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NJSD Hall of Fame Inductees

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Neenah Joint School District Hall of Fame Inductees

Jack Ankerson

Jack Ankerson

Class of 1960

Inducted in 2023

Ankerson was a three-sport standout in high school and at Ripon College, participating in football, basketball and tennis. He was a 16th round draft choice as a quarterback by the St. Louis Cardinals in the NFL and, after a brief professional playing career, he began a career in the front office of professional sports. He was the general manager of the San Antonio Spurs and Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association. He also worked in the front office of the Norfolk Tides minor league baseball team. Ankerson is active in the Norfolk, Va. community and serves as a public address announcer for many of the area’s pro and college teams.

Dr. Omar Atassi

Dr. Omar Atassi

Class of 1982

Inducted in 2018

Atassi, a 1982 graduate, was a three-sport athlete, earning Most Valuable Player honors for the 1981 soccer team, academic all-state honors in basketball his senior year and a state runner-up finish in doubles tennis in 1981. He graduated from Duke University and earned his MD from Loyola of Chicago. Atassi has been active in the community, serving on several boards, including the Theda Clark Center Foundation and the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region.

Byron Bell

Byron Bell

Class of 1932

Inducted in 2023

Bell composed the music and wrote the words for the Neenah High School song that is still in use today. He also starred on the court in basketball and tennis, leading Neenah to a consolation title at the 1932 state basketball tournament. He was a member of Neenah’s only American Legion baseball state championship team in 1930. An all-conference and all-state basketball player, he is one of six former Rockets to play at the University of Wisconsin and captained the Badgers as a senior. Bell also played clarinet in the Badger band and taught music for 39 years in the Lake Geneva School District. He passed away in 2008 at age 94.

George Edwin Bergstrom

George Edwin Bergstrom

Class of 1892

Inducted in 2015

Bergstrom, an 1892 graduate, was the Chief Architect for the Pentagon Building in 1941. A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University, he was one of the prominent figures in the rapid expansion of Southern California in the early 1900’s. Bergstrom served as Chairman of the Advisory Board of the University of Southern California’s School of Architecture and was President of the Municipal Housing Commission for seven years. Bergstrom died in California in 1955 at the age of 79.

Tom Berven

Tom Berven

Teacher 1964-97

Inducted in 2016

Berven coached his 50th season of boys tennis at Neenah High School in 2016, including his 46th as head coach. He has led the Rockets to five WIAA state championships and six state runner-up finishes along with 39 conference championships, while posting a 436-49-1 career record. A Luther College graduate and Austin, Minn. native, Berven taught high school social studies from 1964-97 and also coached junior varsity basketball for 16 seasons. He has directed the Neenah Park and Recreation summer tennis program for the past 49 years and is a member of the Wisconsin Tennis Coaches Association and Fox Valley Tennis Association Halls of Fame.

Dr. Kerri Blobaum

Dr. Kerri Blobaum

Class of 1990

Inducted in 2019

Blobaum works as a materials scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She is a recognized expert in the field of actinide science and also led a team that developed specialized targets for high-energy-density physics experiments at the National Ignition Facility, the world’s most powerful laser. She has engaged in scientific exchanges with representatives of other nations, including Russia. Blobaum has received a U.S. Department of Energy Defense Program Award of Excellence and a Lawrence Livermore Director’s Science and Technology Award. In high school, she was part of band, symphony, debate, forensics and math team. She resides in Livermore, Calif.

Tori Bohannon

Tori Bohannon

Class of 2003

Inducted in 2023

Bohannon was a three-sport athlete in high school and captained the volleyball, basketball and soccer teams as a senior. She was a member of the band and also earned a gold award, the highest honor in girl scouts, while starting a Special Olympics basketball training program. Bohannon was a four-year starter in soccer at Northwestern University and a three-time Academic all-Big Ten selection. She studied abroad in Uganda and worked two years for Teach for America in South Bronx, N.Y. Bohannon is currently the Elementary Head of School at Namaste Charter School in Chicago.

Joe Braun

Joe Braun

Teacher 1946-74

Inducted in 2015

Braun, who taught math and science from 1946-74, began the Neenah High School baseball program and Neenah’s summer youth baseball program. He is a member of the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame and was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Braun played collegiately at UW-River Falls and also coached football at Neenah. He was described by former students as being “tough” and “compassionate.” Braun lived in Neenah until his death in 2013 at the age of 101.

