Venerable Grand Prytanis Hickey Retires, Bereswill New Grand Prytanis

INDIANAPOLIS – Tau Kappa Epsilon announces James Hickey, Ph.D. (Zeta-Alpha, Wagner) has retired as the Venerable Grand Prytanis. Frater Ted W. Bereswill (Gamma-Upsilon, Texas) succeeds him as Tau Kappa Epsilon’s 49th Grand Prytanis.

In his retirement letter to the Grand Council, Frater Hickey shared, in part, "Given my changing commitments in both my professional and personal life, the best way I can serve Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and ensure its legacy well endures is to pass the gavel and retire as Grand Prytanis, effective Tuesday, September 28, 2021."

After serving more than 12 years on the Grand Council and completing more than the usual 2-year term as Grand Prytanis, Frater Hickey's wife and four children look forward to spending more time with him. Additionally, Frater Hickey will have more time to devote to increasing professional commitments.

During Frater Hickey's tenure as Grand Prytanis, he led Tau Kappa Epsilon during the COVID-19 pandemic, championing the robust growth of virtual education and online resources housed at EDU.TKE.org. He oversaw the creation of a strategic plan that charts success for TKE to 2025. Last summer, Frater Hickey announced the creation and appointment of the first committee in Tau Kappa Epsilon's history to advance diversity and inclusion to build on our progressive legacy of being the first Fraternity to never have had an exclusionary clause. Frater Hickey worked tirelessly to grow the resources of our Fraternity and remains an ambassador to the value our organization provides to its membership.

"Our future is bright and I have great confidence in the Grand Council and the Professional Staff of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Our governance is strong and the Grand Council’s line of succession is prepared and ready to marshal our mission. Tau Kappa Epsilon has always been forward-thinking. We make tough, strategic decisions that has served and inspired generations of Tekes. The only pathway forward is the pathway of mission, which is more relevant than ever," he shared.

Before his retirement, in consultation with Grand Epiprytanis Ted W. Bereswill, Frater Hickey selected Past Grand Prytani Bruce B. Melchert (Beta-Theta, Missouri), Edmund C. Moy (Lambda, Wisconsin) and Mark C. Romig (Theta-Nu, New Orleans) to serve as the Alumni Nominations Committee Officers of the 61st Biennial Conclave. Click here to learn more about the Nominations Committee.

In accordance with Article IV Sec. 4 of The Black Book, the Grand Epiprytanis shall succeed to that office with the title, powers and authority thereof. Effective September 29, 2021, Frater Ted W. Bereswill began his service as the Venerable Grand Prytanis.

Frater Bereswill joined the Grand Council in 2013 when he was appointed as a Grand Council At-Large member. He quickly rose to the position of Grand Grammateus in 2015 and served for two terms until his election of Grand Epiprytanis in 2019. Professionally, Frater Bereswill has had an esteemed career with more than 32 years of experience in enterprise software sales and management with a number of the top companies in the industry. The majority of his career was spent at Oracle Corporation where his demonstrated track record of delivering superior business results led him to rise to the position of Sr. Vice President of North America Sales.

Venerable Grand Prytanis Ted Bereswill shared, "The Grand Council and the TKE Professional Staff extend our sincerest gratitude to Frater Hickey for his outstanding commitment to advance the mission of Tau Kappa Epsilon. I am honored to further the legacy of our beloved Fraternity and shepherd the progress that has been made not only under Frater Hickey’s leadership, but the many Grand Prytani who have come before me. I accept this solemn responsibility and will give my every effort to champion excellence in our organization. The Grand Council is committed to our principles of love, charity, and esteem and furthering the value that TKE provides on a daily basis."