Board of Directors
Pamela A. Fendrock
President
Pam Fendrock, of Kingston, joined Wyoming Valley Habitat for Humanity in May of 2005 by volunteering at our ReStore. She became a member of the Family Selection and Support Committee in October of that year and acted as a mentor for a family whose home was dedicated in February of 2006. Pam then became co-chairperson of the Family Selection and Support Committee in the spring of 2007 and joined the board in July of 2007.
Originally from Carbondale, she has lived outside of northeastern Pennsylvania on numerous occasions, but something always draws her home. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. Her professional resume is a tapestry of experiences that include work in the hospitality industry, and the Internet industry — starting at The Times Leader, then at an ABC-television affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona, and later, Wilkes University. She is now the Northeast Pennsylvania Web and Northeast Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for PennFuture, a membership-driven environmental and economic advocacy organization that is headquartered in Harrisburg.
A fan of former president Jimmy Carter, she became aware of Habitat for Humanity International decades ago and is proud to be volunteering with the organization’s affiliate at home. She is also a member of The Lands at Hillside Farms and the Millennium Circle.
Richard Williams
Vice President
Richard Williams is an architect with Williams Kinsman Lewis Architecture in Wilkes-Barre. He lives in Kingston with his wife Linda and children: Oliver and Lily. He enjoys biking and gardening.
Sally Rothstein
Secretary
Sally Rothstein is a life long resident of the Wyoming Valley, growing up in Kingston and moving to the Back Mountain 30 years ago with her husband Steve to raise their two children, Alison & Jeff.
Sally has been a Realtor since 1992. She is Sales Services Director for Lewith & Freeman Real Estate.
Sally’s past volunteer experience includes the Junior League of Wilkes Barre, past-president; Sisterhood of Temple B’nai B’rith, past president; American Red Cross, Board Member and most recently Wyoming Valley Habitat for Humanity as Secretary.
Leonard V. Shimko
Treasurer
Leonard V. Shimko, a life-long resident of the Wyoming Valley and Chief Executive Officer of the Cross Valley Federal Credit for the past 38 years has served as Treasurer for Habitat for Humanity since 2003.
A member of the first graduating class from Luzerne County Community College in 1969, Mr. Shimko has remained active as an alum serving on LCCC’s Foundation Board. He is also active in the community serving as Chairman of the Northeast Council of Credit Union Executives Society (CUES), and as a member of the Knights of Columbus#3987 in Luzerne.
In 1993, Mr. Shimko was awarded with the prestigious CEO of the Year award from the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association (PCUA), and 2004 he received the Abigail M. George Outstanding Service Award from the LCCC Alumni Association.
Mr. Shimko resides in West Pittston, PA with his wife, the former Bernadine Luke . He has two children Michael and Kristina.
Robert I. Borwick
Robert is a graduate of American University and serves as President of Performance Marketing Group/Performance Hi-Fidelity. In addition to Wyoming Valley Habitat for Humanity other volunteer efforts include: Vice-Chairman, Luzerne County Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors; Co- Chair, Great Valley Technical Alliance, Business Plan Competition 2006-2008 and Member, Diamond City Partnership – Promotions Committee.
He is a current member of the Kingston Area Merchants and Professionals Association where he currently resides.
Kelly A. Bray, Esquire
Attorney Kelly A. Bray is a 2005 graduate of Pace University School of Law with a certificate in Environmental Law and a 2002 Magna Cum Laude graduate of King’s College. Attorney Bray also serves as Secretary for the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association’s Young Lawyers Division. She is an associate at the Dyller Law Firm, where she focuses on civil rights and real estate. She is also an adjunct professor at King’s College.
