Robert Ferraro and Eric Jensen Promoted to Area Managers at HNB David Raven, President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Robert Ferraro and Eric Jensen have been promoted to Area Managers. In making the statement, Raven noted, “Both of these individuals have shown their strengths as Branch Managers, and demonstrate the capability to contribute to our organization at a higher level.” He said, “HNB is always looking to reach new heights, and I am certain having Bob & Eric as Area Managers will allow us to focus on better serving our community through improvements to our customer-focused traditions and improved operational processes.” In his current role, Ferraro is AVP, Branch Manager II / Loan Officer at the Hamlin Office and assists customers and employees with day to day operations as well as supporting lending opportunities. Originally from Clarks Summit, Ferraro received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business Management and Finance from the University of Scranton. He has been in the financial industry for 21 years and will continue as Area Manager of the eastern region offices at HNB. In mentioning his career with HNB, he said “I am grateful to HNB for the opportunities that I have been given to excel in my career over the past thirteen years. This organization cares about the employees and the customers they serve. I am proud to be a part of that.” Outside of the bank, Bob is married to HNB Commercial Lender, Catherine Ferraro for over 21 years with two children and two dogs. When he is not at work, he is spending time with his family. In his current role, Jensen is Branch Manager at the Clarks Summit Office serving customers and employees with daily operations. Originally from Long Island, NY, he received a Certificate of Commercial Credit Analysis from NYU and has been in the financial industry for 22 years. Of that, 14 years have been in banking with prior positions including Branch Manager, Business Banker, and Vice President of Sales. He will continue as Area Manager of the western region offices at HNB In mentioning his new role, he stated, “Too many banks have turned to charts and formulas to make decisions, I am excited to work for a bank that is truly out in the community making a difference in people’s lives.” He continued, “The Area Manager role is an excellent way for HNB to deliver our core values, products and services to the offices in the communities we live and work in every day.” Outside of the bank, Eric is a Board Member of Leadership Lackawanna, and a Community Impact Volunteer for United Way Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.
Scranton Cultural Center to Host Second Free Outdoor Summer Concert The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple will host its second free outdoor summer concert with Erin Malloy & Friends on July 9. Erin Malloy will be joined by Jim Waltich (piano), Tommy Hamilton (saxophone), Doug Smith (bass), Mark Montella (drums) and Denise LaBamba (percussion). The show will take place outside the Scranton Cultural Center at 420 N. Washington Avenue. “We had a great turnout for our first show with Young Lion, and we are looking forward to featuring Erin Malloy,” said Deborah Moran Peterson, SCC Executive Director. “We have enjoyed being able to connect with our audiences virtually through the past year, but we are so grateful to be able to welcome back our community with this free concert series.” All current CDC Guidelines will be followed at each performance with any updates being shared via social media. All performances will run from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM; a cash bar with light fare will open at 6:00 PM prior to each show. Additional performers in the series include The Mule Team (August 13) and Blind Choice (September 10). To learn more about the Scranton Cultural Center and its upcoming events, visit SCCMT.org. The free outdoor summer concert series is sponsored by LT Verrastro, Truly Hard Seltzer, UGI Utilities Inc. and Fidelity Bank. It is supported by Lackawanna County and the PA Council on the Arts.
Gittens Honored by Triple-A East for Week of June 21-27 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders first baseman Chris Gittens has been selected as Triple-A East’s Player-of-the-Week for June 21-27. He lead all qualified players with a .526 average and 11 runs batted in during the week, but it was his performance on June 27 that truly secured the award. After being optioned by the Yankees on June 20, Gittens rejoined the lineup on June 24 with a four hit game, helping the RailRiders top the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 10-2. He followed that with a 1-for-3 night on June 25 and went 1-3 with a home run and two runs batted in on June 26 in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 10-4 in over Lehigh Valley. On Sunday, Gittens went 4-for-6 with two home runs and eight runs batted in. In the top of the third, Gittens followed Hoy Park’s solo home run with one of his own. The RailRiders sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning and had Gittens up for a second time in the third, but this time with the bases loaded. Gittens hit a 1-1 offering over the high wall in right for a grand slam. He added a two-run double in the sixth and a RBI single in the eighth to cap his day in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 19-1 victory. His RBI total was one short of matching the franchise’s record for runs batted in during a game. For the week, Gittens was 10-for-19 with three walks, two doubles, three home runs and 11 runs batted in. The numbers raise his season totals to a .347 batting average with seven home runs, 22 runs batted in and a .510 on-base percentage. Gittens joins Deivi Garcia as a RailRiders weekly award honoree. Garcia was the Pitcher-of-the-Week for May 10-16. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre begins a road series in Worcester on June 29 and returns to PNC Field for a seven-game, six-day set against the Syracuse Mets on July 6. Single-game tickets for the upcoming homestand, as well as each home game for the remainder of the season, are available now online at swbrailriders.com.
