The Thirty-Fifth Annual Alumnus Dan Loepp Named 2016 CBD Honoree De La Salle Collegiate is pleased to announce the selection of Dan Loepp, ‘75, as the Honoree for the 2016 Christian Brothers’ Dinner. He has been CEO of BlueCross/Blue Shield of Michigan since 2006, and has been a key supporter of De La Salle and the Lasallian Mission of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. DLS President John M. Knight said, “Dan Loepp exemplifies everything that is good and true about Lasallian secondary education. Dan is a person who lives his faith each day. On behalf of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the Board of Trustees, and the entire De La Salle Collegiate community, we are delighted to bestow the honor of the Christian Brothers’ Award on Daniel Loepp.” In selecting Dan as the honoree for the 35th annual event, Dinner Chair Michael Brillati , ‘93, said, “Dan is a tremendous individual. We are all proud of his many accomplishments, but more importantly, he truly exemplifies the Lasallian spirit.” 4
At the annual Christian Brothers’ Dinner Kickoff in early March, Dan reflected on his long association with De La Salle and the Christian Brothers before a group of his family and colleagues, classmates, the Christian Brothers’ Dinner Committee, and past Honorees.
Parental Commitment Dan recounted how his father took a job promotion in 1964, and the family moved to Cleveland. But less than a year later, his parents decided to return to Detroit so that their sons could attend De La Salle and receive a Christian Brothers’ education. “It was a pivotal point in all our lives,” Dan says. “They thought this was an important thing to do.
Like the parents of thousands of other DLS students, my parents made those tough, dedicated decisions when a thousand dollars in tuition was an unbelievable commitment.” The oldest Loepp son, Bob, graduated in 1968, Tom followed in 1970, and a sister Pat graduated from Dominican High School in 1977. Dan’s parents, Bob and Mary, have both passed in the last 14 months.
The De La Salle Connection Dan recalled his connections with so many others from De La Salle, long before he walked in the doors at Conner and Glenfield as a freshman. The Loepp Family lived on Whitehill, near Whittier, in Guardian Angels Parish. “My parents and Br. Tom Lackey’s parents bowled together in the Guardian Angels Ushers’ League. My parents were practically joined at the hip with the Baumgarts, and of course, their son Dave (‘76) is now the President of the DLS Alumni Association. Ray Skowronski lived a few blocks away.” Dan remembers his first encounter with Br. Patrick McNally. Dan’s older brothers were in the DLS Glee Club, directed by Br. Patrick. “When I came to the Christmas concert in 1966, I thought meeting Br. Pat was the coolest thing in the world.” Today, Brother Patrick’s office, the hub of the Drama program, is named in memory of Bob and Mary Loepp. He also recalled how his parents made his brother Tom take him to Friday night home basketball games. “I was in sixth or seventh grade. We’d get out of the car, and my brother would point at me and say ‘You do one thing: get on that stage and don’t move!’ There were some great teams then. I saw John Bernard (now a member of the Board of
The 2016 Dinner is on Thursday, April 28, at Penna’s of Sterling Heights. Tickets are $200 ($250 at the door), and are available online at ThePilotHangar.com or contact John Monigold at jmonigold@delasallehs.com.
