HACC Alumni Association hosts fifth Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner

Five named to Circle of Distinction
YORK–Five alumni were welcomed to the prestigious Circle of Distinction at the HACC Alumni Association’s fifth awards dinner. Hosted on Saturday, June 1, 2013, in the Arthur J. Glatfelter Community Room on the HACC York Campus, the newly appointed honorees were celebrated as outstanding individuals who are alumni of the College and who continue to make a difference in the community. The 2013 distinguished alumni are Daniel M. Ashby (liberal arts, 1968), Patty A. Bowen (business studies, 1998), Timothy M. Gregg (fire science, 1995), Daniel C. Miller (business, 1975), and Daniel T. Thau (engineering, 2006).

“These outstanding alumni, through their commitment and hard work, embody the HACC ‘spirit’ and serve as an inspiration to other alumni and all students,” said John J. “Ski” Sygielski, Ed.D., presidentof HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College. “We honor and thank them for motivating each of us to reach greater heights and strive for professional distinction.”

Daniel Ashby embodies the qualities of an outstanding HACC alumnus. He is the senior director of pharmacy for The Johns Hopkins Hospital and holds faculty appointments at the schools of pharmacy for both the University of Maryland and Notre Dame of Maryland University.

After graduating from HACC in 1968, Ashby continued his education at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, earning a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy in 1971 and a master’s degree in hospital pharmacy administration. He began his professional career in Michigan at Grace Hospital as a clinical pharmacist assigned to critical care.  He became the director of pharmacy at Harper Hospital, a 999-bed facility in Detroit in 1981.  From 1991 to 1999, he served as the director of pharmacy at Methodist Healthcare in Memphis, Tennessee, and coordinated pharmacy services for the 14-hospital system located in Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee. He joined the staff at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1999.

In addition, Ashby has published numerous articles and made more than 100 presentations on a variety of topics. He is most proud that he has served as a preceptor for more than 160 pharmacy residents. In 2011, he received the prestigious Harvey A.K. Whitney Lecture Award given by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), which is the highest honor in the profession and given to only one individual annually. He also served as ASHP president and chairman of the board of directors.

Ashby has also been actively involved with HACC. He served on the Alumni Council, the governing board of the HACC Alumni Association, from 2007–2011 and was a member of the HACC Foundation Board of Directors from 2009–2012. In the spring of 2011, Ashbyplayed an integral part in HACC’s year-long alumni strategic planning process by chairing the strategic planning committee at the request of HACC’s president.

“The quality of the instruction at HACC was exceptional with smaller classes, dedicated and committed instruction and frequent and strong interactions with faculty,” noted Ashby of his time at HACC.

Patty Bowen lost both of her parents when she was a young teenager. Although she finished high school, she worked for years in dead-end jobs. She knew her parents would have wanted more for her in life, so in 1991, she registered at HACC, attending as a non-traditional student. Nearly eight years later, Bowen graduated with distinction, earning an associate degree. Since then, she completed a bachelor’s degree in applied behavioral science and a master’s degree in adult training and development, both from Penn State University. Before joining HACC as coordinator of professional development in 2011, Bowen worked as director of career services for ITT Technical Institute and sales and marketing director of Emeritus Senior Living, both in Harrisburg. She is also an adjunct faculty member of Eastern University’s Campolo College of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Bowen’s community outreach is extensive. As a member of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC, she has been named Diplomat of the Year, the first person to receive that recognition for three consecutive years. Bowen serves on the board of Harrisburg Business Women, volunteers for Junior Achievement of South Central Pennsylvania, is a member of the Career Partnership Development Committee of the Capital Area Intermediate Unit and the National Association of Professional Women and serves as first vice president for the Tri-County Council of the American Legion Auxiliary.

“HACC is an educational institution for all ages and all generations,” said Bowen upon receiving her award. “It has been part of our community since 1964 and first touched me through my aunt, Jean Hintermyer, a 1969 HACC graduate. HACC’s faculty members are part of our community and the real-world work experience brought to the classroom through our adjunct faculty is exceptional.”

