Chester County Briefly: June 27

By

Jaqueline Segal
Jacqueline G. Segal

Fox Rothschild

Jacqueline G. Segal, a partner in the firm’s Exton office, recently conducted an interview with U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan at a Women’s Executive Roundtable hosted by the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

The event was part of a series that offers mentorship and professional development support for women in the community.

Houlahan, the first woman to be elected to represent Pennsylvania’s Sixth Congressional District, was the event’s keynote speaker.

Farmland Preservation Program Funding

The Chester County Department of Open Space Preservation and the Agricultural Land Preservation Board are accepting applications for two competitive farm preservation programs funded by the Chester County Commissioners, the Chester County Farmland Preservation Program, and the Chester County Challenge Grant Program.

To date, more than 500 farms totaling more than 40,000 acres have been preserved in Chester County through these programs.

Both programs offer funds to qualifying Chester County farm owners who are interested in preserving their agricultural lands. The county pays farm owners for their development rights in exchange for a permanent agricultural conservation easement on the property. The owner still owns the land and can sell or pass it on to the next generation, as long as it remains in agriculture. The application deadline for both programs is Thursday, Aug. 1. Click here for more information.

The investment giant has announced plans to transition the client service and account administration for the Vanguard Variable Annuity to Transamerica within the next 12-18 months.

The Vanguard Variable Annuity contracts will continue to be guaranteed by the Transamerica Premier Life Insurance Company and, in New York State only, by Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company. Vanguard will continue to manage the Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds, which are the underlying investments in the Vanguard Variable Annuity.

“While insurance-based options can be an appropriate choice for some investors, annuity administration is not central to our long-term product and service plans. We’re deepening our focus on our core priorities: delivering industry-leading funds and ETFs, enhancing the client experience, and expanding our advice capabilities,” said Karin Risi, Managing Director of Vanguard’s Retail Investor Group.

Risi noted that the company will work closely with Transamerica to ensure a seamless transition for current annuity holders.

Chester County Futures

The Philadelphia Inquirer recently honored Daniel Gentzel, a Managing Director at Chatham Financial and the Finance Chair of the Board of Directors of Chester County Futures, along with several other corporate and nonprofit leaders at its Corporate Philanthropy Conference and Awards.

Gentzel was honored as an executive who champions Chester County Futures in his workplace and empowers colleagues to support Chester County Futures. He played a pivotal role in building a partnership with Chester County Futures and Chatham Financial that has provided the former with a substantial grant, volunteers, mentors, and support.

“Dan has helped move Chester County Futures forward programmatically, financially, and through building meaningful partnerships,” said Maria McDonald, Executive Director. “He uses his enthusiasm for our mission to generate energy and momentum for the organization. His contributions have a direct, positive impact on the hundreds of students in Chester County we serve every year.”

Chester County’s COPE Program

In another move by Chester County to battle the opioid and heroin crisis, Commissioners Michelle Kichline, Kathi Cozzone, and Terence Farrell presented a $50,000 check to boost funds for the county’s innovative Community Outreach and Prevention Education (COPE) program. Introduced in April 2018 and originally piloted in Chester County and Brandywine hospitals, the COPE service now reaches all five county hospitals, and the program’s effectiveness in Year One has resulted in referrals for substance use disorder treatment services for two out of three individuals served by the COPE program.

The $50,000 donation comes from the proceeds of the November 2018 Chester County Color 5K, an event that raises funds specifically to help Chester County combat the opioid and heroin crisis. In the three years that the Color 5K has taken place, more than $110,000 has been raised to fund “warm handoff” efforts in hospital emergency rooms that have supported the COPE program.

“Last year, Chester County recorded 112 accidental drug overdose deaths,” said Kichline. “Through the widespread distribution of Narcan to the public and to Chester County’s first responders, fewer overdoses are resulting in death. It is our desire, through the COPE initiative, to provide important resources and personal guidance for opioid addiction treatment and rehabilitation, helping to break the cycle of addiction, and importantly to support family and friends of those who are suffering from addiction. Events like the Color 5K help us to raise awareness and money, so that resources for the COPE program can continue and even expand.”

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