Mover & Shaker of the Month Tom Aufman Hampton Township Resident Business Owner - Aufman Specialty Advertising Arcadia Award Recipient Click here for article

Click here for Spotlight on Schools | Business Spotlight: Treasure House Fashions

Dr. Ryan J. Soose, photo right, has joined the Cranberry Office of the University Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists and is now accepting new patients.  His main office is located at 300 Northpointe Circle, Suite 102 in Seven Fields.  For info, call (724) 772-1090.

Butler OB/GYN Associates has added a new obstetric/gynecology physician Nicole L. Carlson M.D., to their staff.  Dr. Carlson joins William C. Murray, D.O., in the office at 324 Fifth Street in Butler.  For info, call (724) 283-8232.

Dr. Donald Ravasio, photo left, has joined Mercy Orthopedic Associates, a part of Mercy Primary Care, Inc.  He joins Drs. Jory Richman, Mitchell Rothenberg, and Gregory Habib of Mercy Orthopedic Associates, a full-service orthopedic practice providing joint replacement surgery, treatment for sports-related injuries and general orthopedic surgical treatment options.

Transplant surgeons at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC performed their first-ever domino liver transplant involving a pediatric recipient.  For more information visit www.chp.edu.

Nancy D. McKee CFP®, photo right, has been elected to serve a second term on the board of directors for the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh.  McKee will serve as treasurer and head of the endowment committee.

The Butler Downtown Revitalization Committee was honored with the 2007 Community Champion Award from the board of directors and members of the Past President’s Advisory Council of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce.

Conti Jewelers, located on Babcock Blvd., has announced support to two local charities using proceeds from the store’s annual sales of watch batteries.  All monies received will be donated to the customer’s choice of Pink Ribbon Round-Up or Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Megan M. Turnbull has been elected to a 2-year term council term in the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Young Lawyer’s division as a council member.

NexTier is pleased to announce the promotion of Mark A. GaNung to executive vice president and chief sales officer for NexTier enterprise.

St. Barnabas Charities netted $105,350 at its annual golf tournament on June 4 at the Butler Country Club.  The total is the highest in the tournament’s 20 years and benefits the patients at St. Barnabas Nursing Home, Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas and The Arbors at St. Barnabas.  In 2006, the Free Care Fund provided more than $5.84 million to patients who could not otherwise afford their care.

MK Chiropractic at St. Barnabas Medical Center has hired Linda Eastman, L.M.T., as its new massage therapist working with Dr. Mike Krawczykiewicz.

Gary C. Kelly, vice chairman and CEO of Southwest Airlines Co., will keynote the 21st annual St. Barnabas CEO Leadership Conference, “Fast Forward to the Future.”  The conference will take place Sept. 17 at The Washington Place at St. Barnabas, 5847 Meridian Road in Gibsonia

St. Barnabas Nursing Home and Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas have joined nearly 300 nursing homes across Pennsylvania – and thousands across the nation – in a campaign aimed at improving the quality of life for nursing home residents.  Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes, brings together long-term care providers, patient advocates, family members, consumers, health care professionals and state government agencies.

St, Barnabas Health System announced its Employees of the Month for June:  Jeanie Frisby, Maricris Regino and Lisa Weber.

Three local girls broke into radio broadcasting this summer with the launch of GirlTalk Radio.  Carolyn Kenyan of Bellevue Elementary School, Bellevue; Phoebe Roe of Dorseyville Middle School, Fox Chapel; and Danielle Lowery of North Hills Junior High School, West View, participated in the Carnegie Science Center event.

Hampton Township brothers Christian Fedko, 8, and Kyler Fedko, 7, (photo right) completed the Spring 2007 baseball tournament season with the Beaver Valley Baseball Team, which earned three first place tournament championships.  Christin led the team in home runs and triples.  Other athletes who played on this championship team included: Zarek Simkovich, Trevor Smith, Killian Cavanaugh, Drake Zappa, Amos Luptak, Joseph Dantico, Gino Quahliero and Cristian Chiccinelli.

More than 30 years after it was first formed in 1976, Cranberry Township re-introduced its revitalized Community Chest.  The official launch was held during the Township’s July 4th Community Day celebration.

Alexandra Bauer, 12, of Bloomfield, won the girls’ division of the 84th National Marbles Championship in Wildwood, N.J.   She is now eligible for the National Championship in New Jersey.

