St. Mark’s School of Texas
P r o u d l y
A N N O U N C E S
H E a d m a s t e r
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
November 8, 2013 Dear Members of the St. Mark’s Community, At a special meeting on Thursday, November 7, after an exhaustive national search, the Board of Trustees unanimously appointed St. Mark’s Assistant Headmaster, David W. Dini, to serve as its eighteenth Headmaster in the School’s 106-year history. David will be the next Eugene McDermott Headmaster, effective July 1, 2014. It is an immense source of pride to announce that after meeting so many qualified candidates from leading independent schools, the individual ideally suited to build upon the great legacy of this institution is already on campus. Throughout the search process, the Committee was guided by what our community told us was most important. First and foremost, the Headmaster is the keeper of the soul of St. Mark’s. For the past 19 years, David has upheld the School’s mission to educate the whole boy. He strives for excellence while honoring the deep traditions that are uniquely ours. He is a role model for our boys and a consistent champion of our world-class faculty. He thoughtfully engages with both the parent and alumni communities as well as with the constituencies outside of our campus. He values faith and family and always has the best interest of our boys at heart. David has been Arnie Holtberg’s partner in establishing many aspects of the School’s foundation of excellence. His accomplishments at St. Mark’s have been outstanding, but perhaps his greatest quality is his patient, humble, and professional approach. His leadership style is marked by his belief in the importance of empowering others. His easy manner makes those around him comfortable, and his passion and hard work inspire all of us to go that extra mile. Our next Headmaster brings experience, outstanding personal qualities, a passion for educational excellence, and a deep commitment to our School and our community. As an administrator, he is instinctively collegial. He has worked collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students in all areas of campus life. He has coached, taught, advised, and led student trips both in the United States and abroad. A native Texan, David graduated from Strake Jesuit College Preparatory school in Houston before earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SMU. His career in education began at The John Cooper School in Houston. In 1992, he joined Graland Country Day School in Denver, Colorado, where he served as Director of Development. Arnie Holtberg recruited David to St. Mark’s in 1994 to create the comprehensive advancement program that St. Mark’s enjoys today. Under David’s direction and leadership, St. Mark’s has become one of the nation’s models for alumni engagement, has raised over $170 million in new contributions, and has tripled the size of its endowment to over $120 million. In addition, David has been integrally involved in the transformation of the campus, helping lead major building projects in 2000 and 2008. (cont.)
St. Mark’s School of Texas
(cont.) David is committed to developing and supporting our greatest asset — the faculty. Under his direction, the Master Teaching Chair Program has grown dramatically and the endowment for faculty support has more than doubled. His commitment to education has earned him the respect of his peers at the national level as well. For more than 15 years, he has been an active volunteer for CASE, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. A frequent speaker and teacher at conferences around the country, David has been on the faculty of the CASE Summer Institute in Educational Fundraising at Dartmouth College for the past four years and was a teacher at the CASE Summer Institute for Independent Schools at Williams College for nine years — the final four years as faculty chair. David has received numerous awards for distinguished service in the field of education, including the CASE Crystal Apple Award for Teaching Excellence and the Robert Bell Crow Memorial Award, CASE’s highest independent school professional honor. He is extremely involved in the Dallas community and serves on the board of several organizations, constantly looking for ways to learn, grow, and contribute. When David begins his tenure as Headmaster on July 1, 2014, he will take the helm of an exceptionally strong and vibrant institution, one that benefits from Arnie Holtberg’s extraordinary leadership. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we express our deepest appreciation to Arnie and Jan for their dedication and commitment to our School. We thank the entire St. Mark’s community for its thoughtful engagement throughout our search. It will be an honor and a privilege to welcome David as our next Eugene McDermott Headmaster, and we look to the future with optimism and an unyielding respect for the past. With love for the blue and gold,
Randall S. Fojtasek ’81 President, Board of Trustees
Taylor H. Wilson ’81 Vice President, Board of Trustees
Kenneth A. Hersh ’81 Co-Chair, Search Committee
Leonard M. Riggs, Jr., M.D. Co-Chair, Search Committee
