University Inducts New Members into Cathedral of Learning Society

Issue Date: 
July 14, 2014

Seated, from left, are Judith Fryrear, Carol Ann McCarl, Jan Wagner, Gertrude Kalnow Chisholm, Joyce Murtha, Lucine O. Marous, Marilyn Dellovade, and Rita Randall. Standing, from left, are James G. Dunn, Ben L. Fryrear, F. James McCarl III, Homer D.W. Chisholm, Mark Laskow, Steven R. Little, Armand C. Dellovade, Bob Randall, Thomas J. McKinney, and Pitt Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg. Not pictured is Patrick A. Gallagher. James Dunn and Jan Wagner were representatives for Carroll H. “Beano” Cook. Mark Laskow was a representative for William S. Dietrich II. Thomas McKinney accepted the honor on behalf of his mother, Catherine Q. McKinney, who could not attend. And Steven Little was a representative for James R. West.

Alumni and friends of the University of Pittsburgh gathered June 20 in the Cathedral of Learning Commons Room to celebrate the induction of the Cathedral of Learning Society’s newest members. Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg and other senior University leaders inducted donors into the society, which was established in 1999 to recognize individuals who have made lifetime gifts of $1 million or more to Pitt.

“For nearly 80 years,” said Chancellor Nordenberg, “the Cathedral of Learning has served as a lasting symbol of what is possible with enough inspiration, ambition, and dedication. Those qualities have helped the University of Pittsburgh thrive during its 227-year history, and the remarkable generosity of the members of the Cathedral of Learning Society helps to ensure that Pitt will be positioned to thrive well into the future. As we continue to aspire to be among the best in all that we do, we remain grateful for the demonstrated belief in the power of public higher education that these most generous donors have displayed.”

The 2014 Cathedral of Learning Society inductees are Gertrude Kalnow Chisholm and Homer D.W. Chisholm; the late Carroll H. “Beano” Cook; Armand C. and Marilyn Dellovade; the late William S. Dietrich II; Ben L. Fryrear; Patrick A. Gallagher; Lucine O. Marous and the late John C. Marous Jr.; F. James McCarl III and Carol Ann McCarl; Catherine Q. McKinney; Joyce Murtha and the late Honorable John P. Murtha Jr.; Bob and Rita Randall; and the late James R. West.

Gertrude Kalnow Chisholm and Homer D.W. Chisholm
Homer D.W. Chisholm received his bachelor’s degree and MBA from Case Western Reserve University in 1979 and 1987, respectively. He has served as the president of Ribic Tool in Ohio, and is now a manufacturer’s representative in the aircraft and aerospace industries.

Gertrude Kalnow Chisholm earned her bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in 1978 and her MBA from Case Western in 1987. Like Homer Chisholm, she hails from a long line of manufacturers and business owners, dating to the 1800s. Gertrude Chisholm and her siblings founded and led investment firms Calg Limited and Carjan Limited.

Together, the Chisholms have continued the philanthropic relationship with Pitt that was begun by Homer Chisholm’s grandfather, Homer D. Williams. It was Williams, then president of Carnegie Steel Company, whom Pitt turned to in the early 1900s when it was looking to expand its facilities and mission. Williams served on Pitt’s Board of Trustees from 1920 to 1936, overseeing fundraising activities that supported the construction of Pitt Stadium, a medical complex, and the Cathedral of Learning.

Gertrude and Homer Chisholm are active in various civic and charitable organizations in their community. The couple has also continued Williams’ legacy at Pitt, establishing the Reid H. Chisholm Esophageal Research Fund in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. The fund is named in honor of their son, Reid, one of their three children.

Carroll H. “Beano” Cook
The late Carroll H. “Beano” Cook spent the early part of his life in Boston before his family moved to Pittsburgh when he was 7. An athletics aficionado from a young age, Cook covered sporting events for three Pittsburgh-area newspapers while he was still in high school. He attended Pitt, where he majored in journalism while working as a sports writer for The Pittsburgh Press.

Cook graduated in 1954 and served two years in the U.S. Army. Upon returning to civilian life, he worked as the sports information director at Pitt, where his wit and personality earned him national recognition. After a decade at his alma mater, Cook left for what was to become a notable career as a publicist for the Miami Dolphins and as a commentator for CBS Broadcasting, ABC, and ESPN.

