[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 55 (Wednesday, April 1, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E843]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF PI KAPPA ALPHA FRATERNITY CHIEF EXECUTIVE 
                         OFFICER RAYMOND ORIANS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETE SESSIONS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 2009

  Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I am honored and privileged to recognize 
Raymond L. Orians in tribute to his lifelong dedication to the 
collegiate and interfraternal movement, as well as his 25 years of 
service as the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of 
the Pi Kappa International Fraternity. Pi Kappa Alpha is a values-based 
college fraternity, with more than 200 chapters, 13,000 undergraduate 
members, and over 235,000 lifetime members.
  Mr. Orians has spent his entire professional career, which spans more 
than 40 years, helping to educate college undergraduates and working to 
advance the North American Interfraternal movement. Most notable has 
been his involvement with the Fraternity Executives Association, as its 
president in 1994-1995, and as a mentor to countless other executives 
and staff members throughout the collegiate world.
  He was also actively involved as president of the Coalition for 
Freedom of Association, an action group consisting of several 
fraternities and sororities and other student organizations, which was 
successful in helping to secure federal legislation for the right of 
students to associate freely. This legislation became federal law and 
remains a source of law vital to the success of all student 
organizations today in their most critical area of operation, 
membership recruitment.
  Mr. Orians has also been a strong advocate within Pi Kappa Alpha for 
the benefits of membership in the North American college fraternity. He 
has attended countless meetings as an advocate for their membership and 
is frequently consulted for his expertise in the field. He has also 
been a key point-person on the efforts to lobby Congress to pass the 
Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, personally walking the halls 
each year and also making certain that Pi Kappa Alpha is well 
represented.
  At Pi Kappa Alpha's 2008 International Convention, Mr. Orians 
announced that he would be retiring from his post as Executive Vice 
President & CEO, a position he has held for 25 years. Prior to that, he 
also served as the chief housing officer for Pi Kappa Alpha for 15 
years. In tribute to his service to Pi Kappa Alpha, Mr. Orians was 
honored with his Fraternity's Loyalty Award in 2004 and Distinguished 
Achievement Award in 2008. In recognition that he is a true source of 
inspiration in the pursuit of excellence by undergraduate members and 
chapters, he will forevermore be the namesake of Pi Kappa Alpha's 
Chapter Excellence Award. It is awarded annually to the top 10-15% of 
Pi Kappa Alpha chapters.
  Mr. Orians' personal and professional achievements throughout his 
career have been outstanding by every measurement. He presided over the 
establishment of 67 new Pi Kappa Alpha chapters at institutions of 
higher learning throughout North America which included more than 
100,000 new members being brought into its ranks. Under his leadership, 
a new Pi Kappa Alpha Memorial Headquarters was constructed and 
dedicated in 1988, with a new Gold Star Memorial dedicated on August 1, 
2008 recognizing those fraternity members who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice in military service to their country. In addition, the highly 
successful True Pike program, a values-based educational and leadership 
program, was created, and the innovative Pike University was 
established during his tenure, benefiting thousands of undergraduate 
young men each year.
  Throughout his career, Mr. Orians has been a tremendous ambassador 
and advocate for all fraternities. Given his involvement, achievement, 
and tenure within the Greek movement and within Pi Kappa Alpha, it is 
an honor for me, as one of his Fraternity brothers and a colleague in 
the collegiate Greek movement, to acknowledge with gratitude the 
distinguished career and service of Raymond L. Orians, on this, his 
final day as Executive Vice President of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

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