Crystal Windows Welcomes New CEO

National manufacturer Crystal Window & Door Systems is pleased to welcome Mr. Jeffrey D. Smith to its leadership team as the new Chief Executive Officer.  He joins Crystal Chairman and founder Thomas Chen and President Steve Chen to guide the company in its future growth and expansion.

“Jeff brings a stellar track record of leadership, running large profitable businesses, and strong customer relationships to Crystal,” says Chairman Thomas Chen.  “From start-up 34 years ago until today, Crystal has flourished.  Jeff is very highly regarded in our industry, and working with our dedicated employees, he will build on this strong foundation of success and position Crystal for exciting growth and continued prosperity in the coming years.”

“I am thrilled and honored to join a company whose culture is committed to product excellence, superior customer service, and an unwavering commitment to its employees,” said CEO Jeffrey Smith.  “My approach is quite simple: continue striving for the highest product quality and best-in-class service to our customers, ensure production operations continue efficiently and sustainably, and seize opportunities to advance the company.”

Since its inception in 1990, Crystal has progressively grown to be one of the largest window manufacturers in North America.  Now with over 1,000,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space at five facilities and over 750 employees across the country, and with one of the broadest product lines in the industry, the company continues its growth and success.  With new products in the pipeline, new production capabilities coming online, and expansion opportunities being realized, the company is poised for even greater achievement.

“While Crystal has established its prominent national presence in the building products industry through times of both economic boom and challenge, we want to take the company to even greater heights,” said President Steve Chen.  “Jeff is the right executive with the right experience to make that a reality.”

Smith brings a wealth of broad building materials industry experience to the role of CEO.  He has held top leadership roles as President and CEO of Trussway Manufacturing of Houston, Texas, High Industries of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and most recently as Senior Vice President of Multifamily Components for Builders FirstSource, Inc. of Dallas, Texas, one of the nation’s largest building material dealers and manufacturers.

Smith also brings to Crystal a well-rounded background of progressively responsible roles in management, engineering, and manufacturing operations from respected leading brands, including Colgate Palmolive, GAF Materials Corporation, and CertainTeed Corporation. While at CertainTeed, Smith held operations leadership roles in the company’s roofing and siding divisions, most notably running the company’s vinyl siding and window lineal extrusion operations.

Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, NJ), and an MBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX).  Throughout his career he has specialized in key areas such as lean manufacturing, quality improvement, sustainability, new product development, and sales growth.

CEO of Coal Creative Named to the City and State Pennsylvania Impact 50

President and CEO of Coal Creative, Holly Pilcavage, was named to the City and State Pennsylvania Impact 50 list. The Impact 50, is a select group of people who exemplify what it means to be a socially responsible citizens and who City & State is proud to recognize.

View the full Impact 50 list at https://www.cityandstatepa.com/power-lists/2022/12/2022-impact-50/380567/

SACF President and CEO Celebrates 10 Years of Leadership

On Wednesday, June 15, the Scranton Area Community Foundation Board of Governors recognized Laura Ducceschi for 10 years of service at the Foundation, serving in the executive leadership role as the Foundation’s President and CEO since 2012.

Over the past 10 years, Ducceschi has led the Foundation, which works to create stronger, healthier communities across Northeastern Pennsylvania through organized philanthropy.

“During the course of the past decade, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has seen tremendous growth under her leadership, nearly quadrupling the charitable assets under Foundation management,” stated Barbara O’Hara, Esq., Scranton Area Community Foundation’s Board Chair. “Laura has effectively and successfully led and grown the Foundation in terms of programs established, partnerships formed, charitable funds initiated, donors engaged, grants and scholarships awarded and so much more.”

The Scranton Area Community Foundation has granted over $25 million in funding under Ducceschi’s leadership to support programs and projects that enhance the quality of life for people in the Lackawanna County region and beyond.

In her role,Ducceschimanages over 270 charitable funds and two separate private foundations, which in total exceed nearly $95 million. Ducceschi also led the first-ever NEPA Gives, a collaborative effort with other regional foundations which in three years has raised nearly $3 million dollars for nonprofit organizations in only 72 hours.

“Laura helps to guide the philanthropic initiatives of those in our community, helping them to make a real difference in the quality of life in Northeastern PA,” stated David Price, Scranton Area Community Board Treasurer. “Transparency, ethics, and innovation are central to Laura’s leadership style. During her tenure, the Foundation was twice reaccredited at the highest standards for excellence in Community Foundations from the Council on Foundations, which is a national organization.”

“Laura has spearheaded many impactful regional initiatives aimed at catalyzing change. These include The Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence, which has provided cutting-edge training and education opportunities to hundreds of nonprofit leaders and employees; Women in Philanthropy, which provides thousands of dollars in direct funding to help transform the lives of local women, girls, and their families;  NEPA Moves; The NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative; the NEPA Health Care Foundation Scholars Program; and the Careers in Care Health Workforce Program, all to benefit surrounding communities,” O’Hara added.

“In her 10 years of service, Laura has transformed the Scranton Area Community Foundation into a state of the art change agent for our community. Without a doubt, our area is a better place to live because of her vision and drive,” stated Dave Hawk, who chaired the Search Committee when Ducceschi was hired and was Chair of the Board the year Ducceschi began in her role in 2012. “Congratulations, Laura, on 10 years of work.  I can only imagine the wonderful things that will happen over the next 10 years,” he added.

“Under Laura’s leadership in 2020, the Scranton Area Community Foundation was one of the first foundations in the country to create a COVID-19 Response Fund, which raised and distributed more than $1.4 million through 183 grants to nonprofit organizations, many of which serve as the safety net in Northeastern Pennsylvania, providing food, shelter and resources to the most vulnerable members of our communities,” stated Maggie Martinelli, the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s Vice President of Administration and Projects.

