Our 2021 Emerging Business of the Year Award recipient, Building Bocks Learning Center, focuses its educational programs to develop the whole child– academically, socially, physically, and emotionally.

These awards have been introduced in 2021 to recognize individuals who have made a lasting contribution to our region through their years of leadership, inspiration, and positive influence in the business community and to our community at large. Our 2021 honorees include John Aciukewicz, from CASA of Luzerne County; Charles Barber, from the Luzerne Foundation; Wico van Genderen, from the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce; Paul Lumia & Barbara Romanansky, from North Branch Land Trust; Mike Murray, from the Times

The 2021 Pride of Place Awards recognize and honor businesses, industries, and organizations that have improved the physical environment of the Greater Wyoming Valley area. Our honorees for this year include the Casterline, M.D. YMCA Early Learning Center, Residence Inn by Marriott Wilkes-Barre Arena, and Street Art Society of NEPA!

Our 2021 Diversity Champion Business of the Year Award recipient, NEPA's 1st Annual Black Owned Business Expo, was a much-needed event that happened in our community, and was led by Janiece Montes, CEO of Janieces Purse Collection, Co-owner at Social Le’Air, and Organizer and Hostess of NEPA’s 1st Annual Black Owned Business Expo and Brock Vieney, CEO of Brocks Fresh Breads and the Co-host of NEPA’s 1st Annual Black Owned Business Expo.

Our 2021 Legacy Business of the Year Award recipient, AssuredPartners of Northeastern Pennsylvania was formed in 2014 after the successful merger of A.J. Lupas Insurance, Eastern Insurance, The Flock Agency, Ferrario Insurance, and The Kincel Agency. Today, AssuredPartners of Northeastern Pennsylvania is the area’s largest agency handling over $120 million in premiums, serviced by more than 70 full-time staff. Together, the legacy agencies that make up AssuredPartners of NEPA have served the insurance needs for busines

Our 2021 Charitable Organization of the Year Award recipient, Fork Over Love, began as an emergency response on January 8, 2021, to bridge the gap between two groups of people severely affected by the pandemic: small, local restaurants and the working poor. Both of these groups are experiencing different levels and types of food insecurity. Restaurants are struggling to keep staff employed, stoves on, and doors open, while the working poor are struggling to put food on the table. Our mission is to establish a new system

Our 2021 Connect Icon Award recipient, studio BE, is grounded in the development of awareness. studio BE is reimagining collective well-being, one breath at a time. They are a well-tech company serving humans around the globe, committed to inclusion, diversity, and the humble knowing that they are forever-learning.

We sat down virtually with Chamber Ambassador Kelly Kostanesky, Owner of KMMK Communications, in this month's Chamber Ambassador Spotlight!

We sat down virtually with Chamber Ambassador Chris Bohinski, Host, Reporter, & Producer at WBRE's PA live! to learn more about him! Chris joined Pa Live! in June 2020. You can watch him each weekday afternoon at 4:00 pm on WBRE-TV. Chris strives to treat those around him with kindness and compassion and has a daily goal of making people smile. After graduating with degrees in both Chemistry and Music & Theater from Wheeling Jesuit University, Chris moved to New York City where he worked in the entertainment industry. W

We sat down virtually with Chamber Ambassador Ryan K. Hertel, Owner & Creative Director of Socialocca Marketing Agency, to learn more about some of his favorite things about NEPA and some of the great organizations that he spends his time supporting. Read the full Q&A with Ryan below!

We are so excited to introduce our brand new team member, Anthony Johnson! As our new Director of Workforce Development and Wilkes-Barre Connect, Anthony will be working with our team to develop and implement a strategic plan to address workforce and economic development issues and strategies in the Greater Wyoming Valley Region.

The Greater Wilkes Barre Chamber of Business & Industry (CBI) and Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce (COC) Board of Directors announced today that Wico van Genderen, President & CEO, will retire at the end of the year and that Lindsay Griffin, EVP & COO, will succeed him January 1, 2022.

Our 2021 Volunteer of the Year Award will be presented to two amazing individuals who have truly set the bar for what it means to selflessly step-up to lead a critical campaign for Misericordia University, called Now for Tomorrow, which supports a new chapter for advanced teaching, learning, and research for tomorrow’s students and community. Let's meet our 2021 Volunteer of the Year Award recipients: Mary Erwine, President of Erwine Home Health and Hospice, Inc. & Sandy Insalaco, Sr., Chairman of the Board of US Hydrat

As the next century of service approaches, the Chamber will focus on member services, small business, workforce development, and the Pittston Chamber Women’s Network. Members can expect to see more tangible member benefits like education and advocacy events, member discounts, and a greater focus on member-to-member referrals. Workforce development continues to be a topic of conversation for all businesses; new and old; big and small alike. They will continue to encourage dialog between employers and the workforce, suppo

We sat down virtually with the Vice Chair of our Chamber Ambassador Council, Mike McGinley, Major Accounts Executive/Digital Strategist at the Times Leader Media Group, to learn more about some of his favorite things about NEPA and some of the great organizations that he spends his time supporting.

