Next Meeting:
The Stimulus Oversight Commission will meet on Thursday, May 7 at 11:00 a.m. in Conference Room 1 on the 6th Floor of the Forum Place at 555 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, PA.
March 31 Commission Meeting Transcript
April 23 Commission Meeting Material
General Services Secretary James Creedon, Chief Implementation Officer
gs-secretary@state.pa.us
Ronald J. Naples – Chairman of Governor’s Working Group for Stimulus Accountability and Chief Accountability Officer
stimulus-gov@state.pa.us
Ronald Naples has more than three decades of business leadership experience, most recently as chairman of the board of Quaker Chemical Corporation in Conshohocken. He joined Quaker in 1995 after nearly two decades at Hunt Manufacturing Company. Previously, he was the executive director of a Presidential Task Force on energy problems. He is a former White House Fellow, appointed for 1974-75, and served in the Ford Administration as assistant to the counselor to the president for economic affairs, Kenneth Rush, and as a special assistant to the counselor to the head of the Federal Energy Administration, Frank Zarb.
He a decorated U.S. Army veteran and West Point graduate with a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Master of Arts in International Economic Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
He has extensive community service experience with a variety of organizations including the Greater Philadelphia First, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, and the American Red Cross.
PA Chamber of Business and Industry
Gene Barr, Vice President, Government and Public Affairs
gbarr@pachamber.org
Gene Barr is the Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. He directs all legislative and regulatory activity, ChamberPAC and external communications. During his career in Harrisburg, he has worked on a large number of significant legislative and regulatory efforts critical to PA’s business climate. Gene has almost thirty-five years of experience in various facets of government and public affairs activity as well as business operations. He worked for BP America (the U.S. subsidiary of British Petroleum) for over twelve years. His career included assignments in refining at the company’s Marcus Hook, PA refinery, retail marketing at the U.S. headquarters in Cleveland, OH, and in state government affairs in BP’s Atlanta, GA regional office where he had responsibility for all legislative activities in six states.
United Way of Pennsylvania
Tony Ross, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Pennsylvania
tony@uwp.org
Anthony L. Ross was selected for the position of President of United Way of Pennsylvania (UWP) in April, 2005. As President, Mr. Ross is providing leadership that is improving the quality of life in communities across the state through initiatives that have matched over 250,000 Pennsylvanians with Prescription Assistance Programs, assisted in the distribution of over 250,000 prescription discount cards, secured nearly $20 million in first-time state funding for the Federal LIHEAP program that provided home heating assistance to an additional 67,000 Pennsylvania families and educated hundreds of Pennsylvania seniors about the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit. Mr. Ross began his career with the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. During his tenure in the state House, Ross served in a variety of progressively responsible capacities including, Information Specialist, Research Analyst and Executive Director.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
Donald C. Siegel, International Vice President, District 3, IBEW
Don_Siegel@ibew.org
Don has been an IBEW member for 38 years. He was initiated into IBEW Local Union #743 located in Reading, Pennsylvania in January 1971. He worked in the field as an electrician until 1989 when he was elected Business Manager of Local #743. He served as Business Manager until 1994 when he was appointed by former International President J. J. Barry as a Third District International Representative. He served in that capacity until March 1, 2002 when International President Hill appointed Don as International Vice President of the Third District. In September of 2006 he was elected as International Vice President at the 37th IBEW Convention in Cleveland, OH.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Democratic Caucus: Representative Jennifer Mann, Caucus Secretary (132nd Legislative District)
jmann@pahouse.net
Jennifer L. Mann is a Democrat first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1998. She represents the 132nd Legislative District, which includes portions of the city of Allentown in Lehigh County. Rep. Mann serves in House leadership as the majority caucus secretary. She is only the third woman to serve in a House Democratic leadership position since the Pennsylvania legislature was formed. During her tenure in the legislature, she has served on the House Finance, Environmental Resources and Energy, Consumer Affairs, Insurance, Policy, Rules and Transportation committees. Nationally, Rep. Mann is a member of the Democratic Leadership Council Leadership Team, serving as the chairwoman of the DLC’s State Legislative Advisory Board (SLAB).
Republican Caucus: Representative Brian Ellis (11th Legislative District)
bellis@pahousegop.com
Brian Ellis was elected in 2004 to serve the 11th Legislative District which includes the City of Butler; Buffalo, Butler, Clearfield, Connoquenessing, Donegal, Oakland, Summit and Winfield townships; and Chicora and East Butler boroughs. He sits on the Appropriations, Finance and Tourism and Recreational Development committees. Additionally, he serves on the House Republican Policy Committee’s Task Force on Budget and Economic Policy. A third-generation small business owner, he worked with his family to build a network of western Pennsylvania auto dealerships, Ellis Auto Group, with branches in Lyndora and Penn Township. Due to his entrepreneurial experience, Ellis was named chairman of the House Subcommittee on Small Business. Ellis graduated from Butler High School in 1988 and holds a communications degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
Senate of Pennsylvania
Democratic Caucus: Senator Robert J. Mellow, Leader (22nd Senate District)
mellow@pasenate.com
State Senator Robert Mellow has served in the Pennsylvania State Senate since 1971. Senator Mellow’s distinguished career includes two terms as Senate President Pro Tempore — the third-highest constitutional office in the state. He is the Senate’s highest-ranking Democrat, and longest serving member. Among his most celebrated accomplishments are the passage of the landmark Children’s Health Insurance Bill (CHIP), now emulated throughout the nation; the historic workers’ compensation reform law; the well-known “Mellow Window” that helped to restore the state’s fiscal stability following the 1991-92 national recession; the 2006 property tax relief act that uses gaming proceeds to slash local homeowner property taxes by $1 billion annually; and the establishment of the Commonwealth Medical College which will accept its first class of students in the fall of 2009.
Republican Caucus: Senator Michael Waugh, Caucus Chair (28th Senate District)
mwaugh@pasen.gov
Senator Mike Waugh began his career in public service at the community level as both an elected official and an active volunteer. He has brought those experiences, along with his hands-on approach and working knowledge of private enterprise, to his duties in Harrisburg. He was first elected to serve as Senator for the citizens of York County in the 28th Senatorial District in November of 1998. Prior to being elected to the State Senate, he served in the State House of Representatives for six years beginning in November 1992. Before being elected to the General Assembly, Mike was a managing partner of his family’s business, Waugh Construction Company. Starting at the age of 15 he served his local community as an active volunteer firefighter and EMT and served as assistant fire chief with the Shrewsbury Volunteer Fire Company for 12 years from 1981-1993.
U.S. Congressional Delegation
Republican Representative: Former Congressman Phil English
530 W 6th St., Erie, PA 16507
Phil English served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 - 2009 from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, representing the state's 3rd Congressional district based in Erie, Pennsylvania. English replaced Tom Ridge, who successfully ran for Governor. English also served as Erie City Controller from 1985 to 1989 and as Chief of Staff for former State Senator Melissa Hart.
Democratic Representative Paul E. Kanjorski, U.S. House of Representatives
2188 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515
Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski was first elected to the United States House of Representatives from Northeast Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District in 1984. Congressman Kanjorski is the Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises, which has jurisdiction over securities, exchanges, and most insurance matters, except for health insurance. As Chairman of the Capital Markets Subcommittee, Congressman Kanjorski has taken many steps to respond to the slowing of the American economy as a result of the turmoil in the sub-prime mortgage marketplace. Congressman Kanjorski is also a member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, where he ranks third in seniority. He has a strong record in leading efforts to streamline and improve the operations of government.
J. Terry Kostoff, U.S. Senator Robert Casey
shipgrad@comcast.net
J. Terry Kostoff retired from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on November 24, 2006 after almost 32 years of employment. Prior to retirement, Kostoff was Deputy State Treasurer for Fiscal Operations. Before becoming Deputy State Treasurer, Mr. Kostoff held the position of Deputy Auditor General for Audits for eight years under then Auditor General Casey. In this capacity, Terry was responsible for directing the work of 500 auditors performing financial and performance audits statewide. Terry is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Government Financial Manager. Terry holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Shippensburg University and has done graduate work in Public Administration at Penn State University. Terry is a veteran of the United States Air Force.
Charles Battaglia, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter
(703) 932-1203
Charles Battaglia brings over forty years of government service at senior levels of management and oversight as Senator Arlen Specter’s national security advisor. In this capacity, he was appointed as Staff Director of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and Staff Director of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence with responsibility for overseeing multi-billion budgets and programs.
Additionally, Mr. Battaglia was appointed as Executive Director of the independent Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission that assessed the Department of Defense’s (DoD) recommendations to close or realign nearly one thousand military installations or offices. Mr. Battaglia is a 26 year veteran of the U.S. Navy.
