HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS FALL 2016 EDITION
/ HEALTH & WELLNESS EDITION
UPCOMING CHAMBER & CREDC
INSIDE
E V E N T S •
2 WELCOME Considerations From Patricia A. Bucek FEATURE 4 COVER Wellness In The Workplace SPOTLIGHT 8 NOT-FOR-PROFIT Neighbors Helping Neighbors FOCUS 10 LEGISLATIVE Medical Marijuana SCIENCES 12 LIFE Life Sciences In The Capital Region THE LIFE YOU WANT 16 LIVE From Hummelstown to Brooklyn to Peru to Philadelphia, Casey Stokes-Rodriguez Returns Home
18 20 WELCOME New Members
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SEPTEMBER..
13 SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS WEBINAR: BUILDING CONSENSUS
Webinar 15 SEPTEMBER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS David’s Furniture & Interiors 22 STATE OF OUR CITIES Hilton Harrisburg OCTOBER.. 13 MEET YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE OCTOBER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
Best Western Premier The Central Hotel & Conference Center 26 NEW MEMBER RECEPTION PinnacleHealth (Fredricksen Outpatient Center) NOVEMBER..
1 NOVEMBER LEADS OVER LUNCH AACA Museum, Inc. 10 NOVEMBER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS BELCO Community Credit Union
MAKING STRIDES Members in The News
16 2016 BUSINESS EXPO PA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center 22 PROVEN PATHS TO BETTER EMPLOYEES
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15 DECEMBER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Scaringi & Scaringi, P.C. MARCH..
15 2017 ANNUAL SPRING GATHERING Hershey Lodge
BECOME A CHAMBER & CREDC MEMBER TODAY! ON THE COVER The cover photo for this fall 2016 edition of HRN by Justin Roth, evokes a quiet energy as this issue focuses on Wellness in the Workplace. Discover the prescription for a Healthier Business Environment through personal and group health inspired programs that improve everything from the individual’s health to the corporate culture and increased bottom line with increased productivity, fewer employee absences and the overall health of the organization. Meet executives who are leading the way by prioritizing their own health and bringing a culture of wellness to the marketplace.
If you are interested in membership with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, please call us at 717-232-4099 or visit us at www.HarrisburgRegionalChamber.org.
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to the above. For more information or to register for these and other events, contact us at 717-232-4099 or visit www.HarrisburgRegionalChamber.org. HRN
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WELCOME
CONSIDERATIONS FROM PATRICIA A. BUCEK VICE PRESIDENT, CHAMBER OPERATIONS, HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
WORKING WELLNESS INTO YOUR WORKDAY I am a regular shopper at Wegmans. When I am there, I often hear an overhead public address system announcement and a three-tone bell prompting the employees to gather in a particular area of the store to take a stretch break. I’ll turn the corner with my cart and see a dozen or so associates standing in a circle performing simple stretches led by a fellow employee. While I am often tempted to join in (which I understand is encouraged by the store), if I don’t, at least I find myself standing a little straighter, directing my grocery cart with my shoulders back, and conscientiously taking deeper cleansing breaths as I move up and down the aisles. There’s no obvious disruption to customer service during these breaks; no panic in the produce section or melee in the meat department. Wegmans employees are happy to stop stocking the shelves to participate and customers appear to approve. According to information from the Mayo Clinic website, stretching throughout the day can help improve flexibility and, consequently, range of motion in major joints. Better flexibility can improve performance in physical activities or decrease the risk of injuries by helping joints move through their full range of motion and by enabling major muscle groups to work most effectively. Stretching also gets blood moving to those muscles and to the brain, helping it to be clear and more alert. Outside of the grocery store, there are a growing percentage of American workers who find themselves sitting in a chair, glued to a desk, and in front of a computer all day. New studies suggest that sitting for prolonged periods of time is just as harmful as smoking. So what can employers do? Just like most adult men and women, office workers need motivation and encouragement to not only
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get started with a day-time stretching or exercise regimen, but to stick with it throughout the year. The executives interviewed for this Health & Wellness edition of HRN - Sharon Ryan from Dasher, Dr. Ski from HACC, and Tina Nixon with PinnacleHealth - are doing just that. They are setting a good example for their fellow employees by investing in their own health and taking time to work wellness into the busy workday. Their organizations are among many in the region that are encouraging walking and stretching breaks, switching to healthy foods and fresh fruit in the breakroom, or providing on-site after work exercise classes like yoga or Zumba. According to a 2011 report entitled Leading by Example: The Value of Worksite Health Promotion to Small and Medium-Sized Employers from the Washington, D.C. based Partnership for Prevention, even though small to medium-sized companies employ the majority of Americans, they are less likely to sponsor worksite health programs than larger employers. The reason stated in the report is the misconception among business owners that implementing worksite health promotion is expensive and geared more toward those larger organizations that can realize the benefits primarily on strength of numbers. The report goes on to say that sponsoring worksite health promotion provides many advantages, including: 1. Fewer barriers to implementation. Because small to medium sized companies are flatter organizationally, they typically are
more nimble and expedient in implementing and assessing the value of innovative practices. The leaders of these organizations can become more directly engaged in wellness activities. 2. An intimate work culture. The concentration of employees and actual physical space are conducive to promoting and supporting positive health practices such as smoking cessation and increased physical activity. Close social networks have been shown to be influential factors in promoting and supporting behavioral change. 3. Change is more evident. Because of the small number of employees, positive health changes are magnified within a small social circle, which reinforces self-efficacy (“If Mary can do it, so can I”) and promotes success. 4. Productivity is positively impacted. Research has demonstrated that healthy employees are less likely to be absent from work due to the negative impact of chronic health conditions and more likely to be engaged in their work. The call to action made by the Partnership’s report challenges leaders of small-to-medium-sized organizations to be committed to improving the health and wellbeing of their employees and their families. The report also emphasizes leading by example and articulating the value of employee health and its connection to the health of the organization. So if you are sitting at your desk reading this article, push your chair back, stand up straight and take a deep cleansing breath as you reach and stretch both arms to the ceiling. Exhale slowly while bringing your arms back down to your sides. Repeat often.
