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Denny Schulstad, left, passed the gavel to Tom LaSalle at the 2007 UMAA Annual Celebration

Thomas W. LaSalle, founder, president and chief executive officer of LaSalle Management Group, Ltd. and LaSalle Development Group, Ltd., has been elected national president of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA) for 2007-2008.  LaSalle Group, located in Bloomington, Minnesota, provides facilities, property management, and development consulting services.

            “Tom LaSalle is already a very familiar face around the University.  He’s played key roles as both an alumni volunteer and paid consultant for more than 15 years,” said Margaret Sughrue Carlson, UMAA Chief Executive Officer.  LaSalle Group helped develop many campus building projects, including the McNamara Alumni Center and the surrounding Alumni Wall of Honor, Scholars Walk, the Wall of Discovery, and Regents Plaza.  “Having an alumni center on campus was a long-time dream of the alumni association, and Tom helped make our dream come true,” said Carlson.

            LaSalle graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts in 1972 with a degree in sociology.  As an alumni volunteer, he has served on the UMAA National Board of Directors since 2000.  He has been an officer since 2004, serving as treasurer, vice president, and president-elect and has provided outstanding leadership to association finance and marketing activities.  He also serves as board chair of the University Gateway Corporation and is active in the University YMCA.  As a community volunteer, LaSalle is involved with the Aquatennial Ambassadors and is on the board of Drake Bank.  He and his wife, Michele, have five grown children and three grandchildren. 

“As president of the UMAA, I will help rally alumni support for the university’s goal to become one of the top three public research universities in the world,” said LaSalle.  “I want alumni and friends all over the state to understand that the U of M changes the world, one graduate at a time …. one invention at a time … every single day, year after year.”

LaSalle takes over from 2006-07 president Dennis Schulstad, B.A. ’67. National presidents serve one-year terms. During Schulstad’s term, the UMAA:

• Celebrated academic greatness by dedicating the Scholars Walk, the Wall of Discovery and Regents Plaza;
• Helped organize the University’s ceremonial groundbreaking for the new football stadium and the Golden Gopher Football Relay from the Metrodome to where the new TCF Bank Stadium will stand;
• Partnered with University Relations to host a briefing for Legislative Network members to get them up to speed on the University’s legislative request;
• Helped bring nearly 200 alumni, students, faculty and staff to the State Capitol for “Support the U Day;”
• Organized a statewide tour to rally support for the University, taking U experts to 13 cities in 12 weeks to talk about the importance of the University to the state; and
• Featured Tony Dungy and Stan Freese at the 2007 UMAA Annual Celebration.