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
Rachel Kovach Lives in Sinking Spring, Pa. What brought you to Greater Reading — or what made you decide to come back?My parents moved to Greater Reading from New Jersey when I was one year old. I went through my…
Greater Reading is full of places for kids and ones that will bring out the kid in you. When you live in Greater Reading, your kids will tell you they are bored a whole lot less. Work becomes something you…
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…
WORK
Jennifer Stoltzfoos, Program Manager at The Food TrustLives in West ReadingWhat brought you back to Greater Reading? I grew up in New York City, went to college in Vermont, moved to Reading and then moved to Indiana. I’ve lived in…
Dani Zeamer & Sarah Deisher, Owners of Clean Eatz Reading Lives in Reading What motivated you to start your business in Greater Reading? We’ve always been inspired by our mentors – Sarah’s dad and Dani’s grandpa – who both ran…
Courtney Ebert, Owner of Caricatures by Courtney Inc. Lives in Exeter Township What motivated you to start your business in Greater Reading? I am a fairly recent transplant from the Philly area. I met my now husband in 2019 and moved…
Dr. Daniel Edwards, Center for Urologic Care of Berks County Lives in Wyomissing Where are you from originally and what brought you to Greater Reading? I am originally from Philadelphia, and my wife is from Montgomery County. We both have…
John "JD" Turner, Owner of Holistic Skateshop Lives in MohntonWhat motivated you to start your business in Greater Reading? I wanted to make a difference in the lives of Greater Reading skateboarders and the action sports community. How has the local community contributed…
Linda Console-Bram, MS, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine Lives in Brecknock Township Console-Bram’s role as an educator at DUCOM & Tower Health is to collaboratively work with her colleagues to…
Cassandra Noray, R.T., Radiologic Technologist, Reading Hospital/Tower Health Lives in Reading. As a Radiologic Technologist, Cassandra Noray rotates between the emergency department and operating room — doing portable imaging throughout the hospital. She typically works four, 10-hour shifts. The most…
Vera Hempel, Co-founder and CEO at KissUX and the Co-founder of Cactus Club Creative Kuba Kerner, Co-founder and Head of Product at KissUX and the Co-founder of Cactus Club Creative As co-founders of KissUX, an application prototyping tool and Cactus…
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…
PLAY
Options abound for physical and social health in Greater Reading Looking for some excitement and adventure in the Greater Reading area? Well, look no further because we've got a ton of activities for outdoor enthusiasts that will get your heart…
Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call Bear Creek Mountain Resort Discover the riveting escape at Bear Creek Mountain Resort, where every season brings its unique adventures and experiences. From biking down tranquil mountain paths…
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: President & CEO, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance 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 ride. A transplant of…
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…
LEARN
Tyler Eckert, Student at Kutztown University East Penn Manufacturing Intern Where are you from originally? Harleysville, Pa. What inspired you to pursue an internship in Greater Reading? After leaving the town that I had spent my entire life in to come…
Nicholas Geppi, Student at Alvernia University RKL LLP Intern Where are you from originally? I am originally from Finksburg, Maryland. What inspired you to pursue an internship in Greater Reading? My professors as well as my parents inspired me to pursue an…
Vincent Simmons, Student at Albright College LLP Intern at Baker Tilly US Where are you from originally? Glassboro, New Jersey How has your experience in Greater Reading shaped your academic or career goals? It's shown me how hard I need…
As a U.S. marine, Kevin Michaels has dedicated his life to serving his country. But his service came at a cost: He developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during his time in Afghanistan. Now, it is his mission to use his…
Many people know what artificial intelligence is but not how it works. Christian Clarke has made it his mission to learn all about it, enrolling in Penn State after he already had one bachelor’s degree under his belt and had…
Isabella Romig, a Penn State Berks psychology major with a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Spanish for healthcare, was selected as this year’s student marshal at the college’s commencement ceremony. “Penn State Berks is a great school and I…
Greater Reading boast five colleges and a medical school The Greater Reading area offers an impressive array of higher education options that cater to individuals at all stages of their career journey. Albright College is known for its strong liberal…
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…
Community Stories
FlixBus is expanding its regional route by connecting New York City to Pittsburg, providing Reading residents with direct access to points west for the first time since 2018. The route also includes stops in Harrisburg and State College. Service will…
Rodale Institute's mission to redefine agriculture is rooted in Greater Reading Where the soil is rich, so are the ideas. From its home in Kutztown, Pa., Rodale Institute is growing more than crops; they are growing solutions for the future…
Pennsylvania is investing $700,000 through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to transform two long-vacant historic buildings at 418 and 422 Penn Street into a vibrant mixed-use anchor. The $6.5 million project, led by Aston Investment Group, will deliver 12 workforce…
Reading Area Community College recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Schmidt Training and Technology Center (STTC) with a keynote address from Robert Herjavec. The event honored the legacy of local entrepreneur Rolf Schmidt and emphasized the center's role in…
Whether you're new to Greater Reading, planning to move here, or have called it home for years, you'll find your community waiting for you! There are several organizations and groups that will allow you to create bonds with those that…
East Penn Manufacturing is celebrating its 80th anniversary by going big—really big. The company officially opened a 930,000-square-foot distribution center in Maidencreek Township, a facility large enough to fit nearly 20 football fields inside. Located at 8697 Allentown Pike, this…
Berks County’s Texter Mountain Home has been named the most wishlisted Airbnb in Pennsylvania. This recognition highlights a significant shift in travel trends, with 86 percent of adventurers now seeking remote or rural destinations where the property itself serves as…
Finanta has officially opened its first credit union branch in Reading at 240 Penn Street, bringing bilingual financial services to the downtown area. Building on its history as a nonprofit business lender, this new location now provides personal banking products…
When people first hear about Greater Reading (or Berks County), they often picture a quiet Pennsylvania community. But once they spend time here, they quickly realize there’s much more to the story.Here are a few things that tend to surprise…
State Representative Manuel Guzman has announced a $150,000 grant for Reading Area Community College (RACC) to assist students who are also parents. Awarded through the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Parent Pathways program, this funding is designed to help student parents…
Pennsylvania is launching three free 2026 FIFA World Cup Fan Zones in Reading, Scranton and Pittsburgh to ensure residents across the Commonwealth can join the global celebration. These zones will feature large-screen match broadcasts, live entertainment, and interactive soccer experiences.…
Canvas of Creativity Come experience the City of Reading's vibrant arts community Berks Arts Berks Arts is a dynamic arts organization known for presenting a diverse range of events and programs that celebrate artistic expression and engage the community. From the…
