Board of Directors
Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
Most Rev. James V. Johnston D.D., J.C.L. was ordained 6th bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese on March 31, 2008. Bishop Johnston served the Diocese of Knoxville TN for 19 years, prior to being appointed as head of this Diocse .
Principal of Notre Dame Regional High School
Brother David Anthony Migliorino, O.S.F. 
is a member of the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, New York. Br. David has been involved in elementary and secondary Catholic education for more than 40 years. He earned an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Catholic University, a B.A. in History from St. Francis College, and a Masters degree in Secondary Education from St. John’s University. He holds a Certification in Social Studies and Administration from New York State and an Educational Specialist degree from Saint Louis University. Br. David is a member of the National Catholic Education Association, North Central Association of Schools and Colleges, The Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. He has led Notre Dame Regional High School as principal since 1999.
Chairman
Robert P. Essner, CPA, partner in Bucher, Essner and Miles. L.L.C., Sikeston, has been a Foundation board member since 1986. He is a 1973 graduate of Notre Dame. Essner graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, major in Accounting. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Missouri Society of CPAs. He is a past president and officer of the Kelso Jaycees and has served as treasurer of the Kelso Youth League, Inc. He is a member of St. Augustine Parish, Kelso, and its parish finance committee, Notre Dame Booster Club, and Knights of Columbus Council 6420. Essner and his wife, Karla, have three children, graduates of Notre Dame High School classes of 1999, 2000, and 2004.
Vice Chairman
Dr. Jim Dufek, is a Professor and the TV&Film Operations Manager for the Department of Mass Media at Southeast Missouri State University. He received his Ph.D. from SIU-Carbondale in 1992. He received his MA degree in Radio/TV/Film from the University of South Dakota in 1982 and BS in Media/Business Administration and Theology from Mt. Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota in 1981. He has been teaching at Southeast for 28 years.
He serves on the State Board of Directors for the Missouri Motion Media Association; he is a member of the Board of Trustees for Southeast Missouri Hospital and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences; he is a member of the Marketing Committee for the United Way of Southeast Missouri, and a member of the Education Committee for the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce.
Jim is married to Susie, who is co-chief CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) at Southeast Missouri Hospital. They have three children: Joseph ('04) Jacob ('05) and a senior Madeline (2012) at Notre Dame Regional High School. They are members of St. Vincent De Paul Parish.
Treasurer
Steve K. Dirnberger, CPA, is a partner with Stanley, Dirnberger, Hopper and Associates. He has been a member of the Foundation Board since 1980. Dirnberger is a 1975 graduate of Notre Dame, a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, and past president of the Notre Dame Alumni Association. He is a member of the Missouri Society of CPAs, Knights of Columbus Council 1111, Elks Lodge and St. Mary of The Annunciation Parish. Dirnberger co-chaired the 1995 Notre Dame Regional High School Building Fund. Dirnberger and his wife, Charlotte, have five children. Two are graduates of Notre Dame Regional High School (classes of '05 and '07) a 2012 senior and two are future Notre Dame Students.
Board Member
Robert J. Basler, CPA, 
, is a retired Senior Vice President/Treasurer of Drury Industries, Inc. A graduate of Saint Louis University and Southeast Missouri State University, Basler and his wife, Betty, have four children, all of whom are graduates of Notre Dame, and grandchildren now in attendance. Basler has served the Notre Dame Foundation since 1980 and is a charter member. He has also served as president of the Notre Dame School Board and the Notre Dame Booster Club. Basler is a member of the Missouri Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. He is a member of the St. Francis Medical Center Foundation, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, and Knights of Columbus Council 1111. He has served on boards for the United Way, City of Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation, St. Francis Foundation, and Marian Charities. Basler is a member of St. Vincent De Paul Parish, where he has been an officer on the Parish Council, Home and School Association, and Men’s Association.
Board Member 
Joseph C. Blanton, Jr is a member of the Sikeston firm of Blanton, Sidwell, Rice, Nickell, Cozean & Collins, and LLC. The firm was founded by his grandfather in 1914. He is married to Felecia Richmond Blanton. They have one son, Mark David Blanton, Notre Dame Class of 2012. He is a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Blanton is a graduate of Sikeston High School, the University of Virginia and the University of Texas School of Law. From 1985 to 1987, he served as law clerk to the Honorable Stephen N. Limbaugh, Sr., U.S. District Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri. Blanton is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell and Superb by AVVO.com. He has been named Missouri Super Lawyer every year since 2006.
In 2010, Blanton received the Purcell Professionalism Award from The Missouri Bar and has also received The President's Award and an Award of Merit from the Bar. He is a member of The American Bar Foundation and Litigation Counsel of America. He has been honored by the Missouri Jaycees as one of Ten Outstanding Young Missourians and by the Sikeston Jaycees with the John H. Armbruster Key Man Award, the Community Service Award and the Distinguished Service Award.
