NBT Bancorp and Salisbury Bancorp Announce Agreement To Merge NBT Bancorp Inc. (NBT) (NASDAQ: NBTB) and Salisbury Bancorp, Inc. (Salisbury) (NASDAQ: SAL) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Salisbury will merge with and into NBT. The merger consideration is 100% stock and is valued at approximately $204 million and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023 subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by the shareholders of Salisbury and required regulatory approvals. The combination, approved unanimously by the boards of directors of both companies, will provide market extension for both institutions and join two high-quality franchises with long histories of service to their customers and communities. Salisbury is a premier community bank franchise headquartered in Lakeville, CT and had assets of $1.51 billion, deposits of $1.33 billion, and net loans of $1.18 billion as of September 30, 2022. Its primary subsidiary, Salisbury Bank and Trust Company, is a Connecticut-chartered commercial bank with 14 banking offices in northwestern Connecticut, the Hudson Valley region of New York and southwestern Massachusetts. Under the terms of the merger agreement, each outstanding share of Salisbury common stock will be converted into the right to receive 0.7450 shares of NBT common stock upon completion of the merger, which equates to a value of $35.00 per Salisbury share and based on NBT’s volume-weighted average closing stock price of $46.98 for the 10-day trading period ending on November 29, 2022. The transaction is intended to qualify as a reorganization for federal income tax purposes, and as a result, the receipt of NBT common stock by shareholders of Salisbury is expected to be tax-free. NBT expects the transaction to be approximately 9.8% accretive to first full-year proforma GAAP earnings per share after close and 4.9% per share accretive to cash earnings excluding the impact of purchase accounting adjustments, including fair value marks to securities and loans and the establishment of a core deposit intangible asset. “We are very excited to partner with Salisbury and to extend our footprint into their attractive and complementary markets,” said NBT President and CEO John H. Watt, Jr. “Importantly, the organizational values upheld by the Salisbury team align very well with those of NBT. We look forward to welcoming these dedicated financial professionals to NBT and growing our combined company together. We are also pleased that Rick Cantele, Salisbury’s President and CEO, will become a member of NBT’s Executive Management Team. Salisbury has an impressive history of service to their customers, communities and shareholders, and we are honored to have the opportunity to build on these relationships.” “We are proud to become part of a long-standing, high-performing franchise like NBT Bank,” said Salisbury President and CEO Richard J. Cantele, Jr. “We believe this combination will create significant value for Salisbury shareholders, both immediately and longer term. Furthermore, we are confident the operating philosophies shared by NBT and Salisbury will ensure that our customers continue to receive high-quality service from people they know and trust. NBT has been consistently recognized for superior customer satisfaction and offers comprehensive omni-channel solutions. Through the partnership between Salisbury and NBT, our customers will gain access to an expanded set of products, services and capabilities.” In recognition of both organizations’ strong community focus, NBT has committed to maintaining charitable support in the markets served by Salisbury at consistent levels following the merger. NBT has also pledged to contribute an additional $500,000 in incremental support to demonstrate the company’s ongoing commitment to these markets.
Keystone College To Host Holiday Concert The Keystone College Department of Performance Music will host its winter holiday concert, “It’s Not Just a Day,” on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Theatre in Brooks. The free concert, which is open to the public, will feature familiar vocal and instrumental music ranging from traditional holiday favorites to jazz arrangements of music of the season. In addition, audience members can enjoy complimentary holiday treats, visits from seasonal characters, and gifts for children. Those attending will also have the opportunity to make donations to three local charities: The Griffin Pond Animal Shelter, Toys for Tots, and The Catherine McCauley Women’s and Children’s Shelter. For more information, email music@keystone.edu,visit www.keystone.edu/music, or call (570) 945-8599.
