PA Treasury Stacy Garrity Announces New Deputy Treasurer Treasurer Stacy Garrity today announced a key addition to her administration, naming Steve Chizmar as Deputy Treasurer for Communications. “Steve’s extensive knowledge and experience as a veteran communications professional will serve our team at Treasury well,” said Treasurer Garrity. “Over the course of his career, he has developed a reputation for seeking meaningful progress and smarter public service. I’m excited to have someone with such dedication fill a valuable role here at Treasury to help us best communicate with the Pennsylvanians we serve every day.” “I’m honored to join Treasurer Garrity’s team,” Chizmar said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Pennsylvania and contribute to the important work of the Treasury Department. I look forward to helping advance Treasurer Garrity’s vision for fiscal responsibility, transparency and innovation in state government.” Prior to joining Treasury, Steve spent 30 years as a Commonwealth employee having held various communications roles at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) including Community Relations Coordinator, Deputy Press Secretary and Press Secretary. He also worked in the office of Governor Tom Corbett as a Deputy Director of Communications. While serving in the Corbett Administration, he worked on key legislative initiatives that helped shape Pennsylvania’s transportation policy landscape. Most recently, Chizmar worked at PennDOT where he led a bureau dedicated to driving internal efficiencies and elevating employee engagement. Under his leadership, the team launched initiatives that encouraged staff innovation and generated cost-saving improvements across the department.
Exigent Technologies Earns UpCity 2025 National Excellence Award Technology services partner Exigent Technologies has been named as one of UpCity’s 2025 National Excellence Awards. This honor reflects on Exigent’s commitment to unleash the potential of small to mid-sized businesses using The Exigent Method to enable collaborative partnerships, exceptional service, and innovative managed IT solutions. Each year, UpCity’s National and Local Excellence awards celebrate outstanding B2B service providers with the highest brand integrity and performance based on a variety of on line credibility ranking factors. Excellence awards are the highest achievement a B2B Service Provider can attain in the UpCity Marketplace. With a five-star rating from its small to mid sized business clients, Exigent has secured both local and national recognition for the last four consecutive years. ‘Delivering consistent, high-quality managed IT services across multiple regions is a true test of an MSP’s commitment to excellence,” said Daniel Haurey Jr., President and Founder of ExigentTechnologies. “Earning our fourth UpCity award for national excellence reinforces what our clients already know-that whether we’re supporting a business in New York. New Jersey, Denver and Los Angeles our focus remains the same: Exceptional service, strategic IT partnerships, and tailored tech solutions that power their potential. We’re especially grateful to our clients for their generous reviews and continued trust.” UpCity was founded in 2009 to help businesses navigate the rapidly changing world of digital marketing. As the number of marketing service providers grew, so did the challenges for businesses searching for information they could trust to drive their decisions. Today, UpCity has expanded its footprint to serve as a resource that connects businesses to service providers they can trust, from marketing agencies to accounting firms to HR consultants, and more. Service providers rely on UpCity to increase visibility, highlight brand credibility, and build trust. More than 1.5 million businesses have visited UpCity seeking professional services from 84,000+ B2B service providers in 600+ cities across North America.
The Dime Bank Graduates Vice Presidents from Leadership Institute Stacy L. Gager, vice president deposit operations manager and Chase L. Holl, vice president commercial lending officer III at The Dime Bank, recently completed the 2024–2025 PA Bankers Leadership Institute. This distinguished program offers a comprehensive, multi-dimensional approach to leadership development tailored specifically for banking professionals. Led by renowned industry experts Dr. Linda Eagle of Global Bankers Institute and Dennis Budinich of FTCTogether, the program provides participants with a behind-the-scenes look at how strong organizational culture drives performance. Through in-depth exploration of leadership, engagement, and communication strategies, graduates gain the tools to lead with purpose and deliver meaningful results. “The Pennsylvania Bankers Association is proud to continually offer the PA Bankers Leadership Institute,” said Duncan Campbell, PA Bankers’ president & CEO. “Through its unique model, the program develops leaders who will sustain, maintain and grow Pennsylvania’s banking industry, which is vital to the economic future of the commonwealth.” The Dime Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bochnovich stated, “Investing in our people is investing in our future. The PA Bankers Leadership Institute equips our emerging leaders with the strategic insight, confidence, and network they need to thrive in today’s evolving financial landscape. It’s not just leadership training—it’s a commitment to excellence.”