His impressive ability to retain and write about all things football earned him the unofficial title of “Cardinal of College Football.” In 2010, he received the Bert McGrane Award from the Football Writers Association; his name appears in the College Football Hall of Fame; and the Beano Cook Media Room in the Petersen Events Center was named in his honor.

Cook passed away Oct. 10, 2012.  Along with friends and legions of loyal fans, he also left behind a legacy of philanthropy at the University. The Beano Cook Practice Fields are a testament to his dedication and a fitting way to remember one of Pitt’s biggest fans.

Armand C. and Marilyn Dellovade
Armand Dellovade studied engineering at Pitt for three years before accepting a job in 1960 as an ironworker at Plasteel Products Company. Dellovade worked his way up through the firm, eventually becoming general superintendent for all construction products. Once equipped with an insider’s knowledge of the industry, Dellovade created his own company, A.C. Dellovade, Inc., which is now one of the largest metal facade enclosure and roofing contractors in the country. Its clients have ranged from the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin to Heinz Field and PNC Park.

Marilyn Dellovade graduated from California University of Pennsylvania and worked for three decades as an elementary educator. She has a strong belief in giving back to the community and volunteers at Holy Family Institute in Pittsburgh and the Shared Care caretaker respite program in Boca Raton, Fla.

Very active with the University, Armand Dellovade has been a member of the Golden Panthers (now the Panther Club) since the early 1970s, and he has served as president of the organization’s Southwest Pennsylvania chapter.

Together, the couple has supported Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, the Frank Sarris Public Library, and the Washington Health System Foundation. In addition, they have supported a wide number of initiatives at the University, with a special emphasis on enhancing Pitt’s athletics programs. The Armand C. Dellovade and Family Scoreboard at the Petersen Sports Complex is named in their honor.

William S. Dietrich II
The late William “Bill” Dietrich II attended Princeton University, receiving his bachelor’s degree in history in 1960. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves before joining his father’s company, Dietrich Industries. Upon assuming responsibility for the company’s daily operations in the mid-1960s, Dietrich initiated several well-timed strategic changes. At its apex, Dietrich Industries was the country’s largest supplier of repurposed steel construction framing, employing more than 1,800 people. He sold the company to Worthington Industries in 1996, but remained as a director until his retirement in 2008.

While leading Dietrich Industries, Dietrich returned to school to study political science at Pitt, graduating with a master’s degree in 1980 and a PhD in 1984. He served on the University’s Board of Trustees for more than 20 years, including a term as chair. In addition to being a scholar of history and international economics, Dietrich was a gifted writer, authoring three books and writing regularly for Pittsburgh Quarterly.

Dietrich was also a great financial supporter of the University, giving Pitt an historic gift of a $125 million fund in support of the University. The University renamed the School of Arts and Sciences the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences in memory of William Dietrich’s father. The 2011 gift represents the largest individual donation to the University in its 227-year history. Dietrich passed away in 2011.

Ben L. Fryrear
Ben Fryrear attended the Colorado School of Mines before putting his undergraduate career on hold to serve for two years in the U.S. Army. After returning to civilian life, he completed his degree in 1962 while also working at the atomic energy division of Coors Porcelain Company.

Later, Fryrear accepted a trainee engineer position at Alcoa Research Labs. In 1964, he received his MBA from the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business—a credential he put to good use in a variety of business and industrial settings. In 1970, he moved to Aerospace Optics, Inc., a start-up that produced lighting technology for the aircraft and aerospace industries. As president, he steered the company for the next 30 years before stepping down, and he remains a member of the board of directors.

A lifelong learner, Fryrear completed a graduate gemologist certificate from the Gemological Institute of America—and he has established a legacy of philanthropy at several universities and colleges. At Pitt, Fryrear has been a great benefactor of the Katz School, establishing the Ben L. Fryrear Fund for Faculty Development and the Ben L. Fryrear Research Fellowship. The gifts are intended to attract and develop faculty and graduate student excellence at Pitt.

Patrick A. Gallagher
In 1981, Patrick “Pat” Gallagher founded Pat Gallagher Trucking, Inc., now known as PGT Trucking, Inc., with a single truck and two employees. Today, the company has more than 1,000 power units, 1,250 trailers, and 32 terminals in the United States, all thanks to Pat’s remarkable leadership.

