The GMS Team

G. Bryan Salzmann, a founding partner and shareholder of Central Pennsylvania-based law firm, Salzmann Hughes, P.C., founded GMS Funding Solutions to respond to numerous client requests for consulting services from various entities, including municipal and county governments, economic development corporations, non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses.

Clients frequently sought assistance with matters such as pursuit of competitive grants and favorable term loans, financial and economic analysis, and assistance in permitting, project budgeting and timeline achievement. A common theme of unfulfilled or unsatisfactory funding, financing and project management assistance plagued many private and municipal entities, specifically related to advancing comprehensive capital projects. Bryan sought to address these, and other project management and agency coordination challenges, by establishing GMS.

GMS has since evolved into three complementary service areas – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FINANCING CONSULTING, and PROJECT MANAGEMENT. This full service consulting model has allowed GMS clients to save millions of dollars through strategically solicited lending proposals, procurement of grant and low-interest loan funding and meticulous project management, delivering projects on time and often under budget.

In addition to Bryan’s 25+ years of law practice, specializing in land use, zoning and environmental issues, and commercial and residential real estate, he has served as a Board Member for the Chambersburg Area Development Corporation (CADC) for more than 10 years and currently serves as the Solicitor to the Cumberland Valley Regional Development Corporation (CVRDC). As a result, Bryan is able to offer clients the benefit of his extensive experience in many areas involving 501(c) 6 economic development corporations.

Bryan leads the Project Management service area.

Jeffrey W. Embly CFO & Director of Financing

Jeff Embly, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Financing, offers clients more than 20 years of financing experience as a former community and regional banker. Jeff has held numerous lending, management and leadership roles at community and regional banks, including Chief Commercial Lending Officer, Chief Credit Officer and Chief Operating Officer.

Leading GMS’ FINANCING CONSULTING division, Jeff offers clients a shrewd understanding of the current lending environment, leveraging that insight to allow clients to realize considerable savings through negotiation of rates, terms and fees on commercial borrowings. The Financing Consulting division specializes in new commercial loans, refinancing, or workout negotiations for at risk commercial loans.

Jeff leads the Financing Consulting service area.

Amy Kaufman Kronenberg Executive Vice President & Director of Economic Development

Amy Kaufman Kronenberg, Executive Vice President and Director of Economic Development for GMS, offers clients creative funding and financing solutions targeted at advancing financially challenged capital projects. With a decade long career in the real estate development industry, Amy has serviced clients in various aspects of commercial, residential and industrial development. From land development and project management with a Connecticut-based real estate and asset development firm, to real estate funding and financing strategy development with a local economic development firm, Amy’s clients have come to rely on her creative, global approach to project advancement.

Under Amy’s leadership, the ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT team develops comprehensive and creative funding strategies that leverage the private investment and economic development opportunities presented by certain capital projects to pursue competitive grant and low interest loan monies at the local, state and federal levels.

Amy leads the Economic Development service area.

Matthew J. LoperVice President & Client Manager

Matthew J. Loper, Vice President and Client Manager, manages a wide variety of successfully funded and executed economic development projects across the Commonwealth. Working with both public- and private-sector clients, Matt guides them through the public funding process, from project conception through completion of construction and drawdown of grant funding. Matt’s primary focus is the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) and the Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF), in addition to numerous other state and federally funded projects across multiple government agencies.

Applying for and receiving public funding presents a unique set of challenges. Having an experienced professional like Matt guide clients through the process can be a prudent and rewarding investment. Whether it's the preparation of a grant application, meeting with legislators and local stakeholders to garner project support, or coordinating with various state funding agencies after an award has been made, Matt understands the public funding process and the steps that need to be taken to ensure compliance.

Prior to joining GMS, Matt spent more than ten years in the banking and financial services industry, as well as eight years with a local economic development consulting firm. Matt supports GMS's Economic Development service area.

Shelly ChilcoteCompliance Manager

Shelly Chilcote, Compliance Manager, brings a unique insight in the areas of grant and loan analysis. Prior to entering the private sector of consulting, Shelly spent several years in state government at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) where she reviewed and evaluated a variety of DCED program applications. With direct knowledge of DCED’s evaluation methods and standards, Shelly enhances GMS clients’ applications with keen critiques and meticulous improvements. Shelly has also served in a private consulting role, assisting municipal, corporate and nonprofit clients in achieving value and financial assistance through a variety of local, state, and federal funding programs.

Shelly now supports the firm's growing client base by employing her collective years of public and private sector experience in strategy development, economic development initiative implementation and extensive research, review and analysis skills. Shelly supports GMS's Economic Development service area.

Marissa Price Analyst

Marissa Price, Analyst for GMS, offers clients creative funding strategies, leveraging her insight into various grant programs that she has successfully navigated over more than a decade of experience in the field. Her intuitive and analytical abilities complement her attention to detail and organizational skills, and are standard signatures to her work products. Her keen ability to translate complex subjects and data sets into easily-understood presentations has efficiently advanced many clients’ projects. Marissa supports the growing GMS client base by leveraging her years of consulting for both public and private sector clients in grant application and funding strategy development, research, and analysis.

Prior to joining GMS, Marissa worked at a local economic development firm providing public and private sector clients with financial guidance through local, state and federal grant programs. During her tenure, Marissa assisted with economic development strategies, branding and marketing campaigns, market assessments, revitalization strategies, public funding assistance for municipalities, and financial analyses to support public and private sector clients.

Marissa also worked at a local engineering firm where she provided funding strategies to clients to complete complex civil engineering projects. She served as a State-appointed reviewer for the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant program, while working on funding strategies and grant applications to advance other client initiatives. Marissa supports GMS's Economic Development service area.

Marie R. Holland Analyst

Marie Holland, Analyst for GMS, excels in the areas of research and analysis. Marie provides valuable assistance to the team by utilizing her research and writing skills for the preparation of funding program summaries and authoring relevant material for clients’ various grant and loan applications. While Marie’s work is primarily focused on state and private funding, her diligence and attention to detail proved invaluable when she partnered with colleagues on a multi-year effort to administer federal grant compliance related to a comprehensive nutrient trading program.

Marie completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Dallas in the areas of biology and environmental science. In her free time, Marie is pursuing a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy with a concentration in Environmental Management from Johns Hopkins University. Marie supports GMS's Economic Development service area.