Marion High School Hall of Distinction 2015 inductees. Joseph Davis, M.D. Class of 1935

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1 Marion High School Hall of Distinction 2015 inductees Joseph Davis, M.D. Class of 1935 Joseph Davis, M.D., Marion High School Class of 1935, helped transform medical care in Marion by co-founding the Davis Clinic with his father and brother in He then went on to found another innovative medical facility in the 1980s: Marion s Ambucare Clinic. He was the third generation of his family to practice medicine in Marion, following in the footsteps of his grandfather George, his great-uncle Sam, and his father, Merrill. He graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor s degree in 1939 and a doctor of medicine degree in He served in the Navy during World War II on the hospital ship the USS Solace, which was involved in caring for wounded Marines and soldiers at the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and Dr. Davis received two battle stars for his service. After the war, he completed his surgical training at Philadelphia General Hospital and the Cleveland and Lahey Clinics. He returned to Marion in 1949, where he joined his father s practice. His brother, Richard, joined the partnership in 1951 after completing his surgical training at the Mayo Clinic. In 1952, construction of the Davis Clinic building began. It was modeled on the Mayo, Cleveland, and Lahey Clinics. The innovation was to house numerous specialists in one facility for patients convenience as well as to provide a stimulating professional environment for the physicians. The architecture of the building, too, reflected the modern design sensibilities of the Davis family, who had already brought Marion two of its most iconic and distinctive homes, still notable in the city landscape today: Woodside, Richard and Elaine s Frank Lloyd Wright home on Overlook Road, and Merrill and Josephine s stark geometric Art Deco Rostone home on Euclid Avenue. In the early 1980s, Dr. Davis would again bring innovation to medical care in Marion, this time in partnership with fellow MHS Hall of Distinction inductee John Earnest. The two founded the Ambucare Clinic, the first walk-in medical clinic in the state, offering urgent care, minor surgical care, and care for occupational injuries. The clinic is still open today, having been purchased by Marion General Hospital in 2013 and renamed MGH Work Solutions.

2 Dr. Davis founded the Grant County Crippled Children s Society. He was also past president of the Grant County Medical Society, the Section of Surgery for the Indiana State Medical Association, and the American Association of Medical Clinics. He served on the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons for nine years. He was a founding member of the board of directors of the Marion Philharmonic Orchestra, and was president of the Hoosier Salon Art Association. He was a longtime leader for various IU alumni groups and was on the Board of Advisors of IU-Kokomo for more than 25 years. Joseph Davis married Margaret Hooper on June 26, 1956, and they had two children, Chad and Tracy. Chad, a surgeon in Indianapolis, is married to Kim, and has four children, Peter, Ellen, Andy, and Laura. Peter, a surgical resident at the Mayo Clinic, is following in his grandfather s footsteps. Tracy is married to Bill Lester, and they are active in the Marion community. They have three lovely girls, Meryl, Alex, and Maddie. Joseph Davis died in 1998 at the age of 81.

3 Richard Persinger Class of 1957 Richard Persinger, Marion High School Class of 1957, was a longtime coach and administrator at Marion High School, helping shape the lives of thousands of young Giants. Dick first became well known in Marion as a young athlete, attracting attention on the basketball court and on the baseball field long before he got to MHS. He continued to excel in those sports, earning the Giants their first NCC title in baseball in his senior year. He then went on to play baseball at Indiana University while earning his education degree. After graduating from Indiana University in 1962, he returned to Marion to teach and coach. He began his career at Washington Junior High School, then went on to spend decades at Marion High School. He taught health and physical education, and he also served as assistant basketball coach under Jack Colescott during the 1960s when Marion Giants basketball began its return to greatness, concluding in back-to-back State Finals appearances in 1968 and 69. Dick also coached the Giants baseball team in the 1960s and led them to their first State Finals appearance in In 1970, Dick became dean of boys at Marion High School. He later served as assistant principal, and in 1976 he was named principal of MHS. His 10-year tenure in that position marked a golden era at MHS, at the time one of the largest, most vibrant, and most accomplished schools in the state, with the trailblazing Ritchie Walton leading the way in the arts, and the legendary Bill Green leading the Giants to numerous state basketball titles. But the heart of what Dick Persinger achieved as principal of MHS is not measured in trophies or even academic awards. As principal, he made a tremendous positive impact in the lives of thousands of students. And he did it largely in a one-on-one manner, relating to students as individuals. He was the kind of principal more likely to be found in the hallways, cafeteria, or classroom, rather than his office. He eventually went on to serve as director of personnel for the Marion Community Schools district and then served for many years as a Marion City Council member. He also served on numerous civic boards and commissions. He is indeed Mr. Marion and Mr. Marion High School, representing the best that MHS and the city of Marion has to give.