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS
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 Deb Suder, Chair of the Board, Chamber Jewel Cooper, 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, Director, Design & Production Frankie Clayton, Advertising Sales Š2016 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 / Fall 2016 / Volume 27 / Issue 68
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HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / FALL 2016
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COVER FEATURE
WELLNESS IN THE WORKPLACE
By Stephan Vegoe
John “Ski” Sygielski
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PHOTO BY STEPHAN VEGOE
If you ask area executives about their corporate wellness programs, they’ll tell you they are happy with the results, that many employees are benefitting, that they can see a return on the investment they are making, but that it’s also easy to find employees who don’t participate. As with any worthwhile initiative, creating a culture of health and wellness takes passionate, persistent, and persuasive leadership. That’s probably a true statement at every company or organization, large and small, here in Central Pennsylvania, but, as with any worthwhile initiative, creating a culture of health and wellness takes involved and supportive leadership. If employees see that their leadership makes time for exercise, employees will feel less self-conscious about taking a fitness break. To get some direct local insight into Wellness in the Workplace, we talked to three “health nuts” (their term, not ours) who are actively involved, every day, in their own fitness routines. We talked with Sharon Ryan, president and principal owner of Dasher, Inc. (with fifty employees here in the Harrisburg region), John “Ski” Sygielski, Ed.D., president of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College (with 2,000 faculty and staff and 19,000 students on five campuses – Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York – and online) and with Tina Nixon, Vice President, Mission Effectiveness and Chief Diversity Officer for PinnacleHealth.
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THE PRESCRIPTION
FOR A HEALTHIER BUSINESS? HEALTHIER EMPLOYEES!
By Christina J. Persson, Associate Vice President of Marketing and Referral Relations, PinnacleHealth
JOHN “SKI” SYGIELSKI AND SHARON RYAN The first thing you notice when you walk into Dr. Ski’s office at HACC is that he does not have an office chair, that he stands at his specially designed, raised desk to read and write and respond to correspondence. “Recently, we were offered an opportunity to ‘trade in’ our desk chairs for stand-up desks as part of a wellness program, and I, for one, accepted the option and greatly enjoy standing when I am in my office. I have a pad on the floor to make standing more comfortable and I have found that standing, rather than sitting to do routine correspondence really keeps me invigorated. I have a similar arrangement in my home office,” Dr. Ski said as we talked in his office about the role wellness and fitness plays in his daily life and in the lives of the full- and part-time employees who work at HACC. It is interesting to note that Dr. Ski takes exercise seriously. In fact, he recently completed a 500-mile bike ride in New York and two years ago, completed a Tour de HACC by riding his bicycle to all five campuses in celebration of the College’s 50th anniversary celebration where he gave out scholarships and other prizes donated by companies throughout HACC’s 10-county service region. In addition to an excellent health insurance benefit for HACC’s employees, Dr. Ski mentioned that Tom Houtz, HACC’s director of employee health and safety, eagerly conducts individual assessments on employee work stations. Dr. Ski said, “Thanks to Tom’s knowledge, when our faculty and staff work with Tom, they are impressed with his insights and follow-up. If they want to stand at their desks like I do, Tom makes that happen. If they want to try to sit on a yoga ball rather than in an office chair, Tom makes that happen too. Hopefully, Continued on page 6 k
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Chronic health problems such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and chronic lung disease account for more than 75 percent of the nation’s $2.7 trillion in annual spending for medical care, according to the CDC. And with 48 percent of Americans covered through employer-sponsored health plans, U.S. employers and employees are paying for the high costs of chronic disease. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s January 2016 Visualizing Health Policy infographic, employer-sponsored health insurance premiums increased by 203 percent between 1999 and 2015, outpacing both inflation and workers’ earnings. Rising premium costs don’t just represent expenses on the balance sheet. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, every 10 percent increase in health insurance costs reduces the chances of being employed by 1.6 percent and reduces hours worked by 1 percent – a strong correlation to reducing employers’ ability to grow. “Chronic disease incidence is one of the top challenges facing employers and our community,” said Robert Nielsen, MD, medical director for PinnacleHealth Medical Group. “After identifying the root Strong partnerships between health causes of why we’re sick as a population, the more important step is ensuring that systems and employers can mitigate the root we address those drivers effectively for causes of preventable chronic disease. the long term.” Doug Dyer, vice president of innovation and employer solutions at PinnacleHealth, believes that strong partnerships between health systems and employers can mitigate the root causes of preventable chronic disease because people spend most of their week working. Facilitating smoking cessation, exercise and healthy eating can reduce risks for cancer, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. “Working an unusual schedule, putting one’s health at the bottom of the priority list and just being busy are all barriers to identifying chronic diseases and managing them effectively,” said Nielsen. According to Dyer, workplace wellness screenings and education can go a long way to addressing those barriers. PinnacleHealth’s worksite wellness program – CARES – currently partners with nearly 100 local employers and more than 100,000 employees and their families to help manage their health. During workplace screenings, health risks are identified. Employees are encouraged to work with a Primary Care Provider, with support in the workplace for ongoing screenings to target employees who don’t seek regular care or just aren’t good at managing their conditions on their own. “One-to-one counseling and education make a big difference. If our health educators notice an ongoing problem, they can provide immediate support,” says Dyer. “Maybe it’s a matter of teaching health management techniques, like healthy eating or effective blood sugar monitoring. Maybe there’s something else going on. The convenience of being able to access that support at the workplace makes it easy for the employee to ask questions and get help.” Dyer sees employer relationships as the catalyst to strong individual engagement in personal health and to community engagement in supporting improved health. “We believe that employers have a tremendous opportunity to positively influence not only the health of their individual workforce, but also the health of our community as a whole – now and well into the future. It’s time for healthcare providers to build relationships with businesses to institute long-lasting change.”
