MAN OF THE YEAR 2016

Mr. Jack R. Fitzgerald ‘69

Growing up, Jack attended both Little Flower and St. Thomas More Grammar Schools and graduated in 1965. Since Jack's Dad (Bob) graduated Leo in 1942, and had played in the famous Leo Marching Band as a trumpeter and since his Uncle (Bob Smith) graduated in 1949, and was a football and basketball star at Leo also, choosing Leo was a no brainer for Jack. Jack graduated Leo in 1969 where he played Lightweight Basketball and Baseball during his years as a student. Jack was back at Leo in 1973 student-teaching and coaching Frosh/Soph basketball and Varsity baseball during his senior year at Lewis University. He was hired as a full time teacher the next year and taught U.S. History and Government for the next 19 years. In 1976, Jack was hired as the Head Coach of the basketball team fulfilling an ambition he had stated in his 1969 Leo yearbook.

During Jack's 17 years as Leo's Head Coach, he compiled a record of 315-148 winning the Catholic League Championship 4 times when you had to face every team at least once. His team also won a North Section Championship when the league decided to break into conferences in 1990. Jack's teams also won 4 Regional Championships and 2 Sectional Championships and was the Catholic League's most dominant power throughout most of the 1980's. Jack also served as Dean of Students and Dean of Faculty during his tenure at Leo.

Jack went on to teach at Community High School District 218 for 20 years where he was the Head Basketball Coach at Richards H.S. (Oak Lawn) for 6 years compiling a 125-43 record and winning 4 Regional championships and a Sectional Championship, then stepping down to experience coaching at the college level as Assistant Coach to Leo legend Tom O'Malley for 6 years at Saint Xavier University where the Cougars were invited to the National NAIA Tournament 5 of those 6 years.

Jack has been inducted into the Leo Hall of Fame, the Catholic League Hall of Fame, the Lewis University Hall of Fame, and Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. He retired from teaching in 2013, but still is involved in basketball as a Midwestern Scout for the NBA's Miami Heat since 2006. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Leo H.S. and the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA). Jack has been married to his wife Patty since 1989 and Patty's daughter Kelly has provided them with 3 wonderful grandchildren, Luke, Faith, and Cate.

Community Service Award

Robert C. Hennessy ‘73

Bob Hennessy hails from St. Margaret of Scotland Parish. He is the eighth child in a family of nine children. Bob graduated from Leo High School in 1973. A four year honor student at Leo, he was a member of the swim team and played water polo. Bob attended Knox College for one year and played on the Knox College Hockey Club. He then transferred to Illinois State University, where he majored in Speech Communications. Bob currently works as a Broker and Vice President at Simborg Industrial Real Estate LLC. Bob has over 13 years of brokerage experience in industrial real estate, commercial real estate, and commercial property management.

In 2011 he was recognized for his dedication to community service and was inducted into the Northeast Region Jaycees Hall of Fame. Bob currently serves his Mokena community as an elected Trustee of the Mokena Fire Protection District. As a trustee, he played an integral part in the planning and building of Mokena’s third fire station.

He is well known for his community service, and currently serves as the 62nd President of the Mokena Lions Club. Whether working as chairman of the annual pancake breakfast, delivering food baskets, working Lions Candy Day, or the Firecracker Dance, Bob is always busy serving the community.

Bob and his wife, Allison, have three grown children and two beautiful granddaughters.

Dr. Driscoll Award

Dr. Timothy S. Wollner ‘75

A 1975 Graduate of Leo High School Tim came to Leo from Our Lady of the Ridge Grammar School. While at Leo Tim was a four year Honor Roll student while playing Football all four years. Tim also was a three year member of the student council and even boxed one year. Upon leaving Leo Tim attended Millikin University, Medical School at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Residency at McNeal Hospital. After last season, Tim stepped down as Leo team doctor. Twenty-five years ago Dr Driscoll came to Tim’s office and asked him to take over as team doctor. As any Leo man would do Tim accepted and spent the next 25 years honoring his request. He has spent countless hours and given much financial support to Leo High School while still running a very successful practice. Tim epitomizes our motto Facta Non Verba.

