St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute
Alumni Association presents the Forty-firstAnnual
Signum Fidei Society
Induction Banquet
Honoring
Matthew C. Collard '92
James W. Grable, Jr. '89
Thomas J. Kubiak '65
Luis A. Rodriguez, Jr. '01
Garnell Whitfield, Jr. '74
Saturday,October19,2024
TheBuffaloClub|Buffalo,NY
Signum Fidei (signoffaith)isthecharacteristicspiritof theChristianBrothers,thatattitudeoffaithwhich expressesitselfinloveandzealforthewelfareofothers.
Amemberofthe Signum Fidei Society isanalumnus ofSt.Joseph’sCollegiateInstitutewhohasdistinguished himselfinhisprofessionalcareerandcommunity activities,anindividualwhosharesintheLasallianspirit characterizedby“SignumFidei.”
Itiswithgreatprideandpleasurethat St.Joseph’sCollegiateInstituterecognizes Matthew C. Collard '92, James W. Grable, Jr. '89, Thomas J. Kubiak '65 Luis A. Rodriguez, Jr. '01, and Garnell Whitfield, Jr. '74 asdistinguishedalumniandwelcomestheminto theSignumFideiSociety.
Forty-first Annual Signum Fidei Society Induction Banquet
5:30 pm
7:00 pm
7:30 pm
Cocktail Reception
Invocation
Christopher M. Fulco, Ed.D. President
Dinner Welcome & Remarks
Christopher M. Fulco, Ed.D.
Student Introductions & Induction Ceremony
Benediction
Daniel Warner '06 VicePresidentforInstitutionalAdvancement
8:30 pm Reception
Inductees then...
Matthew C. Collard '92
James W. Grable, Jr. '89
Thomas J. Kubiak '65
Luis A. Rodriguez, Jr. '01 Garnell Whitfield, Jr. '74
Matthew C. Collard '92
James W. Grable, Jr. '89
Thomas J. Kubiak '65
Luis A. Rodriguez, Jr. '01 Garnell Whitfield, Jr. '74
Matthew C. Collard '92
MatthewC.CollardgraduatedfromSt.Joe’sin1992,continuinga strongfamilytraditionofSt.Joe’salumni,withdeepconnectionsto theschoolthroughhisfather,brothers,andextendedfamily.AfterSt. Joe's,MatthewpursuedaBachelor’sDegreeinBusinessFinance fromSt.VincentCollegeinLatrobe,Pennsylvania,wherehegained internationalexperiencebyparticipatinginSchmidtBank’s InternationalBankingTrainingPrograminNuremberg,Germany. ThisledhimtograduatewithaCertificationinGermanBusiness fromaprogramsponsoredbytheGoetheInstitute.
ReturningtotheU.S.,Matthewembarkedonasuccessfulcareerin thefinancialsector.HespentoveradecadeatHaroldC.Brown& Company,risingtothepositionofSeniorVicePresidentandChair ofthefirm’smanagementcommittee.In2012,heco-foundedPratt CollardBuckAdvisoryGroup,wherehecurrentlyservesas ManagingPartnerandDirectorofEquityResearch.
Matthew’scontributionsextendbeyondthecorporateworld.Hewas appointedastheHonoraryConsuloftheFederalRepublicof GermanyforBuffaloandtheupstateNewYorkregionin2014, wherehesupportsGermannationalsandcompanies,providing diplomaticassistance.Hehasalsoservedontheboardsofseveral significantorganizations,includingtheBuffaloSabresFoundation, Hasek’sHeroesFoundation,andKid’sEscapingDrugsFoundation.
AproudSt.Joe’salumnus,Matthewremainsactivelyinvolvedwith theschool,servingontheBoardofTrusteesandseveralkey committees.Heisdedicatedtocontinuingthefamilylegacyof serviceandleadershipwithintheSt.Joe’scommunity.
James W. Grable, Jr. '89
JamesW.Grable,Jr.’spathfromSt.Joseph’sCollegiateInstituteto becomingatopattorneyinUpstateNewYorkexemplifies excellence,service,andleadership.AproudmemberoftheClassof 1989,Jimhasmaintainedclosetiestohisalmamater,servingas ChairoftheBoardofTrusteesandremainingdeeplycommittedto theschool’svalues.
AfterSt.Joe’s,JimgraduatedmagnacumlaudefromSUNYBuffalo withaB.A.,earningPhiBetaKappahonors,andwentontoearnhis J.D.withhonorsfromSUNYBuffaloLawSchool,wherehewas Editor-in-ChiefoftheBuffaloLawReview.Heiswidelyrecognized forhisexpertiseinfederalcriminalandcivillitigation,earningspots amongUpstateNewYork’sTop10LawyersbySuperLawyers® andmultiple"LawyeroftheYear"designationsfromBestLawyers inAmerica®.