D AV I D W. D I N I Dear Members of the St. Mark’s Community, I am deeply honored by the decision of the Search Committee and the Board of Trustees, and I am humbled by the prospect of leading this great institution. I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed to the search process — my colleagues on the faculty and staff, alumni, parents, trustees, students, and other friends of the School. The care, attention, and commitment that have been invested in this important decision only serve to affirm the strength of our community. It has been a privilege to work alongside Arnie Holtberg for the past two decades — a truly exceptional man and a great leader who has skillfully and thoughtfully guided St. Mark’s to unprecedented heights. The partnership we’ve enjoyed has been the single most important professional association of my life. From our earliest days together, Arnie has given me every opportunity imaginable to learn, grow, and contribute to the well-being of our school. Like Arnie, I love St. Mark’s and am firmly committed to our mission of helping boys become good men. I have a deep appreciation for the work of my colleagues across our campus, in the classrooms, on the playing fields, in the art and music studios, in our labs, and on the stage. The passion, commitment, and energy of our teachers make St. Mark’s an extraordinary place for boys. We are in the business of developing human potential, helping boys become well-rounded and well-educated men who are driven by character and focused on improving the world around them. I can think of no work more gratifying or rewarding. When my family and I arrived in Dallas more than 19 years ago, I never would have imagined the impact that St. Mark’s would have on our lives. In so many ways this School has become our extended family. We’ve not only watched all four of our children grow up here, but also developed close bonds and friendships throughout the St. Mark’s community. Being a part of the St. Mark’s community is special, clear and simple. Our history binds us together and reminds us that we’re all part of something much greater than ourselves. It challenges us to be our best. It inspires us to give freely to one another and to this School’s mission of helping boys reach their fullest potential. St. Mark’s School of Texas was established with a vision to become a beacon of excellence, and I feel an important responsibility to make sure we carry that legacy forward. Our alumni are a constant reminder of all the good work that has occurred over time. The generosity of our predecessors — the School’s founders, our teachers, trustees, parents, alumni, and friends — has provided a foundation that we all enjoy and, yes, build upon today. It will take great care, commitment, and intentionality to ensure that St. Mark’s becomes an even better institution for future generations. I am so thankful for the support of the entire community. Nancy and I are thrilled about our continued involvement with St. Mark’s and look forward to helping further strengthen the foundation of this great School. Sincerely,
David W. Dini
H e a d of s c ho ol S e a r c h C o m m i t t e e
The appointment of David W. Dini is the culmination of a comprehensive, nationwide search for the individual who will successfully lead St. Mark’s School of Texas and build upon its proud tradition of excellence. In the spring of 2013, the Board of Trustees assembled a broad-based search committee of long-serving individuals, including trustees, faculty, parents, and alumni. With the guidance of Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, an internationally recognized search firm that specializes in educational leadership, the Committee actively sought feedback from the entire St. Mark’s community in order to identify the desired personal and professional qualities of the next Head of School. The search attracted leading educators from around the country and affirmed St. Mark’s position as one of the nation’s finest independent schools. The successful completion of this process is due to the tireless service of the Search Committee and the thoughtful engagement of the entire St. Mark’s community.
PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Randall S. Fojtasek ’81
George S. Bayoud, Jr. ’73 Past President, Board of Trustees
VICE PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Katherine R. Crow Trustee
Taylor H. Wilson ’81
The Rev. Michael B. Dangelo Chaplain
EXECUTIVE ADVISORY COUNCIL
D. Scott Gonzalez Provost, Dean of Campus
Robert W. Decherd ’69 Past President, Board of Trustees
Kathryne B. Hillier Past President, Parents’ Association
Elliott Roosevelt, Jr. Past President, Board of Trustees
Amee Joshi Treasurer, Parents’ Association
Carl Sewell ’61 Past President, Board of Trustees
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS
Christen E.J. Lee ’96 Trustee
Kenneth A. Hersh ’81 Past President, Board of Trustees
Jon L. Mosle III ’79 Trustee
Leonard M. Riggs, Jr., M.D. Past President, Board of Trustees
Ross Perot, Jr. ’77 Past President, Board of Trustees Judith T. Sutcliffe Suzanne & Patrick McGee Family Master Teaching Chair in Mathematics
St. Mark’s School of Texas
10 600 Preston Road
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Dallas, Texas 75230 - 4047
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214.346.8000
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Fax 214.346.8002
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smtexas.org