Saint Thomas Academy Spring Saber 2024

SABER

Academy Experience Drives a Big Business Deal for Trio of Alums

Dear Saint Thomas Academy Community,

As we approach the end of the 2023-24 academic year and turn our attention to 2024-25, it’s important to take a moment for gratitude and reflection.

First, gratitude. There’s no better way to express it than with a simple yet powerful “thank you.” I’ve felt at home here from day one thanks to the entire community, including retired staff and alumni across the country. There’s a palpable energy and excitement within these walls, especially when I interact with the Cadets daily. Whether it is in between meetings, during passing time, at formation, or simply before I leave for the day, standing on the rail overlooking Founder’s Hall (a.k.a. the Court), memories of the past, experiences of the present, and the promise of the future all come flooding in at once. So, yes, I’m truly grateful for STA.

Reflecting my first year, it was clear from the start that direction and vision were critical. First and foremost, I wanted to return to the core of the STA mission. It’s unparalleled, and it’s the roadmap for future successes. We begin every meeting by reading the mission statement to refocus on what truly supports our fine institution, putting aside personal agendas. This year, if something didn’t directly connect to one of our four pillars, it wasn’t discussed.

The Board and I identified four key areas to address in addition to refocusing on our mission:

Those four were:

A. Enrollment

B. Culture and Sense of Community

C. Finish the Pool

D. Military Pillar

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.

Each area deserves its own in-depth discussion, and work remains to be done. However, I can share some high-level updates:

A. Enrollment trends for next year are positive after implementing a redefined strategy.

B. Culture and Sense of Community on a scale of 1-4, (with 4 being “love STA” and 1 being “want to leave”) the average student response was 3.6.

C. The pool is happening, and construction will start in May!

D. Military we have committed to staying an independent military school and following the platoon model under Capt. Honan’s leadership.

There is much to be thankful for, and much to improve upon as we fulfill our mission. We must remember both the pride of our past and the promise of the future. In the future, I’ll share my ideas, and listen to yours as well. Together we’ll discuss how to elevate STA to the next level, with a particular focus on how we support, mentor, and teach all boys. As Mike Rongitsh said, “We don’t teach subjects, we teach boys.”

ON THE COVER:

L-R: Brendan Quinlan ’16, Matthew Michalski, Jr. ’15, and Branick Weix ’15

Saint Thomas Academy is unique and special, and our success has no limit. Together, with Cadet pride, authenticity, and character, we will achieve it...together.

Mr. Brian Ragatz ’98

President

Brian Ragatz ’98

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: Jason Stones

Printing: Dolan Printing

Photo Credits: Tyler Maddaus

Michael Murray Photography Saint Thomas Academy Alumni, Friends, and Family

BOARD OF DIRECTORS LEADERSHIP

Chief Officer

The Most Reverend Bernard Hebda

Chairman

Mr. Thomas Lee ’85

Past Chairman

Mr. Daniel Kubes ’87

Vice President

Mr. Marty Schreier ’88

Secretary

Mr. Brian Ragatz ’98

Founding Partner

Mr. Michael Ciresi ’64

CORRECTION:

In the Fall 2023 issue of Saber, on page 18, John Charles Farrell ’23 was incorrectly listed as Teddy Farrell. In the feature article, Kelly Rowe ’79 and his father were incorrectly listed as the first father-son recipients of the Hames Award. This distinction instead goes to William Fallon ’15 and William Fallon ’49. Our sincere apologies for these errors.

Academy Experience Drives a Big Business Deal for Trio of Alums

BY DAVID JACOBSON

SPOILER ALERT:

The happy ending for the story of Aryeo the real estate media company founded by Branick Weix ’15, Matthew Michalski, Jr. ’15, and Brendan Quinlan ’16 has the trio in 2023 selling their company to Zillow for $35 million. In the long history of entrepreneurial Academy alumni, they might be the first Millennial Millionaires.

Spoilers aside, the start of the Aryeo story is far more interesting for what it reveals about the Academy’s ability to shape young men. In the beginning, Weix and Michalski met in grade school and added Quinlan to their circle when all three joined the Experimental Vehicle Team (EVT) led by Innovation Center Director Mark Westlake.

“They were three students who were going to be successful regardless of whether or not our paths crossed,” Westlake said. “They were willing to do the hard things, willing to work in ambiguity, and they were young men that you liked to spend time with. They had positive attitudes. They included people, found tasks for everyone, and made sure everyone felt involved.

“They also had the wisdom to know which students could accept which challenges. Students leading students is hard. They have to lead by example and also be able to tell the other students when they’re not living up to standards.”

— Continued on page 4

Michalski, Quinlan, and Weix pictured at an Experimental Vehicle Team event with moderators Mark Westlake and Caroline Little.

FEATURE | Academy Experience Drives a Big Business Deal for Trio of Alums, continued

Experimental Vehicle Team EVT >>

All three of the Aryeo founders credit Westlake and their EVT experience for fueling career choices and cultivating character traits that led to their success. Said Weix, who graduated from Boston College in 2019 with degrees in computer science and finance, “Us working together on EVT every day, building something tangible with our hands, was the ‘unlock,’ I would say, to start forming our business.”

Hands-on vehicle design

On-road testing

Showing off the finished vehicle at an EVT event

Quinlan, valedictorian for his class and a Cadet colonel, chose to attend Duke University after competing against the school at an EVT event. There, he majored in mechanical engineering and computer science and interned one summer at General Motors.

“During that experience,” Quinlan recalled, “I missed the quick iteration of our EVT days and being able to get something out the door. At a large car company you’re thinking along multi-year time horizons. I was comparing that with the days when Matt, Branick, and I would quickly test, fail, and ultimately succeed when we tried and tried again.”

Similarly, even as a real estate student at the University of St. Thomas, the EVT experience was never far from Michalski’s mind. “My plan always was to go into real estate, especially real estate development,” he said. “That stemmed from EVT. I realized that I loved physical building.”

The trio’s throughline from EVT to college experiences to the creation and sale of Aryeo included multiple ventures and adventures they took together in various combinations. “The summer before starting college,” Weix recalled, “I had a job with Matt, working as real estate photographers. I had a hobby of building drones, the hardware physical end, and that sort of led me and Matt into going around taking pictures of houses.

“That’s where the seed for Aryeo got planted as we just learned about this space. People go to Zillow online and never think about where those pictures come from. We were those guys, taking pictures, making video tours and 3-D floor plans.”

As Weix delved deeper into computer science, he pondered the possibility of building software for real estate photography businesses. “People don’t think of real estate photography as a job,” he said. “You hear about wedding photographers, but when you say real estate photographer, people are like, ‘That’s a job? Really?’ But there are about 15,000 real estate photography companies in the U.S., and I started thinking about plugging different types of software into Zillow.”

FABRIC PUMPKINS

Meanwhile, he said, “Brendan and I were doing a different project with pumpkins.”

Wait, what?

Quinlan explained: “There was a lady named Manya who lived across the street from Branick, a friend of the family, who made these plush fabric pumpkins and was wholesaling them to retailers. Branick had the idea of selling direct to customers and built a website independent of the retail supply chain she was using. That was a perfect sandbox for us to try our hand at software development and website building.

“We learned a lot of lessons from that and from the drone photography that Matt and Branick were doing, and it all ties back to ‘fail quickly, try again, iterate, and figure out what works.’ We did that for a couple years, trying to build that up for Manya.”

Weix quipped, “That ultimately got us the money to start Aryeo. We used the pumpkin reserve fund. That barely covered rent in Boston. We shared a 500-squarefoot apartment that was somehow a two-bedroom.

“When Brendan moved in, we had a third bed. Literally, to open the oven, you had to move Brendan’s bed. We were only supposed to have two people living there, so on days that the landlord wanted to show our apartment, we stacked Brendan’s bed on top of mine, so it still looked like there were only two beds.”

— Continued on page 6

| Academy Experience Drives a Big Business Deal for Trio of Alums, continued

Aryeo as a business began to take shape, as Weix described, “People in the real estate space were emailing pictures back and forth or using Dropbox, and we built a tool that streamlined how people manage all that content. That’s a succinct version of how we got to where we are today.

“We started by building a website and tacking on feature after feature. That was 2017, 2018, and 2019, and over those three years, the three of us all came in and out at different times, working on different pieces of it, all culminating around the time Matt and I graduated from college. Then the three of us dove into it, making it a real business.”

Michalski recalled, “We had a co-working space in Boston, so the apartment was pretty much reserved for sleeping, and the co-working space was where we spent the other 20 hours of the day. We ate all of our meals there.”

“Actually,” Weix chimed in, “the co-working space had free snacks. Matt lived on snacks.”

During the COVID lockdown, when people could not visit real estate properties, demand for digital real estate content spiked. With the Cadets already sharing living space and having little else to do, they poured their all into the business that became Aryeo.

Again, their shared EVT experience informed their product development and business processes. “Looking back at EVT and the roles each of us took on that team,” Michalski said, “those roles also aligned with where we ended up in the Aryeo business. In EVT, Brendan and Branick built the motor control and the frame for the car, and I spent more of my time on designing and sanding the car.

“With Aryeo, we all came together because we had similar interests and enjoyed the same things and were happy doing them. We got lucky that everything fell into place role-wise. Also, all three of us were willing to do stuff we didn’t want to do. It wasn’t necessarily that we were three puzzle pieces that fit perfectly. We just all had strengths that aligned with where we fell in the business.”

Quinlan added: “In the early days, everyone’s got a hundred responsibilities and has to wear a lot of hats. There was an element of dynamism we had with each other from working on EVT and other projects, where we just knew what needed to get done and we would do our best to efficiently break that down into ‘OK, Branick do X, Matt do Y, and Brendan do Z.’”

Now, managing the 40-plus Aryeo team members who joined them in the transition to working at Zillow, Michalski focuses on selling services to photography companies and agents. Quinlan leads product engineering, and Weix also works on products and “all the in-betweens for everything else that happens.”

“There are about 15,000 real estate photography companies in the U.S., and I started thinking about plugging different types of software into Zillow.”

