Winter/Spring 2011 - St. John Vianney High School

the official magazine of the st. john vianney family winter/spring 2011

BLACK & GOLD
Dr. Timothy Dilg Named New Principal
Vianney is pleased to announce that
Dr. Timothy Dilg will assume the role
of principal in this summer, following
the retirement of Larry Keller.
Dr. Dilg currently is principal at Springfield
Catholic High School in Springfield, Mo.
His selection by Vianney marks the culmination
of a seven-month, nationwide search.
Dr. Dilg has spent 11 years at Springfield
Catholic as an English teacher, coach,
academic adviser and assistant principal,
with the last three years as principal. As
principal, he led Springfield Catholic to be
recognized as one of the Top 50 Catholic
High Schools in the nation as rated by the
Acton Institute.
Dr. Dilg is a St. Louis native and earned
his doctorate in educational leadership
from St. Louis University.
“We are very pleased and
excited to be welcoming
Dr. Dilg to the Vianney
family,” said Vianney
President Mike Loyet
(’77). “His high energy
and passion for Catholic
education are contagious.”
Dr. Dilg begins officially
on July 1.
Dr. Timothy Dilg
Vianney’s 2010-2011 Marianist Award Winners
In January, Vianney announced the recipients of the 2010-2011
Marianist Awards. The award is given to the Griffins who embody
the Vianney spirit and demonstrate the characteristics of Marianist
education in their daily lives. The award is among the highest honors
granted at Vianney and means that these young men have distinguished
themselves in the eyes of the Vianney community.
The Marianist Award winners are, front row from left, are junior
Greg Eilerman, junior Matt Maus, senior Tony Burton, senior Mike
Vierling, junior Rich Dorhauer and senior Joey Kowalczyk. In the
back row are junior Tom Dwyer, sophomore Vinnie Piantanida,
sophomore Sam Oldani, junior Andrew Imhoff, senior Mike
O’Leary, senior Dane Watkins and senior Steve Blumenkemper.
Griffins March for Life
A contingent 18 Griffins traveled to Washington, D.C., in January to
take part in the 37th annual “March for Life,” marking the anniversary
of the “Roe v. Wade” abortion decision. The students and staff
members were among an estimated 400,000 who braved 20 degree
temperatures to be part of the demonstration for the lives of the
unborn.
Those attending the March included freshmen Dominic Bolt,
Jimmy Broyles, Ben Dombrowski, Matt Kleine, Eric Maus, Matt
Rath and Sam Panchot; sophomores Allen Bitzer and Mike Rice;
juniors Ian Harding, Luke Panchot and Nelson Pence; and seniors
Shane Panchot and Jake Prosser; and staff members Fr. Tim
Kenney, S.M., Nick Kheriaty and Bro. Andy Kosmowski, S.M.
The Vianney “March for Lifers” gather with their placards on the way to join 400,000
additional pro-life activists for the 37th annual march on the Capitol and Supreme Court.
On the cover: In Advanced Placement chemistry class, junior Paul Scheipeter uses a pipet to transfer solution to a test tube. The experiment involved
determining an equilibrium constant for a reaction that forms a complex ion, [FeSCN]2+, using a spectrophotometer.
2

WINTER/SPRING 2011
Kairos Retreats
Seniors Experience “God’s Time”
For most Griffins, senior year is a flood of events and deadlines
and the stresses of exams, college applications and which girl to ask
to homecoming or prom. But in the middle of it all is a three-day
respite called Kairos.
For nine years, Vianney has made the Kairos retreat a key element of
senior year. The retreat’s basic formula has remained the same, and
is used in many Catholic high schools across the country. The retreat
group works its way through a series of 12 topics that include issues
such as: Why are you here Who is God What are obstacles to
God’s friendship
Each topic is presented by a student or adult leader. The boys then
break into “house groups” of eight to 10 to discuss the topic. The boys
also are given questions to answer by writing in their private journals.
“The boys like the small groups; they often form bonds with guys
they haven’t hung out with before,” said Mary Kay Fitzpatrick,
the head of Campus Ministry. “That’s part of what makes Kairos
so special.”