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COVER FEATURE
you can tell that we are constantly looking for ways to help our colleagues get and stay fit while they are working at the College.” HACC’s Harrisburg Campus, the largest of the five campuses,
successful and ongoing wellness programs, including but not limited to lunch and learn seminars, participation in National Walking Day, 5K runs on HACC’s Lancaster and York campuses, and
Sharon Ryan
offers free access for employees and students to a fully equipped fitness center/gymnasium on campus as well as a benefit to use any fitness facility in the region for a nominal cost. The Lancaster Campus also has a well-equipped gymnasium that is similarly available to everyone on campus, and the York Campus offers a wellness space. “I know,” Dr. Ski said, “that Harrisburg and Lancaster’s gyms are used steadily during the day by faculty, staff, and students.” In addition to the physical fitness facilities available on these three campuses, every HACC campus has a wellness committee that develops wellness programs and initiatives for faculty and staff. “They take their roles very seriously,” Dr. Ski said, “and we can see the impact these wellness committees are having on our campuses and with our employees.” The campus wellness committees have created a variety of 6
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Pilates/Zumba classes, to name a few. “Two years ago, with the help of our campus wellness committees,” Dr. Ski said, “we successfully transitioned all f ive campuses to become tobacco free.” “We also make all of our campuses available to outside groups for healthy lifestyle activities. For example, the Harrisburg Campus recently hosted Highmark’s annual Family Fest and its Health Walk,” Dr. Ski said. “Relay for Life, for example, is yet another way our Phi Theta Kappa students (on all of our campuses) get physically involved to raise money for this very worthy charity.” Dr. Ski also said, “We want the community to know HACC’s campuses are places where people can come to exercise safely as part of an organized event, a group event or just for a solitary walk early in the morning or late in the evening. In addition to
walking, the Harrisburg Greenbelt cuts through our Harrisburg Campus and in the summer you will see many bike riders passing through to complete the 18 miles of paths throughout the city.” Sharon Ryan responded to the question of can she influence/ inspire the rest of her team at Dasher? by saying, “If you do some things first.” Sharon explained, “Dasher is not an it. Dasher is us. Everybody who works at Dasher has to be personally successful for Dasher to be successful. And so we are always looking at how to help each other be successful – personally and professionally. We are here to serve – we serve each other and we serve others. That’s our key to success. Virtually everyone (and that includes everyone at Dasher) defines success first as good health.”Sharon Ryan explained that as far as her employees’ wellness is concerned, “Everybody is working with a defined set of facts. We cannot
treat them all the same. What’s important to them is individuality. We offer them classes on personal safety; bringing in public safety officers to meet with them to talk about their personal concerns. We also offer general and specific discussions about how they can best use their health benefits, and we provide experts to provide them with financial education.” “Here at Dasher, whether that’s with our employees or with the low-income clients we work with every day,” Sharon Ryan said, “we help everyone get to where they want to go. When you involve people in a dialogue on what’s important about their health, you’ll find they will make good decisions.” Dr. Ski and Sharon Ryan are both self-proclaimed “health nuts.” They work out, hard, almost every day. Both have a daily exercise/work-out routine that’s important to them and they religiously follow that routine. It’s also important to Dr. Ski and
Dasher, Inc., purchased as a direct mail company in 2009 by Sharon Ryan, quickly transitioned into a consulting/service firm that now uses every available communications channel to reach people with low incomes and helps them improve their health and well-being. Dasher’s clients are managed care organizations, health care systems, and large medical groups, here in central Pennsylvania where Dasher is located, and across Pennsylvania and in other parts of the nation. These large health care providers hire Dasher to deploy community healthcare workers to communicate with their low-income, Medicaid populations about their personal health issues. As an example, Sharon Ryan explained that Dasher works directly with a managed care organization’s prenatal Medicaid patients. “We establish relationships with prenatal women on Medicaid to help them see their health care provider as many times during their pregnancy as their physicians think they should. We help women receive crucial prenatal care so they can deliver healthy, full term babies. They accomplish what they know is right for them and their baby.”
