(Reading) -- The Berks County seat's immediate former mayor, Tom McMahon, sees his role as a champion for Pennsylvania's cities - even though he decided not to seek a third term in office. "My way to look at this is as a series of adventures. The adventure I had for eight years as the mayor was great fun," McMahon says. He talks about his adventures with in the latest installment of our Beyond the Bio series. witf's Craig Layne caught up with the former mayor at the cafe in Reading's GoggleWorks - an old factory that's been turned into an arts center.

(Paradise) -- It's hard to wrap up a description of the National Christmas Center in one neat little package. The attraction in Paradise, Lancaster County, is the result of decades of work by its curator and historian, Jim Morrison. "I think the appeal for this is there's no other day in our lives like Christmas," Morrison says. In the latest installment of our "Beyond the Bio" series, Morrison talks with witf's Craig Layne about why he started a place where it's December 25th all year long.

(Lancaster) -- At the end of January, a new president will take the reins of the United Way of Lancaster County for the first time in more than two decades. The organization's current president, Susan Eckert, is stepping down after leading the nonprofit for 25 years. Eckert had originally planned to pursue a career in education, an area that attracted much of her attention during her tenure at the United Way of Lancaster County. "When I finished college, I decided I wanted to be a teacher. So, I went to Boston College to get a master's in special education and taught for a period of time," she says. "But, I discovered that teaching might not have been the right match for me."

(Hershey) -- Modern heart-assist pumps provide life-saving options for patients dealing with severe heart problems. A midstate surgeon and engineer pioneered the first pneumatic heart assist pump and has worked for decades on improving its design. Dr. William Pierce is a professor emeritus of surgery at Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey. As part of witf's Beyond the Bio series, Morning Edition Host Craig Layne talked with Dr. Pierce about the heart assist pump and where he got the idea.

(Carlisle) -- For 37 years, Carlisle Events has been hosting some of the largest car truck and motorcycle collector gatherings in the country. The well-known fall collector car swap meet starts this Wednesday at the Carlisle Fair Grounds. Bill Miller co-founded the company that's become an automotive entertainment juggernaut. As part of Beyond the Bio, witf's monthly look at a person who's made important contributions to the region, witf's Craig Layne talked with Miller about what keeps his motor running.