Business hall will induct three [Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.]

Feb. 20--JOHNSTOWN -- Leaders of businesses that dominated the industrial landscape both past and present were chosen Friday to enter the Greater Johnstown Business Hall of Fame.

The three winners all made substantial contributions to the region's "economic and civic well-being," said Kim Kunkle of Laurel Holdings Inc., chairman of the 2010 hall of fame awards ceremony to be held April 23.

The inductees are:

--Dan DeVos, retired CEO of Concurrent Technologies Corp., based in Richland Township.

In 1988, DeVos became CEO of Metalworking Technology Inc., which merged with the National Defense Environmental Corp. to become CTC in 1992.

CTC grew under his leadership from 15 employees to more than 1,500 at 35 locations nationwide.

The Business Hall of Fame said that DeVos has played a significant role in revitalization efforts. It singled out his involvement with the Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, Conemaugh Health System and Showcase for Commerce.

--Jack Donnelly, retired president of Richland's DRS?Laurel Technologies.

Donnelly joined DRS Laurel in 1993 as its first president. He fashioned the firm into one of Cambria County's largest employers, topping 900 workers, the business hall said.

A press release said Donnelly was instrumental in the start-up of Windber medical-billing company ProMed Inc., run by his wife, Debbie, and in recruiting contractor Kongsberg Defense to town.

He has been involved with Scouting, the United Way, Arcadia Theater, Johnstown Chiefs, St. Vincent de Paul Society, veterans groups, JARI, Somerset and Johnstown chambers and the airport authority.

--Lewis Foy, 1915-2009, former CEO of Bethlehem Steel Corp. and a Shanksville native.

Upon leaving the Army after World War II, he returned to work at Bethlehem Steel and quickly moved up the ranks. As a member of the board at MetLife, he helped steer MetLife to open its Mideastern Regional Head Office in Richland in 1975.

He lived in an exclusive suburb of Allentown/Bethlehem but remembered his roots: Foy fought to keep as many jobs in Johnstown as possible following the 1977 Flood. He kept steelmaking operations running and kept the finishing mills open, which meant 7,000 jobs instead of 4,500, the business hall said.

Foy was a strong supporter of Pitt-Johnstown and has a lecture series named in his honor.

Kunkle said the winners "getting some recognition at the end of a business career is a good culmination." He announced the recipients at a press conference at the Holiday Inn-Downtown.

The honorees were nominated by those in the business community using these guidelines:

--They must have made their contribution to this area or be a local native.

--Must have reached age 70 or no longer be active in the business position in which their contribution was made.

--Their contribution to the business community must be enduring and outstanding.

With the latest inductees, 77 laureates have been awarded in the business hall, which dates to 1992.

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