Winter '11

Currents

The Alumni Magazine of Carmel Catholic High School

Winter 2011

COURAGEOUS CORSAIRS The Spirit of Alum Entrepreneurs

President Judith Mucheck, Ph.D. Office of Institutional Advancement Staff Director of Institutional Advancement Claress S. L. Pettengill

Currents Winter 2011, Volume 25, Issue 1

The Alumni Magazine of Carmel Catholic High School

Director of Planned, Major Giving and Corporate Relations Michael C. Looby ‘75 Publications Coordinator Sarah O'Donnell Alumni Relations Director Christine LeBrun

Table

Special Events Director Laurie Wienke Data Services Coordinator Grace Fong

Contents

Features

Administrative Assistant Jane Maciolek

Corsair Entrepreneurs........................................................................................4

Editorial Board Margaret Ring Gillock ‘75 Margaret Nichols ‘69 Katherine O’Brien ‘83 Charmaine Smith Wright ‘95

Carmel Catholic School News..........................................................................16

Currents magazine is published three times a year by the Office of Institutional Advancement.

Please send address changes to: Carmel Catholic High School Office of Institutional Advancement One Carmel Parkway Mundelein, Illinois 60060 (847) 388-3361 jmaciolek@carmelhs.org For verification purposes, please include the 9-digit ID number found in the magazine address area.

Send comments and suggestions about the magazine to: Christine LeBrun, Alumni Relations Director One Carmel Parkway Mundelein, Illinois 60060 (847) 388-3382 clebrun@carmelhs.org

Alumni Reflections..............................................................................................12

In Every Issue President's Letter.................................................................................................3 Advancement News............................................................................................14 Alumni News........................................................................................................18 Class Notes...........................................................................................................21 Engagements and Marriages.............................................................................22 Births and Adoptions..........................................................................................22 In Memoriam.......................................................................................................23 Calendar of Events............................................................................ Back Cover

On the Cover Chris Balzer ‘02, music entrepreneur and lead singer of the band Verona Red. From playing at Carmel variety shows to releasing their second album, Verona Red is making waves in the Chicago music scene.

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Green

Currents is now available online in an easy and fun to view digital format as part of the school's green initiative.

To view Currents online, please visit www.carmelhs.org/green

President’s L E TT E R

Dear Carmel Alumni,

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hat qualities does one need to be a successful entrepreneur? A good idea is certainly critical as is the fortitude for risk-taking. A robust network of individuals to help with financing, manufacturing, marketing, and the ability to work out a realistic business plan are all essential.

The journey from vision to product to profit can be arduous but the results can be quite rewarding.

Did you know: Michael Dell began his march toward Dell Computers at the University of Texas in 1984 with $1000 and an idea which was brought to life in his dorm room; Debbi Fields was a stay-at-home mom with nothing more than a killer recipe for chocolate chip cookies; Henry Ford not only began the Ford Motor Company but he is also credited with developing the concept of the assembly-line mode of manufacturing; EstĂŠe Lauder began as a cosmetics salesperson and has leveraged her product line to a 45% share of the cosmetics market in all U.S. department stores.

I can honestly say that I know many people (including myself!) who have purchased at least one of the products from each of the entrepreneurs mentioned. These are not mere flash-in-the-pan companies.

Each has stood the test of time and continues to be a major player in their respective arena.

This issue of Currents focuses on Carmel Catholic alums who have entered into the realm of entrepreneurs and have shown a penchant for creativity and innovation. Each one has conceived of and followed a dream to reality! We offer our congratulations and best wishes for continued success in their remarkable endeavors!

Thank you to all who offered good wishes to our school community over the weeks of the Christmas season. The faculty, staff, and administration send their best wishes to you and those you love throughout the new year of grace, 2011.

Sincerely,

Judith Mucheck, Ph.D. President

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Chris Balzer ‘02 - “We’re Here To Make You Dance” best Chicago bands, the best way to describe their music is to say that it is soul meets folk meets pop meets funk meets rock meets the blues. But don’t let Balzer, the group’s lead singer, hear you describe their music. Balzer runs from classifications and categorizations of their music because as he puts it, “We are not one genre. It drives me nuts to see all the musical genres and then those main genres sub-divide. If you listen to our latest record, we jump around from different types of influences. It’s all rock music intended to get people to move. Verona Red’s mantra is we’re here to make you dance.”

And dance you will.

Down to the name Verona Red, a name chosen by their fans, the band does not play your average show. As Balzer puts it, “We turn every performance into an event- a unique experience they (fans) can only get from Verona Red.”

Photo: Michael Cooks

“Music is what keeps us happy and poor” is the first sentence you will read if you visit the up and coming Chicago band, Verona Red’s website, a group started by Class of 2002 alum, Chris Balzer, and band mate Mike Panagakis. But once you sample their music, you know immediately that the poor part will soon be a thing of the past. Voted #69 in the top 300

As a band that can’t be pinned down to one description, Verona Red draws inspiration from a variety of artists. From the band Razorlight to LCD Soundsystem, Radiohead, Pearl Jam and Neil Young. Verona Red in Balzer’s own words is, “very heavily based in blues and yet we are also heavily based in dance. I’m very much into rootsy rock and roll and the rest of the band is more into the danceability factor and a funkier scene...It’s an interesting mix of influences… a previous band member was very into world music and some of the percussive stuff and the basslines that were brought in had an African/Eastern sound.

We stay away from labels not to be difficult but be to fair to our own artistic inspiration.”

Although there are tough days, they’re working on a new record now and everyone feels re-inspired because, as Balzer states, “This business, like anything else in life, is about reacting

“This business, like anything else in life, is about reacting to your struggles and opportunities so you can reach the next level.” to your struggles and opportunities so you can reach the next level.”

One way Balzer reacted to the band’s opportunities was capitalizing on getting the band exposure early on while he was a young student at Carmel. He says, “Carmel was a huge influence. We were in high school and we did our first show, and I remember the support we received was overwhelming.

Then we did a Carmel variety show senior year. That show was a room full of all of our friends, reacting in a complete frenzy to our music and that was the biggest room we’d ever played to at that point.”

Photo: Michael Cooks

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Balzer has come a long way since the Carmel variety show he played many years ago. Along the way he has picked up a lot of knowledge on running, promoting and playing in a band. He says that if he could speak to a room full of aspiring musicians about the do’s and don’ts of being in a band, he’d say 4 things without a doubt. “One, the biggest thing is practice, practice, practice. When we were getting started we practiced and still

Photo: Michael Cooks

to this day we practice up to 12-15 hours a week together, rehearsing, writing, videotaping ourselves to see what we look like. Also, know that you’re good. If there’s any uncertainty, then no one else is going believe that you’re good and the only way to know if you’re good is to practice, practice, practice.

Two, make your live show something different than any show you’ve ever seen. Three, don’t take your fans for granted.

For us it’s a weekly discussion of ‘what have we done for our fans lately? Have we offered a limited edition CD? Have we designed a new t-shirt? A free download?’ And lastly, does your song have a hook? Is there a part of it that will get stuck in people’s heads? A verse might be something that you wrote that you think stretched you creatively but at the end of the day if people are going to like it, it has to have sticking power.

