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. Share your story.
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 Narber, 2005
graphic design
Jared is the senior visual designer in the marketing department for Disney+. He resides in New York City.
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 (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 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 Stauffer, 2009
civil engineering technology
Kyle is a project manager for Hawbaker Engineering LLC. He resides in Bellefonte.
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.
Ted Reighard, 1975
electrical technology
Ted retired as a senior sales associate on April 2 after 42 years with Westinghouse Electric Wesco Distribution Inc. Manufactured Structures Group. He resides in Elizabethtown.
John Bower Jr., 1981
accounting
John retired in 2020 as director of accounting from Beiter's Inc. after 30 years. He is married with one daughter and three grandchildren and resides in Yonkers, N.Y.
Steve Brunnhuber, 1989
construction carpentry
Steve is a registered nurse for Mount Nittany Medical Center. "I worked from 1989 to 2005 as a lead carpenter for a design/build construction firm that specialized in true custom homes," he said. "I returned to Penn State Altoona and received an associate degree in nursing. I have worked since 2006 as an RN for various hospitals in Blair and Centre counties." He resides in Altoona.
Jerre Mohler, 1974
forest technology
Jerre retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after 21 years as a fish biologist, developing technology and techniques for conservation and restoration of migratory fish populations. After earning an associate degree in forest technology from WACC, he completed a bachelor's in secondary education biology and general science from Lock Haven University and a Master of Science in biology from Bloomsburg University. He resides in Trout Run.
Ashlyn Hershberger, 2011
graphic communications management
Ashlyn is a member service representative IV, CCO fraud and digital, for the Navy Federal Credit Union. She assists as an acting phone supervisor, reviews accounts for suspected potential fraud and mentors newer representatives in the Contact Center Operations Fraud & Digital branch. She resides in Martinsburg, W.V., and is engaged to be married to her fiance of 6.5 years, Jake Benicewicz, in September 2021.
Jacqueline (Lyden) Clark, 2016
baking and pastry arts
Jacqueline is a team leader for The Bake Shoppe at Country Table in Mount Joy. She married Joshua Clark in October 2020. They reside in Palmyra and have a dog named Olive.
Dennis Richards, 1974
business management
Dennis is an estimator in the interior wall protection department for Construction Specialties. He plans to retire April 30, 2021. He resides in Hughesville.
Richard Hornberger, 2004
computer information technology: data communications and networking
Richard is director of information technology for Phoenix Contact. He received a doctor of business administration from University of Maryland Global Campus, conferred on March 30, 2021. He and Rebecca welcomed a son, Will, on Nov. 22, 2020. They reside in Mechanicsburg.
Marc (Nelson) Mozdian, 2015
ornamental horticulture: plant production
Marc is vice president of Fire Cut Farm LLC. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, he married Allison Mozdian. They are planning a celebration gathering in July 2021. In the summer of 2020, the couple formed Fire Cut Farm, a local regeneratively and organically grown cut-flower farm. They reside in Wyoming, Pa.
Kaycee Hunter, 2018
nursing
Kaycee is a registered nurse in emergency medicine for Geisinger. She resides in Dushore.