The Chamber and The Steel Supply Company Broker a Deal in Valley View Business Park The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and its business development division, the Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company (SLIBCO), announces the sale of 2.67 acres in the Valley View Business Park to The Steel Supply Company, Inc. The Steel Supply Company produces components, supplies, and services that are critical to the structural steel fabrication industry. The company will manufacture and distribute industrial steel fabrication products from its new location in Jessup, Pennsylvania. Back Row (L-R): Amy Luyster, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; AJ Cimahosky, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Javier Pazmino, The Steel Supply Company, Inc.; Willie Obeid, The Steel Supply Company, Inc.; Front Row (L-R): Bob Durkin, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Matt Obeid, The Steel Supply Company; and Heather Kubic Skapyak, GPI “We are excited about this new facility and the opportunities it affords the company for manufacturing, fabricating, and new product line development, shared Barbara Obeid, president of The Steel Supply Company. The area offers an impressive combination of facilities, access to shipping lanes, and a capable labor force. The assistance provided in locating the property and guiding the process by the energetic people at The Chamber has been invaluable. We look forward to working with the Chamber in bringing this project to fruition.” “SLIBCO and The Chamber leadership are thrilled to see this project come to fruition. The Steel Supply Company is committed to driving the workforce in Lackawanna County and falls right in line with the targeted industry sectors we desire to see grow in the area. Manufacturing has always been a part of our story here, and projects like these will allow that to continue,” shared AJ Cimahosky, business development specialist at The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber through its business development division, SLIBCO, and its business development marketing program, The Scranton Plan, are committed to attracting, sustaining, and growing business and the workforce in targeted industries. These industries include advanced manufacturing, food and beverage production, technology, energy, and life sciences. “In choosing a new site in Jessup to manufacture and distribute components, The Steel Supply Co. clearly recognizes some of Lackawanna County’s business-development advantages,” said Commissioner Bill Gaughan. He adds, “Our location and transportation infrastructure put major markets within easy reach, and our workforce ensures high-quality products. We welcome the Steel Supply Co. not only as a great addition to the county’s industrial base, but as further proof that Lackawanna County is open for business.” For information regarding this property or additional real estate opportunities in Lackawanna County, visit www.thescrantonplan.com.
Comcast Expands State-of-the-Art Network in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Network Expansion Brings Xfinity and Comcast Business Services to Lackawanna, Luzerne and Columbia Counties – Comcast has connected more than 18,500 new homes and businesses across Lackawanna, Luzerne and Columbia Counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania to reliable, high-speed Internet by expanding its network. This expansion enhances digital infrastructure, promotes economic growth, and positions residents and local businesses for success in an increasingly digital world. The network expansion brings Internet, mobile, entertainment, and security services from Xfinity and Comcast Business to residents and businesses in the following areas for the first time: Lackawanna County: Carbondale Township, Fell Townships, City of Carbondale Luzerne County: Newport Township, Conyngham Township, Hunlock Township, Plymouth Township, Shickshinny Borough, Union Township, Salem Township Columbia County: Berwick Borough, Briar Creek Borough, Briar Creek Township “Our community deserves the best when it comes to choosing their provider for Internet, mobile, and entertainment services,” said Tim Burke, Mayor, Berwick Borough. “Comcast’s entry into our market offers a variety of options for any type of customer, and we are thrilled that the Borough of Berwick and its surrounding areas now have access Comcast’s state-of-the-art network.” “I had been searching for a new Internet provider, so I was very happy to discover that Comcast recently made Xfinity services available in my area,” said Carbondale resident Laura Perry. “Switching my Internet and home phone to Xfinity gave me better speeds and pricing than my previous provider. My family and I have enjoyed seamless connectivity ever since.” Residents can visit Xfinity.com and businesses can visit ComcastBusiness.com to see if their address is eligible for service. In addition, residents and businesses can visit our newly renovated Xfinity Store in Dickson City, or stores in Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, PA. This expansion is part of the company’s latest investment in Northeastern Pennsylvania, following recently completed network expansions to more than 28,000 homes and businesses in Jermyn and Mayfield Boroughs and the City of Wilkes-Barre. More than 6,600 residents and businesses in Carbon, Schuylkill and additional parts of Luzerne County will also soon be able to connect to our network, with an expansion project currently underway. “We’re excited for more Northeastern Pennsylvania communities to experience the power of our Xfinity and Comcast Business products and services that deliver over 99.9 percent reliability,” said Ricky Frazier Jr., Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Keystone Region. “In addition to connecting communities to the moments that matter most, Comcast is committed to advancing digital opportunity through Internet Essentials, our low-cost Internet service for low-income families, and Project UP, our $1 billion commitment to unlimited