HARRISBURG, Pa. (May 6, 2024) — The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) will present awards that recognize outstanding leadership in the legal profession and extraordinary service and 50-year membership in the association.
PBA Special Achievement Awards recognize lawyers and individuals who have provided time and resources to improve the association and the legal profession. The President’s Awards, presented by 2023-24 PBA President Michael J. McDonald, recognize extraordinary commitment to the association. PBA 50-year Member Awards recognize lawyers who have been association members for five decades.
The awards will be presented during a ceremony on May 10 during the PBA Annual Meeting in Hershey.
PRESIDENT’S AWARD RECIPIENTS
DAUPHIN COUNTY
Sandra L. Graver, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Harrisburg: In recognition of her extremely high level of professionalism, dedication and commitment displayed throughout her 36 years of employment with the Pennsylvania Bar Association, exemplified by her steady hand guiding both PBA leadership and staff during the recent period of executive director transition.
BUCKS COUNTY
Robert Repko, Repko Law LLC, Doylestown: In recognition of his dedicated, energetic and visionary leadership as chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Membership Development Committee, exemplified by his outstanding efforts to significantly broaden the reach of the PBA and attract and recruit future members from law schools across the commonwealth.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL), Camp Hill: In recognition of LCL’s tireless commitment to fulfilling its mission of providing a caring, confidential peer assistance program that addresses health and wellness challenges of lawyers and their families, a program that has had a significant beneficial impact on our profession, our communities and our system of justice in Pennsylvania.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Marshal Granor, Granor & Granor PC, Horsham: In recognition of his years of extraordinary leadership as a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, and most recently exemplified by his outstanding work in creating a legal mechanism to repudiate discriminatory covenants on real property interests enacted in Act 54 of 2023.
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Rodney R. Akers (Retired), Governor’s Office of General Counsel, Pittsburgh: In recognition of his dedication on behalf of the PBA in leading the newly created Technology Committee. He and his colleagues acted swiftly to launch this committee and quickly started to fulfill its mission to address technology concerns facing the profession.
Cheryl E. Kaufman, Law Offices of Cheryl Esposito Kaufman, Pittsburgh: In recognition of her outstanding level of dedication and commitment to the revitalization of the PBA Insurance Law Committee, including seeking approval to amend the committee’s mission to be inclusive, welcoming and acknowledge attorneys who work in all facets of the insurance industry.
Aimee R. Zundel, Zundel Law LLC, Pittsburgh: In recognition of her dedication and commitment in planning the annual Exceptional Children Conference for the past five years, which included converting a full-day program into a fully virtual program and most recently converting that program into a hybrid format. She is to be commended for using her talents to create a high-quality, valuable program for the PBA.
BERKS COUNTY
Jennifer M. Bradley, Bradley Goldsmith Law, Wyomissing: In recognition of her dedication and commitment in planning the annual Exceptional Children Conference for the past five years, which included converting a full-day program into a fully virtual program and most recently converting that program into a hybrid format. She is to be commended for using her talents to create a high-quality, valuable program for the PBA.
BUCKS COUNTY
Thomas C. Warner, Sweet Stevens Katz & Williams, LLP, New Britain: In recognition of his dedication and commitment in planning the annual Exceptional Children Conference for the past five years, which included converting a full-day program into a fully virtual program and most recently converting that program into a hybrid format. He is to be commended for using his talents to create a high-quality, valuable program for the PBA.
DAUPHIN COUNTY
Paul D. Edger, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Harrisburg: In recognition of his dedication on behalf of the PBA in leading the newly created Technology Committee. He and his colleagues acted swiftly to launch this committee and quickly started to fulfill its mission to address technology concerns facing the profession.
Ana Paulina Gomez, Governor’s Office of General Counsel, Harrisburg: In recognition of her outstanding level of dedication and commitment to the revitalization of the PBA Insurance Law Committee, including seeking approval to amend the committee’s mission to be inclusive, welcoming and acknowledge attorneys who work in all facets of the insurance industry.
Karen P. Pike, Saul Ewing LLP, Harrisburg: In recognition of her outstanding level of dedication and commitment to the revitalization of the PBA Insurance Law Committee, including seeking approval to amend the committee’s mission to be inclusive, welcoming and acknowledge attorneys who work in all facets of the insurance industry.
DELAWARE COUNTY
Daniel J. Siegel, Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel LLC, Havertown: In recognition of his dedication on behalf of the PBA in leading the newly created Technology Committee. He and his colleagues acted swiftly to launch this committee and quickly started to fulfill its mission to address technology concerns facing the profession.
