Hall of Fame

 

 

As a junior quarterback in 1962, Dan led South Hills Catholic to their first-ever Catholic League title. The team went undefeated in league play. As a senior, he earned honorable mention All-State, graduated second out of 300, and was awarded a full football scholarship to William and Mary University.

As a sophomore at William and Mary, Dan was the team leader in all passing categories - attempts (126), completions (73), yardage (896), and TD’s (8) with an outstanding 127.5 quarterback rating. Dan was also the team’s punter and led the Southern Conference in punting average at 41.7 yards per kick. He was named to the second-team All-Southern Conference backfield.

As a junior, Dan led the W&M to another winning season.  He threw 227 passes, completing 111 for 1,346 yards and 14 touchdowns. He broke school records for attempts and completions in a single season. He also led all Southern Conference quarterbacks in TD passes.  

In the best game of his career at William and Mary, Dan threw four touchdown passes and scored on a 3-yard run to account for all his team’s scoring in the team’s 34- 14 win over Villanova.  He was named the Southern Conference back of the week. Dan had another four-touchdown passing game in the season-ending 35-19 win over Richmond, ensuring their back-to-back winning records.  Dan finished second in the league in total offense and second in passing. Dan was named second-team All-Conference.

Dan led William and Mary to their third consecutive winning season in 1967. Dan finished his season completing 84 of 180 passes for 1119 yards and 8 TDs. He led the team in scoring with six touchdowns for 36 points and he was second in the Southern Conference in passing yards per attempt. He spearheaded what is ranked within the top 10 upsets in NCAA history when W&M defeated the #1 ranked Navy. Dan ran for one touchdown and threw for two more and earned a nomination for Sports Illustrated player of the week. Dan repeated as second-team All-Southern Conference for the third year in a row and was voted to the Associated Press’s Virginia All-Big Five team as the first-team quarterback. Dan was also voted by his teammates as the most outstanding person on the football squad earning him the nicknames: “Dapper Dan” and “The Deacon.” Darragh finished his career with the best three-year record for William and Mary since 1947-49.  When he graduated with a degree in chemistry, he held virtually every school passing record.  He was inducted into the William and Mary Hall of Fame. The Buffalo Bills drafted Dan in the 13th round with the 336th overall selection in the 1968 NFL Draft. He fought through injuries every year of his professional career, started many games but the teams struggled. Following the 1970 season, Dan decided to call it quits. Dan went to law school and completed his law degree at Duquesne University in 1975. He was admitted to practice law in New York and Pennsylvania, spending 16 years in Buffalo before moving to Pittsburgh for the balance of his nearly 45-year legal career.  He was also admitted to practice in federal courts sitting in NY, Pa, Ohio, Indiana, NJ, WV, NC, and DE.  His work primarily involved state and federal judicial and administrative proceedings related to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, also known as Superfund, and the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts.  Dan also was very active in Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh, serving as its Board chair.

 

 

Dominic has built a reputation in both the US and internationally as a leader in the research and practice of neurosurgery.  He developed an expertise in the field of traumatic brain injury and neurotrauma and his expertise led to the development of an FDA-approved medical device. He graduated summa cum laude from medical school and later became a tenured full professor of neurological surgery at The University of Mississippi. In addition to private practice, he was the South Georgia Medical Center Chief of Neurosurgery and Chairman of the Committee on Trauma as well as its state delegate. He was the President and CEO of the Neurological Institute of Valdosta. He served on the Board of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Later, Dominic served as president of the Neurosurgical Societies of Mississippi and Georgia.  He has served as a consultant to several neurosurgical organizations both here and abroad.  He was named to The Best Doctors in America from 2004 to 2011. He has received numerous awards from the University of Mississippi for his research projects including The Excellence in Research Award, Silver Award, and Bronze Award.

 

 

