Alumni & Friends

John Percy Riebel – AKA “Chef Jack” – was proudly born and raised in Saint Paul. He discovered his passion for cooking as a teenager and enrolled in our culinary program. Three days before he died, he was awarded him an honorary doctorate from Saint Paul College..

Chef Jack’s restaurant journey began as a 19-year-old prep cook in the brigade of Chef Paul Laubignat at the newly-opened Radisson Plaza in Minneapolis. He was next hired as a line cook at Goodfellow’s, Chef Stephen Pyles’s celebrated new American restaurant. During his eight-year tenure, Jack rose to executive sous under Chef Kevin Cullen, cooking multiple James Beard dinners and serving such luminaries as Julia Child, Billy Joel, and Mikhail Gorbachev.

In his first chef turn, he took the reins of Tim McKee’s fine dining destination, La Belle Vie in Stillwater, Minnesota. Combing the countryside for ingredients, Chef Jack cultivated the relationships with craft purveyors that became a hallmark of his style. He next spearheaded the Dakota Jazz Club’s relocation to its 400-seat Minneapolis home. Artists such as Wynton Marsalis and Hugh Masekela praised Chef Jack’s hospitality, which transformed the Dakota into a dining destination named one of the top ten jazz clubs in the world by Playboy magazine.

Striking out as a co-owner, Chef Jack opened the craft bourbon and barbecue mecca Butcher and the Boar. It quickly became a Minneapolis hotspot, garnering James Beard finalist nods for Best Chef Midwest and Best New Restaurant. After brief turns heading up Paddy Shack and Il Foro, Chef Jack returned to his roots with a reboot of St. Paul’s legendary Lexington. With its lovingly restored interiors and unpretentious classic cuisine, Chef Jack’s vision for the Lex is: “a working-class supper club, the kind of place anyone can go and feel special.”

Over nearly 40 years in the restaurant industry, Chef Jack fed, mentored, sparred with, and inspired an entire generation of Twin Cities’ food professionals. He was a fixture at charity events such as Share Our Strength’s Taste of the NFL, a Superbowl-week guest on Beat Bobby Flay, and winner of numerous competitions from the Twin City Burger Fest to Minnesota Monthly’s Local Chef Challenge. A lifelong learner, he spent vacations travelling the world to stage in other kitchens and enjoy fine dining with his wife Kathryne. He amassed a cookbook collection of over 500 volumes, donated to Saint Paul College.

Throughout his career, Chef Jack credited the education he received at St Paul under Chefs Eberhard Werthmann, Manfred Krug, and Larry Fisher. He and his family are delighted to establish this scholarship to help remove barriers to educational access for the next generation of young chefs.

A scholarship has been created to honor Chef Jack’s memory and help culinary arts students at Saint Paul College. Please consider a gift today.

Scott Robert Runman (1980-2020) was born and raised in South Minneapolis. Following his father’s early and sudden death in 2000, Scott followed his dad’s passion for hospitality and obtained a degree in Culinary Arts from Saint Paul College in 2004. He went on to work in kitchens around the world, including the Minneapolis Club, Earth Lodge in Guatemala and many other restaurants across the country in Minnesota, Florida and Alaska. His career was cut short when he passed away suddenly following a heart attack on July 4th, 2020 at just 39 years old. At the time of his death, he served as the Executive Chef at the Westmark Inn Hotel and the Bonanza Bar & Grill in Skagway, AK.

Scott spent the last 10 years of his life sharing his culinary expertise with aspiring chefs and hospitality professionals; many of whom he hired, trained and developed. But more importantly, Scott was known for the support and encouragement he passed along to colleagues, employees, friends or anyone he came across. He encouraged each person to be true to themselves and to follow their dreams.

Scott was especially invested in those who had a disadvantage due to adversity or injustice. He loved history. Throughout his life and his travels across the globe, Scott educated himself about the history of discrimination and oppression throughout our world. He spoke often of the historical injustices that made it a challenge for Native Americans, Hispanics and so many others in the world to pursue their dreams. His most recent focus was on the compassion he felt for the Black community in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. His heart broke in the wake of the George Floyd murder and the social unrest in the city he loved so much. He often wished aloud that he could somehow make a difference for these disadvantaged groups of people. Scott was passionate about giving all people a chance, no matter their situation or background, and did what he could to provide opportunities for many.

