The Cranston Hall of Fame will host a formal dinner this month to celebrate the induction of its newest members. For more than four decades, the nonprofit organization has been honoring graduates of Cranston Public Schools who have “distinguished themselves locally, regionally or nationally in their chosen field of endeavor.” This year’s formal induction dinner is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 25, at the Alpine Country Club. Tickets must be purchased in advance on Eventbrite at $55.  

Here’s a look at this year’s inductees, listed in alphabetical order.

Steven A. Feinberg

Steven A. Feinberg is the Executive Director of the RI Film & Television Office. Steven graduated from Cranston High School West in 1981 and spent 22 years in Los Angeles, where he studied cinematography at UCLA and film and television production at USC Cinema School.  He worked with every major Hollywood studio as a writer, director and producer, and officially joined the Writer’s Guild of America in 1987. His internationally successful Village Roadshow Studios feature film “Fortress” was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Movie in 1994.

Since 2004, in his capacity at the RI Film & TV Office, Steven has shepherded over $900 million of film and television production into the state, creating thousands of jobs for those in the industry. His collaborations include working with notable talents such as Academy and Emmy award-winning writer/director James L. Brooks, Lord Julian Fellowes, Wes Anderson, Mark Ruffalo, Bette Midler, Richard Gere and Zoe Saldana. Productions include the HBO’s Emmy award-winning series “The Gilded Age,” Disney’s record-breaking “Hocus Pocus 2,” Oscar-nominated “Moonrise Kingdom,” and three seasons of the Peabody award winning Showtime series “Brotherhood.”

In 2016, Steven wrote, directed and produced the award-winning documentary, PELL, which explores the challenges RI Senator Claiborne Pell faced to create the “Pell Grant” program and its impact on education and society today. For eight seasons, Steven has been a producer and co-host of the RIPBS weekly series “Double Feature,” which explores the art of cinema by sharing short films from around the world and conducting interviews with a diversity of moviemakers

He is being honored for is outstanding achievements and dedication to the field of film and cinematography, and his stewardship in building Rhode Island’s film industry.

The Late Marcia Fay Katz, MD

A pulmonary and critical care physician and Cystic Fibrosis (CF) changemaker, the late Marcia Fay Katz, MD was deeply committed to excellence in medical education, research, patient care and service to the community. After graduating at the top of her class at Cranston High School West in 1975, she received her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her medical degree from Boston University. She completed her residency and fellowship training at Boston City Hospital and Boston University School of Medicine and achieved board certification in internal medicine with subspecialty board certifications in pulmonary and critical care medicine.

Throughout her career, Dr. Katz consistently strove to reach new heights. She served as Baylor College of Medicine’s associate chair of medicine for clinical affairs and medical director of the Baylor Department of Medicine. In addition, she was chief of adult medicine at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women and spearheaded the development of Baylor’s Lung Institute. Marcia’s impact on the CF community is unsurpassed. She was the medical director of the Baylor Maconda Brown O’Connor Adult CF Center and served as the co-principal investigator of the CF Therapeutic Development Center. In 2016 Marcia was named associate dean of clinical affairs at University of Central Florida College of Medicine, a position she held until her retirement in 2020.

After a three-year relentless battle against pancreatic cancer, Marcia Katz passed away at age 65 in March of 2023. Amongst Dr. Katz’s innumerable accomplishments, her most treasured accolades come from her patients, who credit her clinical excellence, boundless encouragement, and unwavering advocacy for their ability to live longer and healthier lives.

She is being posthumously recognized for her outstanding achievements and dedication to the field of pulmonary and critical care medicine and medical education.

Constantine Marses

Constantine “Gus” Marses, a lifelong Cranston resident and graduate of Cranston High School West Class of 1985, is the President of Royal Poultry, a family owned and operated business based in Cranston. Over the years Gus has made notable contributions to our city, both professionally and philanthropically. He has demonstrated unwavering dedication to the community, carrying on the legacy of his parents who established Royal Poultry over 50 years ago. In the early years of Royal Poultry, the Marses family quickly learned that they could create a successful wholesale company by customizing various poultry products in order to better serve the needs of their customers.

