Fr. William Rowland, s.m., and John Wernis become NDPMA board members.
Fr. William Rowland, s.m., left, and John Wernis were announced as new members of Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees.
Frechette also approved of the Wernis appointment based on NDPMA’s Catholic identity and Catholic mission.
Andrew Guest, NDPMA's head of school, said the board and school administration are pleased with its two new trustees.
“We are very excited to add Fr. Rowland and John Wernis to our board," he said. "As a Marist educator, Fr. Rowland will provide educational perspective and spiritual guidance to our Catholic mission. And John is a terrific strategist and successful entrepreneur who has the best interest of the students at heart."
Fr. William Rowland, s.m.
Originally from Ohio, Rev. William Rowland, s.m., was educated at the Catholic University of America where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a master’s degree in theology. He professed his vows to the Society of Mary in 1971 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1979.
Appointed president of Marist School in Atlanta, Ga., in 2018, Rowland previously has worked in a variety of capacities for the Society of Mary, including as parochial vicar at both Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Atlanta, Ga., and St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Wheeling, W.Va., before becoming pastor at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Paulina, La. He also served as provincial for the Society of Mary U.S. Province from 1994 to 2000.
Immediately prior to moving to Marist School, Rowland was the Society of Mary’s vocations director, residing in Berkeley, Calif. He first came to Marist School in 2010 and has served in a variety of positions, including special assistant to the president and alumni chaplain before becoming president. His role as president of Marist School maintains the legacy of Marist leadership for the school, which was founded by the Society of Mary in 1901.
John Wernis
John Wernis is originally from Shelby Township, Mich., and currently resides in Oakland Township with his wife and two children. He is a partner of Venture Management, LLC, and was a co-founder of Washington Township-based United Lawnscape, Inc.
Wernis and his wife, Stacy, have been members of the Notre Dame community since August 2017. Currently they have a daughter in NDPMA's middle division and a son enrolled for next year in the lower division. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees strategic planning committee as well as its education and student affairs committee. They are members of the Lutheran community.
A visionary and entrepreneur since he was very young, Wernis attended Oakland University and over the years has been involved in all aspects of business, in multiple sectors. His leadership functions have encompassed both operational- and investment-management roles.
"I am excited to work more closely with the Notre Dame board and administration," he said. “I feel my strongest attributes in business are process management and financial management, which will be key components in school oversight by the board as we continue to plan for a strong future in Pontiac. I am amazed by our faculty and administrative staffs. I have no doubt that the legacy of NDPMA has only just begun."
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.