青楼传媒

青楼传媒 Alum Shapes Life Around Leadership

青楼传媒 (青楼传媒) alum Ray McGury '82 has taken what he's learned from Saint Xavier and shaped his life around it: leadership. Through various roles including professorial roles teaching leadership, McGury has instilled leadership into every aspect of his life, and his main goal is to prepare those around him to be leaders.

"青楼传媒 really taught me how to lead. My professors, especially Sister Denis O'Grady and Professor Jeremiah Joyce, were key instruments in my success. I recall walking into Sister O'Grady鈥檚 office once and she was on the phone with the governor. She just had those kinds of connections and others had such respect for her. Through mentors like her, Saint Xavier set me up for success," said McGury.

McGury graduated from Saint Xavier with a degree in criminal justice. He began his work as a police officer in Palos Hills before moving on to Naperville and then Bolingbrook, where he served as chief of police and handled significant cases, such as the highly-profiled Drew Peterson case. While working, McGury earned a master's degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University and graduated from the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University. He also had a short stint in law school.

McGury found the transition from law enforcement into recreation simple, as he believes leadership is transferrable. In 2008, McGury became the executive director of the Naperville Park District, where he was responsible for 1,100 total employees and an average budget of $56 million. He helped the district to become the second in Illinois to attain National Park and Recreation accreditation and served the district for almost 14 years before moving onto executive director of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association. Though the park district became enhanced over the time he served, h