HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / SPRING 2015
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A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS SPRING 2015 EDITION
/ AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS
UPCOMING CHAMBER & CREDC
INSIDE
E V E N T S •
4 WELCOME Considerations from David Black FEATURE 6 COVER Automotive Dealers – Then & Now SPOTLIGHT 10 NOT-FOR-PROFIT AACA Museum –
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APRIL..
30 CHAMBER HIGH SCHOOL BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Harrisburg University MAY..
5 MAY LEADS OVER LUNCH – HOSTED BY LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE
Location: Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's Dixon University Center
A World Class Automotive Experience
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•
5 CINCO DE MAYO
LEGISLATIVE FOCUS From Pensions to Taxes and Everything in Between – What’s on the Chamber & CREDC’s Legislative Radar
14 SPOTLIGHT 16 REGIONAL Rose Lehrman Arts Center –
REGIONAL MIXER FIESTA
The Conference Center at Shippensburg University 14 MAKING IT HAPPEN! THE TOP TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT: DATA BREACHES
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Educating Future Auto Repair Technicians
Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC 14 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Harsco Corporation 21 LADIES WHO LEAD Best Western Premier The Central Hotel & Conference Center
A “Rose” in the City STRIDES 18 MAKING Members in the News 20 WELCOME New Members
JUNE..
18 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Milton Hershey School JULY..
9 MAKING IT HAPPEN!
FEATURED IN THE
NEXT EDITION - SUMMER 2015
Attorneys
Oldest Local Firms
THE TOP TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT: ACCEPTABLE USE & FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY
Giant Community Center, Camp Hill 16 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Brenner Nissan AUGUST..
13 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Penn National Insurance 25 TRANSPORTATION BRIEFING Radisson Hotel Harrisburg
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WELCOME
CONSIDERATIONS FROM DAVID BLACK PRESIDENT & CEO, HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
Building Your Business and Our Region
T
he Membership of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC consists of small to large businesses and every size, shape, type of business in between. While the benefit for smaller and mid-sized businesses has historically been networking – the benefit for larger businesses may escape many at first glance.
the country that has a solid work force with an unequalled work ethic. I think a lot of it has to do with our original German (more often termed Pennsylvania Dutch) heritage as a region that has over generations of persons of all ethnic backgrounds become part of the culture of South Central Pennsylvania. Milton Hershey brought many
IT’S SIMPLE;
IT’S BUILDING A BETTER REGION. Our tag line is “Building Your Business and Our Region!” Larger businesses are larger employers and realize the connection between quality of life and the attraction and retention of talent. They also realize that the key to success of their business is a quality and talented workforce. South Central Pennsylvania has long enjoyed a well-earned reputation as a part of
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immigrants to the region to work in his milk chocolate industry over a century ago. He looked for ethnic cultures with a strong work ethic. This example has been repeated over and over again in the history of our region that has earned us the reputation as the hardest working, most productive region in the country.
It’s not that we don’t like to have fun. Milton Hershey figured that out with his town and his little park that has evolved into Hershey Park and related attractions that was built on…wait for it… the hard work of hard working people. Beginning to get the pattern? Today, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC is the only organization in the region comprehensively providing a tool for talent retention and attraction. We recently launched the “Live the Life You Want” micro-website (www.thelifeyouwantpa.com). This is just one of many examples of building our region. When site selectors inquire about our region for their new facility location, they call the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. When corporations need regional support for major or special initiatives within their companies, they call the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. We believe a rising tide will lift many boats. Individuals, small businesses, large businesses, not-for-profits and the quality of life in the region in which we live and love will thrive. In a world where a business can belong to so many organizations and support so many causes, we are appreciative of those
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
businesses that have supported us over the many decades, those who have joined the cause in more recent years and those small businesses who understand the benefit of membership to building their business and the region in which they do business. The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC is the go-to organization in the region. We collaborate and partner with many organizations on many fronts. More importantly in a world where a business can belong to so many organizations, businesses still overwhelmingly choose the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. They recognize the work, recognize the outcomes, recognize the value to building a better region, recognize the value of having an identity to our region that is recognizable to those not only elsewhere in Pennsylvania, but also throughout the country and the world. We all learned state capitals as kids in school, and beyond that people don’t understand that South Central Pennsylvania, the larger region that includes the smaller regions around Harrisburg, Lancaster and York consists of nearly 2 million people. We are the third largest region in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and most people don’t know that Hershey and Gettysburg– two very recognizable destina-
