diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 2112210..528b21e 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 	<groupId>org.gcube.common.portal</groupId>
 	<artifactId>portal-manager</artifactId>
-	<version>1.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>1.2.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<packaging>jar</packaging>
 	<name>gCube Portal Manager</name>
 	<description>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/PortalContext.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/PortalContext.java
index 634eef8..a23d4d4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/PortalContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/PortalContext.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ public class PortalContext {
 
 	private static final String SENDER_EMAIL = "notificationSenderEmail";
 	private static final String GATEWAY_NAME = "portalinstancename";
+	private static final String ADMIN_USERNAME = "administratorUsername";
 	
 	private static PortalContext singleton = new PortalContext();
 
@@ -91,9 +92,18 @@ public class PortalContext {
 		return toReturn;
 	}
 	/**
-	 * read the portal instance name from a property file and returns it
+	 * 
+     * @deprecated use getConfiguration().getGatewayName() method
+     * read the portal instance name from a property file and returns it
 	 */
+	@Deprecated 
 	public static String getPortalInstanceName() {
+		return getConfiguration().getGatewayName();
+	}
+	/**
+	 * read the infrastructure gateway name from a property file and returns it
+	 */
+	public String getGatewayName() {
 		//get the portles to look for from the property file
 		Properties props = new Properties();
 		String toReturn = "";
@@ -138,6 +148,30 @@ public class PortalContext {
 		_log.debug("Returning SENDER_EMAIL: " + toReturn );
 		return toReturn;
 	}
+	/**
+	 * read the sender (from) email address for notifications name from a property file and returns it
+	 */
+	public String getAdministratorUsername() {
+		//get the portles to look for from the property file
+		Properties props = new Properties();
+		String toReturn = "";
+
+		try {
+			String propertyfile = getCatalinaHome() + File.separator + "conf" + File.separator + "gcube-data.properties";			
+			File propsFile = new File(propertyfile);
+			FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(propsFile);
+			props.load( fis);
+			toReturn = props.getProperty(ADMIN_USERNAME);
+		}
+		//catch exception in case properties file does not exist
+		catch(IOException e) {
+			toReturn = "massimiliano.assante";
+			_log.error("gcube-data.properties file not found under $CATALINA_HOME/conf dir, returning default administrator" + toReturn);
+			return toReturn;
+		}
+		_log.debug("Returning Administrator username: " + toReturn );
+		return toReturn;
+	}
 	/**
 	 * 
 	 * @return $CATALINA_HOME