Texas Pike

05/11/2026

Saturday morning's Beta Mu golf tournament was an absolute blast.

Tournament co-organizer Cinco Cocke '80 said, "We played the beautiful Memorial Park golf course, home to Tour events. Thirty-six alums and four actives representing six decades of our brotherhood thoroughly enjoyed the day. It was great fun and will certainly become an annual event." ⛳️

Thanks to Tucker Graves '78 serving as the colorful First Tee announcer, and congratulations to Tom Peel '73 winner of closest to the pin on Hole 2. And no surprise two actives won the tournament - Ryan Keh and Clayton Lindley with a low net score of 51! 🤘🏼Well done !

John Rathmell '75 spoke for many, "Let's keep the momentum going in events such as this. Bringing alumni and actives together matters."

Matt Hoover '12 came in from Dallas and said, "It was a blast playing. I hope we keep this going and I want to help plan one in Dallas soon."

The event raised $1,200 for our Alumni Association treasury. Thanks to all for playing and stay tuned for more Alumni Association events in the days ahead. 👍🏻

05/06/2026

The field is set for the Beta Mu Houston golf classic on Saturday May 9. 40 golfers: 36 alums across six decades and four active players. The tourney promises to be a lot of fun! ⛳️

Thanks to tournament committee Cinco Cocke '80, Jon Jones '77 and Steve Winter '82 for organizing.

Tucker Graves '78 will be judging the best dressed golfer and thanks to Jon Jones '77 for providing a closest to the pin prize and a tournament ballcap! 🤘🏼

Hat tip to Cinco Cocke '80 and Russ Keene '80 for underwriting the actives' green fees and Johnny Rathmell '76 and Cinco hosting the actives meals/beverages. 🤠

Nongolfers are welcome for lunch at Becks Prime at the course.

05/02/2026

02/14/2026

Save the date – the Tee It Up For Beta Mu golf tournament, May 9, Houston’s Memorial Park Golf Course. ⛳️

Join this new tradition for Beta Mu alumni and members. 🤘🏼

Steeped in golf history since 1936, Memorial Park is amongst the finest municipal courses in the country, and hosts the PGA Texas Children’s Open in late March and the LPGA’s Chevron Championship in April.

Look for registration details soon at texaspike.com. Registration fee of $200 includes golf, cart, range balls, a commemorative tournament ball cap, and a $30 contribution to the Alumni Association.

After the tournament, stay for burgers and a beverage at Beck’s Prime located in the park. Non-golfers are welcome to attend the post tournament and gathering at Beck’s Prime. 🍔

Donations of UT and golf paraphernalia as door prizes for golfers are welcomed.

Send a note to [email protected] to be added to the registration list and receive more details, or contact any of the tournament committee Cinco Cocke ‘80, Jon Jones ‘77 and Steve Winter ‘82.

🏌🏼‍♂️

02/05/2026

Announcement to all Beta Mu Alumni;

The Beta Mu Building Co. will hold its Annual Meeting on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 9:00 am at 2400 Leon.

Election for two of the five board seats will occur to replace two retiring members. We’re grateful for the longtime service of Dr. Jim Shaw and Wayne Lott to the brotherhood and the property.🤘🏼

11/26/2025

Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude and reflection.

We are grateful for the Pike family and for the Founders’ enduring vision in 1868 of service, brotherhood and friendship.

Best wishes for a meaningful holiday.

And yes, BTHOA&M 🦃

11/26/2025

Thanks to the chapter for hosting and to the nearly 100 alumni, spouses, family and friends who joined our November 22 alumni tailgate. 🤘🏼

Was great to see brothers initiated from the 1960s to new alumni who just graduated last year. Alums fully enjoyed the interaction with many of today’s 150 men in the chapter, renewed old relationships, and enjoyed barbecue before heading off see to the Texas win on the gridiron in DKR 🏈

Too many to name here but please enjoy the pictures.

Congratulations to the 2025 class of the Beta Mu Legends Awards winners!

• Distinguished Leadership Award – Dow Hickam ‘65 (presented by Doug Phelan ‘65.)

