Tickets on Sale for NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Best Practices Summit and Expo Tickets are now available for the 2023 Manufacturing Best Practices Summit and Expo, the region’s largest manufacturing trade show and networking event, organized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC). This year’s expo will be held on Friday, October 13 at Mohegan Pennsylvania Convention Center, Wilkes-Barre Twp. Individual admission is $50 for manufacturers and $100 for non-manufacturers. Registration, breakfast and networking begins at 8 a.m. The event concludes with a networking reception from 5 to 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the NEPIRC website, https://nepirc.com/manufacturing-day-2023/. All-access tickets include breakfast, admission to the expo, lunch with keynote presentation, breakout sessions, panel discussions and a closing reception with refreshments. Nearly 80 manufacturers and businesses that support manufacturing will have exhibit booths and product demonstrations at the expo. More than 500 attendees are expected at this year’s event. “Manufacturing Day is an opportunity for all area manufacturers, businesses that provide services to manufacturers and individuals who want to learn more about northeastern Pennsylvania’s growing manufacturing sector to gather together under one roof at the region’s most impactful manufacturing networking event,” said Eric Joseph Esoda, president and CEO, NEPIRC. “We look forward to this year’s event being the largest in its history, both with the number of exhibitors and the number of attendees. We are very excited about our keynote speaker and the innovative topics planned for our breakout sessions, panel discussions and roundtables.” As keynote speaker, Pete Ruggiero, COO of Crayola, will discuss how Crayola overcame post-pandemic challenges in his presentation, “Thriving Amidst Supply Chain Chaos.” His Crayola career spans a quarter of a century in previous roles, including interim chief executive officer, vice president global finance and managing director of Binney & Smith (Europe) Ltd. At Crayola, Ruggiero has played a critical role in the transformation of Crayola into an innovative company. Under his leadership, Crayola has diversified its business model through new product development, expansion into international markets, and the opening of multiple Crayola Experience attractions. A new highlight of this year’s event is a Women Leaders in Manufacturing panel discussion moderated by Dr. Christine Kiesinger, principal, CEK Communication Consultancy. Panelists include Petra Mitchell, president, Catalyst Connection, Pittsburgh; Heidi McKenna, president, The Fredericks Company, Huntington Valley; Pat Frances, CEO, Chaucer Press, Wilkes-Barre; Grace McGregor Kramer, vice president of strategy and operations, McGregor Industries, Dunmore; and Denise Truesdale, senior vice president, human resources, Pride Mobility Products, Duryea. Additional breakout sessions and roundtable topic discussions include: Refueling the Talent Pipeline: The Importance of Familiarity3D Scanning and Reverse EngineeringWorkplace Trends Impacting SafetyHow Workplace Culture WorksDeciphering Aerospace Certifications and Entering the Aerospace Supply ChainSubcontracting and Partnerships in Government Markets sponsored by NEPA Alliance Apex AcceleratorDemystifying Compliance: What CMMC Requirements Mean for NEPA Manufacturers sponsored by InnoTek Computer Consulting In addition to breakout sessions, exhibits and networking sessions, students from the Tunkhannock Area High School U.S. FIRST Robotics Team will have a robotics demonstration and the Johnson College Mobile Technology Lab will be parked outside the convention center. The 35-foot-long trailer is outfitted with student workstations and equipment for training in STEM and building trades. “Attendees will be able to see product demonstrations, learn more about the wide variety of products manufactured right in their own backyards, and network with decision-makers, buyers and business owners. We are grateful to our many sponsors for the support that makes this event possible,” said Esoda. Sponsors of this year’s event include: NEPA Alliance APEX Accelerator, InnoTek Computer Consulting, Lackawanna College, Ashley Machine & Tool, Center City Print, JMR Industrial Enterprise Inc., North American Manufacturing, Simona, Acme Corrugated Box Co., Advent Design Corp., A. Pickett Construction, Ball Corporation, CANPACK, Cardinal LG, Cintas, Cheetah Chassis, EAM Mosca, Futuristic Innovative Graphics, Hydro, Lee & Associates Real Estate Services, Metal Integrity Precision Specialists, NovaCare Rehabilitation, OneGroup, Pennoni, Power Engineering Corp., Pride Mobility Products Corp., Space Ace Plastics, Site 2, TIW Technology, Workforce and Weiler. For a complete list of sponsors and partners, visit the NEPIRC website, https://nepirc.com/manufacturing-day-2023/. For more information or to purchase tickets, email Chelsey Coslett, NEPIRC’s manager of marketing & stakeholder engagement, at Chelsey@NEPIRC.com or visit the NEPIRC website, https://nepirc.com/manufacturing-day-2023/.
