HARRISBURG (June 10, 2009) - The Pennsylvania Bar Association has presented awards to Pennsylvania lawyers for outstanding leadership in the legal profession and longstanding membership in the association. The PBA Special Achievement Awards recognize those lawyers who have provided time and resources to improve the association and the legal profession. The President's Awards, bestowed at the discretion of 2008-09 PBA President C. Dale McClain, recognize extraordinary commitment to the association. The PBA Fifty-Year Member Awards recognize lawyers who have been association members for five decades. The awards were presented during the association's Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, June 2 - 4.

Allegheny County
William G. Boyle, Boyle and Associates, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Samuel L. Douglass, Rothman Gordon P.C., Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Rita Kelly, Pittsburgh, Sherrard, German & Kelly P.C., Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
John David Rhodes, Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie P.C., Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Ralph F. Scalera, Thorp Reed & Armstrong L.L.P., Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Donald W. Shaffer, Metz Lewis L.L.C., Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Thomas Lee Snyder, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award

Armstrong County
Robert J. Key, Leechburg: Fifty-Year Member Award

Beaver County
Joseph M. Stanichak, Aliquippa: Fifty-Year Member Award
Edward J. Tocci, McMillen, Urick, Tocci, Fouse & Jones, Aliquippa: Fifty-Year Member Award

Bedford County
LeGrand W. Perce III, Bedford: Fifty-Year Member Award

Berks County
James M. Potter, Liever, Hyman & Potter P.C., Reading: Fifty-Year Member Award

Blair County
John F. Sullivan, Sullivan, Forr, Stokan, Huff and Karmanski, Altoona: Fifty-Year Member Award

Bucks County
Anthony A. Mandio, Begley, Carlin & Mandio L.L. P., Langhorne: Fifty-Year Member Award
Samuel M. Snipes, Yardley: Fifty-Year Member Award
Sidney T. Yates, Stuckert and Yates, Newtown: Fifty-Year Member Award

Butler County
Robert F. Hawk, Butler: Fifty-Year Member Award
Retired Judge Martin J. O'Brien, Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Butler: Fifty-Year Member Award
Leo M. Stepanian, Stepanian & Muscatello L.L.P., Butler: Fifty-Year Member Award

Cambria County
Gilbert E. Caroff, Caroff Raptosh & Lehmier, Johnstown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Dino S. Persio, Smorto, Persio, Webb & McGill, Ebensburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Edward R. Schellhammer, Johnstown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Edward Solomon Jr., Ebensburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Thomas A. Young, Johnstown: Fifty-Year Member Award

Carbon County
Retired Judge John Patrick Lavelle, Carbon County Court of Common Pleas, Jim Thorpe: Fifty-Year Member Award
Marianne S. Lavelle, Shutack & Lavelle, Lehighton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Roger N. Nanovic, Nanovic Law Offices, Jim Thorpe: Fifty-Year Member Award

Chester County
Robert W. Lentz, Lentz, Cantor & Massey Ltd., Malvern: Fifty-Year Member Award
Michael L. Strong, Saul Ewing L.L.P., Berwyn: Fifty-Year Member Award

Clarion County
Senior Judge Charles R. Alexander, Alexander Alexander & Troese, Clarion: Fifty-Year Member Award

Clearfield County
Joseph Colavecchi, Colavecchi & Colavecchi, Clearfield: Fifty-Year Member Award

Crawford County
John S. Kookogey, Titusville: Fifty-Year Member Award

Cumberland County
John H. Broujos, Carlisle: Fifty-Year Member Award
Richard C. Snelbaker, Snelbaker, Breneman & Spare P.C., Mechanicsburg: Fifty-Year Member Award

Dauphin County
John A. F. Hall Jr., Office of Attorney General, Harrisburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Arnold B. Kogan, Goldberg Katzman P.C., Harrisburg: Special Achievement Award - for efforts in support of the association's Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
Stephanie F. Latimore, Legislative Reference Bureau, Harrisburg: Special Achievement Award - for dedicated service to the association's Government Lawyers Committee and for participating in the collection of thousands of books for the Department of Education Family Literacy Program benefiting at-risk children
Ronald G. Lench, Harrisburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Brenda K. Mayer, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Harrisburg: President's Award - for outstanding commitment to the association
Donald J. Murphy, Calkins & Campbell, Harrisburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Francis J. O'Rourke, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Harrisburg: President's Award - for outstanding commitment to the association
N. David Rahal, Keefer Wood Allen & Rahal L.L.P., Harrisburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Shawn Weis, Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, Harrisburg: Special Achievement Award - for dedicated service to the association's Government Lawyers Committee and for participating in the collection of thousands of books for the Department of Education Family Literacy Program benefiting at-risk children

Delaware County
Samuel S. Blank, Lord & Mulligan, Media: Fifty-Year Member Award
Joseph A. Damico Jr., Petrikin, Wellman, Damico, Brown & Petrosa, Media: Fifty-Year Member Award
F. D. Hennessy Jr., Lansdowne: Fifty-Year Member Award
John J. Maffei, Wallingford: Fifty-Year Member Award
Retired Judge Rita E. Prescott, Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Media: Fifty-Year Member Award
Leonard A. Sloane, Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander P.C., Media: President's Award - for leadership on the association's legislative grassroots outreach project

