Fidelity Bank Announces Strong Mortgage Lending Results Fidelity Bank is pleased to announce the release of its 2023 Mortgage Lending Market Share Summary, highlighting the remarkable achievements of the previous year in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wyoming, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties. Notably, Fidelity Bank secured the top position as the number one residential mortgage lender in Lackawanna County. While mentioning this accomplishment, President and CEO, Daniel J. Santaniello, stated, “When reflecting on our performance, I take pride in observing the growth and success we’ve achieved across the counties we serve.” He continued, “Our team has built strong relationships, consistently supports local communities, and has implemented effective strategies to achieve this milestone, benefiting our customers and driving progress.” In Lackawanna County, Fidelity Bank captured 9.3% of the total volume for the year, reaching $47.5 million—outperforming the second-place competitor by $13.6 million, or 40%. This showcases Fidelity’s leadership in the local market, making it the only bank to rank among the top 5 overall. Additionally, Fidelity Bank performed exceptionally well in Luzerne, Wyoming, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties, capturing 2.5% totaling $135.7 million and 587 units across all counties. These achievements highlight Fidelity Bank’s ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional service. The 2023 market share summary reflects the culmination of these efforts and serves as a catalyst for future success and growth. *Based on 2023 HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) data.
TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty Open Applications The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and Lackawanna County announce that applications are open for a third cohort of TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty this fall. The program is powered by Lackawanna County, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern PA, The Chamber, and its affiliate program, IGNITE. TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty is a 10-week, in-person experience in which participants can access mentors, educational resources, and subject matter experts on business formation strategies, customer discovery, marketing, financial planning, and risk management. The goal of the ten weeks is to build, share, and pitch their early-stage start-ups. “We are proud to be partners in the TechCelerator project with the Chamber and the Ben Franklin Technology Partners because we understand that small businesses are the economic backbone of Lackawanna County,” Commissioner Bill Gaughan said. “We also know that technology is dynamic, and that the world of technology-based start-ups is highly competitive. TechCelerator is a great tool for local entrepreneurs to learn what they need to know to compete, and to germinate their ideas.” Previous TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty programs have helped 15 entrepreneurs gain traction toward achieving their American dreams. In this third cohort, eight more can experience the same resources and excitement “We have continued to build a vibrant entrepreneurial infrastructure throughout Lackawanna County under the Chamber IGNITE program at the Scranton Enterprise Center, Jessup TekRidge Center, and the Carbondale Technology Transfer Center—in concert with a host of outstanding public and private sector partners who share the vision of growing new businesses with the talent we have right here in our region,” shared Bob Durkin. TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty is a competitive application process. All Lackawanna County residents with tech, for-profit business, or early start-up ideas are encouraged to apply”-please include that start-up businesses registered in Lackawanna County are included, not just Lackawanna County residents. To apply, visit ScrantonChamber.com and look for TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty under events. Applications close on Tuesday, September 10.
The Chamber Wraps Up 2023-24 Program of Work Year with Success The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce proudly announces the completion of its 2023-24 program of work year. To celebrate the achievements and efforts of The Chamber and its affiliate organizations, a new video has been produced. This compilation highlights the strides made in supporting our mission to attract, sustain, and grow businesses and jobs in northeastern Pennsylvania. The video is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all involved and showcases the significant impact made over the past year. Alongside the video, an infographic has been shared, breaking down the key successes into easily digestible bullet points. Download the infographic.
