Man
of the Year 2008
Robert W. Foster 
Class
of ' 58
In 1926, The Congregation of
Christian Brothers staffed Leo High School in the Archdiocese of Chicago. From that year until 1991, the Irish
Christian Brothers educated and molded the characters of many generations of
young men from Chicago’s south side.
Most of the young men were first or second generation Irish Americans
and many Leo graduates became some of the most influential leaders in American
religious life, business affairs, and public service. Thomas A. Murphy ’33 became Chairman of the
Board of General Motors. Thomas Gerrity
Leo ’30 was a Four-Star General in the Air Force and was Logistics Commander of
the United Nations. Robert Podesta ’30
was named Assistant Secretary of Commerce by President Nixon. Leadership among Leo men continues through
men like Andrew McKenna ’47, CEO of Schwarz Paper, Donald Flynn ’56, President
of Flynn Enterprises and co-founder of Waste Management & Blockbuster Video,
James Hallberg ’69, CEO of Insure One, and William Koloseike ’45, CEO of Bill
Kay Chrysler and Chevrolet.
Robert W. Foster ’58 grew up a few blocks from Leo and almost from his
baptism was immersed in Leo’s traditions of success in the classroom, the
athletic field, and in the community.
Leo was the school of winners.
Leo captured the Catholic League
Championships in football and basketball in the 1930’s and 40’s, as well as the
National Catholic Championship in 1941.
Bob Foster continued in the winning traditions playing on the 1956 City Championship
Football Team. Upon graduation from Leo,
Mr. Foster won a scholarship to Purdue University, earning a Bachelor of
Science in Social Studies. With his
degree and football experience, Bob Foster returned to Leo as a teacher and
coach in 1962. Later he was hired to
coach at Little Flower High School to the immediate west of Leo and gave that
school its first winning football season.
From there Bob Foster was hired away to Mount Carmel and later St.
Rita. In 1970, Bob Foster returned to
Leo and remains to this day.
In 1991, Leo High School needed a
strong leader with links to the school’s rich past and influential Alumni; that
person was Bob Foster. As the first lay
Principal of Leo High School, Foster called upon Leo men who are among the most
powerful and influential corporate and civic board members to offer advice and
support. That support helped Foster
eliminate a deficit and build confidence in Leo High School beyond the Alumni. In 1997, Robert W. Foster was appointed
President and CEO of Leo High School by the Archdiocese of Chicago.
The Alumni response has been
significant. Powerful corporate captains
and venture capitalists helped line up support for his school. The mission statement was matched by the activities
in the school. Discipline was tightened,
but fairly meted out. Mentoring became
as important as pedagogy. Student
efforts are reinforced by the constant message that they should expect to
succeed. The capital raised by Foster
and Leo Alumni went into student financial aid and the improvement of the
physical plant, which had been neglected for many years. The school is generated by pride.
Leo is not an ivory tower. It is a sharp edged five-story place of
educational business. Students who want
to succeed come to Leo. Many have been
turned away from Catholic high schools with national reputations for
excellence. Many freshmen score well
below the 40th percentile of the national average on entrance exams;
but, eighty percent of those admitted to Leo graduate and 93% of Leo’s
graduates are accepted by colleges and universities. Leo students are not affluent. They come from very tough neighborhoods,
characterized by gang violence, drugs, and despair. They come from families that hope and have
faith. Leo’s tuition remains the lowest
of the Archdiocesan high schools and the $5,000 tuition is a great sacrifice to
Leo families. This school boasts a 99%
tuition payment rate. Parents are active
in the education of the young men who attend Leo. The Alumni remains active in the support of
the school’s mission. Bob Foster is the
iron link that bonds the worlds of success and achievement. He preaches the gospel of focus and faith. Leo men can win because they are taught that
others will help them to succeed. The
fire within a young man’s soul is cupped from the winds of despair that blow
down 79th Street and gently fueled to burn with great passion within
the walls of Leo Catholic High School.
