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Alumni News
Carolan prepared a list of companies that would be a starting point in the midwest and south. He left Boston for Proctor and Gamble in Cincinnati, and five years later, in 2001, joined the Campbell Soup Company. He rose steadily at Campbell, becoming president of Campbell’s Fresh Western Division in 2016, before heading to California and taking over Lyons Magnus in May 2018. Lyons Magnus, originally a family-owned company that picked and packed peaches for Dole, is now a leader in the food industry, producing and marketing a wide array of fruits, beverages, and chocolate products. Carolan’s family lives in Santa Monica, where his two younger children are in high school (a married stepson lives in northern Kentucky). He is home on the weekends before the commute north each Monday to Fresno, 220 miles away in the central part of California. “After the last move two years ago, and this was the fourth move for the kids, we agreed to work hard for them to finish high school at the same school,” he said. “They love their schools as much as I loved De La Salle.” While Carolan doesn’t have a lot of spare time, he does enjoy reading, and many of his high school literature paperbacks are on his bookshelf. Carolan is proud of his De La Salle education. “De La Salle was the critical launch pad for where I’ve ended up in life,” he said.
Pilot Bar Association now in second year
The Pilot Bar Association gathered on Nov. 7 for its first general meeting of the 2019-20 academic year, welcoming the Honorable George Steeh, a Macomb County judge, as the guest speaker. Approximately 60 active members of the Bar Association were pres ent, and discussed the January 2020 Career Day, potential internship opportunities for students and alumni, the De La Salle mock trial team, and a plan to establish a scholarship fund. Thanks to Mark Wisniewski, ’83, chairman and CEO of Kitch Attorneys and Counselors, the sponsors of the event. The Pilot Bar Association will next gather on March 19, at 6 p.m., at Villa Penna in Sterling Heights. To learn more about the Pilot Bar Association and membership opportunities, contact Dennis Koch at dkoch@delasallehs.com or 586-541-6221.
Father-son alumni team are winners
The Pilot Business Association held its fall networking event on October 14 as a Monday night football watch party at the Fifth Avenue Restaurant in Royal Oak. Alumni Dominic Sciturro, ‘17, and his father, James Sciturro, ‘83, won the Barry Sanders autographed helmet. Special thanks to Anthony Rubino, ‘01, of the Pilot Property Group, and Steve Graus, ‘74, of Detroit City Sports, event sponsors. For more information on the Pilot Business Association, contact Dennis Koch, director of alumni relations, at dkoch@delasallehs. com or 586-541-6221.
Al umn
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reunion weekend
In late 2019, De La Salle Collegiate alumnus Michael Glasgow, ‘94, was named Distinguished Composer and Conductor with MidAmerica Productions and MidAm International. MidAmerica Productions brings together conductors, soloists, and choral and instrumental ensembles from the United States and abroad to appear at New York City’s top venues, including Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center. “Michael brought MAP the New York premiere of his Requiem in 2017, and from the outset I knew he was a force to be reckoned with in the world of choral music,” said MidAmerica Productions founder Peter Tiboris.
“The European premiere of the work, which MidAm presented in Vienna in June last year was another triumph in what promises to be a fruitful relationship.” Glasgow has composed four musical plays, as well as numerous original choral, orchestral, and handball compositions. His Latin Requiem premiered in April 2001, and he con ducted the work at Carnegie Hall on his 40th birthday in 2017. He also conducted the European premiere in Vienna this summer. “MidAmerica is about more than the business of concertis ing,” he said. “The company has a drive to curate a repertoire of excellent musical talent from page to podium. To be named as Distinguished Composer and Conductor with one of New York’s preeminent production companies is a tremendously humbling distinction.” Glasgow has been Minister of Music at North Raleigh United Methodist Church since 1998. He is an active member of the American Composers Forum, the American Choral Directors Association, and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. He has fulfilled more than 40 commissions, and his music has won numerous accolades and recognitions in composi tion contests. His concerto for Castings, a multi-movement symphonic work, will premiere in Hong Kong next year. Glasgow is sought after for conducting engagements throughout the country and abroad. He made his interna tional conducting debut in 2013 with the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain, and returned in 2015 and again in 2017. He has also conducted in the Eastern Carribean, Canada, Austria, and Singapore. An honors graduate from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, Glasgow holds degrees in music/theory composition and in journalism. He earned a Master of Church Music degree from Concordia University in Wisconsin, with a double emphasis in both choral and handbell music.
Ryan Anderson ‘18 Congratulations to Ryan on accepting a position as a new member of their Global Data, Insights, and Analytics team at Ford Motor Company for the summer of 2020. Anderson is currently a junior at Michigan State University in the Eli Broad College of Business.
