Volume 31, No. 1 Winter 2019
The Road Home ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 2017-2018 HONOR ROLL OF DONORS
You won’t want to miss
Saturday, April 27, 2019 Farrand Hall Gymnasium
The Place to be During Spring Families Weekend!
This premier fundraiser features: • A great social atmosphere • Delicious food
• Fabulous silent auction with mobile bidding • And more!
Individual tickets
are $90 until April 1 or $105 thereafter. Cadet tickets are always $65.
Contact Cindy Trione, director of
donor relations and special events, at (262) 646-7289 or ctrione@sjnma.org to volunteer, donate an auction item, and/or become an Excalibur sponsor.
Auction proceeds benefit every cadet, teacher, program, and department at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy!
SJNMA Commencement & Reunion Weekend 2019 SJNMA honored class years: MAY 23-26, 2019 1944–75th, 1969–50th, 1994–25th, 2009–10th
Save these dates and start making your travel plans.
The Academy cordially invites all alumni and their families to return to campus to watch the Field of Flags ceremony, attend the Founders’ Memorial Service, join the OBAA Luncheon and Dinner, and march in the Old Boys Parade to welcome the class of 2019 to your ranks. Honored class years will have their photos taken. Watch for future mailings for a complete schedule. Call the Alumni Office at (262) 646-7220 or (800) 234-9097, or register online at www.sjnma.org/reunion.cfm for the OBAA Luncheon and Dinner.
The SJNMA Cadet Store is your first place for official SJNMA logo wear and specialty gifts. We have custom items for our alumni and cadets as well as family and friends. New items at the SJNMA Cadet Store include a women’s white vest and men’s slate gray vest ($54 each). We also have phone accessories, cuff links, money clips, and more! All major credit cards accepted. PHONE (262)
646-7133
EMAIL cadetstore@sjnma.org
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Editor-in-Chief Jaime L. Buege
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Contributors
Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. LTC James Kebisek Anita Kopaczewski H2009 Nicole Rutherford Perry Siebers H1997 Cindy A. Trione Eric Wozniak, Ph.D.
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy 1101 Genesee St., Delafield, WI 53018 (800) 752-2338 www.sjnma.org The Beacon is published two times per year by the Advancement Department of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy. The editorial staff welcomes your ideas and comments. Please submit correspondence to the editor at jbuege@sjnma.org.
Board of Trustees
Jack H. Albert Jr. D.Min., Academy President Dr. Crain Bliwas N1965, Chair Joe LaRocca N1969, Vice Chair Fred Leach S1974, Vice Chair Bard Boand N1967, Secretary Michael F. Henn H2016, Treasurer
Members
Lee Breitkopf S1973 Andrew Filipowski S1968 Joseph Giammanco N1970 Bill Hummel N1968 Charles Krametbauer S1978 Randy Lauer Anthony Lazzara S1948 John Leone The Rt. Rev. Steven Miller Kenneth Schneider Kathy Snodell H2018 Lilah Stangeland H1999 Ricky Tan 1999 John D. Wietzel S1964
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THOUGHTS ON THE ROAD HOME At the end of this school year, Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. will retire after 15 years as president of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy. He shares his thoughts and reflects on the Academy’s successes during his tenure as he begins his road home. SERVICE BEFORE SELF As battalion commander of the 135th Corps of Cadets, First Captain Alan Cameron 2019 discusses why he enrolled at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy, what motivated him to become first captain, and the leadership lessons he has learned along the way. HONORING ACADEMY HEROES Each November, St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy honors our nation’s veterans with a special ceremony. This year, we recognize five Academy graduates from different branches of the United States Armed Forces for their service to our country.
2017-2018 Honor Roll of Donors Following Page 22 The Academy recognizes all the donors who gave during the last fiscal year.
Departments
2 This Side 3 Front & Center 14 Esprit de Corps 18 Development Update 23 Philanthropy 24 International Connections 27 Old Boys Alumni Association
28 Alumni Office Update 30 Inspiring Alumni 32 Alumni News 35 Military Men in Service 36 Taps 38 Glimpses from the Past
On the Cover Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. walks from the parade field toward his office in DeKoven Hall in October 2018 reflecting on his 15 years as Academy president.
Corrections: In the summer 2018 issue of The Beacon, David Chapman N1968 was inadvertently identified as David Chaffee N1968 in the third row of the 50th class reunion photo on page 26. In addition, Dee Nierzwicki’s bed and breakfast, Pedal’rs Inn, was misspelled on page 33. The editorial staff of The Beacon apologizes for these errors.
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This Side
Office of the President St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
I have written “This Side” in this space of The Beacon for the last 15 years. It has always been important to me to share thoughts and ideas with our readers using this place holder in each edition. While “This Side” means exactly what it would suggest, it has in my own life a far greater meaning or experience. When I was in my junior year of college, I had the opportunity to travel to Botswana, Africa, with an independent group known as Operation Crossroads Africa. This Peace Corps-like group enabled American youth to travel to Africa to work on projects under the auspices of African supervisors. We had to raise our own funds for the trip; an experience of a lifetime. It was from Operation Crossroads Africa that President John F. Kennedy modeled our country’s own Peace Corps. My journey took me to Botswana and into the Kalahari Desert to assist in the building of a teacher’s hut. Seventeen of us from the United States and Canada worked together in Sehitwa Village. We were housed in a small school compound, did our cooking outside, bathed in the local lake, and often read and wrote by the light of a coal oil lamp. We had access to a shortwave radio on which we listened to Voice of America announce the launching and successful landing of man’s initial trip to the moon. With us was a group of African workers who lived in the village. Each evening after work, one of the workers would take the path to the compound fence, stop at the gate, look back, and say, “Come this side.” He wanted us to go with him to visit friends in the village, all of whom lived in simple huts throughout the dirt roads of the town. One day, I went “this side” with my new friend. It was here that my life changed; a young boy from the mountains of West Virginia who had never flown in an airplane before was set down 15,000 miles from his home in the dusty roads of an African village with a new set of friends and experiences. It was by going “this side” I saw the world with a new set of eyes and feelings. It has been my hope that writing these articles for The Beacon has in some small way helped all of us change or think about our world in different, but meaningful ways, especially given the challenging times all of us experience as we seek effective ways to educate and mentor young people. Thank you for going “this side.”
Jack H. Albert Jr. D.Min. H2015
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Front & Center
Making History: St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy Welcomes Young Women This is a historic year as St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy is officially coed! On September 3, 2018, the 135th Corps of Cadets formed outside the Noble Victory Memorial Chapel. We welcomed the initial group of 11 young women who answered the call and chose to join our ranks. (Another young woman enrolled three days later increasing the count to 12.) Leadership lives here! Pictured left to right, front row: Cadets Nikayla Eastman 2022, Carmen Butler 2023, Isabella Hansen 2021, Doris Crosby 2022, Ella Butzer 2020, Brishanna Malysa 2023, First Captain Alan Cameron 2019, Dr. Albert, Cadets Olivia Hennes 2024, Zoie Dana 2021, Ellie Allen 2020, Jah’Shanay Reed 2022 and Caitlynn Curtis 2021 (not pictured: Cadet Braidlyn Tackett 2022)
The Historic 135th Corps of Cadets THE BEACON || St. St.John’s John’sNorthwestern NorthwesternMilitary MilitaryAcademy Academy
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Thoughts on W
e take many roads in our life. Some roads are rugged and some smooth by-ways. Other parts of our daily travel can be steep or traversed with a burden of care, and some walked with the joy of friends and family; others with lonely silence. I am often taken back to the country road memories of my home in the mountain valleys of West Virginia, and at times, I regret a “road not taken,” but oft as not I am thankful. I am now on my road home, stepping away from my adventures at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy, thankful for the experience and the opportunities.
“Who would not want to be part of something as significant in the lives of young people as the mission outlined by Rev. Smythe?”
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As I began this trip home, I requested space in The Beacon to reflect on these last 15 years. Candidly, this writing became very difficult for me. In fact, I began to suffer from writer’s block; very frustrating for someone who enjoys crafting and fashioning thoughts in documents and papers. Finally, it came to me that my struggle was because I was more focused on the “what” of my tenure instead of the “why.” The “what” of my time at the Academy is evident with many of the pictures accompanying this article. These images show things we were able to do with the guidance and resources of many people. These successes came about as we stood on the shoulders of those who came before us; those who built foundations upon which we could build. Hopefully these pictures paint an idea and become a platform for the next head of
school to use as his place upon which to construct the next level of success stories for St. John’s Northwestern Leadership Academies. The greater portion of this article shall be the “why” of military schools generally and St. John’s Northwestern particularly. To better discuss the “why,” let’s look at it from an historic perspective.
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n his book, Cadets of Campus, Dr. John Coulter writes that at the time of the Civil War there were 171 military schools in the United States; approximately 75% of those were secondary schools. Between 1903 and 1926, American education included 280 military schools and there were 844 such schools in this country between 1802 and 2017. Today, only 38 secondary military schools remain. This information might help develop a perspective for better understanding and appreciation of our military school culture today. I came to St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy after a total of 20 years in three other military schools; two as head of school and one as academic dean. When I close my career here, I will have been actively involved in military secondary schools for 35 years. So why would a public school educator, a man who is product of public education and not a retired military officer, seek a career in military school education, you might ask. Part of the answer might well be found in an op-ed article written by the Rev. Sidney Smythe for the New York Times
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
The Road Home
the Road Home By Jack H. Albert Jr. D.Min., Head of School
“I am now on my road home, stepping away from my adventures at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy, thankful for the experience and the opportunities.” in September 1916 where he discussed his love of military education: “I am for military training in the schools, and afterward in the camps, because I believe it will teach … the youths … better things, give them nobler ideals, and engage them in greater uplift. … I am for military training because it teaches … self-respect, gentle courtesy, deference for the old and for superiors, chivalry … cleanliness of mind and soul and body; because it teaches as a basic principal, honor and truth; because it teaches a youth never to be a quitter, to hate a snob, never shirk a duty, and lastly, because it teaches as no other system has ever taught, loyalty–loyally to his organization, to his school, to society, to his city, to his State, to his country, and to his God.”
Who would not want to be part of something as significant in the lives of young people as the mission outlined by Rev. Smythe? I always wanted to be a teacher. I remember clearly my first class. I was only 15 years old beginning my teaching career in a Sunday school classroom teaching 5th grade boys. I have always loved teaching; to be involved in the education and counseling of youth. In my early days of public education in Virginia, I taught geography and civics. Later I taught U.S. history and U.S. government. To me, the act of teaching and counseling youth is a calling. This calling led me on the journey to become head of school—a military school because
Rev. Dr. Sidney Smythe
of its structure, discipline, ceremony, and tradition. These are all ingredients providing positive growth for young people and, unfortunately, elements often ignored in other schools. This call to lead a school was much like learning to dance. Learning to dance without instructions or a teacher is limiting because there is no opportunity to practice the role without professional feedback. Typically, there is an instructor, together with practice and rehearsals, when one learns to dance. But in a school community, the leader, or head in this case, often finds himself smack in the middle of a crowded dance floor without instruction. On the floor, there are students with needs and demands. Nearby there might be parents seeking answers and offering particularly helpful and timely suggestions. Of course, there
will always be faculty and alumni. Each group arrives on the floor with its own special needs and desires. As if the floor was not crowded enough, the board of trustees and friends of the school show up for good measure. Yes, the dance floor of a school head can become very crowded; crowded to the extent of adding confusion to an already difficult task. This is when a school head would do well to step back and reflect on what is happening to him or her. It is here that the head might discuss with the board an opportunity for a sabbatical or possibly a period of respite at retreat with other heads. My board of trustees has always been willing to listen to me and has supported me through the ups and downs of my tenure; for this I am thankful. In any event, providing time off the dance floor is also one of the responsibilities of the board’s executive or governance committee and was always part of the discussions in my annual review. This is what Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky refer to as taking a “balcony” perspective, suggesting that one come off the dance floor and “go to the balcony.” ! It is from the balcony perspective that I was often able to reflect on what can happen to good leaders who assume the mantle of head of school. From this level I learned to better appreciate and understand the role of head of school and
______________________________________ 1 Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading (Boston: Harvard Business Press, 2002), 51.
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the demands of service that are placed on school heads.
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This service nuance is nowhere better explained than in Leonard Baird’s classic work on schools in which he wrote, “The administrator of an independent school whether in the role of the headmaster or teacher-administrator is in a difficult and complex task. An administrator particularly must satisfy many groups.” 2 In his equally significant work, Otto F. Krausharr amplifies this thought when he quotes educator and philosopher Robert Hutchins, “He [the headmaster] deals with at least six constituencies: the faculty, the trustees, students, parents, alumni, and the public, each of whom could claim much of his time. And there is the hazard ... that he will spend enough time with each of the six to irritate the other five.” 3 In other words, headship is not for the faint of heart. Rev. Smythe and Harlan Page Davidson, founder of Northwestern Military & Naval Academy, were men with strong hearts, both of whom epitomized service. Harlan Page Davidson
ABOVE LEFT: Old Boys’ Memorial Library, 2006 LEFT: The Armer Family Learning Commons opened in fall 2016, a major advancement of academic infrastructure
RIGHT: The former football field with the press box and bleachers in the background, 2007
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FAR RIGHT: Lancers varsity football homecoming game on the new Price Davis Field at Rick Leone Stadium, 2009
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Service was and is the “why” for me — to serve my community, the nation and the world. I believe through the foundation of 135 years of educational processes at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy, as well as opportunities at other military schools where I have had the fortune of being involved, I believe this has happened. Now I can talk a little bit about some of the “what.” When I came to SJNMA, there were four basic components of the program I wanted to give my attention to: 1) academic infrastructure, 2) upgrading sports facilities, 3) improve boarding facilities, all of which would be built on, and 4) a solid advancement office. Doing this required several strategic actions. First, we needed to engage in an aggressive capital campaign, which was done, raising $25m in a four-year period. To do this required an enhanced development/ advancement office, which has been an ongoing process and has enabled us to provide two significant additions to the Academy; a second $25m capital campaign in which we have currently secured $19m, and growing our annual fund donations to $1m—a figure we have accomplished.
Once we improved boarding facilities, we began work on the academic programs and sports facilities; both areas of great importance for the success of any boarding school. In the academic arena, we provided funding for 19 faculty to obtain a master’s degree in teaching through a program with Carroll University using weekends on the SJNMA campus for instruction over a two-year period. In the end, 15 of our instructors received their degree. We developed a series of college level courses with the University of Wisconsin system for our cadets; courses taught on the SJNMA campus by UW instructors or with our own SJNMA teachers who qualified as UW adjunct instructors.
One of the capstones of the academic effort was the creation of The Armer Family Learning Commons. This concept of academic community collaboration including computing, college search, and a library or media center was the brainchild of Dr. Eric Wozniak, our academic dean. Funding of nearly $500,000 from families and friends with the lead gift from the Armer family helped lift the Academy to a new level of academic effort. A refinement to our programs that cannot go unnoticed is the growth of the fine arts component of our Academy. Our robust music program of concert and marching band, pipes and drums, and choir has a special place in my heart and mind. I am pleased to have had some small part in the development of these instructional elements of the school. I once read a quote about music from Aristotle that I have never forgotten, “Music has the power of forming character, and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young.” Thankfully, we have been able to do this at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy.
__________________________________________ 2 Leonard L. Baird, The Elite Schools: A Profile of Prestigious Independent Schools (Lexington, MA: Lexington Books, 1977), 2. 3 Otto F. Krausharr, American Nonpublic Schools: Patterns of Diversity (Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1972); quoted in Baird.