John is a successful entrepreneur, businessman, and community volunteer. He most recently served as the president and CEO of Vascor which is developing an implantable heart assist device helping those with heart failure lead normal lives. He retired from Vascor and currently serves on its Board of Directors. After a 30-year career at MEDRAD, John retired as the President and CEO. MEDRAD develops and manufactures medical imaging technology. Under his leadership, the company received the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, a prestigious national award bestowed by the President of the United States in both 2003 (President Bush) and 2010 (President Obama). This award is the only formal recognition of the performance excellence of both public and private U.S. organizations given by the president of the U.S. His individual awards and those of MEDRAD’s under his leadership, mostly with respect to advancing medical technology, are numerous and include Industrialist of the Year, Pittsburgh Technology Council CEO of the Year twice, the Carnegie Science Awards Corporate Innovation Award, the National Manufacturing Excellence Award, Best Plant Award, Manufacturer of the Year, and Best Business Ethics Award. During his tenure, MEDRAD was listed in the 100 Best Places to Work and the Top Diagnostic Imaging Company three times each. Although his board and advisory positions within the business community are too numerous to list, of significance, John is currently on the board of directors of Daktronics, a publicly traded company that, among many other things is known for its electronic LED displays. Additionally, he is managing director at Preservation Technologies deacidification and digitization service to libraries and Magvation, a development stage medical device company.  John also serves on consulting and advisory firms.

John is active in the community and has, in the past, served as a volunteer on the board of directors as chair of the United Way of Allegheny County, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative, the Pittsburgh Regional Healthcare Initiative, the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Overseers. He continues to serve on the Board of the Hillman Cancer Institute, the Pittsburgh Public Theatre, and the American Production & Quality Center.

 

 

Bruce played quarterback for the Rebels from 1997 to 2000 when as a junior, he threw for 1,630 yards and 10 touchdowns. As a senior, he completed 188-of-327 passes (57.5%) and threw for a then-WPIAL record of 2,978 yards and 30 touchdowns (surpassing the previous mark set by Dan Marino). Bruce also played point guard in basketball, leading his team in scoring. In 2003, he became the starting quarterback as a sophomore at Toledo University. He set a Mid-American Conference season record by completing 71.2% of his passes. He threw for 3,210 yards, with a school season record of 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and a final passer rating of 161.53. He proved he could scramble by rushing for 504 yards and a score on 91 carries (5.5 avg).In 2004, Bruce completed 70.2% of his passes for 3,518 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and a final passer rating of 162.56. He led the Rockets to a 2004 MAC championship by throwing 3 TDs in the MAC championship game while finishing the game with a broken right hand.  He played in the GMAC Bowl and won MVP.
As a senior in 2005, Bruce completed 62.3% of his passes for 2,469 yards with 29 touchdowns and twelve interceptions and a final passer rating of 146.42.  Gradkowski led the Rockets to a bowl win by throwing 5 TD passes in the GMAC BOWL.

Bruce was drafted in the 6th round of the NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and would go on to start 11 games as a rookie. In 2009, Gradkowski had a career game with the Raiders when he came home to Pittsburgh to beat the Steelers. In that game, Gradkowski threw for three 4th quarter TD passes. He is only 1 of 4 QB’s in NFL history to throw 3 game-tying or go-ahead TD passes in the 4th QTR/OT of a game. He went on to finish a strong 11-year pro career spending time with the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and eventually ending his career as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

After football, Bruce began serving as head coach of a high school in Toledo, He has also been a successful businessman both in the restaurant industry and in health care where he owns and operates a hospice company. He and his wife Miranda have 3 beautiful children: Lily, Roman, and Lincoln. 

 

 

A football two-way player and a state championship wrestling finalist in high school, Tom later graduated from West Point Academy (Class of 1969) at the top of his class with a degree in Civil Engineering. During his service, Tom was highly regarded among his servicemen and women, rising to the rank of U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel before his retirement in 1992. During his 23 years of distinguished military service.  He was an honored Vietnam war veteran who received numerous awards and decorations including the Bronze Star Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.  Furthermore, he served as a member of the elite light infantry group, the 75th Ranger Regiment, as an Army Ranger, and taught military ethics at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University. Tom’s military career took he and his family around the world with assignments in two foreign countries and eight different states.

While serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, Tom graduated from The George Washington University with a Master of Science Degree in Administration with a Management and Civil Engineering concentration. After his decorated military career, Tom attended Duquesne University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education. He continued his career of service to the community as a teacher of Science and Mathematics at Dorseyville Middle School in the Fox Chapel School District. Adored and respected by his students and colleagues, Tom exemplified his commitment to excellence and leadership not only inside the classroom but also outside as head coach of the extra-curricular, Dorseyville Middle School MATHCOUNTS Team. A lifelong, devoted Catholic; Tom was very active with the men’s group at St. Louise de Marillac Catholic Church. He was an engaged participant in the Men’s Bible Study, Prayer Group, Emmaus Group, Right to Life Committee, Nocturnal Adoration Society, and Catholic Men’s Fellowship of Pittsburgh.