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Sharon Ryan that the people who work closely with them are aware of those routines and know how important exercise and fitness are to them. As far as having an impact on the people around him, Dr. Ski said that he decided to change one culture right away when he became president of HACC five years ago. “We used to celebrate with cake,” he said. “Now we celebrate with vegetables.” Both CEOs commented that visibility is important, that employees need to see and identify with the physical fitness activities of their leaders. “Back in 2014,” Dr. Ski recalled, “I helped raise money by riding my bicycle to all five campuses, 150 miles in just two days. It was my way of showing everyone on all five campuses – faculty, staff, and 19,000 students – how important physical fitness is to me. Every day, early in the morning or late at night, I find time for my personal exercise routine. Except in the winter, I ride my bicycle 150 miles per week, and I also find time to run with members of the faculty – in the 2015 Harrisburg marathon and in lots of 5K and 10K events.” This past summer, over the 4th of July week, Dr. Ski completed a solo, 750-mile bicycle ride along the Erie Canal from Buffalo, New York to Springfield, Massachusetts. Sharon Ryan’s personal fitness routine is just as rigorous. “I walk our two dogs a mile and a half every day. I’m on my treadmill in the basement of my home every day, and I try to ride my bicycle at least thirty miles per week. I employ a professional fitness coach twice a week. I work out on the elliptical machine at the fitness club for 45-minutes and then I spend half an hour with my fitness coach. I find it’s amazing how productive I can be when I am healthy and energetic.”
Tina Nixon and Fran Martin, Personal Training Director, Gold’s Gym, Linglestown
TINA NIXON At least three days a week and often four, Tina Nixon, Vice President, Mission Effectiveness and Chief Diversity Officer for PinnacleHealth, rises well before dawn to be at Gold’s Gym in Linglestown when they open at 5:00 AM for a 75-minute workout. “I start most mornings at Gold’s Gym, including Mondays and Fridays when I work with a fitness trainer, and then return home to get ready to head downtown to my office,” Tina Nixon said. “I like to do a variety of things during my morning workout and I especially like to work with a trainer. I get a better workout now that I have established a rapport with the trainers. They know what I can do and cannot do and they push me harder than I would push myself. After working with my trainers I am ready to face the day.” Tina Nixon started her early morning fitness routine in May of 2015 when she changed jobs. She went from serving as the CEO of the YWCA Greater Harrisburg to PinnacleHealth. “A year later,” Tina Nixon said, “I
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feel awesome, less stressed. Personally, this exercise/fitness program is good for me. It’s a program I can sustain and I do it willingly three or four mornings every week because I feel healthy. I’m exercising to be healthier and I am learning that diet and exercise cure a lot of health issues.” When she made the decision to leave the YWCA Greater Harrisburg in May 2015 to accept PinnacleHealth’s offer to serve as vice president of mission effectiveness and chief diversity officer, Tina Nixon said she was comfortable making the change because she knew that the right team was in place at the YWCA. “The YWCA board hired a great person to replace me (Mary Quinn) so coming here to PinnacleHealth to work on mission effectiveness and diversity was a perfect opportunity for me. I’m still able to serve the community and really impact change throughout the region and help address the root causes that impact health care issues here in central Pennsylvania.” “My personal commitment to
fitness came about because of the death of my sister a year ago from diabetes, which really got my attention,” Tina Nixon said, “but I also knew that my job at the YWCA was very stressful. It seemed that every issue stopped at the CEO’s desk and the stress of that, cumulatively over fifteen years, was unbelievable. People who don’t deal with stress don’t understand the toll stress takes out on individuals, so I decided when I started this new job at PinnacleHealth that if I was working in health care I had to be healthy, meaning 5:00 AM workouts at Gold’s Gym.” Thus, for Tina Nixon, a new routine came with the new job. “Finding time in the day was the hardest part for me but since I’m a morning person I decided to block out a time just for me. Now, more than a year into this new routine,” Tina Nixon said, “I feel healthier. I’m eating better (and enjoying a casual indulgence from time to time, especially the risotto at Char’s) and I’m committed to staying with this exercise program. It’s good!” HRN
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NOT-FOR-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS:
PHILANTHROPY, FACILITATION, FAITH, FITNESS
By Nicole Keiner, Writer, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
JFGH Day Camp kids delivering food they collected to the food bank.
