Palakovich Named SCI Camp Hill Superintendent

    HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A 31-year state
 corrections veteran has been appointed superintendent at the State
 Correctional Institution at Camp Hill, Department Secretary Jeffrey A.
 Beard, Ph.D., announced today.
 
 
 
     John A. Palakovich replaces Donald Kelchner, who will retire later this
 month after serving 30 years with the department. Palakovich's appointment
 is effective Dec. 30.
 
 
 
     "I had the pleasure of working with John when I was named
 superintendent at SCI Camp Hill following the 1989 riots," Beard said.
 
 
 
     "In the years since, he served as deputy superintendent at Camp Hill
 and was later appointed superintendent at SCI Smithfield. John is a highly
 competent and knowledgeable employee. His coming home to SCI Camp Hill is
 well deserved and I am confident he will be an excellent leader for its
 employees," Beard said.
 
 
 
     As superintendent, Palakovich will oversee the complete operation of
 the state prison, which employs more than 1,000 individuals and houses
 nearly 3,300 inmates.
 
 
 
     SCI Camp Hill serves as the state prison system's diagnostic and
 classification center for all males entering the state prison system.
 
 
 
     He started his corrections career in 1972 as a corrections officer at
 Lancaster County Prison. From 1974 to 1976, he served as vocational
 evaluator at the county prison.
 
 
 
     He began employment with the DOC at SCI Camp Hill in 1976 as a
 vocational evaluator. In 1978 he was promoted to vocational employment
 coordinator. From 1979 to 1995, he served as superintendent's assistant at
 the prison and was promoted in July 1995 to deputy superintendent, serving
 as deputy superintendent for centralized services and for facility
 management over an eight-year period. In 2003, he was named superintendent
 of SCI Smithfield.
 
 
 
     Originally from Rochester, Pa., but having lived in Central
 Pennsylvania since his graduation from college, Palakovich has a bachelor's
 degree in psychology from Penn State University and master's degree in
 counselor education from Millersville University. He was certified by the
 American Correctional Association as a Certified Corrections Executive and
 as an accreditation auditor.
 
 
 
     To learn more about SCI Camp Hill and the Pennsylvania Department of
 Corrections, visit http://www.cor.state.pa.us
 
 
 
     CONTACT: Susan McNaughton
 
     (717) 975-4862
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Corrections