top 25 women in business in nepa
bRenDa CoLbeRt
active in the community they love so much, the partners and their staff can be found volunteering regularly at the Walk to End Alzheimers, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, making Friends of the Poor Thanksgiving and Easter baskets, and at the CEO Food Bank. Colbert and Grebas also provide free community education events, and Brenda is a frequent speaker for the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Lackawanna County Bar Association, Wilkes-Barre Law Library and Wilkes University. She is the chair of Brenda Colbert’s philosophy by which she the Wilkes-Barre Law Library Elder lives is simple — “I believe that it is important to Law committee, is on the Board of Directors of the go out into the world and do well, but even more Dunmore Senior Center, and an active member and importantly, to do good.” (Major Meyers) past president of the Northeast PA Aging Network Brenda and her law partner, Kevin Grebas, beAlliance (NANA). gan their firm in 2012 based on three philosophies, Brenda began her career as a Social Worker as follows: after earning her BSW from Mansfield University. First, they wanted to bring a high level of She worked with elderly nursing home residents as experienced elder law services to NEPA. “Since a social worker, patient advocate, and eventually as we are both Certified Elder Law Attorneys by the Director of Social Work and Admissions. She deNational Elder Law Foundation, we possess that cided to pursue her law degree at age 29, attending level of experience,” she noted. Secondly, they Touro Law Center and earned her Juris Doctorate. wanted to truly be a local firm. That meant focusing She then earned a master of laws in estate planning their practice in NEPA and, not only participating in from the University of Miami, School of Law which community events, but encouraging and enabling she attended on a fellowship. “I was blessed to be their staff to do so as well. Finally, they wanted to able to return to my roots in NEPA once finishing provide peace of mind to their clients and their my education and to be able to practice in the field families, as well as to the community at large. of Elder Law where my passion lay,” noted Colbert. “We have witnessed the fear that people experi“I am very honored to be counted as one of the ence when a loved one needs nursing home care, Top 25 Business Women in NEPA. I love NEPA, particularly because of all of the misconceptions in it is my home. I love the people of NEPA and feel the community, and we wanted to alleviate those blessed that I have been able to do a job that I fears,” she explained. love while helping the people in my community,” As a local firm, and deeply believing in being concluded the lawyer.
miCHaeLeen t. suLtZeR
“Good, better, best, never let it rest until your good is better and your better, best” is the philosophy by which Michaeleen T. Sultzer lives her life. As the owner of Sultzer Monument, in Chinchilla, she devotes her life to family and her work always remembering the verse her late husband once told her. Her responsibilities in her job include the entire operations of Sultzer Monument. This includes sales, purchasing monuments, markers and mausoleums and any work to be done in cemeteries. She also insures the cleaning of monuments, lettering and repairs that need to be done. The replacement of monuments is also very important and she guides the workmen who do this job in local cemeteries. Sultzer’s deceased husband, Thomas, began the family business in 1950. “We have been in the same location since he purchased the property in 1959. He taught me every phase of the business so that I was able to continue myself after his passing in January 1987,” she noted. Meticulous in her work, she follows every order she receives from the time of sale to completion of
each order and each customer is given her full attention. “Because I sell a product that is everlasting and meant to be in cemeteries forever, I do not approach families to make a purchase too soon after their loved one’s demise. I know their sorrow generally makes clear thinking difficult and it is a most vulnerable time in their lives. A suitable everlasting memorial should be done thoughtfully and carefully because it will suitably represent their loved one’s life for eternity,” she explained. Both her husband, a fourth generation funeral director, and her father, were involved in the deathcare industry most of their lives. “I was taught at a very young age to be thoughtful and caring of the sorrow of the bereaved family of the demise of a loved one endures.” “In my mind there is always the thought that a suitable memorial should represent a person’s life while here on earth and it is important to get a selected place of one’s choosing,” she added. Over the years in business, the couple has donated war memorials and many cornerstones for churches and community buildings.
Your Experienced, Local Choice for Elder Law. the colbert & grebas family Congratulates
Attorney Brenda D. Colbert
on being named to the Top 25 Women in Business 570-299-7909 | 210 Montage Mtn. Rd., Suite A, Moosic, PA 18507 | ElderLawNEPA.com |
NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL MARCH 2018 19 TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B19] | 02/28/18
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