Officers of the Pennsylvania Senate

February 21, 2023 - June 2, 2023

Officers of the Pennsylvania Senate focuses on the President, President Pro Tempore, Chief Clerk, and Secretary of the Pennsylvania State Senate. At the beginning of each biennial legislative session, Members of the Senate elect three Officers (President Pro Tempore, Chief Clerk, and Secretary) to serve a two-year term or until a successor is chosen. The President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor) is the only officer elected by the residents of Pennsylvania to serve a four-year term.

The 1874 Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention created the office of Lieutenant Governor, established the President Pro Tempore, and abolished the Speaker position. While the Lieutenant Governor presides over Senate sessions, the President Pro Tempore assumes the duties of President whenever the office of Lieutenant Governor is absent. Throughout the Senate’s history, several Presidents Pro Tempore were sworn in as interim Lieutenant Governor. Current President Pro Tempore Kim Ward was the last Senator to serve as interim Lieutenant Governor for January 3rd, 2023, to January 17th, 2023.

Prior to 1911, the Senate had a Chief Clerk but no Secretary. Instead, the Assistant Chief Clerk served as the Secretary. In 1790, brew-master and New Jersey native, Timothy Matlack was appointed first Chief Clerk of the Pennsylvania Senate. History was made in 1951 when Vera L. Froberg became the first female Chief Clerk. The Chief Clerk is the financial officer of the Senate. All business functions, accounting operations, payroll, purchasing, and facilities management is the responsibility of the Chief Clerk. Today, Donetta M. D’ Innocenzo is serving her eighth term as Chief Clerk of the Senate.

The Act of March 1st, 1911 abolished the office of Assistant Chief Clerk and created the office of Secretary-Parliamentarian. Under that Act, Assistant Chief Clerk W. Harry Baker became the first Secretary of the Senate and served seventeen consecutive terms. As the Chief Legislative Officer, the Secretary is responsible for managing the legislative functions of the Senate as well as, overseeing financial and administrative functions related to their office operations. Currently, Michael Gerdes was recently sworn-in as the thirteenth Senate Secretary.

Officers of the Pennsylvania Senate is an expansion of the previous exhibit Presidents Pro Tempore & Speakers of the Pennsylvania Senate. This exhibition highlights four officers that are responsible for helping the Senate function on a regular basis. Like a business company, the Pennsylvania State Senate has a president, vice president, financial and legal department, that works simultaneously to keep it successfully operating. We hope this exhibition will pay tribute and bring attention to the offices of the Pennsylvania State Senate.

Philadelphia Warehousing & Cold Storage Company, Philadelphia, Pa.; Courtesy of Hagley Digital Archives: President Pro Tempore John Lamon, director
Photo: Yale Law School Fraternity (Lt. Gov Raymond P. Shafer); Courtesy of Allegheny College
Campaign Flyer: Raymond P. Shafer Republican Candidate for State Senator; Courtesy of Allegheny College
Campaign Flyer: Raymond P. Shafer for Lieutenant Governor; Courtesy of Allegheny College
Photo: Raymond P. Shafer with President Ronald Regan; Courtesy of Allegheny College
Photo: Raymond P. Shafer with Bob Hope
Photo: Raymond P. Shafer with President Lyndon B. Johnson; Courtesy of Allegheny College
Original Senate Chair from the old Hill’s Capitol Building; Courtesy of Capitol Preservation Committee
Photograph Lt. Governor Lloyd H. Wood; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archives
Photograph of Lt. Governor Lloyd H. Wood; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archives
Stationary Note from Lt. Governor John Morgan Davis to the Governor of Florida; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archives
Large Picture of Lt. Governor Daniel Strickler with General Dwight Eisenhower during WWII; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archives
Portrait of Major General Edward Shannon; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archives
Photograph of Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll with Tony Snow; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archives
Photograph of Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll speaking in the Main Rotunda; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archives
Photograph of Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll presenting an award; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archives
Knife Plaque Presented to Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll: Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Museum
Catherine Baker Knoll campaign sign; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Museum
Catherine Baker Knoll campaign flyer; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Museum
Rendell Governor, Knoll Lt. Governor T-Shirt; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Museum
Israel Peace Medal & Certificate Presented to Catherine Baker Knoll. Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Museum
Treasury Investment Center Picture of Catherine Baker Knoll; Courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Museum
A. Boyd Hamilton’s Senate shaving mug; Courtesy of the Dauphin County Historical Society
Framed letter from A. Boyd Hamilton to Dr. George A. Gorgas with pen used by General Shannon certifying the ratification of the repeal of the 18th amendment of the Pennsylvania Constitution, December 5, 1933. Courtesy of the Dauphin County Historical Society
Letter from William C. Pelton, Chairman of Kipona, to A. Boyd Hamilton, president of the Dauphin County Historical Society, about concerns with the September 1936 Kipona event. Courtesy of Dauphin County Historical Society.
Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition 2022 Pink Ribbon Award. Courtesy of President Pro Tempore Kim L. Ward
2 Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Pins. Courtesy of President Pro Tempore Kim L. Ward
Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Scarf. Courtesy of President Pro Tempore Kim L. Ward

Pennsylvania Academic Standards
(History, US History, and Civics and Government) met in whole or in part* by this exhibition

Note: *The text for this exhibition is written (with the exception of field-specific language) for the sixth grade level. For more information on Pennsylvania’s Department of Education Standards, and more related standards, please visit PDE SAS.

Exhibition Team

Alexandra Acri Barbush, Librarian of the Senate
Donna Wheeler, Record Services Manager, Senate Library
George Soule, Research Services Manager, Senate Library
Martavis Washington, Research & Exhibit Specialist

Democratic Caucus Operations Staff

Kristin Markle, Graphics Designer/Illustrator

Republican Communications Staff

Gregory Milligan, Director
Douglas Gross, Director of Photography
Jason Troutman, Videographer
Todd Krick, Director of Graphic Arts
Christopher J. Guerrisi, Photographer

Senate Print Shop/Digital Production

Chris Keller, Director
Caleb Gordon, Deputy Director

Contributing Organizations and Individuals

The Pennsylvania State Archives
The Pennsylvania State Museum
Jason Wilson, Historian, PA Capitol Preservation Committee
Aaron McWilliams, Head, Public Services Section, Pennsylvania State Archives
Brett Reigh, Archivist, Pennsylvania State Archives
Legislative Data Processing Center
Robert “Bob” Hill, Military & Industrial History Curator, The State Museum of Pennsylvania
Katelyn Metz, Curator, The State Museum of Pennsylvania
Laurie Austin, Audiovisual Archivist, Harry S. Truman Library
Ruth Andel, Archivist, Merrick Archives, Allegheny College
Sherree Byers, Assistant Archivist, Merrick Archives, Allegheny College
Ken Frew, Research Librarian/Archivist, Historical Society of Dauphin County
Angela Schad, Reference Archivist and Digital Archives Specialist, Hagley Museum and Library
Kathy Hale, Supervisor for Public Services, Government Documents Librarian, State Library of Pennsylvania
Heather Tennies, Director of Archival Services, Lancaster County Historical Society
Erica Slason, Archivist, Historical Society of Montgomery County