Past Parade Honorees

Neill was born in the Bronx to Gerard and Eleanor Acer in 1971. His maternal grandparents journeyed to the United States from Ireland (Roscommon and Leitrim) in the 1920s. Mike Ward and Annie O’Neill chose to call New York their home.

When Neill’s parents met and subsequently married, they, too, chose to stay in New York. His father, Gerry, was a retired New York City banker. His mother, Eleanor, is a retired New York City teacher. Eleanor worked in the classroom with children for over 45 years. Her patience is legendary and can be seen in her son. Neill and his two older siblings, Eleanor Annie and Gerard Michael, were all born and raised in New York.

Neill graduated from University of Rochester in 1994 where he double-majored in English and Psychology. While at U of R, Neill picked up a new hobby– he started home brewing – never realizing he was beginning his journey to the future and The Defiant Brewing Company! In addition to being a graduate of the University of Rochester, Neill received formal brewing training at the Siebel Institute of Technology and World Brewing Academy (Chicago, IL).
While on his journey, he met and married his wife, Amy Acer. Together, they have two beautiful children: Neill Connor (12) and Abigail Eleanor (7). It was important to Neill that Amy and the children be introduced to the Emerald Isle and all of the extended family in Ireland. In 2011, Neill took the entire family on an adventure to Ireland. Together, everyone explored the countryside far and wide – spending time with relatives and extended family, visiting old homesteads including the family bog, as well as sites rich in history for all Irishmen.

When it came time to open his own brewery, Neill knew he had to be in New York. And, what better place than Pearl River!
Neill, owner and brew master, brings over twenty years of professional brewing experience to The Defiant Brewing Company (Pearl River, NY). From the start, Neill’s career has focused on bringing high quality, unique (some may say “defiant”) craft-brewed beer to patrons in and around the lower Hudson Valley in places like The West End (New York, NY), The Colorado Brewery and Steakhouse (Danbury, CT), and Mountain Valley Brew Pub (Suffern, NY). Neill’s creativity and love for his craft help him win the praise of discerning beer drinkers, critics, and certified judges worldwide. Defiant ales and lagers can be found locally as well as throughout New York State and New Jersey. Neill has grown Defiant from a one-man operation to a company of over 20 employees in a little over 12 years! Neill and his beers have won numerous awards, including two International gold medals in the World Beer Cup. Neill is also a renowned, International beer judge and has traveled to Canada and Brazil in recent years to judge competitions.

Neill has been a member of AOH Division III in Pearl River since 2006 and has been privileged to be an Aide to the Grand Marshal. Neill’s paternal grandfather was also an Aide to the Grand Marshal in New York City during the 1930s. Neill is a member of the Pearl River Rotary and the Pearl River Chamber of Commerce.

Francis Thomas Duffy was born on August 16, 1923, to Frank and Katie Duffy as one of six children raised in New York City. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on August 4, 1942, and attended recruit training at Parris Island, S.C., and received follow-on infantry training at New River and Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Mr. Duffy sailed with the 2/25 from Norfolk via the Panama Canal bound for San Diego to undergo training for the Pacific campaigns at a small tent camp at Las Pulgas Canyon, on the northern fringe of Camp Pendleton, CA. He sailed with the 4th Marine Division for the Marshall Islands on January 13, 1944. This was the only Marine Corp division to sail directly into combat from the United States.

Mr. Duffy participated in the landings at Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. At Iwo Jima, Frank was serving as a Runner for the Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, Twenty-fifth Marines, Fourth Marine Division when a group of the enemy attacked the observation post personnel with hand grenades from a concealed position, Private First Class Duffy unhesitatingly advanced alone and despite being wounded by grenade fire, succeeded in annihilating two of the Japanese. He was awarded the Silver Star for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity” for his actions and would spend a year in various naval hospitals recovering from the wounds he sustained until he was finally discharged on February 13, 1946.

After the war, Mr. Duffy was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and retired in June 1979. He and his wife, Bridie moved to Pearl River, N.Y. in January 1969, where they raised their six children. Mr. & Mrs. Duffy have ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. They are also members of St. Margaret’s Church in Pearl River.

Mr. Duffy has been a member of the American Legion Post 329 in Pearl River since 1981 and is a member of John Cardinal D’Alton AOH – Division III in Pearl River, receiving his major degree in 1977.

Jim is a native of Woodbury, N.Y. and a graduate of St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, N.Y., Jim earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from STAC in 1999.  He received his Master’s Degree in Social Studies Education from NYU in 2003.  Additionally, he received his Master of Science in Education (Educational Leadership) from St. Thomas Aquinas College in 2016.  Jim’s dad is a native of Dublin, Ireland (Clonliffe) and his grandparents were from Dublin and Kildare (Maynooth). 