Marigen Carpenter

Marigen Carpenter

Class of 1952, Teacher 1978/80

Inducted in 2022

Carpenter was Neenah’s longest-serving mayor and its first female mayor, serving for 16 years from 1982 to 1998. Carpenter was also Neenah’s first female city council president in 1981 and 1982, while serving five years as an alderperson. She was salutatorian of her high school graduating class and participated in debate, yearbook, honor roll, newspaper, pep club, girls athletics and choir. She graduated from UW-Madison and later taught high school English in Neenah.

Dr. Theresa Cheng

Dr. Theresa Cheng

Class of 1979

Inducted in 2015

Cheng, a 1979 graduate, worked as a neurosurgeon at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh. A graduate of the Medical College of Wisconsin, she donated $2.5 million to her former employer to create an endowment for Medical Excellence and Compassion to improve the hospital’s neurosurgery program and create a medical mission outreach program for needy individuals in and out of the local area. The gift was the largest in the hospital’s history. She resides in Oshkosh.

Andrew Coan

Andrew Coan

Class of 1995

Inducted in 2023

Coan was a state champion debate student and valedictorian of his graduating class in high school. He also finished at the top of his class at the University of Wisconsin and was one of 20 students nationwide to earn a Beinecke Brothers Memorial Scholarship for graduate study. He won the Mark Mensink Prize for top honors thesis and the Distinguished English Student Award. Coan earned a juris doctorate from Stanford University and has been an assistant law professor at the University of Arizona since 2014 after six years teaching at UW-Madison. He has authored two books and is a frequent contributor to national media outlets.

Laura (Coenen) Ryan

Laura (Coenen) Ryan

Class of 1981

Inducted in 2015

Coenen, a 1981 graduate, was a three-time Olympian as a goalie in Team Handball. She starred collegiately at the University of Minnesota and was the Big Ten’s first women’s basketball Player of the Year in 1983. Coenen was the first Minnesota player to have her number retired by the school and was a first-team All-American in 1985. She ranks second in Neenah basketball history in career scoring with 1,036 points and helped the Rockets to a WIAA state runner-up finish in 1980 as a two-time Fox Valley Association Player of the Year. Coenen lives in Manitou Springs, Colo. and is an events manager for USA Cycling.

Bill Dunwiddie

Bill Dunwiddie

Teacher 1948-83

Inducted in 2017

Dunwiddie taught social studies at Neenah High School from 1948-83 and was well-known for his community involvement and dedication to the environment. The 1963 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year and runner-up for National Teacher of the Year, Dunwiddie was a member of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Social Studies Curriculum Committee for 20 years. He served on the City of Neenah Park and Recreation Commission from 1964-94 and spent eight years on the Planning Commission. He authored a book, “The Parks of Neenah,” in 1993. A Port Washington native, Dunwiddie attended the University of Wisconsin and was a member of the marching band upon graduation in 1942. He died in 2014 in Bozeman, Mont. at age 94.

Ron Einerson

Ron Einerson

Teacher 1968-93

Inducted in 2015

Einerson, who taught social studies and coached boys basketball in Neenah from 1968-93, still ranks seventh in state history in career victories with his 556-235 career record. He led the Rockets to WIAA state titles in 1975 and 1978 and four state runner-up finishes. Einerson guided the Rockets to the state tournament 10 times and won 12 conference championships. He played collegiately at UW-Platteville and served in the U.S. Army for 17 months in Korea. Einerson was president of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and is in organization’s Hall of Fame. The fieldhouse at Neenah High School has been named in his honor. He still resides in Neenah and regularly attends high school events.

Colette (Goudreau) Murphy

Colette (Goudreau) Murphy

Class of 1983

Inducted in 2024

Goudreau helped lead the Rockets to WIAA state girls cross country titles in 1981 and 1982. She placed second at state in the 1600-meter run in track as a senior. Goudreau was the sixth Wisconsin high school female athlete ever to run a mile in under five minutes. She attended Indiana University and was the school's first cross country All-American with an 11th place finish at the national meet. She was a five-time All-American in cross country and track and field and a four-time Big Ten champion. Goudreau was inducted into the Indiana University athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. She now resides in Noblesville, Ind. 

