Why is leadership important?
Our mission at St. Laurence is to develop faith leaders by living the Essential Elements of an Edmund Rice Christian Brother.  At St. Laurence, we give students opportunities to build on their faith and stand in solidarity with those marginalized by poverty and injustice, which includes having compassion and kindness for them.  We also teach students the importance of celebrating the value and dignity of each person and nurturing the development of the whole person.  We know that our students will be future leaders and it is our responsibility to prepare them to make informed decisions while inspiring others around them.  To this end, St. Laurence will continue to enhance our already competitive academic and athletic programs, an enriched leadership program, and an environment that is diverse, safe, full of spirit and forgiving.

What do you most like to do in your time off?
I enjoy spending time with my family.  I was blessed to marry my high school sweetheart and we now have three beautiful children.  While we are very active with school and sports, we also have some challenges.  Our daughter, Natalie, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth.  The diagnosis, while devastating to learn of at first, has given me a new purpose.  While being the best father I can be, it has become a priority of mine to help find a cure for this disease.  Thus far, our team, Crazy for Natalie, has raised over $280,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

What is one of your favorite quotes?
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”- Eleanor Roosevelt

BOARDS
Family Advisory Board for Ann & Robert H. Lurie, Children’s Hospital of Chicago Sep 2010- Present
West Point Congressional District Coordinator Jun 2012- Present
Solutions for Patient Safety Board for Ann & Robert H. Lurie, Children’s Hospital of Chicago Sep 2013- Present

Read more about Joe Martinez

Mass Media     Governor’s State University MA
Educational Administration    Chicago State University BA
Communications and Theater Arts                       St. Joseph College

Why did you choose to work at St. Laurence?
I chose to work at St. Laurence because of the school community.  I enjoy working with the teachers, staff, students, parents and alumni.  Each one of these groups is integral to what makes St. Laurence the caring, compassionate and welcoming place that it is.  As principal, I get the most satisfaction when I see students grow academically, spiritually socially, and athletically; faculty and staff who dedicate themselves to St. Laurence to insure our students receive a quality Catholic education; parents who make great sacrifices to send their son to St. Laurence because they know he will receive the academic tools needed to be successful in life; and alumni who generously give their time, talent and financial support to continue the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers at St. Laurence.  Being able to work with these groups on a daily basis inspires and motivates me to continue working at a place that has so much emphasis on what is important in life.

What is your favorite quote?
“For time and the world do not stand still.  Change is the law of life.  And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.  We choose to do things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”    John F. Kennedy

What do you most like to do in your time off?
When I get time off I love to golf, travel, relax with a good book, watch old TV shows on YouTube, work on puzzles, Sudoku and spend time with family and friends.

Why did you choose to work at St. Laurence?
I have returned home to St. Laurence because I believe in all for which it stands. I am a 1990 graduate and, as a student, St. Laurence provided with me with more than I could have ever asked. The faculty challenged me academically and personally to be the best I could be. The school is dedicated to that ideal today more than ever.

Through modernizing the curriculum and learning environment, St. Laurence has rededicated itself to putting the success of the student at the forefront. By employing best practices in secondary education, St. Laurence has established an optimal learning environment that affords our students a competitive advantage. Finally, St. Laurence prepares young men in a Catholic, faith filled environment insuring that students are spiritually aware and committed to helping one another.

What do you like to do with your time off?
I am a husband and father of three and I enjoy spending time with my wife, Mary, and children Walter, Cecelia and Henry. We are very busy with school, sports and extra-curricular activities. While a student at St. Laurence, I was a four year member of our soccer team and have carried the love of the sport with me through life. I am involved with our community soccer organization, and I am proud to serve as a volunteer coach. Being able to coach my children in a variety of sports is one of the greatest joys that life has offered. During the summer, we enjoy spending time at my parents’ lake house in Michigan.

