Local People

Last Updated on Sunday, 31 March 2019 16:30

The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh recently announced that Bethel Park resident Richard G. Jewell will serve as the new chairman of the Y’s board of trustees.

Richard G. Jewell

Jewell has a long history of service in the community and with the YMCA, previously serving as the board chair of the Downtown YMCA from 1978 to 1980 and as a member of the YMCA Metropolitan board of directors from 1980 to 1994 where he served in several leadership positions.

“Dick is an accomplished academic, leader and community advocate,” said Kevin Bolding, YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh president and CEO. “His diverse set of skills, passion for the community and leadership will be a valuable asset to our board of trustees’ as we continue to build a stronger us.”

Jewell has always been an active supporter of Pittsburgh area nonprofits. He was a member of the St. Clair Hospital Board and the Civic Light Opera Board and served as chairman for both the St. Clair Hospital Foundation and National Kidney Foundation of Western Pennsylvania.

His career is as impressive as his community involvement. After serving in the U.S. Army Third Armored Cavalry Regiment for two years, Jewell became a trial lawyer at Wayman, Irvin upon earning his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan School of Law. He then became corporate counsel for Harbison-Walker Refractories before transitioning to the education sector at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) where he was first hired to be the assistant university counsel. He quickly rose to leadership, being named president of the Pittsburgh Applied Research Corporation from 1988 to 1991 and, starting in 1989, concurrently served as the executive vice president of the University of Pittsburgh Trust. He left Pitt in 1991 to serve as partner, vice president and director of Peterson Consulting, staying on after its merger with Navigant Consulting in 1998. In 2003, he returned to education to serve as the president of his undergraduate alma mater, Grove City College, until his retirement 11 years later in 2014.

Jewell’s retirement has been a lively one. He served four years as commissioner of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and is the director of strategic marketing for Berkley Research Group.