Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts
Lackawanna County Magisterial District Judge Sean P. McGraw was again certified for service as a member of the Pennsylvania Judiciary after successfully completing continuing legal education course work.
Conducted by the Minor Judiciary Education Board and the administrative office, the educational program for magisterial district judges is held in Harrisburg. The weeklong instructional program is designed to ensure that MDJs remain current in a variety of legal topics and management techniques required to fairly adjudicate cases and effectively supervise a district court office.
Borton-Lawson
Judith Bloom, CPA, chief financial officer and board director, will serve as board liaison for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program. The company’s DEI program is part of an ongoing commitment aimed at increasing diversity awareness throughout the organization. Bloom will maintain a critical connection by facilitating communication between the board and the DEI program.
The 17-member, employee-led Diversity Council, led by Monica Marshalonis, PHR, human resources director, and Kristie Spinello, MBA, SHRM-CP, senior people and culture specialist, will work to incorporate diversity awareness and inclusion through best practices, initiatives and employee resources. Frank Joanlanne, president and CEO, is chairman of the board.
Classic Properties
Charles Kasko has joined the Kingston office. He grew up in Jackson Twp., attending Lake-Lehman and NRI schools. Kasko had worked 36 years in the home building industry. He currently resides in Jackson Twp. Kasko chose the company because of its reputation for great customer service and commitment to the community.
Daniel Osborn has joined the Clarks Summit office. Raised in upstate New York, he has worked in transportation and contracting fields. He currently resides in Hallstead. Osborn chose the company because he wanted to learn the real estate business through the eyes of the best real estate company in the area.
Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC
Tara Burns, a native of Jessup, a 2010 Valley View High School graduate and a 2017 Penn State Dickinson Law graduate, has been named to the Penn State Dickinson Law School’s Leadership Council Advisory Board. Burns is an attorney in the Harrisburg office of the firm. The Dickinson Law Leadership Council advises the dean of the law school on issues of strategic growth and institutional advancement. Among the prominent alumni leaders who serve with Burns include Tom Ridge, former Homeland Security director and governor, and LeRoy Zimmerman, former state attorney general.
Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania
Sean Gerow, M.S., a strategic leader with more than 25 years of experience in financial management, nonprofit leadership and workforce development, has been named chief executive officer of the association. He assumed his duties on Oct. 4.
Gerow joins the organization after serving more than two years as the executive director of Jewish Family Service of Orange County, New York, and offering consultant services to regional nonprofit agencies. His experience includes areas in long-term care, intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health care, risk and liability, organizational leadership and quality improvement.
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Julie Byerley, M.D., M.P.H., will serve as the new president and dean of the medical school, executive vice president and chief academic officer, effective Jan. 1, 2022. She succeeds Steven Scheinman, M.D., who has served as the president and dean of the college since 2012. Scheinman is set to retire at the end of this year.
As the new dean, Byerley will provide visionary leadership for GCSOM, assuring excellence, innovation and a focus on learners, patients and the promotion of health. She will continue to establish the school as a leader in the industry and model the community service mission of the organization.
Byerley attended medical school at Duke University. She completed her pediatrics residency and chief residency at UNC-Chapel Hill where she also earned a master’s degree in public health with a focus on maternal and child health.
The Association of American Medical Colleges invited Michelle Schmude, Ed.D., associate dean for admissions, enrollment management and financial aid and associate professor of medical education, to present at the AAMC Strategies and Resources for Minority Premeds and Applicants virtual fair on Sept. 21.
She served on a panel entitled, “Financing Your Medical Education – Beyond Loans and Scholarships.” During the session, Schmude discussed the Abigail Geisinger Scholars program with medical school admissions officers from the U.S. and Canada, and thousands of aspiring medical students. Joining her to talk about his experiences as an Abigail Geisinger Scholar was Frank Monney, a member of the MD class of 2024.
HNL Lab Medicine
Warren Erdmann was appointed the company’s first chief clinical lab officer and newest member of its executive team.
Erdmann will lead the company’s clinical operations team and work closely with Dan Brown, M.D., chief medical officer and pathology department chairman, to introduce and leverage new technologies to enhance efficiencies in laboratory workflow.
Erdmann joined the company as interim vice president of clinical laboratory operations in June, bringing more than 20 years of experience in scaling laboratory infrastructure and operations to his new role.
Honesdale National Bank
David E. Raven, the bank’s president and CEO, will retire from his 37-year career in banking effective Dec. 31. Thomas E. Sheridan Jr. has been named his successor and will assume responsibilities of the role beginning Dec. 1.
