Notes, Marriages, Births and Memoriam

National Alumni Board

Gannon University Alumni Association President Greg Czarnecki ’89 (fifth from right) pictured along with National Alumni Board members in the Alumni Lounge during 2017 Homecoming Reunion Weekend. 

 

A Message from Gannon University Alumni Association President

Who doesn’t like digging out old photo albums and reliving the past, laughing at how they used to look, or fondly remembering those who are no longer with us or who we rarely see? Photos tell our history in a way that words never can. 

A pictorial history of Gannon has never been compiled, until now. In the fall of 2019 Arcadia Publishing will release a pictorial history of Gannon as part of its Campus History Series. With the help of Gannon’s archivist, Bob Dobiesz, I’ve been combing through the University’s archives for images to include in the book. While the archives contain lots of great photos dating back to Gannon’s earliest days, it only tells part of the story. To tell Gannon’s history we need photos from the whole Gannon Family, and that’s you.

I’m especially interested in images of campus events, faculty and staff, and important milestones in Gannon’s history. We’re also looking for photos of Villa Maria College, because you can’t tell Gannon’s story without Villa. You may know that the two schools merged in 1989, but did you know that Gannon started off as an all-male downtown branch campus of Villa in 1933?

If you have some hidden gems you’d like to share, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line at czarneck016@gannon.edu.

Greg Czarnecki ‘89
President, Gannon University Alumni Association

Achievements by Gannon University faculty, staff and administration

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Unbridling the American SpiritMARK R. FIERLE just finished his third book, “Unbridling the American Spirit,” which focuses on the four building blocks of a meaningful life. It is available on Amazon along with his other books, “Rekindling the American Spirit” and “Adapt or Perish.” Fierle also hosts a weekly radio show on KUCI 88.9 FM in Irvine, Calif. called “In the Garden.” He is also a certified square foot garden teacher, giving workshops along with a consultancy to graduate-level classes on career topics.

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Sister Mary Forney SISTER MARY H. FORNEY, S.S.J. VMC completed 10 years of service in the activities department at St. Mary’s East Gallagher Center in Erie. 

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RUDOLPH J. DUBOVEC has been elected to the Fidelity Bank of Florida board of directors. Dubovec is the President of RJD Financial, Inc., which assists customers with buying, selling and financing homes and businesses. He serves as a mentor to numerous real estate investors and is also working with Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School in Palm Coast.

REV. LEO J. GALLINA was given the Legacy Award by the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce for extraordinary contributions to the community. He is the former pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Fr. Gallina, now in his 52nd year as a priest, retired in 2011 after 46 years of service to the church and lives in Erie. Still he “hopes to continue to be healthy, able to inspire and to be able to change people’s way of acting and trying to show kindness, helpfulness and ability to just give.” 

Rev. Leo Gallina

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Ronald VolpeRONALD J. VOLPE, PH.D. was recently named to the Hood College Athletic Hall of Fame in Frederick, Md. He retired as Hood’s president in 2015 after a long and successful tenure.

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Dennis CuneoDENNIS C. CUNEO, ESQ. was a presenter at Kent State University’s Global Management Center Speaker Series. He discussed the changes taking place in the auto industry, which he called, “the biggest since Henry Ford developed the Model T.” He is president of DC Strategic Advisors, LLC and former senior vice president of Toyota Motor North America, Inc.

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LOUIS J. AGNESE, JR., PH.D. ’74M was honored with the titles of president emeritus and board of trustees emeritus at the Fall 2016 Commencement Ceremony for the University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas. Agnese served as the eighth president of Incarnate Word beginning in 1985, when at the age of 33 he became one of the youngest college presidents in the United States, until his retirement in 2016. His was the second longest presidential tenure in UIW's 135-year history.

Generosity for Generations

Gannon Gift

The James E. Mantyla Memorial Scholarship was established at an official check presentation with (L-R) President Keith Taylor, Ph.D.; John Mantyla, brother; John Stefanik, president Glenwood Beer Distributors, Inc.; and Michael Lubowicki CVA ’70, PC - Knowledge to Solutions.

Jim Mantyla ’69, ’76M, the late president of Glenwood Beer, left his legacy in an act of generosity that will benefit students seeking a Gannon University education. 

Before his sudden passing in April at the age of 69, Mantyla established the JEM Charitable Foundation to benefit entities that were close to his heart, including Gannon University, Cathedral Preparatory School, St. Mary’s Home and St. Peter Cathedral.

Mantyla was aware of the challenges that many middle-income families face with regard to paying for their children’s education. The JEM Foundation gift supported 22 students who were awarded a James E. Mantyla Memorial Scholarship at Gannon University for the 2017-18 Academic Year.  

Because of this, the generosity of this humble, soft-spoken and loyal man will speak loudly for years to come. 

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Ronald Slomski RONALD F. SLOMSKI retired at the end of June 2017 as the general manager of Penn State Behrend’s WPSE radio station after a 21-year career with the business-focused radio station. Before joining WPSE, Slomski worked for 10 years for WJET radio in Erie, in addition to stints at Gannon University, WQLN and Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.

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Marianne BockMARIANNE (THOMAS) BOCK ’76M was recently promoted to Director of Continuing Education at the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering in Tampa, Florida. The global professional society provides professional resources and technical education for pharmaceutical manufacturing professionals in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific regions.