— BRANICK WEIX ’15 ON WHAT EVENTUALLY LED TO ARYEO

In addition to the EVT experience being so formative, other facets of Saint Thomas Academy remain influential in their day-to-day lives. For example, the name for Aryeo’s all-hands meeting is “formation,” and the name for the three founders’ group chat is still “EVT.”

The three agree about one of the most important lessons from the Academy: “Learning how to learn may be the best way to put it,” Michalski said. “For all intents and purposes this was our first real business. We had never hired employees or run a business at the scale that we were running it, so learning how to learn was the most important thing. There’s no one other specific thing you can learn that will have a bigger payoff.”

Quinlan offered himself as an example: “I was an awful software engineer when we first got started.” But, said Michalski, “When it was time to build the software, Brendan would show up one day not knowing how to do anything, and he would leave that day or the next day with a solid product built.”

Weix added: “In the course of a year, Brendan went from not knowing how to code to surpassing people who had 15 years of experience. The speed of learning was remarkable. It was insane.”

“In the course of a year, Brendan went from not knowing how to code to surpassing people who had 15 years of experience. The speed of learning was remarkable. It was insane.”

— BRANICK WEIX ’15

Michalski concluded, “It was not that he excelled at coding. It was that he excelled at learning how to code. Ultimately, the superpower was learning how to learn.”

The persistence that powered Quinlan also stemmed from the Academy. “That’s something that was forged in us very early, and credit to Mark and Saint Thomas Academy for providing us an environment to build that skill set. It’s just a matter of having a sufficient amount of determination and grit to be able to do that consistently over and over again and not get discouraged.”

Weix pointed to the Academy’s pillar of military leadership as a bolster, because even before launching Aryeo, “it wasn’t foreign to us to lay out our plans for people to follow.” And, Michalski added, “College prep was part of that too. Saint Thomas Academy does a good job instilling in your mind that you’re going to need to take initiative to fill your days with things that are worthwhile.”

Westlake, for his part, appreciates how Michalski, Quinlan, and Weix have kept in touch with him.

“They’ve been so kind,” he said. “I hear from them fairly often, but I don’t really mentor them anymore. At this point, I would be more likely to ask them for advice.”

Tom Bisanz ’71: Man with a Mantra

BY DAVID JACOBSON

Tom Bisanz ’71 lives by the mantra, “To whom much is given, much is required.”

That’s why he gives back, including his past 10 years of annual giving to the Academy through the Thomas and Susan Bisanz ’71 Endowed Scholarship fund.

“Philanthropy has been a big deal in our lives,” Bisanz said. “What I give is not my money, it’s God’s money. He just directs me as to where I give it. Saint Thomas Academy is a terrific school. I’m thankful to have graduated from there. I know that many students are in need of scholarship funds or tuition supplements.”

Bisanz places no further restriction or criteria on where the funds go. “It’s up to the school to decide,” he said.

Susan and Tom Bisanz ’71

Bisanz takes a similar approach to his other giving, including endowed scholarship funds at the University of St. Thomas, the Emory University School of Business (where he met Susan in class), the Emory University School of Law, Cretin-Derham Hall High School, and Missouri Military Academy (Mexico, MO).

Although not endowed funds, Bisanz also has given to Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep and Saint Thomas Academy’s campaign to build a new swimming and diving facility. He and Susan also give to The Retreat, a Wayzata-based organization that helps people struggling with alcoholism, in honor of Robert ’61 and Lynda Bisanz.

Tom and Susan are also philanthropically active in Africa. Their support for clean-water projects in Kenya via Minneapolis’ Growing Community Roots provides 16 Catholic schools in the African country with water for vegetable gardens and sanitary latrines. And, when former University of St. Thomas President Dennis Dease launched the Friends of East Africa Foundation and helped fund the Ruth Gaylord Hospital Maganjo in Uganda, Tom and Susan helped establish the hospital’s Helen Bisanz Outpatient Centre of Excellence, named for Tom’s mother.

Tom Bisanz credits the Academy, and especially its “Old Guard” cadre of teachers, for helping to set him up for success in real estate law. “We had 144 students in my class,” he said. “We got a lot of individual attention in an environment where, if you were an achiever, you could achieve.”

“TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED.”

Their support for clean-water projects in Kenya via Minneapolis’ Growing Community Roots provides 16 Catholic schools in the African country with water for vegetable gardens and sanitary latrines.

Achieve he did, contributing to a state title swim team under legendary coach Skip McMahon and holding a state record as a member of the 400 freestyle relay team. “Swimming taught discipline, teamwork, and hard work,” he said. His roots in Catholicism, strengthened by his time at the Academy, also shaped his philanthropy and impacted how he has lived his life overall.

Perhaps more than anything else, Bisanz’s philanthropy toward the Academy stems from a sense of brotherhood. In his Cadet days, he empathized with classmates on work scholarships, whom he saw with sponges and buckets of water cleaning blackboards. “I thought about that as I got older,” he said, “and I wanted to give back.”

Architect renderings of the new Aquatic Center by Rudy Fabiano.

Pooled Funds to Build New Pool

BY DAVID JACOBSON

Decades in the making, groundbreaking is set this May for a new swimming and diving facility to serve Saint Thomas Academy and Visitation School students, as well as swimmers and divers from the surrounding communities and beyond. The final funds needed to commence building the facility rolled in recently, thanks to fundraising efforts led by Chip Michel ’67.

“A new pool has been talked about since 2001,” said long-time Swimming and Diving Coach John Barnes. “Chip is over-the-moon happy, and I’m that guy who needs to see a shovel in the ground. Then I’m gonna be really pumped. It’s an exciting time for the school and for the community.”

The new pool, likely to open in July 2025, will pay homage to the current facility and fit in design-wise with surrounding buildings. “When you drive up into the Flynn Hall parking lot,” Barnes said, “the swim venue will be the first thing you see, with all those big windows and the cosmetic look of the building tied into the brickwork of Flynn Hall.

“Rudy Fabiano, the architect from Fabiano Designs in New Jersey, knocked it out of the park. I told him to find a way to maintain the old-school atmosphere with the stands on top of the pool. We want alums to feel like this is their house. We want to keep the history, the banners, keep the locker room path to the pool the same as it’s been the last 60 years, but expand the footprint.”

Replacing the antiquated five-lane pool, which lacks a diving board, will be an eight-lane, 25-yard pool with a diving board, seating for 300, and much more deck space, Barnes said. Locker rooms for home and visiting teams will expand to 1,300 square feet.

Postings of competitive records from the old pool will appear on a “legacy board, never to be broken for all eternity,” Barnes said, while records for the new pool will appear on a different display. “The original banners are the only physical items to be moved from the old pool to the new pool. Visiting coaches say that if their teams think they have a chance to beat us when they first get to our campus, they don’t after their teams see those banners.”

Visitation likely will host the first meet in the new pool, Barnes said. In addition to Cadets team meets, he also hopes the venue will host swim lessons for the general public and club competitions. “I would love to see Minnesota vs. Wisconsin dual meets and quarterly club meets with 400 to 600 kids,” he added, pointing out the revenue the Academy could gain from tuition if even 1 percent of those students are inspired or impressed enough with the school to later enroll.

Summing up the fundraising effort, Barnes said, “We had a lot of nice anonymous gifts, even from non-swimming families, due to relationships within the communities. Both Saint Thomas Academy and Visitation worked together and shared pipelines. We had a $500 gift from a few kids from the class of 2022, college students who pooled their funds, and that means as much as the big gifts we’ve received.”

A Place to Call Home for these International Students

BY JODI RITACCA

PHOTOS BY NICOLE ENGSTROM

ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN MENDOTA HEIGHTS LIVING AND USED WITH PERMISSION

“This is home. I grew up here. Went to school here.” said David Krieger ’04, who lives here in Mendota Heights with his beautiful wife, Sunnie, and their adorable 5-year-old son Theo. “I feel lucky to be here in Mendota Heights.” The Krieger’s young family has lived here for about three years. David is an English teacher and coach, and alumnus at the Saint Thomas Academy. “We are blessed to be living here at STA on Rogers Lake,” said David.

Last fall, the Academy tried for many months to find families willing to host three current international students. When no one came forward, the school came up with a plan to use an on-campus residence, previously occupied by the school’s chaplain/priest, to host the current students providing an adult or a family would be willing to move into the residence to live with the students. That’s when the Krieger’s answered the call and decided to help.

The Krieger’s moved from their home they had been renting in Mendota Heights to live in the oncampus residence and to be a host family for the three returning international students (teenagers!). Today, the Krieger’s share the Roach residence with brothers Quan ’25 and Quang Do ’28 from Vietnam, and Matvii Suminov ’25, who is from Ukraine.

These students feel so lucky to live here, especially Matvii. At his home in war-torn Ukraine, Matvii applied for a scholarship to attend STA, but he needed a

Visa and was unable to get one in Ukraine because of the war. On his own, he traveled 14 hours on a train through the war zone area to Poland and traveled through neighboring countries to Amsterdam. Thanks to the generous Academy Alum, travel arrangements were made for Matvii to get to America. When he arrived in Minneapolis, he had only one backpack with everything he owns. This 3-minute video: https://youtu.be/LQx_smPBVtI shows Matvii’s incredible journey. He is one of 2,400 students from Ukraine, enrolled in certified academic institutions across the United States. Here at Saint Thomas Academy, he is just another cadet at the school.

These international students feel like brothers now, and big brother to little Theo. The family all eat dinner together, which can be a challenge finding foods that appeal to their range of tastes. Sunnie usually cooks but the boys take the lead at times. The Krieger home feels like one big family.

David and Sunnie said the transition to the new living arrangements was smooth, perhaps helped in part by the couple’s international background. David served as an English teacher and dorm adviser when living in Beijing, where he met his wife Sunnie, a native of Beijing.

Back in 2008, David was doing his student teaching here, and looking for jobs, but the market was tough. One of his teachers at STA, Rebecca Benson, who is still

(L-R): Quang Do, Sunnie, Theo, David Krieger, Matvii Suminov, and Quan Do

there, had gone to Japan and she had instilled in him it’s okay to take an adventure and try something new. “I thought why I don’t just try something new and teach overseas,” said David. “I thought I would do it for one year and I’ll come back, but I stayed for a long time because I met my wife, and my life plans changed quickly,” said David. He worked in China for nine years (5 years in Beijing and 4 in Yantai, China) before returning home in 2020. “That was a really a cool experience,’ said David.