Kathy Hagerstrom

Kathy Hagerstrom

Class of 1979

Inducted in 2017

Hagerstrom still ranks as Neenah’s all-time leading scorer in girls’ basketball with 1,219 points. She led the Rockets to the 1978 WIAA state championship and was the state Player of the Year and a Parade All-American. Hagerstrom, who also played volleyball at Neenah, attended the University of Nebraska and graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,778 points (currently ranks 10th all-time). She was the head women’s basketball coach for 18 years at Wellesley College (Mass.) and owns a school-record 229 career wins before stepping down to become the school’s Assistant Director of Operations. She resides in Wayland, Mass.

Pat Hawley

Pat Hawley

Class of 1970

Inducted in 2022

Hawley was the Most Valuable Player of Neenah High School’s 1970 WIAA state runner-up basketball team and still ranks ninth in school history with 830 career points. Hawley also participated in football, track and field and baseball. He earned an accounting degree from UW-Eau Claire and a Master’s in Business Administration from UW-Madison. He went on to serve as the Chief Financial Officer at ThedaCare from 1990 to 2007 and the Chief Financial Officer at Alta Resources Corp. from 2007 to 2015.

Dr. Wellington Hsu

Dr. Wellington Hsu

Class of 1993

Inducted in 2016

Hsu, a 1993 graduate, is an endowed professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a spine surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Hsu has conducted extensive research on regenerative technologies in orthopaedic surgery and neck, spine and back injuries in athletes. He participated in soccer, tennis, orchestra, debate and musicals in high school. Hsu earned a degree in music performance (violin) from UW-Madison and an M.D. from Vanderbilt University before completing his residency at UCLA Medical Center. He currently resides in Glenview, Ill.

Dr. Emma Jaeck

Dr. Emma Jaeck

Class of 1892

Inducted in 2018

Jaeck, an 1892 graduate, was a teacher, professor, published author, poet and songwriter. She was active in the women’s suffrage movement and earned degrees from UW-Oshkosh and UW-Madison and a doctorate from the University of Illinois. Jaeck studied Christmas customs from throughout the world and lectured on them globally, while writing many poems and articles. She spoke seven languages, taught foreign languages at colleges throughout the U.S. and sailed around the world twice. She died in Omro in 1963.

Dr. Zuhdi Jasser

Dr. Zuhdi Jasser

Class of 1985

Inducted in 2016

Jasser, a 1985 graduate, is the founder and president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, which was founded as an effort to provide an American Muslim voice advocating for the preservation of the founding principles of the United States. After attending UW-Milwaukee and Medical College of Wisconsin, he served 11 years as a medical officer in the U.S. Navy and is a past president of the Arizona Medical Association. Jasser, the co-founder of the Muslim reform movement, regularly briefs members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on the threat of political Islam, which is the ideology that fuels radical Islamists. He authored A Battle for the Soul of Islam: An American Muslim Patriot’s Fight to Save His Faith, and is a regular contributor on national media outlets such as CNN, CBS, Fox News Channel, MSNBC and BBC. In high school, Jasser was editor of the school newspaper and participated in chess, debate, forensics, mock trial, academic decathlon, student congress, tennis and music. He was also president of National Honor Society as a senior. He resides in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Tom Jensen

Tom Jensen

Teacher/Coach 1968-95

Inducted in 2022

Jensen taught social studies and coached boys cross country at Neenah High School from 1968 to 1995, earning 11 conference championships and 11 trips to the state cross country meet. Jensen also was an assistant track and field coach for 21 years and is a member of the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Jensen was the District’s teacher of the year in 1983. He helped originate the Neenah Summer Fun Run program in 1995 and has continued leading the Neenah tradition for the past 27 summers.

Phil Johnston

Phil Johnston

Class of 1990

Inducted in 2019

Johnston is an Oscar and Annie Award-winning screenwriter for Walt Disney Animation Studios. Johnston wrote the screenplay for “Zootopia,” which won an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Annie Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Individually, he won an Annie Award for Best Writing in “Zootopia” and “Wreck-it-Ralph.” Johnston also co-directed the recently-released “Ralph Breaks the Internet” that was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. He received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and won an outstanding alumni award from UW-Madison in 2014. He resides in Los Angeles.

