On Saturday, March 20, 2021, Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College, congratulated students from The Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County for receiving certification for completing Johnson College Continuing Education’s Forklift Operator Training Course. 

The forklift operator training is designed to familiarize students with OSHA Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training Requirements (29CFR Standard 1910.178 and ASME B56.1), provide current training requirements under the newly adopted standards, and assist participants in becoming an authorized operator of forklifts through theory and tactile testing. Instructional topic include pre-operational inspection, picking up, traveling, and placing loads, parking procedures, refueling, and practical operation.

For additional information on Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program, please call 570-702-8979, email continuinged@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu/continuingeducation.

Michael Karcutskie was recently named president of Quandel Construction Group Inc., a Quandel Enterprises Company, a Central Pennsylvania construction management and general contracting firm.

Based in the firm’s corporate headquarters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Karcutskie is responsible for overseeing the firm’s operations and developing its corporate strategy. Previously, he served as vice president of pre‐construction and estimating.

Michael began his career with Quandel Construction Group in 1999 and over the past 22 years has
demonstrated a deep understanding of the construction industry, starting out in the field, working on the operations side as a project manager, and contributing to the business development and estimating side of the business.

“In his years with our firm, Michael continues to provide invaluable technical knowledge in construction, estimating, and scheduling; exhibit clear and effective communication, and demonstrate outstanding leadership,” said Gregory Quandel, president and chief executive officer of Quandel Enterprises, Inc. “As president of Quandel Construction Group, Michael will bring this same dedication and drive to our entire firm’s operations, ensuring that we continue to be attentive and responsive to our clients while reinforcing Quandel’s position as a leader in construction innovative solutions.”

Michael is a graduate of Temple University, earning his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil/Construction Engineering Technology. He has been involved in multiple affiliations including the Construction Association of America, American Society for Healthcare Engineering, and Leadership Lackawanna Board of Directors. He was a recipient of The Times Leader “Forty Under Forty” and is an alumni of Leadership Lackawanna. Michael resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania with his wife, Andrea, and their two daughters, Annie and Carmella.

At Quandel, our strength is our people and their unique abilities to care for clients, while taking ownership of projects. They work smart, honor commitment, and do the right thing. With expertise in civic/government, commercial/corporate, healthcare, higher education, industrial/manufacturing, K‐12, retail, and senior living, our clients experience the quality driven approach of our employees on each project. Since its founding in 1882, Quandel has maintained the same sense of integrity, honesty, respect, and strong work ethic.

Johnson College will hold an in-person Open House on its campus in Scranton on Saturday, March 27, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To register for the Open House visit Johnson.edu/openhouse or contact Johnson College’s Enrollment Department at 570-702-8856 or enroll@johnson.edu.

During the in-person Open House, same-day acceptance will be available, if students bring their high school or college transcripts. The event will include discussions about the admissions process, financial aid for those who qualify, and student services such as student life, student support, and career services. Tours of each technical area will be conducted and department chairs will be available to review the specifics of their programs. Social distancing and sanitization guidelines will be followed and face coverings must be worn at all times while on campus.

FNCB Bank, locally based since 1910, is pleased to announce our support of the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania with a $1,000 donation to help them meet the needs of our local community.

United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania is one of the largest, and longest operating, nonprofit organizations in the region.  The agency’s purpose is to meet the needs of local low-income families, seniors, youth, and new immigrants while also empowering them to attain self-sufficiency.

The donation represents part of FNCB’s larger Community Caring initiative. Through outreach programs, donations and an employee volunteer network, FNCB is committed to helping the communities they serve.

In remembrance of Glynn Lunney, WVIA will air a special rebroadcast of the State of Pennsylvania – Glynn Lunney: From Northeastern PA to the Moon on Friday, March 26^th at 7pm on WVIA TV.

Lunney, who was born in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, was a former NASA Flight Director and Administrator, who played a key role during some of NASA’s most historic events, including the Apollo 11 moon landing, and was also credited for his quick decision-making during the Apollo 13 mission, which helped save the lives of the three astronauts aboard the disabled spacecraft. 