Three years ago, when David and his young family were living in Yantai, he suddenly had extreme back pain that would not go away. He says it turned out to be stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma that had entered his spine. Instantly his family rallied around him. They said “you need to go home” to Minnesota for medical care. He went to the Mayo Clinic. “They got me in right away and very quickly through one round of chemotherapy,” said David. “I’m now three years in remission and feeling good. The Mayo Clinic made me feel like they would take good care of me,” said David. “I’m feeling really blessed.”

While he feels especially lucky to be back in Minnesota, he admits, “it’s a strange dichotomy teaching Matvii and Quan while also being their quasi parent,” said David.

David is an English Instructor at Saint Thomas Academy since August 2021, and currently teaches students (Grades 9-10) in Rhetorical Skills and Literature and Composition. David also coaches Football, Baseball, and co-moderates the Model United Nations team at STA.

Sunnie, whose name is Meishu He, currently works at Delta Airlines as a Customer Service agent. Sunnie continues to teach Mandarin as a tutor for local students and is often used as translator for local events. She loves living in Mendota Heights. “This is my favorite place.”

For the international students, living on campus has solved a lot of logistical challenges that tend to plague typical host families. The boys can walk to school every

day, come home after school, and go back for evening activities, all on their own. This gives the boys the ability to be more involved with sports and clubs. Quan, for example, participates in swimming, Model UN, math club, precision drill team, diversity student union and Spanish club. Quan says, “This is a great place!”

David and Sunnie enjoy walking around the campus and in our community, especially walking their young son to school. “We love to travel and take as many trips as we can,” said David. The international students like going to the family cabin on weekends for that quintessential Minnesota experience. And little Theo loves having big brothers!

“We also enjoy studying language and speaking Mandarin and English at home. Lastly, cooking and enjoying meals together is what we all look forward to most after a long day,” said David. “We celebrate both Western and Chinese Holidays.”

The Krieger’s home is a cultural mishmash that has sparked bonds and laughter that span continents and languages and has given the boys a place to belong and a real home here in Mendota Heights.

“As an alum of STA, I’ve always felt this campus was stunning,” said David. “To be able to live and host students here is special. This community is warm and welcoming, and we enjoy being able to be a part of it this year.”

STAFF NOTES

NEW BABY

AJ Barker and his wife Laura welcomed Matthan Ross Barker to the world on November 30. He joins big sister Ara (2).

COACHING UPDATES

PAUL MCKEEHAN has been named Co-Head Coach of the Tennis program. After over 20 years of coaching tennis, Erick Westerback ’82 will pass the baton, but Erick and Paul will continue to work closely together to build this program.

Coach VINCE WREN ’16, was named the Head Cross Country Coach, taking over for longtime coach, Tony Kinzley. Coach Wren has served as an assistant coach at Saint Thomas Academy for a total of four years, helping the Cross Country and Track & Field programs. Coach Wren completed his undergraduate studies at Drake University. He then attended Law School at the University of St. Thomas where he graduated with honors. He currently serves as a Minnesota State Trooper for the State Patrol.

AARON SIDNER was named Co-Head Coach for the Cadets Track and Field program. With three years of experience in the Track program, he has been crucial to its success. Coach Sidner, with a PHD in Human Performance and 13 years of coaching expertise, significantly contributed to the sprint group’s achievements for the Cadets, leading them to break school records and win the state true team championships last year. He will continue coaching the sprint and jump groups in his new role as Co-Head Coach along with Co-Head Coach Chief Kim Friede.

CLASS SPEAKER

Alumnus Casey Wright ’99, an actuary for Allianz, recently spoke about his work and education in the field of Actuarial Science to students in the AP Statistics class of Mr. Jeff Smith ’97 and students in the Business and Finance Pathway. Casey spoke about the education needed for the profession and highlighted potential careers in the field of actuarial science.

BOWLING

Congratulations to both the varsity and junior varsity teams for qualifying for the Minnesota state bowling tournament! The Varsity team finished 12th in the State and the Junior Varsity finished 19th.

This is the first time since 2011 that Saint Thomas Academy has reached the State Tournament for HS Bowling. This is a huge accomplishment and with only three seniors on the team, Coach is expecting them to be even better next year!

STATE ECON CHALLENGE

24 senior Economics students competed in the Twin Cities regional Economic Challenge at the College of St. Catherine. The AP students won the written exam and placed 2nd overall qualifying them for the state tournament at Securian Financial in April. The non-AP students placed second in the competition but do not advance to the state level competition. Nate Aamodt ’24 and Gus Tennessen ’24 both tied for the second highest exam scores for the competition. The Challenge is sponsored by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Council of Economic Education.

KNOWLEDGE BOWL

The Saint Thomas Academy Knowledge Bowl Team was awarded first place at the subregional event. The Cadets competed against 32 other teams. Team members include seniors: Nate Aamodt , Liam Carey, Dominic Castro, Matthew Marvin, and Robbie Wollan.

“

(WHY THE ACADEMY)

THE ALL-BOYS DYNAMIC IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL

A.J. Barker

YEAR STARTED AT SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY | 2021

SUBJECTS/CO-CURRICULARS/ CLUBS | Theology

FIRST TEACHING JOB |

Saint Thomas Academy HOBBIES | Goofing around with my wife and kids (dance parties, tea parties, party parties), golf, basketball, movies, and philosophical conversations.

A FAVORITE TEACHING MOMENT |

Having a few students come to me to share that they want to convert to the Catholic faith! Praise God!

BRUSH WITH FAME | Being asked to participate in a feature for Saber Magazine!

FAVORITE EXPERIENCE |

1. Converting to the Catholic faith

2. Marrying my wife

3. The birth of our children

WHY I TEACH AT SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY | The all-boys dynamic in a Catholic school. 100%.

FAVORITE MUSIC | Rap/Hip-Hop/ Gregorian Chant (ha, ha!)

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT | Jamaica

FAMILY | Wife, Laura; Daughter, Ara (2); Son, Matthan (3 mo)

Matthew Silsley

YEAR STARTED AT SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY | 2022

SUBJECTS/CO-CURRICULARS/ CLUBS | Military Leadership/Ranger Team

FIRST TEACHING JOB | Methods of Entry (Explosive Breaching School) in Quantico, Virginia. 1st ever Military Police

HOBBIES | Shooting guns at the range, Riding my Harley, Golfing

A FAVORITE TEACHING MOMENT |

During a uniform inspection for the BFI, the boys were restless. While imparting a lesson on discipline, I noticed Andrew Leach ’23 sporting a wide grin, prompting me to shift my attention to him. Instead of reprimanding him, I calmly inquired about the source of his amusement. With his characteristic grin, he replied, “Nothing.” I pressed further, questioning his evident joy, to which he expressed his affection for the school and the camaraderie it offered. Leach emphasized his love for the school environment, where he felt free to be himself among friends without worries. His sentiments underscored the importance of embracing all aspects of STA for a fulfilling experience. Witnessing Leach’s genuine affection for his peers and the school warmed my heart, though I maintained my composure outwardly. This encounter taught me that discipline manifests in various forms, not necessarily confined to military norms. For a young man like Leach, finding joy in school and friendships is a valid expression of discipline, distinct from the rigid standards of the Marine Corps.

BRUSH

WITH FAME | Right this moment

FAVORITE EXPERIENCE | While on PSD (Personal Security Detail), Jimmy Kines and I had the Opportunity to protect General Dunford, a 4-star General, all over Afghanistan and Europe.

WHY I TEACH AT SAINT THOMAS

ACADEMY | Great transition from mentoring young Marines to mentoring young high school men.

FAVORITE MUSIC | 90’s rock/alternative

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT | Outer Banks, North Carolina

FAMILY | Wife-Kimberly Silsley, DaughterSophie Silsley (12), Son- Jae Silsley (8), Babalu (Bird), Ember (Dutch shepherd RIP), Duke (Boxer RIP)

“ FINDING JOY IN SCHOOL AND FRIENDSHIPS IS A VALID EXPRESSION OF DISCIPLINE ”

SENIOR OFFICER PROMOTIONS

In its cadet senior leadership promotion ceremony held on Thursday, November 22, Saint Thomas Academy named the seniors who will lead the corps of cadets for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year. James Zavoral III of Edina was named the 2023-2024 Cadet Colonel and Brigade Commander, the highest-ranking officer in the corps of cadets. Max Anderson of Saint Paul was promoted to Cadet Command Sergeant Major, the senior-most non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the brigade. Zavoral and Anderson will work collaboratively with one another and with the Academy’s administrators and military leaders to implement a variety of events and activities at the Academy.

“Cadet Colonel Zavoral is an accomplished young man who has earned the respect of the Academy’s administrators, military leaders and his peers,” said former U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Nick Honan, Interim Commandant of Cadets, of the 116th cadet colonel in the history of the Academy. “I’m confident that Zavoral and Anderson will collaborate well to lead our corps with excellence.”

Cadet Colonel James Zavoral III ’24 (right) and Cadet Command Sgt. Maj. Max Anderson ’24 (left).

President Brian Ragatz ’98 presents Zavoral with the Saber.

Those promoted to brigade posts included (pictured L-R) President Brian Ragatz, Nathan Aamodt, Robert Wollan, Jr., James Zavoral III, Sean Happe, Alex Schumacher, Patrick Koegel, and Interim Commandant of Cadets Nick Honan.

Those promoted to Command Sergeant Major (pictured L-R) Henry Cleary, Cadence “Cade” Caruso, Max Anderson, Hunter Carver, and Jackson Najarian.

CADET COL. JAMES ZAVORAL III

Zavoral has attended the Academy since 9th grade. He has been active in athletics and activities, including football, varsity hockey and lacrosse, crack drill squad, student council, campus ministry, peer mentors, Spanish club, cadet fund, and food for thought. He was selected captain of the varsity hockey team for the 2023-24 season and earned Academic All-State in both hockey and lacrosse in his junior year.

He has received numerous awards, including three Eagle Awards for academic excellence, Superior Cadet of the Quarter, the Saint Thomas Academy Leadership Scholarship, multiple Good Conduct Awards and four Parade Awards for Out of School Representation. He has volunteered for Dream Skate Special Hockey, Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and Christmas Tree Lot, Down Syndrome Learn to Bike and Feed My Starving Children.

