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.