Class of 2016

1977 Graduate of South Windsor High School where he played Varsity Football, was class President his Junior and Senior years and member of the Student Council. Mike graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management in 1981. He was a member of the Men’s Lacrosse Team and a Dean’s List Student.

Mike has 30 years’ experience in the Medical Device Industry including Sales and Marketing responsibilities for Coherent Medical. In 1998 he was a co-founder of Cutera Inc., a startup medical laser company focusing on laser and light based technology. He led the raising of capital and developed and implemented the business plan. The company grew to $30M in revenues from 1998-2001 and was prepared to implement a public offering when the tragic events of 9/11 affected that effort. In 2003, Mike was recruited to become the CEO/President of Cynosure Inc. in Chelmsford, MA, a private company generating $20M in revenues but losing money. He restructured the company and restored it to profitability in 2004. In 2005, the company had a successful public offering and Mike assumed the additional duties of Chairman of the Board. Mike rang the bell on the NASDAQ first day of trading, was interviewed on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” and the company was featured on the “Mad Money” television show with Jim Kramer.

In the 12 year period Mike has directed Cynosure, the company has acquired 4 new companies, expanded the workforce from 100 to 900 employees worldwide, enhanced revenues from $20M to $300M securing its place as the leader in the Medical Laser Industry. The company’s products are sold in over 130 countries including hair removal, birthmark and tattoo removal, skin rejuvenation, fat removal and women’s health applications. Mike was the 2008 winner of the Ernst and Young “New England Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Life Sciences” and was also a National Finalist. Mike has been active in the Concord/Carlisle, MA. community including coaching youth sports, restoring the Pop Warner Football Program and serving on the Board for the Friends of Football. He has participated in and contributed to various philanthropic fundraising initiatives including The Dana Farber/15-40 Connection Golf Classic which focuses on early stage cancer awareness, March of Dimes, the Wounded Warrior Project and BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life). Mike is married to his high school sweetheart Ellen Meister (SWHS Class of 1977) and they have 3 children and reside in Carlisle, MA.

2005 Graduate of South Windsor High School where she was a four-year letter winner in both Field Hockey and Lacrosse. She served as Captain of the Field Hockey team her senior year, was a three-time All-Conference and 2-time All-State Selection and led the Bobcats to two Conference Championships in 2001 and 2003. She received the Strength and Conditioning Award for Field Hockey in 2002 and 2003 and was named “Female Athlete of the Year” in 2005. She participated in the Junior Olympics in 2003, was a member of Elite Futures (2003, 2004, 2005), and competed at the National Futures Indoor Tournament (2004, 2005) and the National Futures Tournament. (2002-2005). She was a two-time Captain of the Lacrosse team and 3-time All-Conference and All-State Selection in lacrosse. She was Honorable Mention All-American as a junior and achieved All-American recognition as a senior.

Jessica received a degree from Providence College in 2009 where she played Field Hockey four years and started in 78 out of 84 total games in her career, only missing six due to injury. Her junior and senior years she was chosen as a member of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division 1 All-Northeast Region First Team, All Big East Second Team and All Big East Tournament Team. She was also 1 of 32 Senior Field Hockey players that were selected to play in the Senior All-Star game in Louisville, KY. As a junior, she had a career high 20 points on one goal and 18 assists (assists were one shy of the single season record at Providence College) and led the Big East Conference in assists and assists per game. She finished the year ranked third in the nation in assists per game and led the team in scoring vs. Big East opponents. She was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week and selected to the weekly Honor Roll twice. She then continued her education at Misericordia University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management and a concentration in Human Resources. She served as a Graduate Assistant Coach for Field Hockey and Lacrosse at Misericordia (2009-2011) and Assistant Field Hockey and Lacrosse coach at Eastern Connecticut State University (2011-2013). She led recruiting for both programs resulting in doubling wins in only one season, a Conference Championship in Lacrosse and participation in the NCAA Tournament in 2013.

She has been the Head Field Hockey coach and Assistant Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Johnson and Wales University since 2013. Started the Field Hockey Program and has coached 5 All-Conference players and 13 student athletes were recognized for the National Academic Squad maintaining a 3.3 cumulative GPA. Two student athletes were awarded “Scholars of Distinction” maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or higher. Team was recognized as a National Academic Team with an overall Team GPA of higher than 3.0. The team has competed in the conference playoffs and played in the semifinals the last 2 seasons.

Known to many as “TJ”, he is a 1973 Graduate of South Windsor High School. He participated in Cross Country, Track, Junior Varsity Baseball and was the scorer for the Basketball, Track and Cross Country teams. He received an award for “Outstanding Athletic Service” in 1973. TJ achieved Honors and High Honors academically and received the American Legion Student Achievement Award. He was President of the Class of 1973 his senior year, member of the computer and chess clubs and served as Stage Manager for the school play Fiddler on the Roof, and numerous choral and musical concerts. TJ received an academic scholarship to George Washington University where he received a BBA in Finance and Investments in 1977. He was a recipient of the Wall Street Journal Leadership Award in 1976, served as Vice President and Treasurer of the Student Government, Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook, Judge on the Student Appeals Court (4 years), Intern for the Office of the Vice President of the United States and later a Staff Volunteer on Capitol Hill for the late Senator Howard Baker (2 years). He then accepted an academic scholarship to Case Western Reserve University where he received an MBA in Finance and Banking in 1978. TJ then commenced a career on Wall Street with Standard and Poor’s Corporation and for the next 32 years held various Chief Financial Officer and Senior Management positions with start-up organizations, company turnarounds and fast growing companies in the field of Healthcare, Publishing, Supply Chain Management and Telecommunications. These companies were either sold or merged with other entities and one was publicly traded. Retiring in 2011, he began a second career as National Volunteer Leader for Disaster Services at the American Red Cross headquarters in Washington D.C.

He has developed simulation models utilized today to forecast resource requirements for rapid development during national disasters including Hurricanes Isaac and Sandy. He serves as a Member of the National Disaster Advisory Council and Process Governance Board where he contributed to the review, analysis and formation of recommendations for disaster programs. In 2013, he was appointed by Executive Order of the Governor of New Hampshire to the New Hampshire Commission on Innovation, Efficiency and Transparency where he also served as Co-Chairperson of the Subcommittee on Transparency. He is a member of the Stowe Land Trust, Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Norwalk Maritime Center and Michael J. Fox Foundation. TJ and his wife Susan reside in Ridgefield, Connecticut and have two children.

1977 Graduate of South Windsor High School where he was co-captain of the Varsity Football team. He attended Milford Academy Prep School and American International College. Tom began working in his family-owned business Better Bedding while in high school and through the next 34 years contributed to every key business area including Strategic/Business Planning, Store Development, Staffing/Human Resource Management, Advertising/Marketing, Public Relations, Merchandising/Vendor Relations, Operations Management, Finance and Reorganization. Tom and his late brother John expanded the business from a single location to 21 stores in two states generating annual sales of $25M with over 90 employees. The company was a leader in sponsoring and contributing to various charitable and community organizations including “Race in the Park” for Breast Cancer Research, “Night of Light Laughter” for the Harry Gray Cancer Center at Hartford Hospital and local sports teams/leagues/schools. The company received numerous awards including Retail Merchants Association “Retailer of the Year” in 2008, a National Award from Furniture Today as a “Retail Bedding Giant” in 2006, Better Business Bureau “Consistent Excellence in Customer Service and Ethical Business Practices” Award in 2007 and the University Of Connecticut School Of Business “Family Business” Award in 2004. Tom was inducted into the Connecticut Business Hall of Fame in 2008.

As many companies were, Better Bedding was affected by the economic downturn in 2008-2009 and was acquired by a competitor. In 2011, Tom and his wife Kathy (SWHS Class of 1979) started Connecticut Mattress and currently have 3 stores in South Windsor, Avon and Southington, Connecticut.

Tom became Chairman of the Board of the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association in 2014 and a Board Member of the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut in 2015. He and Kathy started an in-house charity called “All Tucked In” where they have donated over 300 beds for children in the Hartford area and hundreds of blankets to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Tom and Kathy have also been recognized for their work with the not for profit organizations “Gifts of Love in Avon” and “For Goodness Sake” in Bristol. Tom has served as President of The Parish Council, Eucharistic Minister and Religious Education Teacher at Saint Dunstan Roman Catholic Church in Glastonbury, Connecticut, Soup Kitchen volunteer and member of the Landowners Preservation Society in South Windsor, Connecticut. Tom and Kathy have 2 children and reside in South Windsor.