Frater Alex Baker Receives Marilyn Simpson Ford Distinguished Service Award

INDIANAPOLIS - The Offices of the Grand Chapter is pleased to share that the Fraternity Communications Association has awarded TKE Chief Information Officer Alex Baker The Marilyn Simpson Ford Distinguished Service Award. The Marilyn Simpson Ford Distinguished Service Award honors one who has diligently worked to advance the Association's Vision and Purpose.

"This year's recipient does not just meet the criteria for this recognition but exceeds them on all accounts. He is someone who has poured into FCA at every level and has never shied away from lending his wisdom, his time, his talents, and most importantly, his friendship...His tenure on the board saw several advancements for FCA, such as major revisions to the association's handbook and Constitution, the launch of a new website, closing out the association's first-ever strategic plan, as well as the development of a new one."

Drew Logsdon
Fraternity Communications Association President

Since 1883, the editors of fraternity publications recognized the value of interfraternal cooperation. These editors met at an annual dinner for many years before officially organizing in 1923 as the College Fraternity Editors Association. In the late 1960s, the organization would begin to include professionals from both fraternities and sororities. Today, it is known as the Fraternity Communications Association. In 2018, Chief Information Officer and Editor of THE TEKE, Frater Alex Baker, became 89th President of the FCA–the fourth Teke to hold the position since the FCA’s founding.

1930–32 Leland F. Leland (Theta, Minnesota)
1941–42 Leland F. Leland (Theta, Minnesota)
1977–78 L. D. Dickensheets (Alpha-Phi, Kansas)
1982–83 Michael A. Moxley (Beta-Beta, North Carolina State)
2018–20 Alex Baker (Upsilon-Iota, IUPUI)

Participating in the Fraternity Communications Association at the highest levels, these Tekes have inspired others to push themselves to be better at the craft of communication.

About the Award

For more than 20 years, Marilyn Simpson Ford presented the heart and soul of Pi Beta Phi in The Arrow. As Editor, Marilyn oversaw several milestones of the magazine, including introducing color in 1974 and celebrating The Arrow’s centennial in 1985.

During Marilyn’s 21 years as Arrow Editor, she chaired several committees and then served as Chairman of the National Panhellenic Editors Conference (now National Panhellenic Communicators Conference) from 1981 to 1983. Throughout the years, she also chaired numerous committees and served on the Board of Directors for the College Fraternity Editors Association (CFEA), now the Fraternity Communications Association (FCA).

At the 1989 NPC Annual Meeting, Pi Beta Phi presented an award in Marilyn’s name to CFEA/FCA to honor service to that organization. The Marilyn Simpson Ford Distinguished Service Award is given at the FCA Annual Conference to individual members of that Association who have worked diligently to advance the Association’s vision and purpose. Marilyn was the first honoree, with the presentation made by Pi Beta Phi Grand President Carolyn Helman Lichtenberg, and the CFEA/FCA President Kris Brand Riske, Gamma Phi Beta.

Even in her retirement, Marilyn devoted her time and love to Pi Beta Phi, serving as Fraternity Historian from 1993 to 2003. She passed away in 2012.