ROBERT W. MORGAN

CLASS OF 1955

(POSTHUMOUSLY)

According to family friend Tim Kusner, Robert W. Morgan led a “Storybook life of a local boy making it big in a difficult industry.” Calling Morgan “…a top radio personality in Los Angeles for over 30 years,” Kusner noted Morgan’s being named Billboard Magazine’s Air Personality of the Year (1967), his unanimous selection to Ohio’s Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame, and his being awarded a citation from the National Association of Broadcasters for “Significant Achievement in American Broadcasting.” In addition, Morgan has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, near the Kodak Theater complex. His Wikipedia biography notes that his work is displayed at the Museum of Broadcasting in New York, the museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills and the International Broadcasting Congress archives in Brussels.

How and where did this legendary broadcaster begin? According to his Wiki biography, Morgan’s “interest was piqued while listening to his favorite DJs on Cleveland’s top forty giant KYW.” Following his graduation from Galion High School, Morgan attended Wooster College where he worked for WWST & WWST-FM, starting at $1.00 an hour.

In 1959, Morgan moved to California where he worked for a number of radio stations including KACY in Port Hueneme; KTEE in Carmel; KMBY in Monterey; KOMY in Watsonville; KMAK in Fresno, working with program director Ron Jacobs; and KROY in Fresno. In 1964 Morgan earned his “first major-market job at KEWB in San Francisco… where he met and worked with his lifelong friend “The Real” Ron Steele” (Wiki).

In April 1965 Morgan, Steele and Jacobs would become “Superstars” when they came to work at KHJ-AM in Los Angeles. Joining “programming genius” Bill Drake, they turned a “sleepy giant into the city’s most dominant radio station” (Wiki). Morgan earned ratings that made him the “top morning show personality.” Known as “The Rooster from Wooster,” the phrase “Good Morgan Boss Angeles” became his signature.

During his years at KHJ, Morgan voiced promos for the “Boss Jocks,” the nickname he and his fellow DJs had earned, and co-produced and narrated the History of Rock and Roll, a 48-hour history of Rock and Roll that aired internationally.

In 1970 Morgan moved to WIND in Chicago, remaining there until 1972, when he returned to his morning drive-time slot at KHJ, again earning top ratings. He left KHJ in 1973 and worked at KIQQ-FM, Los Angeles, and KMPC, Los Angeles. During this period, Morgan also worked on or hosted several television shows, including Morgan’s Alley, ABC’s In Concert, NBC’s The Helen Ready Show, and KHJ-TV’s The Groovy Show. He also served as announcer for Solid Gold during the 1980s.

In 1992, Morgan signed on as the morning show host of the “oldies” at K-EARTH-101, again earning solid ratings. In May 1997 Morgan announced he was suffering lung cancer and told his listeners “It could have something to do with the two packs a day cigarette habit I had for the last 35 years” (Wiki). He told his listeners he was going to take time off to fight his disease. According to Kusner, Morgan became “a spokesperson on lung cancer following his diagnosis.” Morgan died on May 22, 1998. He is survived by his wife Shelley and daughter Susanna.

In Kusner’s words, Morgan “…is probably one of the most famous Galion High School Alumni, if not THE most famous!”

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DR. STANLEY E. GROGG

CLASS OF 1963

Dr. Stanley L. Grogg’s resume contains a fairly typical list of activities associated with successful high school students: Class President (1, 2, 3, 4); Football (2, 3, 4); National Honor Society (3, 4); Track (1, 2); Varsity G (2, 3, 4), Vice President (4). Following high school, he attended the University of Cincinnati, earning a BS in Zoology (1971). He attended Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, and following his internship and residency, entered private practice in 1974.

