At General Headquarters in 1937, a new executive took charge. After a careful search, the General Council chose Paul C. Beam, Indiana 1922 (Illinois 1925), as Phi Delta Theta’s administrator.

An upstanding young man who combined a natural warmth and friendliness with efficient practicality, he had been a fraternity leader at the University of Illinois. After graduation, he became an adviser to the chapter while serving forty other fraternities in a system of cooperative purchasing and business management. As a result, he knew about chapter accounting and fellowship.

A talented musician with an ever-ready sense of humor, he was as easy with undergraduates as with alumni members. From the central office, he conducted extensive correspondence; in visits to chapters, conferences, and conventions, he carried the spirit of helpfulness and hopefulness that Arthur Priest had extolled.