The Harrisburg Area YMCA and the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg (JFGH) are two non-profit organizations that offer innovative educational, recreational, social and cultural programs and activities to the residents of the communities in the Harrisburg region. While both are well known for fitness and sports programs and classes, their offerings extend greatly beyond the average spinning class. For nearly 160 years the YMCA has been helping people and communities learn, grow and thrive. “I think many people wouldn’t think of us as a place where they could find educational programs for a multitude of social and health issues,” stated Rosie Turner, Director of Communications and Marketing. “This year, the YMCA in Harrisburg has started a partnership with LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a Cancer Survivorship program that works with survivors to build strength and community. In addition, we provide diabetes prevention, tobacco cessation, youth intervention and mentoring, and much more. We are a resource for so many things beyond the walls of our facilities, and it is an absolutely exciting time to be a part of the YMCA Movement.” In addition, they work with local authorities to provide teen activities and mentoring programs. According to Wikipedia.com the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) is a worldwide organization that was founded to put Christian principles into practice by developing a healthy “body, mind, and spirit.” The Harrisburg Area YMCA was founded in 1854 and is the eighth oldest YMCA in the United States. “Currently, we average just over 10,000 members at all four of our Harrisburg branches,” added Turner. The YMCA focuses on strengthening the communities they serve through a combination of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg (JFGH) was founded a little over 100 years ago in 1915. Its central mission is to ensure that the Jewish community of Greater Harrisburg flourishes by serving as its central unifying communal organization, and by strengthening the bonds within the community, with Israel and Jews around the world. “The Harrisburg Jewish community is sheltered under the umbrella of JFGH, which provides financial, cultural, and physical support to Jewish community organizations and their constituents throughout the Capital region and internationally,” stated Terri Travers, JFGH’s Sports and Fitness Director. “The JFGH and its family of agencies serve nearly 6,000 individuals living in the Greater Harrisburg area promoting the quality of Jewish life with respect for the rich diversity of Students at the Camp Curtin Jewish values. These YMCA work on homework in an services include the after-school program. Jewish Community Center, Brenner Family Early Learning Center (ELC), Summer Day Camp and Travel Camp, before and after-school care, athletic facility and cultural, arts, and educational programs for infants to senior adults. All of these services are open to the Greater Harrisburg community regardless of their religious/spiritual beliefs.” The ELC provides care and early childhood education to children in the Greater Harrisburg area ages six weeks through pre-kindergarten. The ELC is a center of learning influenced by its Jewish heritage and dedicated to the principles of social justice and respect for the uniqueness and diversity of each person. Its primary focus is education and serving the needs of young children and their families. “Back in 2011, when Tropical Storm Lee flooded the Jewish Community Center, causing many of their members to go without services, they approached us for help,” mentioned Turner. “When they approached us about how much it would cost for their members to use the YMCA while their building was being fixed, the YMCA allowed all of the (JCC) members who wished to continue their memberships to use the YMCA facilities at no charge.” Turner explained that in the YMCA’s eyes, they all are working for the same cause – to build community – and any way we can help neighbors to do that is something that we absolutely need to do. “They are great neighbors and if the YMCA was in need of assistance, I know they would do the same for us.”
For more information about these organizations making a difference in the region we call home, please visit www.ymcaharrisburg.org and www.jewishharrisburg.org.
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LEGISLATIVE FOCUS
MEDICAL MARIJUANA:
By Larissa Bailey, Government Relations Manager, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
Times are changing and Pennsylvania, for once, is taking the steps necessary to keep up. This past spring was a busy and unusually productive time for the state legislature. In addition to playing catch up on the 2015-2016 state budget and passing the 2016-2017 budget just thirteen days shy of being on time, the General Assembly and Governor approved two substantial pieces of legislation that radically alter the way Pennsylvania does business – one that modernizes Pennsylvania’s archaic liquor laws and the other that legalizes the use of medical marijuana.
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NEW INDUSTRY TAKES ROOT IN PENNSYLVANIA
By means of background, Pennsylvania became the 24th state to legalize medical marijuana on April 17, 2016. The initiative was largely spearheaded by local State Senator and cancer survivor Mike Folmer (R-48). “Not only will the new medical marijuana law provide families with the ability to have real access to this God-given medicine,” Folmer shared with the Chamber & CREDC, “but it will also provide countless opportunities to a new industry focused on getting needed treatments to people who need it most.” As part economic development association, the Chamber & CREDC is anxiously waiting to see how the new-toPA medical marijuana industry will impact the Commonwealth’s economic landscape. The Medical Cannabis Act, which went into effect in May, will likely take 18-24 months to be fully operational. There are several pieces that must fall into place before patients are able to purchase medical marijuana by January 2018. First, the PA Department of Health has six months to develop the regulations. Then the application process for licensees may begin and will likely run through January 2017. There will be 25 licenses available for growers and processors. Fifty licenses will be available to dispensaries, of which each license covers up to three locations. Up to eight of each type of license will be reserved for academic research centers. Around April 2017, the Department of Health will notify the new licensees. Only then can the mapping out of locations and construction for growing, processing, and dispensing begin.
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In an article first published in Allentown’s The Morning Call, reporter Scott Kraus cited some impressive statistics produced by ArcView Market Research. On the national scale, legal cannabis sales rang in at an estimated $5.7 billion in 2015 and are projected to grow to $7.1 billion in 2016. Sales are expected to top $22 billion by 2020. It is expected that Pennsylvania sales will begin at roughly $125 million and will grow by 180 percent each year until it makes up nearly one-tenth of the U.S. market share by 2020. Potential investors have been monitoring the situation long before the legislation crossed the finish line and now that the new law has been enacted, the buzz surrounding the medical marijuana business has only gotten louder. It will be interesting to see how the industry develops over the coming months and specifically how it will economically impact our region and Commonwealth.
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LIFE SCIENCES
LIFE SCIENCES IN THE CAPITAL REGION
By Shaun Donovan, Economic Development Specialist, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
Often when one thinks of the life sciences industry, the larger metropolitan areas with sizeable research centers such as Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC are the first to come to mind. However, they are not the only regions in the country that can be competitive in the industry. The Harrisburg region is uniquely positioned to grow this industry and is already home to many companies in the life sciences field. Two areas of concentration exist, which include life sciences manufacturing and research and development of new life sciences products.
