by Dominic Gideon ’14
Alumni Column
As students go through their four years of high school, all of them have to face the question, “What am I going to be when I grow up?” For many students, that answer is more vague than when they were little kids, who wanted to be firefighters, circus performers, or future presidents; and Mike Foran ’00 was one of those students.
With all of the growth and self-discovery Mr. Foran experienced during his four years at Ignatius, it seemed like a future career was one of the only things he didn’t have put together by senior year. Mr. Foran graduated from St. Raphael’s and was painfully shy going into Ignatius. Then, throughout high school he went through a social transformation. “I turned from the kid that barely spoke a word to a guy that enjoyed being social with people.” Mr. Foran said.
He also picked up countless life lessons through many of the teachers: “I learned from so many teachers that you want to be as well rounded as possible. I didn’t want to just be someone who was a student or just an athlete.” And he wasn’t, he was both and much more.
Mr. Foran was an all-state wide receiver, a pole vaulter, and a very hardworking student among other things. Mr. Kyle, his coach and uncle, thinks highly of him: “He’s a very focused worker; he’s always been that way. Even as a little kid, if he had something to do, nothing got in his way, and I think that’s still evident in what he’s doing now.”
Along with Coach Kyle, Mr. Foran has a few other teachers in particular he gained wisdom from. He remembers how Mr. Zebrak taught him “that it was cool to be smart”; and other teachers– like Mr. Restifo, Mr. Ward, and Mr. Skerl– taught him and his classmates “how to be men,” “to be confident in who we are,” and “to always strive for excellence.” All of these fantastic influences have helped form who Mr. Foran is today.
After high school, he went to Ohio State and got a political science degree, but left without knowing what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. So he went back home and wanted to find a job in Cleveland rather than move elsewhere like many of his friends. “I didn’t want to be one of those people who left the city I grew up in behind,” Mr. Foran said. And although he still didn’t know what career path to choose he did know one thing: to make a positive effect on his beloved hometown, Cleveland.
Before long, he got his chance to make an impact in Cleveland–he connected with Sam McNulty and some others to start Bier Market on West 25th. This unique restaurant, which opened eight years ago, later sprouted three other very chic and distinct restaurants in Ohio City: Speakeasy, Bar Cento, and Market Garden. Each of these have their own special nuances, but all have a strong connection to Cleveland and local businesses, of which Mr. Foran is very proud.
“That was one of the coolest thing about taking this opportunity here,” said Mr. Foran. “When I went to Ignatius, this was not a neighborhood that you would walk off campus to explore.” Now Ohio City’s businesses are booming and Mr. Foran is no doubt a part of that.
Although not the whole source of his success, Saint Ignatius certainly played a big role in Mr. Foran’s achievements and is glad to call him an alumnus.