On Monday, May 24th, the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce joined several chambers of commerce across the Commonwealth urging members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to reinstate work search requirements for unemployment compensation recipients. During the pandemic, the requirement was appropriately removed. Now, as the economy is beginning to recover and vaccines are becoming more widespread, we believe it is appropriate to reinstate this requirement with CareerLink.

Our 2021 Athena® Award will be presented to an amazing individual who has put our community first in all that she does, and has made it a point to mentor other women in attaining their full potential and growing and developing professionally. Let's meet our 2021 Athena® Award recipient: Kathi Bankes, Director of Catering and Special Events at Culinary Creations by Metz & Ruth's Chris SteakHouse!

Like so many organizations in our region, our team had to pivot our programming in 2020 to keep our community safe, educated, and connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. One year later, we are still embracing the benefits of virtual and hybrid programming for our members. Our Director of Membership and Community Engagement, Ahmad Ali, and Program Engagement Manager, Michaela Benczkowski?, came together to share some insights on what their process to switch to a virtual platform, the benefits and challenges associated wi

Our 2021 Innovator of the Year award goes to three individuals who brought creativity and collaboration to our region through their combined efforts to find innovative ways to bring our community together during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Rockin' the County concert series last year! Let's meet our 2021 Innovator of the Year Recipients, Theodore Wampole, Dave Pedri, and Will Beekman!

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Councilwoman Jessica Rothchild of the Scranton City Council.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Tony Brooks, Director of the Wilkes-Barré Preservation Society and Curator of the Zebulon Butler House Museum.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Francisco González, Owner of Franchesca General Services, Inc.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Patricia M. Hughes, Special Events Coordinator & Business Licensing Clerk for the City of Wilkes-Barre.

We sat down virtually with one of our longtime Chamber Ambassadors, Jessica Battista to learn a little bit more about her work in the community. In her professional life, Jess is Sales Executive FASTSIGNS of Wilkes-Barre. We got to ask Jess a few questions about her favorite things about her job, being an Ambassador, and our community for you to get to know her better - read more below!

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Dr. Vicki T. Sapp, PhD | Director for Student Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion and Assistant Professor Department of Medical Education at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Eileen Song, Financial Advisor for Edward Jones.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Jasmine Leigh Giddings, Director of Multicultural and International Student Programs at King's College.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Bill Browne, who is part of Political Action/Communications for the NAACP & the Peace & Justice Center Steering Committee.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Arthur W. Breese, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Geisinger.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Erica Acosta, Associate Director of Diversity Initiatives at Wilkes University and the Vice-Chair of our Chamber Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Ellie Bartoli a local photographer, about her passion for helping the disabled community.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Kristen Boyle, Vision Resource Manager at Northeast Sight Services, about how her professional role assists and empowers those with vision loss.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. Next, we spoke to Anne E. Rodella, Artistic Director F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, about Sensory Friendly/Relaxed Performances that she put together for the community in her role in the community.

Throughout the month of April for Diversity Month, we will be highlighting some amazing individuals in our community that are spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion causes and initiatives, as well as business leaders and owners with diverse backgrounds. First, we got to interview Mayor Justin M. Correll about his volunteer work in the Greater Wyoming Valley.

We sat down virtually with our newest Chamber Ambassador, Haley Bianco, who joined our Council earlier this year, to learn a little bit more about her work in the community. In her professional life, Haley is Host & Producer at PA live!

Wyoming Valley Chambers work on a united policy position to implore our State and Federal Legislators and Governor Wolf to pass economic, business, and workforce stimulus packages.

Our 2020 Pride of Place Pivot Award recipients have amazing stories to tell about how they have each adapted their day to day life, physical work environments, and services to create safe spaces, stay connected to our community, and elevate our region during these challenging times. This year's award recipients are The Accelerator Wilkes-Barre, The Canning House Restaurant & Grocer Collective, Coal Creative, Misericordia University, Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, and Times Leader Media Group. Read more about each org

Our 2020 Healthy Workplace, Healthy Community Award recipients, DxDempsey and studio BE, have provided our community with much needed resources for both physical and mental health during the pandemic - from teaching us how to adapt our workspaces to be socially-distant to making sure we have the wellness and mindfulness practices needed to support us during these challenging times. Read more about each organization's efforts below!

Our 2020 Diversity Champion Business of the Year, PNC Bank, is rooted in the goal to make diversity, equity, and inclusion a core focus within their own organization and our community here in the Wyoming Valley.

Our 2020 Legacy Business of the Year, Best Western Plus Genetti Hotel, has built a legacy of hospitality service to our community. This family-owned business has hosted our most memorable community events and helped to shape and develop our business community.

