BALTIMORE, MD – May 23, 2019 – Thomas E. Kelso, President of Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc., has been named the 2019 recipient of the Reverend Charles K. Riepe Alumni Award.
Presented by The John Carroll School, an independent Catholic high school in Bel Air, MD, the award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and community service. The winner is an exemplary role model consistent with the Catholic values and philosophy of The John Carroll School to educate the whole person and to develop young men and women of moral integrity through challenging academics and real-life experiences. It is the highest honor that can be given to alumni of The John Carroll School.
The award will be presented to Mr. Kelso on Friday, May 24. He will also have the honor of giving the commencement speech at The John Carroll School graduation on Saturday, May 25.
Mr. Kelso is President of Matrix Capital Markets Group, a leading, independent investment bank, and founded the firm’s Downstream Energy & Convenience Retail Group (“DER”). In addition to his role as President of Matrix, he also co-advises clients on company sales, divestitures, acquisitions, capital raises, recapitalizations, restructurings, valuations and strategic planning.
He is the Chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA), and also served as Chairman of Hogan for Governor 2018. He has also made a tremendous impact on John Carroll and spent nine years on The John Carroll School Board of Trustees. He was the first alumnus to serve as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. During his tenure as Chairman, the Board conducted and completed a Facility Master Plan for the school and kicked off the fundraising for the first phase of a capital campaign. Mr. Kelso also headed the President Search Committee and spent time as Chair of the Development/Institutional Advancement Committee.
His philanthropic efforts include co-chairing the Children’s Scholarship Fund Baltimore’s Fund the Future Campaign to provide scholarships that allow Baltimore City children to attend parochial or private schools, and Honorary Co-Chair of the Maryland Food Bank’s 40th Anniversary Campaign. Additionally, The Kelso Bishop Family Foundation supports John Carroll, CSFB, the University of Maryland Medical System Shock Trauma, St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, the Fair Hill Foundation, the Bennett Institute of Kennedy Krieger and other organizations dedicated to providing educational opportunities for children, among others. Fittingly, Fr. Riepe was an enormous part of Mr. Kelso’s life, as Chaplain, his JV baseball coach, Principal and President of John Carroll and as a friend.