The life sciences manufacturing sector in the region is widely varied and includes companies that make parts and components for medical devices, others that assemble or repair medical equipment, some that specialize in disposable medical supplies, and still others that focus on formulating more nutritious food products. These companies often locate here for the region’s skilled labor in the manufacturing sector. The area has a strong background in electrical component manufacturing which translates well into the medical device market. The area is also chosen by companies for its favorable location. The Harrisburg region provides quick access to Continued on page 14 k
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LIFE SCIENCES
major research markets on the east coast and to almost half of the population of U.S. and Canada within one day using ground shipping. This is a great advantage in distributing products to final users such as medical centers and saves companies money as they try to get their products to the end destination quickly. Aside from the manufacturing sector of the life sciences industry, the Harrisburg region has attracted a concentration of companies that perform research and bring new life science products to market. The companies are interested in building relations with the Penn State College of Medicine located at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Adjacent to the medical center campus is the Hershey Center for Applied Research which has state of the art wet lab space and support services aimed at developing new products. Penn State also has a presence at the facility with their Department of Pharmacology and Office of Technology Development. Tenants have access to a variety of resources to help them
“The Harrisburg region has attracted a concentration of companies that perform research and bring new life science products to market. The companies are interested in building relations with the Penn State College of Medicine located at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.�
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A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
get started including the Life Sciences Greenhouse and benefits from being in the Keystone Innovation Zone. Our region has many advantages to offer companies in the life sciences field from a skilled workforce to a central location with easy access to many populated areas. This growing segment adds diversity to our local economy and fits well with existing companies located in the region. Healthcare and related fields will continue to drive strong demand for new technologies and products in the medical field. Our region stands in a unique position to supply a variety of needed products and services to the sector.
Save-the-Date! STATE OF OUR CITIES SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM Hilton Harrisburg
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / FALL 2016
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LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT
“While home was just 2.5 hours away, it wasn’t always so easy to ‘hop in the car after Saturday practices.’ Wagner is Division 1 so our practice schedule was pretty rigorous. I was able to get home for a weekend about one time every three months... which compared to my teammates who came from Florida, Illinois, and New Hampshire was pretty luxurious! Usually when I did drive home, I packed my car full of my teammates so they could get a home-cooked meal.” One of Casey’s favorite aspects about Central Pennsylvania is its close proximity to Philadelphia and New York
YOU CAN ALWAYS COME HOME From Hummelstown to Brooklyn to Peru to Philadelphia, Casey Stokes-Rodriguez Returns Home By Nicole Keiner, Writer, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
Casey Stokes-Rodriguez grew up in Hummelstown and lived within a 10 minute drive of her entire family – grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. She graduated from Lower Dauphin High School and then headed off to college in New York City – Wagner University, a private, national liberal arts college in the borough of Staten Island. “I played on the women’s basketball team and that’s when I first really began to appreciate my hometown.” She majored in Sociology and Spanish.
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City. Having access to city life is so important to Casey, and she always knew that she wanted to settle back in the region, but didn’t intend to do so as quickly as it happened. Casey met her husband, Dan, in college. “He’s four years older than me and was back visiting friends at Wagner when we met each other at a get together. I lived abroad volunteering at an orphanage in Peru for several months when we were dating.” In 2011, they returned to Peru together so Casey could introduce him to the kids that she lived with during her stay as they became a part of her family. “Dan surprised me and proposed on the top of Macchu Picchu.”
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
Her first job out of college was working for an agency in New York City called Common Ground Community as a ‘Homeless Outreach Worker’. “Our office was based in Times Square. I lived in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn at the time and woke
“
so he accepted the offer and we moved back to Harrisburg.” They lived in the City of Harrisburg for two years and recently purchased her grandmother’s house and moved back to Hummelstown. “We get back to Brooklyn pretty frequently, but
I HAD AN AMAZING CHILDHOOD, but when I got to high school, I knew I wanted to go to college in ‘the big city’.”
up at 3:15am to catch the subway into Manhattan. I worked from 5am-1pm, canvassing areas of Manhattan by foot and in an outreach van.” Her job was to engage individuals who were living on the street and to work with them in pursuit of permanent, stable housing. “I feel so fortunate to have had such an amazing-yet challenging job as my first job out of college. I carry so many of the lessons learned from the individuals I met on the street with me today.” After Casey graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and received her Masters of Social Work at Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice, she and her husband began applying for jobs in New York City and Philadelphia. “Unbeknownst to me, Dan also randomly applied to the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute (PPI) in Harrisburg. Of all of the applications he put out, it was PPI that called him back with a job offer. At that point, we decided that the universe was telling us something,
are beyond thrilled to be back so close to my family.” Casey is a licensed social worker and her husband is a psychiatric nurse. “I work for a non-profit organization called Pressley Ridge as a school-based mental health therapist.” She is contracted through Pressley Ridge to work in the Harrisburg School District at both John Harris High School and Scott Elementary. “I provide counseling to individual students and facilitate several groups at each school.” “Although Harrisburg is a much, much smaller city than Philly and New York, we’re excited to call Harrisburg OUR city. Growing up in Central PA helped provide me with the love and security needed to feel confident and venture out into the world and live in places like Brooklyn, Peru, and Philadelphia. Now that I’ve returned home, I look forward to providing my future children with the same feeling so that they can also venture out to see the world – but always have a safe place to return home.”
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / FALL 2016
Save-the-Date!
NOVEMBER 16, 2016 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center
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MAKING STRIDES
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS Big Brothers Big Sisters National
Dr. Linda Fedrizzi-Williams has
U.S. Small Business Administration
Leadership Council (Big Brothers
been selected to be the next
Eastern Pennsylvania Director
ing with a growing coast-to-coast
vice president of
Antonio (Tony) Leta named Martin
footprint is climbing the ranks of
Big Sisters of America) announced
A familiar local name in IT consult-
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF THE
Academic
Brill, KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY
the top value-added resellers
CAPITAL REGION was a 2015 Gold
Affairs/provost at
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
(VARs). RKL ESOLUTIONS, a
Standard Award Winner. Big
CENTRAL PENN
CENTER (SBDC) International Trade
subsidiary of Reinsel Kuntz
Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital
COLLEGE, after a
Program Manager as SBA’s Eastern
Lesher LLP (RKL), Certified Public
Region is in its 31st year of serving
nationwide search that drew
Pa. Small Business Champion of
Accountants and Consultants,
area youth through mentorship
a number of well-qualified
the Year. Brill received the award,
ranked 39th on Accounting
matches. The Gold Standard
candidates.
presented annually to individuals
Today’s “2016 VAR 100,” up seven
or organizations for outstanding
spots from its 2015 ranking.
