Taste Test Thursday with Adam Owens

Chris is the owner of Platform Industries, a Honesdale-based screenprinter.  Although he will be the first to admit his best skills are not artistic, he has grown his business from startup to success by building a team of professional designers and printers, and always keeping customer service at the forefront of his shop.  He likes to say "We're a customer service business who happens to print t-shirts."  Chris also has a lifelong passion for motocross, and we discuss his life riding dirtbikes.  Also Chris had an opportunity to meet Kirk Cameron.  Although it was not quite what Chris had envisioned.

Eric grew up near the beach in NJ and bounced between several different professions.  Eventually he found his way to NEPA and as a stop-gap, took a job at SES working in I.T.  Over the years, what was supposed to be a temporary job turned into a career as Eric grew to love the job.  I'd call it a Satellite Farm, but SES is best described as a "Teleport" where huge amounts of media and data are handled and streamed via satellite all across the country and the planet.  Recently Eric started volunteering with a fire department near Hawley, PA.  It also turns out that Eric has some roots near New Orleans, and we discuss delicious cajun foods and stumble across a possible new fusion cuisine.

Michael grew up in Northeast PA and early in life he began working at local radio stations.  Eventually he made his way to 95.3 DNH where he worked for years before heading to the NY metro area to work for much larger stations including Radio Disney.  Michael couldn't stay away long, and he returned to NEPA and Bold Gold Media Group where he now works as General Manager and Market Manager for the NEPA region.  

Greg is a lifelong resident of Sullivan County NY.  When he was just 20 years old, Greg started working at The Misner Agency, a local family-owned insurance agency helping insure individuals, families and businesses.  In the early 1980s, Greg took over ownership of the Misner Agency, and has since expanded it, adding offices elsewhere in Sullivan and Orange Counties.  In addition to this deep connection to his area, Greg is a longtime pilot, foreign-car aficionado, and has extremely old-fashioned taste in donuts.  Adam shares his recipe for "BS Casserole" and Greg reveals his absolute ineptitude in the kitchen., as well as his unique connection to the rail industry.

Dave grew up in Southern California.  Early in life he began working in the construction industry, working on projects in neighborhoods like Beverly Hills.  Eventually he moved easy, and kept working in construction, but now in metro NYC.  Finally, Dave and his wife relocated to Northeast PA and identified an opportunity to renovate and breathe new life into a self-serve carwash near their home.  They brought their life's experience to the table and focused on making the customer experience the best it could possibly be.  They've since added a 2nd location, as well as a unique DIY Dog Wash which allows their customers to treat their furry friends to a safe and comfortable wash experience.

Domestic violence takes many forms, and can result in substantial damage to the people and relationships involved.  Michelle acts as Executive Director for VIP - a program which assists individuals dealing with abuse in relationships.  Michelle explains how she got started on her path and discusses the many ways that VIP can help victims.  There are lots of ways that a relationship can become abusive, beyond acts of physical violence.   Fortunately, Michelle and her team at VIP are here to help.  Michelle and Adam talk about some of their favorites, including cheese that smells like feet, and an Italian rolled pork roast.

Andy grew up in western Michigan and spent several years teaching math in highschool.  He taught in Alaska, Boston and eventually returned to western Michigan.  After teaching math for 8 years,  Andy felt called to work in the church and found a position in Wayne County, PA at the Grace Ridge Church on Terrace St in Honesdale.  He and his family relocated and the rest is history.  Andy's first job in Honesdale was as a youth pastor, but he has recently been promoted to Assistant Pastor, and he has overseen the opening of Level Grounds Cafe - a unique breakfast and lunch spot located inside the church.  Level Grounds donates all of its profits to two awesome groups of people, and Andy explains who receives these funds and why Level Grounds was first started.

During high school, one of Tony's kidneys became damaged to the point of needing replacement.  Fortunately for him, a willing and matching donor was close at hand.  Tony spent years with one of his sister's kidneys helping his body eliminate waste and operate correctly.  Years later though, he needed another.  Tony was confident that he would spend the rest of his life visiting dialysis clinics until a remarkable chain of events helped connect him with the organ his body needed.  Tony talks about his life working as an accountant, what it's like to have the same name as a famous local restaurant, and the importance of being an organ donor.  Learn more about organ donation at www.donorsone.org

Jessica's life has had several unique and distinct "chapters."  She worked for a long time in the foodservice industry, accumulating years of experience in the kitchen and front-of-house.  During highschool she developed (haha) an interest in photography, carried it into college, and spent more than a decade teaching highschool art students the techniques and technology of photography.  After that, she opened an art gallery in her hometown, displaying her and her husband's growing collection of art, and hosting openings and shows for nearby artists.  Four years ago, Jess found herself at a Race Driving school, and was immediately smitten with the Art of Driving Fast.  Since then, Jess and her husband have gone on to win races and all the while, she's raising two boys and doing everything she can to make sure they eat their vegetables. 

Just across the Delaware river from Wayne and Pike Counties in PA, you'll find the beautiful Sullivan Catskills, an entire county loaded with a rich history of agriculture, tourism, music, artistry and innovation.  Roberta's job for the last 20 years or so has been to develop and deepen the area's vibrant business and tourism industries and she joins us to talk all about her job and what makes the Sullivan Catskills so special.  At the end of the interview, she has a special challenge for Adam, who has recently discovered the Sullivan Catskills town of Roscoe, NY, with some unique restaurants, a brewery, and world-class fishing.