Foundation Summer Solstice
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Last week's Foundation Summer Solstice was truly one for the books!
Over 150 CCCBI Members, community partners and friends of the foundation visited Loch Aerie Mansion, LLC for a beautiful evening filled with old friends, new connections, and a celebration of the Chester County Chamber Foundation's charitable efforts.
With the help of our generous sponsors, including presenting sponsors Constellation Energy Corporation and WSFS Cares Foundstion, our
Foundation had live music, food provided by John Serock Catering, wine from Penns Woods Winery, beer from Garage Beer, a signature cocktail with the help of Cafe Gourmino's mobile coffee bar, a wine pull, an auction and more.
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The Chester County Chamber Foundation supports CCCBI by preserving and promoting healthy and sustainable commerce in Chester County for the benefit of all members of the community through programs that provide youth leadership training, education, career paths and workforce development. At the cornerstone of the Foundation's work is the Youth Leadership Program (YLP), which recently celebrated its 2024-2025 program year graduation.
The program, sponsored by PA American Water, helps 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students create professional networks with industry and community leaders as well as form lasting friendships with other Chester County students.
Two graduates of the 2024-2025 program year attended our Summer Solstice to share their meaningful experiences with over 150 business leaders and friends of the Chamber. The students were able to help attendees understand the significance of the program for our next generation of leaders and then network with some of the businesses who hosted them this year.
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There are so many businesses and individuals who brought this signature event to life. Thank you to everyone who played a part in this success, including our sponsors:
Aqua, Bancroft Construction, Becky Corbin, Bentley, BGA&F, Brubacher, Café Gourmino, Carollo Engineering, Chester County Food Bank, Chris Bradley, Constellation, DFT Inc., Garage Beer, G.A. Vietri Inc., Gawthrop Greenwood, GHD , Hankin Group, Herbert Rowland & Grubic Inc., IBX, John Serock Catering, Kamelot Productions, Kreischer Miller, Lamb McErlane, LB Industries, Loch Aerie Mansion, Marrea Walker -Smith, PA American Water, Penns Woods Winery, Smart Energy Initiative of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Stephano Slack LLC, Stone Hill Contracting Co. Inc., TD Bank, Total Engineering & Consulting Services LLC, Valley Creek Productions, VISTA Today, Wawa & WSFS Cares Foundation.
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Coffee & Counsel with PA Attorney General Dave Sunday
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Early Wednesday morning, CCCBI and our partners at the Chester County Bar Association had an insightful event with PA Attorney General, Dave Sunday.
This sold out event welcomed over 50 attendees who met AG Sunday, heard his background, and learned how it has shaped his philosophies, priorities and actions in his prosecutorial role. Some of his notable initiatives included:
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- Fighting against the opioid epidemic
- Elder abuse and scams
- AI regulations
- Mental Health
- Reintegration for individuals with criminal records
- Gang Violence and organized crime, including Philadelphia's recent smash and grab robberies
- Medicare fraud and more
Dave's passion, good humor and especially his bipartisan mentality fully engaged our audience, even those without a background in law!
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Special thanks to AG Sunday, the Chester County Bar Association, our sponsor: Independence Blue Cross and all who joined us for this amazing discussion!
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Millennial Money Moves with CCCBI's Young Professionals
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This afternoon, CCCBI's Young Professionals Network welcomed three experts for a panel discussion about Millennial Money Moves: Building a Future You Can Actually Afford.
Christopher Everett of Truist, Callie Kaminskas of Sterling Investment Advisors, Ltd., and Ryan McGinn, CFP of McGinn Financial Services focused on key financial challenges that millennials are facing.
This open discussion with over 20 young professionals covered everything from budgeting and expense management, to debt and student loans, to investing, saving and emergency funds, to housing and life transitions and even goal setting and financial literacy. Attendees were also able to ask dedicated questions from their experiences.
Thank you to our three wonderful panelists and our attendees who faced the heat for an afternoon of networking and new knowledge.
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SEPTA is Not Just a Philly Issue - All of Pennsylvania Has a Stake in Mass Transit
By Laura Manion, President & CEO of CCCBI and Mike Grigalonis, President & COO of CCEDC
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In the debate over how to fund Pennsylvania’s roads, bridges and transit systems, one counterproductive misconception persists: that mass transit, and specifically SEPTA, is a “Philadelphia problem.” Nothing could be further from the truth.
From Pike County to Erie County, Westmoreland County to Lehigh County, Pennsylvania’s businesses rely on a robust network of roads, bridges and transit systems to bring employees to work and attract customers. What every Pennsylvania county shares is public transportation that connects people and communities to work, school and essential services.
Here in Chester County, and the Greater Philadelphia region, our economic growth has been undergirded by this system, with SEPTA mass transit at its foundation.
SEPTA is an essential cog in the economic engine of Southeastern Pennsylvania — an engine that generates billions in economic output and tax revenue for the entire state. A weakened SEPTA means a weakened regional economy, and that ripples out to the rest of Pennsylvania in real dollars. The income, business, and sales taxes generated here help fund state programs and services that benefit all 67 counties. When our region suffers due to impaired transit, the state’s ability to reinvest equitably across Pennsylvania suffers too.
Counties across Pennsylvania also benefit directly from SEPTA’s operations every day — not just through travel, but through jobs, procurement, and commerce. Over the past five years, SEPTA has awarded over $1.14 billion in contracts to Pennsylvania-based companies in 39 counties, with an average annual investment of $228 million. That’s not just rail cars and bus routes in the southeast — that’s steel, rubber, electronics, parts, safety equipment, and professional services supporting jobs across the Commonwealth.
If SEPTA is forced to cut service or delay infrastructure upgrades due to unstable state funding, it’s not just riders in the southeast who are directly impacted. It’s those employers and the Pennsylvanians they employ who will also feel the impact. SEPTA is one of the largest transit systems in the country and one of Pennsylvania’s largest purchasers of goods and services — and when funding cannot fully support operations, that economic activity across the entire Commonwealth is also reduced.
This is proof of a fundamental truth: mass transit is regional infrastructure with statewide economic impact.
We fully support statewide transit funding to address SEPTA’s shortfall this year to avoid devastating cuts. But we also recognize the need for a long-term, sustainable solution that ensures our public transit systems — not just in Philadelphia, but across the state — are viable for the future. We are not suggesting a blank check or permanent patchwork. We are advocating for a smart, stable, and transparent approach that recognizes the shared value of a functioning, modern transit system.
Now is not the time to retreat. With major global events like America 250, the FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star Game, the PGA Championship and the NFL Draft all coming to Pennsylvania in the next year, our transit infrastructure must be ready to move tens of millions of visitors efficiently and safely. Without it, the region — and the state — will miss out on untold economic opportunity and global visibility.
Pennsylvania must now rise to meet this moment — and not just to “save” transit, but to invest in what it already delivers: regional economic impact, workforce access, and job creation.
This isn’t about urban vs. rural or east vs. west. It’s about building a statewide economy that moves — powered by a mass transit system that serves millions of Pennsylvanians in all 67 counties.
If you’re a business owner or policymaker outside of southeastern Pennsylvania, don’t think of SEPTA as someone else’s concern. Think of it as your next contract, your next job posting, your next opportunity. It’s time we fund transit operations across all of Pennsylvania like the statewide engine it is.
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We’d love to hear from and highlight your business! We are seeking member spotlight stories to include in our weekly newsletter!
Email your news to abby@chescochamber.org
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