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When you meet Bill Cavanagh, expect a warm smile and good humor. At first this mild mannered and bespectacled brother comes across as another cheery suburban Dad ready with a good joke and a relaxed smile. One might not guess that behind this prosaic grin stands someone who experienced an eventful youth of the 60’s and 70’s and is now one of the most respected tax attorneys not only in New York but in the world.

Psi Upsilon began early for Bill. At his birth the doctor who delivered him was a Psi U. As he grew up, the local undertaker was a Psi U. Then when he arrived at Syracuse, one of the student volunteers helping him move in was a Psi U. In the Fall 1969 he was part of a pledge class of three. This was a tumultuous time for the country in general and for fraternities. The Pi Chapter’s president was quoted in a Diamond article: “Reports of the Pi’s death have been greatly exaggerated.” What was causing this challenge to the Greek system? As Bill recalls it, “it was a time when conformity was being replaced by nonconformity; what was happening around the country was happening on college campuses.” The Pi Chapter had a strong rebound in the Spring 1970 with a pledge class of 19. Bill says, “Eventually the Syracuse University community realized that what was going on all over campus was happening inside fraternities as well and it became more welcoming to the Greeks.” The Pi alumni also stood behind the active brotherhood. “We had a crisis in membership and the brothers of the 50’s and 60’s came out to help. Their politics may have differed from ours [the active brotherhood] but we all pulled together as loyal Psi U’s to keep the Pi Chapter strong. I’ll never forget that”. When reflecting on his college experience as a whole, Bill said “The late 60’s and early 70’s were big transition years in the country: ‘sex, drugs, rock and roll’ but also the anti-war effort, civil rights and nonconformity.” In hindsight,” he says, “it was a really good time to be in college.”

After college Bill went on to George Washington University law school, and then worked at the IRS as a tax litigator. Cavanagh then clerked for Judge Arthur L. Nims, III, a U.S. Tax Court judge, and describes it as the “best job [he’s’] ever had…though in fairness I’ve only had three jobs.” That third job was with the New York City law firm Chadbourne & Parke LLP, which eventually merged with Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, where he’s been more than 40 years. “We now have over 3,000 lawyers so it’s hard to know all of them”. Cavanagh specializes in tax law with a focus on very large domestic and cross-border transactions as well as green energy (large scale wind and solar projects). While this specialization may seem narrow, Cavanagh says that no large deal goes forward without tax lawyers playing a major role. Cavanagh currently serves as Norton Rose Fulbright’s co-head of US Tax and has received international accolades as a top US tax attorney. Cavanagh says that he gained his reputation as a well-regarded US tax expert in part through numerous speaking engagements and papers discussing complex tax issues: “I’ve worked very hard to be recognized as a leading US tax expert. It is gratifying personally and it helps my clients because opposing counsel recognizes that they are negotiating with someone whose tax judgment can be trusted.” Bill is included in the top tax lawyer lists in Chambers, the Legal 500 (2015-2022), Who’s Who Legal, Best Lawyers (1999-2022), New York Metro Super Lawyer (1996-2020), Best Lawyers in America (1999-2021), and Guide to the World’s Leading Tax Advisers, Euromoney.

With all of his professional accomplishments, Cavanagh has still found time to focus on the people he cares for. He has two children, Conor McCormick-Cavanagh, a journalist, and Kaitlyn McCormick-Cavanagh, an accountant. Bill lost his wife Carla Marino to cancer a few years ago. Bill recalls: “On what turned out to be Carla’s final night — although I didn’t know it at the time — I decided to serenade her with the “Sweetheart Song” (and then some other Psi U songs) while she was sleeping. At that moment, I felt the warm support of all my Pi brothers which helped me through that very difficult time.” Bill currently shares his life with wife Ricki Gardner. Over the years Cavanagh found time not just for work and family but also for his community. He spent twelve years on the Pelham school board. He also headed up the 100 team Pelham Rec Soccer Program for eight years. “I believe in paying it back to the community.”

Throughout these times, Psi U has remained a constant part of Cavanagh’s life. “My best friends are people who were [active] brothers at the same time I was. We have been friends through the good and the bad.” For the fiftieth anniversary of his own initiation, Cavanagh addressed the Pi Chapter’s 2019 Initiation Banquet. “I was duly impressed. It reinforced my commitment to the Pi and to Psi Upsilon,” said Cavanagh.

