Letter From the Editor

Although this fall edition of Commerce Quarterly magazine is dedicated to all things food and agriculture, I thought I would use this opportunity to give you a little run down of the fun project we have been working on to add more value to the GRCA membership.

GRCA has partnered with Owners and Co-Founders of Bell Media Group Zach Bell and Kyra Denlinger and local photographer Lauren A. Little to tell the story of five GRCA-members businesses and how each has been innovative to grow and thrive.

So far, the project has taken us to America’s oldest hatmaker, a restoration company, a bilingual magazine, a bakery machinery producer and a toy company — all of which exude what it means to be innovative. By the time this edition is in your hands, a few of the stories will already be published, and you’ll be able to see exactly what I mean.

While we hope that other businesses see these stories and say they want to join the Chamber, that wasn’t necessarily the main goal. We wanted the community to connect with these businesses, and more importantly, with the stories of the people who run them.

Think your company should be featured in this series?

Please contact me at LFassnacht@greaterreading.org or 610-898-7780 and tell me why and what sets your company apart. I know the GRCA membership base is full of companies which are doing business differently. Those are the stories we want to tell.

Visit our website

For the most up-to-date schedule of events, training and webinars, visit GreaterReading.org and click on the events calendar at the top of the page.

GRCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairman Daniel R. Langdon – East Penn Mfg, Co., Inc. Vice Chairman Ernest J. Choquette – The Stevens & Lee Companies Treasurer Jeffrey R. Rush – Fulton Bank Secretary Michael A. Duff – Penske

DIRECTORS

Gregg A. Bogia – Bogia Engineering, Inc. John H. Gallen, Jr. – EthoSource Jim Gerlach – Greater Reading Chamber Alliance Laura Haffner – Wells Fargo Bob Harrop – East Penn Mfg, Co., Inc. Sara Kuzma-Stump – Suburban Testing Labs Susan D. Looney – Reading Area Community College Jamey Maack – Industrial Metal Plating Debra L. Millman, Esq. – Greater Berks Development Fund Michele L. Richards – Fulton Bank David C. Roland – Truist Timothy D. Romig – Customers Bank Peter Rye – Brentwood Industries David W. Stonesifer – Herbein + Company, Inc. Christina L. Weeber – East Penn Mfg, Co., Inc. John Weidenhammer – Weidenhammer

GREATER READING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairwoman Michele L. Richards – Fulton Bank Vice Chairwoman Sara Kuzma-Stump – Suburban Testing Labs Solicitor Timothy Dietrich – Barley Snyder Treasurer Laura Haffner – Wells Fargo Secretary Gregg A. Bogia – Bogia Engineering Inc.

DIRECTORS

Lucy Cortez – Community First Fund Brian Dietrich – Ernst & Young (EY LLP) Jonathan Encarnacion – UPMC for You, Inc. Josephina Encarnacion – SBDC – Kutztown University Becky A. Eshbach – UGI Utilities, Inc. Andrea Funk – Enersys Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz – Mi Casa Su Casa John H. Gallen, Jr. – EthoSource Jim Gerlach – Greater Reading Chamber Alliance Jack Gombach – Community Networking Resources Dr. George Grant – Penn State Berks Dan Gring – D&B Construction Dr. Jill M. Hackman – Berks County Intermediate Unit Bob Harrop – East Penn Mfg. Co., Inc. Joey Jurgielewicz – Jurgielewicz & Son, Ltd. Daniel B. Laws, Jr. – DaBrian Marketing Group Kristi Gage-Linderman – Gage Personnel Paul Oxholm – Sharpoint Partners, Inc. Ryan Redner – Redner’s Markets Jennifer C. Rivera – FirstEnergy Corp. Rodney Ridley – O’Pake Institute at Alvernia University Peter Rye – Brentwood Industries Alan Shuman – Shuman Development Group David W. Stonesifer – Herbein + Company, Inc. Ira Tauber – Triose John Weidenhammer – Weidenhammer

GREATER BERKS DEVELOPMENT FUND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairman Dan Langdon – East Penn Mfg. Co., Inc. Vice Chairman Ernest J. Choquette – Stevens & Lee/Griffin President Debra L. Millman, Esq. – Greater Berks Development Fund VP/Treasurer/Secretary Jeffery Rush – Fulton Bank Secretary Michael Duff, Esq. – Penske Truck Leasing

DIRECTORS

Richard Bashore – Reading Electric Motor Service, Inc. Joseph Butto – Tompkins VIST Bank P. Michael Ehlerman – Yuasa Battery, Inc. Jim Gerlach – Greater Reading Chamber Alliance Scott Hauseman – Fulton Bank Ginger Kunkel – Tompkins VIST Bank Susan D. Looney – Reading Area Community College Jamey Maack – Industrial Metal Plating David C. Roland – Berks BB&T Timothy D. Romig – Customers Bank David Shaffer – EnerSys Joseph Sigle – Santander Bank Sally Stewart – Greater Reading Chamber Alliance Michael Vind – FSL Public Finance Christina L. Weeber – East Penn Mfg. Co., Inc.

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