A New Biennium: Introducing the 2025-27 General Council of Phi Delta Theta
Every two years, Phis from around the world come together in the true spirit of The Bond for the biennial General Convention. This unique gathering offers Phis of all ages the chance to connect, share, and take part in shaping the future of the Fraternity. It’s a celebration of brotherhood and a forum for the most important decisions that guide Phi Delta Theta forward.
At the General Convention, three key responsibilities and powers are exercised:
Enacting Laws for the Regulation of the Fraternity – Only the General Convention can amend the Ritual, Constitution, and General Statutes of the Fraternity.
Electing the General Council – Determining the leadership that will guide the Fraternity.
Consideration of Judicial Matters – Reviewing cases and ensuring adherence to the highest standards.
As a new biennium begins, Phi Delta Theta is honored to welcome three re-elected members and two newly elected members to the General Council. These selections reflect the voice of our undergraduate members, with each chapter represented by a voting delegate during the election process.
Nat J. Love, Michigan ’81
General Council President
“Push yourself, don’t rest on your laurels. Our Fraternity is built on being the greatest version of yourself. To be that, you need to keep evolving by gaining experiences and challenging yourself in new, uncomfortable, and tough areas. If you do this throughout your life, you will be surprised at the person you will become and what you can accomplish. Your brothers will be there to help you as you will be there to help them. Together you will accomplish much and be the greatest version of yourself.”
Nat Love, Michigan ’81
Nat was elected to the General Council as a member-at-large in 2018. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he obtained a BS in pharmacy. He was initiated into the Michigan Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta. While an active member, Nat held three offices: steward, scholarship chair, and alumni relations chair. He also served as an officer in the pharmacy student government and was a member of the university’s student government. After graduation Nat became a member of Michigan Alpha’s house corporation, eventually becoming its president.
In the fall of 2000, he became the province president of Sigma North, which he held until his election to the General Council in 2018. Nat was the recipient of the Oliver Samuels Outstanding Province President Award in 2016. The Oliver Samuels award is awarded each biennium to show appreciation for all province presidents and recognizes an outstanding province president within the Fraternity. Nat serves as the General Council liaison to the Awards and Audit Committees, is the Canadian liaison, and sits on the boards for North Hall Properties, Palmer Foundation, Pallas Athena Holdings, Pallas Athena Property Management. Nat is Iron Phi #349.
Nat retired from Meijer at the end of January 2016, where he was vice president of drug store operations. Since retiring, Nat is the President of NJL Consulting Services and has worked as a strategic advisor for several clients. Additionally, he has provided industry and retailer side experience to CPG and Own Brand companies, manufacturer representatives, retailers, and financial advising firms. Nat worked at Meijer for thirty-eight years, with more than ten years as vice president of drug store, responsible for five Meijer businesses. These businesses include Pharmacy, OTC Health, Beauty Care, Cosmetics, and Card and Party.
Nat began his career at Meijer as a pharmacist and held various corporate positions at Meijer, including prescription drug buyer, merchandise manager prescriptions and OTC, merchandise manager of HBC, pricing, promotion team lead of SMART project, and director of category planning. As director of category planning Nat was responsible for the category management, floor planning, visual merchandising, promotion, pricing, and common area teams.
Nat and his team were responsible for introducing the first free medications (antibiotics), which eventually led to free prenatal vitamins, metformin, and atorvastatin being offered for free at Meijer. They also developed strategies leveraging Meijer’s customer data to drive sales and maximize investment. Additional success came through driving several category reinventions, including hair care, the pet center, HBC, and the creation of the baby solution center. In addition, he and his team have worked on various flagship store presentations and store formats. Finally, during his last year at Meijer, Nat and his team introduced their first hospital retail pharmacy and acquired a specialty pharmacy business.
In 2006, MMR Magazine recognized Nat as one of the five people that made a difference in the drug store industry. Nat has served on the NACDS Retail Advisory Board since 2005 until his retirement in 2016.
Thomas A. Balzer, North Dakota ’99
General Council Treasurer
“Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Part of being the greatest version of yourself is about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. It is about expanding your knowledge, trying something new, or simply conversing with someone you typically wouldn’t. The Immortal Six founded our great brotherhood at a time of great uncertainty. Brother Morrison implores us ‘‘to do what ought to be done, but what would not have been done unless I did it, I thought to be my duty.’ To do this requires us to get a little uncomfortable.”
Tom Balzer, North Dakota ’99
Tom was initiated into the North Dakota Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at the University of North Dakota in 1994. Tom served on the General Headquarters staff as the project coordinator for alcohol-free housing from 1997–2001. During that time, he had the opportunity to visit more than one hundred Phi Delt chapters and one hundred fifty campuses throughout the United States and Canada. As an undergraduate, Tom served as awards chair, alumni relations chair, recruitment chair, Phikeia educator, and chapter president. Tom was elected to the General Council in 2021, has served as a member-at-large, and is currently the reporter.
