NCS New Canaan

Founding Chapter

A Tale of Tragedy, Triumph and Changed Lives

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Tom Mallon humbly shares the incredible journey that took him from growing up in southern Ohio (a la “Hillbilly Elegy”) as one of seven children with nine people living in a three-bedroom, one-bathroom home to building and selling his company in an innovative way that changed the lives of his employees.

Tom describes a turning point in his faith when he asked God what it meant to be “saved”, and God vividly revealed situations in which He had provided for Tom supernaturally. From that revelation, he knew God loved him and that he was “saved”.

Tom recounts his career path from working in the local glass factory, to selling books door-to-door for seven summers (including as a Harvard Business School graduate without a job), to 11 years in commercial real estate, to watching his first business venture fail due to a bad partnership, to starting the business that he would eventually build, sell to an ESOP and then sell to a Catholic health system, resulting in the lives of his employees being profoundly changed (13 employees becoming millionaires, 3 more receiving $900,000 and even the lowest-paid employees walking away with $400-500,000).

Tom vulnerably shares how God used a triple-tragedy (death of his first business dream, death of his father, and a health challenge) to “roto-rooter” his soul in preparation for his second business venture.

He describes the growth of his second venture and the drawn-out sale process that took the business through two letters of intent before the Holy Spirit convicted him to pursue an ESOP sale by asking “what is the best business decision you can make for your company’s future that will increase the ministry and mission of the business?” Tom also shares how the faithful culture of the business grew after the ESOP sale.

Finally, Tom explains the lessons he learned about the importance of “aligned capital” and how those lessons led to the formation of his current venture, Perpetuate Capital.

Running the Good Race (Reginald Jones III – 12/16/22 – NCS New Canaan)

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With incredible humility and authenticity, Reginald “Regg” Jones III shares a unique and fascinating faith, family and life journey that had its faith roots at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Darien, site of an incredible spiritual revival documented in the book The Miracle in Darien by Bob Slosser.

Regg describes growing up with a father who decided to change the trajectory of his family by making time with his children a priority and how Regg came to face the same challenge with his own family. He explains the four “family values” that shaped much of his educational and professional journey and how he came to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord at the tender age of 11.

Jones talks about how his faith grew through the mentorship of others, the struggle he experienced after college in deciding between pursuing a path in “ministry” or “business”, how those mentors helped him choose business, and how he later came to understand that his choice was based on a false dichotomy, learning that both paths constituted “ministry”.

Regg describes his professional path through top firms such as Pepsico, Apple, Bain and Goldman Sachs, and the lessons they taught him about organizational culture. He explains how he learned to carry and share his faith in those environments and how all those lessons about culture and faith eventually helped shape the vision and culture of Greenbriar, the private equity firm he founded in his 30’s.

Regg explains the four pillars of Greenbriar’s unique culture that was born from a vision to take the best of the corporate cultures he had experienced and shape them by his faith, and he describes why he believes “love wins” even in the marketplace.

With remarkable vulnerability, Jones talks about how he navigated the challenges along the way and how God showed up with “kisses from Heaven” to encourage and guide him at just the right times. He describes challenges such as balancing a demanding career with family life, starting a new business in the midst of 9/11, and walking the “thin green line” between success and failure, always trusting in God’s providence.

Finally, Regg explains the vision that inspired his involvement in the founding of Trinity Church Greenwich.

Three Lessons from a Journey with Jesus (Bishop Frank Caggiano – 12/2/22 – NCS New Canaan)

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With wonderful humor and great humility and authenticity, The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, the Fifth Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Bridgeport, CT, shares the incredible twists and turns of his lifelong faith journey, as well as three lessons learned along the path.

Caggiano describes with tremendous transparency life growing up in a closely-knit Brooklyn community as an Italian-American son of immigrant parents. He talks about his father’s extreme pride when he was accepted into Yale and his father’s heart-wrenching disappointment when he announced he was going to seminary.

Caggiano explains the two calls that have been on his life. First, the call to step up and be a man of faith–letting his life be claimed by Jesus–which he humbly admits is a project still underway. Second, his call to leadership and the challenges in discerning, understanding and finally accepting that call.

With extraordinary vulnerability, Caggiano then shares three life lessons from his faith journey, including the difficult ways in which some were learned:

  • Caggiano tells how, in choosing to pursue his call to the priesthood, he learned that the things you want in life are not always the things you need in life. He describes how he left seminary to pursue the material comfort he wanted, how God gave him everything he wanted in a lucrative business career, how he came to reorient his heart toward the one thing we need–Jesus, and how that reoriented his entire universe to see everything as a blessing.
  • Caggiano shares how, through his stubborn resistance to his call to the priesthood and God’s relentless pursuit, he learned to appreciate God’s gracious love, accept the call as a blessing, and finally surrender to Jesus as his master.
  • Caggiano explains how, through the death of a young priest and the wisdom of a mentor, he learned that his life would not be measured by its length or accomplishments but by the quality of life he shared with others in faithful witness through presence, authenticity and honesty. In sharing that what allows us to persevere is the assurance that the Holy Spirit can give us the courage to be disciples wherever we are and to stand with Christ regardless of what the world says or how it reacts, Caggiano humbly admits that this is a lesson he is still learning.

