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PEDA recognizes that ongoing professional development is an essential component of continuous quality improvement. The intent of these scholarships  made available through the generosity of FirstEnergy Corp. and Team Pennsylvania Foundation – is to make conference attendance available to 2 economic development professionals aged 40 or under whose organizational budgets would otherwise prevent them from participating.

Are you passionate about the snowmobile and ATV industries in PA and interested in sharing your professional insights regarding the future of existing and proposed regulations, standards, policies and practices? 

PEDA has been invited to provide advice to the DCNR Secretary and we’re seeking members interested in playing a role for further consideration. For additional information, contact Josh Skopp at jskopp@wannerassoc.com.

Clearfield County - Continental Carbonic

Continental Carbonic will construct a 45,000-square-foot liquid carbon dioxide facility as well as purchase equipment to operate a dry ice manufacturing facility in Clearfield, Clearfield County. The company will enter into a long-term land lease from Pennsylvania Grain Processing, LLC which will transfer the carbon dioxide gas through a dedicated pipeline from its ethanol fermentation process to Continental Carbonic. The company has committed to make a multi-million-dollar investment in the project and to create 60 new, full-time jobs over the next three years and retain 10 existing positions.

“Pennsylvania Grain Processing is exactly the type of high quality, high integrity strategic partner we look for when we expand our business,” said John Funk, President of Continental Carbonic. “They have an outstanding record of operating their plant safely, reliably, and profitably. We also want to thank the Clearfield community and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Action Team, who have worked very hard to provide the economic framework to make this project successful and have welcomed us so warmly.”

Continental Carbonic received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development that includes a $60,000 Pennsylvania First program grant, $200,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed upon creation of the new jobs, and $27,000 in WEDnetPA funding for employee training. The company has also been encouraged to apply for a $3 million low-interest loan from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority.

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania, in collaboration with Clearly Ahead Development.

“We definitely thank Continental Carbonic for bringing this opportunity to us,” said Rob Swales, CEO of Clearly Ahead Development. “We’ll continue to work diligently and do what we can to help ensure this opportunity becomes a reality.”

Continental Carbonic Products, Inc. (CCPI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Matheson Tri-Gas, is a leading producer of dry ice and liquid carbon dioxide. CCPI presently has eight dry ice manufacturing facilities and 32 distribution locations east of the Rocky Mountains.

For more information on Continental Carbonic, visit www.continentalcarbonic.com.

For more information about the Governor’s Action Team or DCED visit dced.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACTS: 
Jeff Sheridan, Governor’s Office, 717.783.1116
Lyndsay Kensinger, DCED, 717.783.1132

#10: Economic development agencies know their communities - all of the local information that you can't get from data tools. EDOs know who just laid-off, who closed, who expanded, who has training programs and dollars. 

#9: International support (investment and trade) through the Office of International Business Development (OIBD) - don't speak the language? No problem

#8: Labor interviews with existing companies - EDOs have the connections and the contacts to make this happen.

#7: Facilitation and introductions to the approving agencies, boards, and municipalities, supply chain, customers, and elected officials.

#6: Incentives - everyone wants them, but not everybody knows how or where to access them - workforce training, tax credits, low interest financing. There may also be soft local incentives which include start-up marketing and new hire assistance, paid accommodations for executives and trainers, membership in Chamber, trade organizations, young professional groups....

#5: Economic developers may be aware of sites that aren't on Loopnet, CoStar, or word of mouth from your peers. 

#4: Help with permitting at the local and state level - economic developers can advocate for the project - High priority economic development projects for the community. Also, economic developers will typically get the phone call when a project runs into permitting trouble.

#3: LERTA, TIF, KOEZ, KIZ, MTF, BIOS, RACP, CDBG - Oh need some help with the acronyms? EDOs know them all.

#2: Economic developers roll out the red carpet for prospects.

#1: Economic developers understand the importance of confidentiality and maintaining the integrity of site selection. They help you get the deal done.

Don't forget. Nov. 4th is the early bird deadline for the Dec. 5th-8th 2016 Economic Development Course in PA. https://bedcpa.org/

The Economic Development Course in Pennsylvania has served the needs of full-time economic development practitioners and those involved in economic development in a secondary way. The course draws participants whose background range from the seasoned professional to the beginning practitioner. Participants learn theoretical and practical approaches to economic development.

The Economic Development Course in Pennsylvania is accredited by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The IEDC is the nation's largest membership organization for economic developers. The course is considered the equivalent of the IEDC's Introduction to Economic Development Course, and serves as a requirement to sit for the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) exam.Show less

Original publication: Coria Bowen/Staff Writer The Herald-Mail

Next year, students at the new Welding Training Center in Chambersburg, Pa., will be able to receive welding training that will provide them with global certifications.

“Every graduate can get a job as a welder any place in the world, even in Europe or the United States of America,” Stefan Takac, president and chief executive officer of Phenomenal Industries Inc., said at Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the center.

The center is set to be completed March 1.

Phenomenal Industries, Inc., a welding services company based in Europe, is the training center’s operating company in partnership with the Franklin County Area Development Corp., the training center’s developer.

