Secretary Ridge Addresses Students
Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge spent over three hours at Gannon on Saturday, February 14 addressing students from Professor David Kozak’s Homeland Security classes and members of Leadership Erie’s Continuing Education Program. Dr. Kozak, longtime associate and personal friend of Ridge, organized the event on 36 hours’ notice when Ridge informed him that he would be in Erie. “It was a tremendous learning moment,” Kozak said. Kristin Vivelo, senior Criminal Justice major, agreed. “Having him here was amazing. I couldn’t believe how humble he is, given the task he’s taken on. I didn’t realize that Homeland Security was the third largest department in the our government structure.” Secretary Ridge, who was Gannon’s commencement speaker in 1995 and received Gannon’s Distinguished Pennsylvanian award in 1987, spoke on leadership styles, executive decision making, the challenges of promoting organizational change in a timely and effective manner, and comparative strategies for leading various types of organizations. He particularly stressed the need for leaders to respect all workers, no matter what their roles are. “All work has dignity,” Ridge said. “I learned the meaning of that phrase from my father.”
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Ridge spoke, then stayed to answer questions and meet with participants before departing to pay a Valentine’s Day visit to his mother, who lives in Erie. Professor Tom Hudson celebrates with physical therapy graduates Gwen Medic and Ryan McElhiney.
Sullivan and Forquer Newest Trustees On January 1, 2004, Russell J. Forquer ’71 (photo, right) assumed the position of president of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors for a three-year term. As the incumbent, Forquer also becomes an ex-officio member of Gannon’s Board of Trustees for the same period. He succeeds Donald M. Carlson ’73 of Pittsburgh. Forquer is a senior partner with the Forquer Group, Inc., an Erie technology consulting company that he founded in 1993. The company’s services include needs assessment, project management, hardware/ software acquisition, training, and employee placement. Monsignor Richard J. Sullivan, who taught Theology at Gannon for 38 years, has also joined the GU Board of Trustees. Sullivan is the pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Erie. He attended Gannon for two years before going to Christ the King Seminary and earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from St. Bonaventure University.
December Commencement
Thomas F. Power, Jr. ’63 (photo, right) was the keynote speaker and recipient of an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at Commencement on December 14, 2003. Power, past president and CEO of Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation and a member of Gannon’s Board of Trustees, spoke of leadership, ethics, and values. President Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D., conferred 323 degrees during the ceremony, including two doctoral degrees, 244 master’s, 71 bachelor’s, and six associate’s.