Sheridan is no stranger to the bank or leadership role, having previously served as president and CEO for the bank. Sheridan first joined the bank in May 2001 as executive vice president and chief operating officer and was named vice president and treasurer of Honat Bancorp Inc. in 2004.
Prior to joining the bank, Sheridan held various positions at another financial institution, leaving that company as chief operating officer. His banking career began in 1978 when he worked at the Hawley Bank.
Sarah O’Hora has been promoted to commercial loan officer I.
O’Hora received a Bachelor of Science degree (cum laude) from Millersville University in 2011. She also attended the Pa. Bankers School of Banking in 2015, and Leadership Northern Poconos Class of 2016.
She started her 10-year career in the financial industry with the bank. Previous positions included teller, customer service representative, marketing assistant, marketing and communications specialist, and commercial loan portfolio manager. She will continue as commercial loan officer I.
Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn PC
Attorney Lars H. Anderson presented “What Constitutes Workplace Discrimination and how to Effectively Investigate Complaints” on Sept. 30 at the Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and Employers Association Labor Law Summit, in McAdoo. The presentation was interactive with attendees, with the goal of giving useful tips on how to properly prevent and investigate allegations of workplace discrimination.
Anderson, a partner with the firm, specializes in employment and labor law and commercial litigation. He has handled numerous labor arbitrations for clients and has successfully arbitrated or settled the discipline and/or termination of employees.
ING – Independent Newspaper Group
Donald Farley has been named executive director of ING – Independent Newspaper Group. ING is a group of 30 independently (mostly family-owned) newspapers located around the United States and Puerto Rico. The Times-Tribune is a member of ING. Farley officially assumed the role Oct. 5 at the group’s Fall Conference in Salt Lake City. He and his family reside in Waverly Twp.
Lewith & Freeman Real Estate Inc.
Matt McGloin has joined the real estate team. In his new position in the Clarks Summit office, McGloin will represent buyers and sellers in Lackawanna County in reaching their real estate goals.
A Scranton native, he is eager to share his passion for NEPA with buyers and sellers in the region. He returned to his hometown after years of hard work and success as a quarterback for the Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. McGloin became a household name and area favorite as the quarterback for Penn State from 2010 to 2012, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism.
Luzerne Bank
The bank welcomes Sara Chisdock Hogan as a new manager of the branch on South Main Street in Pittston. Hogan earned her bachelor’s degree in business from East Stroudsburg University and her MBA from Wilkes University. She began her banking career in student lending working with post-secondary schools and has come to the bank with more than 10 years of retail banking and lending experience.
The bank’s Commercial Lending Department has announced that Walter Sarafinko joined the team as vice president of commercial lending and will assist the bank in expanding the commercial lending footprint into Lackawanna, Wyoming, Bradford and Susquehanna counties. He continues the bank’s role as a consistent funding source for small businesses in Luzerne County. A commercial banking officer and relationship manager, Sarafinko has more than 36 years of progressive experience in the banking industry. A graduate of Penn State University, Sarafinko has completed numerous banking certificates and diplomas, including Leadership Lackawanna and his diploma through the Pennsylvania Bankers Association Central Atlantic School of Commercial Lending with honors.
The bank announced CJ Rinaldi has accepted his new position as commercial lender. As a commercial banking officer and credit professional, Rinaldi has 10 years of experience in the banking industry. He will work to expand the bank’s presence in Lackawanna County and continue to serve small businesses in Luzerne County. Outside of the office, he serves on the board of Day Nursery Association, as an advisory board member of Lackawanna County CASA, adviser for Leadership Lackawanna and a member of the Keystone Chapter of UNICO. Rinaldi is a graduate of Marywood University and has also completed the Core Program of Leadership Lackawanna.
Munley Law
Six of the firm’s lawyers have been included in the 2021 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.
In addition, Katie Nealon was named to the 2022 “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch,” for Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs. “Ones to Watch” is an honor given to attorneys early in their legal careers.
Lawyers on the Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing. Lawyers must have at least 10 years of experience practicing law to be considered.
Lawyers named to the list include:
John M. Mulcahey – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Caroline M. Munley – Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Daniel W. Munley – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs; James Christopher Munley – Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Marion K. Munley – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs; and Robert W. Munley III – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Four new members joined the college’s 2021-2022 campus Advisory Board on Sept. 9: Shane Bradley, Christina Gelso, Megan Latchford Morgan and Jack Savitz.
