I“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.”
— GENERAL NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF
t is a common practice in many schools to teach facts and ask students to repeat them back in order to demonstrate academic prowess. A truly exceptional school emphasizes intent and provides a moral basis for why men of character do what they do. We aspire to be that school.
In a recent conversation with MGySgt Neil Constine, he highlighted a key difference between the orders presented to Russian troops in Ukraine and the orders typically presented to American troops. The key difference is intent. Russian officers are not specifically trained (or trusted) to make field decisions and quite often do not know why or for what they are fighting. In comparison, American troops are given ‘intent’ orders outlining key objectives that guide and empower them to make quick decisions in the field.
This is what Saint Thomas Academy does best. We enthuse young men with character and then unleash the power of innovation and leadership. The result of an Academy education is the establishment of a ‘true north’ for our Cadets that will guide them for the rest of their lives.
MISSION
Our mission — to develop boys into men of character — is our promise to our students, our families, our community and the world.
We accomplish this through the transformative power of an educational and life experience deeply rooted in Catholic faith and traditions, academic excellence, military leadership, and an all-male environment.
We cannot teach our Cadets specific responses to the myriad of challenges and opportunities they will someday face in the boardroom, in front of a classroom, on the battlefield, on the floor of the House, or while leading souls to Heaven. We can teach them the framework to make strong ethical decisions for the good of mankind, however.
This is clearly what is happening with Dean Simmons and the students who operate the Cadet Fund, which is highlighted in this issue of the Saber. They are using the financial skills they have learned in class to invest with good intent. Their intent is to ensure that families who otherwise could not afford an Academy education are able to attend this remarkable school. What could be more Cadet than that?
We are on a mission. Thank you for your past, present, and future support of that mission.
God Bless and Go Cadets!
Mr. Kelby Woodard Headmaster
ON THE COVER:
Senior Cadets Brennan Fitzgerald, Jack Fyten, Tate Peterson, Cooper Corbo, Thomas Wagner, and Charles Crutchfield in the Personal Finance and Investing class.
Kelby Woodard
Saber is published by Saint Thomas Academy
949 Mendota Heights Road Mendota Heights, MN 55120 651-454-4570 cadets.com
Your comments, story ideas, and suggestions are always welcome. Please contact Deborah Edwards, Director of Marketing & Communications at 651-683-1532 or via email at dedwards@cadets.com
Features/Article Writers: David Jacobson
Designer: Renee Dubs Ellena
Printing: Dolan Printing
Photo Credits:
Liam Brennan
Tyler Maddaus
Michael Murray Photography
Beth Neitzel
Saint Thomas Academy Alumni, Friends, and Family
CORRECTIONS:
In the 2021 Fall/Annual Report issue of Saber, Tom Brix ’60 was missed in the Donor Honor Roll. On page 37 the J. Jerome Plunkett ’42 Memorial Scholarship was inadvertently omitted from the list of Support Endowed Funds. Our sincerest apologies for these errors.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
LEADERSHIP
Chief Officer
The Most Reverend Bernard Hebda
Chairman
Mr. Daniel Kubes ’87
Past Chairman
Mr. Kelly Rowe ’79
Vice President
TBD
Secretary
Mr. Kelby Woodard
Founding Partner
Mr. Michael Ciresi ’64
Investing in Students Past,
BY DAVID JACOBSON
Teachers are often said to “invest” in their students. Dean Simmons brings new meaning to the word.
Now in his 22nd year at Saint Thomas Academy, Simmons has taught German, economics, and marketing, all with supreme dedication to his students. But his latest class, Personal Finance and Investing, brings new dimension to the concept of investing in students. For it’s in that class where he and alumni oversee the Cadet fund, a student-run investment vehicle driving toward providing financial aid for future Cadets.
Essentially, students analyze stocks from various industry sectors and invest the Fund’s money, subject to actual gains and losses, with guidance from Simmons and an Oversight Board of Cadet alums working in finance and investment careers. At the end of the school year, students recommend holding or replacing the stocks and make PowerPoint presentations to explain their reasoning.
In the three-plus years of the fund’s existence, it has grown from seed donations of $16,000 to its current worth of roughly $42,000. At $100,000, according to the fund’s Investment Policy Statement (IPS), “realized gains and accumulated earnings may be liquidated for financial aid purposes as long as the portfolio maintains a minimum balance of $100,000 at the time of sale.”
— Continued on page 4
Present, and Future
Yes, Dean Simmons is investing in future students he has not yet met — who may not yet be born — so his current and former students are best equipped to explain the meaning and impact of a Dean Simmons investment.
JOSH MOLLNER ’06 earned his Ph.D. in economics at Stanford University and is now Associate Professor of Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Scheduling conflicts at the Academy kept Mollner from taking Simmons’ AP Economics course, he recalled, “but Dean offered that I could come by after school and he would just talk to me about what he’d discussed in class.”
“I wouldn’t have gone into economics without that. He’s a great guy, so fun and energetic. He loves the school, loves the students. He’s the perfect guy for the job of teaching economics students, especially at STA. He taught me the basics. It was the first time I saw a demand curve and a supply curve. I got more interested and was convinced that this is a good way to look at the world, that it’s a useful set of ideas, and that this is what I wanted to do with my life. The stuff that Dean’s been doing over the last few years is so cool.”
That “stuff” — the class and the Cadet Fund — draws from a similar program, the University of St. Thomas’ student-run Aristotle Fund. While recruiting for the Cadet Fund’s Oversight Board, Simmons turned to two former Aristotle Fund students who attended the Academy:
MATT HEWITT ’92, now a Senior Research Analyst at Craig-Hallum Capital Group; and JOHN MOWERY ’95, now
Managing Director at Trademark Financial Management. Along with their professional and technical skill sets, Hewitt and Mowery bring unique perspectives to the Cadet Fund.
Hewitt helped Simmons decide which sectors the students should examine for investment opportunities and helped create the IPS. Simmons and Hewitt meet during the year, and Hewitt occasionally speaks to the students in class. “I’ve been really impressed with the students,” Hewitt said. “We listened to their presentations at the end of year, and they did a phenomenal job. The class has hit the mark. Being in the classroom was exciting, not just the opportunity to expand their knowledge and education, but also knowing that the Fund will be able to give back to school. Nothing feels better than to be able to pay it forward.”
Mowery, a registered financial adviser, brings expertise in market dynamics and
Josh Mollner ’06
Matt Hewitt ’92
John Mowery ’95
balancing portfolios of stocks and bonds from around the world. He helped Simmons draft documents and provides Cadets the lens of “Porter’s Five Forces” — the brainchild of Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter, which posits that strategic assessment of an industry should focus on these five forces: competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, threat of substitution, and threat of new entry.
Mowery’s impressions of Simmons’ students: “They are very motivated and dedicated. Last summer, I brought four boys out to our office and walked them through discounted cash flow analysis. These boys have a great future in finance, and I was impressed with the questions they asked. My company looks very favorably on Academy grads, and Dean’s class is part of that.”
Beyond the two Aristotle Fund veterans and others on the Oversight Board ( TOM LEE ’85 and PAT PARSONS ’06, now both at Parametric Portfolio Associates, LLC), Simmons also sought assistance from JAMES M cGLINCH ’07 Currently a Ph.D. candidate at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, McGlinch earlier worked in global investment research at Goldman Sachs and in mergers and acquisitions investment banking at Credit Suisse.
“Dean asked me to help students recognize good companies and good stocks,” McGlinch said. “You want to give them information to make informed decisions but not give them the answers. I had in mind which companies were the better choices, but I did not want to tell the students. They reached the same
— Continued on page 6
Tom Lee ’85
Pat Parsons ’06
James McGlinch ’07
Senior Cadets from left to right, Eli Rome, Dean Simmons, Max Nagel, Matthew Zander, Anthony Fay, and Ian Rutgers analyzing data.
“The class has hit the mark. Being in the classroom was exciting, not just the opportunity to expand their knowledge and education, but also knowing that the Fund will be able to give back to school. Nothing feels better than to be able to pay it forward.”
— JOHN MOWERY
’95
conclusion as I did and reached it the same way. His students do a great job in creating arguments and presenting them coherently. What Dean is doing works for his students.”
So, what is Simmons doing? Simply stated, his class focuses on running the Fund, which comprises 11 stocks from the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500, one from each of 11 different sectors (i.e., technology, consumer durables, etc.). Students split into sector teams, and each team analyzes the current holding in its sector compared with companies identified as potential replacement holdings.
