passing on good fortune
Eugene Croisant and his wife of 45 years, Barbara, were both the first in their families to go to college. They have four Loyola degrees between them: he received a bachelor’s in commerce in 1959 and a master’s in industrial relations in 1966, and she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1964 and a master’s in education in 1972.
“We believe very strongly in Loyola’s Jesuit values, its commitment to ethical leadership, and its call for social justice in the world,” says Eugene Croisant.
In a spirit of gratitude, the Croisants have established a $2.4 million charitable remainder trust that will be split evenly between the School of Business Administration and Loyola University Health System.
“I know how difficult it can be to get funds for school, and I also know that Loyola is significantly peopled with first generation college students. We wanted to do something to help,” Croisant says.
By any standard, Gene Croisant has had an illustrious career in business. He traces his determination and drive to a family tragedy at a very young age: when Croisant was only 11 years old, his father, Edward, died.
“My father’s death made me what I am today—it gave me my drive to succeed and my need to work for my family’s security,” Croisant says.
At the time, in 1950, Croisant’s brother and sister were both newly married, so he and his mother lived on their own in a Chicago apartment.
“We watched our pennies, and, as far back as I can remember, if I wanted spending money, I had to work for it,” he recalls. Croisant’s first job, at age 12, was at a neighborhood car lot. While attending a Chicago public high school, he began working part time downtown as a check processor at what would be the beginning of a 34-year career at Continental Bank.
Like many young men at the time, Croisant participated in his high school’s Junior ROTC
program. During his senior year, Croisant’s platoon won the annual citywide drill competition. The chief judge of the competition happened to be the head of military science and tactics at Loyola. He tapped Croisant on the shoulder and invited him to visit Loyola. He ended up receiving a scholarship.
As a Loyola student, Croisant was inducted into the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi. He continued to work at Continental Bank parttime. Upon graduation in 1959, he began Army training and, after a two-year stint, went right back to banking for Continental, having been offered a full-time job before his time in the Army. “I was fortunate. People everywhere in my life have stepped up to help me at different times,” he says.
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A matter of degrees Gene and Barbara Croisant, along with their daughter and son-in-law, tout the value of a Jesuit, Catholic education - holding nine Loyola degrees among them.
Their son, Thomas, followed the Jesuit tradition at Marquette because of its Navy ROTC program. |
In 1961, while employed at Continental, Croisant enrolled in Loyola’s Industrial Relations Institute, where he sat next to Barbara Byczek in class. They began dating and married in 1964.
In 1972, at age 35, Croisant was asked to head human resources for Continental’s worldwide operation, becoming the youngest senior vice president at the bank.
His successful career took him from Chicago to Washington DC to New York. While Croisant was in New York, President George H. W. Bush appointed him to the board of Amtrak, and later asked him to serve as an organizational consultant to the White House in 1992. In 2005, Croisant finally retired.
The Croisants have two accomplished children, Thomas and Cynthia, and five
grandchildren. Barbara has had an active career as a high school counselor, the owner of a travel agency, and a chairperson of the American Indian Institute.
Though retired, Croisant stays busy with charitable work and other activities. He has
maintained his interest in Loyola throughout his life. He taught in the business school and was a member of the dean’s council in the 1970s. He has served on the Board of Trustees for 18 years and is now a life trustee. He was honored at last year’s Founders’ Dinner with the SBA’s Damen Award, and he also has served on a number of projects at the medical center
The Croisants have led a full life of great responsibility and success, and, through their generosity, are helping others to do the same.
“This is one more example of Gene and Barbara’s long-standing and unwavering support of Loyola,” says Loyola President Michael J. Garanzini, S.J. “We are most grateful.” The funds to both the medical center and the business school are unrestricted and will be used where they are needed most.