Mayor of the City of Carbondale to Deliver 2024 Commencement Address

Johnson College has selected Michele Bannon, Mayor of the City of Carbondale, to give its 2024 commencement address to graduates on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at 10 a.m. at the College’s Scranton campus.

For the past 30 years, Mayor Bannon has spent her career working with the residents of the City of Carbondale and local partners to build a strong, sustainable region. She is admired for her commitment to developing vibrant neighborhoods, impactful community development, and strong advocacy of empowering a positive culture throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Mayor Bannon finds joy and fulfillment in her intentional commitment and involvement with many boards and organizations including NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania, Carbondale YMCA, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, Carbondale Historical Society, Greater Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, and Wane Memorials Hospital Community Board.

She lives by the quote of George Bernard Shaw; “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live.”

Mayor Bannon is a lifelong resident of the City of Carbondale and resides in the home where her grandmother was born. She is the daughter of Rita Enslin Bannon and Gerald Bannon. She has four brothers and one sister, two nieces, two nephews, and three godchildren. She attributes the person that she is today to her wonderful family and friends.

After graduating from Carbondale Area High School in 1987, she earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology, Political Science, and Public Administration from Wilkes University between 1991 and 2024. She was sworn into the office of Mayor on January 7, 2024.

CEO of AllOne Foundation & Charities to Deliver 2023 Commencement Address

Johnson College has selected John W. Cosgrove, Chief Executive Officer of AllOne Foundation & Charities to give their 2023 commencement address to graduates on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at 10 a.m., at the College’s Scranton campus.

As CEO, Mr. Cosgrove has implemented the distribution of over $35.4 million in philanthropic resources to communities in all corners of the Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania region. AllOne Foundation & Charities supports health care programs achieving high impact in Mental Health and Behavioral Health, Access to Care for Women & Children, Autism Services, Substance Abuse Disorder, and Food Security.

Mr. Cosgrove has nearly 40 years of experience in the private, non-profit, public and community service arenas. 

Before becoming CEO of AllOne Foundation & Charities in 2016, he was Vice-President of Condron & Cosgrove, a public relations and communications firm in downtown Scranton.

Mr. Cosgrove served as Executive Director of the Alliance of National Heritage Areas; a Washington, D.C.-based national non-profit association of economic and community development entities designated by the U.S. Congress.

He is a former Executive Director of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley, a State and National Heritage Area. In 2004, Lackawanna Heritage Valley received the Preserve America Presidential Award – the nation’s highest honor for historic preservation – presented in a White House ceremony by the President of the United States.

Mr. Cosgrove served in the administration of Pennsylvania Governor Robert P. Casey as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Citizen Service. He was instrumental in initiating the national service program, AmeriCorps, in Pennsylvania.

He served on the faculty of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., and was an early pioneer in the KAIROS Student Retreat Program. He was a co-chair of the Gonzaga International Volunteer Experience at the Ciudad de los Ninos orphanage in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Mr. Cosgrove is a Trustee of the Margaret Briggs Foundation, a member of the National Board of Directors of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, and a former Chairman of the Board of NeighborWorks NEPA. He is the founding Chairman of First Night Scranton, the Housing Services Collaborative of Lackawanna County, and CityPride!  He has received the national J.C. Penny Golden Rule Award and the Founders Honor Roll Award from The Scranton School for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children.

Mr. Cosgrove holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from Southeastern University in Washington, D.C., and has completed the Executive Education programs in Health Care Management at the Yale University School of Management and in Nonprofit Profit Executive Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

He lives in Scranton with his wife, Eileen, and is the very proud dad of three grown daughters, Bridget, Molly, and Erin.

Nicholas J. Scarnato to Deliver Johnson College’s 2022 Commencement Address

Johnson College has selected Nicholas J. Scarnato, CCO at Producto, graduate of Johnson College, class of 1980, and Old Forge, PA native, to give their 2022 commencement address to graduates on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at 10 a.m., at the Circle Drive-In Theatre in Scranton.