Jim’scareerspansawiderangeoflegalvictories,fromsecuring multimillion-dollarsettlementsforinjuredclientstowinninghighprofilecriminaldefensecases.Hiscommitmenttojusticeisevident inhisprobonowork,earninghimtheCriminalJusticeActAward andSpecialServiceAwardfromtheU.S.DistrictCourtfor defendingindigentclients.
Beyondhislegalpractice,JimhasservedontheUnitedStates SentencingCommission’sPractitionersAdvisoryGroupandremains activeinprofessionalorganizations.HecontinuestosupportSt.Joe’s andthecommunitythroughvariouscharitableinitiatives.
JimandhiswifeLauraaretheproudparentsoffourchildren,twoof whomareSt.Joe’salumni,andareactiveintheirlocalcommunity, wheretheyembodySt.Joe’svaluesofserviceandleadership.
Thomas J. Kubiak '65
ThomasJ.Kubiak,aproudgraduateofSt.Joseph’sCollegiate Institutein1965,grewupinBuffaloasoneoffivesiblings,allof whomwereinstilledwithadeepappreciationforeducation.Tom continuedhisacademicjourneyatSt.JohnFisherUniversity, graduatingin1969withaBachelorofSciencedegreein Mathematics.
Immediatelyaftercollege,TombeganhiscareeratIBMasasystems engineer,supportingsmallbusinessclientswithcomputersolutions andimplementations.In1976,hewasrecruitedbyTomGolisanoto joinPaymasterofRochester,wherehebecamethefirstemployeeof whatwouldgrowintoPaychex.AsPaychexexpandednationallyand wentpublicin1983,Tomplayedakeyroleinconsolidating franchisesandleadingthecompany’sInformationTechnology departmentuntilhisretirementin1997.
Inretirement,Tomhasdedicatedhistimetoseveralnonprofit organizations.Hehasservedasaboardmember,chairman,and treasurerforSt.PatrickChurchinVictor,NY,LiteracyVolunteers ofRochester,MercyFlightCentral,andF.F.ThompsonHospital. Hisleadershipandcommitmenttocommunityservicereflectthe valuesinstilledinhimatSt.Joe’s.
TomandhiswifeBetsyhavefourchildrenandagranddaughter,all livinginNewYorkStatealongtheHudsonRiver.Inhisfreetime, Tomenjoysworkingoncarswithfriendsandracinghis1986 Porsche911atWatkinsGlen.Tomandhisfamilyhavebeenblessed andareabletosupportmanylocalorganizations.
Luis A. Rodriguez, Jr. '01
LuisA.RodriguezJr.’01wasbornandraisedonthewestsideof Buffalo,NY,andcurrentlyresidesinOrchardParkwithhiswife, Jessica,andtheirchildren,MilanaandLuisIII(Tre).Aproductof Buffalo'seducationalsystem,LuisgraduatedfromBuffaloPrep, BEAM,andearneddualB.S.degreesinCivilEngineeringand InterdisciplinaryEngineering&ManagementfromClarkson Universityin2006.
In2013,hefoundedRodriguezConstructionGroup(RCG),a certifiedminority-ownedbusinessheadquarteredinBuffalo.By 2024,RCGwasrankedasthe18thLargestGeneralContractorand 3rdLargestMinority-OwnedBusinessintheregion.UnderLuis' leadership,RCGmanages$25millioninannualprojectswitha diverseteamof87employees,handlingkeyprojectsliketheErie CountyHealthLab,StateUniversityofNewYorkatFredonia,and HighmarkStadiumimprovements.Luis’dedicationtosupporting minority-ownedbusinesseshasmadeRCGastandoutintheWNY constructionindustry.
Luisactivelycontributestohiscommunitybyservingontheboards ofBuffaloPrep,theCommunityFoundationforGreaterBuffalo,the AmherstChamberofCommerce,theConstructionExchange,andas VicePresidentofNativityofOurLordCatholicSchool.Hehasalso chairedtheBuffaloPrepBoardandservedontheboardsofSt. Joseph’sCollegiateInstituteandtheUnitedWay.Additionally,heis anadvisorycouncilmemberforErieCommunityCollege’s Civil/ConstructionTechnologyprogram,acommitteememberof theCullenScholarshipFoundation,andaBusinessFirst40Under40 honoreein2019.Luiscontinuestoprovideinvaluableadviceand supportstothestrategicplanforSt.Joe’sfacilitiesandmasterplan.