tions are within an hour of each other in South Central Pennsylvania. This is just part of what we are trying to accomplish in a collaborative effort with partners here in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry Counties, and with our colleagues in Lancaster, York, Adams, Franklin and Lebanon Counties. The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC is a recognized leader in innovation in Pennsylvania. We want to bring that reputation to our region and the larger South Central Pennsylvania region to help grow your business, to help retain and attract a quality workforce and continue our pattern of growth while stepping up to be a major player not just in Pennsylvania, but in the Mid-Atlantic region of our country. We can only do all these things with your continued participation and support. So I’m just saying, thank you for your on-going support. There are a few others we would like to recruit to the cause, so I’m simply asking you all to spread the good news about the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC and use your network to encourage others to participate as well. Thank you in advance for your help! Building Your Business and Our Region,
David E. Black President & CEO
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS P U B L I S H E D Q U A R T E R LY
Distributed by
Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC 3211 N. Front Street, Suite 201, Harrisburg, PA 17110-1342 717-232-4099 Fax: 717-232-5184 www.HarrisburgRegionalChamber.org Christine Brindle, Editor, Harrisburg Regional News 717-213-5048 / cbrindle@hbgrc.org David E. Black, President & CEO Kurt Twiford, Chair of the Board, Chamber Sharon Ryan, Chair of the Board, CREDC
The mission of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC is to be a catalyst for policy change, for job creation and for business growth in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry Counties that enhances the quality of life in our region. ______________________________________________________________________________
For advertising opportunities in Harrisburg Regional News, contact Frankie Clayton, Sales Manager 717-213-5043 frankie.clayton@atlantic4us.com ______________________________________________________________________________
Produced & Published by
Atlantic Communications Group, Inc. 800-832-3747 Fax: 800-599-6420 www.atlantic4us.com / www.KnowThisPlace.com Proud to be a member of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC Hayden M. Wilbur, CEO Gretchen Lindberg, Art Director Stephan Vegoe, Writer/Photographer Frankie Clayton, Advertising Sales ©2015 Atlantic Communications Group, Inc. and Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any format or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo copying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. The information in this publication has been gathered and carefully compiled to ensure maximum accuracy. However, because completeness cannot be guaranteed, Harrisburg Chamber & CREDC and Atlantic Communications Group, Inc. cannot accept responsibility for omissions and errors. ISSN 1530-4051 / Spring 2015 / Volume 23 / Issue 64
Scan with your tablet or smartphone to visit www.HarrisburgRegionalChamber.org
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / SPRING 2015
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COVER FEATURE
AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS –
Then
and
Now
By: Stephan Vegoe, Writer/Photographer, Atlantic Communications Group, Inc.
Earl Hoffman, Jr. tells the story from 1953 when his late father, Earl, Sr., then a KaiserFrazer new car dealer in Highspire, was high up on a ladder in his showroom, when Lee Iacocca walked into that showroom, looked up at Earl, Sr. and said, “Earl, if you want to be a Ford dealer you need to get down off that ladder and put on a white shirt.” “That’s how dad became a Ford dealer. His friendship with Lee Iacocca lasted for the rest of his life,” said Earl Hoffman, Jr., as he reflected on how Hoffman Ford has changed in the more than sixty years since the man who engineered the Ford Mustang and the Ford Pinto came into his father’s life. “In the early 1960s I was a Penn State basketball player, captain of the team,” Earl Hoffman said, “but I was destined to spend my life selling Ford cars and trucks. I quickly realized I could have a much better life selling Fords than I could have as an NBA basketball player. The Agnes flood of 1972 and another flood in 1975 convinced Ford Motor Co. that we needed to move from Highspire along the Susquehanna to higher ground, so in 1978 we moved here to our new location on Jonestown Road. That was really out in the country in 1978. Fords have 6
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been very good to our family (Earl’s sons, Todd and Ryan, are both working with their father at Hoffman Ford) and all the people who have worked for us.” “If you look back ten years to 2005,” Earl Hoffman said, “before the Great Recession hit and American auto manufacturers went into bankruptcy (except Ford Motor Company) and compare the way we sold cars then to now in the spring of 2015, there are two changes that really stand out. First, the quality of the cars and trucks we sell now – especially with the computerization that is standard on every car and truck we and our competitors sell – is truly significantly better.”
