Zelienople Borough manager Don Pepe is greeted with a hug at his retirement party at the Zelienople Borough building Friday. Justin Guido/Butler Eagle

ZELIENOPLE — Old friends and colleagues met at the borough building Friday to celebrate Don Pepe’s retirement as borough manager.

And there were a lot of reasons to celebrate.

As Pepe has worked with the borough for just over 17 years, the borough proclaimed Friday “Don Pepe Day” to honor that time and his legacy.

“I was one of the people who had the pleasure of interviewing him for the position,” Mayor Thomas Oliverio said. “He brought in a lot of new ideas for us and quality people — good people.”

One of those good people, Nikki Colton, now works as Jackson Township’s planning director. Her time with Pepe helped make that possible.

“Don gave me my first job in municipal government,” Colton said. “I worked as a zoning officer for the borough.”