CALCUTTA — Beaver Local Alumni Association is inducting five new members into its Alumni Hall of Fame. The inductees were honored at a brunch Sept. 27 at the Madison Township Center Event Center.

Jacob Lawton-1999

Jacob Lawton is a proud 1999 graduate of Beaver Local High School and a lifelong resident of the community. During his years at Beaver Local, he was an active member of the Beaver Local Red Pride Marching Band and also participated in Destination Imagination.

At age 16, Lawton demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit by starting his own lawn care business, which continues to thrive today. This early venture into business ownership laid the foundation for his career and commitment to hard work.

Following high school, Lawton pursued higher education at Robert Morris University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Lawton’s commitment to his community is evident through his involvement in a wide variety of civic and service organizations. He is an active member of the Columbiana Rotary and has supported the Columbiana Marching Band for the last five years. His greatest and longest-standing service, however, has been with the Boy Scouts of America. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1996 and has remained dedicated to Scouting for more than 35 years. He currently serves as Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 22 in New Waterford. In 2025, he furthered his Scouting leadership by earning his Wood Badge, the organization’s highest level of adult leader training.

Professionally, Lawton began his professional journey with PGT Trucking as part of their management training program, before moving into human services as a Habilitation Manager for the Columbiana County Board of Developmental Disabilities in 2008. In 2010, he played a key role in establishing Beaver Creek Candle Company, a business designed to create meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.

In 2015, Lawton became the CEO of Employment Development Inc., where he continues to oversee programs that support employment and skill development for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, he serves as Director of One Step Forward, a nonprofit organization that provides safe and supportive housing for developmentally disabled individuals in Columbiana County.

Beyond his professional and civic commitments, Lawton enjoys traveling, spending time with his family, and recently took up golf after his son developed a passion for the sport.

Lawton presently lives in Columbiana with his wife, Carrie, of 22 years, and their two children, Paige and Preston. He is the son of Joe and Judy Lawton, also of Columbiana.

Dr. Kevin Orr-1989

Concert pianist Kevin Robert Orr fulfills a broad agenda as performer, masterclass clinician, lecturer, and adjudicator that has taken him to major music institutions across the North America, Europe, East Asia, and Australia.

A University of Florida Research Foundation Professor, Orr’s live performances and commercial recordings have earned significant critical acclaim. His recordings of the complete Solo Piano Sonatas and Ballades of Johannes Brahms, as well as the Piano Concerto and solo works of Samuel Barber, have been universally praised in the major music publications of North America and Europe. A strong advocate of new music, Orr has premiered and recorded solo and ensemble works by numerous living composers. His performances have been heard on Public Radio throughout the United States and on BBC London.

In 2006, Orr founded The University of Florida International Piano Festival, an annual summer event assembling gifted young pianists with distinguished pedagogues from around the world. Additionally, Orr has taught at the Val Tidone International Festival Summer Camp, Piacenza, Italy, Cadenza Music Festival, Bankok, Thailand, and has been a faculty member of the Masterclasses Ars Haliaeti, in Koper-Isola, Slovenia.

As the Director of the School of Music at the University of Florida, Orr oversees a diverse program of 450 music majors, undergraduate through doctorate, and 55 faculty and staff members. He is charged with cultivating a consensus vision and appropriating resources for all aspects of the program, including faculty and staff recruitment and professional development, student recruitment and research, curricular development, and the program’s significant agenda of scholarly and creative research activity. Among notable achievements as director, Orr has overseen the creation of groundbreaking undergraduate and graduate degree programs, expanded undergraduate and graduate enrollment, appointed thirty-four new full-time faculty and staff members, and has been instrumental in fundraising success, generating several new endowments and achieving thus far over 90% of funding for a $65 million music building campaign.

Dr. Orr studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music at Case Western Reserve University, and at The Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University. He was the recipient of the William Kurzban Prize in Piano from the Cleveland Institute, and the Aurora Ragiani Martin Piano Award from The Dana School. Orr’s teachers have included Paul Schenly, Robert Elliot Hopkins, Caroline Oltmanns, Melva Huebert, and Doris Arnold- Cunningham. With graduate degrees in Music Performance, Dr. Orr also holds an undergraduate degree in Music Education.

A 1989 graduate of Beaver Local High School, Orr played trumpet in the Beaver Local marching, concert, and jazz bands throughout junior high and high school, and piano in the jazz band, choir, and for BLHS musicals. Popular music groups formed with school friends, where Orr played keyboards and shared vocal duties, gave concerts at BLHS in Orr’s junior and senior years. Orr credits these experiences and extraordinary mentoring from Beaver Local music faculty members as foundational to his career in music.

A Steinway Artist, Kevin Robert Orr records for Meyer Media, LLC. His recordings are available at Meyer-Media.com, and through iTunes, Amazon, and Napster.

Robert Swickard-1982

Community, Community Service and Beaver Local have always been an important part of his life.

In 1989 he and Candy Solterbeck co-founded the Beaver Local Alumni Association to preserve the rich history of Beaver Local for years to come through annual events like the Car Show, All-Class Reunions and scholarships for seniors. He served as its first president until 2009 and currently is the Treasurer.

He served on the Beaver Local Business Advisory Board for several years under Superintendent Frank Blankenship.

In 1997 he joined the Calcutta Rotary where he served on The Board of Directors, was President, and Treasurer. He also sat on the Scholarship Committee for Beaver Local Seniors and the St. Clair Township Park Committee which obtained the first piece of property in the original square of Calcutta, developed into small park and then donated it to St. Clair Township to maintain.

