2006 Hall of Fame Inductees

Mario Acitelli, '48 - 2006 Hall of Fame
	*Mario Acitelli, '48* - Mario Acitelli received his BS degree in Chemistry from University of Buffalo, moving on to Cornell, where in 1957, he earned a PhD in organic chemistry. His early career, heading Bausch and Lomb's organic chemistry lab, led to pioneering work in soft contact lenses and plastic ophthalmic lenses. Mario also did government work for Bausch and Lomb, researching bulletproof eyewear and lightweight plastic optics. He left Bausch and Lomb in 1967 to work for IBM in Endicott, NY as a senior materials scientist. In 1979, IBM asked him to set up a materials science laboratory at their Charlotte, NC facility. His work there, at a time when personal computing and electronic document rendering were in their infancy, led to several pioneering discoveries and advancements related to ink jet inks and polymers. Mario holds four US patents in inkjet formulations, epoxy laminations, and radiation dosimetry. The father of eight children and grandfather to 17, Mario was a frequent volunteer in Charlotte's public schools, working to encourage students of all ages to pursue studies and careers in engineering and the sciences.

Frank Galline, '72 - 2006 Hall of Fame
	*Frank Galline, '72* - There might be millions of Americans who dream of making it in film and television, but few try and even fewer succeed - yet Frank Galline from the class of 1972 succeeded in a big way. Frank's specialty is set decoration - making the setting for a theatrical performance look as realistic as possible. This first involves getting the work - not an easy task, as set decorators work freelance, and only the best and most sought-after work constantly. Frank then has to independently research the types of furniture and decoration that would be appropriate to the time and place and characters in the production, obtain the pieces, and ultimately arrange them. When his work is done right, Frank can tell he's done a good job by seeing the actors walk on the set and act like they instantly feel at home. The culmination of his doing his job right came in 2005, when he won an Emmy for his set decoration on Warm Springs, a drama about Franklin Roosevelt's life in Warm Springs, GA during the 1920s after he was diagnosed with polio. A regularly-updated catalog of his work can be viewed here. When he's not doing the myriad tasks associated with his job, Frank volunteers with Meals on Wheels, and programs for homeless people and AIDS patients, and stays involved in Los Angeles schools, encouraging students to pursue careers in the arts.

Dan Hagen, '78 - 2006 Hall of Fame
	*Dan Hagen, '78* - After earning a BS in Ag. Eng. Tech. from Cornell while having the opportunity to play Div. I football with the Big Red, Dan set off on a career that would see him make significant achievements in scientific innovation and entrepreneurial business development. As a young college graduate, he worked for over 3 years in CA and Prudhoe Bay, AK overseeing the construction and installation of crude oil processing facilities with Peter Kiewit Sons Co., for SOHIO. After a brief return back home where he worked at Batavia Farm Equipment, Dan and some fellow Cornell alumni started a company, International Process Systems that developed an innovative technology for converting organic wastes into marketable compost. The company grew to have over 30 worldwide facilities and was eventually purchased by a larger company, Wheelabrator Technologies. Dan stayed on as VP & GM for several years before leaving to take on an executive role with BDP Industries, a manufacturer and distributor of solids dewatering and composting equipment. At BDP, Dan managed all facets of the business and developed and implemented a strategic growth plan for the company. In 1999, Dan pursued his 3rd entrepreneurial venture as a business development executive, joining Ecovation, Inc., a leader of technology for treatment and conversion of high strength organic waste streams into renewable energy. The company since has implemented numerous waste to energy systems for fortune 500 companies throughout the U.S. During his career, Dan has earned two U.S. patents for his innovations with composting systems and finished among the top students in his MBA class at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire. In his spare time he volunteers in his community as a coach for basketball, baseball and the Odyssey of the Mind program in addition to acting as Treasurer of the Walworth Shores Association in his hometown of Skaneateles, NY, where he resides with his wife and three children.

Al Hilchey, '42 - 2006 Hall of Fame
	*Al Hilchey, '42* - If you lived in Oakfield any time from the 1950s into the 1970s, hearing the words "Where every customer is a personal friend" can only make you think of Hilchey's Hardware and the man behind it, Al Hilchey. From his store at the corner of Main and Maple, Al helped Oakfield's citizens keep their businesses and homes painted and well-maintained, while making the town itself a more livable place. Among Al's contributions to Oakfield were obtaining the village's first Little League uniforms (he persuaded a vendor from Lockport to donate that league's old uniforms in the late 1950s when they bought new ones), maintaining a community blood bank (he kept records of prospective donors in the community and would contact them when someone needed blood), and his significant role in starting the Oakfield Volunteer Ambulance. Al was instrumental in the construction of the current Oakfield Fire Hall and served as president of the fire department in 1977 and 1978. His "Salute to Old Glory" was presented to more than 100 civic and school groups starting in 1976. After selling his store and retiring in 1979, Al remained active in the Oakfield Fire Department, and in softball leagues in Oakfield and Las Vegas. Memorialized on the mural painted on the outer wall of his old store, Al will live forever in the minds of every "Susie" (girl) or "Butch" (boy) who ever came into the store to buy a screwdriver or pocket knife or quart of paint.