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Founders' Award

Each year, the Saint Ignatius Alumni Association honors one of its members for his outstanding service to the school. To further honor Rev. Robert Welsh, S.J. '54 and the late Mrs. and Mr. Murlan J. Murphy '36, this award is named the "Founders' Award" for their dedication and service to Saint Ignatius High School.

The Founders' Award Recipients

1952 Raymond J. Koch ’42*
1953 John V. Corrigan ’38*
1954 James E. Hogue ’42*
1955 William J. Maloney ’41*
1956 Edward F. Kehoe ’27*
1957 Thomas E. Duffy ’42*
1958 Howard J. Mahoney ’36*
1959 William R. Furlong ’45*
1960 John E. Maddock ’32*
1961 Paul C. Kearney ’46*
1962 John A. O’Malley ’36*
1963 Howard E. Kessler ’36*
1964 Daniel J. O’Brien ’50*
1965 Donald F. Carroll ’44*
1967 Robert S. Charek ’42*
1968 Robert L. Harter ’49
1969 Joseph P. Rochford ’53*
1970 James P. Sweeny ’45*
1971 Richard J. Zunt ’50*
1972 William N. Kasson ’42*
1973 Patrick J. McDonnell ’50*
1974 Neil W. McCarthy ’35*
1974 Robert P. Pingstock, S.J.*
1974 Ara F. Walker, S.J., ’24*
1975 M. Joseph McGinty ’50
1975 Neil J. Martau ’55*
1976 Robert E. Smith ’42*
1977 William J. Ginley ’52*
1978 Robert F. Deucher ’58
1979 Michael F. McDonough ’60*
1980 Charles A. Novak ’53*
1981 Herbert C. Brosnan ’59
1982 Frank A. Della Torre ’48*
1983 Terrance P. Gravens ’69*
1984 Hon. Leo M. Spellacy ’52*		 1985 Thomas C. Johnson ’40*
1985 Gary W. Johnson ’72
1986 Gilbert L. Roth ’51*
1987 John S. Polito ’70
1988 Robert E. McGrail ’39*
1989 Peter J. Mahoney ’50
1990 Stephen G. Tirpak ’57*
1991 John G. Cooney ’70
1992 Thomas J. Bader ’46*
1993 Peter A. Carfagna ’71
1994 James M. Gesing ’69
1995 Jeffrey L. Tasse ’74
1996 Dennis A. Matejka ’76
1997 Patrick J. Murphy ’67
1998 Frank V. Zombek ’62
1999 George C. Soos ’70
2000 Arthur R. FitzGerald ’50*
2000 Robert J. Welsh, S.J., ’54*
2001 Edward J. Maher ’57*
2002 Walter E. Martens Jr. ’63
2004 William E. Reichard ’57
2005 Thomas B. McGowan III ’62
2006 Edward M. Mullin ’72
2007 James E. Cogan ’62
2008 Jeffrey T. Leitch ’71
2009 James J. White ’66
2010 Richard P. Bongorno ’74
2011 Richard S. Freedman ’56*
2012 Michael T. DeGrandis '79 
2013 Michael E. Gibbons '70
2015 Kevin M. Hinkel '73
2016 Christopher K. Smith '74
2017 James V. Moroney '71
2019 James D. Lentz '77
2020 Robert A. Koch, Sr. '64
2021 Michael P. Ginley '77*
2022 Lee A. Bennett '54
*Deceased
 

  • Kevin Cook ’86

    Kevin says he is receiving this award for those that came before him. Saint Ignatius does such a great job having role models, mentors, teachers and others that set the benchmark for giving back to the school. “There is a long list of alumni and friends who showed me the way. I have a lot of respect for them personally and professionally, and when they asked me to get involved, I wanted to be associated with those people. It was hard not to reconnect.”

  • Murlan J. Murphy, Sr. '36

    On November 25, 1998, Murlan J. Murphy, Sr. ’36, chairman of the board of JTM Products, Inc., became the first person to be designated a Founder of Saint Ignatius High School. Mr. Murphy, familiarly known as Jerry, was named a Founder because of his extraordinary loyalty, support, and positive influence on the future of his Alma Mater.

  • Rev. Robert J. Welsh, S.J. '54

    On Nov. 24, 1999, Fr. Robert J. Welsh, S.J., ’54, President of Saint Ignatius High School (1979-2000), became the second Founder of Saint Ignatius High School. Father Welsh was named a Founder because of his devotion to Catholic education and his insistence that Saint Ignatius High School be an instrument of the Society of Jesus to bring Christ’s light to the world.

Alumni Awards Pages

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