Joseph M. Dussinger
Joe is currently employed as operations manager in the Baby Care Division at Procter & Gamble’s plant in Mehoopany. A graduate of Lehigh University with a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering, he began his career with P & G over 30 years ago. He spent the first 15 years of his career at the Mehoopany plant prior to transferring to the company’s plant in Greenville, N.C. In 1996, Joe returned to Mehoopany. His career with P&G has provided him with both diverse and challenging assignments in production management, technical engineering, project and capital management.
A mentor to both managers and technicians, Joe believes in the power of team building and in helping individuals leverage their unique differences in order reach their full potential. Having worked in both line and staff roles, he built skills sets in customer relations and establishing the “team vision” in a successful, results-oriented environment.
Formerly a member of the board of directors of the Northeast Pennsylvania Diversity Education Consortium, Joe has conducted training in the area of diversity and culture change for employees of P & G throughout North America.
A true engineer at heart, Joe has always wanted to “build a house with my own hands,” and sees his willingness to volunteer with Habitat as a means to that end. “Being a part of Habitat will not only fulfill my need for truly hands-on work, but also play a direct role in welcoming families into their own home.”
Joe resides in Dallas with his wife, Karen. He is the father of three grown, married children, Jenny, David and Laura. He enjoys golfing and kayaking and is a self-proclaimed “foodie” and chef who loves to cook for anyone who loves to eat. He maintains an interest in radio-controlled airplanes, woodworking and carpentry.
David J. Harris
David J. Harris is a sole practitioner who maintains an office in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
He practices in the areas of bankruptcy, tax, estate, and real estate law and engages in litigation involving those practice areas.
Attorney Harris received a bachelors degree in history from the Pennsylvania State University, a law degree with honors from the University of Miami where he was the recipient of American Jurisprudence awards in Trusts and Estates and Administrative Law and a Master of Laws degree in Taxation from the New York University School of Law.
Attorney Harris is a member of the Bars of the States of Pennsylvania and Florida, and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the United States Tax Court. He has served as a mediator in bankruptcy and estate matters.
He also serves on the boards of many civic and charitable organizations.
Alexander Kish
Alex was raised in the Back Mountain and is a 2007 graduate of Dallas High School. He is currently a senior at King’s College where he is majoring in Biology. He hopes to attend medical school in 2011. He is an outdoors enthusiast and his hobbies include hiking, camping, and biking. He has been volunteering regularly with Habitat since the spring of 2009.
Russ Roberts, A.I.A.
After working for more than 35 years as a senior project manager and principal in the Wilkes-Barre office of the nationally-know design firm, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Russ Roberts has recently opened his own architectural practice from his home in Dallas, specializing in projects for residential, academic, non-profit and institutional clients. He has been project manager for a wide variety of projects built throughout Northeast PA, including the Ten East South Street Apartments (1975), the Arnaud C. Marts Athletic and Conference Center at Wilkes-University (1985), and the William J. Nealon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Scranton (2000). He is currently working with the Osterhout Free Library on the adaptive reuse of a church in the Parsons section of Wilkes-Barre to be the Library’s new North Branch, which is scheduled to open in September 2010. He has designed a new prototype one story three bedroom house for WVHFH, and the first house using this design will start construction on a lot on Madison Street in Wilkes-Barre in August 2010. He is past-president and a member of the Board of the Choral Society of Northeast PA, a regional community choral group with which he has sung for the past 28 years. He is a member of the Northeast PA Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. In his spare time, he also enjoys cooking, gardening, tennis, cross-country skiing and golf. Originally from Connecticut, Russ has lived in the Wilkes-Barre area since 1973, and now lives in Dallas with his wife Elizabeth Fulton, an accomplished artist and writer.
Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr., Esquire
Joe was raised in West Wyoming and Plains Township and is a 1987 graduate of Coughlin High School in Wilkes-Barre. He is a 1991 graduate of King’s College and a 1994 graduate of the Widener University School of Law. He is an Assistant Public Defender in Luzerne County and maintains a small private practice in Forty-Fort. He is a member of Saint Jude’s Church in Mountain Top, where he resides with his wife, Megan Kennedy, and their three children, Kate, Jack, and Matthew.
