Board of Trustees
Trustees in the News
Lewis Presents Signum Fidei Award to Prominent Alumnus
Lewis University has presented the Lewis University 2009 Signum Fidei Award to William Rybak, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Van Kampen Investments, Inc., now retired, at the eleventh annual Signum Fidei Celebration on Saturday, September 12, at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. Rybak recently was named Chair Emeritus of the Lewis University Board of Trustees after 25 years of service and leadership, with nine as Board chair.
Now in its eleventh year, the Signum Fidei Celebration provides funding for need-based scholarships to ensure the opportunity of a values based education for deserving and well-qualified students. All proceeds from the 2009 Signum Fidei Celebration will go to help students and families most affected by the recession.
An alumnus of Lewis University, Rybak was raised on the southwest side of Chicago and graduated in the first class of St. Paul High School in 1969. He graduated from Lewis University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1973. He later earned a master’s degree in business administration from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago. In 1973, Rybak joined KPMG LLP, a financial services company in Chicago where he was named an audit partner in 1982. In 1986 he joined Van Kampen Investments, Inc., as a member of the firm’s senior committee. He rose steadily at the firm, becoming its Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer before retiring in 2000.
Rybak serves on the boards of PrivateBancorp, Inc., Jackson National Life Funds, Howe Barnes Investments, Inc. and the Calamos Mutual Funds. Lewis University honored him as its Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 1986 and he was named the first-ever recipient of the Adam Smith Honored Alumnus of the Year award by the Lewis College of Business in 1999. He was elected to the Lewis University Board of Trustees in 1983, serving for 12 years. Rybak returned to the Board in 1996 and was elected Board Chair in 2000. Upon his retirement as Board Chair in 2009, he was awarded the honor of Chair Emeritus of the Board. He has volunteered to continue as a member of the Lewis Campus Master Plan Committee to assist in the future development of the University.
Rybak’s tenure as a Trustee is the longest in University history. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for St. Coletta’s of Illinois Foundation and is a past board member of the Leukemia Society of America and St. Michael’s Parish in Orland Park. In 2007, he became an affiliated member of the Institute of the Brothers of Christian Schools, the highest honor given by the De La Salle Christian Brothers worldwide.
Rybak’s wife, Jane Rybak, is also a philanthropist and has served the community as a nurse and a volunteer. She has been a member of the Scholarship Committee for Visitation Grammar School in Chicago and served on the Brookfield Zoo Women’s Board. Together, the Rybaks have been very generous benefactors to Lewis University, particularly in support of endowed scholarships, campus improvement projects, faculty development initiatives and The Campaign for Lewis University.
The words Signum Fidei, meaning the Sign of Faith, are a symbol of the commitment to the Catholic and Lasallian spirit that provides vision and purpose for Lewis University. Each year at the Signum Fidei Celebration, Lewis University is privileged to recognize outstanding individuals who demonstrate the “Sign of Faith” in their contributions to society and to the University.
Dedicated to making Lewis University accessible to all qualified students regardless of financial need, Lewis annually awards approximately $57 million in financial aid through federal, state, private and institutional funds. More than 84 percent of incoming undergraduate Lewis students receive some form of financial assistance, including scholarships, grants, loans and work-study employment. The number of scholarships available to Lewis students continues to grow due to the generosity and dedication of private donors, alumni, faculty and staff who support the educational mission of the University.
Andrew and Candice Langert, Kathleen Halloran Honored at Lewis University President’s Circle Dinner
Lewis University hosted its 13th annual President’s Circle dinner December 5 at Lewis University in Romeoville. Nearly 200 guests enjoyed the celebration which included a reception, elegant dinner, musical entertainment and the presentation of the annual Frank J. Lewis Philanthropist of the Year Awards.
The honorees, Andrew and Candice Langert and Kathleen Halloran, were recognized for their longstanding and generous support of Lewis and for their commitment to causes which benefit humanity. The awards are named for Frank J. Lewis, Chicago industrialist and major benefactor, who provided significant funding and support for the University from its founding in 1932 until his death in 1960. The University is named in honor of Mr. Lewis.
Brother James Gaffney, FSC, President of Lewis University, commented on the support of the Langerts, “They have shown exceptionally generous and faithful service and philanthropic support to Lewis University.” Brother James along with William Rybak, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Lewis, presented the awards. Award recipients Andrew and Candice Langert have shown much commitment to improving society through generous support for teaching and learning. For many years Candice was on the board for the Downers Grove Junior Women’s Club as well as a pre-school teacher for the Westmont Park District. A Trustee at Lewis University for 12 years, Andrew is currently Managing Director at Polished Nickel Capital Management, LLC, and previously held several key senior financial and operating management positions at the Alberto-Culver Company, including Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Alberto-Culver Consumer Products Worldwide, before retiring from Alberto-Culver in 2007.
A Lewis University Trustee since 2000, Kathleen Halloran has 
consistently demonstrated her commitment to Catholic education through generous support to Lewis. Brother Gaffney presented the award to Halloran, commenting that she has been “leading the way for capable and competent women executives.” Halloran, now retired, held many positions in her 30-year career at Nicor including CFO, treasurer, and corporate secretary. She served as interim president for Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation during most of 2008.
The President's Circle Dinner annually honors the University's top donors for their commitment to higher education and their dedication to Lewis University through generous financial support.
College of Business Names Clifton Kelly Honored Alumnus of the Year
A member of the Lewis University Board of Trustees Clifton Kelly, a Vice President - Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch, Inc. in San Francisco, Calif., has been named the 2007 Adam Smith Honored Alumnus of the Year by the College of Business. The award was presented on Thursday, March 15 in the University Dining Hall as part of Adam Smith Week, an annual event commemorating the “Father of Economics.”
The Adam Smith Honored Alumnus of the Year Award is presented annually to a graduate of Lewis' College of Business who best exemplifies success, both personally and professionally. The presentation also allows current students the opportunity to meet these alumni and to hear their stories firsthand.
A 1978 alumnus, Kelly holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from Lewis University. He joined Merrill Lynch, Inc. in 1984 as a Financial Consultant Trainee, rising through the ranks to become one of the top performing consultants in the country. In 1992, he was named Sales Manager of Merrill Lynch's San Francisco office, and just two years later opened the current branch office in Marin County, Calif., serving as Resident Manager. In 1997, he formed the Kelly-Brown Group, a team of financial advisors that continues to manage nearly a quarter of a billion dollars of private client assets.
Merrill Lynch, Inc., through its subsidiaries and affiliates, provides Capital Markets Services, Investment Banking and Advising Services, Wealth Management, Insurance, Banking and related products and services on a global basis. Through its network of more than 15,000 financial advisors in nearly 700 offices around the world, the company manages nearly $1.5 trillion in client assets.
Kelly has been a member of the Lewis University Board of Trustees since 2004.
After receiving the award, Kelly gave a brief talk and will follow with a question-and-answer period for current Lewis students. Adam Smith Week activities are aimed at promoting teamwork among students, increasing recognition of historical figures in economics, and allowing students to get involved with their major.
To top
