Director Bios

At the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Bartos was a senior advisor overseeing safety issues and contract administration related to program development and mission oversight. He managed programs at DOE’s National Laboratories, U.S. government installations, and the Department of Defense, both at home and abroad. He served as Senior Scientist for Ground Operations for DOE at Kennedy Space Center for the Galileo, Ulysses, and Cassini spacecraft launches. He participated in the development of program policies for negotiations with the Russian Federation and Russian private enterprises for purchase of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU). In Russia, Bartos developed and managed scientific and logistical activities designed to allow U.S. scientists and businessmen to conduct energy business there. This included oversight of the development of monitoring for production of HEU and conversion to Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) for use as nuclear fuel in U.S. power reactors. Bartos also served as a U.S. delegate on United Nations committees in Geneva, and as a technical advisor with the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. There he advised member nations on environmental issues impacting them.

During his 15 years at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Steve held various levels of managerial responsibility. He developed and implemented a new statewide program known as COALS, or Cleanup Our American Lands & Streams. COALS’ innovative approach to combating illegal dumping across the Commonwealth is designed to break the cycle of illegal dumping while capitalizing on an area’s natural beauty for economic revitalization.

Within the 14-county regional area of Northcentral DEP’s Waste Management Program, Steve managed compliance and enforcement actions. His role included oversight of facilities which generate, manage, and dispose of municipal, residual, and hazardous waste. He coordinated enforcement actions to maintain compliance with the Solid Waste Management Act (SWMA), and served as senior advisor to field staff on methods of investigation and inspection used to obtain evidence in developing cases in preparation for legal proceedings. He provided interagency coordination between DEP Central Office, Regional Offices, other state bureaus, and state agencies to resolve SWMA-related actions.

More recently, as Northumberland County Planning Director, Bartos developed the FUTURES program and the strategic plan for KETEC, in hopes of creating a business-friendly environment and sustainable green jobs for the lower anthracite region. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Kutztown University, and attended both Texas A&M University and Oak Ridge University of Tennessee for Master Studies in Health Physics.

TREASURER    Warren Altomare. Warren Altomare is CEO of Family Home Medical Services, Inc., and Family Home Medical Support Services, firms having a total of 65 employees who provide visiting nursing and medical services to residents within a 30-mile radius of Mt. Carmel. As a Regional Vice President of the Brush Valley Chamber of Commerce, Warren currently sits on the Economic and Governmental Affairs Committee of that organization. He and his family have owned and operated small businesses in the lower Northumberland County area since 1956. Warren was manager of Altomare Waste Disposal from 1974 until 1999, and also participated in the management of Meldot’s Children Shop during its tenure on the main street of Mount Carmel.

For 10 years, Warren served on the Mount Carmel Borough Council and was also a member and Chairman of the Mount Carmel Recreation Authority. For nine years, he served on the Board of Directors of Ashland Medical Center and was President of Tri County Health Associates during that time. Currently, in addition to KETEC, Warren serves on the Board of Directors of Susquehanna Sight Services. He is a 29-year member of the Mount Carmel Lions Club and is a past president of that club. As a Regional Vice President of the Brush Valley Chamber of Commerce, Warren currently sits on the Economic and Governmental Affairs Committee of that organization. He also serves as building manager for KETEC.

As the official game announcer for the Mount Carmel Area high school varsity and junior varsity football programs, Warren is well known as a regional television and radio personality. In this capacity, he serves as a Professional Advisory Board member for Clear Channel Radio.

SECRETARY    Katherine Jaeger (see Advisory Board for bio.)

Rashid Abdul. Rashid Abdul, P.E. served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Gamesa USA, a Spain-based wind energy company. Abdul was executive secretary and member of the Gamesa USA Governing Management Board, which comprises senior executives who guide Gamesa’s U.S. operations. He oversaw corporate communications and business risk control; assisted with government and public affairs; and led social responsibility programs throughout the U.S. Before Gamesa, he was Vice President of Special Projects at Mitsubishi Power Systems, where he provided special technical and sales support to the Wind Business Group. Prior to joining Mitsubishi, Abdul had engineering and management responsibilities on both domestic and international power generation projects for Raytheon Engineers and Constructors. A former board member of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), he served as chairman of AWEA’s Transmission and Legislative committees. He continues to serve as a member of the association’s Legislative and Transmission committees.