For example, one year Chevron replaced Exxon in the energy sector, Simmons said. “We use tools such as Morningstar
Research, The Wall Street Journal , and lots of other information sources, including the companies’ official SEC documents, their 10-K and 10-Q, filings. We do qualitative and quantitative analysis, looking at revenue, sales, market share, debt, etc.
“We have speakers from investment companies and some of the companies that the Fund invests in. We decide whether to keep the stock we hold in each sector or replace it. Then each team does a PowerPoint presentation explaining its decision. There are a number of objectives the class provides for students, including building their Excel programming and improving their presentation and public speaking skills.”
INVEST IN THE CADET FUND
Your donation to the Cadet Fund:
n Creates more educational opportunities
n Expands investment options
n Invests in future Cadets
Make Your Gift Now!
Scan the QR code at right or by visiting cadets.com/cadetfund
Want to transfer appreciated securities or have questions about making a donation to the Cadet Fund? Contact Mike Maxwell ’84 | mmaxwell@cadets.com | 651-683-1577
The class complements students’ broader education at the Academy because it entails “research skills, recognizing trends, and understanding science and technology breakthroughs by companies operating all over the world.”
— DEAN SIMMONS
The Cadet Fund’s IPS mandates that stocks held must be within the S&P 500. Shortselling and buying on margin are not permitted, Simmons said.
In addition to the relatively conservative, tried-and-true method of growing a fund — which bodes well for reaching the $100,000 mark and yielding financial aid — students see first-hand success that can guide them in their personal investments in early adulthood, as opposed to the temptations of Robinhood accounts and day-trading. Even if students are not interested in financial or investment careers, the class helps them in the areas of “personal finance, and ideas on saving and compound interest,” Simmons said. “After kids take this class, they may not need a money manager. They can manage their own portfolios, and I’ve reassessed my own investments based on what I’ve learned.”
The class complements students’ broader education at the Academy because it entails “research skills, recognizing trends, and understanding science and technology breakthroughs by companies operating all over the world,” Simmons said. “There are ways to apply this to the students’ other interests.” The class also fits into the Academy’s overall present and future in that “Headmaster Woodard has been a big supporter of this class and the investment project,” Simmons said. “We have been using a new room created during the Summer Splash remodeling for
presentations and hope to use it as a space for research and group work.”
Part of the value of the Cadet Fund experience is teaching students how to live in a bottom-line world, where the proof is in the pudding. Recent graduates who were enrolled in the investment class are putting that knowledge into action in their careers, providing their own proof that Simmons’ brain-child delivers bottomline results in terms of Fund growth and in the development of students poised for their careers.
For example, AXEL RAARUP ’18 will soon graduate from the University of Notre Dame and start work with William Blair, the Chicago-based boutique investment bank where he has interned. He will focus on sell-side mergers and acquisitions, advising business owners in industrial service sectors, such as HVAC, cleaning, and maintenance on how to sell their companies. “STA put me on this trajectory and helped my competitive drive, business orientation and social skills,” Raarup said. “I credit this to Mr. Simmons affording us the opportunity to get involved in finance.”
LOGAN DAVIS ’18, who interned alongside Raarup at William Blair, also will return to the firm after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Mr. Simmons’ class is where I first got the spark and interest to go into this field,” Davis said. “His teaching style is
— Continued on page 8
Axel Raarup ’18
Logan Davis ’18
“He’s [Dean] a great guy, so fun and energetic. He loves the school, loves the students. He’s the perfect guy for the job of teaching economics students, especially at STA.”
— JOSH MOLLNER ’06
phenomenal, the best teacher I ever had: high energy, never tired, had the music playing, and his energy was contagious and kept students engaged. We learned a lot of terminology before college.
Financial literacy is a gap in American education, and Mr. Simmons introduced us to all this. He clearly loves what he’s doing.”
ALEX ROTH ’20 is a sophomore at Miami University of Ohio, majoring in finance and co-majoring in entrepreneurship. “I was in marketing class with Mr. Simmons and liked his style,” Roth recalled. “The next year I registered for the Cadet Fund class. He’s a very, very, very high energy guy. He keeps people really engaged.”
“He taught us foundational stuff like balancing a portfolio, he emphasized
the importance of long-term investments. Only the top 1% make money on daytrading. I turned 18 during the school year, and got to start my own portfolio, getting expert instruction at that age. Mr. Simmons brings in speakers, usually STA alums he’d taught, usually 5-10 years older than us. They’d walk in in super-nice suits and talk about their time on Wall Street.”
Clearly, Simmons succeeds as a teacher. He credits the students and Oversight Board for the Fund’s success and welcomes additional donations of cash or stock to accelerate the Fund’s growth to the point where it can disburse dollars for financial aid. It seems a worthy consideration for anyone who wants to ensure that Simmons’ investments in Saint Thomas Academy and its Cadets continue to pay off.
Alex Roth ’20
CLASS OF ’61
A Unique Approach to Giving
BY DAVID JACOBSON
Saint Thomas Academy has given great gifts to its tens of thousands of students in the form of academic, spiritual, military, and character education. Of course, many Cadets have given great gifts back to the Academy over the years and decades, and as a whole graduating class, the class of ’61 has become known for its unique and impactful gifts to the Academy and in its name.
On the occasion of its 50-year reunion in October 2011, the Saint Thomas Military Academy class of ’61 gave the Academy $118,650 for a scholarship fund to be established in the name of John “Jack” Campbell.
Soon thereafter, class member Winston Adams purchased a paid-up $1 million life insurance policy, naming the Academy as the beneficiary, which paid out upon his passing on December 13, 2020.
In recognition of its 60-year reunion in 2021, the class funded a safe water project for a village of 200 people in Uganda in the amount of $16,279.
Pat Coonan — the class administrator, who leads communication among his classmates — provided insight into each of those three gifts. All three reflect the Academy’s impact on the class of ’61, especially in terms of the Cadets’ gratitude for the education they gained, including what the Academy taught them about contributing to the greater good.
For the 50th reunion gift, Coonan and classmates raised the entire $118,650 just among themselves. They felt tied to many of the “Old Guard” teachers, or “profs” as Coonan often calls them. At least three members of the class of ’61 — Jack Campbell, Joe Martin, and Tom Scott — had fathers teaching at the Academy.
“We wanted to do something for our 50th reunion that would be honorable,” Coonan said, “and we wanted to do something in honor of Jack Campbell, who was one of our favorite profs. He taught in the math department, everything from algebra up
through trig. He was very likable and personable. He was a wrestling coach, and he was very much involved with the entire student body. He had a lot of respect for all of the students. There was just a special relationship between him and us.”
The next major gift, Winston Adams’ life insurance policy, stemmed from his unique relationship to Saint Thomas Academy, Coonan recalled. “Win was one of those students who, it seemed, was never going to amount to anything. He was in a lot of trouble at the Academy. His Mom was in the office on a regular basis. But he picked up a lot from the Academy, and he amounted to so much. I’m sure that’s what drove him to get that paid-up insurance policy. He felt he owed an awful lot to the Academy.”
For the class’s 60-year reunion, Coonan said, “we decided we wanted to do something a little different, in conjunction with the Academy, but separate. Tom Nelson came up with the idea and did an awful lot of the research into various organizations and found a Christian organization, Lifewater International, that seemed to have a great deal of presence in Uganda, and that led to the funding of the safe water project.”
The three different approaches to giving that the class of ’61 has used show “that we are very keen on the Academy,” Coonan said. “For the vast majority of the 149 of us who graduated, the Academy was wonderful. The Academy did a lot for me. I was not one of the greatest students. In our class, I was probably about 140th. I didn’t like schoolwork or homework, and how I ever made it through four years of math, I can only credit to Prof Campbell. We all took a lot from the Academy in terms of our education and the way we were taught to respect one another and to respect life.”
Inside a Cadet’s Gift to Neighborhood House
BY DAVID JACOBSON
Saint Thomas Academy alumni can take pride in the way Tommy Ondre ’23 recently put the values he’s learning at Saint Thomas Academy into action. The Cadet ski team member on February 18 hosted Youth Ski Day at Buck Hill, providing free skiing for 41 children served by Neighborhood House, the stalwart 125-year-old non-profit social services agency in St. Paul.
