William F. Connell '55 Service Awards

The William F. Connell '55 Service Awards are presented at St. Mary's as recognition of consistent and exemplary service. A committee consisting of St. Mary’s staff and administrators, trustees, and members of the Connell family plan and present the program each year. The awards go to a St. Mary's alum and a current student in the junior class.

The Connell Service Awards aim to introduce a higher level of awareness for the value of service to our students. It is our hope that they will learn how it is woven into the mission of St. Mary’s, and into the charism of who we are as a community of faith that supports others.

Imagine the likes of them, doing the likes of that, for the likes of me.

William F. Connell '55

William F. Connell '55

William F. Connell class of 55

William F. Connell was born in West Lynn, the son of William J. and Teresa G. Connell. His parents, an MTA bus driver and seamstress, believed strongly in the value of Catholic education for their children. After graduating from St. Mary’s High School in 1955, Bill attended Boston College. He later attended Harvard Business School, where he received a Masters in Business Administration.His Catholic education, starting at St. Mary’s, gave him a great foundation for his personal and professional success. By the year 2000, Bill was the CEO of Connell Limited Partnership, operating a diverse array of companies in the manufacturing sector. He was widely recognized for his business savvy.

However, Bill Connell’s greatest achievement was his family: his loving wife, Margot, and their six children, Monica, Lisa, Courtney, William, Terence, and Timothy. He instilled in them a desire to serve others and live the Catholic faith, made clear through his three rules: ‘Go to Mass. Be a good person. Do your best.’

Bill Connell certainly did his best by St. Mary’s and a number of other educational and other organizations including: Boston College, Harvard Business School, the American Ireland Fund and the Catholic Schools Foundation. Thanks to Bill and Margot’s transformative $5 million dollar gift to St. Mary’s, the state-of the-art William F. Connell Center opened in 2005. Its library is named in honor of Bill’s parents at his request.

Bill’s family continues to follow in his philanthropic footsteps, most recently with Margot Connell’s $1 million donation to The Campaign for St. Mary’s, which will again transform the school and enable the expansion of arts, technology, and other academic programs. It is the Connell family’s service to St. Mary’s that inspires countless others to support the school.

 

Connell Service Award Recipients

2022
Governor Charlie Baker & Mrs. Lauren Baker
Brendan Zollo ‘23
Christopher Lutchman ‘23
Kaleigh Bates ‘23
Alexandria Boucher ‘23

2021
Nurse Lisa Morin-Plante P'07'07'15
Caroline Nerich ‘22
Madison Spencer ’22
Christopher Coco ‘22
Kiara LoNigro ’22 

2020
Tom Bourke '65
Declan Dorgan ’21
Ashley McGrath ‘21
Emily Santos ‘21
Alesha Cesar ‘21

2019
Elaine Gustafson
Kathy Power Mears
Caroline Ball '19
Christopher Kolodziej, Jr. '19

2018
John J. Tegan '59
Francesca Alberti '19
Hannah Bates '19
Michael Carroll '19

2017
T. Richard Cuffe, Jr. ’63
Lorraine DeAmato
Arianna Alberti '18
John Carroll '18
Peter Garuti '18
Christopher Kirby '18

2016
The Flatley Foundation, in thanksgiving for Thomas Flatley
Pat Gill '71
Anthony DelVecchio '18
Kate Cadigan '18

2015
Edward T. Calnan '57
Frances E. Matthews White '69
Adelina Katzounos '16

2014
James J. Carrigan, Esq. '59
Patrick Morin-Plante '15

2013
Edward C. ’52 & Rita M. Collins
Hannah McCormack '14

2012
Michael Reddy '80, P'06'09
Nicholas Stanley '13
Michelle Urh '13
Dr. Raymond Bastarache '65
Tom Demakes

2011
Christina Kennedy McCann '56
Emma Afflito '12
Albert Tobias '12
Andrea Alberti

2010
Owen B. Lynch, Esq. '52
Dominic Barceleau '11
Kristin Moccia '11
Carl DiMaiti