Bedford Resident the Recipient of Derryfield's 2012 Alumni Service Award

The Derryfield School celebrated Founders' Day last Friday, May 4. The community gathered to honor the school’s founders with a special assembly in the Performing Arts Auditorium.

Dianne Connolly, of Windham, former chair of The Derryfield School Board of Trustees and parent of two alumni, was the featured speaker for Founders' Day 2012. Ms. Connolly is the Managing Partner at DM Connolly Associates in Windham, working extensively with strategic planning for non-profit organizations.

Former Alumni Council President Christopher Norwood '99 named Ryan Abood '97 as the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for 2012. Mr. Abood is Founder and CEO of GourmetGiftBaskets.com, a mail order gift company that he started in college and has built into a $10 million industry. His company was included in the Internet Retailers Top 5oo, placed #37 on the INC 500 in 2009, and recently won NBC’s Best Holiday Gift Basket Contest. 

Dan Muskat '82, of Bedford, was announced as the recipient of Derryfield's 2012 Alumni Service Award. Mr. Muskat, who works for MassMutual Financial Group, is a trustee, parent, and volunteer at the School, serving as a member of the Alumni Council and chair of the Annual Fund. Mr. Muskat's two daughters, who are current students at Derryfield, introduced their father and presented him with the award.

2011 Peter S. Freedman Founders' Scholar Margaret Cochrane '12, daughter of Doug and Liz Cochrane, of Windham, gave the Founders' Scholar Address and presented the 2012 Founders' Scholar Award to Daniel Schwartzberg '13, son of Mark Schwartzberg and Sasha Kuftinec, of Bedford. Margaret will be attending Middlebury College in Vermont in the fall. The Peter S. Freedman Founders' Scholar Award is presented annually to that member of the junior class who has best combined academic achievement with personal responsibility, independence, and ethical sense. Copies of speeches from the day are available on request.