Bedford County Chamber of Commerce
125 South Juliana Street  |  Bedford, PA 15522
Phone: (814) 623-2233   |   Fax: (814) 623-6089
Email: info@bedfordcountychamber.org

Mission Statement:          
The Bedford County          
Chamber of Commerce          
involves and unifies          
our members to promote          
continuous improvement          
of the business climate          
in our region.         
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About Charlie Batch

Charlie Batch is an NFL quarterback, community advocate, author, media personality and professional speaker who takes his “Expect Your Best” message to audiences across the country at Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations, universities and more.

Charlie motivates and inspires with his personal stories of loss, perseverance and victories on and off the field, and audiences leave his sessions excited about their own potential as he shares with them his 10 proven ways to start winning today.

Charlie’s NFL career spanned 15 years, 60 touchdowns and more than 11,000 passing yards. He was drafted in the second round as a starting quarterback by the Detroit Lions in 1998 from Eastern Michigan University, where he had set numerous school and MAC conference records. In 2002, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as back-up quarterback and was instrumental in critical game wins that led the team to two Super Bowls XL & XLII.

His leadership within the NFL extended far beyond the gridiron to include positions as the Vice President, Executive Committee for the NFL Players Association and NFL Spokesperson for the United Way. In retirement, he has continued to be a respected strategist in the NFL, providing game commentary for national sports outlets including CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, SiriusXM NFL Radio and Yahoo! Sports. Locally, he’s a frequent guest on Pittsburgh’s WDVE Morning Show and broadcasts WPIALL games in partnership with KDKA-TV Sports.

Today, Charlie continues to be active in all aspects of the game. At the same time, he has established himself as community advocate, philanthropist and public speaker. In 1999, he created the Best of the Batch Foundation, which gives Pittsburgh city kids a safe place to learn and grow. The Foundation includes a summer basketball league that teaches good sportsmanship and life skills; year-long reading and computer literacy programs; a Batchpacks for Kids school supply program, and much more.

In addition to his own foundation, Charlie serves on multiple boards including the Strong Women Strong Girls National Advisory Board, the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, and the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, among others. In just the past year, he has been awarded the 2013 United Way of Allegheny County Outstanding Campaign Volunteer of the Year, the Byron “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year Award, and the Baptist Ministries Conference Award “Hero in the Midst.” Also in 2013, he was presented with an honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service from Washington & Jefferson College.

Charlie’s football career began at the age of 7, when he first took to the field for the Steel Valley Midget Association. A graduate of Steel Valley High School and a native of Homestead, Pennsylvania, (a suburb of Pittsburgh), Charlie continues to reside there with his wife and their five dogs. Through his foundation, the Best of the Batch, as well as countless other community projects, he has become widely known as a service leader who gives back to his hometown.
Photo Courtesy: Bedford County Historical Society
About John Anderson:  Dr. John Anderson was one of the most distinguished citizens of early Bedford, Pennsylvania.  He discovered mineral springs (long known by the Native Americans) and purchased the property now known as the Bedford Springs Resort in 1796, just two years after President George Washington quelled the Whiskey Rebellion nearby.  As more and more visitors came to the Bedford Springs to “take in the waters” Dr. Anderson built a hotel to house them.  With its growing list of distinguished clientele, the Bedford Springs gained a reputation as a luxury destination.  It was home to one of the first golf courses in America, as well as one of the first indoor pools, fed by the spring water. 

By the 1820’s, the resort was being frequented by the most influential families in America, including President James Buchanan, who designated the property his “summer White House.”  In all, twelve presidents have been welcomed to the Bedford Springs Resort, including six who visited while in office:  Presidents Taylor, Buchanan, Taft, Polk, Harding and Eisenhower.  Not far from the resort, Dr. Anderson’s home in downtown Bedford housed the first bank between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, for which he served as President. (1) Later, the in-town brick building became the home of the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce office for nearly two decades. John Anderson’s impact on our community in the areas of commerce, medicine, tourism, education and leadership has inspired this Distinguished Speaker Series, and the Chamber is proud to honor a founding father of Bedford through this valuable program.

 
About the Bedford County Chamber Foundation:  The Bedford County Chamber Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2000 with the mission of providing unique educational programs to benefit the adults and students of the Bedford County region.  The Foundation endeavors to offer servant leadership development opportunities, career exploration events and resources, work ethic cultivation and literacy programs, as well as individual grants to enhance the curriculum of public schools.  Funding for the Chamber Foundation comes from ever-decreasing EITC donations (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) as well as private donations, community grants and periodic fundraising projects.  The Distinguished Speaker Series is designed to raise much-needed funds for Foundation programs while also offering educational and inspirational events for the business community of the Bedford County region.
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Tim & Bobbi Weaverling