9 11 14 centre county gazette cbicc

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front Centre GAZETTE THE CENTRE COUNTY

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DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well and moving Centre County forward.

September 2014

GOOD NEIGHBORS

MAKE STRONG COMMUNITIES. At Penn State, our students, faculty, and staff support the economies in the communities where we live, surrounding our 24 campuses across Pennsylvania. Our research and development expenditures contribute to the economy, both locally and statewide, through innovation and technology transfer. We partner with industry to lead research efforts—fueling the economy for the future and strengthening our communities.

2 | September 2014

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GAZETTE THE CENTRE COUNTY

403 S. Allen St., State College, PA 16801 Phone: (814) 238-5051 • Fax: (814) 238-3415 www.CentreCountyGazette.com PUBLISHER Rob Schmidt

MANAGING EDITOR Chris Morelli

STAFF WRITER Brittany Svoboda

BUSINESS MANAGER Aimee Aiello

SALES MANAGER Don Bedell

AD COORDINATOR Katie Rimmey

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Amy Ansari, Vicki Gillette

GRAPHIC DESIGN Beth Wood ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Kristin Blades

CONTACT US: To submit News: editor@centrecountygazette.com, Advertising: sales@centrecountygazette.com The Gazette is a weekly newspaper serving Centre County and is published by Indiana Printing and Publishing Company. Reproduction of any portion of any issue is not permitted without written permission. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement for any reason.

5 — Mission Critical Partners: a passion for public safety is leading to impressive business growth 8 — Goot Essa: artisanal cheese company committed to quality products through quality methods 12 — Lasers for Innovative Solutions LLC perfecting 3D scientiďŹ c imaging method 14 — TechCelerator@StateCollege Boot Camp graduates next wave of entrepreneurs 17 — Penn State’s role in our region’s economic growth 22 — National conference seeks to capitalize on PSU research strength 24 — CBICC: PREPing the region for economic growth 26 — State, CBICC are partners in the effort to attract new business opportunities

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September 2014 | 3

A message from the CBICC

Officers

Welcome to this edition of front +Centre. Front + Centre is designed to offer a glimpse of some of the promising economic activity taking place in Centre County — from the home-grown business success stories to the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County’s day-today work to the efforts of business, community and educational leaders who share CBICC members’ vision of a healthy and vibrant private sector. Often, the work being done takes place quietly and behind the scenes. It is our hope that by readVERN SQUIER ing front + Centre, the community will have a better understanding of the collective commitment that exists to move Centre County’s economy forward. We hope you find front + Centre to be of value. If you are not a CBICC member, we invite you to join us as we work collectively and collaboratively within the com- TED MCDOWELL munity to make Centre County a great place to live, work and conduct business. Sincerely, Vern Squier President and CEO Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County Ted McDowell Senior Vice President, AmeriServ Bank CBICC Board Chairman

ON THE COVER Clockwise from left: Novasentis employees manufacture electromechanical polymer actuators that deform, vibrate, create sound and sense pressure. The core technology was developed at Penn State University; Mission Critical Partners employees strategize a solution for a public safety client; Penn State junior and aerospace engineering major Ben Garelick assembles a printed 3-D model of the Penn State Lunar Lion team’s spacecraft during a team meeting. Credit: Patrick Mansell, Penn State News and Media Relations

4 | September 2014

President/CEO Vern Squier, CBICC Chair Ted McDowell, AmeriServ Bank Vice Chair William Joseph, First National Bank Secretary David Gray, Penn State University Treasurer Fred Leoniak, ParenteBeard LLC

Board of Directors

Tim Boyde .......................... Centre County Government Steve Brown ..................... Mount Nittany Health System Betsy Dupuis .............................................. Babst Calland Tom Fountaine ........................... State College Borough O.J. Johnston .................................................. Consultant Leanne Martin .................................................. M&T Bank Mark Morath .......... Hospitality Asset Management Co. Lee Myers ........................................................... Geisinger Michael Schaul ..................................... The WHM Group Brad Scovill ......................................................... Kish Bank

Ex Officio Members

David Capperella ......................... Capperella Furniture Cristin Long ............ McQuaide Blasko Attorneys At Law John Sepp .................................. Penn Terra Engineering

Chamber Staff

Vern Squier, President/CEO Lesley Kistner, Communications Director Mary Resides, Economic Development Team Specialist Andrea Harman, Membership/Committees Team Specialist Shannon Brace, Staff Assistant Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County 200 Innovation Blvd., Ste. 150 State College, PA 16803-6602 (814) 234-1829 Fax: (814) 234-5869 E-mail: aharman@cbicc.org Website: www.cbicc.org Published by The Centre County Gazette 403 S. Allen St. State College, PA 16801-5252 (814) 238-5051; (800) 326-9584 Fax: (814) 238-3415 E-mail: rschmidt@barashmedia.com Website: www.centrecountygazette.com

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DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH

:

CENTRE COUNTY BUSINESS SUCCESS STORIES

Mission Critical Partners: a passion for public safety is leading to impressive business growth Backed by an experienced leadership and support team passionate about its work, Mission Critical Partners, Inc. (MCP) is gaining national attention not only for its industry knowledge in helping local, state and federal government clients improve public safety communications, but for the company’s impressive, steady growth as well. MCP got its start in the CBICC’s Technology Center business incubator at Innovation Park. The company’s Grays Woods facility – with its modern design, abundant natural lighting and state-of-the-art technology – is today headquarters to a growing team of public safety consultants working throughout the nation. With four practice areas, MCP supports public safety clients by helping them improve strategy, policy, systems and processes. The company’s capabilities include: broadband deployment; emergency management communication; consulting and master planning; facility and technology design and integration; public safety radio; public safety consolidation and shared services; and next generation 911 MCP has nine principals who serve as key leadership in the public safety consulting firm. Two of the nine include President and CEO R. Kevin Murray, ENP, and VP and CFO Sam Kerns, CPA. Kerns said the company’s industry experience — 300 years in one practice area alone — and pasR. KEVIN sion about public safety are drivMURRAY ing its impressive growth. Over the past few years, the company has grown about 30 percent a year and almost 40 percent this year. Having recently added significantly to its staff, the company employs 76 people, with plans to increase that number to 80 in the near future. They serve their clients Sam Kerns out of offices in Dallas, Raleigh, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, with another 20 employees working out of their homes in www.cbicc.org

MCP’s Gray’s Woods headquarters.

