Our Object/Ritual - FarmHouse

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Our Object/Ritual

When FarmHouse was established, our seven Founders wrote The Object, a statement of timeless guiding principles that is still spoken at chapter meetings today. It is a long-standing and important tradition that the FarmHouse Ritual is open, meaning non-secretive to non-members. In fact, many chapters encourage guests to attend the performance of FarmHouse Ritual. You can read our Object below, and find other governing documents at the links below.

“The Object of our Fraternity is to promote good fellowship, to encourage studiousness, and to inspire its members in seeking the best in their chosen lines of study as well as in life. Progress shall mark our every step; the spirit of congeniality shall reign at all times; and every member shall be honest with himself as with his brothers. Men elected to our membership are considered to be of good moral character, to be high in scholarship, to have the capacity for meeting and making friends, and to give promise of service to their fellow men and to the world. To be and become such may at times require a sacrifice of time, pleasures and comforts.”

"My experiences as a student in the Iowa State Chapter of FarmHouse aligned with and shaped my core values. Those core values are reflected in our Fraternity's Object statement. I reflect on those ideals often and decades later I still find them to be a guiding light in whatever I am doing."

— Donald Irwin
(Iowa State 65)

Our Object/Ritual

Home | About | Our Object/Ritual

Our Object/Ritual

When FarmHouse was established, our seven Founders wrote The Object, a statement of timeless guiding principles that is still spoken at chapter meetings today. It is a long-standing and important tradition that the FarmHouse Ritual is open, meaning non-secretive to non-members. In fact, many chapters encourage guests to attend the performance of FarmHouse Ritual. You can read our Object below, and find other governing documents at the links below.

“The Object of our Fraternity is to promote good fellowship, to encourage studiousness, and to inspire its members in seeking the best in their chosen lines of study as well as in life. Progress shall mark our every step; the spirit of congeniality shall reign at all times; and every member shall be honest with himself as with his brothers. Men elected to our membership are considered to be of good moral character, to be high in scholarship, to have the capacity for meeting and making friends, and to give promise of service to their fellow men and to the world. To be and become such may at times require a sacrifice of time, pleasures and comforts.”

"My experiences as a student in the Iowa State Chapter of FarmHouse aligned with and shaped my core values. Those core values are reflected in our Fraternity's Object statement. I reflect on those ideals often and decades later I still find them to be a guiding light in whatever I am doing."

— Donald Irwin
(Iowa State 65)

Eric Thurber

Chairman-Elect

Nebraska 89

Co-Founder & Managing Director — Three Bridge Wealth Advisors

Eric brings to the team experience, a deep understanding of the industry, intelligence, vision, and passion. Eric believes strongly in a value-based approach to wealth planning, advising clients with an integrated approach that spans investment consulting, estate planning, philanthropic planning, risk management and expert relationship management. He also has 25 years of experience with investment manager due diligence, portfolio construction, asset allocation and alternative investment analysis.

Eric started working on Wall Street in Solomon Brother’s Sales and trading program in New York City. He has served as a financial advisor to wealthy families since 1995, when he began his career at Montgomery Securities in the private client department. In 1998, he joined Salomon Smith Barney, where he founded and built the venture group. Before founding Three Bridge, he was a senior wealth director and senior vice president at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. During his tenure with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Eric participated at Stanford University’s executive education program that was offered only to top advisors. Before Citi’s merger with Morgan Stanley, he was a senior wealth director at Citi family office, a division of Citigroup formed to serve the wealthiest and most sophisticated clients of the firm.

Eric holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a bachelor of science in agricultural honors, with high distinction, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He holds a certified investment management analyst (cima) designation administered by the Investments & Wealth Institute and taught in conjunction with the Wharton school. Eric is the current chair of the International Farmhouse Foundation Board of trustees.

A committed industry leader, Eric is a member of the inaugural JP Morgan ria advisory council, and is considered a thought leader in the industry, having been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Registered Rep Magazine, Investment and Wealth Monitor, and has been interviewed on the wall street journal radio network.

Jason Butler

Director of Leadership Giving

Delta Chi

Jason Butler is the Director of Leadership Giving for the FarmHouse Foundation. He provides leadership in the areas of major gifts, estate gifts, donor stewardship and data management as well as securing annual support for the FH Excellence Fund and advising FarmHouse associations with housing campaign planning. He is the staff liaison to the board’s Governance and Policy Committee.

He has been a fraternity professional for more than two decades and joined FarmHouse Foundation in October of 2019. He spent 15 years in fraternity fundraising and consulting with Pennington & Company, nine of those as partner and shareholder, assisting house corporations and national foundations secure more than $50 million to support students and facilities. He led their foundation division, providing counsel to fraternal foundations in the areas of operations, capital campaigns, staff and volunteer training and prospect research. He worked with 20 national fraternity and sorority foundations and directed 16 chapter housing campaigns, including most recently assisting the Oklahoma State FarmHouse Chapter with their successful debt retirement campaign.

Jason is a graduate of Central Missouri State University (now University of Central Missouri) with a degree in public relations with political science and marketing minors. Prior to joining the consulting staff at Pennington & Company, Jason worked for his alma mater in their alumni association and served his fraternity, Delta Chi, as a leadership consultant and Director of Chapter Services.

Jason is a tireless advocate for the fraternity experience and the impact is has on members. He is past president and a former board member of the Foundation for Fraternal Excellence, the industry trade association and community foundation. He is a longtime volunteer for Delta Chi, currently serving on their foundation board, as a past fraternity board member, and in various local volunteer roles with multiple chapters.

Jason is an avid downhill snow skier during the winter and spends his summers at Lake of the Ozarks. He is a longtime Kansas City Chiefs season ticket holder and faithfully follows the Royals even during the lean years. Jason resides in the Lawrence, Kan. area.