Zavoral plans to major in finance in college and has thus far applied to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Indiana University, Boston College, University of Notre Dame, University of Texas-Austin, Texas Christian University and Miami University of Ohio.

SELECTION PROCESS

The Cadet Colonel and senior leaders are chosen by a selection committee composed of the Academy’s President, Commandant of Cadets, Vice President, school chaplain, senior enlisted member of the military leadership department and a faculty representative, with student and faculty input. The extensive application and evaluation process begins in cadets’ junior year. The committee evaluates every senior leader in the corps for promotion, considering academic performance, co-curricular involvement, awards and recognition, merits and demerits, military performance, community service and leadership abilities.

James Zavoral III pictured with his parents James and Johanna Zavoral.

CADET COMMAND SGT. MAJ. MAX ANDERSON

Promoted from First Sergeant to Cadet Command Sergeant Major, Anderson serves as the brigade’s standard bearer for uniform, grooming, formations, drill, reviews, and conduct. He also serves as the principal advisor to Zavoral in decisions regarding the Corps of Cadets.

Anderson has attended Saint Thomas Academy since 6th grade. He has been a Model UN head delegate, two-year captain of the varsity football team, peer mentor captain, campus minister, CHOOSE group captain, e-sports leader, Kaydet yearbook staff member and a student ambassador. He is co-founder and leader of the school’s healthcare society. He has participated in football, lacrosse, basketball, diversity student union, mental health club and food for thought.

Anderson has received the Eagle Academic Award six times, the Yale Book Award, STA Faculty Award, Veterans Day Merit Award, Daughters of the American Colonists Award, Celebrate Freedom Award, Veterans of Foreign Wars Award, Model UN outstanding delegate, and Academic All-State and All-District Honorable Mention recognition. Anderson has volunteered in the community as a Lyngblomsten Senior Care youth volunteer and a community senior citizen volunteer as well as for Junior Achievement and Tackle Cancer.

Following graduation, Anderson plans to pursue a biology degree and later attend medical school. He also hopes to play college football. He is considering the University of Notre Dame, Boston College, College of the Holy Cross, Georgetown University, Brown University, Vanderbilt University, Wake Forest University and the University of St. Thomas.

Max Anderson pictured with his parents Chad and Jodi Anderson.

Max Anderson receives the swagger stick from Vice President John Buethe ’05.

Five Promoted to Cadet Lieutenant Colonel

Five additional seniors were also promoted from Cadet Captain to Cadet Lieutenant Colonel and named to brigade posts:

NATHAN AAMODT

Aamodt has participated in many activities and clubs that have provided him leadership opportunities, such as being captain of the quiz bowl and knowledge bowl teams, the curling club and the VISTA math team. Outside of school, he plays in a rock band and is a sterilization technician for Erickson-Aamodt Orthodontics. He has earned numerous awards for leadership, character and academics, including receiving a scholarship for highest score on CogAT entrance exam in 9th grade. Aamodt has applied to numerous colleges, where he plans to study engineering or business/finance. Pictured with his parents: John and Sarah Aamodt.

ROBERT WOLLAN, JR.

Wollan has earned 17 military ribbons for service, co-curriculars, academics and merit as well as numerous awards in his four years at the Academy. He is an Eagle Scout candidate, Scouts BSA senior patrol leader, a board member for the Highland District Council Board, and an active community volunteer. Wollan plans to major in international relations and political science while also playing college football for one of the eight universities to which he has applied. Pictured with his parents: Robert and Carolyn Wollan.

SEAN HAPPE

Happe plans to major in management or finance at one of the 10 universities to which he has applied. While at the Academy, he has earned recognition including Superior Cadet, the Eagle Award, Chris Hannigan Leadership Scholarship, Military Merit Medal, and Outstanding Delegate to Model UN. He has participated in football, basketball (captain) and baseball. Pictured with his parents: Michael and Shannon Happe.

ALEX SCHUMACHER

Schumacher has participated in football, soccer, Junior Gold hockey, lacrosse, campus ministry, and peer mentoring. He has earned the Commandant’s Award for Heroism, the multiple Saber Academic Awards, and first place in the regional competition for National History Day. Schumacher plans to study business or education at one of the 14 colleges to which he’s applying. Pictured with his parents: Dan and Sarah Schumacher.

PATRICK KOEGEL

Koegel has received many awards for athletics, academics, military leadership and character at Saint Thomas Academy. Outside of school, he has been a shift lead at national coffee chains and head altar server at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. He is an Eagle Scout candidate and serves as senior patrol leader for Scouts BSA. Koegel has applied to three military academies and has also earned a national Army ROTC scholarship to attend one of multiple universities to which he has applied. He plans to study international business. Pictured with his parents: Jack and Tania Koegel.

Four Promoted to Command Sergeant Major

Approximately 25% of the leadership positions within the Corps of Cadets are cadet NCO positions. Five senior-leader cadets were selected to serve in the senior cadet NCO positions within the brigade: one brigade Command Sergeant Major (CSM), three battalion CSMs and one operations chief with the rank of Cadet Master Gunnery Sergeant (an equivalent rank to CSM but with staff versus command responsibilities). The Cadet Master Gunnery Sergeant is a new position and reflective of a brigade staff, as well as the Academy’s own military leadership department.

HENRY CLEARY

A private in the Minnesota Army National Guard, Cleary has earned several academic and merit awards while at the Academy, including Minnesota All Conference Honor Band, JROTC Arctic Raider Regional Champions, 2023 MN Boys State Attendee, Cadet of the Quarter and Cadet of the Year. He plans to major in business administration, finance or economics at a military academy or institution or a civilian college with an ROTC scholarship. Pictured with his parents: Douglas and Mary Cleary.

CADENCE “CADE” CARUSO

Caruso is a three-sport athlete and participates in many school activities and clubs. He has earned several academic and merit awards in his four years at Saint Thomas Academy. Caruso hopes to play football at the University of St. Thomas, Washington University in St Louis, the University of Chicago or Lake Forest College. Pictured with his parents: Glenn and Rachael Caruso.

HUNTER CARVER

Carver has earned six athletic letters to date in his four years at Saint Thomas Academy. He is captain of both the lacrosse and football teams, and is a USA Lacrosse Certified Youth Referee. He has been named All Conference and All Section for lacrosse multiple times. Carver hopes to attend one of the four military academies to which he has applied. Pictured with his parents: Jim and Kelly Carver.

OPERATIONS CHIEF: JACKSON NAJARIAN

Najarian’s leadership posts include co-president of the school’s Asian society, captain of the track & field team, and president of the literature club. He studied Japanese at Concordia Language Villages and studied abroad earlier this year. His academic awards include the Bausch and Lomb Award for the Sciences and the Tulane Book Award. Najarian has applied to Princeton University, Brown College, Stanford University, and the University of Washington in St. Louis. Pictured with his mother: Jules Najarian.

CHOIR AT THE TIMBERWOLVES GAME

The Saint Thomas Academy Choir sang the National Anthem at a sold-out Timberwolves basketball game in March.

VISTA SPRING MUSICAL

Nashville Choir Trip

The Saint Thomas Academy Choir, the Visitation Choir, and the VISTA Orchestra had their performance tour to Nashville, Tennessee over Presidents Day weekend. 35 students from both schools took in the Nashville sights and sounds. The group went sight-seeing to many historic museums, including the Country Music Hall of Fame and the National Museum of African American Music. Students also toured the Historic RCA Studio B where many great country artists recorded (it became known as the birthplace of the Nashville sound in 1957) where they recorded a CD! A stop at the well known Goo Goo Chocolate Factory was a hit; students got to create their own chocolate bar! The group also took in a show at the Grand Ole Opry. The tour concluded with Mass at Christ the King Catholic Church where the choirs performed throughout the service.

Saint Thomas Academy and Visitation presented the musical The Lighting Thief, the Percy Jackson Story, this past April. Cast included Nate Aamodt ’24, James Barrett ’25, Ben Cardwell ’24, Sherman Holmstadt ’25, Finbar Kelly ’27, Eli Kraus ’27, Ben O’Shaughnessy ’25, Drew Ryan ’25, Adrian Singh ’24, and Ben Treacy ’25 Crew included Daniel Amenuvour ’26, Andrew Casserly ’24, Jeremiah Rushing ’24, and Tate Sonnenberg ’24

Ben O’Shaughnessy ’25 brought smiles to patients at the Children’s Hospital during Spring Break. Inspired by the character Percy Jackson from The Lighting Thief, he performed a scene and sang songs for the in-house TV station. This heartwarming event undoubtedly brightened the day of children and families undergoing medical treatment at the hospital.

Ben O’Shaughnessy ’25

VISTA BAND RECOGNITION

Congratulations to the Boys’ Metro East AllConference Concert Band Members. Ugo Adarve ’24 (alto saxophone), Will Buechele ’24 (alto saxophone), William Carey ’26 (tuba), Henry Cleary ’24 (clarinet), Ben O’Shaughnessy ’25 (trumpet), William Sellner ’25 (percussion), and Ben Treacy ’25 (percussion).

Congratulations to the Boys’ Metro East All-Conference Honors Jazz Ensemble Members. George Hoppe ’24 (drums), Avery Millican ’24 (trumpet), and Adrian Singh ’24 (alto sax).

PE & HEALTH RESTAURANT

Mr. Bill McCarthy’s freshman health classes worked on opening new restaurants. The Cadets needed to come up with a name, a location (actual address), a logo, a slogan, a menu with a signature dish and four other food items, an advertising flyer, and a oneminute video commercial. Once that was complete, they needed to produce their signature dish and write a summary of their restaurant including one aspect of owning a restaurant that will benefit the overall health of their customers. The Cadets enjoyed this innovative assignment!

VALENTINES FOR VETS

Cadets visited the Minnesota Veterans’ Home for Valentines Day and spent time playing bingo and conversing with the veterans and their families.

Rating the foods on the menus.

Advertising flyers for the class’s new restaurants.

Signature dishes for tasting to evaluate their restaurants.

