Meet our Leadership

Ben Johnson II

Eminent Supreme Archon

As a founding father of the UC-Irvine chapter, Johnson was elected to serve as its Eminent Deputy Archon, leading the development of the Emerging Chapter to its successful chartering. He remained involved as a young alumnus, serving as a chapter advisor for both his home chapter and neighboring UC-Riverside. Johnson also founded the Southern California Area Alumni Association and the Cal Psi Chapter Alumni Association. In addition to serving as Alumni Association President for 12 years, he was elected as Province Chi-Alpha Deputy Archon and mentored all chapters in Southern California for 7 years. He has been honored to serve the realm in numerous additional leadership roles as a faculty member of the John O. Moseley Leadership School and the Levere Leadership Institute; and as a member of the True Gentleman Task Force, the Eminent Supreme Recorder (ESR) Search Committee, the Strategic Plan Committee, and most proudly as the Chairman of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

Johnson has been awarded the Order of the Lion, the Order of Minerva, and the Merit Key. Johnson, the first African American National Board Member, was elected to the Council as the Eminent Supreme Chronicler at the Louisville, KY, 2019 National Convention. He currently serves as liaison to the Fraternity Laws Committee.

In addition to his service to the Fraternity, Johnson has created a legacy of community service in Southern California. He was recently elected to the Riverside County Board of Education. Prior he was a Trustee on the Alvord Unified School District Board of Education and was elected to an unprecedented five consecutive terms, serving for a total of twenty-one years. In addition to his service as a school board member, he has also served in a variety of not-for-profit and professional leadership and service roles including as a member of the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters, a member of the Riverside Community Health Foundation, a member of the board of directors for the Youth Service Center and Director of Homeless Outreach, and Vice-Chairman of both the Human Relations Committee and the City of Riverside Charter Review.

He currently resides in Riverside, California, with Stacy, his wife of 34 years. Together, they have raised four daughters: Rebekah, Anastacia, Rachel, and Abigail.

James L. Skaggs

Eminent Supreme Deputy Archon

Skaggs was initiated into the Oklahoma Mu chapter (Oklahoma State University) in 1974. He served several roles in the chapter as an undergraduate. Most notably, Jim was the President of his new member class, Eminent Deputy Archon, and Recruitment Chairman. After pursuing a degree in Business Administration, Skaggs started his insurance career with the Hartford Insurance Company, was also Vice-President of a nationwide insurance agency, and was a Regional Manager for the Travelers Insurance Group. In 1994, Jim left Travelers to start his own company, the Charter Financial Group. He continues to serve today as the CEO & President. His firm provides financial services to independent insurance professionals in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado & Kansas.

Skaggs has continued to faithfully & consistently serve the fraternity in a multitude of roles. For over 30 years, Jim was part of the Oklahoma Mu House Corporation Board, being elected president twice. During that time, he created and ran a health & safety program about the dangers of alcohol abuse for not only the chapter but also the entire Greek community at OSU. Held on the lawn of the chapter house annually, more than 23,000 OSU students attended this important program over 13 years. Jim has served as Secretary of the SAE Financial & Housing Corporation Board, Founder & President of the OKC/OKMU Alumni Association, Province Sigma Archon & Deputy Archon, served on a handful of SAE national committees, and was a faculty member of the John O. Moseley and Province Sigma Leadership Schools. He founded and was the chapter advisor for the Oklahoma Sigma chapter at the University of Central Oklahoma. For his work there, he received an Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award in 2020.

Brother Skaggs was elected to the Supreme Council at the 165th Anniversary Convention and presently serves as the Eminent Supreme Deputy Archon. He has been awarded the Order of the Lion, Order of Minerva, and was honored with the Merit Key in 2013. Jim lives in Edmond, OK, with his wife Sally, who shares his passion for SAE. She has received the Order of the Violet for her dedication to our fraternity. He also has a daughter, Kelsey, from a previous marriage.

