PS Bank Hires New Chief Information Officer

Anthony J. Gabello, President and Chief Executive Officer, is pleased to announce the hiring of Eli Tomlinson as Chief Information Officer/Senior Vice President.

Mr. Tomlinson has over 20 years of experience working in banking at the senior level, with expertise in the areas of information systems, cybersecurity, strategic planning, risk assessment, project implementation, and process improvement.

Mr. Tomlin is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Community Bank Technology Officer (CCBTO). He attended Rutgers University.

Prior to joining PS Bank, Mr. Tomlinson worked at a regional bank as senior vice president of information technology. His previous work experience includes network administration and software publishing.

“Eli brings tremendous experience to PS Bank. His strong knowledge of banking systems, technology, and cybersecurity will be a valuable asset as we continue to grow our bank. As our Chief Information Officer/Senior Vice President, Eli will be a vital member of our leadership team,” said Gabello.

Mr. Tomlinson resides in Clarks Summit with his wife, Clel. They have two children, Alex of Scranton and Sean of Detroit, MI.

Marion Munley Named Treasurer for the American Association for Justice

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys is pleased to announce that Marion Munley was recently sworn in as the Treasurer for the American Association for Justice (AAJ).

The American Association of Justice is a 20,000-member organization of plaintiff attorneys dedicated to protecting the rights of trial by jury. The mission of the AAJ is to promote justice and fairness for injured victims, safeguard victims’ rights, and strengthen the civil justice system through
education and disclosure of information critical to public safety and health.

Marion has held several positions in the AAJ over the years. She was elected as the AAJ Parliamentarian in 2022 and has served on the Board of Governors and its Executive Committee. In 2018, she was the first woman to become the Chair of the AAJ Trucking Litigations Group and
received the organization’s Robert W. Munley Champion of Justice Award in 2020.

Widely recognized as one of the state’s most prominent and widely respected truck accident lawyers, Marion is Triple Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial, Civil Practice, and Truck Law. Marion has earned an AV-Preeminent designation from Martindale-
Hubbell, the industry’s highest ethical and client satisfaction rating.

Marion is the second woman in Pennsylvania to become Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Among her other professional affiliations are the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Society of Barristers, and the Summit Council, an exclusive group of today’s top civil justice attorneys committed to the highest levels of trial advocacy, to obtaining justice for individuals and families who have been hurt by corporate wrongdoing, and to the protection of the civil justice system. She is also the immediate past President of the Melvin M. Belli Society, a group of the country’s top trial lawyers dedicated to promoting courtroom excellence.

During her career, Marion has received some of the highest honors a lawyer can receive. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2012, Marion has been named the 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” for for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs in Northeastern Pennsylvania. She has also been recognized as Best Lawyers® 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Medical Malpractice – Plaintiffs in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and, the 2022 and 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury-Plaintiffs for the Allentown metro area. Marion has also been selected to the list of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for the last 18 years and was recently named to the 2023 “Top 10” Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List. A graduate of Temple University School of Law (J.D., 1986), Marion received her undergraduate degree from Scranton University in 1983.

Geisinger Uses AI Technology in Fight Against Lung Cancer

Geisinger has begun using a new patient management system to expand its ability to identify and manage patients with incidentally identified lung abnormalities, as well as manage those eligible for lung cancer screening.

Nationally, incidental abnormalities are found about 40% of the time during imaging tests that are unrelated to the reason the test was ordered. In 2020, Geisinger implemented the STAIR™ Program (which stands for System to Track Abnormalities of Importance Reliably) to help manage these patients. If an incidental lung abnormality is found, the provider refers the patient to the STAIR team, which evaluates the patient and establishes a care plan.

“The mission of the STAIR program is to ensure that all patients with important radiology findings get the care they need at the time they need it — the first time, every time,” said Yatin Mehta, M.D., Geisinger pulmonologist and STAIR Program director.

The program has made sure patients have follow-up care, but referring, tracking and managing patients was time-consuming. The new patient management technology, in partnership with Denver-based health company Eon, automatically enrolls patients with an incidental finding in the STAIR program. The Eon system’s AI-driven workflow tracks the patient’s journey and flags the care team when necessary for timely follow-up care.

“Tracking patients behind the scenes, automating workflows and removing busywork not only enables the care team to manage and bring back significantly more patients, but also frees them up to spend more time on direct patient care,” said Nathan Boehlke, Eon director of implementation. 