Circle Drive-In Upcoming Movie Showings Friday, July 18th & Saturday, July 19th DOUBLE FEATURES ON BOTH SCREENS!Screen One:“How to Train Your Dragon” (PG – 2025) at 9:15 pm“Jurassic World: Rebirth” (PG-13 – 2025) at 11:40 pmScreen Two:“Superman” (PG-13 – 2025) at 9:00 pm“F1: The Movie” (PG-13 – 2025) at 11:50 pm Saturday, July 19th Pharoah’s Car Club of Scranton Cars & Coffee from 9am – 12pm All makes, models & ages of cars are welcome at these events. Antiques, Classics, Customs, or just well-loved vehicles may be brought out to be shown off & enjoyed by the community. It doesn’t matter what era, color, stance, or age your vehicle may be. All are welcome to attend. Sunday, July 20th Circle Giant Flea Fair from 6:00 am – 2:00 pm (Vendor Gates at 5:00 am) New vendors are always welcome, no pre-registration required! Come out & sell your crafts, artisan items, homemade products, spring cleaning treasures & more – every Sunday! Learn more at circledrive-in/fleafair24. Sunday Night Movies Gates & Box Office 8:00 pm Screen One: “Jurassic World: Rebirth” (PG-13 – 2025) at 9:15 pm Screen Two: “Superman” (PG-13 – 2025) at 9:00 pm Our Concession Stand is open during every event! Stop in for your favorite cold drinks, candy, popcorn, freshly made pizza, burgers & more! Movie tickets, upcoming events, & additional information at circledrive-in.com. Upcoming July Films: Wednesday, July 23rd: 150 Years of Dickson City – FREE Community Movie Night featuring “American Graffiti” (1973 – PG) at 9:00 pm (Gates – 8:00 pm) Thursday, July 24th: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” Presented by the Lackawanna Historical Society (1989 – PG-13) at 9:00 pm (Gates & Box Office 8:00 pm) Friday, July 25th – Sunday, July 27th: (Exclusive Presale) “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (2025 – PG-13) at 9:00 pm (Gates & Box Office 8:00 pm) Thursday, July 31st: “Dirty Dancing” Presented by the Lackawanna Historical Society (1987 – PG-13) at 9:00 pm (Gates & Box Office 8:00 pm) For the latest updates on upcoming events & more, follow Circle Drive-In on Facebook @CircleDriveInTheatre, on Instagram @circledrivein & Circle Flea Fair on Facebook @circlefleafair! Circle Drive-In is located at 1911 Scranton/Carbondale Highway, Dickson City.
Johnson College Opens Enrollment for AutoCAD Courses Johnson College is now accepting enrollments for its non-credit AutoCAD 1 and AutoCAD 2 courses, set to be held at the College’s Scranton campus. AutoCAD 1 will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 21–23, 2025. AutoCAD 2 will follow the same daily schedule and take place July 28–30, 2025. Each course is $500. These introductory courses in computer-aided drafting are designed for students seeking foundational skills in the field. Participants will learn basic CAD commands used to create professional working drawings, including floor plans, elevations, sections, and construction details. Course topics include creating and editing 2D objects, text usage and editing, hatching and filled regions, dimensioning, AutoCAD layer management, proper use of model space and paper space, and plotting techniques. To register or learn more, visit johnson.edu/autocad. For questions or assistance, contact Johnson College’s WAVE team at 570-702-8979 or email wave@johnson.edu. WAVE, which stands for Workforce Advancement & Value-Added Education, is Johnson College’s hub for continuing education and workforce development. WAVE empowers learners with the skills and knowledge needed to adapt to an ever-changing workforce and achieve long-term career success.