Scam Notice to Membership Dear Chamber Members, It has come to our attention that there is a fraudulent scheme targeting the Chamber membership. A company falsely claiming association with our organization is offering to sell the contact information of our members for financial gain. These scams are happening across the country to other Chambers. We take any unauthorized use of member information seriously. Rest assured, the Chamber has not authorized any such company to sell or distribute your contact details. Below is an example of the scam email. We strongly advise all members to exercise caution and vigilance when approached by any entity claiming to offer Chamber member contact information. Additionally, we encourage you to promptly report any suspicious activity or unauthorized solicitation to our Chamber office. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
Broadway Theatre League Announces 2024-25 Show Lineup Broadway Theatre League of NEPA is proud to announce the 24-25 Season at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, featuring three new hit musicals making their Scranton premieres and a magnificently macabre show for EVERY family! We think our NEPA Audiences will love this upcoming season because it has something for everyone, according to Frank T. Blasi, Executive Director of Broadway Theatre League. He adds, “The Broadway Theatre League is thrilled that this is our 65th year of presenting National Broadway Tours in Scranton,, and we are coming off one of our greatest seasons.” Building on that momentum, this season will surely be great. The people of our area are big Broadway fans, and our loyal subscribers are our heart and soul. We welcome new subscribers to join our Broadway family. Purchasing season tickets is the most cost-effective way of seeing our shows; and, andon tickets come with many additional benefits. This season begins with the electrifying, Tony-winning, smash-hit Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations and concludes with Tina Fey’s hilarious hit musical Mean Girls. Experience “one of the most remarkable shows in musical history” (Washington Post) – the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen. Rounding out the season is a comical feast for every family, The Addams Family! Beginning Monday, August 19th at 10AM, Season Tickets can be purchased online at BroadwayInScranton.com, in person at the Broadway Theatre League (BTL) office (345 North Washington Ave, Scranton, PA) or by calling the BTL office at 570-342-7784. BTL Office Hours are Monday – Friday 10AM – 5PM. Prices for this 4-Show season ticket package are $245, $285, and $335. Season Ticket benefits include: The Best Seats … Select your seats prior to shows going on saleSame Great Seat … The same seat for each showValue … over buying individual show tickets… Season Tickets save time & money!Convenience … One order and you get tickets to all season showsPayment plans … Flexible payment plan options available to space your purchase out over time.Ticket Exchange … If you cannot attend a performance, you can exchange your tickets for another performance of the same show.Guaranteed Nights Out … Season Tickets provide you the opportunity to pre-plan nights outFree Ticket Insurance … Lose your tickets? No problem! We’ll replace them at no charge. Extra Shows & Tickets … Season Ticket holders are the first to hear about any extra shows added throughout the season and receive advance purchase privileges Ticket on sale dates for individual shows will be announced at a later time. Remember that BroadwayInScranton.com and ticketmaster.com are the only official online outlets to purchase tickets for Broadway In Scranton. Individual show tickets can also be purchased in person at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple Box Office. All shows and dates subject to change. Photo credits: UK Cast of AIN’T TOO PROUD. Photo by Johan Persson; MEAN GIRLS: Pictured (L-R): Natalie Shaw (Cady Heron), Kristen Amanda Smith (Gretchen Wieners), Maya Petropoulos (Regina George), and Maryrose Brendel (Karen Smith) Photo by Jenny Anderson, 2023. THE ADDAMS FAMILY Photo by Pamela Raith.
Slick Cyber Hosts Cybersecurity Education Seminar Attention Business Owners and Managers! We’re excited to invite you to our FREE Cybersecurity Summit on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Mohegan Pennsylvania in Wilkes-Barre. This exclusive event is designed to help you protect your business from cyber threats and stay ahead of the curve. Plus, enjoy a FREE lunch while you learn! Limited seating is available, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your cybersecurity knowledge. 🔒 Secure your spot today! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We hope to see you there! #Cybersecurity #BusinessSecurity #CyberSummit #BusinessOwners #Managers #WilkesBarre #FreeLunch 2024 Cyber Security Summit Event – Slick Cyber Systems
