April 14, 2018
Support for St. John’s special mission was unmistakable during the spring semester, as a mix of alumni, trustees, students, faculty, administrators, parents, and friends of the University attended three unique events that benefited student scholarships and academic programs.
In total, more than 2,000 supporters attended the three celebrations—the 23rd Annual Insurance Leader of the Year Award Dinner, St. John’s University School of Law Alumni Luncheon, and the 12th Annual Baseball Bullpen Winter Banquet.
Insurance Leader of the Year
A record-breaking $3.6 million was raised for student scholarships and program initiatives at the 23rd Annual Insurance Leader of the Year (ILOTY) Award Dinner on Wednesday, January 17, at the New York Marriot Marquis.
Hosted by St. John’s University’s School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science (SRM), part of The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, the dinner honored Constantine “Dinos” Iordanou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Arch Capital Group Ltd., who was named the 2017 Insurance Leader of the Year.
“St. John’s University is extremely grateful for the continued support of the insurance industry that we celebrate this evening. The next generation of insurance leaders is being taught right now by dedicated faculty in the School of Risk Management, and they are poised to follow in the footsteps of insurance leaders like Constantine “Dinos” Iordanou.”
—Dr. Gempesaw
The ILOTY award, presented annually since 1995, recognizes the contributions of outstanding individuals whose leadership in the worldwide insurance and financial services industry sets them apart from their peers.
In accepting his award, Mr. Iordanou recalled the advice that his parents gave him before he immigrated to the United States from Greece. “Education is at the center of goal setting, for an education can never be taken away from you,” he said.
The event, attended by more than 1,600 people, also allowed for the announcement of The Dinos Iordanou International Scholarship Fund, a $1.2 million endowed scholarship, launched by Arch Capital employees, its board members, and friends of Mr. Iordanou. The fund will support scholarships for SRM students, with preference given to international students, particularly those from Cyprus or Greece—acknowledging Mr. Iordanou’s heritage and his own route to success.
“Dinos Iordanou has been a colleague, friend, and competitor for a long time,” said Kevin H. Kelley, Chief Executive Officer of Ironshore Inc., Chairman of the SRM Board of Overseers. “He is an exceptional leader who has built a great franchise at Arch. He is smart, tough—and generous. It took diligence, patience, and a lot of skill to build Arch into a major institution. Dinos has shown our industry that he is ‘The Real Deal’—and without question deserves the Insurance Leader honor this year.”
School of Law Alumni Luncheon
Michael A. Simons, J.D., Dean and John V. Brennan Professor of Law, St. John's School of Law, welcomed 325 members of the School of Law community to its annual alumni luncheon on Friday, January 26.
The event, also held at the Marriott Marquis, served as an opportunity for those in attendance to network within the industry, and honor alumni, faculty, and industry achievement. It was also a time to share great pride in the School, which, as Dean Simons said, “is not just strong, but very strong.”
In his address, he remarked that the School of Law’s graduate employment rate is among the highest in the country; bar passage is well above the statewide average; and the School’s 2019 U.S. News & World Report ranking again places the School solidly in the top 100 nationally.
Honorees included Michelle Johnson ’05L, Director of Production Legal at Embassy Row, who was presented with the Recent Graduate Service Award; Hon. Joanna Seybert ’71L, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, who received the St. Thomas More Award; and Vincent C. Alexander ’75L, Professor of Law (retired), St. John’s School of Law, who was bestowed with the School’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
In accepting his award, retired Mr. Alexander thanked those who taught him. “It is impossible to adequately express my appreciation to these talented educators for the legal empowerment they gave to me,” he said. “I am forever proud of my St. John’s affiliation. Thank you, St. John’s.”
Bullpen Winter Banquet
More than 200 alumni, friends, and supporters of the St. John's Baseball program gathered at Manhattan’s Edison Ballroom on Tuesday, February 6, for the 12th Annual Bullpen Winter Banquet, celebrating the proud history of the Red Storm and the achievements of its players.
“Our baseball alumni are second to none,” said Head Coach Ed Blankmeyer. “They are an outstanding group of men who believe in the tradition of the program.”
This year’s guest of honor was former Red Storm shortstop Joe Panik, who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2011. In 2014, he made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the team, and later that year, won a World Series title. He was voted to the National League All-Star team in 2015 and won his first Gold Glove Award in 2016.
“Joe Panik is a great major league player—a World Series champion,” said Coach Blankmeyer, “but, he is an even better person.”
The event honored former Red Storm catcher Troy Dixon ’17CPS, who was presented with the Peter P. Smith Award, given to the team’s Most Valuable Player. Mr. Dixon was the BIG EAST conference batting champion in 2017 and was drafted by the Seattle Mariners the same year. Sophomore pitcher Sean Mooney was honored as only the second player in BIG EAST history to be named the Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year simultaneously for his efforts last season.
The highlight of the evening was a question and answer session between Mr. Panik and former St. John’s pitcher Christopher John “C.J.” Nitkowski, who enjoyed a 10-year career in Major League Baseball and now serves as an analyst for FOX Sports/Texas Rangers.
“You never forget where you came from,” said Mr. Panik. “There is a great deal of pride and tradition in this program, so, it is very special to be back. I may play out in San Francisco, but I will always be a Johnny.”