Joliet Catholic Academy is a 150-year tradition steeped in the charisms espoused by the Carmelites and Joliet Franciscan Sisters. On Wednesday, December 11, the JCA administration was thrilled to attend the annual JCA Alumni and Friends Chicago Regional Reunion at the law offices of Winston & Strawn LLP. The event was made possible thanks to a generous welcoming from Winston & Strawn’s Chairman and the reunion’s host, Mr. Thomas Fitzgerald ’72.
A 1972 graduate of Joliet Catholic High School, Fitzgerald has led the oldest law firm in the city of Chicago, and one of the largest law firms in the world, since 2006. Winston & Strawn is an international law firm with nearly 1,000 attorneys in 16 offices in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Like Joliet Catholic Academy, Winston & Strawn has been a leader in their industry for more than 160 years. The firm has “served as a trusted adviser and advocate for clients across virtually every industry. In that time, through careful growth and thoughtful fiscal management, (they) have built a law practice with tremendous breadth and a global reach.”
31 graduates from Joliet Catholic High School, St. Francis Academy, and Joliet Catholic Academy, ranging from the Class of 1962 to the Class of 2011, reminisced about their experiences in high school and updated one another on their current careers. Guests also received an update from JCA president/principal Dr. Jeffery Budz on JCA’s most recent capital campaigns including the Heritage Quad, the Mary, Our Sister Chapel, and a current construction update on the Warning Family Innovation Research Center, a university-level research library and media center located across the entire second floor northeast wing.
Guests were treated to a beautiful view of the downtown Chicago skyline in Winston & Strawn’s 48th floor gallery at 35 West Wacker Drive. Joliet Catholic Academy offers its heartfelt thanks to the gracious hosts for the night, Mr. Thomas Fitzgerald and Winston & Strawn.
JCA will offer another opportunity for alumni and friends to reunite at the annual Angel and Hilltopper Alumni Banquet on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. in the JCA Student Activity Center. This year’s banquet will feature 1985 Super Bowl Champion Tom Thayer ’79 and master of ceremonies Mark Grant ’81. Tickets are available online at www.jca-online.org/alumnibanquet
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