fraternity with Jack Daniels and he regaled me with stories of his service I World War I – yes, World War I! He volunteered, which turned out not to be a great idea, because he got shot twice! While we met met decades after he had been in college, he would have fit in perfectly with the Brothers of my era (class of ’82).
I learned years later the he remained in the military and became a Colonel. After WWII, he served as Military Governor of Kobe, Japan under General MacArthur. The Colonel lived 101 years and is now buried in Arlington National Cemetery.”
During his college years, Mike lived in the Zeta House on Fairmount and his roomates included Jim Ferlino ‘83 and Dave Zrowka ’84. His nickname, as you might have suspected, was “Heimy.”
“I’m most proud of my lasting friendships made at LXA,” said Heimowitz. “I still stay in touch with Paul Myerson, Kevin Murphy, Jack Amick Marc Fox and several other brothers from my time at Lambda.” After college, he parlayed his communications degree into jobs with a book publisher and then a magazine publisher.
The Penn State Grad has worked for:
- Clymer Publications, LFP, Inc. (1983-87)
- Trade Associations, Hazardous Materials Advisory Council and American Chemistry Council (1987-2001)
- PR Agencies – Porter Novelli and Burson-Marsteller (2001-Present)
He’s lived in Washington, DC and Los Angeles and now has 18-year-old twins applying to colleges. Mike’s wife, Dori Gillman is a graduate of Smith College. HE counts his children, as any father would, as his biggest successes.
“As for failures, I don’t think in those terms,” said Mike. “As Satchel Paige said, ‘Don’t look back, something may be gaining on you.”’
“Enjoy your time in college and keep in touch with the Brothers you were close to in college,” notes the Zeta Brother. “I would want people to remember me as a guy who treated people well and always made them laugh.”