August 2015 edition

Business Journal NORTHEAST

$1.50

PENNSYLVANIA

THE REGION’S AWARD-WINNING SOURCE OF BUSINESS NEWS AND INFORMATION

AUGUST 2015 VOL. 30 NO. 9

Encore:

Working for fulfillment the ‘second time around’

A U G U S T

2 0 1 5

Adult Education Guide

ALSO INSIDE: Age of accountability Our annual

Adult Education Guide looks at area colleges’ career services............... 29

Back-to-school Despite national

pessimism, local retailers hopeful .... ....................................................... 5

Hold harmless How will revisions

to school funding formula affect small, rural school districts?............ .................................................... 21

Martin A. Grant, right, supported individual living coach/family aid, takes his client, Sean shopping at Home Dept. Mr. Grant, a retired corrections officer and Marine, helps individuals with intellectual disabilities live independently in the community.

M

artin A. Grant thought he might enjoy retirement. He had served as a U.S. Marine and just concluded a career as a corrections officer. However, a traditional retirement proved unsatisfying. “I was just at home, not doing anything,” he says. “And my wife was still working.

I saw that St. Joseph’s Center needed a family aid and I thought, ‘I’ll give it a shot.’”

Betty Rickert, a direct support professional, feels she is doing work of great importance and meaning. She is the constant source of gentle care to the medically fragile residents of St. Joseph’s Center in Scranton.

As a family aid, Mr. Grant helps three men with intellectual disabilities function in the community.

The clients he assists are able to live on their own in apartments and may have jobs. Their disabilities, however, preclude them from driving and they typically need help using currency and shopping.

“I went into it with an open mind,” Mr. Grant says. “Now, five years into it, I think I’ve learned a

lot of patience. Nothing rattles me.”

Mr. Grant says his job, when he meets a new client, is to really listen to what this person’s individual likes and dislikes and strengths and weaknesses are. For example, his client Sean likes to work on small engines and home remodeling, “so I like to take him places where he can work,” Grant said.

Please see Encore page 9

Distribution next major hurdle for gas industry

By Dave Gardner

Pennsylvania’s maturing natural gas business is witnessing an evolution in focus from drilling expansion to pipeline construction.

Marcellus Shale drillers produced more than 2 trillion cubic feet of gas in the second half of 2014.

As this bounty continues, new pipelines and associ-

ated compressor stations must be built to transport millions of cubic feet of natural gas per day to the nation’s major markets.

This effort must also include expansion of pipeline gathering systems to connect individual wells to the transport infrastructure.

Please see Hurdle page 16

A natural gas pipeline winds through northern Wyoming County near Tunkhannock.

Astounding: 77 years on the job

Nick Manganaro, 90, at Medico logs an impressive record for job loyalty .....................................................23

Medical marijuana Local patients

push for access, docs want more evidence........................................45

FIND US ONLINE AT BIZ570.COM

ON THE COVER

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Working for fulfillment the ‘second time around’

St. Joe’s needs some angels looking for an encore

Encore Career

A

The Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal is a member of Times-Shamrock Publishing Division

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Elizabeth Zygmunt — ext. 5415 ezygmunt@timesshamrock.com

CONTRIBUTING REPORTERS Dave Gardner,Kathy Ruff, Phil Yacuboski

ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Judy S. Gregg — ext. 5425 jgregg@timesshamrock.com

CNG Sales Manager Alice Manley — ext. 9285

CNG Managing Editor

Tom Graham — ext. 3492 FIND US ONLINE: WWW.BIZ570.COM; FACEBOOK.COM/BIZ570 TWITTER.COM/BIZ570

ADVERTISING/SUBSCRIPTIONS (570) 207-9001 or (877) 584-3561 Fax: (570) 207-3452 PRESS RELEASES/STORY SUGGESTIONS (570) 207-9001 or (877) 584-3561 Fax: (570) 207-3448 MAILING ADDRESS: NPBJ Editorial Dept., 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503 EDITORIAL E-MAIL ADDRESS: ezygmunt@timesshamrock.com

COPYRIGHT

NPBJ is protected under the federal Copyright Act. Reproductions of any part by any means or facsimiles without the express written permission of the publisher are not permitted. Reprints of NPBJ articles are available. Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited materials — manuscripts or photographs — with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed. No information expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities. Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal (ISSN 1078-5698) is published monthly except twice in the month of May by The Scranton Times from offices located at 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA. Periodicals postage paid at Scranton, PA. The Journal serves business owners, managers and professionals in a 19-county region. Subscriptions are available for $28 per year, $49 two years or $64 for three years.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal, 149 Penn Avenue, Scranton, Pa. 18503.

ALSO INSIDE:

Searching for meaning and personal fulfillment the ‘second time around.’

Cover theme.................................9-14

THE BOTTOM LINE

Banking..............................................8 Credit-card delinquencies drop..................8 Economy................................... 7, 54-55 Pennsylvania second in Indian foreign direct investment..........................................7

REGIONAL NEWS & FEATURES Regional...............................23-27, 47 Meet them man who brought the stars.... 47 Focus on Family Business................... 24 Highlights on family councils............... 24 Made in NEPA................................. 26 A look at Towanda Metadyne................ 26 Small Business Spotlight.................... 27 Team Thrive in spotlight..................... 27

Age of accountability Our annual

Adult Educationthe Guideretirees looks at area in our cover feature are lthough colleges’ career services .............. 29 varied, they sound a common theme: People Back-to-school Despite national pessimism, local retailers hopeful .... want to do something meaningful with their ....................................................... 5 “goldenHold years.” harmless How will revisions to school funding formula affect According to Encore.org,for the first time in small, rural school districts?........... .................................................... 21 history, many of us have an extra 20 or 30 “bonus” years of active, healthy life, after having developed extensive skills, knowledge and life experience. As one approaches later life, there is a natural urge to think about legacy — about how we will be remembered, how we can influence the lives of young people and how we can leave a mark.

People like Martin Grant and Betty Rickert are creating a legacy. If you are saving for retirement but are wondering what you might do with your free time, think about ways you can “leave a mark.”

Encore.org says older adults devote their second acts to many causes, but most choose a health or education-related field. Whatever you choose, service is a sure way to enrich yourself for an “encore.”

Note: St. Joseph’s Center is seeking workers of all ages. The Center is a meaningful place to work no matter what stage your career is in!

JOB FAIR Thursday, August 20, 2015 10:00 AM ~ 6:00 PM Saint Joseph’s Center Cognetti Room 2010 Adams Avenue, Scranton www.stjosephscenter.org (570) 963-1282 Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can make a difference in people’s lives?

Learn about career opportunities with Saint Joseph’s Center.

ADVERTISER INDEX Cedar Crest College.......................................................... 36

Mericle Commercial Real Estate.......................................... 3

Energy Technologies Inc................................................... 18

Misericordia University..................................................... 31

Golden Technologies/UltraComfort America..................... 72

Penn Foster....................................................................... 41

Education.................................. 20-22 Removing hold harmless from funding.... 21 Environment............................... 51-53 Is Pennsylvania ready for EPA Clean Power Plan?........................................... 51 Health Care................................ 45-49 Area patients ready for cannabis........... 45

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield..................................... 15

Penn State......................................................................... 33

Johnson College............................................................... 32

PenTeleData...................................................................... 28

SPECIAL FOCUS

Luzerne County Community College........................... 17, 44

HIGH IMPACT ISSUES

Back-to-school............................... 5-6 Local retailers optimistic......................5 Power up your business..................... 16 Pipelines next gas industry hurdle......... 16 Employee training............................ 18 Make your workplace irresistible.......... 18 Adult Education Guide....................... 29 The Age of Accountability................... 29

EXECUTIVE SUITE

Management.............................. 56-59

BUSINESS BULLETINS

For the Record............................ 60-72 Personnel File............................. 64-69

Keystone College.............................................................. 37 King’s College................................................................... 35 Lackawanna College......................................................... 41 Lewith & Freeman............................................................... 5

S U B S C R I P T I O N

VOL. 30, NO. 9 • AUGUST 2015 149 PENN AVENUE SCRANTON, PA 18503 WWW.BIZ570.COM

Subway Development of Eastern Pa.................................. 70 The University of Scranton.......................................... 19, 40 Wilkes University.............................................................. 32 Wilmington Trust, an M&T Bank Affiliate.......................... 11

Subscribe to the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal Payment enclosed 1 Year, 12 issues - $28 2 Years, 24 issues - $49

Bill me 3 Years, 36 issues - $64

Name_____________________________ Title/Position___________________ Company_________________________________________________________ Business Type_____________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________________ City____________________________ State __________ Zip______________ Telephone_________________________ FAX___________________________ Signature__________________________________________________________ For faster service, fax this card to (570) 207-3448 or call (570) 207-9001/877-584-3561 Mail to 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503 The Region’s Award-Winning Source of Business News and Information

FOCUS: BACK-TO-SCHOOL National trade groups sound sour note, yet local retailers optimistic about back-to-school spending

By Phil Yacuboski

Although it seems like summer’s just started — get ready, it’s time for back-to-school. Although retail industry groups have issued lackluster forecasts, local retailers sound a more optimistic note.

The National Retail Federation estimates that after splurging in 2014, consumers will likely spend less this year. On average, parents will spend about $630 per child (K-12) this year as compared to about $690 last year.

“The initial surveys show that customers may be conservative this year,” said Brian Rider, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Retailers’ Association. Rider said the economy just isn’t where it needs to be for retailers to expect to have an overwhelmingly good season.

“People are cautiously optimistic, but they aren’t feeling strong about this rebound in the economy just yet,” he said, “and the signals that are coming out of Washington, D.C. aren’t providing the comfort level retailers are hoping for.”

But some retailers like Boscov’s are hoping to buck the trend.

“We’re expecting a big back-to-school season,” said Ed McKeaney, senior executive vice president of merchandise and marketing.

“We’re going at it very aggressively and we have a strategy in place that is more aggressive and will reach more people than we reached

Source: National Retail Federation

last year. We will also make sure our prices our lower than the competition because we are a local retailer.”

He said because Boscov’s is a local retailer, it is able to react more nimbly on a local basis.

For example, McKeaney said the fact that more and more schools have transitioned to uniforms is a bit of a game changer. “We got on top of that several years ago and we contacted all of the local schools to find out what they were doing,” he said. “If you watch our ads, it’s hard to find our competitors advertising for uniforms, but we have

them right on the front page. We feel we have a much more extensive stock than our competitors and we advertise them aggressively.”

Kevin Tinkelman, managing director of Kevin’s Worldwide, Scranton, said the company does sell some uniforms and he agrees that business has picked up in recent years due to school policies. However, Kevin’s primary business is in products such as promotional items,T-shirts and other apparel complete with a business logo. “The last few years, we have been focusing and shifting to our corporate customers,” said Tinkelman. “We do have a retail store, but most of our clients are now business-to-business.

But 80 percent of our retail business is uniforms for back-to-school.”

“I think most people are still doing the same amount of shopping they have been doing, it’s just a question as to where they are doing it,” said Dr. David Bell, professor of marketing at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. The retail expert is also the author of Location is (Still) Everything. “Online shopping is really big and traditional formats are struggling, the total volume is still Please see BACK-TO-SCHOOL on next page

FOCUS: BACK-TO-SCHOOL the back-to-school season evaluating what their children really need before spending on new items. increasing so it’s a matter of where it’s getting According to NRF’s Back-to-School Spending done.” He said to increase sales at back-to-school Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, or other times, retailers have to engage customers the average family with children in grades K-12 when they are not there — often through social plans to spend $630.36 on electronics, apparel and media. “If the only time they are engaged is when other school needs, down from $669.28 last year. they walk into the store, that’s kind of a losing Total spending is expected to reach $24.9 billion. battle,” he said.

Additionally, indicating the continued growth in the With people constantly browsing on their mobile back-to-school arena, families on average have phone, he said, it’s best to create a strategy based spent 42 percent more on school items over the on that platform. “You might want to try to have past 10 years. shoppers buy online and pick-up in store,” he said.

Total spending for K-12 and college is expected “Those technological innovations are working.” to reach $68 billion.

Dr. Bell said another trend many stores are now Regardless of the slight decrease, survey leasing their spaces to other retailers within their results point to a more confident consumer when it own store, typically to an up and coming start-up. comes to spending and the impact of the economy.

“They don’t typically have the space to set up shop The survey found 76.4 percent of families with and the two can often help each other out,” he said. school-age children say they will change their Across the nation, the NRF estimates people spending because of the economy, the lowest in will spend $68 billion on back-to-school shopping the seven years NRF has been tracking it, and down for students from kindergarten to college. from 81.1 percent last year.

National Retailer Federation: “As seen over the last 13 years, spending on Families Trim Back-to-School Spending for 2015 ‘back to school’ has consistently fluctuated based After spending more on school supplies and on children’s needs each year, and it’s unlikely electronics in 2014, parents this year will head into most families would need to restock and replenish BACK TO SCHOOL — continued from previous page

apparel, electronics and supplies every year,” said NRF president and CEO, Matthew Shay. “Parents this summer will inventory their children’s school supplies and decide what is needed and what can be reused, which just makes good budgeting sense for families with growing children.”

“Heading into the second half of the year, we are optimistic that economic growth and consumer spending will improve after a shaky first half of the year,” said Shay.

Solid growth in job creation and consumer confidence have greatly contributed to the economic recovery, which could be positively impacting how families shop for school items this year. The survey found 40.6 percent of those who say the economy is impacting their spending plans will look for sales more often, down from the 46.2 percent last year and the lowest since NRF began tracking this in 2009. Additionally, 29.8 percent will buy more generic or store brand products, down from 34 percent last year and another survey low.

For those who have to restock what their children need for school, 92.7 percent will purchase new apparel, spending an average of $217.82, though most (94.1 percent) will head out for new school supplies, spending an average of $97.74; families will also spend $117.56 on new shoes.

In 2014, 58.3 percent of parents said they would buy electronics for their school-age children, and planned to spend an average of $212.35 — one of the highest amounts seen in the survey’s history. Having less of a need for electronics this year, however, families said they would decrease their spending on gadgets for their children and will spend an average of $197.24.

Omnichannel offerings desired by shoppers More families with children in grades K-12 are opting to wait before rushing out to shop. According to the survey, 19.6 percent will shop at least two months before school, down from 22.5 percent last year. Starting a little later this year, two in five (42.8 percent) will shop at least three weeks to one month before school, down slightly from 44.5 percent last year. More families (30.3 percent) will shop one to two weeks before school, up from 25.4 percent last year.

When asked why they begin shopping for back to school at least two months out, 64.9 percent said they shop early to spread out their budgets, and half (51.1 percent) do so to avoid crowds associated with school shopping. Other popular reasons include not wanting to miss out on popular merchandise (21.5 percent) and prices and promotions being too good to pass up (45.3 percent).

Planning to shop around for their school

merchandise, families will head to their local department (56.4 percent), discount (62.2 percent), clothing (53.5 percent), electronics (22.4 percent) and office supply stores (35.9 percent). And slightly more than one-third (35.6 percent) of those looking for school items will shop online.

For the first time, NRF asked about shoppers’ intentions to use retailers’ omnichannel offerings; of those planning to shop online, nearly half (48.4 percent) say they will take advantage of retailers’ buy online, pick up in store or ship to store options, and 17.3 percent will look for expedited shipping offers. Nine in 10 (92.1 percent) will take advantage of retailers’ free shipping offers.

“Savvy and budget-conscious parents today have plenty of experience when it comes to looking around for great deals and value-add promotions, and it seems mom and dad will use that to their advantage this summer to take advantage of retailers’ omnichannel services,” said Prosper’s principal analyst, Pam Goodfellow. “To ease hectic schedules and long shopping lists, it’s likely that we’ll continue to see consumers try out and regularly use services like free shipping, reserve online and even same-day delivery — options busy parents have been waiting for.”

Broken out by age, Millennials are much more likely to use these channels: Two-thirds of 18-24and 25-34-year-olds will use a buy online, pick up in store or ship to store option (65.7 percent and 65 percent respectively), and 15.4 percent of 25-34-year-olds will use a reserve online option, much higher than the 9.1 percent of average adults who plan to do so. Additionally, 23 percent of 18-24-year-olds will use same-day delivery, significantly more than the 10.2 percent of average adults.

Parents influenced by children Fashion-forward teens and tweens know just how to get mom and dad’s attention when it comes to new school gear to make their friends stop and stare. According to the survey, 86.4 percent of school shoppers say their children will influence one-quarter or more of their back-to-school purchases. And for the smaller purchases, children plan to chip in some of their own money; teens will dole out $33.27, and pre-teens will spend an average $17.57.

College shoppers spending less in 2015 As seen in NRF’s Back-to-School Survey, college shoppers and their families will also spend slightly less this year after investing in electronics and supplies in 2014. According to NRF’s 2015 Back-toCollege Spending Survey, families with children in college and college students will spend an average of $899.18, down slightly from $916.48 last year. Total spending is expected to reach $43.1 billion.

ECONOMY & JOBS

Pennsylvania a top destination for Indian foreign direct investment Every year, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) undertakes a survey of Indian companies operating in the United States to discern their growing presence. Previous studies over the last three years revealed aggregate data of Indian companies’ operations in the United States as a whole. This year, in its fourth edition, the survey ventured deeper, effectively capturing the presence of participating companies through a state-by-state breakout, in order to truly understand and highlight their geographical sprawl and impact on the U.S. economy.

In the widest outreach effort thus far, conducted with Grant Thornton LLP, CII received detailed responses from 100 Indian companies, outlining the volume of tangible foreign direct investments (FDIs), employment generation and future expansion plans in each U.S. state.

The results of the survey point toward a particularly positive trajectory, with companies growing increasingly diversified and geographically dispersed across the length and breadth of the country.

Indian companies in the United States: Presence Indian companies have operational presence (by way of physical investments as well as leased spaces) in all 50 states in the United States, as well as Washington, D.C. According to the survey, the top five states that have the highest concentrations of Indian companies are New Jersey, California, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

tor in the United States. However, the emergence of a significant number of companies in the life sciences, manufacturing and automotive sectors is a remarkable development as a major contributor to job creation. More companies operating in the financial services space is indicative of their growing prominence in the U.S. market, as well as the surging demand from a large and economically strong Indian Diaspora. Major investments in energy, including conventional sources such as oil and gas, as well as renewables, have also contributed to the increasing diversity of Indian companies’ operations in the United States. Another notable development, though still small and emerging, is the interest of companies in the tourism and hospitality, food and agriculture, as well as in the media and entertainment sectors.

Indian companies in the United States: Tangible investments Together, 100 Indian companies have made tangible investments in excess of $15.3 billion across the United States. These tangible investments are spread across 35 U.S. states.

More than half of these states have received over $100 million each in collective investment from Indian companies. The average amount of investment received from Indian companies per state is $433 million. The range of investment received by a state from Indian companies varies from a maximum of $3.85 billion to a minimum of $65,000.

The top five states that have received the highest volume of investment — $1 billion and above — from Indian companies are: Texas ($3.85 billion), Pennsylvania ($3.56 billion), Minnesota ($1.8 billion), New York ($1.01 billion) and New Jersey ($1 billion).

jobs), Illinois (4,779 jobs) and New York (4,134 jobs).

In 21 of the 35 U.S. states where they have made Beneficiaries of the highest investments, Indian companies support at least 1,000 Indian Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): jobs and above. The average number of jobs sup1. Texas – $3.84 billion ported by Indian companies is just over 2,000.

2. Pennsylvania – $3.56 billion Indian companies in the United States: 3. Minnesota – $1.8 billion Future plans 4. New York – $1.01 billion 5. New Jersey – $1 billion According to the data from the Reserve Bank Indian companies in the United States: of India, the United States features among the top Indian companies in the United States: Employment generated five destinations for FDI from India. Further, India Sector diversification Collectively, 100 Indian companies have generDiversified across a wide array of sectors, these ated employment for over 91,000 people in the Unit- ranked as the eighth fastest-growing source of FDI in the United States in 2013, according to Seleccompanies are most prevalent in the following ed States. Further, in terms of regional economic tUSA, U.S. Department of Commerce. sectors: IT and IT-enabled services (IT-es); life analysis, the multiplier effect, which measures the Corroborating these statistics, over 84 percent sciences, pharmaceuticals and health care; mining, linkages between different industry sectors within of Indian companies that responded to the survey materials and manufacturing; design, engineering a region, is an important consideration and would indicated that they plan to make more investments and construction; financial services; automotive; significantly add a number of indirect and induced energy; media and entertainment; tourism and jobs in other industries, apart from the boost in jobs in the United States over the next five years. Additionally, a whopping 89.61 percent of the companies hospitality; and food and agriculture. during the construction phase. indicated that they plan to hire more employees Undoubtedly, the IT and IT-es sector still The top five states in which Indian companies dominates industry diversification, with 40 percent have generated maximum employment are: New Jer- locally in the United States in the next five years.

According to the survey, the top most promisof surveyed Indian companies operating in this sec- sey (9,278 jobs), California (8,397 jobs), Texas (6,230

Source: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Grant Thornton LLP, Indian Roots, American Soil. A survey of Indian companies’ state-by-state operations in the United States, July 2015

ing states for expected future investment include: California, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

The CII–Grant Thornton survey 2014 shines light on significant positive developments amongst the presence of Indian companies operating in the United States. Their presence in nearly all 50 states and tangible investments in 35 states points to their appetite of exploring business opportunity beyond the larger metropolitan cities and into the U.S. hinterland in terms of economic activity.

With growing investments and strengthening employment generation, the economic impact of Indian companies on the U.S. economy is increasing manifold. All of these factors fit with the current renewal of India-U.S. ties underway and point toward further growth in bilateral economic relations.

The significant and growing contributions of Indian investments on the U.S. economy remains a critical component of the bilateral partnership.

Truly, companies with Indian roots are continuing to make their impact on American soil.

BANKING & FINANCE

Consumer delinquencies fall slightly in first quarter Delinquencies in closed-end loans and bank cards fell in the first quarter, highlighted by a significant drop in home equity loan and home equity line delinquencies, according to results from the American Bankers Association’s Consumer Credit Delinquency Bulletin.

Delinquencies fell in five of the 11 individual loan categories while delinquencies in two categories — direct auto loans and marine loans — remained unchanged.

The composite ratio, which tracks delinquencies in eight closed-end installment loan categories, fell one basis point to 1.53 percent of all accounts — continuing a three-year trend of remaining well under the 15-year average of 2.28 percent. (See chart nearby.) The ABA report defines a delinquency as a late payment that is 30 days or more overdue.

“It’s highly encouraging that consumers continued to improve their financial situations even during a quarter where the economy contracted,” said James Chessen, ABA’s chief economist. “This speaks to sustained consumer discipline as Americans continue to use and manage their debt responsibly.”

Delinquencies in all three home-related categories fell in the fourth quarter, with home equity loan delinquencies falling 11 basis points to 3.12 percent, home equity line of credit delinquencies falling 6 basis points to 1.42 percent and property improvement loan delinquencies falling three basis points to 0.90 percent.

“Home equity loan and line delinquencies are tracking the slow and steady improvements in the housing market,” said Chessen. “As property values improve, fewer people have negative equity in their homes. Greater household wealth and income gives consumers more breathing room to meet their financial obligations.”

Bank-card delinquencies fell slightly in the first quarter, dropping three basis points to 2.49 percent of all accounts. They remain well below their 15-year average of 3.76 percent and have varied by only 14 basis points since the fourth quarter of 2012. “Delinquencies for credit cards have remained remarkably stable at historically

Lower home-related delinquencies lead decline low rates,” said Chessen.

Chessen expects the delinquency levels to hold near record lows amid a stable economy and continued financial vigilance among consumers.

“Falling unemployment, steady job gains and higher incomes may have driven delinquencies rates down to about as low as they can go,” said Chessen. “Maintaining these low delinquency levels is possible as long as consumers remain focused on managing their level of debt. People have done a great job over the last few years and hopefully the lessons of the past will continue to pay dividends well into the future.”

The first quarter 2015 composite ratio is made up of the following eight closed-end loans. All figures are seasonally adjusted based upon the number of accounts: Closed-end loans ■ Personal loan delinquencies rose from 1.42 percent to 1.48 percent.

■ Direct auto loan delinquencies remained at 0.71 percent.

■ Indirect auto loan delinquencies rose from 1.53 percent to 1.58 percent.

■ Mobile home delinquencies fell from 3.60 percent to 3.52 percent.

■ RV loan delinquencies rose from at 0.98 percent to 1.01 percent.

■ Marine loan delinquencies remained at 1.17 percent.

■ Property improvement loan delinquencies fell from 0.93 percent to 0.90 percent.

■ Home equity loan delinquencies fell from 3.23 percent to 3.12 percent.

Bank-card delinquencies fell slightly in the first quarter, dropping three basis points to 2.49 percent of all accounts, according to the American Bankers Association.

In addition, ABA tracks three open-end loan categories: Open-end loans ■ Bank-card delinquencies fell from 2.52 percent to 2.49 percent.

■ Home equity lines of credit delinquencies fell from 1.48 percent to 1.42 percent.

■ Non-card revolving loan delinquencies rose from 1.80 percent to 1.91 percent.

The composite ratio, which tracks delinquencies in eight closed-end installment loan categories, fell one basis point to 1.53 percent of all accounts — continuing a three-year trend of remaining well under the 15-year average of 2.28 percent.

COVER STORY

Encore:

Working for fulfillment the ‘second time around’ Encore Careers: The Persistence of Purpose More than 25 million Americans 50 to 70 years old are eager to share their skills, passions and expertise in encore careers that address social needs, typically in education, health care, human services and the environment, according to a 2014 study by Encore.org and Penn Schoen Berland. Of this larger group, more than 4.5 million, or 6 percent, are already working for social impact. Another 21 million are ready to join them, nearly six in 10 within the next five years. Encore careers are options whose appeal cuts across education level and economic status for everyone who has skills and experience to share, a sense of purpose, and the passion to make their world, or their corner of the larger world, a better place.

Recently, it just so happened that another of Grant’s clients, Richard, was having a problem and Grant saw that Sean could help.

“Richard had a dog in his apartment, but he was having trouble training it,” Grant says. “The dog was destroying the carpet and wood floor.” In addition to creating an odor problem, Grant feared Richard would be unable to keep the dog. “So I said to Sean, ‘Let’s do Richard a favor.’ And we ripped up the carpet and removed the stains from the floor.” Fortunately, since the repairs, the dog has been properly trained.

In addition to helping Richard, this solution also involved teaching Sean one of Grant’s favorite lessons: how to save money. Grant always looks for retailers where he can use his military discount.

Then, when he takes his clients shopping, he tries to teach them money skills. “I’ll take them to the self-checkout and put my hand over the coin return and ask them to tell me how much change they are owed.”

Grant says he receives as much as he gives to his clients. “I learn from them,” he says, giving the example of his client, Andrew, known to some as the “honorary mayor of Scranton.” Andrew is frequently seen about town, especially at St. Peter’s Cathedral, and he seems to know everyone. Since Grant resides in the Poconos, when he began working as an individual living coach, he was unfamiliar with the Scranton area. Fortunately, Andrew served as his “tour guide.” From Andrew’s gregarious personality, Grant knew he would thrive in group activities. This insight led to the formation of a group Andrew dubbed “The Wingnuts.” The Wingnuts bowl, walk Lake Scranton, fish and have visited Knoebels. Although Grant tends to be a reserved person, he lights up when he says, “I really like helping. I can see my clients’ gratitude and love . . . it’s on their faces.”

Everyone needs to be loved Although Betty Rickert’s job at St. Joseph’s Center does not constitute and “encore” career, the 60-something direct support Betty Rickert professional says if she had to do it all over again, she would still choose to work for St. Joseph’s.

A deeply religious and spiritual person, Rickert always knew she wanted to work in a helping profession. In the early 1970s, she said she and a friend had trained together to be child-care technicians for special needs children in Bayside, New York. Then they heard that St. Joseph’s was hiring and, eager to return to their hometown, the pair applied. Other than the three or four years she stayed home with her own children, Rickert has worked at St. Joseph’s ever since.

“I fell in love with the children,” she says. “I love taking care of them. They all have their own personalities. And I have such beautiful memories — of the families and of all the great, long-lasting friendships I’ve made working here.”

Rickert’s job is to be a constant, loving presence aiding the medically fragile residents. St. Joseph’s mission is to make their residents’ days mirror those of a home. So just as a child at home gets up, has breakfast and has to catch the bus to school, a St. Joseph’s resident’s day is the same.

Rickert helps wake, dress and feed her charges.

Although most are non-verbal, Rickert says it doesn’t take long to know the cues a child will give to get what he or she wants. For example, one of the children is blind, so Rickert has to guide her hands to her cup and help her drink. One day, the girl refused to let go of the cup after she had drained it. “She was telling me she wanted more!”

Rickert says. “There’s so much joy you get when you look at each child as an individual. You get attached to these kids. Everyone needs to be loved.”

After being dressed and fed, the children bustle out Martin Grant the door — either to a life skills class at a public school or to a day program if the resident has “aged out” of the school system. Since public schools have the appropriate personnel, Rickert’s days are spent either in the residence or at a day program. As a concerned parent would, Rickert and her colleagues also know their non-verbal clients so well they can tell if someone isn’t feeling up to school or day program and needs to stay “home” for the day.

Each child is given goals, developed by medical and therapeutic staff. It’s Rickert’s job to help achieve them. The goal might be something as small as getting the child outdoors more. St. Joseph’s — with substantial community help — has built an accessible garden on the Adams Avenue grounds, complete with a wheelchair-accommodating swing and a small pond stocked with goldfish.

In another example, music therapy offers the children opportunities to bang drums — but many require hand-over-hand assistance to complete the task. Rickert also says most of the children love to listen to music, though they have very particular tastes. “One of my girls loves Carly Simon. The music therapist made ‘Carly’ tapes she can take everywhere with her. For another it’s Steve Miller.

For this child, one goal was to get him to turn his head — he was leaning too much to the left — so we put his Steve Miller music on the other side of his wheelchair and he turned toward it.”

Although hearing a Steve Miller song play end-

One of Martin Grant’s clients, Andrew, has a gregarious personality and Grant knew he would thrive in group activities. This insight led to the formation of a group Andrew dubbed “The Wingnuts.” The Wingnuts bowl, walk Lake Scranton, fish and have visited Knoebels. Andrew designed the group’s Tshirt, seen above. lessly on a loop might become annoying, Rickert says she never feels exasperated. “It’s not about what I want — it’s what they want that matters.”

Rickert says each day she leaves “hoping I did the best I could and feeling good about myself and my job.” Her sense of purpose deepened considerably during the time her own mother died and she entered a period of mourning. “St. Joseph’s filled a hole in my life,” she says. She emerged from the experience with a renewed sense of the importance of her work. “I look at the kids and think, ‘We still have work to do until the good Lord calls them home.’ I am reminded of something Mother Teresa said: ‘We are taking care of Christ.’”

COVER STORY

CPA recreates himself as a rancher

A view of Loveland, Colorado.

By Dave Gardner

Within a day’s journey by horse from Denver, at the base of the Rocky Mountains, lives a former accountant from NEPA who in many ways is living his dreams of the Old West.

Paul Gleva, CPA, a Bethlehem native who resided for many years in Bear Creek, put his green eyeshades and ledger away after 40 years and retired to Loveland Colorado. Gleva now carries a gun, harvests hay, raises horses and says he enjoys every minute of his new western life.

Loveland was a typical western America boom town. It was founded at a mile above sea level in 1877 along the Colorado Central Railroad, and during the first half of the 20th century the town was dependent on the production of specialized crops such as sugar beets and sour cherries.

Today the town’s population exceeds 70,000, and boasts a thriving arts community thriving in a semi-arid climate. Gleva boasts that the area receives minimum snowfall, and any snow that does fall soon melts in the desert sun and dryness.

Native cactus still dot the landscape, but the beets and cherries have been replaced by manufacturing facilities for corporations such as Hewlett-Packard and Teledyne, Loveland is near Rocky Mountain National Park and has been named a “great place to live” by publications that include USA Today, AARP the Magazine and Money magazine.

While still employed, Gleva hunted elk and mule deer in Colorado for 15 years. Interestingly, his daughter went to college in the state and stayed after graduation. His wife was working as a bookkeeper, and Gleva feared she might never agree to leave NEPA after retirement.

“I always wanted to retire at age 65. In 2008 I did it at age 64 after 40 years of working,” says Gleva. “As work evolved, I just knew it was time to leave. I will never forget that ‘Colorado’ moment

What is an encore career?

An “encore” or “encore career” is continued work in the second half of life that combines social impact, purpose, and often, continued income. The encore idea is rooted in life stage rather than chronological age.