Take Kiss’ ‘I wanna rock and roll all night/And party every day.’

That’s the best example of all time. Some little part of your song has to encapsulate the entire musical experience you seek to create in an instant.”

To get some songs stuck in your head, visit Verona Red’s website at http://www.myspace.com/veronared. And be sure to get your hands on their next album slated for release in early 2011 accompanied by a large record release show in Chicago.

Photo: Michael Cooks

“Some little part of your song has to encapsulate the entire musical experience you seek to create in an instant.”

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Lori Rose ‘87 - “Shear Ambition”

By Margaret Ring Gillock ‘75 It didn’t happen without alum Lori Rose’s hard work, but the seeds of success for her beauty salon, The Chop Shop, located in Lake Zurich, IL, were planted long ago. Lori, a lifetime resident of Lake Zurich, attended St. Francis De Sales and then went on to Carmel Catholic. Lori notes that almost every day “a conversation takes place in the salon during which I recount the story of the far-out way I liked to style my hair when I attended Carmel in the mid-’80s. Sr. Margaret and Mrs. Smolka spent a lot of time trying to get my friends’ hair styles - that I helped create - to conform to the uniform hair code! I kept trying to explain to them that I was going to own my own shop one day and all of this was just working on my skills.” Lori recalls that, in true CCHS style, they both sincerely wished her the best of luck on graduation day. Lori says, “I genuinely felt that they wanted to see me succeed.”

Lori further reflects that her experience at Carmel “forever set the feeling of family and community that I along with my employees bring to The Chop Shop every day.” And, although she started The Chop Shop 8 years ago, she can see now that the

“[Carmel] forever set the feeling of family and community that I along with my employees bring to The Chop Shop every day.”

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business was an idea she visualized in high school at Carmel.

“As a Carmel student, I always had an idea of having a salon that was super-hip and full of talent. But I also wanted to have a place that [customers] wanted to keep going back to. Our staff is very knowledgeable- experts in their craft. And they are also a big part of the lives of their clients inside and outside of the salon.” Lori boasts of attending at least five clients’ weddings a year. “It may sound a bit much to some, but I am proud to say that my clients are like extended family.”

And speaking of family, Lori’s children are no strangers to the salon. She was blessed with an unexpected gift when her son, Tyler, now grown, decided to join the family business. His shop is called Go-T’s Barbershop and it is attached to Lori’s salon and serves the male clients. His clients don’t want the fuss of a salon yet they want to feel like they are part of the family we have created. Lori’s daughter, Mackenzie, recently completed cosmetology school and prefers to work on the business end of the shop. She does payroll and sees to the shop’s operational dynamics that are crucial to keeping the salon moving forward. Most of the clients met Lori’s kids when they were 10 and 6 years old and enjoy seeing them all grown up and a part of the family business. Tyler and Mackenzie are currently 22 and 18 and according to Lori are “the best things I ever accomplished in life.”

Watching the salon grow to be what it is today has been a great ride for Lori. Lori started the shop with 425 clients and they now serve more than 3,000. See what the fuss is all about and visit The Chop Shop located at 480 South Rand Road in Lake Zurich, IL. Stop by and sample some of Lori’s effervescent charm.

Lori RoseFauerbach Therese ‘87 ‘77 - “Leave Your Comfort Zone”

By Katherine O’Brien ‘83 Risks can be rewarding. That’s a lesson Therese Fauerbach ‘77 learned as Carmel’s Senior Class President and co-founder of The Northridge Group, a Rosemont, IL-based operations management consultant firm.

Hailing from rural Ingleside, Fauerbach felt a bit intimidated walking in the first day of school since she only knew a handful of other girls in her freshmen class. But several years later, she would go on to meet new friends and campaign with confidence for student council, fondly recalling Mrs. Roser, the faculty moderator.

After earning a B.A. in Accounting from St. Norbert’s College, Fauerbach joined Howard Zucker Associates, a paper brokerage firm, as an entry-level bookeeper. Two years later, she was ready for another challenge. Fauerbach’s boss gave her his blessing and some good advice: “Go to a really big company where you can learn an industry and have room to advance.”

Fauerbach, who also earned an MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, went on to hold sales, marketing and operations jobs in her 17year career with MCI. However, after overcoming a family health crisis with two newly adopted children, Fauerbach found it difficult to return to MCI after taking care of her family. With her husband’s encouragement, she concluded her time at MCI, which was in the process of merging with WorldCom, and launched her own business, The Northridge Group, in 1997.

Fauerbach and her business partner, Sue Platner, originally planned to job share, with each working three days a week. “Our husbands both worked,” says Fauerbach. “Within six months, Sue and I were working six days a week and our husbands quit their jobs to run our families. It was anything but what we thought.”

Today, The Northridge Group helps clients solve a variety of operational, technological and telecom challenges— this includes anything from bill auditing, margin optimization and financial

analysis to regulatory assistance and call center solutions. The Northridge Group’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, federal, state and local governments, universities and global-to-niche telecom service providers.

The company also prides itself on personalized problem solving. “Our consultants are seasoned executives from within the industry,” Fauerbach explains. “We sit down, listen to the client and then tailor a solution.”

Because different clients need different solutions, Fauerbach is able to engage and personally connect with each client to ensure their needs are met. “No two engagements are alike,” Fauerbach explains. “We might work for 90 days on a project and see results or we may try something new on a different client with the same business issue.”

Industry experience is a key competitive advantage. “Our success comes from a solid education as well as more than 20 years of experience,” she says. “When I was at MCI, it was a $300 million company. When I left, it was a $45 billion company. If I raised my hand, I got an opportunity.”

Since the founding of her company, Fauerbach has been recognized as an example to the business community by demonstrating how success can be achieved through seizing opportunity and having the persistence, creativity, and sound judgment to turn ideas into business practices. In 2007, Fauerbach was inducted as a Distinguished Member into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame by the University of Illinois at Chicago. More recently, she was profiled in the October 2010 issue of Crain’s Chicago Business for her work as a professional mentor and advocate to female entrepreneurs.

She advises budding entrepreneurs to take a risk. “I could have stayed at Howard Zucker Associates,” she says.

“Leave your comfort zone.”

“We sit down, listen to the client and then tailor a solution.”

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Lori Rose Carol Tyler‘87 ‘69 - “Voice Of An Artist”

By Margaret Nichols ‘69 There are many words to describe alum entrepreneur, Carol Tyler ‘69: wife, mother, author, comedienne, comic book artist and teacher. Yet the role that had the biggest impact on her life, her writing and her artistic experiences, is the role of daughter. Carol is the daughter of a WWII veteran who suffered from severe PTSD, unbeknownst to her family for many years, and who is also the subject of her latest project, a graphic memoir titled “You’ll Never Know” (published by Fantagraphics Books in 2009).

Development of her memoir and interest in her father’s WWII story began many years ago, at Carmel Catholic, in an English class. The assignment: “Go home and ask your dads about the war.” When she dutifully went home and spoke with her father, he was anything but plainspoken. Instead he clammed up and refused to speak. While it may have been difficult to complete the assignment, this interaction with her father sparked the beginning of her curiosity about her family’s experiences. Though her father was restrained that day, Carol

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found her voice and she realized that she had a lot to say and articulate to the world.

