Spotlights

Success Starts at Sigma Chi:

John Hertz ’89 Values His Lifelong Fraternity Bonds 

The Sigma Chi experience is a bit different for every brother, but all alumni can attest to growth through fraternity life. John was interested in joining a fraternity as an incoming freshman, and to this day, he is proud to have lifelong connections through Beta Rho Chapter. 

Fraternal Reflections 

John’s Beta Rho membership associated him with individuals that stood out on campus, and he was proud to be amongst members with such unique backgrounds. From being snowed-in during a historic arctic blast to launching water balloons across the road at SAE, John and his brothers were always balancing work with fun. 

On a professional level, John’s Beta Rho membership taught him organizational skills during his time as Social Chairman. The role required understanding what it takes for an organization to succeed as well as what individuals contribute to an overall operation. 

“There is a lot of planning, working with and influencing others, selling of ideas and nuts-and-bolts execution that goes with pulling off a successful function… Being good at those things was critical to my professional success and didn’t necessarily come naturally to me.” 

Organized for Success 

After graduation, John began his accounting career at KPMG. Progressing up the ladder, John worked in Texas, Oregon, and New York offices before being offered a fellowship at the Financial Accounting Standards Board. 

“After rising to the upper reaches of the accounting ivory tower, I decided that a lifetime career as a partner in public accounting was not what I wanted,” John said, setting his sights for a CFO role for a publicly traded company. This started John’s path at Novellus, later finishing his career at Clearwater Paper. 

Sigma Chi Support 

As an alumnus, John has seen Sigma Chi bonds impact both his personal and professional life. He worked with Matt Spain ’86, he and Jeff Mikkelson ’89 served as best man for one another, and Bill Brace ’89 and Bobby Fried ’91 were in John’s wedding party. 

The invaluable Sigma Chi experience compelled John to donate to Beta Rho’s most recent campaign. He is extremely fortunate for what Beta Rho provided him, and he hopes to see continued success in the chapter. 

John has been married to his wife, Corey, for nearly three decades. They have two daughters who are sorority members, and the Hertz family enjoys time at the family cabin on Coeur d’Alene Lake. John also currently serves on the advisory board of the College of Business at Montana State University. You can connect with John at manitocda@gmail.com.