Thomas B. Collopy ’70

2023 Pioneer Service Award

Tom Collopy ’70 ("TC" to many; “The Colonel” to old friends) is a committed and loyal Pioneer. After seeking a small college experience, Collopy quickly selected Carroll University and became heavily invested in Carroll during his collegiate tenure. 

Collopy played both basketball and baseball during his Carroll career. He was a four-year starter and co-captain on the basketball court, and he led the CCIW in base hits with a .372 batting average during his sophomore year. Collopy was Vice President of his fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon, was a residence hall counselor, served on various in-school committees, and graduated with a business degree in 1970. 

Following graduation, Collopy was selected for a Management Training Program at the Ladish Co. in Cudahy, Wisconsin. In 1986, he began a successful career in the medical rubber and silicone markets in various executive roles as well as field sales, project management, and niche market development. He officially retired from his consulting company in 2018.

Collopy has been married for 50 years to his kindergarten classmate, Nancy Seidel (UW ’70) and has remained active in the community and Carroll. His service has ranged from volunteering for many of his reunions including his most recent 50th Reunion Committee, volunteering on the Alumni Council, where he served as president from 1978 until 1980, to being active in class anniversary campaigns and serving on committees.

Collopy has also demonstrated a deep commitment to Carroll University and Pioneer athletics in a myriad of ways. Collopy served on the inaugural committee for the Carroll Athletic Hall of Fame and is also a long-time attendee and supporter of the annual Pioneer Golf Classic, where he regularly sponsors foursomes for neighbors and friends. Tom and Nancy have been generous philanthropists, serving as long-standing members of the Old Main Society and supporting numerous initiatives such as: the Opportunity Scholarship Fund, The Carroll Fund, the Champions4Life Fund, and the Jean Kilgour Fund for Women’s Athletics, to name a few. Most recently, he and Nancy created the Thomas B. and Nancy (Seidel) Collopy Endowed Men’s Basketball Fund and made a generous commitment to the expansion and renovation of Van Male. 

Collopy is also a current member of the Carroll Community Council where he keeps abreast of Carroll updates via the President and connects with alumni, friends, and community members.

In the community, in 1999, Collopy was a founding member and remains League Director and President of the Notre Dame Don Bosco Grade School Basketball League, a 200-team league with 19 Catholic and private schools participating, for 5th through 8th grade boys and girls. He also serves on the Milwaukee Archdiocese’s Athletic Advisory Board for Youth Sports. He is a longtime advocate for youth sports, having coached boys’ and girls’ basketball as well as high school baseball with his brother, Dr. Michael Collopy.

The Collopy’s have also enjoyed alumni trips to Alaska, Spain, and Cuba, as well as the recent Kentucky Bourbon Tour. They continue to reside in Brookfield, WI and have three adult children (Christine, Kevin, and Ryan) as well as six grandchildren.