Features
The Regent’s Medallion of Merit was created in 2000 as a means of honoring an individual who exemplifies eminence in his or her daily life as expressed by the Creed of Sigma Nu Fraternity, who demonstrates a genuine commitment to the ideals of the Legion of Honor, and whose pattern of performance is a worthy example or model for others to follow.
Margaret Davis
Margaret Davis is not only one of the architects of the Headquarters campus, but she has taken care of the beautiful property since she was hired to work for the Fraternity in 1959. Margaret and her family lived next door to the main Headquarters building when Dick and Marjorie Fletcher moved in. Dick needed an archivist, and Margaret got the job. The rest is history.
For almost 60 years, Margaret has worked daily for the betterment of the Fraternity and to ensure the Headquarters grounds and buildings are proper at all times. No detail escapes her attention. Her humility is exceeded only by her fierce belief in the honorable mission of our Fraternity and the need to properly represent that mission on the Fraternity’s grounds and in its buildings. Margaret is also one of our most loyal donors to the Educational Foundation.
She is the epitome of selfless devotion and even today, in her 90s, Margaret can be found tidying one of the beds or pruning hedges at Headquarters.
Wynn Smiley
Wynn Smiley serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. As CEO, Smiley oversees the operations of the National Fraternity. Under Smiley’s leadership, ATO National has developed and maintains a sophisticated communication and education strategy that deals with subjects ranging from business etiquette to risk management to personal faith.
ATO’s innovation posture has been rewarded with multiple honors including a Smithsonian Citation for creativity in e-media.
In 1997, after six years as ATO’s director of communications, Mr. Smiley became the chief executive officer of Alpha Tau Omega. In 2001, ATO founded and Mr. Smiley now serves as Chief Executive Officer of Richmond Property Group, a wholly controlled subsidiary of Alpha Tau Omega. The mission of RPG is to preserve ATO chapter houses for use by ATOs.
Mr. Smiley serves in several positions within the interfraternal community including past president of the Fraternity Executives Association a current member of the Governing Council for the North American Interfraternity Conference.
Mr. Smiley is a graduate of the University of Illinois. After graduation he worked as a television reporter, producer and political moderator.
(L to R) Wynn Smiley, Past Regent Lee Perrett (Auburn), and Larry Stanton Wiese.
Larry Stanton Wiese
Larry Stanton Wiese graduated in 1990 with honors from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He graduated from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 1995 with a Juris Doctorate.
He currently serves as the Executive Director and General Counsel at Kappa Alpha Order, headquartered in Lexington, Va. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation and the Secretary and Treasurer of the Fraternity Housing Corporation.
Larry was initiated into Kappa Alpha Order at Midwestern State University by the Gamma Omega Chapter on January 23, 1987. While an undergraduate member, he served his chapter as both president and vice president. Following graduation, Larry served Kappa Alpha Order for one year as an Educational Consultant and as an assistant regional vice president in Texas. He re-joined the staff of Kappa Alpha Order in July of 1995, as assistant executive director. He was named interim executive director in November of that year, and his official appointment was finalized on February 15, 1996.
Larry is the immediate past president and a member of the board of directors for the Fraternity Executives Association and past president and current board member of FIPG, Inc., the leading Greek risk management association. He is also past president and board member of the Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee.
Colonel Keith Gibson
Growing up near Richmond, Va., on land hotly contested during the Civil War kindled Keith Gibson's interest in history at an early age. Colonel Gibson received his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the VMI in 1977. He prepared for a career in Public History with graduate work in Early American History at James Madison University, Museum Studies at George Washington University, and an internship at the Museum at Strawbery Banke, Portsmouth, N.H. In 1986, Colonel Gibson was selected as one of eighteen museum professionals in the United States to participate in the Seminar for Historical Administrators held at Colonial Williamsburg, Va. He was instrumental in the development of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District and Commission Act passed by the United States Congress in 1996.
Colonel Gibson has worked as a consultant on several documentary films, made for television films, and feature films including Field of Lost Shoes (2015); Man, Moment, Machine (2006); Gods and Generals (2001/2), History's Lost and Found (2000), Field of Lost Shoes, the documentary (2000/1—winner of two Emmys), Sommersby (1992), Gettysburg (1992), The Smithsonian's Civil War (1990) and Dress Gray (1985). He appears frequently as a spokesperson for historic preservation on radio and Public Broadcasting television programs.
His most recent published work includes: Virginia Military Institute (2010) and Moses Ezekiel: Civil War Soldier; Renowned Sculptor (2007).
Colonel Gibson is the recipient of the 2012 Governor’s Star Award for employee of the year. He is active in several professional organizations including the American Alliance of Museums and the Virginia Association of Museums.
For the past several years, hundreds of Sigma Nus have heard Colonel Gibson’s keynote at College of Chapters on Honor and Sigma Nu’s history at VMI, and most recently heard him give the Maddox Honor Lecture at the 68th Grand Chapter.