Local Business

Workplace

New hires and promotions

— Kevin McGarry has been promoted to principal of Urish Popeck & Co. LLC, State College.

McGarry, who has been with the firm for 11 years, leads the business services group and provides small- to mid-size businesses, start-ups and individual business owners with advice, tax planning and compliance services.

— Tim Nagle of Hollidaysburg has been appointed by CNB Bank to the position of vice president/ market executive of commercial lending.

In this position, Nagle, a veteran banker with more than 25 years of executive banking experience, will be responsible for leading the commercial lending efforts from the bank’s new Blair County office located inside the Canal Basin Office Centre at 160 Canal St., Hollidaysburg.

— Michelle Dodson has accepted the position of development associate and events coordinator for the UPMC Altoona Foundation.

Dodson has been employed by the hospital system for 25 years, most recently working in nursing administration.

She began her career as a receptionist with Altoona Family Inc. at Mercy Hospital and worked in marketing and communications at Mercy/Bon Secours-Holy Family for more than 10 years before the hospital merger.

Awards and honors

— Robert F. Pennington, broker/owner of Coldwell Banker Town & Country Real Estate, Altoona, received the Office Manager’s Award for Excellence from Coldwell Banker for the year 2013 for attaining a positive sales base of 50 percent or more, a positive list base of 50 percent or more and a closed unit per person productivity of 1.5 transactions monthly per sales agent.

— Lori Beck of Duncansville, the local territory owner of Indoff Inc., qualified for the National Sales Conference held in April in St. Louis.

Beck, who qualified because of sales volume, has been in the office products industry for nearly 30 years.

She is a graduate of Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School and Penn State.

— Gregory White, president of Forney Financial Solutions LLC, was selected to become a member of the Institute of Investment Management Consulting at Raymond James.

The Institute was developed to help financial advisors drive success in their consulting practices through educational programs, ongoing communications forums and networking with other financial advisers.

Course completions and certifications

— Scott J. Klingenberg, environmental services director at P. Joseph Lehman Inc., Consulting Engineers, has earned the distinction of Certified Floodplain Manager.

As a certified floodplain manager, Klingenberg will assist local municipalities administer floodplain ordinances, assist in pre-disaster planning, post-disaster response and ensure that municipalities meet the current requirements for continued inclusion in the Federal Emergency Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program.

Submissions for Workplace can be sent to Walt Frank at wfrank@altoonamirror.com. Please include the name of the individual, his/her present address, original hometown and high school and college from where he/she graduated, and information about the person’s accomplishment.

Local Business

WORKPLACE

New hires and promotions

— Dr. Lindon T. Kwock has joined the UPMC Altoona medical staff in the Department of Radiology.

Kwock, who is board-certified by the American Board of Radiology, received a medical degree from Tulane University, New Orleans; did internship training at University of California, San Francisco, and residency training at University of Illinois, Chicago.

— David Haschak has been named associate dean of humanities at Mount Aloysius College, Cresson. Haschak has been serving in the position in an interim capacity since May.

As associate dean of humanities, social science and professional studies, Haschak will serve as faculty administrator for the departments of business and information technology, education, ASL English Interpreting, English/fine arts, justice, law and society, enrichment and psychology/religious studies. He will oversee curriculum on both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

— Joseph Scialabba has been named director of gifts at Juniata College.

Scialabba, a 1986 Juniata graduate and a lifelong Huntingdon resident, will oversee the college’s major and planned giving programs while supervising the traveling development staff.

Scialabba comes to Juniata from Penn State University, where he was director of major gifts at the Smeal College of Business from 2011 to April 2014.

— Katherine Murtagh, a physician’s assistant, has joined Blair Medical Associates Cardiology Department.

Practicing at the Station Medical Center, Murtagh, who is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, will provide services for patients of Blair Medical Associates Cardiology physician, Dr. George Jabbour.

— Heather Wilson of Tyrone has become an independent consultant with Tastefully Simple Inc., a national direct sales company featuring more than 60 easy-to-prepare foods.

Wilson offers food samples at home taste-testing parties and ideas for everyday meals, recipes and serving suggestions.

Awards and honors

— Robert E. Vamos of Johnstown, a financial services executive for MetLife, has earned MetLife’s Leaders Level of recognition, an honor bestowed to a select set of MetLife top producers who exemplify the highest standards of personal integrity, professionalism and customer service across the company.

Vamos has worked in the financial services industry for 23 years.

— Timothy Keener, a computer technology/Cisco Academy Instructor at the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center, was recently recognized by the Cisco Networking Academy for his accomplishments and contributions to the academy as an advanced level instructor and for 10 years of active participation in the Cisco Networking Academy program.

