Board of Trustees
IAL’s Board comes with extensive experience through private corporations, consulting, and nonprofit volunteerism.
Click on a name to scroll down to their bio.
Kenneth R. “Ken” Smith
Chairman
Ken came to Bethlehem in the late 1950’s to study at Lehigh University, where he received his BA, in 1961. Upon completion of Naval Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned Ensign USNR, serving five years in the U.S. Navy, 1962-1967. After his naval service, he signed on with Proctor & Gamble serving in various positions, culminating as Division Sales Manager of its Southeast Division for Industrial Sales. Ken’s business career continued when he became President and Owner of Budget Rent A Car’s Eastern Pa Region from 1968-1986.
Always engaged as a leader, he was elected President of his Lehigh University Class of 1961, and eventually extended his community service when elected Mayor of Bethlehem Pennsylvania from 1987-1996. He then accepted a position as Vice President of Public Affairs, at his alma mater, Lehigh University. He concluded his business experience while serving as Director of Development at St. Luke’s University Hospital Medical School.
In addition to a strong business career, Ken brought to the Industrial Archives & Library non-profit management experiences with the Sun Inn Preservation Association; Historic Bethlehem Inc., as Chair; Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce; Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC); Pennsylvania League of Cities, as President; Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra; and St. Luke’s University Hospital Board, as Chairman.
Mike Albarell
Treasurer
Born and raised in Bethlehem, Pa., Michael Albarell earned his B.S. in Economics from Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener University), in 1964, after completing Notre Dame High School as a member of its second graduating class in 1959. From 1964-1966, Mike served in the U.S. Army at Fort Riley, Kansas, and in Korea, as a First Lieutenant, returning home and entering the family business, Albarell Electric, started by his father on the South Side of Bethlehem in 1937.
Mike joined IAL as one of the original Trustees at its inception in 2015, and also serves as its Treasurer. His professional career with many civic and community activities brings significant business and non-profit management expertise to our Board. He is serving his second term as a Board member at LVIP (Lehigh Valley Industrial Park); Chairs the Bethlehem Area School District Bond Authority; and, is an Advisory Board Member of Hospital Central Services.
He has a distinguished record of service to a broad sector of community organizations, including as Chairman of the Bethlehem Economic Development Corporation (BEDCO); Northampton Community College Foundation Board; BAVTS Bridges Foundation (Bethlehem Area Vocation Technical School); ArtsQuest Foundation Board; Lehigh Valley Contractors Association; Chairman, Allentown Division of National Electrical Contractors Association; St. Francis Retreat House, in Easton; Lehigh Valley Bank, Board of Directors; Bethlehem Area Chamber of Commerce, Board; and, Muhlenberg Hospital Associates.
Mike retired in 2021 as President and Owner of Albarell Electric after fifty-five years in business.
David J. Myers
Secretary and Assistant Treasurer
A Bethlehem native, David attended Liberty High School and went on to graduate from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He enrolled in ROTC while attending UT and was commissioned 2LT in the Army Corps of Engineers upon graduation. Dave served his country with two years’ active duty in the Army including one year in Vietnam as a 1LT and Commanding Officer.
In 1971 David began work for the Coal Division of Bethlehem Steel Corporation in the coals fields of eastern Kentucky and was involved in surface mining, reclamation and reforestation activities. In 1974 he moved to the home office in Bethlehem and managed environmental and permitting issues for the Coal Division. In 1985 he transferred to the Public Affairs Department where he represented the Corporation before the legislatures of Ky., W.V., Md., Pa. and N.Y. David retired from Bethlehem Steel after almost 31 years of service and promptly went to work for Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., in its Corporate Relations Group. He retired from Air Products in 2010.
David served on the Board of the PA Coal Association as well as the Board of Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites. He is married to Barbara and has two grown children and two grandchildren.
Mike Korb
Trustee
Michael C. “Mike” Korb, P.E., graduated as a Mining Engineer from the University of Missouri–Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology) in January 1968. Mike promised his wife Pat a life of adventure, and they’ve spent nearly 55 years moving to some 17 homes while he worked in mining and mining-related technical, administrative, supervisory, management, executive, sales, professional, and consulting jobs in industries; working for Bethlehem Mines, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and a Rolodex full of jobs in bituminous coal, iron ore, limestone, industrial sand, and slag as well as more than 25 years in anthracite.
He is a Society for Mining Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) Legion of Honor member, a Distinguished Member of SME, and a two-time past chair and remains active in the SME Penn-Anthracite Section.
Mike works part-time with Tetra Tech in Northeastern Pennsylvania and spends most of his time working with anthracite mine heritage and environmental non-profits. Pat and Mike live with their cat Callie in Drums, Pa.; their son Matthew and his wife Jessie live in Los Angeles, Ca.; and daughter Kathleen and husband Ashley live in Middletown, Pa.
Peggy Peters Cook
Trustee
Peggy fulfilled her dream of returning to Bethlehem, Pa., in 2020. Having enjoyed life in Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. Bethlehem’s historic charm, ideal location, and the wonderful people of the Lehigh Valley pulled her back.
A K-12 “Lifer” at Moravian Academy, Peggy’s childhood was steeped in Bethlehem’s history. Favorite childhood memories include visiting her father Dr. Water K. Peters, the Medical Director of Bethlehem Steel, at his office and dispensary; walking daily in Bethlehem’s historic district and seeing buildings such as The Bell House; and reveling in holiday performances at The Moravian Church and The Lehigh University Chapel.
Peggy’s career is in independent school marketing and philanthropy. After positions at Los Angeles independent schools, she joined the senior management team of Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2017. As Chief Advancement Officer, Peggy leads a team in all engagement, stewardship, and fundraising efforts. As the liaison to the Board of Trustees, Peggy serves on all board committees.
Peggy married a fellow Georgetown University alumnus, Charles. She also received a master’s degree in International Management from the American Graduate School of International Management. Peggy and her husband have two sons; Gavin, a Ph.D. candidate in sociology at Princeton University; and Conor, Manager, Global Creative Operations at Condé Nast in New York City.
It is in Bethlehem where this hometown girl’s heart sings, and she is honored and humbled about the opportunity to serve as a trustee to the Industrial Archives & Library.
Charles Cook
Trustee
Charles Cook is a media consultant to the top Hollywood studios and networks including, Sony Pictures TV, NBCU, and BBC Worldwide Productions. He owns his own television production company, specializing in the creation of multi-media platform alternative programming. Cook is a former political reporter/news anchor, an Emmy nominated producer and award-winning broadcast journalist, and executive producer of various national TV shows, leading 150-plus staff members. Credits include The Oprah Winfrey Show; Donny and Marie; Jenny Jones; Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus; Entertainment Tonight; and Switched! He’s produced more than 5000 hours of internationally syndicated talk shows and more than 200 hours of reality TV programming nationally and internationally. Cook’s many TV appearances include CNN, E! Entertainment Television, VH-1 and Oprah’s Twentieth Anniversary Show. He is a member of the Writer’s Guild of America.
Cook is a founding member of the Chicago Children’s Charities. He served as a senior member of the Children’s Miracle Networks Entertainment Board of Trustees. Cook served on the Asian-Pacific Health Care Center Board of Directors. As vice-chair of Los Angeles’ Harvard-Westlake School’s Annual Giving Campaign, he helped raise record-breaking funds. Cook is also a member of the Georgetown Alumni Admissions Committee and the Northwestern University Alumni Admissions Committee.
Cook received his bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Georgetown University. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. Cook also earned an MSJ from the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism.