ND Law Association Board Presents Father Michael McCafferty, C.S.C. Award to Tom and Anita Veldman

Tom Veldman ’82 J.D., with grey hair and glasses, in a blue suit, stands next to Anita Veldman, wearing a green shirt with sheer sleeves and a black skirt. Both smile gently under a white tent.
Tom Veldman ’82 J.D. and Anita Veldman

The Notre Dame Law Association Board honored Tom Veldman ’82 J.D. and his wife Anita Veldman with the Father Michael McCafferty, C.S.C. Award on September 19, 2025. Named for Rev. Michael D. McCafferty, C.S.C.—also known as Father Mike, a popular and highly respected Notre Dame Law School teacher whose life was cut short by cancer—the award is given to Notre Dame Lawyers or faculty members for distinguished service to the University of Notre Dame and her surrounding community.

Tom, the son of Dutch immigrants who endured the Nazi occupation, and Anita, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants, embody a story of perseverance and generosity. Tom’s path after graduating from Notre Dame Law School took him from a clerkship with Judge Roger Robb to a distinguished legal career in mergers and acquisitions. He later served as chairman and co-CEO of Tire Rack until his retirement in 2022. Anita, who holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and education from Indiana University, worked as an emergency room nurse to support Tom through law school; Anita then spent two decades leading human resources at Tire Rack.

Fourteen smiling men and women, dressed in business casual attire, pose for a group photo on a grassy lawn under a large white event tent. The group includes individuals wearing a yellow bow tie, a green top, a blue patterned dress, and a black blazer with a name tag.
The award was presented to the Veldmans by Judge Chris Coury ‘91, ‘94 J.D., president of the NDLA Board, Frank Julian ’82 J.D., and Dean G. Marcus Cole during the board’s fall meeting. Several members of the Class of 1982 attended, as well.

Together, they raised four children, welcomed nine grandchildren, and embraced a life of charity that spans from the local South Bend community to global causes. They frequently travel to Haiti through the Haiti Salt Project, a University of Notre Dame initiative working to eliminate lymphatic filariasis and prevent iodine deficiency disorders. They also helped establish the Audrey Veldman Vocational Training Center in Tanzania with the assistance of other family members and the Congregation of Holy Cross.

At Notre Dame, Tom and Anita founded the Valinhos Foundation, which focuses on youth and family mental health in Indiana among other causes. This foundation has directly empowered the creation of an endowed fund for the Law School’s Program on Church, State & Society and a fellowship program at the Law School that supports students passionate about public interest law. It also helped fund Holy Cross College grants to enhance the mental health and well-being of students. The Valinhos Foundation, along with the foundations of other Veldman family members, made a transformational gift in 2024 to the University of Notre Dame in honor of their parents to establish the Wilma and Peter Veldman Family Psychology Clinic. This gift continues to support the quality and availability of mental healthcare at Notre Dame and in the South Bend community.

“Anita and I express our appreciation to the NDLA, all members, to Dean Cole, and to the Law School. We are incredibly blessed to be part of the Notre Dame Law School community and honored to have this connection to Father Mike. I’d like to give special thanks to my classmates, the class of 1982. It’s nice for them to be here to participate in this.” -Tom Veldman