• SPFHS Hall of Fame
    Distinguished Members as of May, 2024
     
    Please scroll down on this page to learn about all forty-eight members of the SPFHS Hall of Fame to-date.
    At the very bottom of this page, you will find the link to nominate an alumni for future consideration!
     
    On Thursday, May 9, 2024, thirteen new alumni were inducted!  Former Governor Donald DiFrancesco was the Master of Ceremonies.
     
    Barbara Adams Austin   class of 1957
    George Falkowski  class of 1978
    Daniel Catullo III   class of 1990
    Peter Kuran   class of 1974
    Michael Richard Jackson  class of 1965
    Nate Jones  class of 2000
    Gene Schiller  class of 1950
    Hon. Zahid N. Quraishi   class of 1993
    Richard Wetherald  class of 1954
    Erroll Southers  class of 1974
    Mike Marino  class of 1981
    Mauro Checchio  class of 1942 
     
    To see photographs and get links to websites that feature some of the 2024 inductees, please click the following link:
     
     
    Inducted in December, 2019:
     
    David Multer '70
     
     
    Inducted in 2018:
     
    David Blitzer '87:  partial owner of NJ Devils and Philadelphia 76ers
    Jamie Novak '90:   author, TV personality, and organizing humorist Jamie Novak's website
    Amy Nutt '73: Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Amy Nutt's website
    Joe Scarpati '60:  former NFL football player
     
     
    Inducted in 2016:

    Michael Antal, Jr. '65
    Moria Cappio '98 
    Dr. Christian Lambertsen '34,
    John Bernard Riley '71, 
    Cynthia Sayer '74,
    Marc Shaiman '74
     
     
     
    Click here for video clips and video interviews of the 2016 inductees (it was the lead story on the November, 2016 edition of Raider News).


    Inducted in 2015:
     
    Laura DiFrancesco Swidersky '44
    Pat DiNizio '73
    Sir Peter Emery '43
    Jeffrey Hammonds '89
    Keith W. Lippert '65
    Malcolm Nettingham '36
    Todd Robinson '81
    Michael Swerdlick '74 
     
     
    Inducted in 2014:
     
    Bill Austin '55
    Peter Schultz '60
    Carl Sicola '62
    Sada Thompson '45
    Richard Wood '48
     
    Click here to see biographies and photographs of all 2014 inductees
     
     
    Inducted in 2005 and 2006:

    Carol Bellamy '59 : served as Director of the Peace Corps, Executive Director of UNICEF, and in the New York State Senate.

    Renaldo "Skeets" Nehemiah '77:  NFL wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, a member of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame and NJ Sports Hall of Fame, set four world records in '79 in track and field, later lowered his own records.

    Linda De Milt Stender '69: Fanwood Mayor, Union County Freeholder, and State Assemblywoman for many years, responsible for many bills and accomplishments.

    Jean Taylor Burgdorff '42: President and founder of Burdorff Realtors which as of 2012 had sixteen offices and seven hundred agents.   She has been a major force in many aspects of the NJ real estate market.

    Donald T. DiFrancesco '62:   Governor of New Jersey, State Assemblyman, State Senator, Lawyer.  He taught at Seton Hall and Rutgers.  For decades he visited classrooms to educate students about state government.

    William Allen Ryback '68:  Senior Director, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 1986-2003.   Later was Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and consultant for the World Bank and IMF.   His international experience led him to be a gifted teacher at many institutions, including Harvard Law School.

    Patricia Jean Falkenhain Geiringer '44: distinguished herself in many on and off Broadway plays over many decades.   Won two Obie Awards in one season, was a member of Joseph Papp's first New York Shakespeare Company in Central Park.

    Marie DiFrancesco Leppert '44: was one of the founders of, and has remained active in, the SPFHS Alumni Association.  She served as a teacher in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Plainfield schools.   Her activities in town have been numerous ranging from PTA, College Club of Fanwood- Scotch Plains (served as President five times) , Girl Scouts, Historical Society (as curator, produced walking tours and driving tours of historical interest, as well as school programs) , Episcopal Church, Blue Raiders Boosters, Republican Committee and Historical Preservation Commission.   She is most proud of being the first female Senior Class President of SPFHS.

    Steve Schnur '79:  His contributions to the music and video game industry are un-paralleled.  He was selected as one of the most creative people in the entertainment industry by "Entertainment Weekly".   He was named as one of the most powerful people in the music industry by "Music Business".

    Dorothy Blythe McDowell '47: was appointed by the Governor of New Jersey to serve as Commissioner for NJ Parks and Recreation.  She also served as a member of the Ocean County Transportation Advisory Committee, Founder of the NJ Coalition of Women and Disabilities, and consultant to the NJ Institute of Technology for accessibility and modifications for people with disabilities.

    James Shreve '45:  He was a candidate for the National (collegiate) Football Coach of the year in 1954.   Had a consistent and proven tack record of success on the collegiate and scholastic levels.  His hard work, discipline, knowledge and dedication were the primary qualities that led to his success.
     
    Please click here to nominate an SPFHS alumni of your own who is not listed here!  If you feel an alumni you know, or know of, is deserving, and would make a good role model, please nominate them.  Thank you!