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Our sports facilities had long suffered neglect, so we developed a plan that enhanced our football field with the construction of the Rick Leone Stadium at Price Davis Field and paved our cinder running track while we improved the soccer fields with major funding for this effort provided by the Adreani family. Jim Duggan Field, the baseball field, was built with the soil taken from the “Old Boy” parade field located in front of Scott Johnston Hall. This hilly field became the center of the Field of Flags parade field, which opened with the celebration of the Academy’s 125th year. This undertaking provided the field with 156 American flag stations purchased by individuals for $1,884 each, honoring the founding year of the Academy. Each of the flag purchases was matched by a grant from the Stangeland Family Foundation as part of one of their many generous gifts to the Academy. It was the Stangeland family in honor of Lilah Stangeland, board trustee, and in memory of her late husband, Roger, a 1947 graduate of SJMA and former Chairman of the SJNMA Board of Trustees, which took the lead in our initial capital campaign. At the same time our sports and grounds facilities were being improved, we also undertook significant strides in
THIS PAGE: TOP: The old Price Davis Field sign, 2005 MIDDLE: The new Price Davis Field entrance LEFT: The former parade field east of the football field, 2008 OPPOSITE PAGE: RIGHT: The Field of Flags (2008), Senior Gate (2009, background) and Alumni Gate (2010, foreground)
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TOP & MIDDLE: The original rappelling and climbing tower, 2007, and the new tower constructed to its south, 2013
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
“These images show things we were able to do with the guidance and resources of many people. These successes came about as we stood on the shoulders of those who came before us; those who built foundations upon which we could build.” renovating our cadet barracks. There was significant roof repair, masonry work, asbestos removal, and wiring upgrade. Additionally, tiling replaced old and worn carpeting. We also were able to upgrade some of our barracks apartments, so RFOs and other staff would have adequate housing. While all of these initiatives continued, we successfully responded to two accreditation cycles, and developed and assisted in the construction and management of a military academy in the Middle East. With this article, you will see a series of pictures in an attempt to capture “before and after” snapshots of some work undertaken these last 15 years. Remaining are many things we still need to attend to and complete. Yet, even in the face of needs, our Academy has much for which we should be very thankful—
the people, our cadets, our parents/ guardians, our donors, our alumni, and the community. Again, while some of this writing discusses the “what” of more than a decade of effort here, the real importance and success I believe rests on the foundation of the “why.”
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In closing, I will tell you a brief story. A head of school was once asked by a student just what his job was. After thinking for a few minutes, the head of school simply stated, “To say thank you.” So as I begin to close my work at St. John’s Northwestern, I would like to say to all of you, THANK YOU! Respectfully,
Jack H. Albert Jr. D.Min.
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Battalion Staff 135th Corps of Cadets
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Battalion Executive Officer: Cadet Matthew Moore 2018 In charge of all Battalion Staff members; takes direct orders from the First Captain; second in charge of Battalion Staff Battalion Command Sergeant Major: Cadet Shao Peng Huang 2018 Serves as head NCO for Corps of Cadets; makes sure all First Sergeants perform their duties Battalion Adjutant: Cadet Jacob Boas 2018 Responsible for cadet records, awards, promotions, and decorations Battalion Enrollment Officer: Cadet Anders Rhode 2018 Assists the enrollment office with campus tours and reads battalion narrative for parades Battalion Operations Officer: Cadet Anuar Esteban 2018 Keeps track of all cadet competitions, scores, superior company points and promotion tests, and writes letters of instruction for all things cadets do; third in charge of Battalion Staff Battalion Logistics Officer: Cadet Jose Santiago Rodarte 2018 Provides logistics for cadets, accounts for all rifles on campus, and keeps accountability of all awards and decorations Battalion Color Sergeant: Cadet Nicolas Olhovich 2020 Hangs the American flag every day and assists with on- and off-campus events where the SJNMA Color Guard is needed
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Service Before Self First Captain Alan Cameron has attended St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy for the past four years and is a local of the small town of Erin, Wisconsin. Since the day of his arrival as a cadet, Alan has had the goal of obtaining the honor of First Captain. He first stepped onto campus in the summer of 2014 as a Camp St. John’s Northwestern attendee. He then enrolled in the Summer OPS academic program in 2015. This marks the beginning of the friendship between Alan and me. Alan was drawn to SJNMA by the unique mixture of individually focused academics and military structure. He flourished in the new environment, saying, “At first not expecting the academic rigors, my grades dropped a little, but with the help, guidance and direction provided by the excellent faculty and staff, my grades rose past my expectations.” But this was not enough to satisfy his appetite for success. He was a first sergeant in 10th grade earning awards for outstanding leadership and best cadet in JROTC I. Then in 11th grade, he was
the battalion operations sergeant major earning the Governor’s Medal. As well as military accomplishments, he has exemplified leadership in academics and athletics. In 10th grade, he was inducted into the National Spanish and National Honor Societies. He has also been a member of the Raider Challenge team since 10th grade. In the beginning, we were in the same company and only knew each other. As we talked and interacted more we began to work better together and develop a strong friendship, especially in our third and fourth years when we were on Battalion Staff together. When I asked Alan about what he learned coming to St. John’s Northwestern, he asserted that he had learned to be more responsible and willing to take the initiative. He also says St. John’s Northwestern has taught him to strive to do what is right no matter what the circumstances are at
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First Captain
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1: (left to right) First Captain Alan Cameron 2019 with Cadets Matthew Moore 2019, Jacob Boas 2019, Anuar Esteban 2019 and Jose Rodarte 2019 lead the 135th Corps of Cadets in the Veterans Day Parade in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on November 10, 2018. 2: Cadet Alan Cameron 2019 during the 2017-2018 school year.
hand. Alan mentioned that he had learned valuable leadership lessons that he will carry forever, and one of which he has decided to focus on this year by making it the corps motto. The motto this year is “Service Before Self,” which he selected based on the ideal that leaders are there to serve others, not to be served. He likened this ideal to the most famous part of President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address in 1961, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” This moving, and rather chilling address still drives future leaders today, even after 57 years. Alan has decided that part of enacting his motto, he wants to find ways to make community service more engaging and fun, so that cadets look forward to taking part in these activities. Alan also asserts that part of being a selfless leader is to train the next generation of leaders to be successful. He says, “Eleanor Roosevelt had it right: a good leader inspires others with confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires others with confidence in themselves.”
3: Future First Captain Alan Cameron 2019 and his sister, Samantha, in Florida on October 30, 2008. 4: Camp St. John’s Northwestern, Summer 2014 5: Summer OPS Families Weekend parade, Summer 2015 6: Cadet Alan Cameron 2019 with his parents, Lisa Iaquinta and Mark Cameron, at the Armed Forces Day Parade on May 18, 2018.
After high school, Alan plans to attend Syracuse University in upstate New York. His intended field of study is forensic chemistry and toxicology. He is currently working on his application for four ROTC scholarships and intends to serve in the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer upon graduation from college. He has wanted to serve the community in some capacity ever since he could talk. He says, “At one point or another, I either wanted to be a police officer or firefighter. Ever since I saw the television show NCIS in 2008, I have wanted to be like Abby, the secret weapon in any crime fighting team’s arsenal.” Alan and I have a few interesting moments we have shared throughout the years that we talk about once and a while. One of them being when I was working in my room and needed to borrow tape and Alan was the only one on staff with any. So I walked into his room and asked if I could use it, and he said, “Only if you put it back properly.” Being a little confused, I walked over to his desk where the tape was placed on the desk
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
at a certain angle towards where he sat. Now I thought that was a bit strange in itself, but when I picked it up there were lines drawn on the desk so that the tape would be put back in the same place every time. The tape had been outlined and when I came back I purposely put it back the wrong way as well as moving the rest of the materials on his desk only to realize that everything on his desk was outlined. Another interesting experience we shared was the magically appearing chocolates in Alan’s room. There was a hole in his ceiling that went all the way through to room above him. The cadets in that room would drop dove milk chocolates down the hole and they would get stuck, then randomly fall out upon melting from the heat of the furnace pipes. We never knew when they would appear; it was almost as if there was an endless supply of chocolate in his ceiling. Article by Cadet Lieutenant Jacob Boas 2018
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Each November, St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy honors our nation’s veterans with a special ceremony. This year, the event was held on November 9, 2018. In lieu of highlighting that event in this issue, we would like to recognize five Academy graduates from different branches of the United States Armed Forces for their service to our country.
Andrew Bennett
Dr. Greg Epstein
CPL Andrew Bennett is a 2001 graduate of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy. He enlisted in the United States Army and completed basic training and Airborne School in 2003. He was stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and deployed three times to Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 10th Special Forces Group (A). During his combat deployments, Bennett trained members of the Iraqi Special Operations Forces, participated in a number of high-profile direct action raids, and was part of the first free elections in Iraq’s history. After separating from the military in 2007, he attended Illinois State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in marketing.
Dr. Greg Epstein is a 1999 graduate of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy and a 2004 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Commissioned as an air defense artillery officer, he was first stationed in Hanau, Germany, with 5/7 ADA Battalion, one of two North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) contingency batteries in Western Europe. He served as a platoon leader and fire control officer of a line battery, training on several occasions with the Israeli Air Force, and participating in multi-national training operations in Crete in 2006. In 2007, he deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, for 15 months with HQ, 1st Armored Division, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served as the assistant future operations officer, G-3, Multi-National Division, North, coordinating closely with representatives from the United Nations, NATO and Government of Iraq as well as subordinate brigades’ operations staffs to support combat, civil affairs and humanitarian missions throughout the Northern Iraqi provinces and Kurdish Regions. He also served as primary linguist manager for the entire division, coordinating with civilian firms and subordinate units in hiring and distribution of personnel to support combat operations within the Northern Iraqi battle space. Additionally, he planned and coordinated division logistical support for several tours of the United Service Organizations traveling through Northern Iraq, having the opportunity to meet several performers like Kid Rock, Dane Cook, Robin Williams, and a group of World Wrestling Entertainment wrestlers.
Corporal, United States Army
Bennett currently lives in Sugar Hill, Georgia, with his wife and baby daughter. He works for Kenworth Truck Company as a fleet sales manager.
Dan Schwartz
Major, United States Marine Corps Maj. Daniel Schwartz is a 1999 graduate of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy and a 2003 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He has deployed seven times throughout his career serving in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve. His experiences include leading tactical logistics convoys in Haditha and Fallujah, Iraq; serving as an advisor to an Iraqi Infantry Brigade in Mosul, Iraq, and later establishing a specialized training program for the Iraqi Army as a whole; and serving as the senior logistics officer of a combined Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion-SOF raid that targeted an insurgent stronghold on the Pakistani border in Southern Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Currently, Schwartz is assigned to Camp Pendleton, California, where he is serving as an operations officer of a Marine Corps logistics regiment. Prior to this assignment, he served as a planner for several special programs after receiving training as a military information support operations officer. 12
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Captain, United States Army
After returning from deployment, Epstein was honorably discharged from active duty to pursue a career in medicine. In the years since, he has earned a master’s degree in biomedical sciences, and recently graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is currently a physician, training at the University of Arizona Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency in Phoenix, Arizona.
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Veterans
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: CPL Andrew Bennett 2001 near Radwaniyah Palace in Baghdad, Iraq, 2004 Maj. Dan Schwartz 1999 in Southern Helmand Province, Afghanistan, 2010 Dr. Greg Epstein 1999 (left) and Robin Williams at Camp Speicher in Iraq, 2008 CPT Craig Buerstatte 2001 at Al-Faw Palace in Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq, January 2010 Capt. Matthew Gilbert 2004 at Naval Air Station Pensacola, May 2017
Matthew Gilbert
Craig Buerstatte
Capt. Matthew Gilbert is a 2004 graduate of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy and a 2009 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. After commissioning in the U.S. Air Force, he attended pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, where he earned his wings. Following pilot training, he was stationed at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, where he flew the C-130H. In 2012, he forward deployed to Bagram AB as a tactical airlifter in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He flew 197 combat sorties, inserting troops and cargo into austere airfields and drop zones throughout Afghanistan. In 2013, he led the mission planning cell that enabled Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130s to fight the Black Forest Fire, the most destructive fire in Colorado’s history.
CPT Craig Buerstatte is a 2001 graduate of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy and a 2005 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and commissioned as a quartermaster officer. After Officer Basic Training, he was assigned to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and deployed to Iraq within six weeks to start the first of two long tours supporting various logistics operations in Northern Iraq. In 2006, he supported the Iraqi Surge campaign and spent his second tour in 2009 supporting early draw down operations during the Iraqi Sovereignty campaign. Throughout both tours, he was focused on leading diverse teams of 60-125 soldiers that built, fixed, fueled, and shipped the vehicles, helicopters, equipment, and resources needed to support the 25th Infantry Division’s mission across an expansive area between Tikrit and Mosul, even crossing paths with CPT Greg Epstein in 2007.
Captain, United States Air Force
Gilbert’s second assignment was to NAS Pensacola where he was a T-6 instructor pilot for the U.S. Air Force’s only undergraduate combat systems officer training program. During his four years at NASP, he amassed more than 1,000 flying hours, and was responsible for training and instructing future weapons systems officers, electronic warfare officers, navigators, and sensor operators. He was his wing’s Instructor Pilot of the Year in 2016. Today, Gilbert is a senior pilot with more than 1,900 hours. He is a T-38 pilot assigned to the 560th Flying Training Squadron at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, which is responsible for training pilots to be instructors in the T-38. THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
Captain, United States Army
After nearly 27 months of combat and a few positions stateside, Buerstatte was honorably discharged in 2012 and founded a technology company in Austin, Texas, to continue tackling tough challenges and building meaningful solutions like he did in the U.S. Army. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Duke University, and briefly worked in venture capital before bringing his skills back to public service. Today, Buerstatte serves as director for the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. WINTER 2019
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A Boas Family Legacy Cadet Jacob Boas 2019 is the third cadet in his family to attend St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy with his brothers, Nathaniel and Peter, Jr., graduating in 2009 and 2012, respectively. When Peter was a senior, Nathan passed his saber on to him. During the Sword & Saber Ceremony on September 30, 2018, Peter passed the saber on to Jacob.
