Catholic Memorial School: Shaping Leaders and Honoring Legacy Through Notable Alumni

Catholic Memorial (CM), an all-boys college preparatory school located in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, has a rich history of fostering leaders who excel in their professions and contribute significantly to their communities. Founded in 1957 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, CM instills values rooted in faith, service, and academic excellence. This article highlights some of the school's notable alumni, focusing on recent Legacy Award recipients and Hall of Fame inductees, showcasing the diverse achievements and lasting impact of CM graduates.

A Legacy of Achievement: The Legacy Awards

The Legacy Awards are presented to Catholic Memorial High School alumni and community members who exemplify the school's mission in their personal and professional lives. These awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated distinguished leadership and service, both within the CM community and in the wider world.

The minimum requirements for election into the Legacy Alumni Awards are as follows: Exemplifies living the Catholic Memorial High School mission in his/her personal and professional life. For the Professional Achievement, Caritas Service, and Distinguished Young Alumni awards, recipients must be alumni of Catholic Memorial High School. For the Distinguished Young Alumni Award, alumni must receive the award within 15 years of graduating from Catholic Memorial High School. Should the nomination not be chosen within the 15-year timeframe, the nomination will expire, and someone will need to re-nominate the person under the Professional Achievement or Caritas Service award categories. For the Memorial Award, the recipient must NOT be alumni of CMH but has/have demonstrated distinguished leadership and/or service to Catholic Memorial High School. *Nomination forms will be kept for 2 years and reviewed if a candidate is not inducted.

Jack Riesch ‘96: Professional Achievement Legacy Award Recipient

Jack Riesch, a 1996 graduate of Catholic Memorial, received the 2026 Professional Achievement Legacy Award. As President and Owner of R&R Insurance, Jack has guided the firm through sustained growth while fostering a culture rooted in integrity, accountability, and people-first leadership. He is widely recognized for his leadership style that emphasizes talent development, innovation, employee well-being, and meaningful community engagement. Under his leadership, R&R Insurance has earned a strong reputation for client service and performance while remaining deeply invested in its people.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Riesch has dedicated significant time and leadership to civic, educational, and faith-aligned organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Assurex Global, the Board of Trustees at Carroll University, and as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Greater Waukesha County. His dedication to making a positive impact on the greater community also included previous leadership roles with the Waukesha County Business Alliance, ProHealth Care Foundation, Boy Scouts of America Potawatomi Council, United Way of Waukesha County, and the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin.

Read also: Catholic School Educators

As a graduate of Catholic Memorial High School and Marquette University, Jack is known for giving back to future leaders from each alma mater, mentoring current students and alumni through internship and career opportunities. Additionally, he has continued to support Catholic Memorial through multiple ways, including company sponsorship of events and programs, hosting senior internship students, and volunteering.

Jack is not only a proud CMH alumnus and active supporter of the school, but also a current and alumni parent of three accomplished children, Riley ’25, Jackson ’27, and Keenan ’29.

Steve and Dr. Shelagh Roell: Memorial Legacy Award Recipients

Steve and Dr. Shelagh Roell are the recipients of the 2026 Memorial Legacy Award. Steve Roell, retired CEO of Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls, and Dr. Shelagh Roell, former tenured faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a licensed clinical psychologist, exemplify lives dedicated to service, excellence, innovation, and faith. The Roells have been awarded in recognition of their extraordinary leadership, generosity, and commitment to Catholic Memorial High School. They are the proud parents of four Catholic Memorial alumni, Shauna ’93, Kevin ’95, Brian ’97, and Meena ’99, whose CMH experiences helped deepen the family’s connection to the school.

The Roells’ involvement with Catholic Memorial began in 1989 and has spanned more than three decades of transformational impact. During that time, they have been steadfast supporters of three capital campaigns, served as trusted advisors to the CMH president for over nine years, and generously shared their time, expertise, and resources to expand and strengthen programs that enhance the student experience, increase recruitment, and sustain the mission of Catholic Memorial.

Among their many contributions, Steve and Shelagh played a pivotal role in the growth of the CMH STEM program. Most notably, the biomedical science program that has grown from one course offering serving 35 students to four course offerings, serving over 200 students annually. The Roells were also key contributors as the school launched privately hosted bus routes, creating greater access to a Catholic Memorial education for students from surrounding communities. Their generosity has profoundly shaped the academic experience at CMH. Most recently, the Roells made a generous gift of $125,000 to revolutionize the Science programs at Catholic Memorial with the addition of a state-of-the-art Anatomage table. The transformative investment allows students to engage with the most advanced 3D anatomy visualization technology available, bringing collegiate and medical school-level learning directly in the CMH classroom. As a result, CMH is one of only two private high schools in Wisconsin, and one of just 114 nationwide, to offer students access to this cutting-edge tool.