Meet our 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Rev. John J. Ryan, C.S.C., Ph.D. We are excited to honor and celebrate a man who has truly made our community a better place, a community that he was born and raised in in and the place where he attended high school, college and led one of our most prestigious higher education institutions into it’s bright and strong future. Learn more about Father Ryan in his own words below!

Our 2020 Emerging Business of the Year, American Paper Bag, took an entrepreneurial dream and chose to make it a reality in NEPA. In the past four years, American Paper Bag launched as an industry disrupting paper bag manufacturing plant, and has since become the premier U.S. based paper bag manufacturer - all from the Hanover Industrial Park.

Our 2020 Charitable Organization of the Year has tirelessly supported our community and provided vital free services before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. These service modifications by the Osterhout Free Library provide educational, entertainment, cultural and social activities, free of charge, to its patrons of all ages, to support our community during this COVID-19 pandemic.

We are so excited to introduce our newest team member, Michaela Benczkowski?! As our Program and Membership Coordinator, Michaela will be helping to organize nearly 50 events for our members and the community this year, and will meet and help onboard our new and existing members.

Join the area's emerging leaders for the second annual Young Professionals Conference, made possible by a partnership with the United Way of Wyoming Valley. Topics for the day will include diversity, community and civic engagement, innovative leadership, future focused data, and more! This day-long conference is aimed at developing our area's talented professionals ages 20-45.

Over the past four decades, the name Kevin O’Donnell has become very well known in economic development circles, not just in Hazleton or Northeastern Pennsylvania, but across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As president of CAN DO, Inc., Greater Hazleton’s economic development agency, Mr. O’Donnell has helped bring regional, national and global companies to Greater Hazleton – resulting in thousands of family-sustaining jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars annually for the local economy.

Chris speaks about Halloween and what happened this year at the Chamber.

Pennsylvania American Water has made its commitment to inclusion and diversity a company - wide priority. With an Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Council that is supported by senior leadership and engages over 60 diverse employee’s company-wide,

Co-founded and launched in 2014 by Bryan Hunsinger and Rocco Ciavarella on the second floor of the Innovation Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Mobiniti is a text message marketing company that gives businesses a different platform to expand sales and reach more customers.

With an Ophthalmology practice that is ranked in the top 2% in the United States and nine locations throughout the area, Eye Care Specialists has provided over 50 years of comprehensive eye care services to the community.

Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania is devoted to providing diverse services to children, individuals, seniors, and families, empowering them to reach their full potential, resulting in healthier relationships and stronger communities.

Gerry O’Donnell’s professional career is one of continued success and achievement through community service and business professionalism.

The first post in a mini-blog series written by communications intern, Christopher Boucher. The first post is a self-conducted interview for the author to address the audience.

Wilkes-Barre Connect, the entrepreneurial and economic development arm of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber, successfully completed a 2019 summer pilot marketing internship program from a grant received by the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Development Board and administered through the Pennsylvania CareerLink ®. This internship program was made possible through funding from the PA Department of Labor & Industry.

As my time as a Chamber intern comes to an end, I can't help but be thankful for everything I've learned.

This week I got to eat some amazing food from small businesses and showcase my amazing kickball skills. A day in the life of a Chamber intern.

In our last "Meet the Intern" installment, I'm introducing you to Sarah Matarella!

In my next "Meet the Intern" installment, I'm introducing you to Connect intern Camaryn Lokuta!

In today's installment, I sat down and talked with my fellow intern Caitlin Hamlin and asked her the hard-hitting questions.

My first week as a Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce intern was a busy one, but it was EPIC.

My name is Tyler Bonita and I’m the Social Media and Marketing summer intern at the Chamber. I’ll be writing this blog series throughout my internship to highlight a day in the life of an intern here at the Chamber.

Patrick Leahy is the current president of Wilkes University. Over the past seven years of his tenure, the University has invested significantly in campus enhancements, expanded academic and co-curricular offerings, and strengthened partnerships with the community.

Our Communications and Resource Manager, Meghan, got to interview Kristie Baker, Program Developer at Keystone Community Resources, which is celebrating their 55th year of service this year!

Cathy McHugh is the founder and Vice President of Fields Enterprises, Inc. She was the former Director of Public Relations for her family’s advertising agency and played an integral role in the incorporation of Fields Enterprises in 1992.

Dr. Vijayaraman joined Geisinger in 2005 to serve as our region’s first fellowship trained electrophysiology specialist. Since then, his unsurpassed clinical skills and compassionate nature have improved the lives of thousands of people affected by heart rhythm disorders. The great majority of Dr. Vijayaraman’s patients are Northeast Pennsylvania residents, but many are people who travel significant distances to come to Wilkes-Barre specifically seeking his care.