After graduating from Carmel in 1969, Carol went on to receive an MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) in painting from Syracuse University. During graduate school, she became very interested in sequence and narratives. Carol always had a passion for drawing too and eventually began working as a writer-cartoonist which afforded her the opportunity to blend both worlds of art and writing into one medium.

Shortly after cartooning became a daily practice, Carol found herself on stage doing comedy. Some of her live shows include performing with the Rick and Ruby Patio Show at LA’s Comedy Store. Her subjects on stage included: her mom, dad, family and blue-collar roots. Whether on paper or on stage, Carol’s creativity leads the way… she trusts her artistic instincts. She says, “It all goes back to story-telling.”

In the time leading up to the publishing of her 2005 collection of short pieces titled “Late Bloomer,” Carol became an award-winning comic book artist/writer and is well respected in her field. Most of her autobiographical stories reflect her struggles as an artist, mother, and wife.

But it wasn’t until 2002, that her father broke his silence regarding the war question she asked him while a student at Carmel - thirty-five years later! When asked why her father took so long to speak up, Carol says, “Dad’s memories were buried under mental concrete.” Eventually she learned about his experiences as a young man fighting in a great big war and how PTSD impacted him as a father. The result of their

“Carmel gave me the roots and wings to go into the world and be the person I was meant to be.” conversations is beautifully illustrated in “You’ll Never Know,” which also contains many visual references to Carmel, Lake County and Chicago.

Book II of the trilogy, “You’ll Never Know: Collateral Damage” was published in 2010. This volume details just exactly how her father’s war experiences affected her specifically. She is presently working on Book III. Due out in 2011, it deals with her attempts to help her Dad make peace with his traumatic past.

Carol Tyler List of Publications:

Today, Carol lives in Cincinnati where she maintains an active art studio and a publishing website from her home. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) where she teaches a lively and very popular course on Comics, Graphic Novels and Sequential Art. Inspired by the experience of helping her father, she invites veterans to her classroom each year and has her students tell their stories.

Kramers Ergot #7, Buenaventura Press, 2008

When asked about her favorite memories from Carmel and how her teaching style was influenced by her years there, Carol talked about one very special week that marked a turning point in her life. It was called “Open Classroom Week” and each student could rearrange their schedule to experiment and take any classes they wanted instead of their normal student schedule. Carol chose to sit outside with the outdoor air for the entire week. Freedom from the daily schedule allowed her to think, feel free, and reassess. This, she discovered, is vital to the creative process. To this day, going outside and just being is a major source of inspiration for her. Her Carmel memories were positive for the most part but she does recall one disappointing Carmel memory- one she never forgot: not being named the Art Award winner her senior year. It was a major disappointment, but Carol was obviously undeterred in her pursuit of success in an art career.

Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics, Fall 2004, 1992.

When Carol was asked to comment on her family, specifically on her twenty-five year old daughter, Julia, Carol says “I drew comics when Julia was little, starting her out early in the Arts.

She went on to study at a public Arts-magnet school as well as a college design program where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Now she designs street wear for the skateboarding crowd.” Carol’s artistic influence on her daughter is evident.

Taking inventory of her life, Carol observes that her life has definitely been full of surprises and interesting twists and turns. She says, however, with all of life’s unknowns, she continues to maintain the core values she learned at Carmel.

As she puts it: “Carmel gave me the roots and wings to go into the world and be the person I was meant to be.”

Mineshaft Magazine, 2006, 2007 Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Yale University Press, Vol. I 2006, Vol. II 2008 RoadStrips, Chronicle Books, 2005.

Comics Journal Special Edition, Summer, 2002, Winter, 2002, 2003, Spring 2003.

Pulse!, Tower Records, CA, Feb 1995, Nov, 1997.

Mind Riot, Simon & Schuster, April, 1997.

Zero Zero, Fantagraphics, 1995.

Narrative Corpse, Gates of Heck/Raw Books/Penguin, 1995.

Mothers and Daughters, Ballantine Books, 1994.

Drawn & Quarterly, 1992 – 1995.

Twisted Sisters, Kitchen Sink, Viking-Penguin, 1991 – 1994.

New Comics Anthology, Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing, 1991.

Best Comics of the Decade, Fantagraphics, 1990.

Heck, Rip-Off Press, 1989.

Prime Cuts, Fantagraphics, 1989.

LA Weekly, 1988.

Weirdo, Last Gasp, SF, Issues 19 – 25, 1987 – 1994.

Wimmens Comix, 1987 – 1991.

Suttertown News, Sacramento, CA 1986-88.

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Lori Rose Laurie (Schultz ‘87 ‘83) King - “From Winging It To Triumph”

By Katherine O’Brien ‘83 “If you do what you love, you can’t help but do it well,” says alum Laurie (Schultz ‘83) King. Her passion and business, Cottage Designs, is a combination of painted furniture and custom sewn pillows, curtains and duvets all created with a can-do attitude.

King’s work has gained a steady following in Lake County and beyond. Recently, she teamed up with estate sale shoppers Danette Lemm and Kelly Murphy as well as well-known interior decorators Carol Carani and Victoria Lidstrom to open a studio and retail space in Libertyville, IL. King’s Cottage Designs and the decorators Leggy Bird Designs now share the former Neville Sargent space at 406 N. Milwaukee in Libertyville.

King immediately signed up for a class at the College of Lake County. But then it was cancelled due to low enrollment. “I pretty much had to wing it,” she recalls.

Not knowing what else to do, she got out some sandpaper and tackled her first project, a dresser. As the dresser’s original color emerged, King could see the possibilities.

Rather than paint Photo: Studio West the dresser, she preserved its pretty, original color with a coat of clear varnish.

A Chicago Bears executive saw it and bought it on the spot.

King, who earned a degree in public relations from Loras College, calls her Carmel experience “the gift that keeps on giving.” “It opened so many doors for me “If you do what you love, during interviews,” she says. “Carmel kids you can’t help but do it well.” should know that they are pretty lucky that As the gallery acquired more furniture, this is the education they are getting.”

King painted more pieces. During a Twelve years ago, King resigned from a family outing to Door County, she Minnesota sales job after her husband was noticed people selling furniture from transferred back to Mundelein. Shortly their porches. “I got the idea I could buy after the birth of their first child, King was my own furniture and turn this into a looking for a job that wouldn’t take her business,” she says. “I invested in a large away from her family . “So I asked Neville inventory of furniture that needed help Sargent, an art gallery, if they would take and painted it up.” paintings on consignment. They weren’t taking any paintings but they asked if I could paint furniture. I said,’ Absolutely!’ although I had never painted a piece of furniture in my life.”

After a two-day sale brought in $8,000, King set her sights even higher. “I thought, ‘I can do better,’” she recalls. “I painted from November to May. When

my basement and garage were full, I had my second sale. This time I made $18,000 in two days. I thought, ‘I’m officially a business.”

In addition to painting, King’s creative skills extend to upholstery and sewing. She credits Carmel Home Ec teacher Verena Forster for cultivating her sewing skills. “She was a tremendous teacher,” says King. “That was my favorite class, I could not wait to get there. Mrs. Forster always said, ‘You have to have a Bernina sewing machine.