SUSAN (MORTON) LECHNER stepped down from her position as the marketing and special events director at the Erie Playhouse after the 100th season this summer. She will still be performing and hopes to do more directing as well.

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Michele Cavalier MICHELE D. CAVALIER has been named corporate senior vice president, senior wealth executive and senior trust officer of Warren, Pa.-based Northwest Bank. Cavalier is responsible for the management, supervision and direction of all personal trust, employee benefits and wealth management activities. She began her employment with Northwest in 2002 as a vice president and trust officer. Since then, she has worked as senior vice president and chief fiduciary officer for the bank.

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Jeffrey ScalesJEFFREY M. SCALES after almost 40 years in the financial industry will now be dedicating his time to an area that he loves: catechesis. He has joined the staff of St. Leo the Great School in Lincroft, N.J. as coordinator, middle school catechesis. He will be responsible for sacramental preparation and confirmation. He started as a catechist four years ago preparing his middle school students for their journey toward confirmation. He also introduced his students to a wonderful catechetical resource, “Jesus, the Catechism, and Me” by the late Rev. Robert J. Levis, a longtime fixture on the Gannon campus.

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Robert AllenROBERT D. ALLEN, PH.D. will receive the 2017 Graduate School Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Allen is a distinguished research staff member and senior manager of the materials discovery and innovation department at the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, Calif.

KATHLEEN M. BERKLITE-MANZELLA ’85M under the pen name of KB Manz, has written two mystery novels, “Can't Take Back Yesterday,” and “Tomorrow Comes,” and is planning her third book.

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Anne KrillANNE (TURNER) KRILL and WILLIAM E. KRILL, JR. opened a private counseling practice called Gentle Counseling in Altoona, Pa. August 2016. Bill is the published author of “Handbook of Youth Ministry Skills,” and more recently a book describing a gentling approach for clinicians working with children with stress disorders. He also had a workbook published, “The Gentling Workbook,” for teen and adult survivors of child abuse. Married in 1982, the Krills have two adult sons, Andy and Tyler.

ALBERT “RUSTY” F. VICINIE III was a presenter at the 2017 National Environmental Monitoring Conference (NEMC) Symposium in Washington, DC. He presented “Why are we doing what we do? Does it really add value?” which addressed the elimination of non-value-added practices and using technology to improve data quality and reduced costs. He has been in the analytical industry since 1983 with experience in clinical, industrial hygiene and environmental laboratory operations. He is currently vice president operations in Pittsburgh of TestAmerica, the leader in environmental testing.

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HOWARD C. SCHULTZ, JR. and his wife, Kathleen, celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on May 22, 2017. Howard is employed with Lockheed Martin at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, St. Marys, Ga.

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DAVID A. DORE, PH.D., S.J. has been awarded the Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community Excellence. He will be joining the 39-member 2017-18 class of the Aspen Presidential Fellows, a diverse group of leaders with the drive and capacity to transform community colleges to achieve greater student success. The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C. The fellowship is a year-long program to prepare leaders aspiring, or recently appointed, to community college presidencies. Dore is president of the Downtown and Northwest campuses of Pima Community College, Tucson, Ariz.

The Italian Tour

CYNTHIA L. LIOTTA ’76, ’94M; AMY M. DAUGHERTY ’80; ANTHONY V. FULGENZIO ’82 ,’10M; GLORIA (PITONYAK) FULGENZIO ’83; MARK A. PLATTETER ’85; SHARON A. KRAHE ’95, ’07M; and GINA M. FULGENZIO ’14, ’15M joined tour leader AJ MICELI ’86M and other alumni in a travel group on a week-long vacation to Italy, including tours of Tuscany and the Italian Riviera.

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ERIC KLANN, PH.D. was chosen as the winner of 38th annual Butler (Pa.) Senior High School Distinguished Graduate Award by the Class of 2017. Klann is a 1980 graduate of Butler High and earned his doctorate in biochemistry from the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University in 1989. During his doctoral studies, Klann’s research resulted in five publications in scientific journals. He was a post-doctoral fellow at Baylor College of Medicine’s Neuroscience Department in Houston during which time he published 11 more articles and made important findings related to aspects of the cellular and molecular basis of learning and memory in the brain’s hippocampus region. In 1994, Klann was recruited to the University of Pittsburgh’s Neuroscience Department, where he made further fundamental discoveries related to the biology of memory. He returned to Baylor in 2001 first as an associate professor and then as a full professor in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics. His work expanded into the areas of how memory is altered by aging, Alzheimer’s disease and autism. In 2006, Klann moved to New York University’s Center for Neural Science where he continues his work.

Bringing the Country Together Through Creativity 

Map Project

Volunteers from across the nation are designing and sending representations of their home state for Robert DiPlacido’s ’13 #USmakersproject.

Creativity can bring people together. That’s the inspiration behind a new project from the imagination of Robert DiPlacido ’13.

A mechanical engineering graduate working at Zurn Industries, DiPlacido had started a small woodworking business in his spare time. That pursuit gave him the idea for a project that would bring together woodworkers like him from all 50 states.

It’s a map of the U.S. with each state created by a volunteer woodworker through connections he made and interest gained on Instagram creating a feed (DA. Woodworking) and hashtag (#usmakersproject). 

