MAY 15, 2017 • Vol. 28 • No. 20 • $2 SERVING BERKS, LEHIGH, NORTHAMPTON & SURROUNDING COUNTIES www.LVB.com Do mergers HOPE BY THE RIVER of hospitals boost costs, inefficiency? By WENDY SOLOMON [email protected] The national and regional trend for hospital mergers continues unabated, but at least one expert who studies health care man- agement says larger hospital systems are inefficient and lead to higher costs and lower quality. Lawton Burns, professor of health ‘In each care management hospital that at the Wharton PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND School, University Developer Jerry McAward broke ground last month on a new outdoor recreation center at 123 Lehigh Drive along Sgt. Stanley Hoffman has joined Boulevard in Lehighton. of Pennsylvania, our network, told a gathering at Commerce could flow when massive outdoor center opens in Lehighton the Lehigh Valley we have Business Coalition been able to By CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND Drive, will replace biking excursions, river rafting, a kayak on Healthcare’s [email protected] the developer’s exist- school and eventually cross country ski recent annual con- significantly A new era in outdoor recreation is ing business in Jim rentals. Plus, for the first time, he will ference there is no reduce the about to begin in Lehighton, an era that Thorpe, at the same add a retail shop. academic evidence some say will draw thousands of people time dramatically “The addition of the outdoor center that hospital con- operating per week, trigger more commerce for expanding opera- will make the town an outdoor activity solidation improves expenses.’ other borough businesses and jump- tions and offerings magnet – in addition to Jim Thorpe and cost, efficiency or — Bob Martin, St. start an underdeveloped part of the and boosting the ‘Visitors to Palmerton – by attracting hundreds of quality. Luke’s University downtown – perhaps with the opening number of employ- people [daily] into the downtown,” said “Large hospi- Health Network of even more businesses. ees by 20 percent. our facility Kathy Henderson, economic develop- tals are no more The 12,000-square-foot center for Developer Jerry need places ment director at Carbon Chamber and efficient than rafting, biking and kayaking being built McAward will offer a to stay and Economic Development in Lehighton. free-standing hospitals,” Burns said. along the Lehigh River is expected to variety of adventure “That in turn will entice more busi- “Hospitals are getting bigger and debut in late summer, remain open activities for adults, eat.’ year-round and employ 120 people, children and families — Jerry McAward, also year-round. The center, on Lehigh of all skills, including developer please see HOPE, page 10 please see MERGERS, page 7 INSIDE TODAY FEATURES INDEX Behind the List ���������������������������15 CELEBRATING OUR Briefs ��������������������������������������������4 Calendar �������������������������������������15 WOMEN OF INFLUENCE Classifieds ����������������������������������22 Focus �������������������������������������11-14 Our 20-page supplement honors the For Your Information �������������������15 most influential women in business Legal Listings ������������������������������22 in the Greater Lehigh Valley. For Liens �������������������������������������������18 Newsmakers �������������������������������16 photo galleries of all 28 Women of New Ventures ��������������������������������6 Influence and of last week’s awards Off The Clock ������������������������������23 ceremony, visit www.lvb.com/ Opinion ��������������������������������������8-9 section/photo-galleries. The Lists �������������������������������20, 21 Highmark and Lehigh Valley Health Network BETTER TOGETHER When the region’s leading health insurer and health care provider work together, you win. Our collaborative approach helps make the right care at the right time more accessible and affordable. Learn how to get more value for you and your employees at bettertogetherlv.com Highmark Blue Shield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. LVB.com Lehigh Valley Business • May 15, 2017 3 At Bartush: Seven decades and counting of eye-allure By JENNIFER HETRICK Special for Lehigh Valley Business BARTUSH SIGNS INC. Felix Bartush Sr. used money from his GI Bill to put < What: Designs and manufactures signs for businesses and himself through neon school and then started Bartush nonprofits. Signs Inc. in his mother-in-law’s garage in 1944. < Location: North Washington Street, Orwigsburg. He eventually relocated the business to North < No. of employees: 62. Washington Street in Orwigsburg, while at 9 his son < Website: www.bartush.com. Felix Bartush Jr. began helping out and today is CEO. The concepts, design, manufacturing, installation and maintenance work of Bartush Signs can be seen revival occurred in