Bradley serves as general manager and chief operating officer at Fox Hill Country Club in Exeter. Bradley oversees the operation of the country club, including financial results and the overall member and guest experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management from the Pennsylvania State University. Bradley resides in Swoyersville.
Gelso is an educational consultant at Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18, providing professional development and consultation to local school districts, specifically to teachers, in support of students with differing abilities; she also provides mental health and trauma awareness. Gelso is a nationally certified brain injury specialist and certified Youth Mental Health First Aid trainer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in special education from Marywood University and a master’s in special education from the Pennsylvania State University. Gelso resides in Kingston.
Morgan is employed by Benco Dental as a learning and development specialist. She assists with the training of all Benco associates and covers compliance, diversity and inclusion and more. Morgan serves as a national officer for the Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) fraternity and is the lead volunteer for the ZTA chapter at Penn State, as well as three other chapters in Pennsylvania. She is also on the Junior League of Wilkes-Barre’s leadership team. Morgan holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree in student affairs and higher education from Loyola University Chicago. She lives in Forty Fort.
Savitz is an underwriting manager for State Workers’ Insurance Fund. In his role, he oversees all underwriting, policy support and auditing activities of the organization for the state of Pennsylvania and leads a team of 60 employees. Prior to his role with the State Workers’ Insurance Fund, Savitz owned a furniture company for more than 30 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in food service housing administration from the Pennsylvania State University. Savitz resides in Wilkes-Barre.
In addition to its newest members, the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Advisory Board comprises the following: Jill Schwartz, chair; V. Dale Jones, chancellor and chief academic officer; Zachary Aciukewicz, Bernard C. Banks Jr., Rebecca Bartuska, Will Beekman, Brent Berger, Nancy W. Eckert, Samuel Elias, Paul Falzone, Amy Feldman, Jason Harlen, David Hoffman, Jeffrey Homza, Michael J. Hudacek Jr., Robert Katulka, Michael Kostrobala, Megan Millo, Geraldine Nesbitt, Frank Nocito, David M. Payne, Kenneth L. Pollock II, David Reese, James Regan Jr., James Reino, Kady Schwartz, Joseph Simkulak, Mark Sobeck, Richard Struthers, Robert Tamburro, Rachel Wiernusz, Richard Williams, Amanda Yakus and Jeffrey Yelen.
Ex officio: Benjamin Cebula, president, Student Government Association; Jeffrey Chiampi, chair, Campus Faculty Senate; Mary Conti, president, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Alumni Society; James Hummel, president, WV Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association; Tim McGinley, chair, Luzerne County Council; and David Sutton, chairman, Lehman Twp.
Emeritus: Christopher L. Borton and James J. Brozena.
Realty Network Group
Theresa DeMario Plisko is the newest addition to the company. As someone who has more or less lived her whole life in Northeast Pennsylvania, Plisko knows the communities and markets well within this region. Though she excels in areas such as Moosic, Taylor and Old Forge, she looks forward to assisting homebuyers and sellers throughout Greater Scranton as well.
Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald LLC
Attorney James C. Oschal, a partner with the firm’s litigation department, will moderate the panel during the civil practice portion of a seminar titled “Nuts and Bolts of Local Federal Practice” at noon on Friday.
The Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association is presenting the seminar at the Max Rosenn U.S. Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre. Seminar attendees must register by Wednesday. The seminar is free to association members and $35 for non-members.
Oschal is co-chair of the association’s federal practice committee and is admitted to practice in federal and state courts in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey as well as in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Attorney Richard A. Russo, a partner at the firm and the head of its personal injury practice, has been recognized in the 28th edition of the Best Lawyers in America list.
Russo was selected by his peers for the Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Litigation category. Best Lawyers first recognized Russo in 2015 and has included him every year since then.
To be included in the Best Lawyers list, an attorney initially must be nominated and then voted on in a peer evaluation process. The award honors only about 5% of practicing attorneys in the United States, according to Best Lawyers.
Among the cases that he handles, Russo represents people who have been injured in motor vehicle accidents and victims of landowner negligence.
University of Scranton
Jessica Nolan, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Environmental Studies Concentration, received a 2021 Women in Conservation Award from PennFuture, an independent, nonpartisan environmental advocacy organization. Nolan received the award for Woman of Environmental Education.
Nolan joined the faculty at Scranton in 2008. She teaches environmental and conservation psychology and social psychology, among other courses, and runs the Conservation Psychology Lab at the university. The Conservation Psychology Lab studies the human impact on the environment and uses the tools and methods of psychology to understand and solve environmental problems.
