Elyria Catholic High School Announces

Commencement Address Speaker

President Annie Heidersbach is honored to announce that Rick Simmons ’89 will be the commencement speaker for Elyria Catholic's Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 24, 2024, at 6:00 pm in the historic Coliseum. Rick Simmons is deeply grateful to be connected to the EC community, and we are delighted to have our 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient address the Class of 2024.

"As Elyria Catholic celebrates our 2024 graduates, we also celebrate the many ways they have lived the EC mission – "to use their God-given talents to learn, worship, and serve," said President Annie Heidersbach. "So, too, has Mr. Simmons lived our mission. His accomplishments, persistence, and excellence are evident as he helps others to develop their skills and talents. Throughout his career, he has consistently shown a dedication to mentoring and guiding individuals to reach their full potential which exemplifies the values we strive to instill in our graduates. His presence as our 2024 commencement speaker promises to be both enlightening and inspiring as we honor the accomplishments of our graduating class."

While we say goodbye to an exceptional 2023-2024 school year, we as a school community reflect on our year and are grateful to our faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and friends who supported Elyria Catholic’s mission of empowering our students to learn, worship, and serve. From freshman to senior year, our students experience many opportunities that can open many doors to the future. Welcoming back alumni who have embraced the opportunity to open those doors and share their experiences with our students is a gift that shines a light on being open to the possibilities.

Upon graduation, Rick embraced those possibilities with his EC foundation built upon the pillars of excellence, compassion, faith, tradition, and community, and he continued his academic pursuits at Baldwin Wallace, earning his B.A. in Economics and Finance. Rick later received his Master of Science in Organizational Behavior from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, a program annually ranked as a global leader in the field of Organizational Behavior. 

While at Weatherhead, Rick focused his research on quantifying the value of coaching to individuals and organizations. The insights gleaned from this research have enabled Rick to achieve a balance in delivering both the quantitative and qualitative benefits of a successful coaching or consulting engagement. Rick also earned his professional coaching certification from the Weatherhead School and has studied at the world-renowned Gestalt Institute of Cleveland.

Rick serves as chief executive officer of the telos institute, a leading global organizational consulting firm he co-founded with his wife, Amy, in 2006. telos offers specialized expertise to leaders and leadership teams worldwide in business strategy, leadership development, and change management. In his role, Rick is responsible for shaping the vision and guiding the firm's strategic direction, while inspiring a growing cohort of world-class practitioners to deliver insight, growth, and transformational experiences for telos clients.

Rick personally tests his beliefs about achievement by running ultra-marathons. His recent tests include the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015 US Track and Field 24 Hour Run National Championships. He lives with his wife, Amy, and their four children in Cleveland, Ohio.

For over 75 years, Elyria Catholic has encouraged generations of Panthers to use their gifts to make a difference in the world on all levels. Elyria Catholic is proud to hold the door open to our returning Panther Rick Simmons and his words of inspiration at this year's commencement celebration.

Annie Cunningham

Director of Communications & Marketing

440.230.8617

annie.cunningham@elyriacatholic.com