 

 

Bridget is a CPA licensed in Pennsylvania and is a Certified Fraud Examiner and has quickly risen to the top of her profession.  As the controller of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as of 2021, Bridget has responsibility for the day-to-day financial operations of the organization. She leads process improvement initiatives, coordinates the annual audits and tax filings, and performs ad hoc reporting for internal and external stakeholders. Bridget has worked in financial and litigation consulting at Schneider Downs & Co., Inc., FTI Consulting, and Gleason & Associates, and conducted internal investigations at a Fortune 500 company.

Bridget has professional experience in litigation consulting, forensic accounting and investigation, and other financial advisory services. She specialized in transaction services including due diligence, matters involving technical and forensic accounting expertise, as well as assessment of economic damages in commercial disputes.

Additionally, Bridget is active in and has contributed mightily to the community. She serves as the Treasurer for Brookline Teen Outreach and Secretary of the Board of Trustees for the Catholic Cemeteries Association. She has served as committee chair on the Pittsburgh Symphony's New Leadership Board, President of the Board of Directors of the Pittsburgh Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Folk Festival, and as a volunteer with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council's Business Volunteers for the Arts. In 2019, Bridget was selected as the Barbara McNees Spirit of ATHENA Scholarship recipient, which provided a full-tuition scholarship to the Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business Leadership and Negotiation Academy for Women. This scholarship recognizes mid-level leaders who have the potential to impact their community and organization. Bridget enjoys life with her husband, Jon, and their two daughters.

 

 

After graduating from South Hills Catholic, Bob served in Vietnam becoming a platoon leader.  Bob went on to have a dynamic business career, starting out as a field engineer for American Bridge and later rising in the corporate ranks to become the chief executive officer and president.  He has been credited with single-handedly turning around American Bridge Corporation from a quickly declining and mismanaged corporation back to one of the world’s major bridge builders, its original status in its 100-year history. He helped the company modernize and diversify and then oversaw its sustained growth over his tenure.  Bob engineered a resurgence of the firm followed by sustained growth and operating success. During his tenure the company constructed numerous internationally recognized bridge projects, including the reconstruction of the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City, the 25th of April Bridge in Lisbon, Portugal, the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia, the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Washington, DC, the currently in-process Self Anchored Suspension Span of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge in California, and many others. He also began the successful foray into heavy marine construction that has seen the company become one of the largest in that field in the United States, completing major port and naval projects along the eastern and western seaboards, the Caribbean, and the inland waterway system.Bob’s legacy is the development of the American Bridge Way. This system incorporates strategic, operating, and developmental features that make American Bridge a uniquely differentiable and sustainable company, and the leader in the field of complex structural and marine construction. During Bob’s tenure, this management process has been institutionalized and has resulted in a 15-fold increase in revenues, a 20-fold increase in profits, a 10-fold increase in shareholder’s equity, and a manyfold increase in the market value of the company.   A result which is attributed to Bob, the company today is powered by a strong culture of can-do, which has it uniquely positioned within a small field of competitors who are able to deliver the world’s most challenging bridge and marine construction and reconstruction projects.

 

 

William P. Mullen is the 53rd Sheriff of Allegheny County, elected to terms in 2006, 2009, 2013, and 2017.  He joined the Sheriff’s Office as Chief Deputy in 2006.

Sheriff Mullen is a graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and Disaster Management School in Maryland, and has completed law enforcement executive training at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Bill’s law enforcement career began in 1969 when, six weeks after graduating from the University of Dayton, he entered the City of Pittsburgh Police Academy.  He served the following 37 years with the bureau.  He started as a uniform patrol officer and worked through the ranks earning promotions to Narcotics Detective, Homicide Lieutenant, a position he held for eight years, Zone Commander, and Assistant Chief in the Uniform and Investigations Divisions.  He retired as Deputy Chief, the second-highest rank in the department, and second-in-command of the entire 1,200-officer police bureau.  As a Detective, Sheriff Mullen was cited by the F.B.I. and D.E.A. for the solution of major narcotics investigations.

Sheriff Mullen was one of two Pittsburgh Police Officers to have the privilege of wearing seven different badges: Patrol Officer, Detective, Lieutenant, Commander, Assistant Chief in both the Uniform and Investigations Divisions and Deputy Chief, the second-highest rank in the department. Sheriff Mullen left the Pittsburgh Police in 2006 after being asked to serve as Chief Deputy of the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office in the wake of a public corruption scandal. 