Richard Secor
Richard Secor is a graduate of Luzerne County Community College, College Misericordia and Wilkes University. He has been employed by the Electric Division of UGI Utilities, Inc. since 1977 in various positions in the Electric Operations Department; currently as Distribution Superintendent – Linemen.
He resides in Swoyersville with his wife, Debra. The couple have a daughter, Lisa, and a grandson, Tyler.
Secor’s community service activities include membership in the Rotary Club of Kingston since 1993. He has served as club president on two occasions and currently serves as club secretary. He is a two-time recipient of the Paul Harris Award for service.
Malcolm Williams
Malcolm Williams is a graduate of Wilkes University, and the Scranton University Army ROTC Officer Training Program. After several years as an enlisted soldier in the 109th Infantry, Plymouth, Malcolm served as an active duty Army Officer in Korea and at Ft Knox, KY. Malcolm returned to the Wyoming Valley and has been in the Banking Industry for over 12 years. Currently he is a Business Banking Officer for M & T Bank. Malcolm is also a member of the Wyoming Area Kiwanis and a graduate of Leadership Wilkes-Barre, Class of 2005. Malcolm currently resides in West Wyoming with his wife Alycia, daughter Olivia and son Ian.
Molly Tuzinski Wright
Molly Tuzinski Wright has been a Graphic Designer for the past 18 years. Currently she holds a freelance position with a small advertising agency in Manhattan.
Her interests include gardening, cooking and antique auctions. She lives in Clarks Summit with her husband and two children.
Anne Woelfel
Anne Woelfel has been a journalist with the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader for 24 years. She is currently the Assistant Managing Editor. She serves on the WVHFH Family Selection Committee, and joined the Board of Directors in 2007. She enjoys skiing, reading, and aerobic fitness workouts. She lives in Bear Creek Village with her husband Eric, son Jonathan, and two dogs, Mac and Annabelle.
Eric Woelfel
Eric Woelfel has over 25 years experience working in the construction industry. He was a project manager for a large developer in Northeast PA, before starting his own consulting business in 2003. He specializes in construction management and inspection services. He has been a regular volunteer for WVHFH for the past 5 years, and is currently Chairman of the Building Committee. He enjoys skiing, golf and scuba diving. He lives in Bear Creek Village with his wife, Anne and son, Jonathan.
Ellen Watkins
Ellen Watkins has spent her entire career in banking and lending. She has managed a bank community office, but the bulk of her time has been spent in residential mortgage lending. This includes originating, processing, underwriting, approving and selling mortgagees
During the last 4 years, Ellen has been a CRA Coordinator for KNBT, division of National Penn Bank. In this capacity, she originates mortgages primarily to first time homebuyers in low- and moderate-income ranges in Luzerne, Schuylkill, Carbon and Monroe Counties. She works closely with local governments and non-profits that offer grants to first time buyers to help with down payment and closing costs. Ellen assists clients with resolving credit issues and preparing them for homeownership.
Ellen is a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association of NEPA, Realtor Associations in Greater Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton and Schuylkill County. She is on the Loan Committee for Ways to Work in Monroe County, and a member of the Monroe County Housing Committee. She is a former member of the Luzerne County Community College Foundation Board of Directors, and is a graduate of Leadership Hazleton.
A life long resident of Wilkes-Barre, Ellen and her husband Gary reside in South Wilkes-Barre.
James Zarra
Jim Zarra is a lifelong resident of Wyoming Valley and served as Mayor of Yatesville Borough for three terms. He graduated from SUNY Binghamton’s Watson School of Engineering with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. Also, Jim is employed as a Network Engineer with Tammac Holdings Corporation. He currently resides in Jenkins Township with his wife Rita, daughter Elizabeth, Newfoundland Dog, Bud and Sheepdog “Good Citizen,” Sarge.
