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.
Stay tuned throughout the summer for additional profiles. See the full list of 2026 recipients.
Title: Director of Finance and Operations
School: Waring School, Beverly, MA
Years at School: 4
Superpower: Equity Minded: William Potter worked to bring the school’s financial aid budget to a sustainable level while ensuring that Waring's aid dollars were distributed more equitably among families. He also played a key leadership role during the school’s tuition reset in 2022, partnering with the finance committee and school leadership to integrate the costs of Waring's extensive travel programs into tuition. By including travel costs within tuition, financial assistance could be calculated holistically, making the process fairer, more straightforward, and more aligned with Waring's commitment to access and equity.
He takes great pride in the work he's done on the campus, always focused on enhancing the experience for community members and visitors to the school.
Eye for Aesthetics: Potter is widely recognized for his attention to Waring’s campus, from landscaping improvements to enhancing the appearance of the school. When he joined Waring, he inherited the newly built main building, which required attention to both aesthetic and operational concerns. He quickly addressed these challenges, refining design elements to better align with Waring's brand. “He takes great pride in the work he's done on the campus, always focused on enhancing the experience for community members and visitors to the school,” said Head of School Tim Bakland.
HR Pro: As the school’s first director of finance and operations, Potter brought “much-needed” human resources expertise and played a key role in overhauling the school’s 403(b) retirement plan.
Digital Driver: Potter helped advance the school’s strategic technology initiatives, partnering with outside vendors to modernize systems across campus. His work was particularly important given the challenges of integrating technology throughout what Bakland described as “our rather hodgepodge array of buildings on an old estate.”
He wears both his quirks and passions on his sleeves … bringing humor and approachability in a role that could be simply a suit and tie in the business office.
Connection Creator: Potter “wears both his quirks and passions on his sleeves … bringing humor and approachability in a role that could be simply a suit and tie in the business office.” One example is his annual tradition of bringing Oreo cookies to campus each March to celebrate National Oreo Day, which also happens to be his birthday.
