FNCB Bank Pledges $10,000 to United Way of Lackawanna, Wayne, & Pike Counties FNCB Bank, locally based since 1910, has announced a $10,000 donation to United Way of Lackawanna, Wayne & Pike Counties. The United Way advances the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all. FNCB Bank’s donation will touch the lives of many individuals and families in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The support of United Way is part of FNCB’s larger Community Caring initiative. As a true, local community bank, FNCB Bank is making a difference through volunteerism, donations and outreach programs.
Johnson College Student Veteran Association Donates to Veteran’s Promise The Johnson College Student Veteran Association donated $500 to Veteran’s Promise on January 3, 2024, following an apparel fundraiser. The purpose of the fundraiser was to raise awareness among the College community for local organizations that support veterans throughout the region, including student veterans. Dr. Katie Leonard, Johnson College President & CEO, and Dr. Natalia Melgarejo, Johnson College Student Success Coordinator and Military and Veteran Services Liaison, visited Veteran’s Promise in Dickson City to tour the facility and present the donation. The 501©(3) organization advocates, educates, and raises awareness for all Veterans through outreach for PTSD, suicide prevention, drug and alcohol education, and supporting families of veterans throughout the region. During their visit, Dave Ragan, founder and president of Veteran’s Promise, shed some light on the impact of PTSD on veterans and families. The facility houses a wall of photos called the “Wall of Heroes,” which honors veterans who had made it home from the battlefield but took their lives on the home front. Dr. Melgarejo says that the College’s Student Veteran Association chose to donate to Veteran’s Promise to support the work they doing to help veterans in the region, including members of the Johnson College community.
Keystone College to Offer ServSafe Class Keystone College will offer a ServSafe manager certification class on Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 120 College Avenue, Factoryville. The training will cover topics involving food-borne illnesses and health risks that commercial food service establishments must learn in order to provide safe food for customers. ServSafe, a nationally recognized certification program for safe food handling practices, meets Pennsylvania regulations and is accredited by the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. For more information or to register, contact brenda.lidy@keystone.edu or call (570) 657-0248.
TechCelerator Participants Showcase Businesses at Closing Presentations After completing their ten-week cohort in the TechCelerator at Lackawanna County program, participants from seven technology start-ups recently shared valuable insights into their business plans. The pitches were presented to an audience of local funders, coordinators, dignitaries, and supporters at Penn State Scranton’s state-of-the-art Engineering Building on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. In recognition of their efforts, each participating business was awarded up to $10,000 from Lackawanna County to fuel their future business growth. The seven showcased start-ups: I Need A Speaker, The Brain Trust, Washboard, NEPA Lifestyle, RentChexx, STAIPUT, and KX Arms unveiled upcoming products and services spanning a speaker connection hub, local destination discovery platform, property management solutions, and on-demand laundry services. Bob Durkin, president of The Greater Scranton Chamber, expressed his satisfaction, sharing, “Collaborating with other sponsors for the TechCelerator program has expanded our initiatives to support and nurture local entrepreneurs through our Ignite program, seamlessly transitioning these emerging firms into our robust business development incubator sites.” Ken Okrepkie, regional manager of Ben Franklin Technology Partners, added, “The Lackawanna County TechCelerator program, designed to assist early adapting entrepreneurs in shaping their ideas into viable businesses, has undeniably been a success.” The TechCelerator Program is a partnership between Lackawanna County, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, IGNITE, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and tecBRIDGE.
Woodloch Resort Announces Partnership with Moka Origins Coffee As the New Year commences, two businesses in the Poconos are poised for exciting new beginnings. Woodloch, an award-winning, three property resort, and Moka Origins, an ethically-sourced coffee and chocolate company, are proud to announce the start of a partnership aimed at enriching the experience for resort guests while honoring Moka’s motto, “made locally, support globally.” This collaboration represents a shared commitment to offering guests unparalleled quality, sustainability, and community support.Nestled in the Pocono Mountains, Woodloch has been a cornerstone of family-friendly getaways for decades, renowned for its exceptional hospitality and endless activities. Woodloch is the largest employer in Pennsylvania’s Pike and Wayne counties and generates the most tourism dollars in the Northern Pocono Mountains area. The Poconos resort employs over 1,200 staff members and welcomes nearly 100,000 visitors per year. Moka Origins, known for its artisanal approach to coffee production, places emphasis on direct trade relationships with farmers, sustainable farming practices, and social responsibility. Woodloch will feature Moka Origins across its various dining and retail outlets. Guests can now indulge in the finest handcrafted coffee and chocolate while supporting a shared vision of social responsibility and environmental stewardship.This ethos aligns particularly well with the philosophy at Woodloch’s destination spa resort, The Lodge at Woodloch. The property features a working organic farm where the focus is on giving back to the environment before benefiting from it, in turn creating healthy soil and healthy plants and, consequently, healthy people. The Poconos spa looks forward to presenting Moka products through immersive guest experiences, such as chocolate tastings intertwined with storytelling about how Moka Origins began. In 2015, Moka Farms was founded in Cameroon, West Africa to help generate employment through sustainable farming and the creation of a Farmers’ Training Center. By 2017, Moka’s co-founder, Jeff Abella, started buying cacao and coffee directly from farmers around the world and began a chocolate and coffee company in Honesdale, PA, just 20 minutes from Woodloch. The company’s mission is to use chocolate and coffee as a vehicle for social change by ethically sourcing coffee and cacao, offering training programs on their Cameroon farm, and planting a tree for every product sold. To date, over 517,000 trees have been planted, more than 276,000 pounds of beans have been sold, and 2,600 workshops on sustainable agriculture have been provided to farmers.“We are thrilled to partner with Moka Origins,” said Brad Kiesendahl, CEO of Woodloch Resort. “Their dedication to sustainability, waste reduction, and environmental consciousness aligns seamlessly with our values here at Woodloch. We are committed to enhancing the guest experience by offering the finest quality coffee and chocolate while supporting a company with such a strong mission.” Moka Origins CEO, Jeff Abella, expressed equal enthusiasm, stating, “Partnering with Woodloch is a fantastic opportunity for us to expand our commitment to sustainability and community impact. We admire Woodloch’s dedication to creating an exceptional guest experience and look forward to providing their guests with our products while contributing to meaningful initiatives together.”