That’s the best.’ I eventually worked my way up to my dream sewing machine with high-end software and embroidery attachments.”

King has a 13-year-old daughter who she taught to sew. “She wants to be a wedding dress designer. I’m proud to know that I inspired her down that path. It all started with Carmel and Mrs. Forster.”

Retired Carmel teacher Verena Forster inspired Laurie (Schultz ‘83) King to launch her own custom design business. In addition to painting furniture, King does custom upholstery and sewing.

“I remember Laurie well and often fondly recall the time I taught sewing,” says Forster.

Following her retirement, Forster and her husband traveled the country in their motor home. “We fell in love with Arizona and now live east of Phoenix in Apache Junction.”

Forster, in town to visit family members in Grayslake, recently reunited with her student.

“We spent a few hours catching up,” reports King. “I got to meet her daughter and granddaughter. It was such a thrill!”

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Alexis Butler ‘80 - “You Can Go Your Own Way” For alum entrepreneur Alexis Butler ’80, her journey to business ownership can be credited to 3 seemingly unconnected things: a family reunion, sightseeing and long chats with a dear friend.

In 1995, Alexis, at the time living in Utah, took a trip back to the Chicago area for a family reunion. She connected with a very good friend, a Carmel classmate - in fact, and they drove around to reminisce and visit old stomping grounds. While they were walking through the village of Long Grove, Alexis spotted a pet boutique she remembered was around when they were students at Carmel. They were both awed that such a small, niche store like this survived all these years. For the rest of the trip, this dog boutique did not leave Alexis’ mind. Then, towards the end of her visit, it hit Alexis that there were no stores like this in Salt Lake. This realization was to shape the course of the next few months for Alexis and the beginning of a very satisfying life as a successful business owner.

had 2 months and this made it a tough go for me. But I’ve loved the struggles and the triumphs. I’ve especially loved the example I’ve set for my daughter. She was young when I started it and now she manages one of the stores.

She’s had the opportunity to learn how to run a business inside and out. She’s acquired by watching what I had to learn on the job.”

Alexis’ daughter is just one of the many dedicated staff members she credits with her success. Any business owner will tell you that having great help is a tremendous benefit and Alexis is proud to boast that she Alexis always dreamt of “Going with what you want and taking a has no shortage of it. She has part-timers that have owning her own business risk will allow you to follow a path in life worked with her for as but never imagined it would long as 13 years. “I didn’t come to fruition. As her life that gives you the opportunity to grow always have all the help became more frustrating and be exactly where you’re supposed to I needed. As a result, I and less satisfying working learned a lot of all parts of for other people, she really be with the choices you make.” the business. I consider started to think about taking myself an owner-worker. I am a part of my store 110%.” the big leap into the world of business ownership. Initially, The Dog’s Meow (her shop’s name, thought up with the help of Though Alexis will freely admit that being a student was never her brother) was to be a boutique containing mostly gifts and her thing, even in high school she appreciated the environment fun items for “canines, felines and humines.” But shortly after Carmel Catholic afforded, one she says she wouldn’t have opening her doors, Alexis realized she was more interested in received anywhere else. “I wasn’t much of a student at Carmel, offering products to keep pets healthy and happy. The once pet but I loved the fact that it was all girls and I really felt a kinship gift store with a few health products turned into a health food to the other students. It was like a sorority. We supported each store for cats and dogs with quality foods and a few fun, cool other. Carmel also really challenged me. You had to do wellaccessories. Alexis says that when the idea for Dog’s Meow came you couldn’t be a slacker. I was never out to be an A student but about she was a single parent who always wanted to get out of the teachers cared about how you performed; you had to hold corporate America and find a more rewarding way to support your own. Carmel kept me disciplined which is not a part of her daughter. “It came down to this: I was either going to take my natural makeup. The experience of camaraderie that Carmel out a loan and go back to school or start my own business. I’m gave me was significant.” glad I chose the latter.”

Practically speaking, Alexis states that the financial burdens of business ownership are great so she recommends having monies set aside to assist with the payment of personal bills, rent, etc,. “The money doesn’t come the minute you open your doors- there has to be some kind of a nest egg to fall back on.

Try to have a minimum of at least 8 months to a year of money to cover your bills irrespective of sales from the store. I only

When Alexis is asked to elaborate on how she got started and what she would do differently, she states, smiling, “People laugh when they hear how I got started. I didn’t have a business plan, but I’d say that it’s key to have one. There is some truth to why people do business plans- I would have been afraid of it. I didn’t have one but I still think it’s key and it would have made things a lot easier for me. I’ve parachuted in my real life and I think that’s a good metaphor for how I approach things personally and professionally. I feel like it’s scary advice to tell people what I did, my journey (into business ownership), because some people are so structured. But this is my story.”

For her final thoughts, Alexis sums up her path to business ownership with these comments: “My motto in life is ‘Just Do It,’ influenced by the Nike slogan, of course. Going with what you want and taking a risk will allow you to follow a path in life that gives you the opportunity to grow and be exactly where you’re supposed to be with the choices you make. I like to shake my life up because I get bored easily. And, owning this store with all its joys and hardships has certainly kept my life from being boring.”

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Lori Rose John des Rosiers ‘87 ‘95 - “Hunger For Excellence”

By Margaret Nichols ‘69 The night 16-yr old alum John des Rosiers came home past 11 PM from his first real job, he kept his parents up into the wee hours of the night. He had something important to say. After all, he’d made a big discovery that was about to set the course for the rest of his life. The decision was made very quickly, over the course of only one day, while working as a salad bar station attendant at Gabriel’s, an upscale French-Italian restaurant in Highwood, IL. That night John discovered his career passion.

He was just a junior at Carmel Catholic yet he resolved he would work with food and bring enjoyment to others by serving delicious cuisines. Though his career discovery was quick, the relationship has proven to be long-lasting. Today, John is the chef-proprietor of Inovasi, a casual, contemporary American bistro in Lake Bluff, IL. John’s epiphany at Gabriel’s was one of many steps he took early on that culminated in business ownership. After graduating from CCHS, he went on to pursue culinary studies at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He finished the program in 1997 and went on to work at Charlie Trotters, a restaurant regarded as one of the finest restaurants in the world. After staging at Trotters, John felt confident that he had mastered the art of cooking but he also knew that he needed to also master the art of restaurant operations. What better place to learn where it all began? Gabriel’s. John returned to Gabriel’s and spent 6 years learning the business side of running a restaurant.

“I do not always see that same level of excellence in people today that Carmel accentuated but I certainly appreciate it when it does show up in others.”

In 2003, John joined Bank Lane Bistro (BLB), located in Lake Forest, IL. Strictly going on a hunch, one day at BLB he served some off-beat items for his associates who raved about them and suggested he experiment more often. He thought about it and started doing just that. Then, like many of John’s decisions about the future, founded on pure instinct, he began working towards opening up his own restaurant.

Inovasi, from the Indonesian for innovation, opened in late May of 2009. It is a contemporary American bistro with a venerable twist. The restaurant has no “signature dishes” or daily specials since the principles and part of the philosophy that Inovasi is based on is flexibility, availability and community.