Bishop Caggiano ends with a wonderful word of encouragement about the blessing and importance of men being able to meet in the spirit of the New Canaan Society–a safe place where men can remove their masks, support each other and share the life lessons learned in our journey with Jesus.

So, let me just end by saying this. You are very blessed to have this gathering. For me, coming as a brother and witnessing what you are–don’t ever take it for granted. There are not many safe spaces where we can gather and drop our masks and be who we are called to be and to share whatever life lessons we have learned in the grace of Jesus Christ. So, I must tell you I am very grateful to have shared this morning with you, and perhaps, if time permits, I may be able to join you not as a speaker but just as a brother in faith.

Following Bishop Caggiano’s talk is an extended Q&A covering topics such as the faith implications of being a Mets fan and the important role of fathers.

The Journey of an Ordinary Man (Edward Russell III – 10/7/22 – NCS New Canaan)

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With genuine NCS vulnerability and authenticity, Ed Russell describes what he humbly calls the journey of “an ordinary man”. It is Ed’s unique journey, and he is an extraordinary man in many ways, but in many ways it is every man’s journey.

Ed explains that there were no cataclysmic events like divorce, affairs, prison or loss of a fortune–the things that can make faith stories exciting.

Describing what he calls an “Ozzy and Harriet” childhood, Ed tells about life growing up with church-going parents in the upscale Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe. He explains how his father began getting him involved in the family business from a very young age how he navigated the road to becoming the third generation leader of Russell Development.

Russell shares the story of meeting his wife in high school, getting married, having children, putting his own mark on the family business and chasing money, success, status and toys. He then emotionally opens up about the valleys and the lessons painfully learned, such as a family tragedy at the climax of his biggest business deal. Ed describes how his relentless pursuit of “success” strained relationships with his wife and daughters and how he came to see that what he thought was “all for them” was really “all for him”. He also tenderly shares about the opportunity to ask their forgiveness.

Ed explains the journey that introduced him to a Bible study led by a man who would become a mentor and friend, how he began to grow as a husband and father, and his path to the New Canaan Society that began on a private plane to Belize.

Ed ends with a heartwarming and powerful story of how one man’s life was transformed by finding friendship and meeting Jesus in the “boiler room” of NCS Grosse Pointe.

Navigating the Narrow Gate (Tom Cole – 4/29/22 – NCS New Canaan)

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With amazing wisdom and humility gained on life’s journey, Tom Cole shares the ups and downs that have allowed God to shape him, as well as the role the New Canaan Society and the friendships he has found in NCS brudders have played in his story. He reveals with tremendous vulnerability how his greatest personal growth came through the hardest moments of life.

From a painful and public divorce to two heart attacks, Tom talks about the importance of his faith in Jesus to his ability to weather difficult storms. He explains how the first heart attack ultimately led to his book “The Narrow Gate: Fatherly Advice for Navigating the Pathway to Your Best Life“. Lying on a hospital gurney not knowing if he was going home to Jesus, Tom shares that the “dominant” thought was he had not poured enough wisdom into his kids.

Tom takes us through a few of the chapters, starting with what he has learned about the source of real joy and happiness–deep relationship with God and others. He explains why money and achievement do not bring happiness.

He also explains the importance of sharing our stories–not only so that others can walk with us through them, but so that we can make a connection with those who need us to walk with them through their stories.

He ties it all back to the core of NCS–growing deeper in friendship with Jesus and friendship with others by “showing up”–“showing up” not for what you can get but because you might be able to impact the life of another man. Tom transparently tells stories of how he has “shown up” for others and how others have “shown up” and walked with him through life’s valleys.

Newly retired from a long and successful career in investment banking, Tom describes navigating the transition to a new season of life. He also explains the importance of being present to the moment, living one day at a time, even as we reflect on the past and plan for the future.

This is God-inspired wisdom for leading a life walking in the Way of Jesus–wisdom from a father to his children, from a brother to his brothers, and from a friend to his friends.

If any man truly wants to be an NCS brudder, he needs to listen to this God-inspired wisdom on what we mean by “showing up”.​

Early in his talk, Tom refers to “a message from our sponsor”. He showed a video produced by Chick-fil-A as an employee training tool. You can watch it below.

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