P. Kevin Condron '67
Doctor of Humane Letters
Exemplary son of Holy Cross, we are tremendously proud and exceedingly grateful to call you one of our own. You have willingly shouldered pivotal leadership roles at the highest levels within and beyond the Holy Cross community. Your masterful efforts have helped to elevate and sustain the College, while advancing and securing our Jesuit and Catholic identity. Your distinguished service to alma mater is illuminated by your two decades as a fully engaged member of the Board of Trustees, including six years as its visionary, resourceful and effective Chair.
The remarkable catalog of your accomplishments on behalf of the College as a student leader, active alumnus, unparalleled fundraiser, vigorous Trustee and dynamic Chair of our Board speaks to your character, loyalty and determination. It underscores your generous investment of time, resources and self in a vision of excellence for Holy Cross. And it reveals the deep passion, unwavering commitment and strong belief you have in the value of Jesuit education in today’s complex world.
You have provided wise counsel and care to four Holy Cross presidents. With a steady hand you guided us through two highly successful and historic fundraising campaigns. You have helped to build a solid foundation for a third, now underway. On your watch, the College added 20 more consecutive years of positive balance sheets, invested $255 million dollars in new and existing campus facilities, increased the number of permanent faculty positions, and ensured we maintain our policies to admit students regardless of family finances and then meet 100% of their demonstrated financial need.
Since your graduation in 1967, your life has revolved around the Holy Cross values you hold most dear – devotion to family, focus on faith and service to others. While you were building your business, you and Clare also built a wonderful family life with your five children, Billy, Megan, Maura, Elizabeth and Erin, Class of 2000. Erin has continued the family’s Holy Cross legacy, begun by your father, Philip, Class of 1941, and uncles, Joseph Condron, Class of 1944 and Peter Godwin, Class of 1937.
As chairman and chief executive officer of The Granite Group, now a $175-million dollar enterprise, you are a respected business and community leader. That well-deserved reputation made you a sought-after member or chair for a diversity of development initiatives and advisory boards throughout Central Massachusetts, including Catholic Charities. Currently a director of The Hanover Insurance Group and TD Banknorth Incorporated, you have chaired three of the city's most powerful business and economic development organizations, the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Worcester Business Development Corporation and the Worcester Redevelopment Authority.
Among many other honors, you were the inaugural recipient of the P. Kevin Condron Class of 1967 Award for Trustee Service at Holy Cross, which recognizes your outstanding leadership, meritorious service, extraordinary commitment and significant contributions to the College.
That all may know of our esteem for you and your remarkable service to the College at the highest levels and for serving as the embodiment of the values Holy Cross holds most dear, the College of the Holy Cross confers upon you this day the degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.