News Detail
Walther McLaughlin: A Story of Perseverance and Great Success
There are two buildings at La Salle Academy named for graduates of the school. This is a story about one of those men – Walter F. McLaughlin, Class of 1957 for whom the McLaughlin Athletic Center is named.
“I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to go to La Salle. My father committed suicide in 1950 and my mother worked hard, as did I, to support ourselves but there was not enough money for the La Salle tuition,” said the now prosperous owner of McLaughlin Automotive Stores. “I had received a good education from the Sisters of Notre Dame at St. Teresa School in Providence and was ready for high school but La Salle was out of reach.”
“At that moment one of the true heroes of my life, Father Peter Gibbons, Pastor of St. Teresa, sent for me and my mother. I’ll never forget his words – ‘Red (as I was called in those days) you are a good kid and I know you want to go to La Salle even though you and your mom cannot afford it. I want you to go ahead and register for La Salle and I will pay for it.’ He went on to say that some day I might be able to pay it back so he could help out another youngster go to a good school,” said Walter, a 2002 inductee into the La Salle Academy Hall of Fame. “I did repay Father Gibbons years later and he appreciated my gratitude.”
There are two buildings at La Salle Academy named for graduates of the school. This is a story about one of those men – Walter F. McLaughlin, Class of 1957 for whom the McLaughlin Athletic Center is named.
“I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to go to La Salle. My father committed suicide in 1950 and my mother worked hard, as did I, to support ourselves but there was not enough money for the La Salle tuition,” said the now prosperous owner of McLaughlin Automotive Stores. “I had received a good education from the Sisters of Notre Dame at St. Teresa School in Providence and was ready for high school but La Salle was out of reach.”
“At that moment one of the true heroes of my life, Father Peter Gibbons, Pastor of St. Teresa, sent for me and my mother. I’ll never forget his words – ‘Red (as I was called in those days) you are a good kid and I know you want to go to La Salle even though you and your mom cannot afford it. I want you to go ahead and register for La Salle and I will pay for it.’ He went on to say that some day I might be able to pay it back so he could help out another youngster go to a good school,” said Walter, a 2002 inductee into the La Salle Academy Hall of Fame. “I did repay Father Gibbons years later and he appreciated my gratitude.”
Walter spoke about his disappointment at not being able to participate in sports during his four years at La Salle. “I worked nearly full time during my four years in order to stay at La Salle as did a number of my class mates – guys like Jack Rosetta and Ray Derois who were great athletes and like me came from humble families and so they too worked after school rather than playing sports.”
“While it was tough not being able to play football and other sports, it was special to be part of La Salle where we were taught life lessons as well as academic subjects by the dedicated Brothers and lay teachers. That provided the foundation for me becoming a successful business man,” he said.
“Following graduation from La Salle and Bryant College and more than a decade in the banking industry, I left to start a small auto parts store in Providence when I realized that my entrepreneur banking customers were earning two and three times my annual earnings,” said Walter, a U.S. Air Force and Rhode Island Air National Guard veteran. “It was a very tough economy at the time. The store was open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. catering to the needs of the public mostly in the off hours after the competition had closed for the day and on weekends.”
“In 1978 we built a new and bigger store and stocked as much inventory as we could fit into the building. Sales rose and we earned a reputation as a good source for professionals as well as do-it-yourselfers,” he continued. “In 1980 McLaughlin Automotive Stores opened its first branch store in Coventry and I bought the building. The 1980s brought rapid growth and by the end of the decade ten stores were operating and we had begun to buy direct from manufacturers bypassing the middleman to keep costs as low as possible.”
”The millennium caused us to refocus activities and realign operations. We decided to consolidate to eight profitable stores that we operate today,” continued Walter. “This was a huge and positive decision as no loss of business was incurred and we were well prepared for the hard times of the last few years.”
One graphic measure of the success of McLaughlin Automotive Stores can be seen on the back wall of Walter’s Office. There, written in magic marker are the names of more than 50 of McLaughlin’s former competitors that are not longer in business. Walter says “They maximized expenses and minimized revenues; which is the formula for disaster.”
