Upper Moreland's 14th Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

For the first time in three years, the Upper Moreland Alumni Association inducted new members into the Hall of Fame, each getting their name engraved on a plaque on display at the high school.

Honored inductees are:

• Eric Blank - '89, Lawyer, Published Author

• Joseph Boutwell - '66, Educator

• James K. Hashimoto - '85, Athletic Trainer/Physical Therapist

• William Kormos - '86, Physician 

• Thomas Roy - '62, Actor, Writer

According to the Alumni Association, inductees are selected based on merit and excellence in a chosen career. 

The event began at 11 a.m. on Oct. 22 with hor d’oeuvres and mingling in the cafeteria.  Attendees included administrative staff, members of the Alumni Association, inductees and their families and students introducing the honorees. 

At noon the ceremony began with the induction of Thomas Roy, introduced by Kathryn Brunner and Taylor Goldberg.

Thomas Roy

After undergrad and graduate school at West Chester University, separated by three years in the U.S. Navy, Thomas Roy began a part-time job in radio that would become a career, lasting over 20 years.

Among his positions were morning show host, talk show host, and news director.  In 1994 he had his first principle role in "12 Monkeys."  For the next 15 years, while an actor, writer, director and producer at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, he simultaneously worked on Saturday Night Live.  

Roy is a member of the Actors Equity, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Screen Actors Guild. 

“As a student, I never would have thought in a million years that I’d be standing here.  It’s absolutely insane," Roy said. "I’m very grateful."

Joseph Boutwell

Next in line was Joseph Boutwell, introduced by Jake Soltis.  Boutwell taught two years in Nepal as a Peace Corps volunteer following his graduation from Alderson Broaddus College, where he majored in Physics Education. At West Virginia University he received a masters in Curriculum and Instruction for Secondary Science. 

He has taught high school for 39 years, while serving as an adjunct professor at three different universities. During his time in West Virginia, Boutwell received the 1989 Christa McAuliffe Fellowship while a State Mentor Teacher.  

In 1990 he was named County Teacher of the Year, and received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math Education. 

Boutwell also extensively travelled. Commenting on one of the most exciting times in his life, Boutwell shared, “I hung from a helicopter over a glacier in Greenland.”

James K. Hashimoto

From the class of 1985, James K. Hashimoto was next to be introduced by Rebecca Coutts.  Earning a B.S. in Health Science and Athletic Training Certification from Lock Haven University, Hashimoto moved on to get a masters in Physical Therapy from the University of Delaware. 

Serving as the Head Athletic Trainer for the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team from 1998 to 2008, he participated in three FIFA World Cups. 

Prior to this, Hashimoto served as consultant and Head Athletic Trainer for the Saudi Arabian National Soccer Team and participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, hosted in the United States. 

From 2006 to 2007, he worked as the personal trainer for, then world-ranked, number two tennis player Maria Sharapova.  He is currently a private practice partner with Elite PT.

Dr. William Kormos

Dr. William Kormos followed, introduced by Kyle Walder and Billy Rafferty.  Dr. Kormos attended the University of Miami on a Henry King Stanford Scholarship, and was one of 20 students selected nationwide for the Honors Program in Medical Education. 

He finished his undergrad as one of the top three students in his class, and earned another merit scholarship to medical school, from which he would graduate as class valedictorian. 

While in medical school, he received the Community Service Award for the Most Outstanding Student Award. 

He was then accepted to the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, recognized as one of the top three hospitals in the nation.  He completed a general internal medicine fellowship at Harvard, and received a Masters of Public Health from Harvard University. 

Afterwards, he served as chief resident for the department of Medicine and then Associate Program Director of the Residency program. He is currently a staff physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Education Director of the Stoeckle Center for Primary Care Innovation. 

He received the New England Educator of the Year Award from the Society of General Internal Medicine, and was recently named to “Best Doctors in America.”

Eric Blank

Flying in from Las Vegas, Eric Blank arrived coincidentally the exact instant his introduction was completed by Casey Farrell. Blank attended undergrad at Wharton, and received his J.D. from the University of Arizona and their Law Review.  He manages his own law firm in Las Vegas, specializing in personal injury, criminal law, and business litigation. 

Blank has worked as General Counsel for a regional broadcasting company, hosted and produced a legal talk show, and served as a legal analyst for several local radio and television programs. 

He became involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Association after his father was diagnosed with lymphoma, and was named Southern Nevada 2009 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Man of the Year. 

He is a Ben Gurion member of the Las Vegas Jewish Foundation, and active in the Salvation Army and Make-A-Wish Foundation. 

“This is a special honor. I’m looking forward to getting the plaque,” Blank said with shy enthusiasm.

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The ceremony concluded with the distribution of plaques, several photographs, and a luncheon in the upper half of the cafeteria. 

This year’s event was organized by Nora Rosenbaum and the UM Alumni Association, which has 400 paying members and 13,000 total. 

According to Rosenbaum, future Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies will be held every two years.