Tara Mugford Wilson joined the family business, Power Engineering Corporation (PEC), as Special Projects manager in 1992. PEC, which opened in 1922, is a commercial/industrial mechanical, HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning), plumbing and service company doing business throughout the mid-Atlantic states. In 1993, Ms. Wilson acquired Power Mechanical Corporation (PMC), a union sheet metal and mechanical pipefitting business. Under Wilson’s leadership, PMC was able to attain Certified Women Business Enterprise

Our Communications and Resource Manager, Meghan, had the opportunity to sit down with Susan Selby, the Director of Development/Administrator for the Immanuel Christian School, and speak about the school’s 40-year history and future-focused vision.

Johanna is also an intern at Wilkes-Barre Connect, with a focus on the Wilkes-Barre Connect Pitch Program. A big thanks to Johanna for taking some time out of his schedule to answer some questions for me!

At our 2019 Athena® Panel Luncheon, we are excited to welcome four inspiring former Athena® Award recipients. Join us on April 18th to hear them speak on topics from career advice to professional advancement.

This Membership 101 article will look at how to update your personal information. Items covered include updating identifiers such as your name, title, and bio, changing your username and password, uploading a headshot, selecting your interests, listing your social media, selecting what information is public, and connecting your account to social media accounts for easier login.

One of the interns that I actually have the opportunity to work beside is Jahquan Mcitosh. He describes himself as an “old soul” who has gone through many life experiences with his young age.

Timothy is an intern at Wilkes-Barre Connect who will also be a speaker at the Connect Conference this fall. I enjoyed getting to know a little more about a fellow intern who I do not get to see a lot.

Unfortunately due to scheduling conflicts, some of my intern interviews will be done electronically. One of the Wilkes-Barre Connect interns that participated in this type of interview was Johann Malkemeson. Johann already has one degree in hand and is working towards a Master’s. Although this type of interview is challenging, I looked forward to hearing his answers.

One of the interns that I have the opportunity to work alongside every time I come to the office is Gaetano Buonsante. He is a proud native of the area and is looking forward to creating a political career for himself upon graduation. Thank you to Gaetano for sitting down with me!

The next Wilkes-Barre Connect intern on deck is Gordon Roberts. Gordon is a fellow Penn State Wilkes-Barre student like myself.

Our Communications and Resource Manager, Meghan, got to learn more about the Kingston-based small business Green Owl Provisions by talking to Founder Jon Sordoni. Check out their interview below to learn how they make high-quality nutrition from PA farmers and artisans accessible to NEPA!

Attend the Your Hour, Her Power: 2019 International Women's Day Luncheon this Friday for your chance to bid on great prizes from our Mentorship Auction, featuring a wide variety of experiences with female leaders across our region.

Next up on my interview list is Wilkes-Barre Connect intern, Diana Rodriguez. She is one inspiring young professional. She liked the Wilkes-Barre Connect intern program so much that she came back for another round! Thank you to Diana for sitting down with me.

I was delighted to interview my first Wilkes-Barre Connect staff member, Joseph Boylan. Although this is a series about our interns, I thought it would be fun to also interview one of the staff in charge of these young professionals.

This is the first in the series of blog posts from The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce Spring Intern Vanessa Robbins.

In this post for Membership 101, we will look at reasons for holding a ribbon cutting ceremony, some best practices to make the event run smoothly, and small tips to add nice touches. We're excited and honored to celebrate your big day with you!

From the Intern Desk: Meghan Flanagan

From the Intern Desk: Lauren Scott

From the Intern Desk: Wico van Genderen

From the Intern Desk: Lindsay Bezick

From the Intern Desk: Joe Boylan

From the Intern Desk: Ben Eaton

From the Intern Desk: Ahmad Ali

From the Intern Desk: Matthew Bickert

2018 Pride of Place Award Winners

2018 Lifetime Achievement Award: Christopher Borton

2018 President’s Milestone Achievement Award: Martz Group

2018 Emerging Business of the Year Award: Building at 900 Rutter

2018 Healthy Workplace Award: Peoples Security Bank & Trust

2018 Charitable Organization of the Year Award: The Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA

2018 Legacy Business of the Year Award: Times Leader Media Group

Welcome back to the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce’s blog series, From the Intern Desk. Today, the blog will be featuring the last intern on staff. My name is Ashlee Harry and I am the Communications and Social Media Marketing intern.

AJ Consultants is a leading executive search firm with the data, experience, and a proven success rate to achieve and sustain success by aligning themselves with the top talent in the industry. AJ Consultants was started in 2009 by co-founders and co-owners Adam Eckels and John Morris, who had years of prior experience in recruiting, specifically in the banking and finance sectors. The company grew quickly and organically, and, within the past five years, AJ Consultants has grown to a staff of ten people located in the

Welcome back to the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce’s blog series, From the Intern Desk, written by Ashlee Harry. Today, we will be featuring another one of our fall interns. Samantha Midkiff is the Chamber’s Programs and Events intern.

