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LehighValleyNews.com | By Ryan Gaylor
Published June 4, 2025
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A person who has been influential in shaping the city’s post-Bethlehem Steel growth and development was awarded a new Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce honor Tuesday.
Darlene Heller, who recently retired after 25 years as Bethlehem’s director of planning and zoning, was the inaugural winner of the Bethlehem Legacy Award, which honors someone whose work has left a lasting impact on the city.
The announcement came as the chamber celebrated individuals, organizations and businesses making a difference in the city during its annual awards ceremony.
“Many of you have businesses here, you call Bethlehem home, and a big reason why — whether you know that or not — is Darlene Heller,” Mayor J. William Reynolds said in presenting the award.
This year, the Bethlehem Chamber also added a new culinary contest pitting local restaurants in a cooking contest. Twisted Olive won the inaugural event and took home the Golden Plate trophy.
Anne Evans received the Star of Bethlehem award, which recognizes someone who has “dedicated much of their lives in bettering Bethlehem as either a volunteer or in a business capacity."
Evans has been a part of several community groups, including the South Side Task Force, New Bethany Ministries, League of Women Voters, Coalition for Appropriate Transportation, South Side Historical Society, South Side Tomorrow Housing Committee and Citizens’ Christmas City Committee.
“Anne Evans is the very definition of a community cornerstone — one who works not for recognition, but for the good of others,” Bethlehem Area School Board member Silagh White said in presenting the award.
“Her tireless spirit, her wisdom and passion have left a lasting mark on Bethlehem.”
The chamber’s Community Partner Award, for “a person or organization whose work directly impacts the wellbeing of its community,” went to Community Action Development Bethlehem, a nonprofit that aims to create economic opportunity in the city.
The group’s director, Anna Smith, used her acceptance speech to raise awareness of how nonprofits such as hers have been impacted by uncertain federal funding.
“You can’t give the microphone to somebody from Community Action without a brief message about the environment we’re operating in,” Smith said.
“We are deeply concerned right now about our ability to continue serving our Bethlehem neighbors amid federal funding cuts and the threat to take our tax dollars out of our neighborhoods and off of our streets.”
The chamber also recognized a handful of local businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries.
Akroyd Hardware marked 70 years in business; Donegal Square and Victory House each celebrated 40 years in operation; Brownstone Design has been open for 30 years; and Lehigh Valley Style magazine celebrated 25 years.
Half of Tuesday’s awards went to the chamber’s donors and partners.
Richard Anderson, chief executive officer of St. Luke’s University Health Network, took home the chamber’s Frank Marcon Award.
It recognizes someone who has achieved a “distinguished business career with sustained and diverse community volunteer service that enhanced significantly the quality of life in the Lehigh Valley.”
Over the course of his 40 years at the helm of St. Luke’s, Anderson oversaw the network’s expansion from a single hospital to a health care behemoth with more than 21,000 employees. St. Luke’s also was the ceremony’s gold sponsor.
BSI Corporate Benefits, a bronze sponsor of Tuesday’s event, received the chamber’s Strategic Partner Award, given to “a business or individual who has enhanced the Bethlehem community … with a spirit of volunteerism and/or support.”
The chamber gave its Downtown Vision Award, for someone with “a clear goal for how they see the future of their downtown” and who backs it up with action, to Plamen "Rocco" Ayvazov, who oversaw construction of the Dream Boyd Theatre apartment project.
Event organizers also thanked Dream Boyd Theater as a sponsor of the ceremony; the apartment building hosted the event in its courtyard.