It is about moving into a new stage, motivated by making a difference or having a social impact in a new way in the second half of life. That said, the encore stage sits squarely in those years that used to compose retirement. Many people plan for their encores in their late 40s or early 50s and move into encore work in their 50s, 60s, and 70s.

when my wife became convinced to move after numerous visits.”

Gleva describes his life as a CPA was “crazy,” but he has only has recognized this in retirement. During his CPA days as a tax specialist, Gleva had as many as 400 accounts to service. His emphasizes that he always enjoyed working with clients, but he developed difficulties dealing with younger members of the workforce because of a growing generational gap.

“I had trouble coexisting with these kids, and the resultant generational gap was eating at my peace of mind,” says Gleva. “One day I woke up and just didn’t want to go to work.”

Life for Gleva now resembles a chapter from a western novel, with some modern touches. He vigorously works 10 acres of land from which he harvests 300 bales of hay, raises a dozen horses along with his daughter, and six times a year travels

idea what retirement would cost. He had forged a professional connection with financial planner Lynn Evans, and created his own detailed retirement plan with input from Evans that included a 401(k), cash savings, and investments which Gleva personally manages. He emphasizes that, unlike many of his peers, Gleva was not financially crippled by the 2008 financial crash. “I had expected the crash beto Wyoming to help ranchers brand their livestock. cause it had to happen, and I didn’t panic” explains Gleva is also polishing his skills as a carpenter Gleva. “The sub-prime investments of that era were and handyman around his property, which includes crazy, and so it didn’t surprise me when the whole a barn and tool shop. The home situated on the market came crashing down. I also knew it would property has a western style basement, but the take time and patience for the market to dig out Gleva’s thrive on the ability to be outdoors all year from the mess” long.

One of the keys to Gleva’s successful manage“To be honest, during my days as a CPA, I never ment of his retirement funds is careful attention to would have believed this was possible,” says Gleva. his own risk tolerance. He also follows as many as “I’m never bored and, although I want to read a lot, 10 financial letters, uses the ideas he finds in them, but it can be tough finding enough time.” keeps his portfolio diversified, and watches with Gleva admits that at one time he had no real patience as some investments rise and a few fall.

As he thrives in retirement, Gleva advises his peers back in NEPA to prepare themselves for the Encore careers: By the numbers latter part of their life by trying new things without Interest in encore careers rose by 17 percent from 2011 to 2014, when 28 percent of respondents in the fear. He says that the way his life has turned out, 50-70 age group said they were highly interested in encore careers, up from 24 percent in 2011. with his western-based lifestyle proceeded by careFinancial barriers to encore careers are less onerous in 2014 than in 2011. Among those ful and disciplined preparation, has never included with high interest in encore work, only one in eight (12 percent) respondents said they were worried about reservations or dark nights of the soul. earning enough income in a social-impact encore; in 2011, nearly one in three respondents shared that As for his wife, who once was reluctant to leave worry (30 percent).

NEPA, Gleva points out that her adjustment to Colorado has been greatly helped by her discovery of The findings suggest that people in encore careers derive great satisfaction and meaning in contributing to the social good. In fact, four in five people (80 percent) in golf. She attempts to play every day, even through encores say just that — their encore careers give them as much or even greater opportunity to contribute to the winter, and may even attack the golf course society as their prior career offered. multiple times each day.

“She gave up tennis for golf, and this was clear Four in five (82 percent) say that their encore career expresses “who I am as a persign to me that she really loves being out on the son” as much or more than their prior work. course,” adds Gleva. “She just can’t seem to get Source of table and all charts: Encore Careers: The Persistence of Purpose, 2014, www.encore.org enough golf.”

COVER STORY Amelia Island, Florida

From school counselor to yoga instructor

By Dave Gardner

Retirement has taken a former NEPA-based educator from the complex dramas of counseling young people to the peace of oceanside yoga. Barbara Lipo, a Nanticoke native, spent 25 years serving in the North Pocono School District and rose to the position of coordinator of guidance. Along with her husband, who is a native of Michigan, Lipo has retired to the quaint ocean side paradise of Amelia Island, Florida.

Sea-breeze-rich Amelia Island is the southernmost piece of land in a chain of barrier islands that stretch from South Carolina to Florida.

The island is only 13 miles long and approximately four miles across at its widest point.

Amelia Island has always featured high-demand real estate.

The French first visited the island in 1562, and the land changed ownership several times as the centuries rolled by before the English renamed the island after their king’s daughter.

Recreation and tourism are now the economic staples of the island. There are seven golf courses and Amelia Island hosts the annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, attended by crowds in excess of 150,000 people. but it was always in her mind — and her husband’s — to work hard During her time in NEPA, Lipo also taught as an adjunct professor and eventually build a new and active life. at Bloomsburg University, where she presented the course, Issues in The Lipo’s actual retirement plan played out over several decades.

Counseling. She says she absolutely loved her career in education, They choose financial planner Lynn Evans for assistance with the effort,

because they wanted a fee-only relationship. “It was important that whoever we chose to help us looked out for our real interests, so we carefully researched and interviewed a few planners before choosing Lynn,” says Lipo.

Lipo details that her retirement planning grew serious when she was in her mid-30s. She quips that the plan should have been instituted at least 10 years earlier, but a mix of commitment, discipline and good business sense by Lipo’s husband has made retirement possible. “My husband worked all of the time, and now he is experiencing things he never did before,” she says.

Lipo’s husband created a self-employment investment system and she earned a pension from the Pennsylvania Public Schools Employees’ Retirement System and the couple has private investments, into which the Lipos carefully made payments on schedule. “We would go out for Friday night pizza, and beforehand always joked about whether or not we could afford the pepperoni,” says Lipo. “This was the typical Thursday discussion.”

Lipo’s new life at Amelia Island is not all leisure. Her husband sat for his pharmacy license in Florida, while Lipo has transferred her teaching and counseling license to that state. She also attends counseling workshops, stays in touch with developments in that field, and gets a lot of calls from NEPA for advice.

“I still have a 90-year-old Mom living back in NEPA, and we maintain a home there,” says Lipo.

Days in Florida for the Lipo’s are filled with activity. They both are both avid runners, and she teaches several yoga classes per week while embracing the community and its history.

“Our purpose now is to find our way and contribute to the community here,” says Lipo. “When you are setting up a retirement plan it helps to keep in mind there’s a wonderful world out there,” advises Lipo. “But, you have to properly position yourself to become involved.”

“It was a big surprise how much of our identities were tied up in our careers because we both loved our work and left on top. We truly enjoyed work until the last second.”

She adds that, despite her love for the work she did in NEPA, the decision to quit the “hamster wheel” of career has been a blessing for the Lipos.

She treasures the time now available to connect with people, and her new identity as a certified yoga instructor. Lipo also does not miss the northeast’s notoriously bitter winters. Recently she was watching the Today Show, and with amusement she took note of the crowds all bundled up outside the NBC studios.

COVER STORY

Ready to retire? Many Boomers are not financially ready

By Dave Gardner

For the most part, the lives of America’s Baby Boomers have absolutely boomed with prosperity, opportunity and the promise of a better life from cradle to grave.

The Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, were raised during the greatest economic expansion the world has ever seen. Most have not known truly hard times. More than 75 percent of the Americans born after 1939 are still living, and they have no memory of the horrors of the Great Depression or the deprivation associated with that era.

Given their history, the Boomers have been purchasing machines. Big homes, sport utility vehicles, high-end vacations, electronic toys and restaurant visits have all been in demand. Yet, this massive consumerism apparently contrasts with the way many Boomers are preparing for retirement. Millions are not financially ready to stop working, and may wind up toiling until the last possible moment.

Source: Fidelity Investments

failure to prepare for the golden years.

Lynn Evans, president and CEO of Northeastern Financial Consultants, agrees that the Boomers’ success as income generators contrasts sharply with how so many have failed to prepare for retirement. She says tremendous numbers of Boomers do not have adequate savings, are not as prepared as their parents were and have Effective workforce displayed a lifestyle dedicated to living in the moment.

She acknowledges that many optimistic Boomers have also Two past presidents of the Northeast Pennsylvania Society of experienced losses that were impossible to forecast. Events that Human Resources draw a picture of the Boomers as workers and decimate financial preparedness include divorce, illness, bankruptcy the creators of economic prosperity. Sandra Jones, a veteran of and business failure — none of which were envisioned during the manufacturing, calls herself a big fan of the Boomers and admires their seasoned work ethic, focus and allegiance to their company over Boomers’ glorious youths.

“The Boomers have not postponed life, and as a result are unprethe long haul.

Jones comments that these employment tendencies differ greatly pared to stop working,” says Evans. “Perhaps a change of career will from those exhibited by the Millennials, who often are much less loyal happen instead of retirement, or working as a consultant.”

Yet, some Boomers are prepared for retirement. Evans has to an employer. Jones also points out that most Boomers started noticed that this well-prepared sub-set was heavily influenced by the work during the defined-benefit (pension) days and,as a result, their values instilled by parents or mentors. belief system still reflects that relatively carefree economic era.

According to Evans, diversification is the key to retirement invest“I’m sorry to say that many Boomers will work into their 70s because they are unprepared for retirement,” says Jones. “Their parents ing. Asset allocation must be varied, even though many Boomers had cushy retirements from great pensions, but today’s 401(k) plans crave safe returns — even though these returns may now be less require disciplined participation and many Boomers have contributed than inflation.

“We administer a lengthy questionnaire to determine how clients adequately.” value money,” says Evans. “We must respect each person’s risk Michelle Grushinski, another past president, also salutes the Boomers’ good work ethics, job knowledge and skills. She especially tolerance.”

She adds that since the 2008 financial crash, mistrust of the admires how they have been self-motivated and understand the whole system has been strong. Fear of the markets is only surpassed consequences of their actions. by a mistrust of the larger brokerage firms. This has made the finanA combination of losses from the 2008 financial crash, a lack cial business, since 2008, good for independent advisors. “We can of investment and under-funded pensions are now scuttling many be sure this evolution of the financial business will continue, creating Boomer retirement plans, according to Grushinski. Therefore, they more and more competition,” says Evans. will subsequently have to stay in the workforce much longer than they desire.

No scars “From an employer standpoint, I certainly would like many to The Great Depression and World War II left scars on the Boomthem to stay well past the age of 70,” says Grushinski. “They can ers’ parents that honed their desire to be frugal, notes Chris Scalese, work part-time and take their 401(k) payouts.” president of the Fortune Financial Group. The Boomers however, Failed to prepare with no such scars, became loose spenders. “It’s very simple,” says Scalese. “More spending equals less retirement funding.”

For so many Boomers, workplace success has also included a

Debt levels observed by Scalese also tell the story of Boomer opulence late in life. During the 1990s virtually none of the age60-plus retirement clients he met with had mortgages, but now 50 percent still have mortgages. “They will wind up paying these bills forever,” warns Scalese.

Pensions are another issue. Approximately 70 percent of Scalese’s clients had employer pensions during the early 1990s, but this number has now shrunk to about 20 percent.

This has created a snowball effect of higher debt, lower savings, and smaller investment savings.

“The global financial crash has now recovered, and almost a guaranteed income for Boomers’ savings and investment is possible,” says Scalese. “Low rates are the rule, but the investment environment ahead does look optimistic.”

Variable annuities, according to Scalese, are to be avoided within a retirement portfolio. He discourages investment overloaded with international markets, prefers fixed returns and lower fees that can serve as a counterbalance to a pension, and likes bonds tied to investment plus small cap stocks.

Social Security strategies are also changing. A retiree age 62 to 65 who holds off on collecting for several years may receive payments up to 8 percent higher.

“There is no evidence employer pensions are coming back,” warns Scalese. “They proved to be risky for companies. ” Economic backbone Lou Ingargiola, president of Ingargiola Wealth Management group, says that the Boomers as an economic group are still the backbone of the economy and, as retirees, will try not to spend less.

Health care, vacations, and investment will mark Boomer expenditures along with attempts to leave any remaining wealth to their descendants.

“A huge number of the Boomers will work till they can’t or until their death in attempts to maintain their lifestyle,” says Ingargiola.

“They have been poor savers and thought the good times would roll on forever.

Yet, among Americans, only older people seem to be savers.

According to Ingargiola, people under age 35 are saving a pitiful twotenths of one percent of their income. The percentages rise with age, with the 35 to 44 age group saving 3 percent; age 45 to 54, 6 percent; and people 55 and older saving 13 percent Estimated 401(k) balances during 2014 indicate the Boomers have $127,000 in their retirement accounts, but Americans age 55 and older possess a 401(k) balance of $150,000. The overall national average is $101,000.

“The most prepared groups are the educated, people who worked at one place, those with pensions and the savers who lived within means,” says Ingargiola. “Spenders are the least prepared, and those

Please see READY FOR RETIREMENT on next page

COVER STORY READY — continued from previous page demonstrated their ability to respect authority and

Boomers who have lived beyond their means will either work till they drop, rely on the government, or be forced into big lifestyle modifications.”

According to Ingargiola, successful Boomer investors recognize the impact of low interest rates and take dividends as added income. They have also paid of their debts, including many who downsized housing to reduce taxes and maintenance.

Perhaps above all, Boomer retirement must include a continuing purpose. “Dying rich can’t compete with living rich,” says Ingargiola.

Traditional people Susan Ascher, executive leadership coach and business strategist, sums up the legacy of the Baby Boomers by stating that they are traditional people who have proven their worth in a very competitive in job market. Boomer life has been marked by promotions and climbs up the company ladder.

“Yes, during 1960s the Boomers were nonconformists on social issues and against many norms of that era,” says Ascher. “But they later

generate great discretionary income, especially among young upward professionals.

She also explains that the Boomers have often been workaholics who bought a home very early in their work careers. A new family soon followed, along with longer work weeks remaining the norm.

Boomer work habits, according to Ascher, have therefore been strong, traditional and inflexible “The Boomers have always been very concerned with demonstrations of face time, when they show their face to the boss and interact with fellow employees and superiors,” says Ascher. “This contrasts with the Millennials, for who flex time is vital and the time and place of work is varying.

Ascher therefore among the analysts who are horrified at how many Boomers simply can’t retire because of a lack of preparation. She sees many Boomers retire to only return part-time, work on a new contract basis, open their own business, or buy an existing organization.

“This isn’t all bad,” adds Ascher. “The best way to enjoy retirement is to never disengage!”

A. Duie Pyle opens new Pittston service center Facility offers expanded capacity for LTL and TL services, room to grow A. Duie Pyle, which provides asset and non-asset based transportation and supply chain solutions, announced the opening of its newest transportation service center in Pittston. The 24,600 square-foot state-of-the-art facility supports the company’s lessthan-truckload (LTL), truckload (TL) and custom dedicated operations.

With 56 doors for expedited loadA. Duie Pyle, which provides asset and non-asset based ing and unloading and room to add an transportation and supply chain solutions, announced additional 20 doors, the new facility the opening of its newest transportation service center helps increase shipping capacity and in Pittston. supply-chain capabilities. Strategically throughout A. Duie Pyle’s operations, offers reallocated close to Routes 81 and 476, time communication and tracking, further enhancthe site includes an eight-door, 8,720-square-foot ing the company’s just-in-time delivery capabilities. maintenance shop, secure fencing and a 24/7 “This facility doubles the number of service security monitoring system. The all-weather center dock doors for Pyle in the Pittston area, facility is fully heated and features back up power generation and on-site snow removal capabilities in and it also gives us room to expand further,” said order to operate in even the most extreme weather Randy Swart, COO of A. Duie Pyle. “With this new service center we’re expanding our infrastructure emergencies. in order to offer our customers efficient and timely Pyle’s proprietary satellite tracking system and dock management technology, used in Pittston and transportation options now and in the future.”

FOCUS: POWER UP YOUR BUSINESS Distribution next major hurdle for natural gas industry — continued from page one In response to the complex challenges poised by infrastructure construction, Harrisburg has formed a Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force. This group will develop policies, guidelines and tools to assist in safe pipeline routing and construction, as well as the development of long-term operation and maintenance procedures.

Gene Barr, president of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, is a veteran of the private-sector energy business. He points out that while Pennsylvania is now home to hundreds of prolific natural gas wells, their level of production is making the gas business a victim of its own success.

According to Barr, a lack of new gas markets, such as for motor vehicles, has inhibited sales of the gas just as it becomes increasingly available. With this fact added to pipeline shortages, the price for the available gas at the wellhead has plummeted.

“We really need the gas markets to evolve so that compressed and liquefied gas can be available for vehicular use,” explains Barr. “In addition, new pipelines will enable gas to be distributed for many other uses — when this happens, prices for gas may recover.”

Barr says “enemies” of the hydraulic fracking process, which allows gas to be harvested from shale, are now attacking pipeline construction. He points out that gas is clearly the “greenest” fuel currently available, which, to him, makes opposition to gas production because of climate change concerns illogical.

The question of whether to impose a severance tax Pennsylvania’s on gas production is also a prime concern, says Barr. He believes government should leave the gas business alone to thrive and produce untold revenues and quality jobs.

“If we don’t wreck this opportunity, expanded applications for our natural gas are on autopilot, especially if we can export it,” adds Barr. “The recovery of the wet gasses such as propane, ethane, and butane also will expand because of their use by the chemical industries.”

None idle None of the 350 wells drilled by Cabot Oil &

Source: www.northeastgas.org

ton has somewhat inadvertently become a supporter of increased gas use because of the EPA’s crackdown on coal burning for electric generation. The nation’s ancient cast iron natural gas pipelines must also be replaced within 20 years due to federal mandates. Thousands of good jobs will result from this effort, including the presence of a certified technician at every site.

“As gas field output and usage evolves, so does employment,” explains Marquardt.

Lackawanna’s gas and oil recovery program appears to be thriving. The school graduated 58 trained technicians during 2015, and 60 percent had jobs even before graduation, with 90 percent that will be eventually employed. “Our enrollment for 2015 will be from 60 to 80 students, with every available seat filled,” says Marquardt.

Sluggish renewals

Atty. Michelle O’Brien, partner with the O’Brien Law Group, has been appointed to Gas Corporation are idle, says George Stark, the cording to Stark, that the recovery of gas with frackthe pipeline regulatory commission by Gov. Tom company’s director of external affairs. In addition, ing is creating no widespread environmental impacts.

Wolf.

Road access agreements, gathering pipeline the wells are stunning in their production — each Stark is anticipating the construction of adcontracts, and right-of-way deals for transmission appears to be poised for a 30 -to 35-year lifetime. ditional pipelines to carry Marcellus gas to new pipelines are now crossing O’Brien’s desk as many According to Stark, in 2014 Cabot drilled 102 markets in increasing volumes. “Estimates indicate of the land leases written between 2006 and 2008 gas wells with an average depth of 7,500 feet. The 2016 will be a big year for pipeline construction and expire but are not renewed. shale layer containing the gas is 300 feet thick in 2017 will see an increased gas flow,” says Stark.

“If the gas prices come back up, the most areas, but successful targeting has made Discomfort ahead companies may lease again, but because of these these Marcellus Shale wells outstanding gas sluggish prices, lease renewals have diminished,” producers.

Richard Marquardt Jr., executive director of the says O’Brien.

The prolific nature of these wells can be ilSchool of Petroleum & Natural Gas at Lackawanna A typical Marcellus lease written during the hot lustrated by production metrics. A gas well that College, warns energy consumers not to get too years of gas drilling offered land owners a lump produces 1 billion to 1.5 billion cubic feet of gas comfortable with relatively low prices for gasoline, sign for signing, plus royalties on gas producover its lifetime has been considered by the indus- diesel fuel, and heating oil. According to Marquardt, tion of 12 percent to 25 percent, based on pricing try to be successful. Current estimates indicate that crude oil’s global over-supply, which brought variables.

Some of the leases were complex, with many of the Cabot wells in Susquehanna County energy prices tumbling, was created by the mass land owners receiving up to four checks for one will produce 17 billion cubic feet of gas before they appearance of shale-based crude on the market. well from the different companies involved. flicker out.

This oversupply against global demand is As interstate pipeline construction accelerates, The bad news for Marcellus land owners is that still only in the single digits, and low prices have O’Brien is a now working out issues with eminent the depressed prices for gas have forced Cabot to forced many of the shale oil producers to idle their domain.

Private sector interests are also buying remove four of its six drilling rigs. Only 70 wells will production. Inevitably, the oversupply from shale and sell gas properties, while estate planning with be drilled this year. will dwindle. “The crude oil supply-demand curve family limited partnership are increasing.

“This is why ongoing investment is vital. We will then flip quickly, and prices will again rise,” “It’s much better to transfer gas-bearing propshouldn’t tax the gas any further,” says Stark. forecasts Marquardt. erty to heirs before production actually begins,” As for environmental issues, Stark points to a Factors now influencing the natural gas busiadds O’Brien.

U.S. EPA report released in June that indicated, acness, according to Marquardt, are varied. Washing-

ECONOMY & JOBS

Pennsylvania Chamber: Massive tax increases not good for Commonwealth

By Gene Barr

The 2015-16 fiscal year is officially underway and with no state spending plan in place, it seems as if we are reverting to the old days of budget impasses and standoffs.

Despite the General Assembly meeting its constitutional obligation of getting a budget to the governor’s desk by the June 30 deadline — a $30.2 billion plan that included a $1 billion increase in state spending, invested more in education and didn’t raise taxes — Gov. Wolf chose to veto the measure and is sticking to his proposal that includes broad-based tax increases and nearly $5 billion in new spending.

This massive tax increase plan failed to garner a single vote when it was brought up for consideration by the House of Representatives.

The legislature approved budget would have made historic state investments in education funding — including a $100 million increase to the basic education funding line. It’s important to note that Pennsylvania already invests more than $27 billion in education (in total local, state and federal funds).

According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, the Commonwealth ranks among the top 10 states in the nation in per-pupil spending. Clearly, when viewed in a national context, Pennsylvania doesn’t suffer from a lack of dedicated education funding. What we do suffer from is the ability to ensure those education dollars are being invested in student achievement and the classroom. That’s why pension reform is so critically important.

With an unfunded liability of $53 billion, the pension crisis represents the greatest threat to the Commonwealth’s fiscal stability. Each year, more and more tax dollars are dedicated to pension obligation payments — impacting both the state’s General Fund and local school districts. If left unchecked, the increasing pension debt will continue to divert funding away from students and burden Pennsylvanians with increased taxes at the state and local level. Unfortunately, the governor vetoed S.B. 1, a commonsense reform measure that would have addressed the pension crisis by making comprehensive and structural reforms to the pension systems going forward.

The governor also vetoed legislation that would have finally ended the government monopoly on the sale of wine and spirits. Besides the fact that selling the state-owned stores would generate upfront revenue for the Commonwealth, this

The Wolf administration’s budget proposal would be among the priciest in the nation (at eighth among the states) and the governor’s tax plan is the largest proposed tax increase in the country when compared to other states, according to a study by the National Association of State Budget Officers. legislation would have given consumers the convenience and choice they overwhelmingly want.

Even though a majority of Pennsylvanians have long supported ending the antiquated state-store system, the governor chose instead to maintain the status quo.

So how does the Gene Barr, president governor’s budget and CEO of the Pennproposal compare sylvania Chamber of to the spending plan Business and Industry. passed by the General Jason Farmer /Times Assembly — which Tribune file photo addressed the state’s structural deficit without raising taxes on Pennsylvania’s job creators and taxpayers?

The Wolf administration’s budget proposal would be among the priciest in the nation (at eighth among the states) and the governor’s tax plan is the largest proposed tax increase in the country when compared to other states, according to a study by the National Association of State Budget Officers.

Additionally, a report by the Independent Fiscal Office found that the governor’s efforts to raise the Personal Income Tax (PIT) by 20 percent, hike the sales tax by 10 percent and eliminate most sales tax exemptions would result in higher taxes across all income classes.

This isn’t even accounting for the administration’s proposed additional tax on the natural gas industry, which the IFO has determined that, at more than 17 percent, would be the highest effective rate in the nation. Yet, despite the fact that this industry has created more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs — including union jobs, engineers, blue-collar workers and truck drivers – the admin-

istration continues to call for this punitive tax. At a time when the price of natural gas is at an all-time low, this tax (along with Pennsylvania’s already burdensome corporate tax climate) would drive companies to other states or shale plays — taking good paying, family-sustaining jobs and economic opportunity with them.

You may have seen the commercials from outof-state interests lobbying for huge tax increases on Pennsylvanians. Despite what they would have you believe, the bulk of the revenue from the Wolf administration’s proposed severance tax would not go to education. The language in the governor’s plan actually calls for a substantial portion to go towards payments for alternative energy subsidies

with not one dollar guaranteed to go toward education.

These massive tax increases are not in the best interest of Pennsylvania’s residents and will not move the state forward. If the Wolf administration really wants “jobs that pay,” as they have often said, then we need to work together to make Pennsylvania’s business climate one in which job creators can afford to do business. As budget negotiations resume, the Pennsylvania Chamber will continue to advocate for a fair and responsible budget that improves the state’s economic climate and promotes job growth.

Gene Barr is president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the state’s largest broad-based business advocacy organization, with its membership comprising businesses of all sizes and across all industry sectors. The Pennsylvania Chamber says it is “The Statewide Voice of Business.” The ideas and opinions expressed are the author’s and not necessarily those of the Business Journal.

FOCUS ON EMPLOYEE TRAINING

Employee training makes work ‘irresistible’

By Phil Yacuboski

With more regulations and the focus on a better and more efficient workforce, training is often the key to succeed, say two area groups that focus on training employees in northeastern Pennsylvania.

“Compliance training and supervisory development are two areas in which we work,” said Gina Whalen of Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and Employers Association (MAEA), a membership based organization based in Pottsville, where she’s been training employees for the past 11 years.

MAEA has more than 330 members in the 22 counties that make up northeastern Pennsylvania.

Compliance training includes education on

laws and regulations so as to avoid violations and to make a business a more hospitable workplace.

Supervisory development helps people who have been recently promoted or for those who are being groomed for a leadership position who have no formal training.

“I think companies want a more respectful workplace,” she said. “They want their employees to be engaged and also help to retain the best employees by having the best work environment.”

She said MAEA’s trainings are quite popular. The organization trains more than 2,300 people during the year and has programs for employees at every Please see TRAINING on page 21

Deloitte: Becoming irresistible — A new model for employee engagement: Our research suggests that the issues of “retention and engagement” have risen to No. 2 in the minds of business leaders, second only to the challenge of building global leadership. These concerns are grounded in disconcerting data: • Gallup’s 2014 research shows that only 13 percent of all employees are “highly engaged,” and 26 percent are “actively disengaged.”

• Glassdoor, a company that allows employees to rate their employers, reports that only 54 percent of employees recommend their company as a place to work.

• In the high-technology industry, two-thirds of all workers believe they could find a better job in less than 60 days if they only took the time to look.

• Eighty percent of organizations believe their employees are overwhelmed with information and activity at work (21 percent cite the issue as urgent), yet fewer than 8 percent have programs to deal with the issue.

• More than 70 percent of Millennials expect their employers to focus on societal or mission-driven problems; 70 percent want to be creative at work; and more than two-thirds believe it is management’s job to provide them with accelerated development opportunities in order for them to stay.

So what matters today? How can we create an organization in today’s work environment that is magnetic and attractive, creates a high level of performance and passion, and continuously monitors problems that need to be fixed?

MAKE WORK IRRESISTIBLE There are three issues to address: 1. Companies need to expand their thinking about what “engagement” means today, giving managers and leaders specific practices they can adopt, and holding line leaders accountable. Here Deloitte suggests five elements and 20 specific practices. (See chart nearby) 2. Companies need tools and methods that measure and capture employee feedback and sentiment on a real-time, local basis so they can continuously adjust management practices and the work environment at a local level.

These tools include employee feedback systems as well as data analytics systems that help identify and predict factors that create low engagement and retention problems.

3. Leaders in business and HR need to raise employee engagement from an HR program to a core business strategy.

Source: Becoming irresistible: A new model for employee engagement, Deloitte Review, Issue 16, 2015.

EDUCATION The Institute releases Autism in Lackawanna & Luzerne: Public Health and Public Policy Considerations From the report: Autism Spectrum Disorders are mental disorders which affect multiple aspects of an individual’s life, including behavior, communication, daily function, and social skills. Individuals with ASD often need various supportive services, and the number of diagnosed cases has trended upwards, so the need for these programs will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. Correlations have been established between risk factors and Autism disorder prevalence, but the research has yet to discover any causal factors.

Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2005, there were roughly 20,000 individuals diagnosed with one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders and as of 2011 that number rose to upwards of 55,000 individuals. There are many resources available for these individuals, however, in the region, once the patients turn 18 years old, they will “age out” of many resources in the system. Regionally, there are a number of services in the area that provide assistance to individuals of all ages with the Autism Spectrum Disorders but there are gaps in service delivery. Further, many states including New York, California, and Massachusetts do not have any age caps on Autism benefits and Pennsylvania needs to join those ranks.

Adult Autism services often operate with the goal of improving daily independent functionality, so that the patients can be productive members of society. Assisted living and independent work programs help make that goal a reality. Steadily increasing the service capacity of these programs to accommodate the growing adult population living with Autism Spectrum Disorders can help the area achieve the goal of allowing a greater amount of people to live more independently. However, many adults with Autism cannot function independently, and therefore a higher level of services is required.

An ongoing issue for most individuals seeking healthcare services has always been insurance and the services for which the insurance will provide coverage. This is present for patients in the Autism spectrum disorder population as well. Insurance companies may have specific services allowed for each disorder, but the allowed services may not be as efficacious for each individual. As mentioned Locally, in 2005, Luzerne County had 496 ways, such as their patient capacity or limited serin the introduction to this project, each individual individuals living with Autism Spectrum Disorders, vice hours that can be provided. As demonstrated manifests their disorder and symptoms differently, Lackawanna County had 330 individuals living in previous sections, the adult population living and to varying degrees. This can lead to some inwith Autism Spectrum Disorders. Following the with Autism Spectrum Disorders is growing. The dividuals having limited access to services, or only state trend for 180 percent increases, in 2011 services provided to the adult population are not have covered services that do not provide the levels Luzerne County had increased to 1,151 Autism likely to keep up with the shift in population of the of care or support the individuals may require.

Spectrum Disorders patients, and Lackawanna age groups. This shift could lead to a major probWithin the past four years, major changes have County increased to 905 patients. For each county, lem in the future, wherein the population of adult taken place in the insurance field. These changes FINDINGS roughly 78 percent of the individuals with Autism individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders vastly have increased mental health service dollar limits, In Pennsylvania, there were roughly 20,000 Spectrum Disorders were adults over 21 years of outnumbers the capacity of adult service providstabilized financial burdens of individuals receiving individuals living with Autism and other Autism age.

Particular attention should be paid the 5 – 12 ers that can effectively treat and provide adequate mental health services, and have attempted to Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in 2005. As of 2011, services for these individuals. address the discrepancy between psychical and this number rose to upwards of 55,000 individuals. age group, the largest cohort in the region. Since resources for Autism patient are extremely limited There appears to be a demand for Autism mental manifestations of disorders. 29 The exact causes of ASD are not fully understood, States like New York, California, Massachusetts, so it is difficult to determine why there was such a once a patient turns 18, therefore, it is imperative to resources that cannot actively be met. It is true that provide children with as much support as possible inpatient services are very costly compared to other the District of Columbia, Wisconsin, and Indiana do dramatic increase. However, it is possible that the before they that age out of the systems’ services. forms of services, but it is a necessary service that not have age caps on Autism benefits. Pennsylvaincrease in the number of individuals living with the area desperately needs. For example, Clark CONCLUSION nia needs to join those ranks.

Autism Spectrum Disorders may reflect an increase Summit State Hospital was able to recently reduce The research and information procured has Research conducted by The Friendship House in diagnoses due to an increase in the sensitivity its patient population by as much as 20 percent, shown more programs and services for children among families who have children or adults with of diagnostic testing rather than an increase in due to community reintegration projects, as well in our region. Once the patients turn 18 years old, autism identified respite care, family counseling, the incidence of ASD. As many as 9,000 of those as other community mental health services, but or in some cases 21 years old, they will “age out” and recreation as other needed services. For diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders are there is still a wait list to be admitted to the hospital adults with Autism, companion services, supof the system and stop receiving most benefits. older than age 21. and receive services. There is no description of the ported living, housing, transportation, social and Comparing the Autism Census data from 2005 At present, there are roughly 10,000 adults in Pennsylvania with Autism Spectrum Disorders. mental status of the patients or the percentage with recreation programs, employment and outpatient to the data from 2011 reveals a dramatic increase By 2020, assuming there are no new patients with Autism, but it serves as an example that comcounselors are needed to fill the regional void in of over 180 percent in the number of individuals Autism Spectrum Disorders, it is expected that munity reintegration projects can be successful in programs and services. in Pennsylvania with Autism. This also reveals an POLICY RECOMMENDATION increase of over 300 percent for adults over 21 who there will be at least 25,000 adults in Pennsylvania the reduction of patients with mental disabilities. with an Autism spectrum disorder. There are some In order to serve the aging population living with Encourage the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are living with Autism in PA. If this trend were to Autism Spectrum Disorders, service capacities to lift the age caps on Autism benefits in order continue at this accelerated pace, it is expected that services in the area, which are not age-restricted, or are exclusively available to adults with Autism need to be increased, remove or reduce age service to adequately provide treatment, programs, and there will be upwards of 31,000 adults aged 21+ Spectrum Disorders or other mental health issues, restrictions, or create new initiatives that specifiservices to the growing number of Pennsylvania who are living with Autism by the year 2020, and but these services may be restricted in other cally assist the adult population. adults living with Autism Spectrum Disorders. more than 76,000 by 2030.