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s an 8th grader in fall 2005, Nathan was more interested in activities through his local town’s Civil Air Patrol than classes at school, even though he enjoyed school. When his parents, Peter, Sr., and Kelley, sent him to public school for 9th grade, he came home at the end of that year and didn’t want to return. Nathan felt his public school teachers and mentors had treated him with disinterest and with antiseptic teaching, so Mr. Boas drew on his son’s interest in the Civil Air Patrol and searched for a place that might meet similar outdoor interests. Having read about the aviation opportunities at SJNMA, they enrolled Nathan in fall 2006 as a 10th grader, which began a triumphant matriculation for him and his brothers. The roles, responsibilities, positions and ranks the Boas brothers played as members of the Corps of Cadets were diverse and interesting. During his three years at the Academy, Nathan was reticent as a student, absorbing what he could from classes, working fairly hard, and maintaining a low profile. As a senior, Nathan, a hands-on and fix-it type of person, held the rank of Cadet Warrant Officer. In that role, he was assigned at the start of the school year to the position of Corps Transportation Officer. Mechanical curiosity about planes that he had developed in grade school led him to investigate what he had to do to drive the Academy Jeep during the fall and spring parades. At age 16, he knew how to drive a manual transmission and had taught his younger brother, Peter. With the approval of LTC Jim Kebisek, JROTC senior Army instructor, Nathan became the 14
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Peter Boas, Jr., 2012 (far left) and Nathan Boas 2009 present Cadet Jacob Boas 2019 with their saber during Families Weekend.
official Academy Jeep driver his junior and senior years. “I recall seeing his Cheshire cat grin as he motored about the parade field with dignitaries,” recalls Perry Siebers, English instructor. Enrolling for 9th grade, Peter was savvier in computer technology and as such, was assigned to the battalion S-2 section as the assistant S-2 with the rank of Master Sergeant. His duties were to support the Academy’s information technology department. Although his real love was to drive the Academy Jeep, which resulted in that job being assigned to the assistant S-2. With an interest in computers, Peter helped the IT department with some cadetrelated issues. It wasn’t long before he was fixing cadet devices even before problems
were brought to the attention of the IT staff. As Peter proved his competence and trustworthiness, he began doing some of the other “behind the scenes” IT work. Dr. Eric Wozniak, academic dean and former IT director, recalls, “Peter’s ability to independently solve problems and accomplish tasks was impressive. I came to rely on and trust him to take care of things with little supervision. He aggressively took on responsibility and jumped at every opportunity to help. I came to appreciate his dedication, enthusiasm and work ethic.” Mr. Siebers adds, “Peter enjoyed our 9th grade ‘live, stand-on-desk’ literature when we read Edgar Allen Poe’s ‘Cask of Amontillado.’ Peter was congenial, comfortably sociable, and a
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Esprit de Corps
ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Future cadet Jacob Boas (left) presents Peter Boas, Jr., 2012 with Nathaniel Boas’ 2009 saber during the Sword & Saber Ceremony on October 2, 2011; Cadet Jacob Boas 2019 during the 2017-2018 school year.; Cadet Peter Boas’ 2012 senior portrait; Cadet Nathaniel Boas’ 2009 senior portrait
conversationalist for sure about anything cars—he loved Car and Driver magazine. He developed an interest somewhere for computer programming because I recall him becoming, most assuredly, a de facto employee of the IT department. It was not uncommon to see him walking around campus with computer parts stuffed under an arm and even hanging out of a pants pocket as he carried his book bag on the other arm. He was focused on the next deconstruction of a circuit board or a wiring harness to somewhere.” Jacob is both a hands-on and fix-it type person as well as computer savvy. As a junior, Jacob was assigned the position of assistant S-1 and later became S-1 (battalion adjutant) as a senior. According to LTC Kebisek, “Normally, both positions would be assigned to a senior; however, having great trust in his ability to fix and then manage the JROTC unit database, Jacob was assigned as a member of the headquarters staff as a junior and as a senior, he continued to maintain the most accurate database SJNMA has ever had. In addition, Jacob, by default, also had the additional duty of Academy Jeep driver!” Jacob expressed an interest in picking up where Peter left off helping the IT department, and the IT staff didn’t hesitate to accept his offer. Dr. Wozniak says, “He was more reserved and contemplative than Peter, asking questions and discussing his proposed solutions with me. Where Peter attacked a problem head-on and solved it as
he went, Jacob took the time to formulate his response and then implement it. The beauty of this was that neither approach was less effective than the other. Where Peter was a tinkerer, Jacob was a strategizer. In the end, they both accomplished the tasks set before them with equal efficiency and effect. Both Peter and Jacob earned my absolute trust and confidence. When Jacob and his family came to me as I assumed the role of academic dean and asked if the Academy would support a unique work-study opportunity for him, I didn’t think twice about advocating for Jacob. I was certain that he had thought it through and that he would manage both school and work maturely and independently. Although Peter and Jacob were quite different, I came to appreciate their unique contributions equally.” Mr. Siebers states, “The faculty knows Jacob to be a hard-charging, diligent student, very serious and proud of his work ethic, who is quick with questions about refining the subject matter for a paper or test. We’ve watched him grow so much these last three and a half years. I knew Jacob in my English class would be an enlightening example of what a serious student would look like for he always had notes open, pen in hand, and eyes afire with curiosity about whatever we were examining in class. He likes to learn, he’s inquisitive. It’s always about the next step ahead for Jacob, putting the next puzzle piece together. Jacob is a hands-on, tactile, get-me-involved learner who takes
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
great pleasure in the contemplating the provocative ideas his teachers proffer. Beyond that, Jacob has great vision of his future in his family’s realty business, and is consuming welding and architecture courses at Waukesha County Technical College so well he is actually getting job offers as a first semester high school student.” LTC Kebisek recalls, “I have fond memories of the Boas brothers and their parents on our Academy trips to Europe. Churchill’s Wartime Bunker in London, Normandy and the D-Day Beaches in France, Bastogne and Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, the Dachau concentration camp in Germany, canals of Venice, and the Vatican in Rome were all valuable lifetime experiences that Peter and Kelley provided for their sons while attending SJNMA.” The 12-year span that the Boas family has been associated with SJNMA has gone by fast. As graduation draws near for Jacob, it is evident that he and his brothers have reaped the rewards of time and energy they invested in their experience at SJNMA. When Nathan or Peter return to the Academy, they are chin up and brim full of confidence with a hearty handshake followed by a healthy grin. As Jacob says, “I was turned loose at 14 by my mom and dad to make decisions for myself and that has made all the difference. I know to consider my choices in life. I understand that gravity, and I feel I am well prepared for that.” And the envied position of taking a jaunt around campus in the Academy Jeep! WINTER 2019
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HOMECOMING & FAMILIES WEEKEND 2018 The 135th Corps of Cadets welcomed families and friends to Homecoming & Families Weekend on September 28-30, 2018. Events began Friday with a Parents Club Golf Outing and parent/faculty conferences. On Saturday afternoon, families and friends attended the varsity football Homecoming game to cheer the Lancers in their 40-0 victory against HOPE Christian High School. During halftime, the Honored Athletes and Honored Athletic Team alumni awards were announced, and the Silver Rifles drill team performed. On Sunday, new members were inducted into the National Honor Society, then the Fall Concert was held featuring the SJNMA Band, Choir, and The Pipes and Drums, followed by the Senior Ring and Sword & Saber Ceremony. A formal parade with cadet promotions and special awards concluded the weekend. 1: Cadet Michael McNee 2020, dressed as Dr. Albert, speaks to cadets during a pep rally on September 27, 2018. 2: Dr. Albert runs around Farrand Hall Gymnasium getting each company to chant a different letter of SJNMA during the pep rally. 3: Cadet Sean McHugh 2019 runs the football during the Homecoming game. 4: SJNMA Silver Rifles perform during halftime of the Homecoming game. 5: Cadet Eric Baker 2021 plays the violin with the SJNMA Band during the Fall Concert. This is the first year that strings are part of the band.
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6: (left to right) Cadets Jah’Shanay Reed 2022, Ellie Allen 2020 and Isabella Hansen 2021 sing “Imagine” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono during the Fall Concert. 7: National Honor Society members 8: Cadet Sean Bornschlegl 2019 with his parents, Marvin Bornschlegl and Christine Nolan, and Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. during the Sword & Saber Ceremony. 9: Cadet Alec Hawksley 2019 with his parents, Robert and Karen Hawksley, during the Sword & Saber Ceremony. 10: Cadet Douglas Kirkhofer 2019 is joined by his parents, Eric and Christine Kirkhofer, as he receives his saber and senior ring.
11: The 135th Corps of Cadets holds the formal parade in Farrand Hall Gymnasium due to weather. 12: Cadet Alen Shchekin 2019 gives his sister, Alessandra, a rose when he was honored as a senior athlete for Raiders. 13: Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. promotes Cadet Ohmar Abdulle 2022 to Black Board during the formal parade. 14: Cadet Luis De Leon 2019 presented his mother, Rocio Tovar, with a rose when he was honored as a senior athlete for soccer during the formal parade. 15: Cadets William Tuttle 2019 (left) and Santiago Canale 2019 pose for a photo during Families Weekend.
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THE THE BEACON BEACON || St. St.John’s John’sNorthwestern NorthwesternMilitary MilitaryAcademy Academy
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Development Update
The Academy proudly salutes you The Heritage Society continues to be the Academy’s most influential group.
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n September 27, 2018, the Academy was privileged to honor Heritage Society members at an appreciation dinner in Welles Dining Hall. More than 70 guests were in attendance to enjoy an elegant atmosphere and delicious food provided by Lancer Hospitality. The emcee for the evening was Cadet Anders Rhode 2019 and featured several faculty, staff and cadets who showcased the many programs available on campus. Programs that were highlighted included English as a Second Language (instructor Stephanie Ihler and Cadets Santiago Canale 2019 and Shao Peng Huang 2019), the Totzke Learning Center (director Polly Mauer and Cadet Kyle Baxter 2020), aviation science (instructor Captain Tim Tyre and Cadet William Tuttle 2019), band (instructor Conrad Jorgensen and Cadets Eric Baker 2021 and Junkang Wu 2020), art (new instructor Bill Barder), JROTC (senior army instructor LTC Jim Kebisek and Cadet Hungbo Jia 2019), and pipes and drums (Cadet Anders Rhode 2019). In addition, resident faculty officer SSG Theresa Klosinski introduced Cadets Isabella Hansen 2021 and Caitlynn Curtis 2021, female cadets who spoke briefly about their time at the Academy. Newly inducted into The Heritage Society were David Lau S1948 and Lombard Studio / Roland Lombard. In addition, Randy Carl S1975 was recognized for elevating in membership from the Gold level to the Sapphire level of the Smythe Circle. Comprised of amazing individuals who have committed major resources to the future health and viability of St. John’s Northwestern, The Heritage Society continues to be the Academy’s most influential group. The Academy proudly salutes you, Heritage Society members, for ensuring a prosperous future for our cadets. You have left your mark here, and we are truly grateful for your leadership.
Cadet Junkang Wu 2020 performed a solo to demonstrate his skills on the saxophone.
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: Lombard Studio was inducted into The Heritage Society at the Bronze level of the Smythe Circle for providing a multitude of photography services for the Academy over the years. Pictured are (left to right) Dr. Crain Bliwas N1965, Roland and Wendy Lombard, and Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. David Lau S1948 was inducted into The Heritage Society at the Bronze level of the Smythe Circle.
If you already have St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy listed in your estate, but have not been recognized as a member of The Heritage Society, we may not be aware of your gift.
Cadet Isabella Hansen 2021
We take great pride in honoring those who have left the Academy in their estate, and we want to honor you too!
Parent Mark Cameron, Heritage Society member Warren Marik S1963, and aviation science instructor Captain Tim Tyre paused for a photo during social hour.
Contact Stephen Matz, vice president of development and alumni, at (262) 646-7184 or smatz@sjnma.org.
THE BEACON || St. St.John’s John’sNorthwestern NorthwesternMilitary MilitaryAcademy Academy
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he Academy’s third annual Fall Fest Fundraiser drew a large crowd on Saturday, September 29 during Homecoming & Families Weekend. Held at its new location east of Price Davis Field, hundreds of guests enjoyed a beautiful fall day filled with delicious food and fun activities. Once again, the annual OBAA Pig & Chicken Roast was a big hit! Other featured food items included roasted ears of corn, soft pretzels with cheese, caramel apples, and homemade chili. The little ones were easily entertained by the giant inflatable slide while cadets and other youngsters had fun slinging pumpkins into the tree line. In addition, everyone had a super time throwing pudding “pies” during the Trione Pie Dodge. SFC Mike Trione reveled in egging them on while dodging between two cornstalks. He was a terrific sport, especially when they paid a little extra to throw one from up close! Of particular note at Fall Fest was the outstanding entertainment by The BAND Hennes Sisters featuring Cadet Olivia Hennes 2024 (age 12) and her three siblings, Meguire (16), Kylee (14) and Taressa (9). The BAND Hennes Sisters is a classic rock cover band, and they were a sensational addition to Fall Fest!
The silent auction included a wonderful assortment of 150 items and received a lot of attention throughout the event. More than 650 bids were placed on items in a variety of categories including sports, adventure and entertainment; wining and dining; home décor; items for cadets; and more. The top selling auction item was a Lennox gas furnace that included installation, labor, the works! The Academy graciously salutes William Brink, owner of Kettle Moraine Heating & Air Conditioning and parent of Cadet Carmen Butler 2023, who donated the furnace. Fall Fest Fundraiser was a great success and raised $43,413 for the Annual Fund that benefits every cadet, teacher, program, and department. This includes $22,400 for the silent auction ($5,600 up from last year) and $16,600 in sponsorships. THANK YOU to everyone who supported Fall Fest through a sponsorship, silent auction donation, by contributing their time and talent, and/or attending! Your personal involvement in the Academy’s success is greatly valued, and we truly appreciate your generosity.
A special thank you to our donors who provided beer for the inaugural SJNMA Beer Garden!
Thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers who helped set up for Fall Fest!
1212 Group – Ryan McGuire N1984 Maplewood Brewery – Ari Megalis 2000 and Paul Megalis 2005 MillerCoors – Jerry Langreder, Academy spouse Revolution Brewery
Zara Harper Chris Kreiter Tom Polivka S1977 Kara Rhode
THANK YOU !
1: Ready. Aim. Fire! 2: The BAND Hennes Sisters was a huge hit! 3: Perry Siebers (left) and Adam Tecza S1989 4: Cadets Haydn Bensch 2021 (left) and Ronan Moriarty 2021 5: Dr. and Mrs. Albert at Fall Fest 6: Cadet George Butzer 2023 got his money’s worth. 7: SFC Mike Trione had a great time at the Pie Dodge. 8: Cadet Doris Crosby 2022 enjoyed spending time with her family.
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SAVE THE DATE 4th annual Fall Fest Fundraiser
Saturday, October 5, 2019
THE BEACON || St. St.John’s John’sNorthwestern NorthwesternMilitary MilitaryAcademy Academy
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Since 1884, St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy has developed the minds and shaped the character of future leaders. The Academy advances these core traits, which propel each cadet toward a future worthy of your investment.
There are many ways to give your best. Stocks Pay less tax, give more, and improve your personal cash flow by simplifying your giving through stocks and/or mutual funds.
IRA Charitable Distribution If you are over age 70 ½, you are eligible to use your required minimum distribution (RMD) for charitable purposes.
Sustained Giving Join The 1884 Society by pledging a minimum gift of $1,884 for three consecutive years to help the Academy accurately plan for the future.
Matching Gifts Check with your employer to see if SJNMA would qualify for an employer match of your charitable contribution. You could double your impact.
Recurring Gifts Set up a recurring gift online today! It’s a fast, flexible, secure, and simple way to automatically impact a cadet’s future.
Make your gift by calling (800) 234-9097 or donating securely online at:
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
2017-2018 Honor Roll of Donors Thank you for making the 2017-2018 fiscal year a monumental year! We received more than $2 million for cadet scholarships, academic programming, facilities maintenance, and so much more. Our Annual Fund boasted one of the highest totals ever, and our annual Excalibur dinner and auction fundraiser posted another banner year!
We are deeply grateful that you chose to make a contribution to our beloved Academy! We recognize there may be many causes worthy of your support, and it means a great deal to us that you identify St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy as an important philanthropic priority. Your spirit of giving and caring is gratefully acknowledged in this 2017-2018 Honor Roll of Donors and beyond.
www.sjnma.org THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
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The Year in Giving
2017-2018
Highlights of the Year in Giving TOTAL DOLLARS RECEIVED Annual Fund (operations plus other non-budget gifts).................. $1,956,170 Capital ...........................................................................................$56,000 Endowment ................................................................................$38,072 Total ............................................................................ $2,050,242
PARTICIPATION BY CONSTITUENCY Board of Trustees............................................................................100% Faculty and Staff............................................................................... 99% OBAA Board of Directors.............................................................. 72% Parents of Cadets............................................................................. 45% Past Faculty and Staff..................................................................... 21% Alumni (276 gave).......................................................................... 7.4% Parents of Alumni...............................................................................5%
FALL FEST FUNDRAISER (Gross)....................................$48,890 Annual Fund ..................................................$38,890 FUND-A-NEED ................................................. $10,000
CADET PHONATHON..........................................................$50,185 THE EXCALIBUR (Gross).................................................... $308,960 Annual Fund ................................................$170,271 FUND-A-NEED .............................................. .$138,689
ESTATE GIFTS RECEIVED................................................$48,776
Contributed Dollars by Constituency Foundations, Vendors, Corporations, Donor Organizations $62,483 (3.05%) Faculty and Staff, Friends, Other $108,027 (5.27%)
Alumni $663,113 (32.34%)
Parents of Cadets $246,028 (12.00%)
Parents of Alumni $325,212 (15.86%)
Board of Trustees
(12 are alums)
$645,379 (31.48%)
Great care was taken to prepare this Honor Roll that reflects gifts received from July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018. Please accept our apologies for any errors or omissions and contact Cindy A. Trione, director of donor relations and special events, with any concerns at (262) 646-7289 or ctrione@sjnma.org. S2
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
Honor Roll of Donors
REFLECTS GIFTS RECEIVED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2017 – JUNE 30, 2018.