4 Stephen E. Moorehead Class of 1957 Stephen E. Moorehead, Marion High School Class of 1957, changed the landscape of the telecommunications industry and philanthropy in Grant County and far beyond. After graduating from Purdue University in 1962 and serving in the U.S. Navy from 1962 through 1967, he purchased his parents business, Moorehead Electric Co. Building upon their success Steve took advantage of the changing regulatory landscape in the 1980s to break into the telecommunications industry. His visionary leadership then took the company in another new direction, this time into the mobile telecommunications industry. The company activated its first mobile phone in Steve led the company as owner and president until The company, which is now Moorehead Communications, is the nation s largest Verizon Wireless retailer (known as The Cellular Connection). Steve s giving spirit and love for his community drove him to help create what is now the Community Foundation of Grant County, after reading about such organizations forming around the country. The Community Foundation now oversees millions of dollars in endowments that fund scholarships and other grants to deserving individuals and groups. He also directly helped support many local non-profit service agencies, and the Moorehead Family Foundation now serves as the central focal point of the family s charitable giving, making a huge difference in the lives of others every day. He also has served on numerous Grant County boards, including the Marion-Grant County Chamber of Commerce, the Grant County Family YMCA (serving as president), and the Meshingomesia Golf and Social Club (serving as president). He also started a local trade show, as well as the Marion Lightning soccer team, a travel league team for teens in Marion. Steve and his wife, Phyllis (Staggs), have two sons, two daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. Steve s legacy of business innovation and philanthropy continues to impact our world, with his son Scott at the helm of Moorehead Communications, and the Moorehead Family Foundation continuing to support important efforts to improve our community.

5 Gregory G. Taylor, J.D. Class of 1988 Gregory G. Taylor, J.D., Marion High School Class of 1988, has had a great impact on our state and beyond as he has served as an Indiana state senator, representing the Indianapolis area since With his roots in Marion and his time working as a business and government attorney in Indianapolis, he brought a breadth of knowledge and experience about economic development and job creation to the Indiana Senate floor. He has served on various Senate committees, including Appropriations; Commerce, Economic Development, and Technology; Corrections and Criminal Law; Civil Law; Education and Career Development; Elections; Health and Provider Services; Judiciary; and Local Government. He is a member of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, for which he has served as treasurer, and he has also served as an appointed member of the Commission on the Social Status of Black Males, as well as the White River State Park Development Commission. In addition to his state-level roles, he also serves in an appointed leadership role for the bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures, serving on the Communications, Financial Services, and Interstate Commerce Committee. Taylor is senior counsel at Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan in the law firm s transactional division, where he specializes in municipal finance law. Prior to that, he served in various roles for other law firms, and he worked for the Indiana Department of Commerce, Business Development Division, where he was responsible for the attraction of new industry to the state and the creation of new employment opportunities for the citizens of Indiana. His professional memberships include the National Association of Bond Lawyers, the Indiana State Bar, and the Indianapolis Bar Association. He has also earned a Certificate of Appreciation from the mayor of Indianapolis, and was named Legislator of the Year in 2009 by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. The Autism Society of Indiana also named him Legislator of the Year in He was endorsed by the Indianapolis Star editorial board during both of his Senate campaigns, in 2008 and 2012.

6 Taylor has also been involved with AMVETS, The Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, the Indiana University Alumni Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Center for Leadership and Development, and the Julian Center. He is also a life member of the NAACP, a member of Solid Word Bible Church, and is on the board of directors of Dove Recovery House. Taylor was a first-generation college student who earned his bachelor of science and his doctor of jurisprudence degrees from Indiana University in 1992 and 1996, respectively. He and his wife, Danielle, and their three children live in Indianapolis.