the mid-1970s through the 1980s, throughout a good portion of Pennsylvania as well as thanks in part to channel letters becoming a new norm. other states in the mid-Atlantic region. (Channel letters are internally illuminated with front, “Signs of today communicate valuable and neces- middle and back portions.) sary information through words, images and varied “But exposed neon has its own look,” Frack said. “It’s additional messages like familiarity, curiosity, temp- bright, colorful and it can be used to look both modern tation, security, well-being and excitement,” Felix and retro, as in old theater signs.” Bartush Jr. said. STILL A ROLE FOR NEON He said signs can draw people together in a com- A scarcity of neon benders such as Frack and the fragil- munity sense at churches, municipal centers and ity of the material are two reasons Bartush signs no longer schools. use neon behind plastic in channel letters – yet neon on “Our world is so fast that signs, with their images its own is still used. and concise information, are perfectly suited to Other reasons are that light-emitting diode bulbs use quickly and efficiently deliver pertinent information, far less energy and their installation requires less time either for immediate action or to store for future and skill compared to neon-bending. use,” Bartush said. “Neon is difficult to transport, and repairs are costly PLEXIGLAS and take time,” said Natalie Bartush, a manager and the The Schuylkill County company has seen the evo- daughter of Bartush Jr. lution of sign-making. Frack added there’s no substitute for the “eye-lure” of Most of its signs involved Plexiglas flat faces in neon signs, so it still has demand with interesting projects cabinets, with lamps behind them to illuminate for clients. them, in the 1950s, 1960s and majority of the 1970s. NOSTALGIA An employee, Lenny Frack, a neon tube bender, By the 1980s, electronic message boards with details CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Henry Gerhard’s skill in hand-cutting materials of all types has noted that neon signs had considerable popularity in been honed over the last 37 years at Bartush Signs in Orwigsburg. the 1930s but that this dropped in the 1960s. A neon please see BARTUSH, page 4 Dirty Dozen Brass Band May 26 Gerald Veasley The Royal Scam Cherry Poppin’ June 1 June 9 Daddies May 23 steelstacks.org 610-332-3378 Aaron Neville Robert Glasper June 16 Experiment June 21 4 Lehigh Valley Business • May 15, 2017 LVB.com BARTUSH continued from page 3 such as time and temperature were in Volume 28, Number 20 65 E. Elizabeth Ave., Suite 400 their infancy, Bartush Jr. said about what is Bethlehem, PA 18018 today’s norm. 610-807-9619 • [email protected] A niche part of the business is repairing Publisher and restoring nostalgic theater signs but Michael O’Rourke [email protected] • ext. 4112 also creating new ones with an old-time feel, Natalie Bartush said. Office Manager Cheryl Gaydos • [email protected] • ext. 4119 Bank mergers in the past few years also have led to more business, including BB&T NEWS Editor taking over National Penn Bank locations. Bill Kline • [email protected] • ext. 4115 SIGNS FOR RED ROBIN Staff Reporters Restaurants are a big market, too. Brian Pedersen • [email protected] • ext. 4108 “They’ve done signs for all of our 21 Wendy Solomon • [email protected] • ext. 4118 locations,” said Scott Welch of Red Robin- Senior Writer/Online Editor Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group based in CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Stacy Wescoe • [email protected] • ext. 4104 Upper Macungie Township. “They also did Bartush Signs has made many signs for Red Robin restaurants, including this one in Franklin County. Researcher Christopher Holland • [email protected] • ext. 4110 the sign in front of our corporate office.” true business partner, not just a vendor of creativity which is housed inside the build- In addition to main building signs, ours,” he said. ing,” said Tim Fallon, CEO of Lehigh Valley DESIGN/PRODUCTION Bartush Signs makes indoor eclectically ‘PERSONAL PRIDE’ Public Television Corp., also known as Designer John Layton designed “YUMMM” signs for all of the res- Bartush Signs created several signs PBS39. taurants which Welch oversees. for PBS39’s SteelStacks Campus in “They have seen it all, know how to deal AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT VP Audience Development “They’re service oriented, a very easy Bethlehem. with it all and have their personal pride in Zander Gambill group of professionals to work with and a “The signs represent the quality and every single project,” Fallon said. Audience Development Manager Sherry Andersen For subscription information and questions, please call 888-506-5770 These news briefs originally appeared in LVB.com’s Daily News email or as breaking news. Sign up at LVB.com.