possibilities.” A Network You Can Trust to be Reliable, Fast and Secure Comcast’s state-of-the-art network is built to enable residents and businesses to thrive in today’s constantly connected world. Lackawanna, Luzerne and Columbia counties join the 64 million homes and businesses across the country to have access to a network that is trusted by essential community organizations like hospitals, schools, transportation systems and first responders, and federal agencies like the Department of Defense and FEMA. It delivers gigabit Internet speeds, 99.9 percent reliability and built-in security to help keep customers safe from cyber threats. Introducing Xfinity for Consumers Comcast’s residential services are marketed under the Xfinity and NOW brands, and consumers in Northeastern PAcan take advantage of Xfinity’s full suite of products, including Internet, video, mobile, voice and home security, with additional Internet, video and mobile options with NOW for those on a budget. With gigabit Internet speeds, powerful WiFi that reaches every corner of the home, and super-responsive connections with low lag available with its plan, customers have a great experience using their connected devices to stream their favorite sports and entertainment content, video chat with coworkers and friends, learn from home or simply surf the web. Comcast Business to Power Northeastern PA For local businesses, Comcast Business offers a suite of connectivity, communications, networking, cybersecurity, wireless, and managed solutions to help organizations of all sizes achieve their business goals. Industry analysts and associations have consistently recognized Comcast Business as a leader and innovator in flexible, scalable options as well as one of the fastest-growing providers of Ethernet services. What It Means for the Northeastern PA Community Comcast’s commitment to communities goes beyond building the network and aims to increase economic mobility for the local community and its residents. That’s why Comcast created Internet Essentials, a broadband adoption program that offers eligible households low-cost, high-speed Internet and affordable computers. Since its inception in 2011, Internet Essentials has connected more than 2 million low-income Pennsylvania residents to broadband service at home. Additionally, Comcast has launched 176 Lift Zones across Pennsylvania to provide students and families with free, high-speed WiFi and digital skills training. Lift Zones are part of Project UP, Comcast’s comprehensive $1 billion commitment to help build a future of unlimited possibilities and the continuation of the company’s long history of giving back to communities where it provides service and where its employees live and work.
WVIA Wins Best of Show at AAF NEPA’s American Advertising Awards – “Girls Wrestling Documentary,” which follows the inspiring journey of the barrier breaking athletes of the Western Wayne Girls Wrestling Team, tells the story of young athletes reshaping the landscape of high school wrestling. On Friday, February 28, the American Advertising Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania (AAF NEPA) hosted the 2024 American Advertising Awards, where they presented the 2024 Silver Medal Award, the Game Changer Award, winners of Cropped and the Rising Star Award. This year’s event was held at the Mohegan Pennsylvania Convention Center. The American Advertising Awards are widely acknowledged to be the largest and most representative competition of its kind, with more than 25,000 entries received as part of the three-tier competition. Campaigns need to advance through both local and regional levels in order to be eligible for the national award. In addition, the awards are often viewed as a lens offering insights into work that may also perform well at other upcoming international creative competitions. Local Gold winners will automatically advance to the regional level and silver winners have the option to send their work on. In all, 8 Professional ADDYs and 13 Student ADDYs were awarded at the Northeastern PA American Advertising Awards, along with 8 Special Judges Choice Awards. Winners were announced during the award show on February 28th, which was attended by 80+ creative professionals, educators and students from across the advertising, marketing, media and tech communities. Said Dan Kimbrough, President of AAF NEPA, “It’s a heavy lift pulling off the show each year, but we have an amazing board and being able to come together and celebrate our creative community makes it worth it.” Other highlights from this year’s American Advertising Awards include: ● WVIA’s Webseries “NEPA @ Work”, which took a gold medal, along with “Girls Wrestling Documentary”. ● Halibut Blue won two Silver Awards for their work with local non-profits Big Brothers Big Sisters of NEPA, and The United Way of the Wyoming Valley. ● Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Student Hunter Rossmann took home 5 trophies. ● Stephanie Klemick of Marywood University took home the student Best of Show with an innovative package design called “Fruit Cups”. Awards were chosen by a distinguished panel of judges representing 4 different markets and agencies not local to NEPA. Outside of our AAA Competition awards, Danielle Antonello-Smolley of Triggerfinger Photography, was awarded the Silver Medal Award, which recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions to advertising and has been active in furthering the industry’s standards, creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern. Kevin Jones, owner of VizVibe, took home the Game Changer Award, which recognizes local visionaries who are pioneering new and exciting ideas within the advertising industry. And Stephanie Klemick of Marywood University won The Rising Star Award, which celebrates emerging talents in the advertising industry who exhibit outstanding potential and a commitment to excellence in both their professional endeavors and community engagement. All professional and student entries and the winners can be viewed online at adflix.aafnepa.org.
