On Friday, January 8, 2021, during a meeting of the Board of Directors, the Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce approved, as elected in December, a new slate of officers. John L. Scott, Community First Fund, who served two terms as chamber president, passed the gavel of presidency to new Chamber President Alyse Mitten. Mitten owns Interlace Communications, Inc. Serving as 1st Vice President is Barbara Coffin, Berks Schuylkill SCORE. The Secretary and Treasurer, Hope Pearson, Fleetwood Bank, and Connie Werley, Tompkins VIST Bank, respectively, have begun their second terms of office.
Alyse Mitten has been in marketing and advertising all her business career. She started Interlace Communications, Inc, Shoemakersville, and celebrated its 25th anniversary in May of 2020. Mitten works in all aspects of the business, including management and strategies, with her team of talented, knowledgeable, and innovative individuals. When not working, Alyse enjoys being with family, reading, and singing. Alyse has been an active member of Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce for several years and “looks forward to her new role as President working with a dynamic Board of Directors.”
Barbara Coffin retired as Director of the Berks County Area Agency on Aging, a position she held for 30 years. Under her direction, the agency grew from a staff of five with a budget of about $700,000 to a staff of 55 with a budget of $15 million and the responsibility to develop, plan, and implement services to Berks County seniors. Previously, Coffin worked for the federal government in Washington, DC, Boston, and New York City. She and her husband owned a neighborhood grocery store before moving to Kutztown. In retirement, Barbara is a Berks Schuylkill SCORE volunteer as well as a member of several nonprofit boards. She is the proud grandmother to 10 beautiful, talented grandchildren!
Connie Werley is a Business Development Officer for Tompkins VIST Bank. Her banking career began in 1992 when the company was The First National Bank of Leesport. It started in Deposit Operations where she worked for more than 20 years of her career working her way up to the Deposit Operations Manager. It was in April of 2013, after the merger with Tompkins Financial, that Werley accepted the position on the Retail side of banking as the Assistant Branch Manager at our Northpointe Office, which is located on Rt. 61 in Leesport. In January 2015, Werley was promoted to Branch Manager of the Blandon Office on Rt. 222 in Maidencreek Township. What Werley enjoys most about her job is the personal interaction with customers and the opportunity to meet so many other business professionals.
Hope Pearson is the Vice President of Retail Banking for Fleetwood Bank. Prior to joining Fleetwood Bank, she served as the Vice President of Community Lending at Community First Fund where she was responsible for business development and community and economic development lending in the Lehigh Valley Market. Pearson has over 30 years’ experience in the financial services sector.
Pearson is a 2016 graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking where she also received the Wharton Leadership Certificate and is a graduate of Liberty High School, Bethlehem. She resides in Germansville, PA. Previously, she has served on the Board of Directors for Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Women’s Business Council and served as co-chair for the American Heart Association’s 2017 Go Red for Women event.
In addition to these officers, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Vice Presidents were announced in this order: Sherry Christman, Elite Business Solutions, 2nd VP and Chair of the Ambassador/Membership Committee; Abigail Mirarchi, Accelerated Instructional Media, Inc.,3rd VP & Chair of the Program Committee; and Ellen Overcast, Main Street Getaways/Dream Vacations, 4th VP and Chair of the Special Fundraising Events Committee.
For more information about the benefits of membership or becoming a Board Member of the Northeast Berks Chamber, call our office at 610-683-8860. Visit the chamber website at www.northeastberkschamber.com