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This year’s graduation will mark the return of a ceremony that will honor five previous Iroquois graduates. The induction of Iroquois Wall of Fame honorees will be a combination of those who were supposed to be honored in 2020 but were unable to be celebrated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and those who were chosen this year. The 2020 inductees are Scott J. Zimmerman, DrPH, MPH, class of 1977; Aaron C. Bove, class of 2005 and Edmond K. Benson, Jr, class of 1965. The 2022 inductees are Gregory P. Kinal, class of 1966 and Thomas J. Knab, class of 1983.
Dr. Scott Zimmerman is a 1977 graduate of Iroquois Central. He received a bachelor’s degree from Houghton College and was awarded a doctorate in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989. Dr. Zimmerman trained for two years at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta before moving back to Western New York to complete his post-doctoral residency at the Erie County Medical Center and the University at Buffalo.
From 1994 until 2012, Dr. Zimmerman served as the director of the Erie County Department of Health’s laboratory, epidemiology and environmental health programs. He was then appointed director of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratories in Raleigh, N.C. He remained in this position until 2019. Currently, Dr. Zimmerman serves as vice president of Science and Technology for Labcorp in Burlington, N.C., one of the largest life science companies in the United States.
Aaron Bove is a 2005 graduate of Iroquois. In 2009, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Gannon University, with minors in Political Science and Psychology. Through college, Bove worked with the Erie County Detectives Bureau on criminal investigations, gang activity suppression and juvenile justice rehabilitation. He earned a master’s degree in School Counseling from the University at Buffalo in 2010.
In 2011, Bove began a position as a civilian Intelligence Specialist with the U.S. Army, assigned in Germany. He was quickly promoted to operations officer after completing the rigorous Counterintelligence Special Agent course. In 2015, Bove was selected to the highly-specialized U.S. Army Foreign Counterintelligence Activity, where he worked on worldwide strategic counterintelligence operations to identify, neutralize and exploit America’s adversaries.
In 2017, Bove deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL and Operation RESOLUTE SUPPORT. He traversed the country, executing over 25 high-risk outside-the-wire missions. He was twice awarded the Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, the NATO Service Medal and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Global War on Terrorism.
Following his successful deployment, Bove returned to Western New York and accepted a position as a school counselor for Orchard Park High School, where he also serves as a student government advisor and varsity track and field coach.
Edmond Benson is a 1965 graduate of Iroquois. Following graduation, Benson enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he went on to serve for 24 years. He toured much of America and had assignments in Europe and Vietnam. He continued to serve his country for another 20 years as a defense contractor evaluating critical missile warning systems that ensure timely warning of an attack on North America. He spent an additional 10 years as a member of the Missile Defense National Team developing the Global Missile Defense Command and Control System, which provided an integrated capability to identify, track and intercept ballistic missile threats against the U.S and her allies across the globe.
For 30 years, Benson has been active in providing access to public lands. He has worked with the American Hiking Society, volunteering on more than 200 occasions to build and maintain hiking trails on public lands across the United States. He has served as a laborer, team leader, trainer and mentor on these projects, securing the legacy of the outdoors for future generations.
Benson is also an avid volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, having helped to build many homes for deserving families and also participating in several “blitz builds” with teams who build a home in the span of a weekend. Benson deployed to assist after tornadoes ravaged Nebraska in 1980. Benson also assisted with the rebuilding after Hurricane Florence in New Berne, North Carolina and after Hurricane Michael.
Gregory Kinal is a 1966 graduate of Iroquois. He received a Bachelor of Science in Social Studies Education from Mansfield State and a Master of Science in Social Studies Education from SUNY College of Buffalo. In 1970, Kinal began teaching at Pembroke Jr.-Sr. High School where he has remained for the last 52 years.
He has received numerous accolades over his career, including being named Outstanding American History Teacher for Genesee County by the Daughters of the American Revolution and first runner-up for New York State for the same award. Kinal was named WBEN/Dunlop
Teacher of the Year in 2004, WGRZ Teacher of the Week and was nominated for N.Y.S Teacher of the Year. He received the N.Y.S. United Teachers Leadership Award in 1992, and the 1985 University of Rochester Award for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching.
Kinal has taken students of his 8th-grade classes to Washington D.C. for 50 years. This annual trip has allowed over 5,000 students and parents to visit the nation’s capital. He organized and led the community of Pembroke and fellow teachers to lobby for stricter DWI laws following an accident that claimed the lives of three Pembroke students and their Driver’s Education teacher. His leadership helped enact the passage of two laws in the 1990s.
Kinal is active in his community, serving as a volunteer fireman for the Elma Fire Company. There he published a book for members on the history of their fire company. He has led lectures across Western New York for historical societies, nursing homes and the Chautauqua Institution.
He organized numerous trips to the Buffalo City Mission to help feed the homeless with his sociology students. He has long participated in the Ride for Roswell and Pembroke’s Annual Shooting for a Cure event. In 2011, Kinal organized and executed a program honoring veterans in the Pembroke community, and in 2020 he organized and led a community parade to boost morale of the residents of Pembroke during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Thomas Knab is a 1983 graduate of Iroquois. Knab graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education from Buffalo State College in 1987 and a Master of Arts in Art Education from Buffalo State College in 1992. Since 1990, he has been the art teacher for Dodge Elementary School in the Williamsville School District. During his time at Dodge, he developed A.C.E.S., a four-attribute model for assessing student work. The attributes include artisanship, creative process, expression and structure. He also started an art gallery for his students called the Brick Art Room Gallery (B.R.A.G).
Knab continues to be a resource for other art educators. He has served as both the president of the New York State Art Teacher Association and president of the National Art Educators Association. Knab has presented at numerous conferences for the New York State Art Teachers Association and has been a keynote speaker at conferences across the country. In 2019, he served as a keynote speaker at the Global Aesthetic Education Summit on SMART Education in Beijing, China. Knab is a practicing artist, with his most recent exhibition, Amalgamate, on display this spring at the WNY Book Arts Center. He is a Lowell Milken Fellow, 2019 and National Teachers Hall of Fame Inductee, 2020.
Knab has been the Williamsville South High School Boys Volleyball Varsity Coach since 1992. He received the Joe Gillespie Friend of Volleyball Award in 1998 and was inducted into the WNY Boys Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Nominations are continually sought by The Iroquois Foundation for the annual Distinguished Alumni Wall of Fame awards. Qualified candidates must have graduated at least 10 years ago and exhibit excellence in their chosen field, outstanding contributions to humanity and outstanding service to their community or profession. The application form may be found on The Iroquois Foundation’s Facebook page as well as the Iroquois School District’s website.
All applications should be sent to the Iroquois District Office, care of the District Clerk.
Further information on past recipients can be found on the foundation’s website at theiroquoisfoundation.org.
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