Published Wednesday, Nov. 5, 1997
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BOXING
County native has boxing in his blood
By Wally Wachter
Retired Herald Managing Editor
A former Shenango Valley man is spending his retirement from a top Federal Aviation Administration post in a sport that has been in his blood since he was a young man _ boxing.
Gene Sebastian, a native of Farrell now of Fayettesville, Ga., is the Georgia USA Boxing Association's head boxing official. He coordinates referees and judges for every amateur boxing event in the state. Most recently he coordinated the Georgia Golden Gloves championships in Atlanta.
Sebastian brings a wealth of pugilistic know-how to refereeing. He was an amateur champion in his hometown of Farrell and had great success in many fights in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. He still is a member of this area's Veteran Boxers Association. His older brother, Billy Soose, was an undefeated world's middleweight champion who recently was named to the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Sebastian refereed as a volunteer in the boxing competition in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Sebastian credited the late Shenango Valley boxing legend Mike Palumbo for giving him his start in the start.
He has instilled the love for the sport in his son, Scott of Peachtree City, who is both an amateur boxer and referee.
Sebastian graduated from Hickory High School in 1945. He attended Westminster College, majoring in business administration, but began a career in law enforcement in 1950 as a Pennsylvania State Trooper after serving his country during World War II in the South Pacific.
In 1958 he inaugurated his career in aviation security with the now defunct Eastern Airlines. He later was appointed corporate security director of Northeast Airlines.
He was with Northeast until its merger with Delta in 1971 when he was named the Federal Aviation Authority's field chief.
In 1982, he was appointed division manager of civil aviation security for the New England Area, centered in Boston, and in 1986 was transfered to the Southern Region in Atlanta as manager to the FAA security field offices. He retired from that post recently.
Sebastian directed the management of 46 special agents, staff, operational ands administrative support personnel in activities encompassing air carrier/airport security programs, hazardous materials, explosive detection, air piracy, counter terrorism and the federal air marshal program.
He was the representative of the FAA in 11 foreign countries, meeting with ambassadors and other top personnel with discussions on compliance with the international air security treaty.
Since retiring, Sebastian had open heart surgery. He plans to volunteer at the Fayette Regional Hospital when it opens. He is active in the sesnior citizens program in that area.
``I have been blessed with my life,'' Sebastian says, ``and I want to help others all I can. I want to give back.''
Sebastian's sister, Mrs. Renee Heintz, lives in Hermitage.
