A LOVE STORY ABOUT BERKS COUNTY

As a life long resident of Berks, I was

asked this week to say a few words about raising a family here and home

ownership as the HBA (Home Builders Association) is being recognized for

their 60th anniversary in Berks. Schlouch Incorporated has been a

member of the HBA for 34 years and growing.

My response- What's not to love about Berks County???

I was blessed to grow up on our Grandparent's family farm (still operating by my cousin today) located in

Brecknock Township. My family dates back to arriving in Berks as

farmers in the 1700's. My Grandparent's taught me the importance of

taking care of your community as I watched them give back to the

Alleghenyville Church through Turkey suppers, summer picnics, singing in

the choir for 70 years, serving on the school board / Township

supervisor and helping the local fire company. My teenage sweetheart,

Deb and I were married at the Alleghenyville Church in 1976.

By the time I graduated from Governor Mifflin High School in 1975, I

was proficient in farming, operating equipment, understood the

importance of people, process and efficiency to make a profit to sustain

a business. Throughout Reading and Berks, we are blessed with the

best schools and colleges. My first college credit came from attending

Penn State Berks Campus in 1976 as a young aspiring surveyor at the

time. My wife, Deb and daughter, Stayce both attended RACC. Our company

invests in our employees on a continuous basis to further their

education at the local colleges. Deb and I were blessed to start

our small excavating company out of the basement of our home right here

in Berks with $2,000 in 1983. 34 years later, we're now a full service

heavy civil site preparation company, ranked the #1 Best Place to Work

in PA, employ 270 talented and dedicated employees and completed well

over $1 Billion in business in PA.

In closing, what really speaks

volumes about Berks is the fact that both of our children, Barry Jr and

Stayce reside in their own homes with their family and are building

prosperous careers in Berks County, and we have our first Grandchild on

the way.

AMEN FOR THE BLESSINGS OF BERKS...