The menu will actually change daily based on the accessibility of local ingredients. Inovasi incorporates a variety of cultures including French, Italian and Japanese. John delights in creating memorable dishes with local ingredients from merchants in the neighborhood. He regularly shops locally and works with 15 different local farmers for vegetables, meats and birds.

But the path to chef-proprietorship is not all shopping and cooking. John says, “You have to manage the business right and spend money wisely.” When your menu can change 4 or 5 times per week based on adapting to local availability, you have to watch week to week how the variance of the pricing of your purchases is impacting your sales bottom line. In addition, John says “The biggest challenge is training employees to get everyone on the same page in terms of customer service and creating a consistently authentic and pleasurable dining experience for each customer. Connecting with customers in an authentic way is not easy to teach but I seek that potential in all my new hires.”

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John credits his high restaurateur standards to his former Carmel French teacher, Michele Bertaud, who he states “was a strict teacher and also a very significant, positive influence in my life during my high school years.” One of his favorite memories is when he prepared a dish for a project in Mrs. Bertaud’s French class. He made a classic, Old World, French dish comprised of chicken breast, sherry wine, sweet onions, and fresh tarragon.

Mrs. Bertaud was stunned. The dish was absolutely amazing.

Since then, their student-teacher relationship has blossomed to a wonderful friendship. Nowadays you just might bump into Mrs. Bertaud and her husband Dave enjoying the fine cuisine of Inovasi (she comes into the restaurant fairly frequently).

About his Carmel experience, John continues, “Carmel’s code of conduct including the emphasis on hard work, integrity, and giving your heart and soul to what you do is a big part of how I approach running my business. I do not always see that same level of excellence in people today that Carmel accentuated but I certainly appreciate it when it does show up in others.”

sure to “find balance in your life.” “The restaurant is closed on Sundays so everyone can rest and have a complete life.” Since John is an avid outdoorsman, a day off allows him to enjoy nature by camping and golfing when he can. John also spends a lot of time visiting his parents’ home in Wisconsin.

John currently resides in Lake Bluff where the restaurant is located a mere three minutes away. He has often joked that his home has to be close enough to Inovasi so that he cannot fall asleep on the way home after grueling 15-hour days. Besides owning and managing Inovasi, John is the owner of two cats and spends a lot of his spare time with the love of his life, Natalie.

John’s final piece of advice: “Do whatever you do with passion and hard work and it will all work out in the long haul.”

As for the delicious dish he prepared as a junior for CCHS teacher, Mrs. Bertaud, to this day, John has not revealed to her that the French dish was the very first meal he had ever attempted to cook.

John also recommends that once you are well on your way, be

I first realized that John was serious about cooking when he brought in a chicken dish as the visual for his French restaurant menu. He even asked if he could make a wine list. (His wine list is now as extensive as an epic novel!) I was blown away by that chicken. We have never been disappointed by his creations. John has a gift with food and I enjoy seeing him being successful at what he loves. Now that he owns his own restaurant with its focus on sustainability and local products, we just don’t eat anywhere else. - Michelle Bertaud, CCHS French Teacher

Winter 2011 |

13

Advancement N E W S

DIRE CTOR ’ S N OT E

W

hat would you like to be when you grow up?” Most of us have been asked this question more often than not. At a young age, some of us had definite answers and felt confident about our future. Some of us had some vague ideas about what we wanted to do as grown-ups based on our interests and what was “cool” or the “in” thing. And then there are some of us, who would offer blank expressions and say that the future had not crossed our minds at all. The latter group represents those of us who prefer “to live in the moment” and “just go with the flow.”

“

Whoever we become and however our lives turn out is predicated on a basic and solid foundation consisting of a strong value system, positive family experiences and support, extensive opportunities for academic achievement and the pursuit of critical thinking.

In this issue of Currents, we’ve taken a fresh look at what it means to have the entrepreneurial spirit, as seen through the profiles of alumni that exemplify boldness, risk-taking, innovation and the ability to push themselves beyond their potential. What differentiates a successful entrepreneur from the rest of us? They are dreamers yet at the same time, hard workers, who identify, develop and bring a vision to life. They possess a specific mindset on what they can do (self-trust) and an internal focus that is intuitive, emotionally balanced, ethical, and competitive.

They have keen business minds and they are not afraid of trying new ideas.

Carmel Catholic High School provides a holistic learning environment where students are provided endless opportunities to grow as a person – mind, body and spirit. The quality education our students received has resulted in successful business careers and entrepreneurial ventures. At Carmel, we encourage the broad interests of students and enhance our curriculum to promote knowledge and skills pertaining to business and development.

We continue to teach, nurture and instill in our students lifetime values that foster discipline, focus, positivity, passion, adaptability, leadership, ambition and service – all of which have served them well in their respective lifetime undertakings and disciplinary pursuits.

We hope you enjoyed the amazing stories of some of our trailblazing alumni who have followed their intuition, saw possibilities, pursued their passion, engaged their energies and sought opportunities that led them to their successful and rewarding paths of fulltime entrepreneurship. These creative and dynamic individuals are not only changing their own lives, but are also impacting the lives of others and our community.

We are proud of the outstanding alumni featured in this issue as they serve as testimonials to Carmel’s commitment of providing a well-rounded and excellent Catholic education that led them to harness their entrepreneurial spirit resulting in successful business ventures and careers. These stories serve as inspiration for all of us to be the best persons that we can be.

We are also grateful to our parents, students, alums, faculty and staff who help keep our mission strong and alive.

Your commitment ensures Carmel’s legacy is a lifetime gift. We encourage you to stay involved, engaged, and connected with your Carmel family through our alumni website: www.corsairalumni.org. We promise you that you will find a lot of great and helpful information and fun ways to stay in touch with your classmates, friends and teachers!

Sincerely,

Claress Pettengill Director, Office of Institutional Advancement

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Advancement N E W S

P LAN N E D G I V I N G

One advantage to creating a planned gift is the variety of planned giving vehicles available. Many of them can be tailored to meet financial and philanthropic goals for people at all levels of income. If you have philanthropic goals and interests, odds are there is an option that will work for you. One planned giving option that can work well for both modest and wealthy individuals is a gift annuity. A gift annuity creates a win-win for both you and your charity. You have a positive impact on your favorite charity (Carmel Catholic, I hope!) and at the same time you receive income and tax deductions. Why not make your donation work for you?

Carmel Catholic has partnered with the Chicago Community Trust to create a gift annuity program for our Carmel Catholic community members. The Chicago Community Trust is a not-for-profit organization that assists other organizations in the Chicago metro area through grants and financial assistance.

An annuity can be a viable option for a person who is looking for a consistent stream of income regardless of the economy and wants to make a gift to Carmel Catholic.

Here are some assets that work well for funding a gift annuity: • Low or no income yielding securities that have an appreciated basis over time • Low yielding savings or CD accounts • Vacation or second home or property Even though you can receive income from some planned giving vehicles, you should consider creating a gift annuity not for income alone but because you have a desire to support Carmel Catholic and its mission. I would like to believe that the greatest sense of satisfaction from making a donation is not from income received but from satisfaction gained from the knowledge that you will be advancing Carmel’s mission to future generations of students.

We know that all of this information can be overwhelming and not easily digested. You may have more questions now then when you began reading this column. Therefore, I suggest that you carefully consult with your attorney and financial advisor to learn more about gift annuities and how they can fit into your financial plans.