North Hills Art Center announced its winners for the Summer Art Festival Juried Art Exhibition 2007:  Joann Menzemer, Julie Uber, Diane Grguras, Colleen Sherts.  Honorable Mentions: Julian Gil, Dorothy Seethaler Stierheim, Dana Steadman, Robert Mueller, Mary Bittner, Joan Scheuring and Amy DiMichele.

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Mover & Shaker of the Month Tom Aufman Hampton Township Resident Business Owner - Aufman Specialty Advertising Arcadia Award Recipient

By Paula Green Tom Aufman of Hampton Township was recently honored with an Arcadia Award from the Northern Allegheny County Chamber of Commerce.  His list of accomplishments is quite extensive and certainly impressive. Aufman started off in the insurance business, working for New York Life.  He then moved on to the real estate market and was employed for 13 years with Allegheny Northern Real Estate Inc. “My claim to fame while in the real estate business was selling Herford Manor Lake to the Pennsylvania Fish Commission.  I then ventured out in 1981 and launched my own business from a card table in my cellar called Tommy T-shirts.  From there in 1983, I decided to diversify and expand my product line, and I started Aufman Specialty Advertising,” Aufman said.  This successful business located in Allison Park is still going strong today generating an annual revenue between $800,000 to a million. Also during his real estate era, Aufman and six of his constituents successfully formed the North Hills Chamber of Commerce in 1972.  One of the first items on the agenda was to build I-279.  He was the original chairman of this lengthy project, which at the time was named I-79. Aufman also spearheaded some other noteworthy community projects, such as the formation of the McCandless Lion’s Club.  He was a charter member of the Hampton Township Rotary.  In the 50s and 60s, Aufman belonged to the Ingomar Volunteer Fire Department.  In 2004 he became an ambassador to the Syria Shriners. Some of the current organizations that he is actively involved in are the Free & Accepted Masons, The Hampton American Legion and the Promotional Product Association International (PPAI). Aufman is a certified drug and alcohol counselor.  He has also spent time counseling cancer patients.  He has first-hand knowledge in this department since he has been battling the disease for the past 13 years. In the political realm, Aufman has chaired the Government Relations Committee for PPAI.  He was honored for his outstanding service in 2003, 2004 and 2005.  Also during that time frame he was awarded Businessman of the Year by the National Republican Committee. One of his true passions is fishing.  He spends much of his leisure time fishing at Pymatuning.  He is the past president of the area’s Shennago Valley Boat Club. Aufman is also a veteran.  He served in the United States Marine Corp Reserves and the Army from 1954-1958.  He has two daughters Laura and Michele, three grandchildren, and a son Tom Jr., who is deceased. Sadly we learned that since this interview, Tom’s wife Joanne passed away on July 14.  The staff at Northern Connection magazine expresses our condolences to Tom and the entire Aufman family. Back to top

Spotlight on Schools

U.S. Representative Jason Altmire (PA-4) presented Fox Chapel resident and Harvard University student, Michael Lin, with the Congressional Award Gold Medal.  Lin earned the award for completing over 400 hours of community service and personal development.

La Roche College recently celebrated the college’s birthday.  La Roche president, Sister Candace Introcaso, CDP, Ph.D, (photo right) carved a cake in the college cafeteria to honor its founding date in 1963 by a charter from the Sisters of Divine Providence.

The Buhl Foundation has awarded La Roche College a grant for $96,070 to be used for equipment needs within a multi-purpose medical simulator laboratory that will be housed in the College’s Palumbo Science Center.

Seventeen La Roche college students were recently inducted into Delta Mu Delta, the International Honor Society in Business Administration.  The honorees are: Brittany Crawford, Jemma Devlin, Carli Fury, Steve Galore, Tracy Lynn Gracan, Karen Hayes, Tammy Hughes, Nicole Kuczynski, Melissa Marsico, Angel Edjang Memba, Melody Morrissey, Catherine Mwakalu, Jessica Pilarski, Joseph Schall, Vicki Schueckler-Lutz and Amy Woelke.

In June, nine students from several Pittsburgh area school districts got a glimpse of a future career in nursing and health sciences.  The 8th, 9th & 10th graders took part in the program sponsored by La Roche College, UPMC Passavant , UPMC Passavant Cranberry, the Theta Mu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau and Johnson & Johnson’s “The Campaign for Nursing’s Future.  The following school districts had students who participated: Mars Area, North Allegheny, North Hills, Quaker Valley, Seneca Valley and South Fayette.

Rebecca Lewis of McCandless Township has been recognized as a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music by the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA).  Lewis is certified in piano.  She is a board member of Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association and has operated an independent piano studio for 10 years in McCandless Township.