Why is leadership important?
In my opinion, it is important because firstly leadership requires personal responsibility. Leadership, when cultivated in a faith environment, implies that we have an obligation to use our skills to advance our community in a way that benefits all. Developing these skill sets will benefit our students and the communities in which they serve.

What are a few of your favorite quotes?
“If it is to be, it is up to me.”
-Past high school teacher and coach.
“If you want to be great at something, you must work hard at it every day.”
-James Turney (my Grandfather)

What do you most like to do in your time off?
When not at St. Laurence, I enjoy spending time with my wife, Kathy, and staying active.  Kathy and I are both amateur triathletes and we spend much time training for numerous races throughout the year.  We both value living a healthy lifestyle ourselves, and spreading the importance of living a healthy lifestyle to others.  To do this, I work not only as a Track and Field coach here at St. Laurence High School but also as a Triathlon Coach at EndureIt! Sports in Westmont, IL.

Kathy and I are also looking forward to spending more time with our growing family, as we are expecting our first child in September.

Who are your biggest influences?
The biggest influences in my life have always been, and continue to be, my parents.  My parents raised me to be a person characterized by values, hard work, and passion.  When taking on new tasks in my life, I always reflect on how well I stay true to these qualities.  I am lucky enough to be able to still use my parents as guides in my life, and thankfully, they are willing to let me know if I am acting in a way that compromises their upbringing.

I started at St. Laurence in August of 1987. I had taught school but then stayed home to raise my 4 children. When they all were in school I began substitute teaching. Eventually, I went back full-time and had the opportunity to join St. Laurence’s faculty, and have never regretted that decision. After 2 years, I was asked to be the Assistant Dean, and I accepted. During that year, my husband Steve had a sudden heart-attack and pass away. My eldest son was newly married (at 19) with a 2 year old, my second son was at U of I, my daughter was at Mother McAuley, and my son was and 8th grader preparing to attend St. Laurence the following year. This is when I began to realize I was in the best place in the world. The family at STL who held me up, gave me the comfort, support, and shoulders was most phenomenal. My new job as Dean came naturally and I knew I was home for good.

Over the years, I got tired of being the “bad lady” and needed to smile, so I left the Dean’s office and took over Student Council, and then put in my bid for Assistant Athletic Director and eventually Assistant Principal. The school has been my support and mainstay for years. The young men who have left (and always as leaders) are an everlasting feeling of pride. My years have been long, but I have always wanted to come to work. I love my job, the young men I work for, and the family I work with. I have many lasting friendships from my time at STL, and I treasure all of them.

Foremost in my life are my 4 wonderful children, their spouses, and most dearly my 12 grandchildren (so far), including my great grandson. St. Laurence is my home and my treasure.

Why did you choose to work at St. Laurence?
Going to St. Laurence was such a tremendous experience for me. I developed life-long friendships with many people during my 4 years here and also was fortunate enough to be on some great athletic teams. I want to relay those experiences to our students now and try to teach them the valuable life lessons that I was taught when I attended St. Laurence.

What is one of your favorite quotes?
One of my favorite quotes is, “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there,” by John Wooden. Our kids have character. They believe in St. Laurence and take great pride in their school, their teams and in each other. And, because of that, they’re willing to put in the work, which is important. They hold each other to a very high standard.

What do you most like to do in your time off?
The thing I enjoy most in my time off is spending time with my five children. Most of all, I enjoy being around their athletic events and being able to practice with them on a daily basis.

Why is leadership important?
Leadership is so important in all aspects of life. Being a leader can take on many different forms, but to me it means being willing to do the things necessary to be a great and influential person. It also means being someone that people can respect. If people respect you and the things that you do and stand for, then they will follow you. If you have a lot of leaders, which St. Laurence has, then everyone has the ability to learn and grow from each other. This is one of the aspects that I like most about St. Laurence. Not only do we have dedicated faculty that are leaders, but our students also learn those characteristics from the faculty and become great leaders amongst their peers and in their communities.

