CHAPTER HISTORY
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
MEMBERS
COMMITTEES
FACULTY ADVISORS
PRESIDENTS
ALUMNI
AWARD YEARS
BY-LAWS
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Installation & Petitioning Process (1984-1988)
Our Chapter was installed on 26 October 1984. The primary founders were: student, Kathy Keil; and Faculty Advisor, John Delaney,
later Ph.D. Kathy was a very bright student in her mid-twenties, and served as President for one year before graduating. John
Delaney served as the Faculty Advisor and guided our Chapter through its three-year formative period, known as the "petitioning
process". Mr. Delaney moved on to Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, and Dr. Mark Alford assumed the responsibilities
of Faculty Advisor in 1986. It was during this time that the chapter began to seek out contacts in the profession and industry,
establish our by-laws, and set precedent for future officers and members.
Early Years & Growing Pains (1989 - 2000)
After several years of service, Dr. Alford resigned as our Faculty Advisor in 1989, having been replaced by Dr. Ted Skekel. Dr.
Skekel had been the Beta Alpha Psi Regional Director, at that time called Area Counselor, for the Southwest Region and Southern
California/Arizona Regions from 1986-1988. During our early years, the organization struggled to achieve cohesiveness. Then in
1989, Kevin Hammond was elected President and the Chapter figuratively "turned the corner." Kevin was from Portland, Oregon,
and came to the UTSA campus to establish Campus Crusade for Christ. He successfully completed that task and became
interested in Beta Alpha Psi. At that time, the Chapter was only 32 points from being on probation. In the year and a half that Kevin
was President, the Chapter achieved "Superior" status and was selected the "Most Improved Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi" in the
nation in 1989-90. This award is given each year at the National Meeting to the one chapter in the nation that reported the greatest
increase in total points compared to the previous year. (In those days, Beta Alpha Psi used a national point system that was quite
complex and different from the current system). Kevin Hammond is now devoting most of his time as a CPA and chief accountant for
Wayside Chapel Church and also works part-time with Padgett Stratemann & Company, which is a large accounting firm native to
San Antonio.
The Chapter achieved "Superiorî status in 1991-92, 1992-93, and 1994-95. In 1993-94, the chapter reached "Distinguished" status
only 50 points short of Superior. Also in 1993-94, Dr. Ted Skekel was selected for a National-level position with Beta Alpha Psi and
held this position through 1995. Dr. Skekel's appointment led to Dr. Russell Briner becoming the new Faculty Advisor until 1996.
After Dr. Briner stepped down as Faculty Advisor, Gaye Preston stepped up. In 1998-99, through hard work and determination, we
achieved "Chapter of Merit" status. In 1999-00, the Chapter again achieved "Chapter of Merit" status. At the turn of the millennium,
our Chapter achieved "Distinguished" status once again. The year 2000 marked the return of Dr. Skekel as our Faculty Advisor, and
he is still working as hard as ever at UTSA and with Beta Alpha Psi.
The "Depression" (2001-2002)
Due to various circumstances our Chapter faced a hardship after 2000 unlike any that we had previously encountered. 2001-02
proved to be our worst year to date. The Chapter officers at the time neglected to complete mission-base requirements which
resulted in our Chapter being placed on probation in 2002-03. In addition, because of graduation and lack of participation,
membership in the fall semester decreased to three "active" members Sandra Christian, Courtney A. Coffey and James R. Darrell
Esq.
Rebuilding the "Empire" (2003-Present)
Miss Sandra Christian was elected President and the three began to rebuild the organization with the help of Dr. Skekel. Through
hard work and determination membership began to grow once again and the Chapter had twenty-six new members in 2002-03.
Sandra worked extremely hard by finding various ways the organization could raise funds, and this Chapter owes her its gratification.
In 2003, Courtney Coffey was elected President, and during this administration the chapter expanded it activities by including more
fundraising and service activities. As increased membership was Courtneyís priority, our membership drives were improved, and
twenty-four new members were initiated, and the chapter once again achieved "Distinguished" status and was awarded
"Significantly Improved Chapter" status.