In 2017, Sheriff Mullen was inducted into the Pennsylvania Police Hall of Fame for exemplary police work leading successful Pittsburgh Police investigations on numerous high-profile cases before DNA and computer technologies.  This included the arrest of the East End rapist, who terrorized women in the 1980s, the arrest of the Shadyside rapist in 1986, and the arrest of the ‘kill for thrill’ murderers, John Lesko and Michael Travaglia, who assassinated Apollo Police Officer Leonard Miller and three others in a 1979 crime spree.

Bill was also cited by the International Police Association for his achievements as County Sheriff implementing many changes that saved taxpayer dollars and increased the effectiveness of the office tenfold. Sheriff Mullen’s key accomplishments as Sheriff include: The establishment of the Mortgage Conciliation Program and Foreclosure Assistance Hotline, the implementation of a Courthouse Emergency Response Team, the initiation and oversight of the agency’s official accreditation by the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (PLEAC), the peaceful conclusion of the Occupy Pittsburgh encampment at Mellon Green, the introduction of the Project D.U.M.P. initiative which sends sworn evidence technicians to anonymously collect unwanted narcotic medications, creation of diversity in the Sheriff’s office workforce, the Prioritization of community-oriented services to help local individuals and families facing hardship including:

The Sheriff’s Turkey Roundup, The Shop with a Sheriff platform, The Tree of Hope program, Sweats for Vets, Backpack and School Supply Drive, Polar Plunge, and Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Project, Safe Halloween, Nursing Home Connection, and Muscular Dystrophy Association Lock-Up.

 

 

Mike Riley, equally tough and compassionate, was respected as a true leader in sports, in business, and in life.  Mike distinguished himself as an exceptional athlete. He was an All-Catholic League middle linebacker for the 1967 championship team and named to the Big 33, a recognition of the best high school football players in Pennsylvania. He was also a standout baseball player. He earned a full scholarship to the University of Miami where he played both football and baseball. As Hurricane team captain, he anchored the defense from 1970 to 1972, was Miami’s MVP (Jack Harding Award) as a junior and an MVP on defense as a senior. Upon graduation, he played for the Kansas City Chiefs and World Football League Philadelphia Bells. When his playing days ended, Mike applied the same grit, tenacity, and passion he had as a sportsman to business. He founded All Pro Painters and over thirty years grew it into one of the premier residential and commercial painting companies in Western Pennsylvania. All Pro Painters was not only a successful business, but it was also a platform for him to mentor, to contribute to the Carnegie community where it was based, and to give back to his alma mater, especially young athletes. Mike’s impact was most profound on his family.  As the ultimate protector and provider, he modeled daily for them a dignified work ethic and inclusive spirit. Mike always attributed his successes on and off the field to the values he learned while attending South Catholic. As a fitting honor, his family established the Michael J. Riley Memorial Scholarship, a yearly tuition grant given to student athletes.

 

 

Michael has been a professional actor since 1975 and a professional theatre director since 1985.  His credits include Broadway (The Front Page and The Corn Is Green), Off-Broadway (Frankenstein and Brand), the San Francisco company of The Foreigner, the Los Angeles company of Shear Madness, as well as appearances in various regional theatres (Mark Taper Forum, Geffen Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, La Mirada Theatre, and Olney Theatre among many others).  His film and TV appearances include Bones, (recurring role), Family Law (recurring role), Modern Family, True Blood, Longmire, Murder In The First, Shooter, Star Trek-The Next Generation, NYPD Blue, The Nutty Professor, and Space Jam to name a few.

A director as well, Michael served as the Artistic Director of Pennsylvania's Allenberry Playhouse from 1987 to 1992. His directing credits include productions at The Washington Stage Guild, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, Ensemble Theatre of Santa Barbara, and Pacific Resident Theatre. A proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and SDC, he also served as a visiting lecturer at UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film, and Television in the Graduate Film Department. He trained at Catholic University, Washington, D.C. (B.A. Speech and Drama) and at Wayne State University in Detroit in the M.F.A. Acting Program as a member of the Hilberry Repertory Company.