In 2019, Glynn Lunney was the focus of VIA Short Takes: A View from Apollo 11 Mission Control. In the video Glynn shares his experiences working the Apollo missions, the principles he was raised on, and his core values that guided him through the space race and beyond. Watch on-demand at https://on-demand.wvia.org/video/a-view-from-apollo-11-mission-control-wq81td/

To watch State of Pennsylvania – Glynn Lunney: From Northeastern PA to the Moon on-demand please visit https://on-demand.wvia.org/video/glenn-lunney-preview-zcqnkj/

David Raven, President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Scott P. Prebich has joined HNB as VP, Commercial Loan Officer.

In making the announcement, Raven stated, “We are extremely pleased to add Scott as an essential part of our HNB family. Along with his Commercial Lending experience, I am certain he will provide the personal devotion and professional service our bank is recognized for. He understands the important role our bank plays in the communities we serve and is committed to building and supporting those relationships.”

As VP, Commercial Loan Officer, Prebich will be in charge of lending operations while working closely with the customers of our bank. In addition to offering a variety of lending services he is charged with not only promoting the growing presence of the bank in Lackawanna County, but the evolution of the company entirely.

Scott began his career in banking as a Commercial Lender with NBT Bank from 1999-2008. He then went on to continue his career as a Commercial Lender with First National Bank from 2009-2021.

In commenting on his new position at HNB, Prebich noted, “I am looking forward to this new challenge and I am very excited about joining the team.”

Prebich is a graduate of Lakeland High School and received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Scranton.

Outside of the bank, Scott is the Vice President and on the Board of Directors for a local not-for-profit called Marley’s Mission.

The Honesdale National Bank, established in 1836, holds the distinction of being the area’s oldest independent community bank headquartered in Northeastern PA, with offices in Wayne, Pike, Susquehanna, Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties.  The Honesdale National Bank offers personal banking, business banking and wealth solutions.  For more information on HNB’s products and services, visit www.hnbbank.bank.

Kayla Guilford, Associate Director of Institutional Research at Lackawanna College, has been named the director of the new satellite center located in Tunkhannock, Pa. The Tunkhannock Center is slated to open in Fall 2021 and will offer traditional bachelor’s and associate degrees and certificate programs and will be the future home of the School of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

“Kayla will bring with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise in institutional research that I believe will greatly benefit the growth of our new Tunkhannock Center,” said Dr. Jill Murray, Lackawanna College President. “I’m excited to see her in this role and look forward to her continuing the mission and vision of Lackawanna College in the Endless Mountains region.”

Guilford has over a decade of experience in institutional research, compliance, and accounting. Specifically, most of her professional experience has been in institutions of higher education. She began her career at Lackawanna College in compliance and has most recently served in an institutional research capacity.

Guilford was a 2018 Leadership Lackawanna Core Program graduate and currently serves on the Board of Directors as secretary. She also serves as a committee member of the Research, Assessment, and Accountability Committee at The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) and has recently been selected as a peer evaluator at Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

To learn more about the Lackawanna College Tunkhannock Center, visit Lackawanna.edu.

As of April 1, 2021, six pediatric providers from the Commonwealth Health Physician Network will join the Geisinger family. The practice is changing its name to Geisinger Pediatrics Scranton and moving to a new location at 5 Morgan Highway, Suite 8.

The providers joining Geisinger following this change will include Kathleen Walsh, MD, Martha Sauter, MD, Jill McCoy, MD, Sarah Sitoski, DO, Rachel Giannotti, MD, and Linda Sacco, CRNP.

“We are happy to welcome these outstanding providers into Geisinger’s Department of Pediatrics. These providers, with 100 combined years of experience, and their staff have long been an invaluable resource to the community, and it would have been a great loss to see them move away from serving pediatric patients in Scranton. We are happy to step in and help to ensure these children – and the community at large – receive high-quality, family-friendly pediatric care in their neighborhood. We’re always aiming to keep world-class care close to home for our neighbors, patients and members in Scranton,” said Frank Maffei, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Geisinger.

