Wyomissing, Pa. – Customers Bank congratulates Kutztown University on being named the new lead center for the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center (PASBDC) network.
Recently, it was announced that Kutztown University was selected as the new lead center for the PASBDC network from a pool of five applicants. For the past 37 years, the lead center for the network was located at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
“This is a great honor for Kutztown University’s SBDC,” said Richard “Dick” Ehst, president and COO of Customers Bank. “Customers Bank has worked with the Kutztown University SBDC since the bank’s founding in 2009 and we know first-hand the high-quality of service and professionalism the center provides to its clients.”
Beginning this year, Customers Bank will support Kutztown University’s and the PASBDC’s network by providing $52,500 cash match to support 7 graduate student stipends at $7,500 per student, per year. Kutztown University matches Customers Bank’s support dollar for dollar with tuition waivers. To receive the award, students are required to work 600 hours per year in the SBDC lead center.
In addition to Customers Bank’s financial contributions, members of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) team and David W. Patti, Special Assistant to the President at Customers Bank, will be contributing time to support the SBDC. Patti will serve as the State Advisory Board Chair for the PASBDC.
Customers Bank has a strong record of supporting its community and regional organizations focused on education, veterans, low income housing, and financial education. Some of the organizations and programs Customers Bank has recently worked with include the Jump Start Incubator, a partnership between Berks County Community Foundation and Kutztown University’s Small Business Development Center; the Leon H. Sullivan Charitable STEP-UP Scholarship; Berks County Community Foundation’s Veterans Center Fund; Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia and EverFI.
For additional information about Customers Bank and its financial products, please visit www.CustomersBank.com.