Upon graduation from STAC, Jim served as the first assistant director of Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving at the College.  In 2001, he began his teaching career in the NYC Board of Education at M.S. 80 in the Norwood section of the Bronx.   While at M.S. 80, Jim served on the School Leadership Team (as Chairperson), the school’s grant writer (he secured a grant from the 3M foundation for the School’s Library Media Center), Report Card Coordinator (5 years) and finally served as the Dean.

In 2006, Jim left M.S. 80 and began teaching at Clarkstown South High School in West Nyack, N.Y.  He has taught the following at Clarkstown South:  A.P. U.S. Government and Politics, U.S. History, International Baccalaureate, Years 1 & 2, and Syracuse University Project Advance course in Public Policy.  Jim is currently on the Site based team; coordinator of the school’s blood drives, Junior Class Advisor and is the advisor of the National Honor Society.  He is involved in the Clarkstown Teachers Association as a building rep and served as Chairperson of the Political Action Committee.

Since 1998, Jim has served as Parish Youth Minister at St. Francis of Assisi Church in West Nyack, N.Y.  During his time at St. Francis, the Youth Group became one of the largest in the Archdiocese of New York.  The parish was awarded the CYO/TAF Apostolic award in 2004 and Jim was awarded the Youth Ministry Award in 2006.

Since Jim arrived at St. Thomas Aquinas College in 1995, he has been involved in campus activities.  While a student, Jim was elected the freshman and sophomore class president, Student Government President for two years, served as a student member of the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees, and also had a radio program on WSTK.  For his service to STAC, Jim was awarded the Terence Cardinal Cooke Award at Commencement in 1999.  Jim also has served on the STAC Alumni Association Board of Directors and was elected its Vice President in 2010.

Off-campus, Jim has been involved in the following:  Member, Board of Trustees, Historical Society of Rockland County, Past and current chairperson of the Rockland County Youth Bureau and past secretary of the board and board member of Thorpe Family Residence, a homeless shelter for women and children located in the Bronx.  Jim is also a Sparkill Dominican Associate.

Jim joined Division 1 North Rockland in 1999 and immediately became involved in the division.  He has served as Secretary, Vice President and President of the Division.  On the county level, Jim has served as Scholarship Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President and until most recently County President since 2013.  Jim also served as Co-Chair for the 1^st two halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Parade fundraisers for two years that raised in excess of $20,000, Parade Mass and Breakfast Chairperson, he has also been involved in the Feis as the Mass Chairperson.  He was also Mass chairperson for the extremely successful 2011 State Convention that was held in Pearl River.  On the state level, Jim is the chairperson of the New York State Scholarship Committee.  He has also been a member of the committee that coordinated the national dinners’ for Past National President, Brendan Moore. 

Jim is a member of the CMAO (Concerned Member Affiliate Organization).  This organization is trying to bring democracy back to the parade and having the parade board recognize the affiliate organizations. 

Unbeknownst to Jim, his paternal grandmother’s uncle was involved in the rising in 1916. 

Jim and his wife Tricia were married on August 29, 2009.  They have an almost 5-year-old daughter, Annie who is the light of their lives!

Bill was born in the Manhattan to John and Mary Jo Young (Brett) in 1965. His father John is retired from the New York Police Department and his mother Mary is retired from the Town of Orangetown town clerk’s office. His parents moved the family from the Bronx to Pearl River in 1977, where Bill and his three siblings; Nora, John and Mary Kate; all attended Pearl River High School. Bill graduated from Pearl River HS in 1983.

Bill attended Manhattan College where he received his Bachelors of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1989 and his MBA in Management in 1993. After graduating from Manhattan College, Bill joined PSE&G, a New Jersey-based utility, where he has held various engineering and management positions. He has been with PSE&G for twenty-nine years and is currently the Manager of Fuel Supply for PSEG Power in Newark, NJ.

While at Manhattan College, Bill met his wife, Lois FitzPatrick, who is from Manhasset, NY and a graduate of the College of Mount St. Vincent in Riverdale, NY. They just recently celebrated their twenty-sixth wedding anniversary this past November and reside in Nanuet with their three daughters; Kerry – a Marist College graduate and a kindergarten teacher at the Good Shepard School in Inwood, Megan – a graduate of Boston College and currently in the doctorate of physical therapy program at Northeastern University, and Kiera – a junior at Siena College studying psychology. His daughters have all danced for the Inishfree School of Irish Dance out of the AOH; performing in many shows for Division III. They have competed at the Open Championship level nationally and internationally in Ireland, England and Scotland.

Bill has been a member of AOH Division III in Pearl River since 2004 and has been the divisions Financial Secretary for the last ten years. He became vice president of the Rockland County AOH in June 2017. He has been a member of the Town of Orangetown Planning Board twelve years and is a past board member of the Nanuet Black & Gold sports club. He has served on the scholarship committees of both the AOH and Nanuet Black & Gold club and is actively involved in their community sponsored events.