Noteworthy

Discover what your fellow alumni are up to below, then explore more class notes at sluh.org/alumni.

Lt. Michael Joseph

Blassie ’66 went Missing in Action on May 11, 1972. For 14 years, his remains rested in the Vietnam War Tomb of the Unknown. In a special remembrance ceremony last summer, Governor Mike Parson officially proclaimed May 11 as Lt. Michael Blassie Day.

Ken Rekowski ’74

retired in June after 48 years with McDonald’s. Rekowski was the National Director of Drive Thru Operations across 14,000 restaurants in the U.S. His team was honored with the Circle of Excellence Award for contributing to the U.S. Business Velocity Growth Plan.

Ken Kwapis ’75 zoomed into SLUH in October to discuss film, TV and his experiences directing The Office with current students. His new book, But What I Really Want To Do Is Direct, is available now.

5 Jr. Bills, 110 Miles

Together, Tom Finan

’85, Tom Finan ’24, John Winkelman ’24,

Sean Madden ’24 and

Jack Perryman ’16

completed a 110-mile hike over just two weeks of an expeditious Philmont trek.

Jason Purnell, Ph.D. ’95, was named one of the medical industry’s “Top 25 Diversity Leaders in Healthcare.” As a leader at BJC Healthcare, Purnell directs the St. Louis COVID-19 Regional Response Team, a group of organizations that have centralized responses to meet the needs of those most adversely impacted by the pandemic.

James Sanders ’97,

co-founder and owner of Rockwell Beer Co., opened Rockwell Beer Garden in Francis Park (St. Louis Hills) this October. Rockwell is the first local brewery to open a satellite facility in a St. Louis public park. "It’s important that our customers see and feel the park as it is,” says Sanders, who lives in the neighborhood. “These parks are gems, and this is an important one.”

Brooks Goedeker ’98 is now the Executive Director of the Saint Louis Midtown Development Corporation, working with Saint Louis University and SSM to manage their 400-acre development project – an area pitched to the Board of Alderman as “a natural eastward extension” of the growth spurred by the Cortex Innovation District.

Fr. Matthew Stewart,

SJ ’98, who celebrated his first ordained Mass at St. Louis U. High in 2020, returned to SLUH as its full-time Director of Campus Ministry this June. Fr. Matt has served as parochial vicar for College Church at Saint Louis University and assisted at Loyola Academy of Saint Louis. He holds multiple degrees in Music, Theology, Philosophy and Choral Conducting, and maintains a great passion for the St. Louis Blues. Go Blues! Last summer, former international soccer player

Taylor Twellman ’98

provided commentary for the UEFA European Football Championship, while award-winning broadcaster Steve Schlanger ’89 called play-by-play for the Tokyo Olympics – his fourth Olympic broadcast with NBC Sports Group.

Fr. Louie Hotop, SJ ’09

was ordained to the Society of Jesus in June. For his first mission, he was sent to the diocese of Brownsville, TX, to work in the Rio Grande Valley along the U.S.-Mexico Border. Together with Fr. Brian Stassburger, SJ, he co-hosts The Jesuit Border Podcast, sharing stories of migrant communities.

Henry Matus '18 turned his attention full-time to Bark n Sniff, LLC, the pet nutritional supplement company he developed after facing a brain tumor at SLUH. Matus recently received the 2021 Outstanding Senior in Entrepreneurship award from the Chaifetz School at Saint Louis University.

CASHBAH '22

April 2

Be part of the celebration with the premier event supporting the SLUH financial aid program. www.sluh.org/cashbah

Co-chaired by current SLUH moms Sara Martin Buehring and Nancy Parker Tice WE THANK OUR MANY GENEROUS SPONSORS, INCLUDING:

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Kathleen and Paul Matecki ‘74 Mary and Joseph Stieven ’78 GOLD SPONSORS

Ameren Missouri Aon Patty and Mark Mantovani ‘72

*sponsors as of Jan. 21, 2022

GOLF CLASSIC RAISES $200,000 FOR FINANCIAL AID

The 10th Annual SLUH Scholarship Golf Classic returned to Old Warson Country Club for a fantastic day of golf and fellowship to benefit the SLUH need-based financial aid program. On a picture-perfect day, Andy Espe bested the field in the Shootout and won a new Acura TLX from Mungenast St. Louis Acura.

We thank our sponsors for their generosity. PRESENTING SPONSOR

The Kurt and Katie Mungenast

Charitable Foundation Mungenast St. Louis Acura Mungenast Alton Toyota

ABOVE: Andy Espe (center) poses in front of his new Acura with his Scholarship Golf Classic teammates (from left) Jake Whitte, COCKTAIL RECEPTION SPONSOR The Wacker Financial Group Matt McHugh '94, Mike Amann '97 and John of Wells Fargo Advisors Jackson '94.

LUNCH SPONSOR

Patti and Mark Mays

GOLF CART SPONSORS

SLUH Class of 2000 Stieven Capital Advisors, LP

Joe Stieven '78

BLUE & WHITE SPONSORS

Account Resolution Corporation,

Jim Hill '84 Capital for Business Friend of SLUH Food Service Consultants Mark and Patty Mantovani The Market Street Group of RBC Wealth Management,

Pete Sadlo '91 and Rob Funke '92 Millennium Pain Management, Dr. Steve Granberg '84 The Pauly Jail Building Company –

Bob Pohrer '79, Joe Pohrer '75 Safety National Mary Pat and Tom Santel '76 SLUH Class of 2023 Fathers

DOUBLE TEE SPONSORS

AUTOCOhome Appliances Sharamitaro & Associates, CPA

TEE SPONSORS

JPMorgan Chase – Jim Penilla '91 The Jedlicka Family – Joe ’80, Frank ’84,

John ’12 and Joe IV ’12 Owen Development – Cathy and Mike Barry '80 Jeff '98 and Idania Rombach SmithAmundsen LLC – Brian Wacker '02 The Sullivan Family – Kevin '83 and Jack '19