DONOR GIFT CLUB MEMBERSHIP The Heritage Society........................................................................................................131 households
(lifetime membership for those who have made a cash gift of at least $25,000 or included the Academy in their estate plans) Leaders Circle .....................................................................................................................188 households
(those who have given $1,000 or more to the Academy’s Annual Fund during fiscal year 2018)
The 1884 Society.................................................................................................. 39 households (8 new)
(those who have made a three-year commitment of at least $1,884 each year to the Annual Fund)
The Heritage Society ($25,000 or more) Bruce and Anne Marie Adreani S’67 Helen Armer Sonny Astani and Jo Cho-Astani David and Judy Carl S’83 Randy Carl S’75 Dogwood Foundation Andrew J. “Flip” Filipowski and Melissa Oliver S’68
Dr. Timothy and Mrs. Kathleen Goggins William Halquist, Jr. Tony † and Pat Kampling Lancer Hospitality David Lau S’48 John A. Leone in Honor of Rick Leone S’75 †
The Estate of Rick Leone S’75 † Walt and Kathy Snodell H’18 Lilah Stangeland H’99 and Roger Stangeland † S’47
The “H. M.” Founder’s Circle ($10,000-$24,999) Robert and MaryPaula Abbinante Thomas Armer Dr. Crain and Mrs. Maggie Bliwas N’65 The George H. Boomer, Sr. N’39 † Fund - Designated of The Saint Paul Foundation Bob and Nanette Bramlett S’70
John Green S’31 † Bob and Karen Hawksley Fred and Teri Leach S’74 Phyllis Leach John and Patty Mueller S’81 Anthony and Maureen Orsini Dr. Laurie and Mr. Henry Philipps
The Polivka Family Ken and Pat Schneider Dr. Ed and Mrs. Carla Schoenenberger Montana and Rebecca Stewart Jack and Peggy Sturm S’54 Xiang Gui and Ming Chen Wang
Davidson Society ($5,000-$9,999) Anonymous Bard and Kathy Boand N’67 Bradford Renassaince Portraits Corp. Mark Cameron and Lisa Iaquinta IL Senate President John J. Cullerton William and Amy Czaplewski Carl and Debra Hendrickson S’70 Merideth Hmura Stan and Annie Hooker S’62 Terry Knueppel S’54
Richard and Jacqueline Koechlein N’58 Mr. Reginald and Dr. Beverly Layton Brendan and Peggy Moriarty Frank and Susan Morley S’63 Allyson Regas Brett and Kara Rhode Michael and Wendy Rosen Richard Rosenthal, Jr. and Patricia DeBoom
THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
Bob and Michelle Roth S’79 SJNMA Parents Club Gary and Stephanie Smith S’69 Luke and Dawn Staudenmaier Bob and Judy Waller S’46 KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
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President’s Club ($1,000-$4,999) Dr. Adekunle and Mrs. Victoria Adesokan Arthur Albert S’46 Dr. Jack and Mrs. Betty Albert H’15 Howard and Frankie Alper S’47 Anonymous (3) Ars Graphica Willard Askew, Jr. N’67; S’67 Beth Ayotte Bret and Shadow Backus Roger and Susan Bailey S’92 Ann Bederman Catherine Bennett Heidi Berke Rear Adm. Rebecca J. Boyle, USN Bill Bratt S’73 Lee and Susan Breitkopf S’73 Cory Byrnes and Kristin Stoecker ’09 Brett and Laura Carlson Bill and Diane Cary S’65 Bertrand and Evelyn Chauff Dr. Eric and Mrs. Marsha Christman S’60 City Screen Print & Embroidery Victor and Susan Cohn S’61 The Honorable Joseph Cook Patricia Corbus Paul Craden and Linda Bongiorno Charles and Sandra Craig Daniel Cutting and Colleen Luce S’73 Zach Daily ’17 Eric and La Vina David Vivian and Sam DuBose Rich and Sue Ellbogen S’68 Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee, The Rt. Reverend Steven A. Miller and Mrs. Cindy Miller
Cathleen and Robert Faerber Neil and Debra Fairfield J. C. Fairvalley S’76 David Flegel S’56 Hal Francke Stephen and Kristen Galayda Brad Gapp S’91 / LG Electronics Joe and Linda Giammanco N’70 Frank and Agnes Godchaux S’44 Fund, a Fund at Community Foundation of Acadiana Thomas and Rachel Goetz Gold Pyramid House / James and Linda Onan / John Onan S’83 / Rocko and Jeanne Onan S’90 Jeremy Goldstein ’10 William and Davene Guenther John and Barb † Hankwitz S’60 Wally and Eileen Hankwitz S’63 Jody and Zara Harper The Rev. Dr. Charles and Dr. Jennifer Henery Michael F. and Kim Henn H’16 Mike and Barbara Hoover S’71 William R. and Susan M. Hummel N’68; H’10 ESCO, Inc. John Jadel Gary and Deborah Jaeger Dr. Don and Mrs. Donna Jensen Ginger Jensen Dr. Kanella Kapotas LTC and Mrs. James M. Kebisek, USA (Ret.) H’08 Robert Kelly S’67 Jack and Sugar Kirsch S’45; H’00 Paul and Anitamarie Kopaczewski H’09 The Koska Family Luke and Marta Kraft ’99
Theresa Kraft Charles and Kimberly Krametbauer S’78 Beverly Kuechenmeister James and Janet Kuehn Joe and Jamie LaRocca N’69 William and Margarida Laub Anthony and Joan Lazzara S’48 Lombard Studio, Inc. Peter Lukey S’66 Dean and Sarah Mair James and Nancy Malik Michael and Karla Maloney David and Leslie Mann S’94 Dr. Edward Mann and Mrs. Joy Bentley-Mann Edward and Janet Mardigian S’62 Warren and Mary Marik S’63 Stephen and Kelly Matz Tom and Polly Mauer Drs. Lindsey and Mart McClellan Michael McClure S’60 Nathan and Jennifer McKean Noel Meyer S’67 Dr. Richard and Mrs. Lotte Meyer S’57 John and Jan Miller S’62 Jonathan and Mary Miller Duane and Kathy Mlachnik S’80 Phillip Moore and Jane Anderson MSI General Corporation Jeffrey and Shelley Mullins Frank and Kathy Mungo S’83 Steve and Cheryl Murphy S’77 Larry Nelson S’65 Peter and Faith Nielsen Kiki Nimtz and Michele Swanson Scott and Kelly Noles Per Normark and Cynthia Price Normark
General Roy Farrand ($500-$999) Robert Anderson, Jr. S’77 The Alben F. Bates & Clara G. Bates Foundation Mary Bennett Richard and Molly Blackburn Marty and Lynda Boothman S’59 Marvin Bornschlegl John and Marilyn Breidster N’60 Dina Bukhman Daryl and Debra Bullerjahn Betty Burch-Spanjer
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Steve and Stacy Celichowski David Chapman and Marsha Selmer N’68 Van Clarkson S’91 Bret Cummings / LW Meyer John and Susan Davis Richard and Shelby DePas Katherine Doersch Kesha Engel Everything Summer Camp Eye Candy
Family Tae Kwon Do Champions Patrick Fath Lon and Jaye Getlin N’63 Jack and Nancy Greenwood Hanover Uniform Dane Hiteman N’93 Mark and Karen Jordan S’74 Jeffrey and Stephanie Kastelic Mike and Marie Keefe Gregory and LaDawn Kempf
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
Michael and Allison O’Donnell S’89 Old Boys Alumni Association Alex Olhovich and Monica Velazquez Olhovich H. S. Oliver, USA (Ret.) S’73 Dave and Cyndi Olsen Barry and Rebecca Pechous Capt. and Mrs. James K. Pernini, USN (Ret.) S’60 Mark Perry and Nina Mikhalevsky Perry N’69 Dr. Perry and Mrs. Lynn Phillips Wanda Piper Michael and Cynthia Purnell Jeraldine Reed Bob and Betty Reeder Pete and Patricia Ring David and Joyce Rolnick Thom and Julie Rooke Sharon Rouette Laurie Rushevics and Brian Liening Duane and Judy Rutherford Chuck and Julie † Sansone N’58 James and Suzanne Sass Winette Saunders Bob and Judy Schell S’64 Floyd and Ina Schlossberg S’55 Ann Schoper Stephanie Schreurs and Alex Oliver Randy Schueller and Mary Jo Wheeler-Schuelller Dr. Albert Scozzari S’60 Mark and Mary Sellers Joe and Sue Sevenz SJNMA Class of 2018 MAJ and Mrs. Craig Smith S’76 Dr. Ralph and Mrs. Lila Stair N’63 Rick and Janell Stewart Chuck Stoffel S’77
Beverly Strong Christopher Surville S’82 H. W. Suter Foundation Alejandro Tamayo Ibarra and Marissa Torteya Chris and Devra Tan ’99 Ricky and Grace Tan ’99 Timothy and Elizabeth Tanke Dr. Jim Tauschek S’72 Tyler and Sarah Tobin S’67 LTC Adrian G. Traas, USA (Ret.) S’53 John and Kay Trebellas S’55 Treiber & Straub Jewelers Mike and Cindy Trione Greg and Susan Van Praag S’72 Miguel Vargas Torres and Laura Meljem
Joe and Asha Varghese Wade and Mary Voltz S’78 The Estate of Harry and Fran Vorys S’43; H’87 † Geoff and Valerie Ward Pete and Lori Waskel S’76 Jack and Marian Wattles Jervis and Diana Webb S’60 Michael Weber and Michelle Syverson Weber Martha Wicker Joanne Wiechers H’11 John and Brenda Yagla Jim Young
Jodi King Steven Kohlmyer and Debra Warden Anthony and Christine Kreiter William and Lois Lynch S’48 Maplewood Brewery and Distillery Katherine McCammond Kyle and Joan Meyers Ellsworth Mills II N’44 Michael and Tara O’Meara S’84 Rudolph A. Peckinpaugh, Jr. S’72
Tim Prevo and Amy Choi Peter Regas Kristin Rex Alexander Roth ’11 Bill and Sara Snyder S’69 George and Sarah Sotos S’64 Steven Paul Designs Steve and Anne Tews Al Wagner Stephen and Angela Walmsley
John and Sandi Wietzel S’64 John Williams and Monica Gamba Labastida Wisconsin RAP Inc. John and Rebecca Wysockey Patti Zager
THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
S5
Kemper-DeKoven Club ($250-$499) Advanced Disposal - Hartland
Tom and Barb Busse N’60
Geoffrey and Wendi Hall
Jill Mazurek
Scott and Lynette Ahlgren H’11
Peter and Jodi Butzer
Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Kimberly Metcalf
Joe and Kathy Alagna S’65
The Rev. Thomas and Mrs. Jeralyn Bye S’68
Thomas and Shelia Harrington
Charles Miller, Jr. and Susan Kelly-Miller S’55
Frank and Diane Calabrese H’14
John Hayden and Jill Newman
Garden Angel Anonymous (2) Douglas and Marisela Arnold John Astorina Sergio Autrey S’68 Jason Babiar S’87 Renee Barutha / Pampered Chef Edwin Bearss S’41 Belfre Kitchen Dr. Steven and Mrs. Susan Bergin Bishops Bay Country Club Jon and Christianna Blahnik Lou and Sue Boers Richard Bohn S’72 Boucher Family Dealership Peirce and Ann Brawner N’46
Stephanie Calabrese James and Lorraine Cavoto F. J. “Fritzie” Cole-Brown Ross and Marla Collins Cooper’s Hawk Santos and Erin DeNova Curt and Carrie Downes Joanne Engel Ronald Engel Ewald Automotive Group EZ Shirtz Michael Fillichio S’88 Mike and Karen Fink Peter and Deborah Flaherty Tina Francis
Jerome and Sally Hayden Paul and Olga Heberer Ted Heyer N’54 Hilton Garden Inn - Oconomowoc Hoffmann Murtaugh Advertising Edwin and Susan Hurst S’58 Waring Jenkins N’52
Robert and Mary Miller S’63 Dr. Sylvia Minnis-Woelbing Office Copying Equipment Ltd. Wale and Shade Ogunmodede James and Nancy Orr Jeffrey and Nikki Packee Stelios Panagiotaros ’16
Robert Johannsen S’75
Phillips Distilling Company / John Albert
John and Cheri Johnson
Kim Pischke
Ray and Marilyn Jones
Kyle Popek ’00
Roman † and Mary Kamin H’00 Carol Kennedy
The Donald and Virginia Raths Family Charitable Fund
Gregg and Deborah Kunes
James and Georgia Regas
Ernie and Anita Kurtock S’52 Lawson
Patrick and Jennifer Ryan Sean and Lisa Sander S’80
Lazybones, Inc.