While adult faculty and staff members participate in the retreat,
each Kairos is led by six students. “We’ve had terrific student leaders
for every retreat,” said Fitzpatrick. “These young men start working
about a month in advance to prepare. They go through 10 hours of
training, and then put in another 10 hours on their own,” she said.
“It’s a big commitment, but the guys also find it very rewarding.”
The retreat runs from Wednesday through Friday evening and
includes time for reflection and prayer, as well as snacks and recreation.
For many Griffins, the time on retreat zips by too fast, just like
most of senior year.
The Greek word Kairos usually is translated to mean “God’s time.”
Broader definitions include “the appointed time in the purpose of
God” or “the time when God acts.” These seem appropriate as well.
At the January Kairos retreat, seniors display candles to be used as part of a prayer service.
They are, clockwise from front, Ryan Wakeman, Jason Grant, Sam Haseltine, Zach
Moszczenski, Shane Mihaljevic, Joe Hof, Matt Flatley, Connor Maguire, Josh Hubert,
Tyler Eidel, Andy Baker and Nick Borders.
During the night prayer, participants pass a candle and each describes something he gained
from the retreat that day. Paul Sandweg holds the candle; Nick Stratton and Dave Campbell
are to Paul’s right.
The Kairos retreat includes time to relax and blow off steam. At the fall retreat, senior Mark
Gould watches as his teammate junior Sean Purk leaps to spike the volleyball.
3

BLACK & GOLD
The Griffins’ Café:
Feeding the Insatiable Hunger
Love that spicy chicken sandwich! Freshman Tyler Flieg chows down on the Griffins’ favorite entrée.
If there’s one thing that has not changed over the 50 years of Vianney’s
history, it’s the fact that teenage boys get hungry. Really, really
hungry. This is why the Griffins’ Café is important to the life of St.
John Vianney High School.
Vianney is committed to satisfying boys’ quest for knowledge,
their pursuit of spirituality and their insatiable hunger for French
fries and doughnuts.
Chris Amelung has worked in the Café for 11 years, six of those as
its manager. She’s seen roughly one million lunches served in that
time. But she knows that it’s not just about the food.
“The Café is a meeting place for the guys. It’s where they can relax
and be themselves without the pressures of the classroom,” she said,
adding, “And of course it’s a place where they can eat as well. They do
like to eat!”
Amelung arrives at the Café at 5 a.m. each school day. She dives into
a busy routine by turning on the ovens and steam tables, meeting
deliveries and starting to cook breakfast. This may include eggs and
biscuits and gravy, as well as waffles or French toast on Fridays. Two
other workers arrive at 6 a.m., and the boys begin arriving to dine at 7.
“We are a whirlwind in the mornings,” Amelung said. “But I have a
great team working here. Everyone knows what they have to do and
we just get it done.”
When the Griffins shuffle off to classes at 7:40, there’s breakfast
clean-up and a brief breather before additional workers arrive and
lunch preparation begins.
The Café’s popular lunch program is built around a core menu that
rotates roughly every four weeks. While there is always an assortment
of entrées available, students can have faith in a certain
predictability. “There will always be some sort of pasta on Tuesdays,
pizza on Wednesday, and spicy chicken sandwiches on Thursdays,”
Amelung said.
And despite the routine, Amelung feels good about the offerings the
Griffins’ Café provides. “I know that the boys try foods here that they
wouldn’t eat at home. And with as busy as families are, I know these
4

WINTER/SPRING 2011
guys don’t always eat real meals at home. So it’s important that we
feed them well here,” she said.
Like most aspects of Vianney, the Café relies on the special willingness
of parents to make things run smoothly. There are currently 40
volunteers – all moms – who help serve lunch. Four volunteers come in
per day. “I have working moms who come in during their lunch hours
to serve these boys,” said Amelung. “It’s just amazing. We could not
operate without our volunteers.”
Maybe moms volunteer to work in the Café because they too understand
about the insatiable hunger of a teenage boy. They understand, as
Chris Amelung does, about the need to feed not only a boy’s mind and
spirit, but his growling Griffin stomach as well.