A longtime Philadelphia-area resident, Abdul holds M.S degrees in Engineering Management and Electrical Engineering from Drexel University, as well as a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Drexel. He maintains P.E. licenses in eight states.

Jerry Bohinski. Jerry Bohinski received his B.A. in Sociology and M.A. in Regional Planning from The Pennsylvania State University in 1972. From 1972-1977, he was employed by the Northern Maine Economic Development District in Caribou, Maine, where he was involved in a wide range of rural community planning and economic development activities. In 1977, Jerry returned to Pennsylvania to accept the position of Chief of Economic Development Programs at SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG). At SEDA-COG, he is responsible for the overall operation of the Economic Development Division which includes the Appalachian Regional Commission and Economic Development Administration grant programs; the agency’s loan packaging, Procurement, Export, and PA SourceNet technical assistance programs, the Entrepreneurial Network, and the SBA 504 Certified Development Corporation. He is also involved with carrying out the PA Business Retention and Expansion program (formerly the TEAM PA Business Calling Program) and serves as Regional Coordinator for the Central Marketing Region Keystone Opportunity Zone program.

Robert Disabella. In 1995, Bob Disabella was elected, and still remains, President of Local 1180 of the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).  He serves as its Field Representative, and also as trustee to its Pension and Health and Welfare boards.   LIUNA Local 1180 is based in Harrisburg and covers Cumberland, Dauphin, Juniata, Perry, Snyder, and the Southern parts of Northumberland County.  Bob has been a member of Local 1180 since 1974, and is experienced in general construction, asbestos and lead abatement, excavation, and site layout.  For six years, he was job foreman at a nuclear power plant construction site.  He is a 1971 graduate of Stevens Trade School of Lancaster, PA (now known as Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology), where he received a degree in plumbing.  Bob was raised in Girardville and attended North Schuylkill area schools.

David Kargbo, Ph.D. David Kargbo holds degrees in Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, and Soil Science, earned at the University of Nebraska and the University of Sierra Leone. He is currently Associate Professor at Temple University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research interests include sustainable use of by-products from energy generation including waste ash from coal, wood, and municipal solid waste, and acid mine drainage and reclamation. Known as an authority in his fields, Dr. Kargbo has published dozens of papers on these subjects in journals of environmental engineering, environmental science, environmental geology, solid waste technology, and agronomy. He has a wide knowledge of how to give emerging energy companies the technical and scientific help they will need, and brings myriad connections with all engineering and green science schools of Temple to the incubator. He will anchor Temple’s Center for Energy and Environment at KETEC, which will have an acid mine water remediation and biomass crop experimentation emphasis.

John Politis. John Politis, a resident of Elysburg, holds a B.S in Engineering from Penn State as well as M.S. degrees in Management Science and Electrical Engineering from UCLA and Fairleigh Dickinson University. He served as Director of Luzerne County Community College’s Northumberland Center in Shamokin. He provided the leadership to support the College’s educational mission and established partnerships with businesses, organizations, and other educational institutions to contribute to the economic and technological advancement of the community.

Politis has over 25 years’ professional experience in business development within academia, private industry and government, covering computer technology, strategic planning, fiscal responsibility and organizational growth. As an entrepreneur, he has founded two successful small businesses. Prior to joining LCCC, Politis served as Director of the Business Technology Center in the Corporate Research Center at Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Under a federal grant, he also established a Business Assistance Center at Kathmandu University in Nepal. Politis also served as the Director of the Small Business Development Center at Bucknell University. His use of “The Stage-Gate Process” for technology commercialization has received statewide and national recognition.

Prior to his academic career, Politis held leadership positions within private industry and the Department of Defense. At RMS Inc, he expanded the company’s business from its NASA focus to become a leader in information technology support for the Department of Defense. As a principal of Ultron Labs, Inc, he spearheaded the development of the Crypto-Engine^TM and Smart-Key^TM for use in secure communications within the Department of Defense. At the Naval Research Lab, he led a team research efforts to improve speech intelligibility in noisy acoustical environments. As VP of Marketing for Aydin Corp, he led international business initiatives with several NATO countries.