The Keystone College Board of Trustees has named John F. Pullo, Sr. as the College’s 12th president.
Mr. Pullo was appointed Keystone’s interim president in May of 2022 and had been serving in that capacity during the 2022-23 academic year. The Board appointed him president at its May 19 meeting, foregoing a national search upon receiving unanimous recommendation and support of the College’s Cabinet, faculty, and staff. Mr. Pullo presided as president of the College at its 152nd commencement the next day.
“The Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed the decision for John to move into the permanent role of president of Keystone College” said Board of Trustees Chair Attorney Daniel P. Haggerty. “During his tenure as interim president, John distinguished himself as the ideal leader for the College, bringing a renewed vitality to countering the challenges confronted by the College and higher education generally, and especially in building sustainable strategic partnerships that will have a significant bearing on Keystone’s forward momentum in the near term. The overwhelming support from the college’s faculty, staff, and Cabinet further strengthened our decision.”
A 1969 Keystone alumnus, Mr. Pullo has been a member of the College’s Board of Trustees since 2011 and served as Board Chair from 2018 to 2020. Mr. Pullo is the first Keystone alumnus to serve as its president.
“I am deeply honored to be elected as Keystone College’s 12th president,” Mr. Pullo said. “In many ways, this is the culmination of a lifelong journey that started with this exceptional institution. This is an uncommon opportunity to serve an institution I care deeply about, and I now find myself doing some of the most rewarding work of my career. I am grateful to the Board and the entire College community for their trust and confidence.”
“Higher education is at an unprecedented crossroads, with challenges in access, affordability, and even the relevance of a college education,” Mr. Pullo continued. “Student debt is at historic levels. The path to creating value is providing workable solutions for the entire spectrum of learners, from certificate programs to get that first job to traditional undergraduates to adults and professionals seeking degree completion and advanced instruction. Agility is the key. While the current pressures on higher education require us to be more innovative, a well-rounded education coupled with career and life preparation still matters and will remain the hallmark of a Keystone education.”
Prior to becoming interim president, he was founder and CEO of Chartwell Strategies, LLC, a strategic advisory services and consulting firm formed in 2018. Before founding Chartwell, he was employed for 35 years at Gentex Corporation, a world leader in personal protection for defense and security personnel, where he held a variety of senior positions in business leadership, corporate development, research and development, business development, and operations.
Mr. Pullo’s industry experience prior to Gentex includes 12 years with the Swedish conglomerate Sandvik AB, where he held key management positions at both the corporate and divisional levels.
He also holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wilkes University and an MBA with a concentration in operations management from the University of Scranton. He received a master’s degree in technology management from the University of Pennsylvania conferred jointly by the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Wharton School.
Mr. Pullo also serves on the Board of Directors at WVIA, a public media and PBS affiliate serving northeastern and central Pennsylvania. As part of a long history of service in Pennsylvania economic development affairs, he is Chairman of the Board at the Carbondale Technology Transfer Center, a regional business incubator serving northern Lackawanna County, and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Abington Regional Wastewater Authority.
Mr. Pullo and his wife, Angela, reside in Clarks Summit, and have a son, John Jr., also residing in Clarks Summit with his wife and daughter.
Recognized as one of the best educational values in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Keystone offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree options in liberal arts and science-based programs in business, communications, education, natural science, environmental science, and social sciences. Located on a beautiful 276-acre campus 15 minutes from Scranton, Pa. and two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, Keystone is known for small class sizes and individual attention focused on student success through internships, research, and community involvement.