Robert W. Foster, a south side Irish
American, who grew up with dreams of one day coaching at Leo, teaches young men
to believe in themselves, succeed at what they hold to be their dreams, and
live lives that make a positive difference to themselves, their families, their
communities, and their country.
Community
Service 2008
Robert J. Sheehy Class of ' 71
Our community service recipient came
to Leo from St. Thomas More Parish. It
was while at Leo that Robert J. Sheehy began
to exhibit his propensity to become actively involved. He played four years of basketball, two years
of baseball including a trip to play in Comiskey Park to participate in the
Catholic League All Star Game his senior year.
It was in football where Bob
received his greatest athletic recognition.
In his senior year he helped lead the Lions to an overall record of 9 –
2 including an undefeated regular season.
At the end of the season he was honored by being named to the Catholic
League and All-State Teams, receiving the prestigious Tony Lawless Award, and being
named to the Parade Magazine and Coaches All American Teams! He continued his football career at Purdue
while earning his degree.
After graduation from Leo, Bob
attended Purdue where he obtained his degree in Industrial Management in
1975. He then continued his education at
the Worsham Mortuary College graduating in 1977.
It was shortly after that that Bob
began his extraordinary commitment to community involvement. One of his first ventures was involvement in
the Leo Alumni Association and he became president and served from 1982 – 1984. While serving as president, Bob was
responsible for starting the alumni smokers and golf outing. The Cadillac Raffle was begun under his
direction. He continues on the Board of
Directors of the Association and was the Alumni Association Man of the Year in
1996 and has also been installed in the Leo High School Hall of Fame.
Bob is president of the Robert J.
Sheehy & Sons Funeral Homes. He is
also very active in the community, professional, and chartable
organizations. Below are just some notable
examples.
State Bank of Countryside
Teamsters Local #727 Trust Funds
Trustee
Orland Park Open Lanes Community
Leo H.S. Advisory Board
Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago
Director
Illinois Funeral Directors Assoc.
Funeral Directors of Greater Chicago
Orland Park Chamber of Commerce
Father Perez K.C.
Executive Director of the
Mulliganers
Mulliganers is an organization
started by Bob and a few friends. It is
devoted to helping families with children who are ill or struggling because of
some form of financial hardship. Due to
the hard work of Bob and the others involved, this organization has distributed
over 3 million dollars, assisting more than 150 families since its inception.
Bob and his wife Kathleen live in
Orland Park with their two sons Matthew and Brenden.
Bob’s motto seems to be Facta non
Verba.
Hall of Fame 2008
H. Edward Barnicle Class of ' 59
When Leo High School needed to bring
a huge donation of office furniture and supplies from Ameritech, Ed Barnicle called Bob Foster and told him to save
some money. That was back in 1995 when Foster was making some headway with
eliminating Leo High School’s enormous debt and every nickel needed to be
squeezed for every drop.
Ed Barnicle ordered two 40’ tractor-trailers
and two very well salaried Teamsters to cart the load of donated tables,
chairs, filing cabinets, lamps, and couches that helped beautify the offices
and halls of Leo High School. Ed Barnicle did that for his school because
that is how he lives his life.
From St. Francis De Paula Parish, Ed
played football at Leo High School and then went on the United States Naval
Academy. Following his Naval Service, Mr. Barnicle took on the direction
of Dolphin Cartage, Inc. becoming the president of Dolphin in 1982. Ed
Barnicle’s work with Dolphin Cartage brought about his three terms as President
of the Chicago Region Trucking Association’s Man of the Year. Ed is also the
President and long time member of the Porsche Club of Chicago.
H. Edward Barnicle is the proud
father of Edward, Julie and Brian Barnicle. For his great and deep
commitment to Leo High School and the Broader community, Leo High School
welcomes H. Edard Barnicle to the Hall of Fame Class of 2008.