COMING SOON!

Centre County’s FIRST Natural Gas Liquefaction and Transloading Facility for more information, email Sam Mannino:

sm@investorsfirstcap.com

A project of strategically positioned in Centre County

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814-692-5277 September 2014 | 5

other parts of the country. In the early years of MCP’s founding, Kerns stressed that it was a strong support system in Centre County for start-up businesses — including Ben Franklin Technology Partners and the CBICC business incubator — that enabled the company to succeed. “When we were just starting out, it was really nice to reach out to someone from Ben Franklin to get some guidance in marketing, accounting or general business,” he said. “No matter what our needs, they were always willing to help.” The CBICC accommodated Mission Critical’s growth by providing additional space within the incubator. They also enabled MCP to qualify for the Pennsylvania Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) Tax Credit Program. “Plus, there were many times that we used common meeting areas and this saved us from having to rent even more space,” Kerns said, adding that the location of the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel being across the street from their office was very convenient, not only for our out-of-town candidates but for out-of-town staff. While building a base of state and national clients, MCP continues to positively impact Centre County as well. MCP was instrumental in the development and implementation of Centre County’s new 911 radio communications system. MCP worked closely with the county commissioners, Chairman Steven G. Dershem, Chris Exarchos and Michael Pipe — to support the county in site acquisition to improve coverage and increase the total count from 13 sites to 19 sites. Site development

Cutting the ribbon at MCP’s new corporate headquarters.

support for the county included overseeing all new “reconditioned” shelters and generators that were installed at all sites at a greatly reduced cost. Kerns noted that all sites were ready ahead of schedule for the delivery of the vendors’ equipment. MCP also conducted all of the FCC licensing for every site in the system, based on the final design. MCP was also in attendance, along with county staff, for the formal testing period during which all equipment was built, staged, and tested at Motorola’s headquarters in Schaumburg, Ill. Kerns said MCP worked closely with the county and the vendor during the testing phase of the system, assuring that the county received what they paid for. MCP provided guidance and forethought in the development of a cutover plan and

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supported the county during the multi-month transition of users from the old system to the new. “During the entire process, Mission Critical Partners integrated the radio system upgrade project into other related projects we were supporting in the county, including the 911 center renovation and 911 phone system upgrade,” Kerns noted. MCP also facilitated the creation of a Memorandum of Understanding between Centre County and Penn State University. “The intention was to set forth terms of agreement, including financial considerations, system access, equipment location, system management, licenses, ownership/usage, and organizational commitments,” Kerns said. “This will result in savings for both the county and the university.”

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September 2014 | 7

Artisanal cheese company is committed to quality products through quality methods Goot Essa founder John Esh is dedicated to producing cheese in the old-world style John Esh’s business wasn’t a typical client of the Centre County Industrial Development Corporation’s Loan Fund. The economic development arm of the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County is well accustomed to providing occasional Revolving Loan Fund financing and other support services to local start-up companies in the technology and life sciences fields, as well as supporting established businesses operating within Centre County. In fact, some of these cutting-edge businesses once operated or currently operate out of the CBICC business incubator in the Technology Center at Innovation Park. An Amish farmer with interest in starting a specialty cheese business was something a little out of the ordinary. Nonetheless, in 2001 when Esh and his dairy nutritionist founded Goot Essa, the CCIDC helped by providing loan funding for inventory acquisition and working capital. “Providing funding for Goot Essa was an exciting opportunity to help a local farmer establish and grow his business,” said Mary Resides, CBICC Economic Development Team Specialist. “Without help from CBICC, Goot Essa would not have survived,” Esh added. More than a decade later, Goot Essa is an established and popular local company with a product line of artisanal cheese that can be found in many local eateries and as far away as California. Esh’s relationship with the Chamber also continues as Goot Essa is among the organization’s nearly 1,000 members. Goot Essa means “good food” in the Amish dialect. Its products, which include homemade fudge, apple butter, mustards and jellies as well as cheese, are made with old-fashioned recipes and methods. Esh said the decision to enter the cheese business instead of traditional fluid milk production came down to a desire to keep his family – his wife and nine children – on their farm near Hublersburg in scenic Nittany Valley. “We knew we couldn’t compete with farms with 8 | September 2014

The Esh family farm in the scenic Nittany Valley.

large herds of cattle,” Esh said of his 80 cows, a small herd by industry standards. “We wanted something that would give us a competitive edge. Cheese has a shelf life, so it is more versatile.” About 75 percent of the milk from Esh’s cows is used for cheese production, with the remaining 25 percent earmarked for the local butter/milk powder co-op. Milk for Goot Essa’s sheep’s milk cheese comes from an Amish farm in Clarion County. Other accomplishments of Goot Essa are that it helps provide markets for other Amish farmstead products and jobs for up to 20 people in the Amish community. Esh considers himself to be a “purist” who is dedicated to producing cheese in the old-world style. Goot Essa’s cheese caves, located on his wellkept farm, are filled with 14-pound wheels and 45-pound blocks of natural rind cheese aging on wooden boards. With the temperature inside the main cave of 52 degrees and slightly cooler in the winter, up to 10,000 pounds of cheese ages for eight to 36 months before it reaches its maximum flavor. It is then washed, cleaned and ready for sale. A small-

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“We knew we couldn’t compete with farms with large herds of cattle. We wanted something that would give us a competitive edge.”

— John Esh, Goot Essa founder

er blue cheese cave holds up to 2,000 pounds. Goot Essa offers six signature cheeses in various tastes and textures, pure cheeses that have the criteria Esh desires – nutty and buttery. Esh himself is not personally fond of flavored cheeses, but understands that “the market wants flavor, so we have 13 total cheeses.” While cheese making came natural to Esh, marketing Goot Essa was an early challenge. “In agriculture, we are taught all of our lives how to produce, but not how to market,” Esh said. “Portraying a nice image of the farm is part of marketing, I suppose. It does impact the public perception of the food.” Esh’s picturesque farmstead reinforces his philosophy in marketing his products. Esh is also meticulous about the care for his cows – which he milks twice a day – and their special nutritional needs. “They require a balanced diet of grain and hay as well as pasture,” he notes. “The more you fine tune their nutrition, the better they produce.” Half of the cheese Goot Essa produces is distributed throughout the North East corridor, from Richmond, VA and Washington, DC to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Manhattan Long Island and Boston.

A balanced diet for Esh’s herd is crucial to production.

