Some people are born with the impulse to serve.
“’Who shall you send? Send me,’ that’s always been my response,” Christ School alumnus Anthony Coggiola ’81 said Monday.
Anthony has been a great supporter of the school over the years and is a U.S. Army veteran, making him the perfect person to talk to the boys during an Assembly centered around Veterans Day. He wore his Christ School tie for the speaking engagement.
Anthony shared unclassified details from the combat he saw in the Middle East and talked about how humanity and faith inform the choices he makes now in business. For the past 18 years, Anthony has been CEO of C3L Associates, which specializes in process and performance consulting, focusing on healthcare and agricultural solutions in emerging countries or countries that require change for their people.
Anthony has more than 30 years of experience in a variety of areas and businesses including technology, health care, sustainable farming, non-profits, and government focused organizations.
He and his wife, Sherrye, own two highly-popular restaurants in Asheville – The Cantina at Historic Biltmore Village and Mayfel’s.
“What a pleasure it is for me to be back on this campus and what a pleasure it is to be here with y’all,” Anthony said.
“This is a great foundation. This is the foundation that I believe forged who I was going to become. I was a boy just like you in a room similar to this with my friends and teammates. It’s just a special place and y’all are special people.”
The Veterans Service Club is one of the largest student organizations at Christ School with a membership of nearly 20 boys. Club members did introductions for the five veterans who are part of the faculty and staff following the speech by Anthony. They are: Mark Crawford (U.S. Army), Mike Mohney P’23 (U.S. Navy), Lindsay Raiford (U.S. Army Nursing Corps), Les Thornbury (U.S. Navy), and Tad Wheeler (U.S. Marine Corps).
Faculty advisor Olga Mahoney P'20 closed the presentation with a message of thanks to all Christ School alumni who have served.