Noteworthy: Gov. Tom Corbett appointed Ferris to the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, which promotes literacy, history and the arts. The board officially installed Ferris at a meeting in Pittsburgh this month.

Age: 59

Residence: East Liberty

Family: Wife, Janet

Occupation: Executive director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

Background: Ferris became executive director of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in 2006. Previously, he was a dancer in Buffalo, where he was principal dancer and executive director of the Empire State Ballet. He later served as managing director of Princeton American Repertory Ballet in New Jersey and the Nevada Ballet in Las Vegas.

Education: Bachelor's degree in sociology, State University of New York — Buffalo; Master of Business Administration, Rutgers University

Quote: “The promotion of humanities is good for all of the arts. The Pennsylvania Humanities Council is a chapter of the national organization, and it fits into the tapestry for humanities across the entire country.”

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