Warren, Mich - De La Salle Collegiate Director of Advancement Greg Esler will be the keynote speaker at the Advancement Partners, Inc. annual summer advancement seminar for Catholic high schools at the University of Notre Dame. 

There will be over 50 attendees representing 24 Catholic high schools from 17 states. Esler’s Advancement team set a record for total giving to De La Salle in ’21-’22 securing over $5 million dollars in support of the school’s mission. The school recently completed a strategic plan and is heading into a capital campaign in the fall. 

“Greg and his team have done a tremendous job this past year,” said De La Salle President Larry Rancilio. “As a past parent and long-time coach, Greg has always demonstrated great loyalty, zeal, and enthusiasm for De La Salle. It is an honor for us that Greg has the opportunity to be recognized by a group of peers as an industry leader.” 

In 2020, when COVID-19 forced De La Salle to cancel all of its in-person fundraisers, Esler lead an online fundraising campaign that raised more than $400,000 for the tuition-assistance program. Before joining the advancement department full-time, Esler served as the head varsity basketball coach for 26 seasons. He amassed a 425-199 record and led the Pilots to five Detroit Catholic High School League tournament titles, 22 state district championships, and two Final Four appearances. 

From 1995 to 2018, Esler served as director of parks and recreation for the city of Saint Clair Shores, where he was also the chief fundraiser for the Special Needs Playground Program, which is still the best of its kind in the state of Michigan.

“The tradition and spirit of De La Salle have always been special to me,” Esler said. “I'm looking forward to making a difference while building a culture of giving, and implementing major initiatives and goals for future growth so we can continue to transform the lives of our students in a positive way.”