In 1999 he was asked to organize the St. Clair Township Blue-Ribbon Committee for Governor Taft’s Regional Economic Development Office. Out of that committee came the widening of State Route 170 and the Construction of McGuffey Drive.

In 2000 the first hotel came to Calcutta and with the bed tax dollars he created the St. Clair Township Travel & Tourism Bureau which sponsors the St. Clair Township Christmas Decorating Contest and the annual Memorial Weekend Community Event to honor all Veterans who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

In 2000 he was appointed to the St. Clair Township Board of Trustees to fill the vacant seat of retiring Bob Wines. He has been serving for 25 years and has been re-elected 6 times. He was twice elected President of the Columbiana Township Association and is currently the Chairman of the Board. During his tenure he has traveled to Washing ton DC to gain funding for Township projects and testified twice at the Ohio State House of Representatives. The first time was for HB 329 to garner fairness in Local Government Funding. The 2nd time was for his own bill. HB 187 was sponsored by State Representative Tim Ginter and protects EMS workers from lawsuits treating animals in the course of the duties in special circumstances. This bill was the 1st in the United States of its kind and has been emulated in nearly every state since then.

His professional career has been as a paramedic for over 43 years, 35 of which was here in the East Liverpool Area. He has achieved the level of Critical Care Paramedic for HealthNet Aeromedical Services where he is Director of Ground Operations overseeing 10 bases and over 280 EMS personnel.

He and his wife Diana (Poe) Swickard, his high school sweetheart, just celebrated their 40th anniversary and have 2 children, Aaron and Heather, and 1 grandchild Alex.

Dr. William Green-1968

Educational History

My educational journey has provided a strong foundation for both personal and professional growth.

High School Diploma: Graduated from BEAVER LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL, in 1968. Bachelor’s Degree: from OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, Columbus, Ohio in 1972.

Medical School: from TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, Philadelphia, PA. 1976.

USPHS: Rotating Internship, San Francisco, CA

General Public Health Medical Officer: Carrollton, OH 1977-1979 Board Certified: EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Professional History

My professional experience has been diverse, allowing me to develop a wide range of skills.

KAISER-PERMANENTE: At Hayward, CA. I was responsible for ER staff and Regional Trauma Director.

RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL/TUFTS UNIV. SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: I focused on ER STAFF and Co-director of Emergency Medicine Residency. U.S. DEPT. of STATE: MEDICAL DIRECTOR assigned to United States Embassy various international and national sites…..retired 2015.

Achievements

Some notable achievements include:

Medical coordinator for medical services during international travel of the Secretary of State and staff, and for the President when visiting “in country” at the assigned region or embassy.

Chief medical officer for staff at each assigned Embassy and assisted with military evacuations while in Afghanistan.

Featured in the GQ article “The Siege of September 13” during attack on the US Embassy in Afghanistan.

Experienced meeting and dining with notable dignitaries frorn many countries while working at the State Department and on assignment.

Achieved equivalent rank of “General” in the State Department and served under three different administrations.

Family:

Married to high school “sweetheart” Susan Dragos Green and father of two daughters Mandy and Lila, and son Elijah. Grandfather to three children.

Dr. John Green-1966

Educational History

My educational journey has provided a strong foundation for both personal and professional growth.

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA: Graduated from BEAVER LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL, in 1966.

BACHELORS DEGREE: B.S.from YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY, Youngstown, Ohio in 1979. Graduate school 1980 Bio-Chemistry. MEDICAL SCHOOL: from PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE, Philadelphia, PA. 1984.

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL: Rotating Internship, York, PA 1984-85

UNIV. PITTSBURGH MED. CENTER: General surgery Residency, Harrisburg,

Farrell, PA; Memorial-Sloan Kettering Hospital NY, NY; Maryland

Shock-Trauma Center, Baltimore, MD 1988-1992

BOARD CERTIFIED: GENERAL SURGERY

Professional History

My professional experience has been diverse, allowing me to develop a wide range of skills.

FEDDE/PORCARO SURGICAL Assoc: Oakland, MD. I was a staff general surgeon.

IJPMC Susquehanna: Williamsport, PA; staff general and minimal invasive surgeon

SALEM SURGICAL ASSOC.: Salem, OH; MEDICAL DIRECTOR for general and breast oncology

HOLZER CLINIC: Athens, OH Medical Director of Breast care Center and staff surgeon; teaching medical residents and students

E. LIVERPOOL CITY HOSPITAL: E. Liverpool,OH; Medical Director of Breast Center and staff surgeon; teaching residents

CLARION HOSPITAL: Clarion, PA. Medical Director of Breast Care Center and staff surgeon; teaching residents and medical students.

Current: Medical director Of Advanced Wound Specialists; York, PA Instructor: Ethicon Endo-surgery for advanced ultrasound and minimal invasive guided breast biopsy

Professional Achievements

Some notabF achievements include:

Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons

Distinguished Alumni Recognition from Phila. College of Osteopathic Medicine

Mentor Award for Ohio Univ. Heritage College Of Osteopathic Medicine

Lecturer at the ACOS annual educational conference

Salem, Ohio “Man of the Year” in Medicine award

Clinical Associate Professor for Surgery at both Ohio Univ. Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

FAMILY

Married: Pamela A. Green

Sons: John and Joshua Green

Grandchildren: Emily, Rachael, Anabelle, Emmaria, Izabela

Hobbies: Playing music (high school rock and roll band; regrouped in 1996-2014 playing for friends each year at Columbiana Amer. Legion); golf, scuba diving, fishing.