Massimo Badalamenti ‘12 A huge congratulations to Massimo, sworn into the Michigan Bar Association as a general attorney at the Mount Clemens Courthouse on Nov. 6. He attended Grand Valley State University and the Wayne State University Law School.
Justin Fischer ‘18, Jordan Winowecki ‘18, Luke Pfromm ‘18 Good luck to Justin (Lake Superior State University), Jordan (Concordia University), and Luke (Macomb Community College) this year as they each play basket ball at their respective schools. The three classmates were members of the De La Salle basketball team that advanced to the MHSAA Division 1 Final Four in 2018.
Kevin Fitzhenry ‘03 Kevin and Kathleen Fitzhenry were married November 16, 2019.
Joey Garbarino ‘15 Sending our best wishes to Joe, recently diagnosed with a spinal cord syndrome that ended his football career at Northwood University. He was the Pilots’ starting quar terback on the Division 2 state championship team in 2014. He is currently a student at Northwood’s Devos Graduate School.
Kathleen and Kevin Fitzhenry
Gavin Gonzalez ‘18 Congratulations to Gavin on beginning a new position at StraightForwardSports.net as a journalist. Gonzalez is cur rently attending Michigan State University and is a Supply Chain Management major.
Kevin Jones ‘16 Congratulations to Kevin on accepting a new position with the Detroit Tigers. He will join the franchise as a baseball information assistant in May, following gradu ation from Toledo University. He has served as the student manager of the Toledo baseball team during his entire college career. His younger brother Kyle ’18 is also enrolled at Toledo where he plays baseball.
Griffin Schroeder ’15 Congratulations to Griffin on accepting a position with 97.1 The Ticket as a producer for the sports-talk station. He attended Northwood University, where he served as an assistant sports information director. He graduated last May. His introduction to a career in sports media began at De La Salle, as he was one of the first mem bers of the Student Broadcast Club when it originated in 2014.
Majeed Mokhtari ’18 Congratulations to Majeed on beginning a position at Centria Healthcare as a registered behavior technician. He is currently attending Oakland University and is pursuing a degree in engineering.
Alexander Orlando ’09 Congratulations to Alex who is currently working as an account executive at CoStar Group. Before beginning his new position, he spent over two years at MediMex, where he was an account executive. He graduated from Wayne State University in 2013 with a double major in Finance and Supply Chain Management.
Jake Theut ‘11 Jake is playing hockey in the minor leagues, and recently earned his first professional win for the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs over the Knoxville Bears with 42 saves in the 6-1 contest. Theut attended Northeastern University, and will be receiving his master’s in in dustrial psychology from the University of AlabamaHuntsville, where he played his 5th year of NCAA Hockey on a scholarship. He also provides training and coaching to goalies in the off-season.
New alumni dues program launched
The De La Salle Collegiate Alumni Association is modifying its existing alumni dues program. A new, three-tier system, is designed to meet the needs and means of alumni. Dues are used to offset the cost of alumni events, such as the 1926 Society, events of the professional associations, college visits, class reunions, and more. Nearly 700 alumni are already lifetime members, and will continue to have this status, despite the changes to the dues program. Those alumni who paid annual or lifetime dues are recognized in the annual report edition of The Collegiate magazine. “Our alumni continue to achieve many great successes in their personal lives, spiritually, professionally, athletically, and beyond,” Dennis Koch, alumni director, said. “Our goal as an Alumni Association is to provide opportuni ties for years to come for the next group of young men and provide a Lasallian Christian education.” Alumni Dues Levels Tier 1: $19.26 - 1926 Society Supporter for graduates within the last 10 years. Receive access to the Pilot Bar, Business, and Medical associations. Tier 2: $192.60 - Pilot Supporter for those who graduated more than 10 years ago. Receive access to the Pilot Bar, Business, and Medical associa tions, as well as invitations to future DLS Alumni
Association events and special promotions. Tier 3: $500.00 - Lifetime Member. Receive a lifetime admission pass to all De La Salle home athletic events, access to the Pilot Bar, Business, and Medical associations, and invitations to future lifetime member events and special promotions. (Current lifetime members also qualify.)
