Nicholas Branton Joins Swope Lees Commercial Real Estate

Swope Lees Commercial Real Estate, the West Chester based commercial real estate brokerage and consulting firm that focuses on Chester County, has announced that Nicholas Branton is joining the firm as its newest team member.  

An Exton native, Branton attended SS, Phillip and James, and Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown. He then continued his education at Hofstra University in Hempstead where he studied Entrepreneurship, and went to study at Delaware County Community College.

During his time at DCCC, Branton founded the University’s first ever economics club, taking his already active participation in the business department to a higher level. Branton brings with him enthusiasm, entrepreneurial spirit, a hardworking attitude and a thirst for learning to Swope Lees Commercial Real Estate, and will be an invaluable addition to the team.

West Chester Tackles Community Problems with Help from WCU

The successful cooperation between the Borough of West Chester and WCU to implement a three-month program in stress reduction for community leaders is just the first step in a slew of joint collaborations that will be coordinated with the help of the Center for Community Solutions.

The main idea is to provide someone who has a need, be it a nonprofit that is looking to start a new project, or a municipal official looking for research help, with a Center they can call for assistance.

The Center’s staff will then locate the department at West Chester University that will be able to help, and find faculty, staff, and students who are willing to offer their expertise and time. This assistance is then usually, but not always, offered for free.

“So many solutions to intractable problems are very simple: You just have to put the right people together,” said West Chester Mayor, Carolyn Comitta. “That’s what this center does.”

VendScreen Assets Acquired by USA Technologies

Malvern based premier payment technology service provider, USA Technologies, announced on Monday that it has acquired the cloud-based content delivery platform, device platform and products, customer base, as well as the intellectual property of VendScreen, Inc.

The transaction was completed on January 15th for approximately $5.6 million, with USAT using close to $2.6 million from cash on hand and funding the remainder by converting $3 million drawn from its line-of-credit into a term loan.

With this purchase, USAT adds over 120 customers with approximately 4,200 active connections to its base. VendScreen devices have been certified, integrated and able to work with USAT’s ePort Service for close to a year.

“Our acquisition of VendScreen’s technology further connects our partners and customers directly to the consumer at point-of-sale, and the possibilities are limitless,” said Stephen P. Herbert, Chairman and CEO of USA Technologies.

Bill Hankowsky of Aqua and Liberty Property Trust to Receive PBJ’s Outstanding Directors Award

Bill Hankowsky of Aqua and Liberty Property Trust will be among the honorees being recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal with the 2016 Outstanding Directors Award which celebrates the achievements of some of the region’s exceptional leaders.

Hankowsky currently serves as the audit committee chairman after having served as chairman of the Aqua’s compensation committee. During that time he realigned Aqua’s executive pay plans and made sure that shareholder value increased.

In his prolific business and community service, Hankowsky also serves on several boards including Aqua America, Citizens Financial Group, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

The awards will be presented at the PBJ reception on February 23rd from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Union League of Philadelphia.