...the biggest change is the way we sell cars. “But, the biggest change is the way we sell cars,” Earl Hoffman said. “In 2005, the Internet was a factor that we recognized was going to change every dealership in America, but it hadn’t happened yet. Today, the Internet has changed our whole way of doing business. Before, when a customer came to us looking for a green Mustang convertible, he did not know what was in our inventory, so if we did not have a green Mustang we sold him a red Mustang. Now, with our complete inventory right out there on the Internet, the customer looking for a green Mustang doesn’t come to us if we do not have one, so we do not get the chance to sell him the red Mustang.” ——————————
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
network. That system went away in the 1950s. Who knows how long it will be before manufacturers decide to sell cars directly to their customers over the Internet?” ——————————
Michael Brenner, President of the Brenner Family of Dealerships, whose grandfather, Ephraim Brenner, opened his car dealership in Harrisburg in 1921 (moving to Paxton Street in 1947), commented, “We have not yet felt the total impact of the changes the Internet will bring to our industry. Because of the Internet, our business, which at one time had a distinct knowledge advantage over our customers, no longer has that advantage.” Mike Brenner said “Moore’s Law (that processor speeds, or overall processing power for computers will double every two years) is alive and well in auto manufacturing; the cost of computerizing a family automobile or a pickup truck continues to rapidly decline. Today, we sell technology. The cars our customers buy from us have huge computer capacity, to the point where the computer is doing everything but steering, and as we have seen, they parallel park far better than the average driver can perform that task.” “If you look at the changes that have occurred in the way manufacturers sell cars and trucks, we all know that even bigger changes are likely,” Mike Brenner said. “Once upon a time, from the 1930s to the 1950s, dealers bought their inventory from distributors, not directly from the manufacturers. We owned a Chrysler distributorship here in Harrisburg then and sold Chryslers to our dealer
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / SPRING 2015
Richard Jordan, II, Chairman and CEO of Smith Land & Improvement Company (and L.B. Smith Ford), commented that his late father, Richard Jordan, worked with L.B. Smith in the early 1940s when L.B. Smith started his Ford dealership (in 1940). “L.B. Smith promised to keep a job open for my father while he served in World War II, and so there was a job waiting for him with Mr. Smith’s land development company in 1945. Our family (now three generations) has been involved with Smith Land & Improvement Company ever since.” “My father did not have any automobile experience,” Rick Jordan said, “and neither did L.B. Smith, but they hired very capable people to manage and operate their many companies, including one of the largest Ford dealerships in central Pennsylvania. Bruce Hetrick and his brother Homer, who is now the general manager of L.B. Smith Ford, have managed our Ford dealership for a combined nine decades.” —————————— continued on page 8
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COVER FEATURE continued from page 7
Jack Oyler, President of Faulkner Cadillac in Mechanicsburg, is part of a large, Pennsylvania-based dealer organization (the Gail Faulkner Group) with more than 1,400 employees in twenty-two stores in Pennsylvania. He’s currently overseeing a major expansion of the three stores he manages along the Carlisle Pike. “We’re getting ready
to move soon,” Jack Oyler said, “to a new 14acre site with three beautiful new buildings to house our Cadillac store, our Fiat store, and our Maserati-Alpha Romeo store.” “Why are we located here along the Carlisle Pike? Because the Carlisle Pike is the automotive capital of central Pennsylvania,” Oyler explained. “It’s where all the dealers are located; mostly because open land was and still is available. Just like fifty years ago, when Harrisburg’s dealers similarly moved to Paxton Street (because of the availability of large parcels of open land) dealers moved here to the Carlisle Pike.” Jack Oyler also commented on the biggest difference he sees between 2005 and 2015. “Then, in 2005, a new car buyer made five or six visits to different dealers, spoke to lots
of sales consultants, and took home lots of print material. In 2005, the first impression a new car buyer had of a dealership was a handshake; now that first impression is made online, on our websites.” Jack Oyler continued, “We are no longer the primary provider of information about the new cars and trucks we sell. Instead, auto dealers provide inventory and service, and they facilitate the purchase transaction. We provide the details. Our customers, because of everything that is available online, have learned as much (often more) about the vehicles they are interested in as our sales consultants know.” According to Jack Oyler, “Today’s car shoppers need sales consultants to show them how that vehicle fits their lifestyle, whether
COMMENTS ABOUT THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC Mike Brenner, President of the Brenner Family of Dealerships, who has served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and also as the chair of CREDC, the Chamber’s economic development arm, is the recipient of two of the Chamber & CREDC’s most prestigious awards, the annual Catalyst Award and the annual Athena Award, which is almost always given to a woman who has had a significant impact on the lives of women in the community (an award that is sponsored by the Brenner Family of Dealerships). Mike commented about the Chamber & CREDC, “Our Harrisburg
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Regional Chamber & CREDC is a critical resource in our community – to help us grow as a region and as a place to live and work. I am proud to be part of that effort through the Chamber & CREDC.” ————— Jonathan Casey, President of Sutliff Auto Group, commented that Sutliff is a Harrisburg-centric organization, and for that reason, “The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, also a Harrisburg-centric organization, is important, and any organization that is going to work toward improving the economic conditions of our region is important to us.” Jonathan Casey also said,
“We are proud of our organization’s support of the United Way of the Capital Region, which we and our entire team wholeheartedly supports, including the donation of a car every year to encourage others to donate to the United Way. We are proud to call Harrisburg home and we want to donate as much as we can to the Harrisburg region.” ————— Earl Hoffman, Jr., President of Hoffman Ford Sales, is equally supportive of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. He said, “We belong to the Chamber & CREDC because they go to war for us. They are our advocate. That’s what
we want and that’s what they do for us.” ————— Richard Jordan, III, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Smith Land & Improvement Corporation, which owns L.B. Smith Ford in Lemoyne, commented that their real estate development company has had a long relationship with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC and that, “Dave Black has done a wonderful job with the Chamber & CREDC and has helped our company become even-moreinvolved members. Thanks to Dave Black, my son, Richard Jordan, III, serves as a member of CREDC’s board.”