Honoring Veterans
De La Salle Collegiate is creating a new Veterans’ Wall to honor all of its alumni who have served in the armed forces. All active and retired military alumni are asked to contact the De La Salle Alumni Office at 586-541-6221 or dkoch@delasallehs.com
50 year grads reconnect at Christmas Luncheon
At the annual Senior Alumni Christmas luncheon in December, new attendees among the nearly 200 present included several members of De La Salle Collegiate’s Class of 1969. The group included Alan Rudziewicz, who has been active with De La Salle for several years, along with Ed Green, Larry Hearn, Dennis Scully, and Mark Scheible. The annual holiday lunch provides an opportunity for senior alums from De La Salle and St. Joseph to gather in fellowship. Rudziewicz and fellow 1969 alumnus Mark Wojcik have tried to organize a 50th reunion but without success, so the luncheon provided an opportunity to catch up. “I think it’s great,” Rudziewicz said. “We picked up right where we left off when we left school. We are telling sto ries non stop. The same thing was true of the homecoming Saturday alumni dinner this past October.” Following graduation from De La Salle, Rudziewicz attended Western Michigan University, and later the Detroit College of Law. He is a partner in the law firm of Strobl and Sharp in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., headed by Tom Strobl, ’60. Another attorney in the firm is Jay LaBarge ’93. Rudziewicz, who specializes in estate planning and real estate, has worked with Alumni Director Dennis Koch in forming the Pilot Bar Association, and with Major Gifts Officer Greg Esler in facilitating a major gift from his 1969 classmate, the late Gary Karas.
Rudziewicz’s son, Darren, is a ’98 De La Salle alumnus, and now lives in Arlington, Virginia, where he is a banking attorney with the FDIC. Another son, Brandon, attended Brother Rice. Green commented he was happy to be at the gathering, and to reconnect with classmates, some of whom he last saw on graduation day 50 years ago. Green is a retired chemist from General Motors. He earned his degree from Michigan State University. A retired physical therapist for handi capped children in the Waterford School District, Hearn attended several football games last fall. He earned his degree from Western Michigan University. An accountant with the federal govern ment and with Wayne County, Scully has attended the Christian Brothers Dinner the last two years. His degree is from Wayne State University, but he notes the last time he saw some classmates was at graduation. Proudly noting his class ring still fits, Scheible is a retired real estate broker, and was also commu nications manager for the Michigan Osteopathic Association. He, too, is a Wayne State graduate. Scheible has also attended recent Christian Brothers Dinners. Rudziewicz laughed as Scheible displayed his class ring. “He must have had it sized right back then,” Rudziewicz said. The 1969 contingent at the luncheon was small, but Rudziewicz noted they all earned degrees and had professional positions. “The education we got at the school,” he said, “and what it led to is a testament to the teachers at De La Salle and what they did for us.” For more information on alumni events, contact Dennis Koch at dkoch@delasallehs.com or https://www.delasallehs.com/ alumni/alumni-events
Pilot Medical Association holds inaugural meeting
Nearly 30 alumni, friends, and staff attended the inaugural meeting of the Pilot Medical Association in November at Detroit’s Caucus Club, owned by George Sboukis ’89. Keynote speaker Dr. Charles Lucas, ’55, currently a professor of surgery in the Michael and Marian Ilitch Department of Surgery at Wayne State University, en couraged each member of the association to take action. For over an hour, the group discussed ways to get in volved with De La Salle Collegiate, and help current students who may be interested in a medical field career. One idea is to set up a database for students to stay in contact with professional alumni in the field.
“This inaugural meeting helped lay the groundwork for what we want the medical association to become,” said Dennis Koch, the director of alumni relations. “This group displayed a sincere care and desire to help current students and young alumni find their way through the vast medical fields. I’m excited to see the many ways in which these men can make an impact.” Lucas graduated from the University of Detroit in 1959 and from the Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1962. If interested in joining the Pilot Medical Association, contact Koch at dkoch@delasallehs.com at 586-541-6221.
