Alumni Recognition

List of 49 items.

• 2024: Dave Lyons ’99

  In recognition of his work for Rivers and his successful shepherding of students into best-fit colleges and universities, Dave Lyons was awarded the 2024 Rivers Cup. He has served as Rivers’ director of college counseling since 2012. After spending a few years working in admission at his alma mater, Hamilton College, Lyons took the opportunity to return to Rivers, where he has had a tremendous impact on hundreds of Rivers graduates. His approach helps students identify and pursue the most appropriate institutions of higher education, all the while keeping the process in perspective and making sure to minimize stress. As a Rivers parent (daughter Paige is Class of 2030), he has seen Rivers from many angles, and the school is deeply grateful for his contributions.

• 2023: Louise Cummings ’98

  Louise Cummings, a lawyer by training, is executive director of Supporting Kidds, a nonprofit that helps provide a pathway to healing for grieving children. She also provides pro bono legal services to children in foster care. A graduate of Georgetown University and Howard University Law School, Cummings has long served as a Rivers trustee, playing a pivotal role on the Enrollment Management, Marketing & Diversity Committee. Her lifelong commitment to Rivers and to helping shape the school’s future is easily explained, she says. “Rivers showed up for me,” says Cummings, “so I showed up for Rivers.”

• 2022: Lisa Raftery '93

  Lisa H. Raftery was one of the first female students to attend Rivers, arriving in 1990 as a sophomore and graduating as a member of the Class of ’93. Now working as a senior applications specialist for Medical Information Technology, Inc., she first joined the Alumni Council in 1998 and became a member of the Executive Committee in 2001. In the 23 years she served on the Council, she headed nominating committees, event committees, and focus groups. She has worked on reunions, the school’s centennial celebration, alumni senior breakfasts, and a host of other school events. She was the first female president of the Alumni Council, and during her time in that post she helped revamp the Alumni Council committee structure and create new alumni events such as the annual alumni award ceremony and champagne reception. On her watch, alumni engagement increased year after year, and alumni participation in the Rivers Annual Fund rose steadily, reaching a record-breaking 37% in 2021. She is truly a lifelong champion of Rivers.

• 2021: Larry M. Glazer ’86

  Larry M. Glazer ’86 participated in a wide range of activities while at Rivers. He served as editor in chief of the yearbook and was a member of  the wrestling and lacrosse teams. After Rivers, he graduated from Duke University. He co-founded Mayflower Advisors in Boston, achieving success and recognition as a top advisor and receiving recognition from the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and CNBC. He has also worked tirelessly for Rivers for over 35 years. He was a member of the Alumni Council for 10 years, serving as president from 2012-2015, and was on the Alumni Council Executive Committee. Under his Alumni Council leadership, the Young Alumni Award was introduced. An active member of the alumni golf tournament as a player and sponsor, Larry also served on the Head of School Search Committee. Larry has truly “led Red” and has been instrumental in putting Rivers on its current path to success.

• 2019: Cary Corkin ’69

  Cary Corkin ’69 graduated from the University of Denver in 1974 and went on to a career in engineering and management. He currently serves as president of the Entwistle Company, where he has worked since 1974. Cary has been a generous supporter of Rivers over the years. He is a former member of the Corporation of the Rivers School and served as a member of the alumni council for many years. He has also generously shared his time with Rivers students, hosting the Rivers robotics club on numerous occasions at Entwistle’s headquarters. He has extended himself above and beyond for robotics students and for the benefit of all our students.

• 2018: Jon Wasserman ’88

  Jon Wasserman ’88 graduated from Brandeis University in 1992 and joined the Rivers staff as Director of Communications in 1996. After a brief hiatus in the high tech world, he returned in 2002 as Associate Director of Development, and while working full-time he earned his MBA from Brandeis in 2007. He then became Associate Director of Finance and Operations, and was named Director of Finance and Operations in 2014. He has served on nearly every Board committee and worked on fundraising for—or construction of—every campus project undertaken during this century. He has an unmatched tenacity for completing a project and a meticulous attention to detail, delivering what best for the students, the faculty, and the program.