MODEL UN

The Saint Thomas Academy Model UN team shattered school records at the prestigious Yale conference this past January, competing against over 2,000 delegates one of the largest gatherings in the nation.

The team brought home a remarkable four awards, their strongest showing ever at Yale. This impressive feat was further bolstered by leading discussions in a staggering 11 out of 12 committees, a first for the Saint Thomas Academy program.

Individually, students shone brightly. Chase Young ’25 secured the prestigious Outstanding Delegate award in his committee, the second-highest honor achievable in Model UN competition. However, the crowning achievement belonged to Carlo Doroff ’24. Carlo dominated his committee, earning the coveted Best Delegate award the ultimate recognition for exceptional preparation, dedication, and strategic brilliance.

The team also enjoyed a tremendously successful conference at the University of Chicago this past February. Every member of the team actively participated, either presenting or excelling in question-and-answer sessions.

This achievement was dedicated to the memory of Bennett Kotok ’23, the team’s beloved head delegate who passed away this year. His absence was deeply felt, but his spirit undoubtedly fueled the team’s outstanding performance. Bennett would have been incredibly proud of his friends and teammates.

The conference saw a record-breaking number of STA delegates receiving awards:

• Max Anderson ’24 and Robbie Wollan ’24 secured the top prize in the DISEC Committee.

• Chihuu Nguyen ’24 earned second place in the UNCTAD Committee.

• Patrick Koegel ’24 achieved second place in the SPECPOL Committee.

• Drew Ryan ’25, a first-time conference participant, impressively took third place in the SMGE Committee.

NASA TEST FLIGHT

A team of five sophomores are one of 60 winning teams in NASA’s TechRise Student Challenge, a nationwide contest to engage middle and high school students in technology, science, and space exploration. The team will work together to build a science experiment to be tested aboard a NASA-sponsored high-altitude balloon flight test this summer.

The team members are:

• Dante Ziperstein

• Emmet Lee

• Leo Ritzenthaler

• Parker Cosgriff

• Owen Weber

The team will design, build, and test a device to measure the lifting force of a drone propeller relative to the changing atmospheric pressure. It will be tested via a balloon flight reaching an altitude of approximately 70,000 feet, where it will float for at least four hours. During flight, the team’s device will be exposed to the thermal and atmospheric environment of the stratosphere, providing conditions for experiments that cannot be replicated in ground-based tests.

Throughout the build process, the team will participate in weekly mentoring calls with a NASA advisor until the required completion date of Thursday, May 16. The experiment will be shipped to a NASA partner on Friday, May 17 for a flight day to be announced. The team will receive $1,500 to offset its project costs and a 4”x4”x8” flight box in which to build the device.

“This is an incredible opportunity for these students,” said Mark Westlake, Director of the Saint Thomas Academy Innovation Center. “They will gain design, programming, and microprocessing skills while getting near real-time feedback from a NASA engineer to adjust and enhance their device to gather the most useful information possible.”

When entering the challenge, teams had a choice of building experiments to be tested in the high-altitude balloon flight or a rocket-powered lander that flies for approximately two minutes at an altitude of 80 feet over a test field mimicking the moon’s surface.

JROB Youth Wrestling Tournament

This past March, the 6th annual JROB Youth Wrestling Tournament was held with over 500 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. 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!

The NASA TechRise students pictured after their announcement

VETERANS DAY RECAP

Saint Thomas Academy bestowed its Fleming Alumni Veterans Award upon two alumni at its Veterans Day celebration recently. retired Commander Daniel Lambert ’73, U.S. Navy, and 1st Lt. James Michel ’45, U.S. Army (KIA) were honored at the assembly attended by their family and Saint Thomas Academy cadets and students, faculty and staff, and alumni.

The Fleming Medal is named for Capt. Richard Fleming STMA ’35, a recipient of the Medal of Honor and the Academy’s highest decorated graduate.

Cadet Sgt. Drew Ryan ’25 introduced Michel, telling how Michel entered the Army as a Private and served with the Air Force at Stephenville, Newfoundland, until July 1946, when he returned to the states to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Upon graduating, he chose coast artillery duty and was stationed in Japan, followed by Korea. He transferred to the 159th Field Artillery Battalion in the middle of March 1951. On March 21, 1951, Michel was promoted to First Lieutenant. The following day, he was walking along a mountain pass near Kumgong-ni, Korea, when a fellow soldier tripped a grenade, fragments of which wounded Michel in the head. He was immediately evacuated and died five days later, March 27, 1951. He was 23 years old.

Michels’ nephew, Chip Michels ’67, accepted the medal on behalf of the family, which had nearly 40 members present at the celebration. Chip said in his remarks, “Jim wrote the ultimate check for us and our country. By giving this award to us, you have given us a ‘thank you’ to uncle Jim for what he did.”

Chip Michels ’67 with President Brian Ragatz ’98.

The second honoree, Lambert, was introduced by Cadet Staff Sgt. Caden Peltier ’25 He shared of Lambert’s career in the Navy and as a government civilian to the Navy that spanned 47 years. Following graduation from Saint Thomas Academy, Lambert earned an engineering degree from the U.S. Naval Academy. During his active-duty career in the Navy, he rose through the ranks from an Ensign in 1977 to a Commander in 1992. He served aboard multiple aircraft carriers and cutters, mostly notably the USS Reeves, that took him to mainland China, the Persian Gulf and many international seas; coordinated military and State Department counter-narcotics teams in Panama, where he also participated in country’s liberation from Manuel Noriega; served as a resource sponsor for various combat systems and helped negotiate a $1 billion development and production deal with U.S. allies for a surface-to-air missile system. Following active duty, he worked 17 years developing and testing Naval missiles and munitions in the defense industry, and 5 years as a government civilian to the Navy managing deliveries of aircraft computer systems and policies and decisions related to technology transfer to U.S. allies.

Ret. Commander Daniel Lambert ’73 with President Brian Ragatz ’98.

Lambert elaborated on his time in the Navy and the difficult decisions he faced in duty, concluding with a simple rule to help guide cadets’ decisions in their lives: “When making a decision, think, would your mother be proud of this decision?” This rule is one Lambert first heard from a Marine colonel many years ago and it has stuck with him for decades.

The Fleming Medal

MIDDLE SCHOOL HOUSE CAPTAINS

In 2011, then-Middle School Director Jamie Jurkovich and then-Headmaster Tom Mich implemented the House System to foster a more vibrant middle school experience. Inspired by a national trend, the system aimed to create a supportive and engaging environment for the boys.

The House System promotes interaction and collaboration among students across grades (6th-8th). It welcomes new students, emphasizes support between grade levels rather than competition, and allows students to build relationships with adult mentors over their three years in middle school. Each house, named after notable figures in STA history, houses a mix of students from all three grades and is led by a student-elected 8th-grade “house captain.” These captains then form the middle school student council, responsible for leading formation sessions 1-2 times per week. Additionally, each house benefits from the guidance of two adult leaders, typically faculty members, who meet with students regularly for announcements, check-ins, and sometimes even host special speakers or presentations.

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT

In February, more than 80 cadets participated in Junior Achievement North’s “JA in a Day” at Maxfield Elementary School in Saint Paul’s Rondo neighborhood. The cadets provided students in grades K-5 experiential learning focused on financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship. It was the Academy’s third time

participating in the program and Maxfield’s first.

The teachers at Maxfield Elementary said of the day: “The day was wonderful for my students and my classroom. We know there’s a lot of prep involved which results in giving an opportunity to engage my students in a different way.”

House captains (L-R): Roach: Peter Schacherer, Ireland: Nick Rivard, Doffing: Shannon Joyce, Fleishhacker: Elliott Stevens, Byrne: Andrew Deeb, Bassett: Grant Keeley

CLOSE UP TRIP

During Spring Break, eight freshmen students visited Washington D.C. with 230 other high school students from around the country. The students toured many of the most popular sites around D.C., and also participated in workshops with other students to further their knowledge and understanding of how our government works. During the trip, our students and teachers also met with some of Minnesota’s legislative leaders on Capitol Hill, including Senator Amy Klobuchar and the representative from STA’s legislative district, Angie Craig. They also met with staff from Senator Tina Smith, and Rep. Tom Emmer ’79 offices. The students were able to ask questions in all of these meetings and better understand the day-to-day working of the Federal government.

EAGLE SCOUT

Vincent Audette ’25, a member of Nativity Troop 67, was awarded his Eagle Scout award at a Court of Honor this past August. Vincent has been involved with scouting at Nativity since kindergarten. He held leadership positions in the troop as Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and Troop Guide. Highlights of his time in scouting include sailing around the Florida Keys at Sea Base, and two trips to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, where he was Crew Leader in 2023. For his Eagle Project he led a restoration of the Saint Thomas Academy Grotto, including pressure washing all stone, buckthorn removal, planting new flowers, and remulching the entire area.

In front of the U.S. Capitol with Rep. Angie Craig.

CHINESE FIELD TRIP

Cadets in Chinese classes and the Asian Club have been enriching their understanding of Chinese culture through a series of engaging field trips and volunteer opportunities.

Recently, students attended a presentation at the University of Minnesota’s Armory Building that explored the Chinese language Flagship program and its connection to ROTC programs. This interactive session provided valuable insights into language learning and potential career paths.

Back in the classroom, the festive spirit continued with a traditional dumpling-making party. This annual tradition provides students with a fun and memorable way to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Following the presentation, students embarked on a cultural adventure at the Ted Mann Concert Hall. They had the privilege of witnessing rehearsals for “Dream of the Red Chamber,” a renowned Chinese opera based on one of China’s four great classical novels. The experience was heightened by the opportunity to meet the opera’s artistic team, including the legendary Tim Yip, the Oscar-winning designer/director behind “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and the “Eternal Offerings” exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

To further immerse themselves in Chinese culture, students enjoyed a delicious lunch at an authentic Chinese restaurant. They then explored the vast Asian market, United Noodles, where they were exposed to a wide variety of ingredients and cultural products.

HISTORY DAY

The annual History Day was held for Grades 8 and 11 in February. This was one of the first events since 2020 to not be disrupted by a pandemic or weather! The following students advanced to the State Competition.