Griffins’ Café Vital Stats
Lunches served per week:
2,500 (we’re a hungry family)
Vianney moms Gale Evans and Cathy Serati serve up lunch to hungry Griffins, including
junior Nelson Pence. The Griffins’ Café relies on the dedication of 40 moms who volunteer to
assist with lunch shifts throughout the year.
Average lunch cost:
Most popular entrée:
Least popular entrée:
$3.50 (way less than
McDonald’s)
Spicy chicken sandwich
(every Thursday)
Meatloaf plate (small wonder)
French fries served per week: 650 lbs (roughly equivalent
to five freshmen)
Doughnuts inhaled per week:
Volunteer moms:
600 (stacked flat, would
tower 75 feet)
40 (each with a heart of gold)
A doughnut is a popular way to start a school day at Vianney. Senior Shane Panchot selects a
long john while Café manager Chris Amelung waits to ring up the purchase.
While styles, students and staff have changed over the years, lunch at Vianney has always been
a bargain.
Feeding brains and feeding mouths have always been inextricably linked at Vianney. In this
shot from the 1969 Talon yearbook, Gary Graf (’70) and Chris Koenig (’70) chow down in
the Café.
5

BLACK & GOLD
An Epic Project for Greg Horn ’78
Photo compliments of Missouri Department of Transportation
MoDot project engineer Greg Horn (’78) speaks with members of the media at the site of
the new bridge.
It is a project of epic proportions. It will cost $667 million, it will
require four to six years for construction and it will change the way
thousands of St. Louisans tackle their daily commute.
It is, as Greg Horn puts it, a “once-in-a-lifetime” endeavor. He should
know; he’s the project manager.
Horn, Vianney class of 1978, is the man in charge of construction
of the new Mississippi River Bridge project just north of downtown.
Horn is an engineer with 27 years of experience at the Missouri Department
of Transportation (MoDOT). His massive project includes:
A 1,500-foot, cable-stayed bridge.
A new Missouri I-70 North Interchange.
An Illinois I-70 connection.
An Illinois tri-level interchange in East St. Louis.
The project relocates I-70 traffic from the Poplar Street Bridge which
will, according to MoDOT, mean less congestion, fewer crashes and
less wasted gas. It’s been a long time in the works.
“This project has been around since 1990 as MoDOT began looking
at ways to relieve congestion on the Poplar Street Bridge,” Horn said.
“By 1997, we had the location selected, and then it was a matter of
waiting for funding.” In 2008, the funding was finally available and
Horn was named manager of the project.
And while Horn is an experienced engineer, his engineering skills
haven’t been tested on this project. “We have a number of experienced,
talented contractors who are shouldering that work. For me,
the biggest job is coordination of all those involved,” Horn said. He
is juggling the politics, demands and expectations of parties that
include numerous contractors as well as the Coast Guard, Missouri
and Illinois Environmental Protection Agencies, railroads, media and
the public.
Still, he wouldn’t trade places with anyone.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime project,” he said. “Last week (late
January), I was standing in a coffer dam on the bottom of the Mississippi
River. How many people get to stand on the bottom of the
Mississippi”
The bridge is expected to open in 2014, perhaps about the time the
current crop of Vianney freshmen will be moving off to college.
When Horn was at Vianney, could he have envisioned working on a
project of this scale
“Absolutely not,” he said with a laugh. “I thought I was going into
Fish and Wildlife.” (Horn changed his major to engineering partway
through his stint at the University of Missouri – Columbia.)
“To be part of this project is an honor,” Horn says. “I never would
have envisioned being part of something this big.”
Want to learn more about Horn’s project Go to www.newriverbridge.org
Photo compliments of Missouri Department of Transportation
Photo compliments of Missouri Department of Transportation
You saw first it in Black & Gold! The new Mississippi River Bridge (foreground) will be a
striking addition to the St. Louis riverfront.
Accomplishments that Last
Greg Horn (‘78)
As a Vianney senior,
Greg Horn set a pole
vault record of 14 feet,
3 inches.
The record still stands.