Previously, Tom served the Fraternity as the Zeta East province president and Lambda province president. Additionally, Tom has served on the faculty at numerous McKenzie Family Presidents Leadership Conferences and the Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute. Tom turned being chapter president into a full-time job and has more than twenty-five years of professional experience as an association executive. Currently, he serves as the president and CEO of the Ohio Trucking Association in Columbus, Ohio. Prior, he held positions as executive vice president of the North Dakota Motor Carriers Association and executive director of the Prairie Rose State Games. Tom was credentialed in 2006 as a certified association executive by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), a distinction held by less than 5,000 professionals worldwide. Tom has a BBA from the University of North Dakota and an MBA from the University of Mary.
Mike Ogg, Sonoma State ’01
General Council Reporter
“For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.” —Rudyard Kipling
“Stay true to your values even when it is hard. In a difficult situation, rarely is the right decision the easiest. Find people who will hold you accountable. By having a trusted group of advisors, you have people who will make sure you are true to yourself and stay the course.”
Mike Ogg, Sonoma State ’01
Mike is a founding member of the California Sigma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta, graduating from Sonoma State with a BA in economics in 2001 and an MBA in 2010. As an undergraduate, Mike was an executive officer for all four years of his undergraduate membership, holding many different offices, including president, vice president, and recruitment and social chairs.
As a Phi Delt volunteer, Mike started as a CAB chair for California Sigma in 2010. After working with the chapter for several years, he was offered the opportunity to become the province president for Omicron Northwest. This province has seen significant growth during this time, expanding from three chapters to four and one emerging chapter. As the province president, Mike served in numerous leadership and facilitation roles, including as faculty at Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute and Mackenzie Family Presidents Leadership Conference and as a participant on the Phikeia Education Task Force, Survey Commission, and regional retreats. In 2021, Mike was honored with the Oliver J. Samuel Award for Outstanding Province President of the biennium. In 2022, he created an innovative program to pair Phi Delt leadership programming with a three-course leadership certificate at Sonoma State University, allowing Phi Delts to receive college credit for leadership development. Mike also serves as a co-instructor of the courses associated with Kleberg and McKenzie Family PLC, bringing his years of leadership experience into the classroom to share with current Phi Delta Theta leaders.
Kerrie N. Herren, South Dakota ’05
General Council Member-at-large
“To me there are three things everyone should do every day. Number one is laugh. Number two is think — spend some time time in thought. Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears. If you laugh, think and cry, that’s a heck of a day.” ― Jim Valvano
“Enjoy the ride and live each moment to its fullest. Life is fast and short, but can be full of adventure and joy – this is up to you.”
Kerrie Herron, South Dakota ’05
Kerrie Herren was elected to the General Council at the 85th Bicentennial Convention in Atlanta in 2025 and currently serves as a member-at-large. Kerrie’s greatest joys come from exploring the world, cherishing time with friends and loved ones, getting lost in a good book, and, most importantly, being a father to his three children, Mavery, Leo, and Vale, and a husband to his wife, Lisa.
After graduating in 2005 from the University of South Dakota with a BS in math education, Kerrie’s professional journey began with Phi Delta Theta Headquarters as a leadership consultant. In just two years, he traveled to more than sixty chapters across the southern and southeastern US, where he developed a passion for leadership, mentorship, and personal development.
In 2007, Kerrie began his education career as a math and leadership teacher and baseball coach in Kansas City, Missouri. His dedication to Phi Delta Theta continued as he served as a province president for three chapters over the next nine years. Kerrie earned his master’s degree in 2010 and his doctorate in 2014 in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Kansas.
Kerrie’s commitment to Phi Delta Theta continued and in 2016 he took on the role of educational commissioner, a position he held for the next nine years. In this capacity, he played a key role in shaping educational initiatives and the member development program.
Bill Wittress, Puget Sound ’93
General Council Member-at-large
Phi Delta Theta is one of the greatest teachers of life skills. It has taught me to truly listen to others. To seek out opinions that are different from mine and learn from them. Question. Never be satisfied with the status quo and to always strive to be better. Push yourself to the point of being uncomfortable, and then push some more. Do not settle. But most of all, it has taught me the value of brotherly love is in transmitting it to others.
“The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking, don’t settle.” -Steve Jobs
Bill Wittress, Puget Sound ’93
Bill is a proud graduate of the University of Puget Sound, where he was the third person in his immediate family to graduate from the university. At UPS, Bill joined the Washington Delta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta while studying political science and graphic design. He later went on to study law at Seattle University. He is an active member of the Washington State Bar Association. In his thirty-plus years of experience, he has worked for several Fortune 50 companies and many early-stage startups. He spent twelve years at Microsoft, where he founded several products. He has worked for SAP, DTS, RealNetworks, and most recently LiveOne and Slacker Radio.
In college, Bill was actively involved in fraternity life. He was the IFC vice president and later president, and a part of the Order of Omega. After college, Bill was a chapter consultant, visiting roughly 120 chapters in the Northeast and Deep South. He was an adviser and CAB member for Washington Delta since 2015, and as an adviser to Wisconsin Gamma and British Columbia Gamma since 2021. Most recently, he was the province president for Pi North (Washington and Idaho). He has been a facilitator for Kleberg Leadership Institute and the McKenzie Family Presidents Leadership Conference. Bill was vice chairman for the educational foundation. He was also a member of the survey commission, where he takes great pride in starting several chapters. Bill has been a formal mentor to many undergraduates from his alma mater over the past fifteen years, many of whom are Phis.
