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October 26, 2000

University honors alumni as "Legacy Laureates"

As part of Discovery Weekend, the University will honor 33 alumni as the inaugural class of Legacy Laureates, a new program developed to recognize alums for their personal and career achievements. They will be honored at a ceremony on Friday.

Members of the group represent an array of disciplines, including business, medicine, journalism, law, government, sports, social services, education and the arts.

Pitt Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg said the Legacy Laureates program is based on the belief that there can be no better role models for students than alumni who have been successful in their chosen fields.

Following are the inaugural legacy laureates. An asterisk denotes someone who is a current or former trustee of the University.

Honorees will receive a piece of Steuben crystal with an etching of the Cathedral of Learning.

Stanley J. Behrman (Dental '45), founder of the field of dental implantology.

David F. Bellet (CAS '67), chairman and founder of Crown Advisors International.

Betsy Benson (CGS '86), editor of the Pittsburgh Business Times.

*Ralph J. Cappy (Law '68, CAS '65), associate justice on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

James L. Craig (GSPH '63), leader in the field of occupational medicine.

Pat Croce (SHRP, now SHRS, '77), president of the Philadelphia 76ers.

*George A. Davidson Jr. (Engineering '61), retired chairman of the board of Dominion Resources, Inc.

Catherine D. DeAngelis (Medicine '69), editor of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Mike Ditka (CAS '61), Pitt gridiron legend and CBS sports analyst.

*Herbert P. Douglas Jr. (Education '48, '50), 1948 Olympics bronze medal winner and founder of the Jesse Owens Global Award.

*Helen S. Faison (Education '46, '55, '75), director of the Pittsburgh Teachers Institute and former acting superintendent of the Pittsburgh Board of Education.

Norman R. Farnsworth (Pharmacy '59), a leading expert on herbal remedies and medical botany.

*Milton Fine (CAS '49, Law '50), one of the founders and retired chairman of the board of Interstate Hotels Corporation.

Bernard Fisher (CAS '40, Medicine '43), distinguished service professor at the University and leading expert in tumor biology and breast cancer therapy.

Maryann F. Fralic (Nursing '73, GSPH '82), author and practitioner in nursing administration.

Bobbie Gaunt (Education '72), president and CEO of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd.

Frances Hesselbein (Pitt-Johnstown), 1998 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and chair of the board of governors of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management.

*K. Leroy Irvis (Law '54), former speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the first African American to serve as speaker of a state house of representatives.

*Paul E. Lego (Engineering '56, '58), retired chairman of Westinghouse Electric Corporation.

*John C. Marous (Engineering '49, '53), retired chairman of Westinghouse Electric Corporation.

*Thomas Marshall (KGSB '57), retired chairman and chief executive officer of Aristech Chemical Corporation.

*Samuel A. McCullough (KGSB '60), Pennsylvania's secretary of community and economic development.

Valerie A. McDonald (SHRP '77, FAS '79), the first African-American woman elected to Pittsburgh's City Council.

Margaret K. McElderry (SLIS, now SIS, '34), children's book editor and author.

Gerald E. McGinnis (Engineering '60), founder and chairman of Respironics, Inc.

Tom W. Olofson (KGSB '63), chairman and CEO of Kansas City-based EPIQ Systems, Inc.

John M. Petersen (KGSB '51), retired president and chief executive officer of the Erie Insurance Group.

*Albert T. Primo (CAS '58), creator of the Eyewitness News format.

Sheila Wells Rathke (CGS '76), former senior vice president for corporate development, Young and Rubicam, Inc.

*William E. Strickland Jr. (CAS '70), president and CEO of Manchester Craftsmen's Guild.

Burt Tansky (CAS '61), Neiman Marcus Group's president and chief operating officer.

*Richard Thornburgh (Law '57), former governor of Pennsylvania, attorney general of the United States, and under-secretary-general of the United Nations.

*Thomas J. Usher (Engineering '65, '66, '71), chairman and chief executive officer of USX Corporation.

Filed under: Feature,Volume 33 Issue 5

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