A scholarship has been created to honor Scott’s memory and help culinary arts students at Saint Paul College. Please consider a gift today.

Chef Jeremy passed away due to chronic health problems.

Jeremy had deep love for his family, his puppies Tank and Annie, and for life.

Jeremy developed exceptional skills in the culinary arts. He had a refined palette and was passionate about working in the restaurant industry. He interned at Meritage in St. Paul, worked at the Marquette Hotel in Minneapolis, and was working at Mystic Lake Casino when he passed away.

Jeremy struggled in his teenage years with drug addiction due to his depression of having Type 1 diabetes. He had legal issues as a result. The Culinary Arts program gave him a path to success when many other occupations were closed to him.

This program paved the way to Jeremy getting great jobs and much needed benefits like health insurance. He loved the program, what he learned, and where he worked. It rebuilt his life.

Jeremy had a profound sense of humor and a great love of life. His parents, siblings, nephews and niece will miss him forever. We will always be grateful to the opportunity, sense of self-worth and pride that the Culinary Arts program gave our son.

This grant is to help culinary students in time of need so students can remain in the program and achieve your dreams.

Love you, Jeremy. We love every student and teacher in the Culinary Arts program at Saint Paul College. We hope that when you get this grant that you will think of him.

Parents, Rick and Kelly Larson

An Emergency Fund has been created to honor Chef Jeremy’s memory and help culinary arts students at Saint Paul College.

Malcolm W. McDonald received his education at Blake School, Yale College, and the Graduate School of Business at Harvard University. Malcolm served as Senior Vice President of Space Center, Inc. from 1977 to 2002. Prior to that he served as Vice President of First National Bank of St. Paul from 1960 to 1977.

Malcolm also provided Board leadership to the Grotto Foundation, Minnesota State Board of Investment Advisory Council, Way to Grow, Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence, Starbase Minnesota, Minnesota Council of Churches Foundation, Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services, Hennepin County Investment Advisory Committee, Yale Alumni Association of the Northwest, Yale Alumni Schools Committee, Yale 1958 Class Council and Blake School Alumni Board. He was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Malcolm served as Emeritus trustee of the Amherst Wilder Foundation, Minnesota State Fair Foundation and of the Bigelow Foundations. Malcolm was active politically, was involved at the Minnesota Landmark Center, as well as his church, St. John the Evangelist. He was Executive Secretary of the Informal Club and Treasurer of the Fort Snelling State Park Association, Bulldogs on the Lakes, Inc. and of the Afton Historical Society Press.

Malcolm’s greatest hope was for each and every kid to have a life.

Tom graduated in 1984 from Saint Paul Area Technical Vocational Institute with a diploma in Tool & Die/Moldmaking in the Machine Tool Process Program. He was a straight A student with perfect attendance. During school, Tom worked as a shop cleaner at Mo-Tech Corporation and stayed with the company after graduation, working his way up through the ranks, retiring as President.

For the past several years, Tom volunteered his time and industry expertise to Saint Paul College. He served on the College’s program advisory committee for the CNC Toolmaking program to help faculty keep the curriculum relevant in a rapidly changing manufacturing sector. Tom also served for six years as a board member for the Friends of Saint Paul College Foundation, including two years as board chair, helping guide their efforts to raise funds for scholarships and develop strategic plans.

Tom was dedicated to hiring Saint Paul College graduates which was reflected in the fact that over a dozen are currently working at Mo-Tech. He has facilitated Mo-Tech’s “in-kind” equipment donations to the College several times. Oakdale, Minnesota based Mo-Tech is well respected for their expertise in creating injection and die-cast molds, machine parts and design services for companies like Toro, Nordic Ware and Polaris.

Tom was married to his high school sweetheart Valerie for over 32 years. They raised two beautiful children, Johanna and Zack. He was able to enjoy his grandson Henry’s first year of life. In his spare time, he loved to fish and hunt and attend Vikings, Wild and Twins games.

Memorials gifts are preferred to the Tom Nielsen Scholarship, which he established in 2018, the same year Saint Paul College honored him as its Alum of the Year.

