The origins of the Business Executives Networking Group (BENG) date back to the Spring of 2003, when three Financial Executive Networking Group (FENG) members, Peter Frost, Andy Lupfer and Dave Suchniak began holding bi-weekly breakfast meetings at the Panera Bread restaurant on East Market Street in York.  

The group “volunteered” Peter Frost to apply to the FENG National Executive to form the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of FENG. While the group was waiting for their FENG chapter to be approved, they decided to start an independent group of executives from all disciplines, modeled after the Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group (GPSEG) and the International Executive Resources Group (IERG). On Tuesday, July 22, 2003, the first ever meeting of what became known as CPENG (Central Pennsylvania Executive Networking Group), and ultimately became BENG, was held at 6.00 p.m. at the Panera Bread restaurant on East Market Street in York with six attendees.

Tony DiGirolamo, the Career Services Committee Chair for the Central PA Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI), met Peter at the FEI Chapter meetings in the Fall of 2003. He joined Peter to help build CPENG and to provide a place for FEI members to go when they are in transition. In December, 2003, Peter received authorization to start the FENG’s Susquehanna Valley Chapter. As a result, the joint monthly meeting of the CPENG/FEI/FENG was born.

Tony DiGirolamo and Peter Frost shared the duties of building CPENG and eventually agreed to be co chairs of the group with Peter as the President and Founder. In February, 2004 Tony developed the first membership list which had about 30 members.

In the Summer of 2006 Tony Peluso started attending the CPENG meetings and liked what was going on so much that he voluntarily developed a website. After doing so, he called Tony and Peter to show them what he had done. From then on the group became a triumvirate volunteering their time and effort to build the group.

As 2007 rolled on it became apparent that CPENG had become too time-consuming for two people to manage with spreadsheets alone. Members were asked for their input in setting the future course for the organization. After much effort, a member management and data base website was leased and built, and on March 11, 2009 BENG was born. Since then volunteers have come forward to take over manageable chunks of the organization.

As you read this, thanks to its core of volunteers, THE BENG has grown to over 600 members. It holds monthly meetings in Baltimore, Md., Exton, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, Reading and York, Pa. It conducts seminars and hosts social events.

"BENG is a non profit organization providing mid to senior level professionals seeking employment, with a forum that will facilitate their job search and enhance their networking skills. BENG provides emotional support, employment information, opportunities for networking, and tools to accelerate their search. We rely upon the spirit of generosity and cooperation of our members, whether in transition or employed, to accomplish this mission."