Crystal Windows Earns Industry Sustainable Recognition National manufacturer Crystal Window & Door Systems recently earned another industry recognition for its sustainable production operations. Leading national fenestration publication US Glass Magazine named Crystal Windows a 2022 Green Award winner for Production Efficiencies in the November 2022 issue. Crystal was one of only five companies this year (and one of only two based in the USA) whose products or production processes were recognized for extraordinary efforts to provide a more healthy, sustainable living environment. Earlier this year, Crystal’s New York facility received an environmental award from national Door & Window Market (DWM) Magazine. “Crystal has long fostered a corporate culture to reduce, reuse, and recycle everywhere throughout all our factories,” said Andy Shashlo, COO. “Each of Crystal’s sustainable actions by itself may be small, but when added together, the impact on our operations is impressive. It is very rewarding to have our efforts recognized with this industry award from US Glass Magazine.” Crystal uses domestic suppliers for nearly all its product materials and components, it recycles all production scrap in various ways, and it optimizes logistics to coordinate between facilities, customers, project locations, and even supplier warehouses to reduce transportation. Besides seeking to ensure production processes are as environmentally friendly and efficient as possible, Crystal made a significant step this year with a one-MW solar electricity generation system installed at its New York headquarters and main production facility. The system will offset almost 35% of the company’s overall electricity needs at this location. Crystal also receives hydropower for another 25% of its electricity needs under a separate arrangement. Each year, US Glass Magazine selects Green Award winners based on strategies and commitment to environmental and operational performance, as well as high-performance architectural products. For 2022, along with Crystal Windows, US Glass Magazine recognized two international glass manufacturers, AGC Glass Europe (at its facility in Belgium) and Saint-Gobain (at its facilities in France, Spain, and Germany), for low-carbon glass production, and Dow for carbon-neutral silicone products. South America-based glass and window fabricator Tecnoglass was recognized for its green production processes.
Johnson College to Host Transfer Day Johnson College is holding a Transfer Day on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Moffat Student Center on its campus in Scranton, PA. The College is encouraging current college students that are interested in changing the direction of their education and ultimately their career path to visit its campus. Students will meet with Enrollment, Financial Aid, Career Services, and Counseling and Disability Services representatives. In addition, staff members from the Registrar’s Office will be on-hand for transfer credit analyses and review potential schedules for the upcoming semester. Students will learn why Johnson College is the leader in hands-on education, how it exposes students to industry from day one, and how its two-year degree programs, focusing on careers in in-demand industries, have the highest return on investment in the short term. To attend Transfer Day at Johnson College, students must register online at https://johnson.edu/transfer/ or contact the College’s enrollment team at enroll@johnson.edu or (570) 702-8856.
Geisinger Offering Free In-person and Virtual Culinary Medicine Classes Geisinger is excited to offer in-person and virtual culinary medicine classes at their new state-of-the-art teaching kitchen in Selinsgrove. Culinary medicine is a new program offered by Geisinger, consisting of hands-on classes that combine the art and skill of cooking with the science of nutrition. The curriculum is evidence-based and emphasizes the role of food in the treatment and prevention of disease based on the Mediterranean diet. Free of charge and open to everyone, the series of four classes are led by a culinary-trained registered dietitian. They’re typically held on consecutive weeks or months throughout the year. And you don’t need any cooking experience or knowledge to attend. The first class introduces you to the Mediterranean diet and cooking basics. The remaining three each focus on one of a typical day’s meals and healthy eating habits. You must be 18 or older to participate. Classes begin Tuesday, Dec. 6, and are being offered through May 2023. Participants joining virtually can be located anywhere in Pennsylvania. Register today or learn more at geisinger.org/cooking. Participants use the same entrance as Geisinger’s Multispecialty Clinic in Selinsgrove at 157 Roosevelt Ave. Classes are held in the Family Practice Center community room. Geisinger thanks the Degenstein Foundation for their generous gift that made this teaching kitchen possible for the health and education of the community, as well as the Family Practice Center for partnering with us to use their community room for the classes.
