Dave Mader '65

Brother Mader was born on July 24, 1944 in Lewiston, Maine.  After completing most of his pre-college education in the Sidney, Ohio school system, he graduated from Upper St. Clair High School in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania in 1962.   He is currently a resident of Middleton, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb.

Dave enrolled at Ohio State in the fall of 1962, and following four years of undergraduate study he graduated with a BS in Marketing in December of 1966.  He pledged Kappa Sigma in the fall of 1964, and was initiated along with 12 other brothers in the spring of 1965.  He became active in recruiting Alpha-Sigma prospects during his undergraduate years, playing a role in rush activities during the school year, as well as at summer rush functions.  He served as Alpha- Sigma chapter’s Grand Procurator for the 1965-66 school year.  With the completion of the “New Wing” at 1842 Indianola in the summer of 1966, he returned to the campus 10 days prior to classes beginning to participate with others in clean-up and refurbishing efforts in the original house.

Upon graduation, Dave reported to Newport, Rhode Island for Naval Officer Candidate School, and was commissioned in June of 1967.  He served for 18 months aboard the frigate USS Willis A. Lee, and then served a year shore based at Naval Support Activity Danang, South Vietnam.  His civilian career began in September of 1970, when he joined Owens-Corning Fiberglas, where he would enjoy a 30-year career.  His sales, sales management, and marketing positions found him residing in many cities throughout the country, including the company’s Toledo, Ohio headquarters.  A 3- year position in Toronto, Ontario entailed overseeing the assimilation of a division of a Canadian acquisition into Owens-Corning.  He completed his career as Regional General Manager of the Northeast Region in Boston.  

Dave has been a significant financial contributor to the Alpha-Sigma chapter, and was active in the fund-raising efforts of the Rise to the Challenge building campaign.  He was a participant in both the 2018 and 2019 Project Rebound work sessions, focused on clean-up and refurbishment of The House on the Hill and its property.  He has been a regular Homecoming event attendee since his 2000 retirement.

In 2022, he assembled a collection of photos of Alpha-Sigma historical interest and of homecoming events into a photo album titled “A Lifetime of Kappa Sigma,” and had it professionally printed.  Nearly 30 Alpha-Sigma brothers showed interest and have purchased copies.  In 2023 Dave served along with Brother Walt Shuler as a liaison/co-facilitator of a focus group established to help chart the future of an Alpha-Sigma chapter going forward.  The input from that focus group has helped guide the direction of current re-charter efforts for the chapter.  

Submitted by:  Jeff Shaw and Bob Lowrie in nomination of Dave Mader for 2024 Hall of Fame