The Dime Bank Promotes Maurice Dennis to Director of Lending Maurice (Mick) Dennis to now serve as Director of Lending at The Dime Bank, announced President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bochnovich. He will supervise the bank’s commercial, mortgage, and consumer lenders as well as special assets. Additionally, Dennis will continue to assist area businesses attain the financing they need to grow. Dennis brings to this role over 16 years of distinguished experience in the financial sector, a career marked by consistent growth and exceptional performance. Dennis has been helping The Dime Bank business customers since 2019 as vice president commercial loan officer, where he played a crucial role in actively seeking and developing new commercial loan relationships while maintaining strong relationships with existing customers. Prior to The Dime Bank, Dennis honed his expertise through a series of progressive roles. He began his career developing a rigorous foundation in commercial loan underwriting and evaluation. He then excelled as a commercial documentation officer, ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of critical loan processes. His proven track record of success led to further advancement, where he effectively expanded business relationships in northeastern PA and the Poconos. Dennis’ banking career began with a strong academic background, including degrees from two well-respected universities. He graduated with a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Scranton and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Over the course of his career, he has supplemented his education with professional course certificates attained through the PA Bankers Association. He is also a graduate of Leadership Wayne. President and Chief Executive Officer Pete Bochnovich stated, “Please join me in congratulating Mick on his promotion to Director of Lending. For the past five years, Mick has demonstrated exceptional dedication, expertise, and leadership within our lending department. His deep understanding of the financial landscape, coupled with his commitment to fostering strong customer relationships and community involvement, has been instrumental in his success. Mick’s ability to navigate complex lending scenarios, his innovative approach to problem-solving, and his unwavering focus on responsible lending practices have exceeded expectations. He has proven himself to be an asset, and I am confident that in this new role he will continue to drive growth and excellence in our lending operations.” Dennis is the proud founder of Wayne Highlands Little League and continues to serve on the board of directors as treasurer. He is also a board member of Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance Business Financial Corporation.
Greater Scranton YMCA Receives Grant from AllOne Charities In November 2024, the Greater Scranton YMCA was awarded a $20,000 grant from AllOne Charities. Grant funding will support the Y’s Year-Round Food Program, specifically the purchase of new equipment and staffing. Since the Greater Scranton YMCA implemented its Year-Round Food Program, enrollment in early childhood education programs has significantly grown. During the Y’s most recently completed fiscal year (07/01/2023 – 06/30/2024), 69,490 meals and snacks were provided to children enrolled in Early Childhood Education programs, Summer Day Camp, and Before and After School care. This growth has proved challenging, as the need for additional staff and more efficient equipment has also increased. Thanks to the generosity of AllOne Charities, the Greater Scranton YMCA has been able to purchase a new steamer and deep freezer, as well as support staffing expenses. “We are so grateful to AllOne Charities for this generous grant award,” said Rich Surridge, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “Thanks to our Year-Round Food Program and to the dedication of our Food Program staff, we are so proud to provide the children in our care with healthy meals and snacks daily. This grant award will support these efforts, allowing us to continue to grow. For more information about the Greater Scranton YMCA’s Year-Round Food Program, contact Kelena Gonzalez, Food Program Coordinator, at kgonzalez@gsymca.org.
Johnson College Receives $7,500 EITC Contribution from Fastenal Johnson College received a $7,500 EITC contribution from Fastenal to support the College’s Industry Fast Track and STEM Outreach Programs. The Industry Fast Track Program (IFT) is a joint partnership with area school districts and the College. The program offers high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to simultaneously enroll in secondary and post-secondary coursework on the Johnson College campus. Students remain enrolled full-time at their high school while attending classes at Johnson College. Through its STEM Outreach, Johnson College utilizes its experience in providing industry-focused technical education to expand its outreach to elementary, middle, and high school students. The outreach raises awareness of the benefits of STEM education and the possibilities of achieving economic independence through employment in a STEM career field. Fastenal’s contribution to Johnson College is part of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. For information about how to participate in the EITC program with Johnson College, visit Johnson.edu/eitc.