WVIA Radio Announces Joint Celebration of 50th Anniversary WVIA Radio and The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic announce a joint celebration of their respective 50th anniversaries. The Philharmonic and WVIA will mark the occasion by collectively commissioning and presenting the world-premiere of Palma, a fable for narrator, young string players, young chorus, and symphonic orchestra with music by Paul Salerni and text by Dana Gioia. The event will take place at the Scranton Cultural Center in November 2023. Just as the Philharmonic commemorates its continued mission to present live symphonic performances and music education through multiple concert series and educational outreach programs such as Music in our Schools, Young People’s Concerts, and the NEPP Mentoring Program, WVIA is pleased to present this piece as a salute to its beloved WVIA Radio and its hosts. Erika Funke, Lisa Mazzarella, George Graham, Larry Vojtko and Paul Lazar collectively immerse our region in classical, jazz, and opera programming throughout the broadcast week along with Morning Edition each weekday, All Things Considered, and Fresh Air in the afternoon, and many favorite weekend programs such as Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me and WVIA’s own WVIA News and Keystone Edition. Dr. Paul Salerni, NEH Distinguished Chair in the Humanities and Professor of Music at Lehigh University, director of the Lehigh University Very Modern Ensemble, and founder and Artistic Director of the Monocacy Chamber Orchestra will collaborate with Dana Gioia, a former Poet Laureate of California and Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. Salerni and Gioia are no strangers to collaboration. Salerni’s one-act opera Tony Caruso’s Final Broadcast, with a libretto by Dana Gioia, won the National Opera Association’s Chamber Opera competition. Haunted, a one-act ballet opera composed by Salerni, with a libretto by Dana Gioia, is adapted from Gioia’s poem of the same name. Salerni, a lover of Italian fables, has written compositions in the past based upon two of his favorites: The Big Sword and The Little Broom and The Old Witch and the New Moon. This newly commissioned selection completes the trilogy of fable-inspired works. The work will feature the main character, Palma, who wrestles with the conflicting interests of toiling for basic survival and her desire to make music with a cherished violin. Palma is named after Salerni’s ninety-four-year-old mother who was born in Carbondale. Featuring the NEPA Philharmonic conducted by Mélisse Brunet, this special performance will continue WVIA’s tradition of educating young people and the Philharmonic’s tradition of nurturing young players in their musical gifts. The performance will include the participation of talented local children from the Choral Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania and a school string ensemble from the Abington Heights School District. Enthusiasts of Salerni’s work note that while his compositions are challenging for the most talented of professional instrumentalists, they deftly engage audiences of all ages. As such, this debut performance narrated by WVIA’s own Erika Funke is destined to be a cherished highlight for our Pennsylvania communities.This performance will be the final concert Mélisse Brunet will direct as the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic’s Music Director. Following the program, there will be a reception to thank Mélisse for her outstanding leadership and extend our warmest wishes for a brilliant career.
SWB RailRiders Broadcaster Honored by Ballpark Digest Ballpark Digest has named Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders voice Adam Marco as the 2022 Minor League Baseball Broadcaster of the Year. The publication annually honors the best achievements from across the industry and Marco is the second Scranton/Wilkes-Barre broadcaster to win this prestigious award. “If I had Adam’s skill set, I would have a much easier time articulating just how deserving he is of the award,” said Katie Beekman, the RailRiders General Manager. “His unwavering dedication to his craft, his quick wit and his vast knowledge of the game make him the perfect candidate for this award. The RailRiders are so proud of his accomplishments and we hope to enjoy his talents for many years to come.” Marco has broadcast over 1,500 Minor League Baseball games in his career. He joined the RailRiders in 2018 as the fourth lead voice in team history. A 2001 graduate of Mercyhurst College, Marco worked in terrestrial radio for seven years before starting in baseball in 2007 with the Williamsport Crosscutters. After two seasons with the Oklahoma City RedHawks, he became the broadcaster of the West Virginia Power. Over eight seasons with the Power, he also served as a group sales and corporate sales representative before taking on the club’s Director of Marketing role in 2014. Marco was honored by the South Atlantic League as their Media Relations Director of the Year that same year. He replaced former SWB broadcaster and current Cincinnati Reds voice John Sadak in 2018. Sadak won this honor from Ballpark Digest in 2013 after the RailRiders inaugural season at the revamped PNC Field, which earned their praise that season as Ballpark of the Year. Since 2018, Marco has also served the team in various roles, ranging from marketing to sales to promotions while handling the RailRiders media relations and maintaining the club’s website. “Broadcaster of the Year is one of the most important industry awards we present—broadcasters are the public face of every baseball team, so we take our decision very seriously,” said Kevin Reichard, Ballpark Digest publisher. “Adam Marco is one of the best in the business. He calls a great game, but beyond that he’s an integral part of the RailRiders’ success in many ways not seen by fans. We’re honored to recognize his accomplishments.” The RailRiders open to the 2023 season at home on March 31. Season tickets are available at swbrailriders.com or call (570) 969-2255 for more information.