Tim has currently taken a position at Rush University Medical Center and will begin yet another mission there while always showing an extraordinary commitment and devotion to further the mission of Leo High School.

Hall of Fame 2016

Larry Bahnaman ‘60

Larry came to Leo by way of St. Justin Martyr parish. Graduating in 1960, he played Bantam basketball, was a class officer, and participated in numerous committees and clubs. After graduating, Larry went to work for AT&T where he progressed through and up the lines of the organization, holding prominent roles as District Manager for the 10 state Great Lakes Region Technical Support Center, chief council on field operations to company presidents and directors, and finishing his 37 year career in the Labor Relations organization as mediator between Lucent Technologies and IBEW Local 134.

Larry was very active outside of his job. He played competitive 16-inch softball for over 30 years, was very successful as both a little league baseball coach and for 10 years, as a football coach for the Tinley Park Bulldogs youth football program. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Brook Hills West Town Home Association.

He and his wife of 52 years, Kathy have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. They reside in Orland Park and are members of St. Mary of Mokena parish where they are very active in groups and volunteer work.

A strong supporter of Leo throughout his life, he was an active member of his 50th class reunion committee which resulted in a large representation of his class at the banquet. He also organizes very popular “mini reunions” for his classmates twice a year. Currently a director of the Alumni Association, he took an active role in organizing and promoting the annual LeoGolf Outing. Assisting his good friend Rich Furlong as Co-Chairman, he worked relentlessly in the administration of the outing, while adopting new ideas and strategies in an effort to make the outing more attractive to our alumni. It worked. Attendance increased from about 175 golfers to over 275 in 4 years making it the largest and most popular outing of all the Catholic League Schools. The increased profits from the outing are used by the Alumni Association in their ongoing support of Leo High School. Larry is a proud Leo Man, as proud of the present goals of the school as he was of its past accomplishments.

Mary Burke

I have been in the graphic arts business for more than 30 years. In that time, I have developed a wide collection of work, including graphic design for websites, magazines, and corporate literature; photography and photo art direction for marketing presentations and advertising campaigns; production management and supervision for a line of travel magazines; and production of various multi-phase

projects. Companies and organizations I have worked for include: American Catholic Press, American Hospital Association, Archdiocese of Chicago, Catholic Charities, Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch, Donovan Entertainment, Illinois Spina Bifida Association, Marquette National Bank, Rand McNally, School Sisters of Notre Dame, Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of St. Joseph of La-Grange, and South Loop Chamber of Commerce. I have developed projects for schools including Academy of Our Lady, Guerin Prep, Lourdes, Maria, Mother McAuley, Mount Carmel, Morgan Park and Leo. Former board member of the Academy of Our Lady and advisory board member for the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

I love Leo. I see the wonderful things that are happening there and I’m proud to contribute to this great school.

Bill Conlon ‘63

Bill is a member of the law firm of Sidley Austin. Bill grew up in St. Laurence Parish. After graduation from Leo, Bill attended Indiana University and then the University of Illinois College of Law.

After finishing law school in 1970, Bill went in the Army for 2 years, practiced law for two years and then in 1974, joined the United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago. After 5 years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bill joined Sidley Austin.

Bill is married to Patsy Habicht. Bill has two children –Alison, who is a Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, and Thomas, who is a doctor at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. There are 3 grandchildren and a fourth expected in June.

Bill looks back on his years at Leo with great fondness. Men like Jim Arnenberg, Bob Hanlon, Brother Coogan, Brother Comack and many others had a great influence on Bill as did his classmates and teammates in the Class of ‘63 and those classes that surrounded that year. In recognition of that fact, all Leo Men in the Class of ‘63 share this award.

Coe Francis (Posthumously) ‘66

A Graduate of Sacred Heart Grammar School, Coe enjoyed fishing with his dad, hunting, carpentry, ice skating and family vacations. His love for life was immeasurable.

