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Was born on June 17, 1944 in New Castle, PA. His parents, now deceased, John F. and Mary Sumansky were Czechoslovakian immigrants. He has two older brothers L. Walter, deceased (Santa Barbara, CA) and Thomas (Arizona), one older sister Rita DiCola of Novi, Michigan and a younger brother Lawrence who lives in Renfrew, PA. John has one daughter who survives him and lives in the Pittsburgh area. John graduated from New Castle High School in 1962 and attended Youngstown University where he graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor's degree in economics. He went on for graduate studies at Penn State University where he earned both a Masters and a Ph.D. in economics in 1974. During his years of study, he spent some time working as an economist for the US Department of Labor both in Washington, DC and Dallas, TX. After graduate school, John took a position as the first Director of the Urban Affairs Institute at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. Under his direction, The Urban Affairs Institute conducted a number of studies benefiting the Peoria community. Most notable was the work done to forecast tax revenues for the funding of the Peoria Civic Arena. In 1979, he accepted an offer to become the Research director at the international organization the Joint Council on Economic Education in New York City. After rising to Vice President at the Joint Council, he moved to become President of the ASME Foundation in New York where he advanced programs and activities of the mechanical engineering profession. In 1989, he was recruited to become the first President of the Toshiba American Foundation where he assumed leadership for corporate philanthropy programs in the U.S., Canada and Mexico for the Toshiba American Corporation. While with Toshiba in 1994, he was granted a leave of absence to accept an Eisenhower Fellowship to work with developing non-profit organizations in the Czech and Slovak Republics. While in Prague, John was invited to give an address to Prague Parliament on the topic of Corporate Philanthropy and Economic Development. Also during the late 1990's and early 2000's John was a consultant to the Joint Council and conducted management training workshops for new NGO leaders in Russia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Romania and New York City. John retired from Toshiba in 1999 and accepted a three year position as President of the Kentucky Economics Council in Louisville, KY. He left there to accept responsibilities for strategic planning at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA. He spent nearly 10 years at Misericordia during which time he also served as Chair of the Business school, In 1998, while still at Misericordia, the US State department named him a Fulbright Scholar and he spent six months at the State University of Macedonia (FYROM) at Tetova lecturing on entrereneurship and economic development. While in Macedonia, he was awarded a grant from the US Embassy to conduct a nationwide business plan competition for Macedonian college students. John retired a second time in 2011 and moved to Pittsburgh, PA. John was an avid Pittsburgh Pirates fan, trout fisherman and art lover. At the time of his death, he served on the Board of Trustees of the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, OH. Visitation and funeral service will be held privately through the John F. Slater Funeral Home, Inc., 412-881-4100, 4201 Brownsville Road, Brentwood 15227. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, 524 Wick Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44502.