Bill Reiling ‘50’s impact on the Twin Cities has spanned multiple industries, generous philanthropic commitments, and decades of dedication to constant improvement.

He attended St. Rose of Lima, then Cretin, then the University of St. Thomas, where he participated in ROTC and earned a degree in business. He served in the Air Force after graduating and earned an MBA from Northwestern University in Chicago.

In 1957, Bill’s career in real estate began. He began writing residential mortgages, moved into commercial real estate mortgages, and rose to the rank of vice president. He was successful, but knew he had bigger goals. He had always dreamed of owning his own company, and in 1973 had the opportunity to purchase a 25% stake in Towle real estate. Eventually, he owned the entire company.

Over his two decades there, Bill expanded Towle to offer a full range of real estate services. His success in this business led to his induction in the Minnesota Real Estate Hall of Fame. He trained his son, Mark, and eventually sold him the business in 1993. But Bill was not ready to retire — instead, he dove into a second career.

He had previously purchased Franklin National Bank in 1984, and bought two more St. Paul banks in the early 1990s, combining them into Sunrise Community Banks. He was committed to serving the local community, focusing on making loans to first-time homeowners and small business owners, many of whom were immigrants with limited credit history. Sunrise Banks’ focus is on making a positive impact on the community and allowing their customers to pursue their dreams. 

Bill and his wife, Joan, have also made major charitable contributions to the St. Paul community, particularly through Catholic Charities. After hearing a talk about homelessness, he purchased the building that housed the Dorothy Day Center, selling it to Catholic Charities on favorable terms so they could own instead of rent. He also helped them own numerous other buildings. For their commitment to Catholic Charities, Bill and Joan received the Life of Distinction award.

“Bill possesses an unwavering and steadfast vision for the highest good,” said his friend Tom Ryan. “He has a moral compass that points true North. When you combine this with a tenacious determination and an unparalleled work ethic you have a really unbeatable combination.”

The Richard R. Engler Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to one recipient to honor a lifetime of exemplary service and dedication to Cretin-Derham Hall and the broader CDH community.  This award is presented in recognition of the long history of service by Dick Engler, the President of Cretin-Derham Hall between 1990 and 2015, whose commitment and hard work impacted generations of CDH families.