Notable Zetes

Henry A. Suzzallo

Henry Suzzallo was born in San Jose, California, August 25th, 1875. Poor health in his youth resulted in mediocre grades during his primary and secondary education. At Stanford, he became a brilliant student as well as an active participant in campus activities. Suzzallo graduated from Stanford in 1899 with his A.B. degree. He earned his M.A. and PhD. at Columbia.

Suzzallo Became President of the University of Washington in 1915. His tenure as president (1915 - 1926) made a deep imprint on the University of Washington. It was a period of rapid expansion and fundamental reorganization.

Henry Suzzallo ’s involvement with Zeta Psi was unusual because he did not become a member until he was President of the University of Washington. When the Grand Chapter of Zeta Psi chartered the Phi Lambda in 1920, it elected Dr. Suzzallo as a member. After Dr. Suzzallo became a Zete, he took an active interest in the Phi Lambda. He would often take time from his busy schedule and drop by for a short talk.

He always placed emphasis on character as the main requisite; scholarship was important but not primary, nor were wealth or social position. Henry Suzzallo exemplified the best qualities of all true Zetes: honor, fidelity, and character. There are no finer examples of a Zete.

Mike Ramos

Mike Ramos - class of 1985 - a four year letter winner, is one of the University of Washington's greatest and most decorated athletes, and perhaps the greatest all-around track athlete in Husky history.

After winning Pac-10 titles in the Decathlon in 1983 and 1984, Mike narrowly missed being named to the U.S. team for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, finishing fourth at the Olympic Trials and being named first alternate. During 1985, Mike red-shirted and won the World University Games in Kobe, Japan and was ranked 10th in the world, amateur and collegiate with 8,294 points.

In 1986, Mike returned to collegiate track with a vengeance. He set a NCAA scoring record with 8,322 points (a record that still stands today) at the Pac-10 championships en route to his third Pac-10 crown. He finished his collegiate career by winning the 1986 NCAA Decathlon National Championships with a score of 8,261 points, a meet record, and became Washington's first NCAA Champion since 1979.

In 2000, Mike Ramos was inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame, and his score of 8,322 points is still the third-highest score in the history of U.S. decathlon performances.

Mike graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Society and Justice.

Manny Chao

Manny Chao, Phi Lambda class of 1994. Loved his brothers. Drank a lot of beer... Now he makes a lot of beer...

Read more about Manny in the Seattle Met.

Dick Ottele

Dick Ottele class of 1948 lettered in football in 1944, 1946, and 1947. As a multiple position player, haltback, quarterback and defensive back, Dick played nearly every minute of each game. At the end of his freshmen year, Dick was one of two Washington players selected to play in the 1945 East-West Shrine game.

In 1947, Dick was Washington's offensive yardage leader. and tied for the lead in scoring. That year he returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown, which placed him second all-time in UW history. In fact, this mark still ranks in the top twenty longest interception returns for a touchdown.

In 1948, Dick was drafted ninth overall by the New York Giants and played one year as a defensive back for the Los Angeles Rams.

After serving in the Navy, Dick was a long time coach and teacher in Bremerton.

Bob Rogers

Bob Rogers - class of 1955-rowed all four years at Washington lettering his senior year. Bob then tried out for the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, and did not qualify.

In 1957, he started to row in a pair without coxswain out of Lake Washington Rowing Club, and won the National Championships. Skipping the 1958 campaign, he came back the next year and won the pair without coxswain at the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago by seven lengths over second place Brazil.

Bob's rowing career continued, and in 1960 his boat won the Olympic trials, qualifying him for the 1960 Rome Olympics.

At the Rome Olympics, Bob proudly represented the United States, the University of Washington and Phi Lambda finishing fifth, just shy of medalling.

At Zeta Psi, Bob served as President, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.