Earlier today, we reported that some two dozen current and former board members at The Second Mile had given money to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett’s 2010 campaign. The board members donated a combined $201,783.64, to be exact. But direct contributions are hardly the end of it. Big donors can also encourage family members or employees to send cash to a politician.
Take Bill Greenlee, who served on The Second Mile board until 2004. Greenlee died last year and never gave money directly to Corbett. But he founded Greenlee Associates (now called Greenlee Partners), one of the top lobbying firms in Pennsylvania. And Greenlee Partners donated $36,535.19 to Corbett’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign, with another $1,000 coming from Vanessa Getz, one of the firm’s top employees. In 2007 and 2008, Greenlee Partners gave $2,000 to Corbett, when the then-attorney general was running for reelection. The firm also gave money to Corbett when ran for attorney general in 2004—his first campaign—and in the subsequent year. From 2003-2005, the firm donated $13,295.02 to Corbett. [Note: That figure includes a $1,500 contriubtion credited to “Greenlee Associates” because the checks came from the same PO Box in Harrisburg.] The total amount transferred from Greenlee’s firm to Corbett’s political coffers: $51,830.21.
Another longtime and current board member of The Second Mile is Louie Sheetz, the Executive Vice President of Marketing at Sheetz, Inc., a successful chain of gas stations and convenience stores. Like Greenlee, Sheetz hasn’t given money directly to Corbett. But his family-owned company and his family have. Corbett received $106,000 in Sheetz, Inc. money for his 2010 gubernatorial run. In prior election cycles, Sheetz, Inc. and Sheetz family members donated $7,350 to Corbett, bringing the Sheetz total to $113,350. [Note: Sheetz, Inc. also donated $20,000-$49,999 to The Second Mile in 2010 and currently has the company’s public relations manager, Monica Jones, sitting on the charity’s central board.]
A smaller but still representative money tendril is associated with Michael Gillespie, the chief accounting officer of the Hersha Hospitality Trust and a director on The Second Mile’s southcentral board. Gillespie only gave Corbett $250 in 2010. But Gillespie’s co-workers gave Corbett $7,142.80. Of the eight other employees listed on the hospitality trust’s website, four gave to Corbett, as did the chairman of the trust’s board and the chief investment officer for the Hersha Group, which oversees the trust. Two other employees of the Hersha Group gave to Corbett’s gubernatorial campaign, bringing the total to $8,642.80.
The surface donations are easy enough to count up. We’ve already covered that ground. But it’s also worthwhile to look at how much money these people have donated to Corbett since 2003, when he first ran for public office. Same goes for how much money Corbett received from companies or people with strong ties to directors on the charity’s boards. At the very least, even the indirect connections show, again, how influential and well-connected The Second Mile is.
2011 state board of directors
Bob Poole, Chairperson
President and CEO, S & A Homes and Poole Anderson Construction
2009-2010 cycle: $9,133.34
Other years: $2,125
Total: $11,258.34
Dave Woodle, Vice Chairperson
Chairman & CEO, NanoHorizons, Inc.
2009-2010 cycle: $5,000
Other years: $1,000
Total: $6,000
Cliff Benson, Director
Retired, Deloitte Tax LP
2009-2010 cycle: $750
Other years: $500
Total: $1,250
Michael Fiore, Director
Executive Vice President, Leonard S. Fiore, Inc.
2009-2010 cycle: $4,590
Other years: $6,112.56
Total: $10,702.56
Bruce Heim, Director
Chairman, Keystone Real Estate Group, LP
2009-2010 cycle: $1,000
Other years: $2,500
Total: $3,500
[Note: Three other current or former Keystone employees—Al Pringle, Michael Trombley, and Ben Heim—are both Corbett donors and current or former members of the charity’s boards. Their donations are listed below.]
Heidi Nicholas, Director
Real Estate Developer & Manager
2009-2010 cycle: $5,000
Other years: $1,000
Total: $6,000
Al Pringle, Director
Senior Vice President of Commercial Real Estate, Keystone
2009-2010 cycle: $250
Other years: $0
Total: $250
Nancy Ring, Director
Realtor, REMAX Centre County
2009-2010 cycle: $350
Other years: $0
Total: $350
2011 central board of directors
Michael Hawbaker, Director
Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc.
2009-2010 cycle: $500
Other years: $0
Donations by family members and/or other Glenn O. Hawbaker employees: $23,225
Total: $23,725
Ben Heim, Director
President, Keystone Real Estate Group
2009-2010 cycle:$500
Other years: $2,500
Total: $3,000
Benjamin Hulburt, Director
President & CEO, Rex Energy
2009-2010 cycle: $6,500
Other years: $0
Total: $6,500
Jack Infield, Director
Regional President, Graystone State Bank, State College
2009-2010 cycle: $500
Other years: $0
Total: $500
Alan Kirk, Director
Esquire, Babst Calland Clements & Zomnir
2009-2010 cycle: $350
Other years: $0
Donations by other Babst Calland Clements & Zomnir employees or PACs: $4,550
Total: $4,900
Harry Sickler, Director
CPA, Owner, Harry K. Sickler Associates
2009-2010 cycle: $600
Other years: $200
Donations by Harry K. Sickler Associates and an employee: $3,000
Total: $3,800
Michael Trombley, Director
Retired, President, Keystone Real Estate Group
2009-2010 cycle: $350
Other years: $275
Total: $625
2011 southcentral board of directors
Rod Savidge, 1st Vice Chairperson
VP, Director of HR, Gannett Fleming, Inc.