• 2017: Jeffrey M. Snider '82

  Jeff Snider has been an active and dedicated member of the Rivers community, serving on the reunion committee for his class every five years as well as other alumni and Board committees. He was a member of the Jarzavek Chair committee for six years, the Board’s Education Committee for ten years, and the Alumni Leadership Gifts Committee.
  
  He and his wife Carolyn live in Newton with their two children: Emily, Class of 2012, who went to Bowdoin and is here today, and Justin, Class of 2015, who is at Colgate. He is the chief administrative officer and general counsel at Sonus Networks, Inc. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Amherst College and his law degree from the University of Virginia.

• 2016: James F. "Jamie" Carlin ’81

  James F. "Jamie" Carlin ’81 has been an active and dedicated member of the Rivers community since he graduated in 1981. He served on the Alumni Council in the 1980s and again from 2000-2006, chairing his 10th reunion and serving on various reunion committees over the years. He has been a sponsor and participant in the annual Rivers Golf Tournament to Benefit Financial Aid for the past decade. He was a member of the Jarzavek Chair committee for five years and was on the Board’s Education Committee from 2008-2011. He joined the Board of Trustees in 2013 and has been a member of the Facilities Committee since 2011. He is the Executive Vice President of Crosspoint Associates and has been involved in the real estate business since 1985. He received his bachelor of arts degree from St. Lawrence University in 1985 and his masters in business administration from Babson College in 1987.

• 2015: Mark Schuster ’72

  Mark Schuster ’72 has been a member of the Rivers Board of Trustees since 1998. As a member of the Facilities Committee, his sense of design and function has had an influence on every major building project since 1999. He has been a driving force behind the renovation of key areas on campus, including Schuster Hall, the Admissions reception area; Haynes Hall; and the Prince Building. In addition, he served as the lead representative from the Facilities Committee on the Bradley Hall design/construction team, and was instrumental in helping to see that building completed on time and on budget. During his tenure, Rivers has also built the MacDowell Athletic Center, installed the Waterman turf field, added classrooms in Haffenreffer, and renovated the Davis fields. The founder and principal of Wingate/Bluestone Holdings, Mark also serves on the board of the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, Tufts University’s Board of Overseers, Tufts University’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Committee, and the President's Commission of Wheaton College.

• 2014: Howard G. Davis ’70

  Dave Davis has been a staunch supporter of Rivers for many years. As a life-long advocate for the arts, he was the founder and former director of The Schoolhouse Center for Art & Design in Provincetown, which housed art galleries, working studios, and performance space. When Rivers decided to launch the Conservatory Program for its talented and dedicated musicians, he was one of the first to offer his financial support. He then went on to establish a financial aid fund to support students with a strong interest in the arts. Since becoming a member of the Board of Trustees in 2006 he has served on both the Education and Facilities committees.

• 2013: Matthew D. Tobin '90

  Matt Tobin has been a loyal and dedicated member of the Alumni Association since the day he graduated, participating in phonathons, leading reunion committees, and attending many alumni events on campus. He helped start the annual Golf Tournament, and served on the Nominating Committee, the Annual Fund & Decade Chair Committee, and the Executive Committee, before leading the Alumni Association as President with fierce devotion. He set large goals and didn’t stop until they were passed. He pulled in alumni and drove tremendous participation on many levels.

• 2012: L. Jeffrey Lowenstein ‘77

  Jeff Lowenstein has been an incredibly enthusiastic member of the Alumni Council for over a decade. This alumnus who received the Rivers Cup at his 35th reunion, has been a member of the Golf Committee, the Alumni Excellence Committee, a reunion chair, a golf sponsor, a host family, an auction sponsor, a parent fund agent, a phonathon caller, a career networking volunteer, and a Red Wing Tweeter, sending up-to-the-minute tweets about athletic contests, scores, and stats to the Rivers community.

• 2011: Charles J. Abrams '88

  Charlie Abrams has been an active member of the Alumni Council, encouraging alumni to reconnect with each other and the school. He chaired the Annual Fund committee and played an active role on the Development and Executive committees. He attended Board of Trustee meetings and thoughtfully spoke of alumni growth and engagement. He’s fiercely proud of his school, passionate about its growth and determined to help with its success. He led the Alumni Council as President with focus and drive, encouraging better participation and communication in order to improve and grow as a community and a school.

