OUR HISTORY

THE BEGINNING

1985 William Bennett, U.S. Secretary of Education (1985-1988) is the featured speaker at a Donor Recognition Luncheon hosted by BLOCS at the Union League. In his remarks, Bennett cites BLOCS, whose fundraising initiatives earned it a Presidential Award for private sector initiatives, as “probably the most successful private sector undertaking in education in the country.”

1980 BLOCS announces start of Financial Campaign to aid Parochial schools. At a news conference at the Union League, Philadelphia, Msgr. Francis B. Schulte, Superintendent of Schools describes the role of the new committee that will seek support from the business community for Archdiocesan schools. The business leaders spearheading the effort include from left: Richard C. Bond, Bernard G. Segal, Joseph A. Gallagher, Peter F. McCormick, and G. Morris Dorrance, Jr. Not pictured: Morris Duane and William Fishman.

Photo credit: The Office of Catholic Education Archives, Robert S. Halvey Collection

In 1980, representatives from the Philadelphia business community predicted that tuition funding alone cannot sustain the Philadelphia Archdiocesan schools, while citing that the system saves local businesses $50 to $75 million per year in taxes. Noting that Archdiocesan schools constituted at the time the eighth largest in the country, and that these students went on to fuel the labor force in Philadelphia, the business leaders noted pragmatic motivations for launching this fundraising effort.

William S. Fishman

1982 The Archdiocese of Philadelphia selects William Fishman, former Chief Executive Officer of ARA Services, (now Aramark) to Chair the newly formulated fundraising group Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools (BLOCS). Fishman’s motivations to involve himself in the effort were borne from a desire to help ensure a qualified labor pool for Philadelphia firms.

G. Fred DiBona, Jr. Esq.

1990 One of the original business leaders in BLOCS’ formative years, former Independence Blue Cross President & Chief Executive Officer Fred DiBona, Jr. partnered with Fishman to encourage the Philadelphia business community to support Catholic education. DiBona served as BLOCS Chairman from 1990 – 1998.

“The product the parochial schools graduate and make available to us as employers is better than the public schools. Their work habits are better. Their attendance is better.

They are more reliable,

desirable employees.”

– William S. Fishman

“Catholic schools save tax payers hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The concept of BLOCS is that Catholic schools are not the responsibility of the Catholic community alone, but deserve support of the whole community, since the whole community benefits.”

– William S. Fishman

J. William Mills, III

2002 Mills, former President of PNC Bank’s Philadelphia/S. New Jersey region, led BLOCS from 2002-2005.

H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest, Esq.

2005 The prominent lawyer, media executive, philanthropist and Founder of The Lenfest Group, served as BLOCS Chairman 2005 – 2007.

David F. Girard-diCarlo, Esq.

1999 Girard-diCarlo, former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Austria and Chairman of Blank Rome, served as BLOCS Chairman from 1999 – 2001.

THE NEW ERA

Michael G. O’Neill

2010 BLOCS officially organizes as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, operating completely independently from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Michael G. O’Neill, then-Board Chairman, oversees the transition, serving in this capacity until 2013.

In 2013, Amendments to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) statutes adopted in Pennsylvania’s House Bill 91 significantly improve the operation of both tax credit programs. A watershed moment for Scholarship Organizations in PA, the bill now allows for the formation of Special Purpose Entities (SPE’s) which enable individual taxpayers as well as businesses to receive tax credits on their scholarship gifts.

Donald Saleski

2013 Saleski led the expansion of BLOCS, serving as Chairman from 2013-17. Currently, Saleski holds leadership positions with Kemberton and Acentus. He played hockey in the National Hockey League, winning two Stanley Cup Championships with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Matthew Topley

2021 The BLOCS Board has grown to 42 total members comprised of 13 Executive Committee and 29 Board members. The group represents a cross-section of Philadelphia business professionals from a diverse set of industries.