Chapter 8:

"Alpha Tau Omega holds before the young men of the country an ideal and something greater than a mere intellectual ideal. Alpha Tau Omega stands for heart as well as head. It has given men a true ideal of life."

One of the most visible changes connected with the changes of the 1990s took place late in 1995. On a December evening two semi-trucks pulled away from the Champaign Headquarters and began the two-hour trip east to Indianapolis. After more than 84 years in Champaign, the National Headquarters moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. The City serves as the site of national headquarters for 26 other national fraternities, the NCAA, and a host of other college associations.

Following two years in a temporary office, the Fraternity moved into its new home on the twelfth floor overlooking the Indianapolis Circle at the heart of Downtown. Appropriately, the major attraction at the Circle is a memorial paying tribute to the soldiers who fought in the Civil War.

When W. Bruce O'Donoghue, Florida, was elected National President in 1996, the ongoing organizational changes were taking their toll. As president and CEO of a traffic management company, O'Donoghue knew the benefit of operational traffic signals. His diplomatic skills were put to good use as he and the Board of Directors began looking for ways to stabilize the Fraternity while allowing it to continue its progressive moveforward.

The Board of Directors began looking at ways to be more strategic in its focus. As a non-profit association, ATO shared many of the typical operational and governing problems of other non-profits. A new governing system called Policy Governance effectively addressed the Board's desire to be more strategic while at the same time, allowed the professional staff to manage the Fraternity. At the 1998 Orlando Congress, Policy Governance was formally adopted as sweeping changes in how the Fraternity was governed went into place. With its adoption, ATO achieved another first in the greek world. A growing number of non-profits were using Policy Governance, including metropolitan school districts, major hospitals and governmental organizations but ATO was the first to fully implement the new government structure within the greek world.

As part of the new structure, the Executive Director serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Fraternity, with the National President serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Wynn R. Smiley, Illinois & Purdue was named the Fraternity's ninth Executive Director and the first staff Chief Executive Officer. Smiley had served as Director of Communication for the Fraternity since 1991 and knows the Fraternity well. His journalism background and a commitment to the ideals of the Fraternity were well suited to meet the Fraternity's needs.

Dr. Miles McCall, Stephen F. Austin, was elected National President in 2000. Dr. McCall had been heavily involved in educational initiatives of the Fraternity, including LeaderShape since its beginning. During his four years as National President, Dr. McCall led the Board of Directors to develop its own organizational practices including strategic planning, chief executive officer progress and accountability, Board recruitment and strategic changes in how ATO related to and led the North American Interfraternity Conference. Miles was also well-known for his entertaining and hard-hitting presentations and speeches to undergraduate brothers. Miles passion for excellence in ATO was contagious.

On July 30, 2004, The Honorable Cory J. Ciklin, Florida State, was elected the 38th National President at the 76th Congress in Atlanta. As a county court judge in Palm Beach County Florida, Ciklin sees what happens when citizens have not internalized the basic ideals of a successful life. Ciklin writes, "As Glazebrook's descendents each of us re required to help lead the charge and propagate the message of Alpha Tau Omega. This solemn responsibility, like love, never ends."