Treasure House Fashion congratulates the 2007 “Unlock Your Treasure” scholarship program winners (photo left):  Veronika Panagiotou, Raven Sharp, Raymond Cody-Grech, Christine Biedrzycki, Courtney Denniston, Kelly Mion and Staci Popowkski.

Three newly appointed drum majors from North Allegheny; Taylor Praskach, Caitlin Cready and Michelle Bucci recently attended a Fred J. Miller, Inc. Leadership Camp and Drum Major Clinic and brought home two awards.

The North Allegheny School District Board of Directors has named Brendan J. Hyland to the position of principal for North Allegheny Intermediate High School.

The North Allegheny athletic program has won the 2006-07 MSA Sports Cup.  This award recognizes the NA School District for having the best overall sports program in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL).  This is the fourth time NA has won this award in the four-year history.

Two Pittsburgh area 2006-2007 ninth-graders, Shivam Verma, North Allegheny High School, and Molly Joyce, Fox Chapel Area High School, were prize winners in a science competition at TeraGrid ’07, held June 4-8, at the University of Wisconsin.

Eric Lewis, a 2003 graduate of North Allegheny High School, was named as one of 18 Honeywell 2007 Innovator Scholars.

Virginia Healy, a second grade teacher at Kerr Elementary School in the Fox Chapel Area School District, has been selected for inclusion in the 11th Edition of Who’s Who Among American Teachers & EducatorsTM, 2006-2007.

Five Fox Chapel Area School District publications received national awards in the National School Public Relations Association 2007 Publications and Electronic Media Contest.

Providence Heights Alpha students Julia and Jimmy Burgess recently participated in the C-Mites (Carnegie Mellon Institute for Talented Elementary and Secondary Students) program.  Julia took part in the Solar System Astronomy course, while Jimmy was enrolled in the CO2 Dragsters.

U.S. Representative Jason Altmire (PA-4), photo left, a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, honored Pine-Richland Middle School for earning a “School to Watch” designation from the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform.

Pine-Richland High School assistant principal Paula Schmitt, photo right, has been named the director of Special Education.

The following Pine-Richland High School seniors have been awarded scholarships through the Pine-Richland Opportunities Fund program: Thomas Randazza, Christin Grace Bridge, Jordan Loscar, Heather Lange, Kelsey Lynne Jones, and Derek Schleiden.

Several Pine-Richland Middle School students earned top awards in a national poster contest sponsored by the American Statistical Association.  Winners include: Ben Tilley, Nicholas Kappeler, Elizabeth Beatty, Justin Frye, Jake Paterline and Giana Spagnolo.

Bethel High School 2007 graduate, Katelyn Rushe, photo right, has recently published Deer Lake.  The 18-year old began writing the book at the age 12; she will attend Robert Morris University this fall.

St. Joseph High School freshman Ariel Schroeder took second place at the National History Day competition held at the University of Maryland, June 10-14.

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Business Spotlight:

Treasure House Fashions Plays Fairy Godmother
to Local Women

By Janice Lane Palko

On May 30, Treasure House Fashions, a non-profit resale boutique located at 8035 McKnight Road in Andre Plaza, partnered with the Newcomers Club to act as fairy godmothers to nearly a dozen women from the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh.

Each year the Newcomers select an organization for which to raise money, and this year they chose Treasure House. The funds they raised provided taxi fare and clothing certificates for 10 women. In addition, the women were able to select “Cinderella” shoes. Chandra Olson, who owned The Elephant’s Trunk, an upscale boutique in Sewickley, recently passed away, and her husband kindly donated half of the store’s merchandise to Treasure House.

“The taxis delivered the women to our door, and after some refreshments and a brief history of how the store was founded, each woman was given gift certificates to enable her to purchase clothing at our shop,” said Sally Power, President of Treasure House Fashions. “I also told them that in addition to the gift certificates we had a special surprise. They could also select a pair of “Cinderella” shoes from the selection donated by The Elephant’s Trunk.”

Unfortunately, one woman wore a size 11, a size not included in the special shoe selection. “I noticed this woman clinging to a box of shoes. They weren’t her size, so I asked why they were so precious to her. She replied that she wanted them for her daughter who was graduating the next week. Of course, we gave them to her and more besides,” Power said.

“It was an amazing time for everyone, and a joint venture of some local fairy godmothers,” Power said. “Sometimes you get the opportunity to wave a magic wand, change the outside appearance, and release the treasure within.”

For more information about Treasure House Fashions, visit their website at www.thfasions.org.

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