Boca Raton, FL, & Ann Arbor, MI — Mark and Julie Pulte have been named recipients of the 2025 Bowie Kuhn Award for Evangelization by Legatus, the international organization of Catholic business leaders committed to studying, living, and spreading the Catholic faith in their professional and personal lives. The award was presented at the Legatus National Summit, Jan. 29-31.
The Bowie Kuhn Award for Evangelization recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment to proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ in the marketplace and among their peers. Named in honor of Bowie Kuhn, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball and a founding member of Legatus, the award honors leaders who boldly advance evangelization through professional excellence and faithful service.
Mark Pulte, Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Catholic Initiative and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, was selected, alongside his wife Julie, for his innovative efforts to strengthen the Church through a groundbreaking, Vatican-approved model for financing church and school restoration and renewal projects. As Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Catholic Initiative, Mark helped pioneer the development of a first-of-its- kind structure of investing in and partnering with vibrant but under-resourced Catholic parishes and schools to ensure these sacred Catholic institutions are restored, permanently maintained, and sustainably endowed for generations to come.
The Catholic Initiative model shifts ownership of church properties to a nonprofit created solely for their care, while parishes retain exclusive and permanent rights for Catholic worship, education, and ministry. By assuming responsibility for restoration, long-term maintenance, and the creation of dedicated endowments, the model protects parishes from financial instability and deferred maintenance—freeing clergy and lay leaders to focus fully on evangelization. By acting as committed, strategic partners to the mission, The Catholic Initiative also helps amplify the ministries of these parishes and schools.
This same spirit of entrepreneurial innovation defines Mark’s broader professional life. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he is Founder and CEO of Mark Timothy Incorporated, a Florida-based luxury homebuilding company known for architectural excellence and craftsmanship. His experience in high-end construction and long-term asset stewardship directly informed the transformation of the historic seminary at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, Michigan.
That transformation became the foundation for the Humanitarian Hotels model—an initiative demonstrating how excellence in hospitality can serve a higher purpose. Today, the portfolio includes Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, The Inn at Stonecliffe on Mackinac Island, and (soon) the Graduate Laramie in Laramie, Wyoming. Each property operates with a mission-driven commitment: donating 100% of profits to charitable causes that support the Church and those most in need, with the properties themselves also being used as platforms to directly live out the Corporal Works of Mercy.
“When excellence, faith, and service all come together, we can make a bigger impact than many think possible,” said Mark Pulte. “Through The Catholic Initiative and the Humanitarian Hotels model, we are working to show how an entrepreneurial approach to Catholic philanthropy can directly fuel evangelization and truly make the world a better place. I am grateful to Legatus for affirming this vision and for encouraging Catholic leaders to lead boldly with faith.”
Julie Pulte was unable to attend the ceremony; the award was accepted on behalf of the couple by Mark during the presentation. Together, Mark and Julie share a deep commitment to Catholic philanthropy and to strengthening the Church for future generations.
About The Catholic Initiative
The Catholic Initiative is an innovative, Vatican-approved funding model created to restore and endow vibrant Catholic churches, schools, and parishes for generations to come. The model is the first of its kind in the world in faith-based fundraising and shifts ownership of church buildings and campuses to a newly created nonprofit organization created solely for this purpose, with the Catholic Initiative assuming responsibility for renovating and maintaining the property going forward, while the parishes or schools retain exclusive and permanent rights to use the property, without risk of vital funds being redirected to other purposes. The model also creates a dedicated endowment to guarantee a reliable, steady income stream to support churches, schools, and parishes long into the future. Find out more at www.thecatholicinitiative.org.
About Legatus
Founded in 1987 by Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan, Legatus brings together Catholic CEOs and business leaders, along with their spouses, in a unique community of faith, fellowship, and formation. With more than 5,000 members across over 90 chapters, Legatus equips leaders to become ambassadors for Christ in the marketplace. Legatus.org