Article by Darryl Gangloff
Video by Jeff Hinz

Today is a Head of School Holiday in honor of John Grube ’65, P’00. Head of School Craig W. Bradley made the surprise announcement in Walker Auditorium last night. (Watch the full holiday announcement in the above video.)

Grube spent three years at Hotchkiss, at the end of which he was honored with the Allen Prize. The Hotchkiss Record wrote, “So perfectly does John Grube measure up to the qualifying conditions attached to the prize that it appears that the Allen Prize was created just for him. Coming to us as a lower mid, he was not long in settling himself high in the estimation of faculty and students alike. A paragon of positive, optimistic spirit and powerful drive, John Grube’s conduct has been a great influence in creating the good will that permeates the Class of 1965.”

Grube served in many student leadership roles as a student. He was a member of the Student Council; served as a class officer; was a leader in the St. Luke's Society; was a member of the Dance Committee and the Reception Committee; worked on The Record; and was also on the Letterman's Club. By his senior year, he was captain of the basketball team, secretary of the School, sports editor of The Record, president of the St. Luke’s Society, chairman of the Reception Committee, a proctor, and more.

“Service to others has been integral to his life. We can see in retrospect that his leadership of St. Luke’s at Hotchkiss was just the beginning of a life of leadership and meaningful service to others,” Bradley said.

Following Hotchkiss, Grube attended Stanford and later Harvard Business School. He built a career as a banker, initially in New York and then for many years as one of the leaders of the Northern Trust in Chicago. In addition to his many outstanding professional achievements, he has been a leader in Chicago civic life, including chairing the board of the Chicago Zoological Society and serving on the Board of the American Red Cross.

He served on the Hotchkiss Board of Trustees for a combined total of 25 years. He is now a Trustee Emeritus. During Grube’s time on the Board, he made countless valuable contributions, particularly as chair of the Buildings, Grounds, and Environment Committee.

“It is not an exaggeration to say that the campus we know and love would not exist in its current excellent state were it not for John Grube,” Bradley told the crowd of students in Walker Auditorium.

Bradley also addressed students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends as he is set to retire at the end of this academic year. "You make Hotchkiss excellent. You make us who we are, and you help us strive to be the School we want to become."