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Development committee honors Archbishop Curtiss, five couples

Five Omaha-area couples and Archbishop Emeritus Elden Francis Curtiss were honored for 25 years of service to the Archbishop’s Committee for Development (ACD) at the group’s 43rd annual recognition dinner June 7 at Omaha’s Happy Hollow Country Club.
In addition to Archbishop Curtiss, Archbishop George J. Lucas recognized Nancy and the late David Abboud, Nancy and Edward Fitzgerald, Kathy and Bill Kizer, Patty and Paul Mendlik, and Anne and Tom Pogge for their service to the ACD, which provides leadership and expertise to Archbishop Lucas on education, stewardship, estate planning, development and finance.
 
Archbishop Curtiss, a native of Baker City, Ore., led the Archdiocese of Omaha from 1993 until his retirement in 2009. His service has included successful fundraising efforts for a retirement home for priests, tuition assistance for Catholic high school students, a seminary endowment, archdiocesan centers for adult and youth activities, and other ministries.
 
He also served on committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as episcopal adviser to Serra International, and as president and board chairman of Catholic Mutual Group and Boys Town, both in Omaha.
 
Nancy Abboud, a member of Christ the King Parish, and her late husband, David Abboud, were devoted to Catholic education and their parish. Nancy taught at the parish school and was the first woman to join the board of the Christ the King Educational Trust, eventually serving six years as its president. Together, the couple chaired the school’s first Educational Trust Dinner and volunteered at the school.
 
Nancy served 20 years on the board of the Christian Urban Education Service (CUES), including as chair of its first “Gathering” fundraising dinner. She also was a member of the College of Saint Mary board and guild board president.
 
The couple were members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, chairing various committees, and were active at Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha, chairing its 1986 BASH fundraiser.
 
Edward and Nancy Fitzgerald are members of St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Omaha, and Edward serves on the parish council. He has served on the board of directors of Catholic Charities and Catholic Cemeteries, both in Omaha, and on the Archdiocese of Omaha Investment Committee.
 
Edward also has served with the Boy Scouts of America, Creighton University in Omaha, and was chief financial officer at Boys Town. 
 
Kathy and Bill Kizer volunteer in their parish, St. Leo the Great, and at St. Pius X/St. Leo School, and they were co-chairs of the archdiocese’s Ignite the Faith capital campaign.
 
Bill has been chairman of the ACD finance committee and a trustee of the Omaha Archdiocesan Educational Foundation. He has been a director of Catholic Charities and chair of its foundation, and a trustee of Creighton Prep and College of Saint Mary.
 
Kathy has been a volunteer office counselor at Essential Pregnancy Services, chaired the organization’s first fundraising dinner and helped organize other dinners. Together, the couple have co-chaired the organization’s Bluejay Watch Party fundraiser.
 
She also has volunteered for the Omaha Symphony Guild. She has served on the boards of directors of the YWCA, Heartland Family Services, and Assistance League of Omaha, and co-chaired Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart’s “Conge” fundraiser.
 
Patty and Paul Mendlik, former members of St. Leo the Great Parish, chaired fundraisers for St. Pius X/St. Leo School and V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School, both in Omaha, and the 2007 Archbishop’s Dinner for Education. Paul also served as president of the parish council. They now are members of St. Patrick Parish in Elkhorn.
 
Paul has served as president of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln advisory board for the College of Business and was a member of Iowa State University’s advisory board for its College of Business. He is a trustee of the University of Nebraska Foundation.
 
Patty has served on the boards of the Nebraska Children’s Home, Heartland Family Services and the Stephen Center, all in Omaha, and as a volunteer at St. Pius X/St. Leo School, Skutt Catholic High School and CHI Health Lakeside Hospital.
 
Founding members of St. Leo the Great Parish, Anne and Tom Pogge have each served as president of its parish council and in leadership positions at St. Pius X/St. Leo School, Creighton Prep, Duchesne Academy and Creighton University.
 
They also have been leaders in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, for which Tom is lieutenant of the northern lieutenancy.
 
Together, they have served the Institute for Priestly Formation – Tom as director of mission advancement and Anne coordinating its Spiritual Moms program. They are members of Legatus and Tom is active in the Serra Club, Holy Name Housing and Spirit Catholic Radio. Anne serves on the board of the Holy Family Shrine near Gretna.
 
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