Reminder from PennDOT: Protecting Children from Vehicle Heatstroke Heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash-related fatalities among children. Each year, dozens of tragic, yet preventable, deaths occur when our nation’s youth are left alone in a hot car. Often, these deaths occur when a parent forgets their children in the car or misjudges how long it takes their vehicle to reach a dangerous internal temperature. In reality, it only takes 10 minutes for a car’s temperature to rise by 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that by the time a parent returns to their car, it may already be too late. Every adult should know that children are up to five times more vulnerable to heatstroke than adults. For children, whose bodies heat up more quickly than adults’, an internal temperature of 107 degrees is fatal. May 15 marked one year since the governor signed into law a bill to grant civil immunity to anyone who acts in good faith to protect children left in a hot car. If you witness a child left alone in a hot car, don’t hesitate—remember that time is of the essence. Be prepared to act! In the event that the child is unresponsive or in distress, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advises you to contact emergency services immediately. Use your better judgment to assess the situation and do whatever is necessary to help the child out of the car. Remember that you cannot be subjected to a civil lawsuit if you have called 911 and determined that immediate action was necessary to protect the child’s life. If the child is responsive, stay with them until help arrives. Where possible, have another person search for the vehicle owner. Although most vehicle heatstrokes occur during the summer months, it’s important to remember that it is possible for a child to die of heatstroke whenever the outside temperature rises above 57 degrees. Parents should also be sure to always lock their cars at home, as children may enter a parked vehicle by themselves and may not be able to find their way out. All vehicle heatstroke deaths among children are preventable. Before heading out for your next trip to the grocery store or post office, please take a moment to consider what you can do—either as a parent or simply as a bystander—to help keep our children safe.
New leadership at Tobyhanna Army Depot There are two new leaders at Tobyhanna Army Depot. Col. John W. McDonald relinquished command of Tobyhanna Army Depot to Col. Daniel Horn during a change of command ceremony on June 28. Sgt. Maj. Shantae Gordon also relinquished responsibility as the depot’s senior enlisted officer, welcoming Sgt. Maj. Michael J. Wiles to the Tobyhanna family. The ceremony, which culminated with a passing of Tobyhanna’s flag, was presided over by Maj. Gen. Mitchell Kilgo, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Depot employees, representatives of state and local government, and family members witnessed the event. Col. McDonald’s next assignment is with the Joint Staff Operations Directorate at the Pentagon. In his parting remarks, he promised to never forget his time at Tobyhanna Army Depot. “My assignment here at Tobyhanna has been, without a doubt, the best and most broadening I have experienced in my career. I will take and share the Tobyhanna legacy with anyone who will listen.” Horn is the depot’s 34th commander, joining Team Tobyhanna fresh off an assignment as the military deputy of the Defense Logistics Agency, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command forward. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Horn also has Master of Science degrees in Supply Chain Management from Kansas University, and Strategic Studies from Army War College. As commander, Horn will lead 3,700 employees responsible for supporting global readiness for Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems across the Department of Defense. Wiles is the depot’s 21st sergeant major. His most recent assignment was as the chief mechanical operations sergeant major for the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He has served in staff and leadership positions at stateside and overseas military installations including the Republic of South Korea; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Lee, Virginia. As sergeant major, Wiles serves as the voice of the warfighters who use equipment repaired by the depot. He advises the commander on all matters relating to Soldiers, the civilian workforce and their family members. In his first address as depot commander, Col. Horn expressed his excitement at joining Team Tobyhanna. “When I learned that commanding Tobyhanna Army Depot was my next assignment, I was elated that I’d be leading such a skilled and dedicated workforce. You have a reputation for strategic planning and innovation,” adding that he holds the mission of Tobyhanna close to his heart. “As Army Civilians, you have what many other people do not: a sacred purpose behind your work. What you do matters. You matter. Like any job, there will be good days and frustrating days. But when you get home at night, I hope you’ll remember that your work helps our warfighters keep America safe. And I hope you’ll be as proud of that as I am.”
