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DTSTART:20260629T160000Z
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SUMMARY:Demystifying Economic Development Organizations (Jun 2026)
DESCRIPTION:Demystifying Economic Development Organizations\n\nEconomic Development Webinar Series\n\n\n\nIf you've ever wondered who's actually behind economic development in Berks County and what all those organizations really do you're not alone.\n\n\n\nFrom acronyms to overlapping missions\, the landscape of economic development organizations can feel complex from the outside. This session is designed to simplify it.\n\n\n\nJoin GRCA and our regional partners for the next installment in our Economic Development Webinar Series\, where we'll break down the key organizations working to support growth in Berks County and the unique role each one plays.\n\n\n\nFrom business attraction and retention to financing\, workforce development\, and site development\, our panel will explore how these groups collaborate (and sometimes overlap!) to move projects forward and strengthen our local economy.\n\n\n\nWhether you're a business owner looking for support\, a community stakeholder\, or just trying to better understand how it all fits together\, this conversation will give you a clearer roadmap of who to call\, when to call them\, and how these organizations work together behind the scenes.\n\n\n\nCome ready to connect the dots and gain a better understanding of the network driving economic growth in our community.\n\n\n\nMeet Our Speakers:\n\nAaron Gantz | Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (Moderator)\n\nAaron Gantz serves as the Vice President of Economic Development and Strategy at the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA)\, where she leads strategies that strengthen business growth\, talent attraction\, and community competitiveness across Berks County. With more than 15 years of economic development experience\, Gantz oversees initiatives that support business retention and expansion\, drive investment\, and foster public-private collaboration. Her team?s work includes guiding industry partnerships\, advancing redevelopment priorities\, and coordinating strategic marketing and storytelling efforts that elevate Greater Reading?s regional profile.\n\n \n\nGantz is a graduate of West Virginia University\, where she earned both her B.A. in Political Science and her Master of Public Administration (MPA). She is a committed community leader\, having served on the Reading Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors\, the Greater Reading Young Professionals Executive Committee and the Economic Development Committees of West Reading Borough and Wyomissing Borough. More recently\, she has taken a leadership role with the Wyomissing Girl Scouts.\n\n \n\nHer contributions to the region have been recognized through numerous honors\, including the 2020 Lehigh Valley Business 40 Under 40 Award\, the 2018 Reading Eagle 40 Under 40 Award\, and the Rising Star Award from the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry.\n\n\n\nDavid Barr | City of Reading\n\nDavid Barr is the Director of Community Development for the City of Reading since June 2025. In that role he is responsible for community development initiatives\, zoning\, planning\, buildings and trades permits\, property maintenance codes enforcement\, historic preservation\, lead and healthy homes\, blighted properties\, and homelessness.\n\n\n\nPam Menet\, AICP\, CEcD | Berks County\n\nPamela is the Director of Community and Economic Development for Berks County. In this position\, she directs the community and economic development policies and programs for Berks County and oversees the Berks County Planning Commission\, Workforce Development Board and the Department of Agriculture.\n\n\n\nPamela has over 35 years of experience in housing development\, planning\, economic and community development with various private companies and public organizations.\n\n\n\nA native of Berks County\, Pamela is a graduate of Bloomsburg University\, Bloomsburg\, Pennsylvania. She is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)\, American Planning Association (APA) and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). She resides in Robeson Township\, Berks County with her husband Brian.\n\n\n\nDeb Millman | Greater Reading Chamber Alliance\n\nDeb Millman is President of the Greater Berks Development Fund (GBDF) and Vice President of Development for the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA). Millman began her career in Berks County in the City of Reading?s Community Development Department and has worked for GBDF for the past 25 years. Her experience in community and economic development has ranged from brownfield development to the oversight of the Berks County Keystone Opportunity Zones\, the Greater Reading Keystone Enterprise Zones and Greater Reading Keystone Innovation Zone. She has been successful in the obtaining grant funds in excess of $20+ million from state and federal sources to support projects in the City of Reading and Berks County.\n\n \n\nCurrent responsibilities as GBDF President include management of real estate holdings\, administration of financing programs and implementation of GRCA economic development strategy.\n\n \n\nMillman graduated from Seton Hall University with a B.S. in Finance and earned her J.D. at Widener Commonwealth Law School. She is a member of the City?s CRIZ Authority\, serves on the Berks County Workforce Development Board and is a member of the Board of Directors of the 18th Wonder Improvement Association.