The Knights of Columbus ChurchLoan Program

An accomplished executive and philanthropist, Craig Fraser served as chief operating officer for Aegerion Pharmaceuticals from 2012 to 2015. Craig Fraser currently serves as president and chief executive officer of public biotechnology company Discovery Laboratories and actively supports organizations such as the Knights of Columbus.

The largest Catholic fraternal benefit society in the world, the Knights of Columbus has more than 1.9 million members and 15,100 councils worldwide. Among the group’s wide range of services is the ChurchLoan program, which helps finance Catholic projects and refinance debt in dioceses throughout the United States and Canada.

In addition to helping the Knights of Columbus expand its role throughout the global Catholic community, ChurchLoan provides attractive investment opportunities for Knights of Columbus insurance policyholders. Loans offer competitive rates and no prepayment penalties and are serviced by highly experienced professionals. Since the first church loan in the late 1800s, the program has approved over $500 million in loans for Catholic institutions.

A Look at the Most Expensive Pieces of Sports Memorabilia

After starting as a military officer then spending the past 25 years in progressive positions of responsibilities at Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth, Centocor and Boehringer Mannheim, Craig Fraser has led Discovery labs as President and CEO. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Craig Fraser enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including collecting sports memorabilia.

A multi-billion dollar industry, sports memorabilia collecting allows aficionados of all interests to own a piece of some of the most famous moments in sporting history. While often a costly endeavor, many fans have been happy to spend large amounts of money on these items. The following list will cover just a few of the most expensive sports memorabilia items ever sold at auction.

Babe Ruth’s original jersey
Babe Ruth made his debut on the New York Yankees in the 1920 baseball season, during which time he wore his now-famous grey jersey when playing on the road. After he retired, the jersey spent many years at The Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum in Baltimore, Maryland before it went up for auction in 2012. It took in a staggering $4.4 million and has remained the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia sold ever since.

The Founding Rules of Basketball
After founding the sport of basketball in the 1890s, Kansas University Athletic Director and Coach James Naismith created a hand-written set of rules to guide future players. The two-page document appeared in a 2010 auction at Sotheby’s, where it went for $4.3 million.

The ball from Mark McGwire’s 70th home run
St. Louis Cardinals player Mark McGwire made history in 1998 when he achieved the record for most home runs made in one season. The ball he hit on his impressive 70th home run remains a famous piece of memorabilia that sold to Todd McFarlane for $3 million in 1999.