2024 marks five years for me at BerksIDA, three of those as Executive Director. It’s a milestone that brings to mind four words: gratitude, collaboration, results, service.
First, gratitude. I am proud of our work at BerksIDA and grateful to have a career ‘building business, building jobs’ in Berks County. I have an unusual job that takes far longer to describe than is proper, and I love it. We at the IDA are the developers and financers of last resort in Berks County. We provide solutions to the challenges in the county that no one else wants to touch. It’s a daunting and exhilarating task.
Next is collaboration. BerksIDA had tremendous success over the last half-decade, success made possible by the tremendous talent and commitment of people in this community. For every success I can point to at the IDA, there are at least a dozen partners who can claim equal or near-equal credit. Board members, county commissioners, state and federal legislators, colleagues, attorneys, engineers, banks, developers – I am truly impressed with the work ethic, sincerity, talent, and willingness to partner in Berks County. All of you make the IDA look good, and I thank you.
Third but most important for me is results. In the past five years, BerksIDA worked to directly cause or support:
- $50M+ in private investment at Berks Park 183, with nearly 500k square feet
- constructed or under construction and nearly $2M in new annual property tax revenue
- Creation of numerous local bridge loan funds that were key to redevelopment of several properties including the AW Golden Cadillac dealer, Reading School District’s new STEM Academy, the Exeter District Justice’s office, and the reinvestment in the St. Joe’s Community General Hospital in downtown Reading
- In partnership with the County, creation of a $5M infrastructure loan fund to support new business development
- Oversight of state RACP grant investment representing over $35M in local capital investment
- Creation of the first countywide economic development strategic plan in over a decade
Finally, service. What do results matter if not in line with our mission? Building business, building jobs. We at BerksIDA are stewards of Authority resources for the purpose of supporting and creating economic opportunity in Berks County. I am proud to play a part in serving county residents, in helping them achieve their personal economic dreams in Berks County. I cannot wait to see what the next five years of service brings!