TL honors winners of Readers’ Choice Awards

March 28-- Mar. 28--FORTY FORT -- More than 300 people representing local businesses and organizations received honors at the 6th Annual Best of Times Leader 2019 Readers' Choice Awards on Wednesday night.

"We started the concept of local reader voting 10 years ago in the Dallas area to celebrate local business owners," said Kerry Miscavage, Times Leader Media Group vice president of sales and marketing. "Over the years, we have grown the concept to several geographical areas. The Best of the Times Leader covers a wider area of Northeastern Pennsylvania."

Miscavage noted this year's voting broke a record, with over 70,000 votes cast across all categories.

Awards were presented in three categories: platinum, gold and silver. Miscavage said platinum winners are companies that had the most votes in their category six years in a row.

Joan Harris Centre took home Best Dance Studio honors for the sixth straight year in the platinum category.

The Luzerne Borough dance studio has taught students of the Wyoming Valley for nearly 40 years.

Jennifer Harris, faculty administrator and master instructor, said getting the award for Best Dance Studio is a very humbling experience.

"We are currently serving over 500 students in numerous types of dance," said Harris. "I'm glad to know that the students and people from the Valley appreciate all of the hard work we do."

The dance school offers ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern and contemporary classes.

Dan Landesberg, administrative director of Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre, represented the health care system as it took home three awards.

"These awards speak to how exciting it is to be a part of Geisinger," Landesberg said of his company's wins for Best Hospital, Best Health Insurance Provider and Best Employer with Over 50 Employees. "It's a true testament to the quality care our staff provides to this great community."

Landesberg said Geisinger employs over 7,000 staffers in Northeastern Pennsylvania alone.

"Our purpose is our caring," he said. "We embody that every day. These awards validate our values and our continuance to care and serve the community."

The Room at 900 in Forty Fort hosted the evening's festivities.

"On behalf of the Times Leader, we would like to thank our event sponsors and partners MCR Productions, Room at 900, Grico's Catering, Susquehanna Brewery, Cork Bar and Restaurant, Ruth's Chris and Northeast Wine Company," Miscavage noted. "All our local partners helped make this event a fantastic experience for our winners."

Check out the Times Leader's special section Saturday profiling some of the Best of TL Readers' Choice winners.

Reach Dan Stokes at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @ByDanStokes

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