Geisinger Hospitals Receive Perinatal Quality Improvement Awards Five Geisinger hospitals were recently recognized as recipients of the Pennsylvania Perinatal Quality Collaborative’s (PA PQC) Designations Awards which were presented at its annual conference in Altoona on May 21. Designation signifies the hospital has established multidisciplinary teams that have demonstrated continuous quality improvement work in maternal and newborn care by sharing best practices and data in their hospital and community in specific issue areas impacting maternal mortality, including Maternal Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), Maternal Sepsis (MS), and Safe Sleep (SS). A gold designation signifies a hospital’s proven commitment to data-driven, population-specific health goals and patient voice in their quality improvement work. A silver designation signifies a hospital’s dedicated commitment to incorporating data driven population-specific health goals or patient voice in their work. A bronze designation signifies the hospital has consistently met quality improvement submission goals. The awards were announced and presented during a ceremony at the Blair County Convention Center. Those earning the silver or gold designation level have undertaken additional projects focused on health equity and/or patient voice within maternal and neonatal health-care. The five Geisinger hospitals receiving recognition included: Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital: bronze for SS; silver for OUD; gold for NAS Geisinger Community Medical Center Scranton: bronze for OUD and SS Geisinger Lewistown Hosptial: bronze for SS; silver for OUD and NAS Geisinger Medical Center, Danville: bronze for MS and OUD; silver for SS Geisinger Wyoming Valley, Wilkes-Barre: bronze for OUD; gold for SS and MS. “Geisinger has participated in the PA PQC since its inception in 2019. Our hospital teams collect and submit data to the PQC every quarter and, in the spirit of a collaborative, share their successes and challenges so that outcomes can be improved across the system,” said James Cook, M.D., Geisinger director of newborn services and co-chair of the PA PQC advisory committee. “The gold/silver/bronze designations are highly appreciated by our team members who are taking the time to improve patient care to those patients affected by opioid use and those who work to increase safe sleep awareness for newborns in our communities.” Designation awards and levels are based on meeting quality improvement milestone criteria over a 12-month period from April 2024 to March 2025. In Pennsylvania, perinatal health issues persist, including racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and neonatal outcomes, higher than average maternal sepsis rates, and drug overdose deaths during pregnancy and postpartum. Through collaborative efforts, the PA PQC aims to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes across the state. The PA PQC is administered by the JHF and WHAMglobal, and it is affiliated with the Northeast PQC (NEPaPQC). About the Pennsylvania Perinatal Quality Collaborative The Pennsylvania Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PA PQC) provides quality improvement support to healthcare teams to improve the standard of care for pregnant and postpartum people and babies. Seventy-seven birth sites and NICUs from across the commonwealth participate in the PA PQC. The PA PQC is administered by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and WHAMglobal, and it is affiliated with the Northeast PQC (NEPaPQC). For more information, visit papqc.org. About the Jewish Healthcare Foundation The Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) and its three operating arms — the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative (PRHI), Health Careers Futures (HCF), and the Women’s Health Activist Movement Global (WHAMglobal) — offer a unique brand of activist philanthropy to advance healthcare innovation, advocacy, collaboration, and education in the interest of better population health. For more information, visit jhf.org.
