The Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce has selected a lifelong resident of the borough as this year’s Joseph M. Plasko Citizen of the Year, and a family-owned company providing service to those with disabilities as its Business of the Year.

Richard M. Hadesty Jr. is the 2019 Person of the Year. A Tamaqua Area High School graduate, he studied at Lehigh Carbon Community College, Kutztown University and St. Francis University as he worked toward earning his master’s degree.

Currently employed as social services coordinator for St. Luke’s University Health and Hospital Network at its Miners Campus in Coaldale, his past employment history includes stints at North East Counseling, the Reading County Home Berks Heim and the Hometown Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. His community involvement includes being an active member of the Tamaqua American Legion, C.H. Berry Post 173; the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce; the Tamaqua Rotary Club; and Trinity United Church of Christ.

He is also a past board member of the Schuylkill County Retire Senior Volunteer program.

The Business Person of the Year is actually two people: Lori Miller and Sheila Davison of C.A.R.E.S., headquartered at 105 W. Broad St. The sisters started the community services business with a Lifesharing Program in December 2013. This was followed by the opening of the first all-inclusive, community-based day program in February 2014.

Today, C.A.R.E.S. Inc. has expanded to C.A.R.E.S. of Western PA and C.A.R.E.S. of Central PA, operating 12 all-inclusive community-based day programs, offering six different services across 16 counties in Pennsylvania.

The company serves more than 140 VIPs and employs 133 employees.

The chamber will host its 67th Annual Community Awards Dinner on April 25 at the Mountain Valley Golf Course in Barnesville.

Keynote speaker will be Robert S. Carl Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber is accepting sponsors for the dinner. For more information, call 570-668-1880.