Tim Gregg serves as a role model for today’s HACC students.  He gives back to his community daily in his work as fire chief of the City of Lancaster, a position he has held since 2006. In this role, he has improved the bureau’s operational efficiency, saving the city $450,000 annually, developed a city-wide recruiting effort to hire a more diverse workforce and built regional cooperation by organizing a Metro Rapid Intervention Team. Gregg also serves as emergency management coordinator for the city and is a member of the mayor’s executive team.

Gregg’s career has revolved around Lancaster’s Bureau of Fire and Rescue. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Gregg joined the bureau as a firefighter in 1985. During the next 20 years, he climbed the ranks, being promoted to lieutenant in 1992, captain in 1999, battalion chief in 2002 and fire chief in 2006. While working, Gregg also continued his education. He earned an associate degree from HACC in 1995, a bachelor’s degree in business management, economics and fire administration from Empire State College in Saratoga Springs, New York, and a master’s degree in public safety management from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s executive fire officer program and has two published research papers in the Fire Academy’s library. He is currently vice president of the Pennsylvania Career Fire Chiefs Association and serves on the boards of directors of the Lancaster City Fire Foundation and the Lancaster City Fire Pension Fund.

"Attending HACC was a life-changing event for me,” said Gregg of his time at HACC. “I gained the communication and leadership skills that are helping me be a more effective public administrator and involved member of my community.”

Daniel Miller never intended to be an activist. The role was forced upon him when he was fired after speaking up for better police protection for homosexuals on local television news. Since then, Miller has been a strong advocate for equal rights, a civil servant and a champion for those who suffer from discrimination. After he was fired, Miller opened his own accounting firm and a year later was sued by his previous employer over a non-compete clause in his contract. The case, appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, received extensive coverage in the national media, including a cover story in The New Yorker magazine and articles in the New York Times. Gay leaders nationally cited his story as an example of how vulnerable homosexuals can be without an equal rights law.

After HACC, Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Elizabethtown College and an M.B.A. from Penn State University. During the past 25 years, he has become a trusted financial professional and built a successful accounting and small business consulting firm, Miller Dixon Drake PC.  In recent years, Miller has again attracted media attention for his political activism. In 2004, he ran for Harrisburg City Council as the city's first openly gay candidate and served from 2005-2009. In November 2009, Miller was elected Harrisburg City Controller and oversees city spending, which is vital to a city being crushed by debt. Recently, he has again been in the national and local spotlight as the city attempts to avoid bankruptcy.

“I was 17 when I went to HACC, and my classes were filled with older students,” recalled Miller. “It was really good for me because it gave a different perspective. HACC was probably the best learning experience I had.”
Dan Thau is an entrepreneur. At the young age of 30, he is president and chief executive officer of Millennium Circuits Limited (MCL) in Harrisburg, which was recently named by Central Penn Business Journal as one of the fastest growing companies in central Pennsylvania. The company imports circuit boards from China and sells them internationally.

Born and raised in Harrisburg, Thau majored in engineering at HACC and received an associate degree in 2006. He earned the start-up money for his business by bartending in Harrisburg while in school. In a few short years, Thau grew his business from selling circuit boards out of his basement to a company that has 450 clients and topped $3.8 million in sales in 2012. In 2013, he opened an office in Hong Kong, and he will be bringing electronic manufacturing to the United States by designing a new building for MCL that will be ready to open in 2014. This new facility will be in the heart of Harrisburg and focus on manufacturing high-tech electronic assemblies. Recently, Thau was nominated by Central Penn Business Journal for the Growth Specialist Award as part of the CFO of the Year Awards.
Despite his busy schedule, Thau finds time to give back to HACC and the community. He has participated in numerous programs that HACC’s Career Services department sponsored to teach students about business, deciding on a career and life after college. He is a popular speaker at Harrisburg Young Professionals events, especially when the program involves building a business. He also volunteers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and breast cancer awareness.

“Being at HACC taught me to reach high and not always take the easy route,” said Thau. “It allowed me to save up capital to start my business while still going to school.”