Ed Fagan

Alumnus of the Year: Edward F. Fagan '74

After graduating from Seton Hall Prep in 1974, Ed retired after completing a forty-year career with UPS, the Worldwide Leader in Logistics. His career focused on all aspects of Finance and Accounting in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Canada. Ed served in many capacities in the Finance and Accounting Group. His skills that contributed to his accomplishments were leadership, management, process improvement, staff development, and change management.

Ed has been married to my wife Clairesse for 39 years.
They have three children born in three different states (NJ,TX,MD), and
four Grandchildren born in three different states (MD,MASS,CT).

He coordinated all informal reunions for the Class of 1974 for over a decade!

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Letter to the Class of 2024

To the Graduates of Seton Hall Prep's Class of 2024,

A TALK WITH ED

You started high school in September 2020, in a unique and challenging way. A pandemic had exploded around the world, and you watched as everyone was impacted. You became an expert on zoom classes and wearing a mask. Social distancing became a reality along with vaccines. The lessons learned through the past four years will assist you as you begin the next chapter of life.

Speaking of life, let me share a little bit of mine. My childhood was as an only child growing up in the Vailsburg section of Newark, N.J. I selected Seton Hall Prep and began my high school journey in September 1970, excited to play baseball at The Prep. My high school years were somewhat rocky. One of my favorite lines, “Life throws you a lot of curve balls, it’s how you hit them that counts!” Well, in my sophomore year, my dad passed way. I was fifteen at the time and of course looking for direction. That direction to this day provided me with the foundation for the future. Seton Hall Prep was there for me when I needed it the most. My classmates and the SHP staff provided the support I needed at a critical stage of my life. Through those four years, I developed friendships that have lasted a lifetime. When I graduated I went directly to work, attained my degree at night, and spent the next 40 years with UPS. Along the way, I met the love of my life and together we built a terrific family, my daughter, two sons and four grandchildren…yes, life is good! I was thrilled to receive a call from Msgr. Kelly, who by the way was our Guidance Counselor, asking me to address our new alumni.

If you asked yourself, what tools do you need for life’s twists and turns and you were given a toolbox, what would be its contents? My perspective and thoughts…..

Passion…..Have you found your passion? Some of you may already know and some may not. That is not urgent…in fact this is perfectly ok. Your investment in time relates to that passion (once it is identified). I caution you that this may change at any time, so flexibility in life is an essential ingredient. Passion can be described as devotion to an activity, which in some cases can be described in many ways…a job, a hobby, a sport. Take your time to truly assess what that passion is inside you and once identified enjoy every moment.

Respect…. Respect is taught at an early age and in today’s world and in the future that will always be challenged. Technology advancements will continue at a rapid pace with advancements in social media, research, and development. Through all the technological revolution, communication has evolved to texting and email. At times, we tend to forget the basic skillset of face to face/eye to eye communication. Yes, respect is earned and the people you meet in the future will garner your respect if you simply treat them the way you want to be treated. Remember, you all could be leaders in various ways and having the respect of your peers and others will greatly assist you!

Effort…..Whether it is the classroom or the boardroom, the effort you give creates the results you get. In life, the question that you should always ask yourself, “Is how bad do you want it?”
The result is based on your effort and YES hard work does pay off! Now, as you head to the next phase of life, there will always be someone to hold you accountable for results…. the only person to hold accountable…is yourself! As young adults you know what it takes to get good grades and you also have learned how time management impacts your effort. I am going to caution you with two words…” Burn Out”. Your mental and physical health is important. Stress can challenge anyone, so there needs to be balance in your life…what that balance is will change as your responsibilities in life change.

Commitment… Your toolbox would not be complete without commitment from you. This tool is a subset of responsibility to yourself and others. It also is impacted by the balance of time in your life and how you prioritize what is truly important to you. When you make a commitment sometimes it is more easily said than done. If, you comment, “I will take care of” you have made a commitment, thus the impression you leave is based on the effectiveness of the result, which in turn creates confidence and, wait for it…. trust in you!!!

Faith….. You Gotta Believe! Assisting you through life is the belief that Our Lord is there to help you. Prayer can provide a means to assist you with life’s ups and downs. Start your prayer on graduation day, by thanking your family and friends for their support and guidance these past four years. I would like to leave you with some lyrics from a song called Forever Young

“May the good Lord be with you down every road you roam. And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you’re far from home. And may you grow to be proud, dignified, and true, and do unto others, as you’d have done to you. Be courageous and be brave, and in your heart you’ll always stay Forever Young. May good fortune be with you, may your guiding light be strong. Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond. And may you never love in vain, and in your heart you will remain Forever Young. And when you finally fly away, I’ll be hoping that SHP served you well. For the wisdom of a lifetime, no one can ever tell. But whatever road you choose, SHP is right behind you, win or lose” ……Stay Forever Young!!!

In closing, your toolbox needs a secret sauce…your family and friends. Never lose sight of those family members and friends who have supported you to this stage of your life. You have developed many friends in the past four years, and some may be lifelong. On graduation day, take a moment to shake hands/hug/high five your classmates and never ever forget the SHP foundation that you now have.

Your toolbox will be unique to you and I pray for all our new alumni that you make a difference in this world by challenging yourself to make an impact in all that you do.

On behalf of all my brothers from the Class of 1974, I thank you and wish the very best of health and happiness as you head to the next chapter in your life.

God Bless,
Ed Fagan
#SHP1974
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