LANCASTER COUNTY
Samuel G. Encarnacion, Lancaster County Public Defender’s Office, Lancaster: In recognition of his dedication on behalf of the PBA in leading the newly created Technology Committee. He and his colleagues acted swiftly to launch this committee and quickly started to fulfill its mission to address technology concerns facing the profession.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Jennifer L. Ellis, Jennifer Ellis, JD, LLC, Bala Cynwyd: In recognition of her dedication on behalf of the PBA in leading the newly created Technology Committee. She and her colleagues acted swiftly to launch this committee and quickly started to fulfill its mission to address technology concerns facing the profession.
PHILADELPHIA COUNTY
Karl S. Myers, Stevens & Lee, Philadelphia: In recognition of his steadfast dedication and commitment to the PBA Appellate Advocacy Committee and for his tireless efforts to reinvigorate the committee to further its purpose. He should be commended for his leadership efforts and for serving as a mentor to others who wish to serve in a leadership role.
WARREN COUNTY
Lisa C. McManus, Pennsylvania General Energy Company LLC, Warren: In recognition of her commitment and enthusiasm as chair of the Energy Law Committee of the PBA Environmental and Energy Law Section. Her dedication to delivering ongoing relevant and meaningful programming provides a valuable resource to the committee and the section members.
50-YEAR MEMBER AWARD RECIPIENTS
ADAMS COUNTY
Samuel E. Teeter, Teeter Law Office, Gettysburg
ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Chester R. Babst III, Babst Calland, Pittsburgh
Samuel W. Braver, Dentons Cohen & Grigsby PC, Pittsburgh
Alexander B. Bunson, Pittsburgh
John A. Caputo, John A. Caputo & Associates, Pittsburgh
John W. Dickerson, Mount Lebanon
Michael D. Fox, Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, Pittsburgh
Frederick N. Frank, Frank Gale Bails Murcko & Procrass PC, Pittsburgh
John W. Giltinan, John W. Giltinan Esq. PC, Pittsburgh
Herman S. Harvey Jr., Pittsburgh
Robert Nelson Isacke Jr., Pittsburgh
Judge Maureen E. Lally-Green (Retired), Superior Court of Pennsylvania, Mars
James D. Murphy Jr., JJ Gumberg Company, Sewickley
Ernest B. Orsatti, Rothman Gordon PC, Pittsburgh
John Harold Riordan Jr., Pittsburgh
James H. Wirtz, James H. Wirtz PC, Wexford
Charles R. Zappala, Pittsburgh
BEAVER COUNTY
Bruce E. Woodske, Woodske Law Offices, Beaver
BERKS COUNTY
John T. Forry, Forry Ullman, Reading
Paul R. Ober, Mogel Speidel Bobb & Kershner PC, Reading
Jestyn G. Payne, Kozloff Stoudt PC, Wyomissing
Gregory R. Young, Barley Snyder, Reading
BLAIR COUNTY
Richard M. Serbin, Richard M. Serbin Esq., Altoona
BUCKS COUNTY
Eleanor Fanning, Ellen Fanning PC, Newtown
Don F. Marshall, Stuckert & Yates, Newtown
Richard C. Osterhout, Law Office of Richard C. Osterhout, Bensalem
William R. Salmon Jr., William Salmon Attorney, Bensalem
CAMBRIA COUNTY
Senior Judge Timothy P. Creany (Retired), Cambria County Court of Common Pleas, Ebensburg
Myron I. Markovitz, Gleason Barbin & Markovitz LLP, Johnstown
Dennis M. McGlynn, McGlynn Law Office, Johnstown
Joseph D. Messina, Messina Law Offices Inc., Johnstown
CENTRE COUNTY
Gary A. Delafield, Delafield McGee and Jones PC, State College
Joseph P. Green, Lee Green & Reiter Inc., Bellefonte
President Judge David Edward Grine, Centre County Court of Common Pleas, Bellefonte
Alfred Jones Jr., State College
H. Denning Mason, Law Office of H. Denning Mason, Bellefonte
Dennis O. Reiter, Lee Green & Reiter Inc., Bellefonte
Terry James Williams, Miller Kistler & Campbell, State College
CHESTER COUNTY
Thomas F. Delaney, Delaney & Scott PC, West Chester
Robert B. Shoemaker Jr., Paoli
Samuel J. Trueblood, Valley Forge
Kenneth R. Werner, Werner & Wood, West Chester
CLEARFIELD COUNTY
Laurance B. Seaman, Gates & Seaman, Clearfield
CLINTON COUNTY
Frederick D. Lingle, Lock Haven
COLUMBIA COUNTY
President Judge Thomas A. James Jr., Columbia-Montour County Court of Common Pleas, Bloomsburg
CRAWFORD COUNTY
E. Max Weiss, Meadville
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Taylor P. Andrews, Andrews Johnson & Brought, Carlisle