• 2010: Roger Tackeff ’72 P’10

  Roger Tackeff was honored with the Rivers Cup, recognizing more than a decade of service to Rivers as an alumnus and trustee. Roger demonstrated extraordinary dedication during his four terms as member of the Board of Trustees. After being elected in 1997, he joined the Facilities Committee where his keen eye and objective assessment of the look, feel, and operation of the school’s physical plant proved to be invaluable. Joining Tackeff as Rivers alumni are his son David ’10 and brother Matthew ’70.

• 2009: Patrick T. Daley '84

  Pat Daley was honored at his 25th reunion for the extraordinary generosity he and his family have shown in support of the annual Rivers Golf Tournament. The elegant Charter Oak Country Club, owned by the Daleys, has been the site of the increasingly popular tournament since 2003. Because the Daley family has donated the use of the course and dining facilities, the event has been able to clear more than $1million for financial aid, enabling dozens of talented students to attend Rivers. The tournament has helped lead a resurgence of alumni participation and involvement, and in the process has changed the lives of many Rivers students

• 2008: Alan D. Rose '87

  Alan Rose was recognized for his years of service on the Alumni Council, particularly for his dedication as a chair and phonathon caller for the Annual Fund. He is also a faithful participant in and sponsor of the annual Golf Tournament which supports the Alumni Financial Aid Fund. As a trustee, Alan currently serves on the Board’s nominating committee and previously was a member of the Board’s Development Committees as well as the Faculty Enrichment Committee, overseeing the awarding of enrichment grants from the Faculty Fund each year.

• 2007: Robert E. Buonato '81

  Bob Buonato's commitment to Rivers as an alumnus and trustee dates back more than a decade. As a phonathon caller, Bob was instrumental in bringing in both volunteers and gifts to the annual fund. As a member and then chair of the Facilities Committee, Bob has been influential in helping to define the future campus of Rivers, bringing Bradley Hall, the Campus Center, and the Head of School’s house to fruition as part of the school's strategic plan. In the process, he helped Rivers reconnect with dozens of alumni from his era. Bob became a trustee of The Rivers School in 2002.

• 2006: Frederick G. Pfannenstiehl '59

  Fred Pfannenstiehl was cited for more than 25 years of service to Rivers in many capacities, from governance, fundraising, and finances, to helping facilitate communication with the alumni body. As a member of the Board of Trustees from 1979 to 1988, he worked tirelessly on the Admissions and Finance Committees. During and since his tenure on the board, he has rallied his classmates as a reunion chair, and served on the Defining Moment Campaign Committee and lent the Alumni Council Nominating Committee. He was named an Honorary Trustee of the Corporation in 2002.

• 2005: James B. Taylor '43

  Jim Taylor was honored for his extraordinary dedication and enduring commitment to the school. He has been a member of the Alumni Council for several decades and served as president during the1970s. A reunion chair many times over, Jim has also served as a Decade Chair for the 1930s and 1940s, maintaining a link to Rivers' past. His eagerness to make a difference on behalf of Rivers is exemplified by relentless attendance at school events and his Herculean efforts on behalf of the Alumni Annual Fund.

• 2004: Nicholas B. Petri '72

  Nick Petri was honored for his involvement at Rivers as member of the Alumni Council for more than a decade. He served as Alumni Council president from 1999 to 2002. During his tenure, the Alumni Excellence Award and the annual Rivers Golf Tournament were established. Nick has always been a fixture and a force at the annual alumni lacrosse game. In addition, he served as reunion chair for his 25th reunion and is a longtime Alumni Annual Fund volunteer. As an alumni parent as well, Nick has been omnipresent at school events and unselfish of his time to serve at the school at many different levels.

• 2003: George C. Alex '77

  George Alex, who served on the Board of Trustees between 1977 and 2002, has been a member of the Alumni Council since 1989. During his many years of involvement at Rivers, George has served as a member of the Rivers Corporation, the Development Committee, and The Defining Moment Alumni Campaign Committee. A class agent for the class of 1977, George also served as the co-chair of his 25th Reunion in 2002 and has also chaired the Alumni Annual Fund. A tireless fund-raising volunteer, he has been instrumental in helping advance alumni annual giving over the years.