TRAINING — continued from page 18

level — from entry level to executive leadership.

“Our programs are growing and growing,” she said. “What we cover in these trainings are relevant to any workplace or any group, but we can also customize them to any issue that a company might be having.”

“Employee training programs are extremely beneficial,” said Chris Robbins, director of training MAEA. “Many cover topics you don’t get in any type of secondary education.”

Robbins said MAEA focuses on interpersonal and management skills. “You don’t see this focus in a lot of traditional types of education,” she said. “These are things employees and managers must use every day and they are less likely to have obtained training or development in those areas in some of their college background or post-secondary experience.”

Robbins said MAEA offers training at their offices or on-site. “We’re very flexible,” she said.

“We do evenings and weekends. We can break up our training to meet different shift or scheduling requirements. We can do a training-needs analysis and recommend what may best fit their needs.”

Other groups customize their training to accommodate what employers need.

“We do continuous improvement, growth services, supply chain, workforce development and technology acceleration,” said Dale Parmenteri, vice-president of consulting operations at the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC), who also oversees business development. “Much of what we do is necessitated by state and federal mandates.”

Continuous improvement means a focus on equipment changeover, workforce organization and even working with employees on becoming more efficient. “About 70 percent is that type of training,” he said.

NEPIRC also helps with growth services, because they want businesses to expand their workforce. “We’ll even help a company’s sales force if they need it,” he said. “You can’t just focus on the bottom line, you have to focus on the top line because many companies can benefit from mapping out the whole company — from the time a product is made, ordered and delivered. We look at that and tell them where all of the waste is and how to improve that process.”

Leadership development training is a big part of their training too. “We have a 10-session ‘leadership essentials’ training,” he said. “It has modules on change management and emotional intelligence.

We have both manufacturers and non-manufactur-

EDUCATION ers training on that as well.”

Forbes.com: Why should companies invest more in management training?

Here are 10 simple reasons.

1. An employee’s relationship with his or her direct manager is the most important single factor in employee engagement.

2. Engaged employees are happier and more productive. Disengaged employees are frustrated and more disruptive.

3. Because there’s no widely agreed-on skill set for management (good managers come in all shapes and sizes), there’s an assumption everyone knows how to do it. This is akin to someone who’s never driven before being given keys to a car and told: “Drive.” (Many many years ago, this is how I first learned to manage. I blundered my way through it. Trial and error. It wasn’t pretty.)

4. The basics of sound management — clear objective setting, structured performance evaluation systems, honest and open feedback and communication, etc. — aren’t rocket science. In fact, they’re way easier than rocket science. Which is why companies ought to get them right.

5. Your young managers of today will become your leaders of tomorrow. (And if your company is just going out and hiring leaders instead of developing your own, you have to ask: Why?) 6. Many companies invest heavily in training at the top (leadership development, executive retreats, etc.) but less at the bottom or the middle, where it may well be more needed.

7. Management is often uneven throughout an organization. You have your outstanding ones, your okay ones, and your downright incompetent ones who can do a lot of damage. In this biz, as in so many, consistency is a good thing.

8. Respected well-trained managers boost morale, and improved morale boosts retention.

And as you of course know, it’s wicked expensive to hire and fire.

9. Litigation protection. To amplify on point 8, it’s even more wickedly expensive to deal with employee lawsuits… plus the resulting bad PR. 10. Let’s return to No. 1. The point’s too important not to emphasize. In the big picture, an employee’s relationship with his or her direct manager is the most important single factor in employee engagement. It all starts with this day-to-day, in-the-trenches relationship — this is the thread from which the cloth is made. If your managers are doing their job (assuming of course you offer products or services that people want and need), you’ll have a productive work force. If they’re not doing their job, look out below…

Commission recommends an end to ‘hold harmless’ Source: Basic Education Funding Commission

Under present rules, school districts automatically receive funding at the previous year’s levels under a clause known as “hold harmless.” Hold harmless guarantees that a school district receives no less than the same amount of state basic education dollars that it received in the prior fiscal year.

By Dave Gardner

The Basic Education Funding Commission recommended on June 18 that the General Assembly adopt a new formula for distributing state funding for basic education to Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts.

The 15-member group, created through Act 51 of 2014, held 15 hearings over 11 months and heard from more than 110 individuals including superintendents, school board presidents, business leaders, nonprofit organizations and parents before making their recommendations.

The Commission determined that allocation of basic education funding needs to allow for accountability, transparency and predictability.

The Commission said the main objective of the new funding formula is to fairly distribute state resources according to various student and school district factors. The new formula takes into account relative wealth, local tax effort, geographic price differences, enrollment levels, local support as well as other factors.

While the Basic Education Funding Commission came to a unanimous conclusion on the formula

needed to provide a fair distribution of state education dollars, the recommendations of the Commission will not go into effect without legislation approved by the General Assembly and signed by the governor.

The Commission’s formula would consider a district’s current enrollment and other factors when spending tax revenues on education.

According to the Commission, federal data shows Pennsylvania has the nation’s widest funding gap between wealthy and poor school districts.

This data also indicates that local per-pupil spending in Pennsylvania’s poorest districts is 33 percent less than in the wealthiest districts Under present rules, school districts automatically receive funding at the previous year’s levels under a clause known as “hold harmless.” Hold harmless guarantees that a school district receives no less than the same amount of state basic education dollars that it received in the prior fiscal year. It has been a considerable factor in the distribution of basic education dollars in Pennsylvania. Additions are then made by Harrisburg with each annual Please see HOLD HARMLESS on next page

EDUCATION HOLD HARMLESS — continued from previous page

budget. Opponents of the proposed system claim that 320 school districts have received more than $1 billion in undeserved funding because of the system. Meanwhile, 180 school districts have been severely under-funded.

The Commission is promoting a new funding formula that would award state dollars based on a wide variety of factors. The new formula takes into account several student-based factors, including: ■ Student count, which is the average of the most recent three years of Average Daily Membership (ADM); ■ Poverty; ■ English language learners; and ■ Charter school enrollment.

The formula assigned weights to each category to help determine the degree to which each factor drives up the cost of educating a student.

The formula also includes three school districtbased factors which reflect student and community differences throughout the 500 Pennsylvania school districts. The three factors are: ■ Sparsity Size Adjustment: Which adjusts for student counts in small rural school districts.

■ Median Household Income Index: Which measures a school district’s median household income compared to the statewide median household income.

■ Tax Effort Capacity Index: Recognizes a school district’s ability to generate local tax-related revenue compared to the statewide median.

The Commission also recommends that the new funding system should be phased in gradually rather than immediately implemented. Instead, a delay of up to eight years would take place before full implementation, with staggered changes.

The debate surrounding hold harmless, and whether or not the provision should continue to be accommodated in a subsequent funding formula, can be separated into two perspectives highlighting the challenges of: 1. Districts with growing enrollments and 2. Districts with decreasing enrollments.

Criticism of hold harmless has focused on the notion that hold harmless benefits school districts with shrinking enrollments by funding students no longer being served by a school district and, conversely, harming growing enrollment districts by precluding the distribution of these same dollars to new student populations.

Proponents of maintaining the hold harmless provision in a future education funding formula have argued that its elimination would have a devastating impact on small and rural schools that have experienced decreases in enrollment.

Partnership for Children, notes that Pennsylvania’s dramatic changes in population concentration are a prime reason why the state needs revision to school spending. In addition, a revised blend of local and state taxes is desirable.

She explains that, since the early 1990s, Harrisburg has no longer counted student numbers with a district. Therefore, population shifts have not been part of funding awards. She also explains that base costs for typical kids vary among students.

Students with poor English skills require additional instruction, as do those living in poverty, and special consideration should be given to districts that are geographically large but have sparse populations which must operate multiple schools far apart.

“We have not been considering what it really takes to educate kids,” charges Benso. “We need to consider base costs plus other inputs, such as student characteristics and the wealth of a community, whether or not property values are not rising with applicable taxes, and reassessments.”

Benso also points out that, while property taxes are the not sole driver of education dollars, revised systems could be used to generate funding. These could include a focus on income. “Median income is the real measure of wealth in a community,” she says.

Changing population Politically possible Joan Benso, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Jim Buckheit, executive director of the Penn-

sylvania Association of School Administrators, approves of the new formula and the recommendations of the Commission. He also understands why Harrisburg must leave hold harmless alone for now. “You always have to keep in mind what’s right versus what’s politically possible,” says Buckheit.

“The areas that have lost population are vast. We support the concept that new money be dispensed via a revised formula, with an eventual phasing out of hold harmless.”

Pennsylvania is spending a whopping $27 billion on total education funding, with 35 percent flowing from the state, 8 percent from Washington, and $16 billion from local taxes. “East Stroudsburg and Pocono Mountain are among the districts in need of financial help,” says Buckheit.

State Rep, David Parker (R-Monroe) supports the Commission and further desires “dollar equity” with school funding He says that Monroe County has been nailed with big tax increases that hurt the region’s economic prosperity. According to Parker, since Harrisburg’s 1991 budget compromise that removed enrollment adjustments and commenced the hold harmless policy, Monroe County taxpayers have paid as much as five times more than other taxpayers. “We have worked together, and will continue to work, to correct the funding inequities facing Monroe County taxpayers,” says Parker.

FACTORS OF A FAIR FUNDING FORMULA Student-Based Factors Student Count – average of most recent 3-years of Average Daily Membership (ADM) = 1.0 Poverty – based on 5-year U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey ■ Percent of ADM in acute poverty (0-99%) = 0.6 ■ Percent of ADM in poverty (100-184%) = 0.3 ■ Percent of ADM in concentrated poverty (30% or more living in acute poverty) = 0.3 English Language Learners – number of limited English proficient students = 0.6 Charter School Enrollment – the charter school average daily membership = 0.2 School District-Based Factors Sparsity-Size Adjustment ■ Measures a school district’s sparsity and size relative to the other 500 school districts and makes an adjustment to the weighted student count for small rural school districts.

Median Household Income Index ■ Measures a school district’s median household income compared to the statewide median household income.

Local Effort Capacity Index ■ Local Effort – Measures a school district’s local effort based on local tax-related revenue and its median household income compared to the statewide median and makes an adjustment for excess spending based on a school district’s current expenditures per total student-weighted ADM. ■ Local Capacity – Measures a school district’s ability to generate local tax-related revenue based on personal income and market value compared to the statewide median local taxrelated revenue per total student-weighted ADM. Formula Application ■ Multiply the sum of the student-based factors and the sparsity-size adjustment by the median household income index and the local effort capacity index. Each school district receives a pro rata share of the funding allocation.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ■ School Consolidation – The General Assembly should consider capitalizing a fund within the Department of Education to incentivize and support voluntary consolidations. The Commission recognizes that consolidation in some cases will provide a platform to achieve administrative savings and or afford students greater learning opportunities. The Commission also recognizes that the cost of studying the impact of consolidation and differences in school districts’ tax and debt situations can serve as an impediment to consolidation that may be reconcilable with some level of additional financial support.

■ Hold Harmless – The hold harmless provision in basic education funding ensures no school district will receive less basic education funding than it received in the previous year. The Commission in its deliberations recognizes the hold harmless clause prevents the entire annual appropriation for basic education funding to be distributed based on current school district or student factors. The Commission also recognizes eliminating the hold harmless clause would have a significant negative impact on many school districts across the Commonwealth that would be unable to make operational adjustments or generate revenue from other sources to make up for the loss of basic education funding. As an example, eliminating the hold harmless clause after more than 20 years of practice would result in 320 school districts receiving approximately $1 billion less in basic education funding.

The Commission recommends that any new funding driven out through the formula approved in this report should not be subject to hold harmless. Other possible solutions presented to the Commission included: 1. Provide for all basic education funding appropriated in excess of the base year amount to be distributed annually through the Commission’s recommended formula.

2. Provide for the deduction of a set percentage of a school district’s basic education funding increase, if its allocation of funding is greater than the amount it would receive when the entire basic education funding appropriation is distributed using the Commission’s recommended formula. The deducted funding would then be redistributed on a pro rata basis.

3. Provide for a set proportion of the basic education funding appropriation to be distributed under the Commission’s recommended formula over a set period of time. For example, 10 percent per year over 10 years

REGIONAL BUSINESS Medico Industries celebrates the 90th birthday of Nick Manganaro; employed by Medico for 77 years

Standing with Nick Manganaro, center, are members of the Medico family, from left, Cataldo Medico, Larry Medico, Nick Manganaro, Tom Medico and Charles Philip Medico.

Medico Industries was proud to celebrate the birthday of its valued employee, Nick Manganaro.

Manganaro has been employed by Medico for an astonishing 77 years.

He was born on May 23, 1925 on Elizabeth Street in Pittston. At the age of 13, he started working for Medico Electric Motor Company and the five Medico brothers. Manganaro said, “It was the best family. If I had to do it all over again, I would do the same thing.”

He graduated from Pittston High School in 1943 and was drafted for the service during World War II. He served in the Navy in Panama. He returned to Medico Industries in 1946 and has been working there to this day.

Tom Medico, president of Medico Industries, said that Nick Manganaro’s attendance record and work ethic are beyond comparison. His diligence is an inspiration. He dedicated his life to his fellow employees, the Medico family and every customer who grew to love him.

Tom Medico said the reason Medico Industries is successful is because of the work ethic of people like Nick Manganaro.

His laudable qualities include qualities being good to other people, being hard working and displaying care and courtesy to customers.

Through the years, Manganaro was part of Medico Industries’ rigging crew. He was a crane operator, tractor trailer driver and operated all

Not everyone gets to sit in the president of the company’s chair, but Tom Medico, left, was honored to offer the seat to a “loyal and honest employee, like Nick Manganaro.” construction equipment.

Tom Medico said, “All of the employees at Medico Industries respect Nick like a father who teaches other people what to do.” The company and owners expressed gratitude for Manganaro’s many years of service and dedication to the Medico family and Medico Industries Inc.

REGIONAL BUSINESS

Focus on family business: Highlights of a family council

By George K. Brown

Working in a two-room office over a car dealership in Honesdale with a tiny band of co-workers, Garry and Caroline Myers created the first issue of Highlights magazine. Printed in June 1946, that first issue ran to 20,000 copies. Today, as the company prepares for its 70th anniversary, one million copies of four different magazines are printed each month, as well as numerous books, puzzle clubs, apps, and web content.

What began as two people with a kernel of an idea eventually grew to more and more people. In its fifth generation of family stewardship, the Myers family today has 106 family members ranging from newborn to family members embracing their 70s. This exponential growth created a need for enhanced family communication, which turned into a family council.

Family businesses tend to fall along a spectrum when it comes to family councils. Some family businesses are at a point where they actively know they want a council and better communication.

Other families happen into it through informal family gatherings, and over time, come to recognize they need to formalize process and communication.

Our family council started with our third generation coming together to discuss the future of the family and the business. As that generation’s children were growing and their parents were aging, the third generation realized it needed to figure out how the cousins would work together as a family.

Over the course of a number of meetings — some with a consultant — a family council was created.

That was more than 25 years ago and, although the structure has changed over time, the concept and philosophy still guides us today.

Some of building the council was formalizing what already existed informally, while other parts of the process involved a concerted effort to build a formal structure. Our third generation did its research, joined the Family Business Alliance, attended family business conferences, read books on the topic, and eventually hired a consultant to help us develop a family council.

We took what we learned and built in annual meetings, and started developing agendas around those meetings. Today, the agenda includes plenty of time for family to get to know each — fun casual time, but there’s also a heavy amount of discussion about the state of business. Both the fun and

We have an active Education Committee that works with our fifth-generation teenagers to set up summer internship programs with the company.

University on to hear more from George Brown As this group ages, we’ll continue to work with and Pat Mikelson, third-generation and head of them to think about college planning, career planning, summer internships, and first jobs out of . The event will be college — whether it’s with the family business or hosted in the Henry Student Center 2nd floor Ballroom and other organizations. Regardless of career choice, we think it’s important to educate family members Brown will begin at 8:30 a.m. with registration and a light about the business, and about best practices in breakfast, the program will begin at 9 a.m. family business so they can be good stewards of the business — whether as employee, shareholder, and open to the public, however, advanced or stakeholder. registration is required. Contact Lanie Jordan at 570-408-2120 or by We also think about shareholder education from cradle to grave so each age group has some email at meliss.jordan@wilkes.edu. education or exposure to the company. Last year, members of our third generation (mostly in their late 60s) attended a four-day retreat on our family property, which included two days of intensive tours of our business, a day attending a writers’ workshop hosted by our Highlights Foundation, and a day touring around historic sites relevant to our family.

The kids get an age-appropriate company experience during the family council meeting. Because we create kid-friendly products, it’s easy to create educational activities that are relevant.

Our family council is unique to Highlights.

Your family council may look completely different and you will find your needs change over time. If you haven’t started building your council, look for resources — there are a number of articles and Each summer, the entire family of descendants of Garry and Caroline Myers (106 members and books specific to the topic. growing) meets at the original home of the Myers in Honesdale for a weekend of fun, family, Join the Family Business Alliance at Wilkes and business.

University, network with its members and find out what they are doing with their family councils, the purpose of the meetings are to foster strong mittee, the Education Committee and the Meeting or find a consultant to help. The Family Business communication between family and business and Planning Committee. These committees are alldevelop a sense of stewardship for the business. volunteer, with staggered terms so family members Alliance has a large resource list of recommended experts on all topics within your family firm.

Family committees also report to the group rotate on and off over tow- to three-year terms.

Don’t be afraid to start small. Perhaps you just about activities related to the family. We also enjoy Our council has a set of by-laws and has acted in want to have a meeting with your family group to interaction with key employees and the board of di- various ways throughout the years, depending on discuss the idea and let it go from there. rectors, which includes four independent directors. the needs of the family.

Your family may define family council differHighlights currently has two family members on Some years, the council’s main charge has ently. Some use the term family assembly to signify the board of directors, plus our CEO who is family. been to plan the family council meeting and be the entire family and has the council as a smaller In addition, there are two or three formal sure the agenda and logistics are taken care of. group that acts as a decision-making body. communications from the CEO to the family, with Other years, they’ve tackled policy issues such as Whatever you choose, think about the reason updates throughout the year on the state of the developing a buy/sell agreement, developed a probusiness. Family members also receive the comcess for liquidity, and thought about whether dogs you want a family council. Is it for better structure pany newsletter on a regular basis. and significant others are allowed to attend family for family communication? Is it better communication with the business? Is it to formalize process? It Our family council has a chair and various council meetings — the outcome was significant committees, such as the Fun with a Purpose Com- others, yes; dogs, no.

Please see FAMILY BUSINESS on next page

Please join the Family Business Alliance at Wilkes

Aug. 26

Highlights family council

This event is free

REGIONAL BUSINESS Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs:

Meet Megan Alpert into a positive one, Alpert sees this adversity as an opportunity to work harder and improve herself.

Alpert achieves a balance between her work and her family through work-life integration. As a woman Alpert who defines herself by her career and her family, being constantly aware of how she is spending her time is key for Alpert. Some weeks, her work consumes all of her time, while other weeks, her family does. As a working mother, Alpert works hard to find balance in her life with the love and support of her business team and her family. “Ongoing, consistent communication” is a key aspect of her business and personal life.

Early in the game, Alpert learned that her business is all about relationships. Although the finance is the focus of her client work, she knows that fostering trust builds her relationships with clients. Alpert prides herself and her business on being authentic and taking a genuine interest in the needs of her clients. She often quotes the late FAMILY BUSINESS — continued from previous page Maya Angelou, saying, “I’ve learned that people can be any or all of these things. It just depends on up with the business and develops the commitment will forget what you said, people will forget what what direction you want to take. to the business that is so important to a successful you did, but people will never forget how you Newsletters, a private Facebook group, special multi-generational family business. made them feel.” family projects such as a photo album, or historical The family council has created a forum where Alpert’s perseverance is one of her secrets projects about the family and company all lead to family members know each other and have develto success. She believes that you should always better communication and a stronger family unit. oped trust in each other. Cousins interact together push forward, despite what others might think.

Our high-school-age family members who do a in the sand pile from an early age, and family She says, “You don’t realize what you are two-week orientation/internship participate in a fam- memories are made each summer so that people capable of until you are given the opportunity ily history project where they research family history look forward to coming back. and you just say yes and you keep on doing the online or even visit courthouses and cemeteries to George Brown is a fourth-generation family next right thing.” trace the family lineage. All of these activities add to member working in the family business, Highlights Helping individuals and families build, manage the communication and unity of a family. for Children. He’s passionate about the company and preserve wealth, Alpert, Yanoski and AssociRecently, a third-generation family member in mission of helping kids become their best selves, ates is located at 417 Lackawanna Avenue, Scranher late 60s took a fifth-generation family member and passionate about best practices in family ton. For more information, call 570-330-8780. in his late teens for a trip to see the founder’s home business. He is an active member of the Family Olivia Levine is a University of Scranton town and visit distant cousins we’ve reconnected Business Alliance (FBA) at Wilkes University and Women’s Entrepreneurship Center intern and an with via previous family history research. has generously served on the FBA’s advisory board international business major. Farishta Abdullahi is As we think about the benefits a family council for many years. To learn more about the company, a University of Scranton Women’s Entrepreneurhas given our family, we see it as the glue that visit www.Highlights.com, or visit www.Highlightship Center intern and an accounting major. Donna holds the family together in its stewardship of our sFoundation.org to learn about the property and Simpson is consultant manager of the University business, Highlights for Children. It helps us keep nonprofit organization. of Scranton Small Business Development Center.

By Olivia Levine and Farishta Abdullahi

The world of finance was never the plan for Megan Alpert, financial advisor at Alpert, Yanoski and Associates.

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in psychology, Alpert began working at a Merrill Lynch family center as a preschool teacher where she met executives and managers who encouraged her to apply for a job at Merrill Lynch, even though she had no financial background.

In 2004 she started as an entry level bookkeeper and worked her way up the ranks to become a certified financial planner in 2011.

As a financial advisor, Alpert adheres to a disciplined process that assures a “consistent, yet customized wealth-management experience.” She helps clients achieve their personal and financial goals by understanding, planning, and assisting clients throughout all stages of life.

Alpert prides herself in her commitment to client needs by incorporating wealth management strategies that align with their unique objectives and risk tolerance.

For Alpert, owning her own business comes with the reward of the three Is — Independence, Impact, and Income.

At Alpert, Yanoski and Associates, the independence and flexibility of the business structure allows her relationships with clients to flourish.

As a franchisee of Merrill Lynch, Alpert and her partner, Ron Yanoski, were able to build their own team within the company. As far as impact, Alpert is able to make a meaningful and significant difference in the lives of her clients by taking a holistic approach to her business. Pertaining to income, Alpert believes that her quality of life is a direct result of her hard work and perseverance.

While the financial industry may be perceived as male-dominated, Alpert contends that this stereotype is no longer true. Alpert says that women are “collaborative, intuitive and gifted listeners,” all of which are needed in a relationship based business. Although there are still stereotypes and gender perceptions about women, Alpert believes that the business world is in the midst of a paradigm shift.

With the habit of turning a negative sentiment

Winfield snowboard company looks to export to global markets A snowboarding company in central Pennsylvania is poised to go global, and recently held a facility tour to celebrate its success and thank its contributors and community.

Three years into business, Gilson Boards has grown from a two-man operation working in a crawl space near donkeys and horses to a 5,000-square-foot manufacturing facility near New Berlin at 62 Mountain View Road.

Now, with SEDA-Council of Governments’ Export Development Program’s help, Gilson Boards is about to springboard from Pennsylvania — the world’s woodworking capital — to international markets.

The export program has helped Gilson Boards locate and contact potential markets, which will help them spread production throughout the year, said Nick Gilson, CEO of Gilson Boards. The small business is moving quickly toward exporting to Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Austria, Switzerland and more. The company connected to SEDA-COG through the Small Business Development Center at Bucknell University.

Gilson Boards is a local company, using local materials, to reach widespread domestic and global markets. The 10-person team builds their boards with wood mostly from local Pennsylvania poplar and cherry trees, along with fiberglass and highdensity plastics, and hires all local craftsmen. Stanley Woodworking, Middleburg, processes their wood, and Ram Trucks and Beaver Motors, Beaver Springs, sponsors the annual 17,000-mile Gilson Winter Tour.

Pennsylvania has the sixth-largest snowboarding community in the U.S., Gilson said, citing SnowSports Industries America, and the local snowboarding market is strong.

“The community’s here, the resources are here, and SEDA-COG has been so crucial in our development that there’s no way in God’s green earth we’ll ever leave,” Gilson said. “We have incredibly talented craftsmen building with the highest quality materials here in Pennsylvania, and our local and national business is strong. We are thrilled to be working with SEDA-COG to send these high-performing boards to international markets.”

Cody Richard, export specialist, said, “Gilson Boards is a fantastic company with incredible growth potential. Pennsylvania’s Regional Export Network provides companies such as Gilson every opportunity to succeed in international markets.

Each month, we recognize one of the region’s top manufacturers with the aid of NEPIRC, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center. Since 1988, NEPIRC has been working with manufacturers to improve their productivity, profitability, competitiveness and long-term viability through consultative services.

Bradford County manufacturer a top producer of tungsten carbide

A manufacturing company in Towanda, Bradford County, is positioning itself to be the top producer and recycler of tungsten carbide in the United States.

Towanda Metadyne, Inc., manufactures tungsten carbide parts for the mining, construction, lumber, woodworking, deburring and metal removal, and agriculture industries. They make components for drill bits that are used to dig into the earth to mine for coal, oil and natural gas, cut wood and grind up roadways for repaving projects.

Since tungsten carbide is the second-hardest material in the world after diamond, it has historically been found in everything from the tips of ballpoint pens to automobile parts and ammunition. The company produces almost 3,000 different shapes and sizes of parts and has also developed the technology to recycle old, worn-out material into powder for new parts.

Towanda Metadyne’s processing begins with spray drying of the tungsten carbide and cobalt raw materials into a flowable powder for use in the press rooms. Currently, over 45 unique grades are in use. The press rooms utilize mechanical presses, ranging from 5 to 50 tons, to produce nearly 3,000 part numbers.

The company’s tungsten alloy reclamation process is done using the largest reclaim furnaces operating in the United States.

In 2010, Towanda Metadyne added a new furnace to its operation to produce the materials for oil and natural gas drilling. The high-temperature process uses furnaces capable of temperatures up to 3,800°F. Each furnace is computer controlled to add flexibility and overall precision to the process.

Towanda Metadyne began as Metadyne in 1984 and was initially located in Elmira, New York. In its early years, the company focused on conducting research and development of advanced tungsten and molybdenum alloys for organizations including NASA, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy. In the early 1990s, the company expanded its product line to include tungsten carbide. In 1996, Metadyne became

Towanda Metadyne after outgrowing its Elmira facility and relocating to Pennsylvania.

The company began its reclamation capabilities in 1999 as a cost-effective way of producing tungsten carbide. In 2007, it introduced robotic pickand-place operators and now uses four of them for high-volume jobs in its press room. The following year, Towanda Towanda Metadyne President Raman Daga, left, and Chief Operating Officer David A. Reeder.

Metadyne increased its tungsten reclamation The company has a diversified customer base throughout the capacity and started an on-site sister company, Tungsten United States and Canada, as well as across Europe and Asia, Sources. Today, the companies employ a combined total of 50 including India and Japan. Its location in the Northern Tier of workers.

Pennsylvania is situated less than three hours from several Towanda Metadyne has worked with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center over the years, first with its ISO 9001 training and later with workforce development training programs focusing on leadership development essentials for its employees.

major research universities with which it collaborates.

Towanda Metadyne also produces ready-to-press grade powders for other cemented carbide producers, as well as provides tolling services of its reclamation capabilities. The company hopes to expand all powder manufacturing and pressing capacities as it looks toward the future.

Company President Raman L. Daga praised the workforce saying many of the employees have been with the company since This feature is sponsored it opened in Pennsylvania.

“Our employees’ high degree of technical knowledge and our state-of-the-art equipment and processing capabilities enable us to maintain total control over every step of the process from powder to finished parts,” Daga said.

by...

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT ON...

Team Thrive, Rodan + Fields ingredients in the right combination with optimized, elegant formulations to deliver clinically proven results, without a visit to the dermatologist’s office.

SC: What do you like the most about being an independent consultant?

Thompson, PA EG: One of the best parts is being my own boss.

I have a flexible, part-time schedule and I have fun 607-206-4348 doing my job, which is not something to be taken Chamber member since: 2015 for granted. In addition, being an independent consultant is both professionally and personally relizabeth Guerrero was born and raised in warding because the business is not just about me, northeastern Pennsylvania with an entrepreit’s about mentoring other women as well. I build neurial spirit. Today, she owns her own busimy business by helping other women build theirs ness, Team Thrive, partnered with Rodan + Fields — I literally cannot reach my own goals without Dermatologists. As an independent consultant, helping others to achieve their goals first.

Elizabeth is a mentor and motivator. We recently SC: Can you explain how you attract clients and had a chance to catch up with Ms. Guerrero to talk how you plan on expanding your sales area? about Team Thrive and how she is expanding her EG: My business grows by word of mouth, so business in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

I am always sharing what I have to offer both with Scranton Chamber: Can you give me a little my products and my business opportunity, whether background on your past professional experience? that’s online, on the phone, at work, or just through Elizabeth Guerrero: My background is in eduregular daily social interactions. I also use social cation, but I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. media to share product testimonials from happy When I was little, I was the kid making and selling customers, updates on my growing team, and my crafts, having yard sales, and dreaming of owning own excitement and gratitude about what Rodan + my own business.

Fields is doing in my life.

SC: How did you first discover Rodan + Fields?

SC: Can you describe the team structure?

EG: About a year and a half ago, I heard about RoEG: My team is like a family that is constantly dan + Fields online, via an interview with the woman growing as we welcome new members who share who is now my personal mentor. What caught my atour mission of living well by doing good for others. tention was the prestige of the doctors who founded I have my mentors above me who so generously the company, as well as its status as the fastest growshare their time and experience, and I continue ing premium skincare company in the country. that legacy by coaching and supporting those who SC: What makes R+F unique in the skin have joined me as personal business partners. I care industry? get more excited about seeing a team member’s EG: Rodan + Fields was founded by Stanfordsuccess than I do about my own! trained dermatologists Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. SC: How do you motivate both your team Kathy Fields, who are known and respected worldand yourself? wide for creating the Proactiv skincare line. Our EG: I’ve always been very intrinsically motiproducts are based on the Doctors’ philosophy of vated, so just keeping my “why” at the front of my Multi-Med Therapy. This regimen-based approach mind keeps me going through the ups and downs. to treating common skin concerns combines overAs far as my team, I’ve learned that it’s more about the-counter pharmaceutical and active cosmetic

Team Thrive, Rodan + Fields Independent Consultant

E

HOW TO GET IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Each month, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, Community Bank and the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal present the Small Business Spotlight award to a Chamber member who is making its mark in our community.

To nominate a small business for this award, visit www.scrantonchamber.com or call 570-342-7711.

Elizabeth owns her own business, Team Thrive, partnered with Rodan + Fields Dermatologists. inspiring than motivating. My team has to want it for themselves, but by helping them discover how strong they are, letting them know how much they mean to me and to the world and helping them to find and use their unique gifts, I can inspire them to be their best selves.

SC: How has The Scranton Chamber helped your business?

EG: I’ve only been a Chamber member for a short period of time and I’ve already been impressed with the opportunities provided. The Chamber wastes no time in helping its new members get started and involved. Since I became a member, the Chamber has actively been reaching out to me to provide opportunities for business exposure, networking, and savings.