Garnell Whitfield, Jr. '74
GarnellWhitfield,Jr.,alifelongBuffaloresidentandproudmember oftheSt.Joe’sClassof1974,isthesonofthelateRuthE.Whitfield andGarnellW.Whitfield,Sr.,whoweremarriedfor68years.His motherwastragicallykilledintheraciallymotivatedJefferson Avenuemassacrein2022.Garnell’sdevotiontoservicewasshaped byhisparents’values.Hehascarriedthatlegacythroughouthislife.
AfterearningadegreeinEmergencyManagement,Garnellspent34 yearswiththeBuffaloFireDepartment,whereherosetothe positionofCommissionerofFire/EmergencyManagement.Inthis role,hemanagedthecity'semergencyoperationsandtookpridein hiringtwoofhisdaughtersasemergencydispatchersandhissonasa firefighter.Heretiredin2017,butwentontoserveasAssistant CommissionerofHomelandSecurityforNewYorkState, overseeingemergencyresponsesin16counties.
Followinghismother’smurder,Garnellbecameapassionate advocateagainsthate,racism,andwhitesupremacy.Hehastraveled thecountryspeaking,participatinginpanels,andbuilding relationshipswithfamiliesaffectedbymassviolence.Hisadvocacy hastakenhimtoCongress,wherehetestified,andtomeetingswith PresidentBidenandVicePresidentHarris.Hehadthehonorof introducingthePresidentintheRoseGardenforthesigningofthe Bi-PartisanSaferCommunitiesAct,asignificantstepinfederalgun safetylegislation.
Garnellcontinueshiscommitmenttohiscommunity,servingonthe boardsofRoswellParkComprehensiveCancerCenter,the5/14 PermanentMemorialCommission,andtheBuffaloTogetherFund, ensuringthathisparents’legacyofserviceandloveforcommunity liveson.
Members of the Signum Fidei Society
PatrickV Allen’71†
GeorgeL Altamura’49
ThomasE Andruschat’59†
EdwardJ Arnold’87
FrederickG.Attea’57†
RobertJ.Attea’59†
DonaldJ.Averill’50
JohnJ.Barden†
Br.WilliamBatt,FSC’49†
Msgr ThomasJ Beasley’44†
JohnG Berger’56†
JohnG Berger,Jr ’84
JosephF Bieron,PhD’55
PaulE Bieron,EdD’60†
DennisR Black’74
KevinC Brady’73
MarkE Brand’80
DanielE Brick’61
Br.B.PatrickBrown,FSC’54†
DonaldV.Brown’51†
MichaelA.Caligiuri,MD’74
DavidN.Campbell’59
R CarlosCarballada’52
RichardE Carballada’46†
MichaelP Castine’72
RobertH Chambers’49†
RichardM Cieri’74
DavidJ Collard’62
TimothyJ Collard,MD’60
J MichaelCollins’53
WilliamM Collins’72
AnthonyJ Colucci,Jr,AFSC’51†
AnthonyJ.ColucciIII’76
ThomasJ.Comer’81†
ThomasA.Constantine’56†
JosephM.Cormier’94
DonaldL Criqui’58
RichardF Cronin’68
GaryM Crosby’71
JohnS Cullen’54†
Gen JosephFH Cutrona’37†
Rev JamesM Demske,SJ’39†
JamesM Denzak’80
Gen WilliamJ Donovan1899†
AndrewW Dorn,Jr ’68
JeffreyT Dorn’65†
ThomasL.Dowd’42†
FrancisJ.Downing1912†
FranklinG.Downing’53†
JohnF.Downing’49†
RobertF Downing’52†
IrvingA Duffy1922†
L MatthewDuggan’45†
AlanC Dye’93
RichardN Gilbert’54†
RichardN Gilbert,Jr,MD’80
RussellM Giordano’67†
GeraldH Greene,Jr ’57
RobertM.Greene’62
ArthurL.Haberman,Jr.’56†
PaulJ.Harder’65
DonaldE.Hartnett’45†
PatrickF.Hartnett’33†
JosephM Hassett’60
MatthewJ Hellerer’75
CharlesE Hetterich,Jr ’49†
MarkA C Hoeplinger’71†
PaulF Hogan,Jr ’70
GregoryE Hudecki,DDS’64