“The STAIR program and lung cancer screening program are two important ways that we can catch cancer earlier when the patient has a chance to be cured,” Dr. Mehta said. “We’re excited to work with Eon on innovation that’s making a difference by allowing our staff to manage more patients more efficiently — and ultimately saving lives with earlier intervention.”

Geisinger Earns Highest Tech Honors in 2023 ‘Most Wired’ Survey

Geisinger has once again been recognized for its information technology as one of the top “Most Wired” health systems in the country by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).

Geisinger was one of only 16 health systems or hospitals in the country to achieve level 10 certification, the highest recognition, in both the ambulatory and acute care surveys. CHIME’s annual Digital Health Most Wired survey certifies hospitals from levels 1 through 10. This is the fourth consecutive year Geisinger has achieved a level 10 certification. To have achieved this level, CHIME says it “reflects an entire organization’s commitment to improve health care through the advancement of digital health strategies.”

“One of the most exciting elements of this survey is that it shows how well we have used technology to enable clinical and operational best practices across our organization — in a way that also stands up nationally,” said Joseph Fisne, associate chief information officer at Geisinger. “Our integrations have made patient care safer and more efficient, a testament to Geisinger’s vision to make better health easier.”

Each organization is also scored on eight individual segments: Infrastructure; security; administrative/supply chain; analytics/data management; interoperability/population health; patient engagement; innovation; and clinical quality/safety. This year, Geisinger received the highest score in the clinical quality/safety section.

This recognition serves to highlight the many ways Geisinger has used technology over the years to transform care delivery, including through the virtual patient monitoring app ConnectedCare365, digital experiences that cater communications to patients’ needs and data policies that uphold the safety and privacy of patient information. The award also recognizes the implementation and use of technology across Geisinger — from the information technology teams that develop and deploy the technology to the frontline service providers who use the capabilities.

CHIME reports that more than 55,000 facilities around the world serving patients across the continuum of care were represented in the 2023 Digital Health Most Wired program. The survey assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in health care organizations at all stages of development, from early development to industry leading.

Dimeco, Inc. Announces Earnings at September 30, 2023

Dimeco, Inc. (OTCQX: DIMC), the parent holding company of The Dime Bank, announces earnings for the period ending September 30, 2023.

Total assets of $986 million on September 30, 2023 increased $24.5 million or 2.6% over balances on September 30, 2022. The loan portfolio increased $42 million or 6.3% over balances a year earlier. Total deposits decreased 5.2% or $43 million from balances on September 30, 2022.

Net income was $7.2 million for the first nine months of 2023, resulting in a return on average assets of 1.00% and a return on average shareholders’ equity of 10.47% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

The Board of Directors declared dividends totaling $1.14 per share during the past nine months, which produced a dividend yield of 4.52% on September 30, 2023. Dividends are up 5.6% over the amount paid in 2022.

President & Chief Executive Officer Pete Bochnovich stated, “I am pleased to present the results for Dimeco, Inc. through the first three quarters of 2023. As the current economic scenario continues, management looks for opportunities to grow and position Dimeco for future success. We thank our customers, shareholders, staff, and the community for their continued commitment.”

Geisinger Welcomes Vascular Surgeon

John A. Kutz, M.D., an experienced vascular surgeon with deep ties to northeastern Pennsylvania, has joined Geisinger.

Dr. Kutz practices at Geisinger Community Medical Center and treats patients with diseases of the circulatory system. He has a clinical interest in helping patients get appropriate operative and non-operative care for vascular conditions and is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Vascular Surgery.

He joins Eugene Langan, M.D., David Phang, M.D., and Alessandro Smeraldi, M.D., on a vascular care team that provides comprehensive coverage for Scranton and surrounding communities.

A native of Luzerne County, Dr. Kutz earned his medical degree from the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He completed his residency in general surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and his fellowship training in vascular surgery at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

He has provided vascular care in Scranton for 20 years and has held clinical and administrative leadership positions in surgery, vascular surgery and wound care. Dr. Kutz serves as an assistant professor of vascular surgery at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, and he was recently appointed by the governor of Pennsylvania to serve on the State Board of Medicine.

“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to continue caring for members of my community with Geisinger,” Dr. Kutz said. “My wife and I came back to this region two decades ago, because we wanted to be part of the communities in which we were raised.”

Dr. Kutz served 13 years in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve where he trained at the School of Aerospace Medicine in San Antonio, Texas, reached the rank of major and was awarded for expert marksmanship, unit achievement and meritorious service.

