Class Notes shares the achievements and milestones of alumni of Pennsylvania College of Technology and its predecessors, Williamsport Area Community College and Williamsport Technical Institute.

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  • Gregory Zanowiak, 2021

    welding technology

    Gregory is a welder for Johnson Controls. He resides in Millersville.

  • Sean Yearick, 2021

    accounting and business administration: management

    Sean is retired from the U.S. Navy. He resides in Lock Haven.

  • Corrina Blose, 2021

    baking and pastry arts

    Corrina is continuing her education toward a bachelor's degree in applied management at Penn College. She resides in Coplay.

  • Jessica Yannes, 2021

    applied human services

    Jessica is a direct support professional for Catholic Charities. She resides in Susquehanna.

  • Nicholas Noll, 2021

    plastics and polymer engineering technology

    Nicholas is a molding process engineer for Becton Dickinson & Co. He resides in Torrington, Conn.

  • Karla Frank, 2021

    health science

    Karla is a lab technician for Green Thumb Industries Inc., extracting terpenes and oil for medicinal cannabis products. She secured the job before graduation ("I somehow managed to finish in four years while working full time and had my baby in the beginning of my junior year - and somehow only missed one class!" she says). Although accepted to graduate schools, she is continuing her education in the accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing program at Wilkes University. She resides in Selinsgrove.

  • Barbara LeGeyt, 2021

    welding and fabrication engineering technology

    Barbara is a weld mechanical engineer for John Deere. She will begin her first rotation in the company's engineering development program in the loaders department. She resides in Barkhamsted, Conn.

  • Julie (Reppert) Stellfox, 2006

    mass media communication and technology management

    Julie is assistant director of media relations for Lock Haven University, serving as head writer for the university and managing its social media platforms. In Spring 2020, she received the university's Meritorious Service Individual Award, and she is chair for the Programming, Education and Visibility Committee on the President's Commission on LGBTQ Affairs. Julie and her husband, Adam Stellfox, '06, mass media communication, and '15, information technology: information assurance and security, welcomed their second daughter, Maisie Madeline, on Aug. 5, 2020. They reside in Montoursville.

  • Jill Purificato, 2008

    floral design/interior plantscape and technology management

    Jill is an outpatient hospital coder for Lehigh Valley Health Network. She holds certified professional coder and certified outpatient coder credentials. She resides in Whitehall.

  • Paul

    Paul Reier, 1977

    forest technology

    Paul recently retired after 42 years of service with the Virginia Department of Forestry, growing 1.125 billion loblolly pine seedlings, responding to many fires and providing hundreds of Smokey Bear walk-a-bouts (meeting actor Tom Hanks and singer Charlie Daniels). He was a forest technician and is a recipient of the U.S. Forest Service's Bronze Smokey Bear award for fire prevention. He resides in Toano, Va.

  • Jacob Sekela, 2020

    hospitality management and applied management

    Jacob is a cashier/cashier assistant for Costco Wholesale. He resides in Douglassville.

  • Caleb Schirmer, 2016

    landscape/horticulture technology: landscape emphasis, and applied management

    Caleb is a graduate assistant - coordinator of student activities and leadership for Mid-America Christian University, where he will pursue a Master of Arts in leadership, higher education emphasis. He resides in Oklahoma City.

  • Julie (Rutt) Hedgepeth, 2004

    paramedic technology

    Julie and her husband welcomed a daughter, Adena, in May 2020. Julie is a registered nurse for Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital. They reside in Elizabethtown.

  • Jared

    Jared Narber, 2005

    graphic design

    Jared is the senior visual designer in the marketing department for Disney+. He resides in New York City.

  • James

    James Johnson, 1974

    Forest Technology

    James operated a portable sawmiling business for 30 years and retired in 2015. Photo shows him with his last log. "Fifteen minutes later, I was officially retired," he says. He resides in Hookstown.