“Our success could never have been achieved without the good and loyal team member employees of the company – they are the best in the business,” said Walter. “These are people who care about their jobs, care about their customers, care about the company, and work hard to make sure things go right. Most importantly, we have always taken care to never let expenses surpass revenues – the true key to any business success. It is something that La Salle needs to keep an eye on.”
“God has given me more than I ever expected. His greatest gift has been my wife Wanda. Our success in business is a fringe benefit to our successful marriage,” said Walter. “Wanda and I both want the La Salle tradition to continue.”
“Looking back, obviously I was very fortunate to have someone like Father Gibbons in my life and I am concerned that today fewer and fewer kids of limited means will be able to attend La Salle as parishes can no longer afford the cost of tuitions,” continued Walter. “I am hopeful that the La Salle graduates of the past few decades who have become financially successful will remember their school and support it financially so that the less financially fortunate also can attend La Salle.”
“For so many of my classmates, La Salle Academy was the footing in our lives – a second and safe home,” said the extraordinarily successful business man. “La Salle has given me, and many alumni through the years, more than we ever expected and because of that we have a responsibility to give back. Again, I’m hoping the alumni and alumnae will give priority to La Salle and give what they can to keep the tradition alive and well.”
Speaking of the building that bears his name, Walter chuckled as he described his first meeting on the subject – a meeting with then La Salle President Brother Jerome. “The good Brother came to me with a $9 million plan for an athletic complex and suggested that I put up a very large portion of the money,” said Walter. “I threw him out of my office. I told Wanda what I had done and she was not very supportive of my actions. I felt badly about what I had done and so I called Brother Jerome and invited him to lunch where I offered to pay a full tuition for one student. Brother split the money between two kids and the next year I gave him enough for two kids.”
“Shortly thereafter, I agreed to go on the Board of Regents where I served with a number of very solid guys such as Anthony Scorpio, Dr. John Miele, Jim Hanaway, Vin Graziano and Tom Maggiacomo. Their service should never be forgotten,” said
Walter. “That Board conceiving the idea of a new pay scale for teachers and Scorpio worked with Mary Beth Beretta to get that accomplished.”
“Eventually, the subject of the athletic complex came up again but with a more modest plan and at that time Brother Jerome was somewhat reluctant to move on it,” said Walter.
“This time, with Board support we obtained the Bishop’s approval, raised the money, and Frank Ducharme, ’57 President of Turgeon Construction built the building at a very reasonable cost.”
“I look back and think of some of the teachers and brothers who had an impact on me. I think of Vin McGinn who taught typing and was my homeroom teacher my senior year – a great guy,” he said. “Of course, there was Black Pat who gave me a few attitude adjustments during my four years and Lou Cimini who was special to all the kids. I remember English teacher Tom Reilly who used to be the play-by-play announcer at the football games and who had us read ‘The Last Hurrah” by Edwin O’Connor, a La Salle grad.”
Asked about his continued generosity to his former school Walter said, “Maybe, Brother Jerome was right that the Holy Spirit did descend on me. I like everything about the place. The brothers are wonderful men who follow the mandates of De La Salle. The reason I contribute is because I believe La Salle builds good Americans, equips them with the tools for college and to be successful in life. Ninety-nine percent of the La Salle graduates I know have become successful in whatever they have done to make a living – from business people to lay jobs – from bankers to cops and fire fighters – they are good people with good families. That is why La Salle is worthy of our support.”
Editor’s note: Walter’s dedication to La Salle Academy and Rhode Island has never waned. He served as Chairman of the Board of Regents from 1994 to 2000 and has been a chairman and member of multiple committees, too many in number to name. In 2000 he and Wanda were awarded the St. John Baptist de La Salle Medal. In 1997 Walter was honored as the Rhode Island Small Business Person of the Year and in 1998 was the recipient of the Bryant College Distinguished Alumnus Award. He has also served as the president of the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. 2011 marks the McLaughlin Automotive Stores 37th year in business.
La Salle Academy is a high school rich in history and grounded in the person and teachings of Jesus and the Catholic faith, which are core to the school's life and culture. The De La Salle Middle School provides a strong holistic foundation for students to transition into high school. The high school and middle school provide students of diverse ethnic, economic, and religious backgrounds, a community to foster growth in the tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle’s ideals of faith, service, and community.
