IMAGINE Berks is here!
The IMAGINE Berks Strategic Economic Development Action Plan was adopted and implementation is underway. Stay up to date with implementation and our public presentations by joining our mailing list!
To download and read the plan, click on the picture
of the plan to get started!
The County has identified $27 Million + for Year 1
implementation strategies to date.
To learn about what this funding is supporting,
Learn more about the 6 month update in this
Want a short overview of the plan?
Download the IMAGINE Berks Handout here.
IMAGINE Berks was more than a planning process...
It continues as an opportunity for the community to direct actions to realize our vision of Berks County as a place where all residents and businesses can thrive, entrepreneurship and innovation flourish, and the region’s diversity is celebrated and supported, enabling all Berks County residents to prosper.
Sure, the result of the work was an Economic Development Action Plan, but that was just the first milestone.
From there we are investing time and resources into implementing the plan with our community partners.
This website is an evolving resource to share information about the plan and its goals. We hope that you stay up to date as we implement the strategies — let’s imagine and build a better Berks County.
Berks County Team
The Berks County staff team is led by Pamela Shupp Menet, AICP, CEcD, Director of Economic & Community Development and includes:
Derek Harris
Economic Development Coordinator
Ken Pick
Executive Director,
Berks County
Redevelopment Authority
David Hunter
Executive Director,
Berks County
Planning Commission
Jeremy Zaborowski
Executive Director,
Berks County Industrial Development Authority
Ashley Showers
Assistant Director,
Berks County
Planning Commission
Planning Support
Berks County worked with Fourth Economy Consulting to support the planning process and plan development. Fourth Economy also engaged the Center for Regional Analysis and Connect the Dots to support various components of the planning process.
Advisory Committee
Jamal Abodalo
Director of Community Development & RRA,
City of Reading
Anthony Pomponio
Chief Lending Officer,
Riverfront Credit Union
Daniel Egusquiza
Executive Director,
Barrio Alegría
Aaron Gantz
Senior Economic Development Director, GRCA
Bryan Cole
Broker,
NAI Keystone
Nathaniel Guest
Executive Director,
Colebrookdale RR Preservation Trust
Joe Malda
Consultant,
Economic Development,
First Energy/Met-Ed
Gregory Downing
Executive Director,
SCTA
Lisa Weaver
Social Entrepreneur Specialist, Berks LaunchBox-Penn State
Violet Emory
Executive Director,
Berks Latino Workforce Dev. Corporation
Becky Eshbach
Director of Marketing
& Strategy,
UGI Utilities, Inc.
Emily Wangolo
Executive Director,
Dept. of Agriculture,
Berks County
Chris Spohn
Director of Project Development, Pre-College
and Summer Programs, Albright College
Keith Mooney
President,
Berks Art Council
Dayana Blandon
HR Manager,
DAK Americas, LLC