“The U.S. is what we’re proud to be a part of,” DiPlacido said. “I wanted to do something to bring everybody together to reflect the variety and differences and show that together we can make something beautiful.” 

The wooden states are being shipped to DiPlacido from across the country so he can assemble them into an eight-foot-tall U.S. map he hopes to finish and put on tour in 2018. 

“I hope to display the piece across Erie to show people–especially college students–that anything is possible as long as you put your mind and heart into it.”

Joseph Cacchione 85

JOSEPH G. CACCHIONE, M.D. has been named as the new president of Ascension Medical Group, the national provider organization for St. Louis-based Ascension. Cacchione joins Ascension from the Cleveland Clinic, where he has served as chairman of operations and strategy for the clinic’s Heart and Vascular Institute since 2011. Prior to the Cleveland Clinic, he was executive vice president and chief of quality and operations at Saint Vincent Health System in Erie.

Tina DonikowskiTINA (CICCHETTI) DONIKOWSKI has been nominated as a new member of the Board of Directors of Atlas Copco AB, a provider of sustainable productivity solutions headquartered in Sweden. Tina recently retired as vice president global locomotive business for GE Transportation after a 38-year career. She recently received GE’s Corporate Achiever Award, the company’s most prestigious career performance award for executive women and minorities.

Gannon Alumnae Recognized for Impact in the Erie Community

Alumnae Recognized for Impact in the Erie Community

Among the 12 Dynamic Dozen honorees celebrated during the Mercy Center for Women for Women’s History Month for their contributions to the community were Gannon Alumnae:

DENISE L. KOLIVOSKI ’01, ’08M is executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Erie County.

VICKI (KELLER) WASHEK who is currently serving her third term as the executive director/community leader of L’Arche Erie. 

ALMITRA (CLEMENTE) CLERKIN ’85 who served as the executive director of the Erie Playhouse for 10 years.  

CHERI (THEOBALD) MCGUIRE ’12M is children’s program coordinator at SafeNet Erie.

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DANIEL J. BORGIA, PH.D. ’86M has been appointed as academic dean of Bryant Zhuhai (Bryant University, China) where he will oversee the faculty and academic programs at Bryant Zhuhai. He most recently served as dean and professor of finance at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y.

KENNETH J. CARTER has embarked on a new business venture as owner of Maryland Meadworks LLC, a producer of quality meads (honey wines).

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JEANNE M. ELBERFELD, M.D., LSW is the new executive director of Schuylkill County’s VISION. Eberfeld said that her diverse background in medicine, counseling and education will help her serve in her new position, which she assumed July 1, 2017. After working as a doctor, social worker and educator–the latter a position she still holds–she found a home at VISION, located in Pottsville, Pa., where she had served since February 2016 as director of community programs.

ROBERT J. SINGER, D.O. has been appointed to J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital’s medical staff as an orthopedic surgeon. Singer was an orthopedic surgeon at Blair Orthopedic Associates for more than 16 years before that entity merged with University Orthopedics Center in Huntingdon, Pa. in January 2016. Singer was an instructor of orthopedics at St. Francis University from 2003-13. He has also served as a clinical preceptor for the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine since 2003.

Luther Manus ‘53 Wants 60 Years More

Luther Manus

Luther Manus ’53 celebrated his 90th birthday with the Gannon Family.

Luther Manus ’53, who celebrated turning 90 in October, is the elder statesman of Gannon’s African-American Alumni. He’s also the rare military man who rose from a private to a commissioned officer. “I was one proud lieutenant, especially with my dad and mentor there to pin on my bars,” he remembered.

Manus’ long life has been marked by service, to his country, his community and especially to the young people of Erie he has taught and mentored as a counselor in the Erie School District.

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DIANA M. DUBIK-DALTON and BRIAN F. DALTON, PH.D. ’93M is working in the University Relations office at Alfred University. Her husband, Brian Dalton ’88, ’93M, is the vice president for enrollment at Alfred University. He most recently served as vice president for enrollment services at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa, and previously as vice president for enrollment and college relations at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.

JOHNA L. NORTON has been promoted to senior vice president of global quality at Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, effective April 1, 2017. She joined Lilly in 1990 as an analytical chemist and has held various positions in quality assurance and quality control at Lilly facilities and Lilly external manufacturing partners.

ROBERT N. SNYDER ’88M has been named director of the Office of Accreditation and Program Improvement in Edinboro University's School of Education. He is a full-time instructor in the early childhood and reading department. In his new role at Edinboro, Snyder will collect and analyze data and submit reports to national accreditation boards on behalf of the School of Education. In addition to collecting data and coordinating the accreditation process, Snyder will also help to develop robust educational community programs such as EVESTOPIA, a series in the Girard School District, in Girard, Pa., focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.

JEFFREY A. WISNIEWSKI has been appointed to the advisory committee for the hospitality and resort tourism program at Coastal Carolina University and the Advisory Committee for the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach at Horry Georgetown Technical College in South Carolina.

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JULIE (MARCONI) ADDY was selected by her colleagues as Emerald Hill Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year. Addy is a fourth-grade teacher at the school in   Culpeper, Va.

ERIC A. BALLINGER, ESQ. was sworn in as judge of the Magistrate Court of Cherokee County, Georgia on September 26, 2016.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID J. FRANCIS, USA became the 29th commander of the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center and director of Army Safety on June 28, 2017. Francis most recently served as deputy commanding general (support) of the 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea. 

