HALL OF HONOR

George Greenleaf – Excellence in Education” Recipient
Greenleaf graduated from Trinity College in 1939 with a B.S. In Math and Physics and received a Masters in Education there in 1953. He began teaching Math and History in Suffield in 1940 but his career was interrupted in 1941 when he was drafted. Attending Infantry School at Fort Benning, GA, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served proudly and with distinction, earning a Bronze Star and 8 campaign stars in the European Theater of Operations. Returning stateside he attended the U.S. Army Command General Staff College where he graduated at the top of his class and received the Pershing Medallion. In 1946 he returned to Suffield High School where, over the course of the next 37years, he taught math, physics and history. He served as chair of the Math and Science Departments and taught the first computer course at SHS. Additionally, Greenleaf began the guidance department and coached the golf team. In 1953 he participated in the Fulbright exchange program and spent a year teaching in Tauranga College in New Zealand. He was chosen to attend the Mathematics International Conference in England (1972), Germany (1976), the USA (1980) and Australia (1984). His impact on students is evident in the reverence with which they refer to him. Greenleaf exemplifies the best of the best that education has to offer.

Robert C. Jones, Class of 1959 – Rear Admiral
Bob attended the University of North Carolina on a naval scholarship and graduated in 1963 with a B.S. Degree and Naval Officer commission. He began a 30 year career serving both at sea and ashore in a variety of increasingly responsible positions. Highlights of his career include duty on six ships including one as a commanding officer of a destroyer, positions on Department of Defense, Navy and Fleet staffs, advisor to the Vietnamese Navy during that conflict, and Commanding Officer of Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippines, the largest overseas U.S. Naval station at the time. Bob twice attended Naval War College and held an Assistant Professorship at Cornell University. Promoted to Rear Admiral in 1989, he became Assistant Vice Chief of Naval Operations and then Commandant of the Washington Naval District. Bob was chosen to be the Navy Escort at Clinton’s first Inaugurations. Upon his retirement, he served for 9 years as Borough Manager in Pottsdam, Pennsylvania.

James Glownia, Class of 1972 – Ultrafast Laser Researcher
James graduated Magna Cum Laude from Clark University with a B.A. in Chemistry. He subsequently received and M.S. (1978), a M. Phil (1979) and a PhD (1980) in Chemical Physics from Yale University. As a Postdoctoral Fellow, he worked in the Applied Photochemistry and Photophysics Division at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. For 20 years he was a research staff member of the Physical Sciences Department in the IBM Research Division, where he received two IBM patent plateau awards. He rejoined LANL in 2002 where his research focused on experimental atomic, molecular and optical physics. He was chosen Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program Manager and Deputy Center Leader at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies where he leads the formulation, implementation and direction of the research with respect to LANL’s science and technology objectives and its relevance to the LANL mission and national security. He has authored more than 100 peer reviewed publications, has 14 patents, and was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1993.

Jeff Folmsbee, Class of 1975 – TV & Film Executive Producer
Jeff got his start at age 13 when he received a Super 8 movie camera for Christmas.  He made student films at SHS, attended Simon’s Rock Early College and graduated in 1979 from Wesleyan University with a B.A. with High Honors in Film.  Moving to New York City, he progressed from production assistant to executive producer, working at such places as Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central, and PBS’s American Playhouse.  After freelancing for 15 years, Jeff landed at PBS where he produced over 150 documentary programs on the arts and culture.  For 6 years he executive produced the first hour of The Tony Awards which format he co-created.  His work has been recognized with 39 Emmy Awards, and 19 Cine Golden Eagle (non-theatrical film and video) awards.  In addition, each of the three series he created (EGG, City Arts, and City Life) has been honored with the Peabody Award, the most prestigious award in the television industry.

Holly Fitch, Class of 1980 – Associate Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience
Holly graduated Cum Laude from Duke University in 1984 with a B.S. in Biology and Psychology, earned both an MS in 1988 and a PhD in 1990 in Biobehavioral Science from UConn.  She held a post doctoral position at Rutger’s  Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience and returned to a faculty position at UConn in 1997, after a year off for the birth of her second set of twins.  As an Assistant Research and then Associate Research Professor (tenure track), Holly has received over $3 million in grant support from the National Institute of Health, the March of Dimes, and other smaller private organizations, to study early brain injuries and resultant learning disabilities, as well as brain injuries associated with prematurity and low birth weight.  She has trained graduate students, taught seminars and written over 60 papers and chapters that have been published in peer reviewed journals such as “Brain Research.”