Marywood University Graduate Student Creates Humor Therapy Fund As a graduate student at Marywood University working toward a Master of Arts degree in Communication Arts in 2005, Jeannine Luby worked with the Scranton Area Community Foundation (SAF) to create the Humor Therapy Fund…a donor-advised fund to disperse annual grants to area nonprofits with a plan to promote therapeutic laughter and humor in the community. The recipient of this year’s Humor Therapy Fund grant–the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania–used the funding to bring the Pittsburgh duo of Josh Verbanets and Gab Bonesso from Pittsburgh to perform their “Josh and Gab Show” in July. About 50 summer camp participants at the Club enjoyed the interactive musical comedy show. Kids danced to the original songs written and performed by Josh and Gab that highlighted common situations that kids encounter in which they can choose kindness and stand up to bullies. They also listened to Gab’s stories from childhood highlighting the importance of standing up for one another and shared their own ideas on kindness as well. Josh and Gab share their musical comedy program at school assemblies and community programs throughout Pennsylvania year-round. While in Scranton, Gab Bonesso took the opportunity to give back to the Fund that helped support her and Josh Verbanets. She presented Jeannine with a $100 check for the Humor Therapy Fund. The money donated came from a portion of the sales of her recent stand-up comedy album “Tragicomedian.” (For more information on Josh and Gab: https://www.joshandgab.com/ )
WVIA Presents The Forgotten Dynasty: Scranton Eagles Football WVIA produced The Forgotten Dynasty: Scranton Eagles Football an original documentary film. The film premieres Thursday, November 14th at 9PM on WVIA-TV The story of Scranton Eagles Football is one of perseverance and triumph. Despite encountering setbacks and obstacles, the team’s founders, John Rogan and Charles “Chick” Rader, were determined to establish a successful franchise. And they did exactly that. The Lackawanna County Eagles made a remarkable debut in 1971, winning the Empire Football League Championship. Although the team shut down after the 1974 season due to a disagreement over player compensation, John Rogan never gave up on his dream of reviving the franchise. His persistence paid off in 1982, when the newly reinstated Scranton Eagles won their first EFL title. They went on to win five national championships, the first coming in 1984. The Scranton Eagles’ success during the late 1980s and early 90s is a testament to their hard work and dedication under then-owner Frank Santo. With a 40-game winning streak, they became one of the country’s most celebrated semi-professional football franchises. From 1982 to 1999, the organization won a record-setting 11 Empire Football League titles.
Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic Announces 53rd Season Under the baton of Maestra Brunet, the NEPA Philharmonic 2024-25 season will feature audience favorites, new works. Performances will be at multiple venues in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic will launch its 53rd season, “Building Bridges,” on Friday, September 27, 2024, at the F.M. Kirby Center, at 7:30 PM with the iconic music of QUEEN performed in collaboration with Jeans & Classics, and the Marywood University Chamber Singers under the direction of Dr. Rick Hoffenberg. The Philharmonic’s dynamic season will include mainstage and chamber concerts. Featured are many audience favorites including a tribute to Tina Turner, Bizet’s Carmen Suites with Ballet Theatre of Scranton, Sibelius’s fifth Symphony, Copland’s Clarinet Concerto featuring Pascal Archer, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with a symphonic chorus. We continue the tradition of Holiday Pops concerts featuring seasonal music in collaboration with Ballet Theatre of Scranton, Choral Society of NEPA, Marywood Concert Choir and Wyoming Valley Concert Choir. The entire Pops Series is sponsored by PNC Foundation and Dr. Seth and Carolyn Fisher, the Masterworks Series is sponsored by the Thalenfeld Family Foundation, and the Chamber Concert Series is sponsored by the Stoppini Foundation. The Philharmonic’s theme “Building Bridges” reinforces the orchestra’s community wide partnerships, which include the Sordoni Art Gallery, the Black Scranton Art Project, the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, regional senior centers, regional schools, and public libraries. Its outreach programs, designed for toddlers through seniors enrich the lives of countless people of NEPA. “Subscribers are loyal and appreciative friends of the Phil,” notes Nancy Sanderson, Executive Director. Early bird pricing allows subscribers a savings between 15% and 30% and ends on September 18th. Subscriptions and single tickets may be purchased online at www.nepaphil.org or by calling the Philharmonic box office at 570-270-4444. Students K-12 are invited to attend Masterworks concerts at no charge. For additional information, please contact the NEPA Philharmonic at (570) 270-4444.
Geisinger Hosts Narcan distribution events Geisinger’s pharmacy, emergency medicine, addiction medicine, and Free2BMom teams are collaborating to host two Narcan® (naloxone) distribution events at the end of August in northeastern Pennsylvania. The first event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at the Schimelfenig Pavilion in Nay Aug Park, located at 500 Arthur Ave. in Scranton. The second event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, in the parking lot of the Thomas C. Thomas building, located at 90 E. Union St. in Wilkes-Barre. At both events, attendees can receive two free boxes of Narcan while supplies last, and healthcare professionals will demonstrate how to properly administer the lifesaving medication. Fentanyl and xylazine testing strips will also be available for those who are interested. Community health partners at the event can provide information and resources for anyone who is in recovery or seeking recovery.