PGT Trucking, Inc., is headquartered in Monaca, but its scope of service locations extends well beyond the Pennsylvania border. The company operates in the continental United States—primarily the East, Northeast, South, Southwest, and Midwest regions—as well as to Canada and Mexico. PGT Trucking, Inc., is a leader in flatbed transporting and provides services to companies in the steel, building materials, machinery, oil and gas, raw materials, aluminum, and automotive industries.

Pat has been an important supporter of Pitt athletics. He has donated generously to athletic scholarship funds, such as the Panther Club Athletic Scholarship, the Roy Chipman Endowed Basketball Scholarship, and the Patrick A. Gallagher Athletic Scholarship Fund. In addition, he has contributed money to the Pitt Football Excellence Fund, the Petersen Events Center, and for unrestricted use in the athletics department.

In January 2014, Pat donated $5,250 to the University of Pittsburgh Football Scholarship Fund. The donation was arranged with the University of Pittsburgh football program so that for every touchdown pass thrown this season, $500 would be donated, half to the University of Pittsburgh Football Scholarship Fund and the other half to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Western PA. Additionally, Pat donated $25 for every free throw made by the University of Pittsburgh men’s basketball team this season. Half of this donation went to the University of Pittsburgh and the other half will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Western PA.

Besides supporting Pitt athletics, Pat is an important donor for other organizations as well. His support has extended to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Pat has been on the boards of directors for the Greater Pittsburgh Boy Scout Council and the Heritage Valley Health System.

Lucine O. Marous and John C. Marous Jr.
The late John C. Marous Jr. served as a combat engineer in the U.S. Army during World War II. Returning to his native Pittsburgh following his service, Marous enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, where he studied electrical engineering, receiving his degree in 1949. He began working for Westinghouse Electric Corp., whose graduate-student training program enabled him to earn his master’s degree in electrical engineering from Pitt in 1953.

Marous remained with Westinghouse, eventually becoming the firm’s CEO and chair of its board of directors—positions he held until his retirement in 1990.

Marous met Lucine O’Brien while he was a young construction engineer working in North Carolina. The two married and returned to Pittsburgh, where they raised three children. Lucine Marous received a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and fine arts from the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences in 1984.

In 2005, the couple was named to the Order of St. Gregory the Great, an honor bestowed by the Holy See in recognition of their service and charitable endeavors. The Marous’ have been faithful supporters of the University of Pittsburgh, establishing the John and Lucine O’Brien Marous Chair in Catholicism and Christian Ethics in Pitt’s Department of Religious Studies and the John C. Marous Student Leadership Fund in the Swanson School of Engineering. John Marous served as a member of the Swanson School’s Board of Visitors as well as the University’s Board of Trustees, which he chaired for five years during his 32-year board tenure. He passed away on Sept. 29, 2012.

F. James McCarl III and Carol Ann McCarl
Jim and Carol McCarl met on a blind date after Jim McCarl had spent three years at the University of Virginia, where he had an athletic scholarship. They married and, at his wife’s urging, he enrolled in Pitt’s College of General Studies to complete his education. By taking night classes and working during the day, McCarl graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1973.

He worked for the family business, McCarl, Inc., which eventually became one of the top 50 mechanical contracting firms in the country. In 1999, PPL Corporation acquired McCarl, Inc., and McCarl remained as president and CEO until he retired in 2002. McCarl went on to establish several other successful companies, including The McCarl Group, a management and development consulting firm. 

At Pitt, the McCarls have established the McCarl Center for Nontraditional Student Success in CGS, the Foster McCarl Jr. Fellowship, and the McCarl Hall of Champions, which is housed in the Petersen Events Center. An active alumnus, McCarl serves on the University’s Board of Trustees and several of its committees.

He has been an active member of the Pitt Alumni Association, including a term as president, and he also has served on the Boards of Visitors for the Katz Graduate School of Business and the College of General Studies.

Catherine Q. McKinney
Catherine McKinney graduated from Prospect Hill School in Connecticut and the University of Pennsylvania in 1943 and 1947, respectively. In 1950, she married James Curtis McKinney, who was completing his studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

A cornerstone of the Titusville community since the 19th century, the McKinney family helped to establish the lumber, iron, oil, and banking industries that would make the town flourish. Catherine McKinney continues this tradition and has been active in the Titusville community for many years. She has served on the boards of the Titusville Hospital Foundation, the Young Women’s Christian Association, Penn Bancorp, Integra Bank/North, and the United Way of Titusville Region, where she also served as board chair. A mother of four,

McKinney instilled this spirit of giving and community responsibility in her children, founding the Five M Foundation, through which her family has generously supported many initiatives, including the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville.

