Brian White

Brian White, superintendent of Butler Area School District, has been selected as a distinguished alumnus by the North Allegheny Foundation in the education category, and he will be recognized at a gala Jan. 25 at the Chadwick in Wexford.

White is a 1992 graduate of North Allegheny High School, has a doctorate of education from the University of Pittsburgh and has been recognized as a Distinguished Educator from the Tri-State Study Council and was a Pittsburgh Magazine 40 Under 40 honoree.

White said at a meeting of the school board Jan. 8 that the recognition was “humbling.”

“I’m very honored,” White said.

Since 2018, the North Allegheny Foundation has sponsored the Distinguished Alumni Awards to honor graduates of North Allegheny High School who have made significant contributions to society or outstanding professional accomplishments. Recognition areas include arts, business, community service, education, government, law, medicine, science and alumni younger than 40 years old. The foundation also added the “Spirit of N.A” award this year.

Alice Beckett-Rumberger, chairwoman of the North Allegheny Foundation, said the awards take nominations from the community, and members of the foundation and other North Allegheny alumni select the honorees from the pool of nominees.

“Our Distinguished Alumni are selected through a community nomination process,” Beckett-Rumberger said. “Each of the nominees are then reviewed in their perspective categories and selected by a group of five to seven North Allegheny alumni, including previous awardees.”

Beckett-Rumberger, who is also co-chairwoman of the 2024 North Allegheny Distinguished Alumni Gala, said the traditional recognition categories can be adjusted as needed.

“We have the same categories year after year, with the exception of Spirit of N.A.,” she said. “New this year we have added technology to our science award.”

Al Vavro, Butler Area School District school board president, said the district is happy to see White recognized for his work in education.

“They’re going to be honoring a number of people in various categories,” Vavro said. “We’re very excited and just thrilled to death that they selected him.”