[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 48 (Thursday, March 17, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E275-E276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF WILLIAM J. THORNTON, RECIPIENT OF THE GREATER 
          PITTSTON FRIENDLY SONS OF ST. PATRICK SWINGLE AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2022

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Madam Speaker, today I honor William J. Thornton who 
will be awarded the W. Francis Swingle Award by the Greater Pittston 
Friendly Sons of St. Patrick at their annual gathering on March 17, 
2022.
  Bill, son of Bill Thornton and Kathie Bender Elechko, was raised in 
West Pittston, Pennsylvania, along with his four siblings. He graduated 
from Wyoming Area High School with the Class of 1994, and he attended 
Penn State University where he earned a degree in management science 
and information systems. He later went on to receive an MBA in finance 
from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
  Bill began his career as a technology consultant working in the 
Philadelphia area with life sciences companies including Pfizer, Roche, 
Johnson & Johnson, and Eli Lily. He then transitioned to working as a 
computer programmer for Amgen, a biotech company that specializes in 
products for treatment of blood disorders, osteoporosis, and other 
inflammatory conditions. Continuing his work on the technical side of 
health care, Bill joined the team at Allergan, a global leader in 
medical aesthetics, eye care, and neurological disorders. He spent 11 
years at Allergan as an IT executive working across business units in 
research and development, manufacturing, sales, and marketing, and he 
was the IT leader for the emerging markets of Latin America and Asia, 
supporting 17 countries and $1 billion in revenue. Bill currently 
serves as the Chief Information Officer for Sarepta Therapeutics in 
Cambridge, Massachusetts. His role at Sarepta supports their mission to 
engineer solutions for rare diseases with science that is on the 
forefront of precision genetic medicine. Bill is also a partner and 
member of Cybersecurity at MIT Sloan School of Management.
  Bill is a sustaining member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. His 
maternal grandfather, Ted Bender, proudly served as the 60th president 
of the organization in 1973. Bill was awarded the Friendly Sons Annual 
Student Scholarship in 1994, and his wife, Susan, was a scholarship 
recipient in 1995.
  Bill is a dedicated volunteer and is actively involved in his local 
community to support youth sports and school events. He and his wife 
have three daughters, Erin, Emily, and Allie.
  I am honored to join with the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. 
Patrick in recognizing Bill as the 2022 Swingle Award Winner. He has 
dedicated his career to supporting cutting edge medical research in the 
life sciences industry while also volunteering his time to support his 
community. May he continue to find fulfillment in his work and giving 
back to his fellow citizens.

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