COATESVILLE, PA— More than 100 business and community leaders gathered at the 5th annual Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance Appreciation Event, held on November 13. “The special evening gives us the opportunity to thank the partners, funders, and community champions who make our work possible, says Amber Little-Turner, Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance Acting Executive Director.
This year, in partnership with the Chester County IDA, the Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance honored Ted and Martha Skiadas with 2025 Tammy Cansler-Miles Award for Excellence in Economic and Community Development. “Together, Ted and Martha embody the enduring spirit of service, entrepreneurship, and community pride that continues to inspire the City of Coatesville,” says Little-Turner. “They have dedicated their lives to community, enterprise, and service, leaving a lasting legacy of generosity and impact in Coatesville and beyond.”
In addition to raising a family and serving as a past president of the Rotary Club of Coatesville, Martha Skiadas taught at Coatesville High Schools for ten years. She has served on numerous boards including the Lukens Iron & Steel Museum and the Brandywine Valley Active Aging Center, and, together with her husband, managed Skiadas Brothers Enterprises.
Ted Skiadas came to Coatesville from Greece at the age of 14 with his father. He later became a Certified Public Accountant and co-founded Boyd & Skiadas CPAs in Coatesville. At the same time, he and his brothers developed four successful restaurants and gift shops in the regional tourist market—eventually employing more than 750 people.
Ted’s firm received national recognition, including an award from President Reagan for leadership in farmland preservation in Pennsylvania. His firm also created the 1886 Liberty Centennial Quilt, dedicating more than 1,800 hours of staff time to raise funds for the Statue of Liberty’s restoration. The effort drew national attention and raised $75,000. In a full-circle gesture of generosity, Ted’s family later bought the quilt back from the winner and donated it to the Ellis Island Museum, where it remains today.
Ted and Julius Rouch also purchased and restored the former National Bank of Coatesville building—investing $1.5 million to transform it into senior apartments and earning it a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Together they developed Colonial 100 Shops, one of the first shopping centers in Pennsylvania where retail units could be individually owned.
He is a founding member of the Coatesville Area Partners for Progress (now the 2nd Century Alliance) and currently serves on the board of the Coatesville Community Education Foundation.
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