Are you interested in discovering the amazing individuals who call Greater Reading their home? You’ll be amazed by the diverse and fascinating people who have made this community great. Perhaps you’re eager to uncover the compelling tales of companies that have recently established themselves here, or the longstanding businesses that have thrived for generations. Click on the stories below to delve into the inspiring narratives of our vibrant community. Discover why Greater Reading is the perfect place for you.
LIVE
Katie Johnsen Lives in Wernersville Have you always lived here? Did you grow up here, move away, and come back? Did you grow up somewhere else and move here? I moved around a lot as a child – mostly in…
Growing up, going to college was always a dream for Erick Astacio. While it seemed like the dream was out of reach at times, he found a way to succeed. His dream came through when he crossed the stage to…
When you meet Rogelio Flores, it’s hard to believe that he once considered dropping out of high school. The Reading High School graduate recently crossed the stage to earn his baccalaureate degree in electro-mechanical engineering technology, with a minor in…
College you attended: RACC and Penn State BerksCompany: Lockheed MartinWhere do you live? Lower HeidelbergWhere are you from originally?Originally, I am from Las Vegas. I came here after my husband had a job opportunity and then I went back to…
Company: GoggleWorks Center for the ArtsWhere do you live? WyomissingWhat are your favorite local activities to do with your family?When the kids weren’t walking yet, we loved to walk at the Reading Public Museum and trails in Wyomissing. We live…
College you attended: Kutztown UniversityCompany:Alicia: Berks County Intermediate UnitBrandon: Wilson School DistrictWhere do you live? Alsace TownshipWhere are you from originally?Alicia: I am originally from Royersford, Pa., which is in Montgomery County.Brandon: I am originally from Jim Thorpe, Pa., which…
Company: Dolan Construction Inc.Where do you live? Exeter TownshipWhy did you return to Greater Reading after living outside the area?I returned to Reading to be involved in my family's construction business.How has Greater Reading changed for the better since you…
College you attended: Albright CollegeCompany: Reading Area Community College, Miller Center for the ArtsWhere do you live? ReadingWhere are you from originally?Carroll County, MarylandWhat is it about Greater Reading that made you want to stay here after graduation?I wanted to…
Company: Reading Bakery Systems (RBS)Where do you live? MyerstownWhy do you think Greater Reading is a great place to work in manufacturing?The Reading area has a surprising number of globally recognized companies. Each of these companies is providing jobs where…
A Tale of Two Homes In Greater Reading, one can easily travel between rolling countryside, walkable urban areas and historic small towns. Even better, residents can choose to make one of these experiences their home. The mountains called them By Audrey Krupiak, Assistant Director…
Anthony Orozco | Company: Barrio AlegríaTatiana Foronda | Company: Tower HealthWhere do you live? ReadingTell us a little how you are making Greater Reading a better place.Anthony: I am helping create more beauty, light elegance and excellence for our Reading…
WORK
Ashley Chambers, Senior Vice President of Community Impact, United Way of Berks County Lives in Reading. Ashley Chambers leads the Community Impact team, which is responsible for determining community needs, making investments through grants to address those needs, and managing…
Eric Garcia, Elementary Gifted/ Innovation Teacher for Reading School District: 10th & Green Elementary School/ Lauer’s Park Elementary School Lives in Bern Township Garcia is a gifted/ innovation Teacher for the Reading School District (RSD). He teaches at 10th &…
Ebony McNeil, Universal Branch Manager, Members 1st Credit UnionLives in: Muhlenberg Township For more than two years, Ebony McNeil has been the Universal Branch Manager at Members 1st Credit Union in Sinking Spring. McNeil is also the Founder & Executive…
Aftermarket Production Supervisor, SeakeeperLives in: Saint LawrenceIn November 2007, Chad Davis was hired as a machine operator for JOMA Machine Company of Mohnton, which Seakeeper had contracted to machine the components that go into its products. The two companies merged…
Owner & Founder, FRESH Breakfast | Lunch.Lives in: Sinking SpringNicholas Kaltsas began working in his family’s restaurants from a young age, honing his skills and learning the craft. He continues to use his father’s recipes, infusing them with a modern,…
Tasty Innovation A Unique history of snacking By Justin Spannuth, Unique Snacks and Garrett Allen, Harris, Baio & McCulloughThe Spannuth family has been baking pretzels since the late 1800s and Unique Pretzels was officially trademarked in 1921. Family businesses are…