MichaelS Hudecki’61†
DavidP Hughes,MD’86†
DavidJ Hunter,Jr ’66
PaulB.Hurley,Jr.,PhD’62
JohnJ.Hurley’74
GregoryT.Ivancic’73
RobertJ.Ivory’47†
RichardG Jackson’59
LawrenceD Jacobs,MD’57†
EugeneF Jankowski’51
Rev Msgr PaulR Juenker’38†
PeterJ Kadzik’71
Hon JamesB Kane’41†
J EdmundKelly,Jr ’36†
JohnF Kenny’68†
FrancisJ Klocke,MD’52
RobertA Klocke,MD’54
PaulJ.Kolkmeyer’71
Dr.JamesW.Kosnik’67
GeorgeA.Lankes’32†
KevinJ.Lavin’64
Rev Msgr PatrickR Leary’67†
JamesN Leary’71
JosephP Leberer,MD’73
RichardJ Leberer,MD’44†
J MichaelLennon’64†
JodyL Lomeo’86
LeonardT LoVullo’72
PaulW LoVullo’81
JamesF Lyons’52
KerinP Lyons,MD’27†
LeoE.Lyons’37†
ThomasJ.MacVittie,PhD’59
WilliamJ.Maggio’80
GeorgeM.Martin,AFSC’38†
BartF McGloin’83
PatrickJ McGroder,Jr 1923†
PatrickJ McGroderIII’63
DonaldRMcMahon’70
LawrenceM O’Connor’49†
RobertW.O’Connor,Jr.’65
WilliamR.O’Connor’53†
Hon.JohnF.O’Donnell’62
JohnP.O’Donnell’71
Hon.ThomasJ.O’Donnell1921†
Hon WilliamJ Ostrowski’43†
JohnR Evans’39†
JosephC Evers,MD’47†
Hon EugeneM Fahey’69
Rev JamesJ Ferguson,CSC’55
WilliamFitzhenry’45†
KevinM Foley’78
RichardH.Gaetz,DVM’31†
GeorgeT.“Skip”Ganey,Jr.’45†
ChristopherJ.Gavigan’80
MichaelT.Genco,MD’51† AndresV Gil’74
WayneW Mertz’64
MichaelM Metz’73
DavidF Mitchell’80
PaulM Mueller’82
AlbertR Mugel’36†
PeterJ Murrett,Jr ’39†
DavidJ.Nasca’75
MichaelJ.Neumeister’65†
RichardA.Neumeister’69
TimothyP.Noonan’92
JohnR O’Brien’67
JamesJ Panepinto’87
RichardW Parker’56
RaymondJ Paske’60†
UrbanJ Pauly’38†
L WilliamPaxon’72
FrankB Perillo,DPM’69
DavidW Pietrowski’81
PeterP Poth’46†
CarmenA.Puliafito,MD’69
ArchbishopJamesE.Quigley1872†
DonaldG.Rackl’73
WilliamJ.Rechin’48†
DouglasJ.Regan’68
CharlesN Rider1921†
DennisP Riley,DDS’58
DavidL Roach’69
G BrianRoberts’62†
StephenR Robshaw’62
JamesP Roland’69
JosephE Ryan’61†
PatrickM Ryan’62
RalphJ Salerno’82
ArthurJ.Schaefer,MD,AFSC’41†
DanielP.Schaefer,MD’71
Rev.Msgr.JosephE.Schieder,PA’27†
JohnA.Schneeberger’68
FrankJ.Schreck’41†
FrankT Schreck,MD’71
RobertJ Schreck’73
RobertT Scott,AFSC
WilliamH Scott,Jr ’67
DennisC Smith’50†
MostRev LeoR Smith1922†
KennethV Snyder,MD,PhD’90
DanielA Sperrazza’84
KevinW Spitler’67
MarkSpitler’74
RonaldJ.Tanski’70
VincentA.Tobia’57†
ThomasC.Toy,Jr.’68†
EdwardL.Tuttle’38†
DanielJ Valaik,MD’79
JosephA Voelkl’55
JackE Wagner’65
PaulF Wells’81
GerardWieczkowski,Jr,DDS’60
MichaelE Wiles’71
RichardE Winter’38†
JosephP Wolf’57†
ThomasF Wolfe’52†
GeorgeW.Wopperer’49†
DanielJ.Zimmer’79
JamesP.Zimmer’74
MarkS.Zirnheld’78
Let us remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.
St. John Baptist de La Salle... Pray for us!
Live Jesus in our Hearts... Forever!
St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute transforms the lives of students from diverse backgrounds through academic excellence and care for the whole person in a respectful, Lasallian Catholic community, developing each student’s unique talents in preparation for college and life.