• 2002: Morris Gordon '45

  Moe Gordon, a past trustee of Rivers, father of Albert ’72 and John ’74, and brother of Hugh Gordon ’41, worked tirelessly fund raising for the Development Committee and reconnecting alumni from the ‘30s, ‘40s, and 50s. As a graduating senior in 1945, Moe was the winner of the school’s prestigious Hooper Lawrence Memorial Prize, in recognition of his “cheerful disposition, unselfish nature, and kind heart.” Those qualities have persisted during more than 50 years of service to Rivers

• 2001: Bruce A. Taylor '73

  Bruce Taylor, Rivers history teacher, coach, and director of diversity, was named winner of the Rivers Cup for his extraordinary dedication to the school. While a student at Rivers, Taylor captained the football, basketball and lacrosse teams. He was awarded the Athletic Prize, the Grossman Award for Football and the F. Ervin Prince Award for sportsmanship. A former trustee and member of the Alumni Council, he was the speaker at the 2001 graduation.

• 2000: Edward I. Shifman, Jr. '61

  Ed Shifman has served The Rivers School in many capacities. He was a Term Trustee for six years, from the fall of 1981 through the spring of 1987. He then became a member of the Alumni Council, serving for more than two decades before becoming an Honorary Member of the Council. Over the years he served on the Executive Committee, various Reunion committees, and was a dedicated Annual Fund Decade Chair and phonathon participant.

• 1999: Gregory H. Cahill '77

  Greg Cahill has been a dedicated member of the Executive, Nominating, and Alumni Excellence Award committees for the more than two decades. He has also been a Reunion Chair and Alumni Council Annual Fund and Decade chair. He became an honorary member of the Alumni Council in 2008. He is a dedicated supporter of the Annual Golf Tournament to Benefit Financial aid as well as a frequent attendee at the annual Alumni Senior Breakfast.

• 1998: Thomas M. Navoni '78

  1978 classmates Chuck Warshaver and Tom Navoni shared the 1998 Rivers Cup award. Warshaver is a trustee, a member of the Alumni Council, and a former Alumni Council president. Navoni has been a member of the Alumni Council since 1990 and has served as president since 1995, is a class agent, and has been a volunteer assistant coach for numerous Rivers athletic teams.

• 1998: Charles M. Warshaver '78

  1978 classmates Chuck Warshaver and Tom Navoni shared the 1998 Rivers Cup award. Warshaver is a trustee, a member of the Alumni Council, and a former Alumni Council president. Navoni has been a member of the Alumni Council since 1990 and has served as president since 1995, is a class agent, and has been a volunteer assistant coach for numerous Rivers athletic teams.

• 1997: John B. Jarzavek (honorary)

  Throughout his tenure at Rivers, Jack Jarzavek has used his passion for English, art history, and music to encourage thousands of Rivers students to get excited about learning. For applying that passion to working with Rivers alumni, Jack was presented with the 1997 Rivers Cup even though he's not an alumnus. After retiring from teaching, Jack continued to serve as alumni liaison with the Alumni Office.

• 1996: Nelson D. Hooe, Jr. '47

  Nellie Hooe was not a graduate of Rivers (he left after 8th grade to attend Phillips Exeter), but his fondness for the school of his youth has only strengthened over time. He has been an active volunteer in the Alumni/ae and Development Office for many years, as a fund­ raiser, a generous donor, and as a member of the Alumni/ae Council and the Corporation.

• 1995: James A. Navoni '70

  Jim Navoni has been a member of Rivers faculty since 1975, teaching Upper School Mathematics. He is also Assistant Director of Athletics and coaches a variety of teams on the sub-varsity and middle school level. As a student, Jim was awarded the Athletic Prize and the Jeremiah J. Sheehan Memorial Prize. In addition to the Rivers Cup, he was the first recipient of the Walter Family Community Award in 2005 for his selfless contributions to the Rivers community. He also received the Athletic Department’s Distinguished Service Award in 2006.

• 1994: Christopher R. Kelly '65

  Chris Kelly ’65 received the Rivers Cup in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to the school. Kelly joined the Alumni Council in 1987 and helped establish the Alumni Scholarship Endowment Fund. He served on the Faculty Affairs Committee, was a member of the Board of Trustees while the school went through its transition to a coeducational program and penned a new mission statement.

