I began volunteering for the Fraternity back in 1997 because Joel Goldman asked if I would be willing to help. At that point I didn’t know what the commitment would involve but I was eager to give something back to Sigma Alpha Mu. I began as a Regional Governor and was elected to the Octagon in 1999. While serving on the Octagon I had the honor to serve in all four officer positions, prior to me Howard Miller was the only other frater to hold all four Supreme Council positions.

As Supreme Prior I continued to implement the Fraternity’s strategic plan which I worked on with Past Supreme Prior Lee Manders. Being from a financial background, another goal was improve the Fraternity’s financial position by maintaining balanced budgets. During my tenure, I worked on developing a culture in the Fraternity whereby the organization’s leaders committed not only volunteer time but also their financial resources to the success of Sigma Alpha Mu. As a part of the strategic plan of reaching out to our alumni, I led a group of 45 fraters and their families on a humanitarian mission to Cuba. The initiative was a great success as we were able to deliver over 100 boxes of needed medical supplies to a local synagogue which is also a drug depository for those less fortunate.

I had the pleasure of working with many dedicated men who served with me on the Octagon. I hope to continue my involvement and pledge to give my best efforts to promote the continued success of Sigma Alpha Mu.

David S. Rice
Beta Iota/Gamma Epsilon
April 21, 2008