Welcome back to the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce’s blog series, From the Intern Desk. Today, we will be featuring one of our fall interns. Emelee Toth is one of the Chamber’s Communications and Social Media interns.

The Wilkes-Barre Connect Intern program will present a discussion panel titled "How to Post and Host a Successful Internship” on Wednesday, October 24th at 8 AM in the Wilkes-Barre THINK Center, located at 7 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre. This panel will feature internship coordinators from several of our local universities and colleges to share their expertise on running a successful internship program. It will also be comprised of a representative from a local business currently running a successful internship progr

The next individual at the chamber to be introduced is Ellie Bartoli. Ellie is a work experience student at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce and has been for a year.

Welcome to the first article in a series designed to help ensure you are maximizing your chamber benefits. For the first article, we thought it was fitting to talk about the Member Hub Portal – the point of access to all your online benefits and information. The Member Hub Portal can be accessed at www.wilkes-barre.org/login/.

I am the final intern to be introduced for the summer blog series. My name is Katherine Lipski and I began thinking about completing an internship at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce back in October of 2017. The spring of 2018 would mark my final semester of college, and I knew I wanted to have real experience in my future field instead of taking classes to only fill up my requirement for credits.

Our next intern to be introduced for our summer blog series is Alexa Rash. Alexa decided to look into interning with the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce after working on a project about Wilkes-Barre’s T.H.I.N.K. Center during a college course.

Trion Industries is a leading display fixture manufacturer with over 25,000 products and 127 patents worldwide. John Thalenfeld, President and CEO, has been working with Trion since the company’s original manufacturing factory in New York.

The Tape Art Crew is transforming the Sordoni Art Gallery at Wilkes University with a temporary tape mural on the exterior brick wall of the Gallery. Community members can drop by anytime today until this Friday to see the mural evolve and talk to the artists. This Friday at 7:30 PM, be sure to see the completed mural from 5PM to 8PM at the 3rd Friday Art Block and join them for a community celebratory rip-down of the mural at 7:30 PM.

Jump in the car for a Small Business Christmas in July adventure throughout the Greater Wyoming Valley! We will be making stops in Wilkes-Barre, Edwardsville, Kingston, Plains, and Mountain Top to discover local small businesses offering great deals on July 20th! The 3rd annual event is hosted by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, the Diamond City Partnership, the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Association, and Art Block Wilkes-Barre.

We will be kicking off our summer blog series by introducing our interns here at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has three summer interns, including myself, and all offer something new and exciting to the environment at the chamber. The first intern to be introduced is Ashlee Harry.

Come one, come all to the Downtown Wilkes-Barre locations featured in the Small Business Christmas in July celebration! The 3rd annual event is hosted by The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, the Diamond City Partnership, the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Association, and Art Block Wilkes-Barre. The Downtown Wilkes-Barre location takes you on an adventure that features great eats and fun creations along the way.

The Family Business Alliance was developed 20 years ago by regional business owners. It is a member-driven organization that aims to enable local family businesses to maintain and grow a profitable business and successfully transfer management and ownership to the next generation.

On November 8, 1918, a small group of concerned citizens met in downtown Wilkes-Barre at the request of a young, totally blind woman named Arline Phillips. Her mission was to help other “blind persons help themselves,” and so, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Association for the Blind was born.

Alison Zurawski is the Community Relations Coordinator for Community Bank, N.A and has been with the bank for over seventeen years. She is responsible for supporting all thirty-two Community Bank, N.A. Pennsylvania branches in the coordination of internal and external initiatives. She also develops community and social outreach activities, while promoting the bank within the six counties in which they serve.

Will Beekman joined the F.M. Kirby Center in April of 2010 and became Executive Director in January of 2014. As both a venue manager and talent buyer, Will has helped lead the F.M. Kirby Center into uncharted waters. The Wilkes-Barre venue currently ranks #104 on the list of Worldwide

As Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Director, Kathleen Dunsmuir oversees the client’s team of wealth management professionals, striving to achieve the highest levels of client satisfaction. Her top priority is that the team not only meets, but also exceeds the client’s expectations. Through Dunsmuir’s leadership and commitment, she ensures that clients benefit from a full complement of investment, trust, financial planning, and private banking services to help them achieve their financial goals.

I am Sabrina Olivo, a Strategic Communications major at the University of Scranton with a concentration in Public Relations. I am a rising senior at the university and the Communications Intern at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. I have been in delighted to bring our Chamber blog audience the Life of a GWB Chamber Intern series.

Martz Group is a fifth generation, family owned and run company that began in 1908 as the White Transit company and was made up of just one flatbed truck with four rows of bench seats, driven by founder Frank Martz Sr.

