With a career stretching from Cleveland to Iran, new science teacher John Lamade has followed a calling from his job in industry to teach here at Hoban. Lamade is looking forward to the change in settings.

"The economy has encouraged me to search out a new career option," Lamade said. "I've always liked training people, and my parents were both teachers, so I wanted to make it a permanent career."

A resident of Medina, he is preparing to get his third master's degree, this time in teaching, from Cleveland State University. He has a bachelor's in chemistry and psychology from Lycoming College in Pennsylvania, a master's in organic chemistry and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. He has worked as a marketing manager for Sherwin-Williams and Bell Helicopters International, and ran a process lab in Iran. Lamade's experiences in Iran contrast with the stereotype of Iranians as anti-American.

"I had no trouble with the people, and I found they liked Americans," he said. "I just didn't see the hatred."

Living in Iran showed him how laid-back the people could be.

"When I lived in Tehran, I went to a place called Mafia Pizza, where you could get pizza and beer, even though Muslims aren't supposed to drink. Men related to women like westerners, and I even had an Iranian girlfriend. It was tougher for men to find girlfriends, because the standards of purity are taken seriously. However, purity was a big double standard."

Lamade has been a substitute teacher and teaches PSR for his parish, Holy Martyrs. He said he likes the diversity here.

"It's at a comfortable level," he said, "and it's a good thing to have different ethnic backgrounds. The students are really friendly."