Marywood University Alumnus to Reveal Martin Luther King, Jr. Mural Marywood University alumnus, Emmanuel Wisdom Adjei, bachelor of fine arts in graphic design graduate, and Eric Bussart, bachelor of fine arts in illustration graduate, will reveal their mural, “The Dream,” of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the City of Scranton’s First Friday event on July 2, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. The mural is located at the intersection of Adams Avenue and Mulberry Street, Scranton, Pa. Scranton Tomorrow sponsored the grant that funded the mural project and is also organizing the unveiling. The mural, which will occupy the entire side of a building, as well as the imagery and messaging, is aesthetically outstanding and powerful. Inspired by Martin Luther King (MLK), Jr., “The Dream” pays tribute to the American civil rights leader who changed the world. Artist Eric Bussart incorporated morning glory flowers into the design because they are resilient, just as his hero, MLK, was. With lettering by artist Emmanuel Wisdom Adjei, the mural encompasses a wide array of interests, including diversity, positive messaging, inclusion, urban gentrification, and art. The messaging and art work conveys a timeless message for the greater community, enhances the aesthetic appeal of the city, and showcases how graduates of Marywood University’s art programs are applying their talent and creativity to elevate humanity, a universal, as well as a Marywood, core value. For additional information about Marywood University’s art department, please visit marywood.edu/art, or call the Office of Admissions, at (570) 348-6234. For additional information about Scranton Tomorrow’s mural projects, please visit scrantontomorrow.org/thedream.
Researchers Discover Protein Complex That Promotes Cancer Growth A discovery by a team of researchers, led by a Geisinger professor, could yield a potential new treatment for breast cancer. In a study published this month in Cell Reports, the team used small molecules known as peptides to disrupt a complex of two proteins, RBM39 and MLL1, that is found in breast cancer cells but not in normal cells. The research team discovered that the abnormal interaction between RBM39 and MLL1 is required for breast cancer cells to multiply and survive. The team developed non-toxic peptides that prevent these proteins from interacting in breast cancer cells, disrupting their growth and survival.“Because these proteins do not interact in normal cells, the peptides we developed are not harmful to them,” said Anne M. Moon, M.D., Ph.D., professor at Geisinger’s Department of Molecular and Functional Genomics and senior author of the study. “This offers promise for future non-toxic cancer treatment.” Further laboratory tests are needed before the treatment could be trialed in humans, Moon said. Geisinger’s cancer research also includes the MyCode Community Health Initiative, which returns clinically relevant results to participants at increased genetic risk for cancer, including breast, ovarian and colon cancers. The National Cancer Institute recently awarded Geisinger a 5-year, $3.6 million contract to study the role of genetic variation in cancer through the MyCode initiative. Geisinger has an exciting research environment with more than 50 full-time research faculty and more than 30 clinician scientists. Areas of expertise include precision health, genomics, informatics, data science, implementation science, outcomes research, health services research, bioethics and clinical trials.
Woodloch Pines Resort Honors its Employees After an extremely challenging year and three-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Woodloch Pines, an all-inclusive family resort in the Pocono Mountains, was more eager than ever to recognize the hard work and dedication of its longtime employees. Although the annual in-person staff meeting and celebration could not take place, the Kiesendahl Family, who have owned and operated the business for over 60 years, took the time to honor and reward their loyal team members with gift certificates and golden nametags in recognition of their service. Woodloch has a very special history, which is a large part of what creates such an exceptional staffing base. When Woodloch founders Harry and Mary Kiesendahl first purchased the property back in 1958, the couple was looking for an escape from the hectic hustle bustle of life in New York and a way to reconnect as a family. As the resort grew over the years, both guests and staff alike grew to become family members as the Kiesendahl’s welcomed them with open arms. Of the 1,091 part and full-time workers, 199 have served the company for at least a decade. Considering that the hospitality industry is well-known for its high turnover rate, this is certainly a notable accomplishment. 99 of these staff members have worked for the family resort for at least 20 years and another 40 for 30-plus years. One such employee, John Taninies, is celebrating his 40th year working at Woodloch. After graduating high school, Taninies began his career during the summer of 1981 working the waterski dock on the family resort’s lake. He also washed dishes in the evening and was asked if he would like to work in the kitchen full-time. He enjoyed the experience enough to pursue his culinary degree at Sullivan County Community College in New York from 1983 to 1985 while maintaining his job at Woodloch. During the summer of 1984, Taninies worked with a classmate who owned a catering company that was serving athletes and staff at the U.S. Open and the Los Angeles Olympics, after which he returned to Woodloch. He went on to help open the brand-new kitchen and bakery at The Inn at Woodloch, built to accommodate the growing number of guests at the Poconos resort. After 21 years of managing The Inn and spreading his talents across Woodloch’s various kitchens, Taninies found his way back to where he originally began his culinary career — the kitchen of the resort’s Main Dining Room — which he has been managing since 2006. “John has been a dedicated part of Woodloch’s team for the past forty years. He continues to share his expertise and leadership to this day. His strong guidance and work ethic have earned him the respect of his peers throughout Woodloch, and we have been fortunate to have John as part of our extended family,” remarked Bob Kiesendahl, co-owner and Food and Beverage Director of Woodloch Resort.“Our staff members are second to none. We are where we are because of them, and we couldn’t be more grateful, especially given the past year’s challenges,” continued Bradley Kiesendahl, Woodloch’s President and C.E.O. “Thanks to their efforts, Woodloch has maintained its longstanding reputation of providing first-class hospitality through our most difficult days. We are deeply appreciative of the hard work, genuine care, and unending compassion our team members display each and every day.” The Poconos resort is excited to announce that it is currently hiring new employees. For more information, please visit: https://www.woodloch.com/view/careers/.