Dr. Robert and Mrs. Jennifer Seidl Joseph and Marlene Seo
Paul and Lee Gallagher
Joseph Lazzara S’69 / Jazz Cellars Winery
Seven-Up Bottling Company
Robert and Kate Buenger S’90
Dave and Janet Grabacki
Jamie and Rachael Lindemann
Romuald and Caron Slimak
Paul Buffoni and Tammy Spice-Buffoni
Robert Greene S’73
August and Peg Luedke N’69
St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church
Dr. Carol Ann Hackley
Steve and Caroline Mayer
Brian and Sandy Staffeldt
Philip and Kathy Brawner N’49 Dennis Brooks Steve Buck S’57
Steve and Roberta Fremgen S’64
Staybridge Suites Milwaukee West Michael Toland ‘07 Darnell Turner and Virginia Greer-Turner S’84 Alois Vana S’52 Gary and Laura Vandenbroucke VFW Post #2992 Melodie VonDross Weissgerber’s Seven Seas, Inc. Cheryl Wessel James Wilke S’59 Wisconsin Army National Guard Wisconsin Focus LLC Dr. Tom Wright and Mr. David Wilcox YMCA at Pabst Farms Luz Zepeda Miljohn and Victoria Zeravich Joel and Joanne Zucco N’68
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2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
Beacon Club ($100-$249) Paul and Betty Aarestad Diane Allen Amazon Smile Foundation Jeff and Theresa Ambord Anonymous (5) Arrow Magnolia International
Ronald and Sally Bloomingdale S’56
Susan Collar
Elliott & Associates Attorneys PC
Marzena Borowiec
Craig Berns Salon Spa
Ewald Fleet Solutions
J. M. and Mary Crulcich
Ewald Kia of Oconomowoc
Culver’s
John and Marianne Farrell S’47
Chuck Czaplewski ‘20
Andrew and Carole Ferber
Steve and Jennifer Daniel
Peter Ferber
Mike Dayton and Therese Matthews S’71
Fishbone’s Cajun & Creole Restaurant
Delafield Family Dental / Dr. Michelle Kelly
Denis Fraser and Linda Manson Fraser
Sallie Bowers Kevin Boylan John Branton
Tim and Patty Ashe S’66
Karen Brooks
At the Green Bench Fashion Boutique
Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Barbara Bruns Bill and Marilyn Campbell S’51
Bryan and Greta Atkinson
Jonathan and Janice Carbary S’68
Robert and Judith Ayotte
Cascade Mountain
Dick and Margaret Diefendorf S’65
Jake and Lisa Funk
David Bachowski S’91
Kimberly and Brian Castellani, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired)
Margaret Dolan
John Galley N’58
Mike and Laurie Dolan H’84
Charles and Lizanne Castle N’69
Tom and Sandra Donaldson
COL and Mrs. Paul R. Gardetto, USAF S’81
Vally Chamberlain Flint
Michael and Kierstyn Dovorany ’98
Craig and Melinda Cheetham
Jimmie and Ann Duggan H’81; H’13
Raymond and Gina Christensen
Paul Edenhofer
Keith and Marissa Cohrs
Robert Edgers N’48
C/ MSGT Aziah Backus ’19 Bill and Patricia Ballhorn S’60 Charles Bartlett N’69 Edward and Susan Basler N’60 Carlos and Jill Berger
THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
S7
Beacon Club (cont.) Linda Go and Katherine Kinsella
John and Jeanne Kelleher
Charles and Janine Goodsite
Austin Kempf ’14
Eduardo Monroy-Carillo and Ana Ramirez
Jessy Sharp ’13
Kelly Kieler
The Rt. Rev. James Montgomery
Dr. Michael and Mrs. Kathryn Gotthardt S’60
Helen Slater
Arthur and Jean Graham S’68
PNCM and Mrs. Edward M. Koch, Jr., USN (Ret.) S’71
Edward and Catherine Moore S’47 Mary Moyer
The Estate of Morton Hathaway Smith † S’54
Michael Graham S’94
Laddie † and Judy Korecek S’73
Martin and Angela Munvez
Richard H. Smith S’61
Green Bay Packers
Kyle Kreiter ’12
Donald Nuenthel
Soat-Vergenz VFW Post #721
Dr. Charles and Mrs. Sandra Greer S’66
John and Kay Kyle N’58
James and Sandra O’Brien
Henry and Sylvia Stec
John Grimshaw
Alex Labeots
Steven Otopalik S’74
Michael and Barbara Steger S’44
Lake Country Cigars
Amy Palmer
William and Kathleen Steinborn
Douglas and Jane Guffy
The Rev. John and Mrs. Jean Lambert S’63
Ann Perrine
Paul and Ann Stephens
Dr. Dean and Mrs. Sandra Hagness
Marilyn Langehaug
Oliver and Susan Perry S’67
Steven Stowe
MG Hal E. Hallgren, USA (Ret.) S’43
Clifford Lardinois and Patricia DuMond S’63
Greg Peters ’05
Spencer and Cynthia Tauck
Kent and Kimberley Peters S’73
Clifford and Hope Taylor S’45
Larry and Patricia Petersen
Ed and Randi Thiessen S’59
Edward and Nadine Pflueger
Walter and Verna Thompson S’47
Planet Fitness
John Thorn
Joseph and Mary Plese
Don and Bette Timmel
Stanley and Mary Poag S’42
Mary Trieschmann
William and Caroline Guanell S’55
Kristine Harger John and Teresa Harrington N’61 Mary Belle Harwich Donald and Paula Haseltine S’56 Alec Hawksley ’19 Olivia Heckel
Carl and Jerilyn Laurino Brandon LaVictor Douglas and Royette Ledford S’61 David Lehnert and Chasiti Mattox-Lehnert
Peter and Lesli Hill
Steve and Joanne Lewandowski S’71
Robert and Pamela Pole
Dr. Michael and Mrs. Barbara Unger
Steve Hinman S’75
S. Richard and Gail Polin N’49
Winnie Villanueva - State Farm
Charlie and Patricia Lindberg S’64
Wayne Hochmuth S’50
Bob and Charlene Popke
Richard and Yvonne Voss S’64
Phillip Lofton
Peter and Lynn Hoffman N’84
Kenneth and Ruth Radnitzer N’44
Richard and Barbara Wagner S’59
Katherine Lohmuller
Hogg Alley Bar and Grill
Red Circle Inn and Bistro
Thomas Ware S’66
Roberto Lopez
William Hollatz † S’44
Suzanne Regas
Dr. Bill and Mrs. Joyce Washo S’67
Louise’s Restaurant
Jim and Kathy Hoover S’76
Quentin and Barbie Rench S’62
Erik Lund ’00
Francis and Kathleen Hope
Revere’s Wells Street Tavern
Water Street Brewery – Lake Country
Tammy Maddente
Heather Hunt
Col. and Mrs. Bert L. Rice, USA (Ret.)
Tom and Amy Marshall
Dr. Michael Whittaker
Illusions and Design
John and Lori Rodas
Martinizing Cleaners
Lee Wilburn, II
Lester and Judith Jacobs
Herbert McClaren
COL and Mrs. Robert C. Roehrkasse, USAF (Ret.) H’07
Bill and Theresa Wiles S’66 Tom and Rochelle Wittkopf S’58
Christine Jacobson Brookes H’16
The Honorable Margaret D. McGarity and Mr. Jeffrey R. Riepl
George Rogers S’55 Mark Roggow S’72
WMTV NBC15
Komkay Jahrmann
Merganser Fund (Bradt Family)
Richard and Bette † Rosenthal S’47
Yahara Bay Distillers
Paul and Donna Jakstas N’58
Jim and Estelle Milch S’55
Nicole Rutherford
The Rev. Paul and Mrs. Carol † Jefferies
William and Cynthia Milford
Colin and Alyssa Sandefur ’07
ZIN Uncommon California/Italian Restaurant
Dr. John and Mrs. Ramona Milgram
Sally Johnson
Ed and Jill Scharf
Charles Miller
Joe and Brenda Johnston S’60
Armond and Janice Schmidt
MillerCoors
Jason Jurva
Frederick and Janet Schmidt
Dean and Marie Mlachnik S’83
Len Kafer S’59
Edmund Moeller and Betty Harris
Glenn and Nancy Schoenenberger N’61
Cindy Kanarowski
Terry and Hallie Moline
Carol Schott H’99
Howard and Carolann Keck
Trenton Moline ’07
Wayne Schreck S’62
Janet Jacobson
Robert and Sharon Keefe
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Ken and Tricia Shields S’68
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
Lance and Barbara Weesner
David and Laura Zirngibl ’02
Fred and Vicki Severt S’62
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
Friends of the Academy (Gifts to $99) Charles Allen S’85 Steve and Nancy Allen Alsco Walter and Christine Anders Anonymous (4) Adolfo Autrey S’61 Hugo Baca Bangles & Bags, LLC Joseph Banyai N’84 John Bartizal S’86 Amy Bay Robert and Cristy Becker N’80 Jon Bennett Bentley’s Pet Stuff Matthew Bergstad ’08 Donald and Ann Bergstrom Berres Brothers Coffee Blockhouse Katherine Bongiorno Ping Braatz Robert and Michelle Braman Beverly Branson Douglas and Lisa Breitsprecker Dan Brill John Broman S’71 Eric and Christine Broucek Jaime L. Buege Russell Burbank, Jr. S’59 Jeff and Patty Campbell S’77 Suzi Cannizzaro Robert and Sherry Carter S’65 Christopher Cassata ’97 Bob and Pam Chamberlain N’61 Bruce and Barbara Chrisman James and Therese Cieslewicz Eugene Clark David Cohen and Wanda Mills S’74 Chuck Coleman Ty Courtney Christian Cunningham ’17 Michael and Deanna Cuttill Shelley Daily Daybreak Mobil Prime Meats and Deli The Delafield Hotel Johnathan Delfosse Dean and Susan Demarais
Pipe Major Brian Donaldson Simon and Maricela Estrada Xavier Estrada ‘17 Susan Euclide LaVerne and Mary Evans S’47 Craig and Pam Fales N’64 Donald Falk Debbie Firkus Peter and Nadine Frale S’79 Adam Frame Jamie Gapinski William Garbe S’62 Fgagas Gasg Dr. Charles and Mrs. Carolyn Gerwick David Gold Angie Gonzalez Sue Gore Carsten Gottfredsen-Kromke ’16 Brian and Nancy Grady Teresa Gutierrez Eric Hafeli Hahn Ace Hardware Robert and Beverly Hammerschmidt S’48 Paul Havel Roseanne Hendricks John Hirstein ’17 Stephanie Ihler Nicholas Illgen ’17 Susan Isotalo Joseph Jackson ’00 Eric Jang and Ning Ma Erica Johnson Todd Jordan S’75 Conrad Jorgensen Jeanette Keim Joseph and Mary Beth Kiefer Joseph Kilroy Ed and Anne Klein Ann-Christin Kloth Thomas and Karen Kruse N’57 Jason Kuffel Kurt’s Steakhouse Lake Country Health Center Lake Geneva Cruise Line Keith and Virginia Laken N’64
Jim and Fran Langerfeld Laura Langreder Pat Latshaw Wayne Lemmon Wade Lindholm S’81 Henry Lucherini Yacine Makhlouf Nicholas Mann ’09 Rev. Timothy Manwell Howard and Anne Marco S’46 Richard and Colleen Mark S’70 Marty’s Pizza – Delafield Emmanouil Mathioudis Maurices Charles McClure † S’54 Ella McHugh Michael and Kathleen McHugh
THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
Elizabeth McLaughlin Kathleen McNamara Anthony and Stacy Menting Kurt Mikolite S’77 Mark and Kim Miselnicky Jeremy and Sara Monty Melissa Murphy John and Nancy Murray David and Hannah Muse Nate Myers S’74 Nashotah Clubhouse Keith and Kelly Nelson Lance and Holly Newman KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
S9
Friends of the Academy (cont.) Richard and Denise Nierzwicki Christine Nolan Steven and Laura Novick S’64 Carolyn Oddsen Oliva di Vita Deborah Olson Orangetheory Fitness Deb Orlowski Luz Osorio Maleena Parent Jim and Debra Parks S’65 Joan Paul Dwight and Sharon Pawlowski David and Jessica Pederson Dr. Randy Peters S’74 Picnic Basket Dennis and Kimberly Poenisch Joseph Quilici ’17 Joyce Raz Elizabeth Reuter Susan Rilling Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
S10
Patrick Roob and Brittney Roob-Hourigan ’07 Eric and Jenny Root S’80 Gary Ruderman S’68 Eduard Ryba ’97 James Sadma Erwin and Debra Sadowski Scott and Brandi Savoy John Schmidt William Schmidt Steven and Karen Schweiss Nicole Scrima Julie Servatius Seven Seas Restaurant 1LT Jason L. Sharp, WIARNG ’05 Timothy and Erin Shramek H’12 Perry and Amy Siebers H’97 Richard and Sharon Slosar David and Charlotte Smith Jerald Smith S’68 Walter Smith S’68 Thomas Sobota
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
Stephen Spear Carol Spencer Zachary Spreitzer Michael and Holly Stadler William Stiyer Eric and Mary Stone S’71 Stone Creek Coffee Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Peggy Storrs Kurt Suffka N’69 Summer Stage of Delafield SGM Paul C. Traver, USA (Ret.) N’53 Deb Turnbull H’12 Charles Varellas S’59 Eric and Christine Vasquez Tim Vice Paul and Andrea Vie Pamela and Jeremy Volden Shanel Vrontez Dale Wallace S’54 Joseph Waugh ’13 Dr. John and Mrs. Kay Weiler Weissberger’s Golden Mast
Kathleen White Larry and Colleen Whittle Dr. Ed and Mrs. Faith Winiecke S’79 LeighAnn Winterowd Joe Wolak Alan and Beverly Wolfe Kathryn Woods Eric and Teresa Wozniak Peter Ziegler N’52 Michelle Zillmann Paul Zimmer COL Thomas Zimmerman, USA (Ret.) and Dr. Mary Povolny N’51 Kristina Zufelt
KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
Behind the Numbers
Alumni Giving 2017-2018
Last year, we posted a chart that outlined alumni participation and philanthropic successes grouped by class and school. It proved to be a popular page within that issue of The Beacon and a hot topic of conversation. Therefore, we decided to continue with last year’s chart and dedicate this entire page to illustrate the successes of each Academy and class for the most recent fiscal year.
Interested in how you can help drive your class numbers?
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy can only be as strong as its supporters, and for that — we thank you!
Contact the development office at (262) 646-7118 for additional tools and strategies.
www.sjnma.org/donatenow
Alumni gifts received during the fiscal year July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018 Class Yr. NMNA SJMA SJNMA Total Giving
Class Yr. NMNA SJMA SJNMA Total Giving
Class Yr. NMNA SJMA SJNMA Total Giving
1930 0 1931 0 1932 0 1933 0 1934 0 1935 0 1936 0 1937 0 1938 0 1939 1 1940 0 1941 0 1942 0 1943 0 1944 2 1945 0 1946 1 1947 0 1948 1 1949 2 1950 0 1951 1 1952 2 1953 1 1954 1 1955 0 1956 0 1957 1 1958 5 1959 0
1960 3 10 n/a $11,199 1961 3 4 n/a $1,826 1962 0 7 n/a $9,750 1963 2 6 n/a $15,493 1964 2 7 n/a $3,147 1965 1 6 n/a $15,067 1966 0 5 n/a $1,426 1967 2 7 n/a $88,916 1968 3 10 n/a $42,439 1969 6 3 n/a $11,700 1970 1 3 n/a $29,559 1971 0 6 n/a $1,786 1972 0 5 n/a $6,200 1973 0 7 n/a $9,574 1974 0 6 n/a $10,733 1975 0 5 n/a $157,391 1976 1 4 n/a $8,356 1977 0 6 n/a $19,424 1978 0 2 n/a $3,782 1979 0 3 n/a $5,070 1980 1 3 n/a $3,632 1981 0 4 n/a $10,518 1982 0 1 n/a $1,000 1983 0 5 n/a $164,318 1984 2 2 n/a $1,191 1985 0 1 n/a $40 1986 0 1 n/a $58 1987 0 1 n/a $300 1988 0 1 n/a $400 1989 0 1 n/a $1,030
1990 0 2 n/a 1991 0 3 n/a 1992 0 1 n/a 1993 1 0 n/a 1994 0 2 n/a 1995 n/a n/a 0 1996 n/a n/a 0 1997 n/a n/a 2 1998 n/a n/a 1 1999 n/a n/a 3 2000 n/a n/a 4 2001 n/a n/a 0 2002 n/a n/a 1 2003 n/a n/a 0 2004 n/a n/a 0 2005 n/a n/a 3 2006 n/a n/a 0 2007 n/a n/a 4 2008 n/a n/a 0 2009 n/a n/a 2 2010 n/a n/a 1 2011 n/a n/a 1 2012 n/a n/a 1 2013 n/a n/a 2 2014 n/a n/a 1 2015 n/a n/a 0 2016 n/a n/a 2 2017 n/a n/a 6
0 n/a $0 1 n/a $10,100 0 n/a $0 0 n/a $0 0 n/a $0 0 n/a $0 0 n/a $0 0 n/a $0 0 n/a $0 0 n/a $11,040 0 n/a $0 1 n/a $250 1 n/a $100 2 n/a $1,100 3 n/a $2,800 2 n/a $1,100 3 n/a $7,385 6 n/a $4,050 4 n/a $31,863 0 n/a $350 2 n/a $300 1 n/a $250 2 n/a $820 1 n/a $1,025 5 n/a $21,150 7 n/a $3,750 4 n/a $1,225 2 n/a $1,352 2 n/a $8,959 7 n/a $1,309
$1,030 $1,754 $1,581 $500 $220 $0 $0 $60 $100 $6,777 $867 $0 $103 $0 $0 $478 $0 $482 $0 $1,950 $4,000 $500 $160 $216 $100 $0 $375 $27
Honor Roll of Donors continues on next page THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
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Matching Gifts American Express Applied Materials Bank of America BP Foundation, Inc. ExxonMobil Foundation GE Foundation The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation TE Connectivity Wells Fargo Foundation
Gifts in Memory of Joseph Anstett S’51
LT David Devonald S’43
The Rev. James H. Jacobson
Bill and Marilyn Campbell S’51
Warren and Mary Marik S’63
S. Richard and Gail Polin N’49
Dacey Armstrong ’97
William Dodge S’68
James Nance Jamieson N’68
Christopher Cassata ’97
Robert Kelly S’67
Robert Ausland H’75
Norman Godfrey, Jr. S’45
Victor and Susan Cohn S’61
Anonymous
Michael Barrett N’52
Robert Jason Gore ’00
Waring Jenkins N’52
Elsworth Bentley Dr. Edward Mann and Mrs. Joy Bentley-Mann Nicholas Mann ’09
Thomas Brown S’78 Marilyn Langehaug
Thomas Bulger S’51 Bill and Marilyn Campbell S’51
Wilbert Busse N’34 Tom and Barb Busse N’60
Robert W. Butz S’59 Marty and Lynda Boothman S’59
Burton Corbus, Jr. S’44 Patricia Corbus
Nason Cottington S’21
Kurt Suffka N’69
Juan T. Jones S’88 Jason Babiar S’87
Carol Kafer
Beverly Kuechenmeister
Jason Babiar S’87
LTC Leonard A. Greene H’93
George Leonard S’68
Jason Babiar S’87
Rich and Sue Ellbogen S’68
T. Cole Hackley N’44
Rick Leone S’75
Dr. Carol Ann Hackley
John A. Leone
Greg Halquist ’13
MAJ Edison B. Lerch S’19
William Halquist, Jr.
