Pittston, Luzerne County, PA -
Pittston Chamber’s Michelle Mikitish and Brandi Bartush lead with passion for the community.
Michelle Mikitish and Brandi Bartush have been the faces of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce (GPCC) since January 1, 2016. Since then, both women rolled up their sleeves in the effort to secure the future of the Chamber.
Mikitish, GPCC president and Bartush, GPCC director of operations, had big shoes to fill when longtime Chamber head, Rosemary Dessoye, retired after 26 years — 17 of those heading the Chamber.
Since taking over, Mikitish, with Bartush by her side, have put their personal touch on GPCC moving the service agency into its next 100 years.
One of the first big events the duo had to accomplish was the GPCC’s 100th anniversary in 2020, but the worldwide pandemic put the skids on the event postponing it until it was medically safe to hold the event.
The 100th birthday celebration took place in April of 2024, and all eyes were on Mikitish and Bartush as the new leaders of the GPCC. In a way, even though the new administration took over a few years earlier, the birthday party was sort of a celebration for them as well.
Since then, both women have gone above and beyond expectations and continue to shine in the Greater Pittston community and keeping toe-to-toe with the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber and Scranton Chamber.
When being interviewed for the Times Leader’s Women Inspired special edition — which highlights women in NEPA who make a difference in the workplace and society and inspire other women — they looked at each other with a blank stare.
Initially, the reaction was comical because both were dumbfounded. The reason? They both feel they are simply doing their job as best as they can — no big deal.
“Here’s what it is for me, because it’s hard to talk about ourselves in the way we come into the office and do our job,” Bartush said. “We are passionate about what we do, we are passionate about who we do it for, it’s second nature to come in and just do our job.”
“I don’t think we set out in the morning to inspire people, we set out to just do our job,” Mikitish added. “Our job encompasses so many different facets of what’s going on in our community, in our business community, in our school communities, and if we come in everyday just trying to do the best we can at what it is we are trying to do, I think we can’t help but inspire to be a part of what’s going on.”
Mikitish and Bartush take pride in the energy they bring to the GPCC and how they treat each and every business member when they walk through their doors.
“I like to think we are advocates, because we do a lot of advocating at other meetings that you don’t necessarily see,” Mikitish said. “There’s a lot of advocating that’s happening and we have great relationships with elected officials, we have great relationships with other nonprofit organizations, we strive to build strong partnerships with everyone as well. People see the outward work that we do with our events.”
Outside of the workplace, both women are very involved with their church and heavily involved in community functions.
“We are lucky because we are passionate about helping people and we get to do that every day in the work that we do in the community in which we live,” Mikitish said.
Both Mikitish and Bartush agree they are inspired by many and are humbled they inspire as well.
“If you’re not inspired yourself to do what it is to do what you’re doing, you’re never going to inspire anyone else,” Mikitish added.
Who inspires both women? The answer was swift: their mothers.
“The list could be endless on who inspires me, but I’d say my mother, she was a soccer mom before people talked about soccer moms,” said Mikitish.
Bartush agrees. Her mom is a business owner wearing many hats and coming to the aid of the community whenever necessary.
Whether inspiring or being inspired, both women say they are humbled to considered as a part of the 2024 Women Inspired series.
