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In Memoriam Joseph Michael Harenza Jr.
J
oseph Michael Harenza Jr., 77, passed away on September 29, 2021. Mr. Harenza graduated from Greenbriar Military School and then attended Western Michigan University, where he was a quarterback for the football team. After college, Mr. Harenza
played quarterback for several semiprofessional football teams, including the Harrisburg Capitols and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. After his football career, Mr. Harenza earned his Juris Doctor from Penn State Dickinson Law and a LLM in taxation from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law. In 1971, Mr. Harenza joined Stevens & Lee as an associate. He advanced to a practice group leader and eventually served as the chief executive of Stevens & Lee for over 20 years. During his tenure at Stevens & Lee, Mr. Harenza was instrumental in growing Stevens & Lee from a 20-attorney firm with one office in Reading, PA to a 180-attorney/300-employee multidisciplinary firm with 17 different offices, which is now known as Stevens & Lee/Griffin. Mr. Harenza worked for Stevens & Lee/Griffin for over 50 years and his passing is seen as an “end of an era” for Stevens & Lee/Griffin. Mr. Harenza was known for his tough as nails demeanor and boundless energy. His reputation was second to none in the field of innovative and complex corporate and financing transactions and extended well beyond Reading. He was a charismatic leader, with a larger than life presence, who was a master motivator and a tremendous mentor to many partners and associates. Mr. Harenza was a former adjunct professor of Securities Regulation at Penn State Dickinson Law School, a former trustee and board member of The Pennsylvania State University, and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Berks County Community Foundation, Inc. In addition to his work as an attorney and investment banker, he was dedicated to helping his immediate family and his Stevens & Lee/Griffin family. Mr. Harenza is survived by his wife, Dana, his son Jeffrey, daughter, Beth, stepson, Raymond, and granddaughter, Cora.
30 | Berks Barrister
