The Berks-Mont Business Association (BMBA), Inc. is a non-profit networking organization that serves business owners throughout Berks and Montgomery Counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. Operating from a mailing address at PO Box 862 in Boyertown, PA 19512, the association works under the motto "Connecting Community & Commerce," a phrase that reflects its dual focus on helping member businesses grow and strengthening the towns and neighborhoods those businesses serve.
BMBA is a member-powered organization rather than a staffed chamber with a storefront office. Its activity comes from the participation of local business owners, managers and employees who attend meetings, serve on committees, sponsor events and refer work to one another. The association's formal governing documents, its by-laws, were adopted on January 5, 2000, and were last amended on May 3, 2017, placing the group's founding at the start of the century and giving it more than two decades of continuous operation in the Boyertown area.
Membership and How It Works
Membership in BMBA is organizational rather than individual, meaning that when a business joins, the benefits extend to all employees of that business. Renewals run on the calendar year. All new members must be reviewed and approved by the board of directors, a step that helps the association maintain a directory of businesses actively engaged in the community.
Members receive a free listing in the online membership directory, which is organized into 27 categories covering fields such as accounting, contractors, health and wellness, restaurants, non-profits and senior living services. Other standard benefits include group advertising opportunities, member-to-member discounts, discounted exhibitor rates at BMBA events and access to advertising in the association's publication, Berks-Mont Connections.
Monthly Breakfast Meetings
The core rhythm of the association is its monthly membership breakfast, held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Friendship Hook & Ladder Fire Company, 10 Warwick Street, Boyertown, PA 19512. Meetings typically begin at 7:30am and usually feature a guest speaker, drawn either from the membership itself or from outside organizations with information relevant to local business owners. Attendees are encouraged to bring business cards, as card drawings determine who may be invited to present at a future meeting. The breakfast format gives members a predictable, recurring opportunity to trade leads, introduce new staff and learn what other businesses in the region are working on.
Philadelphia Avenue Street Fair
BMBA's signature public event is the Philadelphia Avenue Street Fair, held each June in Boyertown. The fair brings vendors, exhibitors and a full lineup of entertainment to the borough's main commercial corridor and draws visitors from across the Boyertown Area School District and surrounding communities. Member businesses receive a discounted exhibitor rate, making the fair one of the more tangible returns on annual dues for retailers, service providers and non-profits that want direct contact with the public. A standing Philadelphia Avenue Street Fair committee handles planning and logistics.
Boyertown Wine Walks
The Boyertown Wine Walks are seasonal, themed evening events that run from 5PM to 8PM, with a rain date scheduled for each. Registration includes a drinking cup, a wristband and a guide to the participating businesses along the route. More than 150 participants typically visit each stop, bringing foot traffic into downtown shops and offices that might not otherwise see evening customers. The Wine Walks also carry a charitable component: three non-profit organizations, selected through an application process, receive donation checks the following January.
Active BMBA member businesses can take part in several ways. Participating locations may serve wine, with hosts asked to plan for roughly 300 registrants, or partner with another business on food pairings. Members can also sponsor goody bags for the first 150 participants or underwrite activities and musical entertainment along the route. Registrations for each walk are due no later than two weeks in advance and are submitted by email to boyertownwinewalk@gmail.com.
Berks-Mont Connections Magazine
The association publishes Berks-Mont Connections, a full color magazine that reaches an estimated 20,000 readers. Approximately 19,500 copies are mailed directly into homes and businesses within the Boyertown Area School District, giving advertisers saturation coverage of a defined local market. All advertising pricing includes creative design and proofing, and BMBA members receive a 15 percent discount on rates.
Committees, Volunteering and Additional Programs
Much of the association's work is carried out by standing committees, and members are encouraged to join one. Current committees include:
- Charity Auction
- Finance
- Membership and Member Benefits
- Marketing
- Philadelphia Avenue Street Fair
- Social
- Special Events
- Wine Walk
The association notes that members who volunteer on committees or serve on the board of directors consistently report the greatest return on their membership, largely because committee work creates sustained working relationships among business owners.
Other programs include an annual charity auction, which raises funds for community causes, and Shadowing Day, an initiative that connects local participants with member businesses for firsthand exposure to how those operations run. Members may also submit their own events for review and approval to be posted on the BMBA online community calendar, extending the reach of individual business promotions to the association's broader audience.
Member-to-Member Discounts
BMBA maintains a member-to-member discount program, with special offers available at participating businesses listed in the directory, including The State Theatre. Because membership covers an entire organization, any employee of a member business may take advantage of these discounts, which range across retail, entertainment and professional services.
Leadership
The 2025 officers of the Berks-Mont Business Association are:
- President: Vicki Kriczky, The Residence at Boyertown
- Vice President: Tess Melchior, Herb Realty
- Treasurer: Angie Zern, Wren and Co
- Secretary: Alicia Dinnell, Boyertown YMCA
The officer roster reflects the mix of industries represented in the membership, spanning senior living, real estate, retail and non-profit community services.
Contact and Service Area
BMBA serves businesses located in Berks County and Montgomery County, with its most concentrated activity centered on Boyertown and the surrounding Boyertown Area School District. Correspondence and membership applications are directed to PO Box 862, Boyertown, PA 19512. Prospective members are generally welcome to attend a monthly breakfast meeting to learn more about the organization before applying.