Chicago’s legendary comedy troupe, The Second City, was the featured performance at The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner this evening at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, Scranton.

Using local history, current events, political commentary and newspaper headlines, The Second City kept guests laughing with their presentation of their improv comedy show, “Funny Business.”  The troupe took unbridled comic pleasure in the foibles of our politicians, celebrities and even our local businesses. No institution escaped the satiric eye of The Second City.
With scripted and improvisational elements, the 500 plus attendees enjoyed being part of the show and playing along with the next generation of comic legends. The Second City include the ranks of A-list comedians, such as: Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Robert Klein, Peter Boyle, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, George Wendt, Martin Short, John Candy, Bonnie Hunt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ryan Stiles, Tim Meadows, Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey among countless others.

In addition the featured comedy show, Chamber Board Chair, Paula Mackarey, president of Happenings Communications Group, shared the accomplishments and milestones that the Chamber, and its affiliates, achieved this year.  These included:

•    The Chamber hosted nearly 50 networking and business building events throughout the year, including seminars, card exchanges, Women’s Network luncheons, family day events and the inaugural SAGE Awards Gala.  More than 4,000 members participated in these events.

•    SLIBCO, LIFE and the Scranton Plan commenced major projects in 2010, including the completion of Valley View Drive which opened phase II of the Valley View Business Park and the $6.6 million dollar Mount Pleasant Corporate Center, which will eventually house five sites with a mix of commercial and office use.

•    Rediscover Scranton continued to grow its volunteer base. Now in its sixth year, the program continues to partner with Power! Scranton and maintains involvement in a number of community events.

•    MetroAction provided nearly $400,000 in capital and hundreds of hours of counseling and training to start-up and expanding small businesses across nine northeastern Pennsylvania counties.

•    Leadership Lackawanna’s class of 2011 completed community service projects benefiting 4 local non-profit organizations – Buy Fresh Buy Local Northeast Region Chapter, Electric City Trolley Museum Association, Meals on Wheels of NEPA and Benefiting Nancy K. Holmes Public Library. Together, these projects have raised over $35,000 for our community.

•    Skills in Scranton has been working in partnership with business and industry, our educational institutions, the Lackawanna County Workforce Investment Board and our elected officials to inform and prepare area students to meet the workforce needs of our area.  Recent initiatives have spotlighted the current and future employment needs of the healthcare, technology, business trades and Marcellus Shale extraction industries.

The event was sponsored by PNC Bank, Johnson College, Penn Foster, Sordoni Construction, Chesapeake Energy, First Liberty Bank and Trust, WYOU/WBRE and Franklin Security Bank.