Chamber Blog

#WhyChamber: Chamber 101

Meghan Flanagan

COVID Recovery Stimulus Letters to our Federal and State Legislators and Gov Wolf

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.

Everal Eaton

Meet Our 2020 Pride of Place Pivot Award Recipients!

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

Meghan Flanagan

Meet Our 2020 Healthy Workplace, Healthy Community Award Recipients: DxDempsey & studio BE

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!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet Our 2020 Diversity Champion Business of the Year: PNC Bank

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet Our 2020 Legacy Business of the Year: Best Western Plus Genetti Hotel

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet Our 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: Rev. John J. Ryan, C.S.C., Ph.D.

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!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet Our 2020 Emerging Business of the Year: American Paper Bag

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Charitable Organization of the Year: The Osterhout Free Library

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Young Professionals Category Finalists for NEPA Influencer of the Year!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Young Professionals Category Finalists for Voluntary Leader of the Year!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Young Professionals Category Finalists for STEAM Professional of the Year!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Young Professionals Category Finalists for Cultural Ambassador of the Year!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Young Professionals Category Finalists for Small Business Owner of the Year!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Young Professionals Category Finalists for Educator of the Year!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Young Professionals Category Finalists for Intern of the Year!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Young Professionals Category Finalists for Entrepreneur of the Year!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Volunteer of the Year: Lissa Bryan-Smith

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 Innovator of the Year: Mary Kolessar

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2020 ATHENA® Award Recipient: Ruth Corcoran

Meghan Flanagan

We Have Work To Do.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet Shanie, Wilkes-Barre Connect's New Economic Development Specialist

Meghan Flanagan

Meet Michaela, Our New Program and Membership Coordinator!

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.

Meghan Flanagan

2020 Young Professionals Conference Keynote Announcement

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Upcoming Event: From Surviving to Thriving

Meghan Flanagan

The Internship- Episode 7: The Finale

Christopher Boucher

The Internship- Episode 6: The Annual Dinner

Christopher Boucher

The Internship- Episode 5: Preparing for the Annual Dinner

Christopher Boucher

The Internship- Episode 4: Meet Allison Warner-Senape

Christopher Boucher

Meet the 2019 Healthy Workplace Award Recipients

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2019 Pride of Place Award Recipients

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2019 Regional Partner Achievement Award Recipient: Kevin O'Donnell

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.

Meghan Flanagan

The Internship- Episode 3: Meet Gabby Porter

Christopher Boucher

The Internship- Episode 2: Halloween

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

Chris Boucher

Meet the 2019 Charitable Organization of the Year: Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2019 Diversity Champion Business of the Year: Pennsylvania American Water

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,

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2019 Emerging Business of the Year: Mobiniti

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2019 Legacy Business of the Year: Eye Care Specialists

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: Gerry O'Donnell

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

Meghan Flanagan

The Internship- Episode 1: The Author

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.

Christopher Boucher

See What's Next for Our Two Wilkes-Barre Connect Pilot Marketing Interns, After Their Summer “State Local Internship Program” (SLIP) Experience!

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for the Young Professional Development Award

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for the Hero of the Year Award

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for the NEPA Influencer of the Year Award

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for the STEAM Professional of the Year Award

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for the Small Business Owner of the Year Award

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for the Cultural Ambassador of the Year

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for Intern of the Year

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for Voluntary Leader of the Year

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Top 3 2019 Young Professionals Awards Category Finalists for Educator of the Year

Meghan Flanagan

(Intern)al Affairs - That's a Wrap

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

Tyler Bonita

(Intern)al Affairs - Yuppies in the Chamber

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.

Tyler Bonita

(Intern)al Affairs - Meet Sarah Matarella

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

Tyler Bonita

(Intern)al Affairs - Meet Camaryn Lokuta

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

Tyler Bonita

(Intern)al Affairs - Meet Caitlin Hamlin

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

Tyler Bonita

(Intern)al Affairs - an EPIC first week

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

Tyler Bonita

(Intern)al Affairs - Meet the Author

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.

Tyler Bonita

Meet the 2019 President's Achievement Award Recipient: Dr. Patrick Leahy

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Community Celebration Honorees, Celebrating 250 Years: The City of Wilkes-Barre

Meghan Flanagan

Community Corner: Keystone Community Resources

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!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Community Celebration Honorees, Celebrating 25 Years: North Branch Land Trust, The Luzerne Foundation, & The Allan P. Kirby Center

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2019 Volunteer of the Year: Cathy McHugh

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2019 Innovator of the Year: Dr. Pugazhendhi Vijayaraman

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2019 Athena® Award Recipient: Tara Mugford Wilson

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

Meghan Flanagan

Neighborhood Nonprofits: Immanuel Christian School

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.

Meghan Flanagan

MEET THE INTERN - JOHANNA KOCH

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!

Meghan Flanagan

Athena Panel Luncheon: Meet the Area's Most Inspiring Women!

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Membership 101: How to Update Your Personal Information

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.

Everal "Ben" Eaton

MEET THE INTERN- JAHQUAN MCITOSH

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.

Vanessa Robbins

MEET THE INTERN – TIMOTHY OOMS

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.

Vanessa Robbins

MEET THE INTERN - JOHANN MALKEMESON

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.

Vanessa Robbins

MEET THE INTERN – GAETANO BUONSANTE

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!

Vanessa Robbins

MEET THE INTERN – GORDON ROBERTS

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

Vanessa Robbins

Small Business Snapshot: Green Owl Provisions

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!

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Mentorship Auction Participants for the Your Hour, Her Power Luncheon!

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.

Meghan Flanagan

MEET THE INTERN- DIANA RODRIGUEZ

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.

Vanessa Robbins

MEET THE CONNECT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR- JOSEPH BOYLAN

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.