Joseph B. Richey

Eminent Supreme Warden

Brother Richey was initiated into the Pennsylvania Alpha-Zeta Chapter at Penn State University - University Park in the fall of 2005. He served his chapter as Eminent Archon for two terms and held a position on the University President’s Advisory Council at Penn State. As an undergraduate, he attended John O. Moseley Leadership School and the Quint Province Leadership School, and was one of twenty-five undergraduate brothers selected by the Supreme Council for the inaugural class of SAE’s Inner Circle. He graduated with a B.A. in Communication Arts and Sciences from Penn State and is currently an M.B.A. candidate at the Harbert College of Business at Auburn University.

His service to SAE continued as an alumnus, having served three terms as the Province Archon for the state of North Carolina (Province Omicron), as Deputy Chairman of the Council of Province Archons during the 2021-2023 biennium, and as President of the Raleigh Alumni Association. In 2021, Joe founded SAE Hunters & Anglers, an affinity group for alumni of SAE who are passionate about the great outdoors. At the time, it was the first alumni association of its kind and has since grown to nearly eight hundred members. He is also a founding member of the SAE National Historic Society, established in 2024.

Over the years, Joe has also served as a Chapter Advisor, Alumni Association Treasurer, Province Deputy Archon, and was a long-time member of the fraternity’s permanent committee on growth - the Expansion Advisory Committee (EAC) - having been appointed by three consecutive Eminent Supreme Archons. He has served multiple times as a faculty member at John O. Moseley Leadership School, DeVotie Ritual Institute, SAE Executives Academy, and several province leadership schools. In 2022, he and two fellow Province Archons established the Tri-Province Leadership School, a biennial event for the chapters in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The event took place in Spartanburg, SC, and was attended by nearly one hundred undergraduates and alumni in its first year.

Professionally, Joe serves as Senior Program Manager of Strategy and Transformation at Red Hat, a wholly owned subsidiary of IBM, Inc. with $3.5B in annual revenue. He spends his time managing, directing, and supporting strategic initiatives across the Red Hat enterprise. In the decade prior to that, he worked in management consulting at IBM and later Accenture as Consulting Manager, supporting clients across multiple industries, markets, and geographies. During that time, Joe worked primarily on organizational strategy and transformation, communications, and change management.

Joe lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his five-year-old son, Jay. He is active in his community as a member of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and as a youth wrestling coach and official. He is a proud member and officer is his Masonic lodge, Hiram Lodge #40 in Raleigh, NC, founded in the year 1799. He is a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Freemason and an active member of Shriners International, which supports the Shriners Children’s Hospitals.

F. Joseph Halcomb, III

Eminent Supreme Herald

Dr. Joe Halcomb was initiated into the Kentucky Epsilon chapter at the University of Kentucky (UK) in 1970. Since then, he has served as an Alumni Advisor for the chapter and a delegate to the National Convention. During his undergraduate years, he held several leadership positions, including Eminent Archon of his chapter.

Dr. Halcomb became the Eminent Supreme Chronicler of the Fraternity’s Supreme Council in 2023. Previously, he served on the SAE Foundation Board of Trustees from 2019 to 2023, chairing the Scholarship Commission. He has also been a Faculty Member at SAE’s Leadership School and DeVotie Ritual Institute. Additionally, he has received the Merit Key and other alumni awards and is a member of the Founder’s Circle at the Ruby Level.

Dr. Halcomb is the Founder and CEO of Phoenix Initiâre, a private equity firm, and he is a limited partner at Telegraph Hill Partners. Prior to founding Phoenix Initiâre, he held senior executive positions at Amgen, a multi-billion-dollar biotechnology company, and Zimmer, a leading orthopedic device company.

He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from UK and completed his postgraduate training in Internal Medicine. Additionally, he holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from UK and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), respectively.

Dr. Halcomb is a board member at UK and the benefactor of the UK Department of Biomedical Engineering, named in his honor. He was inducted into the UK Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2020 and received an Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree in 2021.

Joe and his wife, Joani, live in Franklin, TN. They have two daughters and eight grandchildren. Joe enjoys driving his restored 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster and is an avid drummer with a custom drum kit made from a 300-year-old poplar tree.

