DePaul University Athletics
Behind the Bricks - Richard Heise, Sr.
10/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Oct. 15, 2010
Behind the Bricks
Our new weekly feature "Behind the Bricks" allows DePaul letterwinners a chance to tell the DePaul community a little bit about themselves, a brief reflection on their time as a Blue Demon student-athlete and where they have gone since stepping off the court, field or diamond.
This feature was renamed "Beyond the Bricks" to coincide with the dedication of the John and Dale Melbourne Herklotz Letterwinners Plaza and Champions Courtyard. With the plaza filled with 3,800 bricks representing DePaul's student-athletes since 1926, each brick has a story. "Beyond the Bricks" will allow letterwinners to tell their "DePaul Story".
Name: Richard A. Heise Sr.
Sports: Basketball
Years Participated: 1953-1957
1) What does being a DePaul Letterwinner mean to you?
Reminds me of a very significant period of my life.
2) Why did you choose DePaul?
Ray Meyer, because I had worked at his summer camp, and he was a surrogate father to me.
3) What was your favorite memory while at DePaul?
Achieving high academically and practicing and playing basketball.
4) What did receiving a scholarship from DePaul mean to you?
As a destitute orphan, it meant I could go to college, and I worked at DePaul as a janitor.
5) What was your funniest memory at DePaul?
Ray Meyer ripping a urinal off the locker room wall in old Chicago stadium in anger after a loss.
6) Brief Summary of your life from graduation until now.
Richard Heise's life may be best captured in his bio that appeared in the College of Commerce's Graduation Program in 1995.
Richard A. (Dick) Heise describes himself as a typical DePaul student of the 1950s who came from modest means and worked to earn a degree from DePaul as a base for a full life. His career has been remarkably diverse. After earning his bachelor's degree from DePaul's College of Commerce in 1957 and before entering law school, he served as an army artillery officer, became a Certified Public Accountant, worked on the audit staff at Arthur Andersen and played professional basketball. He was captain of DePaul's 1956-57 team, broke George Mikan's record for sea on scoring average and was named an All-American.
After receiving his law degree and his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, he practiced corporate and tax law before becoming general counsel and, subsequently, chief executive officer, of the Rail Trailer Company, which founded the piggy-back rail-truck mode of transportation in America. He has served as an executive of two Fortune 500 companies, Arvin and Hillenbrand Industries, chief financial officer and then executive vice president of the former, a director and president of the latter.
He accomplished all of this by the time he was 40 years old. Dick's next career move was to the presidency of Heizer Corporation, then the largest independent venture capital business in the United State. He followed that with his development and ownership of major Chicago area office buildings.
About 10 years ago (1985), at the age of 48, he decided to curtail his business pursuits in favor of non-profit and community organizations. DePaul University has been the primary beneficiary of this decision. Beginning with his role as head
of a commission which reorganized DePaul's Alumni Association, Dick was in rapid succession elected trustee, vice chairman and then in 1991, chairman of the Board of Trustees.
of a commission which reorganized DePaul's Alumni Association, Dick was in rapid succession elected trustee, vice chairman and then in 1991, chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Under his leadership, the university reached new levels of national stature. His own philanthropy and the deep respect he has earned in the corporate and foundation community undergirded much of DePaul's fund raising during the past decade.
His business acumen and commitment to the community have also inspired a research institute for urban development and economic planning, a corporation to provide affordable, residential ownership financing to low-income families, a capital fund through which small minority-owned Chicago business obtain equity funding, and countless other non-profit projects. He targets his conununity and educational
initiatives on persons at the bottom of the economic ladder who are working to help themselves and their families. He avoids doing social work among the wealthy.
7) Is there a recent highlight that you would like to share with Alumni and friends of DePaul Athletics?
Election of Dennis Holtschneider C.M. as president of DePaul.
8) What advice would you give to a current or future student athlete? Achieve as much as you are capable of both academically and athletically - don't waste time.
Prior article on Dick Heise being added to All-America lists - Click HERE
"Previous "Behind the Bricks." Features:
DeWayne Peevy and Chris Holtmann Media Availability - 7/22
Thursday, July 31
Media Availability: DeWayne Peevy and Chris Holtmann
Tuesday, July 22
Episode 22: NJ Benson, Men's Basketball
Thursday, June 05
College Basketball Crown Postgame Press Conference
Tuesday, April 01