Joe Koletar ’66

Why did you join Phi Kappa Sigma?
I already had a bid from Sigma Chi, but had been to a couple of events at the Skull house and thought these were the type of guys I would really like to spend time with. Had to get Dave Sopko ’66 to lobby for me – the brothers really wanted him and were lukewarm toward me. Sopko pulled it off.

Joe Koletar ’66 What is it Really Like to Tell the Vice President He Has the Right to Remain Silent?

This brief Q&A interview is part of an ongoing series designed to help us get to know our brothers better. If you know a brother you think would make a good profile candidate, please send his name and graduation year, along with your name and grad year, to our alumni relations service: [email protected]. Be sure to mention that it’s for Phi Kappa Sigma PSU.

What is your favorite memory of the fraternity?
Cocktail parties at the house on Homecoming. It was great seeing so many generations bonded by their love of the house and what it stood for (and also hearing the stories – many of them true – about the “old days”).

What kind of influence has the fraternity had on you since graduation?
A core group of about eight guys I stay in touch with. The house serves as a physical reminder of so many good and important times. The feeling of being able, hopefully, to pass some of that on to future generations as people like me become the “old guys.”

With whom do you most stay in contact? Whom would you most like to find?
Don Barnes ’65, a lawyer in D.C.; John Hunt ’66, a lawyer in Philadelphia, Hal Fundis ’66, a real estate magnate in Pittsburgh. Would very much like to find several young ladies I dated in school, but doubt my wife would be too keen on the idea.

Tell us about your family.
Married in 1975, divorced 1982. Daughter Lauren, born 1978, is now in her second year of law school at SMU. Remarried to Martha McKee in 1989. Live in Glen Rock, N.J., with two dogs — a female poodle/Pekinese mix named Bridget, and a female wire hair fox terrier named Scarlet O’Wirehaira.

What other organizations/activities did you participate in during college?
Debate team, Interfraternity Council, Army ROTC. While with IFC teamed with Art Esch of Alpha Phi Delta to bring the Supremes to Penn State for two concerts in Rec Hall. We had to front $32,000 (an awful lot of money at the time), and wound up selling out two concerts. Think we made something like $15,000 for the IFC. Actually got to meet the Supremes and go their autographs.

What was your nickname and how did you get it?
Bird (from the great Charlie Parker), because I played the alto sax, and Nikita, because I took Russian as my language requirement, with a notable lack of success.

Who were your roommates?
Had a bunch – Dave Sopko, Don Cooper, Joe Milroy ’66. Best memory is how Milroy earned the nickname “Baby Joey PP Nude.” Get him to tell you about it.

What do you do for a living?
1967-1969, U.S. Army (all the green clothes you can wear); 1969-1994, FBI. Was there the night “Dog Day Afternoon” happened. Also, some years later, read Miranda rights to a sitting Vice President of the United States, which is always interesting. 1994-1999, director – Fraud and Forensic Investigations, Deloitte & Touche LLP; 1999 – present, principal, Global Investigative Services, Ernst & Young LLP. In the nine years since I left the FBI I have investigated probably 100 corporate frauds — everything from stockholder class action lawsuits to key employees going bad and stealing from their companies. Probably most interesting experience during that time was spending 2 1/2 years leading a team of 46 people investigating “Holocaust” accounts alleged to be held by Swiss banks. We went through 16,000 boxes of corporate records dating from the 1920s in seven languages. I am currently running 1,300 undercover operations for a client to test their compliance programs.

What affiliations do you currently hold?
President of Soldiers’, Sailors’, Marines’ and Airmens’ Club, NYC; Advisory board, Penn State Criminal Justice Institute; Former chairman of the Board of Regents of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners;
Contributing editor to The Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement; Association of Former Intelligence Officers; Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI;
American Society for Industrial Security; Police Executive Research Forum; Institute of Internal Auditors; and International Association of Chiefs of Police

What hobbies do you enjoy?
Supporting southern women in the style to which they are accustomed; teaching golf balls how to swim; writing; reading.

What are your goals for the next few years?
Finish second book and start third; help in development of Center for the Study of Occupational Fraud (U. of Texas); get golf game to point I don’t have to wear a mask.