1899 BEQUEST SOCIETY
Chris Leto ’79
Chris ��eto ’79 graduated from
Jesuit four decades ago, but
his bond with the school remains
as strong as ever.
In December, he sat in Jesuit’s
new Chapel of the Holy Cross and
watched his son, ��incent ��eto ’12,
get married.
In ��ay, he attended Jesuit’s Grand
��eunion, reconnecting and reminiscing
with classmates on the
40th anniversary of their graduation.
In August, he sat among some
300�� members of Jesuit’s ��resident’s
Circle at the annual ��resident’s
��ass �� Breakfast at the ��enaissance
Hotel, taking particular
note of Fr. ��ichard C. Hermes, S.J.’s
presentation about the school’s
accomplishments in the past year.
It was after this last event that ��eto
decided the time was right to join
Jesuit’s 1899 Bequest Society.
��I was motivated at this year’s
��resident’s Breakfast,�� ��eto said.
“Father Hermes did a wonderful
42 JESUIT PERSPECTIVES • FALL 2019
job talking about all the great
things going on at Jesuit.��It was a
reminder of how blessed I was to
go to school there.������
Bequest Society members are
those who have indicated in writing
that they have made provisions
for Jesuit in their will or estate
plans. ��eto chose his insurance
policy from his trust.
“It is my desire to contribute to
Jesuit sooner, once I am able to get
a few matters with my business in
line, but I wanted to be sure Jesuit
had something even if it’s after I
pass,�� ��eto said. “I want to see the
school continue to grow, especially
for young men who cannot afford
to attend.”
For information about Jesuit’s 1899 Bequest
Society please contact Nick Suszynski ’98 at
(813) 877-5344, ext. 704.
I want to see the
school continue to
grow, especially for
young men who cannot
afford to attend.
-CHRIS LETO '79
��eto lives in Carrollwood with
his wife, Joy, and is president of a
third generation, family owned and
operated manufacturing business,
Tampa Brass �� Aluminum Corp.
Even after 40 years, the memories
of his time on Himes Avenue have
not faded.
“From sitting on J. ��aul ��epin ’79’s
shoulders at a pep rally to caravaning
over the Sunshine Skyway
bridge with my best friends to see a
Jesuit basketball game, there are so
many great memories,” ��eto said.��
��eto said it was inspiring to reconnect
with classmates at Grand
��eunion in ��ay. But there weren’t
too many for him to reconnect
with as he has stayed close with his
fellow Tigers through the years.
“The friends I made back then
are some of my very best friends
today –I golf most every Saturday
morning with at least four of them,”
��eto said. “We all went through a
lot together – study hall, PH, sports,
and friendship.
“It de��nitely shaped me into truly
being a ��an for Others.”��