Award recognizes the agencies that have increased their revenue
Russ DiGilio, founder and owner of
efforts to assist small businesses, at
by at least 5 percent and grew the
Duck Donuts Franchising Company
the annual “SBA Day at the
For the fourth time since 2009,
number of matches, year over year.
Ballpark” event that was held on
WITF has been recognized by the
In the past year, Big Brothers Big
June 8th.
Sisters of the Capital Region has served 664 children and grown its
Ashraf Youssef, M.D., has joined
community based program by 19%
HOLY SPIRIT CANCER CENTER as
and its site based programs by
the medical director.
128%.
Dr. Youssef, a board
BOYER & RITTER, LLC Principal Lisa Myers was elected president of the 22,000-member
LLC, announced the opening of
certified radiation
the DUCK DONUTS national corpo-
oncologist, most
rate training facility in central Pennsylvania including a new store
recently worked for
Radio Television Digital News
AtlantiCare in New Jersey. His
Association’s (RTDNA) with
Pennsylvania Institute
for his nationally acclaimed Warm,
areas of expertise include
multiple National Edward R.
of Certified Public
delicious & made to order!TM
Accelerated Partial Breast
Murrow Awards. RTDNA has
Accountants (PICPA),
donuts on Friday, July 1st. Duck
Irradiation, Stereotactic Body
announced WITF’s Ben Allen and
the second-oldest CPA
Donuts leased the former Verizon
Radiotherapy, High Dose Rate Skin
Joe Ulrich will receive National
organization in the country.
building at 6230 Carlisle Pike in
Brachytherapy and Stereotactic
Murrows in the Hard News Feature
Mechanicsburg and transformed
Brain Radiosurgery using the
and the Best Use of Sound cate-
BROWN SCHULTZ SHERIDAN
the facility into the iconic beach-
Gamma Knife.
& FRITZ has been honored with a
themed donut shop.
gave WITF the most among radio
ENGINUITY LLC recently acquired
it with WLRN-FM in Miami, WBUR-
gories. The two National Murrows stations in its market size and tied
the commercial mechanical
FM in Boston and WAMU-FM in
division of SECCO Incorporated.
Washington, DC, for most among
SECCO’s residential and commer-
radio stations overall.
cial electrical divisions remain under their original ownership. 2016 When Work Works Award for
HERBERT, ROWLAND &
its use of effective workplace
GRUBIC, INC. (HRG) has again been
strategies to increase business and
named one of the top 500 design
employee success. This prestigious
firms in the United States by
award, part of the national When
Engineering News-Record
Work Works project administered
magazine (ENR). The firm has held
by the Families and Work Institute
this distinction for more than a
(FWI) and the Society for Human
decade. ENR is a leading trade
Resource Management (SHRM),
journal for architects, engineers,
recognizes employers of all sizes
and contractors. It compiles its Top
and types in Pennsylvania and
500 Design Firms list annually
across the country.
based on the revenue earned by engineering and architectural firms from services performed in the preceding year.
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Save-the-Date!
NOVEMBER 16, 2016 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
HARRISBURG REGIONAL NEWS / FALL 2016
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NEW MEMBERS Advara Dental & Dentures
Chocolate Covers
(717) 564-4600 www.advaradental.com Advara Dentures and Dental is a full-service dental practice staffed by a compassionate team of dentists who serve the Harrisburg, PA area.
(717) 534-1992 www.chocolatecovers.com ChocolateCovers has been creating custom wrappers for chocolate bars (and other products) for special events for 15 years! Each wrapper design is carefully crafted with personalized messages and pictures that are sure to make an impression for any occasion.
Infiniti of Mechanicsburg Lehman Volvo
Reiki by Rickie – ReikiSpace & Learning Place
(717) 691-8400 www.lehmanvolvo.com Our number one goal is to provide a top-notch service experience. Purchase or lease from us and be eligible for repair and maintenance pick-up and delivery for as long as you own your Infiniti.
(717) 599-2299 www.ReikiByRickie.com Rickie Freedman is a Reiki Master/Teacher and Physical Therapist. Her focus is the integration of complimentary healing with traditional healthcare.
Dalicia Bakery and Coffee Shop
LSC Design
(717) 525-7496 www.daliciabakery.com Choose from a variety of different cakes or catering orders for that special event you've been planning. Come in for a salad or sandwich paired with our delectable bread, and a slice of cake for a nice dessert.
(717) 815-8579 www.lscdesign.com Founded in 1980 as Land Survey Consultants, our practice has evolved to include architecture, interior design, civil engineering, land planning, landscape architecture, survey management and 3D scanning.
Advanced AV Systems Integration (717) 545-6607 www.advancedav.com Advanced AV has long proven its dedication to transforming clients’ technology objectives into reality. Today its engineered systems can be found in boardrooms, conference centers, classrooms, auditoriums, and many other venues that have benefited from the company’s sound, video, and networking expertise.
