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famous men -- or at least one man who was great and deserved to be more famous for his good works in the Pittsburgh region. C. Fred Fetterolf, president of Alcoa from 1984 to 1991, died at age 83 last Sunday in Beaver County. Formerly a resident of the Sewickley area, Mr. Fetterolf not only had a stellar corporate career but also lived his devout Christian beliefs in helping the larger community and church. Among his projects were raising scholarship funds for the FAME program to help African-American students attend private schools, leading a $69 million capital campaign for his alma mater Grove City College, serving on numerous corporate and university boards and raising funds for Imani Christian Academy in East Hills, again creating educational opportunities for young African-Americans. Indeed, he received awards for bridging differences between blacks and whites and Christians and Jews. His was a life well lived.
LET US NOW PRAISE famous women -- or at least one who may be famous only locally but who has made a great gift to her alma mater, Carlow University. Rita M. McGinley, a biology student in the class of 1940, a minority owner of the Steelers and a former science teacher in the General Braddock and Woodland Hills school districts, gave $5 million to Carlow to create a new student center to be called the Rita M. McGinley Center for Student Success. Ms. McGinley said she made the gift -- the largest in the school's history -- so that others could have the same experience at the university she had enjoyed. This is not the first time she has been generous. She endowed the Rita M. McGinley Chair in Early Learning and Children's Media at the Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College and the annual Rita M. McGinley Symposium at Duquesne University. Philanthropy makes for the best sort of fame.
LET US NOW PRAISE young Pittsburgh entrepreneurs who may be on the road to fame and riches. For the moment, they are just on the road on bicycles -- hybrid electric/pedal bicycles that they say are the ultimate Pittsburgh commuting vehicles. Micah Toll, 22, a University of Pittsburgh senior, is CEO of Pulse Motors, having created the bike with Max Pless, also a 22-year-old Pitt senior, and Thorin Tobiassen, a 27-year-old Pitt alumnus. The 2012 Pulse PEVO, as the bike is called, differs from other electric bicycles in that it is designed to handle Pittsburgh's hills without a problem. Yes, it will need that ability if it is to catch on with students who are commuting to a school enhanced by Pittsburgh benefactors.
First Published February 12, 2012 12:00 am
