There are four men whose contributions were essential to the founding of Thomas Aquinas ¹û¶³´«Ã½ and whose service to the cause of Catholic liberal education has been invaluable. They are:
- The late Dr. Ronald P. McArthur, the ¹û¶³´«Ã½â€™s founding president
- The late Mr. Marcus R. Berquist, a founder and longtime tutor
- Mr. Peter L. DeLuca, third president and longtime tutor
- Dr. John W. Neumayr, first dean and longtime tutor
At Thomas Aquinas ¹û¶³´«Ã½, the Board of Governors must select the ¹û¶³´«Ã½â€™s president from among the members of the teaching faculty. The ¹û¶³´«Ã½â€™s founders chose this arrangement, which is singular among American colleges and universities, so as to ensure the integrity of the ¹û¶³´«Ã½â€™s mission as an authentically Catholic institution committed to the highest academic standards.
Over the course of its history, the ¹û¶³´«Ã½ has been served by five presidents — two of them founders — who have carried on this mission. They are:
- Dr. Ronald P. McArthur (1971-1991)
- Dr. Thomas E. Dillon (1991-2009)
- Mr. Peter L. DeLuca (2009)
- Dr. Michael F. McLean (2009-2022)
- Dr. Paul J. O'Reilly (2022-present)