\n\n\n\nJamie Perez | xxx\n\nbio\n\n\n\nJeremy Zaborowski | Berks County Industrial Development Authority\n\nJeremy Zaborowski is Executive Director of the Berks County Industrial Development Authority (BerksIDA). He acts as developer of last resort\, playing both primary and supporting roles in acquisition\, remediation\, entitlements\, financing\, and construction of many of the biggest and most complicated projects in Berks County. Recent major projects include 500\,000 SF of new construction at Berks Park 183 (a former WWII base)\, $5M in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funding for construction of 340 homes in Amity Township\, acquisition of the long vacant 20-acre former Glidden site in Reading\, and creation of a $5M infrastructure loan fund in partnership with Berks County. Recent supporting roles include financing of numerous projects including the Reitnouer Trailer expansion and the $20M remodeling of St. Joe's Community General\, and grant management of a dozen projects representing over $30M in CAPEX for Berks County. In 2025 the Reading-Berks Association of Realtors (RBAR) awarded Jeremy the Grow with Berks Award in appreciation for his significant and positive impact on Berks County\, and the Lehigh Valley Business Journal awarded the Glidden Site Redevelopment as a Top Deal in 2026. Prior to moving to Berks County\, Jeremy spent over a decade in Austin\, TX\, working in economic development\, site selection and energy markets throughout the country. An Erie native\, Jeremy is excited to be back in Pennsylvania to expand economic opportunities in Berks County and the Commonwealth. Jeremy holds degrees from Houghton University\, Cornell University\, and University of Texas at Austin. In addition to his work\, Jeremy chairs the Spring Township Planning Commission and teaches Macroeconomics at Kutztown University. Any time left is filled with chauffeuring and traveling with his wife and three children.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat is Economic Development (ED)?\n\nEconomic Development is an intentional effort to improve the economic vitality and quality of life in a community. Much of the work spans several years (and decades) and is often done behind the scenes.\n\n\n\nGRCA is here to dig a bit deeper in this area of work with timely topics and examples of economic development taking place in Berks County. Together\, with our economic development partners\, we will provide insight into how projects get done and the resources that are available on future initiatives.
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:Demystifying Economic Development Organizations
\nEconomic Development Webinar Series
\n
\nIf you&rsquo\;ve ever wondered who&rsquo\;s actually behind economic development in Berks County &mdash\; and what all those organizations really do &mdash\; you&rsquo\;re not alone.
\n
\nFrom acronyms to overlapping missions\, the landscape of economic development organizations can feel complex from the outside. This session is designed to simplify it.
\n
\nJoin GRCA and our regional partners for the next installment in our Economic Development Webinar Series\, where we&rsquo\;ll break down the key organizations working to support growth in Berks County &mdash\; and the unique role each one plays.
\n
\nFrom business attraction and retention to financing\, workforce development\, and site development\, our panel will explore how these groups collaborate (and sometimes overlap!) to move projects forward and strengthen our local economy.
\n
\nWhether you&rsquo\;re a business owner looking for support\, a community stakeholder\, or just trying to better understand how it all fits together\, this conversation will give you a clearer roadmap of who to call\, when to call them\, and how these organizations work together behind the scenes.
\n
\nCome ready to connect the dots and gain a better understanding of the network driving economic growth in our community.
\n
\nMeet Our Speakers:
\nAaron Gantz | Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (Moderator)
\nAaron Gantz serves as the Vice President of Economic Development and Strategy at the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA)\, where she leads strategies that strengthen business growth\, talent attraction\, and community competitiveness across Berks County. With more than 15 years of economic development experience\, Gantz oversees initiatives that support business retention and expansion\, drive investment\, and foster public-private collaboration. Her team?s work includes guiding industry partnerships\, advancing redevelopment priorities\, and coordinating strategic marketing and storytelling efforts that elevate Greater Reading?s regional profile.
\n \;
\nGantz is a graduate of West Virginia University\, where she earned both her B.A. in Political Science and her Master of Public Administration (MPA). She is a committed community leader\, having served on the Reading Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors\, the Greater Reading Young Professionals Executive Committee and the Economic Development Committees of West Reading Borough and Wyomissing Borough. More recently\, she has taken a leadership role with the Wyomissing Girl Scouts.
\n \;
\nHer contributions to the region have been recognized through numerous honors\, including the 2020 Lehigh Valley Business 40 Under 40 Award\, the 2018 Reading Eagle 40 Under 40 Award\, and the Rising Star Award from the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce &\; Industry.