• 1993: Clifford L. White '76

  Clifford L. White ’76 received the Rivers Cup in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to the school. White began his involvement with Rivers as an alumnus in 1986 when he was asked to help organize his 10th reunion. He then served as president of the Alumni Council from 1987-1990, overseeing the school’s transition to coeducation alongside the Board of Trustees, of which he was also a member, and relaying important information to the school’s alumni base.

• 1992: Robert Y. Lider '67

  Robert Y. Lider ’67 received the Rivers Cup in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to the school despite living more than 500 miles from Rivers. Lider served as Alumni Giving Chair from 1989-1992 and as a member of the Board of Trustees.

• 1991: Hathorn P. Brown '35

  Hathorn P. Brown ’35 received the Rivers Cup in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to the school. Brown served as president of the Board of Trustees from 1955-1957 and oversaw the school’s move from Brookline to its current site on Nonesuch Pond in Weston. He was a Life Trustee after 21 years of service to the Board, served as a class agent and was a member of the Alumni Council.

• 1990: Louis J. Grossman '67

  Louis J. Grossman ’67 received the Rivers Cup in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to the school. Grossman served as president of the Board of Trustees for three years, overseeing the school’s transition to a coeducational school. He was a member of the Board from 1981-1990, and gave of his time as an alumnus with terms as president and vice president of the Alumni Council.

• 1989: Endicott P. Saltonstall '59

  Endicott P. “Cotty” Saltonstall ’59 received the Rivers Cup in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to the school. Saltonstall served Rivers in a variety of roles after graduating from the Brookline campus. He was a member of the Board of Trustees, Development Committee, Alumni Scholarship Committee, Faculty Enrichment Committee, Alumni Council, reunion chairman, and is the father of three Rivers alumni.

• 1988: A. Tozzer Spalding '62

  A. Tozzer Spalding ’62 received the Rivers Cup in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to the school. Spalding was a member of the second class to graduate from the Weston campus and has given generously of his time since graduating from Rivers. He was the chairman of Operation Strength, which raised more than $500,000 for faculty endowment between 1981 and 1985 and was a fundraising leader for both the alumni annual giving campaign and Senior Class Parents’ Fund. He was a member of both the Alumni Council and Board of Trustees and has been an Honorary Trustee of the Corporation since 1976.

• 1987: Kevin A. Hurley '85

  Kevin A. Hurley ’85 received the Rivers Cup in recognition of his extraordinary character in the face of difficult circumstances. In the opening weeks of his freshman year at Notre Dame, Hurley was struck by a car in a hit-and-run accident and sustained a variety of serious injuries. He was able to overcome his injuries to regain strength through a combination of determination, positivity, and elements of his French and Irish heritages that never allowed him to give up.

• 1986: Paul Licht (honorary)

  Paul Licht was an honorary recipient of the Rivers Cup in 1986 for his years of service and commitment to the school. During his time at Rivers, Licht held many positions both in and out of the classroom. In addition to teaching industrial arts, Licht served as business manager and oversaw the Rivers Day Camp as it grew into one of the finest summer programs in the area.

• 1985: F. Ervin Prince (honorary)

  F. Ervin Prince, a member of the Rivers faculty for more than 50 years, was the honorary recipient of the 1985 Rivers Cup. He was beloved as a mathematics teacher, as a coach, and finally as a liaison to alumni for the Alumni and Development Office. He was the first recipient of an endowed teaching chair established in 1983 and later named in his honor. The coveted F. Ervin Prince Award is given annually in his honor to the Middle School student who “ best embodies the qualities of Erv Prince, who earned the respect, admiration and love of his students and colleagues through his gentle, unassuming character, friendly sense of humor, integrity, inherent consideration for others, and, above all, passion for teaching and sports.

• 1984: Kenneth F. Benjamin '50

  Ken Benjamin was a true leader within the Rivers community, one whose tireless service exemplified what it means to be actively involved in enriching a community. He was a member of Rivers' Class of 1950, a Rivers parent, term trustee from 1973 to1983, grandparent and life trustee, who passed in 2006. After his death, the Kenneth F. Benjamin Citizenship Award was established in his honor, given to those students in Grade 9 who, like him, lead by example, give selflessly to others, and embody The Rivers School's core values.

