Beyond the Bio

Beyond the Bio: Bobby Simpson

2012-09-25T12:44:32Z

(York) -- Crispus Attucks Association of York Executive Director Bobby Simpson was a student in the organization's preschool program in the 1950s, and in 1979 he became the leader of the association that has been offering educational and human services programs to the people of York for more than 80 years.

As part of our Beyond the Bio series, witf's Craig Layne talks with Simpson about the center's influence in his life its role initially serving the African-American community.

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Beyond the Bio: Susan Byrnes

2012-08-27T21:59:36Z

(York) -- Susan Byrnes quit her job as an emergency room nurse to start a non-profit center in the midstate that teaches people about healthy decision-making. Byrnes made that move in 1988. By 1995, the Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center set up shop on York's George Street inside a much-remodeled car dealership. As part of our Beynond the Bio Series, witf's Craig Layne speaks with Byrnes about what got her started on the center that has since delivered more than 6 million health education lessons...

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Beyond the Bio: Roy Clair of Clair Bros. Audio Systems

2012-07-30T20:39:46Z

(Manheim) -- When they started out in the recording industry, Roy Clair and his brother Gene were often the subject of some good-natured jokes. "It was Roy and Gene, the two cowboys," Roy Clair explains. "They'd say, did your parents name you after Roy Rodgers and Gene Autrey?'"

When the comments were coming from the likes of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Clair brothers didn't seem to mind.

Clair Brothers Audio Systems is one of the most well-known sound companies in the world.

As part of our Beyond the Bio series, Roy Clair talks with witf's Craig Layne about how he and his brother built the company from humble beginnings doing sound for a performance at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster.

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Watch a video of the interview below:

Beyond the Bio: Pedro Cortés

2012-06-25T22:48:38Z

(Harrisburg) -- Pedro Cortés has the distinction of being the state's longest-serving Secretary of the Commonwealth. He held the cabinet post in the administration of former Governor Ed Rendell from 2003 to 2010. As part of our Beyond the Bio series, witf's Craig Layne speaks with Cortés about his work and what brought him to central Pennsylvania.

Pedro Cortés talks about why he has kept his home in the midstate for more than 20 years:

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Pedro Cortés talks about success, his latest project, and his involvement with the Academy Awards:

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Watch a video interview with Cortés below:

Beyond the Bio: "Auntie" Anne Beiler

2012-05-29T14:56:16Z

(Gap) -- If you've been to a mall recently, you may have walked past, smelled or even eaten a pretzel from an Auntie Anne's stand. The company has 1,200 locations around the world and got its start in an eastern Pennsylvania farmers' market in 1988. "Auntie" Anne Beiler -- its founder -- grew up in Lancaster County, where her education ended after the eighth grade. "We went to a school that was three rooms. It was an Amish Mennonite school. In my school room there were about 25-30 kids in three grades," Beiler says. As part of our Beyond the Bio series, witf's Craig Layne talks with Beiler about her Amish upbringing and the charity work she's been doing since she sold the pretzel company.

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Update 6/18/12: Anne Beiler will be featured on an episode of ABC TV's "Secret Millionaire," according to her blog. The Central Penn Business Journal is reporting the show featuring Beiler will air August 26th.

Beyond the Bio: Michael Leader

2012-04-23T22:23:21Z

(Hershey) -- Michael Leader's family name is well known in Pennsylvania. His father, George Leader, served as governor for one term from 1955 to 1959. "My dad is a great role model, not only for me, but for a lot of seniors. Even at 94, he goes to the office every day, drives to the office, and loves what he's doing. He's never retired," Leader says. Michael Leader, himself, is the chariman and CEO of his family's company, Country Meadows Retirement Communities. He's also been involved with several community groups, having served on the boards of the United Way of the Captial Region and the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. As a note of disclosure, Leader also served on witf's board for nine years, including a stint as chairman. As part of our monthly Beyond the Bio series, Leader sat down with witf's Craig Layne in his Hershey office to explain how his father's actions outside politics molded his eventual career path...

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Watch an extended interview with Michael Leader below.

Beyond the Bio: Doris Boswell

2012-03-22T01:44:22Z

Girl Scouting celebrates its centennial this month. Doris Boswell got involved with the group in Harrisburg in the 1930s, rising to its highest rank. As part of our Beyond the Bio series, witf's Craig Layne talks with Boswell, who is 91, about her work with the group that included founding a new troop of scouts and mentoring generations of girls.

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Below is video a of Doris Boswell's vintage Girl Scout uniform.

Beyond the Bio: Ed Gotwalt of Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum

2012-02-27T22:37:40Z

(Orrtanna) -- Ed Gotwalt is the "Mr. Ed" in Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum. The Adams County candy and gift shop known for its thousands of elephant figurines has been his passion for nearly four decades. As part of our Beyond the Bio series, witf's Craig Layne talked with Gotwalt about his adventures - and about his impact on the people who've come through his doors...

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click to see photos

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Watch a video of Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum below.