The Welding Training Center at 1669 Opportunity Ave. will be 10,868 square feet with 20 individual welding stations and state-of-the-art classroom and training space. It has a total capital investment of $1.75 million financed by F&M Trust.

Lehman Construction Services Inc. will be the general contractor for the project.

“We think it’s going to address a community need,” said L. Michael Ross, president of the Franklin County Area Development Corp. Welding is “a very family-sustainable career.”

During his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony, Takac said the project began two years ago, when he had a meeting with Ross and with David Briel, executive director of the Office of International Business Development, about the possibility of opening the center in Chambersburg.

“Since then, we learned that Franklin County is a great place to live, work and play,” Takac said. “We are very confidant that this county will soon become a phenomenal county to get trained as a welder for global application.”

Depending on the specific welding process, training will generally last between four to six weeks, after which graduates are hired by Phenomenal and contracted to the company’s clients within the U.S. and in Europe, Takac said.

Ross said his expectation is that the center will provide business opportunities for manufacturers in Franklin County and across the region.

Coria Bowen/Staff Writer The Herald-Mail

PECO ranks among Site Selection’s top utilities for economic development

The September issue of Site Selection magazine focuses on “The Infrastructure of Things” and includes PECO among the Top Ten Utilities for Economic Development.  The magazine credits PECO’s economic development department and its collaboration with the state, regional and county partners for delivering a total projected capital investment of nearly $7 billion and about 8,000 new jobs in southeastern Pennsylvania last year.

“This is a tribute to you, your communities and elected officials who work tirelessly to attract and retain jobs and expand the local tax base,” said Phil Eastman in a note to key partners.  “PECO’s role in economic development is to support regional marketing efforts and to address the energy needs of companies looking to locate or expand in our service territory.  We sincerely appreciate your support and teamwork, which has enabled PECO to shine among its peers in this highly respected national magazine.  Thanks to you, our region’s economy is thriving, its quality of life is skyrocketing, and its reputation has never been better.” 

Phil Eastman is a member of the PEDA Board of Directors.   

“This designation is a testament to the work we do every day to serve as an effective partner for communities throughout our service territory,” said Liz Murphy, PECO senior vice president of Regulatory and External Affairs. “Our customer focus combined with PECO’s ongoing system investments support new business attraction and help existing businesses thrive.

To read the full article, go to http://siteselection.com/digitalEdition/2016/sep/

Westfield Business Park, Westfield, Tioga County

Tioga County Development Corporation (TCDC), owner of the Westfield Business Park (Westfield, Tioga County), held a groundbreaking at the future business park.  The development is on the site of the Westfield Tannery, which employed more than 200 people before closing in 2005.  Since that time, TCDC, NTRPDC, and other partners have worked to redevelop the site for active use.  TCDC took ownership of the 18.3-acre property in 2014 and was awarded grant funds to continue clean-up efforts and begin demolition of several facilities.  Phase 1 of the demolition included funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission ($100,000) and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Industrial Sites Reuse Program ($34,650).  Additionally, the Northern Tier Partnership for Regional Economic Performance (PREP) committed $50,000, Tioga County contributed $11,500, and TCDC dedicated $12,500 of its funds into the project. 

Although it is a small portion of the overall projected $9 million project, the clean-up and demolition phase is essential to move the project forward.  Work included removing several tanks, an electrical substation, and a lime silo all used in the tannery business.  Additionally, one building will be removed and soil testing completed. 

Upon completion of this phase of the project, planning partners will work to acquire funds for demolition of more than 30 other structures on site, relocation of the creek running through the site, and ultimately redevelopment of usable structures and construction of new buildings to complete the business park.  This first phase is a small but important visual reminder to the community that progress is being made in moving this project forward. 

WESTFIELD BUSINESS PARK UPDATE

Additional State Funds Approved/Phase 1 Demolition Complete

The Westfield Business Park Phase 1 Demolition was completed in December 2015. Several aboveground storage tanks, a lime silo, an electrical substation and a house will be demolished as part of grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) via US Department of Agriculture(USDA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED )PREP Program. Additional funding is being provided by TCDC. The Bids will be opened on May12, 2015 at the project was awarded to Tri State Trucking of Mansfield.

In conjunction with this project, the Tioga County Development Corporation (TCDC) completed an Industrial Sites Reuse Program 1 (ISRP) Grant form DCED for the final phase of the environmental evaluation of the property. An ISRP $13,575 Grant from DCED was awarded in October and the remediation was completed the week of December 7, 2015. The match was provided by the Tioga County’s Act 13 funding.

A Growing Greener Grant Application submitted by the Borough of Westfield for the relocation of Closes Creek is pending action. The match was provided by the Tioga County’s Act 13 funding.

In January 2015, we submitted a Grant Application for a Pennsylvania RACP for $1.5 Million for demolition. We have not seen any action on this request.

Foor & Associates, Architects and SSM serve as our engineering consultants for the development of the Westfield Business Park. The Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission(NTRPDC) have been very helpful in securing funding.

Click here to review the RFP.

Click here to view the press release.