Brig. Gen. David J. Francis, USA

LAURA J. VACCARO is the San Antonio, Texas Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Hope Award honoree. The award is to celebrate women leaders who are making a difference in San Antonio. Vaccaro is the Vice President for Community Relations and Events at Valero Energy.

MARGARET “MEG” (ROTHGERY) VANDERLAAN has joined the executive leadership of Encore Electric, Lakewood, Co. in the newly created role of chief marketing officer. She will set the marketing strategy and provide innovative leadership for all aspects of marketing and communication for the company. Most recently, VanderLaan provided marketing and communications consulting services for Colorado companies following her chief communications officer role with MWH Global (now part of Stantec).

Gannon Announces New Board of Trustees Members 

Erie’s downtown is at a historic juncture and Gannon University, in conjunction with community-minded partners led by forward-thinking alumni, is taking the lead in accelerating the pace of progress.

The appointment of V. James Fiorenzo ’90M and Timothy NeCastro ’83 to the Board of Trustees brings together three of downtown Erie’s most influential entities in the service of progress.

“I’m proud to serve my alma mater as a member of the Board of Trustees,” said NeCastro. “I see it as another opportunity for our anchor institutions in the downtown to continue to work together to serve our community that I’ve called home all my life.”

Fiorenzo, recently retired as president of UPMC Hamot, and NeCastro, president and chief executive officer of Erie Insurance, are two visionary leaders who, at the head of two of downtown Erie’s largest entities, bring enormous knowledge, resources and vision to the task of revitalizing Erie’s downtown.

“We’ve seen already not just Board of Trustees involvement but significant investments by other entities that want to see downtown thrive and grow,” Fiorenzo said. “As alumni, Tim and I want to see Gannon prosper. The [University’s] health sciences programs are feeders for employment at UPMC, so from a UPMC perspective, it’s important that Gannon University grow, in Erie and Ruskin. Gannon has an interest in seeing that UPMC Hamot is successful, too, to ensure that jobs continue to come back downtown.”

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DANIEL M. CHRISTENSON has joined Airgas, an Air Liquide company, as a National Account Manager in Pittsburgh. Christenson is also a Strategic Account Manager with Air Liquide.

JANUSZ KOWALEWSKI ’90M joined the Ipsen Team, Cherry Valley, Il., as director of business development for ARGOS. He is a recognized expert in the thermal processing industry who, over the past 25 years, has worked in the U.S., China, Europe and India. Most recently, Kowalewski was managing director and CEO at a large vacuum furnace manufacturer in Mumbai, India for two years where he was responsible for sales and operations. Kowalewski’s responsibilities include guiding all global activities for the ARGOS product line, Ipsen’s continuous vacuum process solution for low-pressure carburizing.

MARK S. ZAGORSKI has joined Tremor Video, Inc., New York City, as CEO, effective July 10, 2017, and he will be appointed as a member of the company’s board of directors. He most recently served as CEO of eXelate Inc., and Executive Vice President of Nielsen Marketing Cloud, after Nielsen’s acquisition of eXelate in 2010.

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LESLIE (CLARK) MADEIRA was recently hired by Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate as a sales associate at its Middletown, Del. office.

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Michael Lazzara MICHAEL D. LAZZARA, ESQ. is a Partner with Leech Tishman and a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Pittsburgh office, where he focuses his practice on all aspects of intellectual property law including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.

SCOTT E. MILLER, CPA, Esq., D.B.A. recently completed work on his Doctor of Business Administration degree from Anderson University in Anderson, In. 

DEBRA (COLEMAN) STEINER ’00M has joined the northwestern Pennsylvania office of Ben Franklin Technology Partners. In her new role, Steiner will provide business mentoring and support to the region’s technology companies as a member of the Ben Franklin Transformation Management Services Group. She previously spent 15 years with the SBDC, and most recently worked as manager for Deugoro USA.

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LARRY B. HIWILLER, JR. ’02M is national director for American National Worksite Benefits, where he is responsible for the creation, development, and deployment of the worksite division’s sales and marketing efforts through the broker and account executive channels. Based in Erie, he is also the author of a motivational book, “A Father’s Gift To His Daughter.”

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KENNETH G. MOLINERO, JR., D.O. has joined Monongahela Valley Hospital, Monongahela, Pa., as an orthopedic surgeon.

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JUDENE M. INDOVINA ’97M was named director of family ministry and faith formation in the Secretariat for Leadership Development and Evangelization for the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

ANTHONY J. TURINI resigned as the women’s soccer coach at Bethel College, North Newton, Ka., after five seasons leading the team. Turini also served as co-sports information director then served as assistant sports information director. In five seasons, Turini was 20-64-3, 6-41-1 in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

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KELLY JACKSON has been promoted to senior vice president, medical and veterinary sales manager at United Community Bank. In his new role he will be working to continue growing the Small Business Administration loan volume at the bank. Jackson enjoys volunteering with the Denver Rescue Mission, an organization dedicated to serving the needs of the homeless and needy in the Denver metro area.

KRISTEN (KALLNER) JONES is a realtor with McEnearney Associates Realtors in Alexandria, Va.