6

WINTER/SPRING 2011
1964
Vianney students are among the visitors to the
Marianist Retreat and Conference Center who are
enjoying a new sand volleyball court. The materials
for the court were donated by Bill Kopp, owner of
Kirkwood Building Materials.
1965
Gregory Welker spent part of December “stuck in
Wisconsin with the freezing cold.” He was visiting
his son Bryan, who just graduated from the University
of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Welker recounted
how he and his brothers Randy (’69), Perry (’73)
and Jeffrey (’77) “held the brothers of Mary hostage
for 16 years!” Welker is uncle to Ryan (’02) and
Matthew (’04), (sons of Jeffrey) so perhaps the
hostage situation continued in the 21st century.
1971
After 33 years in the aerospace industry, Paul
Crombie has retired from McDonnell Douglas/Boeing/GKN
Aerospace. He reports that, as principal
radiographer, his fingerprints are on virtually every
Eagle and Super Hornet flying today. Crombie is
now living on 200 acres in Marthasville, Mo., and
pursuing his first true love, art.
In what has become an annual gathering, classmates
Orville Althoff, Larry Bommarito, Denny Bush,
Bill Dolan, Greg Griffin, Gary Hasenmueller, Joe
Klipsch, Emil Krueger, Dave Lange, Steve Levick,
Joe Rath, Mark Rudolph and Tony Sebben gathered
to take in a varsity basketball game in February. The
Griffins in the stands had a great time; the Griffins
on the court, unfortunately, dropped the game to
De Smet 65-56.
1973
Last fall, the City of Fenton presented John Shea
with the John Fabick Community Service Award for
his volunteer efforts, which have included building
a home for the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
TV show, remodeling work for Living Well Village,
and service on Fenton’s Planning and Zoning
Commission. Shea is owner of Callier Thompson
Shea Construction and Design.
1977
If the topic is sleep-related, and the TV station is
KTVI Fox-2, chances are the authority will be Dr.
Joseph Ojile. Ojile has been featured frequently on
the station, discussing topics such as sleep apnea and
dreams. Ojile is founder and managing director of
Clayton Sleep Institute.
1979
He got his start in Jim Farrell’s architectural drawing
class. Now John Kemper is vice president of PGAV
Destinations, a St. Louis firm that designs exhibits at
zoos, aquariums and theme parks across the country
and internationally.
Be our friend on Facebook!
Search “Vianney Alumni Association.”
Classmate Update
1982
Michael Shepard is president and chief operating officer
of Collins & Hermann, Inc., which has offices in
St. Louis, Kansas City and Tulsa. The firm provides
construction infrastructure services, such as fencing,
guardrails, signage and excavation. Shepard is the
proud uncle of freshman Justin Summers.
1983
“Nursing Banks, a Handshake at a Time” was the
headline of the Wall Street Journal article featuring
Tom Metzger. Metzger is CEO of Bank Midwest in
Kansas City. The February article described how
Metzger is attempting to strengthen his bank by
building solid relationships.
1987
Stephen Guffey has retired from military service
and lives in Sullivan, Mo., with his wife and two
children.
1991
Matthew Shorey is a partner with the law firm of
Armstrong Teasdale in St. Louis. He is a member
of the litigation department and handles cases
involving insurance coverage and product liability,
among others.
1996
Drop by the Tivoli Gardens Theme Park in Copenhagen,
Denmark, to see attractions designed by
Scott Neale, a freelance scenic designer. Neale has
also designed exhibits for the St. Louis Zoo, as well
as scenery for theater companies around the country.
In his spare time, he teaches drafting to theater
design students at Webster University and plays
harmonica with Downhome Blues Band. Learn more
about his work at www.scottcnealedesign.com.
1997
Frederick Busch is happy to announce the birth of a
third son, Isaiah Jordan Busch, in November.
1999
The total of Toals increased in October when Nick
Toal and his wife Sarah welcomed a daughter,
Scarlett Elizabeth. Toal recently became marketing
and project director at Global Surgical Corporation
in Kirkwood.
