ROBERT PASCIULLO, PhD is being induced for his leadership of the class of 1948, in managing the Centennial Award and the reconstitution of the Alumni Association and for his advise as ex-officio officer; for founding the Rensselaer Improvement Committee and directing the City’s Office of Planning and Development; and for his outstanding body of work in his long career and volunteer activities. Bob graduated from RHS in 1948. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Vermont, he has a MA in English from SUNYA and a Doctorate in Higher Education form SUNY Buffalo. When Bob retired he was the Director of the Capital District Office of the NYS School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University. Prior to that he was an administrator for 27 years at the State University System. Other “hats” he wore were Associate Director of the Educational Committee staff for the1967 NYS Constitutional Convention and as Executive Director of the 1979 Governor’s Panel on the Future of Government. After leaving Cornell, he was appointed as Director of Planning and Development for the city of Rensselaer and as a Neutral Chair for the Office of Labor & Management Affairs at the NYS Department of Labor. He also is founder of the Rensselaer Improvement Committee. He has taught courses at the University Without Walls, Skidmore College. His volunteerism includes numerous civic activities in Saratoga in housing and community development, in Albany on the Junior League, and in Troy on the Board of the Savings Bank Music Hall. This is by no means the entirety of his civic humanitarianism. Although having lived in Rensselaer for most of his life, he currently resides in Saratoga with his wife, Josie. They have 2 children and 3 grandchildren.
Bob passed away several months after receiving this award. In memory of Robert J Pasciullo, PhD VRHS '48
CHARLES “ERNIE” MANN, JR. is being inducted for his 32 years of teaching at RCSD, his work on authoring “Rensselaer Then and Now” and “Railroads of Rensselaer” and his 48 yrs of volunteering for the Rensselaer Fire Department. Ernie is a 1965 alumnus of Van Rensselaer High School. His higher education was at Dutchess Community College, SUNY New Paltz and his Masters was from the College of St Rose. He taught Art from 1970-2002 at Rensselaer Jr-Sr High School. While at RJSHS he was a member of the school Safety Committee, Peer Mediation Group, Key Club advisor, softball coach and theater scenery designer as well as mentor to many art students. He was a member of the Rensselaer Teacher’s Association as well. His volunteerism for the city includes 48 years with the Fire Dept, including serving as Fire Chief. He is the current Rensselaer County Fire Coordinator for the City. Ernie’s love of history has made him the “unofficial city historian”, especially in the areas of the railroad and fire department. He has two published works about the city: 1) “Rensselaer Then and Now” was commissioned for the city’s centennial and 2) “Railroads of Rensselaer” from the Images of America Series, from Arcadia Publishing, Oct 19, 2009. Ernie was also the winner of the Alumni Association’s Logo Contest and is the artist of our current logo. Ernie still lives in Rensselaer and is predeceased by his wife, the former alumna, Janice Erlich, ‘67. He has 2 children and 4 grandchildren.