Meet Mike Twigg, Maryland ’74
Mike is the former Gamma South province president and the CFO at Ness-Twigg, LLC, a real estate development company.
Phi Delta Theta not only molded my life, it made my life.
Mike Twigg, Maryland ’74
What is the most memorable experience or moment from Phi Delta Theta?
The term ‘college men’ is a bit misleading, as we tend to reach that level, hopefully, by the time of our senior year. But as freshmen, we are still boys experiencing a completely different and strange environment for the first time. Hence, almost every day produces a memorable experience, and it’s not easy to pick one, but this example encapsulates the essence of being a Phi.
The summer before starting my freshman year, I was a bit rebellious, which caused friction between my father and me. He was a professor at the University of Maryland, and we lived in College Park, so I was determined to find another social outlet that would make my experience different than high school. Joining a fraternity made sense, as my father, Bernard A. Twigg’s, ’52, college experience was as a fraternity member. As a kid, I often saw his continued interaction with his fraternity brothers at Maryland football games, social gatherings at our home, etc. What was clear to me was his own experience not only gave him friends but also gave him dear friends for life. I wanted that too, but because of that summer friction, I was determined to pledge to a fraternity, but NOT Phi Delt, as that was HIS fraternity.
After checking out several fraternity houses for a couple of weeks, my curiosity got the best of me. I had seen the Phi Delt posters on campus inviting those interested to just stop by the house and pay a visit. So, I did. It was late afternoon, and there was no organized recruitment event that day, but I was invited to dinner the next night with two specific instructions: Be there by 5:00 and wear a tie. Having a chance to see the house and dine with the brothers opened my eyes wide as this place was demonstrably different from any of the others on campus. Leather furniture, oriental carpets, a baby grand piano, and a stone fireplace were some of the obvious differences, and it seemed right out of a movie set as to what a fraternity living room should be. Visually, I was won over, and then I got to experience the brotherhood during dinner. The camaraderie, the banter between brothers, and the humor made for a special evening, and I knew before I left that night that I needed to be a Phi Delt.
I had not discussed any of this with my father, but a few weeks later, when he and I were having a ‘friction’ discussion, I revealed that one reason my schedule was not being kept was that I had been going through recruitment. I told him I had accepted a bid and was going to pledge a fraternity. When I revealed it was Phi Delta Theta, the wall between us almost immediately evaporated, and from that moment on, my Dad and I were not just father and son, but we became brothers. That led to an ever-increasing friendship, which transformed my life forever. Joining Phi Delt changed my relationship with my father; I am forever grateful for that. I was the master of ceremonies at the eightieth-anniversary dinner for Maryland Alpha at Maryland. My dad got his Golden Legion certificate that night. I was able to give my dad his Golden Legion certificate. It was pretty cool.
Do you feel that Phi Delta Theta made a difference in your life?
It molded my adult life. My whole career was shaped by two Fraternity brothers who were two years older but had interacted with me enough through our college and young adult lives to have the confidence to recommend and/or hire me in actual jobs that paid real money! I was living with Joe Rogers, ’72, when I graduated and he recommended me to his company in 1974. I entered my first foray into mortgage banking and was there for six years. After that interval, I knew then that I would have to expand beyond that environment if I wanted to continue to grow career-wise. I then interviewed and accepted a new position to build on my mortgage banking experience. Rick Powell, ’72, hired me to replace him in his previous position, and he became my boss and mentor. I learned about managing people and situations by observing and interacting with him for six years. At the end of that period, I was thirty-five and finally knew enough about myself to develop clear goals. That year I started a new job in mortgage banking, married the woman I met while working with Rick Powell, and bought a Porsche. My life was taking off. My wife, Sandy, is an Alpha Phi from Maryland, and even though she was eight years behind me, we had many of the same shared experiences from our Greek life days. When I went back to mortgage banking, it was in the role of management where I also made decisions on hiring. I had a steady supply of young men and women from the Greek system and all I had to do was pick the right ones.
Fortunately, I was able to do that far more often than not. My career flourished and so did my personal life. By the time I retired, I had been with the same mortgage group for almost thirty years and not only survived two corporate acquisitions but grew my business division fourfold during that period. It’s been thirty-seven years since that fateful year, and I still have my marriage and Porsche. And, of course, I was influenced to buy that car as my BFF and mentor, Rick Powell, had bought one two years prior!
Phi Delta Theta not only molded my life, it made my life.
Why is fraternity still relevant and important for society today?
I think it’s just as important today as it was in 1848. Especially in our increasingly fractured society, fraternal relations can be even more important. What makes that experience relevant today is the same thing that made it so relevant in 1848. It was about similar-minded people organizing together because of friendship. And fraternity deepens those friendship bonds way beyond normal friendships. The commitment to excellence and each other never changes, but it changes us—for the better.
I found so much value in my life that I decided to give back to the Fraternity that molded my life so much. I served as chapter adviser for six years then became Gamma South province president. That experience opened my Phi Delt life to many new opportunities and dear friends. When I became province president, I traveled to Oxford for training one weekend; six or seven of us were there. This was the first time in my Phi Delta Theta experience that friendships went beyond Maryland Alpha. There, I met now one of my dearest and closest friends, Chris Lapple, CSUN ’80, who became General Council President, but he and I started as province presidents that weekend together. He and I instantly clicked, and even though he lived in California and I in Maryland, we got together as often as possible with our wives and vacationed together. He and his wife, Claire, became dear, close friends to my wife and I. Though separated by distance, we remain in constant contact and see each other as often as possible. Friendship, Sound Learning, and Rectitude are simple ideas but are so important, and following those precepts has made me a very, very happy human being.