Stacy JuchnoSTACY M. JUCHNO is executive vice president and general auditor for PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh. She was a presenter at Youngstown State University’s Williamson College of Business at which she gave career advice to students. Juchno also visited Gannon’s Dahlkemper School of Business in September to present to faculty and students on the importance of mentors and getting involved.

NICOLE (MCMILLIN) VILLELLA is seeing patients in the QCare St. Marys, Pa. Villella is a board-certified registered nurse practitioner. QCares are a service of Penn Highlands Healthcare. Villella previously worked as a care coordinator at Chambersburg Hospital, a college nurse at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa. and a nurse at Pinnacle Health caring for patients in the medical/ surgical, orthopedics, neurology, telemetry and post-operative open heart units.

Made in America

Jon Dearment

JON DEARMENT ’98, president of Channellock Inc. located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, was invited to be part of a Certified Made in America roundtable with President Donald Trump, Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta and several other American companies to discuss U.S.-manufactured products for Made in America Week. He presented the president with an engraved version of Channellock’s best-known product.
“We’ve been a made-in-America company for more than 130 years and we intend to stay that way,” DeArment said. “We’re proud that more than 90 percent of Channellock products are made in the U.S.”

“We’re working diligently every day to increase American production of Channellock products so that every product is made here, and the discussion with the President is a step in that direction.”

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AMY M. REBOVICH, OTD co-authored the course curriculum for an introduction to low vision rehabilitation for occupational therapists for Western Schools. She is an occupational therapist who specializes in low vision and is a certified low vision therapist currently working in the VA Pittsburgh Intermediate low vision clinic.

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James Breckenridge JAMES G. BRECKENRIDGE, PH.D. ’00M became the 2nd Provost of the U.S. Army War College in summer 2017. Breckenridge was dean of the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences at Mercyhurst University; and executive director of the college’s research arm, the Institute for Intelligence Studies, both in Erie. In his new position he will serve as the chief academic officer for the dual mission of strategic education and strategic ideas at the Army’s senior service college and the Army’s Center for Strategy Education.

LAURA (STEINKE) MCCULLOUGH, PT ’02M graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas on May 13, 2017 with a Transitional Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Unable to attend graduation ceremonies in Lubbock, she represented both Tech and Gannon at her son’s hockey tournament in Duluth, Minn.

Alumni Honored with Erie’s “40 Under 40” Distinction

Several Gannon alumni were recognized as part of The Erie Reader’s annual “40 Under 40” list of young professionals who, through their respective professions and causes, are leading Erie into the future, including:

GREGORY D. HALL ’04, director of business development at Shriner’s Hospital for Children

KELLY (JACOBS) TAPPER ’05, ’16M, customer advocate for Erie Insurance and activist for persons with multiple sclerosis

LEVI C. BLACK ’10M, director of the UPMC Hamot School of Anesthesia and Gannon’s registered nurse anesthetist program

MATTHEW D. REICHERT ’11, manager of operations and general counsel, director of business and strategic initiatives at Logistics Plus Linguistic Solutions (LPLS)

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AARON M. GARRITY ’07M has been named as the new girls basketball coach for Fairview (Pa.) High School. Garrity previously coached the boys basketball at Fairview for 10 years, then spent the last three as the girls coach at McDowell High School in Erie.

MICHAEL J. NUNES is working at NBC in the current programing department and manages creative aspects of different programs, including “Parenthood,” “Revolution,” “Community” and “This Is Us.”

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CATHERINE “CAT” (CARLSON) AMICK ’05M helped create a book, along with illustrator George Lippert, a co-worker at Erie Insurance, that will directly benefit the Erie Zoo’s big cat exhibits. The book is titled “Sara Sassafras and the Tiguar,” which is the name of the fictional animal created by Amick’s two-year-old son when he mashed the words tiger and jaguar together. 

DUSTIN M. LANDFRIED was sworn in as a new Erie Bureau of Police officer on Monday, July 10, 2017. He previously worked as an Erie County probation officer.

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JOSHUA G. DZIOMBA has opened a new craft brewery, West Shore Brewing Company, in Clarence Hollow, N.Y. The brewery started with four beers: West Shore Wheat, Not So Bitter Bitters English Ale, Centennial Session IPA and a cream ale. A flagship Historic Rail Pale Ale will be available soon. He also looks to brew a pre-Prohibition lager and ale, a grapefruit kolsch, and Octoberfest-style marzen ales in the near future, too. The company name pays homage to the railroad company where Dziomba’s great-grandfather worked for 50 years. 

Joshua Dziomba

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GLENN E. SMITH, JR. ’07M is currently an adjunct instructor in earth and planetary sciences at Westmoreland County Community College; teaching graduate level courses in astronomy and meteorology geology at Waynesburg University; and is a full time teacher for the Brentwood Area School District, all in Pennsylvania.

World-Class Experience

Amanda Scully

For many athletes, the opportunity to be part of an Olympic team is an ultimate goal. Amanda Scully ’07, ’10DPT, is part of the sports performance team for USA Rhythmic Gymnastics. 

“It’s an injury prevention team,” Scully explained. “We work with the athletes on flexibility, keeping them even on both sides, strength training and keeping them injury-free.” 

Scully is grateful for the opportunity to travel with the team, which has taken her to Bulgaria for the World Cup and to Wroclaw, Poland for the World Games.   