Cavanagh has consistently donated to the Psi Upsilon Foundation, for many years at a very high level: “Psi Upsilon was there for me in college and I’ll be forever grateful. The best way to thank our predecessors is keep their legacy going.” He added that “Many talented alumni devote a lot of time to Psi Upsilon and the local chapters. I try to do my part through contributions.” Cavanagh said that “when I was a recent graduate, I saw that a long-ago Pi alumnus, who was a very prominent New York City lawyer, made a substantial contribution each year. The fact that he still cared after so many years was an inspiration for me. I can only hope that there are others who see what I do and are inspired to give as well.”

1. https://www.psiuarchives.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/The-Diamond-of-Psi-Upsilon_Fall_2007.pdf

https://www.pli.edu/faculty/william-g.-cavanagh-12263

Robert B. “Bob” Dorigo Jones is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Service Award.

In 1985, as a young Page in the Michigan House of Representatives, Bob took a break to chat with one of his fellow Pages. He showed a picture in his wallet of his fiancé and explained that he got this job after his father cut off his college funds when he bought an engagement ring. Bob was finishing school and working two jobs. With two jobs, full-time school, a fraternity, and a fiancé, you would think that Bob had enough on his plate, but that year he had the dedication to volunteer for MSU’s student judiciary, too. Even with two jobs there were not enough funds to cover all his expenses. Fortunately, he received a scholarship from his fraternity, good old Psi Upsilon. 

Fast forward thirty-five years and Bob is telling this same story to a young undergrad at Michigan State University about how that year in 1985 painted a picture of his life to come. He speaks with gratitude about Brother Keith Kaminski, who had also worked as a legislative Page and helped him get the job. Brother Paul Reising was instrumental in helping him land the position on the student judiciary. Bob often speaks about the opportunities and benefits provided by the Fraternity to others. He’s the first to tell you “I believe the social skills students will learn if they take full advantage of everything the fraternity has to offer can give them a tremendous edge over other college graduates who don’t participate in Greek life. Even more importantly, I believe it will give them an opportunity to achieve their full potential.”

As Bob extols the virtues of Greek life he enjoyed, he’ll tell you that one of the most memorable nights was when Glenn Stinson and Peter Campbell talked up the benefits of joining Psi Upsilon. From there he would go on to serve important roles during his undergraduate years. “I had some of the best professors at MSU, but they couldn’t teach me how to lead a group of young men like I learned (more or less) to do as the Epsilon Nu House Manager and later as President.”

“I parlayed all of these experiences into a 35-year career as a writer, political advisor, radio commentator and advocate for legal reform,” he says. Bob now sits as the president of Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch (MiLAW) after a long and distinguished career that includes debates on national television and a bestselling book.”

In 2007 Bob became a bestselling author for his book “Remove Child Before Folding: The 101 Stupidest, Silliest, and Wackiest Warning Labels Ever”. This led to one memorable and unexpected fraternal encounter. “A few months after the book was published, I found the MySpace page of my publisher at Time Warner, Jason Pinter, and was surprised to learn that he was a Psi U brother from another college! Neither of us knew about this connection until that moment. Incidentally, a Psi U brother who was a student at Michigan State University at the time, Mike Dalere, helped me with the research for the book.”

That fiancé that Bob risked his college career on? Shortly after graduating Bob and Denise wed and have been happily married ever since. Together they have raised two amazing young men: Bobby who graduated from MSU in 2016 and Harvard in 2017, and Johnny who graduated with a degree in Astrophysics from the University of Michigan in 2020. Bob notes he took Denise to the Psi U Homecoming Party two years before they married. “She had just been elected to the MSU Homecoming Court, and had it not been for the Psi U party, I don’t know if I would have ever worked up the courage to ask her on a date.”