Outdoor Summer Concerts at Marywood University Marywood University has set an outdoor concert series for two Sundays in July. Shows will be held at the Calabro Delfino Amphitheatre, behind the Learning Commons in the center of Marywood’s campus. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets for seating. Each show starts at 6 p.m. Rain location is the Munley Theatre, Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts, on Adams Avenue. The Fidelity Bank Sweets & Treats Van will be on site during the July 23rd show. July 23, 2023: Chosen Few is a world-class trio of musicians, showcasing vocals, saxes, bass & guitar. George Barron, Vernon Jones, and Jonathan Williams will perform a diverse repertoire that spans the decades, presented in an engaging & entertaining way! July 30, 2023: Erin Malloy and Friends, featuring Erin Malloy, Jimmy Waltich, Doug Smith, and Tyler Dempsey – The music of Erin Malloy and Friends features something for everyone, including a mix of pop, R&B, jazz, rock, and more.
The Honesdale National Bank Promotes Member to Vice President Thomas E. Sheridan Jr., President, and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Thomas Zurla been promoted to Vice President, Training & Development Officer at HNB. In making the announcement, Sheridan stated, “We are excited to give Tom the lead in this new role.” He continued, “He consistently shows enthusiasm and strategy in considering our opportunities to grow our team and support customer service levels and we can’t wait to have them translate into an ever-growing customer experience.” As Vice President, Training & Development Officer, Zurla will be working with new and existing team members to increase their skill set and help provide a higher and consistent level of customer service. He will work on enhancing and implementing more streamlined practices for both front and back-office employees to elevate the customer experience. Zurla began his career in banking at another financial institution as a Teller/CSR in 1997 and has since held positions including Relationship Manager, Assistant Branch Manager/Branch Manager Retail Banking Training Coordinator, and AVP, Community Office Manager at. He joined HNB as AVP, Area Manager in 2022 based in the Bank’s Clarks Summit Office. In commenting on his new position at HNB, Zurla noted, “HNB has brought me back to my roots of what it means to be a part of a community bank and be part of a family of bankers. We take pride in our culture and history and do our best every single day to give our customers the “HNB & Me” experience they have long associated us with.” Zurla is a graduate Coughlin High School, Graduate of Luzerne County Community College and has obtained a degree in Business Management – Technology and holds and NMLS Certification. Outside of the bank, he is a Board Member of the Rotary of the Abington’s, Treasurer and Vestry Member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Alzheimer’s Association volunteer, and an organist/Soloist at Various Churches throughout NEPA.
Wayne Bank Ranks in Top 100 Performing Banks in U.S. American Banker has conducted its rankings of the top-performing banks of 2023. Wayne Bank has been evaluated by American Banker on profitability, efficiency, capital adequacy, and asset quality based on a three-year average return. Jim Donnelly, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Wayne Bank is pleased to announce that Wayne Bank has ranked number eighty-four out of two hundred in the $2 billion to $10 billion asset size category. Financial industry professionals turn to American Banker, every day and throughout the day, to stay maximally informed — drilling down on complex issues, keeping up with breaking news, and downloading research and data. “We are honored to be recognized for our strong financial performance. For over 150 years, we have been committed to helping our employees, customers, and communities we serve achieve their financial goals,” stated Mr. Donnelly.
