Remembering Brendan
When President Brendan J. Dugan, a graduate of the St. Francis College
class of 196 8 passed away on December 18, 2016, he left behind a rich
portfolio of accomplishments and a record of improving the lives of those
around him, professionally and personally.
P
resident Dugan worked in commercial banking for 40 years
before becoming the 18th President of St. Francis College
on July 1, 2008. Before that, he was Chairman of the
College’s Board of Trustees and was instrumental in completing
the $40 million Campaign for Big Dreams.
He was involved in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
for many years, serving on the Finance Council, as trustee for the
St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish, and spending years on the board
of the Futures in Education Foundation and Bishop Loughlin
Memorial High School.
Two weeks before he died, He was honored at the Bishop’s
Christmas Luncheon with the Emma A. Daniels Benefactor Award.
A few days after that, President Dugan was also honored by the
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce at its Annual Gala. Domenick A.
Cama, Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
of Investors Bank introduced the honor.
“Unless you were in the banking business you really didn’t
really know he was a banker. Not only that, you didn’t even know
he was CEO of a bank,” said Cama, who grew up with President
Dugan in Carroll Gardens. “He is a person that exhibits humility
and modesty. Those are the two lessons that I’ve learned, the
two words that I’ve learned from Brendan.” During his four decades of banking, President Dugan served
at a number of institutions, his most recent banking position
was Chairman & CEO of Sovereign Bank’s Metro NY/NJ Division.
Mr. Dugan also held senior executive positions at Independence
Bank (2003–2005), was Chief Operating Officer of Citibank
Commercial Markets (2001–2003), President of European
American Bank (1991–2001) and President and Chief Executive
Officer of NatWest USA (1989–1991).
In 2013 he was able to put his vast banking experience to work
again as a member of the Board of Directors of Investors Bank.
As President, Mr. Dugan’s goal was “to offer working class
families a College that provides a great education at an affordable
price and one that makes sure its graduates are not just prepared
to enter the job market but will be productive in all aspects of
their lives.”
His strong belief in helping others extended well beyond the
College and the Diocese. He was a board member of the Brooklyn
Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership,
the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), the Commission on
Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Brooklyn Bridge
Park Conservancy. In the past he was active with the New York
Bankers Association and was a member of its Board of Directors
A Lasting Legacy G R A D U AT I O N O N T H E WAT E R
After moving the College’s annual Spring Commencement to the
Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in 2011 for a series of beautiful
ceremonies, Brendan took full advantage of another opportunity
when Brooklyn Bridge Park became available in 2015. Presiding over
the first of the three ceremonies held so far on the water, these com-
mencements have created breathtaking memories for more than a
thousand graduates. (Use the hashtag #gradonthewater to see many
of these photos and videos.) President Dugan also made it a priority
to include the Bacc