Ondre, who volunteered at Neighborhood House for 45 hours during spring break in 2021, conceived the event in September and worked the next five months to bring it to fruition. One of his first moves was to seek help from John Kenney ’85 — Director of Middle School Athletics and Activities and Middle School Dean of Students — to secure bus transportation to
Buck Hill for the Neighborhood House children. Next, Ondre raised more than $3,900 and worked with the management of Buck Hill, where he skis competitively for the FIS team, on logistics for Youth Ski Day.
He also helped the Neighborhood House children learn how to ski, along with several of his Cadet ski teammates and a Buck Hill instructor. “Those kids were all laughs and smiles,” Ondre said. “Some picked up on skiing pretty quickly, and it was rewarding to see their progress.”
Ondre pointed to several factors that motivated him to create the event and see it through to completion. “I had a
drive to give back since last spring, when I had my eyes opened to what the Neighborhood House kids and families are going through. Also, the Academy is all about community, with the various out-of-uniform day activities, food drives, and fundraising for Ukraine.”
Ondre also mentioned the Academy’s focus on the Catholic value of loving others as a motivator. “Another big inspiration was my grandfather. He died when my dad was a sophomore at the Academy, and my dad couldn’t continue here. Whenever I pray, I think of my grandfather. He was in my mind a lot as I worked on this event, even though I never met him.”
Along with the Academy’s role in shaping Ondre as a person, he credited his involvement in Civil Air Patrol for helping him learn and manage the logistics of the event.
“Putting this on was a big growth experience,” he said. “It brought a lot of feeling once I finally had five minutes to reflect. It was so fulfilling to see all those kids so happy.”
Ondre plans to repeat the event next ski season, looking forward to even greater results now that he has one successful event under his belt and more time to plan and raise funds.
Pictured left to right, Cadets Andre Bedros ’22, Tommy Ondre ’23, and Gus Tennessen ’24 with a student from the Neighborhood House.
VETERANS DAY RECAP
In addition to the day’s honorees and keynote speakers, Saint Thomas Academy’s annual Veterans Day assembly welcomed guests Minnesota State Rep. Kurt Daudt and many military service members and veterans, including DR. TONY MALERICH ’40 , who was a Marine Corps pilot in WWII. At age 99, Malerich received a standing ovation for his service as part of the “greatest generation.”
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar told the Cadets and guests assembled, “We’re at a time of great polarization in our country. What still unites us today is not just our respect for our veterans, but also our respect for our democracy and for civil and civic discussion.”
Sharing a quote from her friend John McCain’s book, she said “’There is nothing more liberating in life than fighting for a cause larger than yourself.’ By being a part of this school, you’ve made a decision that whatever you go on to do, there is a cause larger than yourself. Whatever we do today lives beyond today.”
Medal of Honor Recipient Capt. Thomas G. Kelley, U.S. Navy (ret.) implored the Cadets to live a life of integrity and courage. While Veterans Day honors military service members and their courageous service, Kelley explained to the Cadets they can demonstrate moral courage in their daily lives to also make a difference. “Moral courage on your part can make a huge difference in someone’s life…A single courageous voice can make a difference in ordinary, day-today happenings…On this Veterans Day, please remember the sacrifices of those men and women who have served honorably so you can enjoy the peace and comfort of your lives. They served and so can you in your own way.”
An emotional VINCE TROY ’64 accepted the Fleming Veteran Alumni Award (Fleming Medal) on behalf of his brother, 2ND LT. PETER TROY ’66, U.S. Army who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1969 at the age of 21. He said, “Pete was very, very special. Our family talks about him as if he’s still here because he is. He is definitely in my heart. He left his mark indelibly. I’m so proud...I want to thank Saint Thomas Academy for the recognition today. I want to thank Saint Thomas Military Academy for who we are and the role you played in our lives — TERRY (’55), PHIL (’61), Peter and myself. This is an amazing school, an amazing environment. The soil here is fabulous. Every one of us is a hero. We have to live it out. This place is great for that.”
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar
Medal of Honor Recipient Capt. Thomas G. Kelley, U.S. Navy (ret.)
TIM HILGER ’64, son of Fleming Medal recipient LT. COL. DR. JEROME HILGER, STMA ’29, U.S. Army, challenged each cadet: “Are you individually willing to openly acknowledge and accept the growing mantle of responsibilities, sacrifice and commitment this school is founded upon and the cadet corps is responsible to grow? Will you be exemplary leaders, as identified by those honored here today? Will you faithfully fulfill the promises to yourselves, your family, your communities, the Academy and your fellow Cadets?” The corps accepted the challenge with a roaring chant of “Go Cadets! Go Cadets! Go Cadets!”
The full program can be viewed at CadetBroadcasts.com.
Fleming Medal Recipients
2ND LT. PETER TROY ’66, U.S. ARMY
The youngest of four boys to graduate from the Academy, Peter Troy was a member of the crack drill squad, played football and swam. He was the individual wrestling state champion in his weight class and was captain of the Cadet Wrestling team. Troy attended Marquette University for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army. Following basic training, Troy was selected to enter Officer Training School and paratrooper training. His duty as 2nd lieutenant and unit commander of the 11th Light Infantry Brigade, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry, B Company began Aug. 21, 1969. On the evening of Sept. 7, 1969, his unit came under rocket attack in the Quang Ngai province in South Vietnam. Troy sustained multiple fragmentation wounds and died. He was 21 years old. During his service, he was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, Marksmanship Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnam Gallantry Cross and Army Good Conduct Medal.
LT. COL. DR. JEROME HILGER STMA ’29, U.S. ARMY (RET.)
In his third year at St. Thomas College, Dr. Jerome Hilger STMA ’29 was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves and assigned to teach STMA Cadets. His reserve officer pay helped him earn his doctorate at the University of Minnesota Medical School and complete his medical internship and residency to become an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.
On June 12,1941, Hilger was commissioned a major in the Army’s medical corps. Following Pearl Harbor, he was called up for active duty and began training with the Army’s 26th General Hospital at Fort Sill, Okla., and later England, where Hilger received maxillofacial training from leading doctors in head and neck facial repairs. That training enabled Hilger to save many lives and repair countless injuries during his two theaters of war — in Operation Torch, the allied invasion of northern Africa; and in Bari, Italy, during the deadly attack of December 1943. He was the lone maxillofacial surgeon in the 26th General Hospital for much of his 3-year tour, which helped him hone his surgical skills and provided many opportunities to demonstrate frontline bravery that earned him the Bronze Star.
Following discharge from the Army in January 1946, Hilger practiced maxillofacial/ENT in Saint Paul, and trained and taught University of Minnesota graduate ENT doctors in maxillofacial and surgeries, and trauma techniques. His private practice grew into one of the largest and most highly respected maxillofacial practices in the country. He established and led multiple medical leadership societies, designed and built specialty facial testing and other leading-edge devices, designed a speech stimulator device, and trained technicians to assist cancer patients who lost their speech abilities. He founded several companies that launched the first patient medical record systems. While chief of staff at St. Joseph Hospital in Saint Paul, Hilger was instrumental in the hospital’s physical and operational enhancements that resulted in it becoming a leading Upper Midwest care facility.
The family of Lt. Peter Troy ’66 with his framed photo following the Fleming Medal recognition.
SENIOR OFFICER PROMOTIONS
Cunningham Named Cadet Colonel
Robert Cunningham of River Falls, Wis. was named the 2021-22 Cadet Colonel and Brigade Commander. Cunningham was chosen to lead the Corps of Cadets based on his academic performance, co-curricular involvement, merits and demerits, military performance and leadership abilities. Five additional seniors were promoted from cadet second lieutenant to cadet lieutenant colonel.
As the Academy’s 114th Cadet Colonel, Cunningham is the highest-ranking officer in the corps, which comprises the entire upper school student body. He will work closely with the Academy’s administrators and military leaders to implement a wide variety of events and activities at the Academy during the remainder of the school year. The cadet colonel also acts as liaison between Cadets and the faculty and administration.
“Leading the Cadet Corps requires poise, the respect of the Cadets, confidence and strong leadership skills,” said retired U.S. Army Col. Neil Hetherington, Commandant of Cadets. “Cadet Colonel Cunningham has consistently demonstrated these characteristics — and the character — to succeed in his new position.”
Cunningham has twice earned the Eagle Award for academic achievement as well as the Nicholas Masciopinto Leadership Award for his dedication and commitment to the betterment of the Academy and the community at large. Cunningham is a peer mentor, a member of the choir and All-Conference choir and a varsity hockey and baseball player.
Cunningham has applied to the United States Military Academy, the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy as well as the University of Notre Dame, University of Colorado Boulder and Creighton University to study engineering.
