Matt Deal, funeral director and owner of Morrison Funeral Home, joined the Chamber board this year. He is a graduate of Penn State University and several years after graduation, decided to change careers and go back to school to be a funeral director.

His family moved to Oil City in 2012 and bought the funeral home in 2017. Matt runs the funeral home with his wife Rebekah and they have five children, four of which still live at home.

Matt loves spending time outdoors, including the local waterways where he can often be found fishing or floating. He’s also a fan of hunting and trapping.

When asked what he loves about living here, Matt said “I love the small town feel. I know my next door neighbors very well, but so many other folks have become my ‘neighbors’ here.”

He also added “I enjoy living in a place where we can all play our part here to help each other, and find most everything we need right here.”

At the Chamber, Matt looks forward to bringing a different perspective since he hasn’t lived here his entire life. He is a participant in Leadership Venango, the Chamber’s leadership program, and would like to see that program grow throughout the next few years.

“To me, Oil City is an encouraging and hope filled place where I’m happy to raise my family and run a business,” he said. He also is ready to use his experience to provide ideas to tackle the challenges that do exist here.

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s May 2020 VenangoWorks! Newsletter