The McKinney family donated much of its estate, including the McKinney Mansion, to the Pitt-Titusville campus, which was established in 1963. She was a founding member of Pitt-Titusville’s Advisory Board and served as its chair for a time. McKinney established the J. Curtis McKinney Memorial Fund and supported the construction of the J. Curtis McKinney II Student Union and the McKinney Commons Dining Hall on the Pitt-Titusville campus.

Joyce Murtha and The Honorable John P. Murtha Jr.
The late John Murtha Jr. grew up in Westmoreland County and attended Washington and Jefferson College before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1952. Murtha served for a time as a drill instructor at Parris Island and later attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Va. After leaving active duty, Murtha studied at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown before finishing his studies on the Pittsburgh campus in 1961, when he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Murtha volunteered for combat in the Vietnam War, serving a tour of duty in 1966 and 1967. For his military service, he received the Bronze Star with Combat “V,” two Purple Hearts, and a Navy Distinguished Service Medal. After returning to Johnstown, he ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, winning a seat that he held for five years. In 1974, Murtha ran for office in the U.S. House of Representatives, a position he would win and hold until his death in 2010. He was both the first Vietnam veteran to be elected to Congress and the longest-serving Pennsylvanian Congressman.

At Pitt, the Murthas have been great supporters of the University’s Johnstown campus, establishing the John P. and Joyce Murtha Center for Continuing Education and Professional Development. John Murtha also has the distinction of being named UPJ’s first Distinguished Alumnus. Since Murtha’s death on Feb. 8, 2010, his wife, Joyce, has donated his personal papers to the University Library System, where they will be archived as part of the John P. Murtha Collection.

Bob and Rita Randall
Bob Randall attended Pitt, where he was a member of the Sigma Phi fraternity and a varsity letterman on the baseball team. He graduated in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.

Upon graduating, Randall served for two years in the U.S. Coast Guard before joining Traco, the window and door manufacturing firm his parents began in 1943. With Randall at the helm as president and CEO, Traco came to national prominence through contracts that included replacing the 6,000 windows of the Empire State Building and the bronze windows that comprise the Statue of Liberty’s crown. Randall guided Traco through an acquisition by Alcoa, Inc., in 2010. Today, he serves as CEO of Rand Group, Inc., a real estate development company.

Rita Randall graduated from Duquesne University and was an elementary school teacher in Pittsburgh for many years. She is involved in community service projects and serves on the board of directors of Gateway to the Arts.

Bob Randall serves on Pitt’s Board of Trustees. In addition, he and Rita supported the renovation of the Stephen Foster Memorial auditorium, which was named the Charity Randall Theatre in memory of Bob Randall’s sister. The couple also established the Randall Family Big Idea Competition, which supports the entrepreneurial and innovative aspirations of talented Pitt students.

James R. West
The late James West was the consummate chemical engineer—studious and industrious. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Pitt in 1937, graduating summa cum laude. As an undergraduate, he was a member of Phi Lambda Upsilon, the national honor chemistry society, and he served as the secretary-treasurer of Pitt’s chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. West also earned his master’s degree and PhD in chemical engineering from Pitt in 1941 and 1944, respectively.

His first job was working as a researcher and senior fellow at the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, which later merged with the Carnegie Institute of Technology, establishing Carnegie Mellon University. West spent much of his time at the Mellon Institute mentoring chemical engineering students, while also teaching night classes at Pitt.

An expert on sulfur’s theoretical and practical applications, West went to work for the Texas Gulf Sulfur Company, which controlled the largest inland sulfur deposit in the world. During his tenure there, West developed a reputation as an exceptional engineer and he was eventually named vice president.

West was very involved with Pitt, both as a teacher and as an alumnus, serving as a member-at-large on the Alumni Association’s Alumni Council as well as chairing the Homecoming Committee. He also supported the University by establishing the Bashioum Award in Chemical Engineering, in honor of his mentor and former professor, H.C. Bashioum, and the Dr. James R. and Louise K. West Chemical Engineering Education Fund. In 1980, West received the Swanson School of Engineering’s Distinguished Alumni Award for his service to the University and industrial accomplishments. He passed away in December 2006.