Stepinac HS to Honor Distinguished Alumni, Community & Corporate Partners at Trustees Reception

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - March 23, 2015 - PRLog -- Archbishop Stepinac High School, one of the country’s top 50 Catholic high schools, will honor distinguished alumni and community and corporate partners at its Trustees Awards Reception, 6:30 to 9:30 PM, Thursday, April 16 at Crowne Plaza White Plains.

All proceeds from the year’s biggest fundraiser will go toward providing financial aid to help deserving students continue their education

The honorees are:

Prominent attorney William F. Plunkett, Jr. (Class of ’58) who will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award. His wife, Caryl, will share the spotlight with him.

Cisco Systems, Inc. a leading, multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells networking equipment, will receive the Partner in Education Award. Cisco’s Senior Vice President, Patrick Finn (Class of ’81), will accept the award on behalf of the company.

Dr. Jesus Jaile-Marti, Chief of Neontology, White Plains Hospital Center and his wife, Diane, will receive the Community Citizens Award.

Frank Portanova (Class of ’93), Stepinac’s Vice Principal for Academics and Curriculum, will receive the Student Enrichment Award.

Approximately 400 guests are expected to attend the event. The cost is $250.00 per person with multiple sponsorships available including advertising in a special journal that will be distributed to the guests.

An extensive array of valuable prizes ranging from tickets to New York Yankees and Giants games to a weekend for two at the Benziger Winery guest house in Sonoma  including VIP tour, airfare and ground transportation will be raffled.

Reservations can be made until April 6^th.  Because the event is very popular and tickets go quickly, it’s recommended that reservations are made at the earliest.

Father Thomas Collins (Class of ’79), Stepinac’s President, said: “We are honoring a stellar group of individuals and an outstanding corporate partner. William Plunkett is certainly one of Stepinac’s most distinguished alumni as a prominent attorney and business and civic leader.”

He added:  “Under his leadership as the school’s first Chair of the Board of Trustees that was formed five years ago following the approval of the New York State Board of Regents of Stepinac’s charter as an independent high school with the Archdiocese of New York, Stepinac has significantly reinforced its position as one of the preeminent private high schools in the region and as one of nation’s Top 50 Catholic High Schools.”

“It is fitting that Bill will be saluted by the Stepinac community particularly at this moment as he steps down as Chair of the Board of Trustees this year, following five years of incredible progress for Stepinac. During his tenure, the school’s student enrollment increased 53% for the 2014-15 school year, significant infrastructure improvements and enhancements were accomplished and educators across the nation and internationally recognized Stepinac as a model in developing the first-of-its-kind digital textbook library.”

He added: “His wife, Caryl, is being honored for her accomplishments as a successful business woman, administrator, public servant and an active charitable volunteer. The couple is being recognized for having served as pillars in the community through their hard work and generous support of numerous charitable causes.”

Father Collins continued: “The Trustees are showing their appreciation for another remarkable couple, Dr. Jesus Jaile-Marti and his wife, Diane, who have long been active supporters of our school as well as the greater White Plains community.

Cisco Systems will be “recognized for the outstanding services it has provided in equipping our school with an advanced technologic platform that is keeping our students ahead of the learning curve.”

“The Trustees will recognize the contributions that Frank Portanova has made to Stepinac as Vice Principal for Academics and Curriculum. Notably, he is helping to raise the school’s bar of academic excellence by creating an innovative, personalized hybrid-learning environment that combines the latest digital technology with traditional classroom instruction. Additionally, he is being honored for leading the school’s award-winning Drama Club to greater critical fame as its inspired director.”

Father Thomas Collins noted that the Trustees Awards Reception has emerged as the year’s biggest fundraising event for Stepinac.” We have set a crucially important goal of using all proceeds to increase financial aid which will make it possible for deserving students to continue their education.  I am confident that through the generosity of our alumni and Stepinac’s many supporters this event will allow Stepinac to continue to fulfill its mission of preparing tomorrow’s leaders.”

For more information and reservations, visit www.stepinac.org or contact Paul Thomas at pthomas@stepinac.org or call at 914-946-4800 ext. 245

Founded in 1948, Archbishop Stepinac High School’s mission is to offer young men a highly competitive academic and extracurricular program that will prepare them for college and leadership roles. The faculty and staff accomplish these objectives by pursuing excellence and creating a supportive, disciplined atmosphere with a strong sense of camaraderie and Christian values that are unique to the Stepinac experience. For more information on Stepinac High School, please visit www.stepinac.org.