Man of St. Michael’s:
DON BANNAN ’ 66 It was down to the wire for Don Bannan and his brother Doug ’66 – going on sixty years ago now. The twins, with their hearts set on going to De La Salle, wrote entrance exams both there and at St. Mike’s. Don was awarded a scholarship to De La Salle, and Doug to St. Mike’s. However, when the canny Basilians realized what was happening, they quickly also extended a scholarship offer to Don. The rest, as they say, is history. "I have absolutely no regrets, it was a good move all around for me and for St. Mike's," says Don. “The more I think about it, the more I realize what a profound influence St. Mike’s had on who I am. This is especially true when it comes to my love of teaching and giving to others.” Reflecting on his life since high school, Don sees the continuing influence of St. Mike’s not just in himself, but also in the personalities and achievements of his children. The same is true for the larger St. Mike’s family. “I see it through the many students I have recommended to St. Mike’s. And I see it through the many teachers I still run into,” Don states. “And now, 60 years later, I will get to see it in my son, Luke, who starts Grade 9 in September.” Luke will be the Bannan’s fifth to walk the hallowed yellow halls. Don and Doug blazed the trail in the 1960s, setting a high standard along the way. Thirty years later, in 1991, Doug’s son Brian ’96 pulled on the blue blazer for the first time. He was joined in 1995, his OCA year, by Don’s son Matt ’00. Don Bannan in Grade 13 A little more than 20 years later, Don’s son Jack ’20 renewed the family tradition, starting Grade 9 in 2016. Just as Jack waves goodbye, Luke ’24 waves hello. “Crazy, eh?” says Don. “The Blue Banner actually did a story about Brian, who was diagnosed with cancer, and my son Matt. They ran the New York Marathon together, raising around $60,000 for the cancer centre at the Sloane Ketteri
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Hospital in New York. Better still, they finished in a time of 3:17 – remarkable for two guys who hadn’t run a marathon in their lives except one preliminary in Toronto! My feeling is St. Mike’s had a little to do with their discipline and determination.” Discipline and determination also played a role in Don being able to enjoy not just one, but two successful careers - in vastly different fields. “St. Mike’s taught me goodness and knowledge yes, but most of all self-discipline,” he reflects. Don first made his mark in education - serving as a teacher, principal, and Superintendent of Education. His first job as a principal, at age 27 no less, was just down the road at Holy Rosary. “When they asked me to go I Doug and Don at Doug's 50th wedding anniversary. still had to ask where it was,” Don laughs. “I had my all-time favourite student Francesco ‘Frenchie’ Bazzocchi ’83 there. He was as special then as he was as a coach and teacher at St. Mike’s.” After a few more principal gigs, Don went on to “do the superintendent stuff ”, which he loved because he “had a team of principals upon whom I could impart my values.”