To transfer medical records to Geisinger, patients can call 570-207-4360 or fax 570-383-1940. Geisinger Pediatrics Scranton accepts most major insurance plans.

For more information, please visit www.geisinger.org/pediatrics

The New York Yankees have announced that Doug Davis will manage the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in 2021. The Bloomsburg native will be joined by Pitching Coach Dustin Glant, Hitting Coach Casey Dykes and Defensive Coach Raul Dominguez.

After three years of coaching in a variety of roles for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Davis was slated to manage the RailRiders in 2020 before the season was canceled due to the global pandemic.

Darren London returns as the team’s Athletic Trainer, while Larry Adegoke heads to Moosic as the new Strength & Conditioning Coach. Paul Henshaw will serve as the video manager and Shea Wingate will be the Advance Scouting Analyst. Mike Macciocco will once again be the RailRiders Clubhouse Manager.

Davis, 58, graduated from Central Columbia High School and played collegiately at NC State University. He was a ninth-round pick by the California Angels in the 1984 First-Year Player Draft and played professionally for 12 years, appearing in 797 games.

Davis made his Major League debut in 1988 for the Angels and finished his playing career in 1995. He moved into the coaching ranks the following season and won a New York-Penn League title with Pittsfield in 1997. In 1998, he led Columbia to the South Atlantic League crown. Davis was a bench coach on Jack McKeon’s Florida Marlins staff in 2003, helping lead that club to a World Series win over the Yankees. The Toronto Blue Jays tabbed Davis to lead the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2006 and then elevated him to lead the Syracuse Chiefs in 2007 and 2008.

Over eight seasons as a manager, Davis has skippered 999 games with a .516 winning percentage (515-484). In addition to his time as a manager or coach, he has also held the positions of Minor League Field Coordinator for the Montreal Expos, the Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays.

Glant, 39, enters his second year within the Yankees system, having been tabbed as the Pitching Coach for Staten Island last year prior to the season’s cancelation. He was the pitching coach for Ball State University (2017-19), where his Cardinals staff led NCAA Division I with an 11.1 K/9.0IP ratio in 2019 and set a school strikeout record for the third straight season with 628. Glant was originally selected by Arizona in the seventh round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft and pitched in 264 games over six seasons in the Diamondbacks organization, reaching Triple-A in his final two campaigns. He finished his career with stints in the Mexican League (2009-10), Northern League (2009-10) and American Association (2011).

Dykes, 31, joined the Yankees organization last year after spending 2019 with Indiana University as their hitting coach. The Hoosiers won the 2019 Big Ten regular season championship and led all of Division I in home runs during the regular slate. Prior to his time with Indiana, Dykes was the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at Virginia Military Institute (2015-18) and spent two seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, Western Kentucky University (2013-14).

Dominguez, 40, was with the Trenton Thunder in 2018 and 2019 and enters his 14^th season within the organization. He initially signed with the Yankees as a non-drafted Minor League free agent in 2001 and played four seasons before moving to the player development side. Dominguez also spent eight years managing teams in the Gulf Coast and Dominican Summer Leagues.

London returns for his 28^th consecutive season as the athletic trainer of the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate. He was the International League’s Trainer of the Year in both 2006 and 2012. London’s baseball career began in 1989 with the Class-A Prince William Cannons in the Carolina League. He graduated from the University of Maine-Orono, earning a B.S. in physical education with a coaching minor.

Adegoke joined the Yankees organization on a full-time basis in 2018, spending two years in Pulaski and was tabbed for Charleston last year. He served as the Yankees performance science assistant in the spring of 2017. Adegoke graduated with a B.S. in exercise science from Kennesaw State University (Ga.), where he also spent time as a strength and conditioning intern for the football team. He earned his M.S. in exercise and nutrition science from the University of Tampa.

Please direct all interview requests to Adam Marco, the Director of Communications for the RailRiders.  He can be reached at 570-558-4637 or via email at amarco@swbrailriders.com.  The 2021 season begins on May 4 at Syracuse with the RailRiders home opener now scheduled for one week later against Lehigh Valley at PNC Field.