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
that’s a new Cadillac CTS or an Escalade, a Fiat 500, or a Maserati Ghibli.” “The other big difference between 2005 and 2015,” Oyler said, “is that there are no bad cars in the market in 2015. That was not the case in 2005. Today’s new car market is just too competitive and the buyer has so many research tools and reviews available online that manufacturers cannot produce anything but a quality product. Today, everything we sell is technology based; cars today are computers on wheels.” ——————————
Jonathan Casey, President of Sutliff Auto Group, with locations in Harrisburg and State College, has been in the automobile business
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / SPRING 2015
for twenty-two years – ten in Boulder, Colorado and a dozen years here in the Capital Region. “Our Sutliff dealerships go back to Leo Sutliff who started in Harrisburg in 1931. Greg Sutliff, Leo’s son, took over in 1962 and is still our dealer principal.” “Today, the average customer visits no more than two stores before making a buying decision,” Jonathan Casey explained. “If they don’t buy a car at the first place they visit they will buy at the second place. That means that our sales consultants must be extremely knowledgeable about all the products we sell. He or she has to be a true expert on our cars and trucks . . . and on the technology in those vehicles, not just the engine. How the Bluetooth works, how the GPS works, how assisted parking works, are just as important to today’s buyers as the engine and fuel economy, maybe even more so.” “At Sutliff,” Jonathan Casey explained, “our sales managers now control the purchase transaction, not the sales consultants. Our sales managers negotiate the deal: the purchase price and trade-in values with our customers. We do it that way because of the
Internet. We have learned that our best customers are also our best educated customers. The cost numbers and values they have in their heads – the numbers they got from research on the Internet – are realistic and we are happy to work with them. Our customers know as much about the cost of the vehicles as we do, so there is little, if any, room for negotiation. Because of the pricing information available online, we are almost now to the point where we no longer negotiate prices of new cars.” “Remember,” Jonathan Casey said, “we are here to do what’s best for our customers. We want them to get into the car or truck that’s best for them.”
Save-the-Date! LADIES WHO LEAD MAY 21, 2015 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Best Western Premier The Central Hotel & Conference Center
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NOT-FOR-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT
A World Class Automotive Experience
ACCA MUSEUM –
By: Nicole Keiner, Writer, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
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ach year, approximately 68,000 people walk through the doors of the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum (AACA) located in Hershey. What is something most people would not know about the museum? Many visitors know them specifically as a Museum; however, their facility is very flexible and they host quite a number of meetings, weddings, receptions and other events throughout the year. Events can range from small meetings in their
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board room to receptions with 900 guests or seated dinners of 400 and everywhere in between. The AACA Museum recently installed electric charging stations funded by Tesla. There are two Tesla charging stations and one standard charging station available to refuel your electric vehicle while visiting the Museum. These are located right out front and are free to guests.
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
The AACA Museum has a full line up of exhibits and events for this year including: Lotus: The Art of Lightness (through April 26th) This special exhibit features more than 60 years of Lotus road and race vehicles including the 1978 Lotus Type 79 championship winning Formula 1 car driven by Mario Andretti. Motorbikes for the Masses (through October 11th) This will feature a variety of mopeds and scooters. Inexpensive, reliable, easy to maneuver and park transportation for a crowded urban area is where these really shine compared to “traditional” motorcycles. This exhibit honors these under-appreciated and often ridiculed machines.
added all the time so check out their website for the most current listing www.AACAMuseum.org. The Museum is open daily from 9am to 5pm. They recommend that guests arrive no later than 4pm so they have a minimum of 1 hour to enjoy the facility. Admission is $12 for Adults, $11 for Seniors age 61 & older, $9 for Children 4-12 years, FREE for ages 3 & under. Mark Lizewskie, Executive Director stated, “The AACA Museum is excited to be a community resource by showcasing automotive history with innovative and interactive exhibits and by hosting many interesting events that provide a variety of entertaining experiences for guests of all ages.”
A Family Affair: Station Wagons (May 23rd – October 11th) This will showcase both familiar and lesser known examples of station wagons and their impact on family life. Remember the Wagon Queen Family Truckster from National Lampoon’s Vacation? How about Carol Brady’s Plymouth Satellite wagon from The Brady Bunch? Do you have fond memories as a kid of riding in the back of the Vista Cruiser with a picnic cooler on the way to a family outing? Call them station wagons, suburbans, depot hacks, or shooting breaks, the origin of these utility vehicles became prevalent in the teens and twenties, but became very popular in the Post War periods of the 1950s and 60s. Automotive Jewelry by Automotive photographer Michael Furman (May 23rd – September 19th) Since Michael Furman photographed his first car in the studio, he became fascinated by the mascots and badges that have identified them. They appear as small sculptures or designs in themselves, and became the subject of Michael’s recent book, Automotive Jewelry, Volume One; Mascots, Badges. On the evening of May 22nd from 6-9 pm, AACA will be hosting an opening reception showcasing their new summer exhibits. This event provides a great opportunity to see these new exhibits, talk with vehicle owners and enjoy some light snacks and beverages. Advance reservations are required and admission is just $15 per person. The AACA Museum also hosts a variety of shows on its grounds. Upcoming shows include a Sports & Exotic car show on April 25th benefiting Castaway Critters, a Bus Spring Fling on June 6th, the 20th annual AACA Museum CARnival Car show on June 20th and the Tall Cedars Car show on August 9th. Additional shows and events are
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / SPRING 2015
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LEGISLATIVE FOCUS
FROM PENSIONS TO TAXES AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN – WHAT’S ON THE CHAMBER & CREDC’S LEGISLATIVE RADAR By: Larissa Bailey, Government Relations Manager, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
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very year, the Government Relations Committee – a group comprised of Chamber & CREDC members representing a variety of different industries and fields – creates and approves the Chamber & CREDC’s legislative priorities. Though the specific legislative issues vary from year to year, our priorities always keep one central goal in mind: to promote the growth and competitiveness of the Harrisburg region and south central Pennsylvania business community both domestically and abroad.