As the second-generation proprietor of Royal Poultry for the past 40 years, Gus has kept the same beliefs and values as his father as he greatly expanded the business.  The company has prospered throughout its years by forming unbreakable relationships with its customers. And through his efforts, Gus has played a vital role in shaping the local business landscape and contributing to the economic growth of Cranston.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Gus Marses has consistently demonstrated a spirit of generosity with his philanthropic contributions to various local charities, including the Church of the Annunciation and the Cranston schools. Gus actively participates in community events such as the traditional Greek Festival and his church golf tournament, where he generously donates both his time and resources. His dedication to ensuring the well-being of Cranston families is evident through his support of school food drives and reflects his genuine concern for the welfare of our community members.

An enthusiastic supporter of the Cranston West girls’ soccer program, Gus has been generous with his time and donations. He has hosted team dinners and team breakfasts every year, provided the teams with dinner for all away game bus rides, and provided financial support to the program by contributing to the purchase of new uniforms and other equipment.

He takes his place in the Hall of Fame for his strong business acumen and his unwavering generosity and dedication to our community

Carol A. Peterson

Carol A Peterson, a lifelong Cranston resident and member of the Cranston High School Class of 1958, is a retired business executive and philanthropist. Carol’s path after graduation from Cranston Public Schools has been reflective of her deep commitment to making life better for others. After high school Carol began what would become a 40-plus year career with FM Global, and in the 1970s became the company’s first female vice president.

After retiring from FM Global as senior vice president of administration in 2001, Carol began a second chapter in which she has made an immeasurable impact on improving the quality of life for Rhode Islanders. She established the Carol A. Peterson Foundation to focus on the needs of children, ensuring that the most vulnerable of those in our communities have opportunities to thrive and have a bright future.

Carol’s leadership and sharing of her time and talents has strengthened and advanced the missions of many non-profit organizations serving children including Bradley Hospital, Providence Children’s Museum, Meeting Street School, San Miguel School, Adoption Rhode Island, and RI Community Food Bank.

While Carol is involved with many of Rhode Island’s leading charities serving in very visible roles, she also makes a quiet – yet significant – impact with her willingness to invest time and resources in smaller initiatives. A prime example is TalkWorks, an anti-bullying program for schools that she developed. Carol believes in planting seeds that will help guide and inspire young people to make positive choices and have a path to a bright future.

The Hall of Fame recognizers her for her pioneering professional achievements and her generous and unrelenting dedication to the well-being of children.

Mark A. Ross

Mark A. Ross, a member of Cranston High School East Class of 1960, served as vice president of Ross-Simons Jewelers until his retirement in 2002. Following his graduation from the University of Rhode Island and after earning an MBA from the University of Michigan, he joined the family business in 1967 and met his wife, Donna when they were both working there.

An ardent philanthropist and firm believer in giving back to his community, Mr. Ross founded the Mark and Donna Ross Family Foundation and has been an active supporter of students at Cranston High School East for more than two decades. The foundation has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in student scholarships to hundreds of Cranston High School East seniors over the years, helping them to pursue their higher education goals.

Mark has also demonstrated a strong commitment to the University of Rhode Island and has provided considerable financial support for the University’s continued growth. Mark and Donna Ross established a scholarship to benefit first-generation college students and make their URI education more affordable

In addition to supporting education, Mark has sponsored players in American Legion baseball who could not otherwise afford to participate and has provided financial support to this community program for the past 10 years. Mark has shared his business acumen as an active member on numerous boards of directors including the RI Community Food Bank, the Trudeau Center, Dorcas International Institute, and Hillel at the University of Rhode Island.

He is welcomed into the Hall of Fame for his enduring dedication to furthering the educational endeavors of Cranston High School East and University of Rhode Island students, as well as his unfailing service to the community.

Editor’s Note: Barbara Polichetti, a Cranston resident, is a regular contributor to the Cranston Herald and Johnston SunRise. Contact Polichetti at bpolichetti@gmail.com.