In 2014, Karen Kenderdine became both the president and the treasurer of Downtown Shenandoah Inc.
In May, the Pine Grove woman who is the vice president and relationship manager at FNB Wealth Management, Pottsville, also became the president and the treasurer of the Pottsville Business Association.
“I think it’s because I work for a financial institution,” Kenderdine, 54, said Tuesday.
She added, “We have a lot of active members, but they include a lot of small-business owners and it’s very difficult for some to do the extra paperwork.”
“She volunteered to do it and graciously accepted it,” PBA Vice President Carmen A. DiCello, 81, owner of Towne Drugs and Yorkville Drugs, Pottsville, said.
“And while I may have the title of president, at PBA, we’re all part of the effort, we’re all one. We’re all working together. There’s no one person making a decision. We’re a committed group. So, while as president I may run the meetings and put the agendas together, it’s a collection of minds and people who are running the organization,” Kenderdine said.
“I totally agree,” DiCello said.
Looking ahead, Kenderdine said the PBA is working to develop new events, including a Brew Fest in 2017.
The PBA, which was incorporated in 1905, has gone through a few changes in the past year as its members worked to chart its future. In July, it reorganized and appointed new administrators. In September, it severed its management agreement with the Pottsville Area Development Corp.
In April, its president since July, John Plachko, stepped down from the post because he took a new job that changed his schedule. In January, he became a territory sales manager for Greenfiber.
So in May, the PBA decided to reorganize its board once again.
In July, Kenderdine was named board secretary. At the May meeting, she was named treasurer and president.
DiCello remained vice president. Patricia Setlock was named secretary and public relations representative. Kelly Motuk also was named secretary, DiCello said.
PBA now has 16 member directors. They include: Kenderdine, DiCello, Motuk, Setlock, Plachko, Angela Mestishen Regnier, James Bohorad, Chris Hohman, Edward C. Keyworth III, Elaine Stine, Jerry Labooty, Karen Wood, Patrick J. Murphy, Rich Torpey, Matt DiRenzo and Gene Breines.
In late December, PBA started to develop a logo.
Unveiled in March, it’s a red dot. Inside the dot is a picture of the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Garfield Square. It includes a black border featuring the organization’s name in white letters.
DiCello worked on it with his nephew, Joe Bosack, owner of Joe Bosack & Co, a marketing firm based in Pottsville, and Torpey, president of Eastern Press, Pottsville.
Also in March, the PBA unveiled a flyer and a membership application for the 2015-16 fiscal year. The cover features the logo and the tag line: “It’s your community. It’s your business. Join PBA!”
It includes the organization’s address: Pottsville Business Association, P.O. Box 663, Pottsville, PA 17901. Also included was the PADCO offices phone number: 570-628-4647.
“We’re developing a new working relationship with PADCO,” DiCello said.
In late April, the nonprofit PADCO hired a new executive director, Brad C. Dixon, Frackville.
The PBA has a page on Facebook, “Pottsville, Pennsylvania Sponsored by Pottsville Business Association,” as well as an email account, pba1@gmx.com.
“Our website is still under construction,” Kenderdine said.
This month, The Republican-Herald started publishing a page with special advertising rates for PBA members, Mike Joyce, director of advertising at the newspaper, said Tuesday.
“It’s called ‘PBA Update’ and it will run the first Thursday of each month. The first run was June 2. It is a partnership with the newspaper and PBA to help promote the organization, where we are a member. We were happy with the first page and expect the feature to grow in the future. And yes, PBA members receive a discounted advertising rate to participate in the program,” Joyce said.
In late December, PBA had 130 members.
“Now, the number of members we have in PBA is 163,” Kenderdine said Wednesday.
DiCello said he’s hoping the organization can get up to 200 this year.
The organization meets at 8 a.m. on the second Thursday of the month on the second floor of Union Station.