Today, Brother Everett B. Ward, Ph.D., shown in the picture above, has been named Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s 35th general president-elect during the organization’s board meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“The brothers have spoken and these two candidates ran an exemplary campaign. Both Brother Ward and Brother Crutison have shown that they are men of integrity and sustenance while representing Alpha as general presidential candidates,” General President Tillman said after the results were reported. “Now that we have counted the ballots, it’s time for Alpha men to move forward!”

Brother Everett B. Ward entered the brotherhood through the Phi Lambda Chapter seated in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1985. Since then, Brother Ward has remained engaged with Alpha and his community through a variety of leadership roles at the chapter, district, and regional levels, including being the past southern region vice president, national foundation chairman, and a regional and national committee chairman. As chairman of the Alpha Phi Alpha Building Foundation, he facilitated property sales, and as southern region vice president, he led the largest region in the fraternity through 4 years of financial prosperity and organizational growth. During his tenure as chairman of the Alpha Phi Alpha Board of Directors’ strategic planning committee, he coordinated the 5-year strategic direction adopted by the board and the general organization.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,” said Brother Ward, after learning the results of the election. “My vision for our organization is to put service before self and to undertake and meet the needs of our communities according to the demands of the times. At its core, our tenure in office will be about executing our mission while protecting our organization and preserving the traditions and protocols that have defined us over the last 110 years.”

TIMELINE FOR GENERAL PRESIDENT

GENERAL PRESIDENT
The nomination and election cycle for the general office of general president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is in two phases: the ballot phase and the election phase. The ballot phase has already taken place at the 109th Anniversary/93rd General Convention in Charlotte, NC where delegates elected the top two candidates to the official ballot. The election phase will occur in April 2016. One member from the official ballot will be elected by majority vote of the active membership. The general president presides over the General Convention or any special General Convention that may be called, is the chairman of the board of directors, and represents the fraternity in such manner as the nature of his office may require.

• COMPLETE – October 1–31, 2014: Candidate certification application submission window
• COMPLETE – November 1–30, 2014: Candidate certification approval window
• COMPLETE – December 1, 2014: Certified candidates announced, official campaigning begins
• COMPLETE – March 2015 – April 2015: Candidate forums at all 2015 regional conventions
• COMPLETE – August 2015: Candidate forum, top two general president candidates elected to official ballot, and Comptroller elected at General Convention (comptroller assumes office at conclusion of convention)
• COMPLETE – August 2015: Immediately following the General Convention, top two general president candidates continue campaigning
• COMPLETE – March 2016 – May 2016: Candidate forums at all 2016 regional conventions
• COMPLETE – April 2016 – June 30, 2016: Ballots distributed to members no later than the twenty-first (21st) day (a member’s grand tax must be paid by April 1, 2016, or he must be a Life Member and all financial obligations satisfied). VOTING ENDS JUNE 30, 2016.
• COMPLETE – Friday, July 22, 2016: General President announced(announcement will occur at a board of directors meeting)
• IN PROGRESS – January 1, 2017: 35th General President assumes office

The general president-elect will assume office on January 1, 2017.

The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Board of Directors will be meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 21- 23, 2016. The following board agenda is provided below to assist you with any planned attendance. Please be mindful that this agenda is subject to change. The Board of Directors will convene at the Hilton Riverside, 2 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70130, during The Alpha Family Vacation and the results of the election for the 35th General President will be announced on Friday, July 22nd, during the meeting.

WHAT TO BRING (ATTIRE)

All board meetings require business attire. Also, please be mindful of the local weather when planning your evening activities.

TENTATIVE BOARD AGENDA

ALPHA BUILDING FOUNDATION CORPORATION MEETING

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016

2:00 pm to 5:00 pm 

1. Call to Order/Roll Call (Mark S. Tillman)
2. Invocation
3. Adoption of the Agenda (Tillman)
4. Greetings/Introductions
5. Approval of Previous Board Minutes (Tillman)
   1. May 24, 2016, Conference Call
6. General President Update (Tillman)
7. Executive Director’s Report / Update on Approved Actions (William Lyle)
8. *** BREAK ***
9. Report of General Officers
   1. Comptroller/Audit Committee (Donald Jackson)
   2. General Treasurer/Investment Committee (Hyacinth Ahuruonye)
   3. Eastern Region (R. Anthony Mills)
   4. Midwestern Region (Willis L. Lonzer)
   5. Southern Region (Ronald M. Natson)
   6. Southwestern Region (Maurice D. Gipson)
   7. Western Region (Russell Flye)
10. Executive Session
11. *** ENJOY NEW ORLEANS ***