A U G U S T

2 0 1 5

Adult Education Guide

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE

Colleges and universities place renewed emphasis on career preparation Economic forces, skills gap partially explain new emphasis on outcomes

There are at least three major forces reshaping higher education: 1. The economy 2. The skills gap 3. The rise of the non-traditional student Each of these forces has placed a renewed emphasis on the career services colleges offer their students.

We’ve queried our areas colleges and universities to learn how their career services professionals assist students to reach their career goals.

Interspersed with profiles of each college or university are facts, figures and statistics that reveal the new normal on campus.

FRACTURE lines can be seen everywhere in America’s higher education system, from skyrocketing tuition costs and mounting student debt to

a significant mismatch between the skills employers seek and those students possess upon graduation. These pressures, coupled with the recognition that the status quo is unsustainable, are, in turn, fueling innovation across the higher education ecosystem. While it’s still early days, we’re beginning to see the emerging outlines of a new landscape for higher education.

— Reimagining higher education: How colleges, universities, businesses, and governments can prepare for a new age of lifelong learning, May 2014,dupress.com/articles/reimagining-higher-education/

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE

The job market changes rapidly — career counselor’s job is to keep up The Insalaco Center for Career Development (ICCD) at Misericordia University is a comprehensive career center that assists students and alumni of Misericordia University to assess, develop, and implement goals for the constantly evolving professional world. The Insalaco Center fosters a cooperative process in which students, alumni, faculty, staff, employers, and community organizations transform educational achievements into a lifetime of career satisfaction.

Many of our adult learners are career changers or look to advance themselves professionally.

Oftentimes, they are unsure how to package their previous experience and education on a resume . . . we want each resume to be unique and to stand out to employers in this competitive job market.

— Bernie Rushmer, director, Insalaco Center for Career Development at Misericordia University

“The Insalaco Center for Career Development at Misericordia University in conjunction with the Center for Adult and Continuing Education provides a variety of services to our adult learners. We meet with students both individually and in group formats to assist them with resume creation, job search strategies, interviewing skills and LinkedIn profile creation, just to name a few,” said Bernie Rushmer, director of ICCD said, The ICCD’s career counselors work with adult learners in a variety of ways. Joseph Donahue, corporate relations coordinator of ICCD, for example, utilizes an interest inventory tool to review students’ interests in order to help them with major selection or a field to pursue upon graduation.

Please see MISERICORDIA on page 39

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE ‘Student values have changed over time’

Today’s students place a premium on job-related reasons to go to college, more so than previous generations. Eighty-six percent of incoming freshmen say that getting a better job is a very important motivator in their decision to go to college. Seventy-three percent cite making more money as another very important factor. While the basic task of higher education is far broader than just career preparation, it’s notable that student values have changed over time.

— Reimagining higher education: How colleges, universities, businesses, and governments can prepare for a new age of lifelong learning, May 2014,dupress.com/articles/reimagining-higher-education/

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE At Johnson College, students plug into vast industry network Johnson College formed Program Advisory Committees (PAC) to present feedback on curricula, certification and workplace requirements, as well as projected requirements for each of the program areas. PAC collaborates with faculty and administration to keep the curricula current.

Penn State: No. 1 in nation for career services Penn State Worthington: Most important element of accountability — maintain the rankings Penn State University is ranked No. 1 in the nation for overall career services. This has given the offices across all 20 campuses much credibility. Penn State also ranks No. 1 in the nation in on-campus recruitment opportunities, number of employer/student interviews and job fairs that rank among the largest in the nation. “As a result, the most important element of accountability is to maintain those rankings,” said Jon Tobin, coordinator of career services at Penn State Worthington, “All 20 campuses do a systemwide ‘polycom’ conference every month and come together for an annual conference each year in May at University Park. As a result, the full scope of resources throughout the 20 campuses are made available to all students, which makes the Penn State system fairly unique.”

“When students participate in the full range of services available, they dramatically increase their chances of not only selecting the proper major the first time around, but enhance the likelihood of securing an internship related to their major that in turn leads to employment opportunities upon graduation,” said Tobin.

Penn State provides career assessment testing related to personality, skills, abilities and values; personal career counseling sessions; assistance with career decision-making, goal-setting and implementing

Wilkes urges students: Focus on experiences I try to convey a sense of urgency . . to start building a resume with us from day one . . . do something every semester in the areas of leadership, experiential education and service that an employer or graduate school will find attractive.

— Carol Bosak, director of career services at Wilkes University.

Wilkes University prides itself on always being acutely aware of the feelings and worries of adult learners, parents and students when it comes to a Most students at Johnson College have a clear “return on their investment” in a college education, idea of what their career goal will be. However, Please see WORTHINGTON on page 43 according to Carol Bosak, director of career serthere are many steps along the way in the college’s vices at Wilkes University. “I try to convey a sense comprehensive career development program that Penn State Wilkes-Barre: We are lucky we have Continuing Education services that of urgency to the students with whom I work, to the students at the college take to insure the greatgraduates and, really, the general public can take advantage of in order to tweak their skills and stay start work on building a resume with us from day est amount of success in that career goal. relevant in the workforce one of their time at Wilkes. I tell them to do someRoseann Martinetti, director of career services, The Struthers Family Career Services Center at Penn State Wilkes-Barre is fully equipped to assist thing every semester in the areas of leadership, begins by meeting with prospective and current students from the very first step of their career-exploration journey to graduation and beyond, according experiential education and service that an employer students and graduates and provides an assessto career services director Maureen Ciliberto. or graduate school will find attractive. Many of their ment of their interests and abilities so they can “For those students who may be uncertain of what they wish to pursue, we offer assessment tools peers certainly are competitive and employers can consider various majors based on the report genersuch as MyPlan which helps define possible careers based on matching personality, interests, values be incredibly selective.” ated by their answers. The assessment reflects and skills. The assessment itself is only the first step in identifying potential career paths. The student Career service counselors help students clarify their interests and abilities, which results in a listing is encouraged to meet with a career counselor for interpretation, to help provide clarity and insight into career their goals, commit to working on a career of possible career options. figuring out the right choice for the future. Additionally, this assessment also works well for students who plan and connect with the resources they need durMartinetti discusses job requirements, salary, are unsure about the major they have already chosen, or for those who wish to validate that their current ing their employment or graduate school applicajob outlook and so forth so students get the inforchoice is the best choice for them,” explains Ciliberto. tion process at Wilkes. mation to help make a decision on a major. She The center also offers a variety of services to help students showcase their accomplishments in a At Wilkes, career services programs are not just also provides them with online resources. “This professional way, and include resume writing, cover letter composition, networking tips and workshops for students, but alumni as well. “We have a prois particularly important for non-traditional aged gram for students who are choosing or changing Please see WILKES-BARRE on page 42 students and military veterans who are deciding majors.

We have career development programs — whether or not to pursue the career they had in the Penn State Hazleton: Career planning starts with self-awareness from individual career counseling to large events; past,” Martinetti said.

Penn State Hazleton offers a large variety of helpful counseling plans in its career services department. programs to help with writing applications and Current students and alumni are instructed MyPlan.com is an interactive program that students can use to explore information about majors and caresumes, interview preparation and building a netindividually on resume, cover letter, portfolio reers.

Students can take personality, interest, skill, and values assessments that provide helpful personal work via career fairs and alumni connections; and preparation and job search skills, as well as being insights into choosing a major and/or an academic and career path.

Penn State students can gain free courses for seniors to help clarify their goals and presented with LinkedIn and career development connect with resources. We work to help students topics. Job announcements are emailed to faculty access to all assessments and resource information available on this system Career Planning Steps began with the teaching of self-awareness.

Increasing self-awareness will help with application essays and interviews to attain members and posted for current students as well determine a major or career path.

Students are encouraged to engage in discussion, activities, and career admission to graduate or professional schools, and as emailed to graduates. assessments to identify interests, values, abilities, and personality.

Through career counseling, students so much more,” said Bosak.

Martinetti organizes two large career fairs on can work toward understanding themselves and apply this information to career decisions.

To see just how much more, she urges potential campus where students, alumni, faculty, adminisThe campus also utilizes a career interest inventory.

Other services made available include: access to students to visit www.wilkes.edu/career and look tration and staff have the opportunity to speak with assistance in exploring majors at Penn State, Career Fair information/transportation, resume review and at the career planning page, as well as all the other recruiters directly. “It provides a great opportunity job search strategies.

Students are encouraged to make the most of their time at Penn State and to visit resources available there. for students and alumni to expand their employCareer Services and establish a relationship with faculty to learn about opportunities to gain experience Despite the new national emphasis on acment options. Most of our students begin their fullin and outside of the classroom and increase exposure through job shadowing, internship, volunteer, or countability, Bosak says Wilkes has always been time careers after graduation, however, we do have work experiences during academic and summer breaks. Visit studentaffairs.psu.edu/career/students/ Please see JOHNSON on page 39 exploring.shtml or call 570-450-3194 570-450-3194.

Please see WILKES on next page

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE

At King’s College, array of programs focuses on ‘grit’ The Career Planning Office at Kings College offers students unique programs to gain a more proactive approach to education and career-related issues and to optimize student success. Four primary programs — Career Development Across the Curriculum (CDAC), Professional Development Seminar Series (PDSS), the Academic Internship Program, and the On-Campus Recruitment program (OCR) are part of that plan, according to Christopher Sutzko, director of the career planning office.

CDAC is unique in that is provides all students at King’s College the opportunity to engage in academic-based, classroom learning experience related to career development. The three courses offered are one-credit, graded courses.

PDSS includes training workshops typically conducted by alumni and corporate partners. These programs give students a glimpse of challenges and strategic areas organizations are facing and, more importantly, what King’s College students can do to better understand the issues at hand and the skills needed to become solution-oriented.

The Academic Internship Program had 158 students complete an internship in their respective majors, totaling 562 academic credits in 20142015. Students completing internships had to document at least 150 hours of time dedicated to their internship site. Students are also evaluated by

Unlocking Grit . . . many educators have begun to believe that improvements in instruction, curriculum, and school environments are simply not enough to raise the achievement of all learners . . . Also necessary is a quality called grit, loosely defined as persistence over time to overcome challenges and accomplish big goals. Grit comprises a suite of traits and behaviors, including: ■ Goal-directedness (knowing where to go and how to get there).

■ Motivation (having a strong will to achieve identified goals).

■ Self-control (avoiding distractions and focusing on the task at hand).

■ Positive mind-set (embracing challenge and viewing failure as a learning opportunity). . . . 25 years of research has shown that giving students challenging goals encourages greater effort and persistence than providing moderate, "do-your-best" goals or no goals at all. However, simply setting a high bar is inadequate. Students also need the will to achieve goals; a growth mind-set, or the belief that they can become smarter and turn failure into success through their own efforts; and the ability to delay gratification and stay focused on the task at hand — what psychologists call self-regulation.

— Source: ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), www.ascd.org

a faculty internship advisor based on supervisor mid-term and final evaluations, a minimum of five learning goals, and final projects.

The OCR program helps to connect students at Kings to organizations seeking to recruit high quality talent through resume referral and personal interviews.

“Beyond our four programs, we also offer the wide array of individualized services all career centers offer to their student body, such as resume review, mock interviews, major selection or clarification, and so forth,” added Sutzko.

The placement statistics speak for themselves at Kings College, according to the director. Two days before graduation of this year, 75 percent of

WILKES — continued from previous page Carol Bosak is correct: A few clicks on Monster won’t land a job Bob Courtright, recruiting consultant: Intentional networking is key; 70 to 80% of all jobs are landed via networking If you ask recruiting consultant Bob Courtright for some job search strategies, he offers a very short list that consists of just one piece of advice: Network. He views networking as a very proactive and intentional process, not just glad-handing at a local chamber event. He believes too many people want to job search passively by way of surfing employment sites like Indeed and Monster and their approach is all wrong. Job searching is a very active endeavor . . . one that requires a carefully planned and aggressive networking strategy that includes research and lots of old-fashioned footwork. He recommends job seekers research unconventional sources, like Penn’s Northeast and every chamber website to identify companies they would like to work for. Then, he says, work LinkedIn to connect with people at those companies. Throw in carefully planned attendance at various networking events (where you’ve looked beforehand to see who will be there), and you can tap into what some call the “secret job market” and move your resume to the “must review” file. — E. Zygmunt

accountable to its students and invested in their success. “We utilize special career services software to track our activities with employer contacts and students, and to document and assess the work we do,” she said.

Bosak points out that many students are proactive in their career development, but some “don’t know what they don’t know.” She points out that they are used to using the internet to gain immediate services from a bank or a store, and think that a

few clicks on Monster’s job board is going to land them a job. “They need to spend time preparing and practicing how to portray themselves as the best candidate among many talented young people.

When they enroll in our career planning courses and work with us, they are often surprised about the opportunities available, as well how much their resumes and oral communication skills need ‘tweaking,’ prior presenting themselves at professional interviews.”

students who participated in the first destination survey were considered “placed” — meaning students were either gainfully employed full- or part-time, accepted to graduate school full- or parttime, or any combination for the four.

“The age of accountability, assessment and evidence has arrived and will be here to stay,” said Sutzko. As a result, the college has implemented many new assessment measures to demonstrate the positive outcomes of its programs. “Even more

importantly, we have had the opportunity to ‘close the loop’ and utilize the data we collect to continuously improve the services, classes and programs we offer,” said the director.

Sutzko emphasizes the importance of the transition from an educational to business mind set facing most college students, which only emphasizes the need to gain practical work experience that allows them to apply knowledge in real work environments. “In the real world there are rarely black and white/right and wrong answers with immediate feedback,” added the director.

“While access to the internet gives you knowledge, it’s not the answer, just the beginning point,” Sutzko said. “Action/effort, persistence, optimism, and self-control are the keys to success, and can be summarized by ‘growth mind set’ and ‘grit,’ which are hot topics right now in education.

We can teach students about any topic, however, if they cannot use that information and adapt it to a variety of situations, not be afraid to fail in efforts to create solutions, pick themselves up and continue to move forward, they won’t achieve success.”

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE

Cedar Crest College: Honing the soft skills Gaetan T. Giannini, Jr., MBA, dean of the School of Adult and Graduate Education (SAGE) at Cedar Crest College in Allentown is well aware of the pressure on academia to deliver results to graduates.

However, he believes education will always mean more than teaching students to perform tasks.

“We can’t disregard education,” he said. “It’s

something more than job skills. We are preparing students now for jobs that don’t even exist today.

We have to offer education for a lifetime.”

Giannini said there are certain abilities employers value that far exceed mere job skills.

“We know employers want candidates who are good communicators; who know how to find and

process information; who are able to think critically; and who can write well.”

He says Cedar Crest imparts these abilities through a process of looking at education “holistically” and offering what he calls a “culture of connection.” He cites, for example, the fact that “all Cedar Crest academic departments have outside re-

lationships,” meaning with businesses and organizations. “We have really good connections.”

Moreover, he says that Cedar Crest seeks to hone and develop “four or five points we do very well” Giannini as a means to ensure that its graduates get the value today’s economic climate demands.

The five points Giannini says set Cedar Crest apart are: 1. Experiential learning, often in multiple instances.

2. Leadership experiences.

3. Experience in networking and follow up.

4. An experience with an international/multicultural focus.

5. The necessary professional development, as in resume and interview skills.

These five points of excellence are offered to all Cedar Crest students. In the graduate school, however, Giannini says “the volume gets turned up.

The experiences offered are at an advanced level.”

Top 5 Soft Skills Every Student Needs Although a strong background in traditional "hard" skills like writing, mathematics and science will always have its place in academic and career worlds, an increasing number of employers desire prospective employees with "soft" skills.

Soft skills include the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and the willingness to learn through experience, and are applicable across multiple disciplines and careers.

1. Collaboration: It is imperative to function efficiently and appropriately in groups, collaborate on projects and accept constructive criticism when working with others.

2. Communication and interpersonal skills: A common complaint among employers is that young people do not know how to effectively carry on a conversation and are unable to do things like ask questions, listen actively and maintain eye contact.

3. Problem-solving: Students will be faced with a number of unexpected challenges in life and receive little or no aid in overcoming them.

4. Time management: It is imperative to be fully selfsufficient in managing time and prioritizing actions.

5. Leadership: While it is important to be able to function in a group, it is also important to demonstrate leadership skills when necessary. The ability to assume the lead when the situation calls for it is a necessity for anyone who hopes to draw upon their knowledge and "hard" skills in a position of influence.

Source: www.usnews.com

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE

The Keystone Promise: Take the steps, get job offer in six months We continue to build employer contacts each year and, in recent years, our employer partnerships have flourished. — Fran Calpin, senior director of college relations Keystone College has a wide array of career development services and programs designed to prepare its students for the job market or to continue their education in graduate school.

“Our services are focused around the unique, ‘Keystone Promise,’ a pledge to all Keystone College graduates that within six months of graduating, they will have received at least one job offer, or be accepted into a graduate or transfer program,” said Fran Calpin, senior director of college relations.

However, if a student does not receive a job offer, or admission to a graduate or transfer program, he or she is eligible to receive additional career planning and coursework at Keystone free of charge.

To ensure the students’ success, there are a series of steps in a suggested sequence which must be completed in order to receive the Keystone Promise. Adult learners earning bachelor’s degrees can adapt the sequence.

They are: In the Freshman Year: ■ Complete the FOCUS career assessment program ■ Complete the Keystone Career Plan and review with a career counselor In the Sophomore Year: ■ Write a resume and cover letter and have it reviewed and saved on file at the Career Development Center ■ Provide the Career Development Center with contact information for three professional references In the Junior Year: ■ Complete an internship or experiential learning opportunity ■ Discuss graduate school and plans for possible additional education ■ Complete an approved networking activity ■ Create an account on College Central Network, interactive web site that links employers with prospective job candidates through college-based career centers.

In the Senior Year ■ Update resume and cover letter and have them approved by a career counselor ■ Complete a practice interview

■ Conduct a job search The steps in the sequence build upon each other. “By the time a student is ready to graduate, he or she will have established a future path, either as a potential employee or by continuing his or her education,” notes Calpin, “Students have access to career counselors as well as academic advisers every step of the way. Because Keystone is known for its 11:1 student/faculty ratio, faculty members also play an important part in the career development process.”

As there has been an increased focus in recent years on the importance of maintaining an effective, comprehensive career development program and the workforce has become increasingly competitive and employers’ expectations for recent college graduates have risen, Keystone College feels it is extremely important to provide the best services possible for students and soon-to-be graduates.

“There has definitely been an emphasis in recent years on getting students involved in the process as early as possible. That’s why we begin our first steps in the freshman year by providing a career assessment. This helps them develop a clearer understanding what types of careers they may be interested in, and in aligning majors with career fields, so they have a base on which to build,” added Calpin.

Calpin has also found that most students want and need guidance on career preparation. “They’ve never been through it before so, of course, they are unfamiliar with the process. Our goal is to take them through step-by-step so when they graduate they have a plan for their career that reflects their college degree, talents, interests and abilities,” he explains.

One of the best ways to demonstrate the types of opportunities available is to get students involved in experiential learning and internships with employers, notes Calpin. “We continue to build employer contacts each year and, in recent years, our employer partnerships have flourished.

When a student has direct contact with a potential employer, they get a great sense of how that organization operates and what they need to do to be successful on a professional level,” he concluded.

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE ESU Career Development builds self-confidence, professional competence The Career Development Center at East Stroudsburg University (ESU) provides comprehensive career services to students during their four years at ESU and to alumni for a lifetime. “We encourage students to start the process as early as first year orientation, and we work with key student influencers — faculty, staff, alumni, employers and parents to provide information, tools, environment and connections for our students to learn and succeed,” explains Daria Wielebinski, ESU’s director of career development.

The many services at career center encourages self-confidence and professional competence, personal initiative, responsibility, and the development of strong career planning skills in; resume/cover letters, interviewing, networking, social media branding, career search and graduate school. “These skills, of course, cross over to alumni who are seeking to make a career change as well,” she added.

ESU’s Career Development Center provides one-on-one counseling, walk-in hours, workshops, classroom presentations, networking events, and expos. The center has and will continue to be a partner in a variety of programs and events where the infusion of career development perspectives can benefit East Stroudsburg University students and graduates, and include a senior transition conference, job shadowing opportunities with ESU alumni, career-focused panel discussions, and regional networking events.

According to Wielebinski, “ESU’s Career Development Center has seen a noticeable increase in job postings this year (1,109 in 2014-2015) as compared with last year (709 in 2013-2014), which seems to be an indication that an economic recovery is underway. However, changes in the market have altered how jobs are being advertised and for what duration. Many employers post jobs with shorter deadlines for applications and some have expressed disappointment at the limited number of applications received,” she noted.

Likewise, students have typically not written or updated their resumes until they were about to embark on a formal job search. As a result of the current cycles for job postings, students are required to have resumes in near final form at all times so that they can respond when an immediate opportunity presents itself.

Another trend the director has observed is an increasing need to educate students on what constitutes professional conduct in the job search and in the work place. “As we have seen a cultural trend to more casual attire and communication styles, it has resulted in many students never having had exposure to the professional practices that are essential to successfully securing a position and subsequent advancement in their careers,” added the director. As a result, the center offers opportunities for students to learn professional etiquette, including timely responses to oral, written and email inquiries; the do’s and don’ts of cell phone usage during appointments and interviews; and the value of writing thank you notes.”

Dr. Linda Van Meter, director and department chair, CAPS and the Office of Accessible Services Individualized for Students (OASIS), noted that many students are uncertain about their career choice, and worry about graduating with considerable debt and a lack of job prospects. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at East Stroudsburg University (ESU) offers free vocational testing to students who are interested in exploring their interests and personality features that may help them to decide an appropriate career path.

After completion of an interest inventory, an assessment designed to give insight into a person’s interest, the student meets with a CAPS psychologist to discuss the results, and explore the various possibilities. Students can continue to explore career choices with CAPS professional staff in additional meetings that can lead to a more clear career choice.

Marywood offers multi-year plan to ensure career success The Marywood University Career Services Office offers many comprehensive services for students and alumni. Among those services are career counseling in one-to-one appointments and group presentations. The office also assists with job/internship searches, interview skills, resume/ cover letter writing and the graduate school application process. A variety of employment fairs are offered on-campus throughout the academic year and students have the opportunity to attend the employment fairs of other local universities as well.

“We also offer assessments to help with decisions regarding what majors to consider and what occupations are associated with various majors.

Students are offered the chance to learn much about the work world that they need to know to keep their options open and become aware of all the opportunities available to them,” explained Carole Gustitus, Ph.D., director, career services.

In addition, a Career Decision-Making course is offered in the fall semester.

The Career Services Office is informed about government requirements to demonstrate the value of a Marywood University education, such as the College Score Card and it has continually enhanced services to be competitive in the field of employment opportunities. ”I believe most students are aware of the many opportunities available to them and we market the office services and those opportunities through all possible methods,” concluded Gustitus.

The following “Steps to Success” are a general guideline for making the most of an education and can be adapted by adult learners to fit their needs: YEAR 1 ■ Learn about college, the academic system and how to manage time as a college student ■ Earn the best grades possible and take advantage of tutoring services in the Academic Excellence Center ■ Become active on campus by joining clubs and participating in sports or other activities ■ Meet with a career coach and take an interest inventory and explore your values and skills ■ Explore the Occupational Outlook Handbook to learn

about occupations ■ Check out College Central Network on Career Services website to search for part-time jobs, summer jobs, and internships ■ Use the Focus 2 career guidance resource online found on the Career Services website YEAR 2 ■ Make an appointment with faculty or your advisor to talk about the possibility of a minor ■ Do some service-learning activity in the community.

Consider leadership opportunities to build resume ■ Obtain part-time or volunteer work and/or a summer job in an area related to your major ■ Take advantage of employment/internship fairs offered on-campus and off-campus ■ Attend presentations made by Career Services: Choosing a Major, Cover Letter and Resume, Interview Techniques, Social Media, Job Search Strategies, Business Etiquette and many more ■ Read the Career Services newsletter sent online each week ■ Continue to update your resume YEAR 3 ■ Develop a LinkedIn profile ■ Strengthen relationships with faculty members and begin to consider them as references for future employment or school ■ Become a leader in an activity on campus ■ Tutor students who may need assistance with courses ■ Obtain an internship in your field of interest ■ Consider studying abroad to expand worldview ■ Master interviewing skills for meetings with employers ■ Practice interview skills by using the InterviewStream resource on the Career Services website and make an appointment with a career coach ■ Research graduate school options and timelines for entrance exams and application deadlines.

YEAR 4 ■ Begin networking and conducting informational interviews in your field at every opportunity with friends, family, professional association members, faculty, persons in your chosen field ■ Seek full-time employment or prepare for graduate school ■ Develop an employer prospect list with contact information ■ Review organizations’ online mission statements and other information to demonstrate what a good fit you would be ■ Use Career Services resources such as College Central and Passport Career, and develop your branding statement on LinkedIn ■ Update your resume and have a career coach review it.

The Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU) announced plans to focus its collective work on postsecondary education with career skills, in response to the essential need to empower 55 million new workers with the skills by 2020 Source: www.career.org/news-and-media/press-releases/association-to-focus-on-career-edu.cfm

The APSCU board of directors, in a July 14 meeting, directed the creation of a new organizational mission that emphasizes postsecondary career education.

Steve Gunderson, president and CEO said, “The reality is that over time, just as the students served by our institutions have diversified, our membership has diversified. Now is the time for us to act with an even greater focus on the importance of career education. Our organization’s mission, purpose, and structure must reflect the diversity of our members, the students they serve, and the employers that hire our graduates.”

“The reality is that some private sector institutions are becoming more closely aligned with traditional education programming and online services for students. Our Association recognizes that we’ll never create a new middle class until we adequately equip millions of Americans with in-demand career skills,” Gunderson added.

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE Studies underscores need to shore up soft skills Pew: Soft skills most important; McKinsey: Employers see skills gap Pew Research Center recently asked a national sample of adults to select among a list of 10 skills: “Regardless of whether or not you think these skills are good to have, which ones do you think are most important for children to get ahead in the world today?”

The answer was clear. Across the board, more respondents said communication skills were most important, followed by reading, math, teamwork, writing and logic. Science fell somewhere in the middle, with more than half of Americans saying it was important.

MISERICORDIA — continued from page 31

“I work with adult learners to update their resumes and cover letters for internships and fulltime employment opportunities,’’ Donahue said.

“I also help provide interview advice, conduct mock interviews and review the job search processes. Most of the adult learners I’ve worked with over the past year are changing career fields or completing their bachelor’s after earning an associate degree which was completed in the past, and now are looking for a promotion with their current company.’’

“In terms of internships, it really depends on the student’s major,’’ added Donahue. “Most of the adult learners I have worked with are in majors that require experiential education or are using an internship experience as an elective in fields such as business administration, accounting and applied behavioral science.’’

In this role, Donahue provides internship opportunities for adult learners through his contacts at previous internship sites, by developing additional sites via career networking and also by contacting companies or organizations based on the student’s geographic location.

“I just secured an accounting internship with the business manager at the Sunbury YMCA,’’ Donahue said, “because the student is completing the program online and is from that area. I oversee the whole internship process with business majors.’’

Donahue has to-do checklist for business majors, for example, that consists of the following: Internship Checklist ■ Application, which is completed by student.

■ Secure internship opportunity. ICCD reaches out to companies/organizations and works with student to secure.

Rounding out the bottom were skills more associated with kids’ extracurricular activities: art, music (sorry, right-brained people) and athletics. There was virtually no difference in the responses based on whether the person was a parent of a child aged 18 and younger or not.

The survey was conducted Sept. 9-Oct. 3, 2014, among 3,154 respondents and had a margin of error of 2.7 percentage points.

McKinsey’s report, Education to employment: Designing a system that works finds ■ Job description is submitted to faculty advisor for approval.

■ Registration form — submitted to Registrar once approved.

■ Learning objectives are developed by Misericordia faculty advisor and kept on file.

■ Student mid-term evaluation ■ Employer mid-term evaluation ■ Student final evaluation ■ Employer final evaluation — the evaluations are sent out at midpoint and end of semester — completed by both student and employer, the information is shared with faculty advisor to be sure objectives are met and for grades.

“Due to the changing job market, we have had to adjust the services we offer over time. The way people conduct job searches and network has changed dramatically in recent years, and so we update our services to remain current,’’ added Rushmer. “We also understand adult students are not always available during our typical office hours, so we offer information and services in a variety of formats, including on-line so students can access it at their convenience. We also offer evening hours for virtual appointments via Skype and other similar formats, and/or phone appointments as a way to accommodate various student schedules.’’

“Many of our adult learners are career changers or are looking to advance themselves professionally. Oftentimes, they are unsure how to package their previous experience and education on a resume when it might not be related to their current career goals. This situation is often addressed on a case-by-case basis. We want each resume to be unique and to stand out to employers in this competitive job market, so what works for one student may not work for another student,’’ said Rushmer.

Source: McKinsey & Company, www.csusm.edu/LAMP/documentation/ mckinsey_report.pdf

that “employers, education providers, and youth live in parallel universes.

To put it another way, they have fundamentally different understandings of the same situation.

Fewer than half of youth and employers, for example, believe that new graduates are adequately prepared for entry-level positions. Education providers, however, are much more optimistic: 72 percent of them believe new graduates are ready to work. (See chart nearby.)

The same disconnect occurs with regard to education; 39 percent of education providers believe the main reason students drop out is that the course of study is too difficult, but only 9 percent of youth say this is the case (they are more apt to blame affordability).

Why are the three major stakeholders not see-

JOHNSON — continued from previous page 34

articulation agreements with four-year colleges that accept Johnson College academic credits for further education,” she said. “And those colleges are also represented at our on-campus career fairs.”

She also discusses various job opportunities with students in their field of study and how to match them with other interests they may have.

For example, the director met with an architectural drafting and design technology student who was interested in NASCAR vehicles. She then connected him with a graduate who is a race-car driver and makes engine parts for his and other driver’s vehicles. In addition, she called a company in New England which offered him an internship for design of high performance vehicles.

In addition, recruiters come to campus

ing the same thing? In large part, this is because they are not engaged with each other. One-third of employers say they never communicate with education providers; of those that do, fewer than half say it proved effective. Meanwhile, more than a third of education providers report that they are unable to estimate the job-placement rates of their graduates. Of those who say they can, 20 percent overestimated this rate compared with what was reported by youth themselves. Nor are youth any better informed: fewer than half say that when they chose what to study they had a good understanding of which disciplines lead to professions with job openings and good wage levels.

throughout the year to make presentations and interview students for full-time jobs and internships, as well as visiting speakers on campus for topics such as networking, civil service applications, federal job applications, internship applications, job opportunities and career tracks.

Johnson College has formed Program Advisory Committees (PAC) which present feedback on curricula, certification and workplace requirements, as well as projected requirements for each of the program areas. The PAC watchdog collaborates with faculty and administration to keep the curricula current so graduates are prepared to enter the workforce with the education, experience and credentials to be successful. The college’s 2015 class had a close-to-70-percent field employment rate at time of graduation.

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE

Experiential learning yields career competency Experiential learning is widely recognized as a high-impact educational practice that occurs outside the classroom through experiences such as internships, study abroad, and service-learning.

In today’s age of accountability, the University of Scranton has continued to strengthen its efforts in experiential learning in an effort to provide parents and students with an even greater return on their investment in their college education.

“I believe that experiential learning, most prevalently seen in the form of internships, can make a big difference in managing the expectations of students, preparing them for the next step, develop transferable skills in the world of work, and best position students to receive an offer upon graduation and sometimes before they even graduate,” said Christina M. Whitney, MS, NCC, director of the Gerard R. Roche Center for Career Development at the University of Scranton.

The career development center helps students focus on career decisions that are consistent with their unique talents, aspirations, and vision for living. Professional counselors help students discover links between their personal traits and career options through individual counseling, workshops, employer on-campus recruiting visits and many other electronic and hard-copy resources available

at the career center.

The University’s center provides one-on-one and group counseling on various topics that include choosing a major, changing majors, resume/cover letter, graduate/professional school application and interview preparation. The center facilitates an Internship Training Program which is a voluntary six-week program all about preparation for the internship search.

The center is also responsible for the facilitation of two job and internship fairs which are planned for the 2015/16 academic year, as well as a graduate school fair also planned for this upcoming year. The center also provides an oncampus interviewing process and information sessions in various fields. All of these services are provided to not only the student body, but also to alumni as well. Both can access a wide range of employment opportunities through the office’s online job posting system.

One of the most important issues which Whitney is cognizant of consistently occurring with students at the university is they are often not aware of the expectations of the world of work.

“Internships can fix this and help the students to decide if this industry or career path is truly the best fit,” concluded Whitney.

Why is experiential learning important?