Cheese reaches peak flavor in the Goot Essa cheese cave.

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September 2014 | 9

“That is our main market,â€? Esh said. Locally, Goot Essa is certainly well known. Esh said State College is a big market, with 10 local restaurants incorporating Goot Essa cheese in their menus and various farm markets carrying Goot Essa products. The Penn State Visitors Center during football season is another Goot Essa cheese marketing venue. Goot Essa can also be found in ďŹ ve cheese shops in California, and the business is working on expanding its reach. “Our biggest challenge is that the cheese is hand made in small batches, so labor costs are higher

than mass-produced cheese,� he said. “We look for markets that are willing to pay a higher price and that appreciate the quality of the cheese.� In the effort to reach new customers, Esh noted it is hard to compete in the Midwest, in states such as Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, which are known for cheese. However, he feels Goot Essa produces superior cheese that is competitive in the gourmet market. With a commitment to producing quality products through traditional methods, and ongoing efforts to develop new products, Goot Essa is a Centre County success story with a robust future.

CRITERIA FOR ARTISANAL CHEESE â– Natural animal husbandry: minimal use of antibiotics none in cheese-making milk, as organic as possible â– Terroir: clean water, biodiversity of natural plant feed, unique, local character â– Seasonal: regional and species variation all play a part â– Single milk source: farmstead of local production â– Minimal manipulation of milk, including pasteurization â– Traditional recipes: manufactured by hand â– Aging: ripening, elaboration all done by/with natural, non-synthetic, non-artiďŹ cial methods/ ingredients Source: Mastering Cheese by Max McCalman and David Gibbons

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Week One of the high school football season is in the books. There were several winners By BRITTANY SVOBO DAincluding State College. in a@centr Centre County, bsvobod tees or instru ecountygazette.co ct a course. m Course instru The Little Lions ushered in the Matt Lintal Era tors are retired STATE COLL cteachers and EGE — The impor well as 19 professors, as subject expert being physicwith an impressive 34-20 tance ofwin./Page ally active s and hobby

September 4-10, 2014

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“We allow (the in your ists. of life is much instructors) discussed. But later years within the to choose maintaining what about timeframe of an teaching, what what they’re eral area progra active social lifestyle? SevVolume 6,to Issue 36 ms FREE COPY going to be givingtype of content they’r do this, throug offer a variety of ways e and how much need,” Bento time they tion and resear h outlets such as educa n said. Many ch. instru said, have expres Osher Lifelo sed their gratitu ctors, she ng system Learn de for this ing . Penn State, a nonprofit develoInstitute at “They start grant given to ped from a they’re in my teaching and inevitably Human Devel the College of Health and office asking opme teach again?’ , ‘When can source for senior nt in 2007, is a good reI because they’r s who are lookin she said. “They e so excited,” active with an g to stay really haven’t educa perience of learne had the exThe organization tional twist. rs who want and are engag has about 1,200 bers, accord ed. It’s pretty to be there memnings to come and bring their By CHRIS MORELLI ing peopl exciting for who taught tor Sarah Bento to OLLI executive direc- Summerseexplained. children,” editor@centrecountygazette.com Benton stress for several years.” in length, from n. The courses offereSummers ed that both said FaithCenone to 12 sessio d vary and that education social and where they ization ns, topic is BELLEFONTE — For families what tre employees will have to abide take place, which drives OLLI. pecially for peopl panded Ese who are areas ends struggling totomake byhas the exrules ofor themight giveaway — no includmeet, ing Bellefo Philipsburg. be struggling new to the area nte and back-to-school shopping can be exceptions. with retirem joining an organ ent, “They are all ization such a burden. “We’re nothelp making exceptions as OLLI can get senior ton said. For for peer enjoyment,” Bens involv Whether it’s new a $50jeans, to the rules because we expect it ed in the comm nity. annuaTl memb fee, uership e can the cost can shirts orpeopl hoodies, be kind of chaotic,” Summers “When they courses offere participate in anyto the 350 get connected d. add up rather quickly. said. “But it’swhat a great opportunity with happens is almos OLLI, Course topics That’s where the includ FaithCentre kids to getpens some back- t exactly what hape subjec for inneeded from art, high schoo ranging l,” she said. “You’r comes in. music, dance, crafts, ts to-school Our you’re goal is that class and health cooking and clothes. e in and fitness to chatti THERE ARE A variety The located at children in to thesomeb community feel ng and sitting next histor eraturFaithCentre, y, ody, politic of social groups e, scienc s, litinterestingly e, Bellefonte, known as OLLI — for seniors. Osher math and techn 110major W. High St. in is comfortable and confi dentand when mutua you have l intere Valueline is one of the most st by the class Lifelong Learnin ity of ology. A coursestoare offering clothing students they go back toBranc school.” you take.” g Institute — otherw popular in Centre offered Mond througfree hing off from h kindergarten Fridays, 8 a.m.through County. ise meet monthly ays are in ety grades intere no stincome guide- classes are specia to 4 p.m., at a There at groups and of locatio l vari-for the event, as a member’s a variety of places, such social group ns, includ 12.rooms The clothing giveaway will Statelines Summers ing Penn The specia home or a restau search and outrea l interest group s. and facilities, classside of State Colleg rant outally take place beginning on Monday, local said. Everyone is welcome. s an are parks, extension of playhouses and ter. “We’re trying ch associate at the cenusuchurches, a class. “Let’s In addition to e. have Sept. Friday, “Nothing likea that,” entSept. say you writerSummers area.8. It ends onretirem homes in the classes, OLLI the way we under to understand aging, and ’s class and the many also one- and multistand that is offers 12. OLLI group wants keep meeti said. “It’s to pretty muchng open to ing research. day trips that to discuss that. is able to provid vide an even What we need by conductall inclus proThedo, giveaway is open e tothe all progra anyone who feels that they’re It has more unique they ive so are willing to is people who anyboin Bento learning experi ence. msof back-to-school dy can join,” to be partic said. area students. n said, through its hundr need clothing.” Benton of volun Research oppor ipate.” teers. If memb eds For seniors tunities includ The social “It’s e not limited to Bellefonte. ers are lookin The free clothes builds on last becom tive studies, group e cognimore involved g to research and who want to be a part of s include such meet with Everyone welcome to come connect with year’s event, when the FaithCenfor local tion, they is the organ and participatin as receiving brain scans theater perfor people who can join one izaCenter for Health studen g in a series mances. There are also and participate,” saidof Nicole tre gave away gift three certificates the 13 comm y Aging at Penn ts, the tests, as well meal at good place to itas physical activit of memory groups — suppe State is a lunchofand start. Summers, executive director of the Blessing the single Backpacks, ies. “I think there’ r, s suppe “We have all the FaithCentre. which is held at a local church r. These groups depending on s something for everyone that goes on different kinds of research what they’re here,” said Amy According to Summers, stujust before school starts. Some willing to do,” Lorek, redents are invited to selected three children lost their gift certificates, Organizations, Page 24 outfits — top and pants, skirt or so the powers-that-be at the dress — and one pair of shoes. FaithCentre decided to change COME AND Students can choose the clothing things around for this year. FIND OUT IF CAREGIVING from anywhere in the store with “We thought it was kind of IS RIGHT FOR the the boutique limited,” Summers explained. Weexception serve of YOU! thos e who put“Itthei and rustic wear sections. was only helping the kids who lives The child must line be present to on the show upr at that particular event. forThe us. Join take part in the giveaway. We decided us. to do our own thing Faith Centre is open until 7 p.m. and open it up to the general Did you know on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Centre County population and 10,000 baby boom ers retire gives parents two evetake the event on ourselves.” every Coun The“That day? demand for CARE try Inn and Suite GIVERS is expec School has already begun s to grow by over ted 1357 E Colle 70%? throughout Centre County, but ge Ave, 52% of our CARE GIVERS are 55 State College, Summers thought the time was years and PA 16801 rightolder? to hold the giveaway. Brief presentatio What: Back to School Free n held at “We wanted kids to have a 10am,11am, Clothing Event 12pm, 1pm and week to settle in and get used to Computers will 2pm Where: FaithCentre, be available to their routine. They’re still going fill out online Interviews held on application 110 W. High St., Bellefonte to need clothes the week after site | No appointmen We are currently school starts,” she said. When: Sept. 8 through Sept. 12 t neede lookin