The Wright Center Celebrates First Graduate of NIMAA Medical Assistant Program A collaborative program between The Wright Center for Community Health and the National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement (NIMAA) has graduated the first student from the initiative that seeks to address the national shortage of clinical medical assistants. Melissa Lemus of Scranton, the first graduate of the program, has been hired as a certified medical assistant by The Wright Center for Community Health to work at the nonprofit’s Scranton Practice, 501 S. Washington Ave. A medical assistant is responsible for assisting doctors and nurses in providing care to patients in hospitals, doctor’s offices and other health care facilities. Duties include recording and updating medical histories and contact information in patient files, scheduling patient appointments and performing standard care procedures, such as taking blood samples, health coaching, measuring and recording vital signs, and more. The NIMAA program educates and trains students over 29 weeks to become certified clinical medical assistants. The program, which requires a commitment of 32-36 hours per week, combines flexible online learning with a paid internship at one of The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary care practices in Lackawanna, Luzerne or Wayne counties. Participants may be eligible for federal assistance and other cost-defrayment options. Students who are accepted into the program receive personalized training with experienced medical professionals at The Wright Center for Community Health during the clinical portion of their education. After completing the educational component, students are eligible to take the National Healthcareer Association Medical Assistant examination to receive their certified clinical medical assistant credential. The employment outlook for medical assistants is projected to grow 18% from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 104,400 openings are projected annually on average, over the decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For more information about the training program, contact Carla Blakeslee, The Wright Center’s clerkships coordinator, at blakesleec@thewrightcenter.org. Or visit nimaa.edu.
Northeast PA AHEC 1st Annual Health Career & College Exploration Event Northeast PA Area Health Education Center (NEPA AHEC) in partnership with Northern Tier Industry & Education Consortium (NTIEC) held the 1st Annual Healthcare Career & College Exploration Event on Friday, October 14th from 10am-4pm at the Viewmont Mall, Dickson City. This event had over 35 vendors including colleges, universities, and healthcare organizations who were there to educate students on the health career programs they had to offer, scholarships, healthcare employment opportunities as well as employment incentives. Six school districts bussed students to this event and over 200 high school students attended. This is what some of the participants had to say: “At this event, students were able to walk around and visit each table. The tables were made up of both College representatives and employers. This was a great way to branch out and learn more about this field. We had a great time, while still learning and better our understanding of these opportunities.” “This event allowed me to explore colleges, and even job opportunities all in one place!” “I learned a lot about all the different colleges around me and it helped me narrow down my choices.” “The exploration event really helped me figure what colleges I want to go to and helped me betterdetermine what career pathway I want to experience.” “I really enjoyed this time and opportunity I was given, and I feel like it really helped me explore myoptions going into healthcare.” This event was made possible through grant funding, courtesy of the Scranton Area Foundation,Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation, and Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance. NE PA AHEC and NTIEC partner together to broaden our reach to help students explore careers and create their individual professional journey. Plans have begun for next year’s event to be held Thursday, October 12,2023.
PennDOT Honors Employees for Innovative Ideas The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) recently recognized PennDOT employees with Innovation Awards for their efforts to improve work practices and create efficiencies. One team member from PennDOT’s Engineering District 4, which represents Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties was among the honorees. “PennDOT has a strong legacy of creativity to help us meet our daily mission and goals,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “I’m proud to recognize these employees for their creativity and dedication to the department.” Employees were recognized for ideas and smart practices submitted through IdeaLink and WorkSmart, online suggestion systems that allow employees to share their ideas and efficient work practices. Over the last decade, PennDOT staff have submitted more than 3,300 ideas through IdeaLink, several hundred of which have been implemented. Since 2016, more than 230 smart practices have been published in PennDOT’s WorkSmart system. Gramian and other department executives honored winner Summer T. Koziel, Senior Civil Engineer Supervisor, during a ceremony in Harrisburg on Nov. 30. Koziel was recognized for creating the Liaison Project Manager Manual via One Note. “We are proud to have Summer as a part of our team in Engineering District 4-0.” said PennDOT Engineering District 4-0 District Executive, Richard N. Roman, P.E. “Her innovative spirit and personal initiative to take on additional responsibilities make her a great asset to PennDOT.”
