State Partner
Pennsylvania Dept. of Community & Economic Development
The mission of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) is to foster opportunities for businesses to grow and for communities to succeed and thrive in a global economy. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for Pennsylvania citizens while assuring transparency and accountability in the expenditure of public funds.
Staff:
Executive Director, Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority
Director, PA DCED Innovation & Development Zones Office
Primary Partners/Board Members
Northampton County General Purpose Authority
The Northampton County General Purpose Authority was created in May of 1999 to join the activities of the Northampton County Higher Education Authority and Northampton County Hospital Authority, as well as to provide a financing conduit for community based projects.
Board Member:
Marek Tomanek (2 Years)
Deputy Director, Northampton County DCED
Lehigh University
Lehigh is a premier research university, ranked in the top tier of national research universities each year. Lehigh is a coeducational, nondenominational, private university that offers a distinct academic environment of undergraduate and graduate students from across the globe.
Board Member:
Adrienne McNeil (5 Years)
Assistant Vice President, Community and Regional Affairs
St. Luke's University Health Network
St. Luke's University Health Network is a non-profit, regional, fully-integrated, nationally recognized Network of 14 campuses providing services at 300+ sites, primarily in Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Schuylkill, Bucks, Montgomery, Luzerne, Berks and Monroe Counties in Pennsylvania and Hunterdon and Warren Counties in New Jersey.
Board Member:
Ambreen Alam (4 Years)
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow for Special Projects, Dept. of Research & Innovation
Northampton Community College
Northampton Community College is committed to quality, affordable higher education. NCC strives for accessibility, with courses scheduled at multiple campuses and locations during the day and evening, on weekends, and online.
Board Member:
Sean Brandle (1 Year)
Executive Director, Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Lehigh Valley Health Network
Lehigh Valley Health Network is comprised of four hospital campuses in Allentown, Bethlehem, and Hazleton along with health centers, physicians' practices, clinics, pharmacy, imaging, home care, hospice, laboratory and insurance services available throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Board Member:
Nathan Yonney (4 Years)
Business Planner & Project Manager
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EcoTech Marine, Inc.
EcoTech Marine (KIZ Graduate Company) has set all new industry standards for aquarium equipment. Their technologically superior products produce unmatched performance - and their commitment to elegant design minimizes the equipment's visual intrusion into your aquarium.
Board Member:
Patrick Clasen (9 Years)
Co-founder & Director of Finance
Ben Franklin Technology Partners - Northeastern PA
Ben Franklin Technology Partners is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and is funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority. Their mission is to boost the northeastern Pennsylvania economy with new and retained jobs, new technology companies, and established manufacturers that are more competitive.
Board Member:
Doug Engler (1 Year)
Regional Manager
Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation
The mission of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation is to market the economic assets of the Lehigh Valley and to serve as a regional shared services and resource center to help businesses to come, grow, and start here.
Board Member:
Doug Warfel (5 Years)
Director of Regional Lending
PNC Bank
For more than 160 years, PNC has been committed to providing their clients with great service and powerful financial expertise to help them meet their financial goals.
Board Member:
Jaime Ryan (4 Years)
Relationship Manager
UGI Utilities
UGI Utilities, Inc. is a natural gas and electric utility serving ~700000 customers in 45 counties in Pennsylvania and one county in Maryland.
Board Member:
Allison Dennison (2 Year)
Manager, Regional Sales
City of Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a City of 75,000 in eastern Pennsylvania - a City known for its rich colonial and industrial history. Today, Bethlehem is experiencing an economic and cultural renaissance promising a future as bright as the City's past.
Board Member:
Laura Collins (2 Years)
Director, Dept. of Community and Economic Development
Bethlehem Economic Development Corporation
It is the mission of BEDCO to promote the economic development of the City of Bethlehem and promote and assist the growth and development of all business concerns, including small business concerns, in the said area, with an emphasis on promoting the development of manufacturing, industrial, research and development enterprises.
Board Member:
Advisory Partners/Board Members
Lehigh SBDC
The mission of the Lehigh University Small business Development Center (SBDC) is to provide entrepreneurs and small business owners with the knowledge needed to make smart decisions and prosper. The Lehigh University SBDC provides consulting services and educational programs to entrepreneurs wanting to start or grow a small business. SBDC consultants work one on one with entrepreneurs to help test a new business proposition, shape a business plan, or investigate funding issues.
Board Member:
Rob Mineo (8 Years)
Financing Assistance Program Director
Rising Tide Community Loan Fund
Rising Tide Community Fund supports the prospective, start-up, and established small businesses whose risk factors make it difficult to obtain funds from traditional lenders, but who inevitably make up the backbone of a thriving local economy.
Board Member:
Chris Hudock (8 Years)
Director