Speakers Bureau Level Up Event - Ben Vonderhaar a Featured Speaker
Theta Chi Fraternity - Eta Mu Chapter - Alumni Association
Speakers Bureau Event - Level Up 2026, February 11, 2026
Findlay, Ohio — The Theta Chi Fraternity, Eta Mu Chapter Alumni Association at the University of Findlay is strengthening its commitment to give back through the continued growth of its Alumni Speakers Bureau, an initiative designed to connect students and faculty with real-world professional experience.
The Speakers Bureau was created, several years ago, with a clear goal: to share the rich and diverse career expertise of our fraternities' alumni. By sharing practical insights, leadership lessons, and industry knowledge, alumni speakers help prepare students for professional success beyond the classroom.
“Our alumni represent decades of experience across business, leadership, education, environmental safety, and more,” said a representative of the Eta Mu Alumni Association. “This program allows us to turn that experience into meaningful engagement that directly benefits University of Findlay students.”
The University of Findlays’ - second annual Level Up 2026 event is designed to give students exposure to professionals and real world experience. These speakers are asked to share their career journey while indicating where development strategies and associated examples support those strategies presented - giving the attending students a “level up”.
The Theta Chi Fraternity - Alumni Association, Ben Vonderhaar spoke at this event, in the Finance slot to a full room of students, administrators, and several Theta Chi alumni.
Mr. Ben Vonderhaar, University of Findlay - Class of 1981, Theta Chi Fraternity
Speakers Career Overview - Mr. Ben Vonderhaar (LinkedIn Profile) is an accomplished finance leader with 30+ years of experience in multiple areas of advanced capital financing.
University of Findlay, BS Accounting / Finance, Ashland University, MBA, Economics, University of Texas, Adjunct Professor
Experienced in leveraging long-standing financial industry relationships and deep business development and product development skills to effectively capture alternative investment opportunities and develop lucrative Greenfield alternative fund offerings.
Including the following:
• Playing a pivotal role in enabling Highland Capital Management to grow AUM from $6B to $45B while growing hedge fund assets from $150M to $9B, delivering >$150M in revenue to the firm, all in only five years.
• Recently positioned another institutional investment firm for a projected AUM expansion from $2B to $25B. Expanding its offerings to preferred equity, mezzanine, and programmatic capital.
• Founding a private capital-raising advisory practice that raised >$100M in capital for a diversified client roster.
• Developing and implementing an institutional capital raising platform for a tax-advantaged 1031/ DST and Opportunity Zone real estate firm.
A Model for Alumni Engagement
The Theta Chi Eta Mu Alumni Speakers and Engagement Bureau reflects the fraternity’s broader mission of lifelong brotherhood, service, and leadership. By partnering with the University of Findlay, Eta Mu alumni are helping bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice—one classroom at a time. We thank the university organizers for the Level Up event. And, we thank Mr. Ben Vonderhaar for speaking at this event.