As the CCO at Producto, Scarnato is currently instrumental in driving the commercial strategy and development of three (3) platform entities: New Vision Industries, located in Endicott, NY, Ring Precision Components, located in Jamestown, NY, and Dieco, located in Solon, Ohio.

After graduating from Johnson College, Mr. Scarnato’s career started with Singer, Link Flight Simulation Division, as a test engineer. He supported the development, testing, project management, and capture management of multiple U.S. and International Military Simulators. He continued his career with Link, performing as a Customer Liaison to European NATO Forces in Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, and Liaison to United States Air Forces, located in Germany and Spain. At Link, Mr. Scarnato became a Capture Team Leader for multiple U.S. Airforce and U.S. Army platform simulators.

After 20 years with Link, Mr. Scarnato joined Collins Aerospace, where he continued to support Military Simulation in multiple capacities for Major Defense platforms. As Strategic Development Director, he supported the acquisition of various companies to meet corporate strategic growth initiatives. He supported a team researching Training Effectiveness, Cognitive Saturation, and Adaptive Learning partnering with small businesses and universities. As the Strategic Development Director, he and his team supported five prominent business leaders in developing their business growth initiatives within a diverse set of Markets: Integrated Simulation and Training, including Live Virtual Constructive Interoperability; Multi-Domain Battlespace; Precision Manufacturing; Nuclear Command & Control, and Autonomous Systems. After Collins Aerospace Mr. Scarnato joined New Vision Industries, where he led a talented team toward the strategic change and growth of the business.

Mr. Scarnato holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electronics and Fluidics from Johnson College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Binghamton University. Currently, Mr. Scarnato is a proud member of the Board of Directors at Johnson College. He and his wife reside in the Southern Tier of New York.

Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a supportive environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912 and is the region’s only technical college, offering 17 associate degree and 4 academic certificate programs. A low student-to-instructor ratio supports an emphasis on hands-on learning. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional businesses and industries to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.

Candy Frye to Deliver Johnson College’s 2021 Commencement Address

Johnson College has selected Candy Frye, Director of New Business Development at A. Pickett Construction, Inc. and Johnson College graduate, to give their 2021 commencement address to graduates on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, at dusk, at the Circle Drive-In Theatre in Scranton.

As the Director of New Business Development at A. Pickett Construction, Inc., Frye is instrumental in driving new business.  She nurtures relationships with existing commercial and facilities-related clients.  She identifies new opportunities through the development of strategic relationships with potential clients of various sectors.  Before this role, Frye was the Dispatch Manager of Pickett Facilities Maintenance, a subsidiary of A. Pickett Construction, Inc.  Her background has been diverse, though always trade-related.

Mrs. Frye currently serves on the Johnson College Board of Directors, is the current chair for the NEPA Associated Builders and Contractors Association, and is an active member of multiple chambers of commerce.  She also serves on the Domestic Violence Service Center Board of Directors as well as multiple associated related committees.

During her time as a student at Johnson College, she earned an Associate in Specialized Technology degree in both Building Construction Technology in 1993 and Architectural Drafting and Design in 1994. She was nominated and served as Student Government President as well as received the Non-Traditional Student of the Year award.

She resides in Harding with her husband Jay, daughter Jordan, and great-nephew, Noah.

Chris Martin of Martin Guitar to Deliver Johnson College Commencement Address on May 13, 2013

Johnson College will hold its 94th Commencement Ceremony on Monday, May 13, 2013 starting at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony will take place at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave, Scranton.

At the commencement ceremony, Johnson College expects to award over 170 Associate Degrees. Along with the presentation of degrees, the program includes: special remarks by this year’s commencement speaker; an address from Dr. Ann L. Pipinski, President and CEO; and a statement from Louis A. Costanzo, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Johnson College is pleased to announce that this year’s commencement speaker will be Christian Frederick Martin, IV, Chairman and CEO of the world-renowned C. F. Martin & Co.