Pictured with his parents: Joseph and Rebecca
Five additional seniors were promoted from cadet second lieutenant to cadet lieutenant colonel. They are:
FINN CHALMERS OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
Chalmers has received the Superior Cadet Award, the Military Excellence Medal (x2), the Unstoppable Award, the Eagle Award (x2) and the Saber Award. He is a Guinness World Record Holder, a member of the experimental vehicle team, co-founder of the environmental club, and a peer mentor captain. He also participates in both the Spanish club and the chess club. Chalmers aspires to study finance in college. He has applied to the University of Notre Dame, Boston College, New York University, London School of Economics and Northeastern University. Pictured with his parents: Michael and Beth
IAN M. RUTGERS OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
Rutgers has been a member of the swim and dive team for four years. He was chosen team captain for both his junior and senior years. He was named AllSection and All-State his junior year and received the most valuable teammate award from his peers on the swim team. He is a member of the VISTA band and Model UN. He has received the Torch Award, the Saber Award and Commandant’s Award for Leadership. He is also a business owner. He plans to swim in college and has applied to the United States service academies to study aviation, business and economics and/or finance and investing. Pictured with his parents: Roger and Jennifer
BRENNAN P. CROW OF SAINT PAUL (MAC-GROVELAND)
Crow is the recipient of an Eagle Award, the Saber Award, the Sojourners Award, and the Bronze and Silver Merit medals. He is captain of the alpine ski and videography teams and is a member of the All-State/All-Conference choir group. He also participates in mock trial, Junior Achievement and plays on the tennis team. After graduation, he plans to study biology or philosophy at the University of St. Thomas. Pictured with his parents: Patrick and Christina
JACK P. STROBEL OF WOODBURY
Strobel is a recipient of the Headmaster’s Award and the Eagle Award (x4). He is a member of the hockey team, contributing to the team’s section championship and state tournament appearance. He participates in IBA, peer mentoring and the Lincoln Society. Strobel has business aspirations following graduation and has applied to the University of Notre Dame, University of California Los Angeles, Texas Christian University, North Carolina, Vanderbilt University, University of Southern California and Indiana. Pictured with his parent and sister: Lilah Wiatr and Greta.
MAXIMILLIAN FEIST OF WOODBURY
Feist is a four-time Eagle Award recipient, captain of the swim and dive team, recipient of the Malchow Award, a lineman on the varsity football team, a peer mentor, and has participated in debate, the Minnesota State Debate Tournament, Model UN, Boy Scouts and the State History Day. He also works at Kowalski’s Market. He plans to study business and/or pre-law at Northwestern University, University of Minnesota, University of Notre Dame, University of WisconsinMadison or Vanderbilt University. Pictured with his parents: Doreen and Jeff
NEW BABIES
Theology teacher AJ BARKER and his wife Laura welcomed a new baby girl, Ara Helene Barker in February.
English teacher LUKE MARKS ’11 and his wife Samantha welcomed Magdalen Margaret Marks on April 6. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz, 20 1/2 inches long.
Faculty/Staff Updates
MASTER SERGEANT MATT SILSLEY joined the Academy in the Military Leadership Department as an instructor through the Army Skill Bridge program. The program is similar to an internship, which helps soldiers transition from military to civilian life. MSG Silsley will complete active duty October 31, 2022. He lives in Farmington with his wife Kimberly, daughter Sophie and son Jae.
VISTA BAND
Congratulations to the Boys’ Metro East All-Conference Members (left to right): Aidan Ryan ’22 (baritone), Cooper Clinton ’23 (baritone saxophone), James Walsh ’22 (trumpet), and Matthew Korf ’22 (trombone).
VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICAL RECAP
Middle School students from Saint Thomas Academy and Visitation performed the Wizard of Oz February 25-27. The cast was led by Mr. Nikko Raymo, VISTA Artistic Director and Mr. Ross Bell, Visitation Middle and Lower School Music teacher. The performances were the highest in history in terms of attendance. Saint Thomas Academy Middle School participants were Parker Cosgriff ’26, Cameron Foster ’28, Thomas McGeveran ’28, and Teddy Petschel ’26
QUIZ & KNOWLEDGE BOWL — STATE TOURNAMENT
Congratulations to Robbie Wollan ’24, Nathan Aamodt ’24, William Brandtjen ’22 , Sam Trammell ’22 , and Jack MapelLentz ’22 who finished tied for 18th place. The State Tournament took place at the Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake in Brainerd in April. Saint Thomas Academy was one of six teams representing the Metro region out of 24 overall teams in Class AA.
Habitat for Humanity
This past school year a new Habitat for Humanity chapter was formed by students. The chapter is moderated by social studies teacher Mary Rowe. To date for the 2021-22 school year, almost $4,000 has been raised and four build dates have been completed. On March 26, the team did two home builds in the same day with 16 volunteers, including four teachers! The five captains are Jack Bovee ’23, Daniel Creamer ’23, Matt Hudson ’23, Luke Pucel ’23, and Brady Sullivan ’23.
Leo Vincelli ’26 went to Myrtle Beach for the finale of the Faldo Hurricane Golf Series. Leo qualified in Minnesota to advance to the regionals in Illinois, where he finished in second place by one shot to advance to the finals.
NAVAL APPOINTMENT
Cadet Colonel Robert Cunningham ’22 was recognized by Commander Janes Duvall of the United States Navy for his appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Over 4,000 highly qualified students apply to the Naval Academy every year with only about 1,200 accepted.
RANGER TEAM
The Saint Thomas Academy Rangers sent two teams to the annual Arctic Raider Challenge in Calumet, Michigan this past winter. During the event the Cadets took part in a biathlon, snowshoe event, sled recovery drill, and a mystery event (a relay race in four-feet deep snow) to finish first and third overall. The Cadets had never won the event before. The team is led by First Sgt. Troy Hill and participating Cadets include William Buechele ’24, Henry Cleary ’24, Carson Cooper ’23, Charles Davis ’23, Sam Hosch ’23, Daniel Podolyan ’24 , Cason Rivera ’23, Drew Ryan ’25, Noah Schultz ’23, Ty Thunstrom ’23, Emmett Wolf ’23, and Eric Zahua ’23
NAVAL ROTC SCHOLARSHIP
Cadet Matthew Korf ’22 was recognized at Formation on Monday, January 10 by Commander James Duvall and Chief Petty Officer Jerry Probst of the United States Navy. Cadet Captain Korf received a National Naval ROTC Scholarship. This full-ride scholarship covers tuition, room and board, books, fees, and a monthly stipend. Matthew has been accepted to the University of Notre Dame.
Cadet Becomes Eagle Scout
Congratulations to Matthew Korf ’22 (pictured top left with his parents, Jeanine and Mark) who received his Eagle Scout rank this past year. For his Eagle project he created a raised vegetable garden for St. Ambrose of Woodbury Catholic School, where he attended K-8. The 32’x12’ fenced-in garden supports the school’s STEM program and helps kids with ADHD through horticulture therapy. Because of this project, every student at St. Ambrose has made a contribution and received the advantages of outdoor learning. The garden was completed in the fall of 2020, with its first use in 2021.
CRUTCHFIELD ACCEPTED INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL
Cadet Charles E. Crutchfield IV ’22 chats with Eagan Chief of Police Roger New after Chief New’s talk to the Cadets on “Being a Good Citizen.” He appeared as a guest at the invitation of the Student Diversity Club and the Martin Luther King Society in preparation for Black History Month. Police Chief New received rave reviews from the students.
Charles E. Crutchfield IV, has also been accepted into the distinguished Meharry Medical School. Charles may be one the few/very first students at Saint Thomas Academy to be accepted into medical school before graduating. Charles has been accepted to the prestigious Levi Watkins MD scholarship program, providing a full scholarship to Meharry Medical School and an undergraduate degree at Tennessee State University, in Nashville, TN. The Levi Watkins MD scholarship is a combined BS/MD program.
“Charles’s acceptance into medical school, as a high school student, is a direct reflection on the high quality education and character building he received at Saint Thomas Academy.” — CHARLES E. CRUTCHFIELD III
MODEL UN
In January, Saint Thomas Academy students attended a Model UN event at Cal-Berkeley. Over 1,000 delegates from across the country participated. Saint Thomas Academy sent 11 students who had the chance to participate. The group was also able to visit Alcatraz before the session began. This is the 70th time the event took place at Cal-Berkeley.
Model UN is an academic simulation in which students can learn about diplomacy, international, relations, and the United Nations. They role play with delegates from different countries in attempts to solve real world problems.