Beyond the Bio: Tom McMahon

2012-01-31T14:31:36Z

(Reading) -- The Berks County seat's immediate former mayor, Tom McMahon, sees his role as a champion for Pennsylvania's cities - even though he decided not to seek a third term in office. "My way to look at this is as a series of adventures. The adventure I had for eight years as the mayor was great fun," McMahon says. He talks about his adventures with in the latest installment of our Beyond the Bio series. witf's Craig Layne caught up with the former mayor at the cafe in Reading's GoggleWorks - an old factory that's been turned into an arts center.

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Beyond the Bio: Jim Morrison of the National Christmas Center

2011-12-16T22:04:55Z

(Paradise) -- It's hard to wrap up a description of the National Christmas Center in one neat little package. The attraction in Paradise, Lancaster County, is the result of decades of work by its curator and historian, Jim Morrison. "I think the appeal for this is there's no other day in our lives like Christmas," Morrison says. In the latest installment of our "Beyond the Bio" series, Morrison talks with witf's Craig Layne about why he started a place where it's December 25th all year long.

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Watch a video of the National Christmas Center toy train display below.

Beyond the Bio: Susan Eckert

2011-11-29T13:22:50Z

(Lancaster) -- At the end of January, a new president will take the reins of the United Way of Lancaster County for the first time in more than two decades. The organization's current president, Susan Eckert, is stepping down after leading the nonprofit for 25 years. Eckert had originally planned to pursue a career in education, an area that attracted much of her attention during her tenure at the United Way of Lancaster County. "When I finished college, I decided I wanted to be a teacher. So, I went to Boston College to get a master's in special education and taught for a period of time," she says. "But, I discovered that teaching might not have been the right match for me." After working for several years in college admissions, Eckert married and moved to Lancaster County. She began her career in the nonprofit world as the executive director of the YWCA of Lancaster, before she transitioned to her current position at the United Way. In the latest installment of our "Beyond the Bio" series, Eckert reflects on her time with the United Way of Lancaster County with WITF's Megan Lello.

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Eckert discusses her time with the United Way, as well as the importance of early childhood education:

Beyond the Bio: Dr. William S. Pierce

2011-10-29T00:36:13Z

(Hershey) -- Modern heart-assist pumps provide life-saving options for patients dealing with severe heart problems. A midstate surgeon and engineer pioneered the first pneumatic heart assist pump and has worked for decades on improving its design. Dr. William Pierce is a professor emeritus of surgery at Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey. As part of witf's Beyond the Bio series, Morning Edition Host Craig Layne talked with Dr. Pierce about the heart assist pump and where he got the idea.

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Watch a video of Dr. William S. Pierce explaining the heart-assist pump below.

Beyond the Bio: Bill Miller of Carlisle Events

2011-09-30T00:22:57Z

(Carlisle) -- For 37 years, Carlisle Events has been hosting some of the largest car truck and motorcycle collector gatherings in the country. The well-known fall collector car swap meet starts this Wednesday at the Carlisle Fair Grounds. Bill Miller co-founded the company that's become an automotive entertainment juggernaut. As part of Beyond the Bio, witf's monthly look at a person who's made important contributions to the region, witf's Craig Layne talked with Miller about what keeps his motor running.

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Watch a video of the interview below.

Beyond the Bio: Joanne Hanley of the Flight 93 National Memorial

2011-08-29T13:49:00Z

(Gettysburg) -- Some 10 days from now, the Flight 93 National Memorial will be dedicated in Somerset County, as the nation pauses to mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001, attacks. It pays tribute to the 40 passengers and crew members credited with preventing the hijacked jetliner from reaching it's intended target, believed to be in the nation's capital. One of those who will be on hand is Joanne Hanley, who's now the president of the Gettysburg Foundation. But for more than nine years, she served as the National Park Service superintendent at the site, helping shepherd an idea for a memorial into reality. "Certainly, I look back at my experience and I could see how my whole professional and personal life really prepared me for dealing with Flight 93," she said, sitting on the Gettysburg battlefield. In the latest installment in our "Beyond the Bio" series, Hanley looks back at her journey with WITF's Tim Lambert. As a note of disclosure, Lambert is a former landowner of a portion of the Flight 93 crash site.

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Hanley her reads a portion of the Gettysburg Address and talks about why it's an appropriate speech for any battlefield where Americans have paid the ultimate price.

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Beyond the Bio: Monsignor Vincent Topper: Celebrating 75 years as midstate priest

2011-07-26T13:53:34Z

(Swatara Township) -- A midstate priest is celebrating quite a milestone: the 75th anniversary of his ordination. Monsignor Vincent Topper is also marking his 99th birthday this week. The Hanover, York County, native is now retired and living at a Dauphin County parish. Even as the oldest priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, he still leads mass every week. In this month's "Beyond the Bio", witf's monthly look at a person who's made important contributions to the region, Topper looks back at his extraordinary career. He spoke with Melanie Herschorn to discuss his life-long service to the church, which, he says, was almost cut short since he was born with tuberculosis.

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