Hall of Fame 2008
Rich Budil Class of ' 54
Rich Budil came to Leo High School from St. Rita Grammar and became
one of the members of a powerful backfield on one of the greatest Leo High
School football teams ever. Along with
great football teammates like Gorman, Donahue, Hessian, Thoel, Vlazek and
Scwartz, Rich Budil stand out for his three touchdowns in the 40-0 romp over
Gordon Tech and the defeat of arch rival Mount Carmel for the South Section
Championship in Solder Field.
From Leo, Rich Budil went on the
University of Illinois and later University of Denver. Mr. Budil dedicated his life to serving youth
through athletics with Chicago Park District and through local school athletic
programs.
Rich Budil is a Director and member
of the Best Umpires Association and the Leo Alumni Association. Leo High School is proud to welcome Rich to
the 2008 Hall of Fame Class.
Hall of Fame 2008
William F. Fanning Class of ' 43
Leo High School President gets a
“pick-me-up” note from William F. Fanning
every month of so “Hi, Bob! I am so proud of the great work that continues at
Leo High School…& etc.” and usually stuffs the envelope with a
check. Bill Fanning still has and fits into the Letterman’s Sweater with
the L Monogram and “Flying Foot” of the 1943 Track Star.
Bill was fleet of foot and sound of
mind as he finished in the top five - #3, or 4 in the Class of 1943. Bill
keeps in close touch not only with his Leo High School classmates but also a
cadre of grammar school pals from St. Barnabas Parish.
After military service, Bill took
his degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign and went on to DePaul
University Law School. Mr. Fanning became a senior Vice-President for
Northern Trust Bank and remains a member of the Illinois Bar Association.
Bill Fanning will be unable to attend this year's Alumni Banquet due to a
family commitment, but sends his warmest regards to all the Leo High School
Family.
Hall of Fame 2008
Mike Joyce Class of ' 86
Mike Joyce came to Leo High School from St. Cajetan Parish and
developed a reputation as scholar / athlete. The late great Brother
Francis Rupert Finch called Mike Joyce one of the kindest, smartest and
toughest persons that he had ever met in his many decades of teaching and coaching
and mentoring the Men of Leo High School.
As well as football and academics,
Mike Joyce was a member of the National Honor Society and Student Council
Representative. However, it was coach Bob Galloway’s introduction to the
secrets of the “Sweet Science” that took root in Mike Joyce. Bob Galloway,
Chicago Police Officer, directed the Leo Boxing Club that produced Irish
Johnnie4 Collins and helped turn Mike Joyce into a professional Boxer in the
Cruise Weight Division. Trained by the great lightweight Hermann Mills,
Joyce tallied an 8-1-1 record as a Pro and developed into a boxing promoter.
While boxing took up a good deal of
his time, Mike earned academic laurels as well with a Bachelors Degree from St
Xavier University and a Law Degree from John Marshall. Mike Joyce is a
licensed attorney in the State of Illinois and worked in the Cook County States
Attorney Office under Dick Devine as the second director of Gene Sullivan’s
athletic core – Anti-gang drug program – S.T.O.P. Mike is on the Board of
Directors of Chicago land Sports Hall of Fame, Licensed Professional Boxing
Manager, Personal Injury and Sports Attorney (clients include Notre Dame
Football Team Captain and future NFL and Professional Heavyweight Boxer Tommy
Zbikowski), Young Irish Fellowship Club and the Leo Alumni Association.
Mike Joyce is a member of the Leo
High School Advisory Board and directs the Leo Boxing Program. Mike Joyce
is a great addition to the Leo Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame 2008
Kenneth Mason Class of ' 75
Kenneth Mason has maintained his position as a leader in making solid
financial contributions to Leo High School that grow with each level of success
in the business world to which he advances.
Leo High School President, Robert W.
Foster remarks “Kenny Mason always seems to be among the earliest and most
generous responses to any Campaign Leo or 21st Century mailing that
I issue. He has that same giving
sensibility as students at Leo.