Through their unwavering support and guidance, Steve and Shelagh have helped shape the school’s present and future in lasting ways.

John Paul Marchan '98 and Dr. Christopher Baggott ’04: 2025 Legacy Award Recipients

Catholic Memorial High School was honored to recognize the 2025 Legacy Award recipients, John Paul Marchan '98 and Dr. Christopher Baggott ’04.

Celebrating Athletic Excellence: The Hall of Fame

Since its inception in 1997, our Hall of Fame has paid tribute to a select group of Knights responsible for more than just their individual accolades. Rather, this special group holds together and supports the mission of our deep-rooted athletic program. Individual success plays a significant role in the assessment of each Knight’s nomination. But, the character and spirit of each inductee resonate most in our minds and hearts. Our Hall of Fame committee ensures that the names of the men hanging in our pantheon uphold the values of the Christian Brothers and Brother Edmund Rice. Here, names such as Ronald Perry, Ron Teixeira, and Jack Dahlstrom tell a story of state championships won and All-Americans honored.

Notable Hall of Fame Inductees

Ron Perry, Jr.
Br. E. William Raynor, Jr.
Robert G.
Rev. George Grant, Jr.
Joseph Day, Jr.
Mortimer M.
Paul A.
Michael J.
William J.
Jeffrey M.
Craig A.

Catholic Memorial: A Foundation for Future Success

Catholic Memorial is a college-preparatory institution. CM's mission includes the mandate to teach young men to "lead through service". CM prepares students for the rigors of college and beyond. From the first students in 1957 to the most recent graduates, CM alumni embody the school's mission and highest ideals.

Commitment to Service

CM students participate in numerous BERSI trips each year. These domestic and international travel experiences, build community among the students and immerse students in service experiences. Trips include the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, as well as Brownsville, Texas, and Wyoming. Additionally, a required 60-hour senior service program begins at the start of each year, with seniors serving at inner-city grammar schools, hospitals, non-profit agencies, clothing distribution centers, food pantries, and soup kitchens. Volunteers from all grades also participate in service experiences.

Extracurricular Activities

Catholic Memorial students produce a number of publications each year. Catholic Memorial Television is Catholic Memorial's broadcast journalist program. Using an online live-streaming program, CMTV broadcasts a short program every morning to each homeroom, reporting news, notices, and upcoming events and sports games. In addition to broadcasting the pledge of allegiance and morning prayer, CMTV also arranges humorous skits and facilitates special announcements from school leadership. As of 2022, the club no longer does daily broadcasts.

The Catholic Memorial Theater Program, known in the 1960s as the Genesians and later as the Catholic Memorial Players and Drama Club, puts on two shows a year. In the past, one play in autumn was performed annually, but later, the Drama Club added a spring musical.

At Catholic Memorial, nearly every student participates in "forensics", or speech and debate, at one point in his academic career. CM faculty teach students public speaking skills through various classroom activities. In the Speech and Debate club students perform and compete inter-scholastically as they recite speeches, dramatic acts and original oratory. Since 1961 the school's Speech and Debate program have produced over 25 state and three national champions. The 2010 team won the "Founder's Award" at Nationals. The team joined the NSDA 100 Club in October, 2018 in recognition for accumulating over 100 degrees over the course of the 2017-2018 school year. The Forensics program has won two straight Massachusetts Speech and Debate league championships in 2017 and 2018.

Engaging with the Alumni Community

Join our thriving alumni community to enjoy the many activities that strengthen the bonds of brotherhood. Serve as a Class Agent or reunion volunteer. The goal of a Catholic Memorial Alumni Ambassador is to enhance and build the alumnus’ relationship with their alma mater by working as a primary contact for CM. Alumni Ambassadors know their classmates better than anyone and can serve in a key role by advancing CM alumni efforts. Being an Alumni Ambassador allows Knights a unique opportunity to reconnect with Brothers through shared memories and experiences.

Some of the duties include: Keeping your class connected and engaged to CM and its mission throughout the year, especially a reunion year. Broadening the resources of the CM alumni body by collecting class notes, updating contact information, and sharing classmates’ interests or concerns. Continuing to build upon the bonds of Brotherhood and encourage the participation of classmates at alumni events and programs. Share CM news and events with your classmates. Educating your class on the importance of giving and helping us increase class participation. Share your news! Did you get married, start a new job, have a baby, meet with former classmates, or anything else you want to share?

tags: #catholic #memorial #school #notable #alumni