For some 28 years, Razz Jenkins ’77 has had experience recruiting and hiring staff in areas such as technology, finance/accounting, and management consulting as a member of the Actor’s Equity Association, Screen Actor’s Guild, and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He has appeared in films, television shows, and on stage throughout the Midwest/Chicago entertainment community as a professional actor. He was senior recruiter for TRIBUNE Company’s corporate human resources recruitment-diversity office, staffing finance, audit, IT, and group publishing divisions. He was also employment manager for Lakeview Technology, Inc., a worldwide leader in business continuity software, hiring staff in the U.S., Great Britain, Poland, Germany, and Belgium; and sr. manager of global recruiting/special projects for marchFIRST, formerly Whittman-Hart. In short, Razz couldn’t keep a job.
After graduating from Valparaiso, Razz was an ex officio member of the board of directors, sat on the VU Alumni Association for 12 years, was alumni board president, served on the presidential search committee, and was a recipient of the alumni service award. He is also a member of the Kretzmann Society. For 12 years, Razz was an executive member and vice chairman of the board of directors for the Chicago Lighthouse for people who are blind or visually impaired, and a member of the Youth Commission for the City of Des Plaines, Illinois.
“I was introduced to the Sigma Pi brotherhood in the fall of 1973,” Razz said. “It wasn’t until the fall of 1975 that I pledged. Actually, I think I’d still be pledging, as recompense for those intervening two years! Thankfully, Dan Rengstorf ’74, Bill Haas ’XX, and ‘Sleazy Sam’ ’XX all put in a good word for me.
“I am giving to the campaign to ensure other young men can find the Beta-Tau Sigma Pi house. The VU education experience is a test, and being tested with brothers ensures success. My hope is that the Beta-Tau and Omega Chis from earlier can ALL find a way
to advance the Beta-Tau/Sigma Pi story and give brothers we have not yet met a path to success.”
Now retired, Razz is a Community Consolidated School District 62 substitute teacher. His wife of 35 years, Patti, is a professor emeritus at Oakton Community College, and his son, Cuyler, graduated from the University of Iowa and is an Eagle Scout from Troop 25 in Park Ridge, Illinois.