THE SIGMA CHAPTER CENTENNIAL
David E. Raimey (Sigma 1961) A retired professional football player for the NFL Cleveland Browns and the two teams in the Canadian Football League (CFL), where he was a mem- ber of two Grey Cup championship teams. Raimey is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Cazzie L. Russell, Jr. (Sigma 1964) One of the Michigan Wolverines' most iconic figures, Russell was the star of the mid-1960s Wolverine basket- ball teams, leading Michigan to two consecutive Final Four appearances in 1964 and 1965. The Chicago, IL native set U-M's single-season scoring record in his three varsity seasons, earning All-American status twice and leading the program to three Big Ten Championships. Due to athletic ex- ploits and importance in alleviating the Michigan basketball program in the 1960s, the on-campus Crisler Arena is nicknamed the "House that Cazzie Built," which now includes a dazzling mural of Russell as an undergraduate student standing on the floor of the under-construction arena. The NBA New York Knicks fran- chise selected Russell as the number one overall draft pick of the 1966 NBA Draft. Russell played 11 seasons in the NBA for four teams and was a member of the 1970 NBA Champion New York Knicks. After retiring from basketball, Russell coached at the professional, collegiate, and high school levels. Russell is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Michigan Athletic department retired his #33 jersey. Tony R. Saunders (Sigma 2004) Currently the CEO & Owner of Fathead, LLC. In addition, he is the Interim CEO of Xenith, a football helmet and apparel company. Before acquiring Fathead, LLC, he served as COO of Rock Ventures. Saunders served as the Chief Restructuring Officer and CFO for Wayne County, MI. He led initiatives that eliminated the county's financial debts. He has also served in roles for
the state of Michigan and the city of Detroit. He earned a B.A. in econom- ics from U-M. Javon A. Shell (Sigma 2016) Cur- rently the Director of Digital Content Strategy for the Cleveland Cavaliers, where Shell is responsible for all of the team's digital branding and content. Shell played a significant role in producing "The Road Back," a behind- the-scenes content series following the team and produced "Rent's Due: Training Camp with the Cleveland Cavaliers", which won a NATAS Emmy Award. Previously, he was a Special Project Manager for Rock Ventures, an umbrella entity of Dan Gilbert's portfolio of companies where he worked directly under Gilbert, han- dling all Cleveland Cavalier business and other ventures. Shell earned a B.A. in Communications from the Univer- sity of Michigan. Howard F. Sims (Sigma 1957) Sims was the founder and principal of Sims-Varner (now SDG Associates), one of the most prominent African- American architectural firms in the country during its time. Sims designed many of Detroit's most prominent buildings, including the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Wayne County
Port Authority Public Dock and Termi- nal, and the Cobo Center (now TCF Center). He also was involved in writing the state's first construction code. Sims earned a B.S. and master's in architec- ture from U-M. Sims passed in 2016. Ronald L. Thompson, Ph.D. (Sigma 1967) Thompson earned B.B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.S. and Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Michigan State University. He is the retired Chairman of the Board and CEO of Midwest Stamping and Manu- facturing Company, a first-tier supplier of automotive components and one of the largest African American-owned enterprises in the country. Thompson served on numerous cor- porate boards and the faculty of several universities. Roger W. Wilkins (Sigma 1950) Noted civil rights leader, an official in the Kennedy and Johnson administra- tions, journalist, lecturer, and professor, Wilkins earned from U-M an A.B. de- gree in 1953 and a J.D. in 1956. While at U-M, Wilkins was a top hurdler in track and field. He served as an assistant U.S. at- torney general in President Lyndon B. Johnson's administration. He helped the Johnson administration spearhead
Cazzie L. Russell Jr.
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