“Without the support and being able to do the clinical I did, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity,” she said. Her Gannon education gave her the technical skills to practice at the highest levels. “You can learn the discipline, but you can’t function at a high level if you can’t apply it effectively.” 

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Megan JointMEGAN R. JOINT, D.O. is a dermatologist who practices at the Canonsburg, Pa. office of Mountain State Medical Specialties. She attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and did her residency at Lewis Gale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, Va.

KYLE J. KELLERAN has joined the faculty at Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, Va., as an assistant professor in the department of health and human sciences. 

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COREY L. BOWERS has been named head golf professional at World Tour Golf Links, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Bowers was previously head golf pro at Founders Club in Pawleys Island, S.C., where he managed day-to-day operations, oversaw budgets and supervised more than 40 employees. The move to World Tour puts him at one of Founders Group International's most unique facilities and one of the top-tier golf courses on the Grand Strand.

ADRIENNE M. OLSZAK ’11M is an occupational therapist at Clearview Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Sligo, Pa.

KRISTIN E. SCHALK has been named as the new head softball coach for Ferris State University in Michigan. Schalk brings five years of head coaching experience to the program, previously serving as head coach at Fort Scott (Kansas) Community College.

 JACOB R. WILLIAMSON is the new director of young adult ministry in the Secretariat for Leadership Development and Evangelization in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. He will focus on building relationships with young adults and connecting young adults to Jesus, the church and each other.

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SHELLY L. BUCKHOLTZ '11C has been named as Ferguson Township (Pa.) Elementary School’s principal. She has previously worked as an early intervention preschool teacher with Riverview Intermediate Unit No. 6 in the North Clarion and Forest area school districts; kindergarten teacher at Pine Grove Elementary School; Title I reading specialist at Pine Gove, Rockland and Cranberry elementary schools; literacy coach at Pin Oak, Pine Grove, Rockland and Cranberry elementary schools; K-12 director of curriculum at Cranberry Elementary and Cranberry Junior/Senior High Schools; and Title I coordinator at Cranberry Elementary. She was also an adjunct professor at Gannon.

RANDALL P. COLLING was selected fifth overall in the 2017 Canadian Football League draft by the Calgary Stampeders. Since finishing his collegiate career with Gannon in 2011, Colling spent four years with the Arena Football League's Cleveland Gladiators and also signed with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in 2014.

LAUREN E. LEONE, PA-C ’12M has joined the staff at Magee-Women’s Specialty Center in Erie as a physician assistant in obstetrics and gynecology.

MITCHEL S. MEIGHEN was recently recognized by Apple as a member of Apple’s global Distinguished Educator (ADE) Class of 2017, one of only 125 educators from across the U.S. to receive this distinction this year. The program began in 1994, when Apple recognized K-12 and higher education pioneers who are using a variety of Apple products to transform teaching and learning in powerful ways. 

Mitchel Meighen

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ASHLEY COCHRAN-WALTERS ’12M has been named assistant vice president, EFT manager of Northwest Bank, Warren, Pa. She began her career with Northwest in 2009 as an operations representative. Since then, she has worked at numerous positions throughout the bank, including administrative assistant, management trainee and operations supervisor. In 2014 she became the bank’s EFT manager and oversees the bank’s debit card program and ATM network.

DREW D. DEIMEL competed in the 101st Pennsylvania Golf Association Championship on August 14-15, 2017 at Gulph Mills Golf Club in King of Prussia, Pa.

FERKI FERATI, ED.D. ’12M has been appointed president of the Jefferson Educational Society in Erie.

MATTHEW J. PATTERSON ’12C has been named assistant superintendent of elementary education with West Jefferson Hills (Pa.) School District effective July 1, 2017. He most recently served as the director of elementary education in the Corry Area School District for the past three years. He will oversee West Jefferson Hills’ kindergarten through sixth-grade operations, and serve as the district's federal programs coordinator.

MICHAEL J. PONZURICK is currently employed by the U.S. Secret Service Emergency Response Team in Washington, D.C. 

 LUKE P. UEBLER, II was ordained a priest to the Diocese of Buffalo in June 2016. He has served at St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Buffalo since his diaconal ordination.

JONATHAN J. ZIGLER ’13M is an orthopedic physician assistant at UPMC Passavant Hospital in McCandless, Pa. 

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BARBARA J. KURTZ ’13M has been named one of 12 finalists for the 2018 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Award. Barbara (Señora Kurtz to her students) is the Spanish teacher at Meadville (Pa.) Area High School where she has been a teacher for 20 years.

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Zach Borland ZACHERY BORLAND is the new sports editor for The Titusville (Pa.) Herald. While at Gannon, Borland became the sports director at 90.5 WERG. There he was recognized as a top-five finalist for the Best Sports Update award at the 2015 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Radio Conference. He was also with the station when it was the recipient of the 2014 Abraham and Borst Award for Best College Station in the Nation. Borland has been a radio guest on the Sports Blitz on Fox Sports Radio, on 1330 AM The Fan in Erie. He is also a regular guest on 90.5 WERG’s Prime Time Sports Guys program.

JACQUELYN T. MCFADDEN ’14M is among the new inductees of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford's Athletic Hall of Fame. She was a member of the Pitt-Bradford’s volleyball team and became the program’s first All-American in 2010. That year, she was named the AMCC Player of the Year and the Pitt-Bradford Athlete of the Year while leading the Panthers to the program’s first AMCC title. She currently works as a physical therapist for local school districts in Pinehurst, N.C.