Misericordia Announces Todd Sloan as Vice President of University Advancement Misericordia University recently appointed Todd Sloan as the university’s new Vice President of University Advancement. “Thanks to the dedication of our faculty and staff to our mission and Mercy Thrives strategic plan, Misericordia University enjoys significant positive momentum, as evidenced by the deep pool of talented candidates interested in the Vice President of University Advancement position,” said Daniel J. Myers, Ph.D., president. “My thanks to the entire campus community, and especially the search committee, for participating in this process. I am confident that Todd will help lead the university through our ambitious fundraising campaign and build on the work already done to position MU as a key giving priority for donors. It is a pleasure to welcome him home to NEPA.” Sloan is a fundraising and communications professional with over thirty years of experience in non-profit and educational institutions where he has overseen major and planned giving activities, alumni relations programming, corporate relations and communications. Throughout his career, Sloan has worked closely with university presidents, volunteer boards, deans and other leadership in designing and executing fundraising strategies including the planning process for multiple comprehensive campaigns. Most recently, Sloan has served of counsel as Vice President for Client Partnerships with The Angeletti Group, a national fundraising consulting firm which provides campaign and fundraising strategies to nonprofit organizations. Sloan’s extensive experience includes the Pennsylvania State University at University Park where he served as Senior Director of Development and Alumni relations for the Smeal College of Business and then in a central role as Executive Director for Schools & Units during which he provided oversight for the directors of development of ten college and academic units. Sloan’s other senior leadership roles include serving as Assistant Vice President at American University in Washington DC as well as serving as Vice President of Development & Alumni Relations at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. Sloan has deep roots in Northeastern Pennsylvania, having held positions earlier in his career at Keystone College, MMI Preparatory School, and the United Way of Wyoming Valley. Sloan earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from The Pennsylvania State University.
Tobyhanna Army Depot Achieves Corrosion Control Accreditation Painter Ashley Lancia (far right), along with Thomas Petroski, meet with Kemper during the audit. (Photo Credit: Justin Kucharski) Tobyhanna Army Depot is the first government organization to earn accreditation through the Association for Material Protection and Performance (AMPP), affirming the organization’s position as the leading provider of readiness for the U.S. Armed Forces. After a comprehensive audit from Jul. 9-10, Tobyhanna obtained AMPP’s QP1 accreditation, which certifies excellence in steel work and field coating applications; the QP3 accreditation, which certifies excellence in shop coating applications; and the AS3-ITO accreditation, which certifies excellence in training courses and facilities. Only 500 companies worldwide maintain AMPP certifications. Kris Kemper and Michael Damiano from AMPP conducted the audit on their first visit to Tobyhanna. The duo praised Tobyhanna’s facilities and workforce. “I have been to many other military bases and Tobyhanna is the best,” said Kemper. “From your exceptional processes to the cleanliness of the facility, Tobyhanna’s workforce truly cares about their mission – and it shows.” Kemper serves as a technical services consultant for AMPP, while Damiano serves as a program director. Tobyhanna pursued AMPP accreditation to enhance its abilities to protect military weapons systems from deterioration, according to Fabrication & Component Refinishing Division Chief Thomas Petroski. “The DOD spends countless dollars every year combating corrosion, something that compromises the safety and readiness of our warfighters. By gaining this accreditation, Tobyhanna is meeting a critical need for our military,” he said. During the audit, AMPP officials identified several best practices across the installation – such as the innovative and intentional employee training programs, specifically within the corrosion control and refinishing realms. Since 2008, Tobyhanna has used the virtual reality Spray Technique Analysis and Research for Defense (STAR4D) system to provide hands-on, immersive training for refinishing artisans. The depot also provides dozens of other trainings related to surface preparation and coating application from both in-house instructors and industry experts. Resource Management Directorate officials say Tobyhanna spends upwards of $6M per year on workforce development. Damiano and Kemper applauded Tobyhanna’s holistic approach to workforce development. “Tobyhanna’s training programs are phenomenal and are well above what is available in private industry,” they said. Depot leaders attribute