Willa Harrington Thomas and Shelia Harrington
James Harrison S’32 Ella McHugh
David Hmura S’66 Merideth Hmura
Robert Hollingsworth S’64 Charlie and Patricia Lindberg S’64
Rich and Sue Ellbogen S’68 Gary and Deborah Jaeger Richard Rosenthal, Jr. and Patricia DeBoom
Stanley Lovelace S’55 William and Caroline Guanell S’55
Jeffrey Manson ’98 Denis Fraser and Linda Manson Fraser
PFC Michael J. Metcalf, USA ’08 Kimberly Metcalf
Robert and Sherry Carter S’65
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2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
NMNA 1958 Classmates: Robert Andresen N’58 P. Steven Komic N’58 Jack Silverman N’58 James Strobl N’58 Richard and Jacqueline Koechlein N’58
LT COL Sam C. Oliver, USMC (Ret.) H’71 and Mrs. Debbie Oliver Daniel Cutting and Colleen Luce S’73 H. S. Oliver, USA (Ret.) S’73
Stephen Oliver S’72
SMGT Amos Reed, USAF (Ret.)
LTC Herbert Scott Trapp, USAF (Ret.) S’37
Jeraldine Reed
Wayne Schreck S’62
Thomas Rench S’48
Howard “Spike” Van Norwick S’58
Quentin and Barbie Rench S’62
Elizabeth McLaughlin
Caroline Roberts
Harry and Fran Vorys S’43; H’87
Darnell Turner and Virginia Greer-Turner S’84
Frederick and Janet Schmidt Jack and Marian Wattles
Jane Roehr Dr. Edward Mann and Mrs. Joy Bentley-Mann
Walter Watkins S’64
Joseph Sambrook ’99
John J. Wiechers N’54
Charlie and Patricia Lindberg S’64
H. S. Oliver, USA (Ret.) S’73
Chris and Devra Tan ’99
Gene Pace
Jack Silverman N’58
Paul and Anitamarie Kopaczewski H’09 Joanne Wiechers H’11
Dr. Edward Mann and Mrs. Joy Bentley-Mann
Chuck and Julie † Sansone N’58
Jan T. Wong S’72
Ben Slavin H’97
Trenton Moline ’07
Dee Patterson
Thomas and Karen Kruse N’57
Jason Babiar S’87
Eric Zillmann N’76
John J. Sotos S’60
Michelle Zillmann
Sylvia Peck
George and Sarah Sotos S’64
Lance and Barbara Weesner
Robert Southard S’59
Rudolph A. Peckinpaugh, Sr. S’43
Marty and Lynda Boothman S’59
Rudolph A. Peckinpaugh, Jr. S’72
MGEN Ralph H. Spanjer, USMC (Ret.) H’96
The Rev. Paul A. Perrine, Jr. S’52
Tom and Sandra Donaldson
Ann Perrine
Kenneth H. Suter S’38 H. W. Suter Foundation
THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
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Gifts in Honor of MAJ Bradley Allen ’96 Diane Allen
Dr. James and Mrs. Carol Babiar S’62 Jason Babiar S’87
Jackson Blahnik ’19 Jon and Christianna Blahnik
Krystian Borowiec ’21 Marzena Borowiec
Ray Christensen ’18 Raymond and Gina Christensen
Christopher Clark ’13 Eugene Clark
Evan Demarais ’17 Dean and Susan Demarais
Joseph Di Torrice S’54 Charles McClure † S’54
Sebastian Grabacki ’09
Richard and Jacqueline Koechlein N’58
Dami Ogunmodede ’18 Wale and Shade Ogunmodede
Dave and Jan Grabacki
Stewart Randall H’81
John “Jack” Hayden ’18 Jerome and Sally Hayden
Jason Babiar S’87 Rudolph A. Peckinpaugh, Jr. S’72
David Kafer S’87
Anders Rhode ’19
Jason Babiar S’87
Brett and Kara Rhode
Leonard Kafer S’59
Griffin Rooke ’18
Jason Babiar S’87
Thom and Julie Rooke
Anitamarie Kopaczewski H’09
Alexander Roth ’11
John Hankwitz S’60
Jack Kuehn ’15 James and Janet Kuehn
David Lau S’48 Sharon Elske
Josh Layton ’19 Mr. Reginald and Dr. Beverly Layton
Duane Lindemann ’18 Jamie and Rachael Lindemann
Collin Maloney ’18 Michael and Karla Maloney
The Matz Family Paul and Anitamarie Kopaczewski H’09
Harold Mlsna H’81 Jason Babiar S’87 KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
S14
NMNA 1958 Classmates: Charles Bemis N’58 Lance Conrad N’58 Martin Dahlberg N’58 Elia Dulgeroff N’58 Ronald Evans N’58 John Galley N’58 John Georgacopoulos N’58 Dino Giovan N’58 William Hall N’58 Donald Hill N’58 Michael Hoft N’58 Edwin Humphrey N’58 John Kyle N’58 John Mischka N’58 Michael Peters N’58 Kenneth Ruud N’58
Margaret Dolan
Noah Sellers ’20 Mark and Mary Sellers
SJMA Class of 1987 Jason Babiar S’87
SJNMA Class of 2008 Dr. Perry and Mrs. Lynn Phillips
SJNMA Riders Club Daniel Cutting and Colleen Luce S’73
Ariel Starr ’20 Dina Bukhman
Jack Swanson ’18 Kiki Nimtz and Michele Swanson
Wade Voltz S’78 Mary Voltz
Damian Williams ’19 John Williams and Monica Gamba Labastida
Edward Young S’95 Jim Young
MAJ James E. Young, II (Ret.) S’91
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders!
Jim Young
2017 - 2018 REPORT TO DONORS
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
Philanthropy
Who Doesn’t Love a Top Ten List? P hilanthropy and the topic of donating money to an organization can generate a broad scope of emotions and ideas. Generally, a positive and well appreciated attribute. However, like many scenarios, once placed into our own individual world, the perspective can change and run contrary to our established perception.
As such, I wanted to take a lighthearted yet sincere attempt at sharing the perspective from this side of the equation and in return, provide insight to create a better understanding of what development and alumni staff do on a day-to-day basis. I can think of no better way to approach than the following:
Stephen Matz, Vice President, Development and Alumni
Development and Alumni’s Top Ten List to a Better Understanding is the mission we serve, and your development and 10 SJNMA alumni staff are committed to serve it well.
9 Being a donor is more relational than transactional.
Your support is an investment into something greater than oneself.
8 Earning your trust is not a tagline. 7 We tend to get excited when a donor makes a commitment.
It can be an emotional time, and when it happens, we believe it should be celebrated!
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We see your social media posts.
5 Chances are, when it comes to a donation request, the person making the request is probably a little nervous yet extremely excited for the opportunity.
4 We, too, are donors of the Academy. 3 We believe that we are actually a fun group to be around. Don’t believe us? See below.
2 We do our best to align your interest with the needs of the Academy. It is our responsibility to do so.
1 We often hear, “I couldn’t do your job.” Our response,
“When you believe in the mission you serve, the phrase ‘job’ no longer applies – it becomes your passion.”
The team and I are confident this will be a monumental year for the Academy. As always, there are a number of challenges we face, but with every challenge comes an opportunity. It is your development and alumni staff ’s opinion that together, we can accomplish great things!
Development and alumni staff as The Breakfast Club, Halloween 2018
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Introducing our Foreign Language Instructors This year at St. Johns’ Northwestern Military Academy, we have cadets from 13 countries and 15 states. For cadets needing to learn English or those wanting to learn another language, St. John’s Northwestern offers Chinese, English as a Second Language (ESL), German, and Spanish language courses. Here, we introduce our six foreign language instructors. Stephanie Ihler, ESL Coordinator and Instructor I love the study of foreign languages! I studied Spanish in high school and Japanese in college. Living in Japan for four years during and after college helped me discover a passion for teaching, world travel, and a deeper appreciation for my own language and culture. After returning from Japan, I went back to school to earn a degree in East Asian languages and cultures from Michigan State University along with my teaching credentials. After teaching Japanese for several years in Indiana, my family moved to Arizona where I earned a master’s degree in ESL from Arizona State University. This eventually led me to my position as an ESL coordinator and teacher at SJNMA in 2010 after moving to Wisconsin. To me, learning new languages can open up a student’s eyes, mind and heart to a different world. It can also push students outside of their comfort zone and connect them to limitless possibilities for world travel, future careers, and friendships across the globe. This has been my own personal experience, and it is my goal to encourage my students to think and explore globally and to continue their pursuit of world languages and cultures at SJNMA and beyond.
When I am not teaching, I enjoy traveling, camping, college football, going to movies and concerts, and spending time with my friends and family.
Joan Paul, ESL Instructor I’ve always had a heart for teaching and for animals, so I decided to become either a veterinarian or a teacher. When I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I decided I couldn’t stand the sight of needles, so teaching won out! Twenty-eight years later, I’m glad I did. I taught elementary students in California where I became interested in ESL. I received a certificate to teach ESL from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and started teaching in Milwaukee shortly after. I really enjoy the complexity of language and how our brains change and our horizons expand with the mastery of it. I believe students must be willing to practice speaking even when they are not comfortable as there is no other way to learn a language than to practice it. I provide background knowledge about various subjects to help students understand. I try to make the classroom a fun and judgement-free zone, so students will take risks. As the saying goes, you get out what you put in.
(left to right) Joan Paul, Ann-Christin Kloth, Stephanie Ihler, Susan Collar, Heidi Beck and Ping Braatz
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
International Connections
Ping Braatz helps Cadet William Tuttle 2019 as he practices writing Chinese in Chinese 2 class.
I’ve enjoyed working with children from Somalia, Burma, Madagascar, Laos, Thailand, Mexico, Puerto Rico, China, and South Korea. As they learn English skills, I learn about their language and culture. It is my wish that they maintain their rich culture as they learn English and the American culture. This is my second year at St. John’s Northwestern and I really enjoy working with our cadets!
Ping Braatz, Chinese Instructor and Asian Enrollment Representative I taught computer science in Liaoning University and worked as a business manager after I received Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees in computer science from Dalian University of Technology in China. In 1995, I moved to the United States and received a second Master of Science degree in mathematics from Southern Illinois University. I gained broad business experiences working with multicultural companies in several roles that included information technology consultant, business analyst, and Chinese marketing specialist. I also traveled to China with senior management teams as a Chinese consultant advisor. I helped large consulting firms and multinational industries doing business with China by providing Chinese language and culture training seminars, Chinese culture awareness professional presentations, and professional translation services. My work experiences in the U.S. helped me understand how challenging it is for the businesses and their workforce to adapt to rapidly changing global forces. It made me realize how important the working experiences, the language skills, and the awareness of foreign cultures play in providing opportunities in the multicultural business world. Having THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
language skills and making connections to the rest of world is a big plus for being successful in worldwide business settings. Thus, I chose to share my experiences and knowledge by teaching students in a classroom again. I have had years of teaching experience as a Chinese instructor working with educational institutions such as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), College for Kids at UWM, the Modern Chinese School at Marquette University, and more. Since 2008, I have shared my business management skills and educational experiences in both the U.S. and China with the Academy, cadets and their families. I have taught Chinese language and culture to SJNMA cadets for 10 years now. Cadets have not only learned language skills, but also have received awareness of different cultures, and gained the knowledge and abilities to feel comfortable to interact with the cadets with different backgrounds on campus. It has been tremendously exciting and rewarding to hear the feedback and stories I’ve received from current cadets and SJNMA graduates pursuing successful careers over the years.
Ann-Christin Kloth, German Instructor I was born and raised in Germany. I am a certified bookseller and hold a degree in business engineering. After working with diverse companies in marketing and sales as an executive, I decided to change my career, make my hobby a profession, and become a full-time horse trainer and riding instructor, founding my own business in 2005. I moved to the United States in 2007 and joined SJNMA in August 2010. Teaching was always my passion, no matter which area I was working. From training apprentices, co-workers and WINTER 2019
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Stephanie Ihler speaks with Cadet Fan Ye Wu 2023 while Cadet Jerónimo González 2023 listens during Prep ESL Writing class.
employees to teaching horse riding or teaching German at SJNMA, I have been a teacher my entire life. I enjoy bringing my language and culture to the students of SJNMA, giving them an opportunity to broaden their horizons and helping them learn about another country besides their own. My hobbies and interests include traveling, camping, hiking, horses, reading, cooking, being outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.
Susan Collar, Spanish Instructor I have been teaching Spanish for 15 years, six of them at SJNMA. My love for the Spanish language and culture is what I love sharing and teaching to my students daily. My love for everything foreign began as a teen when we hosted two Japanese students, which are friendships that I still have today. I attended Carroll University and graduated with a double major in Spanish and history. I studied in Sevilla, Spain, for one year, and afterwards, worked for eight years in Latin American sales. After my first child was born, I decided I wanted to teach. My passion is traveling. I have been to five of the seven continents and hope to make it to Antarctica one day! Some countries I have traveled to include Japan, Venezuela, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Slovakia, Poland, and Austria. One of my favorite trips was when I traveled with my mother to Slovakia and we actually found and spent time with our relatives! This all transpired by only carrying with us a return address from a letter postmarked in the 1980s. I now love traveling with my children and have taken my son and oldest daughter to Europe. I keep busy with my husband and three
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children. We love traveling together, going to Brewers games, and being outside playing softball, wiffle ball and basketball. I love walking and jogging outside for my exercise routine several times a week. SJNMA has allowed me to be part of the Ski Club, which feeds my casual hobby of downhill skiing and keeping me busy in the long Wisconsin winters!
Heidi Beck, Spanish Instructor and College Counselor My passion for the Spanish language began my freshman year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I graduated from UWMadison with a double major in Spanish and Latin American Iberian studies with a minor in geography. I studied my junior year in Sevilla, Spain, and stayed over the summer to work in the World’s Fair. After graduation, I moved back to Spain and taught English classes for a year. When I returned to Wisconsin, I went to Carroll University to get a minor in secondary education to later be able to teach in the United States. I taught in both public and private high schools, and then decided to pursue a master’s degree in Spanish from Marquette University. After getting my master’s degree, I went to work as a medical interpreter. Around that time, I also started my own business, providing Spanish interpretation, translation and cultural integration. I have spent the last 15 years working with the Latino population. Things have come full circle and once again I find myself in the classroom. This is my first year at SJNMA. As a Spanish instructor, I want my students to understand the language as well as the culture. My goal is for my students to be able to speak about current events, give an opinion, convey their feelings, and develop a passion for the Spanish language.
