Catholic Charities lost a legendary partner and friend January 6 with the passing of Dr. Louis J. Glunz III, former Chairman of the Board and Chairman Emeritus of Regis Technologies Inc., the Morton Grove pharmaceutical firm he founded in 1956. As Lou’s immediate family of six children and eighteen grandchildren began making plans to celebrate his life, they decided to honor Lou by coming to serve at the next Tuesday Night Supper, on January 9, continuing a family tradition of generosity and service that they started with their parents more than a decade before. 

Lou first became involved with Catholic Charities in 1976, at the invitation of his Wilmette neighbor Clem Berghoff. In a 2020 interview with Keenager News, Lou described his reaction when Clem told him that he wanted to nominate him to the Board of Advisors. Lou recalled, “I said, smiling, ‘Are you crazy? (Jean and I) are raising six kids, and putting them through Catholic schools, too.’ But Clem said I would be glad if I joined the Board, and so I did. Clem was right.”

Lou served in the Family and Parish Support Division, before becoming Chairman of the Long-Range Planning subcommittee, which led to the creation of Catholic Charities’ first three-year Strategic Plan. He served as Vice-President/Vice-Chairman of the Board of Advisors from 2000-2004, ascending to President/Chairman of the Board from 2004-2006. Lou always showed great empathy for clients, and he got to know many of them. Lou also made many friends among Catholic Charities staff members as he encouraged them in their work. 

Lou certainly did work to involve his network in the work of Catholic Charities, and many members of the Glunz family have been dedicated, generous Catholic Charities supporters for decades. 

Lou and Jean Glunz were married 55 years before she passed away in 2015. As their six children got married, they, too got involved at Catholic Charities in a variety of ways, including starting a new family tradition. For the past 13 years, as a Christmas present to their parents, the Glunz children pooled their resources to sponsor a Tuesday Night Supper in Vincent Hall. They came and served the meal they sponsored, to the 300 guests, along with their parents, spouses, and children, before they all went out for dinner together. 

This is the tradition the Glunz children decided to continue January 9, within hours of their father’s passing. As Noreen Russo, Senior Director of Program Operations for 721 North LaSalle Street describes, “They called and said this is what they wanted to do in memory of Lou. I thought it was so selfless and generous of them. The volunteers and guests were quite moved that evening, as Fr. Wayne (Watts) acknowledged the Glunz family and told everyone about Lou’s passing. It was an amazing tribute to an amazing man.”

The 2020 Keenager story on Lou Glunz and his family can be found here, on pages 8-9. Also, click here to learn more about Lou’s many accomplishments. 

In a joint statement, Sally Blount, President and CEO of Catholic Charities, and Michael Monticello, Chairman of the Board said, “Lou Glunz will be long remembered in the history of Catholic Charities as a treasured friend and an extraordinary partner who instinctively knew how to connect people and bring out the best in everyone he worked with, for the greater good of those we serve. May we be inspired by Lou’s humility, boundless generosity, and faith-filled life of service as we carry forward, all of us better for having known this good and holy man.”