Dave Westol
Dave is an alumnus of Michigan State University and the Detroit College of Law. His involvement with fraternity/sorority life includes serving as recruitment chair and new member educator for his chapter and Vice President for Communications and President of the MSU Interfraternity Council. Following his graduation with a BA in Journalism Dave served as an assistant director of student activities and advisor to fraternities at MSU while attending law school.
Dave served five years as a regional volunteer and eight years as a national officer for his fraternity. He then served for 18 years as Chief Executive Officer of Theta Chi which represents the second-longest tenure of a CEO for the fraternity in its history. Dave then established Limberlost Consulting, Inc. in May of 2007.
Dave is licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan and is a member of the Michigan Bar. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and received Certified Association Executive (CAE) status in 1997.
Dave served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Kalamazoo County, Michigan for nine years before becoming CEO of his fraternity and tried over 55 felony cases before juries. He served as President of the Fraternity Executives Association from 2002-2003 and has served or continues to serve on the boards of directors for FIPG (Fraternal Information and Programming Group), HazingPrevention.org, Gamma Sigma Alpha, the North American Interfraternal Foundation and the Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values (AFLV). He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the AFLV Board of Directors.
Dave has made presentations on over 490 campuses and at over 370 national men’s and women’s fraternity and sorority events. He has over thirty national fraternities and sororities as clients for services ranging from onboarding new officers, orientation, governance and governing document review to risk management, alumnae/alumni corporation development and evaluating national operations. Dave specializes in chapter membership reviews–sometimes called reorganizations–and he has participated in or overseen over 110 including fifty as a consultant since 2007.
Dave has officiated high school football in Michigan,Pennsylvania and Indiana. He begins his 32nd season as a football official in July of 2017 and his twelfth as Referee. He has worked as an official at the D-II and D-III college levels. He served three years as co-chairman of the Indiana Officials Association football section—the IOA is the largest of over 20 associations in Indiana—and co-chaired the New Football Officials program for six years. His officiating crew advanced to the Regional or fourth round game of six in the Indiana High School Athletic Association tournament in 2012.
Dave was honored with the Gold Medal from the North American Interfraternity Conference for service to the interfraternal community in April of 2012. He received the Silver Medal from the Conference in 1995.
He has received interfraternal awards from a number of organizations and men’s national fraternities including:
- The Jack L. Anson Award from the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors;
- The Sue Kraft Fussell Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors,
- The John J. Kuhn Award for Interfraternal Service from Delta Chi Fraternity;
- The Edwin L. Heminger Award for Interfraternal Excellence from Delta Tau Delta Fraternity,
- The Compass Award from Delta Gamma;
- The Distinguished Service Award from the Fraternity Executives Association;
- The Evin C. Varner, Jr. Fraternity Communication Award from the Fraternal Communications Association;
- The Accolade for Interfraternal Service from Kappa Alpha Order;
- The George W. Spasyk Order of Interfraternal Service from Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity;
- The Marcia Guenzler Award as an Outstanding Volunteer from the Northeast Greek Leadership Association;
- The Order of the Sword & Shield for Distinguished Service from Phi Delta Theta Fraternity;
- The Ralph D. Daniel Interfraternity Excellence Award from Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity;
- The Jack L. Anson Award for Interfraternity Service from Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity;
- The Ronald H. Jury Award for Interfraternal Service from Phi Mu Delta Fraternity;
- The Charles V. Loring Award for Interfraternal Service from Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity;
- The Durward W. Owen Award for Exceptional and Meritorious Service from Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity;
- The Sidney H. Guller Interfraternal Service Award from Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity;
- The Special Friend of Sigma Nu Award from Sigma Nu Fraternity;
- The Distinguished Service Award from Theta Chi Fraternity which is the most significant honor in the
fraternity. Dave has also received three Alumni Awards from the Fraternity. - The Richard H. Sudheimer Interfraternal Leadership Award from Triangle Fraternity;
- The Harold Riegleman-Maurice Jacobs0n Award for Service to the Interfraternity Community from Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity.
Continue reading a detailed account of Dave’s professional experiences and accreditations…
Quick Facts on Dave Westol
- Dave has made over 6,000 presentations regarding hazing, risk management, motivation, values, ideals, and leadership on over 490 campuses and at over 400 national men’s and women’s fraternity and sorority leadership events.
- His clients include a number of men’s and women’s national fraternities and sororities: Lambda Chi Alpha, Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Alpha Order, Pi Alpha Phi, Sigma Beta Rho, Lambda Theta Alpha, Phi Kappa Sigma, Delta Phi Lambda, Zeta Tau Alpha, Alpha Chi Omega, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Theta Delta Chi, Alpha Sigma Tau and Chi Upsilon Sigma are among over thirty national organizations that have utilized Limberlost Consulting for services ranging from membership reviews to governance structure and constitution/bylaws revisions to strategic planning.
- Dave has served on the faculty for the Fraternity Executives Association New Executives track for four years, providing perspective and an overview of board/CEO relationships.
- He has presented, “Hazing On Trial” over 2000 times since 1981
- He makes weekly presentations to 150+ football officials at Indiana Officials Association (IOA) meetings with his, “Whaddeya Got?” quiz and question format
- He has worked with alumni and alumnae corporations in a variety of capacities including membership reviews and chapter assessments. Dave is a sponsor of the Elevate alumni/alumnae corporation board conference each year and keynoted the event in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
- Chapter and council consulting sessions are a specialty for Dave during campus visits. He has conducted as many as 14 meetings in one day with officers and members of chapters.
- He has served as an expert witness on behalf of national organizations and similar associations on seven occasions.
Membership Reviews: For Alumni/Alumnae Corporations or advisory groups: Dave can coach and guide alumni or alumnae through the membership review process. He will provide a 25-page outline of the process including a list of over 80 questions to use during interviews. Dave can help with estimating the number of interviewers needed and with the schedule of interviews. He will facilitate a pre-review training session on site and then continue to participate throughout the process as an interviewer or as a “Player coach”–he can sit in on interviews, offer suggestions, or participate as an interviewer. He is also willing to facilitate the decision process after the interviews have been completed. Topics and areas of focus include practical tips to encourage candor and honesty during the interviews, taking notes, allowing facts to surface, asking good follow up questions, and maintaining your perspective during a difficult process. Dave has sample forms for the undergraduates to complete and comment and decision forms for alumni.
Preparation for Show Cause Hearings: Show Cause Hearings are becoming more popular with national organizations and with colleges and universities. While the outcomes are different–an institution may suspend recognition while the national organization may revoke the charter–the purpose of a Show Cause Hearing is the same: A chapter must show cause why it should be allowed to continue to operate as a recognized entity.
Dave participated in over 30 Show Cause hearings as an executive director and he has worked with undergraduates and alumni to prepare for hearings. He now offers a three-hour and a six-hour facilitated presentation to assist the undergraduates and alumni in preparing for and participating in these hearings.
Areas of focus include “17 terms, words and phrases not to use during the hearing and 14 terms, words and phrases to use”; answering the rhetorical question of “Why are we here?” and helping undergraduates prepare their presentation so that excuses, blame-gaming and finger-pointing are eliminated while emphasizing responsibility and the need for change. Dave is a Sherpa in these sessions–he will guide you through National Land.
In 2015 Dave and Michael Ayalon, the immediate Past Executive Director of Sigma Pi Fraternity, shared booth space in the exhibit hall at the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors annual meeting. Dave has contributed to the learning modules for Greek University and Mike has assisted Dave with membership reviews. Michael can be contacted at Greek University, Inc.
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