Alumni ‘pay it forward’ on Career Day
Representing fields ranging from medicine, law, and engineering to the military, skilled trades, and public safety, more than 60 alumni, parents, faculty and alumni spouses, and friends of alumni gave presentations on their various careers during De La Salle Collegiate’s Career Day. Dennis Koch, director of alumni relations, organized the day with assistance from associate director of alumni relations Brendan Johnson, Aaron Johnson, and counselor Jon Hickey. Unlike past career days, where speakers presented to students who indicated interest in a particular field, this year speakers moved to different subject classrooms. “This was a tremendous day, which really impacted stu dents,” Koch said. Hickey echoed Koch’s thoughts. “Our students were exposed to a lot of options and opportunities,” Hickey said. “The day gave them lots to consider.” Dave Purrenhage is a sales professional in the automotive market, who was happy to return to his alma mater to give back. “It’s important for each generation to pay it forward,” said Purrenhage ‘85, who was volunteering for his fourth Career Day. Chris Ferlito, who is with the Clark Hill Law Firm in Detroit, remembers how helpful Career Day was to him as a student. “I want to pay it forward and help students understand what being an attorney is like,” said Ferlito ‘06. Brian Belloli ‘92, a team director for Microsoft, remem bered Career Day having an impact on his life. “If I didn’t have that opportunity,” he said, “I am not sure I would have the professional success I enjoy today.” Cory Stadelbauer ‘08, an audit manager with Grant Thornton, also recalled benefitting from Career Day dur ing his days at De La Salle. “I remember what a refreshing and motivating experience it was for me back then,” he said. “What I didn’t realize, but now see, is what a refreshing and motivating opportunity it can be as a professional.” Stadelbauer has volunteered with the Detroit Economic Club and also worked with De La Salle students about various networking and personal development topics. “When I hear their stories,” he said, “I went back to work after each of those sessions motivated and eager to continue in my own personal endeavors.” A senior research engineer with Ford Motor Company, Tim Drotar ‘85, was also happy to participate in Career Day.
Brendan Garwood ‘15
Josh King ‘08
Glenn Garwood
Jerry Zaccardelli ‘75, and the Economics Class
“I am very fortunate to have found my niche,” Drotar said. “I am passionate about STEM and hope to inspire the next generation of innovators to pursue a career in this field.” Brian Simpson ‘94, cited his foreign language skills in talking with students about his career in international sales. Simpson speaks Portugese, Spanish, and German. “Foreign languages open doors,” he said. Simpson encouraged students to study abroad in college and live outside the country, but also said, “You can do any work you want from here in Detroit and Michigan.” Kyle Suminski ‘11, now works in physical therapy, and was quick to join the lineup of presenters. He was a junior in 2010, and had a fractured ankle that caused him to miss the entire baseball season. “The late Ed Martel (‘87) was the keynote speaker that day,” Suminski said. “I was still in a cast, and he was a former professional baseball player who had become a physical therapist. He had recently had his leg amputated. His story was so moving that I thought physical therapy could be something to get into. Ed contacted me in my last year of physical therapy to do my last clinical rotation with him. Ed and his wife Julie hired me shortly after I gradu ated. After Ed’s death, I took over his position of working with patients and baseball players in particular. Career Day was a huge day in my life, and I hope I can give back and inspire a student to go into whatever they are passionate about.” Dr. Anthony Weinert ‘89, who is a foot and ankle doctor and surgeon, wanted to give back to De La Salle Collegiate for what his high school experience meant to him. “Career Day is so essential in giving high school students the tools to figure out a career path, and what will bring happiness and joy to each of their lives,” he said. “If you have a dream and a vision of what you want to become, you can do it.” Other alumni speakers also included: Ben Aloia ‘91; Frank Briguglio ‘02; Tony Catullo ‘59; Vito Chirco ‘11; Joe DeLave ‘80; Frank Dostie ‘11; John Elkhoury ‘02; Scott Eovaldi ‘01; Brendan Garwood ‘15; Jeff Graus ‘95; Joe Hallman ‘88; Zach Issa ‘09; Brother Ken Kalinowski, FSC ‘84; Josh King ‘08; John Labut ‘98; Matthew Lauhoff ‘06; Jacob Lepore ‘10; Dr. Charles Lucas ‘55; Dan Marsh ‘81; Dr. Andrew Mastay ‘05; Brandon Mattinen ‘13; Alex Orlando ‘09; Dr. Frank Petruzzello ‘88; John Plotzke ‘09; Jeff Podolski ‘82; Aaron Schmid ‘94; Joel Schmidt ‘94; Dr. Russ Sclafani ‘97; Jim Slubowski ‘84; Mark St. Peter ‘81; Jonathan Stano ‘04; Rick Stanza ‘93; Daniel Vachon ‘13; Mark Vanneste ‘97; Jim Vollmet ‘11; Dr. Peter Watson ‘90; Carter Wilson ‘14; Dr. Frank Wilson ‘48; Jerry Zaccardelli ‘75; and John Zmiejko ‘71.
Career Day
Career Day speakers gathered in the TA RMAC.
Jim Singelyn ‘90 gives Brian Dobyzycki’s police dog a play break.
Tony Catullo ‘59 Thaier Mukhtar and John Elkhoury ‘03.
Vito Chirco ‘11, Will Smythe and Tony Serra record a podcast.
Dr. Charles Lucas ‘55, discusses old photos with Greg Esler.
Jeff Podolski ‘92 Tim Drotar ‘85 Ben Aloia ‘91 Karen Dostie and son Frank Dostie ‘11
