As a native Houstonian, Texas Gamma Tricia Lacy Ayers always knew she would end up back here. The city is filled with amazing restaurants, theaters and museums. The Galleria provides an avenue for great shopping. To top it off, she fell right into a good group of friends. One of those friend groups was through the Houston, Texas, Alumnae Club. Pi Phi has a huge network in the area. The alumnae club touts a variety of sisterhood events for members in different stages of life and successful philanthropic endeavors to support the Fraternity’s Read > Lead > Achieve initiatives.

Tricia is proud that Pi Phi continues its literacy philanthropic work. She is also extremely proud that her chapter, Texas Gamma, is represented well among club members. This is especially true this year, as she and Texas Gamma Lori Milner are serving as Co-Presidents of the club. Here in Houston, Tricia and Lori were neighbors for 14 years and watched their kids grow up together and simultaneously becoming involved in the alumnae club. Tricia reminds me that each Co-President duo has different stories on how they came together to do the job of leading the alumnae club, but their story begins even before they were both Pi Phis.

Tricia was a sophomore when Lori participated in primary recruitment at Texas Tech University. Tricia can recall the exact place where they were sitting in the Texas Gamma Chapter house. It was preference round. Lori is a legacy of another Panhellenic organization and her family believed she would lean towards that organization. But her heart was with Pi Phi. The two cried together and Tricia held Lori’s hand through the process. Lori joined Pi Phi and they continue to share this extremely special bond.

“We have come full circle from the floor of the Texas Gamma Chapter house to Club Presidents together. She is my special sister,” Tricia says lovingly of Lori. “Our history is so long and we are truly sisters in every way. I wouldn’t have served as co-president with anyone else.”