But his life is much more than the “Boy- From-a-Small-Midwest-Town-Becomes-a-Doctor” tale. Classmates Donna Wilson and Nancy Reid, with a “fact-checking assist” from Grogg’s wife Barb, wrote of their high school friend:

Stanley Grogg, a member of the GHS class of 1963, has been a devoted member of the pediatric medical teaching and research profession for over forty years. After completing his pediatric residency in 1974, Stan began a private pediatric practice and became a member of the teaching faculty at the Oklahoma State University. Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa. He has held various position including Chief of Staff (1981-1983), Chairman of the Pediatric Department for three terms, and most recently, Associate Dean of Clinical Research and Medical Director of Service Learning. He is also affiliated with the Andrew Tailor Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine as a Clinical Associate Professor since 1985 and presently serves on the school’s board of directors. He was voted Physician of the Year in 2006 by the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association, Pediatrician of the Year in 2008 by the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, received the Faculty Distinguished Service Award in 2011 and 2012 from the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, and the Outstanding Physician Award in 2013 from the Osteopathic Founder’s Association.

For the past 30 years, Stan and his wife, who is a nurse practitioner, have been interested in providing medical information and immunizations for travelers. Veteran travelers themselves, the Groggs have visited 164 countries and territories. Since 2004 they have been leading medical missions to under-served areas of the world. Their team consists mainly of medical students from all over the United States, but other friends, including fellow GHS 1963 graduate Carol Borror Privette, have volunteered for the missions. The Groggs have served areas in Mexico, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, Uganda, and Viet Nam and will make their first medical mission trip to India in December.

Upon retirement in 2014, Stan and Barbara started a not-profit organization, Power of the Nickel, to continue their global medical outreach programs. (For more information, visit www.powerofthenickel.com .)

Truly, Dr. Stanley Grogg’s “Small-Town-Boy-Makes-Good” story has a world-wide reach and impact. (Photos of the children served by Stan’s program and of the medical students involved can be found on his Facebook page.)

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JOHN G. MCWILLIAMS

CLASS OF 1965

In nominating Professor John G. McWilliams, fellow Class of ’65 graduate Ken Jarvis wrote that John is “a very good friend of mine. He has carved out quite a career as an educator in California… John is an expert in corporate tax law, and serves on a national committee for the purpose of educating young people in the area of financial literacy.” The Golden Gate University’s website reports that:

John McWilliams is a professor at Golden Gate University teaching tax classes in both the Masters of Accountancy and Master of Science in Taxation programs. He received the Golden Gate University Outstanding Service Award in 2010. John is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the State Bar of California. He consults with lawyers and accountants on tax matters of their clients. He is an active participant in both the American Institute of CPAs and California Society of CPAs. He served as Vice Chair of CALCPA and President of the San Francisco Chapter of CALCPA. John has been a California representative to the AICPA Council. He has served on two AICPA Tax Division Technical Resource Panels (Corporations and Shareholders and Partnerships). He currently is a member of the AICPA Financial Literacy Commission. John is the author of two chapters of the CCH Expert Treatise Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders. Before joining Golden Gate University, some positions John held include professor at both San Francisco State University and San Jose State University and Tax Manager at Price Waterhouse. John graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Business Administration and Accounting from Ohio State University and holds a J.D. from Duke University Law School.

Before accomplishing all of this, McWilliams was a student at GHS. While in high school, he was a member of the varsity basketball team (1963-65), attended Buckeye Boys State his junior year, and was selected for membership in the National Honor Society. McWilliams says of his days at GHS, “…my ‘most valuable’ teachers were Moulton Dewalt and Art Enoch. They both helped me learn how to think and how to communicate.”

When asked about his life beyond career and academia, McWilliams noted that “In 1971 I had the very good luck to marry Jody Ahearn (GHS 1965).” They have two sons, Ian (33), Boulder, CO, and Paul (27), San Francisco, where John and Jodi have lived since 1972. They love the Bay Area and Northern California.

Their sons attended a small private school where John volunteered as a board member and Treasurer. He reports that “An active, focused parent group was able to grow a small elementary school with nominal resources to become a middle school which owns its own building in San Francisco.”

McWilliams enjoys hiking, camping, reading, music and writing. He is a sports fan and enjoys baseball and basketball. He describes himself as a “long suffering, finally rewarded Golden State Warriors fan.” His goals are to take care of himself and his family, to help others be all they can be, and to have fun with my life.

His advice to students: “Do the things that matter to you…even if you think you can’t do them. Surprising yourself is a lot of fun!”