Les Ireland

Chairman

Les joined the Board of Trustees in November 2019 and is a member from Towson University. He was Pledge Educator and House Manager for his chapter and served as a Senator for Towson’s Student Government Association as an undergraduate. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. Currently, he works as a Strategic Consultant, where he advises both public and private companies on marketing, operations, and commercial strategy. Les and his wife, Lori, live in Longboat Key, Florida and have two sons and one grandson. In his free time, Les enjoys golf, water sports, and home improvement projects.

Dan Alsaker

Vice Chairman

Dan joined the Board of Trustees in January 2022 and is a member from the University of Idaho. As an undergraduate, Dan served his chapter as Eminent Archon and Member Educator. As an alumnus, Dan served as Province Phi Archon. In 2007 he was awarded the Merit Key recognizing his significant service to SAE. Dan has a Bachelor of Science degree in business management. He is the President of Broadway Group, which owns and operates Broadway Flying J Travel Plazas in Washington, Montana, and Nevada. Additionally, Dan has served many different organizations throughout his professional career, including school boards, association boards, advisory boards, foundation boards, museum boards, selection committees, fundraising committees, and election committees. Dan and his wife, Anne, live in Bozeman, Montana. They have four children and four grandchildren.

Scott Pointner

Secretary

In April of 2021, Scott joined the Board of Trustees and became General Counsel. He is a member from Indiana University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in finance. As an undergraduate, he served his chapter as Eminent Deputy Archon. Scott attended Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, and is now a partner at Rathje Woodward LLC where he practices in the areas of commercial real estate, corporate/finance, commercial litigation, and homeowners/condominium association law.  Scott and his wife, Dolly, live just outside of Chicago. They have two adult daughters. In his free time, Scott enjoys training his German shorthaired pointer for grouse hunting. He also enjoys fishing and playing guitar in a blues band and at church. In addition to the SAE Foundation, he serves on the finance committee at his church, as a board member for the DuPage Health Coalition, and as General Counsel for the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce.

Henry Beattie

Scholarship Commission Chair

Henry joined the Board of Trustees in September 2022 and is a member from Mississippi State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting. As an undergraduate, Henry served his chapter as Eminent Archon and Eminent Treasurer. Following two years of service in the United States Navy, Henry spent six years as a Certified Public Accountant for Ernst & Young. He was also the CEO of a 100-location drug store chain and President of Baker/Automated Prescription Systems, Inc. He is now enjoying retirement. Henry and his wife of 45 years, Martha, live in Scottsdale and Prescott, Arizona. In their free time, they enjoy spending time together outdoors. In addition to serving on the SAE Foundation Board of Trustees, Henry is also on the Board of his community Homeowners Association.

Debashis Chowdhury

Nominating Committee Chair & Investment (Interim) Commission Chair

Debashis joined the Board of Trustees in August 2020 and is a member from the University of Minnesota. As an undergraduate, he served his chapter in various positions, including as Eminent Archon. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in management and economics. He is the President of Canterbury Consulting, an Investment Advisory Firm which currently manages over $32 billion in assets for clients throughout North America. Debashis and his wife, Laurel, live in Laguna Niguel, California. They have a son. In his free time, Debashis enjoys golfing, spending time outdoors exploring the mountains, and is a member of the Southern California Young Presidents Organization. He also serves as a board member for the Priority Center of Orange County and the Mission Hospital Foundation.