Greg Butler, Class of 1989 – Visual Effects Supervisor
Greg graduated with a B.A. from Hampshire College and began work as a camera engineering intern on the film “Jurassic Park”.  He continued to hone his craft working in a variety of positions such as digital coordinator, computer graphics technical assistant, and assisted to the visual effects producer in such movies as “Forrest Gump”, the Flintstones,” and “The Mash”.  He was lead technical director in 1997 for the film “Starship Troopers” and in 1999 for “My Favorite Martian”.  He moved to New Zealand to work at Weta Digital on the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy where was Computer Graphics Supervisor for the creature “Gollum”.  He also served as a preproduction supervisor for “King Kong”.  In the film, “Amazing Grace” he transformed the Gloucester docks into London’s East India Quay of the early 18^thcentury.  Enjoying success as a visual effects supervisor for films with a worldwide distribution, Greg recently completed “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and is presently working on “The Chronicles of Narnia:  Prince Caspian”.

Laura Halzack, Class of 1999 – Professional Dancer
Laura trained, as a high school student, in the School of the Hartford Ballet’s pre-professional program and upon graduation attended the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, SUNY.  She graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2003 with a B.A. in History from the University of New Hampshire.  Laura furthered her dance studies at the Hartt School, University of Hartford, and at the Taylor School in New York City from2004 to 2006.  In 2006 she was chosen from over 300 applicants for the one opening in the world-renowned Paul Taylor Dance Company and Syren Modern Dance.  In 2007, she was nominated for the Princess Grace Award, which recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the field of dance, and is a two time recipient of American Dance Awards Young Choreographer of the Year Award.

Mark Sullivan, Class of 1985 – Professional Singer
A baritone member of the Grammy Award winning acapella group “Chanticleer”, Mark graduated from the Hartt School of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree in opera performance. He has appeared in the opera companies of Sarasota, Chautaqua, Central City, and Glimmerglass, and has served as an adjunct professor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College.Michael Zak, Class of 1971 – Venture Capitalist
An accomplished entrepreneur and investor in high tech business ventures, Michael graduated with a B.S. from Cornell in 1975 and served as an officer in the US Marine Corps. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1981 and spent more than 20 years in Boston’s high tech community. As a partner in the firm of Charles River Ventures, he was awarded the Venture Capitalist of the Year Award in 2002 by the Massachusetts Telecommunications Council. Michael is a philanthropist active in civic, land conservation, and religious efforts in his community and Suffield.

Richard Trude Williams, Class of 1969
An expert in the fate and toxicology of manmade chemicals in the environment, Richard graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in microbiology from the University of New Hampshire, and earned an M.A. in biology from Washington University and a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Minnesota. His life long interest in the natural world led to a career that began at Harvard Medical School and continued with research in the scientific application of knowledge at Pfizer Global Research and Development. He is the author of numerous scientific papers and a book, and his accomplishments include the development of technologies used to remediate contaminated waste sites, the facilitation of sustainable “green” chemistry, and the chairing of international groups of scientists to address challenging environmental issues.

W. Bruce Lincoln, Class of 1956 – Russia Historian
A leading authority on Russia and a gifted writer, Bruce graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the College of William and Mary, and earned a PhD in Russian history at the University of Chicago. He taught at Northern Illinois University, where he held the title of Distinguished Research Professor of History. He also held appointments as Research Fellow at the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and at Columbia University’s Harriman Institute, Senior Fellow at the Institutes of History in Moscow and Leningrad, Fulbright Research Fellow, and John Simon Guggenheim Fellow. He was widely recognized for his ability to write history that is both authoritative and vivid. Bruce authored twelve books on Russia and its past.

Norman Edwards, Class of 1956
A member of Phi Sigma Delta, Norman received a B.S. from UConn where he captained the soccer team. He served his country in the Air National Guard and was the first Afro-American Vice President of Phoenix Insurance Corp. He was the founder and chair of the Connecticut Savings and Loan Association and a member of the Life Officers Mgmt. Assoc., and the Assoc. of Internal Management. He chaired the Tolland Board of Selectmen and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Greater Hartford Jaycees.

Robert J. Cecchini – “Excellence in Education” Recipient
Bob came to Suffield in 1963 and taught physical education K-12. He was Director of Health and PE from 1965 to 1971, and Athletic Director from 1969-1985. He was named Assistant principal in 1971 and interim Principal in the late ‘70’s, and became Principal from 1987-1990. The yearbook was dedicated to him six times, and in 1991, the class dedicated its class rings to him. The faculty established a scholarship in his name when Bob retired in 1990.