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MR. DAVID E. SPRAW

CLASS OF 1966

Outstanding Educator (1970-2008)

David Spraw based his career upon the same advice that he gave his students: Dare to Fail. Living his life by this mantra, he has guided and inspired countless individuals as a teacher, coach, and community volunteer and made Galion a better place for families to grow and children to learn.

A 1966 graduate of Galion High School, Dave earned his undergraduate degree in Comprehensive English from Bluffton College in 1970. That autumn, he returned to Galion and began what would be a thirty-eight year career as an English and speech teacher at his alma mater. Throughout his dynamic career, he earned his Master’s degree from Ashland University in 1985, coached back-to-back NOL title-winning baseball teams (1977-78), and became a very familiar voice as the announcer for the Galion football, basketball, and volleyball teams.

The son of Galion High School graduates, Dave married his high school sweetheart and fellow Galion alum Janet Ulmer in 1969. Together, they had a daughter, Erin, who also graduated from Galion High School in 1992. Traveling to visit Erin is one of David’s favorite past times, along with golf, bridge, movies, music, and reading. He is an active member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, where he teaches Sunday school and participates in community outreach activities. Dave also currently serves on the Galion Community Foundation board and the Connections Weekend committee and is a former member of the Avita Foundation Board of Directors.

Dave aspires to be a life-long learner, and his list of accomplishments certainly indicates success in this pursuit. He embraces challenging tasks and never avoids an opportunity simply due to fear of failure. He truly lives the advice that he always gave his students, and the Galion community is better because of it.

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PASTOR JAMES (SCOTT) REYNOLDS

CLASS OF 1976

Three-year starter on his high school basketball team and member of the 1975 NOL Championship team, Galion’s leading scorer and First Team All-NOL and Northwest District Team in 1976, holder of a basketball scoring record at Mt. Vernon College (now University), winner of Good Conduct, Overseas Deployment and Humanitarian Service recognition while serving in the United State Marine Corps. Who accomplished these things before age 25? Galion graduate: Pastor Scott Reynolds.

However, there’s another component to Reynold’s story: College dropout; boat accident survivor; drug user and international drug smuggler, convicted and sentenced to prison in Japan; and finally, a redeemed individual who turned his life around and became a leader in helping others recover from self-destructive, life-controlling problems.

How did this turn around occur? In his award-winning essay “Redeemed: The Scott Reynolds Story,” Jon Kleinknecht, former Galion Inquirer sports editor, details Reynolds’ life and recovery. (The essay can be found at The Amy Foundation’s website.) According to the article, the turnaround started when Reynolds hit bottom and considered suicide in 1980. Reynolds explained the event this way: I carried guns with me wherever I went. For some reason, I ended up at my Aunt Alice’s house. I began crying and she started talking to me about God and how much God loved me. I gave her all my guns, my sister Sarabeth came and got me from Fort Wayne, Indiana, and she took me to a place in Muskegon, Michigan, called Teen Challenge. (Teen Challenge, founded in 1958, is a Christian-based organization which has the goal of helping individuals struggling with drugs and other self-destructive problems. There are more than 200 residential centers in the United States and over 1000 worldwide.)

After spending the usual 13 months in the center as a “student,” Reynolds moved on entering the business world and doing volunteer work. However, he continued to be involved with Teen Challenge. In 2004 he was ordained and later became the executive director of the Midland, Texas, Teen Challenge Center. While in Texas, he helped raise $5.5 million dollars to help pregnant and abused women. In 2008 he was named a recipient of the Presidential Call to Service Award, presented by President George Bush. He has also served as Senior Pastor of the Teen Challenge Center in Lansing, Michigan, one of only five centers to serve pregnant women.

Today, Reynolds pastors a small church in Howard, Ohio, where his wife Shannon reports “He’s actively involved in the community supplying over 18,000 meals a year at the church food pantry.” Scott has a daughter Lauren, a son Chase, and two stepdaughters, Tiffany and Lydia. He lives by the belief that “…what goes on in your head or what you’re thinking about has a direct effect on your heart and emotions and that’s what you become.” Scott Reynolds, honored GHS graduate, reformed drug user and dealer. Today, a role model and mentor for others, his life exemplifying how one can turn things around and serve.