Bonnie June Stapf (nee: Tonsager), age 84 of Farmington, MN and Davenport, FL passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on May 11th. Bonnie was born June 4th, 1937 to Palmer and Velma Tonsager. She grew up in Farmington, MN, where she met and later would marry the love of her life, Myron. In their over 61 years of marriage, they built a home, raised three children, and built a company where she was a real estate broker. In their retirement years, they spent most winters in Florida with good friends, enjoyed their social club, traveling around the world and golf outings. Bonnie loved to cook. There wasn’t a recipe or kitchen gadget she didn’t have. She was a gracious and frequent hostess, throwing great parties and warm family gatherings. She was a die-hard Vikings fan – usually. She was vibrant and fearless, and she loved to laugh and spend time with her people. After a debilitating stroke five years ago, her only complaint was that she could no longer go dancing.

Bonnie is survived by her beloved husband Myron, daughters Lisa Thostenson (Mark), Stacy Fleming (Brian) and son Darin Stapf, six grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and her special dog MeToo and cat Sammie. A Celebration of Life will be held open house style at Celt’s Pub in Farmington on Thursday July 7th from 4-7pm. Feel free to wear purple, orange or green, and bring stories or photos to share. In lieu of flowers, Memorials can be made to the family. A scholarship to Saint Paul College Culinary Arts cooking school is planned.

A remarkable man, Eberhard Werthmann, 87, peacefully journeyed to Heaven on February 18, surrounded by his adoring family.

He was born in Munningen, Germany, on September 6, 1935. As a young man, he began his culinary career apprenticing throughout Europe in distinguished hotels and restaurants, eventually becoming an Executive Chef. In 1963, Sheraton International brought him to open hotels in New York, Jamaica, and the Sheraton Ritz Hotel in Minneapolis, where he met his wife Kathleen (“Tookie”), the beginning of their amazing lifelong love.

In 1966, Eberhard joined Saint Paul College to lead its new Culinary Arts Program, where he taught thousands of students over 32 years. He was known to push his students to their fullest potential, with many dashes of humor and life lessons. He was a beloved teacher.

For 40 years, Eberhard also taught at Cooks of Crocus Hill, where eager Minnesota home cooks learned his classic techniques and brought that knowledge and enjoyment back to their families and friends. He encouraged them to adjust recipes to their tastes, saying, “A recipe is just a guide. Experiment, enjoy, share your hospitality.”

For decades, Eberhard donated elegant six-course dinners to raise money for dozens of charities, foundations, churches, and schools. Such a joy! His proudest achievements were his 55-year loving marriage to Tookie and being a proud father to his daughters Colleen, Ingrid, and Allison. Together, they enjoyed the cabin he built for them in Balsam Lake, Wisconsin, hosting family and friends with (of course) delicious meals.

A fund exists in Eberhard’s honor to help culinary arts students at Saint Paul College. Please consider a gift today.

Jason Twombly was a valued and respected member of the Saint Paul College family since 2019, working as the student loan navigator in the Title III Office. Jason, age 44, of Minneapolis, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Jason was born on January 23, 1979, in Orlando, FL. Jason was a proud Mounds View Mustang and Saint Cloud State Huskie grad. He served many colleges and universities in the Twin Cities area in Admissions and Financial Aid. Jason received tremendous satisfaction from helping others, especially when helping his students overcome hurdles and barriers in the educational process. Jason had a great sense of humor, loved live music, and always celebrated whatever life had in store for him. He cherished his time with his family, especially his nephews Owen and Sawyer. Jason also had many friends, whom he would often invite to the family cabin on Portage Lake to fish and grill, or invite over to his house to watch a game, whether it was the Twins, Vikings, Wolves or Wild. Jason will be dearly missed by his parents, Don and Jolene (Stephens) Twombly, his brothers Mark and Craig (Amy), and his two nephews, Owen and Sawyer, as well as his uncle Dave (Char) Twombly and aunt Jane (Twombly) Trahms and many cousins.

To say Jason will be missed is an understatement. He exemplified Saint Paul College’s mission, vision, and values. In particular, he was a student champion and advocate – keeping students at the very heart of his work. His impact wasn’t just on hundreds of students’ lives, but on thousands.

All gifts will directly support the Campus Food Pantry.