Title

Lynne Mohrmann King Bernthal

Date

Oct 6th, 1945

Chapter

Alpha Kappa

University

College of Charleston


Bibliographical Information

Serving as Phi Mu National President from 1990-1994, Lynne Mohrmann King (Bernthal) was only the second woman to serve as National President while also pursuing a full-time career and managing a home for her two children, Elizabeth and Thomas III. Speaking about balancing her career with her service to the Fraternity, Lynne is quoted as having said "I feel a tremendous obligation to prepare the way for the future - more volunteers with less time to give."

Born the daughter of a Phi Mu (Kathryn Wohlers Mohrmann, Alpha Kappa) in Charleston, South Carolina in 1945, Lynne was initiated into Alpha Kappa Chapter at the College of Charleston in 1964. Lynne served as president of the chapter as a collegian and as an alumna would later serve as Chapter Adviser and as an officer of the chapter's house corporation. Lynne graduated from the College of Charleston with a Bachelor of Arts degree in German and would eventually go on to graduate school at the University of Virginia, studying Germanic and Slavic languages. Lynne joined the Charleston Alumnae Chapter after graduation and, in 1974, was named Charleston Alumna of the Year. That same year, Lynne was appointed Gamma District Coordinator for South Carolina chapters. She would go on to serve as National Discipline Chairman (1978-1982), National Public Relations Director (1982-1984), National Extension Director (1986-1990), and Acting Executive Director (1989-1990). Given her extensive experience, it seemed a natural choice to elect Lynne National President at the 1990 National Convention. After her term as National President, Lynne served as chairman of Phi Mu's 2002 Committee (1997-1999), Second Alternate NPC Delegate (1999), and as a member of the Campaign for Phi Mu Steering Committee.

Professionally, Lynne spent her early career as personnel director and operations manager for the Charleston County library system. In 1985, she became a group specialist for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance and eventually started her own company, Benefit Concepts, specializing in group and individual insurance coverage. She also served as a consultant in employee benefits and management. Lynne was inducted into the President's Council of Leading Producers Round Table several times by the National Association of Health Underwriters. Many professional honors have been bestowed on Lynne throughout her career. In 1984 she was chosen Career Woman of the Year by Business and Profession Women and was the first woman to be appointed to the IFC Alumni Advisory Board for the College of Charleston. Another first came in 1998, when Lynne became the first woman to receive the Howard F. Rudd Jr. Business Person of the Year award from the Charleston School of Business and Economics Alumni Advisory Board.


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