Governor Shapiro Nominates LC Police Academy Director for Commission Position Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro nominated Lackawanna College Police Academy Director and retired Pennsylvania State Police Lieutenant Kevin F. Mahoney to serve on the Municipal Police Officers’ Training Commission (MPOETC). Mahoney’s nomination was unanimously approved by the Pennsylvania Senate on June 21, 2023. The Municipal Police Officers’ Education & Training Commission, consisting of 20 members appointed by Governor Shapiro, began in 1974 to establish certification and training standards for Municipal Police Officers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. One seat on the Commission is appointed to a certified Police Academy Director, previously held by Harrisburg Area Community College Police Academy Director Patricia Dombrowsky. Mahoney served with the Pennsylvania State Police for over 25 years before joining Lackawanna College in July 2021 as Assistant Director of Police Academy Operations, and was appointed Director in May of 2022. At the time of his retirement from the State Police in June of 2021, he served as Commander of the Criminal Investigation Section for Troop R – Dunmore, encompassing Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Wayne and Pike Counties. “I am honored to have been selected by Governor Shapiro to serve on the Commission, and look forward to working closely with my fellow Commissioners to accomplish our shared goals in support of Law Enforcement Training in the Commonwealth,” Mahoney said. Lackawanna College operates Police Academies at both their Hazleton and Scranton campuses. The enrollment period is currently open for both programs, which are scheduled to commence in October 2023 (Hazleton) and January 2024 (Scranton). For more information, please visit https://www.lackawanna.edu/certificates/police-academy-act-120/.
Marywood University Esports Team Ranks Second in National Competition The Marywood University Esports Rocket League Team, coached by Austin Sienkiewicz, was among the top-ranked teams in the nation to compete in the Emergents Division of the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) from June 15-17, advancing through the brackets to a best-of-seven finals match with the Cleveland State University Vikings. The Pacers kept the hard-fought series tied going into the final match, ultimately securing 2nd place nationally. Marywood finished in its regional division (Emergents Central Atlantic) as the #1 seed in Rocket League during the regular season this past semester and attained 2nd place in the regional division playoffs, before going on to compete in nationals. The Rocket League team won all 3 of its matches without losing a single game in the Nationals Group Stage, and this 3-0 score placed them in the Top 8 bracket. Once reaching the Top 8 bracket, Marywood took a close 3-2 win over St. Ambrose University, and swept New Mexico State University’s “Pete” Team in 4-0 fashion. The final match against Cleveland State University Vikings was tough, with the match coming down to the final moments of game 7. Despite coming short of first place, Marywood will receive a portion of the prize pool for taking 2nd across the nation in the NECC’s Emergents Division. Marywood launched its competitive esports program in Fall 2021. Under the direction of Harley Adler, Marywood’s esports program currently features Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In Fall 2023, Valorant will be added, bringing the program’s offerings to a total of five teams. Marywood University is one of a select number of higher education institutions nationally to respond to the ever-increasing number of students seeking this option, as the esports industry continues to explode throughout the country. A viable option for students of all majors, the program is continually recruiting Marywood student players for all games.
Leadership Northeast Program Grows Tobyhanna Personnel An employee at Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) credits her personal and professional growth to an experience in the Leadership Northeast Core Program Class of 2023. Leadership Northeast was founded in 1981 in response to the community’s need for leaders familiar with the general structure of the community, its problems and issues, and directing others. The organization’s portfolio includes six programs for people in all phases of their lives, from high school to the executive level. Its flagship is the Core Program, which consists of nine monthly leadership development sessions at locations across the greater Luzerne County region. Core Program participants must also complete a community impact project in conjunction with local nonprofits to fulfill a community need. Team Tobyhanna’s own Therese “T” Paxton graduated from the Leadership Northeast Core Program on June 8. She says it was a transformative experience. “My time with Leadership Northeast literally changed my life. The whole process was amazing – I didn’t know what I was getting into beforehand, but I’m glad I did.” One highlight of the program for Paxton was learning more about her own predilections as a leader, skills necessary in her role as a Logistics Management Specialist at TYAD. “One of the earlier programs we had was on the ‘Platinum Rule’ and learning about our personality styles. Honestly, I didn’t know where I was going to fit before we did the exercise. I learned that I fall pretty much at 100% as a socializer (which made sense to me afterwards, being that socializers believe that relationships are important, have strong feelings of personal worth, are