Promote the growth and competitiveness of the Harrisburg region and south central Pennsylvania business community both domestically and abroad. Once the priorities have been drafted, discussed, and revised, the Government Relations Committee votes on the document. If approved, the legislative priorities are taken before the Chamber Board of Directors for a second and final vote. The approved, official priorities then serve as the basis for the Chamber & CREDC’s annual advocacy agenda. This year, our priorities were crafted to apply to the entire 20152016 legislative session versus just one year. Therefore, the Chamber & CREDC will not have to create a new list of priorities until January 2017, the beginning of the 2017-2018 legislative session.
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A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
From education and workforce to transportation and taxes, the Chamber & CREDC’s 2015-2016 legislative priorities address a number of important issues potentially affecting the business community over the next two years. A brief overview of our current priorities includes: • Education & Workforce Development – Promoting lifelong learning, success in schools, and the closing of the skills gap through collaborative initiatives, relationships, and leadership opportunities. • Environmental & Energy – Advocating for the overall reduction of regulatory burdens, as well as the effective and fair implementation of regulatory changes at the state and/or federal level. • General Governance – Supporting comprehensive state, school, and municipal pension reform; advancing the mission of the Coalition for Sustainable Communities, a state grassroots organization that works to solve fiscal issues in our local communities. • Health – Assessing and commenting on the implementation of the Affordable Healthcare Act; promoting reforms that stabilize the medical malpractice insurance marketplace and foster stability in the medical community. • Labor – Advocating that businesses be relieved of outdated and unfair regulations that address abuses and provide for an impartial work environment for both employees and employers. • Local Government – Monitoring local and county government issues impacting the small business community. • Tax – Supporting and promoting comprehensive tax reforms (i.e. the continued phase-out of the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax, the elimination of the cap on Net Operating Losses, and the lowering of the Corporate Net Income Tax rate). • Transportation & Infrastructure – Observing, promoting, and advocating for a modernized, multi-modal transportation and infrastructure system that provides for the safe and efficient mobility of products, services, and people. A comprehensive and more detailed list of the priorities may be found on the Chamber & CREDC’s website under the Advocacy/ Legislation tab.
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / SPRING 2015
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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
EDUCATING FUTURE AUTO REPAIR TECHNICIANS By: Shaun Donovan, Economic Development Specialist, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
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outh Central Pennsylvania has the largest market for automotive repair workers within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor’s Center for Workforce Information and Analysis, there are currently over 4,200 employees
Students who select courses at the vocational technical centers while they are in high school usually have the basic training needed to get started in the industry, but in select cases there is no formal certification training generally needed. For some more advanced positions, there are specialty trainings and certifications that an individual mechanic can earn such as master mechanic and ASE certification. Though these certifications are not mandatory for all positions, they can help candidates get a competitive advantage or qualify to work in a shop that needs those certifications. Career paths for those in automotive technologies can include a variety of occupations such as automotive body repair technician, specialty technician, master mechanic and automotive service technician. Some of these positions require specific certifications and testing, much of which is done as a part of on the job training and experience. Overall the growth of this industry within the region is good and there are enough graduates coming from the training programs to meet the demand. Our area has a number training institutions that continue to educate the workers in this field in the skills that are necessary.
in the automotive repair industry. The average worker in this industry makes a salary of $34,164 per year. Educational requirements for the positions vary though most positions only require a high school diploma with associated vocational and technical training. The region projects that this industry sector is expected to grow 11.1% from 2012 to 2022 or 1.1% annually. According to the most current regional job report, there are 19 job postings. The industry also has a large number of mechanics who are self-employed and run their own automotive repair businesses. Within our region there are several training providers that offer certifications for students in automotive technology. CumberlandPerry Area Vocational Technical School, Dauphin County Technical School and Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) have programs that prepare students for careers within this industry.
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A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
CREDC loan clients with ties to the auto industry
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ndustry supply chains and the ripple effect within them are growing more intricate each and every day. The auto industry does not only impact the Midwest states. CREDC’s loan portfolio is comprised of many companies located right here in South Central PA that are impacted by the state of the US auto industry. Here is a sample:
Hoffman Materials • $200,000 SBF loan in 2009 • $582,000 total project • Purchased machinery and equipment of old crystal plant, saving jobs to be lost • Ties to auto industry: Owner, Mark Rauchfuss, reports that his tie to the auto industry is in supplying quartz components for remote keyless locking systems and exotic metal alloy wafers for use in LED lighting.
