Letter From the Editor

Happy New Year to all GRCA members, board members, investors and partners, and welcome to the first Commerce Quarterly edition of 2022.

In this edition, you may notice a new, reoccurring byline. Amish Jindal, a Wilson High School junior and honor student, is GRCA’s new marketing and communications intern. Jindal has been with GRCA since late October of last year and has already racked up an impressive number of bylines. So far, he has written multiple blogs, Berks County Living columns and articles for this publication. GRCA is full of members with interesting stories to tell, and I am glad to have some assistance in bringing more of those stories to you and to our community.

Make sure you check out the cover story in which Jindal perfectly summarizes the presentation that keynote speaker Denise Ball delivered at the 2021 Manufacturing Summit. Ball said that building a positive company culture will be the number one thing companies can do to recruit and keep employees. If you didn’t attend that event, I highly recommend watching her presentation on GRCA’s YouTube channel (youtu.be/hoh9fVchNNs). At the very least, take a peek at how a few of your fellow Chamber members say they are building a winning culture.

Also new in this edition, is the “Greater Together” page that will be in every edition moving forward. GRCA staff are constantly accomplishing meaningful work. Unfortunately, there isn’t time or space for an in-depth story on every single item. This page will give you a taste of what each department has been working on and what each has completed in a clear and concise fashion.

Hope you enjoy this edition of Commerce Quarterly and that you and your business experience the best year yet! Stay healthy, everyone.

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. Please note: GRCA will use the most current information available to determine whether events and training will be held virtually or in-person.

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 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 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 Jonathan Encarnacion – UPMC FOR U, 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. Dr. Rudy Ruth – 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 Manufacturing Company, 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 L. Gruber – Tompkins Vist Bank Scott Hauseman – Fulton 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 Christina L. Weeber – East Penn Manufacturing Company, Inc.