Vandenbergh led campaign that changed the face of Saint Viator

Saint Viator High School is mourning the passing of its executive director of institutional advancement, who oversaw everything from marketing and communications, to development and student recruitment.

Mary Vandenbergh, an Inverness resident and native of Barrington, died Feb. 17. She was 65.

"Mary brought a positive attitude and endless energy to our team each day," said Tom Ramsden, the school's development director. "She was passionate about building the scholarship and grant program, and making a Saint Viator education accessible to all young adults."

Vandenbergh joined the administration in 2008, after a successful career at Motorola, where over the course of 30 years she eventually served as vice president of sales and marketing for its land mobile group.

The Rev. Robert M. Egan, former Saint Viator president, hired Vandenbergh after a long search.

"I was attracted to her experience in marketing, but mostly I was struck by the power of her personality," said Egan, now a pastor in suburban Las Vegas. "It was positive, engaging, enthusiastic and she conveyed a genuine desire to be part of something bigger."

Vandenbergh replaced Brian Liedlich, who had left to work in development for Marquette University and ultimately Advocate Health Care, before returning last year as president of Saint Viator.

"Mary helped lead our ongoing efforts to improve the scope and expertise of our board of trustees and board committees," Liedlich said. "She took many of the initiatives we started related to strategic student recruitment and saw them through."

Colleagues say Vandenbergh brought creative and innovative ideas to the school's marketing and recruiting efforts, which resulted in some of the school's largest numbers of prospective students taking the entrance exam.

Within three years, however, Vandenbergh was handed an even bigger assignment: guiding Saint Viator through its most ambitious capital campaign, Shaping the Future with Faith, which ultimately would change the face of the school.

The multimillion dollar campaign launched in 2011 and resulted in the comprehensive renovation of its Scanlan Center for students with learning needs, while increasing the school's overall endowment to $10 million.

Successive phases would create a new Academic Commons as well as a college-styled dining hall and new fine arts facilities.

"Mary thrived on being a part of the Saint Viator community," Liedlich said. "She had a passion and enthusiasm for being able to use her life's experiences - professionally and personally - in a way that made a difference in the lives of the young people entrusted to our care at Saint Viator."

A memorial service will take place at 10:30 a.m. April 8, at St. Anne Catholic Community, 120 Ela St. in Barrington. Egan will celebrate the service.