Today@Sam Article

Bearkat Honored With National Fraternity Award

Feb. 21, 2020
SHSU Media Contact: Emily Binetti

IMG_1250The Sigma Chi International Fraternity Council has bestowed Sam Houston State University alumnus Pete Bell (’92) with one of the fraternity’s highest titles. Bell was named a 2020 Significant Sig by the international council.

Annually awarded to Sigma Chi brothers since 1935, the honor recognizes alumni whose achievements in their fields have brought honor and prestige to Sigma Chi. Bell is the 15th Bearkat to receive the distinguished honor.

After graduating from SHSU College of Business Administration, Bell and fellow alumnus, Daryn Ebrecht, founded Cotton USA. For more than 20 years, Cotton’s mission of serving people and businesses impacted by disasters has helped propel the company internationally. Today, Cotton Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Katy, Texas, is a global, diversified holding company with subsidiaries that provide property restoration and recovery, construction, roofing, consulting, workforce staffing, temporary workforce housing, and culinary services to public and private entities worldwide.

His company’s charitable organization, the Cotton Foundation, is dedicated to helping children restore their lives after illness, injury or catastrophic events. In honor and memory of a friend and colleague the foundation also established Taylor’s Place and is actively raising funds to support a place where families facing terminal illness can create lifelong memories.

In 2007, Bell was honored by his alma mater as a SHSU Outstanding Young Alumnus.

Previous SHSU Alumni to receive the Significant Sig award:

  • Roy Hazelwood ‘59
  • Duke Austin ‘52
  • Steven Seltzer ‘77
  • Alan Tinsley ‘71
  • John Ragsdale ‘59
  • Kenneth Jordan ‘61
  • Stan Johnson ‘69
  • James Gaertner ‘65
  • Tom Ely ‘64
  • Bill Fleming ‘65
  • Cecil Neely ‘57
  • Mike Myatt ‘63
  • William Merrell ‘65
  • Ronny Carroll ‘65

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