Grant Gier

Audit Committee Chair

Grant joined the Board of Trustees in July 2019 and is a member from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As an undergraduate, he served as his chapter’s Eminent Archon and Eminent Treasurer. As an alumnus, he worked for the Fraternity as Extension Director and is a past Chairman and member of the SAE Extension Advisory Committee. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration and finance and has over 35 years of experience as a Business and Wealth Management Advisor with Northwestern Mutual. Grant and his wife, Betsy, live in Chicagoland. They have two adult children. In his free time, Grant enjoys travel, golf, bowling, and pickleball. In addition to serving on the SAE Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Grant also supports and volunteers for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Matthew Weinstein

Alumni Association Liaison Committee Chair

Matt joined the Board of Trustees in September 2022 and is a member from the University of Northern Iowa. As an undergraduate, he served his chapter as Eminent Deputy Archon, Membership Educator, Rush Chair, and Interfraternity Council Representative. As an alumnus, he has served on his chapter’s Housing Corporation. He has a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government and is the National Sales Director for Abbott Laboratories, where he has worked for 24 years in sales and marketing. Matt and his wife live in the northern suburbs of Chicago. They have two daughters and a beagle/basset hound mix named Murphy. In his free time, Matt enjoys traveling with his family, visiting breweries, reading, and working out. In addition to serving on the SAE Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Matt is a mentor for Women Leaders in Action and participates in Junior Achievement programs at his daughters’ schools.

Jack Counts

Trustee

Jack joined the Board of Trustees in October 2019. He was initiated at Westminster College in Missouri, where he served as Rush Chairman and Social Chairman. He later transferred and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He is the Founder and CEO of Candid Color Systems, a photo-marketing business that supports independent photographers, helps them grow their businesses, and stay competitive in the marketplace. Candid Color Systems, through its operators, currently photographs the graduation ceremonies on most college campuses across the country. Many SAE members likely have a Candid Color Systems picture of themselves receiving a diploma as they walk across the stage. Jack and his wife, Alison, live in Oklahoma City. Jack has seven children, including three sons that were initiated into SAE. Jack enjoys traveling, hiking, going to hundreds of his kids’ soccer games, and is a boating enthusiast in his free time. In addition to his work with the SAE Foundation, Jack is also on the Oklahoma Kappa Board and is involved in his chapter’s alumni relations.

Graham Hill

Trustee

Graham joined the Board of Trustees in September 2022 and is a member from the University of Texas-Austin. As an undergraduate, Graham served his chapter as Eminent Archon, Houston Rush Captain, and Scholarship Chairman. He was also on the Student Union Board of Directors and was Vice President of the Interfraternity Council. As an alumnus, Graham has served as an Alumni Advisor and was a key member of the Capital Campaign Committee that raised funds to build the current SAE House on the UT Campus. Graham also established two scholarships for the benefit of University Texas students in good standing with SAE: the Scott Caven Scholarship and the Frank Abraham Scholarship. Graham is presently Co-Chair of the Re-Chartering Committee for the Emerging Chapter of SAE at the University of Texas-Austin. Graham has Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Public Affairs degrees from UT and a Juris Doctor degree from Southern Methodist University. Graham practiced civil trial law for almost 40 years handling many high-profile cases. He is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, The American Board of Trial Advocates, and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He is also a member and the past President of the International Society of Barristers. Additionally, Graham has supported many different organizations, including membership on various hospital, charity, and church boards. Graham and his wife, Lindy, live in Houston, Texas. They have four children and seven grandchildren.

Hugh Miller IV

Trustee

Hugh joined the Board of Trustees in February 2024 and is a member from The University of Alabama, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing. He is the Chief Operating Officer of Dean Sausage Company, Inc. Hugh has served as the President of the Alabama Mu House Corporation since 2014 and is also a Chapter Advisor. He is also on the Boards of several local non-profit organizations and is an active member of the Episcopal Church of The Holy Comforter. Hugh and his wife, Tracey, live in Gadsden, Alabama. They have three children and one grandson.

Peter Mitchell

Trustee

Peter joined the Board of Trustees in February 2024 and is a member from California State University, Fullerton, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. He is the President of P.M. Consulting, Inc. and Founder of Springboard Ventures. In addition to serving on the Foundation Board of Trustees, he is on the Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation Board of Governors. He serves as Co-Chair of the CSFPF Advocacy Committee. He is the California Pi Chapter Alumni Chair and an Advisor to the Emerging Chapter at Cal State Fullerton. Peter and his wife, Niki, live in Corona Del Mar, California.