A smart way for seniors to use their ira Congress has given senior citizens a terrific opportunity.

On December 17, 2010, the President signed into law The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. You can make a gift to Carmel Catholic or other qualified charity directly from your IRA. This donation will qualify for your annual IRA distribution requirement and you will not have to pay income taxes on the distribution.

Here is some information to consider when making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA: 1. The age of the IRA owner must be 70.5 when the QCD is made.

2. The QCD must come directly from the IRA owner’s account and cannot be made from other types of retirement accounts. You can rollover other types of retirement accounts into an IRA and them make the QCD from the new IRA account.

3. There is a maximum of $100,000 QCD amount.

4. The QCD is not reported with your taxable income so other charitable gifts are not affected.

5. The transfer must be made directly from the IRA custodian or trustee to Carmel Catholic. Be sure to have a reference that the gift is from you on the trustee’s check.

6. The QCD is normally made from an IRA that is potential taxable income. If you have an IRA with both taxable and non-taxed contributions, the IRA withdrawal will be first from the taxable portion of your IRA. Because it is not included in taxable income and it is distributed to charity, there will be no taxable income to you from a QCD. 7. A QCD after January 30, 2011 is allowed only in 2011 8. Be sure to consult with your legal or financial advisor before making a decision.

To receive more information about the IRA Charitable Gift Rollovers, or how to more effectively use your IRA in your estate, email me at mlooby@carmelhs.org or call 847-388-3338.

Michael C. Looby ‘75 Director of Planned, Major Giving and Corporate Relations Winter 2011 |

15

FACU LT Y VO I C E - N E W F E AT U R E !

From Señora Calanca:

C A RMEL C ATHO LIC SC HO O L NEWS

Carmel Catholic Senior Wins IHSA State Singles Tennis Champion

What have I been up to these days?

Well, personally, I am still a HUGE Isabel Allende fan, so if you haven’t read anything by her since the days of “The House of the Spirits,” please try one of her two memoirs, either “Paula” or “The Sum of Our Days.” Many of you will surely want to read it in Spanish. I expect a full report by email with your reaction to her stories.

I have a beautiful little 2 year-old granddaughter now who is a linguist in training! She is learning English and Spanish simultaneously in Mexico, where she lives, and when I see her developing her language skills, I am reminded of why I LOVE teaching Language. I have heard from so many of my former students who have decided to travel to a Spanishspeaking country as part of their studies; some have even decided to major or minor in Spanish, and one recent graduate even came to tell me that she had changed her major from dentistry to Spanish because she wanted to become a Spanish teacher! This is where we teachers reap the fruits of our labors, when we see our students go on to apply when they began to learn at Carmel Catholic and when they come back to share their stories with us.

Last October, my graduating class of Carmel High School 1970 held its 40th Reunion on Homecoming weekend. You can check out pictures of us oldsters on the corsairalumni website. It was delightful to reconnect with folks, some of whom I had not seen in forty years! Thanks to Carmel’s wonderful Alumni Relations Director, Christine Le Brun, and her team, for helping make the weekend so much fun for us.

Professionally, my current goal is to stay up to speed with technology and find effective ways of using it in my classroom to enhance student learning. I am very excited about the new capabilities that we have now with our tablet laptops. My students are surprised to see me using a smart phone, texting, and using a social networking site to stay connected with people, but I am convinced that technology is the way of the PRESENT and I do not want to be left behind.

All of us here at Carmel would love to hear from you, you can contact us easily through our website. If you are in the neighborhood, please stop by to visit. Our students LOVE to hear your stories. I promise I won’t quiz you on the subjunctive EVER again.

Un Abrazo, Sra Calanca

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Jasmine Minor, IHSA State Singles Tennis Champion

Carmel Catholic High School is thrilled to announce that its own Jasmine Minor ’11 won the IHSA State Singles Tennis Championship. Minor is the first state tennis champion in school history. She won all 37 of her matches this fall, two years after going 38-2 and placing third at State her sophomore year.

Minor, a Mundelein resident, took a year off from prep tennis last fall to play in national tournaments and take her game to a higher level. The 3-4 seed lost only one set in seven State matches this year; she escaped Glenbrook North’s Hanna Yu with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 semifinal victory.

In the final round of State competition, Minor faced off against Wheaton Warrenville South freshman Keisha Clousing. Minor ultimately defeated Clousing in a twohour 20-minute contest—6-2, 7-6 (7-5)—to take home singles state championship honors. The minute Minor won the match, thrilled Carmel fans rushed the court.

“Any player here can win this, but it’s all about how long you can compete. Clousing and I were exhausted. I didn’t expect this,” Minor commented after winning.

“Jasmine’s win didn’t just start last weekend. She has been on this championship path since she was 6-years old with a special determination after watching her big sister play the game. She knew what she wanted and went after it with grueling 5:30 a.m. workouts. Then after school she would be back at it with lessons and drills and the ball machine. Included in this routine were the vast miles from one tournament to the next on the weekends. Jasmine knew what it was going to take to accomplish her dreams,” said Nancy Fehn, Carmel Catholic High School Varsity Tennis Coach.

“I applaud Jasmine who has worked diligently and consistently to excel at tennis. She has won not only a state championship, but also the admiration of the Carmel Catholic community who has witnessed first hand her skill and dedication to excellence,” concludes Lynne Strutzel, Principal, Carmel Catholic High School.

Register today. stay connected always.

What are my classmates up to now? Where’s my favorite Carmel teacher? When is my next reunion?

These are just a few of the questions that pop up in our alums’ minds when they reflect on Carmel. When you register to be a member of our alumni community, not only can you get answers to these questions, but our alumni website is also a great resource for information on upcoming events and school news. Get answers before you have questions. Register today.

Here’s how: To Register: •

Go to www.corsairalumni.org

•

Select First Time Login (top left of toolbar)

•

Type your Last Name (try maiden name if married name does not appear)

•

Type your Constituent ID (if you do not see your constituent ID located above your address on this issue, email alumni@carmelhs.org)

•

Select radio button with your name

•

Click Next

You will now be directed to a page where you can enter information from current address to current employer, etc.

On this page please update your information and be sure to create a user name and password.

Once you become a member, you can post a class note and/or a photo.

Class notes that appear in the online alumni community are published in Currents.

Join the Alumni Association groups online!

Questions regarding corsairalumni.org, reunions or class gift donations?

Contact Alumni Relations at 847-388-3382 or alumni@carmelhs.org for more information.

Winter 2011 |

17 17

Alumni

N E W S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWS | CLASS NOTES | ENGAGEMENTS | MARRIAGES | BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS | IN MEMORIAM

The words in Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken” illustrate my picture of entrepreneurs. They are the ones that you will find on the road less traveled.

There are many members of our community, some of whom are featured in this edition of Carmel Currents, who have struck out on their own and developed their idea into a business or an organization. Alumni of Carmel over the past 50 years can recognize some of the same qualities and values that we honed within the classrooms and community that today define entrepreneurs. We, as students, were taught the core values of strong teamwork, leadership, risk-taking and the importance of service to our communities. As we left the halls of Carmel, we took those lessons and values learned with us down our future paths. Colleges, universities, the Military and the workforce awaited us; each community waiting patiently to be affected by our value driven influence.