This award recognizes his achievements as one of the top 25 percent of instructors globally.

— Todd Davis, professor of English at Penn State Altoona, won the top 2014 editor’s prize from Chautauqua Literacy Journal for his poem “The Last Time My Mother Lay Down With My Father.”

The honor comes with a cash award. The poem will be nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

— Jessica Schocker, assistant professor of social studies education and women’s studies at Penn State Berks, was one of six Penn State faculty members to receive the 2014 George W. Atherton Award for excellence in teaching.

The award, named after Penn State’s seventh president, honors excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level.

Schocker is a native of Hollidaysburg.

— Michael Roddey, owner/chef consultant of Gastronomic Services & Consulting, of Duncansville recently received the President’s Medallion from the American Culinary Federation at the 2014 ACF Northeast Regional Conference.

The President’s Medallion is presented to food service professionals who exemplify culinary excellence and leadership, and have contributed their knowledge, skills and expertise to the advancement of the culinary profession.

Course completions and certifications

— Bryan Horetsky, a third party administrator at Retirement Plan Solutions in Tipton, recently earned the Qualified Pension Administrator designation from the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries.

The QPA credential allows Horetsky to better assist businesses with their retirement plan needs.

— Magisterial District Judge Craig Ormsby was again certified for service as a member of Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System after successful completion of continuing legal education work.

The weeklong instructional program is designed to ensure that magisterial district judges remain current in a variety of legal topics and management techniques required to fairly adjudicate cases and effectively supervise a district court office.

Miscellaneous

— Tulay Girard, associate professor of marketing at Penn State Altoona, and her research assistant, student Krissa Weyent, recently presented their research study, “A Survey of Employer Needs and Expectations from Business Programs at Higher Education Institutions,” at the 2014 Association of Marketing and Theory Conference in Hilton Head, S.C.

Girard also presented her co-authored research paper, “Investigating Consumer Perceptions, Purchase Shares of Private-Label Brands and Demographics: A Study of the Great Value Brand,” at the same conference.

— Brian C. Miller, a paraprofessional for the Altoona Area School District, recently had his poem, “Just Write” published in the winter issue of The Storyteller Magazine, Manyard, Ariz.

Submissions for Workplace can be sent to Walt Frank at wfrank@altoonamirror.com. Please include the name of the individual, his/her present address, original hometown and high school and college from where he/she graduated, and information about the person’s accomplishment.

Local News

Workplace

New hires and promotions

Kathleen Fry of McConnellstown has been promoted to Commercial Lines Fast-Track Underwriter at Mutual Benefit Group, Huntingdon.

In this role, she will underwrite a book of commercial lines business by selecting risks, pricing acceptable and conditionally acceptable classes of business, and providing customer service and support.

Kelly Zenoble of Burnt Cabins has been promoted to Personal Lines Technical Service Representative at Mutual Benefit Group, Huntingdon.

In this role, she will assist field marketing representatives with marketing and training of changes and new offerings from personal lines automated systems. She will also train internal personnel on similar information in addition to testing systems, supporting development of business specifications, and providing support for all division automated systems.

Loren Tobia, a former chairman of Radio Television Digital News Association, has been promoted to the role of Vice President of Sales for AccuWeather’s Display Systems and Services division.

In this new role, Tobia will drive the expansion of StoryTeller Interactive Touchscreen Solution, which is already featured in all top 10 U.S. markets with a collective domestic audience of 80 million households.

The following people have been promoted to these new positions at St. Francis University, effective with the fall 2014 semester:

Robin Cadwallader, professor of English/communications; Patricia Fitzgerald, professor of exercise physiology/physical therapy; Marnie Moist, professor of psychology; Denise Damico, associate professor of history; Michele Hargittai, associate professor of chemistry; Brendon LaBuz, associate professor of mathematics; Jill Cavalet, clinical associate professor of physician assistant sciences; Maria Colmer, clinical associate professor of occupational therapy; Cindy Drenning, clinical associate professor of nursing; and Tracy Wright, clinical associate professor of physician assistant sciences.

The following professors have been granted tenure at St. Francis University, beginning with the fall 2014 semester:

Joel Bandstra, associate professor of environmental engineering; Lauri Chose, associate professor of English/ environmental studies; Kerri Golden, associate professor of occupational therapy; Grant Julin, assistant professor of philosophy; Justin Merry, associate professor of biology; Ivan Mulligan, associate professor of physical therapy; Arthur Remillard, associate professor of religious studies; Lorie Rowles, associate professor of occupational therapy; and Lori Woods, associate professor of history.

Daniel Sheaffer of Altoona has been promoted by M&T Bank to retail sales manager for the Altoona region.