  • Julia (Sneeringer) Hetrick, 1989

    floriculture

    After spending most of her floriculture career as a supply sales manager for the Sieck Wholesale Florist Group in Pennsylvania, Washington and Maryland, Julia is enjoying the retail side as a designer for Blooms by Vickrey, providing direct service to clients in the Camp Hill/Harrisburg area. She resides in Hanover and reports that she is excited by celebrate the graduation of her son, Alex Hetrick, information technology: network and user support, in May 2021. The family also plans to celebrate her daughter's wedding and graduation with a master's degree in 2021.

  • Derek Ban, 2012

    welding and fabrication engineering technology

    Derek is a quality manager for Reynolds Consumer Products (the maker of Reynolds Wrap and other well-known brands). He resides in Charlotte, N.C.

  • Joan

    Joan (John) Barnickel, 2003

    manufacturing engineering technology

    Joan is a manufacturing engineer for HardGuard Group. She resides in Lithicum Heights, Md., and reports that she has "three wonderful boys that help make life complete."

  • David Zlotnicki, 2019

    electronics and computer engineering technology

    David is an automation and controls engineer for Simmons Machine Tool Corp., writing code for Siemens programmable logic controllers and programming robots for railroad wheel shop machinery. He resides in Albany, N.Y.

  • Andrew Manley, 2015

    software development & information management and information technology sciences: gaming and simulation

    Andrew is a software engineer 4 for Sealing Technologies. He resides in Baltimore.

  • Courtney Shirmer, 2019

    health arts: practical nursing

    Courtney is a psych/behavioral nurse and charge nurse for Mount Carmel Nursing & Rehabilitation. She resides in Mount Carmel and reports that she was promoted to an administrative role within a year of being a new nursing graduate.

  • Larry Erb, 1970

    graphic arts management

    Larry is retired and resides in Alto, Ga. He received a bachelor's degree from South Dakota State University.

  • Scott Griffith, 1994

    heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology

    Scott works in RHVAC quality assurance for City Facilities Management, performing quality assurance on supermarket refrigeration and HVAC for the company's Walmart partnership in the Northeast. He resides in Montrose.

  • Dona (Shaffer) Bean, 1979

    dental hygiene

    Dona is retired. Her husband retired and they relocated to Barto in January 2021.

  • Brad Diehl, 2007

    heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology

    Brad is a refrigeration supervisor for Sheetz Inc., managing two ammonia refrigeration systems for the Sheetz distribution center and bakery, and all HVAC/R for the distribution center. He is married with two children and a third on the way. They reside in New Enterprise.

  • Cassandra Mohr, 2015

    dental hygiene: health policy and administration

    Cassandra is a registered dental hygienist for Geisinger. She resides in Mifflinburg.

  • Vernon

    Vernon Poplaski, 1982

    computer information systems

    Vernon is the owner, president and CEO of PA Renovate and Resell, LLC, a real estate investment company. After working in the IT industry for 38 years, he retired as a project management professional and started PA Renovate and Resell.  In those 38 years, he was a programmer, analyst, database administrator, project manager and product manager. After graduation he moved to Mechanicsburg, married and raised two children. He has two grandchildren.

     

     

  • Kyle

    Kyle Stauffer, 2009

    civil engineering technology

    Kyle is a project manager for Hawbaker Engineering LLC. He resides in Bellefonte.

  • Cynthia

    Cynthia (Mitchell) Zerbe, 1976

    clerical studies

    Cynthia is the ADA and on-demand operations manager for Centre Area Transportation Authority. She is a former board member of the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association. Married in 1976, she has a son, a granddaughter and three grandsons "who keep us hopping with all their energy," she reports. She resides in Huntingdon.

  • Steve Lower, 1976

    engineering drafting technology

    Steve retired as senior engineering designer, ECAD, from the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State after 36 years. He supervised the ECAD design team and designed printed wiring assemblies for guidance and control of undersea vehicles for the U.S. Navy. He is a 36-year volunteer firefighter and past chief with Alpha Fire Co. in State College and received the Centre County Fire Chiefs Association Firefighter of the Year award. He is an adjunct fire instructor and certification examiner for HACC and the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy. He resides in State College, is an avid deer hunter and is a national-level competitor in Sports Car Club of America autocross events.

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