Turner Hydraulics • • • •
$200,000 SBF loan in 2010 $590,000 total project Expanded existing facility by roughly 17,000 square feet Ties to auto industry: Owner, Dan Turner, confirmed that his business does a vast amount of work producing and installing the heavy duty hydraulic lift systems needed for car repairs and maintenance. His customers in this line of his business are dealerships, repair shops and more.
Tex Visions • • • •
$2,000,000 PIDA loan in 2014 $5.9 million total project Constructed new 57,600 square feet facility Ties to auto industry: Owner, Marcel Ruhland, remembers printing large banners for car dealerships since his equipment was some of the few that were large enough to print the size required. Today his direct customers are resellers of his product, but he still sees auto maker influenced materials in their output.
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / SPRING 2015
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REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Rose Lehrman Arts Center -
By: Nicole Keiner, Writer, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
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ach year, for the past 40 years, the Live at Rose Lehrman Artist Series at the Rose Lehrman Arts Center on the Harrisburg campus of HACC presents a variety of diverse, high-quality, professional offerings of live dance, music and theatre events targeted to bring community audiences to the campus. From pre-show lectures
as Martha Graham Dance Company, Pilobolus Dance Theatre, Momix, Alvin Ailey II, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Tango Fire, Parsons Dance Company, Urban Bush Women, Philadanco, Sydney Dance Company, Ballet Hispanico and Rennie Harris Puremovement. They have hosted such artists as Turtle Island
“More Than a Show.” and artist master classes to post show talkbacks and artist meet-andgreets, a Live at Rose Lehrman event is known as “More Than a Show.” Live at Rose Lehrman Series events bring in nearly 8,000 attendees annually and has had an average 88% capacity for the last ten years. The series has featured programming in dance, music, and theatre events. Presentations in dance have included notable companies such
Submitted by: Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC)
String Quartet, Richie Havens, Gaelic Storm, Ethos Percussion Group, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Buckwheat Zydeco, Plena Libre, Danú, Missoula Children's Theatre, Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, The Paper Bag Players and numerous shows from Aquila Theatre. Built in 1975, the Rose Lehrman Arts Center is home to HACC’s acclaimed performing artist series, Live at Rose Lehrman. The Auditorium Theatre in the center is a state-of-the-art 400 seat proscenium theatre facility. No seat is more than 45 feet from the stage. The Studio Theatre, a flexible black box theatre, can seat up to 140. It is the home of HACC's Theatre Department and Theatre for Young People, a program that provides theatre training and experiences for young people in the Central Pennsylvania region. Support areas for both theatres include a fully equipped scene shop, a movement/dance studio, a green room, workrooms for properties and costumes, and large and small dressing rooms. The Rose Lehrman Art Gallery accommodates both two and three dimensional art. Both nationally and internationally-known artists exhibit in the gallery. The Rose Garden Plaza adjacent to the gallery is used for receptions. The Rose Lehrman Arts Center was the last building to be constructed in the HACC Harrisburg Campus 10-year master plan. When it was finished in 1975, it was the first multidisciplinary arts center in the region.
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A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
“A Continuing Care Retirement Community.” Provider and leader of quality healthcare in Central PA for more than 148 years. 50 renovated Personal Care Suites. Applications being accepted for a limited number. Skilled Nursing Care Unit accommodates 95, including a 24-bed Alzheimer’s Unit.
Exemplary personalized care that enables patients and families to live each day as fully as possible. Focused on pain relief, comfort and support for patients & families. Providing hospice care in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill and York counties. Call us for details on our full array of services.
717-221-7902
717-221-7890
1901 North Fifth Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102 www.homelandcenter.org
2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115, Harrisburg, PA 17110 www.homelandhospice.org
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / SPRING 2015
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MAKING STRIDES
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS ALEXANDER BUILDING CONSTRUCTION CO., part of The Butz Family of Companies, recently completed construction of an addition to the Ingot Facility at the ArcelorMittal Steelton Plant. The longstanding partnership between ArcelorMittal and Lehigh Heavy Forge and the high strength, high tolerance products they produce, resulted in the need to expand the existing facility in Steelton. Elizabeth Knouse Foote has joined BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESALE REALTY as a Realtor® and leader of the Elizabeth Knouse Team. A Certified Residential Specialist, Knouse Foote has 16 years of real estate sales experience. Her team specializes in residential, new construction, investment property, and commercial property sales throughout Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry and northern York counties. Team member, Jim Priar, works exclusively with the Elizabeth Knouse Team, and has over 8 years of previous real estate sales experience. Priar has previous appraisal experience and is a current member of the Progress Fire Company Home Association. The BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF HARRISBURG is pleased to announce the selection of Kevin Stanfield as the 2015 Youth of the Year. Each year, a dynamic young rising star is chosen to be honored for their outstanding leadership, perseverance and their ability to truly embody all that the Boys & Girls Club stands for. Previously a Milton Hershey student from kindergarten through 8th grade, due to family circumstances, Kevin moved into the city five years ago and started attending the Boys & Girls Club.
