“I am honored to be asked to join the faculty and students of Luzerne County Community College today as we celebrate the opening of this new, world-class Culinary Arts Center.  As I stand here in the midst of this wonderful institution of higher education, I am reminded of an old adage I first heard when I was a student – too many years ago to mention – at Marywood University.  The saying goes like this: Gold has its price, but education is priceless.

“That statement is as true today as it was when I was a student.  Remember it as you journey through life.  The things you learn and the experiences you will encounter will stay with you throughout your life.  And everything good that life can bring you begins with a solid education.

“Those of you who are studying the culinary arts probably know that this area of study has been on the rise over the past decade and often leads to decent-paying jobs.  It’s all about a quality education.  After I earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Finance and Investments from Marywood University, I had the confidence to follow a plan to establish myself as a successful real estate developer and builder here in northeastern Pennsylvania.  I achieved that goal, right here at home.

“And that brings me to another point, which impacts those students who will soon graduate from Luzerne County Community College and other universities in our region.  A labor friend of mine is fond of saying that “The best way to never forget where you come from is to never leave.” I never did and I’ve never regretted it.

“Upon graduation, many of you will feel a sense of wanderlust, a desire to get out and see the world.  That’s perfectly normal and understandable.  There’s another old expression that I love that sums up what I’m saying – Ships look beautiful, but they weren’t meant to stay in the harbor.  So sail out from here buoyed by your shiny new diplomas and do great things.  Just remember that this region is your home.  For many of you, it’s where you were born and raised.   Northeastern Pennsylvania can use all the bright, talented young men and women we can find right now to help the region grow and prosper.  You young men and women are the future and I, for one, hope you stake your personal claims to the future right here in northeastern Pennsylvania.

“Thank you and congratulations once again on your magnificent new Culinary Arts Center.”

Clock To Grace Facade of New Center, Will Be Dedicated in Rinaldi’s Mother’s Name
NANTICOKE, PA — William F. Rinaldi, President & CEO of Mark Construction Services LLC of Moosic, PA, today officially donated a six-foot clock to Luzerne County Community College’s (LCCC) new Culinary Arts Center in downtown Nanticoke, PA. The clock, valued at approximately $12,000, will grace the façade above the main entrance to the Culinary Arts Center, which was built by Mark Construction. The clock, custom-made by Americlock, Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri, was formally dedicated in the name of Rinaldi’s mother, Rosemarie, who was in attendance at the evening event. Hazleton Mayor and Congressman-Elect Lou Barletta, State Representative and Congressman-Elect John Yudichak, and officials of Luzerne County Community College also were in attendance.
“The Culinary Arts Center is a magnificent new addition to Luzerne County Community College at a time when professional job opportunities in the food service industries are on the rise,” said William “Billy” Rinaldi. “With the Culinary Center’s strategic location in the heart of downtown Nanticoke, we envision it serving as a catalyst for additional new development in the area and the continued economic revival of Nanticoke. All of us at Mark Construction were proud to have been involved in this great project. From a personal standpoint, I am pleased to have been able to donate this beautiful clock to the center and dedicate it in my mother Rosemarie’s name, a woman who continues to amaze and inspire me.”
LCCC recently named its new Culinary Arts center the Joseph A. Paglianite Culinary Institute in honor of a $1 million donation by Paglianite, founder of Grotto Pizza, to the LCCC Foundation. Classes began at the new institute this fall semester. More than 160 students are currently enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at LCCC.
Mark Construction Services is a full-service construction management and development company that is dedicated to the investment in and procurement of projects that benefit local educational, institutional and commercial endeavors. The company is committed to using local talent and resources in the design, engineering, and construction of its many development projects.
WILLIAM RINALDI DONATES CLOCK TO LCCC CULINARY ARTS CENTER 2 0F 2

Mark Construction is widely known and respected for its experience in the development of projects for academic institutions and commercial corporations. The company researches and procures underutilized real estate in urban environments, determines a “best use” for the property, and identifies academic institutions and other business entities that can benefit from expansion into the new area. Mark Construction then provides a variety of services to assist the investor – from standard design/bid/build construction services and project management/administration to full real estate development and planning services.
Among Mark Construction Services’ signature projects are a newly constructed student residence and stunning conversions of existing buildings for student housing, education services and student recreation for Lackawanna College in Scranton, PA. Combined, the five projects were worth nearly $20 million.
The company also recently completed a $5 million conversion of a once blighted single family residence in Scranton into a new Walgreen’s Pharmacy, which has become a linchpin for further development in the formerly depressed and neglected west side of Scranton. The firm recently converted an old, abandoned school into new apartments and townhouses; a project worth $2.5 million.

MOOSIC, PA  – Hazleton Creek Properties (HCP) of Moosic, PA, has generously donated and installed two new sets of doors to the Greater Hazleton Senior Citizens Center at 24 East Broad Street in downtown Hazleton.  The existing double doorway, which may have dated back to the center’s opening in 1969, was in desperate need of replacement and would frequently blow open when cold gusts of air would whistle down Broad Street, which was often.  The in-kind contribution of parts and labor by Mark Construction Services, which was valued at $7,500, was arranged by Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, who has long championed providing greater resources and opportunities for the region’s many senior citizens.

“On behalf of the citizens of Hazleton and especially our seniors who have come to rely so heavily on the center as a social gathering place, I would like to sincerely thank Hazleton Creek Properties and Bill Rinaldi, for this very generous contribution to the Greater Hazleton Senior Citizens Center,” said Mayor Barletta.  “The comfort of the many elderly users of the center is extremely important, especially in these harsh winter months.  Hazleton Creek Properties has long been known for its generosity and this contribution is just another example of the company’s laudable civic pride and commitment.”

“When Mayor Barletta told us about this problem at the senior center, we didn’t hesitate to offer our resources and expertise to install new and vastly improved doorways to the facility,” added HCP’s Bill Rinaldi.  “Our senior citizens deserve our admiration and respect.  Providing them with a greater degree of comfort in their beloved Hazleton community center is the least we could do.”

The mission of Hazleton Creek Properties (HCP) is to improve the quality of life for residents of the Greater Hazleton community.  HCP is currently engaged in a major mine reclamation project that, once completed, will improve the health and safety of Hazleton and enhance the community’s natural beauty.  The firm has already completed an important phase of the transportation infrastructure component of the project through the design and construction of a loading and unloading facility with the capacity to handle up to 80 rail cars.  First and foremost, HCP is committed to protecting the environment and residents of the Greater Hazleton community