2000
Another Griffin comes home to roost! Tim
Peniston joined Vianney’s advancement team as
Director of Constituent Relations. He takes over
for Pete Cerone (’93), who moved up to Director of
Advancement.
2002
This spring, Michael Brannan will be celebrating
the first anniversary of his second P’sghetti’s Pasta
and Sandwich restaurant, this one on Manchester
Road in Glendale. His original location is on South
Lindbergh at Tesson Ferry. Brannan and his wife
have two daughters.
It was a November wedding at St. Catherine Labouré
for Eric Oppelz and Regina Curran. Classmates
Mike Vocker and Jason Berra served as groomsmen
for the event. Oppelz – reportedly an accounting
class whiz in his Vianney days – is a financial planner
at Merrill Lynch. He and his bride live in Festus.
2003
“Outer Mongolia” really is home for Peace Corps
volunteer Daniel Morris. Morris began teaching
English in a small town in northwestern Mongolia in
June. He’ll be there for two years.
2005
Brian Nigro reports that the Air Force is treating
him well. He’s currently in training to become a
Deputy Space Vehicle Engineer, and in August he’ll
help launch a hypersonic test vehicle designed to fly
at speeds greater than Mach 5, or around 3,800 mph.
2006
Last year, Truman State University senior defensive
lineman Ryan Ploesser was selected to ESPN’s
Academic All-District second team. Now he’s off to
Denmark to see a slice of Europe while playing semipro
football. He is the son of Carl Ploesser (’78).
2007
Upon graduating from the University of Missouri-
Columbia this spring, Casey Abel will begin work
at Archer Daniels Midland as a Grains Terminal
Operations Management Trainee. Abel majored in
Systems Management Agriculture.
In Memory
Keith Armbruster (’73)
Margie Bantle - mother of John (’77), Jim (’80)
and Joe (’81).
Deborah Hempen - wife of Jim (’66), mother
of Jim Jr. (’02).
Allegra Ladendecker - grandmother of
Nate Corley (’09).
Robert Meyer - father of Bob Meyer (staff)
Bro. Bob Mingus, S.M. - long time Curé of Ars
resident
Barbara Muehlenkamp - grandmother of senior
John Bahlinger
Joe O’Brien - father of Tim (’75), Ken (’78)
and Jay (’79).
John Ringwald - Father of David (’86), Dan (’87),
Jim (’94), Tom (’96), Rick (’97) and Mark (’98).
Bill Vize (‘83)
John Serafin Sr. - Father of John (’85).
Mary Westerholt - grandmother of senior
Justin Westerholt
It’s great to hear from alumni! Please send your news to Tim Peniston, Director of Constituent Relations, at tpeniston@vianney.com or by
mail to the school address.
7

BLACK & GOLD
Connections
Mike Roessler ’86
Everyone knows someone who went to Vianney – at least,
everyone in St. Louis seems to. How many times have you
faced the inevitable question of this big-little town: “where
did you go to high school”
The answer “Vianney” nearly always leads to a lively back-
960
and-forth of names and approximate graduation years.
Chris Bowe ’73
Tom Vennemann ’72
We invited alumni to send in their connections to other
Griffins, either by blood, marriage or professional or community
relationships. Then we connected them as best we could. How
many of these Griffins could you connect to yourself
Thanks to the alumni who sent in their connections!
