9 nominated for school’s alumni honor

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GREENFIELD — A Grammy Award-winning producer. A writer. A state representative.

This year’s inductees into the Greenfield Central School Foundation Alumni Hall of Fame are making a difference in the world near and far, nominators said.

Since 2013, the school foundation has annually recognized outstanding graduates of Greenfield-Central High School, Greenfield High School and Hancock Central High School at the foundation’s signature fundraiser, the Red Letter Gala. This year, nine inductees will be honored at the Sept. 30 event.

Nominations for new inductees come in every year from community members and friends of nominees.

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Those chosen for the honor represent professionals from across the country who foundation officials said have made a difference in their communities and represented Greenfield schools well along the way, said director Ginny Brown. Throughout the years, nearly 25 honorees have been inducted into the hall of fame.

Here’s a snippet of what nominators wrote of this year’s inductees:

David L. Apple

David Apple, a 1959 graduate of Hancock Central High School, died in 2013, but before his death, he was a dedicated member to his communities in Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.

He worked for John Deere Horicon Works from 1964 to 1992 and engineered the 55 series compact utility tractor for the company. Following an early retirement from John Deere, he was hired as manager of engineering for Brunswick Corp. in Muskegon, Michigan, where he worked until 2003.

Robert W. Cherry

Bob Cherry, a 1965 graduate of Hancock Central High School, has served as Hancock County’s state representative since 1998.

A local farmer, Cherry also has worked for Greenfield-Central schools and the state’s education department. Before being elected to the state legislature, Cherry served as a Hancock County councilman in the 1990s.

He also is a member of several local organizations, including the Elks, the Greater Greenfield Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club.

Annie Linville Grinstead

1996 Greenfield-Central High School graduate Annie Grinstead launched her own event-planning business, Positive Energy, in 2012, organizing events for national companies, universities and speakers.

A Greenfield resident, she spends her free time giving back to her community by volunteering for various 4-H programs, even serving as a charter adviser for Indiana Junior Swine circuit, in which hundreds of youth travel to compete in swine shows. She’s a former board member of the Hancock Regional Hospital Foundation.

In recent years, she battled and beat breast cancer and now shares her story with others, inspiring them to have faith and stay courageous and positive through life’s hardships.

Rob McCullers

Rob McCullers of Bloomington, Illinois, is a 1984 graduate of Greenfield-Central High School. He spent 28 years in the U.S. Air Force after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1988.

He served 10 years as an active duty member of the force before dedicating another five to the Air Force Reserve and has been recognized 12 times for outstanding achievement in aerial flight.

He also has been a dedicated member of his church and community, serving as a math tutor for two years to students in Brownsburg and as a youth leader at his church.

Thomas New

Indianapolis resident Thomas New graduated from Greenfield High School in 1969 and currently serves as the executive director of government affairs for Krieg DeVault’s Governmental Affairs group.

He previously served as chief of staff for former Indiana Gov. Frank O’Bannon and managed both of his gubernatorial campaigns. He also has served as a fiscal adviser to the Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus and the legislative liaison to the Indiana Senate for Gov. Evan Bayh.

He was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash by three governors: Bayh in 1997, O’Bannon in 1999 and Gov. Joe Kernan in 2005.

Joseph ‘Todd’ Parker

Todd Parker of Maumee, Ohio, graduated from Greenfield-Central High School in 1983. After graduating from Indiana University in 1992, Parker began working for Fortune 500 company Owens Corning and has worked there since, moving up the company’s executive ladder.

Though he’s lived out of state since graduating from college, Parker has remained involved with the Greenfield community. He has maintained a connection to the Greenfield Great Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis and has created videos used to teach Greenfield students about the disease.

He’s involved in the Great Strides Walk in Toldeo, Ohio, as well.

Gordon Pope

Gordon Pope, a 1957 graduate of Greenfield High School, was a member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hancock County beginning in 1945 and served on the club’s board for about 30 years.

A sales representative for Josten’s for 44 years, Pope, who died in 2015, helped serve thousands of high school students through the company’s Commitment to Graduate program, which highlights the importance of finishing high school.

He was a Past Exalted Ruler of the Elks Club, a member of the Masonic Lodge and a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame board of directors.

Jerricho Scroggins

Jerricho Scroggins, a 2005 graduate of Greenfield-Central High School, is a recording engineer in Nashville, Tennessee, who has assisted in producing more than 10 No. 1 songs on various radio charts.

He’s a four-time Grammy Award-winner and has earned seven Gospel Music Association Dove awards, which recognize outstanding achievements in the Christian music industry.

Katrina Hodge Willis

Katrina Willis, a 1988 graduate of Greenfield-Central High School, is a writer whose pieces have appeared in Forbes, iMedia Connection and Marketing Profs magazines.

She also is an award-winner for independent pieces she’s penned about parenting, families and women. She’s been featured by WordPress and was chosen for the Midwest Writers Fellowship to complete a novel called “Parting Gifts,” which was published by SheWrites Press in 2016.

Beyond a successful career, she’s devoted her time to her communities. She served on school foundations in Zionsville, Indiana, and Starkville, Mississippi, where she previously lived. She also coached youth softball and basketball and directed a summer children’s theater program.