The American Ireland Fund Pittsburgh Dinner Gala
St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2006

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At Pittsburgh Steelers football games, Heinz Field is always a sea of black and gold. But on March 17, the home stadium of the XL Super Bowl champions was transformed to an ocean of green as Steelers chairman and owner Dan Rooney, his wife Patricia, and their family hosted the Pittsburgh American Ireland Fund Dinner — and raised more than $1 million in the process.

More than 780 guests attended the “green tie and tux” event in the Heinz Field East Club Lounge. Both U.S. Congressman John P. Murtha and retired U.S. Steel chairman and CEO David Roderick were honored with The Chairman’s Distinguished Leadership Award in recognition of their exceptional work in community and charitable events. Chairing the event were Jim Rohr, chairman and CEO of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., and Art Rooney II, president of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Guests were transported to an “Irish pub” atmosphere (complete with snugs and game tables), and entertained by traditional Irish musicians and dancers. A Marine color guard opened the formal portion of the program.

The American Ireland Fund has always had strong roots in Pittsburgh, and this year’s dinner celebrated the 30 th anniversary of The Ireland Fund, which was founded in 1976 by Dan Rooney and Sir Anthony J.F. O’Reilly (who lived in Pittsburgh while heading up the H.J. Heinz Company). Today’s American Ireland Fund is the result of a merger in 1987 between The Ireland Fund and the American Irish Federation, which was founded in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy and Eamon de Valera, then president of Ireland.

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Congressman John P. Murtha
Member United States House of Representatives, Pennsylvania District 12

John Patrick Murtha can still hear his great-grandmother’s voice echoing in his ear. “You’re put on this earth to make a difference,” she told the young Jack before she died at the age of 96.

She could not have dreamed the effect her words would have on the six-year-old. He has used them not only as his own inspiration, but as encouragement and inspiration for the generations who will follow him as tomorrow’s leaders.

A congressman for 32 years, a retired Marine Corps colonel, a decorated Vietnam veteran and an advocate for the issues that matter most to people, Jack has made service to his country and its people his creed.

From the beginning, he has led by example. As a young man, he left college after a year to join the Marines during the Korean War, earning the American Spirit Honor Medal in basic training, awarded to fewer than one in 10,000 recruits. As an officer in the Reserves, he volunteered for active duty in Vietnam, where he earned the Bronze Star with Combat “V”, two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. The Marine Corps Commandant awarded him the Distinguished Service Medal upon his retirement after 37 years of active and reserve duty.

Because of his long service on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, currently as ranking member and as former chairman, and his private-to-colonel military experience, presidents of both parties have relied on him for advice about military and defense matters of importance to the nation.

He has worked to bring family sustaining jobs to the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and is widely recognized as a catalyst for the revitalization of the regions economy, including the growth of the high-tech industry. He has ardently supported Social Security, Medicare, health care, veterans’ benefits and other issues that so deeply touch the lives of Americans.

He and his wife, Joyce, celebrated their 50 th wedding anniversary last year. They are the parents of a daughter and twin sons, and the grandparents of three.

Jack Murtha has made the most of his life, using his success to make a difference in the lives of others. Great-Grandma would be very proud.

David M. Roderick
U.S. Steel Corporation, Retired

David M. Roderick, chairman of the board of Earle M. Jorgensen Company, retired as chairman and chief executive officer of USX Corporation in 1989. He is a native of Pittsburgh and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and finance. He previously graduated from Robert Morris School. Robert Morris College granted him its first doctor of commercial science degree in 1981; Washington and Jefferson bestowed its honoris causa doctor of laws degree in 1985, and Fordham University awarded him a doctor of laws degree in 1987.

He began his career with Gulf Oil Corporation and served with the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II (1942-45). He was assistant comptroller of the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad and the Union Railroad Company before joining USSX in 1959 as assistant to the director of statistics in the New York office.

In 1962, he was named accounting consultant-international projects, an assignment during which he and his family lived in Paris, France. He became vice president-accounting, international, in 1964, and was promoted to vice president-international in 1967. He was named chairman of the finance committee and a USX director in 1973, and was elected president of the corporation in 1975. In 1979, David was elected chairman of the board and chief executive officer.

He retired from that post in 1989 and from the USX board in 1994.

He joined the board of Earle M. Jorgensen Company in 1994 and became the non-executive chairman in 1995.

He is past chairman of the American Iron and Steel Institute and the International Iron and Steel Institute. The American Iron and Steel Institute in 1984awarded him the Gary Medal, the Institute’s highest award, for his outstanding service to the American steel industry. In Berlin in 1989, the International Iron and Steel Institute also bestowed on David its highest award for distinguished service.

In recognition of his many accomplishments in the business world and his contribution to his community, David received the 1984 Americanism Award of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, the Leagues highest honor. He was also elected Executive of the Year by the National Chamber of Commerce.

In 1988, David Roderick was honored with the Horatio Alger Award, presented by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. He received the Distinguished Pennsylvanian Award in 1992.

He is the father of two sons and a daughter and a grandfather of seven