An innovative partnership between The Wright Center for Primary Care and Children’s Service Center has allowed these organizations to take a national model for integrated health services one step further within Children’s Service Center’s new outpatient clinic building, located at 335 South Franklin Street location in Wilkes-Barre.

Mariah Curtis is the fourth Wilkes-Barre Connect intern at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, and the sixth highlight in the Life of a GWB Chamber Intern series. She is currently studying Marketing with an interest in Advertising at Wilkes University’s Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership.

Fifteen years ago, William E. Vinsko Jr. Esquire started what is now Vinsko and Associates, P.C. in the basement of his home with one paralegal as his only staff member. Vinsko and Associates, P.C. has since grown to have offices in both Wilkes-Barre and Philadelphia that are fully staffed, with three attorneys: Attorney William E. Vinsko, Jr., Esquire, Attorney Brian M. Vinsko, and Attorney Catherine Mihalick, Esquire, CTFA. They currently have clients across the Commonwealth of PA, as far west as Pittsburg and Erie.

Sara Biller is a senior at Penn State Wilkes-Barre and the next highlight in the Life of a GWB Chamber Intern series. Sara is set to graduate this May with a Bachelor’s degree in Management and Marketing. She, like Alexa and Liz, is a Wilkes-Barre Connect Intern at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber.

Our fourth intern highlight features Alexa Webby. Alexa is a senior at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, and is ready to graduate this May with a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Accounting. Alexa is one of the Wilkes-Barre Connect interns at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber.

Adam Ercolani is a junior at Misericordia University pursuing a Double Major in Business Administration and Management and a minor in English Literature. At the Chamber, Adam works as the Programs and Events/Business Development Intern.

Our next star in the Life of a GWB Chamber Intern blog series is Elizabeth “Liz” Jensolowsky. Liz is a senior at Wilkes University. She is a Marketing major at the university and interns at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber as a Wilkes-Barre Connect Intern.

This is the first installment of a new blog series Life of a GWB Chamber Intern, which will bring you into the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber through the eyes of its interns. To learn a little bit more about each of the Chamber’s current interns and their experiences, make sure that you don’t miss out on any posts!

Since its start as a one office, eight agent company, Lewith & Freeman Real Estate, Inc. has since grown into a market leader with 100 team members at six different offices located in Clarks Summit, Kingston, Mountain Top, Hazle Township, Wilkes-Barre and the Back Mountain.

The apartments at Lexington Commons were “built to bring a new style of apartments to the Wyoming Valley. Our focus is to offer luxury living with all the conveniences of a home,” says Community Manager Jane Mainolfi.

Wilkes University has recently become the only school within a two-hour range to offer both a major and a minor in Hospitality Leadership, a program that was developed to support the vibrant hospitality industry in our region.

The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber, in conjunction with Penn State Wilkes-Barre, are proud to present the Wilkes-Barre Connect Student Series: Break the Barre-ier. Made possible by the Invent Penn State Initiative, and developed by Penn State Wilkes-Barre students in their BA 321 class, the new series was designed by students for students, teaching beneficial entrepreneurial skills to emerging business professionals. The event series was the result of a class project challenge, which asked students to design an event or p

While Tech42 has been providing high quality IT services to the NEPA region for the past eight years, their recent shift away from a break/fix model of business to focus on managed IT services has allowed them to better assist in the growth and development of their clients and their businesses.

The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber would like to welcome seven of our area’s best and brightest students to our intern team! We would like to introduce Adam Ercolani, Alexa Webby, Caroline Jones, Elizabeth Jensolowsky, Mariah Curtis, Sabrina Olivo, and Sara Biller.

We spoke with featured speaker Donna LaBar to learn more about her upcoming presentation, her areas of expertise, and her wellness journey. Donna LaBar is a certified Integrative Health Coach, author, and public speaker. Donna teaches individuals how to transform their health naturally with new ideas to reverse common health conditions and illnesses by supporting the body’s ability to heal.

Scent-Sations, Inc., also known as Mia Bella’s Candles, has a growing international footprint in the production and sales of all natural, specialty candles at their headquarters in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Brighter Journeys is a local nonprofit organization with a mission to help over 1,000 children in Luzerne County with special needs, providing resources and support to these individuals and their families. “We really want to be a support and a resource for the parents of special needs children. We want to be a go-to for parents who need help,” says co-founder Lisa Platko Urbanski.

For nearly five years, El Zocalo Mexican Restaurant has brought authentic Mexican food to Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square. Owner Paola Mendez says that the restaurant contributes to the variety of different culinary options along the square, giving local residents, workers, students, and visitors more options for lunch and dinner dining. “We want you to feel at home. We try to make it as fresh as possible by making smaller batches throughout the day. It’s more work but it feels homier, as opposed to mass production,” says

Metz Culinary Management was established in 1994 by entrepreneur John C. Metz as a custom dining management service company with a “Guest First” philosophy serving a variety of market segments, including healthcare, corporate dining, higher education, and public and independent schools.