Dick Jorgensen

Dick Jorgensen

Class of 1952

Inducted in 2018

Jorgensen, a 1952 graduate, was a prolific athlete, noted community member and the head referee for the 1990 Super Bowl. The son of legendary Neenah coach Ole Jorgensen, Dick was a state champion in doubles tennis and placed runner-up at state track in the pole vault. He quarterbacked the Neenah football team and helped the basketball team to a state semifinal appearance. He played basketball at UW-Madison and captained the Badgers in 1956. Jorgensen served as an NFL official for 23 years and refereed 12 playoff games and four conference championship games. He served two years in the U.S. Navy and was president of Marine Bank in Champaign, Ill. He died in 1990 and all NFL officials wore a black armband in his honor.

Ole Jorgensen

Ole Jorgensen

Class of 1922

Inducted in 2015

Jorgensen, a 1922 graduate, taught physical education and coached in Neenah for 43 years until his retirement in 1969. Jorgensen was a state high jump champion in high school and also played football and basketball. Jorgensen coached basketball, football and track at Neenah and started the golf and cross country programs as athletic director. He coached the basketball team to 10 state tournament appearances, including the 1930 WIAA state title while posting a 509-258 record in 39 seasons. Jorgensen was president of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and is a member of the organization’s Hall of Fame. He also is on the UW-La Crosse Wall of Fame and the gymnasium at Shattuck Middle School has been named in his honor. He never missed a basketball game or any of his over 3,000 practices as a coach. Jorgensen lived in Neenah and attended school events until his death in 1988 at the age of 84.

Susan Karamanian

Susan Karamanian

Class of 1976

Inducted in 2022

Karamanian is currently the Dean of Hamad Bin Khalifa University College of Law. She previously served as provost at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and the Associate Dean for International and Comparative Legal Studies at the George Washington University School of Law. She attended Auburn University and Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas. In high school, she participated in forensics, debate, and the conservation club, and was a commencement speaker.

James Keating

James Keating

Class of 1925

Inducted in 2015

James Keating, a 1925 graduate, was a leader at the Neenah Foundry and active in numerous community organizations. While in school, he was captain of the 1925 basketball team that placed fifth at state and also played football. He was president of the District’s Vocational and Adult Education School for 25 years and served as president of the National Foundry Association and president of the National Castings Council. Keating held leadership positions with the Boys and Girls Brigade, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum and Foundry Educational Foundation. He donated the land for Keating Park in the Town of Neenah and his foundation has awarded over $30,000 in scholarships. Keating lived in Neenah until his death in 1991 at the age of 84.

John Keating

John Keating

Class of 1926

Inducted in 2015

John Keating, a 1926 graduate, was the first Neenah person to receive an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point and later served as a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army. He was the Chief Allied negotiator for the safe passage of 12,000 French civilians who had retreated along with the German army in World War II. He also negotiated and executed a plan of surrender of 60,000 German forces in the Lorient and St. Nazaire pockets, which represented the last Nazi strongholds in France. Keating was a Regimental Commander in Korea and later served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations. Following a 30-year career, he remained with the military as a consultant until his death in 1970 at the age of 61.

Harry Kelderman

Harry Kelderman

Coach 1981-2015

Inducted in 2018

Kelderman has the most wins of any boys soccer coach in Wisconsin high school history, posting 603 wins from 1981 to 2015. Kelderman led the Rockets to three state titles, two state runner-up finishes, 27 FVA titles and a winning record every season. A 2011 Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, Kelderman coached in more state tournaments than any coach in state history and also coached the Neenah girls team one season, leading them to the state semifinals in 2010. Prior to Neenah he coached seven seasons at Lawrence University and won 672 matches at all levels. He was a co-founder of the Paper Valley Youth Soccer program that is now known as the Neenah Soccer Club. Kelderman still lives in Neenah.

Kris Kelderman

Kris Kelderman

Class of 1987

Inducted in 2019

Kelderman won championships at every level of his soccer career. After leading Neenah to consecutive state titles in 1985 and 1986, Kelderman was the University of Virginia’s leading scorer for its 1989 NCAA championship squad. He played professionally for nine years and was an eighth round selection in the inaugural Major League Soccer draft in 1996 by D.C. United. He was a member of the first two MLS Cup championship teams with D.C. United in 1996 and 1997. Kelderman was the Wisconsin High School Player of the Year as a senior and was inducted into the Wisconsin State Soccer Association Hall of Fame in 2010. He has coached college and professional teams since his retirement from playing in 2000. Kelderman resides in Glendale.

