Erie’s Front Row

On this episode of Erie's Front Row we are joined in the studio by Jacob Jones the Director of the Center for Family Business.    This week we discuss the impact of family businesses on our economy, current opportunities and challenges facing regional family businesses and the resources and services available to family businesses through the Center for Family Business.   The Center for Family Busi...

On this episode of Erie's Front Row, Colleen and Jordan are joined in the studio by Susie Snelick the President of the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College (NPRC). This week, we discuss the history of the NPRC, Susie's background and leadership of the organization, as well as the educational services and resources available to students and employers within the College's 10-county footprint.   Le...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Colleen and Jordan are joined in the studio by Olivia Burgess, Director of Collective Giving for the Erie Community Foundation, and Alec Zaphiris, Senior Account Executive at Great Lakes Insurance Group and the Vice Chair of the Emerging Erie Fund. On this episode, we discuss collective giving, the Emerging Erie Fund, and the importance of community engagement.    Le...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Colleen and Jordan are joined by Jasmine Almeida, the founder of Presque Publications a new publishing company in Erie, PA. On this episode, we discuss starting a business in Erie, the first edition of Erie Seniors and the plans Jasmine has for the future of the brand.    https://erieseniors.com/ https://presquepublications.com/  

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan and Colleen are joined by Michael Gaines the Executive Director of the Bradley H. Foulk Children's Advocacy Center of Erie County. On this episode we discuss the Children's Advocacy Center network, the services and programs that they provide our community, and the impact of the organization.     

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan and Colleen are joined in the studio by Jeremy Young, the CEO of FRC. FRC is a federal government contractor based in Erie, PA. On this episode we discuss the growth of FRC from its roots in Washington DC to relocating the headquarters to Erie PA in 2018. We discuss thoughts on growing businesses, the importance of community engagement, and the future of FRC a...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Colleen and Jordan are joined in the studio by Nick and Jessica Taylor, the founders of Menajerie Studio. Outside of Menajerie, Nick and Jessica are also leading the effort to energize Erie's film ecosystem with their work through Film Erie. In this episode, we discuss Menajerie Studios, the film ecosystem in Erie, and efforts to attract and support talent in this in...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan and Colleen are joined in the studio by Brian Gutowski, Middle School Social Science Educator and Technology Director at Erie Day School, to discuss the National Civics Bee program. The Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership is proud to partner with the US Chamber Foundation and educators across the region to present the National Civics Bee regional comp...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan and Colleen are joined in the studio by Jeff Parnell. Jeff specializes in helping business owners prepare for a major transition in their business, whether growth, acquisition, or selling. This week, we discuss the signs that business might need a transition, how to prepare for that, and best practices for a successful transition.    Your can look for Jeff's u...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan is joined by Kahla Maguire and Curtis Jones from the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership to discuss the new Diverse Business Scholarship Program available to small businesses in Erie County. On this episode, we discuss eligibility, benefits, expectations of participants, and the process to apply.    Learn more here - https://eriepa.com/Diverse_Busines...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan is joined by Colleen Dougherty. Colleen is in an exciting new shared role between the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership and InfiniteErie, Regional Collaboration and Economic Development. On this episode we introduce Colleen to the audience, discuss the new partnership between Infinite Erie and the ERCGP, and what people can expect coming out of this...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan is joined by Kahla Maguire. Kahla is the new Director of Membership at the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership.  On this episode, we introduce Kahla to our audience and hear about her new role at the organization.

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan is joined by Bobbie and Soven Shrivastav, founders of Solvrays. Solvrays is an AI-driven orchestration platform modernizing insurance operations by automating complex workflows across legacy and modern systems. Solvrays was a participant in the 2025 cohort of the FIRE Accelerator presented by Erie Insurance and ValueMomentum.   Solvrays Website - https://www.s...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan is joined by Drew Watkins and Kevin Mallory, the founders of Ella. Ella is an Erie-based startup building a collaborative workbench to allow trusted advisors to "go from intake to insight in a fraction of the time" while assisting their clients in the business transition process. Ella was an observer in the 2025 cohort of the FIRE Accelerator presented by Erie...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan is joined by the founders of Obai, Kameron Seabrook and Justin Fields. Obai is building a technology that works with Insurance carriers to navigate Catastrophic events. Obai has built a technology that brings every participant in the auto claim process together onto the same tool to coordinate action. Obai graduated from the 2025 cohort of the FIRE Accelerator...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan is joined in the studio by Lydia Floyd and Ami Patel co-founders of InsureScope. InsureScope has built an AI-Powered tool allowing Insurance professionals to analyze coverage in minutes, compare policies instantly, and build a knowledge base to share expertise across the business. InsureScope is a participant in the 2025 Cohort of the FIRE Accelerator presente...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jordan interviews Chris Lantinen the Director of the PennWest Edinboro's branch of the NWPA Innovation Beehive Network, and Katie Schaible, Program Director at Bridgeway Capital. On this episode, we discuss the NWPA Made program and the resources that are available to Maker Entrepreneurs in the region.    https://nwpamade.org/

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jake and Jordan are joined in the studio by the founders of Local Dutch. Local Dutch is based in the Netherlands and operates Urban Farm Markets, featuring fresh produce and indoor agriculture. Local Dutch was awarded a Pennsylvania Agriculture Innovation Grant and is considering Erie for one of its locations. 

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jake and Jordan are joined in the studio by friend of the show, Chuck Peters. In this episode, we discuss Chuck's journey as a business and community leader across media, technology, and development. We discuss the critical role that leaders play within organizations and how we can operate and make the most of the assets available in our community. 

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jake and Jordan are joined in the studio by Ryan Palm, the Executive Director of the Brad McGarry Center for Neurodiversity at Mercyhurst University. In this episode, we introduce the audience to Ryan and discuss the services available to neurodivergent students at Mercyhurst University.   Mercyhurst has a rich history of supporting neurodivergent students. You can l...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jake and Jordan are joined in the studio by Benton C. Bainbridge, an artist and entrepreneur in Erie. In this episode, we interview Benton about his life and career, which started in Erie, saw him around the world twice with the Beastie Boys, and has recently brought him back.    Benton C. Bainbridge is the Founder of Feed Media Art Center, https://www.feed.art/ , a...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jake and Jordan are joined by Christopher Harben, D.S.L.. Chris is the Toudy Chair of Entrepreneurship and Family Business, Academic Director for the Center for Family Business, and an Associate Teaching Professor at PennState Behrend. On this episode we discuss family business and the resources available to them through the Center for Family Business and the economi...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jake and Jordan are joined in the studio by Sarah Hanks, the new President and CEO of the Northwest Industrial Resource Center (NWIRC). On this episode we get to know Sarah, the services of the NWIRC, and the importance of the manufacturing industry in our region. 

This week Jake and Jordan are joined in the studio by Erie-based filmmaker, John C Lyons. On this episode we discuss the film-making process, the economic value of the film industry, and Erie's arts and culture scene.    Check out these events if you are listening around release - FILM 10|20: https://www.filmerie.org/film1020 Film Erie new weekly series of thought-provoking films. Wednesdays start...

This week on Erie's Front Row, Jake and Jordan are joined in the studio by the three generations of leadership at Moore Research. In this special episode Jake and Jordan interview Peggy Moore, Founder of Moore Research, Colleen Moore Mezler, President and CEO, and Lindsay Bach-Moore, Director of Research and Insights. We discuss the history of the company, how market research has changed over the...