To learn more about vascular care at Geisinger or find a vascular surgeon near you, visit Geisinger.org/vascular.

The Honesdale National Bank Announces Chief Technology Officer

Thomas E. Sheridan Jr., President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Robert Hughes has joined HNB as Chief Technology Officer.

In making the statement, Sheridan noted, “I am very happy to have Rob rejoin our HNB Family.” He continued, “His experience in information technology systems will help us strengthen our commitment to broadening the security and depth of our systems that provide support to our customers.”

In his role as Chief Technology Officer, Hughes provides direct management over the institution’s information systems and technology functions; ensures system security; oversees networks and telecommunications as well as management of the information technology department.

Hughes began his career with HNB in 2016, as a Systems Analyst and was promoted to Assistant Vice President.  He gained additional industry insights during a stint at IBM as a Technical Lead prior to his return to the Bank.

In mentioning his role at HNB, Hughes noted, “At this point in my career, it has made me appreciative of the people that work in the HNB family.”

Hughes is a graduate of Scranton Preparatory High School and received a bachelor’s in business administration from La Salle University in 1999. Certifications include MCSA, MCSE, A+ and Net+.

In his spare time, he is a coach in the Abington Youth Basketball League, Abington Little League, and Abington Youth Soccer.

Outside of the Bank, Hughes enjoys golfing, spending time with his children and traveling to new places.

Action Lift, Inc. Appoints New President

The ownership group of Action Lift, Inc. announces that Mr. Joseph Mikiewicz has been promoted to President of Action Lift, Inc., effective immediately. Mr. William F. Medico will remain as the Company’s CEO.

Mr. Mikiewicz is a graduate of King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He has been with the company for over 34 years, most recently serving as General Manager. Action Lift, Inc. has experienced local and national growth under his management, with expansion plans underway.

The University of Scranton Ranked No. 10 for Community and National Service

Since 2005, Washington Monthly analyzed numerous data sets in order to rank colleges across the nation in categories for “community and national service,” “research” and “social mobility” in order to assess the contribution graduates make to “the public good.” In the 2023 listing, published in the September/October issue of the magazine and online, Washington Monthly ranked The University of Scranton No. 10 among the 604 master’s universities in the nation in the “community and national service” category.

According to the publication, they rank “four-year schools (national universities, liberal arts colleges, baccalaureate colleges, and master’s universities) based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research, and providing opportunities for public service.” Scranton was No. 30 in the overall ranking that combines equally-weighted scores for “community and national service,” “research” and “social mobility.”

Scranton ranked No. 37, and No. 183, respectively, in the “research” and “social mobility” categories among master’s universities in the country.

For “community and national service” score, Washington Monthly looked at the percentage of all degrees awarded in health, education and social work “to reward colleges that produce leaders in socially valuable fields that are not always highly paid.”  They also reviewed the size of the ROTC program and the number of alumni serving in AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, adjusted for the size of the school, as well as the percentage of federal work study grant money spent on community service projects, among other factors such as voter engagement. Washington Monthly determined the “research” score is based on each school’s research expenditure and the number of alumni earning Ph.D.s, relative to the size of the college. The “social mobility” score is based on actual and predicted graduation rates; student loan repayment rates; the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants; and the school’s average net price for full-time, in-state students with family incomes below $75,000 per year over the past three years, among other factors.

This is the 14th consecutive year Washington Monthly has included Scranton in its college rankings.

In other national rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 5 among regional universities in the north in its 2024 guidebook, marking the 30th consecutive year that Scranton ranked in the top 10. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list of “Best Colleges” for 22 consecutive years, and ranked the University No. 18 in the nation for “Best Science Lab Facilities” in its latest edition of the guidebook.

FNCB Bank Officer Receives AAP Certification

FNCB Bank’s Rebecca Richardson, Baking Officer, Electronic Banking Supervisor, has obtained her certification as an “Accredited ACH Professional (AAP)”. The certification focused on comprehensive knowledge in all areas of ACH including a deep understanding of and experience in ACH with broad knowledge of concepts that relate to the payments system as a whole.

Ms. Richardson joined FNCB Bank in September 2014 and has worked in several roles, including Electronic Banking Coordinator and Loan Operations Associate. She is a graduate of Old Forge H.S., Elizabethtown College where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree, and from the University of Scranton earning her Certificate of Accounting.

She currently resides in Olyphant, PA with her husband, Mark.