From St. Helena of the Cross Parish
in Roseland, Kenneth Mason lettered in football, track and was member of the
dance committee.
Now a successful Chicago
businessman, Kenneth maintains his lead in giving back to Leo High School. Kenneth Mason of the Class of 19756 is a
great addition to the Leo High School Hall of Fame Class of 2008.
Hall of Fame 2008
Art Skinner Class of ' 48
Along with classmate Jerry
Tourville, Art Skinner represents the best
in Leo High School folklore – Jerry Tourville and Art Skinner held identical
100% pass and completion records in their junior year. However, the modest Mr. Skinner states “the
ball was not thrown as much back then.
Truly they are The Greatest Generation!”
From St. Christopher and Little
Flower Parishes, Art Skinner came to Leo High School in 1944 where he excelled
in athletics playing football all four years including the 1947 Championship
season and three years of basketball.
After Leo, Mr. Skinner went on to
the University of Notre Dame and then to San Francisco University. In 1951, Art Skinner was in the United States
Marine Corps and after boot camp was sent to Quantico Virginia training future
Marine Officers.
From 1957 until 2007 Art worked as a
member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #134 and
received the 50-year pin of service from that union.
Art is married to Phyllis and father
of five children, grandfather of ten and great grandfather of two. Art Skinner is a constant and passionate
supporter of Leo High School and it can safely be said that no Leo Alumni or
Leo High School function takes place without the presence and active support of
Art Skinner.
Hall of Fame 2008
Dan Stecich Class of ' 75
Dan Stecich came from St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish to Leo High
School and began a career of achievement as a student/athlete. Dan Stecich lettered in water polo. Swimming;
lettered in band; wrote and edited for the Oriole and the Lion and participated
in Intramurals.
Dan went on the University of
Okalahoma for a BBA in Finance and returned to Chicago to earn an MBA in
Finance from DePaul University.
Married to Patricia and father of
two daughters (Maggie and Therese) and a son (Danny), Dan always devoted time
to helping Leo High School with his time, treasure and talents. A member of the Leo Alumni Association Board
of Directors and a constant fixture in the stands of Leo athletic events, Dan
is a great addition to the Leo Hall of Fame Class of 2008.
Hall of Fame 2008
Gerald Tourville Class of ' 48
Gerald Tourville is an athlete and a public servant. Athletics and service have been the public
aspects of Jerry’s life, begun in the Chicago Roseland Community where he
attended Holy Rosary and St. Nicholas parish grammar schools before coming to
Leo High School.
As a scholar-athlete, Jerry
Tourville holds the record for the longest quick kick of 80 yards in the 1947
Catholic League Championship season.
Jerry played baseball and intramural basketball at Leo High School. He was also selected for the south section
All Star Football team and also the Swim Team which experience would serve him
well years later.
In 1948, Jerry was named co-captain
of the University of Colorado football team and tied as the team’s leading
scorer. Transferring to St. Michael’s
College in Santa Fe, NM in 1950, Tourville excelled as football co-captain,
leading scorer and MVP as well as baseball captain and MVP.
Jerry’s college athleticism was
interrupted by the Korean War and thirteen months in Korea with the United
States Marine Corps – 1951-1954.
Upon return from service, Jerry
completed his education at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado and began
his near forty years of service to the Chicago Park District as physical
education instructor and Park Supervisor for Sherman, Bensley, McGuane, Palmer
and Mt. Greenwood Parks. In 1970, Jerry
saved the life of infant Darrin Taylor and was awarded the Chicago Park
District Merit Award. Jerry’s public
service merited him awards from Sertoma, Knights of Columbus, Mt. Greenwood
Lions, many Parish and Church awards and recognitions, as well as service as a
teacher of physical education with St. Anthony, St. Cajetan, and Holy Rosary
schools. In all of his full life of
service Jerry always put in many hours of service to Leo High School and the
Leo Alumni Association – which are pleased to name Gerald “Jerry” Tourville to
the 2008 Hall of Fame Class.