Damage Control, Inc., Names New Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officers As of January 1, 2025, Sarah Cain and Bruce Morgan of Damage Control, Inc. have taken on the roles of CEO and COO, respectively. Damage Control has been serving the Communities of Northeast PA in both Residential and Commercial losses since 1996, led by founder, President, and CEO Jeff Skrilow. Sarah Cain began her employment in 2007 in the role of Executive Assistant and since then has taken on all responsibilities in the Business Office, Accounts Payable, Human Resources, and contributing to the implementation of new policies and procedures. It became clear that with the present CEO, Skrilow, stepping down, Sarah was the perfect choice as his replacement. In January 2025, Sarah began her new role as CEO, working to ensure that the company she loves continues to grow and prosper. She believes that investing in Damage Control’s employees is essential to Damage Control’s success. Bruce Morgan began his career with Damage Control in 2014 as a Restoration Technician. He quickly showed strong leadership skills and was swiftly promoted to Team Leader in 2015. From there, he moved up the ladder to Field Supervisor in 2018 and finally to Project Manager in 2020. In January 2025, Bruce was once again promoted, this time to COO, and will continue to lead the Damage Control team with leadership, training, and guidance.
Crystal Window and Door Sponsors Queens College Artist-in-Residence Exhibit Founder and Chairman of Crystal Window & Door Systems, Thomas Chen, greeted guests at the opening reception for the newest art exhibit at Queens College on Tuesday, February 11. The solo exhibit, “Entombed in Static,” is the work of internationally acclaimed artist Leekyung Kang, whose engagement with the Queens College Artist-in-Residence program is sponsored by the Thomas Chen Family/Crystal Windows Endowment. Above Left: Founder of Crystal Windows Thomas Chen (right) welcomed guests recently at the opening reception for the solo exhibit of Artist-in-Residence Leekyung Kang (left) at Queens College. Above Right (l. to r.): Queens College Art Professor Sin-Ying Ho, Queens College President Frank Wu, Crystal Windows Founder Thomas Chen, and Artist-in Residence Leekyung Kang. In 2021, Thomas Chen and Crystal Windows established a $1.1 million endowment for Queens College to support contemporary Asian art at the 4-year college. To date, the endowment has awarded several scholarships for art students, sponsored exhibits of contemporary Asian art, and backed the Artist-in-Residence program. “I am so proud that the Chen Family/Crystal Windows Endowment is supporting these valuable Queens College art programs,” said Thomas Chen. “Today we are very pleased to recognize the talent of Leekyung Kang, one of the artists-in-residence this year, with her exciting new exhibit. She is quite an inspiration for students here at Queens College.” The opening reception, held Tuesday, February 11, 6:00-8:00 pm at Queens College Klapper Hall Art Gallery, was attended by faculty, students, and other guests. Artist Leekyung Kang spoke to the group about her work and experience teaching art classes for the students at Queens College. Ms. Kang has exhibited and held residencies in the United States in many locations, including Las Vegas, NV; Salt Lake City, UT; Providence, RI; and Cleveland, OH. She has also exhibited internationally in Seoul, South Korea; Doha, Qatar; and Beijing, China. Queens College is one of the premier institutions in the New York City University System (CUNY), offering nearly 80 undergraduate majors and over 100 graduate degrees and certifications. The public college serves over 19,000 undergraduate and graduate students and is highly ranked in terms of academics and value by several national college surveys such as Princeton Review and US News and World Report. Located at 65-30 Kissena Boulevard in the South Flushing neighborhood of Queens, the college sits on 84 landscaped acres with a park-like suburban feel.
Wayne Bank Promotes Kimberly Crellin to Vice President Jim Donnelly, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Wayne Bank, is pleased to announce the promotion of Kimberly Crellin to Assistant Vice President and Hawley Community Office Manager. “Kimberly is well deserving of this promotion, and I am proud to announce her accomplishment. Her exceptional management skills and organizational abilities have helped streamline bank functions at our Hawley office,” said Mr. Donnelly. Crellin joined Wayne Bank in 2017 and has most recently served as a Branch Manager, where she was responsible for assisting customers and maintaining operational efficiency at the Bank’s Hawley branch. Crellin holds a certificate for General Banking through the American Bankers Association. She enjoys taking part in her community, serving as an active member of the Make a Wish Foundation since 2009. Crellin currently resides in Milford.
Waverly Community House Needs Your Feedback Your Voice Matters! Help Shape the Future of The Comm! At the Waverly Community House (the Comm), we’re dedicated to providing enriching educational, recreational, and cultural opportunities—but we know there’s always room to grow. Whether you’ve attended our events, participated in programs, used our facilities, or are simply interested in what we offer, we want to hear from you! As we plan for the future, we’re gathering feedback to ensure that we continue to serve our community in meaningful ways. With support from a StratSimple grant, we’ve partnered with Commonweal Consulting Group—led by nonprofit experts Michele and Leo McGowan—to guide us in shaping our next chapter. It takes about 10 minutes. All responses are confidential Your input helps shape future programs, events, and services Complete the survey by February 28, 2025, for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card! Take the survey by clicking this link: STRAT SIMPLE SURVEY
