Inaugural Jim Roddey Leadership Awards honor 2 people who Roddey selected himself

Ethan E. Nicholas kept his promise.

He learned that from someone who knew about doing what you say you’re going to do — Jim Roddey, the first Allegheny County executive and civic leader.

In latter years of Roddey’s life, Nicholas told him that he wanted to create a leadership award in his honor

Roddey agreed, after some convincing, on the condition that he could choose the first recipients.

“Unfortunately, he is not here to see the people he chose receive the awards, but I promised him this would happen,” said a teary-eyed Nicholas, president of The Pittsburgh Business Exchange, a networking organization that connects decision-makers, executives and entrepreneurs across a wide range of industries.

On Wednesday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh, Nicholas shared the story of his conversations with Roddey about who would receive the inaugural Jim Roddey Leadership Awards.

Roddey, who died March 7, 2024, had chosen Laura E. Ellsworth, partner-in-charge of Global Community Service Initiatives at Jones Day; and Mark A. Nordenberg, chancellor emeritus of the University of Pittsburgh.

Nicholas said both embody the spirit of Roddey, who served in the Marine Corps and whose influence spanned decades, serving on over 40 nonprofit and civic boards.

Ellsworth and Nordenberg said it meant the world to them that Roddey chose them. Nordenberg is currently chair of the Institute of Politics and director of the Dick Thornburgh Forum for Law & Public Policy at the University of Pittsburgh.

“Jim is such a compelling example of putting others first,” said Nordenberg, who is a North Allegheny High School graduate. “He respected everyone and energized everyone he was around.”

Ellsworth, who has led litigation on landmark cases, said Roddey was such an extraordinary person.

“Each of you have mentors in your life,” Ellsworth said to the 200 guests. “Take a moment to tell them, from the heart, how important they are. Jim put his whole heart out there. He had courage, and the word ‘courage’ is from the French word for heart.”

When Jim and Elin Roddey moved to Pittsburgh in 1978 from Atlanta, they embraced the city. On their 40th anniversary of living here, they wrote a love letter to the people of Pittsburgh.

Roddey’s daughter, Margaret Roddey O’Neal, recalled that when her father would pick her up at the airport, people were always stopping him in the terminal to talk to him.

“He was mad he wasn’t going to live long enough to see this,” said O’Neal, who lives in Texas.

Roddey’s granddaughter, Sarah Roddey of Ohio, said her grandfather was a man of great importance to the city of Pittsburgh.

“He poured everything he had into this beautiful city,” she said.

Nicholas recounted receiving Roddey’s Rolodex from Roddey’s son, James Roddey, to help plan the event. The rotating card file with names and addresses was huge and heavy, Nicholas said; its size showed how many people Roddey had in his life.

“I hope his legacy of loving Pittsburgh so loudly has and will continue to inspire future generations and communities in the same way he inspired me,” Nicholas said. “He took me under his wing after my dad had died and I confided in him.

“Jim believed in people, all people. He would literally build bridges wherever he saw barriers.

“He left us all a challenge to lead with integrity. That means doing what you say you’re going to do even if it hurts. And it hurts that he isn’t here.

“But I did promise Jim that we would move forward with this.”