GRADE 8:

Joey Wills, Shannon Joyce, Thomas Abbott –Documentary, ’87 Football Strike

Aryan Kamboj – Documentary, Golden Sparrow

Kellan DeVoy – Documentary, Pearl Harbor

Ben Simmons – Documentary, Piano

Nick Krivak – Exhibit, Refrigeration

John Grondahl – Exhibit, Atomic Bomb

Several dedicated members of the Asian Club extended their cultural exploration through volunteering at a Chinese New Year celebration organized by the Chinese Heritage Foundation. Students Grant English ’26, Charles Meisterling ’26, Alex Howie ’26, and Brady McDowell ’27 lent their time and energy to the event, demonstrating their commitment to cultural exchange and community service.

Through these enriching experiences, students gained a deeper appreciation for Chinese culture, its traditions, and its artistic expressions. The combination of field trips, presentations, and volunteer work provided a well-rounded and engaging exploration of China’s rich heritage.

GRADE 11:

Aidan Smith, Finn Benz, Jack Batzler – Documentary, Elvis

Jack Collins, Ian Lloyd, Declan Varley – Documentary, Pasteurization of Milk

Tadhgan Harlin, Pearse Byrne – Documentary, Latin Baseball Players

Charlie Schubert, William Bonfe – Documentary, the Mille Lacs Treaty Rights

Sam Martin – Documentary, Motown Record Label

Liam Cutshall – Website, Westward Expansion

Ben O’Shaughnessy, Marshall Wright, Drew Ryan –Performance, US vs. Philip Morris

Quan Do, Bisrat Gebre, Isaac Fremichael – Performance, Bayard Rustin

SPORTS UPDATE

CROSS COUNTRY

Captains Vincent Audette ’25, Owen Schlehuber ’24, and Philly Solomon ’24 led the team to another strong season. The Cadets finished second in the Metro East Conference Championships and fourth in the Section 3AA Championships. Philly Solomon competed in the State Championship and finished a fantastic 29th with a time of 16:32.

ALL-CONFERENCE

• Vincent Audette ’25

• Owen Schlehuber ’24

• Philly Solomon ’24

TEAM AWARDS

• Most Valuable Runner – Philly Solomon ’24

• Most Improved From 2022 –Henrik Herschbach ’25, Drew Ryan ’25

• Most Improved This Season – Reid Barberot ’26

• Mr. Cross Country – Parker Cosgriff ’26

• Coaches Awards – Vincent Audette ’25 and Owen Schlehuber ’24

• Jack Zahr Memorial Award – Owen Weber ’26

Ben Abraham ’24

Drew Ryan ’25

Owen Schlehuber ’24

Henrik Herschbach ’25

Vincent Audette ’25

Philly Solomon ’24

BASKETBALL

First year Head Coach Jacob Sand led the Cadets to an 18-11 record and Section 3AAA runner-up finish. Captains Luke Dobbs ’24, Sean Happe ’24, and Andrew Nolde ’25 helped the team finish third in the Metro East Conference, even after having seven seniors graduate from the previous year. The Cadets were also Section 3AAA Academic Team Champions, with a team G.P.A. of 3.59.

ALL-CONFERENCE

• Luke Dobbs ’24

• Lars Osteraas ’26

HONORABLE MENTION

• Andrew Nolde ’25

• Sean O’Brien ’24

Dom Baez ’26

Luke Dobbs ’24

Lars Osteraas ’26

Andrew Nolde ’25

Sean Happe ’24

Sean O’Brien ’24

FOOTBALL

Led by first-year Head Coach Travis Walch, Saint Thomas Academy finished the season 10-3 and 5A State Runner-Up, after losing in the Prep Bowl to an undefeated Chanhassen team. The Cadets erased a 23-point deficit in the state semifinals versus an undefeated Alexandria team by reeling off 42-consecutive points to punch their ticket to the title game. Savion Hart ’24 led all classes of football in the state in rushing and was second in rushing touchdowns.

ALL-STATE

• Savion Hart ’24, First Team

MINNESOTA ALL-STAR GAME SELECTIONS

• Savion Hart ’24

• Teddy Knapp ’24

ALL-DISTRICT

• Max Anderson ’24

• Luke Dobbs ’24

• Savion Hart ’24

• Teddy Knapp ’24

• Maximus Sims ’24

• Robbie Wollan ’24

ALL-DISTRICT HONORABLE MENTION

• Finn Benz

• Cade Caruso

• Avaugn Dorvil

• Charlie Probst

• Declan Wilson

DISTRICT AND SECTION COACH OF THE YEAR

• Travis Walch

COLLEGE FOOTBALL COMMITMENTS

• Max Anderson – Notre Dame

• Robbie Wollan – Notre Dame

• Savion Hart – Georgetown

• Cade Caruso – University of St. Thomas

• Teddy Knapp – University of St. Thomas

• Maximus Sims – MSU-Mankato

• Cody Packer – St. Olaf

Savion Hart ’24

Sean Happe ’24

Niko Vargas ’24

Celebrating a score in the state title game

Kicker Declan Wilson ’24

Quarterback Maximus Sims ’24

SWIMMING

Led by captains Will Barth ’24, Dane Dow ’25, Sherman Holmstadt ’25, Patrick Koegel ’24, Caleb Ling ’24, and Will Nash ’25, the Cadets Swimming team again finished second at the Minnesota High School State Tournament, along with clinching their 13th straight Metro East Conference Title. They also kept tradition alive by winning the True Team Section title, their 20th straight win since the meet began in 2005.

Coach John Barnes, in his 26th season, was again nominated for State Coach of the Year! Coach Barnes was instrumental in also helping to bring the new Aquatic Center to fruition. The Cadets will swim elsewhere for their 2024-25 season before returning home to swim in the brand new Michel Aquatic Center for the 2025-26 season.

ALL-STATE & ALL-CONFERENCE

• Will Barth ’24

• Dane Dow ’25

• Kayden Greeley ’26

• Sherman Holmstadt ’25

• Caleb Ling ’24

• Luke Mechtel ’26

• Will Nash ’26

ALL-CONFERENCE

• Vincent Audette ’25

• Sam Quinn ’26

• Leo Ritzenthaler ’26

• Max Schantzen ’24

COLLEGE SWIMMING COMMITMENTS

• Will Barth – University of South Dakota

Peter Schneeman ’27

Quang Nguyen ’26

Tommy Matschina ’24

Tommy Matschina ’24

Daniel “Eli” Amenuvor ’26

Luke Mechtel ’26

WRESTLING

The Cadets Wrestling Team again sent wrestlers to the Minnesota High School State Tournament where Grayson Eggum ’28 finished fifth overall (121 pounds). Gabe Cohn ’26 and Avaugn Dorvil ’25 also qualified for State.

Captains Thomas Holmquist ’24 and Josiah Solliday ’25 led the team along with Head Coach Cole Konrad and assistants Matt Buck, Jordy Foy and Nick McCarthy. This year Holmquist also set the School Takedown Record with 405 takedowns in his Cadets career.

ALL-CONFERENCE

• Grayson Eggum ’28

• Thomas Holmquist ’24

ALL-STATE

• Grayson Eggum ’28

Josiah Solliday ’25

Grayson Eggum ’28

Beckett Swanson ’25

Connor Flanagan ’29

Grayson Eggum ’28

Issac Wagner ’24

Vincent Perri ’26

Noah Scott ’29

ALPINE SKIING

Despite a serious lack of snow this winter, Rocky Forsberg ’24, Will Horning ’25, and Aidan Smith ’24 led the Cadets to a very successful season. The Team finished second in the Wild Mountain race, with Toren Piltingsrud ’27 finishing third overall. In the Welch Village race, the team finished in first place, with Chase Nickelson ’24 finishing fifth overall. The team finished first in the Buck Hill race with Toren Pitlingsrud finishing in first place. Junior Varsity showcased first place finishes by Connor Boyle ’27 and Aidan Smith ’24

The Cadets finished in second place in both Varsity and JV in the Conference Championships and sent four skiers to Sections at Wild Mountain, where Toren Piltingsrud qualified for the State Tournament. Toren went on to finish in 5th place overall at the State Tournament at Giants Ridge.

ALL-STATE

Toren Piltingsrud ’27

Jackson Skagen ’25

NORDIC SKIING

Led by captains Owen Schleluber ’24 and Max MapleLentz ’24, the team managed to push on even without snow. Skiers were forced to either roller ski or travel to a ski trail with man-made snow, which meant every day was an away meet. The team finished in the middle of the Metro East Conference behind very strong Hastings, Mahtomedi, and Two Rivers teams.

Toren Piltinsgrud ’27

Gus Tennessen ’24

Chase Nickelson ’24

Damien Fru ’25

Charlie Anderson ’25

Max Iffert ’24

Lukas Markert ’24

Parker Cosgriff ’26

Lachlan Johnsen ’26

Leo Peschel ’25

Mason Pfannenstein ’25

SOCCER

Cadets Soccer was led by captains Tommy McCarr ’25, Solomon Straub ’25, and Gus Tennessen ’24 and they went 10-6-1, with five of their losses to Top 10 teams. The Cadets were Metro East Conference Champions and lost (to the eventual State Champions) in a penalty kick shoot-out to miss going to the State Tournament.

ALL-CONFERENCE

• Kian Farooq ’25

• Matthew Marvin ’24

• Tommy McCarr ’25

• Solomon Straub ’25

• Gus Tennessen ’25

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION

• Owen Gergen ’24

• Joseph Kovarik ’24

• Aidan Leroe ’25

ALL-STATE

• Matthew Marvin ’24; First Team

• Solomon Straub ’25; First Team

• Gus Tennessen ’24; Second Team

Toren Piltingsrud ’27

Toren Piltingsrud ’27

Aidan Leroe ’25

Solomon Straub ’25

Kian Farooq ’25

Gus Tennessen ’24

Jack Gorden ’24 celebrates a goal with Tommy McCarr ’25

HOCKEY

With only two seniors on the Cadets Hockey team, the team finished 17-9-2. Led by captains Tommy Cronin ’25, Brody Dietz ’24, Will Dosan ’25, and Jimmy Zavoral ’24 the Cadets finished one game shy of making the State Tournament in the Section finals with a loss to Cretin-Derham Hall. Coach Mike Randolph tied the Minnesota Coaches record for the most wins in a career with 707!