enthusiastic, persuasive and are not afraid to take risks). As for my leadership style, I found that I fall under transformational and servant,” she said, noting that she’s already applied the knowledge to her interpersonal interactions. A member of the Arts & Harmony community impact team, Paxton and her classmates worked on a project benefitting the Charlotte Casterline, M.D. YMCA Early Learning Center in Forty Fort, Pa. The building, which formerly housed Casterline’s medical practice, was donated when the physician retired and is now home to a day care. Until recently, the building’s third floor was underutilized, but thanks to the group and generous sponsorships, the space is now a welcoming destination – no easy feat, according to Paxton. “Renovating the space was a lot of work; we did all the demolition and then removed wallpaper, painted, replaced old carpet with new flooring and obtained equipment to create a multi-use art space for the children. Our team worked hard to make this dream a reality.” YMCA students can now engage in a variety of artistic endeavors to include music, painting, drawing and more. A volunteer firefighter in Shavertown for many years, Paxton has long had a passion for her community – one that was amplified during the leadership program. “I felt so great helping others during my community impact project. I want to keep that feeling and remain involved in making Northeastern Pennsylvania a better place,” adding that she hopes other members of Team Tobyhanna will join a community leadership program in the future. “I can’t recommend it [Leadership Northeast] enough. I couldn’t wait every month for the training session – everything about the program was enlightening.” Facilitating employee participation in community leadership programs aligns with the Invest in Our People and Connecting with the Community focus areas of TOBY2035, Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan. The plan aims to posture the organization for future success and has additional lines of effort dedicated to C5ISR Readiness and Strategic Communication. Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners. Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters. About 3,200 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to empower the Soldier with winning C5ISR capabilities.
Settlers Hospitality Private Social Club in Hawley Settlers Hospitality’s Vault 240 opens its doors to members on Friday, July 7 at 5 p.m. with a grand opening celebration featuring Great Gatsby Jazz music with Michelle Oram. Located in a refurbished 1920s bank building at the corner of Keystone Street and Main Avenue in Hawley PA, Vault 240 is the area’s first private social club. Members of Vault 240 will enjoy a jam-packed events calendar and concierge service, plus a bar and private dining catered by The Settlers Inn. The events calendar, which largely focuses on live music, includes weekly features ranging from jazz and classical, to decades night and even theme nights spotlighting showtunes and blues. The club will offer ticketed events for larger acts and arts and cultural events such as book signings, speakers, performing arts and major sporting event viewing parties. A speakeasy style game room offers a vintage bridge card set, checkers, chess and Yahtzee among others. Day spa services available to members include specialized massage such as Swedish, deep tissue, therapeutic and prenatal. Additional treatments range from aromatherapy and myofascial stretch to reiki, craniosacral therapy and sound healing. An onsite cobbler, haberdasher and tailor are among the other member privileges. Ceci Van Sickle will serve as Vault 240’s dedicated concierge. Members may utilize concierge services to make reservations, schedule services, arrange theater or concert tickets, arrange transportation or coordinate accommodations and travel agents. In addition to reciprocal use opportunities at affiliate clubs, members of Vault 240 will have exclusive access to Settlers Hospitality facilities and amenities including the pool and boat slips at Silver Birches as well as discounted membership to Lake Region Fitness and exclusive floral packages from Gorgeous Floral. Club members may take advantage of the elegant, curated spaces inside Vault 240 to host private celebrations and meetings or to entertain guests. A limited number of inaugural annual memberships are available. Those interested may choose from three tiers. For more information, call 570-576-0484 or email concierge@vault240.com.
Keystone Mission Receives Grant In June 2023, Keystone Mission received a $1,000 grant from The Giant Company, supporting the ongoing food needs at the Transformation Center. This grant bolsters Keystone Mission’s Make a Meal Program.“Residents are given weekly responsibilities to cook meals, and we are seeing a positive impact on their mental and physical health. A healthy diet reduces the risk of chronic diseases and improves the chances of a sustainable lifestyle,” says Justin Behrens, CEO & Executive Director.Giant is one of Keystone Mission’s local partnerships that provides residents with the ability to shop locally and reap the benefits of healthy eating.
PA CareerLink to Hold Second Chance Hiring Event PA CareerLink will be doing a hiring event on Wednesday, July 26th. The hiring event will be centered around helping second-chance participants find employment. We’ll also have speakers from the PA Department of Labor & Industry and Lackawanna Pro Bono. They will be providing information about federal programs and legal options for both participants and employers. Attached is the flyer with the details
