Biography

02/11/1887 - 02/27/1963

Andrew John Sordoni, Sr. (R20) Luzerne (Part) County 1927-1938      

Early Life: 

Andrew John Sordoni, Sr., born February 11, 1887, Nanticoke, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; son of Nikola "Nicholas" and Maria "Mary" Sordoni; Bucknell University, Doctor of Laws, 1950; Lafayette College, Doctor of Letters, 1953; Chiropractic, National College Chiropractic, 1957; married, Ruth Speece Sordoni, 1910, children, Andrew J. Sordoni, Jr., Royce, Mary; mule driver, coal mines; private, United States Army, 1904-1907; elected, Republican, Forty Fort Councilman, 1912-1924; engaged, building construction, Andrew J. Sordoni Construction, Sordoni Construction Company; Chairman of the Board, Sordoni Enterprises; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1927-1938; delegate, Pennsylvania, Republican National Convention, 1928; gubernatorial appointment, Secretary of Commerce, 1951-1954; died, February 27, 1963, heart attack, Miami, Dade County, Florida, interment, private by request of family. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships: 

Chairman, State Planning Bord; member, State Aeronautics Commission; Pennsylvania Industrial and Construction Exposition, Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Committee, State Athletic Commission, 1951; member, Wyoming Valley Motor Club, 1919, director, 1924, president, 1942-1954, director, Wyoming Valley Hospital, 1936-1954; president, Wyoming Valley Hospital, 1941-1954; trustee Wyoming Valley Hospital, 1956; elected president, 1956; honorary Chairman, Luzerne County Heart Fund Chapter, 1951; member, Wilkes-Barre Rotary Club, 1920, president 1927, during World War II, chairman, War Production Board, Luzerne County; member, American Automobile Association, senior vice president, 1953, president 1954-1956; life member, Pennsylvania Motor Federation, Executive Committee, 1939, director, 1940, president 1945, 1954; director, Luzerne County Chapter, Pennsylvania Motor Truck Federation, since 1947; director, United States Independent Telephone Association; member, Board of Governors, Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association; member, Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association Causality Insurance Company; member, Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association Fire Insurance Company; 33rd degree, Free and Accepted Masons, Wyoming Lodge, 468; Dieu le Veut Commandry 45, Knights Templer; Shekinah Royal Arch Chapter, 182; Keystone Consistory Irem Temple; member, Irem Temple Country Club, Shrine Club of Greater Wilkes-Barre, member, Royal Order Jesters, Binghamton; chief, Daniel C. Roberts Fire Company, 1925-1953; member, Sigma Chi Fraternity, Bucknell University; member, Sons of Italy, Eagles, Elks Moose, Wilkes-Barre; board member, over sixty organizations; member, First Presbyterian Church, Wilkes Barre.  

Trustee, Doctor, Leo Spears, Chiropractic Sanitarium, Denver, Colorado; Doctor of Chiropractic, National College of Chiropractic, Chicago, Illinois; trustee, Bucknell University, 1928, Doctor of Law degree, Bucknell University, 100th commencement, 1950; Doctor of Humane Letters, Lafayette College, 1953; board, trustees, Wilkes College, vice chairman, Board, Trustees, Wilkes College, 1960.    

Chairman of the Board, Sordoni Enterprises, includes Sterling Hotel System, hotels, Allentown, Hazelton, Wilkes-Barre, Montrose, Binghamton, New York; Commonwealth Telephone Company, Harvey’s Lake Light Company, Sterling Engineering and Manufacturing Company, Andrew J Sondori Foundation, responsible over five thousand employees; Commonwealth Telephone Company had fifty thousand subscribers, third largest independent telephone company in Pennsylvania and thirtieth largest in the United States.     

Awards: 

Wilkes Barre Rotary Club, Citizen of the Year, 1949, Wyoming Brotherhood Roundtable Award, 1963  

Pennsylvania Politics:  

Elected, Republican, Forty Fort Councilman, 1912-1924.  

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 20th district, Luzerne (Part) County, 1927-1938.

Delegate, Pennsylvania, Republican National Convention, 1928.      

Appointed, Pennsylvania Governor John S. Fine, Secretary of Commerce, 1951-1954.  

Legacy:  

Father, from Garibaldi, Italy; mother, from Genoa Italy, interpreter, Luzerne Courthouse, 33 years.   

Cited:  

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members S". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Andrew J Sondori Extension of Remarks Honorable Daniel J. Flood of Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives Monday March 4, 1963, Pages A1140-A1142  

Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress - United States. Congress - Google Books