Eugene Porterfield
Encyclopedia
Eugene E. Porterfield is a former member of the Pennsylvania State Senate
, serving from 1989 to 1996, and an acclaimed businessman.
. During this time, he worked numerous jobs, including a bowling alley and as a gas station attendant. He graduated Geibel in 1964 and decided to enlist in the U.S. Army.
of Greensburg, Pennsylvania
through 1991.
, and in 1988, the small businessman decided to run for the Pennsylvania State Senate
's 39th District as a Democrat. He faced the Honorable James Kelley
(D) in the primary and won by a decisive margin. In the Fall of 1988, Porterfield defeated Robert Keibler (R) to secure the senate seat. He also supported former Pittsburgh Pirates
legend Bill Mazeroski
in his run for Westmoreland County Commissioner at the same time. He would eventually lose.
He officially took office in 1989, and immediately went to work for his district, which still encompasses all of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
as well as southern parts of Indiana County, Pennsylvania
. He was hailed by local unions for his hard-line fight on jobs in the local economy, and was generally well-liked amongst his peers in Harrisburg. He became close friends with Governor Bob Casey, Sr. during his time in office, and made a large effort to work across party lines to accomplish tasks for his constituents. His largest contributions during his time in office included chairing the Pennsylvania Game Commission
and co-sponsoring the Pennsylvania version of child car restraint bill, called the Pennsylvania Child Passenger Protection Act. He is also directly credited for bringing in the now-defunct Sony
plant to New Stanton, Pennsylvania
, and securing key construction grants for the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
and the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
.
The most somber moment of his political career came in 1991 during the Gulf War
. A base in Kuwait
, housing the regiment in which he served in the U.S. Army Reserves, the 14th Quartermaster Detachment
, was struck by an enemy SCUD missile, killing 13 soldiers belonging to the detachment. Porterfield attended the tearful ceremony held for the victims, and spoke a few words of comfort when asked to go up and speak for his deceased constituents.
He was re-elected in 1992, beating Mike Smith (R) by nearly 12%. When rumblings of Porterfield's possible gubernatorial ambitions became more prevalent, he and his wife were selected as delegates to the 1992 Democratic National Convention
. While there, they met President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and Al Gore
, even receiving a dream escort in Gore's limousine to LaGuardia International Airport after the convention. From that point forward, however, Porterfield's senate career began to fade. The emergence of serious personal attacks against him, as well as the hard challenge he faced from Allen Kukovich
in the 1996 Democratic Primary, would spell the end for Porterfield's run as senator.
In 1999, Porterfield was pressed by his former staff members to take down Kukovich to reclaim his former seat. In an unexpected move, however, he not only announced his intentions on running, but he switched his party affiliation to Republican
. Un-phased about the possible ramifications of his move, Porterfield continued campaigning and raising money throughout the year 2000. The election turned quite ugly, as Kukovich slammed Porterfield on numerous issues, from jobs to "flip-flopping" his positions on issues. Porterfield likely hurt himself by claiming that he wanted to focus on the beliefs and values, refusing to attack Kukovich openly on the issues because he wanted to run a clean campaign. That November, Kukovich steamrolled Porterfield by nearly 14,000 votes (15%).
Porterfield walked away from politics until 2003, when he ran for the Westmoreland County (Pa) Board of Commissioners. In a triumphant turnaround from three years prior, Porterfield raced to the front of the Republican primary, receiving almost twice the amount of votes that his main challenger, Terry Marolt, gained. However, once again, the election got ugly. The almost-certain re-election of Democrats Tom Balya and Tom Ceraso meant only one spot was available, and intense in-fighting developed. With three days remaining until the election and seeing his poll numbers still below Porterfield's, Marolt ran a smear campaign with the help of Westmoreland political insiders, alleging that because Porterfield was an appraiser, he would raise property taxes significantly. Marolt's plan gave him around 3,000 more votes than Porterfield on election day. Though James Gebicki (I) likely took many potential votes away from the Republicans, Porterfield filed a lawsuit against the sponsors of the scheme. A private investigation revealed that it was libelous and slanderous, but when the judge asked if Porterfield would like him to charge the men involved, he responded "I don't want their money; I just want the truth to come out." Since then, Porterfield has left politics to focus on his business and family. However, he still currently counsels politicians who ask for advice.
. He is the COO of the company, which writes software for mass appraisals of property in counties they're contracted to. He has over 30 years of experience in this particular field, in which he started out as the Chief Assessor of Fayette County. He is an aforementioned CPA, whose credentials are known internationally, and he is a former regional director of Manatron, Inc., a NASDAQ
-level software firm for state and local governments. He teaches training courses on assessment practices at AAP (Assessors Association of Pennsylvania) designated teaching conferences. He obtained this business knowledge from numerous classes, primarily taken at Westmoreland County Community College
.