Bo Sederstrom

Trustee

Bo joined the Board of Trustees in April 2021 and is a member from Northern Arizona University. As an undergraduate, he served his chapter in various positions, including Eminent Deputy Archon and Eminent Archon. As an Alumnus, he is involved with the Phoenix Alumni Association and recently served as the Association Board President. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Northern Arizona University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Arizona State University. Bo has 30 years of experience in commercial real estate and is currently the Senior Vice President of Citywide Commercial Real Estate. He lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. In his free time, Bo enjoys snow skiing and driving his Polaris RZR. He also occasionally enjoys hunting and fishing. Bo serves as a board member for ASU WP Carey College of Business Alumni Board of Directors, is an ASU President’s Club Member, and is on the Board of Advisors for the educational software firm K-16 Solutions.

Joe Anderson

Honorary Trustee

Joe joined the Board of Trustees in 2024 and is a member from the University of Kentucky Chapter.  While an undergraduate, he was the Community Service Chair (winning two Joseph Mancini Awards) and was Eminent Archon.  Currently, he manages a book of business of 12 large, self-funded group plans for UnitedHealth Group.  Joe has served as President of the Kentucky Epsilon Alumni Association since 2009. He has also served on the House Corporation and was a member of the fundraising and building committee for the new Chapter House in 1995.  He currently serves as Chapter Advisor and Province Xi Archon. Joe has also served on several local boards and is an active member of The Cathedral of Christ the King.  Joe and his wife, Denise, live in Lexington and have one adult daughter.

Jeff Rovner

Honorary Trustee

Jeff joined the Board of Trustees in February 2024 and is a member from Arizona State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in business marketing. He is the Founder of Fair Source Partners, LLC. As an undergraduate, Jeff served his chapter as Rush Chairman, Member Educator, and Eminent Deputy Archon. He also served on the Interfraternity Council as Rush Chairman and President. He is a Mentor for SAE’s True Gentleman Mentor Program and recently volunteered as a Facilitator at the 85th National Leadership School. Jeff and his wife, Carolyn, live in Sarasota, Florida. They have three children and one grandchild.

Dan Stanczak

Honorary Trustee

Dan joined the Board of Trustees in 2025 and is a member from the Loyola University Chicago Chapter.  While an undergraduate, he was a two-term Eminent Treasurer and Member Educator.  Currently, he serves as the Director of Finance and Business Services for the Buffalo Grove Park District. Dan previously served SAE as a member of the staff for over twenty years. Most recently, as the Chief Business Officer. Dan and his wife Aly live in Mundelein with their three daughters.

M. Todd Buchanan

Trustee Emeritus

Todd joined the Board of Trustees in July 2011 and became a Trustee Emeritus in June 2021. He is a member from the University of Southern Mississippi where he earned a finance degree. He was Eminent Archon and Student Body President as an undergraduate and served as Eminent Supreme Archon and Province Archon as an alumnus. In 2011 he became the 130th member to receive the Distinguished Service Award, recognizing his lifetime of service to SAE. Todd also has a Master of Public Administration from Arizona State University and is currently the CEO of World Financial Group, a life insurance distribution giant with 71,000 agents across North America. Prior to this, he was an Army Officer for six years and spent twenty-four years as an executive in the life and retirement business, where he was named Manager of The Year nine times. Todd and his wife live in Tampa, Florida. They have three children. In his free time, Todd enjoys traveling, technology, golfing, and fishing. In addition to serving on the SAE Foundation Board of Trustees, Todd serves on the Reliaquest Bowl Executive Committee and Board of Directors for the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Vineyard Capital, and Cogent Bank.

Gary L. Garnand

Trustee Emeritus

Garnand pledged and was initiated into Idaho Alpha at the University of Idaho in the fall of 1965. As an undergraduate he served as Eminent Chronicler, Eminent Recorder, and Eminent Deputy Archon. In addition, he was Pledge Educator, Alumni chairman, and chairman of the 50th Anniversary of Idaho Alpha. He served on the initiation team with then ESA Paul B. Jacob and introduced our guest Rudy Valle (Maine Alpha) at the gala celebration. On campus he was on the IFC communications team and the IFC recruiting team.