The public is clamoring for an education that teaches students the competencies they need for real-world success. Although we can simulate the real world in the classroom and laboratory, authentic experiential learning creates an invaluable opportunity to prepare students for a profession or career, learn the craft of a fine artist, or discover how the discipline creates evidence to contribute to its body of knowledge.

Thus, Sullivan and Rosin (2008) argue that the mission for higher education should be to bridge the gap between theory and practice and Bass (2012) suggests that to do this, the educational environment needs to intentionally create rich connections between the formal and experiential curriculums.

Source: University of Texas

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE

T

oday . . . the nontraditional student is the new norm. At last count, they accounted for nearly 70 percent of all U.S. undergraduates. They come from a variety of backgrounds and situations that do not lend themselves to the old model of higher education; they have varying levels of education and experience, likely cannot afford four years to complete a degree, need to work part- or full-time, and often must juggle family and other responsibilities while completing their studies. — Reimagining higher education: How colleges, universities, businesses, and governments can prepare for a new age of lifelong learning, May 2014,dupress.com/articles/ reimagining-higher-education/

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE Penn Foster’s partnership with Career Cruising delivers innovative career development Education at Penn Foster has become more hands-on as a result of today’s demand by students to get more educational value for their dollar, according to Dara Warn, Chief Marketing and Product Officer at Penn Foster. “Education has always been value-based here at Penn Foster; over the last few years we have added mandatory hands-on interaction to high demand programs. This is being done to help our students better prepare for their job search,” she explained.

Additionally, Penn Foster partners with Career Cruising to offer built-in career services for all students and alumni at no additional cost. Career Cruising develops and delivers innovative career exploration software for high school, career, and college students and graduates. More specifically, the program offers assistance through three distinct components: an advanced Learning Style Assessment (LSA), an extensive employment guide, and an innovative career matchmaker.

The LSA, which is designed for active students, educates individuals on their distinct learning habits and offers solutions such as study tips catered to their specific learning style. The employment guide offers a myriad of tips and tricks for students actively looking for employment.

The career matchmaker helps students who are uncertain about what they want to do postgraduation. Using the matchmaker, students take an advanced assessment that matches careers with their specific interests, abilities, and skills.

From there, Career Cruising will educate students about the various matched occupations, including required experience, salary levels, and day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.

“Career Cruising allows access to information not only on what a potential career is like but to ‘go deeper’ and explore it,” added Warn.

In addition to the solutions offered by Career Cruising, graduates can take advantage of the many online resources provided by Penn Foster to help with career planning and job search efforts. These include access to Penn Foster’s Job Board, which provides job postings, and the Penn Foster Community, which offers forums, polls, and job-hunting tips. Graduates can also sign up to be notified, via their personal message boards, of job openings in their specific field of study. In addition to the resources for researching companies and jobs, there are guides for career planning, resume writing instruction, interview and interview follow-up tips,

At Lackawanna College, a focus on high-priority occupations

Programs on the HPO (High Priority Occupation) list have been approved for funding,meaning a person who has just lost a job gets the opportunity to improve on their skills while not having to worry about paying the tuition.

Lackawanna College’s continuing partnership with CareerLink has helped provide educational opand information on negotiating and understanding portunities for non-traditional students whose goal compensation levels and offers. is to re-enter the workforce.

Through Career Cruising, Penn Foster also offers The partnership has culminated in the creation lifetime portfolio and career assessments by setting of the college’s Employment Training Institute, an up a career portfolio. A student is able to store every- industry-driven education program that offers comthing they are working on, including their assesspetitive pre-employment training and provides emments and resume. Career Snapshots allow students ployers with a pool of certified applicants capable to access real-world overviews of careers, insight into of meeting the demands of a rewarding career. the responsibilities required, potential earnings, and a The Training Institute allows the college to serve pathway on moving up in certain fields. community needs and put qualified individuals This service also provides an Employment Guide back to work. A current list of programs offered: with the tips and tools to prepare for a job search, ■ Administrative Office Professional including useful tips for job hunting, interview do’s ■ Clerical Office Administration with and don’ts, and on-the-job success factors. The Certification resume builder divides one’s resume into manage■ CNC Machinist (one year) able components, and provides helpful guidelines, ■ CNC Training (six months) samples, and suggestions while job postings are ■ Customer Service Training available on a comprehensive job database.

■ Information Management Technician Penn Foster offers regular career-focused ■ Information Management with Medical webinars developed and presented by members Billing Certification of the faculty team, Student Care, and third parties ■ Medical Billing and Coding Certification as needed. Students and graduates can attend live ■ Medical Office Skills / Clinical Technician sessions, or view archived sessions at any time on ■ Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) the Penn Foster Student Community (also available Certification Program on Penn Foster Youtube Channel). On the national ■ Pharmacy Technician job board exclusive to Penn Foster students and ■ Phlebotomy Lab Technician graduates on the Student Community postings “All of these programs are on the HPO (High are submitted to by employers with approximately Priority Occupation) list and have been approved 30-40 new submissions per month. Some of for funding. Basically, this means that a person who the most popular categories include: automohas just lost their job will have the opportunity to tive & motorcycle; business and administrative; counseling; creative; culinary arts; education and WILKES-BARRE — continued from page 34 childcare; gunsmithing; healthcare; health and on topics such as “how to navigate a job fair”, fitness; HVACR; legal studies; technology; trades working with animals. New postings are promoted “professional interview attire,” “Using LinkedIn to build your professional network” and “dining to students in relevant community space(s) and etiquette skills.” through a monthly student newsletter.

For students who seek practical experience, the “Students sometimes do not understand that even though they have their educational credentials staff assists in providing the tools to identify and obtain internships, job shadowing opportunities, in place and they should get the job, there are a and mentorships. The Mentor Program is an oplot of other factors employers are looking for. Our portunity for a student to connect with a profescareer services combined with hands-on training during internships help students better prepare for sional in ones related field to obtain advice and insight into the world-of-work on a more personal the job market,” concluded Warn.

Using the matchmaker, students take an advanced assessment that matches careers with their specific interests, abilities, and skills. From there, Career Cruising will educate graduates about the various matched occupations, including required experience, salary levels, and day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.

improve on their skills while not having to worry about paying the tuition,” said Diane Parlanti, director of the Training Institute at Lackawanna.

The programs are constantly changing to meet the demands of the workforce, which changes rapidly. “Just to give you an example, the medical billing and coding program now includes the CCA (Certified Coding Assistant) certification which is an industry credential that most employers prefer before they hire an applicant. In previous years, a student would complete the program without the certification. Now, a student who passes this examination, has had much more success in not only finding a job but were able to start with a higher salary,” explains Parlanti.

The biggest challenge to students, Parlanti has found, is their own fear — fear of going back to school, fear of being able to learn, and the fear of starting a whole new career.

“Unfortunately, many don’t know about the various different services available at CareerLink.

Whether it be training, interview skills, resume skills or maybe even different ways to apply for employment, all would be very beneficial to someone who has just lost their job and does not know in what direction to turn,” she added.

In 2000, Parlanti notes that she was one of those people. She had lost her job at a local restaurant because they closed their doors and heard from a friend that CareerLink would help her update her computer skills. “So I decided to give it a try.

They funded a computer training program which I took here at Lackawanna College. Fast forward 15 years, I’ve earned my degree and now I am the director of the Training Institute. I get to help people who are currently in the same situation as I was and it has been very rewarding.”

level, with an emphasis on the development and nurturing of soft skills.

Additionally, assistance with interviewing preparation through a mock interview service is also offered. The student arrives for an interview with members of the Career Services Staff, alumni, or industry professionals. The student is asked industry-specific questions and is given feedback upon completion. “If a student prefers to practice for the interview beforehand, we offer ‘Interview Stream’ which allows the student to customize and videotape the interview which can be shared with

ADULT EDUCATION GUIDE WILKES-BARRE — continued from previous page

career services professional or any other designated professional for feedback,” she said. For job seekers, Penn State utilizes the Nittany Lion Career Network to post jobs and internships as well as employer information sessions and presentations.

The student may create their own “resume book” which allows them to house their resumes and keep track of jobs to which they have applied.

The college’s Eastern Region Employer Engagement Coordinator represents Penn State Wilkes-Barre in addition to four other Eastern Penn State campuses in identifying and coordinating opportunities for employers to engage with PSU students. These opportunities include employer spotlights, panel discussions, guest lectures, information sessions, or actual projects in collaboration with employers. “We also work directly with the Eastern Region coordinator in offering the Eastern Region Career Expo which is held annually, and brings together employers and students from five campuses,” said Ciliberto.

Another service offered, through collaboration with the Alumni Office, presents an Alumni Speaker Series, which offers students the benefit of hearing from professionals in the field on a wide array of relevant and timely topics.

As the economy continues to change along with industry needs, it is the coordinator’s belief that career services is an ever-evolving process. ”Jobs that were relevant only 10 years ago may now be obsolete, which requires career services professionals to prepare students not just for the jobs

that exist today, but for those that do not yet exist.

There is so much more involved besides obtaining the degree; the development of marketable, transferable skills and adaptability to change are perhaps the biggest issues they face,” she said.

Subsequently, programs offered to students that were relevant several years ago may absolutely need to be tweaked as technology progresses and is ongoing and constant. “To allow these services to become ‘standard’ is perhaps the biggest mistake career services professionals can make, since it will directly impact the future success of the student. We are lucky that we have Continuing Education services that graduates and, really, the general public can take advantage of in order to tweak their skills and stay relevant,”she added.

The career services department is also faced with an even greater challenge — reaching students.

Traditional methods such as email and campus announcements have become less effective, as students are inundated with information and often times delete the messages without even opening them. “Some ways we are working to amend this is through continued collaboration with faculty, presentations to parents and supporters at orientations, and utilizing other students to advertise to their peers. We also provide information via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Though none of these methods will ensure 100 percent participation, we strive to continuously improve our outreach.”

Department of Labor grant helps LCCC land in-demand jobs

TAACCCT provides funds to expand and improve education and career training programs that can be completed in two years or less, are suited for workers who are eligible for training under the TAA for Workers program and prepare participants for employment in high-wage, high-skill occupations.

The Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College Career Training (TAACCCT) grant is a workforce grant through the Department of Labor which has greatly benefitted Luzerne County Community College and its effort to provide excellent educational and career opportunities for its students.

The college is part of a consortium which received this grant called “The Pennsylvania Advance Training and Hiring (PATH) Program.”

PATH encompasses many programs and services available to students in addition to LCCC’s existing career services office.

These programs under the purview of the PATH initiative include welding, diesel technology, and engineering and design manufacturing.

WORTHINGTON — continued from page 34 Academic counselors assist students in planstrong interest in the weather but might be a very ning and registering for courses and ensuring poor math student. As a result of their interests a career plan for success; developing networking, they have the courses needed for graduation. interviewing techniques and soft skills; resume and alone, they select meteorology as a major without considering their ability to achieve the high levels of The Career Services Office assists students with cover letter development; an annual etiquette dinner; an annual Consortia Job Fair; speed mentoring math required to complete the major. “This leads to compiling resumes and the office hosts job fairs the student changing majors because they eventu- throughout the year. program involving alumni mentors; on-campus TAACCCT career coaches for the TAACCCT stually realize they won’t be successful in the major. recruitment opportunities; mock interviewing; dents are specifically trained in honing the student’s informational Interviewing with alumni and employ- This is where career counseling and assessment job-seeking skills needed in our targeted industries. testing are most effective,” he added. ers; assistance with searching for and securing Tobin finds that one of the advantages of working This summer LCCC has had a job placement speinternships; online Career Resources (NLCN, or Nittany Lion Career Network); assistance with further at a Penn State branch campus is that it is much eas- cialist on staff for the TAACCCT students as well.

The services offered within the PATH program ier to come in contact with the majority of students education (masters and doctoral programs); and are designed to meet each student according to early on because of the small size of the student alumni career services assistance. their needs. Those needs are determined during the population, thus students are fairly well informed of Early in a student’s Penn State career, Tobin notices students tend to have issues with selecting the career related opportunities they have. Converse- enrollment phase and during the first few weeks of class. The PATH career coaches offer one-on-one ly, with the main campus two hours away, students the proper major. “Most do a poor job of thinking aren’t always aware of the many career opportunities counseling, group workshops, electronic commuabout how to effectively align their interests and abilities and then collating that information in a way they have at the main campus, such as larger job fairs nications, and electronic job connections.

The PATH job placement specialist serves to and on-campus recruitment opportunities that are not they helps them select the right major,” he noted. connect the student with available jobs.

For example, he points out, a student might have a available on their home campus.

“While LCCC provides leads and referrals, we do not ‘get the student the job.’ The student must apply and interview using the skills learned in the PATH workshops and training sessions,” said Helene Mancuso, PATH program director at LCCC. The career coaches and the job placement specialist hired through the TAACCCT grant serve the PATH participants in many ways, including workshops on soft skills and resume writing and mock interviews; checks-in with the employer to ensure the success of the student and employer; reports success stories; performs outcome measure reporting; and participant follow-up and exit surveys.

As a result of the PATH Program’s high performance results, required by the Department of Labor, each of the initiatives, including welding and engineering design and manufacturing, are sectors of high employment probability. “We foresee that our students in these programs will be able to find jobs” said Mancuso.

Students in general are really new to just how many opportunities are out there, according to the program director. “First, students sometimes wane in motivation through the college term. We try to keep them motivated through workshops, e-mails and phone calls. Second, we have found that most students lack resources to find where the job openings are located. Our staff does some of the leg work for them. Lastly, at times, students are challenged finding the right job for them,” she explains.

LCCC does its best within the community, and also partners with such entities as the CareerLinks to connect students to the services they need.

HEALTH CARE

Patients push for medical cannabis; doctors want more evidence

By Phil Yacuboski

“Jesse” has glaucoma, a condition he has battled for the past 29 years. He was adopted from Brazil as a child and, while he’s lived in several parts of the U.S., Jesse now lives in Lackawanna County on weekends while working a job outside New York City during the week. His glaucoma, he said, at times, can cause severe eye pain.

“I’ve been lucky,” he said. “I’ve only had a few bouts with very bad pain.” He describes these bouts as severe headaches that make him feel “like my head was going to explode.”

When he lived in California, he had access to medical marijuana and he believes it can help some patients ease their pain. He said he’s been working to education people about why medical marijuana can be a good thing for people suffering from certain conditions.

An employee at Bloom Well, a medical marijuana dispensary in Bend, Oregon, holds a containThat’s why he supports the current move to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania via a bill er of cannabis marked with the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) results after that is slowly making its way to the governor’s desk. it was tested in a lab. See medical doses in table nearby. AP Photo/The Bulletin, Ryan Brennecke Pennsylvania Senate Bill 3 was re-introduced What SB 3 says: after failing to get through the legislature last year The Senate approved SB 3 40-7 on May 12. It would allow patients and passed the Senate by a 40 to 7 vote. The bill, with serious medical conditions to obtain medical marijuana from a sponsored by Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) and Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery), would allow limited number of licensed, regulated dispensaries throughout the access to medical cannabis for patients suffering state. Smoking would not be permitted, but patients would be allowed from a wide range of illnesses including glaucoma, to consume marijuana in edible form, and patients with certain condiHIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, PTSD (post traumatic tions would be allowed to consume it through vaporization. To qualify, stress disorder) and severe fibromyalgia. Several patients would need recommendations from their doctors. Gov. Tom co-sponsors of the bill from northeastern PennWolf has said he would sign a medical marijuana bill into law. sylvania include Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna) and Sen. Gene Status of bill: Re-referred to Rules Committee, June 26.

Yaw, (R-Bradford).

A similar bill passed last year, but was opposed developments, “because I think it shows that there pleased with it,” said Chris Goldstein, co-chair of is responsive leadership and they are listening to PhillyNORML, a pro-marijuana advocacy group by former Gov. Tom Corbett. Gov. Tom Wolf has people who are suffering and listening to those with several chapters across the commonwealth. publicly backed the legislation. people who like to help those who are suffering.”

He is displeased because he said the bills curAnother bill in the House, sponsored by Rep. Perko, along with a partner, have begun a medical rently in the Pennsylvania General Assembly allow Ron Marico, (R-Dauphin) would allow five organivery limited production of marijuana. zations to grow medical marijuana; the crop would marijuana trade group called the Pennsylvania On the flip side, some in the medical commube heavily regulated by creating a state board to is- Medical Cannabis Society. “There’s a potential nity feel there’s not enough data to back up claims sue licenses to growers and regulate marijuana use impact on more than 225,000 Pennsylvanians that medical marijuana relieves pain or helps the by issuing access cards to patients. Some estimate if you look at the language that is structured in Senate Bill 3. That’s a substantial increase in the appetites of the fragile. growing marijuana could be a multi-million dollar quality of life.”

“We just feel that we need more science before industry in Pennsylvania.

Perko said his group does not support fullwe can endorse it,” said Dr. Karen Rizzo, president Support for medical marijuana is growing. A blown legalization of the drug, rather it advocates of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. “We feel that Quinnipiac poll in April showed support is at a five the information that is currently available is not to one margin, with 88 percent of those polled sup- focusing on its medical use.

But some argue the various proposed legislaadequate to justify the most efficient and safe way porting marijuana use for medical reasons. tive remedies don’t go far enough. “We’re not too to utilize the product.”

“It’s a good thing,” said Tom Perko of these

She said cannabis oil has shown some promise when it comes to pediatric patients, however she said the research still produces inconsistent results.

Dr. Rizzo, an ear, nose and throat doctor who practices in Lancaster and is a Forest City native, said other questions include what the best dosage would be, the route, how long it should be use and what side effects need to be considered.

“The questions we have about the product haven’t been fully answered,” Dr. Rizzo said. “We want to see the FDA change cannabis from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 2 drug so that the research can be done so then we can make decisions about its appropriate use.”

Dr. Rizzo said other testing of the drug is also way behind. “How do you test the amount of THC in someone’s bloodstream,” she said. “With alcohol, there’s a breathalyzer test, but with THC it’s a totally different situation because you need a blood test. It’s one of many concerns.”

Dr. Rizzo said she doesn’t believe the pharmaceutical industry has much to do with the marijuana fight, adding that the FDA is really the one holding up the process.

For people like Jesse, the waiting is difficult.

“The political process is unfortunate, but a necessary process,” said Jesse. “I’m hopeful.”

Compare medical marijuana dosages to recreational use:

■ To treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (nerve cell disease), 10 milligrams of THC has been taken by mouth daily for two weeks.

■ To increase appetite in people with cancer, 2.5 milligrams of THC has been taken by mouth with or without one milligram of CBD for six weeks.

■ To treat chronic pain, cannabinoids have been taken by mouth in the form of capsules or sprayed into the mouth as THC, benzopyranoperidine (BPP), cannabidiol (CBD), nabilone, dronabinol, or synthetic nitrogen THC analogs (NIB), with doses of 2.5-20 milligrams for an average of 25 days.

■ To treat glaucoma (increased eye pressure), a single dose of five milligrams of THC has been placed under the tongue. A dose of 20-40 milligrams of CBD has been placed under the tongue as a single dose; however, 40 milligrams appeared to increase eye pressure.

Source: Mayo Clinic There have been some efforts at standardization of THC and CBD doses available in recreational marijuana where it is legal. In 2013, Colorado government officials and cannabis-industry representatives agreed to set 10 milligrams of total cannabinoids—THC, CBD, and others—as a standard dosage unit for edibles, with a maximum of 100 milligrams per item, says Christie Lunsford, who spent six years manufacturing and marketing edibles such as truffles and cannabis-infused soda.

Source: www.thedailybeast.com, June 2014

HEALTH CARE

Medical society reacts to Pro Publica’s ‘Making the Cut: Why choosing the right surgeon matters even more than you know’ The following is a statement from Karen Rizzo, M.D., president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society and a practicing physician in Lancaster.

On July 13, the health-care conversation at all levels is about providing quality and value. Patient safety should be the number one priority whether you are a consumer or provider. The Pennsylvania Medical Society has had a long history of supporting quality reporting and transparency, and we will continue to do so.

Before the ProPublica story on complication rates of surgeons, physicians and hospitals were advocating for patient safety, supporting efforts of the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, PHC4, Act 13 of 2002, and the License PA website.

Although much of the data reporting has a time lag and is based on billing information, not peer reviewed data, ProPublica is yet another tool for Pennsylvania consumers to tap. Consumers should however not rely on just one source of data such as the ProPublica information, but rather all of the resources that may be available by which to make an informed decision.

ProPublica’s story can be found at https:// www.propublica.org/article/surgery-risks-patientsafety-surgeon-matters Excerpts from: Why choosing the right surgeon matters even more than you know

By Marshall Allen and Olga Pierce, ProPublica July 13, 2015 It’s conventional wisdom that there are “good” and “bad” hospitals — and that selecting a good one can protect patients from the kinds of medical errors that injure or kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year.

But a ProPublica analysis of Medicare data found that, when it comes to elective operations, it is much more important to pick the right surgeon.

Today, we are making public the complication rates of nearly 17,000 surgeons nationwide.

Patients will be able to weigh surgeons’ past performance as they make what can be a life-anddeath decision. Doctors themselves can see where they stand relative to their peers.

A small share of doctors, 11 percent, account-

ed for about 25 percent of the complications.

Hundreds of surgeons across the country had rates double and triple the national average. Every day, surgeons with the highest complication rates in our analysis are performing operations in hospitals nationwide.

Subpar performers work even at academic medical centers considered among the nation’s best.

ProPublica compared the performance of surgeons by examining five years of Medicare records for eight common elective procedures, including knee and hip replacements, spinal fusions and prostate removals.

To be fair to surgeons, ProPublica’s analysis accounted for factors such as patients’ health and age. We focused only on elective cases because they typically involve healthier patients with the best odds of a smooth recovery.

As would be expected, overall complication rates were relatively low, ranging from 2 percent to 4 percent, depending on the type of surgery. But experts who reviewed ProPublica’s results say they strongly suggest that the typical surgeon’s rate can and should be significantly lower.

The evidence: Some 756 surgeons who each did at least 50 operations did not record a single complication in the five years covered by the analy-

sis. Another 1,423 had only one.

The issue of patient safety has been at the forefront of American health care since 1999, when the Institute of Medicine released “To Err Is Human,” a landmark report on the startling frequency of medical errors.

But since then, medical errors haven’t abated — recent studies estimate that at least 200,000 patients a year die in hospitals from preventable errors and complications related to their care, which would make patient harm the nation’s third-leading cause of death.

Some say one answer is allowing patients to see surgeons’ track records.

Guest op-ed: For better jobs and schools, governor needs robust health-care industry Every dollar directly spent by hospitals results in an additional $1.30 spent in other parts The Wolf administration is missing an opportuof the economy. nity to fulfill its pledge “to create jobs that pay and Hospital jobs create opportunities in comschools that teach” by advancing a budget that cuts munities and provide family-sustaining wages. $166 million in hospital funding.

Further, the skills and professional support The fact is, Pennsylvania hospitals generate provided to the hospital workforce can enable jobs and keep Pennsylvanians healthy so they can career growth and advancement. earn and learn.

Pennsylvania’s hospitals are providing more We urge Wolf to support the hospital spending care in outpatient settings. They are focused on proposal developed by the state House and Senate wellness and chronic care management. in the state budget bill he vetoed last month.

These efforts involve partnerships with The General Assembly recognized the need employers and their employees to strengthen the to invest in hospitals as they strive to make sure workforce and reduce absenteeism. that newly insured Pennsylvanians have access to A Deloitte national study indicates that health primary and preventive services; that hospitals can improvement is one of the top five strategies comsustain needed obstetrics and neonatal services and burn care; and that our rural communities have panies can employ to manage costs and maintain an effective, efficient workforce. access to vitally needed health care services.

In addition, hospitals serve an important role in When Wolf took office he said he wanted communities by working with other organizations to build on the “innate strengths of Pennsylvato address issues of safety, child health, nutrition, nia’s economy.” housing, community care for elderly persons, and Hospitals have been and will continue to be personal dignity, particularly for individuals with critical to this effort. Significant cuts jeopardize mental health or other disabling conditions. jobs at hospitals.

All of these services impact the ability of indiHospitals contribute $111 billion to the state’s viduals to learn or work. economy and support nearly 591,000 total jobs, Many people do not realize that hospitals’ directly and indirectly.

By Andy Carter

commitment to community can extend to addressing childhood hunger and giving children safe recreation space––services often provided far from their campuses.

Twenty percent of children in Pennsylvania struggle with hunger. Many live in isolated urban or rural areas without access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Children living in high crime areas cannot go outside to get exercise. Hospitals as close as PinnacleHealth, just blocks from our state Capitol, are stepping in to change this and ensure children are healthy enough to learn. That’s an investment in our state’s future.

Since 2010, hospitals have contributed $639 million to help balance the state budget each year.

They are willing to provide additional help in this year’s budget as well. But, our hospitals need secure funding that allows for investment in health care services and community health programs, and support the goals of earning and learning in our communities.

Andy Carter is president and CEO of The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.

This op-ed appeared on PennLive on July 10. The views expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Business Journal.

REGIONAL BUSINESS

The man who brought the stars to NEPA

By Dave Gardner

If you talk to the “Coop” about the ancient science of astronomy, the conversation inevitably includes commentary about modern faith.

“Coop” is the affectionate nickname give to astronomer Thomas Cupillari, who served Keystone College for a half century as a physical science instructor.

However, Cupillari is now making news because of his retirement as director of Keystone’s famous Thomas G. Cupillari ’60 Astronomical Observatory.

Cupillari graduated from (what was then called) Keystone Junior College in 1960 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Scranton. He then attained a master’s degree in physical science at Drake University, and returned to Keystone as an instructor with a love of astronomy.

In 1971 Keystone learned that a particularly attractive nine and one-half refractor telescope was for sale. The deal included a 16-foot domed observatory. After Keystone purchased it, the facility opened on a Fleetville hilltop for public stargazing in 1973 and has since enjoyed a series of impressive equipment upgrades and additions.

In some ways, astronomy is the ancient parent to modern rocket science. The science of astronomy is centered on the physics, chemistry, and evolution of celestial objects, including phenomenon such as super novae explosions, gamma ray bursts, and cosmic radiation.

Cupillari is quick to point out that an advanced understanding of astronomy goes well beyond science. Inevitably, theology and philosophy must be considered. “Astronomy in itself cannot really Thomas Cupillari stands at the 9.5 inch f/15 Alvan Clark refractor telescope at the observatory answer the big questions of why and who created named for him. Times Tribune file photo all that we can see out there” says Cupillari. “We then enter the area of fact versus faith.”

Department of Agriculture, but after one of the as “pretty darn neat” and always enjoyable.

Electronic roots couple’s two children was born with Downs Syn“I especially enjoyed hearing the ooohhhs and drome she gravitated to teaching special education aaahhhs that people exclaimed while looking through Cupillari is a native of the south central Pennand retired less than a decade ago. “She is very the Drake telescope,” says Cupillari. “The comment of sylvania town of Orbisonia. His parents owned an ‘Oh my God’ was also very common to hear.” independent telephone company. Cupillari’s father, much a faith-driven person,” says Cupillari.

He clearly remembers growing up, enjoying Cupillari also taught physics at Keystone for 42 who worked as a lineman, in 1939 bought the the sky and astronomy, and wondering what was years and loved every minute of it. Yet, his love of company for the hefty price of $5,500. within the vast cosmos. Later, at Drake University, astronomy remained a driving force in his life, and “My dad also picked up quite a bit technical Cupillari says that the need to satisfy human curiknowledge as telephone technology evolved,” says the great enthusiasm of an astronomy assistant — who delivered animated public lectures and osity remains one of the prime reasons the public Cupillari. “Both my parents hoped I would eventuprojected an infectious spirit —impressed him. still supports the study of the heavens. ally take over the business, but this was not in my Cupillari’s deal with astronomy later became “I also have learned that while most people are DNA. They sold the company in 1979 for a hefty sealed when a Drake astronomer asked Cupillari enthralled when they look through a telescope, it profit after 40 years of ownership.”

Cupillari describes his wife of 38 years as smart to be his assistant. Cupillari recalls the subsequent doesn’t last forever,” says Cupillari. “Once they see public programs, lectures, and telescope viewings planets or a star cluster a few times, most people on “big-life” issues. She once worked for the U.S.

become satisfied.”

ET exists!

Cupillari is quick to address some of science’s most contemporary questions. He is quite sure intelligent extraterrestrial life exists because of the vast size of the universe, but he is unaware of conclusive evidence that proves these beings are visiting the Earth.

“Because of the vast numbers of planets out there, there surely are worlds similar to the Earth where life could have evolved with similar processes,” says Cupillari. “We actually don’t know for sure where ‘out there’ ends.”

He also looks at Mars, sees a dry and cold world, and wonders what went wrong with the planet’s evolution. Mars was once a warmer ocean planet, but it lost much of its atmosphere, cooled, and the water evaporated. “I wonder if this could also be Earth’s future,” says Cupillari.

The question “why?” is perpetually present in Cupillari’s curious mind. He acknowledges that science answers many questions but is incapable of proving why the wonders of the universe unfolded.

“Why is still a damn good question,” says Cupillari.

Discussions about faith, God and how universe started are Cupillari’s favorites. Astronomical time and vast distance are also facets of astronomy that have deeply affected him. As an example, he notes that the Andromeda Galaxy is 2.5 million light years away, and if that galaxy exploded it would take 2.5 million years for humans to be aware of the cataclysm as the light crossed the vast distance.

He remembers a public presentation where a woman raised her hand and asked what that light would be “doing” while crossing such a vast distance. The resultant inference was that the light being seen across time and space became “fossilized.” “What really struck me was her pure innocence as she tried to cope with the vast distances in astronomy,” he says.

While “Coop” is now longer on the hook any longer as director of the observatory which is open three to four nights a week, he has no intention of disappearing. He will maintain a campus office, and extend his expertise to incoming observatory director Jo-Ann Kamichitis.

“I can promise you that even in my retirement I will still use my binoculars on the stars at night,” says Cupillari. “And, I will always have emotional reactions when I look up through a telescope.”

HEALTH CARE

Small businesses should brace for big health insurance rate jumps

By Kathy Ruff

Health insurance reforms under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will undergo a major transition for individual non-group plans and small businesses that offer employee health insurance, especially those with older employees.

The transition will occur as rate calculations change from composite rates — those based on a blend of everyone in a company — to age-banded rates, those based on age.

“What’s happening with the age-banded rates is that older participants are seeing the rates go up,” says William Harrison, senior vice president of ESSA Advisory Services, Bethlehem. “If you are 25 years old and that prior rate was $500, your new rate may be $320, but the guy who is 48 or 49 is seeing his rate jump up by hundreds of dollars, which is what we are seeing right now. So older participants are seeing substantial rate increases with age-banded rates.”

According to Harrison, small business owners have seen large rate increases that averaged 42 percent nationally in 2014.

How can employers deal with yet higher rates?

“If you go back 10 years when rates really started going up, a lot of companies moved their deductibles and went to a lower quality plan to offset the rate increases,” says Harrison.

“That means more money out of people’s pockets. Most of us share in the premiums, so employees are paying more money and employers are paying more money.”

How much more differs from one group to another. Eligible employees may opt to pick up Medicare, but those between 55 and 65 will see the most significant rate increases.

“As prices keep going up, employers are going to have to be creative and look for the products, like health savings accounts,” says Harrison. “Another solution for an employer is to offer multiple plans — offer higher deductibles, lower deductibles and a health savings within one portfolio and allow employees to pick and choose which might help employees, depending on their need for coverage.”

Another alternative focuses on revising the employee contribution rate.

“This is one of the largest problems for companies providing health benefits under the ACA,” says Leilyn Perri, spokesperson for Highmark Health.

Probably the most surprising adjustment I have seen is the adoption of small group self-funded plans. If you are self-funded, there is an improved outcome from the tax perspective. Self-insured employers are exempt from paying an “annual fee tax” assessed to the health insurance industry, a factor contributing to growing popularity of selffunded plans.

stop offering insurance or to investigate creative cost-saving strategies to offset the changing health care rules.

“Probably the most surprising adjustment I have seen is the adoption of small group self-funded plans,” he says. “If you are self-funded, there is an improved outcome from the tax perspective.”

