CAN DO, Inc., Greater Hazleton’s economic development organization, marked another year during its 57th annual dinner held Tuesday at Capriotti’s in McAdoo.

During last month’s annual meeting, the organization’s board of directors elected officers and at-large board members.

CAN DO officers approved for 2013-2014 include: Llewellyn F. Dryfoos III, chairman of the board of directors; Daniel C. Jorgensen, vice chairman; Dr. John Madden, vice chairman; Patrick J. Ward, vice chairman; W. Kevin O’Donnell, president; David M. McCarthy, secretary; James Edwards, CPA, treasurer; Joseph F. Lettiere, vice president of sales and marketing; Nancy R. Stasko, assistant secretary; and Patricia Gendler, CPA, assistant secretary.

Those elected to the CAN DO Board of Directors as at-large members were: George Andrews; Donna Barna; Charles Burkhardt; Tim Cole; Anthony J. Dixon, Esq.; Lani Drobnock; Llewellyn F. Dryfoos III; James D. Edwards, CPA; Peter J. Fagan, Esq.; Lisa Finkelstein; Tim Genetti; William E. Genetti; Martha M. Herron; Daniel C. Jorgensen; Elaine Judd; Jeff Kovalick; John Madden, Ph.D.; Terry Malloy; Paul Malone; David M. McCarthy; Rick Morelli; Ken Okrepkie; Jerry Panisak; Jan Pasdon; Lonnie Polli; John E. Schwear Jr.; Robert Sensky, Esq.; Alexander Sloot; Christopher Slusser, Esq.; Arthur A. Tarone; Carla Thaller; Matthew Turowski, Esq.; Patrick J. Ward and Joseph Zeller.

CAN DO’s board of directors also consists of members of organizations who have been involved with CAN DO since its very beginning. Educational and municipal representatives, along with students, also serve on the board as non-voting members. The board is made up of nearly 100 volunteers.

The evening was marked by a special video tribute to Dr. Edgar L. Dessen, the founder of CAN DO who passed away on May 22.

“Dr. Dessen was probably one of the most significant and irreplaceable figures in the history of Greater Hazleton. I feel so honored to have known and worked with such a remarkable man,” O’Donnell said. “Without Dr. Dessen, this town wouldn’t be anything like it is today. We wouldn’t have the industrial parks being built here. We wouldn’t have had all the people that have moved in. You know, when Dr. Dessen started back in the 1950s, everybody was moving away at that time. Now we’re at a point where people are moving back to the Hazleton area, or moving to Hazleton for the first time in search of employment. I think it’s remarkable what this individual has done.”

Dryfoos said, “The CAN DO founded by Dr. Dessen had a noble purpose – to help Hazleton’s residents. When Dr. Dessen went to the community to raise money to start CAN DO, he did so with the promise that the work of the volunteers and the contributions from all walks of life in the community would favorably impact generations to come. He made this promise, and the entire community responded, volunteered and contributed. Now, nearly 60 years later, we know that CAN DO, this volunteer, nonprofit community organization, has helped Dr. Dessen keep that promise to those who went before us.”

During the dinner, the 2013 Chairman’s Award was presented to William E. Genetti and the CAN DO 2013 Partner of the Year Award was presented to PPL Corp.

O’Donnell, Dryfoos and Charles Burkhardt, Community Relations Committee chairman and Student Action Committee adviser, also recognized the graduating students of the CAN DO Student Action Committee, which is involved in developing and planning events such as CAN DO Community Christmas and “Operation: CAN DO.”

“These students contribute their time and talents to several noteworthy projects that would not be possible without their assistance,” Burkhardt said. “Through Student Action Committee activities, students learn the importance of volunteering and how to work as a team in support of a common goal.”

Student Action Committee graduates are Kayla Karchner, Suzanne Reigle, Jason Spevak and Bradley Zanette.

Sponsors for the 57th Annual Dinner were Biros Septic & Drain Cleaning, Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad, Arc Electric, Dryfoos Insurance and Grange Mutual Insurance, Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald, PPL Corp., Mericle Commercial Real Estate, Mr. Rehab, Leib Well Drilling, M & J Excavating, Susquehanna Bank, Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and Employers Association, Miners Bank, Meiser & Earl, Joyce Insurance Group and the Greater Hazleton Health Alliance.