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Tag: iXchange

iXchange honors outgoing Ben Franklin Technology Partners CEO R. Chadwick Paul

Ben Franklin Technology Partners retiring CEO Chad Paul, left, and new CEO Angelo Valletta on Chad Paul Way, a newly dedicated private street alongside Ben Franklin TechVentures in Bethlehem. PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania said goodbye to its outgoing president and CEO in style Tuesday at its annual iXchange event. Not only did R. Chadwick Paul get a private road named in his honor, but a large meeting and conference room and the organization’s Innovation Award also got his name.

Under Paul’s leadership, the Ben Franklin TechVentures incubator/post incubator on Lehigh University’s Goodman Campus in Bethlehem grew in three steps, from 18,000 square feet to 129,000 square feet. Paul raised $16.4 million to fund these massive expansions. That and his many other accomplishments were celebrated at the iXchange.

The iXchange was also an opportunity to welcome BFTNP’s new president and CEO, Angelo Valletta.

Valletta honored a number of local tech leaders at the virtual event with the organization’s 26th annual Innovation Awards.

“These are businesses and individuals who, through Ben Franklin’s funding and assistance, have achieved business success, have helped other businesses achieve success or who have improved their companies through innovation,” he said.

The Entrepreneurial Achievement Award went to OPTiMO of Bloomsburg and Michael Miguelez, its founder and CEO.

The R. Chadwick Paul, Jr. Incubator Graduate Award went to ChannelApe of Scranton and Mike Averto, CEO, and Jason DePietropaolo, COO.

The Product Innovation Award went to Signallamp Health, Inc. of Scranton and its co-founders Drew Kearney and Andrew Goldberg.

The Innovative Application of Technology Award went to SOLO Laboratories, Inc. of Kutztown, and Lindsay Sokol Szejko, CEO; Jonathan Naugle, owner, R&D Engineer; and Jaimyn Sokol Westenhoefer, owner and president.

The Manufacturing Achievement Award went to Effort Foundry, Inc. of Bath, Charles D. Hamburg, CEO; and William C. Easterly, president.

The Frederick J. Beste III Partnership Award went to Eugene A. Lucadamo, the retired director of industry research engagement at Lehigh University, Bethlehem.

More than 330 registered for Ben Franklin’s annual iXchange.

iXchange rescheduled for next May

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania has rescheduled its annual iXchange event for May 18 of next year. The event, originally set for May 12 of this year, was called off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

iXchange, which is held each year at the Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, will feature a keynote speech by innovation coach Robert B. Tucker and a tribute to retiring president and CEO, R. Chadwck Paul, who has led the organization for more than 18 years.

Winners of the innovation awards, which were announced in February, will also be honored at next May’s event.

The winners are:

The purpose of the innovation awards are to congratulate winners on their success and achievement, to highlight the effectiveness of the Ben Franklin program, and to inform entrepreneurs and established manufacturers about the resources that are available to them in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners names 2020 Innovation Award winners

Last year’s iXchange at Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem. PHOTO/FILE –

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania announced the winners of this year’s Innovation Awards.

The Entrepreneurial Achievement Award went to OPTiMO of Bloomsburg and its founder, Michael Miguelez. The company delivers IT solutions to legal, corporate and government clients nationwide. Starting with two staffers 10 years ago, OPTiMO now has a staff of 68 and has doubled its revenue in the last five years.

The Incubator Graduate Award went to ChannelApe of Scranton and its COO, Jason DePietropaolo. The company is a modern warehousing and fulfillment company that has built a fulfillment network used by some top direct-to-consumer brands such as Rothy’s and Allbirds.

Signallamp Health Inc. of Scranton and co-founders Drew Kearney and Andrew Goldberg, won the Product Innovation Award. For healthcare organizations, Signallamp expands capacity, improves quality, and generates new net revenue. SLH serves more than 25,000 patients across seven health systems, dozens of group practices, and ten states.

The Innovative Application of Technology Award was awarded to SOLO Laboratories Inc. of Kutztown and its CEO, Lindsay Sokol Szeiko. SOLO Laboratories has manufactured custom prescription orthotics for podiatrists and medical professionals since 1983.

Ben Franklin invested $44,500 in SOLO in 2019 and connected it with Lehigh University’s Center for Supply Chain Research to increase facility capacity and identify process improvements and additional quality measures. After implementing the recommendations, SOLO enhanced fixtures, improved efficiency, and realized a reduction in lead times of 14%.

The Manufacturing Achievement Award went to Effort Foundry in Bath and Charles Hamburg, CEO and William Easterly, president.

Effort Foundry is a supplier of high-integrity steel castings for the pump, power generation, and military industries.

Working with BFPNEPA and Lehigh University’s Enterprise Systems Center the company significantly increased its bottom line from 2018 to 2019, increasing last year’s employment by 5% to 81.

The Frederick J. Beste III Partnership Award went to Eugene Lucadamo, the retired director of industry research engagement at Lehigh University in Bethlehem.

The awards, presented to the businesses and individuals who have achieved success through Ben Franklin funding and assistance, helped others to achieve success, or improved their businesses through innovation, will be presented at the iXchange event May 12 at Lehigh University’s Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem.

The purpose of the innovation awards are to congratulate winners on their success and achievement, to highlight the effectiveness of the Ben Franklin program, and to inform entrepreneurs and established manufacturers about the resources that are available to them in northeastern Pennsylvania.

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