HNB Supports Leadership Lackawanna with EITC Donation The Honesdale National Bank was once again authorized to make approved contributions under the Commonwealth’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program. HNB designated $2,000 of their approved allotment to Leadership Lackawanna. The funds, donated by HNB, will support curriculum enhancement for the betterment of local young professionals. HNB President & CEO David Raven stated, “Leadership Lackawanna provides development for the skillsets of our area’s business owners and professionals, underwriting the growth and expansion of our local commerce and region’s economy.” He continued, “We are glad that we can provide funding for this program to continue the benefit to our community.” Nikki Morristell, Executive Director, Leadership Lackawanna, said “We are most appreciative to HNB for their continued support. These funds directly impact the 41 aspiring high school juniors in our Tomorrow’s Leaders Today program, hence allowing their leadership skills and abilities to grow and shine. Indirectly this generous gift provides an unparalleled combination of people, resources and opportunities to the community, impacting NEPA for years to come!” Leadership Lackawanna is a 501(c)(3) charitable, nonprofit organization in northeastern Pennsylvania dedicated to community leadership and professional development. Its five programs – Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, Leadership U, Core, Executive, and Welcome Scranton! – enhance the skills, connections, and knowledge of emerging and established leaders, enabling them to better serve in our communities, workplaces, and organizations. Since inception, Leadership Lackawanna has graduated more than 2,300 community leaders.
Andrew Mazza Diesel Jam 2021 to be Held at the Circle Drive-In The Andrew Mazza Diesel Jam 2021 will take place on Saturday, July 10, 2021, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Circle Drive-in located on the Scranton-Carbondale Highway in Scranton, PA. Diesel Jam supports The Andrew Mazza Foundation, the Diesel Truck Technology Program at Johnson College, & scholarships for Johnson College & high school students. Diesel Jam is a celebration of the truck community, featuring a diesel, gas, & antique truck show, mobile dyno runs, industry vendors, apparel vendors, food vendors, live entertainment & more. It is an all-day (rain or shine) family-friendly event. All trucks are invited to participate & prizes will be awarded for Best in Show, Best Big Rig, Best Tow, Best Pick Up, and Best Antique & Diesel Jam People’s Choice. Additionally, cash prizes for the mobile dyno are $1,000 for Highest Overall Horsepower and Guess Your Horsepower prizes for 1st Place – $800, 2nd Place – $500, 3rd Place – $200, 4th and 5th Place – $100 each. Early registration is no longer available. Day of event registration & truck check-in will begin at 8 a.m. on July 10th, registration will be limited & the fee is $35 per registration. An additional $100 fee is required to register for the mobile dyno. The Andrew Mazza Foundation started in 2016, supports & enriches the community through Andrew’s passions & hobbies. Proceeds raised from Diesel Jam will enhance & expand the Diesel Truck Technology Program at Johnson, provide both high school & Johnson College students with scholarships, & serve the community in which Andrew called home. Proceeds also aid The Andrew Mazza Foundation in hosting their annual Truck-or-Treat community Halloween event in Clifford for children & families in various local school districts. The Diesel Truck Technology program at Johnson College prepares students as entry-level technicians with the latest information on diagnosis, repair procedures, preventative maintenance, & necessary safety applications in diesel technology. The program graduates more than 20 students each year who have an immediate impact on the diesel truck industry, especially in northeast Pennsylvania. To learn more about Johnson College’s Diesel Truck Technology program visit Johnson.edu, call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, or email enroll@johnson.edu. For more information, including how to become an event sponsor or vendor, please contact Dawn Ziegler at (570) 313-0369, Andrewmazzafoundation@gmail.com, or visit andrewmazzafoundation.com/diesel-jam.
