The Legion of Honor Award was established in 1978 to recognize a member of Phi Delta Theta who has made a major contribution of his time, effort, and energy to serve the Fraternity and improve its stature; has distinguished himself in representing the Fraternity’s principles of friendship, sound learning and rectitude; is widely recognized as a leader of fraternity men and identified with the promotion of fraternities; and has widely advanced and enlarged the opportunities for growth and leadership among college men through fraternities.
Arthur F. Hoge III was initiated into the Missouri Beta Chapter at Westminster College on February 12, 1972. He received a Phi Delta Theta Foundation scholarship while an undergraduate, and after graduating, he was employed by General Headquarters as a traveling Leadership Consultant for two years, and served an additional year as the Director of Chapter Services. He continued his dedication to the Fraternity throughout the decades, filling the role of Education Commissioner for three years, was elected to the General Council for 10 years, and served as its President from 2000 to 2002.
Brother Hoge received his Judicial Doctorate (cum laude) in 1981 from the SMU School of Law and is now a principal attorney in the law firm of Mee Mee Hoge & Epperson, PLLP, in Oklahoma City. The firm has concentration in the areas of Tax Planning for Estates and Trusts; Probate; Estate, Trust and Business Litigation.
Art’s professional associations, activities and honors include:
- A-V rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Member of County, State and American Bar Associations
- Member, Oklahoma City Estate Planning Council
- Chairman, Integris Foundation Planned Giving Council
- Salvation Army Planned Giving Committee
- Member, FIPG, Inc. (Fraternity Information and Programming Group) Standing Committee on Legal Affairs
- Admitted to practice with Oklahoma and Texas Supreme Courts, Courts of Appeals and District Courts
- Also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and United States District Courts for the Western, Northern and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma
- Westminster College Alumni Achievement Award recipient, 2006
- Order of the Coif; Past editor, Southwestern Law Journal,
- Southern Methodist University School of Law; Omicron Delta Kappa; Pi Mu Epsilon; Phi Delta Phi
- Selected Exxon Scholar and selected Johnson, Bromberg, Leeds & Riggs Scholar, Southern Methodist University School of Law
- Westminster College Distinguished Alumni Award, 2006.
His philanthropic activities are equally impressive:
- Board member and current President of the Integris Baptist Medical Center Foundation
- Chairman of the Planned Giving Committee for Integris Foundations
- President of the Westminster College Alumni Association
- Member of the Planned Giving Committee of the Salvation Army
- Member and Past President, Downtown Kiwanis Club of Oklahoma City
- Past President of the General Council of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity
- National Capital Gifts Campaign Chairman, Phi Delta Theta Foundation Chairman
- All Souls Episcopal Church of Oklahoma City
Art and his wife, Margaret, reside in Nichols Hills, Oklahoma, and have two grown children, Katie & Cort.
For his lifelong and continuing support of his career industry, his community and family, and Phi Delta Theta, it is with great pleasure and appreciation that Phi Delta Theta honors Brother Arthur F. Hoge III with the Legion of Honor.
