David B. Lee Named Renaissance Man Of The Year

9-11-97
University Park, Pa.-David B. Lee, chairman and chief executive officer of Omega Financial Corp., will be honored as the Renaissance Man of the Year at the 21st annual Renaissance Scholarship Fund dinner. The event will be held Nov. 6 at the Nittany Lion Inn on the University Park campus, beginning with a 6 p.m. reception and continuing with a 7 p.m. dinner.

The dinner, held each year since 1977, raises funds for Penn State's Renaissance Scholarships, which are awarded to academically talented students who have financial need. Each dinner honors a University or community leader and funds are used to endow scholarships in the honoree's name.

"David and his family have long recognized the value of giving back to the community," says Philip A. Klein, chair of the Renaissance Fund Board. "We are proud to honor him as a renaissance man and business leader whose service to our region has made a tremendous difference in so many lives."

A native of State College, Lee began his association with Omega Bank in his teenage years, when he worked odd jobs at Omega's local predecessor, Peoples National Bank of Central Pennsylvania. Three years after earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Lycoming College in 1961, he officially joined Peoples as an assistant cashier and branch manager. He was named a vice president for Peoples in 1969, and president in 1977. He joined Peoples' parent organization, Omega Financial Corp., in 1989.

Besides Omega Bank, headquartered in State College, Omega Financial operates the Hollidaysburg Trust Co. and Penn Central National Bank. Altogether, the corporation has 41 branch offices in eight central Pennsylvania counties.

Among his many local civic activities, Lee is a board member with Centre Foods Enterprises, Scientific Systems Inc., the Brockerhoff House Corp. and Centre County's Higher Education and Housing Authorities. He is also on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and Lycoming College, and has served in the past with the State College Chamber of Commerce, the Centre County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens, Centre County United Way and Centre Community Hospital.

Lee's late father, Eugene, was once an officer with Peoples Bank, and was Penn State's 1987 Renaissance Man of the Year. His late mother, Elizabeth, attended Penn State pursuing home economics studies. His wife, Joyce, earned master's and doctoral degrees from Penn State's College of Education, and is a curriculum coordinator for the State College Area Schools. The couple has two children.

Since the Renaissance Fund's inception in 1969, nearly $3.5 million in private contributions has been raised to help make higher education possible for 1,357 students. During the 1996-97 school year, $273,297 in scholarships was awarded to 308 scholars.

For more information on the Renaissance dinner, contact Robin Wray in the University's Office of Annual Giving at (814) 863-2052.

**gwc**

Contact: Gary W. Cramer (814) 863-4512 (office) gwc104@psu.edu