Biographical Information
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Karen M. Armstrong Senior VP/CIO |
Karen has served on the Corporate Staff of Susquehanna Health System (SHS) in various roles since the alliance between The Williamsport Hospital, Divine Providence Hospital and Muncy Valley Hospital was established in 1994. She functioned as Vice President of Operations as well as Chief Operating Officer of Divine Providence Hospital and is currently serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of SHS. Karen's responsibilities include leadership for information technology, network services, HIPAA, health records, laboratory, imaging, and medical library services.
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Jim Baker |
Jim joined the staff of SEDA-COG in 1996 to provide assistance with Internet technologies, and assumed his current position as department head in 1999. He provides analysis and advice to SEDA-COG staff and partner agencies on technology issues and deals with similar issues from local businesses.
SEDA-COG
SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) is a regional multi-county development agency which, under the guidance of a public policy board, provides leadership, expertise and services to communities, businesses, institutions and residents. SEDA-COG seeks to enhance growth opportunities in an environmentally sensitive manner while retaining the region's predominantly rural character and is also an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels.
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Katie Bell |
Katie Bell is the Williamsport/Lycoming Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) Coordinator. Katie has experience working with academia through her more recent positions at Bucknell University and Lycoming College, and with economic development through her past employment with the IMC. Katie is also involved with a small business in Williamsport. She is a Lycoming College graduate.
The Williamsport/Lycoming KIZ is a one-stop resource to help entrepreneurs, start-up companies and progressive businesses implement an innovative idea from start to finish. Katie coordinates all KIZ assistance and programming for Williamsport and Lycoming County. For more information on the Williamsport/ Lycoming KIZ please visit www.wlkiz.com.
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James E. Douthat |
Born and raised in Petersburg, Virginia, James Douthat is a graduate of the College of William & Mary. He earned a masters and doctorate from Duke University, where he began his administrative career as Dean of Students. He served as Administrative Vice President and later as Executive Vice President at Albion College in Michigan before becoming Lycoming College's 14th president in July of 1989. A student of the life and times of Thomas Jefferson, he also enjoys woodworking and travel as well as the study of netsukes and Grand Tour bronzes. He and his wife, Emily, are the parents of two children, Mark and Anna.
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Jason Fink |
Jason Fink is the executive vice-president of the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce and the executive director of the Lycoming County Visitors Bureau and has been with the organization since 1996
Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce
A full-service chamber of commerce providing economic development, tourism and general chamber services to our business members.
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Dr. Davie Jane Gilmour |
Dr. Davie Jane Gilmour has been President of the Pennsylvania College of Technology since 1998. The community is important to Dr. Gilmour and she actively participates in various non-profit and economic-development organizations.
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Todd W. Griffith, Ph. D. |
Dr. Griffith has worked in the area of intelligent systems research for more than a decade and is widely published on subjects that include cognitive science, human-computer interaction and intelligent systems. Dr. Griffith taught computer science and artificial intelligence at Georgia Institute of Technology and at Bucknell University.
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Dorsey E. Houtz |
From 1983 to 1992 Mr. Houtz worked as a Hardware and Systems Engineer doing Command Control Communications and Intelligence (C3I) work for our nation’s defense and intelligence agencies. In 1992 Mr. Houtz was selected by the Executive staff of Raytheon Corporation to be part of a diversification effort focused on a newly emerging market of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies for public transit. From 1992 to 1998 Mr. Houtz held a variety of key management and executive positions as the ITS business grew from a concept to a business unit with revenues in excess of $100M. On January 1st of 1999 Mr. Houtz formed Avail Technologies, Inc. to address the technologies needs of small and medium sized public transit operators throughout North America. Since 1999 Avail has grown from a small start up business to become the nationally recognized leader of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies for transit properties running 250 vehicles or less.
Avail Technologies
Avail Technologies is a systems integrator works with transit professionals throughout North America and the world, to design, develop and adopt technology solutions, which provide the features and benefits that improve daily operations for the transit industry. This experience has not only taught Avail how to maximize the positive results that can be achieved through technology adoption, but it has allowed us the opportunity to perfect our approach to systems integration.
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John Johnston Regional Director |
John Johnston covers 11 counties in Central PA, prospecting for innovative companies to connect with the Ben Franklin financing and operational assistance program. He has been with Ben Franklin for 7 years, and spent 25 years previously in engineering and marketing positions with industrial electronics manufacturers.
Ben Franklin Technology PArtners
A statewide network that fosters innovation to stimulate Pennsylvania's economic growth and prosperity.
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Philip Johnson Regional President M&T Bank www.mandtbank.com |
Phil is the Regional President of M&T Bank for the Northern PA Region, which covers ten counties in North Central Pennsylvania. He is also Administrative Vice President of M&T Bank. He received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science and his MBA in Finance from Penn State University. Phil’s current committee activities include the following: Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors; Pennsylvania Economy League - Lycoming/Clinton Committee, Board of Directors; and Pennsylvania College of Technology Foundation, Board of Directors.
