Congratulations to DLS alumnus William “Bill” Giovan, Class of 1954, named the John Conti Letterman of Distinction by the University of Detroit Mercy. 

Giovan, an All-American fencer at the University, was presented the award with members of the Conti Family in attendance during halftime at a UDM basketball game on February 5, 2023. 

Conti captained the 1949 Detroit football team that won the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. At 6 foot 1 and 300 pounds, Conti was an Honorable Mention All-American and the biggest man in college football.  

When Conti was inducted into the Titan Hall of Fame in 1984, his long-time employer, Anheuser-Busch, created the award in tribute to Conti’s spirit and charitable enthusiasm. The John Conti Letterman of Distinction Award is presented to former Titan varsity athletes who go above and beyond at work and in the community.  

Giovan is a retired Chief Judge of the Wayne County Circuit Court and continues to be a visiting judge, mediator, arbitrator, and special master.  

He served on the Circuit Court from 1976 through 2008, with prior service for both the Detroit Common Pleas Court and Recorder’s Court of Detroit. Giovan has lectured extensively on evidence and civil procedure for a variety of judicial groups. 

He earned All-American status in 1958 when the Titans finished 10th in the NCAA Championships. 

Giovan regularly appears on stage with the Grosse Pointe Theatre; a member since the 1950s, Bill’s membership spans eight decades.

He also sings with a men’s “barbershop” type group, “The Forum Shoppers,” with three other legal friends. The group usually sings the national anthem at a DLS home basketball game each season.  

Read the full article from the University of Detroit Mercy Athletic Department