Robert Keller

Robert Keller

Class of 1965

Inducted in 2017

Keller is the chairman of J.J. Keller and Associates, Inc. and also serves as president of the J.J. Keller Foundation, Inc., which has contributed over $50 million to local communities and organizations. Keller began working at the family-owned business at age 12 and earned an economics degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He began his career at the Advertising and Marketing Manager and quickly rose to Executive Vice President in 1974 and Chief Executive Officer in 1988. Keller serves on the Board of Directors for numerous local charitable organizations and foundations. He lives in Kaukauna.

Jean Kessler

Jean Kessler

Class of 1959, Teacher 1969-96

Inducted in 2016

Kessler, a 1959 graduate, taught high school physical education from 1969-96. She was a trailblazer for establishing girls athletics programs in Neenah and served as the varsity girls basketball coach from 1971-83 and the girls volleyball coach until 1975. She led the Rockets to the first six WIAA state girls basketball tournaments from 1976-81, including a state championship in 1978 and runner-up finishes in 1976 and 1980. Kessler was a three-time FVA coach of the year and posted a 176-47 career record, earning induction to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. While a student, she was a member of the band and participated in the girls athletic association before attending UW-La Crosse. Kessler still resides in Neenah.

Wayne Kreklow

Wayne Kreklow

Class of 1975

Inducted in 2015

Kreklow, a 1975 graduate, led Neenah to the 1975 WIAA state basketball title while scoring 499 points that season and 926 for his career. He was the state Player of the Year and went on to star at Drake University and win an NBA title with the Boston Celtics. Kreklow was selected to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a player and also led the Rockets to the state tournament in 1974. He played volleyball in high school and has been head coach of the women’s volleyball team at the University of Missouri since 2000, leading the Tigers to 10 NCAA tournament appearances. He coached Columbia College to NAIA national titles and undefeated seasons in 1998 and 1999. At Missouri, he earned 2013 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year honors when the team finished 35-1. He resides in Columbia, Mo.

Jill (Lieber) Steeg

Jill (Lieber) Steeg

Class of 1974

Inducted in 2018

Lieber, a 1974 graduate, was among the first national female sportswriters and earned multiple awards and three Pulitzer Prize nominations. She attended Stanford University and began her career as a columnist and features writer for the Milwaukee Sentinel. She was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated from 1981-95 and was the magazine’s first female NFL writer while also spearheading the investigation into the Pete Rose gambling scandal. From 1995-2008, Steeg was a senior writer at USA Today where she specialized in cover stories and covered most major world sporting events. She now lives in Chapel Hill, N.C. and co-owns Steeg Sports Management and Media Consulting with her husband, Jim, who worked for the NFL and directed the Super Bowl for 26 years.

Alvin Long

Alvin Long

Teacher/Administrator 1961-90

Inducted in 2024

Long served as principal at Horace Mann Junior High from 1961-66 and at Shattuck Senior High School from 1966-75. He returned to teaching in 1975 at Shattuck and was the math department chair until 1990. Long advised the student council throughout his tenure and was the state’s Advisor of the Year. He was Neenah’s middle school Teacher of the Year in 1982. Long was involved in the Neenah community as an alderman and on the Winnebago County Board. He also was president of numerous local organizations. He passed away in 2023 at age 92.

Dr. Gary Losse

Dr. Gary Losse

Class of 1967

Inducted in 2021

Losse was an accomplished three-sport athlete and went on to a prestigious medical career as an orthopedic surgeon. Losse was an all-state quarterback on Neenah’s undefeated team in 1966 and an all-state guard in basketball. His junior year, he led the Rockets to a conference football championship, a state tournament appearance in basketball and a state title game in baseball as a shortstop and pitcher. Losse played two seasons of football at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before knee injuries ended his career. He earned his medical doctorate from UW-Madison and later spent 17 years as the team doctor for the San Diego Chargers. Losse also developed several innovative knee braces and surgical techniques. He died in 2018.