M&T Bank
M&T Bank has built our business on a tradition of reliability, accuracy and responsiveness to the needs of our customers, with an ATM network of more than 1,500 locations as well as state-of-the-art telephone and Web Banking. M&T Bank is recognized for its financial strength and sound management.
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Kathy Kolb President Kolb Net Works, Inc. |
Kathy Kolb, Owner and President of Kolb Net Works, Inc. a Williamsport based Web Site Development & Multimedia Production company. Active with the Williamsport / Lycoming Chamber since 1996. Chaired the Advanced Telecommunication – Information Technology (Chamber IT) committee for over 5 years. Formerly worked for GTE.
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Dr. Vince Matteo |
Dr. Matteo joined the Chamber of Commerce as its president and CEO in 2001. Prior to joining the Chamber, he served as the senior vice president and chief operating officer of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry. Dr. Matteo began his career in chamber work in 1980 as Director of Governmental Affairs and Community Development for the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.
Among his community affiliations and professional activities, Dr. Matteo is a member of the Board of Trustees of FOCUS Central Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Foundation for Free Enterprise; is second vice president and member of the Williamsport Rotary Club; and is on the Business Advisory Board for the Pennsylvania College of Technology.
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Denise Prince |
Since its launch in 2003, Ms. Prince has led Geisinger Health System’s venture and intellectual asset commercialization group. Geisinger Ventures seeks innovative ideas to improve healthcare delivery, licenses and brings to market intellectual property, develops business plans, launches new businesses, and builds industry partnerships. From 1991 - 2003 Ms. Prince provided leadership to the Diversified Services Division where she was responsible for numerous start-ups including home health and hospice services, sleep labs, and various pharmacy and therapy related services. She received her BA cum laude from Mount Holyoke College, and her MBA and MPH degrees from the University of California, Berkeley.
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Congressman Don Sherwood 330 Pine Street, Suite 202 |
Congressman Don Sherwood (R-Tunkhannock) represents Pennsylvania’s 10th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, elected to his fourth term in November 2004. The 10th District includes the counties of Bradford, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Union, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming, and also parts of Lackawanna, Luzerne and Lycoming counties.
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Ian Walsh |
Ian Walsh is Vice President and General Manager of Lycoming Engines. He joined the company in the summer of 2004 and is rapidly transforming the 100-year old business which has spent over 75 years manufacturing aircraft piston engines into a premier, lean, high velocity environment and a benchmark for the industry and for manufacturing in PA. Ian has been with Textron Inc. for seven and a half years with leadership roles at Bell Helicopter in Dallas Fort Worth and an executive customer leadership assignment with Textron Corporate. Ian holds a BA from Hamilton College, an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Before graduate school Ian served seven and a half years as a Cobra Pilot in the United States Marine Corps.
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Linda Weaver 570-329-3200 (v) |
Linda
is a Business Advisor at the Industrial Modernization Center.
Linda worked in manufacturing for 25 years and then joined the IMC staff eight years ago to assist companies with quality system training and implementation. For the past five years she has been part of the “sales” team that promotes and provides IMC services to small and mid-sized manufacturers in Clinton, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties.
IMC, Inc.
IMC strives to enhance the competitive performance of progressive manufacturers in the region through an engaged staff providing objective counsel, strategic perspective and high value services through access to regional, state and national resources.
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Marshall D. Welch III |
Prior to founding Stonefield, Mr. Welch has served as CEO, CFO and COO to emerging growth and mature companies with revenues ranging from $2 million to over $1.0 billion in Europe, Asia and the USA. Most recently, he was Senior Vice President, Transition Management of Platinum Equity, an investment firm with over $10 billion in portfolio revenue. Mr. Welch holds a BA from Gettysburg College, an MBA from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management, and an MS, Engineering in the Management of Technology from The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and The Wharton School.
Stonefield Capital
Stonefield Capital is a private equity firm seeking investment opportunities in companies located in the North Central Pennsylvania region. Stonefield will evaluate majority (acquisition) and minority interests in privately held companies (profitable or unprofitable) in a variety of industries.
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Mayor Mary B. Wolf |
Mayor Wolf became Mayor January 5, 2004 after serving eight years as a member of Williamsport City Council. She is a Trustee of the James V. Brown Library, a member of the Board of Directors of the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, SEDA-COG, and the PA. League of Cities and Municipalities. The Mayor is an active member of the Alliance 2000, a group of elected officials in Lycoming County who discuss common concerns and identify areas of mutual cooperation.
In her professional career in Williamsport, she served as Lycoming College’s freshman dean from 1990-1999 and taught Political Science at the College from 1985 to 2000. While her children were in school she was involved with their activities and the Williamsport Area School District. She has also been elected to four terms on the Lycoming County United Way Board of Directors.
Complementing her BA Degree in Business and Economics and her Masters in Public Administration are several years of federal, state and local government experience in Washington, DC, Cincinnati, Ohio and Dearborn, MI.
