the accomplishments to the dedication of the depot workforce. “The AMPP accreditations are a reflection of the expertise of our workforce and their passion for providing American warriors with the very best support,” said Depot Commander Col. Benjamin L. Kilgore. “Becoming the first in the DOD to achieve this goal didn’t happen by accident – and this success proves that no one does it better than Team Tobyhanna.” Christopher Musso, Tobyhanna’s Director of Quality, agreed. “This achievement is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence and the unparalleled dedication of every member of Team Tobyhanna. To be the first government organization to earn this level of recognition speaks volumes about our proactive approach to protecting and sustaining military assets and, ultimately, safeguarding our warfighters.” AMPP’s Kris Kemper (right) reviews documentation with Training Specialist Carmelo Rivera. Tobyhanna’s comprehensive training programs were lauded by AMPP during the accreditation audit. (Photo Credit: Justin Kucharski) Michael Damiano (right) from AMPP reviews visual management boards in Tobyhanna’s mission work areas. Thomas Petroski and Quality Assurance Specialist William Stevens (left) were also present. (Photo Credit: Justin Kucharski)
Fidelity Bank Appoints Michael Jones to Retail Branch Manager Daniel J. Santaniello, President & Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank, announced Michael Jones has been hired as Assistant Vice President, Retail Branch Manager at the Fidelity Bank Mountain Top branch. Jones, a dedicated banker with years of experience, will lead community outreach and team-building efforts at Fidelity Bank, while overseeing day-to-day branch operations, providing exceptional service for clients across the region. Prior to joining Fidelity Bank, Jones served as a Regional Banking Officer and Personal Banker, honing his skills in client advisory roles. Jones will demonstrate strong leadership skills and knowledge of community banking in his new role as Retail Branch Manager at the Mountain Top branch. In making the announcement, Santaniello stated, “We’re thrilled to welcome Michael as our new branch manager. His leadership, community spirit, and enthusiasm aligns perfectly with our values, and we’re confident he will make a lasting impact on both our Mountain Top branch and our clients.” A resident of Drums, PA, Jones is a Pennsylvania State Commissioned Notary. He and his husband proudly welcomed their first daughter Ina earlier this year. His family also includes two beloved dogs, Minnie and Lilo, named after Disney characters, reflecting Michael’s enthusiasm for all things Disney. “Moving from a large bank mindset to a smaller community-focused approach has been invigorating,” said Jones. He continued, “Here at Fidelity Bank, I feel heard, and I truly see the impact we make every day in the communities we serve.” Beyond the branch, Jones is active in local organizations and community initiatives, building relationships and supporting area development.
Fidelity Bank Promotes Jesse Lick to Banking Relationship Manager Daniel J. Santaniello, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank, is pleased to announce that Jesse Lick has been promoted to Associate Banking Relationship Manager at Fidelity Bank. Lick has been with Fidelity Bank for three years, developing his career as a credit analyst. He will continue his career as an Associate Business Banking Relationship Manager, working closely with clients to understand their unique needs and providing them with a personalized solution. In this role, he will be responsible for managing and growing his portfolio of business clients. It involves developing relationships, identifying financial needs, and providing tailored banking solutions including loans, merchant and treasury services, and deposits. He will work closely with service partners across the Bank to deliver exceptional service and support clients’ business growth. In reflecting on his new role, Lick stated “After years of working to understand the underwriting side of commercial lending, I am thrilled to be able to make the leap over to the relationship management side of things at Fidelity Bank.” He continued, “I am excited to learn a whole new set of skills in this role and can’t wait to see the opportunities it will bring.” A graduate of Lakeland High School, Lick earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Penn State University in 2016. Lick started his career in banking in 2017 and worked at other local financial institutions before starting his role as Credit Analyst at Fidelity Bank in 2022. In making this announcement, Santaniello stated, “Jesse has shown dedication to evaluating risk, identifying opportunities, and supporting our clients’ financial goals.” He continued, “I am glad to have him grow his career here at Fidelity Bank and achieve new heights in his new role.” Currently residing in Blakely, PA, Lick enjoys working on cars, going to car racing events, live music, RC cars/trucks, skiing, snowboarding, exercising, cooking, and spending time with his girlfriend.
