Earlier this year, STA alum, Fred Evans ’57, was presented with the Director Award at the Minority Achiever’s banquet given by the Center for Leadership Development (CLD).
The awards are offered in several categories such as: Arts & Entertainment, Business, Education, etc. It was the 33rd annual event to honor excellence in Life Work, Service and Scholarship. Fred was nominated by his High School alma mater, Cathedral High School, for his tireless volunteer work with the Black Alumni Council whose goal is to provide grant dollars for black student
Congratulations, Fred!
We would like to share a little more about Fred!
- Education:
- St. Thomas Aquinas grade school – I was its first Black student and graduated in 1957.
- Cathedral High School – Class of 1961
- Technical Training: Indiana College of Mortuary Science: 1965
- Certificates / Registrations / Licenses:
- State of Indiana: Embalmers License: Fall of 1965
- State of Indiana: Funeral Directors License Fall of 1966
- Undergraduate Degree: Fisk University: Business Administration & Economics: BA: 1969
- Where do you live now?
- Indianapolis
- Indianapolis
- What have you been up to since STA (including work history or any interesting facts and adventures)?
- Retired from Eli Lilly & Company after 30 yrs. of service, 15 of those years were as Department Head in various financial departments. I served on the Corporate Financial Audit staff which included international audits in England, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela, and Brazil. Additionally, I served as the Financial Analyst for Eli Lilly affiliates in Argentina and Chile. One year I was asked to coordinate the closing of the books and reporting requested by the auditors for Lilly Canada.
- 2nd Career Thomas & Reed, LLC Consultant/Director of Special Projects
- I am also a cancer survivor and published author, Surviving Cancer – Keeping Laughter and Faith in High Gear (2012 published by Hilton Publishing Company) To order call 219-922-4868 OR orders@hiltonpub.com OR http://hiltonpub.com/bookstore/products/49993-surviving-cancer.aspx
- Please tell us about your family.
- My wife Linda and I have been married for 47 years and have a son (Frederick IV) a daughter (Edan Noel de Roziere) a son-in-law (Glenn de Roziere) a 4 year old grandson and a step-grandson (Daniel de Roziere). Both of our children are graduates of St. Thomas Aquinas grade school. Life is grand!
- What is your favorite STA memory?
- Most of my classmates considered our 6th grade teacher our favorite. I do not remember Sister’s name. She was transferred to St. Phillip Neri the following year. So while we were on the basketball team during our 8th grade year and were about to play her new school, she visited our team just before the game began. Our team was so happy she came by to see us.
- What do you like to do in your spare time?
- Fred is very involved in his community. Specifically:
- Community:
- Past President of the Black Alumni Council for Cathedral High
- Past President Central Indiana Bicycling Association
- Member Family Life Commission for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis 1980 – 1981
- Mayor’s Bicycle Task Force 1977-1984
- Member Indiana Sports Corporation 1981- 1999
- Co-Chairman of the Games and Venue Division for the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis. Additionally, in 1986 Mark Miles President of the Pan Am Games Organizing committee asked my employer, Eli Lilly & Company if they would loan me to their organization’s daily operations as Vice President of the Games Competition Division. I was then in charge of 11 of the 33 sports. My job responsibilities were similar to a small college Athletic Director.
- Chairman of the 1982 Bicycling events for the National Sports Festival
- During 1981 lead the effort to have the newly built Velodrome in Indianapolis named for Marshall “Major” Taylor a world bicycling champion (circa 1900). He was a native of Indianapolis and the first Black world champion in any sport.
- Charitable:
- 2008 Chair – Hoosier Heritage Night Fund raising Event
- CIBA Foundation board member
- Heritage Place of Indianapolis – Board Member Emeritus (a United Way Agency)
- Member – Friends of Major Taylor Sporting Complex
- Business groups:
- In 1994 elected to the Board of Director for the Indiana Association of Credit Management (IACM). During 1997 served as its Treasurer and in 1998 served as the 1st Vice Chairman of the board – the first Black person to hold this high a position with IACM.
- Church:
- Member of STA parish
- Past member of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish Council
- Sports and Hobbies:
- I’m an avid bicyclist since 1974 . I’ve ridden over 170,000 miles. On three occasions I’ve ridden 100 miles in less than 5 hours, twice since my 55th birthday.
- Annually for the past 20 years I’ve organize a bicycle training week in the Venice, FL area attended by 25 – 40 participants from Central Indiana, New England, and Minnesota.
- I’m an avid follower of Indiana University & Indiana Pacers Basketball, the Indianapolis Colts, IRL & NASCAR auto racing.
- Community:
- Fred is very involved in his community. Specifically:
- What words of advice would you offer a current STA student?
- Study hard, make friends, be a good friend, make prayer apart of your daily life, respect yourself as well as others, do good works and love your parents.