MCR is a production, rental, and design company. MCR began as a lighting company and then moved into the aspects of table and room design. Most recently, they have further expanded into a physical location to offer event space at the Room at 900, in addition to lighting, centerpiece and floral design, furniture, flooring, and entertainment.

Through their Metro Total Wellness Program and committee, InterMetro Industries offers a variety of company wellness programs throughout the year to employees, including free screenings, blood drives, free popcorn, fruit days, and lunch and learns.

Candy's Place, a Cancer Wellness Center, is a place where cancer patients and their families can find solace and support in a safe, non-threatening, home-like environment. Since its foundation in 1998, thousands have benefited from the services provided at Candy's Place. These services--which range from physical to emotional support--offer a safe haven where patients find the help they need in an effort to guide them through their journey.

Greg Collins, a 25-year company veteran at Wells Fargo, has led more than 300 team members and oversaw the operations of 37 Wells Fargo branch banking offices across nine counties. Previously, he served the bank in leadership roles in northeast Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley.

Wilkes University’s newest campus facility is located at 141 South Main Street, transforming key downtown space into a premier educational asset. Located in the facility is the new Sordoni Art Gallery. The $3 million, 7,000-square-foot gallery is the culmination of a revitalization plan to enrich the arts for students, faculty and staff while contributing to cultural life in the greater Wilkes-Barre area.

The purpose of the Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites renovation at their Kidder Street location in Wilkes-Barre was to enhance the guest experience so that they continue to enjoy a fresh, clean, current product, as part of the hotel’s 6-year refresh renovation.

The Penn State Wilkes-Barre Science Center Project included a 16,029 square foot building improvement and 12,638 square foot outdoor site improvement. The purpose of the Science Center Building Renovation Project was to upgrade a chemistry lab that was built in the early 1970’s and had no major renovation since that time.

Seven years ago, Hannah Burgess revamped her family's legacy honey production and distribution business, creating The Beekeeper's Daughter. "Beekeeping has been in my family for quite a few generations now. My grandfather made us commercial in the early 50’s and now my father runs it, so we’ve been keeping bees for a long time. At the time, we only sold our honey to bigger companies and we only did private labels. We would keep a little bit of honey on the farm for people to purchase, but it wasn’t much," says Burgess

From original techniques and trademark classes to goat yoga, the Zen Barre® studio in Dallas offers innovative fitness instruction to the NEPA region and beyond. “Zen Barre® is my own method. I created it and I trademarked it, which is something that’s unique about this studio. Zen Barre® is a registered trademark class and is a mixture of Barre, Pilates, yoga, and strength training,” says owner and instructor Jonelle Dickson. “I certify people online and in live trainings all over the world to become instructors in th

?Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies has a long history of recruiting and developing local talent in the Greater Wilkes-Barre area. In February of 2016, they kicked off a new “GUARD Start” initiative, aimed at individuals just entering the workforce. They partnered with local colleges and universities to offer an Open House/Job Fair at their Wilkes-Barre headquarters for students.