MA Educational Leadership Concordia University
BS Physical Education/Driver Education Northern Illinois University

Why is Leadership Important?
Leadership is a process that is ongoing and ever evolving. In every facet of life you are going to be or need a leader. Everyone needs someone who can leave a great impression on them and help lead them in the right direction. Leadership cannot be a “sometimes” thing, as we are always being studied and judged by our words and actions and you never know who is watching. Therefore, you must always put forth the best version of you, which is your Leadership Legacy.

What is one of your favorite quotes?
John Wooden is one of the best and most influential leaders of the last 100 years. He has said many great quotes that I like, but my favorite is: “If someone tells me they accomplished something and it wasn’t very difficult, I have a hard time thinking they accomplished anything at all.” If you accomplish something, and it truly is special, odds are that the effort you put into it was significant. If it were too easy, you could have put more effort in to make it better.

What do you like to do most in your time off?
I spend my time off with my family. My family has much to do with the person I am today. I like to cook, travel, attend sporting events, golf and stay active. My wife Inga and I have two kids, Nathan (5) and Brayden (1), who we spend all of our time with. Staying close with family is important because they are often the ones who are there when you need them most.

I am in my second year as Athletic Director at St. Laurence, and I could not be happier. St. Laurence is a tremendous institution with great academics, spirituality, leadership, and athletic tradition. I came to STL after spending 3 ½ years as the Alumni Officer and Assistant Athletic Director at Immaculate Conception Catholic Prep. At IC, I was blessed to be under the tutelage of Darren Howard, a well-respected coach and athletic director. I coached six years of basketball, two years of baseball, and two years of softball as the varsity head coach while at Immaculate Conception. I also coached one year of basketball at Riverside-Brookfield.
Prior to working at IC, I worked for the National Collegiate Scouting Association in Chicago. Additionally, I have spent time as a paraprofessional and a substitute teacher. My array of professional and athletic experiences has given me a solid foundation to successfully meet the challenges of running an athletic department.

After graduating from Immaculate Conception, where I played baseball, basketball, and football, I attended Loras College. I majored in Sports Management and minored in Business Administration at Loras, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2005. Recently, I received my physical education teaching certification through Trinity Christian College where I graduated Summa Cum Laude.

I currently reside in Westchester with my wife Gina and my daughter Leah, with our second child on the way.

“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching” – C.S. Lewis
“Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability” – John Wooden

After graduating from St. Laurence in 1994, I always thought it would be great to come back and be a part of the school that was so special to me. In 2002, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to come back, and have been blessed the past twelve years having the pleasure to work with outstanding faculty, coaches and of course, the students. I can truly say that St. Laurence is my home away from home.

I am also very fortunate to have the greatest family in the world. I’ve been married to my wife Carrie for seven years and have two children Joey (6) and Lily (3).

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly”
-Jime Rohn

Why did you choose to work at St. Laurence?
I had an amazing experience at St. Laurence as a student, and I had always hoped to give back to the school that gave so much to me. I knew the school was entering a very special time in its history, and I wanted to be a part of it. I think St. Laurence has an incredibly special story, and I want to be the one who tells it. This job has been everything I hoped it would be. The family environment that I experienced as a student is still alive. I cannot wait to see what our future holds.

What do you most like to do in your time off?
I am an avid sports fan and can watch anything that involves athletic competition. My favorite sport is soccer, whether it is playing or watching. I enjoy staying active, whether it is playing pick-up games with my friends or riding my bike on Lake Michigan.

What is your favorite quote?
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Gandhi

I heard this quote when I was at a leadership conference as a sophomore at St. Laurence and it really resonated with me. To this day, I see that leadership conference as a pivotal moment in my life. It helped me truly embrace my potential and gave me the courage to seek out new opportunities and make the most of them.

BA Management DePaul University

I am a 2004 graduate of St. Laurence High School. In 2008, I received my bachelor’s degree in Management from DePaul University. For the past 6 years, I have worked as an Operations Manager for two different trucking companies. I was responsible for managing cost while improving incoming revenue to my specific departments. I was also a financial analyst, responsible for determining shortcomings along with identifying improving areas.

