There have been many distinguished members of Alpha Delta Phi. Read about some of them below.

 

MEMBERS AT LARGE

Colonel Edward Mandell House 1881 was a major political and diplomatic figure of early 1900s. Read more about the colonel here.
Allan C. Balch 1889 was a public utilities executive. He endowed Balch Hall. Brother Balch ’89 and his wife Janet Jax Balch, who graduated between 1886 and 1888, gave $1.7 million to Cornell in 1924, paying for the entire construction of Balch Hall, a four-story Gothic building that opened its doors in the late 1920s. An unconfirmed legend handed down through the generations recounts that Mrs. Balch was offended by the behavior of a brother at an Alpha Delt function and insisted that her husband not donate further funds to the Phi and instead build a residence dedicated to the welfare of female students.
 
Martin McVoy Jr. 1892 bought land for Alpha Delt temple and lodge at 777 Stewart Avenue; Head of Building Committee 1899-1903; President of Alumni Corporation 1929-32. Read more about Brother McVoy here.
Elon Huntington Hooker 1894 was a chemist, hydrodynamic engineer, and founder of Hooker Electrochemical Company in 1909. Read more about Brother Hooker here.
Louis Agassiz Fuertes 1897 was a noted wildlife artist and naturalist. Read more about Brother Fuertes here.
Walter C. Teagle 1900 was a chairman of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (now Exxon Mobil Corporation) and endowed Teagle Hall.
Read more about Brother Teagle here.
Theodore H. Booth 1925 was former chairman of Frontier Bronze, Inc., a community and nonprofit board member and volunteer, avid sailor and outdoorsman, founder of the Adelphic Cornell Educational Fund. Read more about Brother Booth here.
Judge James E. Rice, Jr. 1930 was a poultry farmer, town justice of the peace, public servant, and 60-year veteran of the alumni corporation. For nearly 70 years, Brother Rice ’30 was “Mr. Alpha Delt,” a counselor and supporter of generations of Alpha Delta brothers. As an undergraduate, he is remembered for riding the grand piano down the icy slope to Stewart Avenue on the night the original lodge was destroyed by fire in February 1929. As an alumnus, he exemplified the Alpha Delt ideal of service as longtime secretary and treasurer for the alumni and ACEF boards. For 60 years, he served as trustee, chairman, and chairman emeritus of the alumni corporation. He was a board member of numerous community organizations from Topkins County Hospital to the Boy Scouts of America. He served for 33 years as Justice of the Peace for the Town of Ulysses while running poultry business and 600-acre farm with his brothers and his wife, Adelaide.
Thomas C. Reed 1956 was an engineer, businessman, 11th Secretary of the United States Air Force and author. Read more about Brother Reed here.
G. Lauriston Walsh, Jr. 1961 was a real estate and property management executive, and longtime trustee of Adelphic Cornell Educational Fund.
John S. Dyson 1965 was a public servant, Cornell trustee emeritus, businessman and vintner. The John S. Dyson Citizenship Award was established in honor of Cornell Trustee Emeritus John S. Dyson ’65, a distinguished Cornell University alumnus of Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity who has shown an outstanding commitment of the university’s Greek system. The award is given annually to a student within the Cornell fraternity and sorority community who has exemplified exceptional leadership within the Greek community, and who has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service, philanthropy, scholarship, and citizenship. Read more about Brother Dyson here.
Honorable Richard R. Burt 1969 was a management consultant, entrepreneur, chief negotiator in the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) with the former Soviet Union, former U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, former Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs and Director of Politico-Military Affairs. Read more about Brother Burt here.
John A. Brooke 1957 is an Alpha Delt legend in his own lifetime. In the early 1970s, he accepted the responsibility of running the alumni corporation, solving the crisis of several years of unpaid taxes, renovating a deteriorating chapter house which was less than half occupied, and re-engaging alumni interest in the survival of Alpha Delta Phi at Cornell University. John raised the money to pay the taxes and to install a sprinkler system. He worked with the actives to rebuild their membership. The strength of the Phi today is a testament to John’s leadership and dedication at a time of crisis. In 1991, the John A. Brooke Fund was established to honor his stewardship and to provide funds for continued upkeep and maintenance of the physical plant of Alpha Delta Phi. Brooke was a hotelier by profession, and President of Alumni Corporation 1970-1972. Thanks to John, 777 Stewart Avenue continues to be a place for nurturing the values and excellence that embody the spirit and mission of Alpha Delta Phi.

