Alumni Dinner Honorees 2008

Bill Chromizky '73

The time-consuming process of preparing and presenting financial statements may not garner as much glory as coaching a winning team, but without the bean counters there can be no score keepers. Nothing can happen at Brother Rice unless the budget ultimately says it can.

In 1994, Bill Chromizky ’73 began a 14-year stint of steady volunteering for Brother Rice High School when Paul Manghera ’78 told him the Board of Directors was looking for more members on the Finance Committee. Considered by many to be among the hardest-working group of alumni volunteering for the school, the Finance Committee, which Bill has chaired since 1999, remains the primary focus of Bill’s devotion to his alma mater. At board meetings, Bill’s summaries are both comprehensive and comprehensible, commanding everyone’s attention, reflecting innumerable hours of preparation. Innumerable, because Bill does not count the hours since he freely donates them to the school.

Bill passed the CPA exam in 1977, the same year he graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.S. in Accounting. From there he rose to a Senior Auditor at Arthur Anderson & Co. until 1983, Director of Accounting at AM International until 1985, Director, Financial Reporting at Premark International, Inc. until 2000, when he joined Aon Corporation where he is Director, External Reporting. He makes Brother Rice a priority in order to find the time away from his many other responsibilities. It helps that meetings are scheduled in advance, but he often deals with the pressures of unanticipated work from the office without slighting his commitment to his alma mater.

In 1969, Bill decided to take the Pulaski bus to Brother Rice, rather than the 79th bus to St. Laurence when he learned that more of his friends from Queen of the Universe were going in the same direction. When asked to compare what he remembers about being a student to what he observes today Bill said, “Students of today have more opportunities to learn - we didn't have computers and AP classes back in the 70s. I think that it's a good idea that the students perform community service - an area that was not emphasized in my time. A smaller enrollment helps the students to know more of their classmates - my class started off with over 600 freshmen. I also think that more families are struggling to give their sons an education, with the current economy and the ever rising tuition.”

“When I was a student, I focused on my classes and homework,” Bill added. “By being on the Finance committee & Board of Directors, you see how the school is run, the tough administrative decisions that need to be made, etc. A totally different perspective from when I was a student. During my Board tenure, I did have the opportunity to visit some classes. The desire to learn, the school spirit is still there. Some things never change - even 35 years later.”

Bill’s perspective and generosity have also inspired him to increase his regular and special donations to the school, becoming a major donor in The Crusade Continues Campaign of 2003 and then doubling that pledge for the current campaign. He has been a “regular” at the Alumni Golf Outing for the last 12 years, while also attending all five Rice Remembers black tie dinners dating back to 1996.

Why does Bill give so regularly and so generously: “I have been fairly successful in my career. I attribute it in part to the education and discipline I received at Rice. Being involved on the governance side of the school opened my eyes to the dedication of the faculty and staff and the hurdles that Catholic schools face these days. It's no longer the case of ‘if it's open they will come.’ If I am going to contribute to a cause, I want to believe in it. Rice helped me be successful - and I want to return the favor and help the young men of today.’

In recognition of Bill’s assessment that Brother Rice deserves his extraordinary support, the Brother Rice High School Alumni Association is proud to name him a 2008 Man of the Year and induct him into the Brother Rice Alumni Hall of Fame.