Foundation Legacy
Since its inception in 1989, The Rossin Foundation has focused on core values of family, faith, and community. Peter Charles and Ada Egbert Rossin had a deep desire that their generosity reflect their profound gratitude for the people and institutions that shaped their lives.
Pete Rossin paused his education at Lehigh University to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps. After flying 51 missions as a navigator on a B-17 during World War II, he returned to Lehigh and graduated at the top of his class. He received his M.S. in metallurgical engineering from Yale a few years later and enrolled in classes at Rensselaer Polytechnic University in pursuit of his doctorate. The important lessons were not only about engineering. “Lehigh taught me to understand technology and people,” he would say.
That combination of understanding undergirded the remarkable career that followed, culminating in the founding of Dynamet, Inc., which became one of the nation’s most successful titanium companies. Friends and colleagues knew Pete as a “generous, gentle giant of a man.”
Ada Rossin, too, lived a life of service to others. Both In her church, where she and Pete attended for over half a century, and in the larger community, she was often visible as a board member or chairperson.
The work of The Rossin Foundation is now multi-generational. Chaired by Pete and Ada’s daughter, Joan Rossin Stephans, the foundation continues to place priority on projects that enhance the quality of life for the people of Western Pennsylvania. Also dedicated to preserving and furthering their grandparent’s vision, Elizabeth Stephans Baker and Katherine Stephans Dec serve as trustees.
Our Board Members
Joan R. Stephans, Chair
Peter N. Stephans, Trustee
Elizabeth S. Baker, Trustee
Katherine S. Dec, Trustee
Robert J. Lally, Trustee
John C. Harmon, Esq, Trustee