JCA Alumni Association announces 2017 award winners

The Joliet Catholic Academy Alumni Association is proud to announce its 2017 Alumni Association Award Winners: Jim Roth ’77 – Alumnus of the Year; Vince Cornelius ’82 – Career Achievement Award; Samantha Quigley ’06 – Paddy McGowan Award; Karen Tyrell – Honorary Alumna of the Year; Doug Giaudrone ’81 – Sister Anne Marie Becker Service to JCA Award.

This year’s award winners will be honored at the Alumni Awards Banquet on Thursday, July 13, 2017 at the Jacob Henry Mansion. Tickets are $45 per person/$450 for a table of ten. For additional information, call 815-741-0500, ext. 269 or e-mail JCA Director of Alumni Relations Mrs. Sue Bebar at sbebar@jca-online.org. Reservations are required.

  • Alumnus of the Year: Jim Roth, JCHS ‘77 – Nominated by his children, William (’07), Andrew (’10), Ellie (’14), and Patrick (’17), Jim Roth is a shining example of the Roth family’s long legacy at JCA.  Jim is a significant giver (often quietly) of both time and money to JCA, and he and his wife Luanne (Honorary Alumna of the Year in 2014) were past chairs for Jubilate for two years and served on the Jubilate committee for 10 years in total. Jim has also served the Board of Directors on the JCA Investment Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee for many years. The Roth family resides in Naperville and have been very influential in helping to encourage students from that area to attend JCA. Jim consistently credits Joliet Catholic and JCA for providing superior education to himself and his children. Their youngest son Patrick graduated this May, ending a string of 14 consecutive years with at least one Roth child at JCA!

  • Career Achievement Award: Vince Cornelius, JCHS ‘82 – Vince is a proud Hilltopper, a prominent local attorney with offices in Joliet and Wheaton, and the current President of Illinois State Bar Association. He is the 140th ISBA President, and the first African American to have earned the role. A major focus of Vince’s term involved the future of young lawyers, with efforts to drive collaboration amongst Illinois law schools and law school deans, the Illinois Supreme Court, the American Bar Association, and others to prepare young lawyers for the profession. As a small-firm attorney, Cornelius understands the concerns of his peers, including solo practitioners, and has advocated on their behalf, as well. Vince earned his law degree from NIU and his undergraduate degree from USF, where he was an Academic All-American athlete. Vince resides in Naperville with his wife Zina and two children, Taylor and Chandler.

  • Paddy McGowan Award: Samantha Quigley-Smith, JCA ‘06 – Samantha is the newly-named Head Women’s Basketball Coach for Lewis University after five successful years as head coach at University of St. Francis, where this past season she guided her #1 ranked team to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the NAIA Final Four.  During her time at JCA, Sam earned All-State honors in softball, volleyball (2003 State Champions), and basketball, and was named the Sun Times Athlete of the Year in 2003. She played collegiately at DePaul, earning All-Big East Second Team honors twice, and went on to play professionally in Hungary. She is also an assistant coach for the Team USA 16U National team, and resides in Shorewood with husband Greg and sons Cooper (4), Jackson (1) and newborn Logan.

  • Honorary Alumna of the Year: Karen Tyrell – Wife of Tom Tyrell (JCHS ’79) and mother of Ian (’10), Spencer (’13), Keegan (’15) and Aidan (’18). Karen is a tireless supporter of JCA and the JCA family at student and school events. Along with the Tyrell and Giaudrone families, she is a co-founder and organizer of  the “Remembering G” fundraiser, which has gone on to raise over $100,000 and provide over 70 scholarships in the name of Andrew Giaudrone (JCA ’10) since its inception. Karen is a JT West (’79) graduate who truly exemplifies and shares the JCA spirit and values.

  • Sister Anna Marie Becker Service to JCA Award: Doug Giaudrone, JCHS ‘81 – A constant supporter of JCA and father of Andrew (’10), Adam (’14) and Eric (’16), Doug is the Co-Creator (with the Tyrell and Giaudrone families) of the “Remembering G” fundraiser and scholarship in the name of his eldest son Andrew, who passed away suddenly in 2011 due to an undiscovered heart ailment. Ardent supporter and collaborator in Young Hearts for Life (“YH4L”), who, with support from Team Podz, facilitates free cardiac screening for all JCA students. Doug has been a long-time participant on multiple JCA boards and committees, including the JCA Board of Directors, JCA Alumni Board, Jubilate and others. Through Doug’s resiliency and spirit, the annual celebration of Andrew’s life strengthens the JCA community and shines a light to those experiencing it for the first time.

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