For Bill Hogan, leading the 2026 Rockville Centre St. Patrick’s Day Parade isn’t just an honor — it will be a walk down memory lane through decades of community, family and volunteer service.
The parade will take place March 21, along Maple Avenue, and is expected to draw thousands of spectators to the village’s downtown, as always.
Hogan, 57, has been a Rockville Centre resident for 28 years, and has been deeply involved in youth sports, parish life and charitable initiatives around the community. He has held leadership roles with St. Agnes CYO, coached a number of youth sports teams and supported a wide range of philanthropic causes, including the St. Baldrick’s and Tunnel to Towers foundations.
“It’s been a great celebration of the village for a long time, and I really love the way they celebrate the community,” Hogan said of the parade. “They turned it into a parade that cares and shares, picking three charities annually and spreading the good fortune of Rockville Centre while supporting local businesses. I’ve supported it for years, and to have them choose me as an honoree is a great honor.”
The recognition, he said, reflects the collective efforts of many families who have contributed to the village over the years. “They just picked me as a representative of a generation of adults that did a lot for the community,” he said.
Ashley Brennan, president of the St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, said Hogan exemplifies the qualities the organization looks for in a grand marshal.
“There’s no official application process,” Brennan said. “It’s someone who has shown strength in the community and has given back, and Bill Hogan is just a phenomenal person with really strong ties to CYO and volunteer service.”
Brennan said that Hogan’s selection was widely supported by committee members and residents. “There were a lot of people who really pushed for him, in particular because he’s such a strong leader and so involved in the community,” she said.
Hogan’s 30-year career in technology and cybersecurity began in sales at EMC. He later founded and sold his first company to HP Exstream then held leadership roles at NetApp before joining Fortinet. He has since served as chief revenue officer at several early-stage cyber companies, including SecurityScorecard, and currently leads Cytactic, an AI-based cyber-incident response management platform.
A lifelong advocate for Catholic education, Hogan and his wife, Kate, raised five children in Rockville Centre, all of whom were active in local schools and youth programs. The parade, he said, will be a meaningful moment to share with his family and the community that helped shape their lives.
“To me, this is a living walk down memory lane,” Hogan said. “It embodies everything from nursery school through high school, community involvement, Little League and CYO. To share this with my family and the friends we grew up with here is incredibly fulfilling.”
Rockville Centre Mayor Francis X. Murray, who served as grand marshal in 2009, praised Hogan’s selection.
“Bill Hogan truly embodies the spirit of Rockville Centre through his service, leadership, and generosity,” Murray said in a statement. “His deep commitment to his family, his profession, and our community makes him an outstanding and well-deserved choice.”
First held in 1997, the St. Patrick’s Parade has grown into one of the best-attended parades outside New York City. Each year, the parade committee, a registered nonprofit organization, raises funds for one local, one national and one Irish charity. Since its inception, the parade has distributed more than $1.8 million to 78 charities. This year’s beneficiaries are Rescuing Families Inc., Nassau County Firefighters’ Operation Wounded Warrior, and Run for Mary—an annual 5K charity run/walk in Ireland held in memory of Mary Prendergast, who passed away from cancer.
Leading up to the parade, the committee hosts several fundraising events for the designated charities. One of the more popular ones is the Taste of Rockville Centre, which will return to the St. Agnes Parish Center on Jan. 30, from 7 to 10 p.m. There guests can sample offerings from more than 20 local restaurants and microbreweries, and enjoy wine tastings as well as desserts and coffee. Tickets are $65 in advance (available until noon on Jan. 29) and $75 at the door. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Zeffy.com/en-US/Ticketing/Taste-of-RVC.
