Fall 2013 Alumni Spotlight: Ted Simon ’57 Thankful for Gamma Omega – Alumnus Applies Chapter Lessons to Real Estate

Ted Simon ’57 earned pre-medical and chemical engineering degrees from Penn State. While in the Gamma Omega Chapter, he had many fun learning experiences. “I served in many leadership positions, including choir director, alumni editor, and house party duet piano player with Al Williams ’57. The sororities loved being serenaded by us. I also ran the midnight hamburger service with an electric frying pan, which turned out to be a money-losing venture. I remember storing raw hamburger outside my window during the winter to keep it cold!”

After graduating, Ted worked for Shell Oil in New Orleans for 20 years. During that time, his group began land development in Mississippi, established aside AAMCO business in Florida, and began building homes in Denver and Houston. After resigning from Shell in 1979, Ted built custom homes for people, including Dave Elmendorf from the Los Angeles Rams and Olympic gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi. He then began working in Houston as a real estate broker. Ted is thankful for the lessons he learned from ATO. “Fraternity life taught me the importance of sharing, cooperation, and teamwork. The cooperative spirit learned at Gamma Omega still serves me well in my extensive real estate career.”

Ted married Norma Boudreaux DeVeer in 1963. In 2000, Norma passed away from ovarian cancer. Their son, Mark, is the owner of an animation studio in Orlando. He and his wife, Jeanne, have two 14-year-old sons, Luke and Reece, who call their grandpa Bear. Ted now lives with his new lady, Jean Zinser, in Kingwood, Texas. He can be contacted at [email protected].