Faith Centre plans clothing giveaway

DRIVING ECONOMIC Culture of drinking affects State College community H ial spentire GROWpreTne irit is ur

TIM WEIGHT/Gazette file photo

TAILGATE TIME: As students return to campus and Penn State football begins, police see a rise in alcohol-related crimes both on and off campus.

By MICHAEL MARTIN GARRETT

The entre ll and moving alive and we ty forward. Centre Coun

correspondent@centrecountygazette.com

STATE COLLEGE — The return of students to Penn State for the fall semester brings many things to State College: nervous freshman, proud parents, a sense of youthful energy — and the abuse of alcohol. For about the first eight weeks of class, university and local police see a spike in alcohol-related crimes: open containers, minors violations, noise complaints and more. Sgt. Frances Pollack of the Penn State police department said this early semester spike

happens every year as students explore the newfound sense of freedom that comes with being away from home for the first time. “Most students will have a few drinks and be OK, but we encounter the ones who don’t know their limits,” Pollack said. “These are the students who may be having alcohol overdoses, or were involved in some other alcoholrelated incident.” The incidents that involve alcohol are varied and pervasive. Pollack says roughly 43 percent of the crimes they deal with involve alcohol, which she admits may be a low estimate. Other

common crimes, such as theft, may be influenced by alcohol, but this is often difficult to confirm. State College Police Chief Tom King deals with similar issues, with approximately two-thirds of overnight calls during the semester involving alcohol as a factor. “We are careful not to say these crimes are caused by alcohol,” King said. “We are not making a causation argument. The use of alcohol is not an excuse for committing a crime.” The common crimes that King sees that involve alcohol include

4

September 201

Drinking, Page 6

Officials: make safety a top priority during Penn State football weekends

RECRUITING NO W OUR FRONT LINE FOR IF YOU GO

More info: www.faithcentre.info

Call us today

Clothing, Page 5

TIM WEIGHT/Gazette file photo

Opinion ............................ 7 Health & Wellness ......... 8, 9

Education ....................... 10 Community ............... 12-14

Safety, Page 6 Gazette Gameday ...... 15-18 Sports ......................... 19-23

,

elderly. Formal

g for folks with a desire to lend experience not a helping hand need

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By BRITTANY SVOBODA

KNOW YOUR LIMITS: Penn State students celebrate while watching the United States play in the World Cup earlier this summer. Special events often involve the use of alcohol, according to police.

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STATE COLLEGE — As fall and football season descend upon central Pennsylvania, many will converge on the area to celebrate the Penn State Nittany Lions as they take on Big Ten and other rivals through November. “Activity will increase based on the activity of the community,” said officer Kelly Aston of the State College Police Department. And on special event weekends, such as a home football game weekend, about 70 percent of incidents involve alcohol in some way. According to Centre LifeLink reports, the number of calls and alcohol-related incidents and assaults increase from September

CAREGiver Info rmation Session and Open Friday, Septem Interviews ber 5, 2014

College, PA 1680

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Inside the CBICC Business Incubator

Lasers for Innovative Solutions LLC perfecting 3D scientific imaging method Lasers for Innovative Solutions is a cutting-edge start up that is developing a new scientific imaging method that allows researchers to study their subject in full 3D and color using a novel laser-based tomography technique developed at Penn State. L4IS is one of many promising research-based start-up companies currently operating out of the CBICC’s Technology Center business incubator at Innovation Park. The company was founded by Benjamin Hall and computer programmer Brian Reinhardt. They later brought Drew Yanders on board as business development manager. L4IS got its start in Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL), where Hall conducted micro-machining work, which involves cutting, bending and coloring metal with lasers. It was during his work at ARL that Penn State’s Roots Lab, headed by Dr. Jonathan Lynch, called to see if ARL could help with the root cross-sectioning bottleneck slowing their phenotyping work on maize roots. “It was a very slow process,” Hall explained. “Each section of a root had to be hand cut using a microscope and a razor.” Under the time-consuming process, it took upwards of an hour to cut just three usable slices. The department quickly found itself with a 20,000 item backlog, and growing. With his laser experience, Hall took on the challenge of finding a quicker, more effective way for horticulturists to study the genetic makeup of corn roots and other plants. After successfully applying for a small NSF grant, he then worked through some technical issues. The end result was a process of cross-sectioning plants to show internal structure using an ultraviolet laser. The method produced highly contrasted images. Better yet, it enabled the cutting of 11 slices per second — a dramatic improvement in time and efficiency. However, the full capability of what could be achieved through Laser Ablation Tomography (LAT) – the foundation of L4IS’s business — came about almost by chance. “One day while eating breakfast, I decided to deconstruct a video of a root being pushed into the laser into its individual frames, each representing a 12 | September 2014