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016

9:00 am to 6:00 pm

1. Report of Standing Committees
   1. Committee on Elections, Part I (Lucious Turner)
   2. Report of the Director of Conventions (Van Strickland)
   3. Commission on Racial Justice (Gregory Vincent / Gregory Johnson)
2. Report of Special Committees
   1. Centennial Preservation Project (Milton C. Davis)
   2. Project Alpha Update (Charles Marshall)
   3. Alpha University Reboot (Joel Johnson)
   4. Registry of Foundations and Affiliates Update (Daryl Parker)
   5. Go to High School, Go to College (ODJJP Grant) Update (Sammie Dow)
3. *** LUNCH *** (On Your Own)
4. Executive Session
5. Announcement of the General President Results (Late Afternoon or Evening)
6. *** ENJOY NEW ORLEANS ***

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

9:00 am to Noon 

1. Executive Session
2. Installation of New Officers
3. Board Orientation (Review)
4. *** Closing Reception, Starting at 1PM (Open)***
5. *** ENJOY NEW ORLEANS ***

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

1. Church Service | Historic St. James AME Church (Optional)
   222 N Roman St, New Orleans, LA 70112
   http://www.stjamesameno.com
2. *** DEPART NEW ORLEANS ***

Church Service | Historic St. James AME Church (Optional)
222 N Roman St, New Orleans, LA 70112
http://www.stjamesameno.com

Brother *|LNAME|*, again we find ourselves mourning the loss of two more Black lives, Alton Sterling of Baton Rouge, La. and Philando Castile of Falcon Heights, Minn., at the hands of police within 48 hours of each other. I express my deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Mr. Sterling and Mr. Castile.

In the last couple of days, I spoke to the presidents of Beta Iota Lambda and Xi Nu Lambda chapters [Baton Rouge, LA] and Gamma Xi Lambda chapter [Minneapolis, Minn.]. I offered support and direction as they are the boots on the ground in these cities representing the fraternity in the wake of these recent tragedies . Also, pray for Brother Melvin “Kip” Holden [Xi Nu Lambda], mayor of Baton Rouge, and the job he must do as the leader of that city.

We have seen far too often the killing of black and brown people at the hands of police. Now we have seen acts of violence that have led to more horrific acts of violence towards officers in Dallas, TX for whom I also offer condolences. No brother of the Dallas Police Department was harmed. Continue to pray for the safety of our brothers in law enforcement who are putting their lives on the line for us every day.

The cycle of social media outrage followed by the inserting of a name that becomes a hashtag repeats what we have seen before and will only change through action and accountability. There are clear reforms needed and steps that have yet to be taken to proactively address these situations and a long list of others. We must demand accountability of those agencies sworn to protect and serve while providing transparency for civilians and police. I encourage you to review the list of actions below to be informed and aware of what you can do to be a part of the solution.

Brother *|LNAME|*, our records indicate your status and affiliation within the fraternity:

Active with the Fraternity? *|ACTIVE|*
Affiliation: *|CHAPTER|*

I have stated this before–I need brothers to stay involved, stay financially activewith the fraternity, and connect to a chapter in your area. The work of Alpha Phi Alpha is done locally in our communities where we can have the greatest impact. When you became a member you were asked, “What can you do for ALPHA?” I need you to be engaged, connected, and committed.

In the wake of the ceaseless extrajudicial killings of African-Americans, we take to the streets to vent our frustrations, and to be honest, I did too. Statements of condolence offer limited comfort, and for me, they have become too routine. Our statement on yesterday reflects this very point and it must stop. Otherwise, we are simply replacing names in a form letter. Alpha brothers have taken an oath to be servants of all. When we work together as Alphas, we can truly transcend all.

