FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 1997 

CONTACT: Sam Siple, Director
Media Relations
(724) 847-6577 

The Life "G" Award is the highest alumni award bestowed by the College. This year, there were two recipients: Willard McMillan and Charles N. O’Data. 

Rev. Willard McMillan, associate professor emeritus of Biblical studies at Geneva College, was born in Clarinda, Iowa. Upon graduating from high school in Ohio, McMillan attended Muskingum College and Denison University, then entered the United States Navy to serve his country during World War II. Discharged with the rank of Ensign, he completed his bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies at Geneva College. Furthering his education, McMillan attended the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where he received his master of education degree. 

McMillan was hired in 1955 to teach Bible courses at Geneva. During his 35 year tenure, he also served as the chair of the department of Biblical studies and philosophy, director of spiritual activities, dean of students, and track and cross country coach. An ordained minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, Rev. McMillan is a former pastor of the Parnassus Reformed Presbyterian Church. Upon his retirement from the College in 1990, he became pastor of the Geneva Reformed Presbyterian Church for five years. 

 McMillan has held leadership positions with several boards of directors, including Beaver County Christian School, Christian Government Movement, Geneva College Faculty Assembly, and the Reformed Presbyterian Seminary. 

The father of four children, Katharine, Martha, Scott and Stewart, Rev. McMillan and his wife of 48 years, Shirley, live in Patterson Township. 

Charles N. "Chick" O’Data is a 1958 economics graduate from Geneva College. Born and raised in Brentwood, Pa., he started his career at his alma mater in 1961 as the assistant director of development and director of placement. In 1963 he was named the director of public relations, a position he held for three years before becoming the director of alumni relations. O’Data was then named the director of development in 1966, eventually being promoted to vice president for development in 1968. He has held that position ever since, except for a brief fundraising stint with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Heinz Hall in the mid-1970's. 

The Alumni Recognition Dinner coincides with O’Data’s retirement from Geneva. This summer he will complete his studies for his doctorate in leadership and philanthropic studies from Union Institute and pursue consulting opportunities with non-profit organizations. He will also maintain an on-going relationship with Geneva College as an advisor/consultant for major gifts and other development-related efforts. For his 36-years of dedication, the Geneva Board of Trustees voted to honor O’Data with the title of vice president emeritus last month. 

O’Data lives in Rochester and remains active with various professional and civic organizations, including president of the Beaver County Foundation, Beaver County Corporation for Economic Development, the Medical Center Foundation, and the Beaver Falls Rotary. O’Data was named Man of the Year by the Upper Beaver Valley Jaycees in 1983. He and his wife, Marilyn, attend Grace Lutheran Church and have two adult children, Jon and Ann. Six alumni were recipients of the Distinguished Service Awards (DSA). 

Dr. David Chamovitz, a member of Geneva’s class of 1947 and a graduate of Harvard University Medical School, is currently the director of the nuclear medicine department at E. Wolfson Hospital in Holon, Israel. From 1960 to 1984, Dr. Chamovitz served in the same capacity at Aliquippa Hospital. He and his wife, Marcia, have two adult children. Born in Pittsburgh, Dr. Chamovitz’s professional experience has also included healthcare facilities in Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Connecticut. He is a Diplomat and Fellow with several medical societies. 

Edna King graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Geneva in 1937. She furthered her education by earning master’s degrees in religion from Duke University and in library science from the University of Michigan. King spent her career in various teaching positions, ranging from a one-room school in North Sewickley Township, Pa. to a girls college in Cairo, Egypt. The majority of her career was spent as librarian and Bible teacher at Marion College in Virginia and as an associate professor at Slippery Rock University, where she was granted Professor Emeritus status. A native of Beaver Falls, King remains active with the Calvin Presbyterian Church in Ellwood City, where she has held leadership positions. 

Dr. Howard Peters majored in chemistry while at Geneva. Graduating in 1962, he then earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University. Dr. Peters has worked as an industrial research chemist and in the medical field, in such areas as instrumentation, contact lenses, DNA, and toxins. Dr. Peters is the co-inventor of seven U.S. patents and is author or co-author of over 20 scientific publications and presentations. Having also pursued a legal career, Dr. Peters holds a J.D. degree from the University of Santa Clara (Calif.). A founding partner of Peters, Verny, Jones & Biksa, Dr. Peters specializes as a corporate patent attorney and has prime responsibility for a number of clients including Dow Chemical and the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Sally Brown Peters, wife of Howard, is also a DSA recipient. A 1964 Geneva graduate, Sally also majored in chemistry. She remained active in chemical research and academics while helping to raise their two daughters. In 1981, Sally returned to school to attain her master’s degree in library science at San Jose State University (Calif). Since 1983 she has been a technical information specialist at the XEROX PARC research facility in Palo Alto (Calif). 

Howard and Sally Peters are presently the only chemists from Geneva College — and the only married couple — elected to serve on the national American Chemical Society Council. 

Wilbert Richardson has been an area manager/company representative at Budd-Auto Bodies for the past 32 years. He is also a pastor of Refuge Evangelical Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., a 400-member congregation he and his wife started 12 years ago. Prior to that, he served as assistant pastor of Calvary Baptist Church for three years in a semi-urban area of that city. Ordained in 1981, Rev. Richardson received his bachelor of arts in Biblical studies from Geneva College and master of arts in Misology from Westminster Theological Seminary. He is presently a master of divinity degree candidate at Eastern Baptist Seminary. He and his wife have five children and 12 grandchildren. Rev. Richardson is the vice-chair of the Board of Trustees for the Center for Urban Theological Studies, and chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Bible Institute of Islamic Studies, both in Philadelphia. In addition, he is a Geneva College Trustee. 

William Weir graduated from Geneva in 1973 with a degree in business administration. Weir has spent his entire career in management in the healthcare industry. Weir has worked at the Reformed Presbyterian Home in Pittsburgh since 1978. Initially as the assistant administrator, he has been the Home’s administrator for 15 years. Previously, he was with ServiceMaster Hospital Corporation, then with Jameson Memorial Hospital in New Castle. Leading an active role with the Allegheny Reformed Presbyterian Church, Weir is the chairman of the Geneva College Board of Corporators. Weir and his wife, Rose, have two daughters, Natalie and Jennifer. Jennifer is the fourth generation in the family to attend Geneva. William Weir’s grandfather graduated in the 1916 class at Geneva and is a past Life "G" award winner.