David McLaren

David McLaren

Class of 1989

Inducted in 2017

McLaren was a WIAA state champion in the shot put and an all-conference running back and linebacker on two Neenah playoff football teams, including the 1988 squad that reached the state semifinals. McLaren earned a track and field scholarship to Iowa State University and concluded his career at UW-Oshkosh where he set an NCAA Division III record and won two national titles in the shot put. His shot put throw ranked among the top 50 in the world at one time. McLaren has taught and coached for 20 years at Zion-Benton High School (Ill.) and resides in Antioch, Ill.

Gary Parker

Gary Parker

Teacher 1972-93

Inducted in 2019

Parker has more wins than any football coach in Neenah history, posting a 108-69-2 record. During his tenure, the Rockets won seven conference championships and made three WIAA playoff appearances, advancing to the state semifinals in 1988. A physical education teacher, he served as physical education department chair prior to his retirement in 1993. He also was the head boys track and field coach for 10 seasons, winning three conference championships. He still resides in Neenah.

Todd Patterson

Todd Patterson

Class of 1974

Inducted in 2021

Patterson has a unique combination of success in athletics and fine arts. He captained the football and wrestling teams and was also active in choir and swing choir. Patterson was a four-year starter in football at Carthage College and earned his degree in biological science. He taught science at Wooster (Ohio) High School from 1978-2013 and coached football, wrestling, soccer and softball. Patterson produced and directed 34 productions of musical theatre and plays and was active in Wooster community performing arts productions. Patterson resides in Wooster, Ohio.

Marty Robinson

Marty Robinson

Class of 1987

Inducted in 2023

An accomplished musician, Robinson is widely regarded in the Midwest as a jazz and classical trumpeter, both as a soloist and in chamber music settings. He earned a degree in trumpet performance from Lawrence University, a Master’s Degree in jazz studies from Eastman School of Music and a doctorate in composition from Florida State University. Robinson was part of the 1990 All-American College Band and was president of National Honor Society in high school. He was an associate professor for 10 years at Florida A&M University and has been a professor of trumpet and jazz at UW-Oshkosh since 2004. He is the composer and trumpeter on numerous recordings that have been aired on national television and radio. 

Wayne Salzmann

Wayne Salzmann

Class of 2002

Inducted in 2024

Salzmann is an internationally-touring drummer who began his career in the jazz band at Horace Mann Middle School and the symphonic band at Neenah High School. He taught for 12 years at the University of Texas-Austin and has toured with an African marimba and Brazilian jazz band. He has toured with guitarist Eric Johnson and recorded an album called Europe: Live during a 2014 European tour that reached No. 1 on the Billboard blues album chart. Salzmann wrote a book, titled Developing Melodic Language on the Drums. He currently resides in Beaver Dam and assists with percussion students at Neenah High School.

George Scherck

George Scherck

Teacher/Coach 1967-99

Inducted in 2022

Scherck taught social studies and coached in Neenah from 1967 to 1999, while also serving in city government for 37 years. George Scherck was mayor of Neenah from 2002 to 2014 and a city alderman for the preceding 25 years. Scherck was the District’s teacher of the year in 1976 and 1986 and coached Neenah’s softball teams to WIAA state championships in 1990 and 1995 during a 20-year tenure. He also coached girls basketball for 30 years, including three seasons as head varsity coach, and he coached football for 20 years.

John Schneller

John Schneller

Class of 1929

Inducted in 2017

Schneller was a member of the Detroit Lions’ 1935 NFL championship team, served as a Navy Lieutenant in World War II and founded a successful company. Schneller starred in football and basketball at Neenah and earned a basketball scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but opted to play football instead. Schneller was aboard the U.S.S. South Dakota during the battles for Palau, Leyte, Okinawa and the Japanese mainland. In 1964, Schneller founded Schneller and Associates in Kent, Ohio. The company is still one of the world’s foremost suppliers and designers of aviation and rail car interiors. Schneller died in 1978 in Kent, Ohio at age 67.

Marti (Schreier) Wronski

Marti (Schreier) Wronski

Class of 1990

Inducted in 2021

Wronski serves as General Counsel and Senior Vice President-Administration for the Milwaukee Brewers. Wronski worked five years at a Milwaukee law firm and became an assistant professor at Marquette University Law School in 2002. In 2003, she joined the Brewers and still serves as an adjunct professor at Marquette. She gave the commencement address at St. Norbert College in 2015 and was a member of the St. Norbert Board of Trustees.  She also serves as a board member for several Milwaukee-area organizations. In high school, she participated in cheerleading, French Club, swimming and yearbook. Wronski resides in Bayside, Wis.