Self-insured employers are exempt from — Jens Thorson, president of Hartman Employee Benefits and partner at the Hartman Group paying an “annual fee tax” assessed to the health insurance industry, a factor contributing to growing “Employers struggle to find a contribution strategy mandates. No matter where you get your coverage popularity of self-funded plans. that will be fair to everyone. Since the inception from an employer or an individual contract, you are “If you think about it in terms of having existed of the ACA, we have not found one method that going to be faced with a lot of these higher costs. for a long time but now getting adopted more has been the answer for all employers. Most that When you raise the price of a product, people tend broadly, one of the reasons is by the traditional were previously on a defined contribution toward to buy less of it. It’s not too surprising that a num- framework the costs that you would avoid by going employee’s health coverage, have moved to a ber of people are still without health care insurance self-funded was mostly rooted in premium tax from percentage of the premium instead. This makes the now by choice because they can’t afford it.” the state perspective,” says Thorson. “When you percentage, not necessarily the dollars, equitable According to Dreyfuss, higher health-care costs add in — in addition to the premium tax — the for all employees.” for employers and employees will adversely affect ability to also avoid that industry fee, you have just Under an age-band rating structure, guidethe economy. “It will be reflected in the cost of magnified the tax impact of going self-funded to lines previously allowed for a permitted disparity everything we do and buy,” he says. “Businesses make it, just on that one point, more attractive.” between the lowest premium for a member and the now have higher health-care costs so that will be Market changes in the self-insured market over highest based on age of five to one. reflected in higher prices. Employees will have the past few years have also helped to overcome That disparity now runs at three to one. to pay more to participate in the plans that they cash flow issues previously burdensome to some For example, if you are going to charge a previously participated in. If you are an investor, employers.

25-year-old $1,200 a year for health insurance, those companies that you are investing in will have Other creative, cost-saving alternatives include you couldn’t charge a 63-year-old five times that a reduced profitability because of their higher costs reviewing and shopping different plans offered and amount or $6,000. Under the Affordable Care Act, alone that will make it challenging for companies to limiting network options. that permitted disparity is now three to one. Now try to offset that through other means, sometimes One industry observer sees challenges for small the cost for a young person would go up to $1,800 through price increases or fewer employees. These employers in light of the reforms. and the older 63-year-old would now be $5,400. are the dynamics that will have to play out in the “If you have an older workforce, you will pay “Because they still need the same number of marketplace.” anywhere from 2 ½ to 3 ½ times more if you are dollars in the pool to pay the projected claims, In Pennsylvania, the new rating structure will a 50 or 60-year-old than someone in their 20s, what happens is that older employees get a change Jan. 1, 2016 to define small groups to whether it’s a male or female,” says David Kellar, subsidy but they are increasing the cost to younger include up to 100 employees. vice president for One Source Benefit Solutions, employees,” says Richard Dreyfuss, retired hu“The scope of who is being impacted by these Mountaintop. “The biggest challenge is, I don’t man resource executive, actuary and health care changes to the way insurance works is going to think employers realize what’s coming down the consultant. “One of the expected outcomes of that expand in a pretty meaningful way over the course pike. This is really going to start hitting in this will make it less attractive for a young employee or of the next year,” says Jens Thorson, president renewal and the coming renewals after that. Most young member to participate in these health care of Hartman Employee Benefits and partner at the are going to experience a substantial increase. It’s pools just because the price goes up. That creates Hartman Group, with offices in Williamsport, State just a whole different dynamic.” a financial problem because if you are not receiving College and Duncannon. “To the extent that the That dynamic includes hefty rate increases in enough subsidies or premiums from these younger average company’s increases have been substanaddition to less flexibility on plans, a catalyst for people, then where does that money come from?” tial, that’s made life more difficult for employers. some carriers to offer self-insurance plans.

Obviously, those who are purchasing insurance Then from a billing perspective, the way the age “In certain instances, there is not a perfect — both employers and employees — will pay. banding works, it’s a little bit more complicated as solution yet, but a lot of the carriers are going down “Some (employers) are opting not to provide well because it’s now possible that if you had 30 to self-insured plans which simply means that uncoverage at all,” says Dreyfuss. “They have to go employees with 20 dependents, you could have 50 der the Affordable Care Act they allow companies to the individual market and purchase health care separate different rates on your bill.”

Please see HEALTH INSURANCE on next page and that gets into age disparity and all the benefit Thorson sees more employers opting either to

HEALTH CARE

Hospitals pledge to improve consumer financial communications Patient satisfaction begins with understanding obligations The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) announced a new statewide initiative to improve hospital–patient financial interactions.

To date, 70 percent of HAP-member licensed, general acute care hospitals have adopted the Principles and Operational Guidelines for Consumer-focused Hospital Financial Services, demonstrating their commitment to ensure that consumers have a better understanding of their financial responsibilities, and ways to get assistance to meet those responsibilities, if needed.

“Improving the consumer health care experience is priority one for hospitals and health systems,” said HAP President and CEO Andy Carter.

“Recent public opinion research conducted for HAP tells us that the care experience begins well before the delivery of health care services. The total consumer experience begins as the individual prepares for the episode of care. A critical point in the process is the consumer’s financial services interaction with the hospital.

“As consumers become more involved in making decisions about their medical care, they need and deserve up-front information about their financial responsibility. Consumers are seeking financial communications that are clear, easy to understand, and organized. The goal is to eliminate surprises and help consumers navigate a complex billing system that involves many parties –– insurance companies, physician practices, hospitals, employers, and government entities.

“Transparency is critical. We must be clear about issues related to nonparticipating or out-of-network providers, facility fees, alternative billing arrangements, and charity care guidelines.” services that benefit patients and providers. The Early and easy-to-understand financial commu- principles and guidelines are based upon national nications are the key to consumer-focused financial best practices developed by the Healthcare Finan-

lines represent a commitment to make continual improvements across organizations. He explained that hospitals and health systems are at various stages in implementing best practices and adopting technology, such as customer billing estimators, to enhance the consumer interaction on financial issues.

The initiative represents a proactive effort by Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems to do a better job communicating with patients about financial responsibilities, helping them negotiate a complex system, and getting them the proper assistance when they face fiscal challenges.

Insurance — continued from previous page

cial Management Association and the American Hospital Association.

Carter stressed that the principles and guide-

to remain self-insured and have a lot less of what I perceive as negative effects versus traditional plans,” says Kellar.

“What they are doing is they are selfinsuring their individual companies.”

According to Kellar, carriers are considering these options to circumvent major rate increases and to allow more flexibility in plan designs. That design may include re-insurance at a designated dollar amount to pay for catastrophic claims on the back end.

“My biggest concern is a lot of these small businesses don’t have any idea what may be coming, where 60 percent will have a negative impact when they go to community-rated groups,” says Kellar.

“This next year or so is going to be a real wake-up call for a lot of people.

We are busier than we have ever been but I don’t think that is a good thing for what is happening in the community. I see it as a detriment. This is just going to be an added cost for employers which they can’t handle as the economy is the way it is.”

Another alternative focuses on revising the employee contribution rate. “This is one of the largest problems for companies providing health benefits under the ACA,” says Leilyn Perri, spokesperson for Highmark Health. “Employers struggle to find a contribution strategy that will be fair to everyone.

HEALTH CARE

GMC’s Hospital for Advanced Medicine named for Dr. Glenn Steele, Jr.

The naming announcement was made during a ceremony to unveil a portrait of Dr. Steele, which will hang in the HfAM lobby.

Announcement made during portrait unveiling for former Geisinger president/CEO The Hospital for Advanced Medicine (HfAM) at Geisinger Medical Center (GMC) will now be named in honor of Glenn D. Steele, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., who served as president and chief executive officer of Geisinger Health System from March 1, 2001 through April 30,. The announcement was made during a ceremony to unveil a portrait of Dr. Steele, which will hang in the HfAM lobby.

Now chairman of xG Health Solutions, an independently operated venture based in Columbia, Maryland that helps health-care organizations across the country create value and improve quality, Dr. Steele grew Geisinger Health System into a nationally and internationally respected organization that is at the forefront of the transformation of United States health care through its advanced use of the electronic health record and the development and implementation of innovative care models. He was named among the nation’s most influential physician executives by Modern Healthcare magazine in each of the last five years.

“Dr. Steele led during a time of incredible growth and investment throughout the health system — including the opening of the Hospital for Advanced Medicine here on the Geisinger Medical Center campus,” said David T. Feinberg, M.D., MBA, who succeeded Dr. Steele as president and CEO, Geisinger Health System. “This modern

facility and its advanced technology provide the best setting for our team to care for people in need — including the most seriously and critically ill or injured patients. It is right and fitting that we honor Dr. Steele by naming this facility the Glenn D. Steele, Jr. Hospital for Advanced Medicine — and that Dr. Steele’s portrait be placed here.”

“Dr. Steele did an incredible job of leading and growing the health system, as well as expanding innovative health care services for Geisinger’s patients and members,” added Geisinger Board Chairman William Alexander.

The $100 million Hospital for Advanced Medicine welcomed its first patients on Feb. 9, 2010.

The nine-story facility, which broke ground on June 21, 2007 and is attached to the GMC structure, provides more than 308,000 square feet of space to treat patients who are in need of advanced medical services. A major focus of the HfAM facility is on flexibility and technology, both hallmarks of Dr. Steele’s tenure at Geisinger.

Dr. Steele arrived at Geisinger from the University of Chicago, where he served as the Richard T. Crane Professor in the Department of Surgery, Vice President for Medical Affairs, and Dean of the Division of Biological Sciences and the Pritzker School of Medicine. Prior to that, he was the William V. McDermott Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, President and Chief Executive Officer of Deaconess Professional Practice Group and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at New England Deaconess Hospital.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Pennsylvania in good position in advance of new EPA rules Editor’s Note: The following is an analysis by Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance and Advanced Energy Economy.

Graphics and data chart courtesy of Advanced Energy Economy.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will soon release the final rule for carbon emissions from existing power plants, called the Clean Power Plan (CPP). The rule represents the next step in the process of carbon regulation that began with the Supreme Court’s determination in 2007 that carbon dioxide (CO2) qualifies as an air pollutant subject to regulation by EPA under the Clean Air Act. Under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act, EPA will set air pollutant standards for each state based on what EPA determines to be the “best system of emission reduction” (BSER). In its proposal, EPA determined the BSER based on state-specific potentials for emission reductions from four “Building Blocks” that include both traditional smokestack controls as well as “beyond the fence line” measures, namely improving the efficiency of coal plants, increasing dispatch of existing natural gas plants, deploying renewable and nuclear power generation, and reducing demand by means of energy efficiency.

Although Pennsylvania’s emission rate target is set by the Building Blocks, there is no requirement that the state use those specific measures for compliance. Rather, in developing a compliance plan to achieve the interim (2020-2029) and final (2030-2032) targets, the state is free to use other technologies and policy tools. This gives Pennsylvania an opportunity to design a plan that is best suited to the resources and needs of its unique power system.

The state has started to invest in more renewables and energy efficiency as well. Carbon emissions in the state have gone down 14 percent from 2005 to 2012, and at an average retail price of 10.45 cents/kWh in 2014, electricity in Pennsylvania is cheaper than the national average.7,8 Pennsylvania also produces more electricity than it needs, exporting over 200,000 GWh of electricity in 2012.

Still, the state’s power system faces significant challenges. Pennsylvania had the fourth-highest reported outages of any state in both 2014 and 2013. In 2014, a total of 148 outages affected over A strong foundation 1.6 million Pennsylvanians.

Pennsylvania has a strong foundation for a Such outages are not only disruptive but also compliance plan. The state has a diverse generaexpensive, with an annual estimated cost to the tion mix that includes nuclear, natural gas, coal U.S. economy of $150 billion. and some renewable energy, mostly wind. As the To maintain the steady improvements in the price of natural gas has fallen, Pennsylvania has in- reliability, affordability, and resilience of Pennsylcreased its reliance on natural gas-fired generation. vania’s electricity system, the state must continue Accounting for just 5 percent of total generation in to invest in 21st century electricity generation and 2005, natural gas rose to 24 percent of total gengrid technologies. Luckily, these same technologies eration in 2014.5 Ranking among the top five states will also lower the state’s carbon emissions. With a for proven natural gas reserves, Pennsylvania also flexible design that allows states to select the techstands to benefit as states boost their natural gas nologies and services for compliance to suit the consumption under the CPP. needs of the state, the Clean Power Plan presents

11 percent of its required reductions.

Energy efficiency measures already implemented in the state will contribute another 6 percent of the state’s proposed requirement. All of these planned changes already under way would get the state 23 percent of the way towards meeting its goal in the draft plan, so whatever the final target, Pennsylvania will have a good start.

How advanced energy can help

Pennsylvania with an opportunity to modernize its electric grid for the benefit of consumers and the economy. In designing its compliance plan, Pennsylvania can further reduce emissions, maintain affordability, and increase reliability.

The interim and final emission rate targets for Pennsylvania may change in the final rule, but the options for compliance will largely stay the same.

Many of the things that the state is already doing will help it meet the finalized target emission rates set by EPA. On track to achieve 23 percent of final proposed reductions Pennsylvania has already made changes to its power system that will reduce its emissions from the 2012 baseline used by EPA. Coal plant retirements already planned in the state will achieve 3 percent of Pennsylvania’s proposed reductions.

In 2013, Pennsylvania generated nearly 1,300 GWh more electricity from renewable energy than in 2012. Merely adding this generation to the 2012 baseline will achieve 3 percent of the state’s proposed reductions. If the state’s existing renewable energy requirements are maintained, it will add enough renewables by 2021 to meet an additional

As Pennsylvania develops its compliance plan, it can consider a host of options provided by advanced energy technologies and services to reduce its carbon emissions and help the state achieve other electric system and economic objectives.

Many of these strategies are already being successfully implemented in Pennsylvania, and could be scaled up to achieve further emission reductions.

Pennsylvania has both an Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) and an Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) requirement.

The AEPS contains two tiers. If current trends continue, approximately 91 percent of electricity used for Tier I compliance could also be used for compliance with the Clean Power Plan.

Phase II of the EE&C (also referred to by its legislative authorization, Act 129) will end May 31, 2016. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is currently designing Phase III.2 HIGHLIGHTS: ■ Pennsylvania has a strong foundation for its Clean Power Plan compliance planning. Carbon emissions in the state have gone down 14 percent from 2005–2012 and, at an average retail price of 10.45 cents/kWh in 2012, electricity in Pennsylvania is cheaper than the national average. Furthermore, the state is a net exporter of electricity.

■ The Clean Power Plan presents Pennsylvania with an opportunity to modernize its electric grid for the benefit of consumers and the economy.

Pennsylvania faces many challenges. The state had the fourth highest reported electrical outages of any state in both 2014 and 2013. With a flexible design that allows states to select the technologies and services for compliance to suit the needs of the state, the Clean Power Plan presents Pennsylvania with an opportunity to modernize its electric grid for the benefit of consumers and the economy. In Please see EPA on next page

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT North Branch Land Trust protects Mocanaqua Highlands North Branch Land Trust (NBLT), working in partnership with the property owner Earth Conservancy, The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Recreation and Conservation Division and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, recently closed on the purchase of the 3,053-acre Mocanaqua Highlands. The property is situated east of the town of Mocanaqua and borders the Susquehanna River to the north and Lily Lake to the south.

Due to the properties abundance of unique plant and animal species, scenic view-sheds and existing greenway and trail network, it is listed as a high priority area for conservation in the Land Trusts Strategic Conservation Plan, the Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties Open Space, Greenways and Outdoor Recreation Master Plan, and the Luzerne County Natural Areas Inventory.

After purchasing the property NBLT deeded it

Seen from left are Atty. Mark Van Loon, Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald (RJG); Tanya Garrity, RJG; Joe Stine, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR); Audrey Broucek, DCNR; Nick Lylo, DCNR Bureau of Forestry; Paul Lumia, North Branch Land Trust (NBLT); Mike Dziak, Earth Conservancy; Jeff Shaw, Earth Conservancy; Atty. Brian Stahl, Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn; Rylan Coker, NBLT. over to the state Bureau of Forestry and the property is now part of the Lackawanna State Forest system.

EPA Rules — continued from previous page

designing its compliance plan, Pennsylvania can further reduce emissions, maintain affordability, and increase reliability.

■ Pennsylvania is on track to achieve 23 percent of total proposed reductions simply by doing what it is already doing. The interim and final emission rate targets for Pennsylvania may change in the final rule, but the options for compliance will largely stay the same. The state’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) requirement, planned coal plant retirements and planned renewable energy projects are already putting the state on a path towards achieving 23 percent of its total reductions in the draft Clean Power Plan.

Coalition for an Affordable Bay Solution: EPA threatens to act unless Pennsylvania makes progress in meeting clean water targets; Agriculture targeted for increased regulation This past May, Mike McCloskey, vice chairman of the National Milk Producers Federation, testified in support of Senate Bill 724 during the Pennsylvania Senate Majority Hearing. At the conclusion of McCloskey’s testimony, state Senator David Argall asked what would happen if Pennsylvania did not meet its clean water mandate.

The EPA would be forced to seek more regulations over agriculture, McCloskey responded, and the state would be forced to protect the agriculture industry by opposing costly new regulations. The result: gridlock and uncertainty.

Coincidentally, two days before that exchange, Nicholas DiPasquale, director of the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office, had sent a letter to DEP Secretary John Quigley outlining a series of new and enhanced regulations for Pennsylvania agriculture.

According to Coalition for an Affordable Bay Solution, “agriculture is the latest casualty for Pennsylvania’s failure to meet its Bay nutrient reduction targets. The environment, taxpayers, and ratepayers have also been adversely affected. Pennsylvania’s current approach has cost billions of dollars and has completely failed to resolve the issue.”

The EPA projects the 2017 nitrogen reduction target deficit will be 22M lbs. of nitrogen for Pennsylvania.

When the Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) published a study in January 2013, it projected a reduction in Bay compliance costs of up to 80 percent if the existing sector allocation approach was replaced with a competitive bidding program available to all sources for long-term verified nutrient credits. The independent studies that have followed have all validated the LBFC study and concluded funding decisions should be made based upon efficiency rather than political outcomes.

SB 724 is the first step in reforming the existing system and implementing the LBFC study recommendations as well as bringing accountability to this process for the benefit of Pennsylvania taxpayers and ratepayers, the Coalition for an Affordable Bay Solution says.

SB 724 will address the EPA’s concerns by providing long-term verified reductions. It will enable the private sector to provide large-scale verified nutrient reductions through manure technology projects and by enabling nutrient reductions from all agricultural entities, to be aggregated via a simple subscription program. The subscription program will relieve smaller producers from needing to participate in the bidding program by allowing them to subscribe to 20 percent of the winning bid on the same terms and conditions.

The Coalition for an Affordable Bay Solution once again asks that the administration and general assembly provide the political leadership and endorse SB 724. The alternative will be economic gridlock in agriculture and a further deterioration of the environment.

Visit AffordableBaySolutions.org.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Opinion:

EPA’s ‘Clean Power Plan’ will have far reaching negative impacts on the economy and the middle class Susquehanna Valley Center for Public Policy: Plan will shatter the nation and Pennsylvania’s opportunity to capitalize the growing global coal market and the state’s ranking as one the top energy exporting and electricity generating states.

hydro, and nuclear.

The National Economic Research Associates produced a study on each state’s projected electric rate increases under the “Clean Power Plan.” This plan projected a 14-22 percent rate increase for Pennsylvania. While the proponents of EPA’s proposed carbon emissions rule may be able to afford a 14 to 22 percent increase in their energy bills, this type of an increase in energy prices will devastate the budgets of low and middle-income families.

By Charles E. Greenawalt The energy price increases that will be created With the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical

by EPA’s proposed carbon emissions rule will on the need for “urgent replacement of fossil fuels with renewables,” focus on energy policies affect every electric bill in the nation — from families to small businesses to energy-intensive is again generating much attention. This is an issue that President Obama has made a national industries like manufacturing.

An additional complication for the EPA’s priority. However, there is a disconnect between proposed carbon emissions rule is a projection the rhetoric coming from President Obama’s Administration and reality — specifically on the by the Electric Power Research Institute that proposed rule regulating carbon emissions that America will not have enough energy to power is being advanced by our nation’s Environmental our homes and businesses if we move away from fossil fuels and try to rely on renewable Protection Agency (EPA).

In March, the President addressed a student energy any time within the next 50 years. As America and its economy grows, the demand body on his plans to build a competitive for energy increases, and the only available economy that produces high-wage jobs and a sources for supplying this needed energy are strong middle class. Job creation is a standard political campaign promise, but why does he not fossil fuels and nuclear power at present. The want to protect the high-wage jobs that already blind acceptance of EPA’s proposed carbon emissions rule would curtail our economic exist? What about preserving competitive energy markets that have already been built and growth dramatically and result in a drastic change in American’s lifestyle. maintain several state economies?

The Obama Administration has been promotThe EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas emising public policy ideas in many fields, in addition sions rule, advertised as the “Clean Power to energy, based on ideology, not sound ecoPlan,” is the antithesis of sound economics. nomic theory or public policy history. Further, The rule, as written, will force Pennsylvania to this Administration has promoted public policy reduce carbon emissions by 32 percent over 2012 levels. This requirement will produce far- ideas that poll well with the general public, even reaching negative impacts on both the economy if the public has not had time to educate itself on those areas of public policy. Green energy and the middle class. will always poll well with the general public, The EPA has assured the American pubwhen the public has not been shown that these lic that this proposed rule will create greater markets for renewable energy sources and spur sources of energy cannot supply all the power that we will need in the near future as our nation their development across the nation. While develops and grows. the EPA has admitted this rule will cause price Coal accounts for 40 percent of the electricincreases on every electric bill in the nation, the EPA’s projected single digit increases are greatly ity in Pennsylvania with renewables at less than 3 percent. Through the Alternative Energy understated. This is particularly true for states like Pennsylvania that enjoy energy prices below Portfolio Standard, Pennsylvania utilities are already required to purchase a percentage of the national average because of a competitive renewables, no matter the price. The state is energy market that relies on coal, natural gas,

also on target to meet its mandate of reaching an 8 percent renewable capacity by 2020. There is no need for Federal overreach and additional regulation on this matter.

At a recent Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) meeting, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) Commissioner Robert Powelson presented the facts that the EPA’s proposed carbon emissions rule, as it stands, will have adverse and significant impacts on electric grid reliability, wholesale energy markets, retail electric prices, and regional energy generation composition. This attempt at usurping state’s rights conflicts with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s responsibility under the Federal Power Act to regulate wholesale electricity markets.

The Obama Administration’s goals are not rational for an economy that thrives on electric use and generation. The Pennsylvania Economy League reports that the coal industry alone contributes more than $4 billion annually to the state economy. Coal supports over 36,000 jobs in Pennsylvania with an average salary of $72,000. These are jobs worth protecting.

President Obama’s purely ideological approach to economics and public policy is foolhardy and very dangerous. Why artificially and prematurely alter the energy market away from coal? To let the market determine energy supply based on price and availability, will allow the corresponding job markets to grow or shrink respectively, without decimating an entire workforce and the economies that are built on it.

The EPA’s proposed carbon emissions rule will shatter the nation and the Commonwealth’s opportunity to capitalize on the growing global coal market and Pennsylvania’s ranking as one of the top energy exporting and electricity generating states.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has estimated the cost of compliance with EPA’s rule will run from $5.4 billion in 2020 to $8.8 billion by 2030. Carbon emissions from coal-fired plants in the U.S. account for less than 3 percent of the global total, and the U.S. is leading the world in reducing national carbon emissions.

As we artificially shift our energy markets to more volatile and expensive sources of energy, our energy-intensive Pennsylvania businesses

and industries will look to move jobs overseas where electricity from coal-fired power plants is cheaper, but the process is barely regulated. We will lose jobs as well as losing a portion of our tax base and its economic benefits. These jobs and economic benefits will be transferred to competing countries that will release a greater level of carbon emissions into the same air.

The EPA’s proposed carbon emissions rule will also shatter the opportunity for the nation and the Commonwealth to capitalize on the growing global coal market and Pennsylvania’s ranking as one of the top energy exporting and electricity generating states.

Fortunately, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has said that he understands the value of creating good-paying jobs, but he realizes that we must also protect the current jobs that support entire regions of Pennsylvania. In recent comments, he has stated he will work with the EPA’s proposed rule when it is published to maintain Pennsylvania’s position as an energy exporter and protect our jobs in coal and coal-related industries.

The President’s rhetoric has much of the population spellbound. Unfortunately, the wheels have already been put in motion to implement the EPA’s proposed carbon emissions rule. This action will regulate the vast majority of the coal mining industry out of the market, leaving Pennsylvania’s middle-class and our economy with sticker shock. America and Pennsylvania will be worse off—a development that is now preventable. What will we do?

Dr. Charles E. Greenawalt is senior fellow with The Susquehanna Valley Center for Public Policy, a nonprofit think tank based in Hershey that “stresses that government in Pennsylvania — and government leaders in the Commonwealth — should focus on accountability, efficiency, and responsibility in providing government services and in public service.

The Center places special emphasis on free market principles, the role of servanthood, and the responsibilities of citizenship that form the foundation of our political structure.” Nothing contained here should be considered as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any legislation. The ideas and opinions expressed are the author’s and not necessarily those of the Business Journal.

ECONOMY & JOBS PEGCC releases annual state, Congressional district rankings for private equity investment

New analysis finds private equity invested $486 billion in U.S. in 2014 Steve Judge, president, PEGCC: “With investments in more than 3,100 U.S.-based businesses last year, private equity is helping companies strengthen operations, create jobs, and grow our economy.”

Private equity firms invested more than $486 billion in U.S.-based companies last year, increasing investment by $43 billion over the previous year, according to the Private Equity Growth Capital Council’s (PEGCC) fifth annual investment report, Private Equity: Top States and Districts.

The analysis, which ranks the top 20 states and congressional districts by investment value and number of investments, found that California received the most investment in 2014 followed by Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois.

PEGCC’s Interactive Map includes data for all 50 states, including pension fund investment and rankings.

“Year after year, the data reveals the essential role that private equity plays in bolstering a wide variety of industries across our country,” said Steve Judge, president and CEO of the PEGCC. “With

investments in more than 3,100 U.S.-based businesses last year, private equity continues to help companies strengthen their operations, create jobs, and grow our economy.”

California and Texas both experienced robust investment activity: PE investment totaled $56.4 billion in 385 companies in California, and $51.9 billion invested in 334 companies in Texas. New York and Florida moved up in the rankings from fourth and fifth places last year, respectively. Other states that moved up in the rankings are Ohio, which jumped from 12th to seventh, and Michigan, which went from 19th in 2013 up to 11th for 2014.

The top five congressional districts by private equity investment were: ■ Carolyn Maloney (New York-12) — $18.2 billion ■ Danny K. Davis (Illinois-7) — $8.6 billion ■ Kenny E. Marchant (Texas-24) — $8.1 billion ■ Tom Price (Georgia-6) — $7.8 billion ■ Ander Crenshaw (Florida-4) — $6.6 billion Private Equity: Top States and Districts is part of the PEGCC’s ongoing Private Equity at Work campaign to educate policy makers and the public about the private equity industry and its contributions to the American economy.

ECONOMY & JOBS

Exporting among U.S. middle market firms grows with size and maturity, according to new analysis from American Express and Dun & Bradstreet

First-ever look at Dun & Bradstreet data on U.S. middle market exporters by size, industry, geography and age of firm U.S. companies significantly increase their engagement in exporting as firm revenue grows and businesses mature, according to the Middle Market Power Index: Taking the Global Stage from American Express (NYSE: AXP) and Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB).

This second-in-the-series of reports, analyzing Dun & Bradstreet’s proprietary database of more than 19 million commercially-active U.S. firms, explores the characteristics of U.S. middle market companies (defined as businesses generating between $10 million and $1 billion in revenues) engaged in exporting their products and services.

The series of reports is designed to uncover opportunities for middle market companies to expand their customer base and sources of revenue, based on a virtual census of all of the commercially-active businesses in the United States.

The analysis finds firms generally establish themselves domestically before selling abroad.

job growth domestically, and many could benefit from overseas expansion earlier in their lifecycles.”

To help middle market firms evaluate the risks and rewards of exporting, American Express launched Grow Global, a program providing free exporting resources, including interactive development and learning workshops, online materials and webinars, mentoring and one-on-one connections.

Middle Market Product-Focused Firms are More Likely to Export Five percent (5 percent) of middle market businesses engage in exporting, while significantly more companies (34 percent) with more than $1 billion in revenue sell internationally.

Additionally, the data reveals that the longer middle market companies are in business, the more likely they are to export.

Less than 5 percent of middle market firms in business for less than nine years sell to foreign markets, while more than two-thirds (68 percent) of middle market companies in business for 25 years or more export their goods or services.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that in 2014, total merchandise exports from all 50 states helped the U.S. achieve the fifth consecutive recordsetting year of goods and services exports, which reached $2.35 trillion.

“One of the greatest signs of an economic recovery is growing exports and these results are very encouraging for the U.S. markets,” said Jeff Stibel, vice chairman of Dun & Bradstreet. “As middlemarket companies increase exports outside of the U.S., there is also a high likelihood for increased opportunities for domestic job growth.”

Middle Market’s Expanding Exporting Opportunity: Middle market companies, which today represent less than 1 percent of all U.S. businesses, account for 29 percent of all U.S. business revenues and 18 percent of the firms that export their goods and services, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

That said, the International Trade Administration shows that middle market companies account for just 9 percent of the value of U.S. exports, showing that while more likely than average to export their goods and services, the value of middle market exports lags that of larger firms. Exporting represents a $928 billion opportunity for U.S. mid-sized companies over the next 10 years.

“Middle market firms are cautiously — and strategically — entering foreign markets,” said Susan Sobbott, president, Global Corporate Payments, American Express. “Mid-sized companies are driving

Analysis by industry finds middle market manufacturers and those in wholesale trade are far more likely to engage in exporting than the average middle market business. Compared to the industry-wide average of 5 percent of middle market businesses that export, industries most likely to export include: ■ Manufacturing (14 percent) ■ Wholesale trade (12 percent) Industries with the least exporting participation — all with less than 1 percent engaging in exporting — by middle market companies include: ■ Social services (less than 1 percent) ■ Educational services (less than 0.5 percent) ■ Health services (less than 0.5 percent) Middle Market Exporters are Found Throughout the Country Among the 25 most populous metro areas, middle market companies that export are more likely to take place in: ■ Miami, Florida (20 percent) ■ Houston, Texas (9 percent) ■ Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida (9 percent) ■ Los Angeles-Long Beach (8 percent) Puerto Rico (26 percent) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (14 percent) are also significantly more likely than average to have middle market firms engaged in exporting.

The data reveals a fairly consistent percentage of middle market exporters in each state. States with the highest levels of middle market firms engaged in exporting include: ■ Florida (10 percent) ■ New Jersey (8 percent) States with the lowest levels of middle market exporters include: ■ Montana (2 percent) ■ North Dakota (2 percent) ■ South Dakota (2 percent) ■ Oklahoma (2 percent) ■ West Virginia (2 percent) ■ Wyoming (1 percent) ■ Washington, D.C. (1 percent) ■ New Mexico (1 percent)

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS A new take on Napoleon Hill’s mastermind concept Looking back on the region’s path to progress the moderator for the session, would In his 1937 classic work, Think and then ask the individual with the issue if Grow Rich, which has transcended time any of these solutions seemed feasible. and has taken its place in the collective They would then be asked to choose the conscience of everyone who desires to one they would like to implement over further develop their talents and abilities, the next month to solve the issue, or at Napoleon Hill stated that the masterleast take it to a solvable level. mind is, “The coordination of knowledge The first thing that we would do Sciacca and effort of two or more people, who then next month is report out on what work toward a definite purpose, in the we did to solve the issue we had the spirit of harmony.” month prior.

If we unwind that definition using modern EngIt was a very informal relaxed session. The lish, what he is saying is that if you have a problem environment was non-confrontational and nurturthat needs to be solved, the more minds that attack ing. Each member took a turn hosting the event the problem, the more “mentality” that you apply (normally they had a light breakfast etc.) which to the problem, the more likely the problem will be normally went from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. That means solved. In other words, the more we concentrate on that every member had a total of 20 minutes for all something, the better it gets! So, according to Mr. of the steps above.

Hill, why not have more than one person assist you If you have the correct mix of people in the with our problem. room, the process works very, very well.

In terms of modern management theory, isn’t Here is what I would suggest if you are interthat exactly what we do on a consistent basis? ested in starting your own mastermind group: As managers we do our best to drive decisions 1. Start with one individual that you know, trust downward; we have team meetings to discuss and respect. Ask them if they would be interested in problems; we develop cross functional teams to the concept. If so, there are now two of you. address issues!

2. Meet as a pair with your first goal to establish Basically, we are already doing a great deal of the size of the group and who else should be Mr. Hill talks about in Think and Grow Rich. If that invited into the process. is the case, have you ever considered formalizing 3. Slowly, ask others that you feel would add his process? Each of us has issues outside of work to the experience. This step is critical, you should that we need to address. Why not develop a team not add a person to the group because they ‘have of like-minded individuals that meet on a consistent real problems’, or because ‘they’re a great guy/gal’. basis to discuss issues that need to be solved?

