3 Pitt leaders were named 2024 Men of Excellence

Shawn Ellies, Mark Henderson and Robert Hill have been named as Class of 2024 Men of Excellence Award honorees by the New Pittsburgh Courier. This annual award celebrates African American men in the Pittsburgh region who “inspire others through their vision and leadership, exceptional achievements, and participation in community services.”

The University of Pittsburgh leaders and the rest of the cohort will be recognized Sept. 13 at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh hotel in downtown.

Shawn Ellies

A commander and protective security advisor, Ellies started with the University of Pittsburgh Police Department after graduating from the Police Academy in 1997. Since then, he has served as patrol officer, shift sergeant, shift lieutenant, administrative lieutenant, commander of special emergency response team, commander of operations and director of security. Ellies also teaches several criminal justice and law courses as an adjunct professor at Pitt.

Ellies has earned a doctorate degree in administration and policy studies from the School of Education, a master’s degree in public policy and management from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and a master’s degree in leadership and management from Duquesne University.

As a role model both on and off campus, Ellies serves as president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). He is also chair of Pitt’s Veterans and Families Committee, an active member of the Equipoise Leadership Committee and a deacon in the Shalom Apostolic Church. Ellies is the chair for the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Society for Industrial Security, the largest organization for security professionals, with more than 37,000 members worldwide. He continues to volunteer his time and expertise to families in need and nonprofit organizations wherever the need arises.

Mark Henderson

In his role as vice chancellor and chief information officer, Henderson oversees the development, implementation and delivery of technology across Pitt’s campuses, supporting the academic, business and research missions of the University. He leads more than 300 full-time and 150 student staff members in Pitt IT.

Henderson also serves on the board of directors for the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and the Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research, a collaborative statewide community of more than 135 education, health care, economic development, library, government and public media organizations.

Henderson has more than 40 years of experience comprising both higher education and private sector information technology. Corporate appointments include Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Procter and Gamble and GE, where he worked as a leader in global IT and network operations. Henderson grew up in Pittsburgh and earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in information systems at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

Robert Hill

During his tenure as Pitt’s vice chancellor of public affairs, Hill oversaw branding and communications support for Pitt’s record-breaking billion-dollar fundraising campaign, led communications planning for the University’s 225th anniversary and launched a Pitt advertising presence at Pittsburgh International Airport. His staff won national and international honors for their work.

Hill also created the popular K. Leroy Irvis Black History Month Program, which still brings scores of people to campus each February. He planned and executed a celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of Pitt’s role in the development of the Salk polio vaccine. He was also a contributor to developing the award-winning exhibition “Free at Last? Slavery in Pittsburgh in the 18th and 19th Centuries” at the Heinz History Center in 2008.

Hill’s expertise helped strengthen local community institutions, including Pitt’s Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and several nonprofits that help Black youth. He also mentored many students, employees and colleagues. Hill earned a certificate in management at Harvard University, a Master of Science in management from Manhattan College and a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

— Nick France and Terry Rowley