The Grass is Greener Here New Castle Lawn & Landscape grows (literally) in Greater Reading By Tricia Williams, VP of Sales & Marketing, New Castle Lawn & LandscapeNew Castle Lawn & Landscape began as a small side hustle in 1988…
Craving Goodness Homemade Cravings drive, passion fuel growth By: Luisa M. Suarez, Owner, Homemade CravingsHomemade Cravings is a family bakery that started in 2009 in Puerto Rico. After many years of working from our home, we grew and received amazing…
That's a Wrap A manufacturer with its own orbital stretch wrap machine By Andy Brizek, VP of Sales and Marketing, TAB Industries, LLCTAB Industries, LLC was founded in 2005. We are an OEM manufacturer for our own line of orbital…
Longevity in Lifting American Crane, leader of overhead crane manufacturing, follows owner's American Dream By Michele Kienle, Marketing Manager, American Crane and Equipment Corporation American Crane and Equipment Corporation (ACECO) was founded by Oddvar Norheim in 1972. He was an…
Moving Mindfully Mindful Roots connects kids and yoga By Karen Tripolitis, Founder of Mindful Roots Yoga, LLC Mindful Roots supports elementary aged students and those that guide them through our movement based program called, The M.Y. Time Program. Mindful movement,…
PLAY
Greater Reading scores-big in minor league sports By Keith Stamm, Director of Workforce Development, GRCA Sports and the Greater Reading area have a long history together. In fact, our love of sports and our great location have spurred a vibrant…
Greater Reading's main streets full of vibrant art, history and food By Aaron Gantz, Senior Director of Economic Development, GRCA Discover the vibrant and diverse main streets of Greater Reading, each offering a unique blend of history, arts and local…
Occupation: Founder – Gayatri Wellness; City Councilwoman – Reading PA District 1 Why Sihelnik loves playing in Greater Reading: Sihelnik loves to play in Greater Reading because she believes the area provides whatever your heart desires within a 15-minute car…
Greater Reading offers many unique places to perform yoga – warehouses, farms, rooftops, wineries, breweries, on top of Hawk Mountain or next to Blue Marsh Lake. BLDG. 7 Yoga, located in the heart of Wyomissing, offers multi-dimensional yoga classes for…
Rivertribe Outdoors opened in mid-2018 after its founding owner and local native, Jed Wright, purchased the former Schuylkill River Outdoors outfitter, based out of the Monocacy-Douglassville area. Wright began operations quickly after his acquisition, but had some false starts along…
Every year since 1991, an impressive array of jazz musicians, a dedicated staff of presenters from the nonprofit Berks Arts, thousands of fans and an army of volunteers gather to create Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest. After the success of its…
Setter Ridge Vineyards was developed out of love for English Setters and winemaking. This family owned and operated winery specializes in dry European styled wines. Setter Ridge wine gets its distinctive palette from the farmlands and hillsides owned by the…
With repeating John Lennon faces on the ceiling and even more priceless memorabilia lining the walls, Long Trout Winery in Auburn, Penn. brings more than psychedelic fun ─ the wine selection is as groovy as the atmosphere. While most wineries…
Greater Reading has a thriving wine scene. Whether you are looking for full bodied or light bodied red, white, rose, sparkling or dessert wine Greater Reading has it all. Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery is a small boutique winery located in…
The leaves are beginning to change colors, the air is becoming crisp, fall decorations are popping up and the smell of pumpkin spice is filling our senses indicating fall is on the horizon. Fall is a beautiful time in Greater…
Greater Reading is full of opportunities for outdoor sports such as biking, climbing and hiking making it a great place to play, but it also comes with unique opportunities for indoor sports as well. Berks County is home to not…
LEARN
Travis Mauger, a first-generation college graduate from Exeter Township, exemplifies a commitment to service and mental health advocacy. After joining the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and experiencing deployment during the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Mauger…
Growing up, going to college was always a dream for Erick Astacio. While it seemed like the dream was out of reach at times, he found a way to succeed. His dream came through when he crossed the stage to…
When you meet Rogelio Flores, it’s hard to believe that he once considered dropping out of high school. The Reading High School graduate recently crossed the stage to earn his baccalaureate degree in electro-mechanical engineering technology, with a minor in…
Penn State Berks is preparing the students of today for the in-demand careers for tomorrow. With 20 baccalaureate degree programs, and the first two years of more than 275 degree programs that can be completed at other campuses, students have…
