Arthur Schwotzer, of Peters, remembers plowing victory gardens and selling scrap metal at a time when bronze and lead were needed war-time commodities.

He was 14 years old and had formed a business, his first, with his brother, Norman, younger by two years, who now lives in Mt. Lebanon.

	Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette Arthur Schwotzer, chairman of Crossgates Inc., has receives an honorary alumnus award from Carnegie Mellon University because of his involvement with the Academy for Life Long Learning. He was one of its founders. Click photo for larger image.

They lived in what is now Whitehall, which was Baldwin Township at the time, and he spent any extra time he had shearing sheep on farms.

"I grew up knowing the value of labor," Mr. Schwotzer said.

That labor has paid off. Mr. Schwotzer, who will be 80 on Oct. 27, has received an honorary alumnus award from the Carnegie Mellon University Alumni Association.

"My father was always the poster boy for entrepreneurship," said his son, Gregg.

Colleague Lucian Caste, who, like Mr. Schwotzer, is a well-known real estate developer, described him as "the premier developer of the Pittsburgh region" and noted his development of medical facilities such as St. Joseph Hospital, hotels such as the Roosevelt Hotel, as well as nursing homes and senior high rise apartment buildings.

He is being recognized by the alumni association for his involvement with two Carnegie Mellon programs: the Academy for Life Long Learning and Cornerstones.

The academy is a noncredit program that offers seniors opportunities to extend their education in courses designed by participants involving writing, reading, discussion, artwork and/or field trips. Mr. Schwotzer was a frequent lecturer on entrepreneurship.

From 450 to 650 students register for a term and there are currently 650 on the waiting list.

He has served as president of Cornerstones, a program offered by the School of Architecture which partners architects, engineers, developers, builders/contractors, bankers, real estate agents, lawyers insurers and government officials in planning efforts for the Pittsburgh region.

Architecture students participate in forums featuring these leaders and have the opportunities to receive scholarships and fellowships.

Symposiums titled the Dynamic Economics of Asia and the Global Wellness Opportunities for Prosperity for the Pittsburgh region were held recently at the Duquesne Club and Carnegie Mellon.

"We talk at Cornerstones about what it takes to make a community run," he said.

Mr. Schwotzer started his business in 1952. It was first called Schwotzer Travis Inc., then A.C. Schwotzer Inc. and now Crossgates Inc. It is in Peters.

He was the outstanding graduate in his class in the University of Pittsburgh electrical engineering school in 1950.

He served in the Army in Osaka and Kyoto in Japan and taught officers and sergeants in charge of mess halls better cooking techniques and how to prepare food.

His knowledge of the food industry came in handy when he built and ran nursing homes.

His son Gregg is president and CEO of Crossgates and Arthur is chairman of the board.

"My father is one of the most positive, upbeat people around," said Gregg Schwotzer.

Gregg and another son, Eric, who owns a company called Penn Gem, plan a birthday party on Oct. 27 at the Duquesne Club. It will be attended by Arthur's second wife, Sallie, and her children, Erin Carmichael and William Carpenter, and other family members.

Mr. Schwotzer's first wife, Janet, died in 1983.

For more information on Cornerstones contact the Web site at www.cornerstones.arc.cmu.edu. For more information on the Academy for Life Long Learning, contact the Web site at www.cmu.edu/all.