The fraternity was founded by five men – Joseph Lorenzo Settles, James Carson McNutt, Clarence Arthur Mayer, Owen Ison Truitt, and Charles Roy Atkinson on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois.
[4] The list of Tau Kappa Epsilon brothers spans over multiple careers including politics, business, athletics, and entertainment.
Among the most recognized include U.S. President Ronald Reagan who was the recipient of the Order of the Golden Eagle, the fraternity's highest honor.
[5] Other widely recognized political figures include former West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd, who at the time of his death was the longest-serving member in the history of the United States Congress, and former Arkansas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, who while running for president launched a ΤΚΕ-specific website and visited Tekes on the campaign trail.
[9] Numerous athletic and music superstars are also Tekes including NFL quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw, Phil Simms, and Aaron Rodgers, Olympians Douglas Blubaugh, Sim Iness, and Johnny Quinn, and singers Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, and the Everly Brothers.
The five founders of
Tau Kappa Epsilon
. Clockwise from top left: James Carson McNutt, Owen Ison Truitt, Clarence Arthur Mayer, Joseph Lorenzo Settles, Charles Roy Atkinson