Jame D. Bogar, Bogar & Hipp Law Office, Shiremanstown
Judge J. Wesley Oler Jr. (Retired), Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas, Carlisle
Daniel R. Schuckers, Camp Hill
DAUPHIN COUNTY
Carl Peter Carlucci Jr., Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC, Harrisburg
Robert F. Claraval, Claraval & Claraval, Harrisburg
Robert G. Radebach, Law Offices of Robert G. Radebach, Halifax
Allen D. Smith, Steelton
Jack Mentzer Stover, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, Harrisburg
DELAWARE COUNTY
Judge James P. Bradley, Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Media
Thomas H. Broadt, Tim Broadt & Associates PC, Media
Michael S. Burg, Saul Ewing LLP, Wayne
Michael P. Dignazio, Media
Matthew S. Donaldson, Brennan & Donaldson PC, Media
Fred Beecher Fromhold, Fromhold Jaffe & Adams & Jun PC, Villanova
William J. Hirsch, Law Offices, Wayne
John Lasak, Kania Lindner Lasak & Feeney, Saint Davids
Michael A. Raffaele, Raffaele & Puppio LLP, Media
James F. Zaccaria, Media
ELK COUNTY
Thomas George Wagner, Meyer Wagner Brown & Kraus, Saint Marys
ERIE COUNTY
Leonard G. Ambrose III, Ambrose Law Firm, Erie
Paul F. Burroughs, QuinnLaw Firm, Erie
Paul Franklin Curry, Erie
James K. McNamara, Erie Insurance Group, Erie
Gary H. Nash, Erie
Senior Judge Richard L. Nygaard, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Erie
Roger H. Taft, Erie
Michael J. Visnosky, Erie
FAYETTE COUNTY
Gary Nixon Altman, Uniontown
Simon B. John, John & John, Uniontown
Vincent J. Roskovensky II, Uniontown
Judge Gerald R. Solomon, Fayette County Court of Common Pleas, Uniontown
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Donald L. Kornfield, Kornfield & Benchoff LLP, Waynesboro
Forest N. Myers, Law Offices of Forest N. Myers, Shippensburg
David F. Spang, Walker Connor & Spang LLC, Chambersburg
Thomas B. Steiger Jr., Steiger & Steiger, Mercersburg
George Edgar Wenger Jr., Hoskinson Wenger & Rife, Chambersburg
LACKAWANNA COUNTY
Zygmunt R. Bialkowski Jr., Eynon
Senior Judge Robert A. Mazzoni (Retired), Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas, Scranton
Senior Judge Thomas J. Munley (Retired), Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas, Scranton
Todd J. O’Malley, O'Malley & Langan PC, Scranton
LANCASTER COUNTY
Judge James P. Cullen (Retired), Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas, Lancaster
Alan R. Gilbert, Lancaster
Thomas L. Goodman, Goodman & Kenneff, Millersville
J. Richard Gray, Lancaster
Jon M. Gruber, Russell Krafft & Gruber LLP, Lancaster
Michael P. Kane, Morgan Hallgren Crosswell & Kane PC, Lancaster
A. Anthony Kilkuskie, Ephrata
J. Elvin Kraybill, Gibbel Kraybill & Hess LLP, Lancaster
Craig V. Russell, Russell Krafft & Gruber LLP, Lancaster
John M. Smith, Nikolaus & Hohenadel LLP, Elizabethtown
Barry A. Solodky, Saxton & Stump LLC, Lancaster
James H. Thomas, Blakinger Thomas, Lancaster
Robert K. Weaver, Lancaster
David Ford Wedge, Lancaster
James D. Wolman, Law Office of James D. Wolman, Lancaster
LAWRENCE COUNTY
President Judge Dominick Motto, Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas, New Castle
LEHIGH COUNTY
Gerald M. Barr, Gerlad M. Barr LLC, Orefield
M.J. Cohen, Coopersburg
Judge Daniel K. McCarthy (Retired, Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas), Davison & McCarthy PC, Allentown
Senior Judge Carol K. McGinley (Retired), Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, Allentown
Paul A. McGinley, Gross McGinley LLP, Allentown
George M. Nace III, Allentown
Senior Judge Edward D. Reibman, Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, Emmaus
Stuart T. Shmookler, Gross McGinley LLP, Allentown
LUZERNE COUNTY
Conrad A. Falvello, The Falvello Law Firm, Sugarloaf
Howard M. Levinson, Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald LLP, Wilkes-Barre
David William Saba, Kingston
President Judge Correale F. Stevens (Retired), Superior Court of Pennsylvania, Drums
LYCOMING COUNTY
Martin Albert Flayhart, Carpenter Harris & Flayhart, Jersey Shore
Emerson E. Yaw, Montoursville
MERCER COUNTY
Stephen J. Mirizio, Sharon