Save-the-Date! TRANSPORTATION BRIEFING AUGUST 25, 2015 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Radisson Hotel Harrisburg
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CENTRIC BANK has raised $5.1 million in a Q4 2014 Private Stock Offering, exceeding its goal of $4 million. The stock was sold at $5 per share and 97% of tangible book value which is $5.15 per share. DAWOOD ENGINEERING, INC. (Dawood) is proud to announce receipt of the 2015 American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA) Diamond Award. This is the second consecutive year that one of Dawood’s projects has been recognized by ACEC/PA. GK VISUAL, a local photography and video production company, has expanded its operations with the addition of a new full-time position. Sean Purcell has been hired as Editor and Motion Graphics Artist. HALLER ENTERPRISES announced the promotion of Matt Caplinger to Senior M.E.P. Project Manager. Matt has been an M.E.P. Project Manager with Haller for nine years. Caplinger, a Master Electrician since 2011, has 18 years of commercial electrical installation and design experience and is also North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) PV entry level accredited. HERBERT, ROWLAND & GRUBIC, INC. (HRG) has promoted three of its employees to new leadership positions within the firm: Christopher Dellinger, P.E., has been promoted to be director of the Land Development Service Group, and Howard Hodder, MGIS, GISP, has been promoted to be director of the Geomatics Service Group. HRG has also promoted Bryan Persing, MCSE, to be the Manager of Information Technology & Systems. HOLLENBACH CONSTRUCTION, INC. is pleased to announce the addition of Joan Wolfe to the Hollenbach Construction team as Project Manager. Joan Wolfe has more than 20 years’ experience in the construction industry as a project manager and estimator.
HR RESOLUTIONS, Central Pennsylvania’s leading provider of on-site, on-call and as-needed professional human resource outsourcing services, announced that Melissa Packer has joined the firm. Melissa comes to HR Resolutions with 5 years of experience in the human resources sector, having served as an HR Administrator with Essential Enterprise Solutions and prior to that, working in a number of human resource management capacities with NHS Human Services. THE JFC STAFFING COMPANIES announced it has been named as one of Inavero’s 2015 Best of Staffing® Client Award winners. Presented in partnership with CareerBuilder, the Best of Staffing Award provides the only statistically valid and objective service quality benchmarks for the industry, revealing which staffing agencies deliver the highest quality of service to their clients. MID PENN BANK is seeking regulatory approval to open a branch at 5288 Simpson Ferry Road in Mechanicsburg, adjacent to the Windsor Park Shopping Center in Lower Allen Township. The bank submitted an application to the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities and to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. If approved, this will be Mid Penn Bank’s second branch in Mechanicsburg. The bank’s other Mechanicsburg location is at 4622 Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township. Mid Penn currently has 19 branches serving Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Luzerne, Northumberland and Schuylkill counties. QUANDEL CONSTRUCTION GROUP, INC., a Harrisburg construction firm, has been selected to serve as the Construction Manager for an addition and renovations to the Muncy Valley Hospital’s emergency services facilities, located in Muncy, PA. The program includes an addition to the Emergency Department, renovations within the existing Emergency Department and various site improvements.
Central Pennsylvania-based RLS CONSTRUCTION GROUP received the prestigious Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Safety Excellence Award, on Thursday, March 5th at the ABC National Excellence in Construction Awards, in Fort Lauderdale, FL. According to Chris Williams, ABC National Director of Safety, RLS was chosen from over 900 eligible companies to compete for this honor, and only eleven companies received this award. SKELLY AND LOY is proud of its CEO, Sandra Loy Bell, as she was recently honored by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA) with the organization’s Distinguished Award of Merit. This award is given to an individual in the engineering profession who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the consulting engineering profession and given exemplary service to the American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA). Vanessa Beaver has joined SYNERGY HOMECARE OF MID PENN in the position of Community Liaison. Her duties will include business development and community relations. Beaver is a graduate of Bridgewater College where she majored in business administration. Most recently she was employed by Messiah Lifeways for the last 11 years. Prior to working at Messiah she was employed by Giant Foods, Sofa Selections and EDS. WADDELL & REED, INC. recently announced that LeRoy J. Jones Jr. (Lee Jones), a Financial Advisor in the company’s Mechanicsburg office, has been named to Waddell & Reed’s President’s Council, one of its highest honors for the firm’s financial advisors. In February 2015, WEBPAGEFX, a Harrisburg-based internet marketing and web development agency, completed its first #FXBuilds project with a $25,000 donation to the international non-profit Pencils of Promise. The #FXBuilds program is part of WebpageFX’s 10-year initiative to impact and improve the lives of 5,000 world-wide through community partnerships and donations.
