Brother Rice High School is pleased to announce exciting new changes to the Institutional Advancement and Finance Offices. The additions and role transitions in the Brother Rice Institutional Advancement team consists of Mike Zunica, Vice President of Development and Assistant to the President; Jim Casey, Vice President of Legacy Gifts; Matt Kelly, Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving Programs; Tim O’Connell, Director of Leadership Gifts; and Dave Clisham, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Administration.
President Mark Donahue said, “On behalf of our Brother Rice community, I am very excited and pleased to announce additions and changes to our Advancement and Finance teams. We ask our students to ‘Be Exceptional,’ and like them, I believe this is an exceptional group. They will lead us forward as we look to grow and sustain our mission of educating young men in Catholic tradition and charism of Blessed Edmund Rice.”
Having previously held the role of President of St. Rita High School in Chicago, Mike Zunica brings outstanding experience and a track record of success to Brother Rice High School. Prior to St. Rita, Zunica was a successful businessman at the Chicago Board of Trade. As a graduate of St. Francis de Sales and St. Xavier University, Zunica has been an active participant in several Catholic organizations and has won multiple awards for his successful leadership and efforts in Catholic education.
“I am very excited to become part of the Brother Rice family and to help shape its future in Catholic education on the Southside of Chicago,” said Zunica. “I am inspired by Mark Donahue’s vision and leadership and look forward to the great things that lie ahead.”
In his new role as Vice President of Development and Assistant to the President, Zunica will take on responsibilities ranging from Advancement efforts to long term projects at Brother Rice.
In addition, President Mark Donahue has announced a transition of roles for Brother Rice Alumni Relations.
Since joining Brother Rice High School in 1987, Jim Casey ‘70 has held multiple roles and most recently was the Director of Alumni Relations for the past twenty-two years. Casey will now serve as Vice President of Legacy Gifts, leading a new initiative to manage and develop the structure of legacy giving to provide alumni and other benefactors with the opportunity to remember Brother Rice in their estate planning.
Joining Brother Rice Institutional Advancement is Matt Kelly ‘96. Kelly was previously a teacher and head football coach at Hope Academy and supported overall development. Matt Kelly will assume the role of Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving Programs.
Tim O’Connell ‘03, previously Director of Admissions for the past nine years, will assume a new role as Director of Leadership Gifts and join the Institutional Advancement team. In his new role, O’Connell will develop and maintain gift donations to support Brother Rice students and provide assistance for the Institutional Advancement engagement and fundraising events.
Vice President Kevin Larson leads the Institutional Advancement team.
Dave Clisham ‘89, CPA, joined Brother Rice as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Administration in April of 2019. Clisham brings with him ten years of experience at Francis Parker School in Chicago, most recently as Comptroller. Clisham oversees the financial and administrative operations of the school, serves as a financial liaison to the Brother Rice Board of Directors and committee members, and manages the scholarship financial program.
“We recently graduated over 190 seniors who left a legacy of outstanding achievement. We have over 200 new Crusaders joining us this fall, said Donahue. “Our mission as leaders of Brother Rice is to provide the best Catholic high school environment possible to allow our young men to ‘Be Exceptional.’ This group of individuals, along with our outstanding faculty, will do just that.”
