2024 Juniata Valley Council Good Scout Dinner

Joseph & Suzanne Paterno Community Impact Award – Charlene Friedman                                

Charlene Friedman’s impact on the State College community is clear. For more than 40 years she has helped to define the landscape of the region as a real estate professional, volunteer and philanthropist.  Charlene admits that her career in commercial real estate, which earned her recognition as one of Pennsylvania’s “Best 50 Women in Business,” was not her original plan when she graduated from Seton Hall University in 1969.  Upon moving to State College in 1978 she decided on a different path from the Special Education training she received.

Real Estate was suggested, she decided to obtain a license, and as they say, “the rest is history”.

With roots now firmly established in State College, Charlene found herself becoming more immersed in the community. “Volunteering has always been important to me,” Charlene says. “Juggling a career and caring for a family is challenging, but I believe we all have a responsibility to make a difference if we can.” Charlene has served on community positions, including board member for the Center for Performing Arts, the State College Area Food Bank, and the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS®, and as chairman of the Centre County United Way, the Downtown State College Improvement District, Smart Start-Centre County, Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission, the Regional Advisory Boards of both M&T Bank , and Centre 1st Bank  and the Centre County Association of REALTORS®, among many others. She is currently serving on the Board of Old Dominion National Bank, Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Bureau and is Chairperson of the Child Advocacy Center.

                Charlene, whose support of Penn State has been recognized with membership in the Laurel Circle of the Mount Nittany Society, has served on various development and advisory councils for the College of Health and Human Development, and assisted with all the University’s fundraising campaigns.

                As an entrepreneur, Charlene owns and operates Industrial-Commercial Realty LLC and actively manages commercial and multi-family enterprises in Centre County. In 1995 she branched into agriculture by co-founding Mountain Edge Alpacas LLC and becoming a certified USA and International Alpaca judge.

                Charlene is the mother of two children, daughter Salem Bartlett and husband John in North Carolina and son, Ty Stewart who resides in Nevada with his SCAHS sweetheart Sarah. She is grandmother of two 16-year-old grands, Chase and Kyla.

                Maya Angelou was inspirational to Charlene. A favorite quote that she likes to remember daily is: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”