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / SPRING 2015
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NEW MEMBERS THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC WELCOMES ALL OF OUR NEW MEMBERS. Joined: 12/1/14 - 2/28/15 Barton & Loguidice Engineering Hershey Insurance Partners (717) 737-8326 www.bartonandloguidice.com Helping communities, institutions, and businesses throughout the Northeast meet their engineering, environmental, planning, and landscape architecture needs.
Benchmark Group Media (Capital Watch Newspaper) (717) 233-0109 www.capitalwatchpa.com A full service advertising agency located in Harrisburg, PA.
Best Authentics (717) 545-6878 www.sportscharityauction.com A trusted and leading supplier of authentic autographed sports memorabilia for live and silent auctions at charity fundraising events.
Camp Hebron (717) 896-3441 www.camphebron.org A Christian Camp and Conference Center located in Halifax, PA.
Commonwealth Connections Academy (717) 651-7200 www.connectionsacademy.com One of the premier cyber schools in Pennsylvania.
Commonwealth Printing and Promotions
(410) 218-5737 www.hersheyinsurance.com An independent insurance company providing personal, commercial, life, and health plans.
HITZ Coaching (717) 756-0161 www.C1xBOLD.org Coaching – Business & Personal
Ivy Ridge Apartments (717) 564-8045 www.ivyridgeharrisburg.com Situated in Swatara Township, our beautifully constructed community places residents in the desirable suburb of Hershey.
Metropolitan Management Group (The Reserve at Paxton Creek) (610) 288-7700 www.mmgapts.com Paxton Creek is a 160 unit multi-family apartment project located in Susquehanna Township.
Patel Real Estate Group (717) 298-7008 www.patelreg.com Full Service Real Estate Brokerage
Pratt & Whitney (717) 546-0239 www.pw.utc.com A world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units.
Premier Reporting, LLC
(717) 541-1150 www.printandpromo.net A full range of business printing and quality promotional products that will help your business get not only noticed, but remembered!
(717) 234-1600 www.premierreportingllc.com A full service court reporting firm serving the greater Harrisburg area since 2003.
Cunningham & Chernicoff & Warshawsky, P.C.
(717) 497-1217 www.sdc-boutique.com Harrisburg's newest women's fashion boutique, located just north of the Colonial Park Mall.
(717) 238-6570 www.cclawpc.com We have protected the rights of individuals and businesses in central Pennsylvania for more than 30 years.
DOCEO Office Solutions (717) 718-8190 mydoceo.com A privately held TOSHIBA office equipment and software dealership.
Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania (717) 730-6779 www.efwp.org A private, non-profit service organization providing public education and supportive services to individuals and families affected by epilepsy/seizure disorders.
Evans Group LLC (717) 372-5355 www.theevansgroupllc.com We find and fix what businesses often don’t see is wrong.
The Growth Coach (717) 658-2092 www.TheGrowthCoach.com The world's leader in business coaching, sales coaching, and entrepreneurial education.
Halifax Area School District (717) 896-3416 www.hasd.us A small, suburban, public school district located in Halifax, PA.
Henderson Kashmere Wetmore (717) 214-1182 www.hkwllc.com Our expert court reporters are dedicated to providing professional, reliable, and accurate court reporting services.
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SDC Boutique
SERVPRO of Hershey (717) 712-3610 www.SERVPROHersheySwatara.com Available 24 hours/7 days a week and will respond quickly to restoration emergency, whether its water, fire or mold.
Simeral Construction (717) 560-5992 www.simeralconstruction.com Custom homes and new construction, remodeling and renovations, custom cabinetry and millwork.
The Vineyard at Hershey (717) 944-1569 www.vineyardathershey.com Founded on the principle that enjoying a bottle of wine is meant to be a shared experience with family and friends.
WORKNET Occupational Medicine (717) 566-8400 www.worknetoccupationalmedicine.com Provides cost-effective, comprehensive occupational medicine services to employers.
The Workplace Hub (717) 232-6040 theworkplacehub.com Office Co-Working spaces with a small warehouse.
Zephyr Environmental Corporation (717) 942-1200 www.zephyrenv.com A privately held, full-service environmental, health and safety (EHS) firm offering consulting, training, and data systems services to clients worldwide.
Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Certified Public Accountants and Management Consultants
Serving the Accounting, Auditing, and Consulting Needs of the Public Sector Financial and Compliance Audits Performance Audits & Consulting Health Care and Pension Cost Containment Bond Verifications Management & MIS Consulting GASB Implementation Services (Including GASB 34) Cost Allocation Plans
Jeffrey Weiss Partner
Jamison Office 2370 York Road, Suite A-5 Jamison, PA 18929 Phone 215.918.2277 Fax 215.918.2302
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Cory W. Johnson Partner
Pittsburgh Office 3800 McKnight East Drive Suite 3805 Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Phone 412.367.7102 Fax 412.367.7103
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Patrick A. Kirk Managing Partner
Corey Troutman Partner
Harrisburg Office 830 Sir Thomas Court, Suite 100 Harrisburg, PA 17109 Phone 717.561.9200 Fax 717.561.9202
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC