ANIZDA Board of Directors
Steven K. Bamford
Staff
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Steve Bamford is Executive Director of ANIZDA. He has over 25 years of experience in economic development, urban redevelopment, brownfield redevelopment, real estate, construction, location incentives, public finance, government relations, and marketing.
Prior to joining ANIZDA he held a variety of positions in both the public and private sectors including serving as Executive Director of Pottstown Area Industrial Development, Inc.; Senior Manager in the state and local tax practice of Ernst & Young, LLP; Vice President of Operations for the Allentown Economic Development Corporation; Executive Director of the Allentown Commercial and Industrial Development Authority; Vice President/Special Projects at the New Castle County (DE) Economic Development Corporation; and Economic Development Specialist for the City of Reading, PA. He began his career as a commercial real estate salesman.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Business Administration from Ursinus College and earned a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Delaware.
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Michelle Reid
Staff
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Michelle Reid is the Executive Assistant at ANIZDA. She began her economic development career as the Prototype Economic Associate for the Business Outreach Program between Pennsylvania State University and Bell of Pennsylvania in cooperation with local chambers of commerce.
She worked on a year-long economic development project specific to Berks County, Pennsylvania. Following that she was the Business Development Associate for the Reading Center City and Greater Berks Development Funds, assisting in recruiting business to Berks County and maintaining an inventory of available sites and properties. She serves on various civic committees and leadership teams in her local community. She has a B.A. in broadcast journalism with a minor in economics from Pennsylvania State University.
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Nelson A. Diaz
Board
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Nelson A. Diaz founded and owns Mi Casa Properties where he acquires, rehabilitates and manages single, multi-family and commercial properties in urban areas of Lehigh County.
Previously he worked at PPL Electric Utilities as a Project Manager in the Nuclear Department and for Design and Project Engineers in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Mr. Diaz also serves on the Board of Directors of Sacred Heart Hospital, Hispanic American Organization, Allentown Chamber of Commerce and was appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs by Governors Corbett and Wolf. Nelson was awarded the “Good Turn Award” by the Minsi Trails Council Boy Scouts of America for establishing an educational partnership between PPL Electric Utilities and Allentown’s inner-city schools.
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Lewis Edwards
Treasurer
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Lewis Edwards is Vice President for Small Business and Commercial Lending for Lehigh Financial Group LLC. He provides a knowledge-based approach to providing clients innovative real estate capital solutions. For over thirty years, he has been a noteworthy leader and professional in the Greater Lehigh Valley.
Prior to joining Lehigh Financial Group, he was Vice President at Allentown Economic Development Corporation.
He is currently a member of the YMCA Allentown board and has demonstrated his commitment to leadership and diversity as a board member, mentor and facilitator to countless organizations including The Office of Minority and Women Business Owners, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Lenders Peer Review Committee and Community Action Development Corporation Allentown.
He holds a B.S. degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University.
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Dr. Ann Bieber
Board
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Dr. Ann Bieber is the President of Lehigh Carbon Community College. She is the senior higher education administrator with more than 30 years of progressive experience and proven ability to lead teams, develop programs, promote economic development, deliver cost and efficiency improvements, cultivate donors, acquire alternative funding and achieve record-setting revenue growth.
She is involved in many organizations including a member of the board of directors of Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board, Lehigh Valley Economic Development, KidsPeace, DaVinci science Center, Futuros Empresarios (FE) Foundation, Manufacturing Resources Center, Century Promise and Lehigh Valley Community Foundation Board Associates.
She holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Cedar Crest College, a M.P.A. in Public Administration from Kutztown University and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Capella University.
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Tiffany Polek
Board
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Tiffany Polek is the principal of Mosser Elementary in the Allentown School District. Previously, she was the assistant principal and elementary teacher in various schools in the Allentown School District.
Ms. Polek also serves as a board member of Mosser Village Family Center. Ms. Polek earned a M.Ed in educational leadership from Lehigh University, a B.A. in Psychology and an Elementary Education Certificate from Cedar Crest College.
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John D. Stanley
VICE CHAIRMAN
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John D. Stanley is the retired senior vice president, general counsel and chief administrative officer at Air Products.
In his role, he was responsible for the company’s Law, Corporate Secretary, Corporate Risk, Information Technology, Global Business Support Services, Human Resources, Communications, Government Relations, Mergers and Acquisitions and Corporate Security functions. He also served as the company’s chief compliance officer.
Prior to joining Air Products, he served as a federal judicial clerk with the Honorable Norma Shapiro and practiced employment law at Drinker, Biddle and Reath in Philadelphia.
He is a member of the Board of Trustees at De Sales University, Lehigh Valley Health Network and the Community Music School Endowment Fund. He also serves on the boards of directors of the Lehigh Valley Partnership and Lehigh Valley Industrial Park. In addition, he chairs the Advisory Council for Building 21.
He holds a B.A degree in History from Lafayette College and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Pedro Torres
Secretary
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Pedro Torres is an Originator at The Mortgage Company, a large Lehigh Valley mortgage lender. His professional career in mortgage lending and financing field has spanned over 17 years.
Mr. Torres was one of three principles in Premier Mortgage playing a key role in business development and maintenance for that firm.
Mr. Torres serves as the Secretary of ANIZDA. In addition, he served on several boards including the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of the Lehigh Valley, Center City Allentown Redevelopment Project, Casa Guadalupe.
Mr. Torres has a B.S. in Computer Science at Pennsylvania State University with Minors in Spanish and Mathematics.
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Seymour (Sy) Traub
Chairman
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Seymour (Sy) Traub has been the Chairman of ANIZDA since its inception in 2012. Mr. Traub is the retired Senior Vice President & General Counsel of St. Luke’s University Health Network for which he continues to consult as Secretary and board member of its insurance risk retention group, where he performs general oversight of malpractice litigation.
Prior to St. Luke’s, Traub was a Senior Partner of the international law firm of Blank Rome LLP, with which he continues to maintain a relationship. Mr. Traub is Vice President and Company Counsel of KidStuff Coupon Books, a family business that produces fundraisers exclusively for schools.
Traub was the Chairman of the Board of the Allentown Economic Development Corporation for twenty years, a founding Trustee of the Fund to Benefit Children and Youth, the President of Berkleigh Country Club, a member of the boards of the Allentown Boys and Girls Club, the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra.
Mr. Traub holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from New York University, a MBA from Lehigh University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
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Stephen Breininger
Board
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Stephen K. Breininger is Vice President of Finance and Regulatory Affairs & Controller of PPL Electric Utilities Corporation. He oversees the accounting for the Pennsylvania regulated utility as well as oversees business planning, regulatory operations, government relations and facilities operations.
He is a member of the Board of Trustees and Treasurer of the DaVinci Science Center and board member of Energy Association of Pennsylvania. He has also served as Tocqueville Cabinet Member of the United Way.
He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University and a MBA in Management from DeSales University.
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