Blanton is a former member of the Board of Governors of The Missouri Bar and the Missouri Supreme Court Civil Rules Committee. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Justice for All Fundraising Campaign for Legal Services of Southern Missouri, Charleston Section and as a member of The Missouri Bar’s Appellate Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee.
He is a former president of the Sikeston Jaycees, the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Association and the Sikeston Rotary Club. He served as a member of the Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities for ten years. Blanton is a member of the Board of Directors of Montgomery Bank, N.A.
Blanton was the chairman and campaign director of the Vote Yes for Sikeston Committee, which ran a successful campaign to maintain the Council/Manager form of government in Sikeston. He was the Campaign Director for the Committee to Secure Sikeston’s Future, which successfully advocated passage of a one cent sales tax for the City of Sikeston. In 2006, he managed the voter turn-out effort for a successful school bond issue for the Sikeston Public Schools.
Board Member
Carolyn F. Bohnert 
is Senior Vice-President/Treasurer of Drury Southwest, Inc. She and her husband, Bill, are 1960 graduates of Cape Catholic High School, predecessor to Notre Dame. The couple has three children -- Jeff ’83, Tammy '82, and Lindsay ’01 -- all graduates of Notre Dame. Their grandchildren continue to graduate from Notre Dame. Bohnert is a member of the Notre Dame Booster Club. She has been a tireless volunteer in Notre Dame Bingo fundraising since its inception in 1991, and received the Foundation Annunciation Award for her efforts. Bohnert was treasurer of the Show-Me Blades Figure Skating Club for 10 years. A member of St. Vincent De Paul Parish, she has served as president of its Parish Council of Catholic Women. She is a member of St Vincent De Paul Parish and a Friends of St. Francis, support organization of St. Francis Medical Center.
Board Member 
Diane Edwards, is Vice President of MidAmerica Hotels Corporation in Cape Girardeau. A 1978 graduate of Notre Dame and a 1982 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, she and her husband, Kevin, have four children 2 of which currently attend Notre Dame. In the past, she has served on various charitable boards including Easter Seals and has been involved in numerous fundraising activities. Diane currently serves on the St Francis Medical Center Foundation Board, is a member of the Friends of St. Francis, and St. Vincent de Paul.
Board Member
John Edwards, 
president of Cape Polymers Incorporated, is a broker and distributor of plastic raw materials. He has been in the plastics industry for over 20 years. Edwards graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Business Management and minor in Economics. He is a member of the Society of Plastics Engineers, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, and Knights of Columbus Council 11205. Edwards is a member of Notre Dame Booster Club, as well as contributing in various other ways as an active volunteer. Edwards and his wife, Pat, have three children, graduates of Notre Dame Class of 1998, 2000, and 2005.
Board Member
Lanell Lange Lanell Lange is owner/manager of two businesses, David & Lanell Lange Farms and Shooters Gun Shop, Inc. She is a member of the Notre Dame Booster Club and Notre Dame Home & School Association. Lange is a member of Guardian Angel Parish, Oran. She is a past president of her parish's Home and School Association and its St. Ann Sodality. Lange and her husband, David, have children who graduated Notre Dame in 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2011.
Board Member
Herb Wedemeier is employed as the corporate lawyer for DSW Inc. Herb and his wife Leslie are members of St. Mary Parish in Cape Girardeau. Their oldest child Luke graduated in 2009 from Notre Dame.
Trustee Emeritus 
Robert A. Drury is President and CEO of Drury Southwest and Drury Industries, and is affiliated with Drury Inns, Inc. A longtime avid supporter of Notre Dame High School, Drury has been associated with the Board since its inception. He is a member of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, St. Francis Medical Center Auxiliary, Friends of St. Francis, SEMO University Foundation, SEMO Life Savers, and Missouri Citizens for Life. A member of St. Mary Cathedral Parish, Cape Girardeau, for many years, he has served on its parish council. Drury is a 1950 graduate of St. Mary High School, predecessor to Notre Dame Regional High School. Drury's children and grandchildren are graduates of Notre Dame.
Development Director 
Tony Buehrle, a 1972 graduate of Notre Dame is married to Donna, a 1972 graduate. He has been Development Director since 2002. His four children are graduates: Nichole 1995, Mark 1999, Amy 2002 and Emily 2004. Buehrle has been in sales and marketing for more than 40 years. He is a member of the Notre Dame Regional High School Board, Finance Committee, Bingo Oversight Committee, Booster Club, and Home and School Association. He is President of the Southeast Missouri Council on Philanthropy, vice president of the St Louis Planned Giving Council, past president of Cape West Rotary, a member of K of C Council 11205, St. Vincent De Paul Parish, and a lifetime member of the Friends of St Francis with St Francis Medical Center.