The Chamber AcceleratesAction by Celebrating International Women’s Day and Presents the ATHENA Award

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce hosted more than 200 attendees at its annual International Women’s Day Celebration, sponsored by The Honesdale National Bank, and presented the 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award to Linda Thomas-Hemak, MD, FACP, FAAP, the president and chief executive officer of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education.

Marianne Gilmartin, vice chair/chair-elect, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Robert Durkin, president, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Donna Barbetti, Michael A. Barbetti LLC CPA; Linda Thomas-Hemak, MD, FACP, FAAP, president and chief executive officer, The Wright Center for Community Health and Graduate Education; Mari Potis, director of membership and events, The Greater   Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Deb Kolsovsky, executive vice president and regional director, PNC Bank.

The ATHENA Award, sponsored locally by Michael A. Barbetti LLC Certified Public Accountants, honors an exceptional individual who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, has served the community in a meaningful way, and has assisted women in their attainment of professional goals and leadership skills. Dr. Thomas-Hemak embodies these characteristics wholeheartedly.

Dr. Thomas-Hemak joined The Wright Center in 2001, became president in 2007, and CEO in 2012. Concurrent with her responsibilities as an executive, Dr. Thomas-Hemak is also quintuple board-certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, addiction medicine, obesity medicine, and nutrition, and she remains a healer at heart.

Kate Bryant, president and chief executive officer, The Honesdale National Bank; Elizabeth Nagy, vice president, director of marketing, sales, and online banking, The Honesdale National Bank; Katie Desiderio, Ph.D., MBA, principal partner in learning, Proximal Development, LLC; Marianne Gilmartin, vice chir/chair-elect, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Mari Potis, director of membership and events, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce

Dr. Katie Desiderio provided the keynote address. Dr. Desiderio is a tenured professor of management at Moravian University and the principal partner of Proximal Development, LLC. 

In Dr. Desiderio’s keynote, she inspired the audience to define their stories in six words by going on a journey of exploring who they are and who around them helps them achieve that dream version of themselves.

“Today, as we gather to celebrate International Women’s Day, we honor the strength, resilience, and contributions of women who shape our community,” said Bob Durkin, president of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “The presentation of the Athena Award is a testament to the exceptional leaders who inspire us all to dream bigger, reach higher, and break barriers. It is an honor to recognize these remarkable women, whose achievements remind us that the power of leadership knows no bounds.”

Chamber Goes “All In” on AI at the 155th Annual Dinner

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce held its 155th Annual Dinner, presented by PNC Bank, on Wednesday, March 27, at the Scranton Cultural Center in downtown Scranton. Over 450 people attended, including Lackawanna County Commissioners Bill Gaughan and Matt McGloin. Shawn Kanungo, a disruption strategist, bestselling author, and former innovation expert for Deloitte, was the keynote speaker.

The event included a networking dinner followed by the Chamber program where board chair, Attorney Jerry Musheno offered remarks and had a little fun with generative AI. The Chamber, along with the help of member Posture Interactive, developed AI photos and videos for the night’s entertainment. Members submitted prompts that generated photos.

The Chamber’s President, Bob Durkin, stated, “The Chamber is blessed to have such strong support from our regional business community. The Annual Dinner is an occasion to salute all of our members and celebrate the efforts of our literally hundreds of volunteer leaders over this past year.”

Pete Danchak, northeast PA regional president of PNC Bank, offered remarks and introduced Shawn Kanungo, the keynote speaker. Kanungo is a world-renowned generative AI expert who gave an inspiring keynote on AI’s power in businesses.

Kanungo delivered a riveting challenge to the audience on AI and its power of influence on the world. AI can be a useful tool to help advance small businesses that don’t have the manpower but use the tool wrong, and the intent of AI can have a negative impact. Kanungo’s work with corporations has shaped their trajectory as they harness AI’s power to advance operations and lay a foundation of mining through data, creating social campaigns, and more. His presentation gave Chamber members a perspective on AI for their businesses and paved a path for future discussions.

The incoming board chair, Attorney Marianne Gilmartin, concluded the evening with remarks and looked to the upcoming 2024–25 program year. The Chamber’s success stems from its members and their growing businesses.