Greater Reading Chamber Alliance touts employer outreach, workforce tools for Berks County

Erin Gantz, vice president of economic development and strategy at the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, presented a high‑level economic development update to the Berks County Board of Commissioners on April 9, outlining the chamber alliance's employer outreach, industry partnerships and workforce tools.

Gantz said the GRCA's economic development team held one‑on‑one conversations in 2025 "with over 70 Berks County companies representing over 11,600 jobs," and she emphasized those conversations inform GRCA's coordinated efforts to connect employers with capital, workforce, sites and other resources. She introduced members of her team attending the meeting, including Kayla Hayek, director of business outreach and lending, and Alex Roche, director of advocacy.

Gantz said GRCA organizes work around key industries, particularly healthcare and manufacturing. She said the organization recently held its first healthcare industry partnership meeting at Drexel College of Medicine and plans a manufacturing forum later this month at the Reading School District's new innovation academy to connect manufacturers with that academic center. "Economic development is not a program. It's a system with multiple partners," Gantz said. "Our role is to meet companies where they are, connect them to resources they need to grow."

She also described a digital "meet, greet" platform and a new publication designed to help employers attract and retain talent in Berks County, and said GRCA is amplifying business needs through its Business and Community Advocacy Council and upcoming industry roundtables. The presentation was framed as alignment with county priorities; the board did not take formal action on the matters presented.