Articles

Design teaches us not to make assumptions

Authentic | Leading the way through innovation and example

Giving Back | Making a difference in the lives of others.

It's Summer and the Lehigh Valley restaurants are welcoming us back!

The Southside Arts District is the Lehigh Valley’s home for art, entertainment, shopping, and dining. This summer, visit these hidden treasures of South Bethlehem, and treat yourself to some decadent eats, drinks, and fun!

There's a couture secret in the heart of Bethlehem, but, says fashion designer and owner Barbara Kavchok, “it doesn’t have to be a secret anymore.” Barbara Kavchok’s bridal gowns may be available at boutiques around the world, but she designs them
right here in her hometown of Bethlehem. She loves working one-on-one with brides, listening to their style inspirations, designing a beautiful look, and creating the one-of-a-kind wedding dress of their dreams.

Conservation - whether you’re preserving historic character, community soul, or the natural world—can be at the heart of real estate development. It’s the key to local developer John Noble’s philosophy, and his newest project on Bethlehem’s South Side—the redevelopment of the Masonic Temple and historic Wilbur Mansion property on Wyandotte Street—is a beautiful example.

Stephen S. Tang, PHD has been the president and CEO of OraSure Technologies since 2018, though he joined the board in 2011—and has watched the company grow since he was a graduate student at Lehigh University in the 1980s. After he received his PhD in chemical engineering, he was manager of Lehigh’s biotechnology research center, where OraSure’s predecessor was in residence.

At Fig, we believe in the power of a community that works together to identify needs and find solutions —one that creates connections and is passionate about helping its neighbors. Each year, Fig partners with a nonprofit organization working to transform the community. Our 2021 Social Mission Partner is the Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem. Please join us in supporting them.

“It's a combination of everything,” says Darin Carpenter, CEO of Justice Cannabis Co. (formerly known as Justice Grown), the parent company bringing cannabis dispensary Bloc Dispensary to Bethlehem. He’s talking about the philosophy that drives the business: creating dispensaries as inclusive community cornerstones. And operating with a culture of integrity and accountability, investing in communities, sustainable agriculture, and legal aid—expunging or sealing minor drug records—for those disproportionately affected by the war on drugs.

“I had no building, no students, no faculty, no money, and here I was: the principal of a school” says John Petruzzelli, principal of Kolbe Academy. Still, Petruzzelli calls it “an easy decision” to assume the helm of the first faith-based recovery high school in the nation.

At Fig, we’ve taken a moment to look back, too pondering milestones in our lives that have defined who we are as individuals. We’ve selected objects that represent our own origin stories, and have featured some of them on the cover of this issue.