Fraternally,

Mark S. Tillman

ACTION STEPS

• Demand comprehensive federal tracking of police killings to be done by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. In the pursuit of justice, in order to understand the full scope of this problem, we must know the statistics.
• Advocate for civilian and outside agency oversight of police shooting investigations, which should become standard practice.
• Support the NAACP today, led by Alpha brother Cornell William Brooks. Alpha has a long history of supporting the NAACP and our joint advocacy efforts.
• Support the National Urban League today, led by Alpha brother Marc H. Morial, and review the NUL’s “10-Point Justice Plan: National Urban League Police Reform and Accountability Recommendations”
• Be proactive and engaged in your local Alpha chapter. Every community has its own challenges. You can be most effective if you join with your local brothers and determine what those challenges are and how best to change them.
• First of All, WE VOTE. If we want to see real systemic change, we have to continue to keep people informed, get people registered, and push people to the polls. Also, support brothers who are in office and running for office to create policy changes. We need someone on the inside fighting for us.
• Support brothers in law enforcement. As mostly men of color, brothers in law enforcement face difficult dilemmas when confronting misconduct of their fellow officers. Integrate the workshop, “The Law and your Community” into your mentoring programs. This workshop, developed by the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (N.O.B.L.E.) and jointly executed with NPHC organizations, is focused on teaching our community members how to safely interact with law enforcement. For more information on how to deliver this training, please contact Brother Kevin H. Williams [Gamma Lambda] at kevinwms@umich.edu.
• Grow the next generation of Alpha leaders by becoming a mentor. Boys grow into the men they see. These are tough times and young men are scared and angry. They need men to help them properly funnel that anger into collective action.

Since the death of <<insert the name of a past death of a person of color>>, we have seen the deaths of too many other people of color at the hands of police officers. On <<insert date>>, in <<insert city, state>>, <<insert recent death of another person of color>> was <<insert method of killing>> for <<insert random act that does not warrant the death penalty>>.

Our hearts and prayers go out to all those suffering because of <<insert name of a recent death of another person of color>>’s death. The death of yet another <<insert person’s race>><<insert person’s sex>> at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve the community is a stern reminder of the urgent need for criminal justice reform. <<Insert recent death of another person of color>> was a <<insert person’s familial ties>> of <<insert number of children, if any>> and a <<insert job/occupation>> whose life was senselessly cut short due to a tragic encounter with the police. <<(If necessary) We commend and applaud the courageous citizen of <<insert city, state>> who captured the <<insert method of killing>> incident on video then quickly released it to the family.>>

From <<insert the name of a past death of a different person of color>> to <<insert the name of a past death of a different person of color>> and <<insert the name of a past death of a different person of color>> to <<insert the name of a past death of a different person of color>>, the narrative of excessive force and brutality perpetrated by police officers continues to permeate headlines, forcing us to move united in collective action. Together, we must provide solutions within our criminal justice system that will keep children protected, communities safe, and law enforcement officers properly trained and engaged.

WORK WHERE EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS.

Alpha employees are unique individuals whose varied talents and experiences bring value to the way members connect with their chapters, districts, regions, and national leadership. If you love working with men and women who make a difference every day, you’ll probably be a great fit at Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity because that’s what you’ll do as the Assistant Executive Director-Editor-In-Chief. With each member conversation you have, it becomes clear: You’re not just supporting the fraternity. You’re supporting our community.

IT’S WHAT WE DO TOGETHER THAT SETS US APART.

We’re perfectionists. Idealists. Change agents. Forever talking and moving with a brotherhood-first mindset. Whatever program, process, or people it takes to make a stronger member, we are always on the lookout for better. Whether you come in the office one day or have to fly to another city to give a presentation the next, a job at Alpha will be demanding and rewarding. Bright, original thinking and hard work are a big part of the culture here and none of us would have it any other way.

BEING PART OF ALPHA ISN’T THE ONLY BENEFIT.

Alpha team members receive a robust benefits package with multiple resources to promote career development, which further enhances the kind of work you’ll do in the future at Alpha.

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES

With so many ways to contribute here, chances are good you’ll find a path to do what you love. We need the best of the best to create presentations and seminars who will connect with our members to market, support, and manage our programs, partnerships, and mission on a local level.

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

At Alpha, we know inspiring leaders come from every sort of background. What matters most is your ability to connect, provide innovative solutions, and create an environment where all can succeed.

