John Verbanac
Encyclopedia
John Verbanac is a businessman and prominent political operative in Pennsylvania.
Verbanic earned a B.A.
degree from the University of Pittsburgh
College of General Studies
in 1990. He worked in government and politics in Washington, DC as a senior aide and political strategist for two U.S. senators and a member of Congress.
Verbanac worked as consultant for Forest City Enterprises
and Harrah's Entertainment
in their efforts to secure a casino license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
. The fact that he also was worked as an informal adviser to former Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor during that time raised questions of impropriety.
Following his time on Capitol Hill, Verbanac entered into several entrepreneurial ventures and held a number of positions in other business endeavors. One of those positions was at Ketchum Communications Worldwide, a prominent public affairs firm, where he worked as vice president of public affairs. There, he handled the accounts for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, GNC
, H. J. Heinz Company
, Wal-Mart
, and MCI Inc.
. From 1997 to 2000, Verbanac worked as executive vice president of BrabenderCox
, a Pennsylvania-based marketing and advertising firm. He helped the firm restructure and launch Adams Marketing, a new venture for BrabenderCox
, of which he became president.
He briefly became a partner in IdeaMill, a Pittsburgh-based branding and advertising firm. In 2001, he joined with journalist Albert J. Neri
to found Neri-Verbanac Public Affairs, a Harrisburg-based public affairs agency. There, he helped develop The Insider
, which became the "largest statewide political publication." The firm was sold in 2005 and Verbanac and Neri parted ways.
In 2005, Verbanac served as a director of the real estate arm of Summa Group, a financial company dealing with service and technology companies. In 2007, Joseph B. Scarnati, President pro tempore
of the Pennsylvania Senate, named Verbanac as trustee of his alma mater, University of Pittsburgh
.
Verbanac's relationship with Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
became a campaign issue in the 2009 Pittsburgh mayoral election.
. In 2010, Politics Magazine named him one of the most influential Democrats in Pennsylvania,, even though Verbanac is a registered Republican according to Butler County voter registration records.
Verbanic earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
College of General Studies
University of Pittsburgh College of General Studies
The College of General Studies is one of the 17 schools within the University of Pittsburgh located in Pittsburgh, PA. The College of General Studies offers programs of special interest to adults and non-traditional students, including baccalaureate degrees and post-baccalaureate certificates...
in 1990. He worked in government and politics in Washington, DC as a senior aide and political strategist for two U.S. senators and a member of Congress.
Verbanac worked as consultant for Forest City Enterprises
Forest City Enterprises
Forest City Enterprises is a $9-billion diversified real estate management and development company based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Its portfolio includes interests in retail centers, apartment communities, office buildings and mixed-use projects in the U.S...
and Harrah's Entertainment
Harrah's Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation is a private gaming corporation that owns and operates over 50 casinos, hotels, and seven golf courses under several brands. The company, based in Paradise, Nevada, is the largest gaming company in the world, with yearly revenues $8.9 billion...
in their efforts to secure a casino license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is a governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, founded in 2004 as the state licensing and regulatory agency responsible for overseeing slot machines and casino gambling in the state....
. The fact that he also was worked as an informal adviser to former Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor during that time raised questions of impropriety.
Following his time on Capitol Hill, Verbanac entered into several entrepreneurial ventures and held a number of positions in other business endeavors. One of those positions was at Ketchum Communications Worldwide, a prominent public affairs firm, where he worked as vice president of public affairs. There, he handled the accounts for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, GNC
General Nutrition Centers
General Nutrition Centers is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based American commercial enterprise focused on the retail sale of health and nutrition related products, including vitamins, supplements, minerals, herbs, sports nutrition, diet & energy products.-History:In 1935, David Shakarian opened a...
, H. J. Heinz Company
H. J. Heinz Company
The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
, Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, and MCI Inc.
MCI Inc.
MCI, Inc. is an American telecommunications subsidiary of Verizon Communications that is headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia...
. From 1997 to 2000, Verbanac worked as executive vice president of BrabenderCox
BrabenderCox
BrabenderCox is a nationally recognized Republican political consulting firm, with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Washington, DC and Harrisburg, PA.Founded as BrabenderCox, Inc...
, a Pennsylvania-based marketing and advertising firm. He helped the firm restructure and launch Adams Marketing, a new venture for BrabenderCox
BrabenderCox
BrabenderCox is a nationally recognized Republican political consulting firm, with offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Washington, DC and Harrisburg, PA.Founded as BrabenderCox, Inc...
, of which he became president.
He briefly became a partner in IdeaMill, a Pittsburgh-based branding and advertising firm. In 2001, he joined with journalist Albert J. Neri
Albert J. Neri
Albert J. "Al" Neri was a Pennsylvania political news correspondent, pundit, and political analyst.At the beginning of his career, Neri worked as a journalist following state and local government and politics for a variety of publications, including Erie Times-News, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the...
to found Neri-Verbanac Public Affairs, a Harrisburg-based public affairs agency. There, he helped develop The Insider
The Insider (newspaper)
The Insider is a prominent subscription-based newsletter reporting on Pennsylvania politics.-Reach:It is the "state’s most widely read newsletter devoted to state politics and government." With an audience of both the "hard-core state political junkie and the casual political observer," The Insider...
, which became the "largest statewide political publication." The firm was sold in 2005 and Verbanac and Neri parted ways.
In 2005, Verbanac served as a director of the real estate arm of Summa Group, a financial company dealing with service and technology companies. In 2007, Joseph B. Scarnati, President pro tempore
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
of the Pennsylvania Senate, named Verbanac as trustee of his alma mater, University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
.
Verbanac's relationship with Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
Luke Ravenstahl
Luke Robert Ravenstahl is the current Mayor of Pittsburgh. In September 2006, he became the youngest mayor in Pittsburgh's history at the age of 26. He is among the youngest mayors of a major city in American history....
became a campaign issue in the 2009 Pittsburgh mayoral election.
Pittsburgh mayoral election, 2009
Pittsburgh held a mayoral election on November 3, 2009. Incumbent mayor Luke Ravenstahl, a Democrat, defeated his two independent challengers by a wide margin...
. In 2010, Politics Magazine named him one of the most influential Democrats in Pennsylvania,, even though Verbanac is a registered Republican according to Butler County voter registration records.