Cofounder Ben Hall views a 3D rendering of a sample after the laser ablation process.

cross-sectional ‘slice’ of the root.” Hall explained. “I wanted to know what it looked like.” By the time Hall finished his bowl of cereal, he had located a computer program to digitally stack the slices, recreating the root in 3D form. “It was really awesome,” he said. Hall showed directors at the Applied Research Laboratory, who encouraged him to file for a patent. That patent is currently pending. He then made the decision to start a business based on his digital dissection breakthrough – a visual analysis technology that is simple, quantitative and rapid, and that creates a colorful 3D sample that can be studied for years. Hall said the process has significant implications

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for plant breeding and the Ag Bio industry, which is the bulk of L4IS’s current work. “We wanted to start off with an application that we are most familiar with – plant biology,” he explained. “We didn’t want to explore other areas at the expense of what we know best.” The company is also sticking to a service-based business model as they continue to refine and develop the technique. However, the process has potential uses in a wide range of industries, from health care and pharmaceutical to oil and gas. “The technology has implications for the natural gas drilling industry, enabling a quicker examination of shale rock permeability, porosity and organic content, key factors in selecting drilling sites,” Hall noted. The company has also done work with insects for an

entomologist at the Smithsonian Institute. Breaking into new markets is challenging, Hall said, because the process is brand new and not well-known yet. “There is overlap between what can be done by traditional x-ray and also by LAT, but it’s the unique features of LAT that make it a compelling technology,” he said. “We can say it is significantly faster than x-rays in plant biology, while giving you colors that allow the development of 3D compositional and structural maps. You get nuances you can’t see with through x-ray.” As Hall plans for the future of Lasers for Innovative Solutions, he is quick to credit the CBICC Incubator and Ben Franklin Technology Partners for supporting the company’s growth throughout the start-up phase and for continuing to provide robust support. “I couldn’t have a better experience,” he said.

WHAT IS LASER ABLATION TOMOGRAPHY?

The Laser Ablation Tomography process is capable of rapidly acquiring structural and compositional data in three dimensions with micron resolution. LAT™ uses fluorescent and hyperspectral imaging to obtain highly contrasted, colorful stacks of images in opaque biological specimens. An ultraviolet laser-sheet is created with a laser and a rapidly swept galvanometer scanner. A camera focused on the face of the laser-sheet captures images of the sample as it is incremented into the sheet from the opposite side. This process is continuously repeated until the desired sample volume is acquired. The high intensity of the laser sheet induces fluorescent emission in the sample’s surface layer, producing distinct spectral characteristics depending on molecular composition. After imaging a complete sample, the stack of images is processed and reconstructed into a high-resolution volume rendering that can be analyzed, quan-

tified, segmented and virtually dissected. Acquisition speeds exceed that of conventional techniques like x-ray and confocal microscopy. This method allows for data acquisition at unprecedented speed with little to no need for staining or complex preparatory procedures. LAT™ is ideally suited for life science applications such as high-throughput phenotyping, general anatomical inquiries and scientific discovery. The high resolution volume renderings can be viewed, manipulated and virtually dissected.

Bee stinger cross section

Root collage

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Root cross-section, full screen capture

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TechCelerator@StateCollege Boot Camp graduates next wave of entrepreneurs This summer, another Ben Franklin TechCelerator@ StateCollege Boot Camp concluded, with six new start-up companies presenting information about their technologies and services in hopes of winning $10,000 in seed money for their potential business ventures. The CBICC/CCIDC is a partner in the TechCelerator, along with Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Innovation Park at Penn State, Penn State Office of Technology Management, Penn State Small Business Development Center, Venture Investment Forum and Ben Franklin Transformation Business Service Network.

“The TechCelerator Boot Camp program helped me to identify the many aspects of starting a business; everything from how to find customers to how to deliver the product to a customer. …I would recommend the Boot Camp to anyone trying to convert a concept or idea into a commercial enterprise.”

— Todd Waybright, founder, IVF Cell Technology, Boot Camp graduate/winner

Part of the mission of the TechCelerator is to increase the number of successful business start-ups in State College and the surrounding area, and to increase the number of university spin-off companies in the region. During the 10-week Boot Camp program – a change from the previous eight-week format – participating companies met together for joint mentoring, as well as individual mentoring sessions with partners of the TechCelerator@StateCollege. More than 500 hours of mentoring services were provided. At the conclusion of the program, the companies pitched their ideas to a panel of judges, which in14 | September 2014

cluded CBICC Entrepreneurship Committee Chairman Todd Erdley, president and CEO of VideonCentral. In the audience were graduates of previous boot camps, representatives from the partners of the TechCelerator and CBICC Board members, in addition to members of the community. At the end of the presentations, two companies were selected to evenly share in the $10,000 funding prize — Trans-Cell Conversion Technology and IVF Cell Technology.

Boot Camp Winner Trans-Cell Conversion Technology — Dr. Gong Chen Trans-Cell’s technology will provide a revolution in brain repair for patients suffering from brain injury, stroke, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson Disease and other neurological dissolvent by a method of repairing glial scaring caused by injury to the brain or illness. Currently, no method of repair exists. This process could be life-changing for treatment of millions of people. The company has a patent pending and has conducted clinical test research on animals. It is working toward a pre-clinical trial on humans, which will take 5 years to 8 years to complete. “Big pharma” has expressed interest in partnering with Trans-Cell. Dr. Chen’s lab currently has 20 employees, with a need to hire additional employees.

Boot Camp Winner IVF Cell Technology The newest CBICC Business Incubator affiliate company is developing an in vitro fertilization (IVF) to decrease the number of dairy cows deemed infertile. Cows that have difficulty in conceiving through artificial insemination are costly to farmers because they aren’t milk producing and as a result, need to be replaced in the herd.

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To founder Todd Waybright, the Boot Camp program was a valuable learning experience for launching his business. “The TechCelerator Boot Camp program helped me to identify the many aspects of starting a business; everything from how to find customers to how to deliver the product to a customer,” Waybright said. “The TechCelerator instructors met with me after each class to help me solve problems specifically related to my startup. I would recommend the Boot Camp to anyone trying to convert a concept or idea into a commercial enterprise.” The CBICC Business Incubator is helping Waybright continue the challenging transition from research to successful entrepreneur. “The business incubator provides me with a business address that gives me credibility with my vendors and customers,” he continued. “It also gives me access to experienced consultants who can help me grow my company. I would recommend it to any startup that needs a physical location for their company and needs professional guidance to commercialize their business.” The TechCelerator@StateCollege and the Busi-

TECHCELERATOR@STATECOLLEGE BY THE NUMBERS

22

Companies formed/forming after four boot camps over two years

2.3 Dollars in millions of start-up funding 1.3 Dollars in millions of revenue generated 60

Full or part-time employees

15

Companies based on PSU research

ness Incubator are just two examples of the many initiatives/programs that contribute to the Centre County’s dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“Membership in the CBICC has helped increase our visibility and kept us abreast of issues within the local community.” Ron & Christine Krasnansky Home Instead Senior Care

Join Today www.cbicc.org

Bellefonte 205 Park Place 353-1770 State College 1961 S. Atherton St. 861-5500 State College 2610 Green Tech Dr. 861-4747

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The CBICC presents: The First Annual ‘State of the County’ Luncheon Featuring Centre County Commissioners Steve Dershem, Chris Exarchos and Michael Pipe

Tuesday, Sept. 16 Penn Stater Conference Center Join the CBICC for a special forum at which county officials will address timely topics on the minds of business leaders and residents, as well as present their vision for the future of Centre County. Full event details and registration information are available at www.cbicc.org.

16 | September 2014

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DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH

PENN STATE’S IMPACT

:

Special to front + Centre

Penn State’s role in our region’s economic growth By ERIC J. BARRON President, Penn State

One of my first speaking engagements as president of Penn State was to the general membership of the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC). I talked about one of my favorite topics—the University’s role in economic development and student career success. This is a subject of great importance to Penn State and to the larger community, so I’m pleased to have been invited to share my thoughts with the readers of this publication. In 1859, Penn State’s first president, Evan Pugh, urged Penn State faculty members and their students to “make original investigations and publish them to the world.” He firmly believed that a fundamental part of Penn State’s mission was to generate knowledge that served Pennsylvania, the nation and all of humankind. In the decades since, Penn State’s researchers, scholars and scientists have improved the quality of life in countless ways. Scientists are using nanotechnology to design better human heart-assist devices. Engineers are using additive manufacturing to create intricate turbine engine parts while reducing energy use and waste. Students are engineering robotic sys-

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tems to perform complex tasks on distant planets. Business leaders are developing the financing plans for start-up operations. Penn State is a powerful economic engine as well. Even in 2009, external evaluators determined that Penn State is the single largest contributor to the state’s economy at more than $16 billion dollars annually. Research activity and entrepreneurship drive growth. Consider that public research universities produced 436 start-ups in 2010 alone, according to the National Science Board, and you begin to understand the tremendous potential. Private university research and innovation multiplies the impact, which leads to business creation and highwage jobs. A recent study indicates that since 2005, startups were the greatest contributor to job creation and to job growth overall . Across the country, you’ll find the lowest unemployment rates in the areas of the highest concentration of research activity: State College at 3.6 percent, compared to the Pennsylvania rate of 5.7 percent. Madison, Wisconsin, has an unemployment rate of 3.7 percent; again lower than the 5.8 percent rate statewide. And Palo Alto’s unemployment rate is 2.8 percent, compared to 7.8 percent for California.

A CULTURE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN EVERY COLLEGE

Generating this type of economic impact is the result of business and entrepreneurship efforts across the university-- not just in STEM fields, but in the arts, health and human development, education and more. But, we need to do more than just keep the doors open to innovation. We need deliberate strategies to promote economic development and a culture that rewards entrepreneurship.

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One strategy to further this culture is to establish positions for Entrepreneurs-in-Residence or Professors of Practice, individuals who have been successful in creating startups and leading entrepreneurial activities. These leaders can mentor students and faculty in their efforts to develop products and build companies. Some colleges already have these positions, but others are just establishing them. For example, the College of Arts and Architecture recently hired the first professor of arts entrepreneurship. It’s also critical that we identify and invest in fields of high potential, and that we build partnerships between inventors and entrepreneurs. These mutually beneficial relationships can help propel an idea successfully to market. You can see the impact of these collaborations in student-led projects such as the Penn State Lunar Lion and Penn State’s Advanced Vehicle Team. In both cases, students from several disciplines (engineering, business, communications and others) have teamed up and the results are extraordinary. Other ways to accelerate commercialization and inspire investors include: ■ Intellectual Property (IP) Fairs and “sneak peeks” for business and industry groups; ■ Funded competitions (university-incentivized startups) that support taking ideas to the marketplace (licenses, startups); ■ Mechanisms to reward inventors and entrepreneurs; ■ Penn State branded platforms for attracting venture capital; and ■ A student innovation foundation that supports research and development, invention, technology and innovation, while also helping students manage the process that takes a product from concept to market.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE AND PUBLIC-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS

Last year, Penn State’s research expenditures topped a record $848 million; an investment that resulted in jobs, innovation and growth. Penn State typically partners with more than 400 companies annually and consistently ranks near the top nationally in annual spending in science and engineering research. About 30 percent of Penn State students are engaged in research and creative activities with 18 | September 2014

Patrick Mansell, Penn State News and Media Relations

Kara Morgan, a Penn State junior majoring in aerospace engineering, examines a 3-D printed model of the Lunar Lion spacecraft during a team meeting. Morgan is part of a team of students from a variety of majors who are combining their disciplines and expertise in a global race to land and operate a robotic spacecraft on the moon by 2015.

Patrick Mansell, Penn State News and Media Relations

Penn State Lunar Lion team members Michael Welch (left) and Alwin Paul examine a quadcopter test-stand assembly during a team meeting. The quadcopter model assists the team in determining the pitch and roll measurements for the creation of the Lunar Lion spacecraft. The goal of the team is to measure their designs against some of the world’s rising stars in space exploration and to land and operate robotic spacecraft on the Moon by 2015.

faculty. What’s more, Penn State’s research funding comes from a broad base of sources, reflecting a diversity of initiatives across all academic disciplines. Yet, there’s a perception that research is concentrated in private institutions, such as Stanford or Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While their reputation as innovation hubs is indisputable, public universities are capable of taking on a significant share of the spotlight—and the success

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that perception fosters. To do so, we need to strengthen our private and public partnerships. We need to expand our network of mentors and services, build connections that will help access venture capital, and provide free or nearly free space to incubate companies around Penn State. To help our ambitious students and faculty advance their concepts, we need to be able to innovate. For example, can Penn State help set up an external enterprise that enables our entrepreneurs to gain access to Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)-Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants that help turn ideas into products? Additional benefits can be accrued by promoting direct partnerships with companies, while participating in visioning, economic development councils and regional chambers, such as the CBICC. These steps can help us transform the region into a destination for education, entrepreneurial culture and workforce development.

STUDENT CAREER SUCCESS

All of those ideas bring us back to where we began: the students. Opportunities in innovation and entrepreneurship teach “real world” skills that prepare students for competitive careers. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that we should focus student offerings on current job opportunities. We should always encourage students to follow their passion, and connect them with equally passionate faculty and mentors. What I am suggesting is that if we are driving Penn State’s intel-

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“With the support of the business community, public partners and students, faculty and staff, Penn State can create a powerful path to economic development, while placing students into emerging fields.”

— Penn State President Dr. Eric Barron

lectual property to the market, and we are teaching at the cutting edge, then we will be placing our students into the very careers created by our economic development. We also need to consider: 1. There is a high correlation between the national rank of the university with the salaries of our graduates. 2. We can increase our potential to create economic impact if we consciously invest in emerging disciplines with long-term impact. 3. We can help students choose a major with their “eyes wide open” by providing titles, salary range, our student outcomes and current employment rate by discipline (even if it won’t be the case when they graduate. 4. We should emphasize critical employment skills, like critical thinking and communication, by embedding them into the curriculum. 5. We should continue to promote career services for our students. Penn State’s Career Servic-

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es office is ranked highly in national surveys and already nearly every business magazine survey places Penn State at or near the top in starting salaries or cites Penn State as the place to recruit. However, there is opportunity to promote access to these services to even greater numbers of students.

TIE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER SUCCESS TOGETHER

At Penn State economic development and career success are complementary goals. We see this as a two-way street, and one that leads to positive outcomes for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the larger community. With the support of the business community, public partners and students, faculty and staff, Penn State can create a powerful path to economic development, while placing students into emerging fields. As president of Penn State, I share Evan Pugh’s belief that we need to contribute our knowledge

Patrick Mansell, Penn State News and Media Relations

Penn State seniors gathered for a group photo prior to 2012 fall commencement ceremonies at the Bryce Jordan Center.

to improving quality of life in the world. I look forward to working with business leaders to continue that worthy mission. Thank you for supporting our efforts.

Sign up to exhibit or sponsor today, and be a part of the premiere business and industry Expo in Centre County! To register as a sponsor or sign up as an exhibitor: - Visit www.cbicc.org - Contact Liisa Bartges at liisa@cbicc.org - Call the CBICC offices at 814-234-1829 Expo Features Include: - County Cuisine - Speed Networking - Business After Hours

20 | September 2014

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National conference seeks to capitalize on PSU research strength Aims to engage small to medium size businesses in additive manufacturing The CBICC, along with Innovation Park, are helping to co-sponsor an upcoming national forum on the technology, application and business of additive manufacturing for small and medium enterprises. Sponsored by America Makes and organized by the Center for Innovative Materials Processing through Direct Digital Deposition (CIMP-3D) at Penn State, the forum will be held Oct. 22-24 at the Penn Stater Conference Center. The event will be bring together leading industry experts for a comprehensive program designed to challenge small to medium sized business on how to strategically implement additive manufacturing in their operations and become players in an industry that is changing the face of manufacturing in numerous fields, including aerospace, medical, energy, and oil and gas. In speaking to the CBICC’s support of the forum, President and CEO Vern Squier said additive manufacturing holds significant promise for the local economy. “With Penn State University’s status as a leading research institution for additive manufacturing/3D printing, Centre County has the potential to be an industry hub,” he said. “From a business recruitment standpoint, to be located in where cutting-edge research is taking place; where advancements are being made, and to be close to the talent coming out of the university, is a strong selling point.” Penn State and the Applied Research Laboratory run CIMP-3D, which is DARPA’s (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) additive manufacturing demonstration facility. They work with DARPA and federal Department of Defense partners to help them understand and evaluate metal 3D printing for land, sea, air and space applications. CIMP-3D also works with more a dozen industry partners on additive manufacturing research projects and is Penn State’s primary interface to America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. Penn State’s CIMP-3D is one of the leading centers in the country, with a goal of being the top R&D 22 | September 2014

center in the United States for engineered additive manufacturing components within the next 3 years to 5 years. Squier said there is state, national and international interest in CIMP-3D. This past spring, the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s JOBS1st tour visited the center. To date, CIMP-3D has given tours to more than 1,000 visitors ranging from to entrepreneurs and start-ups seeking to start 3D printing related businesses to multi-national corporations trying to understand how additive manufacturing will impact their workforce and supply chains. Tim Simpson, Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Penn State University and codirector on CIMP-3D, said companies that have visited the facility range from applications and endusers [aerospace, medical, energy, oil & gas, automotive] to material/auxiliary suppliers and machine vendors. “Many of these are Pennsylvania-based companies, especially powder metal producers,” he noted. Simpson said no other university has Penn State’s range of additive manufacturing capabilities, which range from powder characterization to additive manufacturing of large and small-scale metallic parts to non-destructive inspection/qualification techniques. Penn State has active research and related educational programs in all of these areas.

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He sees a great opportunity to leverage the research expertise with Penn State’s new Intellectual Property (IP) policy for industry-sponsored research. “The timing for this forum couldn’t be better,” he said. “Companies of all sizes are trying to separate the hype from the reality in additive manufacturing right now, and we offer them the opportunity to learn that first-hand by working with the university through CIMP-3D without having to negotiate over who owns the IP.” To date, CIMP-3D has trained more than 100 practitioners in additive manufacturing with metallic materials through intensive hands-on industry practicums. The partnership between CBICC and CIMP-3D, located in Innovation Park, emerged from the shared interest to take advantage of this unique opportunity and draw national attention to the region through the October forum.

Tim Simpson, Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Penn State University and co-director on CIMP-3D, provides an overview of the facility’s capabilities to state officials participating in the Corbett administration’s JOBS1st tour.