ALL-CONFERENCE

• Tommy Cronin ’25

• Brody Dietz ’24

• Will Dosan ’25

• Jimmy Zavoral ’24

HONORABLE MENTION

• Michael Mikan ’25

• Cody Niesen ’25

• Niko Russ ’25

Nico Russ ’25

Cody Niesen ’25

Patrick Cronin ’25

Will Dosan ’25

Lucas Connery ’25

Michael Mikan ’25

Avery Buckner ’26

Luke McPherson ’25

Jimmy Zavoral ’24

Appreciation and Gratitude

BY DAVID HOTTINGER ’85 DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

TDavid Hottinger ’85

o my dear friends throughout the Saint Thomas Academy community, thank you for the wonderful 10 years of support of our school and the Institutional Advancement Team during my tenure as Director. After much thought and prayer, I have decided to leave my post and hand it over to another capable set of hands.

“Thank you for the wonderful 10 years”

Now for the good stuff! Together we have transformed so much on this beautiful campus. My tenure as Director started with “small” projects such as the renovation of the Chapel, grew with the construction of the Innovation Center, and culminated in the groundbreaking of the Aquatic Center. Over my years here we have celebrated a successful capital campaign that invested in a number of enhancements on the campus including replacing turf and track surfaces, enhancing baseball facilities, creating a Quad, upgraded the kitchen, adding an elevator to increase accessibility, and so much more. With the capstone of the new Chip Michel Family Aquatic Center, I feel that I can wrap up my tenure as Director on a high note.

What I am most proud of, though, is the support and growth of our endowment, which drives financial aid and accessibility for families. When coupled with the tremendous growth in annual scholarships and direct gifts utilized for financial support, the generosity of this community has ensured that countless young men have benefited from access to a Saint Thomas Academy education.

As I reflect on my tenure, and the opportunities to interact with so many in this great community I sit back and smile. Some of you have invited me into your lives, your homes, your vacation spots, and into your friend groups. I have been a regular at lunch meetings ranging back to the Class of 1946. Imagine Prof LeRoy Brown, addressing that ’46 class during lunch at T & C as “you boys”. It happened and I still laugh at 88-year-olds being addressed as BOYS.

“You have made a difference in my life”

STA is about stories and history. It instills pride and lifelong connections. It is a place that this world needs. I implore you to continue with your support or to begin to support Saint Thomas Academy and our mission to develop men of character. It has been my personal mission and motivates me still. I also ask that you welcome my successor like you did me. I will remain involved in the Advancement Department and transition to a Gift Officer role.

Thanks once again, you have made a difference in my life, and I feel that I was blessed to have made friends with so many great people. See you soon.

With gratitude,

David

On the Passing of Peter Ritten

BY DAVID JACOBSON

Saint Thomas Academy lost a luminary, one of its leading lights, with the January 15 passing of Peter Ritten ’51. From his football team captaincy to his fundraising as the school’s Major Gifts Officer, from his receipt of both the Opus Sancti Thomae Award (1996) and the Hames Alumni Honors Award (1982) to sending four sons to the Academy, Ritten leaves a large legacy.

Along with the endowed scholarship funds he and his family provided, the legacy lives on in art works commissioned for the campus, including a unique statue. Ritten and his wife Mary who survives him and shared in his Opus Sancti Thomae Award are responsible for the statue depicting four Cadets around a central staff with a cross atop it.

One Cadet reaches for the staff, two grasp it in their hands, and the fourth is letting go, representing four stages of progress from Cadets’ freshman through senior years, explained Chris Ritten ’80, who survives his father along with siblings Louis ’78, Andy ’81, Phil ’87, Marta (Visitation ’83) and Anna (Visitation ’84).

“That statue symbolizes becoming a man,” Chris said. “It’s not about me and my three brothers, but we were the models for the casts of the hands. That was so meaningful for my dad.”

Peter Ritten lived a life full of meaning, much of it steeped in Catholicism. Before attending what was then Saint Thomas Military Academy, he graduated from Annunciation Catholic School, and afterward the University of Notre Dame. His STMA football career included all-state honors and earning the nicknames “Speedy Pete Ritten” and “Powderkeg.”

He served in the Army in the mid-1950s and for the bulk of his business career traded commodities and helped run the family business, Louis N. Ritten & Company. After he and his brothers sold the company in 1984, Ritten became the Academy’s Major Gifts Officer. “He liked fundraising and giving people the opportunity to express their gratitude toward Saint Thomas Academy,” said Chris, who followed in his father’s footsteps as a fundraiser for the school. “He only raised money from alumni not parents, or anyone else and he did that for three or four years.”

In addition to raising funds and/or donating to his three alma maters, Peter Ritten did the same for St. Olaf Catholic Church; St. Catherine University, which his wife, Mary, attended; Our Lady of Lourdes; Agate Housing and Services; and Fenwick High School in Oak Park, IL, which seven of his grandchildren attended.

In his career and beyond, Chris said his father was “honest and principled. His word was his bond. He was very friendly, had a good sense of humor, enjoyed a good story. For his generation, he was very involved with us kids, attending sporting events and ballet recitals. He was a parent first, not our friend, but we became friends. He was big on certain sayings, like ‘Don’t take any wooden nickels.’ As a family, we travelled and played cards and charades. I was very fortunate to have had him as a dad.

“One of his favorite things was to go to class of ’51 luncheons and Christmas parties and get together with professors of the Old Guard. Dad just loved that stuff. He had a great love and appreciation of his classmates, the institution, its people, and its benefactors and alumni. If he were sitting here right now, that’s what he would want to express.”

CadetWorks

CadetWorks is busy working to place graduates with employers! Contact John Barnes if you need to hire or if you need a job or internship! Thank you to our employers who have recently hired Academy graduates.

Some of the participating companies:

Aris Clinic

Capital Partners

Mount Yale

Northwestern Mutual

Saint Thomas Academy

Scanlan International

The Training Haus

The long-term goal of CadetWorks will be to become a year-round program to help young Cadets in the ever changing job market.

CLASS OF ’74 REUNION WEEKEND

September 19-21, 2024

We are looking forward to celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the Class of 1974!

60thANNUAL

ALUMNI

Monday, June 17, 2024

Mendakota Country Club 2075 Mendakota Drive Mendota Heights, MN 55120

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 committee 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.

LOOKING FOR AN INTERNSHIP?

Contact John Barnes at jbarnes@cadets.com

CADET 3A GOLF TOURNAMENT

THE ULTIMATE STA COMMUNITY EVENT

Monday, August 5, 2024

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

MIKE IGO ’56 likes to fish in his spare time.

1960s

TIMOTHY MOORE ’61 completed the 2019 and 2022 Tour de Tuscon bicycle races.

PETER MATLON ’63 and his wife, Joyce, moved to Plymouth, MA in 2021. Peter and Joyce are thoroughly enjoying their New England coastal town. Peter has become a member of a Plymouth Town government committee, appropriately named No Place for Hate, that works to advance social and racial justice. Peter’s three grandchildren (two girls and a boy) influence his life perspectives and sense of what really matters. Congratulations, Peter!

DAN LAMBERT ’73, HERB SCHULTE ’65, JOHN MAGUIRE ’73 gather for a scuba diving trip in St. Thomas Virgin Islands. Dan was the 2023 Fleming Award winner. All swam at the Academy, John a swim captain. Herb at age 77 gives all of us hope to continue to be active and do the activities that one loves to do. Herb still competes in Waterskiing. He had won a 2022 t-shirt from Waterskiing Nationals in Kansas. John has another 2.4 mile Zorbaz Gull Lake lake swim lined up in June.

Dr. MIKE MOTTLE ’66 published his last scientific paper in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta in Jan. 2023, five years after he retired from a 42-year career as a geochemist/ oceanographer.

1950s

The Crack Drill Squad performed at the Minnesota Veterans Home last week and got a picture with Academy graduate JOHN PAULET ’53!

1960s

Friday night gathering in Eagan to celebrate PAT FEELY’S ’63 award and watch the Colorado vs. Stanford football game featuring Jace Feely, kicker for Colorado and grandson of TJ FEELY ’70. Alums from 1955-1978 were in attendance including: DAN ’78 & TERRY ’55 FLYNN, TIM FIGGE ’70, PAT DOUGHERTY ’70, JOE FINLEY ’70, and Scott Larson.

The CLASS OF ’67 celebrated their annual Christmas get together lunch at Patrick McGovern’s just before Christmas. Pictured left to right: TIM GALLIVAN, BOB LABREE, BUCK JANDRIC, MIKE PELUSO, JOHN BISANZ, MARK CLARK, SCOTT OLSON, CHIP MICHEL, BOB MCDONALD, CHARLIE MISCHEK, PAUL MCCARTEN, GEORGE SONNEN, BILL LINDSAY, JIM MCNULTY.

TIM FIGGE ’70 organized a Gettysburg Address tribute held at Oakwood cemetery in Hastings on November 19.

CLASS OF ’73 Quarterly breakfast attendees! Pictured from left to right are: LARRY FRYCKLUND, TOM COSGROVE, MIKE BRECKMAN, Capt Nick Honan, Interim Commandant of Cadets and guest speaker, TIM RIDLEY, TOM MARRINAN, JOHN ROONEY, and TIM PLUNKETT

1970s The CLASS OF ’73 snow goose hunt in Aberdeen, SD. Pictured are TIM PLUNKETT, JOHN MAGUIRE, JOHN MCQUILLAN, and LARRY FRYKLUND.

Congratulations to DENNIS KELLY ’66 who just released his book, Mindful Writing from the County Jail. Learn more at denniskellywriter.com.

1970s

Congratulations to BILL FOUSSARD ’72 (owner of White Bear Country Inn and Rudy’s Redeye Grill in White Bear Lake, MN) for being awarded the Explore Minnesota 2024 Tourism Industry Leader Award!

TIM PLUNKETT ’73, ED O’PHELAN ’73, and MATT NORMAN ’73 took in a Twins game in Fort Myers.

TERRY FRIEDRICHS ’74 leads a small group of fellow alumni in helping to keep senior residents lively, at Cerenity Care Center on St. Paul’s East Side, through short, weekly conversational visits.