You want individuals that can contribute as well as I was in a mastermind group for a few years benefit from the advice given. and I found the experience to be very beneficial.

4. Have a set time and day to meet. Once a The only reason it broke up was because two week may be too hard for busy people and less of the six members moved away for business than once per month and the mastermind group reasons around the same time and the rest of tends to lose focus and becomes dull. Once a us did not pick up the ball and run with it. I view month, seems to be the sweet spot. Stick to that that as a huge mistake and wish that we had day/time! Everyone be there! done so.

5. Challenge each other, make each other better, Every month we would get together and go talk to each other during the month via phone, around the table and talk about a pressing issue. email, LinkedIn, whatever.

It could have been related to work, or family, or 6. Have fun and enjoy the process! child rearing or a lapse of religious faith; whatever!

7. Email me with any questions.

Now that the group knew the issues that Biagio “Bill” Sciacca is CEO of Intelligent needed to be worked on, we would then take about Motivation Inc., a training and consulting firm, 10 minutes for each person to discuss their issue as well as the author of “GoalsBook: Embracing in detail. After that the other five members would Personal Responsibility in an Age of Entitlement” ask questions and get a clear picture of the issue at and is a full time Instructor of Economics and hand. Then the five members would offer suggesBusiness Administration at Penn State University. tions to solve the issue.

Bill can be reached at 570-430-9303 or bill@intelThe person hosting the session, who was also ligentmotivationinc.com.

By Biagio “Bill” Sciacca

nna Coal Mine Tour did not exist, not After 11 years with the Lackawanna even in our imaginations!

Heritage Valley, I find myself thinking I will provide the Heritage Valley’s about all the changes that have occurred Architectural Walking Tour Brochure to in the past decade. I enjoy reporting help my classmates take a fresh look on new developments, such as the at the things we took for granted when completion of additional sections of the we were high school students. Few of Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, new us appreciated the beautiful buildings Gelb programs and collaborations in the in our downtown that are the legacy of community and the annual events that our past as a commercial and induscelebrate the region’s heritage. This month I have trial center; or the magnificence of the religious a special reason to reflect on the heritage of our structures that served as the center of so many of community as I, along with about 100 members our lives. Some of my returning classmates will of Scranton Central High School’s Class of 1965, miss the Hotel Casey, but they will stay at the Hilton prepare for our 50th Reunion. Some of us have or the Radisson, which was still the Lackawanna spent our lives in the area. Many have lived in other Station in 1965, and the busy point of embarkation places and returned, and many will be visiting for for travel on the Phoebe Snow! They will remember the first time in decades. It will be interesting to Nay Aug Park and the Everhart Museum. While the observe the reactions of those who haven’t visited zoo and the amusement rides are no longer there, in years, since Scranton today is quite different now they can see the Treehouse overlooking the from the way it was 50 years ago. natural beauty of the gorge.

The Reunion Committee deliberately chose Perhaps most surprising to them will be the Labor Day Weekend as the ideal time for the pristine condition of the Lackawanna River and the celebration, counting on early September for good development of the Lackawanna River Heritage weather on the weekend that coincides with a Trail. Thanks to the efforts of the Lackawanna River host of activities, including the Italian Festival (La Corridor Association and community volunteers, Festa) at Courthouse Square, Railfest at Steamtown the river has become a destination for fishing, National Historic Site and First Friday, one of the canoeing and kayaking, with the Heritage Trail as its busiest times of the year in the city. One of our companion for runners, walkers and bicyclists. classmates, Luther Harris, is an accomplished artThe Historic Scranton Iron Furnaces went ist, and his work will be on display in the lobby of largely unnoticed in the past, although we the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center, the site of learned about the history of Scranton when it the Reunion party on Saturday night. was founded near that site as Slocum Hollow.

Imagine the reaction to all of this activity in Today, it is the venue for the fabulous Arts on Fire downtown Scranton, a far different place in 2015 festival in June, the Bonfire in October, and the from a typical Labor Day weekend in 1965! People Saturday Farmers’ Market in the summer. I like me, who celebrate the past and enjoy preservt’s also at the heart of a visionary plan for an ing many of the traditions that make the LackaIron District that will be a destination for arts, wanna Heritage Valley so special, are proud of the culture and entertainment. Although many downprogress that has changed the face of Scranton. town buildings have disappeared, the Connell We understand that our region has a sense of com- Building and the former Chamber of Commerce munity and a quality of life that has attracted people building now house modern apartments for from other places who enjoy living and workdowntown living, The University of Scranton has ing here, and that there is a sense of place that an impressive campus, and our Central High is energizes many of our children and grandchildren Lackawanna College. to look to the future with optimism and new ideas Recently, someone observed to me that this to make things even better. We left Central in 1965 region’s worst critics are those who have never to further our educations, to serve in the military, to lived anywhere else because they don’t realize how begin careers, to see the world or to start families. good it is here. I predict that some of my returning Who knew what Scranton might be like in 2015? classmates may become Scranton’s biggest fans!

Natalie Gelb is executive director of Steamtown National Historic Site, the Electric City Trolley Museum, Montage Mountain, McDade Park, Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority. Email her at the Anthracite Heritage Museum and the Lackawa- natalie@lhva.org.

By Natalie Gelb

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

Listening: A forgotten skill

2. Prepare to listen.

The most basic and powerful way to Focus on the speaker; put other connect to another person is to listen. things out of mind.

Just listen. Perhaps the most important 3. Put the speaker at ease. thing we ever give each other is our Help the speaker to feel free attention. to speak.

— Rachel Naomi Remen 4. Remove distractions.

In my previous article I focused on Focus on what is being said.

Craighead speaking to each other. This article 5. Empathize. will focus on the skill of listening to Try to understand the other pereach other. A good definition of listening is giving son’s point of view. one’s attention to a sound or to another’s speaking.

6. Be patient.

In addition to mastering the skill of listening for the A pause even a long pause does not mean the sake of politeness, it also keeps you engaged in the speaker has finished. game of life. In the business environment speaking 7. Avoid Personal Prejudice. and listening skills are undeniably consequential Try to be impartial, don’t be irritated, and don’t for achievement. Most of us have minds that are let personal habits or mannerisms distract you so over loaded with data and so many things to from the topic. do we don’t take time to really listen to each other.

8. Listen to tone. Volume and tone add to Additionally, many of us think we listen much better what someone is saying. then we actually do. Listening is a key dimen9. Listen for ideas – not just words. sion of successful relationships. Nothing is more You need to get the whole picture, not just demoralizing than the feeling of not being heard. isolated bits and pieces.

When poor listening exists, messages are easily 10. Wait and watch for non-verbal commisunderstood; breakdowns occur creating irritamunication. tion, frustration, and undesirable outcomes.

Gestures, facial expressions, and eye moveListening is not the same as hearing. Hearing ment can all be important. refers to sounds that you hear; conversely listening When I apply these principles to myself, I realize requires more than that — it requires focus. The that among my own shortcomings I often interrupt difference is a creative intention to hear what is be- the speaker with my assessments, only to find that ing said. It’s like generating a partnership with the if I had given the speaker time to finish his or her speaker to produce an intended outcome together. thoughts, my disruptive questions would have been Such intent requires that you take into considaddressed. Another foible is that I think that I will eration the many dimensions of the speaker’s forget my point if I don’t speak. This often results presentation (whether it is spoken or written). This in a redirection of the intent of the speaker, causing includes the language used, the story being told, not only a loss for me, but for others as well. I voice modulation, and finding the underlying intent therefore miss the message offered, which was that is being expressed both verbally or nonvermuch more valuable than what I had to say. I share bally. Your ability to listen is sourced by your com- this because I have been trained to listen. Listening mitment to understand. In business, this process is never handled. Honing your listening skills is often determines the difference between success always in demand and needed. or failure. Good listening skills have benefits in Listening is a skill that takes practice like any our personal lives as well. These benefits include other skill. While the primary responsibility of friends and social networks, academic achievegetting the message across lies with the speaker, ment, empowering others, and a sense of overall without your listening participation you burden the social wellbeing. speaker and create missed opportunities. Speaking In their book Interplay: The Process of Interand listening are like dancing; there is one who personal Communication, professorial colleagues leads and one who follows the leader. The dance Ronald B. Adler, Lawrence B. Rosenfeld, and Rusdoesn’t happen until they both connect to the sell F. Proctor propose 10 principles for listening: music and each other.

1. Stop Talking.

Jon Craighead is president of Craighead AssociIf we were supposed to talk more than listen we ates LLC. Email him at jon@craigheadassociates. would have two tongues and one ear. com or visit www.craigheadassociates.com.

By Jon Craighead

Personal finance: Answers to your FAQs

Question: What should I do if I find Question: How aggressive should I my income during retirement won't be be when I invest for retirement? enough to meet expenses?

Answer: It depends. The right Answer: Fortunately, you may have no answer in your case will depend on a need to despair. The further you are from number of key factors. These include, retirement, the more time you have to among others, your income and assets, resolve the expected shortfall. Even if you your attitude toward risk, whether you are closing in on retirement, there may be Whitesell have access to an employer-sponsored steps you can take to bridge the gap. plan at work, the age at which you plan In some cases, the best solution is to retire, and your projected expenses during retire- to cut back current expenses and use that money ment. But it's possible to lay down some guidelines toward retirement. This will enable you to put more that may be of help to you. money into your IRA, 401(k), and other retirement The conventional wisdom has traditionally been savings vehicles. Although you may not think you that you should invest aggressively when you're spend much on dining out and entertainment, such young and then move gradually toward a more con- expenses really add up over time. Eliminating large servative approach. However, the retirement landpurchases like boats and other luxury items will scape has changed dramatically in the past 20 years also make a big difference. Another way to save a or so. As a result, many of our basic assumptions bundle is to look into public colleges where your about retirement planning have been overturned. child can get a quality education for a fraction of The dwindling number of traditional pension what a private college costs. plans and concerns about Social Security have led But you might be unwilling to make such sacripeople to take greater responsibility for their own fices. If so, or if you simply can't afford to save any retirement. Investing more aggressively over the more than you already are, consider investing more long term has become common as people realize aggressively. Weight your portfolio more heavily that, without anyone else to take care of them, toward stocks and growth mutual funds, and less they need to build the largest retirement nest egg toward fixed-income securities. A more aggressive they possibly can. In fact, many people these days investment portfolio exposes you to heightened primarily use growth vehicles (e.g., certain stocks volatility, but it may also provide a much greater and mutual funds) for their investment portfolios return over the long run. The result: a potentially and tax-deferred retirement plans (e.g., 401(k)s larger nest egg for you to draw on during retireand IRAs), though the proportion of stocks may ment. Before investing in a mutual fund, carefully still be reduced as they near retirement. consider its investment objectives, risks, fees, and Other factors have changed the way we think expenses, which are contained in the prospectus about and invest for retirement as well. People tend available from the fund. Review the prospectus to retire younger, live longer, and do more during carefully, including the discussion of fund classes retirement than they used to. With the likelihood and fees and how they apply to you. that you will have well over 20 years of activity Another alternative is to lower your planned exto fund, it may be a good idea to invest more agpenses during retirement by setting more modest gressively for retirement than previous generagoals. Instead of buying that beach mansion on the tions did. And there's no reason to switch over to Riviera, settle for a smaller house a few miles from fixed-income securities completely upon reaching the ocean. The idea of a more frugal retirement retirement, especially with interest rates at historic lifestyle may not appeal to you, but financial reality lows. Because bond prices typically fall when may require it. You can take a variety of other steps interest rates go up, a period of rising interest rates — some of the most common: work part-time durcan affect the value of your bond holdings. Many ing retirement or simply put off retiring until you're in financial planners suggest that you keep a suitably a better financial position.

Contact Susan Whitesell, CRPS, CRPC, AWMA, balanced portfolio, including some of your assets in CLTC, RIS, Kingston Retirement Group of Janney Montgrowth-oriented investments, even after you retire. gomery Scott LLC, 270 Pierce Street, Kingston 18704.

Don't forget to carefully consider a mutual fund's Call 570-283-8140 or visit www.kingstonretirementgroup.com Janney Montgomery Scott. Member NYSE, investment objectives, risks, fees, and expenses, which can be found in the prospectus available from FINRA, SIPC. Portions of this article were prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions Inc. the fund. Read it carefully before investing.

Copyright 2015.

By Susan Whitesell

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS Guest op-ed:

New energy taxes will cost Pennsylvania jobs As the global glut in natural gas production drives down prices, it’s hard to imagine a more counterproductive proposal than Gov. Tom Wolf’s.

By Earl Baker

We all remember positively the Spirit of ’76, when Americans declared Independence! But we also need to remember the Spirit of 1791, when Pennsylvanians fought against oppressive taxation in the Whiskey Rebellion. The farmers of Western Pennsylvania who had a thriving sideline business did not welcome additional taxation and were willing to put up a fuss about it. Ultimately no shots were fired and the excise tax was ended.

As we brace to fend off an attack of new energy taxes, we’re re-living a tradition that is alive and

well of trying to protect productive Pennsylvania industry and jobs.

Pennsylvania’s current tax battle is bigger and more serious than the Whiskey Rebellion, but it has certain similarities. As was the case in 1791, the fighting issue today is taxation of a thriving domestic industry — oil and gas production. Fueled by rich natural gas deposits in the Marcellus shale, energy production has been a major source of economic growth and job creation in Pennsylvania for the past 10 years. We’re now the second largest natural gas producing state in the country, second only to Texas. And the nation is now the world’s number one producer of oil and gas. The historic role of natural resources in our state is now poised to return Pennsylvania to economic greatness. But not if it is stifled with burdensome new taxes.

Oil and gas producers already pay one of the highest effective corporate taxes rates, higher than most industries. And the commonwealth’s energy tax battle of 2015 is not limited to the state. We’re facing tax attacks at both the state and federal levels.

Our new governor is intent on imposing a state severance tax on all natural gas drilled in Pennsylvania. The most obvious outcome of that tax would be to make Pennsylvania natural gas uncompetitive with neighboring states like Ohio and West Virginia.

It’s true these states have severance taxes, but the total taxes paid by Pennsylvania producers is already higher than the tax bite in competing states.

To reach the billion dollars the governor wants the energy tax to produce, it would hit rates far beyond those of other producing states.

As the global glut in natural gas production drives down prices, it’s hard to imagine a more counterproductive proposal than Gov. Tom Wolf’s.

However, President Barack Obama’s plan for a massive tax increase on domestic oil and gas producers nationwide gives Gov. Wolf’s proposal a run for his money. The size of these tax hikes would inevitably lead to a surge in consumer energy prices.

Additionally, the president’s plan disguises his energy tax hike as “tax reform.” By that he means stripping away legitimate tax deductions from oil and gas producers while leaving them in place for all other industries. That is the quintessential opposite of tax reform.

Right now we need to stage our own version of the early Pennsylvanians’ Whiskey Rebellion and enlist our state and congressional representatives in turning back these tax attacks on an industry that means economic strength and jobs.

Earl Baker, a former state senator and Chester County commissioner, is now a public affairs consultant and the author of two books on politics and campaigning. In the Senate he chaired the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and the Labor and Industry Committee. This originally was in the June 17 edition of the Delaware County Daily Times. The views expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Business Journal.

DCED announces interest rates for PIDA business loan program through Sept. 30 The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) announced its interest rates for PIDA business loan program through Sept. 30.

For real estate loans financing eligible land and building costs, borrowers will have the following two interest rate options: 1. Fixed interest rate for the full term of the loan (up to a 15-year period). This option is calculated using the 10-year treasury yield +150 basis points.

Based on the current 10-year treasury yield, the fixed rate option is 3.75 percent for the life of the loan.

2. Fixed interest rate for a seven year period set at the 10-year treasury rate +50 basis points.

After seven years, the rate will reset to the 10-year treasury rate +50 basis points. Note, the reset rate is limited to a 200 basis point increase/decrease and has a floor of 2.25 percent. The reset rate is then fixed for the duration of the loan.

For this option, the rate is fixed for seven years at 2.75 percent and will reset to the 10-year treasury rate +50 basis points after the seven-year period. The reset interest rate is capped at 4.75 percent (200 point increase) with a 2.25 percent floor and will be fixed for the remaining term of the loan.

For equipment loans — 3.75 percent fixed rate for the full term of the loan.

For working capital and accounts receivable lines of credit — 3.75 percent fixed rate for 12-month period.

For pollution prevention and energy efficiency loans — 2 percent fixed rate for the full term of the loan.

In the seven-county northeastern Pennsylvania region, the PIDA loan program is operated by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA). The NEPA service area includes Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne counties.

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance also maintains low interest rates on its Business Loan Programs. Fixed rates range from 1 percent to 4 percent. NEPA’s origination and service fees are waived on all its loan programs.

For more information on the NEPA Alliance business finance programs and services, contact Dave Nat, Business Finance Manager, at dnat@nepaalliance.org or Paul Macknosky, Business Finance Manager, at pmacknosky@nepa-alliance.org.

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

Bad business project management is costly

Among the more obvious impacts Doing project management badly of the imposed deadline practice are can lead to large costs for your business chronically missed deadlines, excessive and when it comes to connecting the change requests (cha-ching), unfulfilled world of project management to the return on investment, unsatisfied stakeworld of business, some companies just holders, longer development cycles and don’t get it. And they pay a tremendous employee burnout. price. Here are some examples of damAsking: Is it worth the risk?

Puleo aging practices.

Another area where little attention Getting started before you know is spent is risk management. Risk is an where you are going awareness of uncertainty. Projects imply the impleOrganizational leaders must see themselves mentation of change. What can be more uncertain? as Shark Tank-like investors and ask a ton of A simple method of risk management will alert questions of the people requesting funds for new the team to potential problems that could impact initiatives. Time and time again, proposed projects your project. By identifying and clarifying the risks, that “seemed like a good idea” turn out to be not the project team will increase their focus on them. so great after all. Why? Project investments are Risks should be identified at the outset of the projalmost always more complex and far-reaching than ect and identified as having a high, medium or low they appear at first glance. Unanticipated costs, probability of occurring. Some probing questions resource needs and risks can also sink a seemto ask are: ingly good idea. The major risk that companies are ■ What critical path tasks may be at risk since taking is allowing projects to begin without any their delay will delay the entire project? meaningful analysis and debate as to whether or ■ Is the project dependent on new or untried not the company should write the check. technology?

At a minimum ask the following questions: ■ What are the chances of a key resource ■ What are the business goals for implementing leaving the organization or being drawn into other the project and how do they align with your strategy? projects?

■ What improvements can we expect as a ■ What are we uncertain about such as integraresult of the project? tion of various applications?

■ Can you quantify the benefits that the organi■ Are you dependent on deliverables from zation will realize by completing this project? other teams to achieve your goals and if so do you ■ What are the costs to complete this project? have visibility into their status?

■ When can we consider this project done?

In addition to cost and schedule impact other Impact of not knowing where you are going: impacts of not identifying and managing risks are: ■ Re-work ■ Loss of reputation and market share ■ Added time ■ Legal, contractual and regulatory non-compliance ■ Added costs ■ Loss or damage to assets and/or people ■ Misaligned product delivery — stakeholder ■ Ineffective resource utilization expectations not met These scenarios demonstrate that the road Setting unrealistic deadlines to sustainable improvement must be paved by without knowing the requirements senior management. None of these practices This is known as the imposed deadline syncould be changed or discontinued by the typical drome. When I first got involved in project manage- project manager. Whenever you observe such ment, project teams defined the requirements then damaging practices bring them to the attention of estimated the time required to complete the project the appropriate decision-makers. Bring data not based on an integrated planning process. The emotions and seek to help senior leaders appreciproject’s completion date may have been adjusted, ate and understand the price they are paying for not but at least there was a basis for that negotiation embracing business based project management. between project teams and management. Many Larry Puleo a certified project manager (PMP) senior managers and executives today apparently is president of MLP Consultants, LLC which helps believe part of their role is to determine the project companies execute their strategies. Contact him at completion date without really understanding lpuleo@mlpconsultants.com or visit www.mlpconwhat’s required to get the job done. sultants.com.

By Larry Puleo

Viewing an industry sector

quality, that some governmental Is it possible to view an industry secprograms can work, that a combination tor from its very beginning? Author Beth of talent can be an important quality, Macy has achieved this in her 451-page and that a storyboard approach has the paperback titled Factory Man. makings of historical precedent that all In this well-written, astonishing pictogether have the opportunity to save at ture of the Bassett Furniture Company, least a part of an industry.

Macy has provided a focused analysis of It is mindful of the regional stakeholdGrossman how an industry bulwark was overtaken ers alliance that was used quite a few by foreign competition and how the years ago in this region to save at least American business overcame the means by which 600 jobs for one year when the Leslie Fay events competition did, in fact, put many furniture compa- transpired. By banding together, having unions and nies out of business. professional talent working together, it was possible The author states that between 2001 and 2012, to save hundreds of jobs, at least for a period of time.

63,300 American factories closed their doors and It is mindful of the work done by the Blue Ribbon five million factory jobs went away, noting the loss of Task Force of the 1990s , led by the then Economic many manufacturing companies, not just furniture Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvabusinesses. At the same time, China’s manufacturing nia( EDCNP), now called the NEPA Alliance to save base ballooned to the tune of 14.1 million new jobs. the jobs at Tobyhanna Army Depot, and a likely The Virginia region where Bassett was located , the candidate for use when and if realignment and base geographic locale that once boasted 42,500 jobs had closures occur again in coming years. declined to 24,733. Nearly half the workforce had Now is the time to review and research what been axed by globalization. Thus, the dilemma of opportunities may exist to focus attention on international industrialization hit an industry sector as manufacturing as a base industry sector in the no other factor had done prior to this era. region and one that requires a strong commitment This picture may be of importance to the overall to retain and add jobs. manufacturing future of the Pocono-Northeast, at least Thus, here are a few ideas that can be applied. in terms of the role that government plays in either ■ Study the future of manufacturing in the helping or hindering the manufacturing community. region and identify industry sectors that are vital to This book should be standard reading for the economy of the region. manufacturing industries in this region. It hits the ■ Evaluate how and in what manner these mark in identifying what it takes to compete in sectors can be protected, using NEPIRC as the lead world markets, as well as what role specific federal entity for this purpose. programs can play in assisting the manufacturing ■ Put together the appropriate task forces that base of the regional and national economy. I consist of government, the private sector, colleges Macy has a list of questions and then reand universities, research entities, economic sponses in the back of the book, one of which development organizations, and others to organize states that John Bassett III and his story was big, efforts prior to economic disasters occurring. bold, and intuitive in terms of what he pulled off in ■ Develop annual conferences that can assist in orchestrating the filing of what was then the largest focusing attention on the role of manufacturing and antidumping petition against the People’s Republic related sectors can better prepare for meeting needs. of China — and won/ The author notes that this ■ Create periodic messages, using web sites, was done in a tiny Virginia town better known for social media, newsprint articles, and other techniques bluegrass and barbecue. of communication to get the word out about the Bassett used legal maneuvers, factory efimportance of manufacturing throughout the region. ficiency, sheer grit and determination, and a bit of By adopting these ideas, and adding other, adcunning to grow the company and save hundreds vance steps can help alleviate economic disasters of jobs. This does not mean that all of the techthat otherwise might occur in coming years and niques used in this case example are applicable to stem the type of problems that have plagued the regional situations, but it does mean that positive region in past decades. changes can occur to areas of an industry sector Howard Grossman is the former executive director that otherwise could totally disappear. of EDCNP, now NEPA Alliance. He operates HJG AsIt means that perseverance is an important sociates in Dallas. Email him at GrossmanHJ@aol.com

By Howard J. Grossman, AICP

FOR THE RECORD BANKRUPTCIES

phant Borough. Seller: Raymond D. Rowe. Price: $30,000 PA Property Advisors LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Seller: Joseph W. Wasnowic. Price: $28,500.

CHAPTER 7 PPJ Properties LLC. Property location: Dickson City.

Moose Ridge Enterprises LLC. Filed: July 1 in WilkesSeller: Ocwen Loan Servicing LLC, attorney in fact. Price: Barre. Business location: Pike County. $25,000 Yellow Rose Holdings LLC. Property location: CarCHAPTER 11 Two Kings Realty LLC. Filed: June 18 in Wilkes-Barre. bondale City. Seller: Dime Bank. Price: $25,000.

PA Property Advisors LLC. Property location: ScranBusiness location: Schuylkill County. ton City. Seller: Laura Nicodem Horn. Price: $23,000.

DEEDS LACKAWANNA COUNTY

Keyser Oak Investors LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Seller: Lucille Blaser Levey Trust. Price: $11,800,000.

Clay Commons LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Seller: Northeast Properties Inc. Price: $1,900,000.

I E P 411 LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Seller: Arthur R. Williams. Price: $525,000.

MUY Properties NE ltd. Property location: Dickson City. Seller: Siniawa Vll LP. Price: $421,800.

HSA Enterprises LLC. Property location: Archbald Borough. Seller: Michael J. Turock. Price: $400,000.

Mamera Property LLC. Property location: Old Forge Borough. Seller: Vincent J. Salico. Price: $389,000.

Tayoun Realty LLC. Property location: Newton Township. Seller: Robert Esslinger. Price: $375,000.

McKenna Court Homes LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Seller: Junior Nunez. Price: $330,000.

Lexicon Government Services LLC. Property location: Archbald Borough. Seller: James McDarby. Price: $278,500.

Bertocki Realty LLC. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Seller: Anthony P. Cerra. Price: $115,000.

Zombie Homes LLC. Property location: Roaring Brook Township. Seller: Marian A. O’Brien, per attorney in fact. Price: $110,000.

Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Property location: Scranton City. Seller: Jeffrey William Heilbrunn. Price: $90,000.

Stone Financing LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Seller: Ann T. Cook. Price: $80,700.

Marlinka ll LLC. Property location: Moosic Borough.

Seller: Michael Kurash, executor. Price: $70,000.

TGF Properties LLC. Property location: Taylor Borough. Seller: Helen R. Strojek. Price: $59,000.

Dunmore Properties Inc. Property location: Benton Township. Seller: John W. Kacsmar. Price: $57,200.

United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA. Property location: Scranton City. Seller: Mary Ann Bensing. Price: $55,000.

Gollhardt Properties LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Seller: Seth R. Gollhardt. Price: $51,303.

747 Robert Ltd. Property location: Scranton City.

Seller: Five Ten Pittston Trust. Price: $40,000.

BPD Rentals LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Seller: Citizens Savings Bank. Price: $39,000.

PA Property Advisors LLC. Property location: Oly-

NA (co-exr.). Price: $355,000.

Camp Papillon Pet Adoption and Rescue Inc. Property location: Hamilton Township. Seller: Presbytery of Lehigh. Price: $325,000.

Cartus Financial Corp. Property location: Stroud Township. Seller: Brian Panuccio. Price: $301,000.

Cortez Headley and Crystal Houston. Property location: Smithfield Township. Seller: Twin Lake Estates Development LLC. Price: $299,900.

Mountain Stream Investments LLC. Property location: Jackson Township. Seller: Scott and Barbara LUZERNE COUNTY Kirkpatrick. Price: $205,000.

WIP Pittston LP. Property location: Pittston Township.

Smith & Manor LLC. Property location: East StroudsSeller: Penguin Random House LLC. Price: $6,695,372. burg. Seller: Pearl Field Est., Darla Stem and Richard Field UMH PA Valley Stream LLC. Property location: Rice (co-exr.). Price: $150,000.

Township. Seller: WJM Services Inc. Price: $3,517,000.

Golden Generation Worship & Retreat Center Inc. Mira3 LLC. Property location: Butler Township. Seller: Property location: Ross Township. Seller: Izzet Akyar.

Zorm 2009 LLC. Price: $1,400,000.

Price: $1. Tax basis: $135,359.

Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacy LLC. Property location: Bulut Construction & Management LLC. Property Hanover Township. Seller: George J. Kempinski; Christine location: Stroudsburg. Seller: Robert Heller and Marisa Kempinski. Price: $900,000.

DelCorso. Price: $130,000.

Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacy LLC. Property location: Smith & Manor LLC. Property location: East StroudsHanover Township. Seller: Verbena Properties LLC. Price: burg. Seller: Jean Sarley Est., Richard Slutter and Conrad $750,000.

Decker (co-exr.). Price: $100,000.

Ecumenical Enterprises Inc. Dallas Township.

Bulut Construction & Management LLC. Property Stanley Smyth Davies, per attorney in fact; Anne Davies location: Middle Smithfield Township. Seller: Senol and Newman, attorney in fact; Patricia Smith Davies; Anne Zulfiye Aydemir. Price: $1. Tax basis: $66,996.

Davies Newman. Price: $650,000.

Kyson Management LLC. Property location: SmithPennsylvania CVS Pharmacy LLC. Property location: field Township. Seller: Anthony and Susan Farrugia. Price: Hanover Township. Seller: Frank Kwiatkowski; Alice $65,000.

Kwiatkowski. Price: $630,000.

Mountain Prime LLC. Property location: Pocono 1230 Wyoming Avenue LLC. Property location: Forty Township. Seller: Fannie Mae. Price: $54,863.

Fort Borough. Seller: NBT Bank. Price: $601,000.

Tomba Enterprises Inc. Property location: Middle Turkey Hill LP. Property location: Wilkes-Barre City.

Smithfield Township. Seller: Bayview Loan Servicing LLC. Seller: Seymor Holtzman; Evelyn Holtzman. Price: $525,000. Price: $50,000.

Wilkes University. Property location: Wilkes-Barre Lee Realty Management Inc. Property location: City. Seller: Gary Frank; Jerard Brown; John Menzel; Tunkhannock Township. Seller: US Bank NA. Price: $45,000.

Robert E. Brown; 141 Realty Company; Helen Frank; Jerry OttellAG2 LLC. Property location: Jackson Township.

Frank; Barbara Brown. Price: $376,666.66.

Seller: Lu-Ann Pyke. Price: $1. Tax basis: $162,815 and George Hetherington & Kate Kenworthy LLC. Prop$42,700. erty location: Hazleton City. Seller: Leonard A. Rossi, Jr.; Hollow Enterprises Inc. Property location: Barrett Allison Rossi; Christopher C. Rossi; Melissa Rossi; Mark Township. Seller: Maureen Melograno. Price: $42,000.

J. Rossi. Price: $224,000.

Bulut Construction & Management LLC. Property PPL Electric Utilities Corporation. Property location: location: Stroudsburg. Seller: 137 North 9th Street Realty Conyngham Township. Price: $223,388.84.

Corp. Price: $30,000.

Nause Contracting LLC. Property location: Hazleton Brodhead Creek Regional Authority. Property location: City. Seller: Thomas M. Vercusky. Price: $200,000.

Stroud Township. Seller: Ora Frenchak. Price: $23,000.

St. Luke’s Hospital-Monroe Campus. Property location: MONROE COUNTY Stroud Township. Seller: Brodhead Creek Regional Authority 365 Pocono Real Estate LLC. Property location: (succ.), Stroudsburg Municipal Authority. Price: $8,500.

Coolbaugh Township. Seller: EPA Real Estate LLC. Price: PIKE COUNTY $4,326,000.

K&B Property Holdings LLC. Property location: Barrett Senior Housing LP. Property location: Barrett Township. Seller: Pocono Mountain School District. Price: Milford Borough. Seller: Community Building Projects LLC. Price: $1,425,000. $1. Tax basis: $400,000 and $1,600,000.

CMC Properties LLC. Property location: Milford Pocono Group LLC. Property location: Mt. Pocono.

Borough. Seller: 312 Broad Street LLC. Price: $450,000.

Seller: Kathy Louis-Noone. Price: $410,000.

Energy One Federal Credit Union. Property location: Kofol 2014 Family Trust, Milan and Jean Kofol (co.Westfall Township. Seller: Philip Bueki, sheriff. Price: trus.). Property location: Barrett Township. Seller: Julia Park Estate, Susan Mills, Nancy Park, Glenmede Trust Co. $268,078.72.

Sequoia Group Northeast LLP. Property location: Lackawaxen Township. Seller: Sandra Antenucci. Price: $220,000.

NADZ LLC. Property location: Lehman Township.

Seller: Robert F. Ditomas, Jr; Stefanie L. Auteri-Ditomas.

Price: $196,000.

All Fresh Farms LLC. Property location: Greene Township. Seller: Jeffrey S. Treat, liquidating trustee of PTP Enterprises LLC. Price: $175,000.

Port Front LLC. Property location: Dingman Township. Seller: Patricia Kett, irrevocable grantor trust dated Nov. 13, 2013. Price: $175,000.

6 Penn Avenue LLC. Property location: Matamoras Borough. Seller: Stephen Lanza and Karen L. Cohen, trustees, or any successor trustees under the Stephen Lanza Revocable Inte Vivos Trust dated March 23, 1999.

