​National Conventions

"The Past, Present, and Future of Alpha Phi Omega" was the theme of the 1950 National Convention held in Des Moines, Iowa.  Prof. Blair was present and served as Recorder for the State Chairman Responsibilities Discussion Group.  The theme of the 1952 Convention in Columbus, Ohio was "Service Above Selfish Aims."  Prof. Blair was the Chair for the Advisors Participation Discussion Group.

The 1954 Convention was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Zeta Beta delegates were Jack Copeland, S.L. Robinson, Percy R. Patterson, and Prof. Blair.  Patterson served as consultant to the Discussion Group on Membership and Pledging.  Prof. Blair served as Chair of the Advisor's Participation Group.

In August 1958, the Convention was held in Austin, Texas.  Professor Blair served as Advisor to the Training Group on Duties of the Treasurer and Finance Committee.  Robert G. Knueppel served as Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.  At this Convention Prof. Blair had the privilege of nominating William Roth for National President.

The 1960 National Convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Present from Zeta Beta were Prof. Blair (Presidential Representative for Leadership Seminars), Frank Stoner, Walter H. Cheatham, and Alumnus Bob Knueppel (Presidential Representative for New York).

At the 1962 Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, Prof. Blair was elected to the National Executive Board for a four year term.  In December 1964, the National Convention was held in Denver, Colorado.  Zeta Beta delegates were Robin Tucker and James Miller.

The 1966 Convention was held in Minneapolis in December of 1966.  Supported by Zeta Beta, Dr. James W. Dean was elected to the National Board for a six year term.  ZB President Pete Dunavant was selected by National President Tom Galt to serve on the National Nominating Committee and was selected by that group to serve as its Secretary.

A special National Constitutional Convention was held in December 1967 at the University of Oklahoma.  Zeta Beta's representative was Immediate Past President Pete Dunavant, who served the Convention as Vice Chair of the Credentials Committee and a member of the Membership Committee.  The National Constitution was completely rewritten at this convention.  One of the most important changes was the removal of the requirement of prior Scouting affiliation for membership in Alpha Phi Omega.  

The 1968 Convention was held in Washington.  Pete Dunavant was Chair of Convention Promotion, and during the Convention was given the recognition of Sectional Chair.  Martin D. Fink, ZB Alumnus and Sectional Representative in Section #84 (Maryland), was the Advisor to the Convention Service Committee.  Delegates were Prof. Blair, President Jack Perry, John Krebbs, Robert Stern.

The 1970 Convention was held in Dallas, Texas.  Brothers R. James Ansell and Donald Munsey were Zeta Beta's delegates.  Ansell chaired the Region Three meeting at the Convention.  The 1972 National Convention was held in Denver, Colorado.  Voting delegates from Zeta Beta were President Jerry Hulick and Brother Ted Hervey.  Hulick was selected to Chair the National Nominating Committee at the Convention.  His committee set a record by having the slate they proposed approved in its entirety, the first time this had taken place in the history of the fraternity. 

In 1974, Zeta Beta sent three delegates to the Convention held in St. Louis, Missouri.  Bruce Whitcomb served as a member of the Resolutions Committees and Mike Medney was a member of the Task Force under Special Committees.  

The National Convention was held in Atlanta, Georgia in December 1976.  It was during this convention that women were granted the privilege of full membership.  ZB Alumnus Frederick Linhoss served as Chair of the Nominating Committee.  Bob Huber represented ZB as a voting delegate.

The 1978 National Convention was held in Nashville, Tenn.  It was at this convention that "Service Day" was resolved to take place on the first Saturday of every November.  The National Convention of 1980 drew five Zeta Beta brothers to Los Angeles, CA.  Zeta Beta delegates were Sam Barrow and Brian Wiggins.  In 1982, Zeta Beta sent eight brothers to Kansas City, Missouri for the National Convention.

The 1984 National Convention was held in Washington D.C.  The theme was "Alpha Phi Omega is a Monument to Service".  Members were asked to bring a gift to a child who was a patient at a Children's Hospital.  Michael Leahy and Mary Gregal served as Convention Delegates.  Zeta Beta's display, designed by Historian Carol Seeley, won first place for best display at the convention.  Dr. Hancock, a charter member of Zeta Beta, and Advisor to Emory and Henry, received the Alumni Distinguished Service Award.