CBICC Business Before Hours

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formulating

clients + people + projects

8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Registration starts at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, September 24 Hoag’s Celebration Hall Now in its 36th year, PFEW provides an incredibly powerful and positive emotional journey into the world of business, teaching young people why the free enterprise system is so vital. John the CBICC as it welcomes special guest speaker John Trombetta, president and CEO of the Foundation for Free Enterprise Education, who will highlight the internationally acclaimed summer program, and opportunities for business community involvement and support. Register online at www.cbicc.org www.cbicc.org

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DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH

:

THE CHAMBER’S ROLE

CBICC: PREPing the region for economic growth

The CBICC, through its Centre County Industrial Development Corporation arm, has long provided economic development assistance to new and existing businesses in Centre County as a state PREP [Partnership for Regional Economic Performance] partner and as a BREP [Business Retention and Expansion Program] partner long before then. Implemented in July 2010 and replacing BREP, PREP is a statewide network of partners designed to work in concert to deliver vital business assistance services across 10 regions of the Commonwealth. The CBICC is part of the 10-county SEDA-COG region, which comprises Lycoming, Clinton, Centre, Mifflin, Juniata, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia and Union counties. Local and regional PREP partners have the experience and know-how to assist individuals who have an idea and need help with the basics of starting a new venture, from writing a business plan to securing necessary financing. PREP also meets the demands of existing companies that seek assistance in all aspects of successful business development and growth, from questions about equipment investments to workforce training. For the CBICC/CCIDC, the face of the PREP partner program is Economic Team Specialist Mary Resides. Resides has been involved with economic development work for the CBICC since 2006. Resides visits businesses within Centre County to inform them about the professional service providers in the region that are ready to assist them with concerns they may experience and with assistance in building successful businesses. 24 | September 2014

“The ultimate message is that there is no ‘wrong door,’” she explained. “While I may not be able to assist with all of their needs, I act as a liaison to other service providers with the expertise and experience required.” The PREP program uses a confidential database allowing partners to refer clients to the appropriate service provider. Access to historical information about the initial visit makes the transition from one service provider to another more comfortable for the client. Resides is also responsible for tracking and reporting program outputs and outcomes to the regional PREP coordinator, participating in PREP meetings, and other economic development related work, such as preparing and submitting responses to project inquiries from the Governor’s Action Team and the Office of International Business Development (See article on the next page). As a PREP partner, the Chamber often works closely with regional economic development partners, such as the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership, which covers Philipsburg and a small portion of Centre County. MVEDP Executive Director Stan Lafuria said one of the key features of the PREP program is the way in which it promotes coordination among all the different organizations. “Regular meetings are held with all of them represented,” he said. “We receive updates on state budgets and program initiatives and we work closer together to ensure that the businesses are being pro-

LOCAL SERVICES THE CBICC/ CCIDC PROVIDES INCLUDE: Incubator space for start-up companies; confidential requests for building or site options; local and state funding; assistance with the state Keystone Innovation Zone tax credit program, if applicable; and responses to general questions.

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vided the best possible services.â€? Lafuria credits CCIDC Economic Development Specialist Mary Resides with being an excellent “partnerâ€? in economic development in Centre County. MVEDP provides additional, alternative properties to service the needs of Centre County. Resides said while economic development agencies work to ensure that their own communities thrive economically, working collaboratively across PREP regions can bring business investment and job creation that directly and indirectly beneďŹ ts the entire region. “Regional collaboration is important,â€? she said, pointing out another example of this effort is the

state-designated I-99 corridor Keystone Innovation Zone, which includes Centre, Blair and Bedford counties. The CCIDC coordinates the management of that KIZ. The CBICC’s role as a state PREP partner is just one of the many ways the chamber works to foster business success and economic growth in Centre County.

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September 2014 | 25

State, CBICC are partners in the effort to attract new business opportunities In its role as a state Department of Community and Economic Development PREP partner, the CBICC/ CCIDC works closely with the Governor’s Action Team and OfďŹ ce of International Business Development in the ongoing work to bring new business opportunities to Pennsylvania generally and to Centre County speciďŹ cally. Much of this work takes place quietly, behind the scenes. At any given time, the CBICC/CCIDC may receive project requests through GAT or OIBD from clients seeking Pennsylvania locations to conduct business. When the CBICC/CCIDC receives an inquiry from the state, the conďŹ dential requests are very basic, including only “need to knowâ€? information about building and land site requirements required by the client. GAT assigns project names unrelated to the business to avoid any potential identiďŹ cation, as anonymity is often crucial to a project successfully moving forward. “Our role is to submit detailed information about

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26 | September 2014

available properties/sites in the county best ďŹ tting the requirements and to provide demographic information about Centre County,â€? said Mary Resides, CBICC/ CCIDC Economic Development Specialist. Resides said the turnaround time to submit potential locations is very short, typically one or two days. The conďŹ dential nature of the requests means that economic development organizations – even the state at times – aren’t aware if they are competing regionally, statewide or nationally for a potential business investment. The site selectors that contact the Governor’s Action Team may also be contacting other states with the same request if the client isn’t determined to locate in Pennsylvania. “In most cases, we do not know the outcome of the project unless we are fortunate enough to make the ‘short’ list,â€? Resides said, noting that typically, not more than three to ďŹ ve locations move to a “shortâ€? list. If a second request is received, it asks for more speciďŹ c, detailed information about the property/facility and the local community. “To continue to be a viable location, it is extremely important to provide the required information within their timeline,â€? Resides said. The amount of information required can be extensive and the time given to fulďŹ ll the request abbreviated. If the second request for information warrants it, the site selector schedules a community/site tour. At this point, their job is to eliminate sites, further reducing the list of sites that ultimately will be toured by the client themselves. OIBD works with international companies seeking a presence in Pennsylvania who are willing to make a ďŹ nancial investment in and create jobs within the Commonwealth. Their requests are also conďŹ dential, with short response times, and they are shared statewide. OIBD projects are also named to protect the client, although at times, the client’s country is known. When it comes to requests for information, again, time is of the essence. “By the time a site selector has contacted a community, their client company has already done extensive research,â€? said CBICC President and CEO Vern Squier. “There is an expectation that the process will proceed quickly from this point, particularly because project delays result in increased costs and lost revenue.â€? Squier said cooperation and assistance from property owners and their representatives is vital, as well as having a current inventory of prospective locations.

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www.cbicc.org

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September 2014 | 27

Jean: Passionate volunteer to local groups and training hard for her next 50-mile race

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