Porterfield is still happily married to Cindy. They have one son, Camdon (b. 1992), who is a popular local figure (amateur journalist, political commentator, sports broadcaster, hockey player) and attending the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
to study Communications. He also has three children from a previous marriage: Todd (Uniontown, Pennsylvania
), Beth (Connellsville, Pennsylvania
), and Lisa (Greensburg, Pennsylvania
). He is a proud grandfather of numerous grandchildren, and is currently in good health.
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
, serving from 1989 to 1996, and an acclaimed businessman.
Early Life
Eugene "Gene" Porterfield was born in Normalville, Pa (near Connellsville, Fayette County) on November 3, 1946. One of two children, Porterfield attended Bullskin Elementary, followed by Geibel Catholic High SchoolGeibel Catholic High School
Geibel Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg.-History:...
. During this time, he worked numerous jobs, including a bowling alley and as a gas station attendant. He graduated Geibel in 1964 and decided to enlist in the U.S. Army.
Military Service
Porterfield joined the U.S. Army in 1964 after graduating high school. He was stationed with the 99th Army Reserve Command (ARCOM), but never saw action in the Vietnam War. He was an Army MP in the later years of his service, and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant-Major M35A2 Heavy Truck Driver. He remained in the U.S. Army Reserve Unit with the 14th Quartermaster Detachment14th Quartermaster Detachment
The 14th Quartermaster Detachment, was a United States Army Reserve water purification unit stationed in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. During Operation Desert Storm the Detachment lost 13 soldiers in an Iraqi Al Hussein ballistic missile attack on 25 February 1991 at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia...
of Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
through 1991.
Politics
After his discharge from active military service, Porterfield started a professional career as a CPA (Certified Public Appraiser). He moved to Greensburg in 1984 after his marriage to Cindy Payne of Latrobe, PennsylvaniaLatrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
, and in 1988, the small businessman decided to run for the Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
's 39th District as a Democrat. He faced the Honorable James Kelley
James Kelley
James R. Kelly is a judge of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1973 to 1988.He attended St. Vincent College and the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University of America. He was a County Commissioner in Westmoreland County from 1968 to...
(D) in the primary and won by a decisive margin. In the Fall of 1988, Porterfield defeated Robert Keibler (R) to secure the senate seat. He also supported former Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
legend Bill Mazeroski
Bill Mazeroski
William Stanley Mazeroski , nicknamed "Maz", is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
in his run for Westmoreland County Commissioner at the same time. He would eventually lose.
He officially took office in 1989, and immediately went to work for his district, which still encompasses all of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
as well as southern parts of Indiana County, Pennsylvania
Indiana County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 58,077 registered voters in Indiana County .* Democratic: 26,653 * Republican: 24,159 * Other Parties: 7,265 -County commissioners:*Rodney Ruddock, Chairman, Republican...
. He was hailed by local unions for his hard-line fight on jobs in the local economy, and was generally well-liked amongst his peers in Harrisburg. He became close friends with Governor Bob Casey, Sr. during his time in office, and made a large effort to work across party lines to accomplish tasks for his constituents. His largest contributions during his time in office included chairing the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Pennsylvania Game Commission
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is the state agency responsible for wildlife conservation and management in Pennsylvania in the United States...
and co-sponsoring the Pennsylvania version of child car restraint bill, called the Pennsylvania Child Passenger Protection Act. He is also directly credited for bringing in the now-defunct Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
plant to New Stanton, Pennsylvania
New Stanton, Pennsylvania
New Stanton is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,906 at the 2000 census. New Stanton is often used as a control city in western parts of Pennsylvania, as I-70 joins the Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound towards Breezewood, Pennsylvania in New...
, and securing key construction grants for the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, commonly referred to as Pitt-Greensburg or UPG, is a four-year, baccalaureate degree-granting, regional residential campus of the University of Pittsburgh located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1963, UPG was granted...
and the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is a public use airport located two nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Latrobe, and approximately 29 nautical miles southeast of Pittsburgh, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is owned by the Westmoreland County...
.
The most somber moment of his political career came in 1991 during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. A base in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, housing the regiment in which he served in the U.S. Army Reserves, the 14th Quartermaster Detachment
14th Quartermaster Detachment
The 14th Quartermaster Detachment, was a United States Army Reserve water purification unit stationed in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. During Operation Desert Storm the Detachment lost 13 soldiers in an Iraqi Al Hussein ballistic missile attack on 25 February 1991 at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia...
