8 Local Luminaries Earn Spot In Nutley Hall Of Fame

NUTLEY, NJ — Eight people with deep local ties have earned a spot in the Nutley Hall of Fame.

The 11th biennial Nutley Hall of Fame induction will honor the following luminaries: Thomas “Tommy” Petillo, Franz “Faz” Fazakas, Larry Hunt, Charles Nunzio, George Bronson Philhower, Paul Raines, James Van Etten, and Richard Whitley.

The 2025 ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23 at the Nutley Public Library, 93 Booth Drive. Tickets to the event are $50, and are available at the Nutley Public Library or by calling 973-284-4929.

For more information, call 973-667-0405 or visit the library online at nutleypubliclibrary.org. To view past inductees, visit nutleyhalloffame.org.

The following biographies come courtesy of the Township of Nutley:

Franz “Faz” Fazakas (1918–2013): Franz “Faz” Fazakas was raised in Nutley after his family moved to Kingsland Road in 1938, began his career building pipe organs with his father before discovering puppetry through a Nutley friend, which led him into show business. Best known for his groundbreaking mechanical work with Jim Henson’s Muppets—including Fozzie Bear’s ear wiggles, Big Bird’s inner workings, and the Academy Award–winning Henson Performance Control System—Fazakas became a legend in puppetry and special effects while remaining fondly remembered in Nutley for his roots and storytelling spirit.

Larry Hunt: Larry Hunt, formerly Lawrence Phillip Hoogerhyde, began his career as a child prodigy in Nutley, performing at Lincoln School assemblies, studying at The DeJon Studios of the Creative Arts, and later serving as accompanist in the Nutley school system. He has since built a remarkable career as a pianist, composer, and entertainer, performing over 6,000 professional gigs worldwide, recording original music, touring with the Ringling Brothers Circus, and now serving as music director at Grace United Church of Christ in Allentown, PA.

Charles Nunzio (1912 - 2010): Charles Nunzio, a world-famous accordionist, teacher, composer, and arranger, made his debut at Town Hall, NYC, in 1933 and later became a founding Board member of the American Accordionists Association. He operated a music studio in Newark and later in Nutley, where he trained many champion accordionists, while also leading a celebrated career that included prize-winning orchestras, hundreds of radio performances, and service as a Navy musician during World War II.

Thomas “Tommy” Petillo: Thomas “Tommy” Petillo, a 1969 Nutley High School graduate, U.S. Army veteran, volunteer firefighter, and longtime Township of Nutley employee, built an extraordinary dual career in public service and music. He is best known as the lead singer of The Duprees for over five decades, performing nationwide, and is also the founder of the East Coast Music Hall of Fame, former host of the TV show Jersey Spotlight, and author of We Need More Love Songs, which chronicles his celebrated career in the music industry.

Dr. George Bronson Philhower (1862–1935): Dr. George Bronson Philhower, a lifelong Nutley physician, was renowned for his expertise in pneumonia and respiratory illnesses, saving countless lives during the 1918 flu epidemic and delivering hundreds of babies through in-home natal care. Beyond his 50-year medical practice, he shaped Nutley’s growth as town physician, Board of Education president, Library Board charter member and president during Carnegie Grant construction, and leader of Memorial Parkway Inc., leaving a lasting legacy of community service and civic improvement.

Paul Raines: Paul Raines, recently retired, served as Chief Information Security Officer for the United Nations Development Programme, where he led cybersecurity efforts across 177 global locations and earned numerous international awards, including CSO50 honors, a Future Edge 50 award, and recognition among Computer World’s Premier 100 IT leaders. Earlier in his career, he was CISO for Bloomberg LP, Barclays Capital, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and was part of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons team awarded the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.

James P. Van Etten (1922 - 2015): James P. Van Etten lived in Nutley for over 40 years, where he was deeply admired for his kindness, dignity, and service to community, country, and church. His work spanned 14 years of active duty with the US Coast Guard during and after WWII, an advanced degree at MIT, a 26-year career at ITT Laboratories in Nutley, where he led development of the long-range navigation technology LORAN, volunteer work in education, and, notably and closest to his heart, working for individuals with special needs.

Richard J. Whitley, MD: Richard J. Whitley, MD, a 1963 Nutley High School graduate, is an internationally recognized leader in clinical virology whose pioneering work in herpes antivirals and influenza treatment has advanced care for children and adults worldwide. A distinguished professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, he played a key role in developing remdesivir for COVID-19 treatment and evaluating coronavirus vaccines, and in 2020 received the prestigious John P. Utz Leadership Award from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

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