PA Dream Team Program The Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) is working collaboratively with schools, industry, and area stakeholders to create innovative programs that feature technical careers, STEM and CTE education to students, parents, and educators. With the assistance of the…
Providing access to career awareness and exploration opportunities for the more than 70,000 students in Berks County continues to be a top priority for the Career Ready Berks Alliance. The Alliance is a coalition of the 18 Berks County school…
Alvernia’s brand new Reading CollegeTowne reconstruction at 401 North Penn Street in downtown Reading nears completion and awaits the arrival of students in August 2021. This exciting extension of Alvernia’s campus is designed as a strategic champion of economic redevelopment,…
As the oldest college in Berks County, Albright College is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the future. Today, key structural projects are being designed to connect all of the different ways that students learn in the 21st century. …
Fifty years ago, Reading Area Community College (RACC) was founded on October 1, 1971. Classes were held for the first time on October 13, 1971, with an enrollment of 265 students. The college operated from several buildings throughout Reading during…
Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health welcomed its inaugural class of 40 first-year medical students to its Wyomissing campus on August 2, 2021. The new, state-of-the-art academic building houses standardized patient exam rooms, an anatomy laboratory, small group…
To understand an entrepreneur’s journey, one must recognize their challenges and appreciate the many tools and services it requires to go from a business plan to opening. Despite the difficulties that can often serve as barriers to success, a recent…
Community Stories
Tower Health Urgent Care has received Accreditation in Urgent Care and Occupational Health through the National Urgent Care Association.Accreditation is the highest quality standard in urgent care medicine. Read More
The Juice Pod expanded its footprint to Greater Reading. The West Reading location expands the Juice Pod franchise to 19 locations across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. Read More
Gabino Carmona Juarez, owner of the Rio Cafe, recently moved to Reading, PA from New York to start his third restaurant. Rio Cafe, located at N. Sixth Street, offers a revamped Mexican menu with some Latin cuisine flare. "I'm just…
EnerSys, an industrial battery maker headquartered in Berks County, has sealed a deal with the federal government for $199 million in funding. EnerSys, manufactures industrial batteries, specialty batteries, battery chargers and power equipment, will use the money to build a…
As we step into 2025, we are celebrating the stories that defined 2024 in Greater Reading, Pa. From impactful initiatives to inspiring stories of growth and success; this past year highlighted the people, businesses and opportunities that continue to make…
The City of Reading is one of two Pennsylvania cities to earn the transformative City Revitalization and Improvement Zone (CRIZ) designation. This milestone positions Reading to advance its economic development goals by revitalizing downtown spaces, attracting new businesses and creating…
St. Luke's University Health Network announced its plan to open a 22,500-square-foot medical center in the spring of 2025. The center is currently under construction along Route 61 in Ontelaunee Township and will include urgent care, lab services, occupational medicine,…
Local technical schools upskill workers, provide hands-on training The Greater Reading area boasts a variety of technical schools that provide robust training programs, equipping individuals with the technical skills needed for economically rewarding careers in various trades and industries. The…
Muhlenberg Greene Architects, a firm with over a century of experience designing some of Berks County's most iconic structures, including Stokesay Castle and the Medical Arts Building, has reached a significant milestone. On Dec. 4, after 104 years of creating…
Travel around Greater Reading to discover its unique culinary experiences Looking for a dining experience that's off the beaten path in Greater Reading, Pa.? Look no further! Check out these hidden gems that are sure to delight your taste buds…
Aesir Logistics, in partnership with NPS Properties, is excited to announce the groundbreaking of a new first-class warehouse facility. The design and construction of this state-of-the-art building will be managed by DESCCO Design and Construction. This new facility will significantly…
Reading, Pa., is a vibrant hub fostering creativity, community engagement and connectivity. Here’s a glimpse of exciting things happening in Downtown Reading: Thriving Arts Scene GoggleWorks Center for the Arts and Art Park The GoggleWorks Center for the Arts is…
