Greater Reading Chamber Commerce Quarterly Summer 2017 - 4

letter from the president

Board of Directors
2016-17
CHAIRMAN:
Robert Firely, Herbein + Company, Inc.
VICE CHAIR:
Peter Rye, Brentwood Industries, Inc.
TREASURER:
Steve Horvat, Baker Tilley
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR:
Scott Gruber, Tompkins VIST Bank
LEGAL COUNSEL:
Tim Dietrich, Esq., Barley Snyder
DIRECTORS:
Marilu Rodriguez-Bauer,
Owner, RB Legal Counsel, LLC
Karen Baxter, Manager, External Affairs,
Met-Ed, A FirstEnergy Company
Nicholas Bentley,
President, American Polarizers, Inc.
Gregg Bogia,
President, Bogia Engineering, Inc.
Marianne Brown Egolf,
General Manager, F.M. Brown's Sons, Inc.
Johanny Cepeda,
Owner/Manager, Mi Casa Su Casa
Harry Dietz, Associate Publisher
and Editor, Reading Eagle
Robert Firely, Partner,
Herbein + Company, Inc.
Scott Gruber, President & CEO,
Tompkins VIST Bank
Tracy Hoffmann, President,
Hoffmann Publishing
Steve Horvat, Partner, CPA, Baker Tilley
Lisa Lavender, Chief Operating Officer,
Berks Fire Water Restorations, Inc.
Brian Levan, President, Levan
Machine & Truck Equipment
William Long, Administrative
Vice President, M&T Bank
Carl Marks, Chief Operating Officer,
Distributed Systems Services, Inc. (DSS)
Don Mikes, Senior VP, Penske Truck Leasing
Toni Miller, Senior Executive Vice
President - Chief Administrative Officer
and Chief Financial Officer, Boscov's
Pete Molinaro, President, Adhezion
Biomedical, LLC
Ann Moll, President, Gallen Insurance
Michele Richards, Senior Vice President,
Commercial Banking Group, Fulton Bank
David Roche, President, Dave Roche Electric Inc.
David Roland, Senior Vice President,
Market President, Berks, BB&T
Peter Rye, President, Brentwood Industries, Inc.
Mark Schlott, Executive VP of Operations/Chief
Operating Officer, R. M. Palmer Company
Stayce Schlouch, Project Manager,
Schlouch Incorporated
Nicholas Stoltzfus, President, DESCCO Design
Sara Kuzma-Stump, Director, Sales &
Marketing, Suburban Testing Labs, Inc.
Rich Tinsman, VP, Manufacturing,
Carpenter Technology
Lauren Tobiassen, Area President,
Central PA, Wells Fargo
Scott Vaughn, CEO, The Standard Group

elcome to Summer. I think we can all agree that
it's about time! I'm sure many of you have plans
to spend time at the shore, or maybe even are
taking a trip to some exotic destination. If you're looking for
something local or planning to take a few days of staycation,
however, Berks County has an amazing array of great activities
for any age or personal interest. Check out the Reading Eagle's
calendar of events or Pennsylvania's Americana Region (our
Visitors Bureau) for the latest info and event listings!
One really extraordinary venue you will not want to miss
this summer is something incredibly unique! "This Is Reading"
will be an innovative multimedia installation animating the
interior and exterior of the historic Franklin Street Railroad
Station right here in our city! This work, the brainchild of
two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, will incorporate
projections, live performances, film, sound and music; all to
tell a collective story of the City of Reading. Don't miss it!
I hope to see you there.

We have a special centerfold piece for this issue - a tribute to our beloved Dave Zerbe
of Dave Zerbe Studio of Photography, who passed away suddenly in the spring. Dave
was known by many of you and was considered a "member of the Chamber family." He
and his dear wife Bonita, son Chad, and his staff have been devoted to the Chamber
and its mission for many years. Dave was always available, whether to provide a head
shot, work on site at a Chamber function, or provide a special photo shoot for one of
our publications. No job was too much for Dave to take on for his Chamber! We salute
the Zerbe family and we miss Dave terribly, as I know many of you do. We look forward,
to continuing to celebrate his legacy of quality work with the family and staff who will
now lead the way!
This issue is packed with great stories about our members, and the really cool things that
are happening in our community. I'd invite you to take a break from whatever you are
doing and dig into this edition of Commerce Quarterly.
You will be inspired with the story of one of our newest Berks businesses, First Choice
Barber Shop (owners Manny & Albert Hernandez). Their journey has been a long one,
but it confirms how some assistance from mentors and community members can help
entrepreneurs like these great guys make their dreams become reality!
And, how about those Reading Knights winning the state basketball championship?
Even as a non-sports fanatic, I found myself following their season and sharing in the
pride we all were able to feel when the championship came home to Reading. We ARE
Reading proud! A big shout out to Reading High, its athletes, and the students, teachers
and administrators who are doing great things up at the Castle on the Hill!
Finally, as we look forward to a season filled with fun and good times, let's take a moment
on this July 4th to remember all of our men and women in the military, and our veterans
who have sacrificed so selflessly that we might enjoy the freedoms we enjoy that are so
precious, particularly in these trying times. God Bless the USA, and have a wonderful
summer!

Karen Marsdale
Karen Marsdale, President

Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry

4 COMMERCE QUARTERLY SUMMER 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Greater Reading Chamber Commerce Quarterly Summer 2017