Dan Basler ’82
Steve Hasenmueller ’80
Steve Maguire ’85
Bob Kristof ’89
David Little ’64
Dave Bartnett ’67
Mike Touzinsky ’65
Gary Hasenmueller ’71
Bill Fechter ’75
Jack Bartnett ’73
John Chapman ’84
Mark Little ’89
John Fechter ’80
Kurt Kappler ’87
Robert Touzinsky ’68
Tom Bartnett ’68
Charlie Touzinsky ’66
Frank Hoffman ’69
Pat Sly ’68
Ronald Bartnett ’74
Dan Bartnett ’74
Mark Bartnett ’72
Tom Valenti ’79
Robert Bartnett ’71
Joseph Ebert ’71
Kevin Kappler ’83
Matt Hoffman ’87
Todd Hoffman ’89
Jeff Hoffman ’87
Charlie Hoffman ’67
Richard Bartnett ’75
970
Steve Anton ’72
Mark Lipsmire ’79
Greg Bartnett ’77
Jeff Bartnett ’79
1980
John Lipsmire ’80
8

Brian Gillick ’92
WINTER/SPRING 2011
2000
Keith Short ’90
Alumni Meet,
Compete on Court
Mark Schuermann
(Staff) ’03
Mike Mantia ’92
Steve Roessler ’90
Matt Hrastich ’90
Irvin Kappler
(Teacher and coach)
Bob Hoffmann
(Teacher) ’61 - ’96
Connor Maguire ’11
Brett Hasenmueller ’09
Connor Hasenmueller ’10
Brendan McEntee ’13
Mike Valenti ’13
Jimmy Touzinsky ’06
It was a bit of a Vianney reunion on the basketball court in
December when Fontbonne University took on Westminster
College. Griffins Leroy “Mookie” Valandra (’09), Kevin Walsh
(’91), Frank Scheetz (’07), Joe James (’10) and Ty Cochran
(’05) met up for a photo following a game in which Valandra
and James played against Scheetz. (Having twice as many
Griffins on the roster, Westminster defeated Fontbonne 81-66.)
Walsh coached the rest of the guys pictured when they played
basketball at Vianney. He’s a Fontbonne grad and is Vianney’s
dean of students. Cochran is a Westminster grad and teaches
at Vianney.
Vianney Loses
a Great Friend
Scott Touzinsky ’00
Chip Touzinsky ’91
Keith Touzinsky ’93
1990
Father - Son
Cousin
Joseph Ebert Jr. ’01
Brother
In-Law
Classmate
Professional Relationship
Uncle
Community Relationship
Tony Lipsmire ’13
John Ringwald at his Vianney Hall
of Fame induction in 2007.
St. John Vianney High School Hall
of Fame member John Ringwald
died of a heart attack Feb. 27,
2011. He and his wife Donna sent
six sons through Vianney: David
(’86), Dan (’87), Jim (’94), Tom
(’96), Rick (’97) and Mark (’98).
Mr. Ringwald was a loyal Vianney supporter for more than two
decades, giving freely of his time and considerable talent. He
served on Vianney’s Board of Directors for thirteen years, two
of those as its chairman. He also served on Vianney’s Finance
Committee, and was regarded a cornerstone of our financial
planning and management. After the death of their son Dan in
2005, the Ringwalds established a scholarship fund at Vianney
in Dan’s name.
In addition to his great gifts to Vianney, Mr. Ringwald served
on the budget committee of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and
was active with Nazareth Living Center and Assumption
Parish. He was retired from Ralston Purina, where he had
served as chief financial officer.
9

BLACK & GOLD
Auction “Fund a Need” Shatters Record
Auction Highlights
Estimated net receipts: $250,000
Parent volunteers: 123
Student volunteers: 108
Online auction proceeds: $6,800
Fund a Need donations: $100,000
Total items for bid: 756
Catering and server
training by: Andre’s – John Armengol (’88)
Highest live auction bid:
$3,100 for Christmas Eve
Mass celebrated by Fr. Tim
Kenney, S.M.
The Vianney family came through again at the Night of the Griffin
dinner and auction Feb. 19.
A key pitch at the auction is always the “Fund a Need.” In recent
years, the need has been designated as tuition assistance for boys
whose families simply cannot afford to pay the full tuition cost of
attending Vianney.
This year, auction attendees came across with a cool $100,000 for
tuition assistance, topping the previous record by nearly $20,000.
Initially, this year’s pledges totaled $93,300. When that amount was
announced, a big-hearted anonymous donor stepped up with the
additional funds needed to reach the impressive total.
Attendance at the auction was up from 2010 as well, with 520
Vianney patrons present. While it will be a few weeks before
final tallies are complete, it appears to have been another highly
successful Night of the Griffin.