Agera Energy (844) 692-4372 www.ageraenergy.com Agera Energy was formed with one key initiative in mind, to bring customers best-in-class energy solutions that are efficiently implemented and fantastically supported.
AmeriChoice Federal Credit Union (717) 591-1268 www.americhoice.org The mission of AmeriChoice Federal Credit Union is to exceed our members’ expectations and become a trusted partner in achieving their financial goals. We’re a full-service, member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution striving to improve the economic well-being of our members’ lives.
Brooks PowerSports (717) 469-4640 www.brookspowersports.com Brooks PowerSports opened its doors to the Harrisburg area as an official Can-Am dealer in the spring of 2016! We offer a complete lineup of Can-Am ATV’s and side-by-sides vehicles, as well as the bold, thrill-inducing Can-Am Spyder three-wheel motorcycle / roadster. Plus, you’ll find all the parts, accessories, and apparel you need to make the most of your adventures.
Ceisler Media & Issuer Advocacy (717) 303-5556 www.ceislermedia.com With offices in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, Ceisler Media and Issue Advocacy is Pennsylvania’s largest issue advocacy firm.
Chartwell Staffing Solutions (717) 857-7011 www.chartwellstaff.com Chartwell Staffing Solutions is a national staffing agency with 42 locations providing temporary, temporary to hire, direct hire, payroll and vendor on premise services.
DePalma Construction (717) 638-1180 www.roofingcontractorspa.com Headquartered in Dillsburg, DePalma Construction Inc. wants locals to know that they serve as a one-stop shop all roofing services.
Duck Donuts Franchising Company (717) 590-5491 www.duckdonuts.com Duck Donuts!!! When it comes to donuts, everyone knows that it’s true, there is nothing like a freshly made warm donut or two or three, along with a good piping hot cup of coffee.
Gettysburg Foundation (717) 338-1243 www.gettysburgfoundation.org The Gettysburg Foundation’s mission, in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), is to enhance the preservation and understanding of the heritage and lasting significance of Gettysburg and its national parks.
Greenfield Senior Living at Graysonview (717) 558-7771 www.greenfieldseniorliving.com At Greenfield Senior Living, we believe in more than just providing a home for seniors. We’ve created an atmosphere where choice matters, where the experience and the lives of our seniors are honored and celebrated.
Handyman Matters (717) 566-6604 www.Harrisburg.HandymanMatters.com Handyman Matters can tackle simple homerepair needs as well as large, more complex home-improvement projects.
Holiday Inn Middletown-Harrisburg Area (717) 939-1600 www.holidayinn.com Off I-76 and I-283, this relaxed hotel is 8 miles from both the Pennsylvania State Capitol and the National Civil War Museum, and 9 miles from the 19th-century Broad Street Market.
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Roaring Spring Water
Makdad Supply Company, Inc. (717) 747-4575 www.makdad.com When you need HVAC/R supplies and services, turn to Central Pennsylvania’s best: Makdad Supply Company, Inc.
Mark 1 Restoration
(800) 526-4060 www.roaringspringwater.com We provide bottled water delivery and coffee services to over 50 counties in Central and South Central Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland.
Simon Lever LLP (717) 569-7081 www.simonlever.com Simon Lever focuses on accounting & auditing, tax compliance & consulting, and management advisory services, including payroll services.
Sound Community Solutions
(717) 561-1255 www.mark1restoration.net Mark 1 specializes in fire, water and storm restoration and cleaning since 1981 to homeowners and businesses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland.
(717) 385-1142 www.soundcommunitysolutions.org SCS, Inc. is a Charitable Organization licensed in Pennsylvania dedicated to the betterment of all people by assisting where and how we can with the latest research and methodologies available.
McMahon Associates, Inc.
Talent Curve
(717) 975-0295 www.mcmahonassociates.com Since 1976, McMahon Associates, Inc. has specialized in delivering innovative engineering, planning, design and technology transportation solutions to our clients.
(919) 466-9937 www.talentcurve.com Launched in 2007, Talent Curve is a careercounseling and educational-guidance company that provides career counseling and transition services.
Mette, Evans, & Woodside
The Partnership for Hope
(717) 232-5000 www.mette.com Located in Harrisburg, PA, the firm's practice extends throughout Pennsylvania, into Maryland, New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia.
(717) 545-7555 www.partnershipforhope.org We connect people in need to programs and organizations that are truly helpful.
Pennsylvania Healthcare Association
(717) 603-0185 www.trcsolutions.com Environmental engineering and consulting, from offices throughout the United States.
(717) 221-1800 www.phca.org PHCA advocates for compassionate, quality long term care for Pennsylvania’s elderly and disabled residents.
Premier IT (717) 695-8611 www.makeitpremier.com Premier IT strives to offer value to our customers by crafting personalized solutions that meet the specific needs of each of our individual clients.
RCM & D (717) 231-3059 www.rcmd.com For over 130 years, RCM&D has helped organizations throughout the world solve their complex risk management, insurance and employee benefit challenges.
TRC Environmental
Vibra Health Plan (717) 510-6201 www.vibrahealthplan.com People deserve better health insurance options. We’re on a mission to create an entirely new insurance plan that focuses on the needs of the individuals in our community.
Z-Band, Incorporated (717) 249-2606 www.z-band.com Z-band provides a wide variety of commercial video system products. Check out the site to learn more about our commercial video products and services.
A PUBLICATION OF THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC