Alumni Notes Father Thomas Erdle ’47 celebrated 71 years of priesthood with Fathers John Gagnier ’69, Lance Gonyo ’82, and Richard Brickler ’53 at the Notre Dame Retreat House. Class of 1953 welcomed Jay Polston ’90 to join them for lunch during one of their monthly gatherings. Classes of 1953, 1955, and 1962 gathered for lunch together this past winter. John DeMarle ’61 received the Presidential Atomic Veterans Medal for his service aboard the USS Boston, assisting in the recovery of a nuclear bomb lost o the coast of Palomares, Spain, following an Air Force refueling accident in 1966. Leonard “Len” Leccese ’62 hosted a reception in Delray Beach, Florida, for Aquinas alumni spanning six decades—the 1950s through the 2000s. Following a few rounds of golf, Charles“Chuck”Tufano, Jr. ’62 served as the cook for the gathering. Father Bob Werth ’63 served as the celebrant for Aquinas’ Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas Mass during Catholic Schools Week. Mike Callahan ’64 celebrated his 65th year of square dance calling. A celebration dance was held last November to mark the occasion, drawing more than 160 dancers, callers, cuers, and guests from as far away as New Jersey and Virginia in honor of his career. Class of 1964 gathered for their regular breakfast meeting this past May. Class of 1965 gathered for lunch this past May. Frank Ciaccia ’65 received the Outstanding Service Award from Bu alo State University for his contributions to the Graduate Department’s Master’s in Public Administration program, including developing curriculum and teaching courses. John Heveron ’65 received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the St. John Fisher University 36th Annual Accounting Awards Celebration. Heveron & Company CPAs was also once again listed by the Rochester Business Journal as the #1 Small Company to Work for in New York. Father John Gagnier ’69 visited Aquinas to support Shamrock Week and the Class of 1969 Scholarship Fund. Class of 1970 gathered for an early summer lunch at Bath Tub Billy’s. Class of 1973 gathered for food, beverages, friendship, and to watch World Cup games. William Bauer ’74 was named to the Rochester Business Journal’s 2026 Power List in Litigation. Thomas Cronmiller ’74 was named to the Rochester Business Journal’s 2026 Power List in Litigation. Hon. Paul Warren ’75 marked his 69th birthday on March 13, 2026, by retiring from the federal bench after serving as a United States Bankruptcy Judge since March 15, 2012, presiding over cases across Western New York. Re ecting on his service, he shared,“It has been a privilege to serve the court and the people of Western New York.” Eric Rule ’76 retired in February 2026 after a remarkable 50-year career in the club industry, including 42 years leading and managing some of the world’s most prestigious institutions: Oak Hill Country Club, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Sleepy Hollow Country Club, The 27 Club in Tianjin, China, and most recently Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin Sabot, VA. Over the course of his career, he oversaw clubs that hosted numerous major championships, including the U.S. Open, Ryder Cup, U.S. Amateur, LPGA Women’s Championship, U.S. Senior Open, Senior PGA Championship, and the U.S. Mid-Amateur. Anthony “Tony” Monaco ’79 was recognized as the 2026 Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter Honoree at the St. John Fisher University School of Business and served as the keynote speaker. Michael Arsenault ’81 pedaled across the country to raise awareness for mental health. David Riedman ’82 was named to the Rochester Business Journal’s Power List for Construction and Real Estate. Salvatore“Sam”Guerrieri, Jr. ’83 was named a 2026 Rochester Business Journal Financial Leaders Honoree. Jacqueline Thomas ’85 was named to the Rochester Business Journal’s 2026 Power List in Litigation. Scott Somers, PhD ’87, Vice Mayor in Mesa, Arizona, was selected as one of 250 Champions of Public Service by the American Society of Public Administration. The award was created to honor 250 public servants who have had an exceptional impact on their communities as part of America’s Semiquincentennial celebrations. James “Jim” Brennan, CPA ’88 was named to the Rochester Business Journal 2026 Power List for Accounting & Insurance as Managing Partner, Upstate New York, Deloitte. Christine “Chris” (Lopuchowycz) Grout ’88, Denise (Hobson) Newman ’87, and Terri (Fluman) Watson ’87 connected and met up in Italy. Molly (Peterson) McGowan ’90 was this year’s recipient of the Isaac L. Jordan Sr. Faculty Award, recognizing a faculty member for signi cant contributions to advancing access, engagement, and student success at RIT. Christian Valentino, Esq. ’91 visited Aquinas during Shamrock Week with some much-needed ca eine for the Advancement O ce. He recently assumed the role of Chair of the SUNY Geneseo College Council and was named to the Rochester Business Journal’s 2026 Power List in Litigation. Michael McNelis, Esq. ’93 married Emily Rosmus on April 30, 2026, in beautiful St. John, USVI, where the happy couple also enjoyed their honeymoon. Michael Schoene ’94 was ordained to Diocese of Rochester’s diaconate. Elizabeth “Liz” Clark ’95 was named to Washingtonian Magazine’s list of the 500 Most In uential People Shaping Policy for the fourth consecutive year. Melisza“Missy”(Escher) Campos ’97 received the Rochester Business Journal’s 2026 Women of Excellence award. 24 AQUINAS LANDMARK | SPRING 2021 | SUMMER 2026 Paul“PK”Reynolds, II ’89 received his Master of Professional Studies in Hospitality from the Penn State School of Hospitality Management.
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