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Old Boys Alumni Association
A Message from the OBAA President Old Boys Alumni Association Board of Directors 2017-2018 Officers Chuck Krametbauer S1978 President Jim Hoover S1976 1st Vice President Michael Fillichio S1988 2nd Vice President David Zirngibl 2002 Treasurer Michael Dayton S1971 Secretary
Board Members John Bartizal S1986 Cory Byrnes 2009 J. C. Fairvalley II S1976 David Hess S1959 Michael Hoover S1971 Joe LaRocca N1969 Keith Pabish S1977 Scott Pace N1969 Ted Roth S1974 Bill Sanders S1974 Greg Van Praag S1972 Pete Waskel S1976 Bill Wiles S1966
May 2018 marked my 40th reunion at SJNMA. I can’t believe how quickly the time has passed since commencement. The OBAA Chris Madding Memorial Golf Outing in July and Homecoming Weekend in September were also great successes made by all who attended as well as those who donated auction items and time. Homecoming Weekend included the annual OBAA Pig & Chicken Roast and the Fall Fest Fundraiser, which turned into a fun-filled day outside. Again, thank you to all. Along with the Academy’s 134th anniversary in September, young ladies made a strong presence at SJNMA. I have more wonderful experiences at SJNMA for me. My granddaughter, Caitlynn Curtis 2021, is among the first group of women among the Corps of Cadets. As Caitlynn was growing up, she would ask about St. John’s from time to time, especially when her grandma and I would return from campus. Grandma would bring clothes from the SJNMA Cadet Store for all the grandkids, but Caitlynn always showed a special interest in them. When the Summer OPS program went coed this year, Caitlynn could not wait to attend. Grandma and I wondered if we were doing the right thing, especially breaking the news to her parents. Caitlynn said, “I’ll take care of that,” and before I knew it, we had her mother’s blessing. Her father, on the other hand, was not on board at first. Thankfully, he saw the light of his daughter’s way and gave her his blessing. Caitlynn is a sophomore and absolutely cannot get enough of SJNMA. For me, watching her walk the same halls and sit in the same classrooms is a feeling I thought I would never experience. In the few short months that Caitlynn has attended, I couldn’t be more proud of her. On our first parent/teacher visit, I was surprised to see that Caitlynn received all A’s, which is something I don’t think I received in my entire four years of school. What an amazing feeling knowing my granddaughter is following in the steps we all took. I want to thank the OBAA for their generous scholarship gift to Cadets Caitlynn Curtis 2021 and Zoie Dana 2021. In closing, as I have said before, I am so glad to be a part of this great organization of the OBAA. Alumni, please support our great Academy because without your support, we cannot grow and we cannot produce outstanding young men and now young women. Please give generously. “Your best teacher is your last mistake.”
Charles “Chuck” Krametbauer S1978 OBAA President
“A huge thanks for the scholarship. I am really enjoying SJNMA. I am in wrestling as a fall sport, and was a guidon bearer for the Veterans Day ceremony. I have already learned and have grown so much in the few short months of attending this school. It is a big help to have your support, especially being one of the first girls to attend St. John’s Northwestern. Thank you.” – Cadet Caitlynn Curtis 2021 “I really appreciate the scholarship that you have given me. If it weren’t for you, I would not be able to be doing some of the things I am doing right now. This is amazing, and words cannot describe how excited I was to hear the news. Thank you again.” – Cadet Zoie Dana 2021 Cadets Caitlynn Curtis 2021 (left) and Zoie Dana 2021
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Reconnect. Reunite. Re-establish. Stay engaged and involved with the Academy!
Greetings Alumni, Continuing to serve you from campus and actively engage and harness the strength all alumni have to offer will bring your Academy a wealth of additional values. You are a pool of qualified talent and have been recognized for cultivating relationships with former classmates through the years. The proof started this past spring while forming the alumni chapters across the nation. Nineteen SJNMA state representatives are now represented in this initial request and they have had much success meeting with alumni from all decades and all three schools. If you have not been contacted and would like to take the lead in your state, let me know. The first alumni chapter meeting was a joint venture with the enrollment department in Houston, Texas, on October 28 at Georgia James Steak House in Montrose, Texas. Thanks to Greg Peters 2005, executive sous chef at the restaurant, for drawing up a menu extraordinaire for the group, and his father, Kent Peters S1973, Houston area alumni chapter director, for coordinating the event with the SJNMA alumni and development departments. Together, the men and women enjoyed sharing their experiences with our staff in addition to spreading the news of enrollment and recruiting for the Academy. Greg, Kent and the restaurant representative, Jordann Foreman, were presented with certificates of appreciation for their efforts to keep
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us connected and #SJNMAPROUD! Let me know of any venues you would like to visit or tour as an alumni group. On the docket is a meal and tour at HarleyDavidson Motor Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stay tuned for further announcements. We are on the move and plan to meet you! Our tour and meal at the Gold Pyramid in Wadsworth, Illinois, in June was truly a night to remember. The Onan family plans to open their home to us again in the future. We cannot thank them enough for their continued support and loyalty to their grand old school. The Fifth Thursday event at Miller Park in Milwaukee in September brought 42 attendees who enjoyed the fun rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers. The 50/50 is a popular fun fund-raiser at all these events. The private room was sold out for the second year in a row. Plan on this connection to be a staple for the future. Pre-registrations for Homecoming Weekend 2018 tallied in at 92 and there were 45 alumni who joined me in a photo when we marched to the 50-yard line on Price Davis Field to the hearty cheers of cadets, families and friends from the bleachers. The SJNMA Color Guard opened the Past, Present and Future Athletic Awards program. Dan Goers S1968 was the Honored Athlete. (Read more about Dan on page 33.)
Dr. Albert welcomed families to the event, Mike Fink, director of athletics, and Glenn Derby, varsity football head coach, spoke to attendees, and then Goers’ former coach, Jimmie Duggan H1981, introduced him. Steve Matz, vice president of development and alumni, and David Carl S1983, assistant to the president, spoke about Lancer Legends and future athletics at the Academy. Let me know the name of the athlete you would like to see honored in the future. Visits from families always brighten up a day at the office. When you are in the area, take advantage to visit your campus again. You will not be disappointed. Let me know when you plan to visit. I will keep my door open. Watch your communication vehicles for upcoming news about Reunion Weekend on May 25, 2019, and plan to make it the biggest ever! The class of 1969 challenges you, and the classes of all the 1960s, to attend and walk with them on their 50th reunion of graduation. Sign up today at www.sjnma.org/reunion.cfm. Reconnect. Reunite. Re-establish. Be sure to let us know when you move, change a phone number, or change an email. Most sincerely,
Anita Kopaczewski H2009 Director of Alumni
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Alumni Office Update 1
1: Attendees of the first Houston area alumni chapter meeting, October 2018 2: Alumni at the Gold Pyramid, June 2018 3: (left to right) Rich Ellbogen S1968, Warren Marik S1963, Charles Allen S1985 and George Hessberger S1965 gathered for the first Chicago area alumni chapter meeting on July 19, 2018. Contact Charles Allen S1985 to join the Chicago area alumni chapter. 4: Alumni on the Holt House porch during Reunion Weekend 2018
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Save the Date
Reunion Weekend May 25, 2019 The 50th reunion class of 1969 challenges you to attend! Sign up today at www.sjnma.org/reunion.cfm
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Inspiring Alumni
A Man of Quiet Integrity An Interview with Tom Stocks S1969
ABOVE: Tom Stocks S1969 in November 2018 LEFT: Tom Stocks’ 1969 yearbook entry
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he land east of Cushing Elementary School and north of Delafield Cemetery in Delafield, Wisconsin, was once a dairy farm owned by the grandparents of Thomas D. Stocks III S1969. Born in Madison while his father attended college there, Mr. Stocks’ family moved back to Delafield when he was two years old, initially living in his grandparent’s house directly across from Cushing Elementary School where his uncle resides today. At the age of three, Mr. Stocks first visited St. John’s Military Academy, specifically the golf course. As he grew older, he found his father’s high school yearbooks intriguing and would look through them with excitement. His father, Thomas D. Stocks, Jr., attended the Academy as a day student from 1943 to 1947 and graduated as a classmate of Roger Stangeland S1947, chairman of the SJMA Board of Trustees from 1992 to 2001. At one time, Mr. Stocks believes his father also may have been on the SJMA Board of Trustees and served as treasurer. Over time, Mr. Stocks’ interest in attending the Academy grew, but his family needed financial support. Lt. Col. David Fierke, SJMA dean from 1953 to 1966, helped to arrange a partial scholarship from a local brewing company, which allowed Mr. Stocks to enroll as a day student like his father. Mr. Stocks was valedictorian his senior year, receiving the Monroe Hanauer Medal for the highest scholastic average all four years, and was a member of the National Honor Society in his junior and senior years. He was on the golf team all four years, and the JV football and wrestling teams in grades 9 and 10. He has fond memories of math classes in Cord Hall, parade practices (when 30
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they used real M-1s without the firing pin), JROTC classes, and playing golf every day in spring. He liked the small class sizes, the very structured academic grading and awards program, which provided a lot of feedback, and the military aspects. Mr. Stocks recalls, “Of all my favorite memories, the one that stands clearest in my mind is the Academy campus on a winter’s night—quiet, peaceful and strong. After wrestling practice, I would wait for a ride home on cold, clear evenings and can remember that feeling like it was yesterday.” After graduating from SJMA in 1969, Mr. Stocks attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and received an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. SJMA helped prepare him for life after high school in several ways. He learned valuable study and test preparation skills, his academic success in high school gave him a lot of confidence entering college (another all-male school with small class sizes), and he has used and improved the time organization skills he developed at SJMA over the years. To this day, he says he is still a very organized person who plans every day including weekends. Both SJMA and Wabash College taught him life lessons that still apply today. At SJMA, Mr. Stocks says, “I learned that you are responsible for your own results/place in life, and that you can achieve more than you might possibly imagine if you work hard and just simply never quit.” As for Wabash College, he says the mission statement states it best what he learned there, “Wabash College educates men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively and live humanely.” St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
ABOVE, LEFT: (front row, second from right) Tom Stocks S1969 was president’s aide his senior year. ABOVE, RIGHT: Tom Stocks 1969 receives his diploma from Gavin A. Pitt, SJMA president.
The first nine years of his career were spent in treasury/cash management/finance positions with two large companies in Chicago, Northwest Industries, a conglomerate of industrial and some branded products companies, and Baxter International, a large, international medical products company. In 1983, he joined a small private equity firm and began doing leveraged buyouts. A few years later, he helped some of the firm’s partners at a portfolio company buy out a food manufacturing company they owned called The Park Corporation where he joined initially as chief financial officer and chief operating officer. Eventually, he became chairman and CEO of the company, which was approximately $130 million in revenue with 500 employees in 1991. He left The Park Corporation in the mid-1990s and moved back into the “deal world” as a consultant and investment banker, eventually being hired as CFO of a client’s company in New York in 2002. That led Mr. Stocks to joining another University of Chicago alumnus in Southport, Connecticut, and acquiring a number of companies in construction with a group of partners. While some of those companies did well, he said a number of them struggled, which led him to do what he does today as more of a “turnaround consultant” with too much of that experience coming from companies where he was also an owner. Mr. Stocks is the founder and managing member of Elston Capital Partners, LLC. In July 2018, he joined St. John’s Northwestern Leadership Academies as CFO where he views his position more as a “consultant and outsourced CFO” with the Academy as his current consulting engagement. Like his father, in addition to attending the Academy, Mr. Stocks has been actively engaged as a board member for many years. In the early 1990s, he became involved with the Old Boys Alumni Association Board of Directors. As that progressed, Mr. Stangeland sponsored him THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
into the Academy finance committee where he served from 1996 to 2015. That service is part of why he was asked to serve in his present role. He was also on the St. John’s Military Academy Board of Trustees twice and served on The Foundation of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy Board of Directors. He has learned a lot throughout his career, but if given the opportunity to do anything over again, he said there are a number of things he would likely chose to do differently. Mr. Stocks says, “For example, I would probably have worked a couple years before going back to school for my MBA. And while I eventually ended up with sales experience, I really did not spend a lot of time with customers of a business until I was already a chief operating officer of a company, and eventually became chairman and CEO of that company.” Mr. Stocks and his wife, Marie, have been married 24 years as of January 2019. They moved from New York back to his college town in Indiana in 2011. He enjoys Crawfordsville, a small town that has the benefit of a college and a great mix of agricultural economy and industry. There are less than 40,000 residents in the entire county where he lives. He runs every day outside for at least 60 to 90 minutes, 365 days a year. He enjoys golf, although he practices it more these days than having time to play. In addition, he enjoys reading, primarily fiction, such as John Grisham novels. Mr. Stocks concludes, “Very candidly, at SJNMA, we transform the lives of our cadets as we help them grow into more fully formed human beings. There is a purity of purpose in this mission that is unlike anything you find in the for-profit world and it speaks to a higher calling. Our Academy staff embraces this higher calling and I believe this explains their dedication. I am very honored to be part of this team.”
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Richard Meyer S1957, second from left, with (left to right) his sister-in-law, Lene Larsen, daughter and her husband, Anne and John Stalnaker, grandson, Evan Stalnaker, and granddaughter, Julia Stalnaker; photo taken by his wife, Lotte
Dr. Richard Meyer S1957 and his family enjoyed a day of Bud Hoffberg S1933 (front right) and his daughter, Ronna, are pictured with Academy alumni and development staff members.
Jerome “Bud” Hoffberg S1933 and his daughter, Ronna,
met with David Carl S1983, Anita Kopaczewski and Steve Matz on September 17, 2018, at California Pizza Kitchen in Skokie, Illinois, to celebrate Bud’s 102 ½ birthday. Along with a birthday card filled with best wishes from our staff, Hoffberg received wine glasses etched with the SJNMA crest to toast his next birthday. He remembered his days as a cadet, and being too small to hold a rifle that he joined the band. Jack Carson S1928, the famous movie actor of the 1940s, was the main topic of the lunch conversation along with his roommate, Granville “Gumshoe” Green S1933, and Robert Vick S1934 sharing their great athletic achievements as cadets at the Academy. Hoffberg was a member of the SJMA 1932 championship football team.
ziplining in August 2018 at Treehouse Ziplines near Cave Junction, Oregon. Their family does something like this every summer. In past years, they went rafting in Hell’s Canyon on the Snake River in the Olympic Mountains and Victoria, B.C., and deep sea fishing off the Oregon coast.
Earl Benner S1955 visited
campus with his son, Clark, for the first time in 30 years on September 7, 2018. Benner owns Benner Farms in Kansas City, Missouri. He is a graduate of Ripon College, and is an avid golfer. He encourages all his classmates to visit campus. He and his son were in route to Madison to meet some of his college buddies. Earl Benner S1955 (left) and his son, Clark
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Alumni gathering in Scottsdale, Arizona
On November 3, 2018, alumni representing seven different years met at Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers Pub in Scottsdale, Arizona. Al Scozzari S1960, the Arizona area alumni chapter representative, and Michael A. Hoover S1971 helped coordinate the gathering, which included Tom Mattas S1973, Randy Carl S1975, Craig P. Smith S1976, Ricky Joseph S1979, Jason Briggs 1997 and Christopher Cassatta 1997. The guidon shown at the rear of the photo was compliments of John Bartizal S1986.
