Da Vinci Center Will Take Public Money and Loans, Won’t Let the Public Into Board Meetings

Jan. 8, 2025

— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs

The Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown will take money from anybody: the federal government (at least $3 million), the State of Pennsylvania (at least $12 million) and it arranged loans through Allentown’s Neighborhood Improvement Zone.

The center at 815 W. Hamilton St. is tax-exempt because it contends it has a public purpose. Technically, it’s a 501(c)3 corporation. Its tax returns are public (see this link) and it takes public money.

So I’ve asked Da Vinci if the public can attend its board of trustees meetings. Here’s the response:

Thank you for your request regarding the dates of our board meetings.  However, as Da Vinci is a private organization, we do not publish our meeting schedule, and our board meetings are not open to the public.

This is a middle finger to the people who helped pay for this. There was never a vote of the people on helping pay. The usual suspects — local poohbahs, blowhards, gladhanders, happy talkers and the rest –settled this among themselves. Some people were for sure quite sincere, but they have also been quite wrong.

Any courtesy to the public? The public be damned.

So they’ll take public money but if the public wants to ask questions, such as why Executive Director Linda Erickson was paid $197,852 in the year ended June 30, 2024, for leading this group to a 60% — SIXTY PERCENT — shortfall versus projected attendance, the public is out of luck.

Or why she gets to stay on the payroll until June after a mindboggling failure.

Da Vinci projected 400,000 in its first year downtown. It brought in 160,000, and that doesn’t mean 160,000 people went through the doors. The total may include “outreach,” perhaps by sending people to address groups.

I don’t know, I don’t care: Year One was a disaster.

Erickson is going to retire in June, after being lauded for “transformative” leadership. I don’t know how many of the other six-figure salary people are still around. One of the other people who promoted Da Vinci’s ridiculous projection remains on the staff, according to the center’s website.

I’ve asked the chairman of the board for a response too. It’s time the public and what is left of local media and some of the people who promoted this started demanding answers from these non-profit groups that take millions and then keep quiet when they fail.

That’s what boards are supposed to do. Don’t count on it happening. And no, having some talks with Discover Lehigh Valley (another non-profit outfit, this one that promotes the region) is not going to make a difference.

Enough pretending. Look at the history of this place, the failed attempt to move to Easton, and now the failed move from the Cedar Crest College campus.

As for the board, do your job or get out and be replaced by somebody who will. You’re supposed to serve the public, not get invited to the right parties.

The Board of Trustees is below. If you know any of them, ask: What is going on? Where did the money go? Have the people who made ridiculous projections been held accountable?

Chairman

Daniel C. Bosket, Director, Community Action Development Corporation of Allentown

Vice Chairman

Stephanie Sherry, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Olympus Corporation of the Americas

Secretary

Rex Schultz, President, Swagelok Allentown

Treasurer

Michael J. Stoudt Jr., CPA, Managing Partner, Allentown Office, RKI, LLC

Chief Executive Officer

Lin Erickson, Executive Director and CEO, Da Vinci Science Center

Trustees

• Judy Belaires, Community Leader
• Dr. Carol D. Birks, Superintendent, Allentown School District
• Eric Bus, Operations Manager, ATAS International, Inc.
• Douglas S. Downing, Vice President/Commercial Banking Team Leader, Fulton Bank
• W. Beall Fowler, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Physics, Lehigh University
• Jack Gross, Esq., Partner, Gross McGinley Attorneys at Law
• Ed Harakel, Vice President of Field Operations, PPL Coporation
• Debra H. Lamb, Vice President of Development, Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers, Retired
• Dr. Maureen P. Leeson, Assistant Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer, Bethlehem Area School District
• Lisa Liddington, Vice President, Lehigh Valley Hospital, 17th Street
• James E. McLean, WMS, Senior Vice President, Steel Valley Wealth Strategies,  Raymond James 
• Elizabeth M. Meade, Ph.D., President, Cedar Crest College
• Richard Milker, Senior Vice President of Product and Commercialization, Stuffed Puffs
• Amanda Morton, Director Channel Marketing, Lutron Electronics
• Bridget O’Connell, Ed.D., Superintendent, Palisades School District
• Donald A. Outing, Ph.D., Vice President for Equity and Community, University Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Lehigh University
• Terrence Sullivan, Head of Government Affairs, Shift4
• William K. Velekei, CPA, CFP®, Partner, Mariner Wealth Advisors
• Jill Walter, Director – Operations South Region, UGI Utilities, Inc.
• Stephen P. Zieniewicz, MPH, FACHE, Healthcare Executive, Community Member

Emeritus Trustees

• J. Robert Lovett, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Retired, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
• Frank K. Schweighardt, Ph.D., Global Manager of Process Analytical, Retired, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
• Vincent Sorgi, President & CEO, PPL Corp.

Honorary Trustees

• Pat Browne, Secretary of PA Dept. of Revenue
• Heather Browne, Community Leader