ECONOMIC COMPETITION
Cadet AP Economics students Sam Trammel ’22 , Nick Bartlett ’22 , Joe Kolar ’22 , Luke Mayer ’22 , and Jack MapelLentz ’22 participated in the Northwestern University Economic Competition in April. The team placed second in their division in the annual competition. They also had time to meet up with Josh Mollner ’06, who is an Associate Professor at Northwestern. The team also advanced into the Minnesota State Economic Competition which tests knowledge of economic theory and current events.
JROB Youth Wrestling Tournament
This past March, the 4th annual JROB Youth Wrestling Tournament was held with over 400 youth wrestlers participating. The tournament was launched in conjunction with Coach J Robinson, wrestling patriarch and former University of Minnesota Head Wrestling Coach in 2018. All proceeds from the event benefit the United Heroes League, an organization supporting children of military families. Thank you to the Saint Thomas Academy Cadets Wrestling team and community for supporting the event!
HOCKEY
The Cadet hockey team, led by senior captains Jack Strobel, Macelster Dose, Tyler Grahme, Thomas Stattine, and Max Nagel are 13-12-1. As they headed into the section semifinals they seemed more prepared than they had all season, defeating rival Apple Valley 8-2 in the section quarter finals. After talking to senior forward Robert Cunningham, a highlight from the season for him was coming from behind to defeat arch rival Cretin-Derham Hall 5-4. The Cadets took a tough loss in section playoffs to rival Eastview in double overtime.
ALPINE SKIING
The Alpine Ski Team had an outstanding season filled with team building, multiple personal accomplishments and incredible leadership. Led by team captains Andre Bedros ’22 , Brennan Crow ’22 , and Gustavo Juarez-Sweeney ’23, the team had the most new athletes in a single season participate in over a decade, which directly contributed to many successes in every part of the year. Several Cadets achieved numerous individual bests throughout the year; from the highest Varsity finish to winning a first high school race individually. Tommy Ondre ’23 qualified for the State Tournament and finished 42nd out of 88 skiers. With the combination of eagerness, deep rooted talent and new leaders going into next Fall, the foundation has been laid for another amazing season.
BASKETBALL
This year the basketball team brought in a whole new coaching staff. This staff was led by UConn Alum and former Chicago Bull Khalid El-Amin. The captains were Nathan Johnson ’22 , Drew Fahning ’23, and Michael Kirchner ’23. The team had two All-Conference players in Johnson and Kirchner. The year started off rough with 3 straight losses, however the team followed with a 5-game win streak. The team ended 16-12, which was a major improvement after a 3-win season and a 2-win season the two previous years. The team upset Two Rivers in the first round of sections in a close game, however would lose to undefeated South St. Paul.
NORDIC SKIING
The team had a challenging and exciting year, led by head coach Erick Westerback ’82 . Team captains were Jack MapelLentz ’22 , Padon Kinzley ’22 , and Emmett Wolf ’23 and they helped lead the team to a second place finish in three of five conference races. The team also received the Academic All-State Gold award. Jack MapelLentz received the All-State Gold Individual award and Emmett Wolf received the All-Conference Honorable Mention. The team has young talent and will be strong next season.
SWIMMING
Led by legendary swim coach John Barnes, the Cadets Swimming team secured their 22nd sectional championship in a row. Led by team captains Luke Audette ’23, Max Feist ’22 , Matthew Korf ’22 , Hung Ngyuen ’23, and Ian Rutgers ’22 they were Metro East Champions with an undefeated conference record and finished the dual meet season with a 6-1 record. The Cadets finished third at the MSHSL State Meet.
— Continued on page 22
WRESTLING
Wrestling had another great year and continued to set many school records. The team sent six Cadets to the State Tournament for the first time in school history! New head coach Cole Konrad has set the bar high for the future of the program. Captains Vince Mueller ’23 and Leo Bluhm ’22 led the team to the State Tournament along with Colton Zwiefel ’22 , Jake Borman ’23, Jackson Cerigolu ’23, and Thomas Holmquist ’24 Leo Bluhm finished fourth overall in the state. This season the team had 24 wrestlers competing — a team high.
BASEBALL
After a nail biting finish to the 2021 season, the Cadets plan to bounce back in 2022. Led by newly named head coach Bobby Thompson ’14, the team will look to improve on their 3rd place finish. Team captains are Keegan Cashill ’22, Robert Cunningham ’22, and Michael Miller ’23. Michael Miller recently announced his commitment to play Division I baseball at the University of Ohio State.
GOLF
Cadets Golf will look to defend their Metro East Conference Championship from 2021. Led by head coach Greg Vannelli, the team will battle the cold, wet spring to compete. The JV/Varsity team will be led by team captains Collin Dalseth ’23 and Macalester Dose ’22 .
LACROSSE
With a record of 12-5 and a state quarterfinal appearance in 2021, new head coach Frank Clark looks to continue the success. Team captains Brooks Bond ’22 , Matthew Hudson ’23, and Austin Williams ’22 will work hard to navigate the spring weather conditions and return the Cadets Lacrosse team to postseason success.
TENNIS
The 2022 season is again led by long-time coach Erick Westerback ’82 The team features four singles players and three doubles teams and will be led by team captains Matthew Card ’22 and Chase Konezny ’22 .
TRACK AND FIELD
Co-head coaches Chief Kim Friede and Dan Conners will again lead the program, along with team captains Tucker Bakko ’22 , Cooper Clinton ’23, Nick Henseler ’23, Richard Obeakemhe ’22 , Grady O’Neill ’22 , Sam Wischmeier ’22 , and Emmett Wolf ’23. In 2021, Grady O’Neil finished third in the State Tournament for the 200-meter. He also broke the school record for the 100-meter event.
CLAY TARGET
The team is preparing for the spring season after competing in the National Shooting complex in San Antonio, TX last summer. Led by team captains Pavel Duffy ’22 , Jack Fyten ’22 , and Sam Hosch ’23 they will now compete in the Minnesota State High School League competitions instead of the USAYESS.
Norma Gutierrez
YEAR STARTED AT SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY | 2014
SUBJECTS/CO-CURRICULARS/CLUBS | College Counseling
FIRST TEACHING JOB | After completing my Masters of Social Work, my first job was a Hospice Social Worker. My first job in education was at the University of Minnesota, Office of Admissions.
HOBBIES | Fitness/being active and cooking
A FAVORITE TEACHING MOMENT | I love to celebrate with the Cadets when they have been admitted to the colleges they had applied to. I know how hard they have worked for that application and to see the joy and pride on their faces when they are admitted, is priceless!
BRUSH WITH FAME | I had VIP tickets to Super Bowl XXXI and Calvert DeForest (aka Larry "Bud" Melman) was seated a couple of rows behind me. I am sure there were other celebrities around me as well, but I am kind of clueless when it comes to that.
FAVORITE EXPERIENCE | Too many to pick just one: birth of my children, family vacations to the beach, running 5Ks with my mother, white water rafting, road trips, attending a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, seeing Prince in concert.
WHY I TEACH AT SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY | The students. Over the course of my career I have interacted with many high schools (students), nothing compares to the students at STA. I truly love working with the students (and families) at STA. This is such a special community and I feel blessed to be a part of it.
FAVORITE MUSIC | 80’s
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT | New Orleans (my home town) and Navarre Beach, Florida
FAMILY | Husband Jim; children: David, Alex, Grace, and Beauregard (my fur baby)
“ I TRULY LOVE WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS (AND FAMILIES) AT STA. THIS IS SUCH A SPECIAL COMMUNITY AND I FEEL BLESSED TO BE A PART OF IT.
”
“
I APPRECIATE STA’S MISSION, ESPECIALLY THAT IT IS A PRIVATE COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL, INCLUDING A MILITARY DEPARTMENT, THEOLOGY, AND ITS MISSION TO TURN THESE BOYS INTO MEN OF CHARACTER.
”
Brandon Lutterman
YEAR STARTED AT SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY | 2018
SUBJECTS/CO-CURRICULARS/CLUBS |
I teach all levels of upper school ceramics, upper school painting and drawing and am currently the Art Department Chair. I taught middle school basketball for my first two years here. As Covid hit, I decided to hang it up for a bit. I look forward to getting back onto the court and leading a team again.