, was struck by an enemy SCUD missile, killing 13 soldiers belonging to the detachment. Porterfield attended the tearful ceremony held for the victims, and spoke a few words of comfort when asked to go up and speak for his deceased constituents.
He was re-elected in 1992, beating Mike Smith (R) by nearly 12%. When rumblings of Porterfield's possible gubernatorial ambitions became more prevalent, he and his wife were selected as delegates to the 1992 Democratic National Convention
1992 Democratic National Convention
The 1992 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party nominated Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas for President and Senator Al Gore of Tennessee for Vice President; Clinton announced Gore as his running-mate on July 9, 1992. The convention was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New...
. While there, they met President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
, even receiving a dream escort in Gore's limousine to LaGuardia International Airport after the convention. From that point forward, however, Porterfield's senate career began to fade. The emergence of serious personal attacks against him, as well as the hard challenge he faced from Allen Kukovich
Allen Kukovich
Allen Kukovich is a former member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, where he represented the 39th senatorial district from 1996 through 2004. He was also a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1977 through 1996...
in the 1996 Democratic Primary, would spell the end for Porterfield's run as senator.
In 1999, Porterfield was pressed by his former staff members to take down Kukovich to reclaim his former seat. In an unexpected move, however, he not only announced his intentions on running, but he switched his party affiliation to Republican
Republican
Republican can refer to:* An advocate of a republic, a form of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is generally associated with the rule of law...
. Un-phased about the possible ramifications of his move, Porterfield continued campaigning and raising money throughout the year 2000. The election turned quite ugly, as Kukovich slammed Porterfield on numerous issues, from jobs to "flip-flopping" his positions on issues. Porterfield likely hurt himself by claiming that he wanted to focus on the beliefs and values, refusing to attack Kukovich openly on the issues because he wanted to run a clean campaign. That November, Kukovich steamrolled Porterfield by nearly 14,000 votes (15%).
Porterfield walked away from politics until 2003, when he ran for the Westmoreland County (Pa) Board of Commissioners. In a triumphant turnaround from three years prior, Porterfield raced to the front of the Republican primary, receiving almost twice the amount of votes that his main challenger, Terry Marolt, gained. However, once again, the election got ugly. The almost-certain re-election of Democrats Tom Balya and Tom Ceraso meant only one spot was available, and intense in-fighting developed. With three days remaining until the election and seeing his poll numbers still below Porterfield's, Marolt ran a smear campaign with the help of Westmoreland political insiders, alleging that because Porterfield was an appraiser, he would raise property taxes significantly. Marolt's plan gave him around 3,000 more votes than Porterfield on election day. Though James Gebicki (I) likely took many potential votes away from the Republicans, Porterfield filed a lawsuit against the sponsors of the scheme. A private investigation revealed that it was libelous and slanderous, but when the judge asked if Porterfield would like him to charge the men involved, he responded "I don't want their money; I just want the truth to come out." Since then, Porterfield has left politics to focus on his business and family. However, he still currently counsels politicians who ask for advice.
Business and Personal Life
Porterfield currently works for 21st Century Appraisals out of Middletown, PennsylvaniaMiddletown, Pennsylvania
Middletown is the name of more than one location in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:*Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania: 17057, of the Harrisburg metropolitan area*Middletown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania: 18017...
. He is the COO of the company, which writes software for mass appraisals of property in counties they're contracted to. He has over 30 years of experience in this particular field, in which he started out as the Chief Assessor of Fayette County. He is an aforementioned CPA, whose credentials are known internationally, and he is a former regional director of Manatron, Inc., a NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
-level software firm for state and local governments. He teaches training courses on assessment practices at AAP (Assessors Association of Pennsylvania) designated teaching conferences. He obtained this business knowledge from numerous classes, primarily taken at Westmoreland County Community College
Westmoreland County Community College
Westmoreland County Community College, commonly referred to as WCCC or 3C's, was founded in 1970 and is located in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, USA. In 2009, a new enrollment record was set, with WCCC registering its 7,000th student....
.
Porterfield is still happily married to Cindy. They have one son, Camdon (b. 1992), who is a popular local figure (amateur journalist, political commentator, sports broadcaster, hockey player) and attending the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, commonly referred to as Pitt-Greensburg or UPG, is a four-year, baccalaureate degree-granting, regional residential campus of the University of Pittsburgh located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1963, UPG was granted...
to study Communications. He also has three children from a previous marriage: Todd (Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...
), Beth (Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA, 57 miles southeast of Pittsburgh on the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. In 1890, 5,629 people lived in Connellsville, which was a borough at that time...
), and Lisa (Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
). He is a proud grandfather of numerous grandchildren, and is currently in good health.