Ducceschi has an MBA in Organizational Management from Drexel University’s Lebow College of Business; an MA in Communication from the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania; and a BA in Communication from the University of Scranton, where she graduated summa cum laude. She completed her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) certification from the American College of Financial Services and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE).  Laura has a Certificate in Change Management from Cornell University, a Certificate in Design Thinking from Harvard University, a Certificate in Nonprofit Board Governance Consulting from BoardSource, and is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

Ducceschi received the Oustanding Fundraising Professional Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals- NEPA Chapter in 2021; the Excellence in Diversity Award from Penn State University-Scranton in 2019; the Executive Mentorship Award from the Allan P Kirby Center at Wilkes University in 2018, and was recognized as a top 25 Women in Business from the NEPA Business Journal in 2015. She will be honored with the Founder’s Award at Meals on Wheels Mix and Mingle event in September, 2022.  She serves as a member of the Geisinger Advisory Board, a Trustee of the Schwartz-Mack Foundation, a Trustee on the Scranton Life Board, and is on the NEPA Grantmakers Steering Committee.  Ducceschi has also contributed to reports and publications aimed at understanding how equitable economic impact is best achieved in small to medium sized cities.

“We are proud of all Laura has accomplished in the community as the President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation over the past ten years and look forward to continued growth, community impact, and stability under her leadership,” added O’Hara.

The Scranton Area Community Foundation looks forward to beginning the process of moving into its permanent home at the Century Club of Scranton building located at 612 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, later this year.

The Scranton Area Community Foundation has been a trusted community partner since 1954, serving the people of the region by working in partnership with donors to transform lives.  The Foundation offers a wide variety of charitable planning tools such as charitable gift annuities, scholarship funds, donor-advised funds, and charitable trusts to help donors maximize the impact of their charitable giving to causes and charities they care about. To learn more about the Scranton Area Community Foundation, visit safdn.org or contact Brittany Pagnotti, Communications Manager of the Scranton Area Community Foundation at 570-347-6203.

Moses Taylor Foundation Names New President and CEO

Philanthropy executive Danielle Breslin has been appointed as President and CEO of the Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation whose mission is to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Breslin has more than 25 years of experience optimizing health outcomes, with a focus on historically marginalized communities. Throughout her career, she has built an extensive network within the healthcare, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors.

Currently, Breslin is Vice President of Operations and Learning for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. Under her leadership, the Foundation experienced significant growth resulting in a robust portfolio of more than 1,200 grants with $173.8 million invested in communities across North Carolina. Before she transitioned into philanthropy, Breslin spent six years within the Health Care Services Division of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

“Danielle’s qualifications and experience are exceptional, but more importantly, her heart and passion for philanthropy and her dedication to those she is entrusted to serve will raise the work of the Moses Taylor Foundation to the next level,” said Maria Marsili, Search Committee Chair. “We believe she is the perfect fit to guide the Foundation and work with our community partners to continue ongoing initiatives and identify and address exciting new philanthropic opportunities for generations to come.”

Breslin is a graduate of Leadership North Carolina, a Fellow of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations’ Change Leaders in Philanthropy, and a Fellow of the Southeastern Council of Foundation’s Hull Leadership Program. She has served on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, Farmer Foodshare, and Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University.

“I am so grateful for this opportunity to work alongside the Moses Taylor Foundation Board and staff to build upon their outstanding reputation and to advance the important work happening throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Breslin. “The organization’s core values mirror my own, and we share a foundational commitment to listening to, and learning alongside, the communities we serve. I am thrilled for what lies ahead and look forward to making this area my home for years to come.”

Breslin will assume her responsibilities as President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation on March 14, 2022.

For more information, visit www.mosestaylorfoundation.org.

Northeastern PA Native Returns as New CEO of Scranton Counseling Center

After a national search, Scranton Counseling Center has selected Sarah Wodder, Psy.D. as the organization’s new President and CEO. Dr. Wodder, a northeastern Pennsylvania native, will be returning to the area to lead the community based, non-profit behavioral health organization.

Dr. Wodder most recently served as an Executive Director of Edison Court, Inc., a Doylestown, PA child and adolescent residential and outpatient treatment facility for those with behavioral health issues. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, and her Master of Science in Community Counseling from the University of Scranton. She was awarded her Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia. She will assume her new responsibilities on September first, relieving Sal Santoli, the interim CEO, who will remain in a senior management position with the Center.

“We are delighted to bring in Dr. Wodder to lead Scranton Counseling Center,” said Karen Clifford, chair of the CEO search committee. “Sarah’s commitment to quality, collaboration and team building, and her inclusive approach to partnership development will serve the Center and the community we serve well as we continue to grow and evolve in our new campus,” Karen concluded.

“Having grown up in the Scranton area with deep roots in this community, I am thrilled to be chosen to lead Scranton Counseling Center and its professional staff of behavioral health specialists,” related Sarah Wodder. “My previous outpatient and residential experiences will be valuable in leading the devoted team at the Center in providing exceptional service to those in need,” she added.

Dr. Wodder was selected after a four-month selection process that provided the search committee a significant number of regional and national applications for consideration. Philip Condron, the board chair of Scranton Counseling Center, relayed, “Dr. Wodder’s focus on our client services, staff training, and quality improvement enabled her to stand out among an outstanding list of applicants for the CEO position. Her background, experience and previous successes positioned her as our strong selection. We’re thrilled she accepted our offer.”

Scranton Counseling Center is a community based, private nonprofit behavioral health provider serving children, adolescents, adults and families with mental health and substance abuse issues in Lackawanna Susquehanna and surrounding counties. The center recently moved into a new $15 million campus of facilities on the corner of Cedar Avenue and Cherry Street in South Scranton.