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Chi Psi Selects Harold G. Arnwine to be the Fraternity’s 14th Executive Director
Current Executive Director, Sam Bessey, Will Transition Into New Role as Chief Advancement Officer
Nashville, TN – A national executive search has resulted in the selection of Harold G. Arnwine II to be the 14th Executive Director of Chi Psi Fraternity. Brother Arnwine was chosen from a group of four highly qualified final candidates by an executive committee of the Chi Psi Executive Council and The Chi Psi Educational Trust.
“We found that Brother Arnwine’s years of experience in leading national not-for-profit advocacy organizations, his professional expertise as Associate Director of Planned Giving for the Anti-Defamation League in New York, and years of enthusiastic Chi Psi alumni service all added up to a strong profile for the Executive Director’s role,” says Chuck O’Boyle, co-chairman of the committee that performed the nation-wide search and recommended the four finalists. Arnwine will be leaving his position as an attorney in Atlanta, GA, to accept the Executive Director position at Chi Psi.
Brother Arnwine joined the Fraternity as a student at Sewanee: The University of the South and graduated in 1986. He since has served two full terms on the Fraternity’s national Executive Council and has served as a Trustee of the Chi Psi Educational Trust since 2006. Brother Arnwine has been intimately involved in Chi Psi as a volunteer and is well known to its members as a dedicated and motivated leader.
“I am humbled to have the opportunity to work full time with the outstanding team at Chi Psi’s Central Office,” says Arnwine. “And I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of the Fraternity that has been a significant part of my life for more than 30 years.”
Dave Woodruff, the incoming Chairman of the Fraternity’s Executive Council, looks forward to working with Brother Arnwine: “I’m thrilled that Chi Psi will be able to transition from one seasoned and excellent Executive Director to another equally qualified and dedicated leader.”
Current Executive Director Sam Bessey will move into a new role with the Fraternity as Chief Advancement Officer at the conclusion of Chi Psi’s 181st Annual Convention. Bessey spent the last 20 years serving Chi Psi as Executive Director and looks forward to staying heavily involved in development and advancement of the Fraternity at the Central Office. “I have worked closely with Brother Arnwine for more than 20 years and have always marveled at his impressive background, dedication to the Fraternity, and leadership abilities,” he says.
“I appreciate how many alumni volunteered to be a part of the candidate profile, search, and interview process,” said Kurt Wells, current Chairman of the Executive Council. “We had several highly qualified candidates and I am very pleased to have Brother Arnwine take the helm as our next Executive Director. I also applaud Brother Bessey for his 20 years of service as Chi Psi’s Executive Director and look forward to collaborating with him as he becomes our Chief Advancement Officer.”
Arnwine adds: “A great deal of my experiences as a Chi Psi have been shaped by my long-standing respect for Brother Bessey and his accomplishments as the Fraternity’s Executive Director. I am excited now to work closely with him in his new position on the Chi Psi leadership team.”
The formal transition from Brother Bessey to Brother Arnwine will occur during the formal banquet at the Fraternity’s national convention which will be held July 27-30, 2022 in Lubbock, TX, on the campus of Texas Tech University.
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Chi Psi Fraternity has a strong presence at 32 of America’s most respected educational institutions. Founded in 1841 at Union College in Schenectady, NY, Chi Psi is a Fraternity of gentlemen devoted to the individual and collective needs of its members, respect for others, and being a responsible partner with the university and community. It is a selective association of diverse individuals dedicated to the cultivation of a unique environment which instills a lifelong commitment to Brotherhood. The Chi Psi Central Office is located in Nashville, TN.