Appreciating the importance of networking and celebrating our alumni’s successes, the Carmel Catholic High School Alumni Association (CCHSAA) has opportunities throughout the year through networking and social events as well as the Alumni Awards. The Alumni Association will be introducing the series “Corsairs. Cocktails. Connect,” socials and networking events in and around the communities of Lake County and Cook County. This is a great opportunity for alumni to meet up with old friends, make new ones, and network with alum professionals in a particular field, positively impacting your career.

The 3rd annual CCHSAA Alumni Awards nominating cycle is upon us. This is an opportunity for you to recognize your fellow classmates who exemplify the values and attributes of Carmel Catholic High School. You can nominate a former teacher who continues to make an impact on your life or a fellow classmate who has struck out on their own, making a difference in their community.

The importance of making the most of the values and lessons learned has encouraged many in our CCHS community to achieve greatness in different avenues of life. Those avenues have been forged by both our business and social entrepreneurs. It is now our opportunity to congratulate and recognize those that have traveled down the road less traveled which ‘has made all the difference’ to the rest of us.

Sincerely,

Christine Drew ‘97 CCHSAA President

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el

Ca

m

Cath

o

C li

ill Gates founded Microsoft as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; P.T. Barnum entertained us at the Circus while making a statement with his beautification project in Bridgeport, CT; Martha Stewart brought us a different kind of circus, a very organized and nicely decorated one at that and has also launched the Martha and Alexis Charitable foundation; Ben and Jerry introduced us to the wonderful flavors of ice cream like Cherry Garcia and Milk & Cookies while also advocating for social and environmental awareness; Chicago’s own Oprah Winfrey, while creating her media empire, developed the Angel Network. All are considered famous entrepreneurs because they all took an idea and made something real with it. Additionally, they found the social side of the entrepreneurial spirit which is also celebrated in our communities.

r

B

alumni association

h

iG h

l SC h o o

President Christine Drew ‘97

cdrew137@yahoo.com

Vice President Meghan Donahue ‘98 meghandonahue@ comcast.net

Secretary Nicole Covganka ‘01 nicolec@rpgplan.com

Treasurer Rocco Pesola ‘77

roccopesola@comcast.net

Interested in becoming involved in the Alumni Association?

Contact Christine LeBrun via email at clebrun@carmelhs.org or call 847.388.3382

Class of ‘70 2010 Reunion

Class of ‘75 2010 Reunion

Class of ‘80 2010 Reunion

Class of ‘85 2010 Reunion

Class of ‘90 2010 Reunion - Men

Class of ‘90 2010 Reunion - Women

Class of ‘95 2010 Reunion

Class of ‘00 2010 Reunion

Class of ‘05 2010 Reunion

2010 Alumni Cubs Outing

a l u m n i e v e n t s Winter 2011 |

19

Where in the

W rld is the Corsair?

Lydia Warco ‘08 and Amanda Warco ‘03 brought the Corsair to Boston. Lydia is studying at Boston University; Amanda is working in Brooklyn, NY. d to e l e s v r tra ppe cently edste sair re atch the R undred r o C H w The rrett ching IN to gton, of the Mar : Allegra Ja 0, n i m ‘1 ber Bloo to R Moon mem ity. L and a a Univers ‘10, Lauren . ian ‘08 ek of Ind ke Andrej n Hessing u a i L l l , i 8 ‘0 and G

y Shirle ’66 & ld, d l a r Fitzge zgera Peter alie ’68) Fit ue, Becky t a (N ’94 ) DeR as ’68 Majewski k u L ( Lynn ’95) & Joe , AZ. (Klees n Carefree Mim i i the Dalug a‘ Cor Ford sair w 10 bro ugh ham ith Uni her to t vers ity.

The Corsair loves to know what is happening in our CCHS community!

Are your traveling for a vacation or business? Are you graduating from college or celebrating an anniversary?

Take the Corsair with you on your travels, to parties, sporting events or bring him to weddings and special occasions! He is the perfect guest!

CCHS parents and students, email your Corsair photos to alumni@carmelhs.org. Alumni please post your Corsair photos on corsairalumni.org as a general class note or email photos to alumni@carmelhs.org.

All photos should include a caption with the names of the people photographed and the location of the photograph.

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Cut out the Corsair and submit your photos today!

Alumni

N E W S

CLASS N OTE S

1971

Patrick A. Salvi ‘71 and Patrick A. Salvi II ‘00 were co-authors in the 2010 Medical Malpractice Trial Notebook on Informed Consent distributed by the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Patrick A. Salvi ‘71 has once again been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2011 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialties of Medical Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation.

1974

Penelope Cagney ‘74 published a book, “Nonprofit Consulting Essentials: What Consultants and Nonprofits Need to Know.” Visit Penelope’s web site www.thecagneycompany. com for more information.

1975

Dave Dato ‘75 was named IL Fire Chief Of The Year. He was 1 of 7 chiefs nominated for National Fire Chief of the Year. Dato stated humbly, “This award belongs to them (fire department colleagues) as much as it does me.”

1983

Larry Bobo ‘83, Author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur, recently published his book, “Becoming An Outstanding Man - Marriage, Family and Relationships.” Visit www. theoutstandingman.com for more information.

1986

Rod Whittier ‘86 will be inducted into the East Suburban Catholic Conference Hall of Fame on March 11th at Crystal Sky Banquet Hall. Rod was a standout football and basketball player at Carmel where he garnered AllConference and All-Area Basketball Player of the Year honors. He is married to wife of 13 years, Kelly Whittier.

They are the proud parents of Payton and Landon.

1989

Jeff Feinendegen ‘89, managing partner of TS Financial Group in Lake Forest, IL was named a 2010 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager in the Chicago area.

1993

Sarah Mikrut-Doyle ‘93 will be inducted into the GCAC (Girls Catholic Athletic Conference) Hall of Fame on March 20th. Sarah was a member of the 1991 State Runner-Up Gymnastics Team and State Championship teams of 1992 and 1993.

She is presently the Head Gymnastics coach here at Carmel and led her team to the State Championship in 2010.

2001 Peter Pioli ‘01, residing in Salt Lake City, UT, is employed as a Cancer Research Scientist at the University of Utah Research Park. He is currently working in the In Vivo Pharmacology Department and is involved with Glioblastoma (brain cancer).

2003

John Flessner ‘03 returned to his chosen field of biomedical engineering after completing a third year in Teach for America and watching his first class of students graduate and go off to college. He began his new job in October 2010 as an Electrophysiology Technical Support Specialist for St. Jude Medical Co., where he works in the

cardiac catheterization lab assisting in the implantation of pacemakers and defibrillators.

David Salvi ‘03 was promoted to President of PLS Holdings, LLC, holding company of the Gary SouthShore RailCats in October 2010. The RailCats are a professional, independent minor league baseball team serving Northwest Indiana. Salvi is charged with overseeing the club’s overall mission, brand and philosophies.

PLS Holdings is a private company with interests of ownership and management of sports franchises. Salvi previously worked as the Manager of Advertising for the RailCats, from 2008-2010.