Chester B. Scholl, Fruit Dill Goodwin & Scholl, Sharon
MONROE COUNTY
Marshall E. Anders, Marshall E. Anders Esquire PC, Stroudsburg
Ralph A. Matergia, Matergia & Dunn, Stroudsburg
Judge Linda Wallach Miller (Retired), Monroe County Court of Common Pleas, East Stroudsburg
Louis Daniel Powlette, Stroudsburg
Charles J. Vogt, Law Offices of Charles J. Vogt LLC, Tannersville
Marc R. Wolfe, Newman Williams Mishkin Corveleyn Wolfe & Fareri PC, Stroudsburg
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Robert A. Alston, Friedman Schuman PC, Ft. Washington
William H. Bradbury III, Lower Gwynedd
James W. Christie III, Wynnewood
Michael J. Clement, Wisler Pearlstine LLP, Blue Bell
Lewis A. Grafman, Bala Cynwyd
Malcolm B. Jacobson, Blue Bell
Paul R. Lewis, Steven & Lee, King of Prussia
Senior Judge Stanley R. Ott (Retired, Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas), Mannion Prior LLP, King of Prussia
Jeffrey B. Schwartz, Schwartz Law LLC, Bala Cynwyd
Michael N. Silver, Michael N. Silver PC, Narberth
Robert P. Snyder, Snyder Law Group PC, King of Prussia
Michael G. Trachtman, Wisler Pearlstine LLP, Blue Bell
Bernard E. Zbrzeznj, Zbrzeznj Law LLC, Blue Bell
MONTOUR COUNTY
Robert L. Marks, Marks McLaughlin & Dennehy & Piontek LLP, Danville
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
Gary Neil Asteak, Asteak Law Offices, Easton
James L. Broughal, Broughal & DeVito LLP, Bethlehem
Kent H. Herman, King Spry Herman Freund & Faul LLC, Bethlehem
John L. Obrecht, Attorney John L. Obrecht, Northampton
Richard H. Pepper, Northampton County District Attorney’s Office, Easton
Stephen L. Shields, Bethlehem
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY
Robert E. Benion, Milton
PHILADELPHIA COUNTY
Michael A. Bloom, Michael A. Bloom, Esq., Philadelphia
Harold Kramer Don Jr., Voorhees
Ivan Jay Feiner, Coco Feiner & Citron PC, Philadelphia
David A. Gradwohl, Philadelphia
John J. Hagarty, Roxborough Law Offices LLP, Philadelphia
Edmund L. Harvey Jr., Teeters Harvey Marrone & Kaier LLP, Philadelphia
Wilbur L. Kipnes, Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP, Philadelphia
Murray S. Levin, Troutman Pepper, Philadelphia
Peter F. Marvin, Philadelphia
George E. Rahn Jr., Saul Ewing LLP, Philadelphia
Abraham C. Reich, Fox Rothschild LLP, Philadelphia
Judge Marjorie O. Rendell, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Philadelphia
William A. Rosoff, Philadelphia
Charles C. Shainberg, Philadelphia
Judge A. Michael Snyder (Retired), The Dispute Resolution Institute, Philadelphia
Marc J. Sonnenfeld, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, Philadelphia
Victor A. Young, Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP, Philadelphia
PIKE COUNTY
John Henry Klemeyer, Shohola
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
Judge Charles M. Miller, Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas, Pottsville
SOMERSET COUNTY
President Judge John Matteo Cascio (Retired), Somerset County Court of Common Pleas, Somerset
Samuel D. Clapper, Barbera Law, Somerset
UNION COUNTY
Senior Judge Louise O. Knight (Retired), Snyder Union County Court of Common Pleas, Lewisburg
WASHINGTON COUNTY
George A. Huber, Venetia
A. F. Jost, Venetia
James H. McCune, Bowles Rice LLP, Canonsburg
WESTMORELAND COUNTY
Kenneth B. Burkley, Greensburg
Peter Paul Cherellia, Greensburg
Anthony W. DeBernardo Jr., DeBernardo Antoniono McCabe & Davis PC, Greensburg
James Michael Duffy, Myers Duffy Dansak & Clegg LLC, Irwin
Richard H. Galloway, Quatrini Rafferty PC, Greensburg
Dennis J. Gounley, Murrysville
Edgar David Harr, Greensburg
Jon Mark Lewis, Mears Smith Houser & Boyle PC, Greensburg
Charles C. Mason, Latrobe
Dennis Brian Rafferty, Quatrini Rafferty PC, Greensburg
YORK COUNTY
John Charles Herrold (Retired), York
Donald Byrne Hoyt, MPL Law Firm LLP, York
Hugh S. Rebert, York
Judge John W. Thompson Jr. (Retired), York County Court of Common Pleas, Felton
OUT-OF-STATE
Dennis Walter Alexander, Framingham, Massachusetts
Sophie A. Krasik, NAVSEA Counsel, Alexandria, Virginia
Robert A. Lincoln, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Thomas J. McKeever Jr., West Friendship, Maryland