• Founders Award – the late Bob Milstead ‘48, accepted by his grandson, Lamar Milstead and Lamar‘s children. (Presented by Russ Keene ‘80.)

• Under 40 Achievement Award - Chandler Abbott ‘10, accepted by his mother, Susanne Abbott. (Presented by Russ Keene ‘80.)

• Oak Service Award - Steve Dunn ‘73 (Presented by Bert Dement ‘66.)

In comments Steve Dunn noted the honor to be included with the past Oak Award honorees, Don Flournoy and Doug Phelan who “Set the standard of dedication to the chapter and house Corp that I have strived to emulate. Each has lived the lifetime of dedication to the Beta Mu Chapter. “

Lamar Milstead shared how much his grandfather fondly remembered his Pike days and brothers. Bob Milstead had a full career of 27 years in the Air Force before building a second career in commercial banking. He’d been an influential campus and community leader and a loving father, grandfather and great grandfather as well. Lamar noted his grandfather‘s face fully lit up when talking about his Texas Pike days. Lamar encouraged the Pikes to “Enjoy the lifelong friendships with each other and to never stop telling and reliving Pike stories.”

Being a member of Pike Kappa Alpha is truly a lifelong experience. We invite all Beta Mu alumni to reconnect with their peers, other alumni and to support today’s very vibrant chapter.

Stay involved, follow our alumni activities and send in alumni updates anytime to [email protected].

11/11/2025

On this Veterans Day we celebrate the men and women who are serving and have served in the US military. 🇺🇸

We honor the and thank them for their commitment, dedication and service to defense, security and to preserving peace.

Beta Mu has been honored to have many veterans as brothers in its 105-year history. The late Bg. General Coulter Sublett ‘30 was a career Eli Lilly executive who as a 33-year-old junior officer in WWII had 17,000 troops of Patton’s Third Army reporting to him. Coulter and his wife later established the Coulter Family Chair at UT’s College of Pharmacy. The late Ensign Frank Lyons ‘40 was presumed dead and declared missing following a kamikaze attack on his position aboard the USS Lexington in the Phillipine Sea in 1944. Lyons had been Beta Mu president and a Texas Cowboy. The original BM House 1952-2000 was dedicated in his name.

Today we recognize 2024 grad Nick Chandler ‘20, a newly minted 2d Lt. in the US Marines, who is just beginning his military career. 👊🏼

We also salute Nick’s fellow Officer Candidate School mate Jeff DiNitto, a Northeastern University, Kappa Delta chapter Pike. The duo graduated The Basic School - a 29 week course at which all Marine officers learn the basics of being a provisional infantry platoon commander in October.

Jeff is going to Okinawa following combat engineer officer school and Nick will serve in Hawaii as a Low Altitude Air Defense Officer.

Congratulations and gratitude to Nick and Jeff, and thank you to all veterans this day and every day.

Finally, happy 250th birthday yesterday to the USMC. Semper Fi.

10/30/2025

Congratulations to TexasTHON on another great year underway of student fundraising to support childhood cancer research.

Pike appreciates the long-standing Pancake Night partnership and looks forward to hosting again on November 6. The February 2024 Pancake Night at the Pike House raised $8,600 for the patients and families at Dell Children’s Medical Center, so we have a goal to exceed!

Pike looks forward to welcoming fellow Longhorns and friends next week! 🥞

10/22/2025

Announcing the 2025 "Beta Mu Legends" Award recipients. Now in its fifth year, the Beta Mu Alumni Association began this annual series to recognize distinguished alumni brothers who have served their community and Pike with distinction. Congratulations to this year's recipients. Join us for the presentation in Austin on November 22 in the pregame tailgate before the Texas-Arkansas game, Pike House.

About the 2025 Legends Award Recipients:

-Distinguished Leadership Award: Dow Hickam '65

Recognizing an alum for extraordinary business and community leadership while upholding the traditions and values of PiKA.

Dow has been an engaged alumnus for years and was an early visionary of the 2020 Centennial Pike House. He was integral to several design aspects of the House and in its furnishings. During his university days Dow served the chapter as SMC. Dow has enjoyed a successful business career including restructuring and taking public a specialty pharmaceutical company, engaged in land development and several small businesses including founding a premiere retail women’s garment store. His son Dow III is a Beta Mu honorary initiate.

