The Lee Kearney Officer Summit
The Lee Kearney Officer Summit
Acacia's newest premier educational event is the Lee Kearney Officer Summit named after our Oregon State brother who made the generous donation that made it possible to begin this program in 2014. This new program provides a focused weekend of leadership and operational training for Acacia's top chapter leaders that serve on their Chapter Council/Executive Board. Educational sessions cover foundational principles of leadership, risk management and crisis management, fraternity finances and budgeting, reporting and administrative responsibilities, alumni relations, and productivity tips and tools.
The Officer Summit takes place in January soon after chapters have completed officer elections, providing ideal timing to form constructive relationships among chapter leaders and International officers at the beginning of each officer's term.
With its inaugural session in 2014, the Venerable Dean Summit was conceived by international Acacia leaders as a means to bridge the year-long gap between Conclaves and Acacia Leadership Academies and is supported by Acacia Fraternity Foundation donors led by the event's namesake, Leonard W. Kearney, Oregon State ’59. Beginning in 2018, the event was expanded to include Recruitment Chairmen to continue our officer development and further our growth as an organization. In 2021, the program was expanded to include all officers and has been awarded multiple Laurel Wreath Awards from the North-American Interfraternity Conference for Excellence in Education Programming.
“The Officer Summit was a great opportunity for me to meet other Acacians across the country and create a brotherhood outside of my chapter. It also made me a better officer, I can now confidently go back to my chapter with a vision for improvement.”
— Matthew Endicott, Washington State Chapter
“Officer Summit really connected the dots for me on what it means to be an exec for my fraternity”
— Mitch Breuer, Nebraska Chapter
Registration for the for the 2026 Lee Kearney Officer Summit is open!
The 2026 Officer Summit will be held January 8-11, 2026 in Carmel, Indiana (just north of Indianapolis) at the Acacia Fraternity International Headquarters. This event will feature focused leadership training for the Venerable Dean, Senior Dean/Pledge Educators, Recruitment Chairs, and Treasurers. There will also be educational opportunities and focused time to work as a Chapter Council/Executive Board.
Please plan your travels to arrive to the hotel (Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Indianapolis Carmel, 1335 W Main Street, Carmel, IN 46032) no later than 7 pm eastern on Thursday, January 8. Our first session begins at 8 pm on Thursday, January 8 at the hotel with activities occurring at the International Headquarters on the 9th and 10th. Activities conclude in the late evening on Saturday, January 10th. You may depart Saturday morning, January 11th (any time before 11 AM). For those traveling by air, we will help to coordinate an airport ride for you closer to your arrival.
Attendees will be asked to cover the cost of transportation to Indianapolis. All educational materials, your room, and some meals during the event will be covered by the generous gifts of alumni donors. Some universities also provide funds to support extra-curricular activities of this nature, contact your college or university to inquire further. Additional financial support may be available from Acacia, if travel expenses are prohibitive — please email Benjamin Turconi at bturconi@acacia.org for guidance.
Just the Facts:
What: The 2026 Lee Kearney Officer Summit
When: Jan. 8-11, 2026 (arrive by 7 pm on January 8 and leave by 11 am on January 11)
Who: Venerable Deans, Senior Deans/Pledge Educators (New Member Education Track), Treasurers, and Recruitment Chairs are expected to attend; all other Chapter Council/Executive Board Members are welcome to attend as well
Where: Acacia Fraternity Headquarters, 12721 Meeting House Road, Carmel, IN 46032
Cost: Your chapter will be billed for four attendees at a rate of $150 each/$600 total, regardless of attendance. All additional attendees are $200.
In addition to registering for the event, you will need to also book your hotel room using the link provided during registration. You will not be charged for the room, but are required to make your own reservation no later than December 17, 2025. Registrations/reservations after that time may be subject to an additional fee to cover the additional costs of the hotel room.
Please book no more than one hotel room for each two people attending. If you book additional rooms, the chapter may be billed for the additional charges. If you would like to have your own hotel room and are willing to cover the costs, please reach out to bturconi@acacia.org to make arrangements to cover the additional costs.
The hotel is located at:
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Indianapolis Carmel
1335 W Main Street, Carmel, IN 46032
If you have any questions or need the booking link, please reach out to Benjamin Turconi at bturconi@acacia.org
