A Life of Distinguished Service 

Born in Hollywood, California, Brother Paul R. Wineman achieved legendary status within Phi Kappa Psi by dedicating his life to mentoring and challenging undergraduates to reach their full potential. He taught thousands of chapter officers to lead with integrity and shared the art of negotiation with decades of initiated members. 

Paul served as the 61st National President, Founding Chairman of the Nelson Leadership Institute, and was a member of the Order of the S.C. He was serving as a Foundation Trustee at the time of his passing on February 17, 2024, at the age of 87. 

After graduating from the University of Washington, Paul served in the U.S. Army, where he was assigned to the Office of Chief of Information at the Pentagon and later served as the U.S. Army Airborne-Special Forces Advisor to the Imperial Iranian Army. 

In 1965, Paul left the Army to pursue a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the American University in Beirut, Lebanon. This education laid the foundation for his future career in international business. After serving in sales roles for several corporations, Paul formed his own firm to assist American companies seeking to do business in the Middle East. For decades, he continued to negotiate contracts and train American corporations in advanced negotiation techniques. 

Paul channeled his vast experience into developing Phi Kappa Psi’s leadership programming. He co-created much of the curriculum for the American Leadership Academy (ALA), which led to countless visits to chapters where he taught young men essential leadership skills and fostered a culture of mentorship.

His family’s connection to Phi Kappa Psi spans over a century, beginning with his father’s initiation at Allegheny College in 1918. Paul’s typical parting words to brothers he met captured his philosophy perfectly: “Phi Psis: You don’t wait for things to happen; you make things happen. Phi Psis are successful because they work for what they want.“

Brother Paul believed mentoring wasn’t a luxury, but a necessity — a vital tool for shaping principled leaders and men of character. Throughout his leadership, he championed the idea that every undergraduate should have access to a mentor who could guide, challenge, and inspire them to achieve their full potential. 

Paul’s passion for mentorship came from real-world experience. From his service as a U.S. Army Special Forces Advisor to navigating international business in volatile regions, Paul understood how wisdom passed from one person to another could change outcomes — and lives. The countless notes, letters, and emails he received from brothers expressing gratitude for his counsel serve as enduring proof of his impact. 

To ensure that mentorship would remain a cornerstone of the Phi Kappa Psi experience long beyond his lifetime, Paul made a transformational decision. He included a significant legacy gift in his estate to endow and name the Wineman Mentoring Advantage Program, known today as MAP. 

This gift didn’t just fund a program — it enshrined mentorship as a permanent value and expectation within our brotherhood. Through Paul’s example and generosity, Phi Kappa Psi has embraced mentoring not only as a strategic tool for leadership development, but as an expression of our deepest values: service, brotherhood, and lifelong learning. 

Today, the MAP program stands as both a reflection of Paul’s commitment and a challenge to every brother to engage, invest, and uplift one another. As we honor Paul Wineman’s memory, we do so not only with words, but with continued action — investing in each other just as he so freely and faithfully invested in Phi Kappa Psi, developing the whole person: mind, heart, and soul. 

Through MAP, Paul’s influence continues to shape new generations of Phi Psis, ensuring that his belief in the transformative power of mentorship lives on in every meaningful connection between undergraduate members and alumni mentors.