Concord University Alumni Magazine - Fall 2025

FORGED IN FIRE & FRIENDSHIP

Princeton Fire Chief Charlie Croy '95 and Beckley Fire Chief Ed Thompson '94 were among the founding fathers of the Concord Pi Kappa Phi Eta Alpha chapter in the mid-1990s and are both now the chief of their respective fire departments. Photo by Tammie Presley.

“wChoenrceoIr dw we nats tao lhoicgahl ss cc hh oo oo ll ., Irti gwhat sdaofwf onr dt ha eb lset, raene dt fIr foeml t l i k e it was the best option for me,” Charlie said. He met a friend who became a fraternity brother. “GAo gduf rye tyh—a t Is tsaartt ne de xtta tl ko i inng Caoblol eugti at ht ei sSgi nr ogue pr st —h a tChher iws a s a pC ah ratr loi fe arne dc atlhl eadt . t “hHe ey swaei dr et hg aoti nhge ttoh od uo gshotmt he agtoIowd ot uh li dn gbse,” a good fit. I went to an interest meeting, realized that I already knew some of the guys involved.” TK ha pa tp ianPt ehrie, st ht emleoectai lncghwa pa tsefronr at hmeeCdoEntcaoAr dl pchhaa. p t e r o f P i Ea nd dwpahsi lao ps oo pl i ht iyc. aLl iskcei eCnhcaer lmi ea, jtohre wmhoor emhi ne ogroetdi ni nv ohlivs et odr iyn os ono- cna bmepc uo ms aec Et i tvai tAi el ps ,hhae, tahl se ol ogcoat l i unnv iot l vo ef dt hi en Pwi hKaat pwp os .u l d “—Wae nhda dt hseoymhea dr ebael leyngwo oodr kl ienagd et or ws hai rpd—t h ua tp gpoe ar l cfloars ssme veenr a l

The leaders of two southern West Virginia fire dUenpi vaerrt ms i teyn’ st sPai rKeaapmp ao nPgh it hc eh af oput enrd, Ei ntga fAaltphhear .s o f C o n c o r d WP rhi ni lcee tt ho ne fFriartee Dr neipt ya ri tsmn eonl to nC ghei erf aCcht iavrel ioe nC cr oa my 'p9u5sa, bn od t h Beckley Fire Chief Ed Thompson '94 said their involvement and their time at Concord shaped who they are today. Iatc wc eapst ea dt itmo emouf l ut inpcl ee rstcahi no toyl sf oarn Ed dw, awshno’ t ssaui rde hwe h’ da bt et oe ns t u d y . Hb eef oc or emf mu l ul yt ei md tmo etrhsei nAgt hhei mn ss ec laf mi np tuhsehci os lfl reegsehemx apne ryi ee an rc e . “vTibhreancatmplpauces,”wEads prerceattllyefdu.ll at that time, and it was a very Ca nh da rwl i ea sa ct toemn df oerdt amb il ed di nl et ah ne dc ohmi g mh us cnhi toyo, ls ao t cAo tnhtei nnus i Sncghhoios l eCdoumcma tui onni caatt iCoonnAc or trsdwf ei ltthncaotnucreanl . tHr aet imo na sj oirne dt hiena t e r a n d public relations. CONCORD UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

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