Members List:

President:
David Biederman
Vice President:
Barry Armata
Secretary:
Kim Congden
Treasurer:
Anita Glynn
Past President:
Jim Zien
Board Member:
Chuck Alfano
Barbara Carson
Thomas Johnson
Chelen Kost
Rene Lewis
Don Loveless
Caroline Martin
Sue Ann Nealon
Deb Pileika
Johanne Presser
Chris Rupp
Lori Sych
Sue Williams

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SFES AUCTION WEB SITE

SFES Will Induct 7 into Hall of Honor

By Johanne A. Presser

Six outstanding graduates of Suffield High and an esteemed educator have been chosen for induction into the Hall of Honor at an assembly on Friday, October 12, at 9 a.m. in the Center for the Performing Arts at SHS.

The Hall of Honor was established 4 years ago by the Suffield Foundation for Excellent Schools (SFES) to honor graduates of Suffield High School who have achieved noteworthy success in their chosen fields. In addition, an “Excellence in Education” award is simultaneously given to a retired educator who has taught for at least 10 years in the Suffield Public Schools, and has had a profound impact on Suffield students.

An ad hoc committee of community members and SFES Board members made the selections from the many nominations that were received. Since the award is only given once every four years, the decision making process is difficult given the number of successful Suffield graduates. The committee, however, felt that this round of awardees really hit a high mark in their respective careers, and were very deserving of the honor. In order of the year they graduated, the honorees are as follows:

Robert C. Jones, Class of 1959, 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 6 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 Inauguration. Upon his retirement, he served for 9 years as Borough Manager in Pottsdam, Pennsylvania. James Glownia, Class of 1972, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Clark University with a B.A. in chemistry. He subsequently received an 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 Dept. 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 70 peer reviewed publications, has 14 patents, and was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1993.

Jeff Folmsbee, Class of 1975, 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 assistantto 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 by 39 Emmy Awards, and 19 Cine Golden Eagle (for nontheatrical 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, 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, 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 birthweight. 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, 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 assistant to the visual effects producer on such movies as “Forrest Gump”, “The Flintstones”, and “The Mask”. 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 he 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 18th century. 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, trained, as a high school student, in the School of the Hartford Ballet's pre-professional program and upon graduation attended the Consevatory 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 from 2004 to 2006. In 2006 she was chosen from over 300 applicants for the one opening in the world renowned Paul Taylor Dance Company. She has also performed with the Amy Marshall 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.

George Greenleaf, Bulkeley H.S. Class of 1935, is the recipient of the “Excellence in Education” award. 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 37 years 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 Conferences 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.