The university named six individuals to its board of trustees: John Boken P’16, P’22; the Rev. Thomas W. Neitzke, S.J.; Crystal E. Newby, Ed.D. ’04, G’08; the Rev. Angelo J. (“A.J.”) Rizzo, S.J. ’03; Joseph L. Sorbera Jr. P’08, P’08; and Anthony J. Yanni, M.D. ’88, P’21, P’23.
Boken is a managing director in the turnaround and restructuring services practice at AlixPartners, an international consultancy firm. With more than 30 years of corporate turnaround and restructuring experience, he specializes in complex, high-profile, national and cross-border cases, including NRG Energy (2004) and Flying J (2011). He has been appointed to senior management positions in client engagements, including serving as CEO, COO, CFO and chief restructuring officer, helping companies address and resolve financial and operational distress.
His experience spans a variety of industries, including energy, logistics, entertainment, homebuilding, industrial construction, manufacturing, retail, health care and agriculture.
Neitzke is the dean and executive director at Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago. Previously, he served as president of Creighton Preparatory School and was also an adjunct faculty member at Creighton University’s Graduate School. He has taught courses in strategic and political leadership, school law and foundations of education, and has supervised internships in elementary/secondary administration. He is also an adjunct faculty member for the Jesuit Worldwide Learning: Higher Education at the Margins.
Neitzke served as chairman of the board at Creighton Preparatory School before his term as president, and currently serves on the boards of Marquette University, Marquette University High School and the Jesuit Academy.
Newby recently accepted the role of senior director of strategic admission, access and diversity initiatives at the College Board. Previously, Newby served as the inaugural director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the National Association for College Admission Counseling, where she served for eight years. Earlier in her career, she worked in college admission offices at the University of Scranton, Montclair State University and Bloomsburg University.
Most recently, Newby joined the Advisory Council for the Philadelphia College Prep Roundtable, a college access and completion network. In addition, she served as a selection committee member from 2015-2020 for the American School Counselor Association’s School Counselor of the Year award.
Rizzo is a priest of the U.S.A. East Province of the Society of Jesus, who began serving as the president of Scranton Preparatory School in July 2021. Most recently, he served as director of mission and identity at Regis High School in New York City.
Rizzo taught English, religion and Latin at Scranton Prep from 2011 to 2014. An alumnus of St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, he previously ministered at several other Jesuit high schools on the East Coast. He served at his alma mater as a volunteer teacher in the school’s Alumni Service Corps. He also served as the director of Christian service at Loyola Blakefield for three years. He entered the Society of Jesus in 2007 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2017.
Sorbera is the CEO and president of JLS Cost Management Systems Inc., based in New York City. His firm manages finances, costs and strategies associated with major construction projects being conducted by businesses across the United States and Europe.
Since 2004, Sorbera has served the university in multiple capacities: first as an involved parent, then in a leadership position alongside then-president the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., in the Pride, Passion and Promise Capital Campaign. He has served as an executive-in-residence for Kania School of Management and as a member of the University’s Board of Trustees from 2009-2015. He is currently a member of the President’s Business Council and was honored with the President’s Medal in 2018.
Yanni is senior vice president and head of patient centricity at Astellas, where he is responsible for leading the development and execution of the company’s global patient centricity strategy across all functions of the organization.
Previously, Yanni held multiple roles at Sanofi, most recently serving as head of patient insights, solutions and outcomes where he led a global team to create a first-in-industry process to integrate the patient and clinician perspective into research portfolio decision-making.
Yanni currently serves on the board of directors for Patient Focused Medical Development. He was selected as one of 2021’s 100 Most Inspiring People in the life-sciences industry by PharmaVoice Magazine.
Wayne Bank
Kristen E. Lancia, assistant vice president and marketing officer, was recently awarded the Certified Financial Marketing Professional certification from the American Bankers Association.
The CFMP certification is awarded to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of financial services marketing. To qualify for the CFMP certification, individuals must have certain levels of experience and education in the financial services marketing profession, pass an exam, and agree to abide by a code of ethics.
Lancia began her career with the bank in 2012.
WVIA
The PBS and NPR affiliate for northeastern and central Pennsylvania announced Julie Sidoni is the organization’s new news director. Sidoni starts on Oct. 4.
As news director, Sidoni will lead the station’s investment in local journalism and will oversee WVIA’s local coverage across all of the station’s television, radio and digital platforms.
She formerly worked as a reporter for WNEP-TV in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and spent nearly 20 years there as an anchor/reporter. She is also an adjunct professor in the School of Communications at Wilkes University, teaching undergraduate public speaking.
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