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Alumni News
Jon Carbary S1968 and Rich Ellbogen S1968 attended the
SJNMA Salute to Veterans and Flag Pageant on November 9, 2018.
Dan Crawford S1979 and Kristine Kloehn-Crawford
attended a family wedding at Hopetoun House in South Queensferry, United Kingdom, on July 31, 2018. A piper wearing the Royal Stewart tartan is pictured with Dan Crawford S1979, wearing the Isle of Skye tartan, and Kristine Kloehn-Crawford.
Jon Carbary S1968 (left) and Rich Ellbogen S1968
Dan Goers S1968 received the Honored Athlete Award at the
Lancer Legends program during Homecoming Weekend on September 29, 2018. A two-year cadet, he was originally from Gary, Indiana, but grew up in Delavan, Wisconsin. He was captain of the SJMA football and baseball teams, which both lost only one game to Lake Forest High School his senior year. An outstanding pitcher on the baseball team, 10 Major League Baseball scouts came to see him play where he struck out 23 players against University Lake School with SJMA winning 3-2. He also accomplished a no-hitter, and averaged 12 strikeouts per game. He played football at the University of Georgia. Goers moved to Alexandria, Virginia, and began playing music professionally. He was in the automobile business until 2012 when he accepted an opportunity to partner with Harley-Davidson Motor Company. He still plays music for fun. Dan Goers S1968 speaks during the 2018 Lancer Legends program where he received the Honored Athlete Award.
Phil Chapleau S1969 visited campus on September 26, 2018,
from Park Ridge, Illinois. After graduating from the Academy, he attended Quincy College and later Illinois State. He spent his career as an audiovisual tech for Hewitt Associates, and credits his parents for sending him to the Academy for his well-earned education. He is an avid Chicago Cubs and Bears fan. He has been married to his wife, Mary Anne, for 27 years and together have two sons, Andrew and Alexander.
Barry McClure S1983 has a new job in the Chicago area. He
hopes to connect with alumni, and he looks forward to visiting campus. He enjoys being on social media and looking at old pictures posted from high school. He said, “St. John’s truly saved me. When I got there, it took me about 24 hours, but I realized that ‘my stuff did stink’ and that I was responsible for my actions. I will never forget Sgt. Matthews in my dormitory. He made me realize all the values that I still believe in to this day.” After graduating from SJMA, McClure proudly served in the United States Army and the United States Air Force.
Continued on next page
Phil Chapleau S1969
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Alumni News Continued
Bob Schueler N1983 writes, “My experiences with NMNA
helped shape my life—and frankly, while I wasn’t exactly enamored with being at a military academy then (1979-1981), I’m grateful for it now. From our first day as cadets, we were ingrained with rules, procedures and concepts, which formed habits that I practice to this day. This includes personal bearing, organizational skills, goal-setting, establishing personal integrity, performance and ethics metrics, social skills, study skills, and even personal hygiene and sleep habits. Many of the teachers I had, especially ‘Ma’ Dreger were instrumental in pushing me to the next level academically, and my later academic pursuits always had a basis in the high expectations and standards she and other NMNA faculty demanded. I could say much more, but that’s it in a nutshell.” Tom Weber S1985 was elected as a State Representative of
Illinois during the November 2018 elections.
Robert Buenger S1990 and his wife, Kate, welcomed a baby
girl named Charlotte Isabelle Buenger on August 21, 2018, which is also Kate’s birthday.
MAJ James E. Young, II (Ret.) S1991 (right) and Perry Siebers
MAJ James E. Young, II (Ret.) S1991 visited campus
on November 7, 2018, where he reviewed the cadets at second mess formation, awarding Delta Company with the honor of the day. He visited his class stone and The Columbarium in memory of Christopher “Bubba” Madding S1991. MAJ Young was in Korea at the time of Madding’s passing and took this opportunity to pay his respects. MAJ Young and his wife, Kimberly, moved from New Jersey to Burlington, Wisconsin, for a new position at Ardagh Company, a manufacturing firm for glass and plastics.
Kevin and Valerie Dryman S1992 (right) with their Basset Hound, Hoss
Kevin Dryman S1992 and his wife, Valerie, of Buffalo Grove,
Illinois, are proud to announce their Basset Hound, Hoss, earned his AKC Grand Champion title as well as earning a Best in Show Specialty at the Fort Dearborn Basset Hound Club Specialty show on June 16, 2018. His AKC name is “BISS GCH CH Rockstar’s Street Fighting Man.” Carlos Mendoza, the brother of Jose J. Mendoza Velazque 1996 (deceased), visited campus from Toluca, Mexico, on July 30, 2018, as a prospective family for 2020. Mendoza and his wife, Myra, and their sons, Carlos and Emiliano, enjoyed seeing photos of the boys’ late uncle in the 1994 to 1996 Trumpeter yearbooks.
Mexico City reunion
Adrián Rosado 2005, Frank del Rincon 2003, Javier Valadez (non-graduate), Diego Valadez (non-graduate), Jaime Celis 2001, Víctor Fuentes 2004 and Ricardo Menchaca 2007 met at Toledo Rooftop restaurant in Mexico
City, Mexico, on September 8, 2018. They are pictured above from left to right.
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Andrew, Preston and Paul Hajny 2004 participated in a
Tough Mudder in Indiana in November 2018. Tough Mudder is an endurance event in which participants attempt 10–12 milelong obstacle courses that test mental and physical strength. The Hajny brothers started participating in Tough Mudder events in 2012, and credit the Academy as the catalyst to many of their adventures as they have run half-marathons, marathons, triathlons, and mud runs. Jessy Sharp 2013
Jessy Sharp 2013 visited campus
on November 1, 2018. He spent part of the summer working at Camp St. John’s Northwestern and plans to continue his education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has three different areas of employment working for an alderman in Chicago, at a medical complex, and a gun range. He hopes to contact his classmates to coordinate a gathering in Las Vegas.
Cody Goggins 2016 published his first book in August 2018
called “The Dragon’s Revolution,” a fantasy novel. Zachary Craig 2018
Zachary Craig 2018 visited campus
on November 16, 2018, to visit his former classmates before they left for Thanksgiving break. He is working for Ace Hardware in Delavan, Wisconsin, anticipating great sales for winter machinery.
Military Men in Service
Military Men in Service
Jonathan Hawkins S1996, his wife and two young sons are currently living in
southern Wisconsin, and he is stationed in northern Illinois at Naval Station Great Lakes. In December 2017, he was promoted to lieutenant commander, and is currently serving as the staff judge advocate, the military attorney, for Naval Service Training Command (NSTC). NSTC oversees Recruit Training Command, Officer Training Command, Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, and Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. Each year, the training commands transform over 30,000 civilian volunteers into sailors. Hawkins said, “It is a true privilege to be a part of an organization that prepares all of our incoming sailors and almost all of our incoming naval officers for service in the Fleet!” Jose Targa 2004 (right)
Jose Targa 2004 was promoted to captain in the U.S. Army on November 25, 2018. Connor Schmid 2013 graduated from the U.S. Air Force Air Traffic Control technical
school on July 1, 2018. He had an amazing team that helped get him through, but he still has a long road ahead to become a rated controller. He is looking forward to the opportunities to come at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. Connor Schmid 2013 (right) receives his air traffic control certificate in July 2018.
The SJNMA Alumni Office thanks everyone who serves and will continue to update our men in the service of our country.
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Alumni John M. Green S1931 passed away June 23, 2018, in Austin,
Texas, at the age of 104. His older brother, True W. Childs (deceased), was a 1927 graduate of SJMA. Carl Paul Oswald S1945 passed away March 4, 2018, in
Tracyton, Washington. He was a medic and in the Dental Corps while in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1948. The U.S. Navy took him to Bremerton, Washington, where he met and married Betty Prebula. He retired from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where he was a nuclear power technician. Emil August Bambach N1947 passed away April 6, 2018, in
River Forest, Illinois. He graduated as battalion commander, an early indication of his leadership skills at Northwestern Military & Naval Academy. He served in the U.S. Army, 2nd Armored Division, in Germany, and studied business at Northwestern University in preparation for the helm of his family business, E.A. Baumbach Manufacturing Company.
Leonidas J. “Leo” Manta S1954 passed away September
7, 2018. He was president/CEO of JL Manta, Inc., parish council president of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, board member, director and trustee of numerous local, regional and national contractor committees in the industrial coatings industry, and coach/manager for many children’s and church youth sports organizations. He was best known for his unwavering work ethic, passion for his family, mentorship and counseling of others, decades of charitable acts, love of Chicago sports, and always “telling it like it is.” Dr. Robert Lambert S1959 passed away January 11, 2018, in
Norman, Oklahoma.
Emil Goellner III S1968 passed away September 27, 2018,
January 2018 in Aurora, Colorado.
in Batavia, Illinois. He sold equipment, supplies and design products to restaurants. He was a class agent extraordinaire. For less than two years, he started planning his 50th class reunion dinner, gathering contact information from the Academy alumni office, and searching men to reconnect in May 2018. He faced serious health issues during this time, but he prevailed and attended his reunion.
Charles Worsham Towle N1949 passed away April 27,
J. Scott Morrison S1972 passed away July 12, 2018, in Los
Nicholas G. Lampropolous S1948 of Sarasota, Florida, passed
away August 1, 2018. He was a retired teacher.
MAJ L.G. Simmons, U.S. Army (Ret.) S1948 passed away in
2018, in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was a lifelong member of Central Baptist Bearden, an active member of Fort Loudon State Historic Park for 30 years, and retired after 41 years at the United States Postal Service. John Douglas Shapter S1951 passed away July 24, 2018, in
Fort Worth, Texas. Originally from Ontario, Canada, he was the president of American Wood Products.
Angeles, California, after battling an aggressive squamous cell throat cancer. John Alan Weston S1972 passed away May 19, 2018, in
Lebanon, New Hampshire, from Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He attended SJMA from 1970 to 1971.
David F. Hunkel S1954 passed away June 20, 2018, in Green
Bay, Wisconsin, at the age of 82. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and attended Marquette University. He worked in the wholesale flower business most of his life. He married Nancy (McMullen) on August 6, 1960, in Green Bay, and had three sons. They enjoyed life in the Monterey Bay area of California for 40 years before returning to Green Bay in 2008.
The SJNMA Alumni Office thanks all alumni who provide us with information on your fellow classmates. Please continue to notify us at (262) 646-7220, (800) 234-9097 or akopaczewski@sjnma.org.
H.M./Davidson and Smith/Slavin Walkway Brick Program
Donate a brick in memory of a classmate or engrave a brick in your name! For a tax-deductible gift of $300, a brick can be personalized with the name and year, as appropriate. For more information about the H.M./Davidson and Smith/Slavin Walkway Brick Program, call the Alumni Office at (262) 646-7220 or (800) 234-9097. 36
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www.sjnma.org/donatenow
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Taps
Faculty and Friends Carole Bartizal passed away August 25, 2018, from a
terminal brain tumor. She was the wife of Dr. John Bartizal S1951 and mother of John S1986 and Joe S1988. She is fondly remembered by many of her sons’ classmates. Dr. Bartizal is a current member of the OBAA Board of Directors.
Lawrence “Larry” Breitkopf, father of Lee Breitkopf S1973,
passed away August 29, 2018, in Skokie, Illinois, at the age of 92. Scott Lichtenwalner passed away August 5, 2018, in
Waukesha, Wisconsin, after battling cancer for nearly two years. He worked for the Academy as a driver from April 2010 until his diagnosis in December 2016.
Contact: Anita Kopaczewski Director of Alumni and Director of The Columbarium (262) 646-7220 or akopaczewski@sjnma.org
Visit us online at www.thecolumbarium.com Home is where the heart is. We can travel the world and wherever we settle, we eventually call that place home. The alumni of St. John’s Military Academy, Northwestern Military & Naval Academy, and St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy have a special place in their hearts that they called home for an important time in their lives. That place is represented by the memories they have for their academy. Our alumni have their homes in all parts of the country and the world. Their lives were built over years and decades. Many have spent their lives working on their careers and building their families. This is their legacy. It may have had a strong start at the Academy, but our alumni took what they learned and built their world around these lessons. Today, they are giving back. The Columbarium is one way. Of course they want to prepare their final arrangements with their families, but The Columbarium is one more way of saying, “I was part of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy, and the Academy is a part of me forever.” You are invited to join other alumni by making your memorial a part of your legacy as well by purchasing a niche. To learn more, visit www.thecolumbarium.com or contact me directly. The brightest parts of my days involve visiting with alumni and hearing their stories. I will make sure that you have all the information that you need about The Columbarium, and look forward to hearing your memories about the Academy. We can both learn about the place in your heart called home.
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PRESERVING ACADEMY
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2 1: Boar’s Head Banquet (left) and Midwinter Ball items in display cases
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2: Rev. Sidney Smythe’s desk 3: Historical documents and photos in the archive 4: DeKoven Hall blueprints
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Glimpses from the Past
HISTORY Ever wonder from where we obtain our archive photos for The Beacon? The Academy has a museum and archive located in the lower level of Scott Johnston Hall, which is open during special events and by appointment. The SJNMA Museum and Archive collects, preserves and makes available items that reflect the histories of St. John’s Military Academy, Northwestern Military & Naval Academy, and St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy. The archive holds an extensive collection of historical documents, photos and artifacts on the history of the three institutions and the individuals who played significant roles in this institution. The museum displays many of the items in our collection, which are donated regularly by alumni and friends of the Academy. For more than 20 years, the Academy librarian supervised the museum and archive under the academic department. In October 2018, Quinn Feller joined SJNMA as Museum and Archive Curator and Website Manager. She has a mix of talents and experience in historical preservation, graphic design and website management. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history and minors in architecture and design from the University of Minnesota. Originally from Wisconsin, Miss Feller previously worked for the National Park Service and non-profits in Wyoming and Montana as a volunteer coordinator, exhibit designer, and marketing manager in turn.
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5: Quinn Feller 6: SJMA Trumpeter yearbooks in the archive 7: NMNA items on display 8: SJMA artifacts by year
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NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID DELAFIELD, WI PERMIT NO. 14
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy 1101 Genesee Street Delafield, WI 53018-1498 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
2019 Upcoming SJNMA Events March 2 ������������������������Midwinter Military Ball, SJNMA Campus March 16 ����������������������St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Chicago * April 26-28 ������������������Families Weekend, SJNMA Campus
September 8 ��������������Founders’ Day Ceremony and Parade, SJNMA Campus
April 27 �������������������������The Excalibur, Farrand Hall Gymnasium, SJNMA Campus May 23-26 �������������������Commencement & Reunion Weekend, SJNMA Campus * May 24 ��������������������������Leaders Circle Reception, President’s Home, SJNMA Campus July 19 ���������������������������OBAA Chris Madding Memorial Golf Outing, Mt. Prospect, Illinois *
October 3 ��������������������The Heritage Society Appreciation Dinner, SJNMA Campus October 4-6 ����������������Homecoming & Families Weekend, SJNMA Campus * October 5 ��������������������Fall Fest Fundraiser, SJNMA Campus November 8 ���������������Veterans Day Ceremony, Farrand Hall Gymnasium, SJNMA Campus
For more information on upcoming Academy events, visit www.sjnma.org.
* To register online, visit www.sjnma.org/event-registration.cfm.
Don’t miss any of the action ...
Stay in Touch Contact the alumni office at (262) 646-7220, (800) 234-9097 or akopaczewski@sjnma.org for event details and registration or to update the Academy with your news and information. Also, be sure to follow us online:
www.facebook.com/sjnma
twitter.com/sjnmaathletics
www.sjnma.org
Parents of Alumni: If The Beacon is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent residence at your home, or for any change of address, please notify the alumni office by calling (800) 234-9097. Thank you!