RICHARD EBERT ’71 will launch his debut novel on May 1, 2024. Silentcide: The Art of Undetected Killing is an international suspense thriller that thunders across 15 cities in six countries. The plot includes brainwashing, extortion, revenge, romance and omnipotent control over a network of assassins. The book will be available on Amazon.

The Villaume-Driscoll Gallery in Spring Park was voted this year’s “Best Art Gallery in Minnesota” by the readers of the Star Tribune. The gallery features the large scale contemporary fine art of Michele Villaume-Driscoll VIS ’81. She and her husband ED DRISCOLL ’79 and their sons EDWARD IV ’17 and MICHAEL ’21 all run different aspects of the gallery. www.MicheleVillaume-Driscoll.art

1980s

Congratulations to BILL WALSH ’84 for being sworn in for his third term on the White Bear Lake City Council.

DAVID HOTTINGER ’85 caught up with PAT MILLER ’86 in Colorado.

KEVIN LOVEGREEN ’87 released his 20th children’s book “Fishing for Monsters” under Kevin’s brand “Lucky Luke’s Adventure”. This adventure includes Uncle Vern ’85. Kevin continues to lead elementary school assemblies to excite students about reading and outdoor adventures. kevinlovegreen.com

For 90 years, Jax Cafe in northeast Minneapolis has served up steaks, seafood and memories. “It feels great. We survived a lot, especially the last five years. You never know in this industry, right? Some great restaurants have come and gone and neighborhoods have changed and gone up and down. So to be here for 90 years is impressive,” said owner BILL KOZLAK ’87

1990s

JOHN MATTHEWS ’90, retired from the Sioux Falls Police DepartmentNarcotics Unit in January 2022, is currently with the Lincoln County State’s Attorney’s Office as a Criminal Investigator. John has been married to his wife, Sherri for 25 years (CONGRATS!) and his son, Jake, is currently training in the Air Force to become a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) operator.

JUDD SPICER ’94 is an author and co-host of “the Press Box” radio show (ESPN 103.9, Palm Springs, CA).

Congratulations to JON SCHMIDT ’95 on being appointed by Governor Walz to serve as a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Jon most recently led the criminal appellate team and complex financial crimes team at the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Prior to that, he was a shareholder at Briggs and Morgan. Jon lives in Saint Paul with his wife, Sara Grewing, and their two kids.

Congratulations to DAVID RAIH ’99 on joining the coaching staff of the Washington Commanders.

2000s

MAJ. JOSEPH KELLY ’00 assumed command of the 2-135 Infantry Batallion on 21 January 2024. He had served most recently as the safety officer for the HHC 1/34 Brigade Combat Team. Congratulations, Joe.

PATRICK GRAMITH ’01 lives in Michigan where he is a Family Practice doctor, husband to Christina (also a doctor), father of two boys, and a soccer coach.

1990s

The 1998 STA State Champion basketball team was honored at the February 23 basketball game vs. Two Rivers. Side note: the Cadets won the game in overtime 72-69!

CASCARANO ’00 and JOHN HAMES ’00 met up in Colorado with their kids to

STEPHEN REESE ’07 and Sarah Lehman were married June 2023, at Holy Name of Jesus, Wayzata with reception following at Wayzata County Club. The couple resides in Edina, MN. Congratulations Stephen and Sarah.

Congratulations to TYLER HUNTER ’06! Tyler has earned the privilege of representing taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service by passing a three-part comprehensive IRS test covering individual and business tax returns earning their “Enrolled Agent” status. This is the highest credential offered by the IRS.

Congrats to Dr. TIM MCMANUS ’07 for his work at the NFL combine.

After nearly seven years as a policy staffer on Capitol Hill, KEEGAN ZIMPRICH ’13 joined U.S. Bank as Vice President, Federal Government Relations.

On December 2, 2023, SAM GABRIELLI ’13 had the opportunity to not only give a college gameday forecast but also to present live interviews as part of pregame coverage on WHAS11 for the Governor’s Cup.

Congratulations to JOHN LAMB ’13 on his new position of Vice President, Global Investment Banking, at Baird.

JACK LEE ’09 is happy to share that he has been promoted to Senior Specialty Sales Representative and Field Sales Trainer at Mayne Pharma.

2010s

DOUG VANASEK ’12

married Molly Levi, CDH class of 2011, on October 6, 2023 at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church in Saint Paul, MN. Congratulations Doug and Molly.

Congratulations to ETHAN RASMUSSEN ’12 on starting a new position as Principal Consultant, Enterprise at Clari.

CONNOR DUFFY ’15 spoke to Mr. Simmons’ finance class about investment banking and the steps one needs to take to succeed in getting into that field. Duffy who previously worked at Guggenheim Partners in New York City as an investment banker, now works at Citadel in Greenwich, Connecticut focused on Hedge Fund management. Duffy graduated from Cornell University in 2020 with a degree in Applied Economics.

45 members of the CLASS OF 2008 and their families gathered for their class reunion the night before Thanksgiving. Cheers to 15 years!

DAN

hit the slopes at Beaver Creek, CO.

Congratulations to ALEC BROETZMAN ’15. Michigan Tech put out a video on Alec’s achievements over the past few years. He’s now an Assistant Hockey Coach for the Huskies. Link: www.youtubeeducation.com/ watch?v=2BGzDuBUDww

Congratulations to MAC BROWN ’16, on being named to Randy Shaver’s All-Time All-Metro Football Team.

2010s

JACOB GEREND ’17 is excited to share several recent milestones in his professional development. In December 2023, he graduated from Viterbo University with a Masters of Sciences degree in clinical mental health counseling. His gratitude to his STA mentors that made this journey possible is immeasurable. He also recently started a new position as a psychotherapist at Greenhaven Therapy, LLC.

Pfc JACK KILLIAN ’18 completed the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP) and is now an Army Ranger stationed with the 75th Ranger Regiment at Ft. Moore, GA.

Colorado College hockey team named Team of the Week by College Hockey Network; congrats to RAY CHRISTY ’18, CHASE FOLEY ’18, and the rest of the team.

Congrats to LUKE HERZOG ’19 who was named the PFL Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2021, on earning his first PFL weekly honor this season.

DONALD HAU ’19 recently accepted a new position as an RF Engineer at Kratos Defense & Rocket Support Solutions, Inc. Congratulations, Donald.

Congratulations to ALEX TANGEN ’12 who married Jordie on September 15, 2023. They had a wonderful ceremony and reception at the Machine Shop in Minneapolis where they celebrated with their family and friends, including some of Alex’s closest friends from the class of 2012 who were in the wedding.

KEVIN GUST ’12, JOHN GOULD ’12, ANDREW MAYLEBEN ’15, MICHAEL SMILANICH ’14, and PAT MCFADDEN ’13 were all at a wedding in Naples.

Congratulations to ALEXANDER PLUNKETT ’14 on his marriage to Shannon Dolan on October 6, 2023. Classmates NILS BOBERG ’14 and TONY SIREK ’14 attended the beautiful North Shore wedding.

Congratulations to JAMES RILEY ’14 and Azura (Rudd) Riley on their recent August wedding in Santa Barbara, CA.

MAX CARVER ’20 is part of the ROTC program at St. John’s University. He spoke to about 100 5th graders at Matoska International School (White Bear Lake) about ROTC and service as a path to becoming a veteran in honor of Veterans Day.

ERIC ZAUHA ’23, BOBBY CUNNINGHAM ’22, JACK SEXTON ’21, LUKE PUCEL ’23, and EMMETT WOLF ’23 all had the opportunity to catch up. Great to see the brotherhood extending outside the walls of the Academy.

KEVIN MURPHY ’21 is excited to announce that in January he started an internship with BDO’s state and local tax (SALT). He is thrilled to be part of an innovative and dynamic team.

JACK FYTEN ’22 on the top of Mt Elbert.

WILL BENSON ’22 recently had the opportunity to appear on “Conservative Conversations” with the Intercollegiate Studies Institute to discuss the role of Catholics in American politics and the future of the conservative movement.

STA Alumni and Friends connected at Collier’s Reserve Country Club in Naples, FL.

The Saint Thomas Academy Choir and soloist

KELLAN CRAGG ’25 lifted the roof with the voices on the arrangement of AMEN a well known Gospel by Jester Hairston.

Coach Mike Sjoberg was inducted in to the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at the Minneapolis Hyatt Regency Hotel. Sjoberg passed away in 2021.

Please send your contributions to Class Notes by one of three ways: alumni@cadets.com

2020s

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.

Joe Schneider ’46 November 2023

Donald Ryan ’47 January 2023

Tom Clements ’48 March 2024

William Dorsey ’49 October 2023

John Archibald ’50 October 2023

Stephen Scallen ’50 January 2024

Frank Shaw ’50 March 2024

Lawrence Kane ’51 November 2023

Gerald McManus ’51 December 2023

John Russell ’51 January 2024

J. Peter Ritten (honorary) ’51 January 2024

Robert Dick ’52 November 2023

William Stenger ’53 December 2023

John Volk ’53

January 2024

Richard McKenna ’53 January 2024

Francis Wacker ’53 March 2024

Peter Morgan ’54 October 2023

Peter Lynch ’54 February 2024

Truman Johnson ’56 March 2024

Nestor Weigand, Jr. ’56 November 2023

Roger Freeberg ’57 October 2023

Thomas Nelson ’61 March 2024

Lawrence Weinzetl ’61 November 2023

Norman Gellerman ’62 October 2023

Michael O’Brien ’63 October 2023

John White ’64 November 2023

Stephen Johnson ’65 April 2024

Michael Kelleher ’65 September 2023

Richard Mack ’66 January 2024

Mark Conrad ’68 November 2023

Donald Huber ’69 January 2024

Joseph Hamel ’70 February 2024

Craig Barry ’72 January 2024

John Paulson ’72

April 2024

Thomas Niedermaier ’74

November 2023

Mark Sabre ’74

November 2023

Edward Eichler ’75 October 2023

Paul Glotzbach ’80

December 2023

Thomas Mich ’80

January 2024

David Dwyer ’86

April 2024

Jon Kazek ’86

October 2023

Harrison Paster ’89 February 2024

Courtney Loeffler ’94 April 2024

Nathan Keller ’15 November 2023

Bennett Kotok ’23

January 2024