Candidate for
State Senator; District 14

Stephen A. Urban, County Commissioner, Lieutenant Colonel, USA (Retired)

Candidate for Pennsylvania Senate District 14.

Mr. Stephen A. Urban was born in Wilkes-Barre, PA in 1952. Mr. Urban knows the meaning of hard work. While growing up in Wilkes-Barre, he worked on a large farm, delivered the morning newspaper and worked in a shoe factory. Mr. Urban began his government service in 1970, after enlisting in the United States Army shortly after graduating from high school. During his first five years of military service, Mr. Urban advanced to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He then departed active military service in 1975 to attend college on a full-time basis, and enrolled in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps. In 1977, Mr. Urban received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA. Upon completion of his degree requirements, Mr. Urban was designated a Distinguished Military Graduate at the University of Scranton, Scranton, PA and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. While on Active duty, Mr. Urban earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA, and a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College, Newport, RI. Mr. Urban's past assignments include a variety of responsible, leadership, command, and staff positions with Transportation, Communications, Administration, Law Enforcement, Intelligence, Research and Development organizations. Also, Mr. Urban served as an Assistant Professor of Military Science, where he taught freshman and sophomore college students. Additionally, Mr. Urban served as Associate Director of Operations at the Army's Center for Electronic Warfare, Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition, where he managed daily operations and served as one of five senior managers of a 300 person Army Research, Development, and Acquisition Center with a $216 million-dollar annual budget. Mr. Urban's last assignment while on active duty was with the Army Staff in the Office of Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence in the Pentagon. Mr. Urban retired from the United States Army in January 1996 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, after serving more than twenty-four years on active duty. Loyal to the cause, Mr. Urban is a proven leader and manager. Throughout Mr. Urban's twenty-four years of military service, he received numerous awards and decorations, most notably the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Bronze Star Medal, five awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, and two awards of the Army Commendation Medal. Mr. Urban served in Vietnam and in the Persian Gulf War. Mr. Urban served as the Treasurer and past member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Association and currently serves as a board member at the United Charities, Children Home in West Hazleton. Also, Mr. Urban is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a member of the American Legion and the American Veterans (AMVETS). Currently, Mr. Urban serves as a Luzerne County Commissioner, a Director and Vice Chairman of the Luzerne County Conservation District, the Chairman of the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority, and the Flood Mitigation Advisory Board that includes representation from Luzerne, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland and Snyder counties; and a member of the Luzerne County Correctional Facility Board and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport Joint Board of Control. Mr. Urban is married to his wife Linda and together they are the parents of five children and four grandchildren.