Dear JSerra community,
As you may know, JSerra Catholic High School has been conducting a search for a President for the past ten months. The search has been directed by a Board Search Committee chaired by Paul St. Pierre, with the assistance of a leading professional search firm. I am pleased to inform the JSerra community that the lengthy and thorough work conducted by the Search Committee has borne fruit. After a nation-wide search, the Search Committee nominated Mr. Frank Talarico as JSerra’s first President. Mr. Talarico is Catholic educated and a member of a neighboring parish. He currently is working on the executive team at Servite High School, a school with a long tradition of Catholic education in Orange County. We are extremely fortunate to find someone with Mr. Talarico’s administrative skill set and background in Catholic education. Mr. Talarico’s selection was ratified by the JSerra Board and confirmed by Bishop Todd D. Brown on Monday afternoon. I have included a copy of the press release distributed to various news outlets this afternoon for your reference.
As I am sure you will agree, this announcement marks a significant milestone in the history of our young school. The President/Principal model represents an evolutionary change from an “entrepreneurial organization” to a “professional institution” necessary to sustain our continued growth. The fact that this takes place during only our sixth year of operation personifies the rapid and dynamic growth experienced by the school and sends the message that JSerra is confidently moving forward to secure its future growth and success. There will be many opportunities for you to meet and welcome Mr. Talarico over the next several months, the first of which will be at the upcoming Gala fundraiser on Saturday, March 28th. I hope that you will be able to join us at the Gala; it promises to be a fun evening filled with great food, conversation, and entertainment.
In closing, I wish to thank the members of the Search Committee for their meticulous work and generous support throughout this lengthy process. Please keep the JSerra community in your prayers, especially those who are experiencing personal and financial hardship. Let us remember our loving Father during this sacred season of penance and pray that He continues to bless the JSerra community with His grace.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Tom Waszak
March 16, 2009
For Immediate Release
For More Information Contact: Elizabeth Bade, (949) 493-9307 ext 1148 OR EBADE@JSERRA.ORG
BISHOP BROWN CONFIRMS TALARICO JSERRA PRESIDENT/CEO
(San Juan Capistrano, CA) His Excellency Bishop Tod D. Brown, Bishop of the Diocese of Orange confirmed the selection of Frank Talarico, Jr. as President/CEO of JSerra Catholic High School. Talarico’s nomination had been ratified by unanimous vote of the JSerra Board of Directors.
“I am extremely pleased that Mr. Talarico has accepted this very important position,” said Reverend Gerald Horan, OSM, Superintendent of Catholic Schools and Vicar of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Orange. “In its short history, JSerra Catholic High School has become a valued participant in the ministry of Catholic education in the Diocese of Orange. Mr. Talarico’s involvement will surely strengthen the leadership structure of the school and foster the growth of this successful new institution.”
Talarico joins JSerra after serving his former alma mater, Servite High School for nearly six years as Vice President of Institutional Advancement, one of four seats on the school’s Executive Team. During his tenure, Servite enjoyed significant growth in enrollment and fundraising.
“I have a deep and lasting respect and admiration for the Order of Friar Servants of Mary. I owe a debt of gratitude to every professed Servite,” said Talarico. “I join a superb and dedicated team of professionals at JSerra. I am excited to be working at this organization, at this time in their organizational life. It is especially exciting to be working with an organization that has, even while others may be forced to cut staff and programs, a relentless commitment of resources to the total JSerra student experience.”
Among his prior accomplishments, Talarico was the founding Foundation Director for the Southern California PGA leading that organization from successful launch through financial and operational maturation. He currently holds seats on the Board of Trustees for the Southern California PGA Foundation and the Women’s Southern California Golf
Association Foundation as well as the Diocese of Orange Consultative School Board. He has taught as adjunct faculty at the California State University, Fullerton School of Business and Economics and School of Communications.
Talarico will oversee the total operation of the south county campus. He assumes the CEO title from Mr. Tim Busch a JSerra co-founder, who will remain Chairman of the Board of Directors. “The Selection Committee, with the assistance of a national consulting firm, completed a very thorough search for our President,” said Busch. “We are blessed to have Frank join us at this point in the growth of our organization. The President/Principal governance model has proven successful in private schools across the nation and we are pleased to adopt it at JSerra.”
JSerra’s founding Principal, Mr. Tom Waszak shares in the excitement of Mr. Talarico’s selection. “We are extremely fortunate to find someone with Mr. Talarico’s skill set and extensive background in Catholic education. His experience as a Catholic school parent, student, and administrator give me great confidence that he possesses the requisite vision and leadership skills to direct the JSerra community which is poised to take its place as one of Orange County’s finest private high schools.”
JSerra is a private Roman Catholic school which began student instruction on September 3, 2003. Initial enrollment at the school consisted of approximately 110 freshmen and 50 sophomores. Today the campus has more than 1000 students. Student facilities are among the best in the nation, and include 64 state-of-the-art classrooms, library/media center, bookstore, Chapel, and a new $40,000,000 athletic complex.
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