The Will J. Hancock Unsung Hero Award is given to business officers who have made extraordinary contributions to their schools and exemplify exceptional integrity, knowledge and motivation. At the end of each school year, new Unsung Heroes receive their award from their head of school, often at a significant school occasion such as a board meeting or an all-school ceremony. What makes these Unsung Heroes so special? The highlights below come straight from their colleagues' nominations.
See a full list of the 2025 recipients. Stay tuned throughout the summer for additional profiles.
The following profile honors Michael Toohey, who passed away in July 2025. His legacy and achievements continue to inspire all who knew him. His nominators for this award include Megan McBride, controller; Kim Major, associate director of admission and director of financial aid; and Danette Crockette, human resources director.
Title: Chief Financial Officer
School: George School, Newtown, PA
Years at the School: 13
Superpower: Course-Corrector. When Michael Toohey came to George School (GS), the school was midway through its 20-year annuity distribution and facing an annual budget deficit. Under Toohey’s leadership, GS implemented a financial sustainability plan that has since delivered balanced budgets, inspired updated policies and fostered long-term institutional stability.
“In a Quaker institution, many voices are heard for even the smallest of changes, and Michael painstakingly went through the work that needed to be done to right the ship,” said Danette Crockette, one of his three nominators. “Everything Michael has touched in his time at GS is better than how it was when he started.”
Natural Leader: Toohey built and developed a strong, highly functional team while always keeping his door open, according to all three of his nominators. They had this to say:
- “In the time Michael has been at GS he often leads with the question ‘Tell me more.’ This approach establishes him an immediate partner and [minimizes the potential] for a [top-down power] dynamic that can hinder open dialogue with a CFO,” said Crockette.
- “His desire to help others and make those around him better makes me want to do the same,” added Controller Megan McBride.
- “On a personal level, when I faced some challenges in my early years at the school, Michael was my biggest cheerleader. I can say with certainty that I have been here for nine years because he supported and believed in me,” said Kim Major, associate director of admission and director of financial aid.
All-In on Other Duties: Toohey was extremely involved in the lives of students, faculty and staff on campus. He was a mentor to colleagues, a cheerleader at sporting events and an avid promoter of theater productions at GS. He enthusiastically volunteered for whatever was needed, whether it was driving students to social activities on the weekend or sitting with a sick or injured student in the hospital overnight. “His energy and love of George School is contagious,” said McBride.
Twice, Toohey and his wife hosted international students over the summer. When the Ukranian-Russian war erupted, the school was housing a Ukranian student in his senior year. Toohey worked with him and his family to secure the students’ college tuition deposit and any necessary supplies so that he could graduate from GS and continue onto a U.S. college.
Personal Resilience: Toohey worked remotely over the last year due to medical leave. “Many would pause all work to focus on health, but Michael's commitment to the school and its people mattered too much too much to him,” said Major. “I can think of few others who would maintain his level of commitment and strength through this time, but the fact that Michael did that comes as a surprise to no one who knows him.”
