MILTON WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON
MILTON
A Life Crowded with Service. "You must always care about the community", counseled Milton Washington, as his children listened to his lessons about life's most important matters. Mr. Washington, whose own life was crowded with service to his Pittsburgh community, modeled the wise counsel, even as he became one of Pittsburgh's leading businessmen. He passed on October 22, 2016. Milton Amiger Washington was born in Philadelphia on September 24,1935, to Eleanor Amiger Washington and Milton Washington. Young Mr. Washington's father was a senior official of the Christian Street YMCA of Philadelphia and vicinity (the first Black YMCA in the country). Mrs. Washington was a social worker. She studied at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University, where she met her husband. Their only child, Milt graduated from Northeast High School and attended Howard University, then transferred to La Salle University where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1958. According to a profile of him in the Spring 2015 issue of La Salle Magazine, the university also equipped him with "a strong foundation in business fundamentals, and in ethics, teamwork, honesty, and fairness." In recognition of those benefits, Mr. Washington became a generous donor to La Salle University, supporting scholarships for students. Milt was introduced to Nancy Duckrey, by a mutual friend in 1959. It was love at first sight, and they married in 1960. Continuing his education in Philadelphia, Mr. Washington earned an MBA degree at Temple University. He served his country in the U.S. Army Reserve Corps. When he worked as a project manager for the Philadelphia Housing Authority, he launched his career, serving the affordable housing needs of people of modest means, a career that endured for the rest of his life. Milton and wife, Nancy, moved to Pittsburgh in 1968. As vice president of Allegheny Rehabilitation Housing Corporation (AHRCO), he was immediately committed to building safe and economically viable communities with sound infrastructure and affordable quality housing. "The best way to provide more opportunities to any segment of our community is to provide more opportunities for all segments of our community", Mr. Washington is quoted as saying in the program for the 47th Annual Dinner of the PA & WVA Region of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The publication described that philosophy as his approach to closing the wealth gap between Black people and the broader community. Mr. Washington followed that approach in his acquisition of AHRCO. He also owned a number of other successful businesses. These include SSM Industries, Beacon Construction, Keystone Minority Capital, Twin Mills Timber & Tie Co., and Temple Maintenance. Together these established Milton Washington as a leader of one of the largest Black-owned entrepreneurial enterprises in Pennsylvania. He knew the importance of strong networks within the business community, serving as president of the Western PA chapter of the Institute for Real Estate Management. Mr. Washington's businesses have accounted for jobs employing hundreds of people in a variety of capacities, many African American. "He was so successful, it was a pleasure to service his banking needs", once remarked retired Pittsburgh Steelers and retired PNC Bank Vice President, John Brown. Mr. Washington's expertise and business achievements attracted the attention of small and large companies such as Sprague Goodman and PNC, America's eighth largest bank in 2015, on whose board of directors he has served. He was a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, which includes Western Pennsylvania. Mr. Washington also served on the board of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, the largest not-for-profit health insurer in the region. He also used his clear-eyed business acumen in the service of his community. A fund drive at the Hill House Association raised $5.1 million for the most notable Pittsburgh Black community. He headed the One in A Million drive that raised $1 million for the August Wilson Center. He, with his wife, established the Nancy and Milton Washington Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation and a Gallery at the Carnegie Museum of Art. In education and training, he provided annual scholarships to youth identified by the Pittsburgh branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and A.N. Minney scholarships at the Rankin Christian Center. He established property management, maintenance, and construction training on the job at ARHCO and Beacon. Many alumni of these programs have launched businesses of their own. To advance computer literacy in this digital age, he donated computers to the Mon View Heights Housing Community. He also assisted the Carnegie Institute in bringing art education to Black youngsters. He had generously funded scholarships at Point Park University and served on the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Mellon University, as well as the Manchester Craftsmen Center's board. Mr. Washington was a life member of the Carnegie Museum of Art. He participated in many organizations that benefit non-profits. He was a former board member of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, the United Way of Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, among others. He was an emeritus member of the Carnegie Institute. He was a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (Rho Boule) and a generous contributor to their foundation. In recognition of his community-service and business achievements, Mr. Washington had received numerous awards and recognitions including the Isabel P. Kennedy award of the Pittsburgh Foundation, the 1998 Brotherhood/Sisterhood Award, and, with his wife, the 2008 Humanitarian Award of Three Rivers Youth, and the 2015 History Makers Award of the Heinz History Center. In 2002 Mr. Washington received a doctoral degree honoris causa from Point Park University. A man of deep faith, he was a member of Calvary Episcopal Church for more than 20 years. Saddened that he is no longer in this physical world, but blessed that he ascends to his Heavenly place are his widow, Nancy; daughters, Linda, a New York physician and Lara, president of AHRCO; granddaughters, Courtney and Zoe; grandsons, Kendall and Tanner; sons-in-law, Gregory Armstrong and Ken Spruill; cousins, Barbara Willis, William Kinchelow and their families; and a host of family, fraternity brothers, business colleagues, and friends. Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Greater Pittsburgh YMCA, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in honor of Dr. William Follansbee, and the August Wilson Legacy Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation. Family will receive guests Thursday, October 27, 2016, from 12:00-1:45 p.m. at Calvary Episcopal Church, 315 Shady Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. From 12:00-12:30 p.m. there will be a Boule and Alpha Phi remembrance Ceremony. Funeral ceremony will begin at 2:00 p.m. Burial will take place Friday, October 28, 2016, in Oak Grove Cemetery, Vineyard Haven, MA.