FIRST TEACHING JOB | My first teaching experience was when I was a graduate teaching assistant in grad school, MSU-Mankato. I was fortunate enough to receive a Masters Degree, if I taught some classes in return. I really enjoyed that time in my life. My first teaching job, where I interviewed and got hired, was at the University of Maine-Augusta. I was hired to teach all levels of ceramics, Lecturer status.
HOBBIES | My hobbies would consist of golfing, kayaking and fishing. I am also very active in remodeling my house and building an art studio in my backyard.
A FAVORITE TEACHING MOMENT
| I really enjoy doing raku firings with students, as they get to see the glazing process in a shorter period of time. Raku is a firing, using gas, which is usually done outdoors in this case, or an extremely well ventilated space. Once the work has been bisque fired, glaze is applied and then placed into a smaller, chambered kiln. The firing is usually pretty quick, as it reaches a temperature of 1944 degrees F in about an hour. Once the glaze matures or becomes glassy, view from the naked eye, through a portal hole in the kiln. We then turn off the gas and remove the work from the kiln, placing it into metal garbage bins, filled halfway with newspaper, sawdust, combustibles etc. It instantly ignites creating another atmosphere for the ceramics, a reduction atmosphere, which is when all the oxygen is sealed off and the flames still burn what is left of the oxygen, creating a very orange flame. This flame pulls out the remaining oxygen from the can, air, clay body and the glazes, creating very beautiful effects and color. For example, most often turning
multiple colors, iridescent, and carbon trapped. The students get to see the results in a very short span of time, in relation to other firings that can take days to fire and to cool. This more rapid process creates really amazing effects and allows the students to witness glazes actually melt and get a better idea of the overall process of turning ceramics into a glassy object, with a glass surface. The image below is an example of Naked Raku.
BRUSH WITH FAME | I have received many awards with my artwork. One such award came when I was a graduate student at Kansas State University, Manhattan. I entered a national student art competition, where I received the 2016 Niche award for one of my ceramic sculptures at the time. I have also been a finalist since then in the drawing category. I have received a few first place awards, second place awards, third place, merit awards, honorable mentions, etc, participation in International and National juried exhibitions. Additionally, I am also published in Lark Books, 500 Teapots.
FAVORITE EXPERIENCE | I have many great experiences, I am not sure if one sticks out beyond the rest, I would say some of my most memorable experiences are dunking a basketball, driving a 290 yard par 4 in golf with 3 wood, winning a 100 dollars on a scratch ticket in high school, are all kinda fond memories. One of my most favorite experiences was when I traveled alone, age 16, to visit my former minister (missionary), who lived outside the main land of Venezuela, Margarita Island. I was able to go snorkeling, visit uninhabited islands, catch a baby albatross bird, and see an amazing school of pipefish and parrot fish. I also got much better at understanding another language, culture and what life was actually like outside the U.S.
WHY I TEACH AT SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY | I am originally from Madelia, MN. Saint Thomas Academy has provided me the opportunity to move back home to continue my teaching career in Minnesota, I am very grateful for that. STA works well for me, as I am an Artist and former Athlete. I can relate very well to the student body here at STA. I appreciate STA’s mission, especially that it is a private College Prep School, including a Military Department, Theology, and its mission to turn these boys into men of character.
FAVORITE MUSIC | I like ENYA, Ray Lynch (Celestrial Soda Pop), Last of the Mohicans Soundtrack, Braveheart Sound Track and Christian music.
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT | I do not have a regular vacation destination, yet in my life, but if I did, I would prefer a cabin setting on a lake in the north or a tropical location where I can explore the ocean and its beauty. I lived in Maine (vacationland) for 9 years, so now all our vacations are visiting places we lived previously, so Boothbay Harbor, Maine is a place to always go back too.
FAMILY | I am blessed with three wonderful children. Kole Lutterman who is 17, Tanner Lutterman 13, and Hailey Lutterman 8. I am married to Lisa Lutterman, 17 years. I am the youngest of four siblings. I was raised on a small Hobby Farm, in Madelia, MN. I have two dogs and two cats as well, which make everyday that much more interesting. Archie who is a Great Pyranese, Jackson who is a mixture of many…but what we can say is chihuahua, shepherd and beagle mix.
FAVORITE ARTWORK
All Eyes Are on You, 36" x 86" x 3", graphite on birch plywood, 2013
Save the Rhino, 23" x 23" x 23", white stoneware, cone 6 oxidation, 2015
22" x 16" x 12", white stoneware, cone 6 oxidation, 2018
Iguana, 21" x 22" x 22", terracotta, cone 04 and 06 oxidation, 2018
Jurassic Series, On the Brink, 21" x 21" x 21", White Stoneware, cone 6 oxidation, 2014
Mallard,
Multiple Facets of The Cadet Experience
BY DAVID HOTTINGER ’85 DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Spring brings the time to reflect on the accomplishments of the academic year and celebrate the Class of 2022 as these young men prepare for the next chapter in their lives. It has been rewarding following this class. When they were sophomores, I got back into coaching football and some were on the B Squad team. Getting to know them on the field and seeing them in the halls since has allowed me to see their growth, maturity, and readiness. In our conversations, I was always interested to learn of the various activities and clubs they are involved with here at the Academy.
Mentions of the Cadet Fund, the focus of this issue of Saber, caught my attention as of late. As the Institutional Advancement Director, I cannot be more excited to see our students involved in this real-world, hands-on experience. They are gaining practical, applicable skills as they learn about managing a working portfolio of investments, applying principles of economics, researching publicly traded companies, and getting to know the investment markets. The goal is to grow the portfolio and use the proceeds to support the Cadet Fund Scholarship. Through the Cadet Fund, Dean Simmons and these young men will be making a difference for years to come. How will the fund do and who will be the first Cadet Fund Scholarship recipient? I cannot wait to find out!
The Cadet Fund and our other co-curricular offerings truly make the Saint Thomas Academy experience second to none. The popularity of the Fishing Club, the newly formed Automotive Club, the launching of the Health Care Club, and the expansion of E-Sports, with a new home next year in Flynn Hall, demonstrate the multiple areas of interest our Cadets have. Our Athletic Director, Reed Hornung, and Our Director of Alumni and Community Engagement, John Barnes, will be leading our continued effort in supporting athletics and activities through the 3A Club: Academy, Athletics, and Activities. You can be involved and support the 3A Club through the 3A Golf Tournament, 3A Smoker Social, or the 3A Sporting Clays event. Dates for next year are being finalized.
I look forward to seeing you on campus or at one of the many events and activities that make Saint Thomas Academy such a strong community.
Thanks for your support and go Cadets!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CADET FUND
Scan the QR code below or visit cadets.com/cadetfund
Find out how your donation to the Cadet Fund will make an impact!
I’m always happy to discuss how you can help make a difference in our students’ lives.
651-683-1594
dhottinger@cadets.com
David Hottinger ’85
STA Give Day 2021
Give Day 2021 was another very successful day for Saint Thomas Academy. Our single day of giving raised more than $600,000 from our generous donors and set the tone for what has been a fantastic year.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR 2022 STA Give Day | Tuesday, October 11
We are already planning another exciting day of giving for the fall. Can our community take it to the next level and raise a million dollars on STA Give Day 2022? If you would like to be part of the success of Give Day at Saint Thomas Academy by offering a challenge to your class or to the entire STA Community please contact Mike Maxwell ’84 at mmaxwell@cadets.com or 651-683-1577.
Let’s make it a Million Dollar Day!
CadetWorks
Connecting College-Age Cadet Alumni with Real-World Experience
The 2022 CadetWorks Program had another outstanding year! Over 35 young alumni participated and went through the interview process with major companies.
Some of the participating companies: Aris Clinic
Capital Partners
Minnesota Medical
Mount Yale
Northwestern Mutual
Saint Thomas Academy
Scanlan International
The Training Haus
United Health
Voyage Wealth
LOOKING FOR AN INTERNSHIP?
Contact John Barnes at jbarnes@cadets.com
The long term goal of CadetWorks will be to become a year-round program to help young Cadets in the ever changing job market.
I am very excited to announce that I will be accepting an internship with Mount Yale Capital Group as an investment analyst intern in Minneapolis for summer 2022. Thank you Christopher Kettler ’15 for the opportunity along with all of the other individuals who made the interview process so enjoyable. I look forward to joining the team this summer! — GAVIN GAGNIER ’19
2022 STA ALUMNI WEEKEND
September 15-18, 2022
We are hoping to see many of you back on campus. Stay tuned for updates for the 2022 STA Alumni Weekend!
