Chamber Announces Fall 2021 SAGE Awards Finalists

Today, we announced the finalists for the Fall 2021 SAGE Awards, the Scranton Awards for Growth and Excellence. The SAGE Awards honor outstanding local businesses for their talent, creativity, and innovation. The winners will be announced on Friday, November 12 at the Chamber Gala, a black-tie optional event held safely at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center and presented by Fidelity Bank.

More than 80 applications were received for this year’s awards and 50 community leaders and professionals volunteered to review applications and select finalists. The Chamber is proud to honor businesses that are making valuable contributions to the region and contributing to our overall quality of life.

The finalists, in each category, are:

BEST PRACTICES IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
• Pioneer Construction Company Inc.
• Posture Interactive
• Scranton Area Community Foundation

BEST PRACTICES IN CUSTOMER SERVICE
• Center City Print
• Hilton Scranton & Conference Center
• theKIMMY

BEST PRACTICES IN MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
• Fidelity Bank
• Horizon Dental Care
• The Honesdale National Bank

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
• FNCB Bank
• Golden Technologies
• Posture Interactive

HOMETOWN STAR
• Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA
• Scranton Jazz Festival
• Scranton Tomorrow

IMPACT: COMMUNITY OUTREACH
• Friends of the Poor
• NeighborWorks of Northeastern Pennsylvania
• The University of Scranton

IMPACT: PEOPLE AND CULTURE
• Golden Technologies
• Hematology & Oncology Associates of Northeastern Pennsylvania, PC
• The Settlers Inn

IMPACT: PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
• Friends of the Poor
• Montage Mountain Resorts
• One Point, Inc.

NEW AND EMERGING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
• CTB Studio
• Epic Revenue Consultants
• Reed Advisory Group

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR
• Agency for Community EmPOWERment of NEPA
• Miller-Keystone Blood Center
• Treatment Court Advocacy Center of Lackawanna County

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
• Center City Print
• Noteology
• Quest Studio

Congrats to all finalists!! The recipient of each award will be announced on Friday, November 12 at the Chamber Gala, a black-tie optional event held safely at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center.

In addition, all award finalists can also win the People’s Choice Award, where the winner will be chosen by a community wide online vote on our website from Monday, November 1 through Friday, November 5.

Watch Payroll Preparation Tax Webinar

Watch our webinar with City Business Administrator Larry West as he discusses the proposal by the City of Scranton and Scranton School District to eliminate the Business Privilege and Mercantile Taxes in favor of a Payroll Preparation Tax.

On Monday September 13, the Scranton School Board will meet at the Scranton High School auditorium at 7:00 p.m. to consider action on this proposal.

Chamber Announces Promotion of Brianna Florovito

The Chamber is proud to announce the promotion of Brianna Florovito to IGNITE Program manager. IGNITE is the entrepreneurship and business incubation program of the Chamber, which helps new businesses grow in Lackawanna County.

In this role, Brianna will manage the IGNITE Program by fostering entrepreneurs and their companies through education, counseling, networking, and mentorship. Her responsibilities include overall program management, client development, funding, marketing, events, and more.

Brianna started at the Chamber in 2019 as the workforce and entrepreneurial development specialist where she focused on economic and workforce strategies for the Chamber and its affiliates – SLIBCO, The Scranton Plan, and Skills in Scranton.

Brianna is also an instructor at Lackawanna College teaching GED classes. She recently co-authored an article “Subject Position and Manifestations of Workplace Followership” that was published in the Journal of Organizational Psychology.

Chamber Announces Two Promotions

Aaron Whitney
Bruce Reddock

The Chamber is proud to announce the promotion of two of its employees, Aaron Whitney and Bruce Reddock, who will both expand their roles with the Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company (SLIBCO), the economic development affiliate of the Chamber.

Aaron Whitney is now the director of facilities and asset management and is responsible for the administration of finances, design, and construction of SLIBCO real estate. Aaron will also manage all properties and utilities owned by SLIBCO, as well as manage the Chamber’s IGNITE entrepreneurship program.

Bruce Reddock is now the director of economic development. In this role, Bruce will manage aspects of SLIBCO development activities, oversee relationships with private companies, real estate brokers and developers, local officials, economic development organizations and more, plus oversee all aspects of the site-selection process. Bruce also recently graduated as a fellow from the Industrial Asset Management Council’s Leadership Development Program.

Leadership Lackawanna Applications Open for Executive Program

Leadership Lackawanna, the premier community leadership and professional development affiliate of the Chamber, is now accepting applications for its Executive Program.

This five-week Executive Program engages high-level professionals more deeply in the greater Scranton region, broadening their social network, and increasing their overall knowledge of the community. Participants meet key business and community leaders as they receive an overview of Lackawanna County’s history and culture, economic and political structures, community events, civic groups, recreational activities and nonprofit organizations. 

Sessions are held one evening per week for five consecutive weeks at various locations and include cocktails and dinner. Leadership Lackawanna’s Executive Program accepts applications from public and private sector administrators and professionals in an executive level position who live or work in Lackawanna County. Sessions start in September.

To apply, visit www.leadershiplackawanna.com. Applications will be accepted through September 8, 2021.