As a part of an annual tradition at the David Eccles School of Business Scholarship Luncheon, a donor or donors are recognized for their generous contributions to the school’s scholarship program. Meet the 2020 Distinguished Scholarship Award Donors: Tom and Shirley Callanan:

Tom and Shirley grew up on Detroit’s east side. For each of them, their father passed away when they were young, so they learned the value of hard work at an early age to help their families and finance their education.

They met in college while attending Wayne State University in downtown Detroit. After graduation, Tom was drafted into the US Army and was assigned to the Military Police. Tom and Shirley were married while Tom was in the service (and, by the way, recently celebrated 51 years of marriage). They were first stationed in the states and later were posted to Berlin for a year. Tom and Shirley both take great pride in his military service.

After service, Tom began a long career in the commercial insurance business, spending many years with CIGNA Corporation in a number of assignments in the intermountain area as well as the Philadelphia headquarters. Later, he joined WCF Insurance Group in Utah, where he was Chief Business Officer, and in the mid-2000s, became President and CEO of Advantage Workers Compensation Insurance Company, a subsidiary. He retired in 2012 and formed a consultancy which he still operates on a part-time basis.

Volunteerism holds an important place in the family. Tom is currently on the board of Warrior   Rising, a veterans’ oriented non-profit. Earlier, he was Board President of Catholic Community Services as well as other community-based non-profits and industry groups. Shirley continues her long-standing volunteer commitment to the Madeleine Choir School where their son Matt attended.

Tom received an MBA through the Eccles Executive Program (2008 Distinguished Alumni Award) and has been an active supporter of the school since, including serving on the Eccles Advisory Board since 2006 and years of mentoring students. In 2012, Shirley and Tom established their endowment for students in the Opportunity Scholars Program. They are keenly aware of the value of an education – particularly for first-generation students and those with special financial needs. They are humbled by the many stories of resilience among the students they have been privileged to sponsor over the years.

Shirley and Tom have two children, son Matt, and daughter Emily, who with her husband Marko, have two children, Isobel and Miles. They enjoy traveling (in pre-COVID times), especially visiting family and all the great cities of Europe. Tom enjoys sports – tennis, golf, skiing, and scuba diving.