Christopher Seeley is a member of Erie DeMolay, a sophmore at Allegheny College, and the mayor of Linesville, PA. He is only 20 years old but has already served two years as mayor! He was recently chosen by NHK (Nihon Housou Kyokai, or Japan Broadcasting Corp. - one of the largest broadcasters in the world) as one of the world's most interesting members of Generation Y (the generation of individuals born between 1977 and 1994).

Born in 1987, Chris was elected mayor of Linesville shortly after his 18th birthday. During the course of a wide-ranging interview, he shared a number of thoughts with the Japanese audience. Chris explained that his family had been very receptive to his run for mayor. In fact, because he was too young to circulate his own nominating petitions, his parents carried them around on his behalf. He would do the talking, he recalled, and then his parents would bring out a petition and a pen at the appropriate moment. Now that he’s been elected, he added, “They trust me with their town, but the bottom line is that I’m still their baby boy.”

He will appear on a Japanese show called "International Y.” The basic format is studio discussion, with young people from all of the world. The idea that someone who was only 18 years old could become a mayor has captured the hearts of the Japanese. “We just would like to introduce what kind of performance he’s doing as the mayor — and also what kind of difference he’s making in the community.”

This recognition is a great representation of the types of leaders DeMolay is helping young men become. Congratualtions Chris!

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