Brother *|LNAME|*, thank you for being engaged in the general presidential election process. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate Brother Aaron Crutison Sr. and Brother Everett B. Ward for running to be the 35th General President of our great fraternity. I know how exhausting the campaign trail can be and we should respect the courage needed to sacrifice on behalf of our beloved Alpha Phi Alpha.

The votes will be tallied and the official election results will be released on Friday, July 22, 2016, at the Alpha Phi Alpha Board of Directors meeting. If you have questions please email elections@apa1906.net. Our elections team is always here to help. For more information regarding the election process, please click here.

Mark S. Tillman
General President

As a reminder, the ballots for the election of our 35th General President have been mailed. Based on the information you provided us, the following is where your ballot has been mailed:

*|FNAME|* *|LNAME|*
*|MMERGE6|*
*|MMERGE7|*
*|MMERGE8|*, *|MMERGE9|* *|MMERGE10|*

If you have not received your ballot, have an issue with voting electronically, or have an issue with your paper ballot, call 877-324-7655 or email elections@apa1906.net. Our elections team is always here to help.

If you are having any issues or concerns with your ballot, please see the suggestions below:

1. “I have not received my ballot.”
   Call 877-324-7655. Our team can provide you with a ballot package to vote by mail or your PIN to vote electronically. When you call the number you are required to leave a voicemail so our elections system can create a digital archive of all calls received. Our team will return your call in a timely manner.
2. “The United States Postal Service mistakenly returned my ballot to me.”
   While the ballot package has been in use for 25 years and is frequently reviewed and approved by the USPS, there are isolated cases of human error. This occurs when a postal employee fails to run the mail through the automated sorter. When that happens, you can simply drop the ballot back in the mail, or you may vote electronically.

First of all, We Vote…for our leadership!

Brothers, the fraternity has provided you with options that increase voter turnout, reduce manual counting of results, and analyze voting trends for future elections. For more information regarding the election process, please click here.

Board of Directors Meeting

The Board of Directors will convene at the Hilton Riverside during The Alpha Family Vacation and the results of the election for the 35th General President will be announced on Friday, July 22nd, during the meeting. Brothers interested in attending the board meeting, please click here to complete a short attendee survey.

Candidates for General President

These brothers are certified in accordance with the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Constitution and By-Laws, and the Protocol and Procedure for the Certification, Nomination and Election of General Officers.

The candidates may campaign at individual chapters, districts, and regions. Candidate forums will be held at the regional and general convention only. Please refer to the Protocol and Procedure for the Certification, Nomination and Election of General Officers for the guidelines that candidates and brothers are expected to follow.

• Home Region/District: 
  Western/Northern California 
• Current Chapter Affiliation (seat): 
  Gamma Phi Lambda (Berkeley, CA)
• Chapter of Initiation (seat)/Year Initiated:
  Alpha Epsilon (University of California Berkeley)/1983
• Educational Experience:
  MPA, Public Administration, University of San Francisco, 2009
  BA, Health Administration/Social Science, University of California Berkeley, 1987
• Vision for Alpha Phi Alpha: 
  “The past 31 years of active engagement, service and leadership at every level within this illustrious organization has helped develop my vision to ‘Elevate Alpha.’ We will build upon the vision of the Jewels and ensure Alpha Phi Alpha is the most formidable organization and premiere leader on issues impacting our communities. We accomplish this by strengthening our chapter engagement, building a utopia-networking infrastructure and fiscal foundation, and including endowments and projects that elevate our collective agenda and position Alpha for generations to come. Moreover, galvanizing the brotherhood that permeates an environment where every brother wants to be involved.”

• Home Region/District:
  Southern/North Carolina
• Current Chapter Affiliation (seat):
  Phi Lambda (Raleigh, NC)
• Chapter of Initiation (seat)/Year Initiated: 
  Phi Lambda (Raleigh, NC)/1985
• Educational Experience:
  Ph.D., Leadership Studies, North Carolina A&T State University, 2013 M.A., History/Liberal Studies, North Carolina State University, 2003 BA, English, St. Augustine’s College, 1982
• Vision for Alpha Phi Alpha:
  “After serving 30 consecutive, active years of Alpha leadership at the chapter, district, regional and national levels, while accumulating experience as a national leader in politics, state government, academia, and community service, I envision our Fraternity, under my leadership, utilizing its collective intellectual capital to combat the social, economic, educational and political ills confronting our community. I also firmly believe that an environment must be created where the mentorship and the development of the next generation of Alpha leaders, is done purposely and is sustainable. We must continue to protect our House by adopting sound fiscal and financial management best practices.”