• 1983: Ferdinand Strauss II '34

  Bob Strauss served as a term trustee from the fall of 1966 to the spring of 1972, and was later made a Member of the Corporation and Life Trustee. The Strauss Dining Hall in the Berwind Building was donated by Bob and his wife Priscilla in memory of their son Randy ’68, who died in 1963. Their grandsons Roy ’96 and Todd ’99 MacDowell attended Rivers as did their granddaughter Stephanie Merinoff ’12. Priscilla Strauss established the Priscilla Wallace Strauss Athletic Award at Rivers to recognize the top female athlete in the senior class.

• 1982: Philip M. Turner '50

  Philip Turner served as a Term Trustee on the Rivers Board from the fall of 1975 through the spring of 1987, and served as President of the Board during that time. As a business owner, he shared his expertise on the Trustee Finance Committee from 1987 through 1991 and remained an Honorary Member of the committee thereafter. His son Michael graduated in the Class of 1972.

• 1981: David M. Berwind (honorary)

  David Berwind, who succeeded George Blackwell as the fourth Headmaster, had been Head of the Lower School since 1958 and a history teacher when he became headmaster in 1968. He placed great value on individualized attention for each student, and worked to update Rivers’ systems and programs to reflect the school’s commitment to an intimate academic environment. Mr. Berwind also helped establish a faculty endowment to supplement salaries and to fund sabbaticals, and promoted the acquisition of faculty housing. He also expanded the curriculum, adding, for example, the arts program. When the second phase of the fourth classroom building was constructed in 1973, space was allocated for art studios and the performing arts. Mr. Berwind retired from Rivers in 1981. In 1986, the Berwind Building was dedicated in his honor. He remains a Rivers life trustee.

• 1980: William B. Tyler '43

  Bill Tyler was a Term Trustee from the fall of 1964 through the spring of 1981, and served during that time as President of the Board. He and his wife Anngie, a former faculty member, were active members of Rivers’ 75th Anniversary Gala Committee. He also served on the Board of Governors of the American Independence Museum in Exeter NH along Rivers alumni Jack Little ’47, Renny Little ’51, and one of Rivers’ first graduates, Henry Woodbridge ’23. He is currently a Life Trustee.

• 1979: Kenneth P. MacPherson '42

  Kenneth P. MacPherson was a Rivers Term Trustee from 1969 through 1979, and also served as President of the Board before being elected a Life Trustee. An active alumnus who served as class agent and on reunion committees, he was the recipient of the Rivers Cup, awarded by the Alumni Association, in 1979. Ken, who passed away in 2013, and his wife Abby had four children, two of whom attended Rivers, and 12 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

• 1978: David J. Feldman '62

  Dave Feldman was very active in the Alumni Association in the 1970s, culminating with being president of the organization. He has remained an active reunion chair over the decades, most recently chairing his 50th reunion and helping bring his classmates back to Rivers for Alumni Day. He has been a strong supporter of the Rivers Golf Tournament and remains an honorary member of the Alumni Council. He has always valued the strong relationships he had with the faculty during his time at Rivers.

• 1977: Frank S. Waterman III '41

  Frank Waterman attended The Rivers School on Dean Road from 1930 through 1937, then returned for a post-graduate year, becoming a member of the class of 1941. He has remained an active Rivers alumnus, becoming a member of the Board of Trustees in 1964 and receiving the Rivers Cup in 1977 in appreciation of his involvement in the school. Today Waterman is a life trustee, generous supporter, and frequent attendee at Rivers events. His sons John and Sturdy both graduated from Rivers, in 1969 and 1974 respectively. Waterman Field is named in his honor.

• 1976: Frederick W. Haffenreffer '38

  Frederick W. “Fritz” Haffenreffer ’38 was an active alumnus and long-time supporter of The Rivers School. A member of the Rivers Board of Trustees for many years, he served as President during the critical years of Rivers’ transition from the Ades estate in Chestnut Hill to the new Weston campus. He served on the executive committee of the Campaign Organization charged with funding the construction of the initial Weston buildings; the Haffenreffer Gymnasium was named in his honor. Haffenreffer was the recipient of the first Rivers Cup, awarded in 1976.