Steve McShane, ‘61, continues to give back to the school that helped make him into the man he is today. 

On Thursday, June 22, he pledged a multi-million-dollar gift to De La Salle Collegiate, which will be used to construct a world-class STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) center on the campus of the 97-year-old, all-boys preparatory school. This gift is the second-largest in the history of De La Salle. 

As a result of the substantial donation from McShane, De La Salle will be moving forward with the construction of a STEM facility, which will be aptly titled the Steve and Kathy McShane STEM Innovation Center. It will be located where the school’s TARMAC is presently based. 

Mr. McShane believes that this will have a big-time impact on the future of De La Salle. 

“I think the addition of a STEM-based center will be highly impactful,” McShane expressed. “For starters, it’ll help attract high-quality students who are committed to excelling in various highly technical subjects. This is critically important to the school and to our country, which relies on innovation to compete in today’s world.”

“When I was at De La Salle, I was put into some of the advanced courses, with high expectations, that really helped create for me the value of learning and understanding concepts (especially in science and mathematics). I think this STEM center will do the same for the DLS students of tomorrow.”

McShane remembers his time as a Pilot student fondly. It helped pave a path for success for him as he entered college and then embarked on a fruitful professional career. 

“I think my time at De La Salle put me on a path for higher achievement,” McShane commented. “I came from a working-class family. I was really the only one of my siblings that went on to college, and I feel that DLS laid a solid foundation for me, enabling me to be focused on my education. It set the stage for me to go on to the University of Detroit for my electrical engineering degree, the University of Michigan for my MBA, and prepared me for my early career at Motorola.”

McShane’s experience at De La Salle didn’t just make him a better and harder-working student. It also made him a more morally-sound and values-driven man. McShane attributes a lot of that to the strong, positive influence of the Christian Brothers, both inside and outside the classroom. 

“My choice to go to De La Salle definitely put me in a position to expand my educational experience and to get into college,” McShane said. “But, it also helped shape my moral compass, and made me a more disciplined person.”

“I believe DLS continues to have a reputation for high academic standards, value-based education, and a level of discipline that’s not existent in the public schools. It provided a better path for success because of such values, and it certainly put me a step ahead of others.” 

McShane is one of the finest alumni in De La Salle history, and his importance to the future of the school cannot be underestimated. 

DLS President Larry Rancilio, ‘86, echoed the sentiment regarding the McShanes. 

“The De La Salle community is blessed to have Mr. and Mrs. McShane as part of the Pilot family, and views this ultra-generous gift as being critical to the long-term success of the school,” Rancilio said. “I cannot thank Steve and Kathy enough for their generosity. De La Salle is better today than it was yesterday, and it’s because this gift will impact a countless number of young men for years to come.”
 
Mr. McShane is the CEO of Midtronics, Inc., which he founded in 1984. Midtronics is the global market leader in battery testers and diagnostic chargers for traditional automotive electrical systems, as well as the service equipment for electric vehicle batteries.

As the leading innovator in this field, Midtronics possesses more than 200 patents in battery management technology. Midtronics has twice been named Chicago’s most innovative company by Crain’s Chicago Business. 

Along with his successful professional life, McShane has developed a reputation for being a servant to others. Consequently, he embodies what it means to be Lasallian, in every sense of the word.

“Steve and Kathy McShane are two of the most good-hearted and value-driven people that I know,” Advancement Director Greg Esler said. “As I’ve gotten to know the two of them better, it’s become readily apparent to me how much they value traditional Catholic principles and a De La Salle education. Steve and Kathy, through their generous gift, have definitely made a difference in the educational experience of future generations of Pilots.” 

The building of the Steve and Kathy McShane STEM Innovation Center is a vital component of the school’s recently launched Capital Campaign. The campaign – titled Builders of Boys. Makers of Men. The Next 100 Years! – plans to keep De La Salle alive and well for another century. 

For more information on the Capital Campaign, please contact Greg Esler at gesler@delasallehs.com or 586-541-6254.
 

Pictured: DLS President Larry Rancilio, '86, Br. Carl Malacalza, Steve McShane, '61, Kathy McShane, Bishop John Quinn, Sr. Kathleen Matz, DLS Advancement Director Greg Esler.