Courtesy photo
Hall of Fame Honors Distinguished Graduates
Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School was pleased to induct 13 impressive alumni, including an Emmy Award-winning director/producer, the nation’s first Muslim-American judge, a former NFL player, and a former Scotch Plains mayor, into the school’s Hall of Fame on May 9, 2024.
The inductees were honored at a special ceremony in the SPFHS Auditorium, led by former Governor Donald DiFrancesco, also a SPFHS Hall of Fame member.
“We are lucky here at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School to have successful and engaged alumni who our students can emulate and learn from,” said Principal Dr. David Heisey. “It was my privilege and honor to welcome these 13 alumni into the Hall of Fame and to celebrate the contributions they have made to our school community and as leaders in every area of society.”
Superintendent Dr. Joan Mast said it was especially heart-warming to hear from many inductees about the teachers and community members who helped guide and shape their career and life paths. Each inductee is honored with a plaque hung in the hallway at SPFHS.
“The Hall of Fame provides an opportunity to celebrate the unique and valuable contributions of SPFHS alumni, while also inspiring current and future generations to dream and strive for excellence,” Mast said. “You could feel the legacy and pride of SPF as we welcomed home these inductees.”
The following SPFHS alumni were inducted May 9:
- Barbara Adams Austin ‘57 – Founder of the Fanwood Nature Preserve & professional artist, gardener and writer
- George Falkowski ‘78 – NY Emmy Award winner in sports and TV news
- Daniel Catullo III ‘90 – Emmy Award-winning director and producer
- Peter Kuran ‘74 – Academy Award winner for developing a process to restore color film
- Michael Richard Jackson ‘65 – Medical innovator, entrepreneur and inventor of PureWick
- Nate Jones ‘00 – Rhodes Scholar nominee and former NFL player
- Gene Schiller ‘50 – Former athletic director at SPFHS and Scotch Plains Township Director of Recreation
- Hon. Zahid N. Quraishi ‘93 – First Muslim-American judge in U.S. history
- Richard Wetherald ‘54 – Research associate in the field of greenhouse warming; named Meteorologist Professional in 2007
- Erroll Southers ‘74 – Professor of the Practice in National Home Security, Director of the Safe Communities Institute and Homegrown Violent Extremism Studies at the University of Southern California
- Mike Marino ‘81 – Actor and comedian inducted into the NJ Comedy Hall of Fame; USO Bob Hope Comedy Award winner
- Mauro Checchio ‘42 – Former Mayor of Scotch Plains, instrumental in founding a Kean University Campus in China
- Rich Feinberg ‘79 – Long and decorated career in the television industry
The SPFHS Hall of Fame will continue to accept nominations for future classes. If you know an alum who has demonstrated noteworthy personal or professional achievements, please contact the school for the nomination form.
If you are interested in being part of the Hall of Fame Committee that recruits nominees and selects future hall of famers, please express your interest by contacting Robin Broadbent, assistant to the superintendent, at rbroadbent@spfk12.org or 908-232-6161, Ext. 41103.
