Published: 12/08/2025
/prod01/gannon/media/gannon-university/content-assets/news/595121016_1298312752339716_2696096663030407800_n.jpg)
明星黑料 proudly conferred nearly 300 degrees to members of the Class of 2025 during its Winter Commencement ceremony for the Erie campus on Sunday, Dec. 7, the perfect bookend to 明星黑料’s Centennial year full of reflection and celebration.
The commencement ceremony took place at 1 p.m. in the Highmark Events Center on 明星黑料’s campus following Baccalaureate Mass at 10 a.m. in the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel,鈥痟onoring the academic achievements and future aspirations of hundreds of graduates from the university.鈥�
明星黑料 President Walter Iwanenko, Ph.D., awarded degrees to graduates in attendance. This year’s graduating class of 290 students received 292 degrees, including: 19 doctoral degrees, 175 master’s degrees, 94 bachelor’s degrees and 4 associate’s degrees. Graduating with distinction, 40 students will be recognized for their exceptional academic achievements, including 13 summa cum laude, nine magna cum laude, 16 cum laude honorees and two students with academic honors. In addition, 155 global students representing 18 countries will proudly earn their degrees, highlighting the university’s international reach and diversity.
This year’s keynote address was delivered by delivered by Mark Gusek, president and CEO of The Lutheran Foundation for Long-Term Living, a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience across healthcare, manufacturing, aviation and higher education.
More about the speaker:
With over 25 years of leadership experience spanning healthcare, manufacturing, aviation, and higher education, Mark Gusek is a dynamic and results-driven executive known for guiding organizations through transformational change and operational excellence
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics/Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo and has continually expanded his expertise through extensive continuing education in areas such as Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, Project Management, and MRP/ERP/EHR implementation.
Currently serving as President and CEO of The Lutheran Foundation for Long-Term Living – a foundation committed to enhancing quality of life for individuals with health-related challenges – Gusek leads strategic philanthropic grant-making efforts focused on organizations that engage in, or support, home and community based services (HCBS) for men and women. The philanthropic grant-making endeavors may also assist other charitable organizations, as well as individual men and women, in the activity or pursuit of education, scientific instruction, organized research, sponsored research activities and other institutional activities, or community purposes that benefit men and women.
His prior executive leadership includes a pivotal role as CEO of The Lutheran Home for the Aged and LIFE Northwestern Pennsylvania, where his decisive action saved a century-old long-term care facility from collapse. By implementing home and community-based programs and increasing nursing care levels, Gusek positioned the organization for sustainable success under a dual Medicaid and Medicare capitated model.
Previously, Gusek was President of an air charter operation overseeing a private aircraft airport operation with 11 aircraft and 50 employees, delivering 24/7 full-service aviation support to both commercial and corporate clients. His manufacturing expertise is rooted in his tenure from engineering manager to division manager for local molding companies such as Lord Corporation, PLASTEK, Inc., and others where he managed large-scale molding operations with a full suite of high-volume and low-volume production capabilities.
An innovator in both operational and cultural transformation, Gusek has facilitated Lean implementation, cellular manufacturing, and value stream analysis in organizations such as General Motors Powertrain and Bethlehem Steel. He has even been able to find common thread manufacturing concepts by consulting in the local confectionery industries where he modernized production and introduced Activity-Based Costing to improve profitability.
Gusek’s work has extended internationally, including successful product reengineering in the UK to align with European standards, increasing global market share. He has played critical roles in capital project justification, Board-level strategy, and federal grant/loan acquisition across several U.S. Department of Transportation programs and the SBA.
Beyond the boardroom, he is an accomplished aviator with over 45 years of flying experience, holding an Airline Transport Pilot license and previous certification as a flight instructor and Citation Jet type rating. He is also a PSIA Level III certified ski instructor with over three decades of skiing experience.
In addition to Gusek’s corporate roles, he has shared his knowledge as an adjunct professor at Pennsylvania State University – Behrend College, contributing to the development of future industry leaders.
Mark Gusek brings a rare blend of strategic foresight, operational acumen, and human-centered leadership—driven by a lifelong commitment to excellence, innovation, and service.
