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BEP VP, Pamela Shupp, presented at the IEDC Annual Conference in Charlotte.
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IEDC Annual Fall ConferenceSeptember 20, 2011
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Greater Reading, PA
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Berks County: • 858 square miles• Population: 411,442• Average HH income
$60,442 • 100 million people within
overnight delivery• 9 colleges and technical
schools• Nearly 600 manufacturers• Strong service industry
2000-2010:
• County population grew 10%: – 411,000+
– 16.4% Hispanic
• City of Reading population grew 9%: – 88,000+
– 58 +% Hispanic
Greater Reading, PA
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
• Student demographics reflect the diversity and changing face of the City of Reading.
• City’s 88,000 residents include:– 58% Latino/Hispanic (vs. 37% in 2000), – 28% White – 11% Black
• The percentage of foreign-born residents is significantly above the PA average
Reading School District:
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Greater Reading, PA
• 79/100 students (78.7%) Latino/Hispanic
• 11/100 students (11.3%) Black or African American
• 9/100 students (9.4%) non-Hispanic White
• 19 /100 students (19.1%) English language learnersSpanish primary language
Reading School District:
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Greater Reading, PA
How do we successfully embrace diversity in your community?
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Greater Reading, PA
1. Identify Partners
2. Re-define Success
3. Celebrate Success and tell the story
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Greater Reading, PA
Established in January 2006:
“One of its primary objectives is to serve as the gateway for large organizations and national corporations to connect with the Greater Reading Latino business community.”
Greater Reading, PAPartners
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
The Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry formed the Business Resource Center in 2009 to provide a centralized location for start up and young businesses and to coordinate among all of the existing economic development providers.
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Greater Reading, PAPartners
• 2500 SF of Co-work space
– 2 private offices– 3 private
cubicles– 20 open tables
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Catalyst on Commerce:Connect | Collaborate | Cowork
Greater Reading, PAPartners
Opened in September 2011
Kutztown University Small Business Development
Center (SBDC)
Latino Business Resource Center
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Greater Reading, PAPartners
Bilingual Business Skills for Success• 12 week bilingual business development
course• Targeted Hispanic Entrepreneurs• First class held in 2008
• Graduated 19 entrepreneurs• 7 graduates expanded their business• 3 new businesses9 planning/evaluating business
model
Greater Reading, PAPartners
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Greater Reading, PARe-define Success
Business Person of the Year:
Latino Chamber honors local businesswoman, Johanny Cepeda, owner, Mi Casa Su Casa CafeJohanny moved to Reading, PA from NYC
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Formerly Tommy’s Cafe• Twenty years
experience in restaurant industry
• Ten years experience as chef
• Eight years experience at this location
Greater Reading, PARe-define Success
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Owner & Chef, Hector Ruiz
Greater Reading, PA
Sun Rich Fresh Foods
• 43,000 SF new manufacturing facility
• Former brownfield site
• 250 jobs – walk to work
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
Greater Reading, PACelebrate Success
RHS's first Hispanic Valedictorian, Noe Cabello first-generation immigrant from Mexico
Leveraging Diversity for Your Community’s Success