2009-2010 cycle: $110.30
Other years: $0
Donations from Gannett Fleming and it employees: $15,300
Total: $15,410.30
Michael R. Gillespie, Director
Chief Accounting Officer, Hersha Hospitality Trust
2009-2010 cycle: $250
Other years: $0
Donations from other Hersha employees and board members: $8642.80
Total: $8,892.80
Former Second Mile board members who donated to Corbett’s campaigns:
Anne Deeter Gallaher, Director
2009-2010 cycle: $300
Other years: $0
Total: $300
Kimberly Ortenzio-Nielsen, Director
2009-2010 cycle: $1,300
Other years: $0
Total: $1,300
Rick Karcher, Director
2009-2010 cycle: $1,200
Other years: $0
Total: $1,200
James Swistock, Director
2009-2010 cycle: $6,200
Other years: $1,000
Total: $7,200
Lance Shaner, Director
2009-2010 cycle: $155,550
Other years: $1,125
Donations from a family member: $6,600
Total: $163,275
Derek Walker, Director
2009-2010 cycle: $1,500
Other years: $0
Total: $1,500
Current state board members whose companies and/or families donated to Corbett:
Jake Corman, Director
Pennsylvania State Senator
Corman’s father, J. Doyle Corman, Jr., a former state senator, gave Corbett $600 in the 2009-2010 cycle. In past cycles, Corbett received a combined $6,912 from Corman’s parents and the senator’s “Friends of Jake Corman” PAC.
Total: $7,512
Mike Fiaschetti, Director
Senior Vice President, Highmark Blue Shield
Highmark health insurer is a major Corbett donor. The company donated $21,250 to Corbett’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign. The company’s chief legal counsel, Gary Truitt, gave $5,000. (Truitt retired last year.) Another employee donated $300. Contributions from Highmark and its employees from previous years: $17,300.
Total: $43,850
[Note: The Highmark Foundation, the company’s charitable wing, is also a big donor to The Second Mile.]
Ray Roundtree, Director
Regional Vice President of Finance, Comcast Cable
Comcast donated $69,500 to Corbett in the 2009-2010 cycle. Comcast employees gave $36,300. Comcast and its employees did not give money to Corbett before his gubernatorial run.
Total: $105,800
DrueAnne Schreyer, Director
Community Volunteer
DrueAnne Schreyer is a longtime member of the board and the daughter of former Merril Lynch CEO William Schreyer, a Penn State alum who served two terms as the president of the school’s board of trustees. Schreyer gave PSU $55 million to create an honors college at the school called the Schreyer Honors College. In 2010, he gave Corbett $10,000.
Total: $10,000
Louie Sheetz, Director
Executive Vice President, Marketing, Sheetz, Inc.
No direct contributions to Corbett from Louie Sheetz, but Sheetz, Inc. and Sheetz family members donated heavily: $106,000 to Corbett’s 2010 gubernatorial run and $7,350 to previous campaigns.
Total: $113,350
Rick Struthers, Director
Retired, Bank of America (former president of global card services)
Bank of America donated $2,500 to Corbett in 2007.
Total: $2,500
Current central board members whose companies and/or families donated to Corbett:
Katherine Cestone, Director
Senior Vice President at Bank of America
See Struthers above.
Monica Jones, Director
Public Relations Manager, Sheetz, Inc.
See Sheetz above.
Ted McDowell
Regional President, Ameriserv, State College
Ameriserv gave $750 to Corbett in the 2009-2010 cycle.
Total: $750
Current southcentral board members whose companies and/or families donated to Corbett:
Matthew Sommer, Director
Vice President of Natural Gas and Electricity for Shipley Energy
William Shipley, the CEO of the Shipley Group, gave Corbett $10,000 in 2010, and $1,000 in 2008.
Total: $11,000
Karen Creasia Yarrish, Director
Vice President, Secretary & General Counsel, Penn National Insurance
Corbett received $9,150 from Penn National insurance for his gubernatorial campaign. The company gave him $1,100 in previous cycles.
Total: $10,250
Current southeast board members whose companies and/or families donated to Corbett:
Stephen J. O’Connor
Operations Manager, Gilbane Building Company
Two Gilbane employees, Gregory Stewart and Julius Tarsi, gave $3,200 to Gorbett in the 2009-2010 cycle.
Total: $3,200
Former board members whose companies and/or families donated to Corbett:
Bill Greenlee, Director
Founder, Greenlee Partners
Greenlee Partners donated $36,535.19 to Corbett’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign, with another $1,000 coming from one of the firm’s emplpyees. From 2003-2008, the firm gave $15,295.02 to Corbett.
Total: $51,830.21
GRAND TOTAL: $641,481.21
RELATED: Tax Returns For Jerry Sandusky’s Second Mile Charity, 1998-2010
ALSO RELATED: Past And Present Board Members Of Sandusky’s Charity Gave $201,783.64 To Gov. Corbett’s 2010 Campaign
UPDATE: Eddie Dunklebarger is also on the 2011 state board. Dunklebarger is the CEO and president of Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc., which gave $6,000 to Corbett’s gubernatorial campaign and which we forgot to include in the tally. New grand total: $647,481.21