The 1986 National Convention was held in Houston, Texas.  Anthony McGee and Michael Leahy were Zeta Beta's voting delegates.  Michael Leahy served as Chair of the National Organization Reference Committee.  The 1988 National Convention was held in Denver, Colorado.  Ten brothers attended, and Will Wheeler and Rich Edinger served as delegates.  Rich Edinger served on the Scouting Reference Committee.

In 1990 the National Convention was held in St. Louis, Missouri.  Jon Fitzpatrick and Steve Hauenstein served as delegates; Steve served on the Service Committee.  Twenty-eight Zeta Beta brothers and Alumni attended.  Due to the efforts of Service VP Jen Koegl and a host of brothers, Zeta Beta won the Arno "Shorty" Nowotny National Service Award for conducting the most significant service program during 1988-1990.  Zeta Beta also won the Josiah Frank Historian's Award.

History was made in Boston, Massachusetts on December 27-30, 1992, at the National Convention.  Under the leadership of Chrissie Julian, Service Vice-President, Zeta Beta again won the Dean "Shorty" Nowotny National Service Award.  This marked the first time in Alpha Phi Omega history that a chapter had won the National Service Award at consecutive conventions.  Tricia Silliman and Chuck Lord served as delegates for the Convention.  Chuck served on the Chapter Operations Committee.  Michael Leahy was Region III's Alumni Voting Delegate and Paul Roy served as Chair for the Displays Competition.    

The 1994 National Convention was held in Dallas, Fort Worth. Brian Laverty and Jimmy Wiley served as delegates.  The 1996 National Convention was held in Phoenix, Arizona.  Mike Gross and Lisa Tabor served as delegates and ten ZB brothers attended.  The National Fraternity passed a risk management policy by which the individual chapters must abide.  

In 1998, the National Convention was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Malcolm Lee served as one of the voting delegates.

In 2000, the National Convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Rachael Morris and Cindy Bucy represented Zeta Beta as voting delegates.  Zeta Beta Alumni Michael Leahy and Jamie Conover were elected to the National Board as Region VI and Region III directors.  ZB Alum John Conover received the Region III Distinguished Service Key.
In 2002, the National Convention, with the theme “Brotherhood on the Bayou,” was in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jeremy Lewis and Travis Gray served as the voting delegates. Zeta Beta Alumni Michael Leahy and Jamie Conover were re-elected to the National Board as Region VI and Region III directors. Zeta Beta Alumn Jamie L. "Conover" Stewart received the Region III Distinguished Service Key.

The 2004 National Convention was held in Denver, Colorodo with the theme “Service at its Peak”. Shannon Calnan and Kelley Ripley represented Zeta Beta as voting delegates, although, due to an illness Kelley Ripley was unable to serve.

During the 2006 National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, Dory Tucker and Randall Reed served as the voting delegates, with Steven Dziegel as the alternate. The theme at this years convention was “Unbridled Service” and Zeta Beta applied for the National Service Award. ZB won the Josiah Frank National Historian Award after a semester-long process of updating Chapter History, compiling membership guides, traditions and documents kept by Zeta Beta. Dory Tucker also served as the Region III Representative to the Rituals and Traditions Reference Committee.

The 2008 National Convention was held in Boston, Massachusetts where the theme was “Revolutionary Brotherhood.” ZB sent Kara Sordelett and Suzanne Higgs as voting delegates.  Paul Louie received a Region III Distinguished Service Key. At the 2008 National Convention, Zeta Beta Alum Paul Louie received the Alpha Phi Omega Herbert G. Horton - Service to Youth Award.  Zeta Beta Alums Dr. V. Ray Hancock and Paul Louie received the Phyllis C. Tenney Excellence in Advising Award.

The 2010 “Dream, Lead, Serve” convention was in Atlanta, Georgia. ZB sent Claire Eberhardt and Matt Weiczynski as delegates. Zeta Beta Alum Paul Louie was the Region III Alumni Voting Delegate at the 2010 National Convention

The 2012 National Convention is in Anaheim, California from Dec. 27-30. Zeta Beta sent over two voting delegates, President Russell Dowell and Sergeant-at-arms Santi Cisneros, as well as Treasurer Juhi Sharma, Historian Brittanie Haas, and brother Keara Dunnington. Zeta Beta Alum Paul Louie received the National Distinguished Service Award (National DSK) at the 2012 National Convention

​