Tim and his wife with their granddaughter |
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Tim Ward ’76 certainly has fond memories of Sigma Nu, but beyond all the great memories, Sigma Nu gave Tim so much more—steady friendships and a core value system that still guides him today.
Now as the Executive Vice President of Senn Dunn Insurance, he applies many of the principles learned during his fraternity experience.
“Having the opportunity to be on a large campus like that and build relationships certainly carried through and helped make my career possible,” he says. “In the insurance business, we talk a lot about ethics and treating people as you want them to treat you. It’s a complicated business that no one really understands, and our customers are at our mercy to do the right thing for them. The fundamentals embodied in the Legion of Honor are principles I try to implement in my daily meetings with people. It’s important to have trust in these relationships.”
Tim helped grow Senn Dunn Insurance from 10 employees to 165, and it was the largest private agency in North Carolina before being sold to Marsh & McLennan. He’s certainly proud of what the company has accomplished, and looks forward to working at least a few more years.
Tim lives in Greensboro, just 45 minutes away from Chapel Hill, so he returns for numerous football games and a few basketball games a year, and he’s thankful that he’s close. He also travels to Raleigh often to see his son and 1½ year-old granddaughter. His daughter is the clubhouse manager of the Augusta National Golf Club, which has been host to the annual Masters Tournament since 1934. Tim and his wife get an invitation to attend the tournament each year, and though he’s not an avid golfer, it’s an opportunity he doesn’t pass up.
Tim still keeps in touch with his little brother, William Inabnit, Jr. ’79, through business and meeting up at ball games, as well as a few other brothers that live in the area.
“It’s nice to keep those relationships going,” he says.
One of his fondest memories from his undergrad days is the year the chapter won a national contest for drinking the most Miller Lite one year. As a reward, they received ping pong tables, TVs, and various other prizes.
“When I was there, we had the largest social budget of all the fraternities,” Tim says. “We were famous for having bands, and we had a party house, a bartender, and kitchen staff.”
Today, he feels a strong sense of obligation to give back to the fraternity. “I give back to support the guys on the house corporation who have done the heavy lifting. There’s a dedicated group who remodeled the house a few years ago and who have served as mentors to the undergrads. Some of those guys are classmates of mine, and they’ve done the hardest part—showing up—and I want to support them financially.”
Of those men, Tim says Bob Lewis ’75, Eminent Commander when he was in school, has truly kept the Psi Chapter going. He says the least he can do is make sure he does his part by financially supporting the efforts of the House Corporation, and he encourages fellow alumni to do the same. To join Tim on the Honor Roll of Donors, send a check to:
Sigma Nu
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Alumni Relations Processing Center
P.O. Box 7007
Albert Lea, MN 56007-8007
Want to get in touch with Tim? You can contact him at [email protected].