TIMELINE FOR GENERAL PRESIDENT

• COMPLETE – October 1–31, 2014: Candidate certification application submission window
• COMPLETE – November 1–30, 2014: Candidate certification approval window
• COMPLETE – December 1, 2014: Certified candidates announced, official campaigning begins
• COMPLETE – March 2015 – April 2015: Candidate forums at all 2015 regional conventions
• COMPLETE – August 2015: Candidate forum, top two general president candidates elected to official ballot, and Comptroller elected at General Convention (comptroller assumes office at conclusion of convention)
• COMPLETE – August 2015: Immediately following the General Convention, top two general president candidates continue campaigning
• COMPLETE March 2016 – May 2016: Candidate forums at all 2016 regional conventions
• IN PROGRESS April 2016 – June 30, 2016: Ballots distributed to members no later than the twenty-first (21st) day (a member’s grand tax must be paid by April 1, 2016, or he must be a Life Member and all financial obligations satisfied). VOTING ENDS JUNE 30, 2016.
• Friday, July 22, 2016: General President announced (announcement will occur at a board of directors meeting)
• January 1, 2017: 35th General President assumes office

Brothers, we want to wish each and every one of you a Happy Father’s Day. Even if you do not have your own biological children, we are sure that you are a father figure in some young man or young woman’s life. Continue to lead by example, as our communities need us now more than ever.

We need you to be personally invested in mentoring young men. Brothers, get involved in your chapter’s Go-to-High-School, Go-to-College program, become a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America or contribute financially through the Alpha Community Advocacy Campaign. We need the financial resources to support the programs that develop our young boys, and they need role models to assist them in navigating challenges in their life. Brothers, you are a shining example of what it means to advocate on behalf of our communities.

Get involved and stay involved today.

Memorial Day is one of our nation’s oldest and most significant holidays. It is a day of remembering the more than 1.1 million men and women who died while serving in the country’s Armed Forces.

This weekend, Americans in large numbers will visit our 134 national cemeteries in 40 states (and Puerto Rico) as well as 33 soldier’s lots and monument sites to honor their loved ones, neighbors, colleagues, even some unknown to them, commemorating the men and women who gave their lives in defense of our nation. We recall the glory of sacrifice of all who have set their personal aspirations aside for the preservation of our society. Whether we recognize those who served in World War I, World War II, our Cold Wars in Korea and Vietnam, the liberations in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, America’s bloodiest war–the Civil War, or countless others who served and sacrificed their lives in smaller American conflicts around the world, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the men and women who took up arms against the enemies of the United States of America. They laid down their lives to ensure a brighter future for the loved ones they left behind.

Alpha joins with all Americans in honoring military brothers who have been called to the “Altar of Freedom” in offering prayers for them and their families who sacrifice to this day.

Happy Memorial Day.

Fraternally,

Mark S. Tillman

General President

Brothers, sadly, homophobia, bigotry, and hate are alive and well in our country. Whenever lives are lost to ignorance and a heinous act of violence, it impacts each and every one of us. A gunman walked into a nightclub on June 12, 2016, and killed at least forty-nine people and wounded fifty-three more in an attack that has left some of us with many questions. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of those who have been killed and wounded as well as the LGTBQ community. No person should ever be in fear of their safety because of who they are, what they look like, or who they love.

I encourage every brother to become educated and advocate for change beyond hash tags. In this election cycle it is vital that we press for and elect leadership, particularly on the state and local level, that will stand and fight against hatred of any kind. Our chapters will continue to push for voter engagement, education, and registration, as we have for over 80 years, by using our Voteless People is a Hopeless People national program as a vehicle to empower voters to be true advocates. 

Immediately, I ask that all brothers in the Orlando area donate blood, to prayerfully help the surviving victims of this massacre. I am also asking that all brothers everywhere join your Orlando brothers in solidarity by donating blood this week, in your area, to help others who may need it.

Our members should continue to work to destroy bigotry and hate, in all forms, as we are compelled to do as men of Alpha. Love is truly what conquers all and we must love all mankind enough to create spaces to educate and be advocates committed to a better future for all of us.

Mark S. Tillman