Brava! These Vianney moms directed the success of the 2011 Night of the Griffin. They are,
from left, Nancy Beffa, Tora Ragsdale, Tina Moszczenski, Sue Dombek, Melon Mahfood,
and co-chairs Deanna Snyder and Debbie McGuire. We salute your talents and are deeply
grateful for the countless hours you’ve given to benefit Vianney students!
There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes at the auction. Freshmen earn service hours by
scraping and rinsing dishes for return to the rental company. They are, clockwise from left,
Andrew Hoffman, Aaron Lawson, Evan Huck, Zach Lauer and Justin Summers.
Vianney students applaud as the auctioneer encourages more patrons to raise their bid paddles in support of the “Fund a Need” for tuition assistance. The boys are, from left, senior Jason Grant, junior
Andrew Richard, junior Tim Agne, junior Ian Wohlstadter, junior Brett Basler, junior Matt Maus and senior Robbie Schmitt. These Griffins all waited tables at the event.
10

WINTER/SPRING 2011
Dan Riordan ’01 Honored
with Highway Sign
It’s a Vianney Rushmore! Enjoying a joke together are Griffin icons Fr. Don Cahill, S.M., hall of fame
member Bill Hopfinger (’73), board member Rick Bumb (’70) and longest-ever faculty member
Charlie Eisele.
Nick Riordan (’01), at the January dedication of the highway sign honoring his brother
Dan Riordan (’01).
Travelers on I-270 at I-44 will note a new “Heroes Way” sign
honoring Army Lt. Daniel P. Riordan. Riordan (’01) was
killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq in June
2007. His memory remains very much alive thanks to his family,
including his twin brother, Nick Riordan (’01).
Mark Your Calendar!
Vianney Benefit
Golf Tournament
Junior Matt Guignon pauses in his serving duties to chat with Kelly and Dan Harbaugh (’78).
Leading Advancement at Vianney
Maybe you’ve heard or seen the names.
These are the faces behind Vianney’s
advancement efforts. From top to bottom,
these Griffins include: Pete Cerone (’93),
Director of Advancement (he was formerly
Director of Alumni Relations); Mark
Schuermann (’03) Director of Events; and
Tim Peniston (’00), Director of Constituent
Relations. Vianney’s Advancement
Office manages the Griffin Fund, class
reunions, the Night of the Griffin auction,
and a host of alumni- and parent-related
activities designed to support educational
excellence at Vianney.
June 17, 2011
Norwood Hills Country Club
A great time for a great cause!
Contact Mark Schuermann for details
mschuermann@vianney.com or
314.965.4853, ext. 144
Jeff Kohlberg (’00)
the official magazine of the st. john vianney family
1311 S. Kirkwood Rd. | St. Louis, MO 63122 | www.vianney.com
Editor: Carol Dexter Graphic Design: Traci Moore Graphics
For information, please contact Carol Dexter 314.965.4853,
ext. 270, cdexter@vianney.com.
11

1311 south kirkwood road
st. louis, mo 63122
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St. Louis, MO
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Black and Gold Goes Pink
Real Griffins wore pink Feb. 4 for the second annual Paint it Pink basketball game. The event was part of
the American Cancer Society’s “Coaches vs. Cancer” program. With proceeds from commemorative t-shirts,
concession stand goodies and raffles, Griffins raised $3,700 to benefit Hope Lodge, which provides a home
away from home for cancer patients receiving treatment at St. Louis hospitals.
The varsity Griffins were the other big winners of the evening. They never trailed the St. Francis Borgia Knights
and delivered a 60-43 victory for the ebullient home crowd.
(Left) Even the Griffin donned pink for the game on an
icy February night.
(Top) Anyone purchasing a commemorative t-shirt
was encouraged to fill out a tag for the “Wall of Hope”
to honor a friend or family member who faced cancer.
Displaying their support are freshmen Connor
Borisenko, Justin Lentz, Shane Doherty, Jacob
Hubbard, Nick Wojciechowski and Seamus Shannon
and, in front, David Zahn.
(Far Left) Warming up for the varsity game, junior Lelis
Djona hooks in a shot. The players wore pink socks, pink
shoelaces and pink warm-up t-shirts for the event.