While attending Leo High School, Coe quarterbacked the varsity football team and the team won the Catholic League South Championship. During his senior year he was designated quarterback of Chicago’s American’s All Star Team and the All-Catholic League team for the City of Chicago. He was truly an all-star both on and off the field. A great leader who had the respect and admiration of everyone who knew him, he received numerous college scholarships and decided on his home state to attend the University of Illinois Champaign staying close to family and friends.

During his short life he touched the hearts of so many, making lasting friendships that to this day keep his memory alive and well.

Martin E. Murphy ‘34

Born 11/3/1916 Martin was the third of seven kids born to Lawrence & Elizabeth. Born & raised in Englewood until 1963 when he moved to Beverly.

Drafted into the Army during WW2 in 1945 at the age of 29. After the Army Martin worked for the Post office for over 30 years until he retired in 1973. In his spare time Martin delivered Meals on Wheels for the City as volunteer with his wife in the 1980s for almost 10 years. Most of the people they were delivering to were younger than them. Martin also was an usher for years at both Sacred Heart & St. John Fisher Churches Married Anne McGuire in June 1940 they were married 71 years until she passed away in 2011.

The Murphy’s raised 3 children & put them all through Catholic grammar & high school. Jim (Sacred Heart & Brother Rice) Beth (Sacred Heart Grammar & High School) Mary Ellen (Sacred Heart & Academy of our Lady). He has 4 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren & countless nieces, nephews, great nieces & great nephews.

After the Army Martin worked for the Post office for over 30 years until he retired in 1973. In his spare time Martin delivered Meals on Wheels for the City as volunteer with his wife in the 1980s for almost 10 years. Most of the people they were delivering to were younger than them. Martin also was an usher for

years at both Sacred Heart & St. John Fisher Churches Married Anne McGuire in June 1940 they were married 71 years until she passed away in 2011.

The Murphy’s raised 3 children & put them all through Catholic grammar & high school. Jim (Sacred Heart & Brother Rice) Beth (Sacred Heart Grammar & High School) Mary Ellen (Sacred Heart & Academy of our Lady.) He has 4 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren & countless nieces, nephews, great nieces & great nephews.

Raymond J. Siegel ‘65

Ray Siegel grew up in St. Margaret of Scotland with four brothers and a sister. He came to Leo in 1963 after two years at St. Ignatius, graduating in 1965. He was Co-Captain of the 1964 Leo footballers along with the late Frank Brandys. Ray shared the 1964 Leo Football Scholar athlete award with Don Gehr and he was voted to the All-City, All-Catholic, the Chicago Tribune-Coca Cola All-Stars, and Special Mention All-State teams as a tackle.

After graduating from Leo, Ray attended St. Joseph’s College and played under Leo’s legendary Jim Arneberg (Class of 1943). Ray refers to his two years spent with Coach Arneberg as an awesome experience. He also added that Coach Arneberg is a man that he and his St. Joe teammates will never forget, they talk about him whenever they gather. Ray received a BS in Finance from St. Joe’s in 1965.

After graduating from St. Joe’s, he and his wife, Lynn, headed off to Northern Illinois University. He taught Accounting while a teaching assistant and he and Lynn both graduated in 1971, Ray with an MBA and Lynn with her teaching degree. After teaching Accounting and Finance at Eastern Michigan University for a few years, he and Lynn returned to Chicago where Ray began his business career in Evanston, IL with the troubled mini-conglomerate APECO. While at APECO, Ray identified strategic purchasers for and negotiated the sale of manufactured housing facilities and retail marine operations. He also contributed to the resolution of several troubled situations. In 1980 he joined Comdisco, Inc. located in Rosemont, IL. During his first 10 years at Comdisco, Comdisco grew at 50% compounded growth rate. Prior to beginning the Global Treasury Department in 1987, he was part of the R&D team at Comdisco developing unique structures to finance Comdisco’s multi-billion-dollar computer mainframe leasing and computer trading operations. Starting in 1987, he aggressively built an internationally recognized corporate finance team for Comdisco. The team dealt with an array of capital market issues, complicated tax structures, cross-border financings, complex bank negotiations, asset backed securities, and international money market structures. Eventually, that team structured and negotiated many billions of dollars in financing across 22 different currencies. In 1992, Business International, the research arm of The Economist, included Comdisco’s Finance Team in its list of the top 50 creative Global Finance Departments. By 1992, Comdisco had grown to be the largest independent leasing company in the world.