\n
\nDavid Barr | City of Reading
\nDavid Barr is the Director of Community Development for the City of Reading since June 2025. In that role he is responsible for community development initiatives\, zoning\, planning\, buildings and trades permits\, property maintenance codes enforcement\, historic preservation\, lead and healthy homes\, blighted properties\, and homelessness.
\n
\nPam Menet\, AICP\, CEcD | Berks County
\nPamela is the Director of Community and Economic Development for Berks County. \; In this position\, she directs the community and economic development policies and programs for Berks County and oversees the Berks County Planning Commission\, Workforce Development Board and the Department of Agriculture.
\n
\nPamela has over 35 years of experience in housing development\, planning\, economic and community development with various private companies and public organizations.
\n
\nA native of Berks County\, Pamela is a graduate of Bloomsburg University\, Bloomsburg\, Pennsylvania. \; She is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)\, American Planning Association (APA) and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). \; \; She resides in Robeson Township\, Berks County with her husband Brian.
\n
\nDeb Millman | Greater Reading Chamber Alliance
\nDeb Millman is President of the Greater Berks Development Fund (GBDF) and Vice President of Development for the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA). \;Millman began her career in Berks County in the City of Reading?s Community Development Department and has worked for GBDF for the past 25 years. Her experience in community and economic development has ranged from brownfield development to the oversight of the Berks County Keystone Opportunity Zones\, the Greater Reading Keystone Enterprise Zones and Greater Reading Keystone Innovation Zone. She has been successful in the obtaining grant funds in excess of $20+ million from state and federal sources to support projects in the City of Reading and Berks County.
\n \;
\nCurrent responsibilities as GBDF President include management of real estate holdings\, administration of financing programs and implementation of GRCA economic development strategy.
\n \;
\nMillman graduated from Seton Hall University with a B.S. in Finance and earned her J.D. at Widener Commonwealth Law School. She is a member of the City?s CRIZ Authority\, serves on the Berks County Workforce Development Board and is a member of the Board of Directors of the 18th \;Wonder Improvement Association.
\n
\nJamie Perez | xxx
\nbio
\n
\nJeremy Zaborowski | Berks County Industrial Development Authority
\nJeremy Zaborowski is Executive Director of the Berks County Industrial Development Authority (BerksIDA). He acts as developer of last resort\, playing both primary and supporting roles in acquisition\, remediation\, entitlements\, financing\, and construction of many of the biggest and most complicated projects in Berks County. Recent major projects include 500\,000 SF of new construction at Berks Park 183 (a former WWII base)\, $5M in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funding for construction of 340 homes in Amity Township\, acquisition of the long vacant 20-acre former Glidden site in Reading\, and creation of a $5M infrastructure loan fund in partnership with Berks County. Recent supporting roles include financing of numerous projects including the Reitnouer Trailer expansion and the $20M remodeling of St. Joe'\;s Community General\, and grant management of a dozen projects representing over $30M in CAPEX for Berks County. In 2025 the Reading-Berks Association of Realtors (RBAR) awarded Jeremy the Grow with Berks Award in appreciation for his significant and positive impact on Berks County\, and the Lehigh Valley Business Journal awarded the Glidden Site Redevelopment as a Top Deal in 2026. Prior to moving to Berks County\, Jeremy spent over a decade in Austin\, TX\, working in economic development\, site selection and energy markets throughout the country. An Erie native\, Jeremy is excited to be back in Pennsylvania to expand economic opportunities in Berks County and the Commonwealth. Jeremy holds degrees from Houghton University\, Cornell University\, and University of Texas at Austin. In addition to his work\, Jeremy chairs the Spring Township Planning Commission and teaches Macroeconomics at Kutztown University. Any time left is filled with chauffeuring and traveling with his wife and three children.
\n
\n
\nWhat is Economic Development (ED)?
\nEconomic Development is an intentional effort to improve the economic vitality and quality of life in a community. \; Much of the work spans several years (and decades) and is often done behind the scenes.
\n
\nGRCA is here to dig a bit deeper in this area of work with timely topics and examples of economic development taking place in Berks County. Together\, with our economic development partners\, we will provide insight into how projects get done and the resources that are available on future initiatives.
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar link will be sent to participants before the event
UID:e.1980.13054
SEQUENCE:3
DTSTAMP:20260407T034031Z
URL:http://business.greaterreading.org/events/details/demystifying-economic-development-organizations-jun-2026-13054
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