Liquid, an Allentown digital marketing agency, has hired Mark Cernese as its chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

Fueled, in part, by loans designed to help small business through the pandemic, American Bank of Allentown reported record earnings for 2020, an increase of 11% over 2019.

Loren L. Speziale is an attorney with Gross & McGinley in Allentown specializing in business, employment and real estate law. She was appointed to deputy managing partner of Gross McGinley in 2018 and elevated to equity partner in 2019.

Traditional and smart city ecosystems - the relationships between people, places and things include public and private sectors and how they interact, infrastructure such as roads, bridges and parking; utilities and emerging technology, which is driving robust change.

Allentown has updated its business privilege tax, becoming the second city in the state after Philadelphia to expand city taxes to include businesses that don’t have brick-and-mortar locations in the city, but do a significant amount of business there.

Allentown-based People First Federal Credit Union has made additions to its executive team.

Allentown-based cybersecurity firm, Netizen Corp. has named Akhil Handa as its new chief operating officer.

Some are adapting to holiday shopping during COVID-19, trying new ways to bring in business. Others say they are sticking to their tried-and-true business model and hoping loyal shoppers will still support them.

Designed by Sage Design-Build Inc. of South Whitehall Township, the spa not only gives residents of the Lehigh Valley a new place to get their hair and nails done, but it will give them the option to do it safely.

LVB: It’s been a wild year. How has your company dealt with the way the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the construction industry?