MADISON — John (Jack) Rogan has been selected as the Irish Person of the Year by the Dane County Shamrock Club.
Rogan will be recognized at the club’s Irish Flag Ceremony in the state Capitol Sunday, March 14, at 12 noon (followed by the St. Patrick’s Day Parade at 1:30 p.m. around the Capitol Square) and at its St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Sunday, March 21, at the Coliseum Bar.
Rogan, oldest of seven children, was born to Irish parents in New York City in July 1926. Soon after, the family moved to Gortgarn, Northern Ireland (near Belfast), before relocating to Elmira, N.Y.
He gave up his seminary deferment to enter service in June 1945. Following the Japanese surrender, he transferred from the infantry to finance and spent the majority of his 25-year active duty career serving in financial management positions. He was promoted to the rank of colonel in April 1968. He retired in 1970.
Upon relocating to Madison, Rogan served as state finance director for 13 years during the tenure of five governors. During this period, he was also actively involved at the national level.
He recently completed over 38 years of voluntary service to the Diocese of Madison as a financial advisor to three bishops and as a member of the corporate board and other boards and committees.
Rogan married Ann Cogan in Kyoto, Japan, in 1950 and they are the parents of nine children. They will be celebrating their 60th anniversary on July 16. They are long-time members of St. Bernard Parish in Middleton, where he served as parish council president and financial advisor. He continues to serve as lector, commentator, and Eucharistic minister.
The Rogans were named “Family of the Year” in 2003 by the state Knights of Columbus. Jack was chosen as “Serran of the Year” in 2004 and he received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs in 2009.