C. F. Martin, IV, or “Chris” as he prefers, is the Chairman and CEO of the world-renowned C. F. Martin & Co. and the sixth generation of Martin family members to run the business. Martin acoustic guitars are prized worldwide for their exceptional tone, design, craftsmanship and attention to detail. Under Chris Martin’s direction, the Company has maintained its integrity and industry wide respect while growing and prospering to unprecedented manufacturing and sales levels. Chris is an active community friend and donor to Johnson College.

Christian Frederick Martin, IV, was born on July 8, 1955. He grew up in
New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and his familiarity with the family business was limited to occasional visits to his grandfather, Christian Frederick Martin, III, and to summer jobs working at the factory. As a child, Chris took guitar lessons but “still doesn’t play in public.” For a while, he considered a career in marine biology but when he attended UCLA, he majored in economics. While in Los Angeles, Chris apprenticed at Westwood Music, building a classical guitar and familiarizing himself with the retail end of the business. After just a year, he headed back East to work in the guitar factory where he learned more about the design and construction of the Martin guitar and became familiar with many of the different operations. He attended the local community college at night and, after 18 months; he transferred to Boston University’s School of Management, earning a bachelor degree in 1978.

Chris then moved to Nazareth where he became more involved in the company, first as assistant to the president, then as vice president of marketing. When
C. F. Martin, III passed away in 1986 at the age of 93, the heir apparent was still learning about the Martin Guitar Company and he was inexperienced in running a business. Chris was also only 30 years old. Nonetheless, after a short transition, the somewhat hesitant members of the board named him chairman.

The Martin Guitar Company was not doing well when Chris took over. The preceding decade had been one of decline for the organization. Following an expensive factory expansion, there had been a severe economic recession and a strike by Martin employees. The effect of the economic downturn was compounded by a change in popular taste from folk music to electric guitars, disco and digital keyboards. In an effort to keep up with the times, the company had diversified aggressively, acquiring a drum company, a banjo manufacturing firm, a guitar string company and a guitar factory in Sweden. Of all its acquisitions, only the string company was to survive.

Shortly before Chris took over, The Martin Guitar Company cut its work force. In 1982 production had dropped to just 3,153 instruments, the lowest since World War II. Following C. F. Martin, III’s death, serious consideration was given to either selling or liquidating the company.

The new, young Chairman was determined to put the company back on track. After taking over a family business that had been in existence for over 150 years, Chris did not want to be the one to write the final chapter. He took a short course in strategic planning, was personally transformed by Outward Bound, learned public speaking and eventually re-focused the company and its employees on its primary strengths: steel stringed acoustic guitars and strings.

Chris believes in a team approach and he demands that management and employees be involved in The Martin Guitar Company’s annual strategic plan. This document is not simply prepared and filed, but is carefully created and ultimately implemented and embraced at every level. Chris regularly joins both management and hourly workers on Outward Bound programs, believing that the experience forces people to look both to themselves and members of their team for cooperative survival.

Chris’ decade-long efforts to turn the company around has succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations. Last year was The Martin Guitar Company’s most successful in the organization’s 173-year history. Martin has re-established its reputation worldwide as the builder of the highest quality guitars. Eric Clapton and Paul Simon are among the artists who have chosen to be involved in designing new limited edition guitars, and Martin once again makes more acoustic guitars than any other company in the U. S. The process is difficult and time consuming, but it’s also rewarding. Interestingly, some of the biggest competition for Martin comes from used Martin guitars which are sought after by both performers and collectors.

The Martin Guitar Company is thriving under Chris’ direction. His team-oriented management style is friendly and personal, yet firm and direct. Chris travels extensively in order to stay abreast of market trends and to hold instructional clinics at Martin dealerships around the world.

On May 19, 1990, Chris married Diane S. Repyneck, district justice from Lower Saucon Township and Hellertown, Pa. Several days after Chris had appeared in her courtroom for a traffic violation, he called to ask Diane to consider having dinner with a lawbreaker. She consented.

Read more about C. F. Martin & Co. by visiting www.martinguitar.com.

To learn more about Johnson College, check out www.johnson.edu.


Christian Frederick Martin, IV, Chairman and CEO of the world-renowned C. F. Martin & Co., will deliver Johnson College’s Commencement Address on Monday, May 13, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple.

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