Starting as a lab technician and working his way up, Thomas M. Tongue, Jr. ’84 is now the Director of Product Development for Innovative Food Processors (IFP) INC., with 27 years of fluid-bed encapsulation and agglomeration technology experience.

A life-long baseball fan and Historian for the Chicago Cubs, Ed Hartig '87 (pictured next to long-time Lewis Athletic Director and Coach Paul Ruddy) is proud to have witnessed his favorite team make history with the first World Series Win since 1908.

“Tests, surgeries, biopsies, sleepless nights and a ton of stress – she had to go through all of that, and all I had to do was ride 500 miles on my bike.” Al Reszel ’80, a cycling hobbyist, has been married to his wife, Terry, for 38 years. After Terry was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, Al’s cycling hobby turned into something much more.

Alumni Profile: Michael Blake

Michael Blake ’83, ‘85 is a double Lewis alumni who has advanced far in his career and lives in paradise, (as in Paradise Valley, Arizona), but in many ways has remained close to the lessons he learned while an accounting and MBA student at Lewis many years ago.

Alumni Profile: Tom and Carrie Drez

Tom ’88 and Carrie ’88 Drez were both raised in Catholic families and firmly believe that faith and family can get a person through anything.

Charles and Helen Ford have dedicated their lives to family and education, living out the core values central to Lewis University. They continue building a scholarship named in their honor at the University.

Karen Hackett (MBA) ’87 was recently named the Chairman of the American Society for Association Executives. Since 2003 Karen has been the CEO of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Karen has been a true leader in association management and found a passion for health care early in her career.

Alumni Profile: Tom Hernandez  

Tom Hernandez ’88 graduated with a degree in journalism and communications, which has served him well throughout his career. His days of creating a newspaper for his elementary school to his experience as a journalist and columnist have prepared him for one of his most memorable experiences yet – writing and publishing books.

Captain Todd Kruder ’88, USN, Retired, has no doubt that his freshman year writing course shaped his love of writing. After more than 25 years of service in the United States Navy, Captain Kruder recently published A Journey in the Fog of Depression: A Military Spouse’s Experience.

Alumni Profile: Maureen Madden 

When Maureen Madden ’86 (Physics) was four-and-a-half years old, her mom sat her down on the floor in front of the big television and together, they watched the Apollo 11 moon landing. “I remember my mom telling me that this was history being made as we watched Neil Armstrong land on the moon. I loved science from that point on,” said Maureen. “Lewis offered me a scholarship and under the late Sr. Noel Dreska, OSF and Dr. Leonard Weisenthal, my love for science only grew.” 

Ann Rubino ’86 began her educational pursuit to obtain a degree in Elementary Education, and later went on to serve as an adjunct faculty member at Lewis University training future teachers in methods of science teaching. It was after her retirement from teaching, however, that Ann found another career path that trumped retirement – published author.

Guy Thier '83 B.A. Computer Science, and his father, Charles '61, have made attending Lewis a family tradition.Guy is currently the SVP, CIO, COO for Bally Total Fitness. He also serves on the Lewis University Computer Science Advisory Board and credits his education at Lewis with starting him on the path to success in his career.