Release of the 2020-2021 Annual Report
The final six months of 2020 and the first half of 2021 were another challenging 12-month period for the world. As we get ready to turn the page on 2021 and enter into a new calendar year, it’s our pleasure to highlight the progress that’s occurred in Allentown and the Lehigh Valley.
AEDC’s annual report encompasses the end of 2020 into the first half of 2021. It’s aptly titled “Incubate, Cultivate, Rehabilitate” as a reflection of the methods by which we pursue our mission. The publication has a nostalgic feel using throwback photos mixed with current images and tells the story of the organization’s three programs and how each contributes to the overall mission to make Allentown the best place to grow a manufacturing business. Sprawled across the 20 pages are vibrant images, graphics, and testaments to the individual success stories of the Bridgeworks Enterprise Center, the Urban Made program, and the Urban Sites program.
The report contains the latest stats from the area’s leading manufacturing entrepreneurs, including revenue generated by the manufacturers of the Bridgeworks incubation program, the two dozen-plus intellectual property assets coming from inside the facility, and the impressive job creation numbers.
The publication also showcases two specific entrepreneurs from the Bridgeworks incubation program. Although they are physically located directly next to each other in the facility, they are at entirely different stages of the business startup process. Readers will meet Kevin Danna, owner of Binah Winery, who launched his boutique winery in early 2020 and is nearly two years into the incubation program. Readers will also hear from Tyson Daniels, owner of Polymer Contours. Tyson has two successful feet out the incubator door as he prepares to “graduate” from the incubation program and set up shop in a larger facility in Allentown.
Readers will also get to know family man and auto-repair shop owner, Camilo Montoya. Camilo’s inspiring story details his family’s successful transition from renters working out of an apartment garage to homeowners running two businesses on the property site of their new home.
What’s new this year
If anyone knows how the city of Allentown has been impacted by AEDC’s work, it’s Don Bernhard. Readers are introduced to this year’s content directly from the AEDC chairman himself, a leader, and supporter who has been involved with the organization for over 40 years!
And while it’s impressive to showcase what’s been accomplished thus far, the 2020/2021 report also hints at what’s in store for city redevelopment projects over the next year. The pages detailing the Urban Sites program describe three ongoing projects; how they’re reminiscent of the city’s historical past and how the projects will vastly impact the future of Allentown’s residents.
Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of Allentown’s manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and developers.
Take a look inside AEDC’s 2020/2021 Annual Report!