LIAM L. NADLER recently signed a professional contract with the Colorado Crush of the Indoor Football League (IFL) and was immediately named the league’s offensive player of the week by The Gridiron Crew. Nadler signed with Colorado on March 23 and played two days later at the Nebraska Danger, completing 65 percent (13-20) of his passes for 121 yards. Nadler then led the Crush to its first victory of the season at the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles on March 31. He connected on 67 percent (12-18) of his passes for 168 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions. Nadler also added a rushing touchdown during the 52-49 road win. 

CALVIN “C.J.” E. OLDHAM, JR. has signed a professional basketball contract to play with the Bayer Giants Leverkusen in Germany’s Pro B League. Oldham signed after playing last season with the BK Kongsberg Miners in Norway’s first league. He helped the Miners advance to the postseason by averaging 9.9 points and 9.6 rebounds.

JOSEPH A. PETRONE, JR. and JOHN A. HEPINGER ’16 were instituted on March 29, 2017 by Bishop Ronald Gainer of the Diocese of Harrisburg at Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica in Latrobe. They can now proclaim the readings, other than the Gospel, at Mass and other sacred celebrations. Petrone will be attending St. Vincent Seminary while Hepinger will be attending St. Vincent Seminary for the 2016-17 school year. 

RT. REV. SEAN W. ROWE ’14M recently completed work on his Ph.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership at Gannon. Rowe was ordained and consecrated as the eighth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania in September of 2007. He also serves in the Diocese of Bethlehem, where he was elected the Bishop Provisional in 2014.

REBECCA M. STRAUB ’17M has joined the athletic training staff at Alfred State, the State University of New York College of Technology in Alfred, N.Y., as an assistant athletic trainer. She will work with the volleyball team and the women’s soccer team this fall.

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ASHLY N. WYRICK is currently enrolled in the physician assistant program at Mount Union University in Alliance, Ohio.

Achieving National Ranks

DAMIANO G. CICCHINELLI, AVERY S. CRAIG, RYAN O. DAVIS, REYNALYNN S. PALANCA, ASHLEY SARLO, KYLE VOLKMAN, all 2016 graduates, were recently commissioned in the United States Army as Distinguished Military Graduates in the top 20 percent of ROTC cadets nationwide. Cicchinelli will be joining a combat engineers unit in Florida as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. Craig will be assigned as a field artillery officer at Ft Drum, N.Y. Davis will be assigned as an infantry officer. While Palanca and Sarlo will join the Army Nurse Corps and Volkman will join the Judge Advocates General Corps and attend Wake Forest University School of Law.

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Kristal AmbroseKRISTAL K. AMBROSE is the founder of the Bahamas Plastic Movement. She runs a free five-day summer camp for youths on the island of Eleuthera where students trawl the waterways for plastic, and bisect and document plastic debris in the stomachs of sport fish like mahi mahi. Under her supervision, they also constructed community trash cans out of plastic bottles. The camps bring environmental issues to the students and give them a platform to find solutions that work for the community.

HOLLY A. DILL designed and conducted a unique research project, with the results benefiting S.O.N.S. (Save Our Native Species) of Lake Erie fishing club in Erie, helping them to create optimum conditions for hatching fish in the future.

Marriages

Swope Wedding

Kathryn Demetriadis ‘11 married Ethan Swope ‘12 on July 15, 2017. 

Lacey M. Fleming ‘07 married Mark A. Graziano ‘05 on Oct. 8, 2016.

David M. Gibbons, M.D. ‘08 married Shabnam Assar, M.D. on Oct. 22, 2016.

William J. Hain ‘61 married Janice C. Meyer on Nov. 9, 2016.  

Pearl M. Jeffries ‘81 married Robert G. Steel on May 21, 2017.

Gaba Wedding

Stephanie L. Komorek ‘11 married Andrew J. Gaba ‘11 on June 10, 2017. 

Jessica S. Shirey ’14 married Shane A. Cross ’13 on Oct. 29, 2016.  