In my free time, I am a very big sports fan. I follow Notre Dame football, White Sox baseball, and all college basketball very closely. I have kept a close relationship with St. Laurence High School. I have volunteered at every Final Four Smoker since my graduation, attended home football games, and participated in the Viking Pride dinner. I have always aspired to give back to the school that meant so much to me while I was here, so I am living my dream by being part of the St. Laurence family.

BA Political Science Dominican University

Why did you choose to work at St. Laurence?
I chose to work at St. Laurence because I wanted to share my knowledge and experience with students. It is important that continue to teach our students what it means to “Leave as a Leader.”

Why is leadership important?
Leadership is so important because things don’t always go as planned. There will be times in every person’s life where they will be placed in uncomfortable situations. People who can handle adversity well are usually the best leaders.

What is your favorite quote?
One of my favorite quotes is by John Wooden. “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

My previous work experience includes 11 years at Continental Bank in the International Banking Department, U S Trade Finance Division. I was then fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom for a good number of years with my children. While at home with my children, I became very involved with volunteer work and fundraising for my school and parish. I returned to work in 1999 at St. Bernadette School in Evergreen Park. In 2006 I began working at St. Laurence for Tom Ondrla, became Director of Development in 2007 and currently work with Joe Martinez, President.

My husband Kevin and I live in Oak Lawn with the youngest of our three children. I have a strong commitment to Catholic education and thoroughly enjoy working at and for St. Laurence High School.

“Most people are searching for happiness outside of themselves. That’s a fundamental mistake. Happiness is something you are, and it comes from the way you think.”

Dr. Tom Pallardy, (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Southern California University for Professional Studies; Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology, Southern California University for Professional Studies; Bachelors Degree, Governors State University).

“Leave as a Leader” is a very important action to me. Leader is a term used quite loosely today as a marketing ploy, however, at St. Laurence Leadership has been an active part of our school and curriculum for many years. We not only say it, but live it. A Leader is someone who speaks from the heart to another’s heart. This is difficult because one must make him/herself vulnerable to do so. A true Leader takes risks and learns from mistakes.

To be a Leader, one must live in the here and now without losing sight of the past and with the ability to “see around corners” (Colin Powell). I often use this term (here and now) to keep me centered, especially when the times get tough. A true Leader is one who recognizes his or her ignorant spots, accepts them and learns to include people in his/her life that can teach or build a bridge over those areas.

I have been fortunate to have many different types of Leaders enter my life. What I now realize is we all have Leaders we learn from and we are all Leaders someone else can learn from if we are willing to share. Dr. Allan Jaffe once told me, “When the student is ready, a teacher will appear”. When he said it, I didn’t get it; now I do. There are always teachers/leaders available if we are willing to have our eyes and ears open to the message.

Ed Kozak is the Associate Director of Development at St. Laurence. His primary duties include alumni relations, database management, special events, publicity, and fundraising. He is also the public address man for the St. Laurence High School football team for the past fourteen years and counting. Ed has also moderated the popular Comedy Club for the last 14 years. Ed has been an IHSA football official for the past thirty years, refereeing well over 875 high school and grade school gridiron contests (more than 550 games in the Catholic Grade School Conference alone). He was named Sportsman of the Year in 2006, and officiated in the city championship game (Chicago Prep Bowl) in 2007. He is a proud 1979 graduate of St. Laurence High School.

He is the proprietor of Kozak Sports Research, which consults with professional teams, usually in the area of media guides and other publications. Ed is an authority on Chicago sports history. In his spare time Ed enjoys reading, walking nature trails, writing, and visiting museums and historic sites. He has appeared on local radio numerous times in his areas of expertise: Chicago sports and local travel.

He is also actively involved with St. Camillus Church on Chicago’s southwest side. Since 1984 he has been a Eucharistic minister and reader for the parish. Through the years he served on the Teen Club, Young Adults Club, and Liturgy Committee.