Jan. 23—Fleetwood Bank

Spiro Kasapidis, Shillington, has been hired as a vice president, commercial loan officer. He comes to Fleetwood Bank with over 20 years in the banking and commercial lending industry. He will be based in the Wyomissing Office, assisting business customers in Berks County and surrounding markets. He will be helping customers with commercial real estate loans, working capital lines of credit, construction, industrial and equipment financing. Spiro's efforts will be geared to helping community businesses grow and thrive.

He is a graduate of West Chester University where he received a bachelor's degree in finance.

Kasapidis has been active in numerous community organizations in Berks County throughout his career, and is currently seeking an active role on a local board in Berks County, serving in a capacity that adds value and reciprocates success within the Community. Spiro resides in Shillington.

Travis Lehr, Lancaster, has been hired as a vice president, commercial loan officer. He has nearly 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. Most recently, he was senior vice president of consumer & small business sales at Fulton Bank where he led a team of more than 155 managers and associates in 25 branch locations across Berks, Montgomery, Lebanon, Schuylkill, Dauphin and Cumberland Counties with indirect oversight to the Commercial Banking, Wealth Management &and Mortgage Banking departments. He has also held roles in Risk Management and Small Business with Santander Bank and PNC Bank in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania.

Lehr earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Penn State University.

Members 1st

Jeff Ernst has been named chief lending officer as of Jan. 3, following the retirement of CLO Karen Christian in December.

In his new role, Ernst will ensure that Members 1st maintains its strong lending infrastructure. He will oversee all aspects of the credit union's lending efforts including but not limited to member service, achievement of the credit union's lending goals, the loan pipeline, service levels and numerous software systems.

Ernst has worked in the underwriting, lending and risk management field for over 30 years, having spent 25 of those years in management. Prior to being named CLO, Ernst served as the credit union's senior vice president of consumer lending for five years.

Ernst joined the credit union in 2016. He holds master's degree and bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from Shippensburg University.

Reading Public Library

Melissa J. Adams has been named executive director. In her role, Adams will oversee the operations of the Main Library and three branches as well outreach services and a growing digital footprint. She was formerly library director of Muhlenberg Community Library

Adams earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Kutztown University, a master's degree in from Hunter College and master's degree in library and information science from Florida State University

Reading Hospital Foundation

Tony Balistrere has been named director of development, effective Dec. 20, Stacey Cole has been named director of stewardship and special projects, effective Jan. 3, and Melissa Karas has been promoted to senior director, Foundation Operations, effective Aug. 24.

In his role, Balistrere is responsible for supporting Reading Hospital Foundation's fundraising including the major gifts program, planned giving, donor events, and special fundraising initiatives.

Prior to joining Reading Hospital Foundation, Balistrere served as deputy superintendent for Catholic Education with the Diocese of Allentown where he was responsible for the oversight of 36 schools, was directly responsible for the seven diocesan high school principals, and facilitated multiple endowment gifts. Balistrere also served as principal at Berks Catholic High School; director of institutional advancement and assistant director of development at Holy Name High School; executive sales representative for Aventis Pharmaceuticals; and a science teacher at Waynesboro Area Middle School. He is also an active member of the community serving on the Board of Directors for 18th Wonder Association, Alvernia University President's Advisory Council, Reading Berks Basketball Association Board Member, and is a member of St. Ignatius Loyola Parish.

He received his masters in educational leadership from Alvernia University and his bachelor's degree in biology from Susquehanna University.

Cole works collaboratively with foundation team members to support donor cultivation and demonstrate the positive impact of philanthropy. She will work to strengthen and develop partnerships with community organizations, schools, and universities to initiate and facilitate fundraisers to benefit the mission of RHF.

In her most recent role, before joining RHF, she worked as the director of annual giving at Alvernia University where she created their annual giving day campaign "All In For Alvernia," oversaw the direct mail program, refreshed their class giving program, and managed the annual athletics giving competition. She also served as the associate director, The Hill Fund and The 1851 Society at The Hill School; associate director, senior class and young alumni at Lehigh University; and area coordinator at Arcadia University. She is also a volunteer with the Animal Rescue League of Berks County.

Cole received her certification in project management from Alvernia University, a master's degree in education from Alvernia University and her bachelor's degree in sociology and criminal justice from York College.

Karas manages the annual gift program and leads day-to-day operations in support of fundraising and donor relations efforts for RHF. She also leads governance planning, monitoring of data quality, and oversees all administrative functions for gift processing including documentation in support of tax filings, and financials reconciliation functions.

Prior to this role Karas served as the director of annual giving for Reading Hospital Foundation. In this role she coordinated and led the leadership annual giving program, managed the direct response mail program, and develop an employee giving campaign.

She received a certification in project management from Alvernia University, a master's degree in public administration in non-profit, public, and organization management, and a bachelor's degree in telecommunications and minors in public relations and speech communication from Kutztown University. She is a volunteer for the Exeter Area Food Pantry and Exeter High School Boys Soccer Boosters Club.

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