Vanessa Robbins

FROM THE INTERN’S DESK: MEET VANESSA

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

Vanessa Robbins

Membership 101: Scheduling a Ribbon Cutting

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!

Ben Eaton

Meet our 2018 Pride of Place Award Recipients: Children's Service Center, AllOne Health, the Luzerne County Courthouse, and Wilkes University

2018 Pride of Place Award Winners

Ashlee Harry

Meet our 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: Christopher Borton

2018 Lifetime Achievement Award: Christopher Borton

Ashlee Harry

Meet our 2018 President’s Milestone Achievement Award Recipient: Martz Group

2018 President’s Milestone Achievement Award: Martz Group

Ashlee Harry

Meet the 2018 Emerging Business of the Year Recipient: Building at 900 Rutter

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

Ashlee Harry

Meet our 2018 Healthy Workplace Award Recipient: Peoples Security Bank & Trust

2018 Healthy Workplace Award: Peoples Security Bank & Trust

Ashlee Harry

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

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

Ashlee Harry

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

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

Ashlee Harry

From the Intern Desk: Ashlee Harry

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.

Ashlee Harry

Small Business Snapshot: AJ Consultants

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

Meghan Flanagan

From the Intern Desk: Samantha Midkiff

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.

Ashlee Harry

From the Intern Desk: Emelee Toth

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.

Ashlee Harry

Meet the Members of the Wilkes-Barre Connect Intern Panel

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

Emelee Toth

A Day at the Chamber with Ellie Bartoli

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.

Katherine Lipski

Membership 101: Member Hub Portal

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/.

Ben Eaton

The Ultimate Guide to Being a GWB Chamber Intern: Katherine Lipski

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.

Katherine Lipski

The Ultimate Guide to Being a GWB Chamber Intern: Alexa Rash

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.

Katherine Lipski

Community Corner: Trion Industries

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Community Corner: The Tape Art Crew Live Tape Mural

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Experience Small Business Christmas in July: Greater Wyoming Valley Edition

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.

Meghan Flanagan

The Ultimate Guide to Being a GWB Chamber Intern: Ashlee Harry

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.

Katherine Lipski

Experience Small Business Christmas in July: Downtown Wilkes-Barre Edition

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.

Ashlee Harry

Meet the Award Recipient: Family Business Alliance, Celebrating 20 Years

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipient: Northeast Sight Services, Celebrating 100 Years

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipient: Alison Zurawski, 2018 Volunteer of the Year

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipient: Will Beekman, 2018 Innovator of the Year

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

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipient: Kathleen Dunsmuir, 2018 ATHENA Award

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet Sabrina Olivo, the Author of the “Life of a GWB Chamber Intern” Series

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.

Sabrina Olivo

Community Corner: Martz Group

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Neighborhood Nonprofits: The Wright Center for Primary Care and Children’s Service Center

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Life of a GWB Chamber Intern: “The Story of Mariah Curtis”

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.

Sabrina Olivo

Small Business Snapshot: Vinsko and Associates, P.C.

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

Meghan Flanagan

Life of a GWB Chamber Intern: “All About Sara Biller”

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.

Sabrina Olivo

Life of a GWB Chamber Intern: “Living in Wilkes-Barre with Alexa Webby”

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.

Sabrina Olivo

Life of a GWB Chamber Intern: “What’s in store for Adam Ercolani?”

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.

Sabrina Olivo

Life of a GWB Chamber Intern: "A Day in the Life of Liz Jensolowsky"

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.

Sabrina Olivo

Life of a GWB Chamber Intern: “All About Caroline Jones”

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!

Sabrina Olivo

Small Business Snapshot: Lewith & Freeman Real Estate, Inc.

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: Lexington Commons Apartments

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.

Adam Ercolani

Community Corner: Wilkes University’s Hospitality Leadership Program

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Break the Barre-ier Student Developers: Sara Biller and Taylor Finan

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

Adam Ercolani

Small Business Snapshot: Tech42

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber’s Spring 2018 Interns!

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet Donna LaBar: Healthy Beginnings Seminar Speaker

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: Scent-Sations, Inc.

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Neighborhood Nonprofits: Brighter Journeys

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: El Zocalo Mexican Restaurant

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

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipients: InterMetro Industries, Healthy Workplace Award

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipients: Metz Culinary Management, Large Business of the Year

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipients: MCR Productions, Emerging Business of the Year

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipients: Candy's Place, a Cancer Wellness Center, Charitable Organization of the Year

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipients: Greg Collins, Lifetime Achievement Award

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipients: Wilkes University, Pride of Place Award

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipients: Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites Wilkes-Barre Scranton, Pride of Place Award

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the Award Recipients: Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Pride of Place Award

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: The Beekeeper's Daughter

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,"

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: The Zen Barre®

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

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional Development Award Recipient: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies

​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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Caitlyn Thomas

​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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Derek Zambino

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Allison Mahalak

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Ben Uzialko

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Brian Palmiter

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Brian Sipe

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Chris Bohinski

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Chris Hetro

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Harry Jones

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Holly K. Pilcavage

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Justin Brown

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Louis Spaciano

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Paige Evans

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Remington Sweeney

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

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Rob Bresnahan

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Tim Schoen

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Meet the 2017 Young Professional of Year Award Nominees: Alison Zurawski

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: Sabatini's Bottleshop and Beer Bar

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: Avenue Restaurant and Catering

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: Marquis Art and Frame

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.

Meghan Flanagan

Small Business Snapshot: Kurlancheek Home Furnishings

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."

Meghan Flanagan

News Release: Chamber opens technology workshop, launches Wilkes-Barre Connect

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.

Meghan Flanagan