Gearing Up for Future was the theme for the 55th Annual Dinner and Reorganization Meeting held on April 24, 2013 at the Spring Mill Manor, Ivyland. The event began with networking, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Hors d’oeuvres where sponsored by Fulton Bank-Premier Division for the second year in a row. The meeting was attended by over 200 people.
Sam Macrina, Senior Vice President Tax Exempt Lending for Manufacturing, Customers Bank, event sponsor, addressed the crowd on the bank’s products and services. BCEDC’s outgoing President, Dr. Kathleen Dominick, spoke to the attendees about BCEDC’s recent changes and about Gearing Up for the Future. (See page 4 for the complete comments.)
The keynote speaker was Steven T. Wray, Executive Director, Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. Mr. Wray passionately spoke about "Global Positioning Strategies for a World Class Greater Philadelphia". Global Positioning Strategies is a multi-year effort spearheaded by the Economy League but based on the input of some 1,500 regional leaders.
"This economy is too big for any one entity to control all of it," said Economy League Executive Director Steve Wray. "We’re going to need everybody working simultaneously, but all toward shared goals." The initiative hones in on three major issues. Its solutions to each are branded as ‘Global Positioning Strategies.’ These are the priorities: Education and talent, Business growth and Infrastructure. The idea is to get the region’s power brokers all pushing in the same direction.
Wooden plaques with engraved plates were awarded to the companies and banks that closed deals in 2012. The companies were recognized for to their efforts to help create and retain job opportunities for Bucks County residents.
The companies are as follows:
•Bristol Riverside Theatre Company, Inc.,Bristol Borough
•Creative Display Solutions, Inc., Bensalem Township
•Eastern Manufacturing, Inc., Middletown Township
• IMET Corporation, Upper Southampton Township
•MP Filtri USA, Inc., Milford Township
•Pulse Technologies, Inc., Milford Township
•Zampell Refractories, Inc., Bristol Township
The banks were also recognized for their commitment to expand the economic base in Bucks County by assisting the Bucks County Economic Development Corporation in funding the projects. The banks are Citizens Bank, Fox Chase Bank, M&T Bank and People’s United Bank.
The capital investment of these projects was $11,897,500. There were 242 jobs retained and 163 jobs created through the efforts of the companies, banks and BCEDC. The plaques were partially sponsored by PECO.
The banks and companies were also acknowledged with a slide presentation looping throughout the cocktail hour and dinner. The slide show displayed information about the company, the bank and the project. Colliers International sponsored the slideshow presentation.
Each guest received a gift of a magnetic sculpture with the theme imprint of "Gearing Up for the Future".