-Under 40 Achievement Award: Chandler Abbott '10

Recognizing a young alumnus for accomplishments in life after college who displays personal achievement and continued service to PiKA.

Chandler was part of a memorable pledge class that advanced Beta Mu’s resurgence and was a popular leader as Beta Mu SMC and Texas Cowboys social chairman. Chandler is enjoying a career in technology sales and lives with his fiancé Jenna (UT ZTA) in La Jolla, CA. Chandler is an active participant in the Flatwater Foundation, a non-profit supporting families of cancer patients that is built upon the peace and solace of water sports. In honor of his late father Michael, who died from prostate cancer, for nine years Chandler has paddle boarded in a number of sponsored races around the globe, personally raising in excess of $100,000. He recently concluded his third international race, paddle boarding 133 miles over five days in The Netherlands.

-Founder’s Award: The late Robert E. Milstead ’45

Presented posthumously in memory of an alumnus for years of lifelong, dedicated service to PiKA.

Bob defined leadership and dedication over his long life. He was loyal Pike, a 24-year command pilot in the U.S. Air Force who earned a Bronze Star, retiring as Colonel, and he enjoyed a second career in banking in Abilene where he was an active community leader. Bob served Beta Mu as SMC and a Silver Spur, and on campus was in the Student Assembly and named a UT Cactus Goodfellow. He and wife Jane, who survives him, met at UT. Bob died at age 96 in 2024. His sons are also Pikes, Robert (Epsilon Eta, University of Houston) and Randy (Beta Mu honorary initiate).

-The Oak Service Award: Steve Dunn '73

Not an annual award. Presented in grateful recognition for years of dedicated service and leadership of Beta Mu Chapter and/or Beta Mu Building Corp.

Steve has exhibited a lifelong dedication to the Beta Mu brotherhood. At UT, Steve was president of the Texas Student Publications board, co-chair of the Texas Union’s Communications Committee and was a UT Cactus Goodfellow. Steve served on the Beta Mu Alumni Advisory Board for more than decade and as a very engaged House Corp board member beginning in 1978 and during the construction of the Centennial Pike House. In semi-retirement he cheerfully served as the initial House Director from 2000 – 22. Steve earned a Petroleum Land Management degree and enjoyed a lengthy career in the energy sector. He and wife Diana (UT ADPi) have two daughters (UT ADPi and ZTA) and a son, Matt (Beta Mu ‘09), and six grandchildren.

Congratulations to these brothers and thank you for your service to PiKA.

10/16/2025

Big thanks to Utah, Alpha Tau Chapter Pike initiate and political consultant and Wall Street Journal columnist Karl Rove for speaking to Texas Pike on October 15. 🇺🇸

Karl helped build the Republican Party in the late 70s and early 80s as a national president of College Republicans, later worked for campaigns of Texas Governor Bill Clements and President Bush 41, and was White House deputy chief of staff for President Bush 43. Early in his career Karl built a successful direct mail and political consulting firm which is based in Austin. He’s also the author of a book on the presidency of William McKinley.

Karl shared his perspective on politics today and encouraged Pikes to become civically engaged, pay attention to issues, make their voices heard and vote. He spoke of several key moments in the Bush 43 presidency, including traveling with the president on Air Force One on 9-11.

We were honored to be joined by two UT College of Liberal Arts professors Dr. Zoltan Barany (government, defense, geopolitics) and Dr. Daron Shaw (campaigns and elections, political parties) as well, who shared their thoughts with the chapter and alumni guests.

Thanks to Doug Phelan ‘65 for arranging this special evening on behalf of the Beta Mu Alumni Association. A number of Doug’s peers were present including Jim Carssow, Bert Dement, Dow Hickam, Greg Jones, Don Flournoy, Terry Parker, John Leonard, Bob Savage and Wayne Simmons.

House Corp president Cinco Cocke was present joined by Alumni Advisory Board members Matt Phelan and Taylor Randazzo.

🤘🏼