Sep. 16—PITTSTON — Steve Stumbris, director of the Bucknell University's Small Business Development Center, will serve as moderator for the next season of WVIA's Keystone Edition Business.

Ina news release, WVIA, the PBS and NPR affiliate for northeastern and central Pennsylvania, announced that Stumbris takes on the role after local entrepreneur Kristopher B. Jones served as moderator for the first two seasons of the program.

"It was an amazing honor to serve as host of Keystone Edition Business for two seasons and work side-by-side with an incredible staff of WVIA producers and media professionals," Jones said. "I'm excited for Steve Stumbris as the new host and know that he will have the requisite support to thrive."

WVIA President and CEO Carla McCabe said WVIA is grateful to Jones for building the Keystone Edition Business brand.

"With his energy and insights, Keystone Edition Business became a must-watch program for the business community and aspiring entrepreneurs," McCabe said . "We look forward to this new chapter and are thrilled to welcome Steve, whose experience and expertise have helped thousands of Pennsylvania businesses to start and grow."

Stumbris said he is excited to be joining WVIA and he looks forward to sharing the stories of business leaders and vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems across Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania as the moderator of Keystone Edition Business.

"The Commonwealth's rich history of industry is matched only by the burgeoning new innovations that are driving the economic development of the future," Stumbris said.

The next season of Keystone Edition Business will premiere on Monday, Oct. 10 with "The State of Business," which will highlight the current statistics and business trends in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.

The upcoming season will also cover the topics of inflation/recession, downtown businesses, locally made products, immigrant-led businesses, female founders, youth entrepreneurship, and agricultural businesses.

This season will feature the inclusion of live studio audiences and questions for each of the program tapings. Reservations are free but limited and can be made at — wvia.org/events.

Stumbris has served as Director of the Bucknell SBDC since 2012. Under his leadership, the center was recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration with the SBDC Excellence and Innovation Award for Pennsylvania.

Stumbris holds a Master of Professional Studies in Community and Economic Development from Penn State University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.