While Bob has gone on to many amazing things he’ll be the first to tell you “I owe it all to Psi U” and that this is a major motivation for him in his engagement with the Fraternity. Generations of Epsilon Nu brothers will tell you that Bob has been there for them as a mentor and a help to their chapter. From mentorship, to leadership, to fundraising – Bob has been a stalwart and a guiding light for Psi U. He was the President of the Hesperian Building Association (the alumni organization of the Epsilon Nu Chapter) for 20 years and now serves as its Treasurer. Under Bob’s leadership, fundraising and construction began for refurbishing the house and restoring it to the way it was in 1928 for a beautiful result that has its members calling their home “The Castle”.

Locally Bob is a pillar of the Psi U community, but he has found time to contribute and volunteer at the international level. “Volunteering for Psi U on the international level adds another opportunity for Brothers to enrich their own life and the lives of others. There are many different ways to do that, and I chose to be involved in the scholarship committee. It’s both interesting and inspiring to see what great students we have as Brothers and to see how we can help them achieve their dreams through scholarships. It also provides great hope for our future.”

We’re proud to announce Bob as a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Service Award.

The 155th Psi Upsilon Convention created the Distinguished Alumni Service Award to recognize those alumni whose service has brought honor to our fraternity. 

We would like to congratulate Brother Dorigo Jones on this award and thank him for all his hard work and reflection on Psi Upsilon. We are honored to have him as a member of our fraternity.

Since the Nu Alpha chapter at Washington and Lee University joined Psi Upsilon in the fall of 1970, Charles M. “Chuck” Hall, Nu Alpha ’71 (Washington & Lee), who was the chapter’s President at the time, has been an active member of Psi Upsilon.  He has inspired generations of Psi Upsilon brothers strive to for bigger achievements and supported them with advice, recommendations, and compassion. 

“Psi U changed my life, and in a very good way,” says Chuck. “I came from a small town on the Ohio River in West Virginia and hadn’t been exposed to a lot of the world.  When I joined a fraternity, I grew up in ways that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. I learned leadership skills, self-confidence and how to work with and manage people. It was a positive experience—and it helped me in life.”

After graduating from W&L, Chuck received his commission thanks to ROTC and went on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army.  After he was released from active service, he attended law school at Emory University in Atlanta, where he remained to practice law. At the urging of William Robie, Epsilon Omega ’66 (Northwestern), Chuck became involved with the leadership of Psi Upsilon on the International level; he is a past Treasurer and past President of the Fraternity’s Executive Council and also Past President of the Psi Upsilon Foundation.

 “Psi Upsilon has had a positive influence on a lot of undergraduates,” Chuck added, “but that didn’t just happen. It’s because members who came before us decided to leave something behind. A bequest is an easy way to provide for the fraternity and help change people’s lives.”

Chuck was elected to the Executive Council while he was in law school and soon was asked to became an alumni advisor to the fledgling Gamma Tau chapter at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Since then he has been continuously involved with the Psi Upsilon Society of Georgia, serving at times as the only board member and for a long time as Treasurer.

During his long involvement with PUSOG, Chuck negotiated the purchase and financing of two chapter houses as the Gamma Tau grew and matured. 

He was initiated into the Gamma Tau chapter 30 years ago and even though some say it was an honorary membership, the brothers of the Gamma Tau have always told him that as far as they were concerned he was a real brother of the chapter (and to forget walking away because of semantics). Becoming a Gamma Tau kept Chuck involved and many of the undergraduates he met over the years have become life-long friends.

 “Donating to the Foundation pays off for years and years to come. Consistent donations at any level were the one thing that humbled me when I served on the Executive Council and on the Foundation.  They were always voluntary and came from people who were not compelled to give.  Scholarships, Fellowships, and similar awards are, in large part, paid for by brothers who are no longer with us but who believed in the mission of the Fraternity and in a better future, paying it forward to help people they would never know.”

Brother Hall maintains a well-regarded private law practice and contributes to social excellence through involvement with other community organizations.

On the role of alumni, he writes, “Alumni play a vital role in the Fraternity. They provide an important link, without which, undergraduates of each generation would know little or nothing of the rich history of Psi Upsilon and of the strength and durability of brotherhood and friendship.” Chuck has guided the Fraternity with distinguished leadership and deep and abiding Fraternal devotion. It is with deep gratitude that we bestow upon him the Distinguished Alumni Service Award.