With gratitude and best wishes, Saint Ignatius bids farewell to Dan Malone ’00, Director of the Annual Fund and Leadership Giving who previously served as Alumni Relations Director. After nine years at his Alma Mater, Malone has accepted a position with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as a Regional Fundraiser in the Great Lakes Region.
“While I am very happy for Dan that he will be taking on this important role at a wonderful organization doing very important work, we will miss Dan here at Saint Ignatius and in the Advancement Office,” says Jeff McCormick ’83, Director of Advancement Operations and Planned Giving.
Malone’s name is well-known throughout the Saint Ignatius community. He began working at Saint Ignatius in 2012 as the Director of Alumni Relations. In that role, he deepened and expanded the relationships the school maintains with its 18,000 alumni. He easily formed friendships with alumni of all ages and eras.
"What made Dan effective as Alumni Director was that he was both methodical and creative in his outreach to our alumni," says Vice President for Institutional Advancement John Morabeto. "He was intentional in his actions of outreach, and yet warm and inviting to alumni across the country."
His work developed the Blue and Gold Tours throughout the United States, creating engaging and informative evenings for Wildcats to hear about the latest at West 30th and Lorain. He partnered with Director of Marketing Angela O’Donnell to create comprehensive programs for these events, and to encourage alumni participation.
“Dan always wants to do things the right way,” O’Donnell says. “He always found ways to evolve events so that alumni across the country always felt a similar experience and the same connection to the school, no matter where they were.”
None of this was a surprise to McCormick, who has served as Malone’s supervisor.
“When Dan was hired, I was impressed with his background in marketing, relationship management, and his obvious passion for the mission of Saint Ignatius High School,” he says. “Dan’s analytical, thoughtful and steady approach to his work has lead to his tremendous success.”
This passion and success continued even after Malone transitioned in 2017 into his role with the Annual Fund, which provides tuition assistance to hundreds of Saint Ignatius families annually. Every year, he set new high-water marks for the fund, to meet the needs of students. His relationships throughout the community also led to an increase in the number of participants contributing to the Annual Fund.
The rising success of Giving Day through the past four years is just one example of his achievements as a fundraiser. Under Malone’s leadership, the inaugural Giving Day rallied more than 500 donors to raise about $250,000 in 24 hours. Remarkably, in just three years since, those numbers have practically doubled.
“It was really about these kids. It was about the boys,” O’Donnell says. “That motivated him every day to come into work and do what he did. He loves this place, and I think he always will.”
In his new role at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Malone will share his many talents with the “largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting blood cancer in the world. The LLS's mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.”
McCormick says, “I will miss Dan’s humor, his analytical skills, and most of all seeing him grow as a fundraiser and family man on a daily basis.”
"I have really enjoyed Dan’s professionalism and commitment to our mission," Morabeto says. "He believes in the school, its Jesuit ideals, and wanted to share with alumni across the country his love for Saint Ignatius."
“Dan bleeds blue and gold,” O’Donnell says. “I know this isn’t the end of the story. I imagine he’d like his sons to go here one day. Even as he’s moving forward, this is not a place he’s leaving behind.”
Best wishes in your new endeavor, Dan, and God Bless Your Work!