Mr. Howard “Trey” Bane received his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and his teaching certificate through graduate level courses at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Through these courses, Mr. Bane was introduced to the philosophical works of Aristotle, St. Anselm, Rousseau, and modern philosophers such as Husserl and Heidegger. He also obtained a Master of Science in Counseling in Christian Psychological Studies from Georgia State University in Atlanta.

He continued his long-time interest in philosophy and theology through self-study of the Church Fathers and the lives of the Saints, and by leading a reading circle on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. His spiritual training included stays in Benedictine and Salesian monasteries in Florence, Italy, and visits to the Vatican and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. He also participated in an archeological dig at the Decapolis City of Hippos overlooking the Sea of Galilee through the University of Haifa in Israel. Mr. Bane has taught high school students in Kenya through the U.S.  Peace Corps and at a public school in North Carolina. From there, Mr. Bane pursued a Oracle Database Certification Program through Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, GA and went on to have a successful tech career leading database technology initiatives for companies in the Atlanta area.

He recently retired but his work in database design—particularly its emphasis on information hierarchies and binary logic—deepened his appreciation for the connection between modern technology and the ancient traditions of logical reasoning and philosophy. It also reinforced his conviction that understanding the order and structure of the natural world helps us better understand our own humanity. Through this work and study, he came to believe that life is ordered as a hierarchy of intelligence and that the best philosophy is one that faithfully reflects that reality.

With a desire to educate the next generation in the artistic, moral and intellectual treasures of the deposit of the Catholic faith, Mr. Bane looks forward to teaching Philosophy at Chesterton Academy of St. Padre Pio. He is an enthusiastic supporter of the Academy’s efforts to develop historically knowledgeable and intellectually skilled graduates with well formed consciences. 

Mr. Bane and his wife, Sherry, have recently relocated to Sarasota to be a part of the Chesterton classical education movement.