?Caitlyn Thomas, a 27 year old from Dallas, is a full time student at Misericordia University, and the Director of Philanthropy at A. Pickett Construction, Inc. in Kingston, Pa. Caitlyn has always had the want to help others throughout her life and started her journey of service when she was just sixteen years old, when she ventured to the southern states to help with-the relief of Hurricane Katrina.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Alison Zurawski. Alison Zurawski is the Community Relations Coordinator for Community Bank, N.A. She is responsible for supporting all 32 Community Bank, N.A. Pennsylvania branches in the coordination of internal and external initiatives. She also develops community and social outreach activities while promoting the bank within the communities in which they serve.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Ben Uzialko! Ben Uzialko serves as the Operations Manager of inbound call center departments atSundance Vacations. Ben is responsible for managing 34 Senior Telephone Representatives/ Quality Assurance Representatives across 3 office locations including Tamaqua Pa., Shamokin Pa., and Wilkes-Barre Pa.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Brian Palmiter! Brian Palmiter, Jr., E.I.T., LEED Green Associate, is a Civil Designer with Borton-Lawson, an engineering and architecture firm in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Brian has been with the firm for over three years, where he has primarily worked on municipal engineering and land development projects as a part of the Land Planning & Design group.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Brian Sipe! Brian Russell Sipe was raised in Hershey, PA. At the young age of 8, Brian realized his love for many different facets of entertainment. Brian credits his parents, Terry and Debra Sipe, for instilling his love of live music by taking him to his first concert, George Jones, at the HersheyPark Arena. His first job was at HersheyPark working as a costume character.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Chris Bohinski! While pursuing his love of the arts, Chris has appeared on NBC's The Today Show while ultimately winning their "Look What I Can Do" competition, showcasing his ability to break a wine glass with his unaided singing voice, appeared in the New York Post newspaper while ultimately winning their "Diet Challenge" contest, and his YouTube channel has over 1,000,000 views.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Chris Hetro! Chris Hetro is an Electrical Engineer with Borton-Lawson Engineering in Wilkes-Barre, PA. He is a native of the Wyoming Valley and is a strong believer in the notion that community involvement is paramount to the success of an area. After graduating from Wyoming Area, he attended The Pennsylvania State University where he earned his degree in Electrical Engineering.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Harry Jones! Harold Jones is the General Manager for Courtyard Marriott in Wilkes-Barre. Harold first began working for the Courtyard in 2009, during the hotel’s initial launch, and became the General Manager in December of 2016. His role includes overseeing all schematics of the hotel – including operations, sales, finance, and much more.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Holly K. Pilcavage! Holly K. Pilcavage is an NEPA native on a current mission to visit all 50 states before the age of 30. Her truest passion is positive human development which lead her to pursue her Bachelor's in Business Management from The University of Scranton and Master's in Higher Education Administration from The University of Akron.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Justin Brown! Justin Brown is a twenty-eight-year-old professional in the human service field. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Justin has moved throughout the state to further his career. Justin’s professional background includes over ten years of experience working with both adults and children with developmental disabilities.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Louis Spaciano! Lou Spaciano is a Project Manager and Transportation Engineer with Borton-Lawson Engineering in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Lou oversees the design of Highway Construction/Reconstruction, Roundabout Design, Bridge/Structure Replacements, and Traffic Engineering.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Paige Evans! As Sundance Vacations’ sole Human Resources Recruiter, Paige Evans is primarily responsible for the staffing of the company’s nine locations including the corporate office in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Her duties include full-cycle recruiting, managing retention, conducting new hire orientation, and handling the safety of each office.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Remington Sweeney! Knitter, avid runner, and wine enthusiast, Remington is a lover of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Area. She is a proud mom of two beautiful, witty girls and a ferocious beast named Sophie. When she is not running errands in her “active wear”, she can be found working as a Document Management Specialist at Edwards Business Systems. Her talents in business and sales began at a young age and grew while studying at The University of South Florida.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Rob Bresnahan! Robert Bresnahan Jr., 27, is a lifelong Northeastern Pennsylvania native. He attended Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School in Kingston, PA before continuing his education at the University of Scranton where he obtained a BS in Business Administration. Robert is the Chief Financial Officer of Kuharchik Construction Inc. headquartered in Exeter, Pennsylvania.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Tim Schoen! Timothy Schoen is the Senior Marketing Coordinator at Borton-Lawson, an engineering/architecture firm founded and headquartered in Wilkes-Barre. In his role, he supports and aligns Borton-Lawson’s service center marketing strategies with business development efforts. Timothy also leads the marketing activities for Borton-Lawson’s newly launched sister company, Precise Visual Technologies.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Derek Zambino! Derek Zambino's role as Sales Leader of AssuredPartners is to manage client relationships, manage insurance carrier relationships, help other producers in the office bring in new business and he also sit on the executive team that leads the organization.

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Allison Mahalak! Allison Mahalak is a King’s College graduate with a bachelor of science in Accounting. Professionally, she is the CFO of Colours Inc, headquarters in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Other than her daily role at Colours, her current projects are as lead acquisition strategist and overseeing the corporate center growth and development.

Since the premiere of Sabatini’s Bottleshop and Beer Bar in June of 2015, the shop has since become a “destination for beer people,” says owner Lindo Sabatini.

For over thirteen years, Avenue Restaurant and Catering has welcomed locals and celebrities alike into its Wyoming home. In 2008, Avenue Restaurant and Catering made national news for hosting then President-elect Barack Obama on his campaign trail. In 2016, they had a visit from Diane Sawyer during the filming of an ABC-TV news special.

From the EnhanceFitness Program to benefit older adults, LIVESTRONG classes for those tackling cancer treatments, the Power Scholars Academy to educate and engage young students, the Food and Fun Program to keep underprivileged youth active and healthy, and the Diabetes Prevention Program to assist those at risk, the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA has provided essential programs and services to community members of all ages and backgrounds since 1863.

What began as a picture framing hobby in a basement in Dallas, PA has since grown to become a creative hub of the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Arts District. Marquis Art and Frame has been serving the Greater Wyoming Valley for all of their custom framing and art needs since 1974. In addition to their high quality supplies and services, their creative picture frames can be found in many finer homes and businesses throughout Greater Wilkes-Barre.

Kurlancheek Home Furnishings has crafted a personalized, constantly evolving shopping and design experience throughout its 111 year history of offering "fine furniture at a fair price."

April 20, 2016 – WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – On Wednesday night, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber officially opened the Wilkes-Barre THINK Center – a state-of-the-art technology workshop and multimedia center at its Innovation Center building at 7 South Main Street in Downtown Wilkes-Barre.