Mary Ann Rossi Photo by Robert O. Williams/The Williams Group for NISHM

Coatesville, PA -- April 8, 2015 -The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum in Coatesville, PA, is pleased to announce its ninth annual Rebecca Lukens' Award to be presented to noted real estate attorney, Mary Ann Rossi, director at MacElree Harvey, Ltd.. Established by The Graystone Society's National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum to honor individuals who exhibit the qualities of Rebecca Lukens, the annual award will be presented to Ms. Rossi at a

May 7th reception in Graystone Mansion, in the Lukens National Historic District. This year commemorates Rebecca Lukens' 221st birthday.

Also making a debut appearance are images of  "Letters From Rebecca's House." During the renovation of Brandywine Mansion ( home of Rebecca Lukens), artifacts and letters were found within the attic partitions, some dating back as far as 1818. After being reviewed by Winterthur Museum of Wilmington, DE, the letters have been returned to NISHM for  historic preservation. Artifacts, such as a buggy whip, cabinet knobs, ribbons and a minet ball ( pistol) mold, are also part of the collection. 

A native of Pittston, PA, a city midway between Scranton and Wilkes Barre, noted at the turn-of the-last century for its anthracite coal production, Mary Ann Rossi learned the meaning of loyalty at an early age. "My mother had an aunt, who was a bit eccentric, to say the least. But my mother was totally devoted to her. She took care of her, made sure she had all the food she needed, and when it came time for a nursing home, she visited her every Sunday. One day, the nurses said to her, 'You are such a good daughter.' My mother was humbled, but replied, 'I am not her daughter, I am her niece.' " 

"That lesson taught me much about loyalty as a key value," says Ms. Rossi. "Loyalty to each other, loyalty to your religion, and loyalty to your family. Eventually, I expanded on that to loyalty to my community and those I serve." In fact, when her colleagues are asked, loyalty is not her only value. Jaimielynn Cooper, Marketing Coordinator at MacElree Harvey Ltd., describes Mary Ann in this way, "She is a tough-as-nails attorney, yet simultaneously, she is wonderful to work with. She is a true leader. She doesn't just tell you to do better; she makes you want to be better. And then she shows you how to do it."

After spending four years studying high-school French at St. John the Evangelist

in the suburbs of Scranton, Mary Ann thought it natural to continue with her education in language at Marywood College. She had a double major in French and English literature. Her goal, after all, was crystal clear. She was going to be a college professor of Comparative Literature. "That's all I ever thought about," says Mary Ann. "Being a professor."

After her graduation in 1973, she went on for her Masters to Indiana State University to study French. While there, she was assigned to a language lab with a young professor, who possessed a doctorate in phonetics and who was teaching college Spanish. One day he asked her what she intended to do with her degree and she repeated the now rote line, "Be a college professor of Comparative Literature!" Without missing a beat, he flatly told her, "Well if you do, you're going to starve."

Stunned, she asked him his opinion and his thoughts. "You should take the LSAT's

(Law School Admission Tests)," he said. In the back of her mind, she heard her mother's voice from long ago saying, "The way you argue points, you should be a lawyer." Not convinced, yet still thinking about it, Mary Ann took the test. She did so well that she indeed applied to law school.

The moment of decision came all on one fine day. No one but her dog and she were home to greet the mailman with his two letters, one from Dickinson School of Law and the other from SUNY Binghamton. Both were acceptance letters. "I remember taking the two letters and placing them on the living room floor. I then walked around each of them for what seemed like forever. I can tell you the dog wasn't much help in my decision. Finally, I took a coin and tossed it. It landed on the letter from Dickinson College and that's the story of how I became a lawyer."

And what a lawyer she became. Martindale-Hubbell cites that they "...contain profiles for over one million lawyers and firms in the United States, Canada and 160 other countries, serving as a fundamental legal resource and marketing tool." With Martindale-Hubbell, Mary Ann Rossi ranks in the top of her class with an AV rating. That's basically a 5 out of 5, as a rating system from among her peers. In Philadelphia, she has earned the "Super Lawyer TM" designation for ten years running.

But Mary Ann's empathy for her fellow man (and woman) goes far beyond the multitude of boards she sits on or the organizations to which she has graciously donated her time. A turning point in her life came when she was diagnosed twice, not once, with a cancer. It's not something she wears on her cuff or speaks about freely. However, like most survivors, she understands the principles of the lesson. "It's about helping other people when they are diagnosed. Giving them information, support and encouragement. Even something as seemingly mundane, but vitally important, as telling them what medications worked best for me at the time."

When you come back from the edge, life looks different. And just as Rebecca Lukens before her, Mary Ann knew what it took to push through and go on to share a life with her beloved husband, Jeff Lewis, a law-school classmate, with whom she shares a lovely home and a gray tabby, named Roxie. "It's funny," says Mary Ann, "We're both dog people. But with both of us being attorneys, we knew it wasn't fair to a dog to be left alone all day. But cats are different. They are a little more independent."

James D. Ziegler, the National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum's executive director applauds this years' choice for the ninth annual Rebecca Lukens' Award. "We are so thrilled to be honoring Mary Ann Rossi this year. Her dedication to her firm, her community, her family and clients exhibits the type of dedication that reflects the principles of Rebecca." Charles L. "Skip" Huston, patriarch of the Huston family and great, great, great grandson of Rebecca Lukens, echoes Jim's sentiments, "When you need someone who has the love and respect of the community in which they work, call upon Mary Ann Rossi to help get the job done!"

The Rebecca Lukens' Award will be presented to Mary Ann Rossi at a reception in the Lukens National Historic District, on May 7, 2015 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $60 and reservations are required. Of special note, the home of Rebecca L. Lukens, Brandywine Mansion, has begun to be restored. 18th Century Restorations (Wesley Sessa) and Frens and Frens (Dale Frens), restoration architects, have been hired for the initial project.

This event is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors:

MacElree Harvey, LTD*; ArcelorMittal; PECO Energy; Huston Properties, Inc.; The Stewart Huston Charitable Trust; Brandywine Health Foundation;  Charles & Barbara Huston; Peter & Ruth Nunn; Scott & Meredith Huston; City Construction; Wegman's; Harrison Senior Living; Natural Lands Trust; Krapf Bus Company;  The Protection Bureau; Belaro Jewelers; Triple Fresh Market, and The Williams Group.

The National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum is located in The Lukens National Historic District and draws international crowds to its facility, which educates the public on the people, places, products and processes of steel making, as well as the importance of educating children in the STEM discipline (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). NISHM considers the acquisition of 500 tons of World Trade Center steel in April of 2010 to be the bedrock in artifact development for the museum. The steel tridents will have a permanent home in the museum.

* "Providing initiative in the practice of law for more than 135 years, MacElree Harvey serves clients in over thirty areas of law and is committed to providing clients with the depth of expertise and the resources expected of large firms without sacrificing the responsiveness and personal attention typically found in much smaller firms. To learn more about the firm, please visit http://www.macelree.com."

For event information and reservations, please contact The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum at 610-384-9282 or  http://www.steelmuseum.org.

 The Lukens National Historic District is located at 50 South 1st Avenue, Coatesville, PA. Contact them at 610-384-9282 or  http://www.steelmuseum.org. 

For more information on Mary Ann Rossi and MacElree Harvey, Ltd., please visit:

 http://macelree.com/  

For more information on this release, contact Melinda Williams at The Williams Group, 610-518-4888 or visit  www.thewilliamsgroup.info.