Warren Schuknecht

Warren Schuknecht

Teacher 1954-85

Inducted in 2024

Schuknecht taught history at Neenah High School for 30 years and kept service as one of his main focal points. Schuknecht started a “Varsity Service” club at the school where students were awarded letters for service to the community. A world traveler, Schuknecht brought his experiences back to the classroom and led an annual activity to assist Bantu tribes in Africa suffering from parasitic eye issues. Schuknecht received the Valley Forge Freedoms Foundation medal in 1965 for instilling a sense of community involvement, responsible citizenship and patriotism in his students. He was the District’s high school Teacher of the Year in 1966 and 1984. He passed away in 2008 at age 81.

Will Scribner

Will Scribner

Teacher 1963-93

Inducted in 2024

Scribner taught social studies and economics at Neenah High School for 30 years, serving as department chair for many of those years. He won Wisconsin’s outstanding social studies teacher award in 1993 and was the Neenah High School Teacher of the Year in 1977. Scribner spent the 1979-80 school year teaching in Scotland as a Fullbright Scholar. He was president of the Neenah Education Association for two years and vice president for the Council for Wisconsin Social Studies. Scribner was the Neenah Park and Recreation director of baseball for nine years and volunteers with St. Paul’s Home in Kaukauna and St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church. He still resides in Neenah.

Bob Totten

Bob Totten

Teacher/Coach 1972-present

Inducted in 2024

Totten entered the 2024-25 school year having coached 130 seasons of Neenah athletics since arriving as a social studies teacher in 1972. He coached football at all levels for 38 years and continues to coach with the Neenah girls basketball and track and field programs. Totten was the Rockets’ head varsity girls basketball coach from 1981-89 and also served as head girls track and field coach. He retired from teaching in 2003. Totten has been active in the community with numerous organizations, including Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity. He still resides in Neenah.

Jim Vine

Jim Vine

Teacher 1970-2000

Inducted in 2019

Vine was the originator of the Neenah High School Vintage show choir. He taught music and choir to junior and senior high school students. His show choir ensembles won numerous awards in competitions throughout the country. Vine played professionally with Lou Rawls, Sammy Davis Jr., Wayne Newton, Johnnie Ray and Frankie Avalon. He also played guitar with Bette Midler. Many of his students have gone onto careers in music and teaching. Vine has been active in the choir at St. Margaret Mary church in Neenah and still resides in Neenah.

Patricia Westphal

Patricia Westphal

Teacher 1973-2002

Inducted in 2016

Westphal taught science at Neenah High School from 1973-2002. In 2004, she won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Association of Physics Teachers. She served as the advisor for the academic decathlon team for 17 years and advised the science olympiad team for 12 years. Westphal also was an advisor for National Honor Society. She was the first to bring the modeling method of instruction to the Fox Valley and also created the trimester schedule that Neenah used from 1996-2011. A West Bend native, Westphal earned a degree from UW-Madison. She still resides in Neenah.

John Whitlinger

John Whitlinger

Class of 1972

Inducted in 2015

Whitlinger, a 1972 graduate, was the first person to win four WIAA state individual singles tennis championships and won 109 consecutive matches for the Rockets. A member of Neenah’s “first family” of tennis, he attended Stanford University and won both the NCAA singles and doubles titles in 1974 while leading the Cardinal to the national team title. Whitlinger was inducted into the Stanford Hall of Fame and Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame. He played six years professionally, achieving individual rankings in the top 50 for singles and top 40 for doubles. Whitlinger was the head men’s tennis coach at Stanford for 10 seasons, compiling a 160-85 record and nine NCAA tournament appearances. He was also the associate head coach at Stanford for 18 seasons and part of nine national championship teams. Whitlinger retired in 2014 and lives in Appleton.

Tami (Whitlinger) Jones

Tami (Whitlinger) Jones

Class of 1987

Inducted in 2019

Tami (Whitlinger) Jones never lost a match in her high school career, finishing 105-0 as one of three players in state history to win four WIAA singles titles. She won two junior national singles titles and three doubles national titles. Jones played collegiately for two years at Stanford University, earning All-American honors both seasons while leading her team to the NCAA championship. Professionally, she reached at least the third round of every Grand Slam tournament, including the fourth round of the 1991 French Open when she reached her career high singles ranking of No. 41 in the world. She won a USTA pro circuit event in Greensboro, N.C. in 1989. Jones played four years with the Sacramento Capitals in World Team Tennis. She currently resides in Greenville, S.C.

