Meet Michael Perich
Beaver County born-and-bred, Michael Perich’s hands have known a hard day’s work and his heart knows that his region can do better with the right leadership.
The son of a bricklayer, World War II veteran, and a mom who stayed home to raise the kids, Perich graduated from Center High School. Like so many sons of Beaver County, he went straight to work, raised a family and learned firsthand the challenges faced by the region.
It’s what has inspired him to run for the Pennsylvania legislature in the county’s 16th State House District. The 16th District comprises the city of Aliquippa and the townships of Center, Harmony, Hopewell and Rochester and the boroughs of Ambridge, Baden, Conway, East Rochester, Freedom, Monaca, Rochester and South Heights.
“People in this district want good careers, safe communities and a future that keeps their children here,” Perich says. “Right now, Harrisburg isn’t delivering those things because nobody’s fighting hard enough for us. Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a fighter.”
A one-time Democratic member of his local school board, Perich is a prime example of a conservative Democrat whose party left him, not the other way around.
“People around here aren’t ashamed of American values. They understand the importance of the Second Amendment and they know that our traditions of patriotism and service still matter,” he says. “I’ll take Beaver County values with me to Harrisburg.”
In his working life, Perich has been a mail carrier in Monaca, manned the blast furnace and coke ovens at the former Jones & Laughlin Steel mill, worked construction as a member of Local 833 of the Laborers Union, labored in the baggage and operations department at US Airways.
He also owned Zippy’s Bar, a popular watering hole in Aliquippa.
Perich and his wife, Marian, raised two children, a daughter Susan Ciccone, who lives in Beaver County with her husband and three children. Their son, the late Michael Richard Perich, a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, disappeared in 2008 on a classified mission working for our government.
The loss inspired Perich to start the nonprofit organization Crusaders in America.
The 501(c)3 organization raises funds to provide scholarships to high school graduates and underserved youths in sports to name just a few of the services provided. Among other community services Crusaders in America contributed to a new gym for use by the police officers in Center Township.
Perich also remains active as a volunteer firefighter and helped create the gymnasium for the local police in his township. He and his family worship at St. Francis Cabrini Church.