I am fully invested in Brother Mark S. Tillman for 34th General President
September 10, 2011
My Dear Brothers of Alpha,
As the fraternity returns its focus to the election for 34th General President, I wanted to take this opportunity to share my endorsement of Brother Mark S. Tillman for General President.
As one of the 34th General President candidates, I studied all candidates very carefully, continuously listened to their statements during various forums, and pondered their issues, track records, and platforms. After my exit from the campaign, I became convinced that Brother Tillman is best equipped to lead Alpha Phi Alpha for the next four years.
As I stated several times during my own campaign, the Millennium has come and gone; the Centennial has come and gone; and now, the MLK Dedication has come and gone. It is now time for Alpha to get busy and turn its focus to the pertinent issues of the day!
It’s time for this fraternity to get a serious handle on the increasing numbers of brothers who have left this house for other organizations. It’s time for us to leverage our strong legacy of service and forge partnerships with national organizations such as the NAACP, the Urban League, the National Education Association, and similar entities as we seek solutions to Why Jamaal Can’t Read? It’s time for us to mandate answers to why state and federal prisons are over-populated with black and brown brothers, when at the same time, white males are attending college at a rate of 20-30% greater. It is seriously time for Alpha to affect policy in this country just as we did decades ago.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity can no longer afford to talk the talk, but not walk the walk. We must do more than just look the part. That’s too easy! We must stand on the shoulders of our Jewels and other Alpha giants, and not rest upon our laurels for what those giants accomplished. We must create our own meaningful legacy that our sons, grandsons and future generations will look to with great pride!
Having studied Brother Tillman’s two terms as Midwestern Region Vice President, and the precision in which he managed his region, I am thoroughly convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that his leadership will move Alpha to that desired level of accomplishment that we as Alphamen so often seek. He left his region in the black when he turned it over to my good friend, Midwestern Regional Vice President, Brother Elgie Sims; HIS CONVENTIONS MADE MONEY; he always brought in a substantial level of corporate sponsorships; and his region always ranked first or second in terms of chapters maintaining good standing in Alpha.
As a 33-year continuously active member of this great fraternity, a holder of many leadership positions, including National General Counsel, Counsel to the National Education Foundation under two General Presidents, and 2-time candidate for General President, I am thoroughly convinced that Brother Tillman can effectively lead Alpha just as he led his District of Michigan for 2 years and his 12-district region for 4 years.
Brother Tillman has told this fraternity from the first day of his first leadership position where he stood, and as I reflect back, I have come to realize that he has not wavered from his convictions. He’s a family man; a man of God; a man of substance; a man of detail; a man of conviction; and a strong results-oriented leader. He’s my choice for 34th General President. I am fully invested!
Sincerely,
Brother Cecil E. Howard
Former Candidate for 34th General President
