Dinner Held for Distinguished Alumni of HASD

The Hollidaysburg Area School District Alumni Association honored this year’s distinguished alumni at a dinner held on Feb. 11 at the U.S. Hotel.

HON. STEPHANIE MARTZ 2023

Distinguished Alumnus

The Hon. Stephanie Martz, a 1987 HAHS graduate, is the chief administrative officer and general counsel of The National Retail Federation, where her responsibilities include managing the organization’s in-house counsel department as well as NRF’s policy positions on a variety of issues such as payments and intellectual property.

Martz came to NRF in 2017 from Monument Policy Group, a boutique Washington, D.C., lobbying firm where she represented a wide variety of technology clients in Silicon Valley and Seattle on issues ranging from data privacy and national security to competition.

She also served as special assistant to the president and senior counsel in the office of White House Counsel during the Obama Administration. In the White House, Martz was the senior lawyer in charge of ethics and compliance.

On Capitol Hill, Martz served as chief counsel to now Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY). In that role, she led policy reform efforts on immigration, national security issues, intellectual property, cybersecurity, civil and criminal justice and managed two Supreme Court and a host of other judicial nominations.

She also gained years of experience building coalitions and developing legal policy through her work as a senior director for The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and litigation counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Litigation Center.

Martz graduated from Georgetown University in 1991 and Stanford Law School in 1997. In between college and law school, she worked as a reporter for The New York Times and The Charleston (W.V.) Gazette. She clerked for Hon. James Robertson, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and Hon. Patricia M. Wald, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

After clerking, Martz practiced trial and appellate litigation with the Washington, D.C., firm of Miller, Cassidy, Larroca, and Lewin and with the Washington office of Mayer Brown.

Martz said that being a distinguished alumnus is an honor and very meaningful to her for several different reasons. Her mother passed away in 2004, but her father is still alive and was able to attend the dinner with her stepmother. Martz was happy to share this honor with others.

“It gave me an excuse to call a couple of my teachers who had really meant a lot to me when I was in junior and senior high school in Hollidaysburg. They really helped me find a path where I had a really positive sense of my own strengths as well as my own weaknesses and was just really comfortable in myself. That can be a really hard thing to achieve coming from a small town, especially if you don’t fit a certain a mold. I certainly feel like I didn’t.”

She continues, “It is great to be honored by my hometown school and all of the people who are fundamental and foundational to that area.”

MR. BERNARD STAPELFELD

Distinguished Alumnus

Ben Stapelfeld graduated from Hollidaysburg Senior High School in 1968. Following graduation, he attended West Virginia University where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering. Upon graduating from University, Ben went on to start several successful businesses in construction and real estate development. In 1985, he was a founder of New Pig Corporation where he currently serves as Executive Chairman.

New Pig Corporation and its subsidiary companies manufacture and distribute workplace cleaning and safety products to customers in over 100 countries on all seven continents. With headquarters in Tipton, PA , New Pig has operations throughout the U.S. and international operations in the UK, The Netherlands, India and China and employs more than 800 people.

Ben is also the principal owner of several other local businesses.

His most passionate philanthropy is dedicated to The Giorgio Foundation which he founded along with his wife and daughter to advance research into Neurofibromatosis (or NF1).

Ben says that it is nice to be recognized at anytime and to be considered distinguished. “I never thought of myself as distinguished at anything but I will take it.”

GARY RHODES

2023 Distinguished Educator

Gary Rhodes is a 1958 graduate of Altoona High School. He graduated with a degree in biology and chemistry from IUP in 1962 and continued on for a Masters in biology. Rhodes also earned 55 credits toward a doctorate from Penn State.

His early career was spent at Mount Union, Keith Junior High and Bishop Guilfoyle. He then spent the remaining 32 years at Hollidaysburg before retiring in 1999. He taught chemistry, physical science, biology, nuclear science and physics. He was nominated seven times for the “Who’s Who Among American Teachers” award.

Rhodes taught at PSU Altoona part time for 41 years where he received the PSU Student Government “Excellence in Teaching Award” for 2008-2009. He was also recommended for the “Biltmore Who’s Who” in 2012.

