NORMAN (NORM) “COACH” PRESTON was nominated by this son, Joel Preston, an alumnus and RCDS teacher and coach himself. He is being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his lengthy and successful teaching and coaching career at Rensselaer High School and notoriety throughout the capital region.
Norm received his early education at Albany’s Christian Brothers Academy, graduating in 1957. He received his BS in Physical Education and Hygiene from SUNY Cortland in 1961 and the same year from the United States Marine Corp Officers’ Candidate School in Quantico, VA. He holds a Master’s degree from SUNYA in Educational Administration and a Secondary Supervisory Certificate from No. Adams State, MA. His teaching and coaching career in the RCSD spans over 30 yrs from 1965-97. He was Athletic Director and Coach of Varsity Boys Track and Football. He coached the Football team to become Section 2 Champions in 1980, and then again for a NYS Record 5 consecutive years from 1991-95. He also coached Girls Varsity Basketball from 1991-98. Along with his career in RCSD, Norm worked for the Rensselaer Youth Bureau from 1976-86. Coach Preston has received several awards, including being inducted into his high school’s Hall of Fame; being the recipient of the Rensselaer PBA Chief Stewart Citizen of the Year Award in 1998; the NYS Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 1995 and the Troy Record Football Coach of the Year in 1994. In addition, he received a NYS Legislative Commendation for Outstanding Coaching in 1995
WILLIAM (BILL) MCCARTHY was nominated by alumnus and Board of Education President John Mooney. Bill is being inducted into the Hall of Fame because of his academic achievements, his successful career, including teaching at Rensselaer High and his determination to give-back to the city where he was raised.
Bill is an alumnus of the class of 1968. While in high school he was President of his class for 2 years, received the Rensselaer Medal for Excellence in Science and Math, was in National Honor Society, Key Club, Varsity Club, Band, Crest and Shield, College Club and lettered in cross-country, track, basketball and football. He continued his education at the University of Buffalo where he graduated in 1972 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. He then attended graduate schools at RPI, Russell Sage and SUNYA part time while teaching and coaching fulltime at Rensselaer Jr-Sr High School. His career at Albany International began in 1977 and continued until 2007. During his tenure with AI, he was a Design Engineer, Design Manager and technical specialist abroad, moving to The Netherlands in 1988 to assume the position of Technical Director for Europe. He returned to the states in 1991 and became Technical Director for U.S. Press Fabrics. In 1994 he was made VP of Marketing for U.S. Press, and the following year VP and General Manager for U.S. Press Fabrics. In 1997, he moved back to Europe as Sr. VP for European Operations, and in 2001 returned to the U.S. as Group VP with a territory including Canada, Central and South America and the Pacific Rim, along with Global Belting operations and Intellectual Property. Several other changes in responsibilities and titles occurred from 2003-7 involving extensive travel in the Asia/Pacific region, ending his career with the title Executive VP of Global Engineering, Procurement and Planning. In retirement, Bill mentored an Introduction to Engineering Technology class in 2008-9 at Rensselaer HS and rejoined the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Rensselaer County after a hiatus, taking on the responsibilities of Vice Chairman in 2010 and in 2012, Chairman of the Board. Bill has been a member of the Alumni Association for the past 2 years and served on the selection committee for last year’s inaugural Hall of Fame inductions.