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Fr. Fitzgerald


davidlee

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Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't the SLU Pres. right before Fr. Biondi the one who came close to making the mens basketball program Division II? I know it was the Pres. when Ron Ekker was on the sidelines that is, when he wasn't chasing cheer leaders.

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It was father O'Connell[sp} who almost killed the program. Fr. Fitzgerald was after O'Connell. Fitzgerald saved the university from going bankrupt. This was in 1978-1980 era when short term interst rates were in the 20% range. The university was borrowing heavily all short term rates tied to the prime. Fitz came in and installed fiscal dicipline, refinanced short term dept to long term tax free bonds.Fitz was hired because he was a money guy and he did a damn good job.

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Fr. Fitzgerald's tenure was I think 1979 to roughly 1987. I know he was president when I finished in 1985. As I recall, Fr. Fitzgerald was an avid swimmer. He was a visible presence on the campus often walking through the quad. As Biondi notes in today's PD, Fr. Fitzgerald also planted many of the seeds that are sprouting now in the development of the campus. He really did a tremendous job redirecting and strengthening the university.

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