Misericordia University to Hold Virtual Open House for Adult Learners Misericordia University will be hosting an Expressway Virtual Open House on February 6, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., providing adult learners with a unique opportunity to explore their educational options and gain valuable insights into the advantages of the Expressway program. The Expressway Virtual Open Houses allows adults looking to return to school for a degree to ask questions about returning to college, hear about the academic program options, and learn more about the advantages of Misericordia University’s Expressway program. For more information about Misericordia University and the Expressway program or to sign-up for the Virtual Open Hosue, please visit https://www.misericordia.edu/arch/accelerated-degrees.
The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce Announces 155th Chamber Annual Dinner The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce announces the 155th Chamber Annual Dinner, presented by PNC Bank, to be held on March 27, 2024, at the Scranton Cultural Center. This signature event is set to bring together the region’s business leaders, entrepreneurs, and community members for an evening to celebrate the accomplishments of our members and programs from the past year. This year’s Annual Dinner features a distinguished keynote speaker, Shawn Kanungo. Renowned as a disruption strategist, bestselling author, and former innovation expert for Deloitte, Mr. Kanungo is set to captivate the audience with his profound insights into the ever-evolving landscape of creativity, business, and technology. As The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce continues its commitment to fostering innovation and growth within the greater Scranton region, Kanungo’s expertise will undoubtedly inspire and empower attendees to navigate the challenges and opportunities of today’s dynamic business environment surrounding Artificial Intelligence. “We always look for an Annual Dinner guest who reflects the compelling issues of the day, and this year looks is no exception. Shawn Kanungo brings a thought-provoking perspective to the rapidly emerging world of Artificial Intelligence – and will share how these dynamic changes will affect the business environments of our members,” shared Bob Durkin, president of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. To purchase tickets for the 155th Annual Dinner, visit www.ScrantonChamber.com
The Honesdale National Bank Announces Promotion of Cassandra Saul Thomas E. Sheridan Jr., President, and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, has announced Cassandra Saul has been promoted to Branch Manager at the Lakewood Office. In making the announcement Sheridan stated, “Cassie has shown incredible dedication to our customers and local communities.” He continued, “We are glad to have her take on this role to express her local knowledge and understanding of our core values as she continues to expand her career at HNB.” As Branch Manager, Saul will be responsible for managing the daily operations of the HNB Lakewood Office to ensure customer expectations are met. She will lead frontline personnel, while ensuring the office is compliant with audits and account management. She is a graduate of Forest City Reginal School District and resides in Pleasant Mount, PA. Saul started her career in the banking industry in 2017 with HNB as Part-Time Teller, promoted to Teller/CSR, Head-Teller/CSR, Assistant Branch Manager of Forest City and Lakewood Offices, Branch Supervisor, and now, Branch Manager at the Lakewood Office. In commenting on her new role at the bank, Saul noted, “In six short years, working at HNB has given me the opportunity to grow in the banking industry. Starting out as a Part-Time Teller and working my way to Branch Manager shows how the bank has many opportunities available. Hard work, dedication to be more knowledgeable, and support from my co-workers leads to never ending success at HNB.” Outside of the bank, she enjoys golfing, hunting and being on the farm or at our retail meat store, Komar Farm and Meats, in Pleasant Mount, PA.
The Honesdale National Bank Announces Promotion of Rachel Brummett Thomas E. Sheridan Jr., President, and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, has announced Rachel Brummett has been promoted to Branch Manager at the Clarks Summit Office. In making the announcement Sheridan stated, “Rachel has displayed commitment to our customers and internal partners.” He continued, “We are delighted to have her expand her role and showcase our core values as she continues to manage the relationships held in our Clarks Summit community.” As Branch Manager, Brummett will be responsible for opening accounts, oversight of office operations, customer retention, and so much more. She is a graduate of Garfield High School as she was born in California, moved to New Jersey in 1996, and later moved to Pennsylvania in 2013 where she has since resided. Brummett started her career in the financial industry 20 years ago, most recently being an assistant branch manager at another local financial institution. She joined HNB in May of 2022 as Teller/CSR at our Montdale Office. She was later promoted to Branch Supervisor of our Clarks Summit in June of 2023, and now promoted to Branch Manager of the HNB Clarks Summit Office. In commenting on her new role at the bank, Brummett noted, “Working here at HNB has made me feel fulfilled. It feels like I have come full circle. HNB has treated me like family, and I really appreciate that.” Outside of the bank, she enjoys watching her favorite sports teams such as the New York Giants, New York Rangers and the New York Mets. She also likes the outdoors, road trips, concerts, and spending time with her family.
Keystone College Donates to Elan Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center The Children’s Center at Keystone College donated 126 gifts to residents of Elan Skilled Nursing and Rehab Center, Scranton. The gift packages included personalized cards made by students at the Children’s Center.
