ESCANABA — Holy Name Catholic School is the recipient of a $352,000 donation from the Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation, according to a press release..

The donation will be an ongoing gift to bring salaries to parity with local public school teacher salaries.

Daniel J. Kobasic (HNHS, Class of ’64) was an Escanaba native and long-time entrepreneur. He left Escanaba when he was 18 years old on an iron ore freighter, sailing briefly on the Great Lakes before embarking the Pacific; nearly eight years later, after completing navigation school in New York and serving in the Merchant Marines, he returned to Escanaba.

Upon his return, he constructed and opened a Shakey’s Pizza restaurant. He channeled these profits to build a fishing trawler, the Danica K. in 1978 and then started Basic Marine in 1979. This maritime construction business ultimately produced over 225 fresh and salt water vessels. He also launched Basic Towing to service icebreaking and towing needs around the Great Lakes and beyond.

He died on Nov. 30, 2017, establishing a foundation at his passing. The Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation supports many worthy causes around the area and throughout the Upper Peninsula.

Daniel was guided by integrity, strong work ethic and determination; he sought to learn from the experiences of others, often seeking the best way to support people and organizations with values similar to his own. He respected the education that Holy Name provided and wanted to ensure its longevity. When he learned of the compensation differential that existed between the local public schools and Holy Name, he saw an opportunity to do so.

“My father was always compelled to help people and causes that he respected and believed in, specifically those whose work positively contributed to and improved society,” said Krystal C. Kobasic, Daniel’s youngest daughter and co-director of the Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation. “The education and Catholic values enacted on a daily basis by the extraordinary teachers of Holy Name embody this. It is an honor to have this opportunity to carry on his legacy following his wishes.”

Holy Name Catholic School Interim Administrator Jeffery Sierpien says the generosity of Daniel J. Kobasic will be felt for years to come by current and future Holy Name teachers.

“Speaking on behalf of our teachers, we are extremely grateful to the Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation for this generous donation,” Sierpien said. “This donation will help us bridge the gap between our current teachers’ salaries and those of our neighboring public school teachers. Offering competitive compensation will greatly assist us in the retention of our faculty as well as assist with future recruiting efforts.”

For more information on Holy Name Catholic School, which is currently accepting registration for the 2023-24 school year, call 906-786-7550 or visit the school’s website: www.holynamecrusaders.com.