Thomas Kruczek, current President of Notre Dame College, to assume the role on July 1st
Following an extensive nationwide search, the Board of Trustees of Christopher Columbus High School is pleased to announce that Thomas Kruczek will become the school’s second president, effective July 1, 2019. Kruczek is currently the President of Notre Dame College, a Catholic liberal arts college in South Euclid, Ohio. Br. Kevin Handibode, current Columbus President, will assume a new role at Columbus.
“We want to thank Brother Kevin for his 47 years of service to Columbus, 18 as president, and welcome Mr. Kruczek to the Columbus family,” said Brother Patrick McNamara, Provincial of the United States for the Marist Brothers, and former Columbus principal. “The Marist Brothers and Columbus community are blessed to have Mr. Kruczek whose experience and passion for education will contribute to the continued success of Christopher Columbus High School.”
With a thirty-plus year career that has successfully encompassed higher education and the business world, Kruczek is a proven leader and mentor with extensive experience in management, strategic planning, finance, and marketing. In addition to serving as the President of Notre Dame College for the last five years, Kruczek led South Florida based Lynn University’s College of Business & Management as Dean and served as the Executive Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship at both Syracuse University and Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. A strong fundraiser and networker, Kruczek has played a central role in the funding and establishment of numerous programs and facilities at four colleges that he has served, including a role in the $15 million College of Business building at Lynn and establishing the Caring Hearts Fund for students faced with financial emergencies at Notre Dame.
“I want to thank the Presidential Search Committee for the tremendous amount of time and effort they put into conducting a comprehensive search for the new president,” said Br. Patrick. The nine-member committee, made up of Marist Brothers, board members, faculty, alumni, and parents underwent an 11-month process which included holding several focus groups to learn about the qualities that the Columbus family deemed important for a new president.
