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Dinner raises money for Mike Kocher Memorial Scholarship Fund

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‘Passport to Science’ event at Wilkes University provides fun, learning

<p>Charles &#8220;Chuck&#8221; Parente passed away on Saturday at 75, but not before leaving his mark on the area as a philanthropist, businessman, friend and family man.</p><p>Parente was known as a skilled businessman, first graduating with a degree in accounting from King&#8217;s College in 1962 and then establishing Parente Randolph Certified Public Accountants, which grew into one of the largest privately owned Accounting firms on the east coast.</p><p>But he was also known for supporting local nonprofit organizations, while impressing workers at those nonprofits with the quality of his character and his true concern for others.</p><p>Bill Jones, executive director of the United Way, remembers when, in 1985, Parente was campaign chair for that organization.</p><p>At that time, Jones was working for First Eastern Bank, and he was &#8220;loaned&#8221; to the United Way to assist during the campaign season.</p><p>&#8220;We all worked together during that time,&#8221; Jones said. &#8220;I never forgot it.&#8221;</p><p>Nearly three decades later when Jones was named executive director, the first piece of mail and the first contribution came from Parente.</p><p>&#8220;He was that kind of man,&#8221; said Jones. &#8220;His death is a great loss.&#8221;</p><p>Mark Soprano, executive director of the Catholic Youth Center, also remembers Parente for his generous spirit and concern for the community, especially children.</p><p>&#8220;About 25 years ago, he was walking through the outside area of the CYC and noticed that the playground needed to be rebuilt, so he offered funding. It was his idea,&#8221; Soprano said.</p><p>Ten years ago, Parente went a step further funding an outside play area that is now named after the Parente family.</p><p>Soprano said Parente was also very involved in the organization&#8217;s capital campaign.</p><p>&#8220;He was the kind of a person that you would go to not only for financial support,&#8221; said Soprano, &#8220;but when you wanted good advice.&#8221;</p><p>In 1988, Parente was appointed president and CEO of C-TEC Corporation in Wilkes-Barre, where he served until 1993.</p><p>After leaving C-TEC, he was involved in several other successful business ventures, among the most notable was being a partner with Sordoni Construction Services and an investor and CEO of Pagnotti Enterprises Inc.</p><p>He also served as former member of the board of directors of the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce.</p><p><em>Obituary, Page 12A.</em></p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Charles ‘Chuck’ Parente remembered as successful businessman, philanthropist