Auditor General Jack Wagner to Get PA Man of Year Award at German-American National Congress Convention

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Auditor General Jack Wagner will be named Pennsylvania's German-American Man of the Year at the German-American National Congress Convention Saturday night at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Fort Couch Road in suburban Bethel Park.

Also being honored will be Auxiliary Bishop Walter Sheid and six Pittsburgh-area religious orders: Benedictine Monks of St. Vincent Archabbey; the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Eastern Province; the Capuchin Friars of the Province of St. Augustine; the Benedictine Sisters of Pittsburgh; the Sisters of Divine Providence, Allison Park, and the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, Mt. Alvernia.

Wagner, a lifelong resident of Pittsburgh's Beechview neighborhood, said the honor was among the highlights of his three decades in public service.

"Pittsburgh reflects its German-American heritage in many ways, from its sturdy family neighborhoods to its willingness to work together for the good of the community," Wagner said. "I am proud of my German roots and proud to have represented all of Pennsylvania's German-Americans as Pittsburgh city councilman, state senator and auditor general."

The German-American National Congress is the United States only national organization celebrating Germanic heritage and culture. It was founded in Chicago in 1959. The intent of the founders and current mission of the organization is to preserve and celebrate the Germanic heritage and culture. Over the last 50 years, it has grown into the largest organization of Americans of German ancestry, with over 30 Chapters and 100 associated member societies. The Pittsburgh chapter is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

More Pittsburghers -- 25 percent -- claim German roots than any other ancestry. Irish is second, at 18 percent.  Almost 25 percent of Pennsylvania's population also claims German ancestry.

Wagner is serving his second term as Pennsylvania's auditor general. Before he was elected as the commonwealth's independent fiscal watchdog, he had represented Allegheny County as a state senator from May 1994 to January 2005. Wagner served in the leadership of the State Senate and as the Democratic chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. He was a member of the Pittsburgh City Council for 10 years, and was Pittsburgh City Council president from 1990-93. Wagner served in the U.S. Marine Corps, receiving a Purple Heart and other military commendations while serving in the Vietnam War. Following his military service, Wagner graduated from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in safety management.

Auditor General Jack Wagner is responsible for ensuring that all state money is spent legally and properly.  He is the commonwealth's elected independent fiscal watchdog, conducting financial audits, performance audits and special investigations.  The Department of the Auditor General conducts thousands of audits each year.  To learn more about the Department of the Auditor General, taxpayers are encouraged to visit the department's website at www.auditorgen.state.pa.us.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General

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