58thANNUAL
Monday, June 13, 2022
Southview Country Club 239 Mendota Road East West St. Paul, MN 55118
Our annual Alumni Open golf tournament is our longest standing, and arguably largest initiative. Each June, the Alumni Open committee brings together over 140 alumni for this annual fundraiser and competition. Through generous sponsorship, raffles, and golf registration, the Alumni Open committe e aims to raise funds for the Alumni Association, and towards the Alumni Sons Endowed Scholarship.
Contact John Barnes, Director of Alumni & Community Engagement at jbarnes@cadets.com.
CADET 3A GOLF TOURNAMENT
Monday, August 8, 2022
Highland National Golf Course 1403 Montreal Avenue | St. Paul, MN 55116
All donations to the 3A are to benefit STA Athletics and Activities. For more information contact John Barnes at 651-683-1549 or jbarnes@cadets.com.
1950s
ED KIEGER ’76, TOM CROSS ’75, GERRY BROWN ’58, and JIM CROSS ’79 gathered at the annual Cadillac Dinner Fundraising Gala for Coach Tom Cross’ Dakota County Technical and Vocational Women’s softball team in the Rosemount American Legion Club.
1960s
Congratulations to PETER HAMPL ’60 on being named Washington State Dental Association’s Citizen of the Year for 2021!
Congratulations to PAT PLUNKETT ’66 on his recent designation as a “Minnesota Icon” by MinnesotaLawyerandFinance & Commerce magazines in recognition of his “...remarkable role in legal education in Minnesota teaching...in our law schools and for the bar...there may be no other lawyer who has given so much to help our profession through
1960s
continuing legal education, and through mentoring other lawyers in their development and client service.” Pat joins MIKE CIRESI ’64 as STA alumni who have been selected as Legal Icons. A huge honor!
1970s
Congratulations to MACK MARRIN ’13 for starting a new position as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable TIMOTHY McMANUS ’77 at the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
Members of the CLASSES OF 1973 and 2010 had a joint deer hunting outing last month in Danbury, WI. Pictured at top: JOHN McQUILLAN ’73 and LARRY FRYKLUND ’73 (Not pictured: KEVIN DALY ’73).
Pictured above: JACK ANDERSON ’10, BRADY JORDAN ’10, PAT FRYKLUND ’10, and CASIANO ORTEGA ’10
Each year, before the Final Promotions Ceremony, we host a luncheon for former Command Sergeant Majors, Lieutenant Colonels, and Cadet Colonels. This year, we had a wonderful group of alumni attend the luncheon and, as always, it was so great catching up with everyone.
MATT HANOUSEK ’82, TONY BERG ’79, DAN FARICY ’79, and JOHN HANOUSEK ’79 got together the first week of February for a week of fly fishing at the Belize Permit Club in Hopkins, Belize.
From DAVID JOHNSON ’78: “Our family trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado in February 2022. The condo was purchased at the STA auction two years ago.”
In the first picture it is David, wife Mary, Auction Co-Chair in
2008, and grandson Otto Gibbs 6 months old. They are at the summit of Steamboat after a gondola ride for three.
In the second picture, from left to right, are son-in-law Joe Gibbs, daughter Caroline Gibbs, son MATTHEW JOHNSON ’09, daughter-in-law Josie Scheunemann, and David in red ski jacket.
1980s
Congratulations to JOHN NICHOLS ’80, who has been named the 2022 Nominee to the MDRT Executive Committee.
JIM “MOOSE” MARKERT ’81, TIM THEISEN ’81, and TOBY MADDEN ’81 recently rendezvoused at Toby’s house in Naples, FL.
Pictured are: FRONT ROW (l-r): TOM SPANIOL ’70, DENNY SMITH ’70, NICK McCARTHY ’02, JORDAN YOUNG ’21, DEVIN KLEIN ’20, BOBBY DEEB ’00, TOM DZIK ’60, JACK KELLY ’20, ANDY RITTEN ’81; MIDDLE ROW: JOHN DOYLE ’68, JOHN SEXTON ’21, JACK ROWE ’18, JOE D’AGOSTINO ’20, SAM ENDERBY ’17, DAN KUBES ’87, CALLAN HAPPE ’19, CHARLIE BERG ’19, JAKE SCHROEPFER ’72, HAYES REDING ’19, TOM WERNER ’06; BACK ROW: STEVEN GEIS ’88, JACOB GOLDADE ’20, MATTHEW GOLDADE ’18, JIM MacDONALD ’85, OSCAR BERG ’21, NICK LUNSFORD ’16, BAKER REDING ’21, MITCH MacDONALD ’20, and DANNY MICHEL ’04
GREG MONAHAN ’81 caught up with ODEEN TUFTO ’15 after his game recently in Ft. Myers, FL. Tufto is currently playing hockey for the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL and has 6 points in his 4 games with the Solar Bears.
DAVID HOTTINGER ’85 presented retired teacher, Frank Blankley, his 35 year service pin, which Mr. Blankley never received due to a timing issue when pins were originally handed out. We were lucky to have such a remarkable educator for such a long time!
1970s
1990s
JACOB LENTZ ’96 is currently shooting his film “Freelance” in Colombia. The movie stars John Cena, Alison Brie, and Juan Pablo Raba. Endurance Media’s Steve Richards is producing alongside Sentient Entertainment’s Renee Tab and Christopher Tuffin, with Jaime Hernandez as executive producer. Congrats, Jake!
#6 ranked Notre Dame finished off their regular season last week with a 45-14 victory over Stanford, and there were some familiar faces on the sidelines— AXEL RAARUP ’18 and board member FATHER NATE WILLS
C.S.C ’95! Axel was also recently featured in The Observer for his performance as a walk-on player at Notre Dame.
2000s
Congratulations to JAIAH KAMARA ’00 on his new position as Senior Manager, Reporting and Insights with Best Buy Ads!
Congratulations to JOHN LORENCE ’00 on his new position as Executive Vice President at CBRE.
Congratulations to the Air Freight Unlimited amateur baseball team! The team won the 2021 Minnesota Class A Amateur Baseball Championship with MARTIN NORDER ’00 as owner/sponsor, DUSTIN WILHELMY ’99 as manager, TOM KOLAR ’16 as player/assistant manager, J.T. ENGESWICK ’15 and MURPHY LYNCH ’20 as players, and JAKE HARDY ’16 as base coach.
Congratulations to Park High School football coach, RICK FRYKLUND ’02, for being
Some ’73 alumni met with new STA leadership instructor, First Sergeant Troy Hill. Troy brought the men up to speed on the Academy and the new military program, and everyone was all very impressed with him and knew the Cadets will benefit from his leadership. Said TIM PLUNKETT ’73, “Troy was definitely able to pick up on the lifetime brotherhood element of being an alumnus.” Tim also gave Troy his Field Jacket for STA’s museum. The jacket was professionally dry cleaned by St. Croix Cleaners using their Museum Care process since it was over 50 years old! Pictured above: (left side) KEVIN DALY ’73, Troy Hill, TIM PLUNKETT ’73, and TOM CLEMENTS ’73; (right side) TIM RIDLEY ’73, EDDIE O’PHELAN ’73, JOHN ROONEY ’73, and Gordon Drake.
named Maroon South District Coach of the Year. From the Park Football Booster Club, “This award is a testament to the work of all those in the program who are working to add onto the storied legacy of the Park Football brotherhood with love, passion, commitment, trust and grit.”
Congratulations to MICHAEL BADER ’03 for starting a new position as Vice President — Development at McGough.
In his fourth year as Macalester College’s head basketball coach, ABE WOLDESLASSIE ’04 has been selected as one of 50 rising Division III head men’s basketball coaches in the nation by Silver Waves Media.
Congratulations to TRAVIS HINES ’05, who was just named the Iowa Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Travis is currently the sports editor for the Ames Tribute and also writes for the Des Moines Register
1980s
SEAN MULLEN ’87 has been in the railroad/ transportation field for 27 years. He is, and has been, a fully federally licensed Locomotive Engineer and Conductor with a Remote control certification. He has worked for many Class 1, 2 and short line railroad operations on the ground and in management positions. He decided to start his own railroad contracting business after working at many properties all across the country. He enjoys working for the railroad as a locomotive engineer and meeting different people in his travels. Sean has two children, Molly who is currently a student at NYU and Shane, who is currently a Junior at Cretin-Derham Hall and will be attending MCAD for art school.
Congratulate ANDREW HERZOG ’06 for being promoted to Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at United States Air Force.