 

 

Glenn was the starting offensive and defensive lineman and Team Captain for the Rebels’ 1979 WPIAL Championship team. He was named the 1979 AA Player-of-the-Year by the Pittsburgh Press and was selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic, a prestigious and exclusive Pa high school All-Star game. Glenn continued his academic and athletic career at The University of Tennessee where he was the two-year starting center under Head Coach Johnny Majors. He earned All-SEC honors in 1983 and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 1984 NFL draft. After graduation, Glenn began a career in the industrial gasses business and recently celebrated 35 years in the industry. He currently serves as Area Vice President with Airgas in parts of Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Glenn resides in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he was a founding board member of the Catholic Youth Football organization. He served as Head Coach for several age groups at CYF during the 1990s and 2000s. Glenn began volunteering his time at Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee over 20 years ago. He is responsible for introducing the Tennessee Power Towel (aka Terrible Towel) sold at Tennessee football games during the annual Tim Kerin Food Drive to raise money for the food bank. He also started the Fat Boys Against Hunger golf tournament also benefiting the food bank spanning 16 years. In 2010, Glenn was the recipient of Second Harvest Food Bank’s most highly coveted award, the Murray R. Peterson Award. This award is given to the person or group who has taken Second Harvest to the highest level of recognition in the community.

 

 

Jim graduated Summa Cum Laude from Stamford Hill University with a Ph.D. in International Business Administration. In addition, he earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix (UOP), a BS degree in Engineering Technology at Northrop University, and an AS degree in Technology from Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA). He received a Business Research Award from UOP and was nominated by PIA into the National Association of Technical and Trade Schools (NATTS) Hall of Fame and was inducted in 1991.

He was the Chair of the Graduate Business and Management College for the University of Phoenix (UOP) West Michigan campuses and MBA Adjunct Professor from 1990 to 2004. He was also a member of the MBA Academic Program that helped develop the accredited MBA in Technology Management curriculum. 

Jim is founder and President of Growth Strategies International, LLC (GSI) providing Technology Commercialization Consulting Services since 2010 to assist Federal Government Agencies, Universities, and businesses organizations in Strategic Business Planning, Business Development, R&D/Product Development, Proposal Development, Project Management, and Operations Management.

Prior to 2010, Jim was Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at BAE Systems Inc., Platform Solutions, where he planned and directed an Aerospace & Defense product development portfolio for 16 product lines, overseeing 600 engineers at 7 international locations. He also created and led the BAE Systems Innovation Venture. He has over 20 years of experience as Director or Manager of R&D, Engineering. Jim developed and implemented product technology and business development strategies and directed an annual $50 million budget of new product development projects for nine plants in the US and UK. F-35 He also managed the avionics R&D programs to develop new technologies to enhance the effectiveness and survivability of the US Army Apache AH-64 Attack Helicopter.At Northrop Aircraft, Jim was responsible for leading a team developing advanced avionics/weapon systems architecture and digital cockpit designs for the F/A-18 and F-20 tactical fighter aircraft. In addition to GSI, he founded and managed two other high-technology small businesses. Jim wrote and published four textbooks dealing with aircraft electronics. Hundreds of thousands of Jim’s textbooks have been sold to aircraft technician schools across the globe.

Jim is a member of the Knights of Columbus and Emmaus Brother, and St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church on Daniel Island where he is the Men’s Group President. He volunteers at The College of Charleston where he mentors for the ImpactX program which provides an experiential and transformational learning opportunity for students who are eager to engage in technological, entrepreneurial, and creative activities.  He also volunteers for other organizations to provide meaningful support in key business issues.

 

 

Dr. Nicole "Niki" Williams was an elite high school athlete, excelling in basketball, soccer, and softball. A four-year starter and three-year captain of the basketball team, she finished her high school career with 1839 points and is second in school history to Olympic gold medalist Suzie McConnell-Serio. Niki earned numerous all-section, WPIAL, and state honors including the Post Gazette's AA Player of the Year in 2005. She was selected to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Fabulous Five" and was an Associated Press All-Pennsylvania selection as a junior and senior. She was the first athlete (male or female) to be nominated for the Almanac's Athlete of the Year Award for three consecutive years. Niki was also an all-star soccer and softball player for the Lady Rebels and earned WPIAL All-Section Honors in both. Niki's basketball prowess earned her an athletic scholarship to Division I Hofstra University, where she captained the Pride for two seasons. She earned All-Academic Honors for three straight years. Niki was among the top 10 in the Colonial Athletic Association in assists, assist to turnover ratio, and steals in her junior and senior seasons.  But that was just sports. After a brief professional basketball career in Israel, Niki pivoted into a career in medicine. She graduated from medical school and completed her emergency medicine residency at Northwell Health in New York City, and dual fellowship-trained at Georgetown and George Washington Universities, followed by a sports medicine fellowship. She has used her leadership, teamwork, and experiences in sports to frame her role as a physician. For the last two years, Niki has worked on the front lines in New York City and Washington D.C to fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic.