Westinghouse SURE:
celebrating 35 years of volunteerism
with more than 1.5 million volunteer hours recorded.
Westinghouse SURE Leadership TeamBoard of Directors |
Ron Weisser, President – SURE member since 2016; SURE Treasurer from 2019 - 2020 - Ron enjoyed a 38 year career with Westinghouse which consisted of various financial and manufacturing management positions within the Commercial Nuclear Businesses before retiring as the Controller for Engineering Services and New Plant Engineering in November of 2015. Over half of his career was served at the Specialty Metals Plant in Blairsville where he held management positions in Financial Planning, Inspection, Manufacturing Manager in both the Forming and Finishing areas of the plant and then as Plant Controller. He was also certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt as part of the Leaders of the Future Development Program. His career also included assignments in Waltz Mills, Cheswick, Energy Center, Moorestown NJ, Sweden and Cranberry. Volunteering activities include support of numerous church ministries, Mother of Sorrows Food Bank, Delmont Meals on Wheels, AARP Tax Preparation services for senior citizens, Westinghouse SURE volunteer events and a long time supporter/volunteer of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Hemophilia Association (WPCNHF). Ron has also been enjoying golfing, skiing and traveling in his retirement.
Patti Baird, Vice President
Patti Baird has also served as Secretary of the SURE Board of Directors for several years. She retired from Westinghouse after 32 years of service. Patti held management positions in IT and Supply Chain including Director of Global Nuclear Supply Chain at the Cranberry Woods location. In retirement Patti enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends and volunteer activities for her church and community including being a certified Medicare Counselor at WCCC for the State Health Insurance Program - APPRISE.
Randy Galm, Treasurer - Sure member since 2018; Sure Board Member at Large 2020. Randy enjoyed a 37+ year career with Westinghouse in finance, commercial and operational leadership within various business segments including energy systems, manufacturing and government. He is a graduate of Grove City College earning a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. While a significant portion of his career was in Finance, Randy is also a certified Customer First Black Belt. His final assignment before retiring in November 2018 was Vice President of Asia Operations and Acting Asia Controller. His many assignments in Pittsburgh included: the R&D Center, Penn Center, the Energy Center, RIDC Park, Cheswick, and Cranberry. He also worked and lived in Idaho Falls, Idaho and Ogden, Utah. He served as board member, Treasurer & President of Westmoreland Country Club. In 2019 he was appointed to the Oakmont Borough Council where he served one year of a term after a council member resigned. He is currently the Treasurer of the Borough of Oakmont where he and his wife Anne have lived since 2011. They have two sons who live in Washington D.C.
Michele Gutman, Secretary - Michele retired in 2016 from Westinghouse as Assistant General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer and joined SURE
shortly thereafter. She graduated
from the Ohio State University College of Law in 1976 and in 1978 began her working
career in Pittsburgh with Westinghouse Electric Corporation at the Industry
Systems Division in O’Hara Township. In 1980, she transferred to the
W Law Department where she worked until 1987. While at Westinghouse,
Michele focused on environmental matters, including counseling business clients
regarding regulatory requirements and working on various Superfund sites. From 1987 to 2005, she practiced law with a Pittsburgh
law firm (where Westinghouse was one of her clients). In 2005 she joined Westinghouse Electric Co. in Monroeville as a member of the Legal Department focusing on
environmental and regulatory matters for the entire company, including NRC and
other requirements. Since retirement, in
addition to volunteering through SURE, Michele serves as a Board Member of
Spectrum Charter School and volunteers with the St. Paul’s Meals on Wheels
program in Pitcairn, PA; she also enjoys time with her grandchildren. In addition to serving as SURE Secretary, she
also currently serves as a Roundtable Coordinator.
Susie Barbour, Communications Director - SURE member since 2013. A long time communications professional whose broadcast career included WTAE, WHTX & Magic 97, Susie joined Westinghouse in 1989 as a Talk Show Host on KDKA Radio - Group W's flagship station and broadcast pioneer of the world - and enjoyed hosting a weekly on-air show until stepping down in 2008. She also spent 5 years at Westinghouse HDQR in the Law & Environmental Affairs Department as a Paralegal & Communications Specialist working first in Acquisitions & Divestitures. She later led the Corporate Environmental Training efforts for new Environmental Control Officers throughout the U.S. Her career highlights also included 11 years as VP/Marketing & Communications at Hefren Tillotson; Media Relations & Corporate Communications at First Commonwealth Bank. She was also Vector's Woman of the Year finalist - 1989; Pittsburgh's 50 Finest - 2003; SURE Gold Service Award winner (2016 thru 2020); SURE Team Award recipient - 2017; & the Bob Lawrence Special Services Award recipient in 2018. BA - Michigan State University; MS - Carlow University. As SURE Communications Director, Susie manages the SURE Website and Facebook content and updates; she also helps provide Newsletter content and is often a spokesperson on behalf of SURE for TV & radio appearances.
Darryl Degelman, Community Services Director
Darryl became the SURE Projects Director in 2016; his Board role realigned and repositioned in 2018 to better focus on our Members Volunteer work throughout the Community. As Community Services Director, he helps put the Spotlight on the outstanding volunteerism of SURE's membership, and shares news about volunteer opportunities in the region. During his working years, Darryl was the Graphic Services Manager at the Westinghouse Energy Center for 19 years. Before joining Westinghouse, he was a graphic designer, producer, and account executive for 9 years at Gateway Studios. He was also a professor of Commercial Art at West Liberty State College, and an art and photography instructor at Churchill Area High School.
Bruce Cook, Database Director – Joined SURE in 2011.
Bruce retired in 2011 after a 40 year career in the Nuclear Instrumentation and Control section. As a Consulting Engineer, Bruce participated on domestic and international industry standards writing committees. His primary focus throughout his career was the application of advanced digital technology to safety and control systems for nuclear power plants. Bruce has been the database director for SURE since 2012.
Tom Dent, Development Director – Prior
to joining Westinghouse, Tom served with the US Army in Vietnam as a Long Range
Patrol Leader/Ranger and received numerous awards including two Purple Hearts,
a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and an Army Commendation Medal with V Device.
After graduation with a BSME from Colorado State, Tom joined Westinghouse
where he worked in the Nuclear Field Services area for many years with
assignments ranging from Product Manager to Director. He then played a key role
on the WEC/ABB Integration team where he was responsible for effectively
integrating the ABB Services Team into the WEC services team. One of his most
rewarding assignments was working with the best of the best in the Customer 1st
Program for the Nuclear Services business which led to many significant
improvements in the services business unit. Tom then served as VP of European Services
Operations where he worked with the Westinghouse organizations in Germany,
where he and his wife relocated, as well as Belgium, France, Sweden, Spain,
England and South Africa. During this time Tom effectively led the
integration of global technology with local implementation and leadership which
led to significant increase in European Services Sales and Margin. His
final contribution was as VP and Consortium Director at the Vogtle Project. He
retired from Westinghouse after 39 years at the successful completion of “First
Nuclear Concrete” i.e. the placement of the Unit 3 and 4 basemat.
Kerry Hanahan, Membership Director - SURE member since 2018. Kerry assumed the role of Membership Director in July 2019. Kerry began his career at the Large Rotating Apparatus Division (LRA) in East Pittsburgh working in industrial, design & field services engineering positions. Following over 10 years of sales assignments in Boston and Hartford working for Power Systems Field Sales Kerry returned to Pittsburgh in account management at the nuclear business unit. Kerry was appointed vice president of nuclear field sales following the divestiture of the turbine generator division to Siemens and subsequent separation of the Power Systems Field Sales organization. After a brief sojurn at dot.com start up OnLineChoice Kerry returned to Westinghouse in e-commerce, training and project management assignments. He completed his career in business and project development for the AP1000 program leading the Czech Republic proposal and negotiation team. Kerry retired from Westinghouse in the fall of 2015 with over 42 years of service.
Vaughn Gilbert, Public & Media Relations Director
Vaughn retired from Westinghouse in 2015 after serving for 34 years in public and media relations. Most recently, he was director of global communications for Westinghouse Electric Company where his department included public & media relations, marketing communications & advertising, and executive, internal & technical communications. Earlier, he served as PR manager at Westinghouse Electric Corporation where he provided support to Environmental & Waste Management, Transmission & Distribution, DCBU, PGBU, and Govt & Environmental Services. Vaughn, a Penn State graduate, is a member of the Advisory Board of Penn Sate Greater Allegheny in McKeesport. He lives with his family in Elizabeth Township just outside of McKeesport. In his spare time, he reads everything ever written by or about Winston Churchill.
Dave Altman, Services & Activities Director
Dave retired from Westinghouse in April 2017 following a 44-year career involved with the design, analyses and testing of reactor internals, most recently with the AP1000 plants. Dave joined Westinghouse SURE upon his retirement in 2017 and soon became an active member of the SURE Member Services and Activities Team. He also initially served on the Board as a Director at Large. In addition, Dave has served 16 years as an officer (including 4 years as president) of the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE), a nonprofit organization with over 5000 members worldwide. Dave, and his wife Maggie of 32 years, reside in Plum Borough.
Rick Etling, Strategy Director
When looking to fill the newly created leadership role within the SURE Organization, Rick was the ideal choice as Director of Strategy. Rick joined the SURE Board of Directors in 2017, and quickly assumed leadership of the SURE Member & Services activity. Rick had great success in developing and sustaining opportunities for members to engage with SURE and to expand beneficial services directed toward retirees. During his Westinghouse career, Rick worked in Westinghouse Nuclear for 34 years and served in many technical and strategic functions across the Business Unit. As a volunteer, he provides Strategic Planning support for many diverse non-profit organizations in the Pittsburgh area. Rick is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys any activity that gets him into the mountains.
Directors at Large
Howard J Finney, Director at Large, Tour Director & Past President, joined SURE in 1995 after retiring from Seton Hill University where he was Director of Services. Howard joined Westinghouse in 1953 as an apprentice Tool & Die Maker, graduating in 1957, enrolled in night school graduating with an associate's degree in Industrial Engineering, and a BA in Industrial Management while working as a Tool Designer, Industrial Engineer, Foreman, General Foreman and finally as Manager of Plant Services, East Pittsburgh, LRA. Howard also served as President of the W Foreman’s Association, the W Veterans Association, the W Trades Apprentice Alumni. In 2018, Howard was recognized with the Charley Ruch Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the SURE Organization.
Mark Fecteau, Director at Large. Mark retired in 2019 after 35 years of service with Westinghouse. Mark’s career focused in the nuclear energy sector with various roles spanning the fuel business, corporate leadership, and Asia regional growth efforts including 4 years abroad as President of Westinghouse Japan. He and his wife currently split their retirement time between SC and FL. As a member of Westinghouse SURE's Board of Directors, Mark will focus on establishing and growing a regional SURE chapter in the Southeast region of the USA.
Directors Emeritus
Lucio Facchini, Director Emeritus - Mr. Facchini joined Westinghouse Electric in 1963 on the Graduate Student Program serving in a variety of positions before being named Vice President and Controller of Westinghouse Nuclear Europe in 1972. He became Business Unit Controller for Water Reactors in 1979 and named Vice President of Business Services & Finance for the Westinghouse Savannah River Company in 1988. In 1990, he was promoted to Group Controller Power Systems and retired in 2000 as Chief Financial Officer of Westinghouse Government Services Group. In 2001, he joined the Executive Service Corp (ESC) - that later became part of the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University - and has provided management and consulting services for the past 16 years for nonprofit organizations in finance, business planning and Nonprofit startups. Lu served as SURE President from 2016 to 2020. He received the Charly Ruch Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.
Maury Fey, Director Emeritus, joined SURE in 1993.
Hired as a Lab Assistant in 1953 at the Research Labs, Maury later became a Product Manager, then Business Planner before retiring from Westinghouse in 1992. Upon retiring, Maury joined the International Executive Service Corps, assisting two post-communist Romanian companies in their reorganization. After joining SURE, he initiated the popular monthly Financial Roundtable, and later served in a variety of leadership roles, including longtime President of SURE. He received SURE’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001, and the Jefferson Award for Volunteerism in 2013. In recognition of Maury's many years of leadership in Westinghouse SURE, the annual President's Award was renamed The Maury Fey President's Award in 2016.
Newsletter Editor
Allan Kuenzel - SURE member since 2006.
A forty-year employee of Westinghouse at its commercial nuclear division, he was a licensed Professional Engineer specializing in the design and analysis of Reactor Equipment. Al retired in 2006 and joined the SURE organization shortly after. He has served as Newsletter Editor since 2014 and received the Spotlight Award in January 2017. Al volunteers for two organizations in the Pitcairn community.