Following Courtneyís tenure, James R. Darrell Esq. was elected President in 2004. Jamesí "reign" concentrated more on refining the
organization of our Chapter, to handle the quick growth. The bylaws were amended, new membership requirements imposed,
internal operations refined, bureaucracy and parliamentary procedure ruled the day. It was during this time that the Chapter once
again had the members and finances to become re-committed to excellence as twenty-seven new members were initiated in 2004.
In addition to the regular semester events of the Chapter, the spring of 2004 was our Chapterís turn to co-host the Southwestern
Regional Meeting held here in downtown San Antonio. Courtney remained active this semester to help co-ordinate and plan the
event. Her ideas and hard work helped to make that year's meeting a great success, and showed the rest of the region that we
were "back in business."
In 2005, James did not seek the presidency and Remi Nel was elected. Remi had served as Vice-President of Membership during
James "reign" and helped to bring in most of the pledges that year. James was subsequently appointed as Executive Vice-
President which was created for him to assist Remi as they had both accepted internships during the year. Remi continued the
commitment to excellence, better organization and internal controls, and increased membership and participation. His relaxed and
casual management style was a stark contrast to the parliamentary and rigid tenure of his predecessor, but the members and
pledges have responded positively, as reflected in our growing numbers. During Remi's tenure, 13 new members were initiated in
the spring and 19 students pledged in the fall semester. Due to the hard work of both James and Remi, the Chapter again achieved
"Superior" status for fiscal year 2004-05. In addition, we were again awarded "Significantly Improved Chapter" status.
The spring of 2006 was a very exciting semester under the presidency of Travis Maldonaldo. The semester started out with Heath
Grona, VP of Membership, working diligently with the current membership to seek out pledges. Because of this, 31 pledges started
the pledging process. Jerrod Fendley, VP of Programs, kept the meetings lively with different guest speakers throughout the
semester. Travis started up various committees in an effort to get the members and pledges more involved in the chapter. Also, eight
members and Dr. Skekel, our faculty advisor, traveled to Dallas for the Southwest Regional Conference of Beta Alpha Psi. The
semester ended with our chapters First Annual Year-End Banquet under the guidance of Jihye Choi, Social Committee Chair, and
rest of the Social Committee. At the banquet, our alumni were welcomed and celebrated, many of the pledges were initiated, our
officers were elected and inducted, and Travis handed out the semesterly awards. Jihye Choi received the Best Active Award, Nola
Winters received Best Pledge Award, and Travis gave a new award known as the Leadership Award to Heath Grona. Thanks to
Aaron Sanders, Secretary, who constantly maintained the chapter's workbook for professional and community service hours and
Travis who finished the year-end tax report, the chapter received "Superior" status for fiscal year 05-06.
In 2007, BAP members elected Yuvia Maldonado as president for the fall semester. During her presidency, Yuvia established and maintained a goal of increasing BAP member involvement by supplementing professional membership obligations with social events such as bowling, barbeques and holiday celebrations. Yuvia was able to accomplish this goal by jumpstarting the bootcamp fundraiser which significantly increased club funds to facilitate club social events. Furthermore, Yuvia initiated and oversaw the re-design of the official BAP Eta Beta Chapter website to help keep members involved and connected to club affairs. As a result of encouraging members to interact and form friendships, attendance at BAP meetings during the fall 2007 semester increased.
Our first President, Kathy Keil, passed away in 1992 following a two-year battle with cancer. To recognize her tremendous
contribution to our Chapter, an Endowed Scholarship is given in her name each fall to outstanding accounting students. Each spring,
Beta Alpha Psi helps to facilitate the annual Kathy Keil Golf Tournament which helps raise funds for this scholarship.
To encourage our Chapter to always to strive for excellence, our past-President, James R. Darrell Esq., offers to donate $100.00 to
our Chapter when we achieve Distinguished status and $200.00 when we achieve Superior status. Let us make sure he gets that
itemized deduction every year!
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