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COLONEL (RETIRED) SHAWN MATEER

CLASS OF 1976

Colonel (Retired) Shawn Mateer has spent his adult life in service to our Nation. He served in uniform as a Soldier for over 30 years following his 1976 graduation from Galion High School. His service includes five years deployed for combat and peacekeeping operations.

He culminated his career as the Chief of Staff of the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, our largest military installation and prior to that, he was the Executive Officer for the Commander of the Multinational Corps – Iraq. He commanded at company through brigade with experience in the 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and U.S. Army Special Operations Command. He served on the Army Staff and had joint duty with Central Command. Shawn saw combat in Grenada, Desert Storm, Somalia and Iraq. Additionally, he has two deployments with the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai.

He has various military decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Army Commendation Medal for Valor and eight Oak Leaf Clusters. He also earned the Combat and Expert Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge with over 180 parachute jumps, the Air Assault and Pathfinder Badges; additionally he wears the Army Staff Identification Badge. He has numerous campaign medals as well as eight foreign Airborne Badges.

Shawn graduated from Ohio University in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree and also holds two masters degrees. He completed numerous military training and education courses including the Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.

He continues his service today as the Fort Bragg Mission Support Element Director, where he is the senior civilian advisor and program synchronizer for The Commanding General of XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg on a wide range of issues related to mission support, internal management and administration.

He and his wife Liz have one son, Captain Don Mateer who completed two combat tours in Afghanistan.

When asked about advice for current students, Shawn believes John Stuart Mill’s quote captures the essences of his experience, “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth a war, is much worse.”

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GARY FRANKHOUSE

CLASS OF 1989

In nominating his former student, 2010 inductee J. William Stepro wrote: With the goal of creating a quality of life that motivates individuals and families to locate in Crawford County, Gary L. Frankhouse assumed the leadership of the Crawford County Education and Economic Development Plan in July 2015. Given his enthusiasm, dedication, and integrity, that goal will be accomplished.

Gary was born December 16, 1970, to Gary and Sandy Frankhouse. In the late 70s, his family moved to Galion when his parents opened Prints and Paints, now known as My Floors by Prints and Paints. In addition to working at the store, Gary indulged his life-long love of sports by participating in as many activities as possible. This love of athletics continued as he attended Galion Senior High where he was a multi-year letterman in football, basketball and baseball. Despite the athletic success he achieved, his proudest high school accomplishment was being selected for membership in National Honor Society on the second try, and then graduating as the valedictorian for the Class of 1989.

Following high school, Gary spent four years at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Continuing his pursuit of academic excellence, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, graduating Cum Laude. While at Miami, he played baseball (2 years), was selected for membership in Delta Sigma Pi, a business honorary fraternity, and found time to join a social fraternity, Sigma Nu. Those accomplishments notwithstanding, his greatest triumph at Miami was convincing Holly Jo Wilson, another Miamian, to be his wife. Gary and Holly have four children, Wilson, Walker, Carson and Lilja.

After leaving Miami, Gary worked for two years as a staff auditor of KPMG Peat Marwick in Columbus, Ohio. While in Columbus he became a Certified Public Accountant. Not satisfied with the corporate life, he returned home to Galion in 1995 to work in the family business. In subsequent years, he and his family have transformed the company into a very successful floor covering operation.

Gary’s love of community manifested itself soon after his return. He was instrumental in having the Gus Macker Festival come to Galion in 2000, 2001 and 2002. This philanthropic organization contributed funds for myriad local groups. Next, he convinced a group of like-minded individuals to create the Galion Community Education Foundation. Since its inception, the GCEF has provided over $200,000 to worthwhile local projects, school activities, etc.

During the last three years Gary has been very active with Galion Youth Baseball. Using his business acumen, he was instrumental in raising over $400,000 to enhance the youth program, as well as helping to establish The Galion Graders, our city’s team in the Great Lakes Collegiate Wood Bat League.

Another community activity for which he played an integral part was the creation of the celebration we now know as Connections Weekend. The collaborative effort seeks to honor highly accomplished GHS grads and to provide support for Galion City School’s performing arts and athletics programs. It is truly appropriate that this week-end in which outstanding Galion graduates are honored, Mr. Gary Frankhouse has been selected as an inductee in the Hall of Fame.