Alvernia adds four business leaders to Board of Trustees

Quartet with strong legacies of expertise, service and philanthropy join the university’s Board

Alvernia University announces the appointment of business leaders Michael Fromm, Christopher deGruchy ’93/MBA ’05, Stephanie Rawden and Angelo J. Valletta to its Board of Trustees.

The new members’ legacies of expertise, service and philanthropy will significantly contribute to the university's mission and strategic goals.

“We are honored to welcome these outstanding individuals to our Board of Trustees,” said Alvernia University President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. “Their focus on philanthropy and service align perfectly with Alvernia’s core values. And as Alvernia continues to grow as a comprehensive regional university, their leadership will help us align our mission-driven education with the needs of the communities we serve.”

About the New Trustees

Michael Fromm

The Chairman of Fromm Electric Supply Corp. returns as an Alvernia trustee after serving on the board for over a decade, including a stint as Board Chair, a post previously held by his father, Bernie. He joined his family’s company in 1991, becoming President in 1997. In 2009, Michael transitioned day-to-day management to a professional team with the aim of building long term sustainability. In 2023, Michael and Susan Fromm earned the university’s Franciscan Award, given annually to a person or couple who selflessly gives their time, talents and resources for the betterment of others.

Christopher deGruchy

The former Principal/General Manager of Cast Rite Metal Co. earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting and a Master of Business Administration at Alvernia after serving in the U.S. Army. He held leadership roles across wide-ranging industries, including a medical device manufacturer and Monterey Mushrooms, before taking the helm at Cast Rite, an aluminum sand casting foundry. He recently sold the company after overseeing it for over 15 years. A dedicated philanthropist, deGruchy contributes to several organizations, including Alvernia’s Hope Fund and Reading Collegiate Scholars. In 2025, deGruchy received Alvernia’s 2025 Ellen Frei Gruber Award, which is presented to an individual who has given outstanding service to his/her alma mater and exemplified continued commitment and support of Alvernia's mission.

Stephanie Rawden

The Owner/Operator and multi-restaurant entrepreneur with more than 30 years of leadership within the McDonald’s system has helped grow her family’s organization from five restaurants founded by her father into a network of 56 locations employing more than 3,500 team members across central and eastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware and southern New Jersey. Within the McDonald’s system, Rawden has served on several national leadership teams, contributes her expertise to the McDonald’s U.S. MenuTeam and serves on the board of directors for the Philadelphia McDonald’s Owner/Operators Association.

Angelo J. Valletta

The president and CEO of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania amassed nearly 40 years of leadership in finance, philanthropy and technology. He has held multiple board-level leadership roles at companies including FISGlobal, Sun National Bank and PNCBank. He spotlighted his servant leadership approach, which emphasizes synergy and shared success, in his book “7 Rs of Leadership and Life” recently published by Newman Springs. Valletta was named Alvernia’s 2025-26 Executive in Residence for its Header School of Business.

Alvernia and the Board of Trustees also acknowledge the valued service and commitment of departing board members Peter Rye, President of Brentwood Industries, Inc., and former Board Chair Gregory Shemanski, President and Owner of Custom Processing Service, Inc.