Values are Baked In
Letter from the Editor
In the latest issue of The Delta we’re pleased to present a collection of feature stories that highlight four brothers we can all be proud of.
We start with a duo of young upstarts whose entrepreneurial acumen helped them found two remarkably successful companies at early ages. Andy Katz-Mayfield (Duke) and his co-founder set out to make Harry’s the go-to online retailer for men’s shaving products that would dethrone the overpriced legacy brands. With equally ambitious goals, tech startup DataRank, founded by Ryan Frazier (Arkansas), uses complex algorithms to help Fortune 500 companies make decisions about products and consumer insight. Both companies have earned the attention of venture capitalists, with investors lining up to facilitate their growth.
Our third feature story chronicles the career of another successful entrepreneur, though one who’s been in business longer than Harry’s and DataRank combined. Bill Watson (Stetson) founded Watson Realty Corp. in 1965 and now operates 43 real estate offices and 29 property management offices in Florida and Georgia. This year Watson Realty Corp. celebrates 50 years, the longevity for which Bill attributes to the company’s reputation for sound ethics and legendary quality of service.
Upon first glance our food-themed cover feature may seem out of place next a series of stories about successful entrepreneurs. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll realize why a high-functioning professional pastry chef demands many of the same traits required of successful startup founders. As Dwayne Ingraham (Southern Mississippi) demonstrates on Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen, achieving success in the hyper-competitive restaurant world requires the same commitment to clear vision, strong leadership, and thinking fast under pressure.
When you read each of these feature stories you’ll notice one other thing they all have in common: each one traces career origins back to their Sigma Nu experience. Andy Katz-Mayfield speaks to the importance of surrounding yourself with people who share your vales. Ryan Frazier credits his chapter with fostering an energizing culture that provided positive role models. To this day Bill Watson remains thankful for the emphasis his chapter placed on excelling in the classroom. Dwayne Ingraham was inspired to attend culinary school thanks to one of his fellow candidates; another chapter brother accompanied him on the 22-hour drive from Mississippi to Vermont where his culinary career began.
We hope you enjoy these stories and the rest of the Summer 2015 issue. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for stories we should consider in a future issue.
Yours in Sigma Nu,
Nathaniel Clarkson (James Madison)
Managing Editor