In Memoriam

Alumni

Jo Kitchen Akus ’58VMC
Edwin L. Alward ’59
Dorothy R. Ascherman ’74M
Christine Baker-Anderson ’83
John R. Barnhart ’61
Robert E. Baxter ’52
Victor H. Benoit ’60, ’72M
Richard P. Berlin ’91
Ronald E. Bilski ’75
Sister Marie C.
Bindseil, S.S.J. ’64VMC
Peri D. Bridger ’81
Cynthia Ventola Browne ’69VMC
August F. Bruno ’96
Patricia Sawicki Burik ’95
Michael F. Burke ’60
Janet Mares Carlson ’67VMC
Betti Lauer Cicero ’76
George A. Ciotti, Jr. ’60, ’78M
Ward H. Clegg, III ’77
G. Rodger Crowe ’79M
Thomas L. Curcio, Jr. ’67
David J. Cyterski ’77, ’88M
Thomas M. Davis ’69
James C. Delehunt, Ph.D. ’71
Dennis L. Delporto ’71
Richard C. Dicicco ’64
Majorie E. Diehl ’75M
William L. Disantis ’00
Dennis C. Ditrich ’70
Clarence F. Dolan ’63
Dolores Krainock Dzeskewicz ’89
Virginia Jones Edwards ’81M
David A. Ermi ’89M
William E. Flanagan, Jr. ’75
Gretchen M. Froehlich ’88
Mark A. Ganska ’80
William P. Garvey, Ph.D. ’57
Helen E. Gibbons, Ed.D. ’51
Robert D. Giunta ’06
Susanne E. Gizoli ’61VMC
Eric C. Grimm ’07
John H. Guelcher ’63
George F. Hagle ’51
Fr. Ronald A. Hazuda ’67
David J. Heck ’80
Ruth Bliss Henry ’88, ’89
Harry E. Hobson ’59
William A. Hoh ’57
Anne Boudon Kahle ’48VMC
Mary Holp Kalkhof ’69VMC
Roderic B. Karpen ’63, ’71M
John A. Keister ’82
David Kierzek ’70
Terrance A. Krott ’68, ’74M
James E. Kubaney ’67, ’71M
Sister M. Roberta Lavin ’55VMC
Marion C. Lipski ’75
Janet Wilkinson Luke ’00
Ana Lutzen-Stutts ’39VMC
Bette J. Malone ’94
Constantine P. Manos ’49
James E. Mantyla ’69, ’76M
Kathleen O'Rourke
Masolotte ’77VMC
John J. McCarthy, Sr. ’45
Donald M. McGill ’59
John J. McGraw ’59
Joyce S. McKnight ’77M
Leonard J. McLaughlin, Sr. ’52
Steven C. Miller ’72, ’90M
Richard J. Minnium ’60
Michael G. Mooney ’87
Florence A. Nicklow-Elliott ’00M
Roger S. Niemic ’84
Rev. John L. O’Shea ’76
Agnes Alinolfi O’Sullivan, M.Ed. ’66VMC
James R. Orcutt ’60, ’73M
Douglas Ostrowski, D.D.S. ’79
William N. Ott ’70
Anthony R. Paar, USA (Ret.) ’58
Joanne Hodas Palun ’74VMC
Dennis Parlavecchio, M.D. ’77
Louis Pedano ’59
Fred L. Peterson ’76
Frank L. Petrungar ’74
Robert H. Phelps ’39
Susanne Porowski ’70
Anthony F. Portfilio ’60
Mary Nelson Price ’56VMC
Mazie Smith Purdue ’69VMC
Brian E. Reffner ’81
James F. Roberts, D.D.S. ’55
Donald M. Robie ’57
William J. Roehrig, III ’78
Patricia A. Rouen ’57VMC
Jerry Russell ’83
Max J. Ryczko ’57
Mary Nowak Sadowski ’90
Lawrence R. Schaff ’59
J. Donald Schwab ’51
Anthony V. Sebald ’63
Gregory J. Sherbine ’74
David C. Shiel ’62
John A. Signorelli, C.L.U. ’63
Marjorie Milks Smith ’49VMC
Sandy Picard Smith ’67VMC
James H. Speice ’67
John A. Steadman ’68
John F. Stehle ’74
Joseph T. Stricek ’53
Larry R. Swigonski ’74
Charles L. Thompson ’69
James M. Torok, II ’78
Charles Trudnowski, Jr. ’73
Vito C. Tullio, Jr. ’68
Beverly Kline Wagoner ’90
Rev. Yvonne E. Wesley-Rohrbaugh ’80, ’83M
Robert F. Whipple ’55
Rev. Stanislaus F.
Widomski, O.F.M. ’50
Sister Carol A. Wilcox, S.S.J. ’68
Gary D. Williams ’88
Richard C. Wingerter ’62
Mark R. Wolfe ’69
James S. Young ’70
Thomas W. Zang, CPA ’67
Rev. Msgr. Edward J. Zeitler ’50
Joan Gallina Zieg ’71M
Louis V. Zuck, Ph.D. ’57

Parents and Friends

Linda Disorbo Augustyn
Patricia Daley Barnes
Rev. John F. Bauer
John W. Beatty, Esq.
Gerald J. Bohrer
Norman J. Borczon
Mark S. Borowy
Mary Cardamore
Mary L. Carlson
Jacob A. Chiera
Mario R. Cocuzzi
Nicholas Combitchi
Daniel P. Conley
Betty Dinger
Herman Dinger
Matthew M. Dye
Joseph M. Frisina
John A. Fust
William F. Heigley, Sr.
Peter D. Hero
Bonnie J. Hobson
James J. Hoffman, D.M.D.
Marcia A. Hughes
Patricia Standish Jacobson
Jean Lasher Jones
Janet Klempay, Ph.D.
Richard L. Krajec
Richard Krozel
Scott M. Laser
Diana Rivas Marchini
Carol L. Mazick
Barbara Dobrowolski Miller
Walter S. Minot, Ph.D.
Thomas E. Mullen, Jr.
Duane L. Nicka
David J. Ondrus
Dolores Costay Pastore
Paul A. Pastore
Virginia Schumann Peck
Jack W. Peltason
Robert Pickens
Louis J. Presta
Patricia A. Rouen
Dorothy Hudick Ryczko
Violet Popoff Sala
Paul E. Serbak
William G. Sesler, Esq.
Fred P. Shumaker
Gilbert A. Steg, DDS
Miguel E. Such
Tyler A. Toale

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