Teri (Whitlinger) Boynton

Teri (Whitlinger) Boynton

Class of 1987

Inducted in 2019

Teri (Whitlinger) Boynton is the only four-time WIAA state doubles tennis champion in state history. She lost one match during her high school career, coming in a freshman doubles match. Boynton had a successful junior career winning one singles national title and three doubles national titles with her sister, Tami. She was a four-time All-American performer at Stanford University and still holds Stanford’s school record for singles victories with a 101-6 career record. Boynton’s teams won the NCAA team championship all four years. She won the 1990 NCAA doubles championship and teamed with her sister to reach the third round of the 1991 U.S. Open doubles draw. She played professionally in World Team Tennis with the Sacramento Capitals. Boynton currently lives in Tampa, Fla.

Frank Wiesner

Frank Wiesner

Class of 1952

Inducted in 2024

Wiesner was an active member of the Neenah community and an executive at Webex, Inc. in Neenah before serving as its Chief Executive Officer for 25 years. Wiesner lettered four years in football, basketball and tennis while in high school and earned a Master’s in Business Management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was a member of the Neenah Board of Education from 1977-82 and president for three years. Wiesner was also president of Neenah Rotary, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Theda Clark Board of Trustees. He joins his brother, Tom, in the Hall of Fame. Wiesner passed away in 2007 at age 72.

Thomas Wiesner

Thomas Wiesner

Class of 1957

Inducted in 2016

Wiesner, a 1957 graduate, was a standout football player at Neenah and went on to captain the University of Wisconsin’s 1960 Rose Bowl team, earning a place in the UW Athletics Hall of Fame. Wiesner played football, basketball and baseball at Neenah and was the Most Valuable Player of the undefeated 1957 football team. He was influential in the growth of Las Vegas, serving as the Director of the Chamber of Commerce while owning seven Wisconsin-themed restaurants and casinos in Las Vegas. Wiesner was Nevada’s state Republican national committeeman in 1986 and served on the University of Nevada Board of Regents. He died from leukemia in 2002 and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas football team annually awards a patch to a senior who characterizes his courage and toughness. A street named Wiesner Way was also dedicated outside the university’s football stadium.

Ivan Williams

Ivan Williams

Class of 1923, Teacher 1930-43, 46-70

Inducted in 2016

Williams, a 1923 graduate, taught American History and coached football, basketball and tennis at Neenah High School from 1930-70. His greatest success came in tennis where he led the Rockets to four WIAA state titles and four runner-up finishes with a 371-71 career record. Williams took a four-year leave of absence during World War II and enlisted in the Air Force where he researched a six-volume tome on aviation medicine that is still in use. He retired from the reserves in 1965 as a Lieutenant Colonel. A UW-Madison graduate, he participated in football and track in high school. Williams is a member of the Wisconsin Tennis Coaches Association and Fox Valley Tennis Association Halls of Fame. He created Neenah’s Park and Recreation tennis program in 1934 and died in 2002 at the age of 96.

Vern Wollerman

Vern Wollerman

Class of 1942

Inducted in 2021

Wollerman was a World War II veteran and returned to his hometown to serve as a longtime police officer and active community member. Wollerman joined the Neenah police force in 1946, serving as chief from 1973-86. He also started the city’s little league baseball program. Wollerman coached all levels of sports in the community and was a WIAA official for 37 years. He served on the Neenah Parks and Rec commission and was a member of numerous community organizations. Wollerman helped Neenah to the semifinals of the 1942 state basketball tournament and led the Rockets in scoring at the tournament. He died in 1992.

Robert Yablon

Robert Yablon

Class of 1995

Inducted in 2021

Yablon was a champion debate student and Rhodes Scholar. Yablon graduated from Yale Law School in 2006 and served as a clerk for U.S. Supreme Court justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor. He worked at a law firm in San Francisco from 2010-14 and has served as a law professor at UW-Madison since 2015. He is active in the Madison community with several service organizations. As a senior, Yablon was valedictorian and helped Neenah become the first school in Wisconsin history to win all three state varsity debate titles in the same year. He resides in Madison.

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