Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • March 7, 2012 Saddle River Saddle River resident Rich Taylor is among the eight local residents who will be inducted into the Bergen Catholic High School Hall of Fame when the Alumni Association presents its Fifteenth Hall of Fame Dinner on March 25. Taylor, who was a member of the Class of 1970, is a successful businessman. He is noted for his generous support of a variety of programs and charities that help the poor or promote the Catholic faith. A long-time benefactor to B.C., this native of Wood-Ridge and current resident of Saddle River has contributed to, and served on the boards of, a number of well-known charities. In 2005, he and his wife, Aleta, were elevated to the Papal Order of Saint Gregory the Great by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. The new inductees, who will join the 147 people who are currently Bergen Catholic Hall of Fame members, also include Alvaro de Molina, Anthony Matesic, Joe Piela, Taylor to be inducted into Bergen Catholic Hall of Fame Eugene Smith, Br. John Gennaro Sullo, and Alecko Eskandarian. James Hoban will be inducted posthumously. Molina, Class of 1975, is a leader in the business world and in his community. As a business leader, the Paramus native reached the level of president/CEO of Bank of America Securities, CFO of Bank of America, and CEO of GMAC. He is involved in numerous charitable organizations in Charlotte, North Carolina, and earned “Father of the Year” honors there. Hoban, Class of 1977, was a standout player on the ice for the B.C. hockey team, but he proved to be an even greater hero later on. The River Vale native lost his life in 1986 while serving his country as he piloted an A-6 aircraft. It was discovered that he steered his disabled aircraft away from a residential area, saving hundreds of people on the ground but eliminating his chance to save himself. Matesic, Class of 1988, was one of the finest two-way linemen in history. He dominated the trenches during his term as a three-year starter for the B.C. football team. A two-time First-Team All-County pick, he was named FirstTeam All-State after leading the B.C. defense to a school record nine shutouts during the 1987 season. A native of Fairview and a current resident of Westwood, he was selected to the All-Decade Team of the 1980s. He went on to enjoy a fine football career at Penn State. Piela, Class of 1995, emerged as one of the finest allaround athletes, not only in B.C. history, but in Bergen County history. A three-year starter in football (where he was named All-County twice and All-State once), he led B.C. to the State Championship Game three times. Also a First-Team All-County selection in baseball and wrestling, the Fair Lawn resident became one of only a half-dozen athletes in county history to earn that honor in three different sports. He later earned All-Ivy League football honors at the University of Pennsylvania. Smith, Class of 1997, was arguably the most successful golfer in B.C. history. He was named to the All-State team three times and to the All-County squad all four years. He placed in the “Top Ten” all four years at the State Championships, and won the All-Groups crown in 1996. He won the prestigious Luciano County Championship twice. The Glen Ridge native was inducted into the Seton Hall University Hall of Fame in 2010. Br. Sullo, C.F.C. served Bergen Catholic High School during three different periods over a three-decade period. He held the position of principal for one year (1993-94), and then was named B.C.’s first president. Many major improvements took place during his tenure in the 1990s, including electrical and technological upgrades in the building and the installation of artificial turf on the athletic field. Eskandarian, who was a member of the Class of 2000, is the all-time leading scorer in B.C. soccer history with 154 goals. This Mahwah resident earned the 2000 “Gatorade National High School Player of the Year” award to cap off his brilliant scholastic career. A native of Montvale and a current resident of Mahwah, he attended the University of Virginia, where he won the prestigious Hermann Award and Soccer America’s 2002 “College Men’s Player of the Year” award, before an eight-year professional career. Calling Marge Millus at (201) 634-4142 for details.