2008

Medgh Fox ‘08 and Frank Huschitt ‘08 will attend the Semester at Sea study abroad program, circumnavigating the globe along with 500 other students on the ship, the MV Explorer. They will visit 11 countries around the world, including Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, India, Vietnam, and Japan.

Winter 2011 |

21

Alumni

N E W S

1

2

3

ENGAG E M E N TS

1 Jason Sjo to Nicole Obie ‘02 Kimberly Wessel to Bill Kohler ‘01 Peter Pioli ‘01 to Kim Ann Nguyen Melissa Slezak ‘02 to Pat Van Camp

5

4

MARR I AG E S Brian Martinic to

2 Rachel Grimm ’99

MaryRay Breen to

3 Frank Lombardo ‘00 4 Bradley M. Hansen ‘94 to Laura Maher

5 Elise Lauraitis ‘99 to Brandon Monie

BIRT H S/ A D OPTI O NS

1 Xyla Jade born to Scott and Amy

3 Owen Walter born to Mark and Jaclyn

5 Bryce Matthew born to Kyle and

2 Markus Stephen born to Vanessa and Kris Wodzinski ‘93

Moira-Niamh born to Maureen 4 (O’Leary ‘99) Nuzzo

6 Christopher James born to Beth and

(Grasser ‘90) Rizzo

1

2

(Stanula ‘96) Lindberg

Christine (Kirchner ‘02) Mann Jim Stamatakos ‘97

4

3

5

Post your birth announcement with a photo on corsairalumni.org and receive a ‘Corsair in Training’ t-shirt for your future Corsair!

T-shirts are sent out quarterly and sent to alumni who post their happy news online. Online class notes are always available for alumni to view.

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| Currents

We try our best to include all photos submitted, but sometimes space restrictions do not allow us to publish all photos in Currents.

However, all photos submitted are included in the Class Notes on www.corsairalumni.org

6

Alumni

N E W S

IN M E MOR I A M

Alumni

James Flagg ‘85, brother of Kelly (Flagg ’78) Dixon Ruth Anne (Reinecke ‘66) Pfleger, sister of Patricia (Reinecke ’70) Waldeck and Mary (Reinecke ’68) Shanaman Declan Sullivan ‘08, the brother of Gwyneth ’10 and Macartan ’13

Wife of Carolyn Mueller, wife of Dana Powell ’71 and sister-in-law of Jeanne (Powell ’70) Lamz and Kathryn (Powell ’68) Spitzenberger

Grandfather of William Egan, grandfather of Meegan Johnston ‘13 Edward Hohmann, the grandfather of Michael ’07 and Matthew ’10 John King Sr, grandfather of Erica ’11 and Paige Massarelli ’13 Joseph F. Piro, grandfather of CJ ‘07 and Frankie ‘12 Cohen Samuel Ramond, grandfather of Maggie ’13 and Teresa ‘13 Wayne Tegler, grandfather of Katie ’13 and Jake ’11 Larson

‘07, father-in-law of Kathleen Montarestelli (staff) Joseph Rogina, grandfather of Michael Jr ’98, Jennifer ’00, Megan ’04 and Jonathan ’08 Krizman Richard Wolff, father of Suzanne (Wolff ’88) (Andrew Burns ’88) Burns, Veronica (Wolf ’87) Foskett, Mary (Wolff ’91) Kearney, Mary Clare (Wolff ’76) Patch, David ’82, Mary ’81, Nell ’94 and Robert ’84

Mother of Elaine M. Cortesi, mother of Diane (Cortesi ’69) Kunz and Nancy (Cortesi ‘70) Franklin Patricia Otrembiak, mother of Mary (Otrembiak ’82) Balmer, Anne ’84, Randall ’90, Robert ,85 and Ronald ’80 (Cynthia (Hamel ’84) Otrembiak; step-granddaughter Kathleen Ellison ‘08 Deborah Pokryfke, the mother of Jaclyn ’96, Scott ’99, Jill ’01 and Mike ’05 Margaret Spellman, mother of John ’68, Frank ’70 and Eileen ‘71

Brother of

Grandmother of

Michael McGrain, brother of Colleen ’81, Kevin ’82, Maureen ’83 and Tim ‘85

Eileen M. Coatar, grandmother of Andrew Coatar ‘03

Brother-In-Law of

Diane Sheehy, grandmother of Krista ’06 and Erin ’08 and the mother of John Sheehy (Business Office)

Michael Jungles, brother-in-law of David Pazely, faculty

Father of

Robert Simmons, uncle of Jack ’04, Collin ’06, Aubrey ’08 and Brannon ’13 Simmons, brother of Terry Simmons (CCHS Board of Directors)

Raymond Monterastelli, father of Gerald Monterastelli ‘67, Jessica (Monterastelli ‘72) Niecestro; grandfather of Rebecca Monterastelli ‘02, Joseph Monterastelli ’04 and Rachel Monterastelli

Uncle of

Charles Wifler, uncle of Charles ’08 and brother-in-law of Katherine (Salvi ’74) Wifler

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.”

John 11:25-26 STAY IN TOUCH Do you have a new job or an addition to the family you would like to tell us about? Are you a newlywed or want to reconnect with former classmates and other alumni?

Currents welcomes news of accomplishments or changes in your professional or personal life for inclusion in class notes. Please include your graduate name and class year, your present name and daytime phone number when you submit a class note. We publish photos as quality of photo and space allows. If available, include a photo caption listing the names of the people and where it was taken. Submissions to class notes are edited for space and clarity to adhere to the style and tone of the magazine.

Submit news and photos to: Alumni Relations, Carmel Catholic High School One Carmel Parkway, Mundelein, IL 60060 Fax: 847-388-3497, Email: alumni@carmelhs.org Online at: www.corsairalumni.org/classnote Obituaries: CCHS relies on family members to inform us of the deaths of alumni and friends. If a newspaper obituary is available, we would appreciate a copy.

Send notices to the address above.

Deadlines for Submissions: Currents is published in the summer, winter and spring. Class notes will be printed as space allows and when possible, in the order they are received. If you submit an item for the fall issue, for example, and it doesn’t appear, it most likely will be in the following issue. We encourage all alums to submit class notes online, where they are always available for alumni to view.

Submit items for…

Summer: by June 10, 2011 Fall: by September 9, 2011 Winter 2011 |

23

Non-Profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID Permit #54 Mundelein, IL

One Carmel Parkway | Mundelein, IL 60060

2011 FEBRUARY

APRIL

11-12

Street Scenes

4

Classes resume

14

President’s Day - No Classes

10

Mother-Son Mass and Breakfast

15

Faculty Day of Renewal - No Classes

16

Father-Daughter Dance

17

Easter Mass and Service Event -

Eighth Grade Parent Orientation

St. Mary of Vernon

6

Mother-Daughter Brunch (Seniors only)

18

Sophomore Unity Ceremony

10

Eighth Grade Registration

22-25

Easter Break

11

Faculty In-Service - No Classes

26

Faculty In-Service - No Classes

12

Turnabout

29-May 1

Spring Musical

21

International Week

24

Corsairs. Cocktails. Connect. - Chicago

28

Spring Break

MARCH 3

Carmel Catholic

CALENDAR

OF EVENTS