Sheaffer, who has 14 years of experience in financial services and has been with the bank since 2005, is responsible for leading the sales and management team for 12 branches in Blair and Bedford counties.

Jamie A. Baser of Hollidaysburg was recently hired as a marketing and communications specialist at UPMC Altoona.

Baser, who previously worked as Hollidaysburg Main Street Manager for the Hollidaysburg Community Partnership and the Borough of Hollidaysburg, is responsible for writing, editing and designing internal publications and serves as the contact person for website and Internet maintenance and enhancement.

Awards and honors

Kenneth Womack has earned first-place honors in the contemporary fiction category from the Texas Association of Authors for his novel Playing the Angel, which was published by Stephen F. Austin State University Press in August 2013.

Womack is Penn State Altoona’s senior associate dean for Academic Affairs, as well as the Penn State Laureate for the 2013-14 academic year.

Dr. Kathleen Sweeney, a UPMC Altoona physician, will be honored with the 2014 Affiliated Teacher of the Year award by the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Sweeney is associate director of Altoona Family Physicians and the AFP director of osteopathic medical education. She has been teaching PCOM students for 24 years. AFP is part of UPMC Altoona.

Bob Miller of Hollidaysburg, a sales associate with Coldwell Banker Town & Country Real Estate, Altoona, has been named to the company’s International President’s Elite.

Only the top 3 percent of all sales associates/representatives worldwide in the Coldwell Banker system qualified for this distinguished group. Among all affiliate agents, Miller finished 2013 ranked fifth in Pennsylvania for total listing units and ranked eighth in total units.

Retirements

Deborah Steinbugl, an assistant in the medical records department at UPMC Altoona, recently retired after 26 years of service.

Steinbugl began her career in the medical records transcription department in 1988.

Miscellaneous

Joseph Melusky, professor of political science and director of the St. Francis University Center for the Study of Government & Law, and Keith Pesto, U.S. Magistrate Judge and adjunct professor of political science, had a new book published by ABC-CLIO.

The book is titled “The Death Penalty: Documents Decoded.”

The book exposes readers directly to landmark opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court that strive to answer difficult questions concerning capital punishment.

Submissions for Workplace can be sent to Walt Frank at wfrank@altoonamirror.com. Please include the name of the individual, his/her present address, original hometown and high school and college from where he/she graduated, and information about the person’s accomplishment.

Local News

WORKPLACE

New hires and promotions

— Sean K. McLanahan, who represents the McLanahan familys sixth generation of ownership, has assumed the title of chief executive officer of McLanahan Corp.

Fifth-generation family-owner, Michael W. McLanahan continues as chairman of the board, while George L. Sidney, Jr., remains president and COO. Together, these three serve as McLanahan’s executive team.

— Jay Nartatez has been promoted to executive vice president – Corporate Shared Services and will also serve as chief financial officer of McLanahan Corp.

In his new position, Nartatez oversees various departments including marketing and communications, safety, quality, finance, information technology and information systems.

— Ken Kirsch has been promoted to executive vice president -business operations.

Kirsch now directly oversees areas of the company that include technical services, continuous improvement and product innovation, materials management, manufacturing, and human resources.

— Kayla M. Esch, a physician assistant, has joined Blair Medical Associates Pulmonology Department.

Practicing at the Station Medical Center, Esch will be providing services for patients of Blair Medical Associates Pulmonology physician, Dr. Mehrdad Ghaffari.

— Michael B. Jones has accepted the position of director of the library at Mount Aloysius College.

Jones currently serves as associate professor of political science in the Justice, Law & Society Department, and as program coordinator of the Freshman Seminar and Senior Capstone programs.

Course completions and certifications

— Tom Seasoltz of Altoona-Blair County Development Corp. recently became the first person in Pennsylvania to pass the Council of Development Finance Agencies Development Finance Professional Certification Program.

The course study took three years to completed culminating with a comprehensive examination that Seasoltz passed and is now officially recognized as a Development Finance Certified Professional.

— Louis C. Schmitt Jr., founder and principal of ADR Solutions in Duncansville, and a partner in the Hollidaysburg law firm of McIntyre, Hartye, Schmitt & Sosnowski, recently completed Advanced Mediation training conducted by the University of Pepperdine School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.

Schmitt, a graduate of St. Francis University and the University of New Hampshire School of Law, and a certified mediator, provides dispute resolution services through ADR Solutions, including mediations, arbitrations and neutral evaluations.

— Dr. Donald Betar has successfully completed the didactic component requirement for IV Sedation for Dentistry administered through Duquesne University and Allegheny General Hospital.

With this certificate, Betar will be able to obtain a Restricted Permit I through the State Board of Dentistry and with this licensure, Betar will be able to provide IV conscious sedation to the patients in his practice.