PAST ALUMNI PRESIDENTS OF ALPHA DELTA PHI AT CORNELL

1897-1909 Samuel D. Halliday ’70
1909-1929 Roger B. Williams, Jr. ’01
1929-1932 Martin McVoy, Jr. ’92
1932-1938 Paul H. Deming ’94
1938-1945 R. Wolcott Hooker ’20
1945-1947 Leonard B. Colt ’22
1947-1950 Frank J. Tone, Jr. ?24
1950-1953 Theodore Harrington Booth ’25
1953-1955 Jacob B. Perkins, II ’37
1955-1957 James T. Lewis, Jr. ’27
1957-1960 George D. Beck ’34
1960-1961 John M. Young ’28
1961-1962 Marion V. Bailliere, Jr. ’38
1962-1964 Jack M. Cudlip ’48
1964-1966 James M. Easter, II ’41
1966-1967 Wilson T. Ballard, Jr. ’49
1967-1970 Robert S. Hallas ’31
1970-1972 John A. Brooke ’57
1972-1977 Richard E. Taylor ’63
1977-1979 Gilbert F. Rankin, Jr. ’56
1979-1981 Todd J. Slotkin ’74
1981-1985 Richard W. Wambach ’53
1985-1987 Robert A. Engle ’65
1987-1993 G. Lauriston Walsh, Jr. ’61
1993-1999 Kenneth Eric Growney ’82
1999-2001 Randall Wayne Bus ’68
2001-2002 Peter Michael Ridley Kendall ’68
2002-current Howard Benjamin Schaffer ’90

CHARTER MEMBERS OF ALPHA DELTA PHI AT CORNELL

DeWitt Clinton Johnson Bingham 1870
Des Moines, Iowa. Initiated at Hamilton Chapter. Journalist and Editor. Canal Toll Collector. U.S. Consul to Aix-la-Chapelle, Germany, 1893.

Thomas Castle 1872
Buffalo, New York. Jeweler. Died April 17, 1872.

Frederick Lee Gilbert 1871
Duluth, Minnesota. Lumber Manufacturer and shipbuilder.

Samuel Dumont Halliday 1870
Ithaca, New York. Initiated at Hamilton Chapter. Lawyer. Tompkins County District Attorney. Cornell University Trustee, 1874-1884. Member of New York State Assembly, 1876 and 1878.

Harvey Judson Hurd 1872
Born in Elmira, New York. Lumber and brick merchant. Trustee, Buffalo Merchants’ Exchange, 1889-1895. President, Buffalo Board of Trade, 1894.

Chester Hicks Loomis 1872
Englewood, New Jersey. Artist. Studied under Lion Bonnat, Paris 1875-1867. Remained in France until 1885. Member, Society of American Artists and Municipal Art League of New York.

William Workman Lyon 1872
New York, New York. Lawyer. Journalist. Major and Judge Advocate, and Inspector, 4th Brigade, National Guard State of New York, 1877-1883.

Walter Scott MacGregor 1871
Syracuse, New York. Lawyer.

George Henry Phelps 1871
Boston, Massachusetts. Manufacturing Executive, George Frost Company, makers of patented underwear and notions.

Morris Morris Ross 1870
Indianapolis, Indiana. Managing Editor, Indianapolis News. Formerly with the Washington Patriot, New York Tribune, and Indianapolis Sentinel.

Henry Hale Seymour 1871
Buffalo, New York. Lawyer. Lecturer, Buffalo Law School. U.S. Commissioner of Jurors. Judge Advocate, 4th Division, National Guard State of New York, 1880-1885.

Henry Graves Wells 1872
Born St. Louis, Missouri. In express and shipping business for a short time, when his health failed. Died March 24, 1878.