Ray founded RJS Associates, Ltd in early 1995 to specialize in Corporate Financial Consulting. Some of his clients have included: ABN AMRO Bank, American Express, A.J. Gerrard & Company, Comdisco, Inc., Electro Source, General Aviation, Lazard-Freres, Price Waterhouse/ Coopers, Pulver Systems, Inc., Sexton Companies, The Seidler Companies, Zenith Electronics, and Carl Buddig and Company. In 1996, Ray also co-founded Global Securitization Services, LLC a New York based provider of services to

the Asset Securitization Industry. Global has offices in Manhattan and Long Island. A strong believer in life long education, Ray earned an MM from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management in 1998. Ray was the Class Salutatorian of his graduating class at Kellogg.

He was a member of the adjunct graduate faculty at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois for over 12 years and has taught for over 9 years in Executive MBA Programs at both Brno University of Technology in Brno, Czech Republic and Nicolas Kopernicus University in Torun, Poland. Ray stated there is nothing like interacting with graduate students in former communist countries to wake you up as to how fragile freedom is.

Ray and Lynn have been honored by St. Vincent de Paul Center for their work at St. Vincent’s annual gala. Their son, Patrick, owns and operates Robusto & Briar, a cigar and pipe emporium, in Lakewood, Ohio. Currently, Mr. Siegel is finalizing the liquidation of 221 Partners Fund, LP. and working on multi-national distributive energy projects with INAV Group out of Chicago. The Siegels divide their time between homes in Edwards, CO, and Winnetka, IL. He also would like us to know that his dad, Raymond F. Siegel, taught history at Leo during the 1945-46 school year.

Chris Watson ‘95

Chris Watson was born June 30, 1977 in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Mayo Elementary School in 1992, attended Simeon High school for one year before transferring to Leo Catholic High School where he participated in Boys Track and Field and Varsity Football. His track and football interests started at Anderson Park when he was just eight years old. Prior to graduating from Leo in 1995, he was a participant on the Leo High School’s Class AA IHSA Boys Track and Field Meet team that won the overall State Championship for Illinois.

After graduating from Leo High School he was awarded a full scholarship in football to attend Eastern Illinois University where he also received high honors in Track and Field. His major field of study at Eastern Illinois was K-12 Education with a minor in Business. He was drafted by the NFL Denver Broncos in 1999, played for the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and ended his professional football career with the Green Bay Packers in 2006. His charitable contributions consist of freelance coaching, counseling and spiritual guidance to youth in life choices and sports activities.

Edward H. White ‘52

Ed White was one of the few Leo guys at the time to come from a parish, where almost everyone went to Mt. Carmel. Ed traveled to Leo by streetcar from St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Woodlawn. Ed played on the Lights and Heavies basketball team and also played on the frosh-soph football team. Ed continued his love of Basketball by coaching for over 20 years at St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher Grammar schools winning over 80% of their games. When not coaching Basketball, Ed had a successful career with the city of Chicago for over 20 years before retiring. Ed is also a serious golfer. Ask any of the Alumni who attend the Golf Outing. You may have seen Ed. He was the guy you may have seen climbing the tree on the 14th fairway. He was retrieving his 7 iron he threw after a bad swing. Ed has been a strong supporter of Leo and has attended the many Alumni functions, like the Alumni supported basketball games. Ed is also a great supporter of Leo Hall of Fame Tom O’Malley and St. Xavier’s basketball program. Ed’s Leo buddies look upon Ed as The Historian of Catholic League history. If we don't know who or what happened in past history, we call Ed. Ed is happily married to Mary and has 4 wonderful children, Sheila, Lisa, Maria and Steven.