Garnand graduated in the spring of 1970 with a degree in Marketing Management and went to work for Chef Reddy Foods, a potato processor.

In 1971, he founded Garnand Marketing, a fresh produce brokerage firm and in 1981 founded The Northwest Connection, a national refrigerated trucking company. Today he is the managing partner of both firms and still active in the day to day operations of the business. In addition, he has founded a community bank and served as both its vice chairman and chairman. He has also been involved in real estate development.

On the National Fraternity level, Garnand was the official chapter delegate to both the 1968 Leadership School and the 1969 San Francisco Convention. He has attended six national conventions and was the chairman of the Alumni Services committee for four years for the National Fraternity and was charged with creating the program and bringing it to the convention for ratification. He served Province Phi as Archon three times and has served on the SAE Foundation Board as well. He is currently the secretary of the F&H Board. In addition, he is the president of Zeta Chi Alpha Trust Company that is the house corporation for Idaho Alpha. He is also on the leadership team for Idaho Alpha’s alumni commission.

He holds the Order of the Phoenix, the Order of the Lion, and the Merit Key as well as other certificates and recognitions and is a Rudolph member of the SAE Foundation. He was the first Founder member of Idaho Alpha. He was the creator and chief fundraiser for the Vietnam memorial in the Levere Memorial Temple. It was in honor of all the brothers that served in Viet Nam and was in the likeness of Past ESA Clark Houston.

Garnand has received awards for outstanding service from the local Vandal Boosters (University of Idaho’s Athletic fundraising program) and the National Vandal Boosters. He served on the University of Idaho’s College of Business Advisory Board for 19 years and was on one Dean’s search team for the College. He has a scholarship in the College of Business for brothers at Idaho Alpha. He is a member of the Silver and Gold Society for the University of Idaho Foundation. He’s been president of the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club and the chairman of the Twin Falls Urban Renewal Agency. He is the chairman of the Bowers Foundation, a local scholarship program, for the local Masons.

Garnand lives in Twin Falls, Idaho with his wife Lori who is the department chair for IT at the College of Southern Idaho.

Fred Kleisner

Trustee Emeritus

Fred joined the Board of Trustees in October 2017 and is a member from Michigan State University, where he served as House Steward as an undergraduate. In 2017 he was awarded the Merit Key recognizing his significant service to SAE and currently serves on the SAE Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Committee. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from MSU’s School of Hospitality Business. He also has an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Wheeling Jesuit University. Fred has over 50 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He is currently an Independent Director of several public and private equity companies, including Ashford Hospitality Trust, Athora Holdings LTD, Bermuda, and NR International. Fred and his wife, Johnna, live on Bainbridge Island, Washington. They have four children and seven grandchildren. In his free time, Fred enjoys being active, spending time outdoors, fly fishing, reading, and mentoring. He describes himself as a fitness enthusiast, wilderness advocate, and life-long learner. In addition to serving on the SAE Foundation Board of Trustees, Fred is also a member of the MSU Hospitality Advisory Board and The IslandWood School Board of Trustees, where he serves as the Finance Committee Chair and Treasurer.

Thomas C. LaMantia

Trustee Emeritus

Tom joined the Board of Trustees in September 2017 and is a member from the University of Arizona. He is a Certified Information Security Professional with over 30 years of experience designing and deploying global high-tech and secure digital systems to fortune 500 organizations. Throughout his career, Tom has started several companies, including Magenium Solutions, which he built from the ground up into one of the nation’s premier Microsoft service providers.

Tom is a trusted advisor to many IT leaders and a diverse team of executives. He has and advises leaders in many large organizations, such as AON, Ryerson Inc., Zurich, and Discount Tire. He is known as a strong leader, strategic thinker, and innovator. His firms have earned several accolades from Crain’s Best Places to work to both Microsoft: Worldwide Partner of the Year and Federal Partner of the Year. Tom holds several patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

Tom and his wife, Colleen, live in Scottsdale, Arizona. They have three children.