Alumni Dinner Honorees 2009

Dr. Brian Farrell ’74

Brian Farrell, MD ’74 could have been nominated for the Alumni Hall of Fame for his accomplishments outside of Brother Rice High School. Not only has he served as President or Vice President or Board Member of six different medical associations, he has also maintained an incredibly active interest in more fund-raisers for schools and hospitals and his local parish than anyone can count, while also joining a team of volunteer physicians, including fellow Crusaders, to annually volunteer his services at the Blackfeet Indian Medical Center in Browning, Montana. How’s that for Acting Manfully in Christ Jesus?

Following in the footsteps of his father, Dr. Bill Farrell, Brian is another church builder, willing to stand up and be counted by making the calls, bringing his friends, writing the checks, setting the example, while having a great time. Like his dad, and in his own way, Brian did and does all this and more, while having a great time, always enjoying everyone’s company, especially when joined by his wife, Susan.

During the last 20 years Brian has stepped up for Brother Rice by attending and sponsoring more than 30 special events – alumni reunions, alumni golf outings, Rice Remembers dinners, Endowment Classics, Career Days etc. – while financially supporting various campaigns and while also serving on numerous fundraising committees at the school. Brian clearly believes in Catholic education and is so convinced that Brother Rice laid the foundation for his future success, he hopes more and more graduates will join him in giving back to his alma mater. To that end, Brian is currently a member of the Leadership Committee for the current “Enhance and Create the Brother Rice of Tomorrow” capital campaign, once again, leading with both his example and with his generous donation.

“The Chicagoland area would be a better place if more young men had the opportunity to attend Brother Rice High School and practice our motto to ‘Act Manfully in Christ Jesus’,” Brian said.

Selecting Brother Rice as his high school was a no-brainer for Brian, who grew up in Holy Redeemer, and now feels honored to treat as his patients “old neighbors, friends, and teachers” from HR and BR. Humbly and self-effacingly, Brian adds that he feels “honored they respect my abilities and no longer see me as a dumb, sarcastic little kid.”

Honoring Brian is another no-brainer. He has been attending games since he was in grade school, watching his cousin Jay Wegman ’67 play varsity basketball, joined by his dad and brothers Dr. Rich ’75 and Dr. Bill ’73, who also volunteered years of his time as the Brother Rice team physician. The Farrell brothers have been giving to Brother Rice for more than twenty years. Brian remembers how thrilled he was to answer early and continued calls from Jim Casey ’70 and Dr. John McInerney ’75, who organized a physicians group in support of Brother Rice.

“Not only does Brian always answer the call, he is always so positive, he inspires you to make more calls,” Casey said. “And when you spend any time with him at the events and games he attends in support of Brother Rice, it’s like hanging around one of your classmates from Rice, always lots of laughs, throwing us back to when we were all sarcastic kids, yet proud to now be in the company of a guy like Brian, who has accomplished so much in his lifetime,” Casey added.

It is because Brian Farrell has been and remains such a positive force as a renowned otolaryngologist, as a leader among Chicagoland physicians, as a devoted family man and church builder, and as an outstanding, longtime donor of his time and treasure to Brother Rice High School, that the Alumni Association honors him as Man of the Year and inducts him into the Alumni Hall of Fame.