Brother LeAaron Foley is fully invested in Brother Mark S. Tillman for 34th General President

Why I support Brother Mark S. Tillman for 34th General President

To My Fellow College Brothers:

As I reflect on the last three years of being a college brother, in what I believe to be the greatest fraternity in the history of the world, I have come to believe that great leadership is not an innate ability. Great leadership takes shape in the form of deliberate and intentional actions. Great leadership requires personal relationships in which the business of Alpha is handled professionally and efficiently with the concerns of the college brother at the forefront. With this said, it is my utmost pleasure to endorse Midwestern Regional Vice President Bro. Mark S. Tillman for 34th General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Upon meeting Bro. Mark S. Tillman at the first business meeting I attended as a Neophyte in 2008—overwhelmed as we all have been at one point as college brothers—I was reassured that there would always be a brother looking out for the best interests of my chapter and our fraternity. Bro. Mark S. Tillman was one of the first leaders I had the privilege of meeting as a new initiate. With the ability to meet with regional leadership, I came to realize that carrying Alpha at her highest would not be a difficult task as long as I knew we, as college brothers, had leadership open to discussions and conversations with the youngest of brothers. As the future of this fraternity, time spent with college brothers is time well spent.

Bro. Tillman’s passion to serve this fraternity and his respect for college brothers serves as the prime reasons for my support. I know every action he takes and every step he makes, the well-being of the college brother is always forthright. My fellow college brothers, I encourage you to support Bro. Mark S. Tillman. Bro. Tillman has been a dedicated leader in the Midwestern region and I am more than confident he will be just as dedicated serving the interests of the college brothers as General President.

Fraternally,

LeAaron A. Foley
Chapter President
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. | Nu Rho Chapter
Illinois Institute of Technology & DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois
leaaronfoley5@gmail.com
Spring 2008 Initiate
Alpha Leadership Academy – Nu Class

Brother Mark S. Tillman and Brother LeAaron Foley share a light moment

Brother Mark S. Crain is fully invested in Brother Mark S. Tillman for 34th General President

My Beloved Brothers in Alpha:

As a former Regional Assistant Vice President, I write today to give my whole-hearted endorsement of the Brother whose commitment and dedication to excellence has assured me that he should serve as the next General President of Alpha Phi Alpha; Brother Mark S. Tillman.

There are a number of men who, since my initiation, have become Big Brothers in the truest since and I count Brother Tillman amongst them. His is the example we should follow in seeking to be good, committed and diligent servants in this organization of leaders. His is the example of a man who achieved that heavily sought balance between brotherhood and business and did so at the expense of neither. While capable, Brother Tillman’s respect within this house is not rooted in his ability to give a stirring speech. While knowledgeable, it is not grounded in his ability to recite to us our own history. Brother Tillman’s respect within the House of Alpha is squarely founded on the years of sincere time and effort he has given to Alpha and, more importantly, to the community that Alpha serves. This is a Brother whom an army of gentlemen that endeavor to be servant leaders would be proud to have as their General.

I had the honor of working alongside Brother Tillman during his tenure on our National Board of Directors as an AVP in his region. During this time, I learned first-hand the detailed nature by which he approaches his work and his emphasis on transparent and regular communication with the Brotherhood. He engages each and every task with the strategic mindset you would expect from the leader of a 20,000-member organization and particularly one to which you pay dues. In the era of $100K losses, the fact that not a single one of Brother Tillman’s Regional Conventions lost money is a testament to his business prowess and commitment to planning and execution.  These are the qualities we need to fortify the House of Alpha. Sound practices, proven results and an ability to execute are hallmarks of Brother Tillman’s leadership.

Lastly, I would be remiss not to discuss how Brother Tillman catered to our college membership, not in rhetorical or patronizing ways, but with significant efforts aimed at preparing us for fruitful membership in Alpha and success in Real Life. When I set out to host a College Brothers Retreat, he made sure that as many Brothers as possible from throughout the Region could attend, at practically no cost to themselves. He later supported an effort to solidify the College Brothers Retreat as an annual program with full funding from the General Organization. Under his leadership, his region was also the first to begin systematically collecting college chapter GPAs leading to an organization-wide effort to catalogue this data which in turn allows us to identify struggling chapters and help our Brothers meet their fullest academic potential.

Having now been a Brother under two administrations and having learned the legacies of those that preceded them, I can fully understand the significance of the Office of General President. This is not an election to take lightly, Brothers. We are at a moment where it is critical that the members herein have full faith that every dollar and moment of time that they invest in Alpha Phi Alpha is producing a positive return for the community and for themselves. Mark Tillman is the steward who can and will ensure that your Alpha Investment is protected.

Sincerely and Fraternally,

Brother Mark S. Crain
Past MWR Assistant Vice President
Iota Delta Lambda Chapter | Chicago, IL
Alpha Mu Spring 2006 | Northwestern University

Brother Mark S. Tillman with Brother Mark S. Crain, Past Midwestern Regional Assistant Vice President