Erie County
Angelo P. Arduini, Arduini Jewell & Karn, Erie: Fifty-Year Member Award
Lawrence A. D'Ambrosio, Erie: Fifty-Year Member Award
Retired Judge Michael M. Palmisano, Erie County Court of Common Pleas, Fairview: Fifty-Year Member Award

Fayette County
Gretchen A. Mundorff, Watson Mundorff Brooks & Sepic, Connellsville: President's Award - for leadership on the association's long-range planning effort

Indiana County
Orville Alan Holsinger Jr., Holsinger, Clark & Armstrong P.C., Indiana: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lackawanna County
Richard S. Campagna, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
John J. Dunn Sr., Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Robert T. Gownley, Gownley & Gownley, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Romwald Kenowski, Moscow: Fifty-Year Member Award
Frank C. Longo, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
John A. Morano Sr., Clarks Green: Fifty-Year Member Award
Former Gov. William W. Scranton, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Edwin Utan, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Retired Judge James J. Walsh, Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lancaster County
S. R. Zimmerman III, Zimmerman, Pfannebecker, Nuffort & Albert L.L.P., Lancaster: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lawrence County
Kenneth E. Fox, Fox & Fox P.C., Ellwood City: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lehigh County
Retired Judge John E. Backenstoe, Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, Allentown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Edward H. McGee, Allentown: Fifty-Year Member Award

Lycoming County
William P. Carlucci, Elion, Wayne, Grieco, Carlucci, Shipman & Irwin P.C., Williamsport: Special Achievement Award - for serving a two-year term as chair of the PABAR-PAC and increasing the effectiveness of the association's legislative program
Senior Judge Clinton W. Smith, Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas, Williamsport: Fifty-Year Member Award

Luzerne County
Joseph P. Burke III, Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association, Wilkes-Barre: President's Award - for leadership on the 70th anniversary celebration of Erie v. Tompkins

Montgomery County
John T. Acton, Acton Herder & Bresnan, Bryn Athyn: Fifty-Year Member Award
Former Judge Mason Avrigian Sr., Wisler Pearlstine L.L.P., Blue Bell: Special Achievement Award - for efforts to update the PBA Senior Lawyers Committee's "Guide to Legal Issues for Senior Citizens"
Jean B. Green, Radnor: Fifty-Year Member Award
Richard Lee Grossman, Smith, Aker, Grossman & Hollinger, Norristown: Fifty-Year Member Award
James J. Himsworth Jr., Collegeville: Fifty-Year Member Award
John P. Knox, Timoney Knox L.L.P., Fort Washington: Fifty-Year Member Award
Joseph P. Phelps Jr., Blue Bell: Fifty-Year Member Award
Mary Coyne Pugh, Montgomery Child Advocacy Project, Norristown: Special Achievement Award - for service as chair of the association's Child Advocate Pro Bono Committee and for engaging lawyers to provide free legal representation to children who are victims of abuse and neglect
George W. Tracy, Sommar Tracy & Sommar, Lansdale: Fifty-Year Member Award
John P. Yatsko, Norristown: Fifty-Year Member Award

Montour County
Arthur M. Peters Jr., Peters and Tripoli, Danville: Fifty-Year Member Award

Northampton County
Senior Judge Michael V. Franciosa, Northampton County Court of Common Pleas, Easton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Nicholas M. Zanakos, Zanakos Law Offices, Bethlehem: Fifty-Year Member Award

Northumberland County
John A. Carpenter, Carpenter & Carpenter, Sunbury: Fifty-Year Member Award

Philadelphia County
Charles Eppolito III, White & Williams L.L.P., Philadelphia: President's Award - for leadership on the association's membership project
John G. Harkins Jr., Harkins Cunningham L.L.P., Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Jerome J. Shestack, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Franklin H. Spitzer, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
John R. Suria, Saul Ewing L.L.P., Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
William T. Windsor Jr., Saul Ewing L.L.P., Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award

Schuylkill County
Joseph A. McKenna, Williamson, Friedberg & Jones L.L.C., Pottsville: Fifty-Year Member Award

Venango County
Raymond S. Woodard, Franklin: Fifty-Year Member Award

Washington County
Frank A. Conte, Frank A. Conte P.C., Washington: Fifty-Year Member Award
Reed B. Day, McMurray: Fifty-Year Member Award

Westmoreland County
Dante G. Bertani, Greensburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Robert Y. Cassol, Murrysville: Fifty-Year Member Award
Richmond H. Ferguson, Ferguson Law Associates, Latrobe: Fifty-Year Member Award
Donald R. Hacker, Greensburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Richard L. Jim, Latrobe: Fifty-Year Member Award
John F. Kradel, Ligonier: Fifty-Year Member Award
Aaron M. Kress, New Kensington: Fifty-Year Member Award
James L. Nardelli, Nardelli Law Offices P.C., New Kensington: Fifty-Year Member Award
John N. Scales, Greensburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
S. Wayne Whitehead, Berk, Whitehead, Kerr & Turin P.C., Greensburg: Fifty-Year Member Award

York County
Leo E. Gribbin, Goldfein & Joseph P.C., York: Fifty-Year Member Award
Raymond L. Hovis, Stock and Leader, York: Fifty-Year Member Award
Robert J. Stewart, Barley Snyder L.L.C., York: Fifty-Year Member Award
Morrison B. Williams, Thomasville: Fifty-Year Member Award

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 29,000 lawyers who are members of the association.