Whether it is providing personalized capital investment strategy, contributing funds to assist veterans groups, volunteer fire companies or the YWCA from revenue collected from operating Pennsylvania Skill games or assisting businesses with their web design, marketing and accounting needs, the businesses that were winners of awards this week at the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce 140th Annual Awards Banquet help contribute to the economic vitality of the region
Awards Went To:
Barbara Hudock, chief executive officer and founding partner of Hudock Capital Group, was the Vince Matteo Excellence in Leadership 2025 Award Recipient, receiving it from Jay B. Alexander, chamber of directors board chair.
Miele Amusements was the Staiman Family Large Business 2025 Award Recipient, with Louis and Nicole Miele accepting the award from Carmen Magistro, regional president, M&T Bank, presenting along with Richard Staiman on stage.
Ignite Business Services was the Emerging Business of the Year 2025 Recipient, with Anne Reiner, co-CEO and founder of Ignite Business Services, joined on stage by Marianne Beane, also co-CEO and founder of the business, who received the award after remarks by Tim Keohane, director, Penn State Small Business Development Center. The chamber did its usual thorough research on each award winner listing their achievements and contributions to the communities they serve.
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From small to large business, and a bank’s commitment
At the heart of the Miele Group is Miele Amusements, which was started in 1935 by present-day owner Lou Miele’s grandfather, Louis Almond Sr.
“It says a lot for this business to be in its fourth generation of family owners,” Magistro said.
Under the vision and drive of Lou, the business goes beyond the installation and maintenance of pool tables, dart boards, pinball machines, jukeboxes, and the like in the local area. In fact, it has grown to have several other companies including Miele Manufacturing, FASTSIGNS, Virginia Amusements, Miele Development and its in-house charitable arm, Angelina’s Song.
All of these now fall under the umbrella of Miele Group with a footprint beyond just Lycoming County, Magistro said. Miele Group’s headquarters are in Muncy Township but they have a growing presence, including in Virginia.
Lou began his manufacturing career after designing and manufacturing jukebox conversion kits for TouchTunes. These kits were built to convert a standard CD jukebox into a digitally downloading one, using the same cabinet. He also helped bring Pace-O-Matic’s products to the market by distributing and manufacturing Pennsylvania Skill games.
Nicole joined Lou and the team at Miele Manufacturing in 2010. Nicole brought to Miele Group the expertise she developed after a 15-year career in radio advertising sales and management. She began managing FASTSIGNS and has expanded her role through bringing her skills and expertise to the rest of the Miele Group’s companies.
While their footprint expands beyond Pennsylvania, what they do still impacts locally and regionally many businesses, as they source for their cabinets wood timbered here in the state, with cardboard boxes produced in Tioga County, and other materials from Radiant Steel Products.
The business has expanded employment having grown now to over 160 employees, providing quality, family-sustaining jobs. Through their charitable giving, Miele Group has donated to all kinds of non-profits, such as volunteer fire companies, civic and community organizations along with veterans’ groups. On any given day, the team can be found presenting checks to numerous worthy causes through the revenue from the skill games.
This past year, the Miele Group made an impactful donation of over $1 million to the YWCA of Northcentral Pennsylvania to assist with their women and children through programming offered through Wise Options and Liberty House by updating their entire heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the YWCA’s historic building.
“When we were told that we were being given this award, we were so excited and then it hit us — LARGE business of the year!” Nicole said. “Just 15 years ago, we only had about a dozen on our team,” Miele added.
“The growth has been amazing and such a journey,” Nicole added. “Without them, we would not be getting this honor!”
Lou, meanwhile, gave a touching tribute to M&T Bank for its loyalty to his company as a committed local financial lending institution.
In a former Chamber Connection story, Nicole described how Angelina’s Song was founded by the couple in 2017 in memory of Angelina Miele, who succumbed to cancer at age 11. Through this charity, the couple has been able to raise funds for music therapy programs because, as Nicole once was quoted in a Chamber Connection article — “Angelina loved music.” Today, this charity allows children in hospitals throughout the nation to have access to music and music therapies.
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This article was originally published by the Williamsport Sun-Gazette on Feb. 13, 2026.