Plum Distinguished Alumni Committee honors 2020 inductees
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Because of the covid-19 pandemic, the Plum Distinguished Alumni Committee made the decision to postpone the induction banquet for the Class of 2020.
The committee, which recognizes select Plum High School graduates for their exemplary accomplishments, announces that the inductees will be honored at a banquet on Oct. 6 at Edgewood Country Club, at the start of this year’s Homecoming weekend.
Being honored are Toni Kasmoch Steedman Zelickson, Class of 1972; the late Francis P. Ferragonio Jr., Class of 1973; Kathleen Dudas Bostick, Class of 1976; and Robert W. McCutcheon, Class of 1985.
On Oct. 7, Zelickson, Bostic and McCutcheon will visit Plum High School and speak to students in select classes. The honorees will receive proclamations from the office of Sen. James Brewster and view their pictures on the Wall of Distinction in the school’s main lobby, and they will attend the Mustangs’ football game that evening.
• Toni Kasmoch Steedman Zelickson heads Blue Socks Media, which owns the worldwide rights to the Emmy award-winning musical TV series “Raggs,” the new animated eSports series “Quinn & the Quips,” the feline comedy CZ Kitty Mascot” and several other properties in development.
She set a creative career in motion at Center Middle School, where she opted to direct a fifth-grade class play rather than audition for a role. A few years later, armed with a degree in advertising from West Virginia University, she founded her first business, Steedman Communications, at age 24.
For over 15 years, she was as a regional director for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, in addition to serving other boards and charities. Today, she mentors young women in career development.
• Francis P. Ferragonio Jr. earned his bachelor’s degree in administration of justice from the University of Pittsburgh. Later, he went back to school at Point Park University to obtain a second bachelor’s, in secondary education of social studies.
He married Patricia (Patty) Barbarino and went on to raise two daughters, Lauren and Sarah. He served the Penn Hills community as a police officer for 25 years and was a history teacher at Linton Middle School for 7 years.
He loved collecting Snoopy and Jiminy Cricket memorabilia, spending time with his family, learning new hobbies like ventriloquism, and helping others.
On May 28, 2019, he died unexpectedly.
• Kathleen Dudas Bostick spent more than 35 years in the software, localization and transportation industries, helping companies deliver world-class experiences to their global customers.
She started her career in transportation, rising to managing director, and was the first woman to achieve that status at Southern Pacific Railroad. She went on to join SDL International, a British company in the software and localization industry, as its first employee in North America.
Bostick spent more than 25 years in software and localization as an international business executive, building and leading strong sales and operations organizations that worked with hundreds of top global brands around the world.
Her career allowed her to follow her passion for international travel, visiting many European and Asia-Pacific countries and experiencing their diverse cultures and traditions.
Bostick earned a master of business administration in marketing, and is a highly respected speaker and published co-author on topics such as global business strategy and global social media.
• Robert W. McCutcheon retired from PricewaterhouseCoopers in December 2018 after more than 27 years providing services to multinational clients, to spend more time with his family, follow his passion for music and dedicate his life to serving his community and honoring the memory of his late son, Ryan.
As the U.S. industrial products leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, McCutcheon was responsible for over 5,500 professionals serving clients across the nation. He and his family also lived in Prague, Czech Republic, from 2006-2008.
Following his retirement, his family started the Vault Recording Studio. Pursuing a passion for music, it was his goal to promote Pittsburgh artists and to achieve greater recognition for the region’s vibrant arts community.
In 2017, following the loss of 19-year-old son, he joined wife Dana and other son, Brett, in establishing the Ryan McCutcheon Rhythm19 Fund. The mission is to provide access to art and music education. Through charitable contributions and volunteerism, they provide access to music for children and use music to enrich the lives of those with challenges or special needs.
A graduate of Robert Morris University, Robert serves on multiple community boards, currently including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and WQED.
For more information regarding Plum Distinguished Alumni, visit www.plumdistinguishedalumni.com. If you would like to attend the banquet, contact Margie Evans at pittduq@gmail.com or 412-297-6674.