Congratulate CHARLIE RUSSELL ’06 for starting a new position as Director Center Store at Cub.
JOHNATHAN SCHLAEFER ’06 and wife Chloé welcomed their son, Liam Luc Schlaefer, on Friday, January 28, 2022. Mother and son are doing great, and they could not be happier!
CHRISTOPHER DALY ’07 completed the Master of Public Policy program in May 2022. After receiving an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management in May 2021, JEFF JUUL ’09 will be starting a new position on the public policy/government affairs team at PepsiCo. Congrats, Jeff!
2000s
It was a big weekend at the 2022 U.S. Pond Hockey Championships. Five of the eight players on the Saint Helena’s Crusaders team were former STA hockey players! Pictured are:
BRIAN BORG ’05, REV.
MICHAEL DALY ’07, PATRICK DALY ’09, DANNY MCMANUS ’13, and JACK BRADY ’14
Congrats to SEAN NASIFOGLU ’09 of Wedding Day Diamonds opening their 9th location in Rochester, MN.
2010s
Congratulate CHRISTIAN ISACKSON ’11 for being promoted to Senior Project Engineer at Ryan Companies US, Inc.
After a decade working in the wealth management industry, in the midst of the global pandemic, KURT ALTRICHTER ’10 decided to resign from his wealth management firm to start Ivory Hill with a noncompete, no clients and no assets under management. In less than 14 months, Ivory Hill has grown to almost $50M in AUM. Kurt credits Ivory Hill’s success to his investment philosophy, “winning by not losing as much.” Kurt specializes in overseeing the finances for closely held businesses, entrepreneurs, and social media influencers.
It’s not often that folks behind the scenes get the kindof credit the deserve for the hard work that they do, but the LA Clippers broadcasters had kind remarks for KYLE ROHDE ’10, Manager of Team Operations for the Clippers.
Congratulate ZACH SCHROEDER ’11 for starting a new position as VP Buisness Banker at Citizens Independent Bank.
Congratulate SEAN BYOM ’12 for starting a new position as Program Manager at TheoremOne.
Congratulate PADDY CLANCY ’12 for starting a new position as Acquisitions Associate at CBRE Investment Management.
Congratulate JAKE GEISER ’13 for starting a new position as Software Engineer II at Best Buy.
SEAMUS KELLY ’13 is happy to share that he will be starting a new position as Associate Director in the Priority Initiatives team at Iowa State University Foundation.
LEWIE ’13 and NOAH ’16 KLOSTER short film “Stranger than Rotterdam” was awarded the prestigious Jury Award at Sundance Film Festival 2022.
The film is directed and animated by the boys and written by Sara Driver. The story follows the completion of independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch’s sophomore film, “Stranger than Paradise” in 1982. The completion hinged on smuggling one of the world’s rarest and controversial films across the Atlantic Ocean.
SAM WILLIAMS ’13 started a business with a current classmate at Dakota County Tech called Dark Hammer Forge. They are selling custom forged and fabricated metal goods. More information can be found at darkhammerforge.com and on their Facebook and Instagram pages, linked on the website or search for Dark Hammer Forge.
2010s
Congratulations to JAMES RILEY ’14 on his engagement to Azura Rudd, sister of AERO RUDD ’10, in Santa Barbara, CA!
LIAM ADAM ’15 is happy to share that he will be starting a new position as Project Manager at LQwD Fintech Corp.
Congratulate ERIK DUMER ’15 for being promoted to Centralized Vendor SME at UnitedHealthcare.
“Ole Miss Punter Mac Brown Has An Insane Amount Of Drip, Lays Bodies, And Gives Back With A Smile” — Read BroBible’s article about MAC BROWN ’16 and his final season with the Ole Miss football team.
Congratulate HUY BUI ’16 for starting a new position as Paraplanner at Bernicke Wealth Management.
WOODY HUBBELL ’16 was given the all clear at his postchemo bone marrow biopsy. Congratulations!
Congrats to BILLY JERRY ’16, who is Long Island University’s FIRST Hobey Baker Memorial Award nominee!
Congratulations to RYAN MEITZ ’17, an associate at Calhoun Commercial Partners LLC, who TenantBase just named as a Partner of the Month. “These Partners of the Month exemplify what it means to have a service mindset and always work with the best interests of their tenants in mind.”
2010s
2LT JOE HARVEY ’16, just completed U.S. Army Flight School at Fort Rucker, Alabama, qualified in the UH-60 Blackhawk. His next assignment with be with the Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York. Congrats to Lieutenant Harvey!
DAVID O’NEILL ’17 is excited to share that, this summer, upon returning from teaching English in Montpellier, France, he will be joining Spencer Stuart as an Analyst in their New York City office.
ALEX FARLEY ’18 finished his 16th and final year of swimming, with the Catholic University Men’s team getting first place in conference, personal bests in all his events, and third overall in the 100 breaststroke.
2020s
ALEX ADAMS ’20 has accepted a Financial Analyst internship position for the summer of 2022 with UnitedHealth Group in their Minnetonka offices.
MITCH MacDONALD ’20 won his first bout in BengalBouts at ND to move onto the Qtr-Finals on March 1.
2020s
CARSTEN LARDY ’21 recently graduated from Basic Training in Fort Benning, GA. where he worked his way to be the Assistant Platoon Leader and received his blue braid to designate being an Infantry Soldier. Carsten is currently serving in the D Company, 1st Battalion 46th Infantry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas.
The Rink Live recently profiled JACKSON HALLUM ’21, discussing his early beginnings in hockey, his current team, and his professional prospects with the Golden Knights.
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Update on the Burial Services of William J. McGowan
’37, World War Two Veteran
The 2020 spring issue of the Saber featured a story on the Saint Thomas Academy alumni who died in service in World War Two. Among those was the amazing story of William McGowan ’37 who was shot down and killed on his third flight over the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. His plane crashed just outside of Moon-Sur-Elle but no physical trace of McGowan was located at that time. Local residents, however, eventually found his dog tags and turned them over to US military authorities; in 2018 a group of experts re-examined the crash site and positively identified his remains. We reported in the article that he was to be buried in the summer of 2020, but due to the Covid pandemic, the services were delayed and he will finally be laid to rest at the Normandy-American Cemetery in France on July 9, 2022.
In Memoriam
Please remember in your prayers these classmates and friends of the Academy who recently passed away or of whose death we were recently notified. We have made every effort to present an accurate list.
Martin Hense ’36 January 2022
Craig Starbird ’46 January 2022
Dick Mahoney ’47 November 2021
Jack Markoe ’48 October 2021
Joe O’Neill ’49 January 2022
John Steichen ’51 November 2021
Robert Squillace ’52 October 2021
Harry Alton ’52 March 2022
James Hansen ’52 March 2022
Dick Hanousek ’57 February 2022
Tim Laughlin ’58 February 2022
Dennis O’Neill ’59 January 2022
Larry Heinz ’61 February 2022
Ronald Kroll ’61 March 2022
John O’Keefe ’62 November 2021
Tom Lloyd ’63 March 2022
John Fogarty ’65 November 2021
James Kadela ’65 Decembr 2021
Jeffrey Poferl ’78
January 2022
Joe Moore ’79 January 2022
Tim Markert ’80 December 2021
Kevin Galvin ’81 February 2022
Tim Friendshuh ’84 September 2021
Tom Casey ’85 December 2021
Kevin Clancy ’15 March 2022
FRANK BLANKLEY Former faculty April 2022
There will be a large number of people in attendance at the burial services including fifty-some members of his family; the mayor from his hometown of Benson, Minnesota; active duty members from his current fighter squadron, and representatives from Saint Thomas Academy including Headmaster Kelby Woodard. In addition to the burial, there will a formal presentation of the Purple Heart.
Bob Pleus ’53 December 2021
John Dullea ’55 January 2022
Jack Moynagh ’55 March 2022
Dan Feidt ’67 March 2022
Chuck Mastel ’67 February 2022
Reg Bronson ’68 December 2021
One of the last photos taken of McGowan, shown here during advanced training exercises in 1944.
John Regnier ’55 January 2022
Peter Bloom ’56 January 2022
Frederick Lambrecht ’56 February 2022
Roger Brennan ’57 November 2021
Joe Reymann ’57 January 2022
Jeffrey Nelson ’68 January 2022
John Moses ’69 November 2021
Zach Kimble ’72 December 2021
Paul Bussmann ’73 January 2022
Tim Flood ’74 March 2022
William J. McGowan, Saint Thomas Academy graduation photo, 1937.
