Annual King’s Award Ceremony and Mentorship Forum Raises $237,655 for Financially At-Risk Students

Above: Fr. Looney, Robert J. Ciaruffoli, Fr. Lackenmier

Wilkes-Barre, Pa.—King’s College bestowed the Rev. James Lackenmier, C.S.C., Award for Achievement and Leadership to Robert J. Ciaruffoli ’75 during a ceremony at the Union League of Philadelphia that raised more than a quarter million dollars for students in need of emergency financial assistance.

The Lackenmier Award recognizes King’s College community members for their professional excellence, philanthropy, and ethical standards. Preceding the ceremony is the William G. McGowan School of Business Forum, which matches dozens of students with leaders in the business field for one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Proceeds from the event go to the Presidential Hope Fund, which the College created in 2014 to help financially at-risk students cover tuition, books, and living expenses. To date, the fund has provided more than $2.25 million to 2,400 students. 

Ciaruffoli co-founded Broad Street Angels, the largest entrepreneurial angel investor network in the Philadelphia area. Ciaruffoli previously spent 35 years with Parente Beard/Baker Tilly, most recently as a CEO who oversaw the merger that made it into the 12th largest accounting firm in the United States.

In 2015, Ciaruffoli served as president and chair of the 8th World Meeting of Families and orchestrated Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia. The event attracted approximately two million people and required extensive collaboration with the Vatican, U.S. Secret Service, and several state and city officials. Pope Francis knighted Ciaruffoli the following year for his efforts.

Ciaruffoli serves on numerous for-profit and nonprofit boards, including chair of the audit committee of Medicus Pharma Ltd., a publicly traded life science and biotechnology company; chair of the finance committee of Ben Franklin Technology Partners, a technology-based economic development program; and chair of the finance committee of Founding Forward, a national nonprofit that promotes and sponsors civics education. He is a past chair of the Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy.

Ciaruffoli holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from King’s College and served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1970 through 1972.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Rev. James Lackenmier C.S.C. Award for Achievement and Leadership,” said Ciaruffoli. “However, the true privilege was being part of the effort to raise funds for the Presidential Hope Fund, which supports financially at-risk students. After speaking with one of the recipients and hearing firsthand how the fund has transformed his educational journey and life, I am even more inspired by this initiative's profound impact on a student’s future.”

“Robert Ciaruffoli is a model of the personal integrity and entrepreneurial spirit that King’s desires for its students.” said King’s College president Rev. Thomas P. Looney, C.S.C., Ph.D. “Bob’s dedication to his career, community, and church is so inspiring, as is the humility with which he accepted this award. I am proud to hold Bob forth as a model for all Monarchs, past, present, and future.”

The Rev. James Lackenmier, C.S.C., Award for Achievement and Leadership was named in honor of the College’s seventh president. Past recipients of the award include Maureen A. Hanlon ’87; Rose Marie Panzitta, Timothy Morris ’64; Richard J. Pinola ’67; Allan M. Kluger, Esq.; Glenn Tyranski ’84; Thomas R. Smith ’77; and David Selingo ’89.