During his tenure with Hollidaysburg Area Senior High, he was a swimming coach and sophomore class advisor. He served as Scoutmaster for ten years and taught Sunday School every other week. Rhodes was chairman and spokesperson for the Blair Senior Olympic Games and chaired three fundraising events for the Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation.

In his spare time, Rhodes is an avid runner and completed 956 road races, 270 of which were triathlons. A triathlon includes a 62 mile run, a 24.85 mile bike ride and nearly one mile of swimming. He was one of only 37 people in the USA to be given a certificate from the USA Triathlon Federation for completing over 200 triathlons. Over his life, he has run 94 marathons, numerous half marathons, 15K, 10K, 5K and two-mile races. He has also competed in every single YMCA race/event.

Rhodes says that it was kind of a surprise that he received this recognition, especially after being retired from Hollidaysburg for more than 20 years.

MICHAEL LEAMER

1st Recipient, Dave Alan Zeek Humanitarian Award

Michael Leamer has been a lifelong Hollidaysburg resident and graduated from Hollidaysburg Area High School in 1987. He continued his education at Penn State University where he graduated in 1992 with a degree in secondary education. Leamer has spent his career working as a teacher in correctional facilities including the US Department of Justice and the PA Department of Corrections. He currently works at the Huntingdon State Correctional Institution.

Lemaer got to know Dave Alan Zeek through the Jaffa. Mike became an usher and Dave acted as his mentor. Mike is a mason with Lodge 220 of which Dave was also a member.

Mike has always put his family and community first. When Dave passed away in 2020, Mike and his family immediately stepped into help Dave’s wife Sarah and the family in any way they could. Many times, Mike would put his own needs on the back burner so he could come to the Zeeks’ rescue. Mike is a very selfless man and constantly finding ways he can help others.

Sarah and her family feel that Michael Sean Leamer is a deserving recipient of the David Alan Zeek Humanitarian Award and offer him thanks and congratulations.

Leamer says that the award was great and emotional, both. “The family has gone through a lot-Sarah with the loss of her husband Dave. It came unexpectedly. They were left with a huge VOID. He basically did everything. I stepped in to help them from the very beginning. I just stepped in and did what I thought that I needed to do. The family needed help and continues to need help. I am still involved with that family every week.”

1999 BOYS BASKETBALL

2023 Distinguished Alumni Team

The 1999 boys basketball team was the winningest team in HASD history.

They ended the season with a 22-6 record. They beat State College three times during the 98-99 season. They won their first mid-Alleghenies Conference title. They advanced to the elite eight in the state, the furthest into the playoff season since the 1930-31 season. They had the top ranked defense in the state allowing only 26 points per game. According to Coach Hetz, the best defeat was the one that landed them their first District 6 AAAA title in a decade. They triumphed 57-53 over their rivals, The Altoona Mountain Lions after a fifteen point deficit in the first half; this after a 22 game losing streak against them. They had only one senior, Ryan Lingenfelter on the team, who was recognized for the all-state team.

Coach Kraig Hetz says that this was a nice honor for all of the guys who played on the team. It was a team award for the team that advanced really far in the playoffs and won the most games in school history.

“I think that team achieved a lot of things that no other Hollidaysburg team had ever achieved before. It is nice recognition for all of the hard work that the players and coaches did to help make that happen. It was a real special time for that group of kids and for the community as well.”

Jason Zimmerman says that it was a great honor to receive this recognition. “All of the guys on that team stayed in touch over the years. It was good to get back together with them and with the coaches and relive what we did back then. I don’t think we realized how significant what we did was. Looking back on it, it was a great honor.”

Zimmerman continues, “It was historical. At the time we didn’t realize the achievements we were a part of.”

Ryan Lingenfelter said that to be honored at the dinner was great. “I knew that it was going to happen someday. It was great to see the guys and remember all of the moments we had.”

Coach Mike Harris says that it was great. “That team was fantastic. Coach Kraig was great. The kids were awesome. It’s just nice to be part of it and to have those kids be honored for all of the hard work and all of the effort that they put in. It was fantastic.”

He continues, “It is always nice to get recognized. I think for those kids, it was important to be recognized and be one of the best basketball teams to come out of Hollidaysburg.”