Price: $150,000.

Twin Tiers Home. Property location: Palmyra Township. Seller: United States Marshal for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Price: $44,372.

Kadsura Holdings LLC. Property location: Delaware Township. Seller: Private Capital Fund LLC. Price: $23,000.

Vann Ruff LLC. Property location: Delaware Township. Seller: Gregory A. Vannatta. Price: $10,000.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

Grove Pine LLC. Property location: Pine Grove.

Seller: William Schwab trustee for Troy Thompson. Price: $600,000.

HSH Syla, LLC. Property location: Fountain Springs.

Seller: Alfred Seritti. Price: $90,000.

Ebinger Iron Works Inc. Property location: North Manheim Township. Seller: Jane Deibert. Price: $75,000.

NANJEA Properties LLC. Property location: West Penn Township. Seller: Charles Snyder. Price: $75,000.

Angino Properties Inc. Property location: McAdoo.

Seller: Louis and Kathleen Gentner. Price: $40,000.

WAYNE COUNTY

Longacre Wayne Co Properties LLC. Property location: Damascus. Seller: Michael L Stone ux. Price: $550,000.

Wayne Memorial Hospital. Property location: Cherry Ridge. Seller: PMCAL LLC. Price: $405,000.

Trailside Real Properties. Property location: Manchester & Lebanon Townships. Seller: Thomas J Craparo.

Price: $385,000.

William C Heberling indv & d/b/a William Heberling Excavating&Trucking. Property location: Dreher Township. Seller: Tara L Klepadlo al. Price: $303,850.

Tetherstone Limited Liability Co. Property location: Lake Township. Seller: Jonathan Passman ux. Price: $129,000.

Wayne Co Cooperative Agricultural Society. Seller: Lila Ritzco al. Property location: Dyberry Township.

Price: $122,500.

Kager Holdings LLC. Property location: Damascus.

Seller: Ruth-Ann Schurz vir. Price: $120,000.

Ellen Memorial Health Care Ctr Honesdale Inc. Property location: Texas Township. Seller: Christopher Bates. Price: $100,000.

Callers in the Northeast most patient in the USA when waiting on hold

People in America’s Northeast are the most patient in the country when it comes to waiting on hold during calls to businesses, new research has revealed. The study of 2,234 consumers, conducted by audio branding specialist PH Media Group, discovered 57 percent of respondents in the

region are prepared to wait on hold longer than one minute. This puts them slightly ahead of people in the West (56 percent) for the title of most patient.

In comparison, both those in the Midwest and South were found to be the least patient with just 53 percent willing to consider waiting for more than 60

seconds. “Traditionally, waiting on hold is perceived as an annoyance for customers, so these figures might come as a surprise, suggesting people in the Northeast fairly patient when waiting to have a query answered,” said Mark Williamson, sales and marketing director, PH Media Group.

Please see DEEDS on next page

“The fact that consumers are willing to wait shows that businesses should prioritize improvements to call handling practice rather than necessarily aiming to answer each call within a matter of seconds. When customers do need to be put on hold, it is essential they are kept engaged and entertained.”

FOR THE RECORD DEEDS — continued from previous page Purple Rooster Holdings. Property location: Paupack. Seller: Federal Home Loan Mortgage. Price: $73,448.

Com of PA Wayne Co. Property location: Damascus.

Seller: Stephen & Lorraine Walker. Price: $73,440.

Sterling Township Wayne County. Property location: Sterling. Seller: Spring Hill Foundation. Price: $70,000.

Cabins N Camps LLC. Property location: Lake Township. Seller: US Bank NA, Trustee. Price: $57,000.

Silverbird LLC. Property location: Salem Township.

Seller: Clarence P Bollinger. Price: $45,000.

Mohawk Trail LLC. Property location: Lehigh Township. Seller: Beal Bank SSB al. Price: $39,000.

EXR LLC. Property location: Sterling. Seller: Morequity Inc al. Price: $20,000.

Kaja Holdings 2 LLC. Property location: Berlin. Seller: JPMorgan Chase Bank NA. Price: $12,605.25.

WYOMING COUNTY

Mahaganapati Realty LLC. Property location: Tunkhannock Borough. Seller: Jeffrey C. Ruddell. Price: $1,050,000.

JPW Services Inc. Property location: Exeter Township. Seller: Charles and Ruth Vasko. Price: $350,000.

Chesapeake Land Development Company LLC. Property location: Windham Township. Seller: Wyoming County Sheriff, David E. Weaver lll, Sacha M. Weaver.

Price: $176,475.

WLR Family Partnership. Property location: Mehoopany Township. Seller: Endless Mountains Habitat for Humanity Inc. Price: $171,000.

7 Marion Street LLC. Property location: Tunkhannock Borough. Seller: Judd B. and Dianne M. Fitze. Price: $100,000.

Ace Robbins Inc. Property location: Tunkhannock Township. Seller: Abron Realty LLC. Price: $94,482.

Everen Legacy LLC. Property location: Tunkhannock Township. Seller: Linda K. Adams. Price: $40,670.70.

MORTGAGES LACKAWANNA COUNTY

MUY Properties-NE Ltd. Property location: Dickson City. Lender: City National Bank. Amount: $88,000,000.

United House Realty LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: Investors Bank. Amount: $38,000,000.

Theta Land Corp. Property location: Roaring Brook Township. Lender: Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $10,000,000.

Keyser Oak Investors LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: Peoples United Bank. Amount: $8,300,000.

Clay Commons LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: Peapack Gladstone Bank. Amount: $2,000,000.

J&J Realty Services LLC. Property location: Scott Township. Lender: ESSA Bank & Trust. Amount: $545,000.

I E P 411 LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: Arthur R. Williams. Amount: $540,000.

State Street Realty LLC. Property location: Clarks Summit. Lender: ESSA Bank & Trust. Amount: $475,000.

Marvelous Muggs Inc. Property location: Moosic Borough. Lender: Penn East Federal Credit Union.

Amount: $450,000.

Gilmartin Properties LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: First National Bank of Pennsylvania.

Amount: $400,549.

HSA Enterprises LLC. Property location: Archbald Borough. Lender: PNC Bank. Amount: $320,000.

Tayoun Realty LLC. Property location: Newton Township. Lender: Cross Valley Federal Credit Union. Amount: $300,000.

Dalton Equity Inc. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Lender: Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $250,000.

Marlin Rentals LLC. Property location: Carbondale Township. Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank.

Amount: $185,000.

Outlook Properties LLC. Property location: Jefferson Township. Lender: Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $165,000.

B&M Property Development LLC. Property location: South Abington Township. Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank. Amount: $160,000.

RECA Property Holdings LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank.

Amount: $150,000.

Marvine Real Estate Management LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: Landmark Community Bank. Amount: $143,000.

Bertocki Realty LLC. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank.

Amount: $136,000.

Chrismarq LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $105,000.

TJM Realty Inc. Property location: Fell Township.

Lender: Honesdale National Bank. Amount: $105,000.

Taylor Rose Properties LLC. Property location: Moosic Borough. Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank. Amount: $84,800.

C3P LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: First National Community Bank. Amount: $66,000.

TGF Properties LLC. Property location: Taylor Borough. Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank. Amount: $59,000.

Scientific Living Inc. Property location: Benton Township. Lender: Davis Investment Group LLC. Amount: $50,000.

Gilmartin Properties LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: First National Bank of Pennsylvania.

Amount: $25,000.

LUZERNE COUNTY

PPL Susquehanna LLC. Property location: Salem Township. Lender: Citibank. Amount: $1,850,000,000.

WIP Pittston LP; WIP Pittston GP LLC, general partner. Property location: Pittston Township. Lender: M&T Bank. Amount: $8,840,000.

MMI Preparatory School. Property location: Foster Township. Lender: PNC Bank. Amount: $6,500,000.

Park Apartments Realty LLC. Property location: Wilkes-Barre City. Lender: Investors Bank. Amount: $4,500,000.

S&F Motel Company LLC. Property location: WilkesBarre City. Lender: Bank of America. Amount: $1,700,000.

1020 Oak Hill Road LP. Property location: Wright Township. Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank.

Amount: $1,300,000.

Mira3 LLC; Krishnakant Patel, managing partner.

Property location: Butler Township. Lender: Landmark Community Bank. Amount: $1,100,000.

MBC Development LP; MBC Management LLC, general partner. Property location: Freeland Borough.

Lender: PNC Bank. Amount: $1,050,000.

Shannon Investments LP; Steven H Shannon, general partner. Property location: Conyngham Borough.

Lender: First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $1,000,000.

Aerospace Holdings Properties LP; Aerospace Holdings Properties Inc, general partner. Property

location: Wyoming Borough. Lender: M&T Bank. Amount: $749,000.

6th Street Property LP; 6th Street Property Corp, partner. Property location: West Wyoming Borough.

Lender: M&T Bank. Amount: $749,000.

1230 Wyoming Avenue LLC. Property location: Forty Fort Borough. Lender: First National Community Bank.

Amount: $670,000.

Aerospace Holdings Properties LP; Aerospace Holdings Properties Inc, general partner. Property location: West Wyoming Borough. Lender: M&T Bank. Amount: $351,000.

6th Street Property LP; 6th Street Property Corp, partner. Property location: Wyoming Borough. Lender: M&T Bank. Amount: $351,000.

Opiel Real Estate LLC. Property location: Pittston City. Lender: M&T Bank. Amount: $255,000.

Shannon Investments LP; Steven H Shannon, general partner. Property location: Conyngham Borough.

Lender: First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $200,000.

MONROE COUNTY

DEPG Stroud Associated II LP, DEPG Bartonsville Realty LLC. Property location: Stroud Township. Lender: Basis Real Estate Capital II LLC. Amount: $13,200,000.

Zoldan Family Ohio Limited Partnership, Bruce Zoldan (general partner). Property location: Smithfield Township. Lender: Cyprium Investors IV LP. Amount: $11,000,000.

MS Logistics LLC, Silagi Family Trust. Property location: Coolbaugh Township. Lender: East West Bank.

Amount: $7,000,000.

365 Pocono Real Estate LLC. Property location: Coolbaugh Township. Lender: Wells Fargo Bank NA. Amount: $3,412,500.

Barrett Senior Housing LP, PHI D/B/A Presbyterian Senior Living. Property location: Barrett Township.

Lender: Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company.

Amount: $1,680,000.

Biospectra Inc. Property location: Stroud Township.

Lender: ESSA Bank & Trust. Amount: $1,432,500.

1126 Ventures LLC. Property location: Chestnuthill Township. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $972,500.

DLP Fund Acquisition III LLC. Property location: Chestnuthill Township. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $972,500.

DLP Fund Acquisition III LLC. Property location: Polk Township. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $972,500.

Hollow Enterprises Inc. Property location: Barrett Township. Lender: First Keystone Community Bank.

Amount: $320,000.

Pocono Group LLC. Property location: Mt. Pocono.

Lender: SelfReliance (NY) Federal Credit Union. Amount: $307,500.

Twin Lake Estates Development LLC. Property location: Smithfield Township. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $247,500.

Three M Properties LLC. Property location: East Stroudsburg. Lender: PNC Bank NA. Amount: $208,000.

LTS Homes LLC, Eastern Premier Holding Co. LLC (member). Property location: Smithfield Township.

Lender: Lafayette Ambassador Bank. Amount: $185,932.

Robert K. Ace Jr. Construction LLC. Property location: Stroudsburg. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $152,000.

Smith & Manor LLC. Property location: East Stroudsburg. Lender: Susan Coursen and Jeannine Gilsdorf.

Amount: $150,000.

Calvary Bible Church of East Stroudsburg Inc. Property location: Smithfield Township. Lender: ESSA Bank & Trust. Amount: $75,000.

JLDawn141 LLC. Property location: Price Township.

Lender: RCN Capital Funding LLC. Amount: $72,000.

Maddan Music LLC. Property location: Stroud Township. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $50,000.

Filippo Investments LLC. Property location: Coolbaugh Township. Lender: Peoples Security Bank and Trust Co. Amount: $40,000.

PIKE COUNTY

Zoldan Family Ohio Limited Partnership. Property location: Westfall Township. Lender: Cyprium Investors IV LP, Cyprium IV Management LLC, Cyprium Investment Partners LLC. Amount: $11,000,000.

K&B Property Holdings LLC. Property location: Milford. Lender: Dime Bank. Amount: $550,000.

All Fresh Farms LLC. Property location: Greene Township. Lender: Pike Funding LLC. Amount: $500,000.

CMC Properties LLC. Property location: Milford.

Lender: Dime Bank. Amount: $350,000.

Sequoia Group Northeast LLP. Property location: Lackawaxen Township. Lender: Sandra Antenucci.

Amount: $180,000.

6 Penn Avenue LLC. Property location: Matamoras Borough. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $120,000.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

Coalcreek Partners II. Lender: M&T Bank. Property location: St. Clair. Amount: $800,000.

West Penn Partners. Property location: Andreas.

Lender: Mauch Chunk Trust Co. Amount: $90,000.

HSH Syla LLC. Property location: Fountain Springs.

Lender: Riverview Bank. Amount: $72,000.

Angino Properties Inc. Property location: McAdoo.

Lender: Mid Penn Bank. Amount: $40,800.

WAYNE COUNTY

New Jersey Federation Young Men’s & Women’s Hebrew Association. Property location: Preston. Lender: The Dime Bank. Amount: $12,000,000.

Mark HM Associates LP. Property location: Texas Township. Lender: Wells Fargo Bank NA. Amount: $9,600,000.

MBR Land Development Corp & Sports & Art Center at Island Lake. Property location: Scott Township.

Lender: Honesdale National Bank. Amount: $1,750,000.

Longacre Wayne County Properties. Property location: Damascus . Lender: Michael L Stone ux. Amount: $520,000.

Manufacturing Technology Enterprises Inc. Property location: Mt. Pleasant. Lender: First National Bank of Pennsylvania. Amount: $225,000.

Ellen Memorial Health Care Center Honesdale Inc. Property location: Texas Township. Lender: The Dime Bank. Amount: $100,000.

WYOMING COUNTY

Talarico Family Limited Partnership. Property location: Mehoopany Township, Tunkhannock Borough, Tunkhannock Township. Lender: PS Bank. Amount: $1,870,000.

Mahaganapati Realty LLC. Property location: Tunkhannock Borough. Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank. Amount: $770,000.

JPW Services Inc. Property location: Exeter Township. Lender: Honesdale National Bank. Amount: $300,000.

Talarico Family Limited Partnership. Property location: Tunkhannock Borough. Lender: PS Bank. Amount: $100,000.

Please see FOR THE RECORD on next page

FOR THE RECORD NEW INCS BRADFORD COUNTY

Charlie Brown Consulting Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 13. Unknown. 51 Sunrise Circle Athens 18810.

Checkers & Chance LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1.

Consulting. 157 Cole Street, Sayre 18840.

Creekside Discount Groceries LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 22. Grocery store. 1584 North Rome Road, Rome 18837.

D M Cook LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 2. Transportation. 3110 Hornbrook Road, Towanda 18848.

Gillette Veterinary Service Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Veterinary clinic. 29 Kennedy Road, Milan 18831.

Heart of David Construction Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 8. Construction. 204 Second Street, Leraysville 18829.

Henson Investigations LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Private investigator. 120 S. Keystone Avenue, Sayre 18840.

JK Blossom. Commercial. Filed: July 8. Skin care products. 704 Fourth Street, Towanda 18848.

JMK Electrical & Mechanical Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 18. HVAC. 171 Earls Mountain Drive, Gillett 16925.

Landmark Beef LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Dairy farm. 417 Labarre Road, Rome 18837.

LTP Motorsports LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Real estate ownership. 210 Dunn Hill Road, Monroeton 18832.

Warehouse Fitness 24/7 LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 7. Fitness center. 132 Hillside Drive, Towanda 18848.

CARBON COUNTY

Depalma Services LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 8.

Trucking. 102 Gower Road, Albrightsville 18210.

First Street Bakery Cafe LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Bakery. 191 South First Street, Lehighton 18235.

Gabrelsen Group LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. 160 Green Street, Lehighton 18235.

Lakeside Auto Plaza Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 22.

Auto dealer. c/o Fast Tax of NEPA Inc. Mountain View Optometry PC. Commercial. Filed: June 25. Optometry services. 538 Delaware Avenue, Palmerton 18071.

Wittster Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Small business marketing, career support and document preparation. 187 Ashley Lane, Lehighton 18235.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

Alpha I Enterprise Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 22.

Construction. 415 Main Street, Orangeville 17859.

C. W. Odds & Ends Limited Liability Company.

Commercial. Filed: July 9. Sale of used goods. 7588 Columbia Boulevard, Berwick 18603.

CHK Real Estate Holdings LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22. Golf course ownership. 1775 Fifth Street, Bloomsburg 17815.

Cruise-N-Snooze Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 6.

Manufacture trailers. 726 Rear Oak Street, Bloomsburg 17815.

Greenwood Sales Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 17.

Sale of electrical infrastructure and components. 318 Utt Road, Orangeville 17859.

Hemlock Links LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22.

Golf course. 1775 5th Street, Hollow Road, Bloomsburg 17815.

Jai Ganesh Deva LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Convenience store. 3 Fowlersville Road, Orangeville 17859.

Lewisburg Restaurant LLC. Commercial. Filed: June

17. Hospitality services, restaurant. 1388 State Route 487, Bloomsburg 17815.

Mittles Limited. Commercial. Filed: June 26. 19 Harris Road, Bloomsburg 17815.

NMIC LLC Commercial. Filed: June 17. Sales and/or development of products “not made in china.” 150 East 9th Street, Suite 1 RM, 201 Bloomsburg 17815.

Pakart Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 23. Flexible packaging. 104 West 11th Street, PO Box 1152, Berwick 18603.

R & K Group LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Buy, sell equipment. 348 South Eaton Street, Berwick 18603.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY

1520 Linden Scranton LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Real estate. 446 Quincy Avenue, Apt. 2C, Scranton 18510.

1617 Gibson Scranton LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 7. Real estate. 446 Quincy Avenue, No. 2C, Scranton 18510.

1771 Perry Avenue LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Real estate. 317 Linden Street, Apt 2401, Scranton 18503.

202-204 East Drinker LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 24. Real estate. 303 East Drinker Street, Dunmore 18512.

517 Charles Street LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Party rentals. 505 Center Street, Throop 18512.

925 Performance LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 19.

Mobile tinting. 219 East Elm Street, Dunmore 18512.

Alf Family Dentistry Management Company LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Dental practice management.

1020 North Irving Avenue, Scranton 18510.

Alpha-Omega Consultants LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Business and clinical consulting. 114 Forest Drive, Roaring Brook Township 18444.

Archangel Personal Home Care LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 29. Personal home care. 113 West Drinker Street, Dunmore 18512.

AXP Trucking LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16.

Over the road transportation. 94 Pike Street, Carbondale 18407.

Batyko Law LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Law firm.

7 Sharon Drive, Moosic 18507.

Bernard J. Brown Esq. LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Legal, law. 58 8th Avenue, Carbondale 18407.

Brew House Pizzeria LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1. Restaurant. 145 Shadyside Drive, Greenfield Township 18407.

BTF Properties LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 17.

Own and operate properties. 4290 Dawn Acres Drive, Madison Township 18444.

Bucktown Investments LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 23. Real estate. 802 William Street, Dunmore 18510.

C.K. Car Connection LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Unknown. 1623 North Keyser Avenue, Scranton 18504.

Capital Home Team LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9. Homes cosmetic rehab. 401 Cedar Avenue, Scranton 18505.

Clorinda Abbott Enterprises LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18. Salon spa. 822 Chestnut Street, Eynon 18403.

CND Home Solutions LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15. General contracting. 201 South Blakely Street, No. 185, Dunmore 18512.

DAG 435 LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Food service. 253 State Route 435, Clifton Township 18424.

DGT Solutions and Services Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 25. Office administration. 1823 Main Avenue, Suite 8, Scranton 18508.

Evans & Redfield LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22.

Real estate. 10050 Bridge Lane, Clarks Summit 18411.

Fallbrook Associates LP. Commercial. Filed: June 29.

425 Alder Street, Scranton 18505. Fallbrook Inc., general partner.

Fletcher Farm LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 24.

Farming. 1738 Newton Ransom Boulevard, Clarks Summit 18411.

Gillette Excavations Incorporated. Commercial.

Filed: June 26. Excavations. 176 Jubilee Road, Covington Township 18444.

Hot Wok Chinese Restaurant 88 USA Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Restaurant. 827 Pittston Avenue, Scranton 18505.

Jason Litigation Support Services LLC. Commercial.

Filed: July 2. Unknown. 211 Moosic Street, Olyphant 18447.

JSTP Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 2. Retail sandwich shop. 907 Quincy Avenue, Scranton 18510.

Lux Personal Training LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Personal training and fitness classes. 10 Briarwood Way, Clarks Summit 18411.

Mariotti Construction Company Inc. Commercial.

Filed: June 18. Construction. 214 Hoover Street, Old Forge 18518.

Mid-Valley Kidney LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 17. To invest in dialysis facilities. 802 Jefferson Avenue, McAuley Building, Fourth Floor, Scranton 18510.

Mike Staples LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16.

Unknown. 17 Cottage Street, Carbondale 18407.

Nature’s Releaf LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6.

Alternative health remedies. 6 Baldassari Drive, Dunmore 18512.

Nearme Yoga ll LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Yoga studio. 700 Main Street, Moosic 18507.

New Kobe Corporation. Commercial. Filed: July 9.

Restaurant. 808 Scranton Carbondale Highway, Dickson City 18519.

New Money Superstars LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 17. Entertainment. 306 12th Avenue, Scranton 18504.

Newton Ransom Outdoors LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22. Guide service in wildlife. 320 East Main Street, Dalton 18414.

On The Fall LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9. Product sales. 751 Sunset Street, Peckville 18452.

On The Fringe Hair Studio Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Hair salon, spa. 1 Highland Boulevard, Suite 102, Archbald 18403.

One Source Property Management LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 30. Rental property management. 310 Spruce Street, Third Floor, Suite 302, Scranton 18503.

Precision Health Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 29.

Mobile X-ray. 1233 Monroe Avenue, Dunmore 18509.

Rarick Welding Supply Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Retail sale of welding supplies and equipment. 118 North Barnes Road, Moscow 18444.

Royal Vapes LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 20. Retail sales, new and used. 600 Scranton Carbondale Highway, Business Route 6, Archbald 18403.

Santa Has A Wish LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9.

Creation and sale of Christmas items. 442 Thomas Street, Eynon 18403.

SKS Housing LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1. Real estate. 616 Delaware Street, Mayfield 18433.

Spike Island Tan LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Tanning (sun bed) and spray tan salon. 712 Man Street, Moosic 18507.

Steamtown 300 LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 2. Real estate. One Keystone Place, Jessup 18434.

Stone Acres Nature Preserve Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Wildlife habitat. 225 Miller Road, Waverly 18471.

Summit Core Supply LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Buy and sell auto parts. 96 East La Plume Road, Dalton 18414.

Summit Peak Associates Inc. Commercial. Filed:

June 19. Consulting. 342 Lakewood Drive, South Abington Township 18411.

The Farm LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 14. Real estate holdings. 2016 Green Ridge Street, Dunmore 18512.

The Phase III Barbershop LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 23. Barber services. 631 B Prospect Avenue, Scranton 18505.

Tico Maintenance Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 17. Construction, siding remodeling. 768 North Valley Avenue, Olyphant 18447.

Twisted Throttle Detailing LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Vehicle detailing. 401 Mortimer Street, Dunmore 18512.

Up-Valley Real Estate LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9. Real estate investment. 403 Edgar Street, Olyphant 18447.

Victorybuy Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Retail, wholesale hobby products. 2030 Margaret Avenue, Scranton 18508.

Wendoshop LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Internet sales of dry goods. 12 Blythe Drive, PO Box 121, Peckville 18452.

Wyoming Avenue Development LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9. Real estate. 205 North Main Avenue, Scranton 18504.

YTD Trucking Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 20. Transportation business. 512 Adams Ave, Scranton 18510.

LUZERNE COUNTY

53 South Main Street Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 2.

Restaurant, bar. 53 South Main Street, Pittston 18640.

599 Properties Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 18. Real estate holding company. 221 East Broad Street, West Hazleton 18202.

777 Ash Street LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 14.

Acquire and manage real estate. 777 Ash Street, West Pittston 18643.

A & A Howe Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Beer distributor. 225 Church Street, Larksville 18704.

Abbella’s Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Winery, food service, restaurant. 380 Osceola Avenue, Kingston 18704.

Ace Accupressure Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 8. 606 East Main Street, Unit 4, Larksville 18651.

Apar LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Internet sales.

93 Rhedwood Avenue, Sugarloaf 18249.

Artic LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22. Entertainment.

900 Rutter Avenue, Forty Fort 18704.

B. Christian Insurance Agency LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 26. Insurance agency. 61 West Mount Airy Road, Shavertown 18708.

Bear Creek Investments LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 29. Real estate. 152 South Franklin Street, WilkesBarre 18701.

BJ’s Pub & Eatery LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Pub, eatery. 1067 North Vine Street, Hazle Township 18201.

Blue Collar Guns & Ammo LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 2. Buy, sell guns and ammunition. 811 Main Street, Sugar Notch 18706.

Bradigan Woodworking LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Construction. 443 South Main Street, Pittston 18640.

Cal’s Guns & Reloading Supply LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 19. Sell guns and reloading supplies. 39 Scureman Street, Hanover Township 18706.

Center Street Holdings LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 7. Real estate. 235 Manor Drive, Shavertown 18708.

Corcoran Holdings LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 24.

Printing. 1 Hudson Road, Plains 18705.

Please see NEW INCS on next page

FOR THE RECORD

NEW INCS — continued from previous page

Dancheck’s Extinguishers and Service Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 29. Fire extinguishers, buy and sell. 512 Northampton Street, No. 254, Edwardsville 18704.

Danko Trucking LLC Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Trucking. 118 Roaring Brook Drive, Hunlock Creek 18621.

Derghm Halal Food Corp. Commercial. Filed: June 29. Unknown. 379 South Main Street Wilkes-Barre 18702.

Duryea Materials LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22.

Construction materials. 250 Main Street, Duryea 18642.

Elite Cargo. Commercial. Filed: June 15. 45 Hillside Avenue, Rear Apt., Edwardsville 18704.

Fast Life Customs LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 25. Automotive service. 811 South Poplar Street, Hazleton 18201.

Fernbrook Brewhouse Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Bar and restaurant. 700 Main Road, Dallas 18612.

Five Mountains Health & Fitness LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 16. Fitness center. 14 North Main Street, Shickshinny 18655.

FMC Enterprise LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22.

Real estate. 512 Northampton Street, No. 135, Edwardsville 18704-4560.

Four K T E Transport LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 23. Trucking. 59 Rees Street, Wilkes-Barre 18702.

Geoman Transportation LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 29. Trucking, transportation. 59 Fern Drive, Mountain Top 18707.

GK Synthetics LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 19.

Operate and sell motor oil products. 26 Heights Drive, Wyoming 18644.

GLB Industries LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1.

Newborn photography services. 1260 Twin Stacks Drive, Dallas 18612.

Heights Eatery Corp. Commercial. Filed: July 1.

Restaurant. 601 South Poplar Street, Hazleton 18201.

Interstate Metal Recycling Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 24. Metal recycling. 1010 Winters Avenue, West Hazleton 18202.

Jaybee LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 8. Retail pharmacy. 647 State Route 93, Box N, Sugarloaf 18249.

John Alaimo D.C. LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 19.

Chiropractic. 113 Jackson Road, Shavertown 18708.

Joyce Carmody & Moran PC. Commercial. Filed: June 23. Law firm. 9 N Main Street, Suite 4, Pittston 18640.

Kebo Northeast Insulation LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Insulation, construction insulation. 902 Hartman Road, Hunlock Creek 18621.

L & R Holdings LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22.

Real estate. 82 Graham Avenue, Hanover Township 18706.

La Reyna LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Grocery store. 610 North Main Street, Wilkes-Barre 18702.

Lam Educational Consultants LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 29. Educational consulting. 361 Renfer Street, Pittston Township 18640.

Last Suppa Enterprises LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 23. Music production. 20 Grove Street, Wilkes-Barre 18702.

LL Relaxing Massage Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 2. Massage services. 46 Dallas Shopping Center, Dallas 18612.

MacNauchtan Holding Company. Commercial.

Filed: July 6. Real estate. 386 East Union Street Rear, Nanticoke 18634.

Maple Tree Group LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 29.

Take title to and manage several apartments, own and rent, small construction jobs and electronic equipment installation. 173 North Sheaman Road, White Haven 18661.

Mark and Helen Realty LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Real estate. 396 East Washington Street, Nanticoke 18634.

Marr Realty LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Real

estate. 847 Exeter Avenue, West Pittston 18643.

Marveric LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 30. Real estate. 624 Warren Avenue, Kingston 18704.

Mountain Top Outdoorsman LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 22. Retail sales of sporting goods. 58 South Mountain Boulevard Rear, Mountain Top 18707.

MTSC Leasing Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 8. Leasing services. 340 Kidder Street, Wilkes-Barre 18702.

Mucktape LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 17. Invention. 30 North Old Turnpike Road, Suite B, Drums 18222.

N Main LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1. Real estate.

299 Pierce Street, Kingston 18704.

Nail Arts LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Nail salon.

243 Laurel Mall, Hazle Township 18202.

Nathaly Foods Corporation. Commercial. Filed: June 17. Grocery store. 420 Hazle Street, Wilkes-Barre 18702.

NEPA Tavern Promotions LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Tavern promotions. 94 West Foothills Drive, Drums 18222.

Noam Invesment LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26.

Real estate. 113 Kimberly Drive, Duryea 18642.

Park Avenue Boutique LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1. Clothing and accessory sales. 23 Gateway Shopping Center, Edwardsville 18704.

Peach Enterprises LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9.

Electrician, electrical work. 195 Hillary Drive, Freeland 18224.

PSV Holdings LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Real estate holdings. 106 Exeter Avenue, West Pittston 18643.

Psychological Counseling and Therapy Resources LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18. Unknown. 375 Stewart Road, Wilkes-Barre 18706.

Reflections On Us LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Restoration and cleaning services. 317 Washington Street, Freeland 18224.

Right On Entertainment LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 17. Unknown. 23 Welsh Street, Pittston 18640.

Riverdog LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 29. Real estate. 17 Windy Way, Shavertown 18708.

Roosters LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Real estate. 700 Main Road, Dallas 18612.

Rostas Cafe Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Restaurant and bar. 657 Seybert Street, Hazleton 18201.

Rubando Properties LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 2.

Real estate. 23 Fordham Road, Wilkes-Barre 18702.

Scientifically Speaking Advanced Skin Care LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Skin care. 638 Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming 18644.

Scranton Popeyes Chicken LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18. Fast food. 440 Wilkes-Barre Township Boulevard, Wilkes-Barre Township 18702.

Shawn Micheal’s Salon LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1. Salon and beauty services. 60 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre 18702.

Sinking Ship Premium Juice LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 15. Manufacturing. 102 East Main Street, Second Floor, Glen Lyon 18617.

Sobeck Family Limited Partnership. Commercial.

Filed: July 7. 2327 Lakeside Drive, Harveys Lake 18618.

Sobeck, Mark, general partner.

Spirit Cakes LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Home bakery. 1051 Manor Drive, Mountain Top 18707.

Stealing Neil LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Rock band. 580 Loyalville Road, Harvey’s Lake 18618.

Susquehanna Strategies LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 2. Consulting services. 16 Broad Street, Pittston 18640.

The Agency Real Estate Group LLC. Commercial.

Filed: July 1. Real estate development and brokerage. 152 South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre 18701.

Triple Z LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Real estate.

515 North Broad Street, West Hazleton 18202.

Please see NEW INCS on page 70

PERSONNEL FILE senior vice president and director of sales for National Penn Insurance. In his role, Simmers is responsible for assisting National Penn clients with worksite safety, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance and general risk management with a focus on reducing claims and managing long-term insurance costs. Simmers has 21 years of safety and risk management experience.

the investment services area. He holds FINRA Series 6,7 & 63 and is licensed in Pennsylvania for the sale of life insurance.

PNC BANK

Simmers

NBT BANK DIME BANK: Those who were feted by Dime Bank were from left, back row: Harmony Schmitt, five years; Linda Calabro, 15 years; Deborah Unflat, 15 years; Tom Didato, 10 years; Donna Voge, 10 years; Cheryl Bancroft, five years; Julene McGraw, 20 years; Janette Davis, 20 years; Eileen Jaggars, 30 years; Bryan Rupp, 10 years; and Meghan Gibbons, five years. Front row: Connie Wilson, 10 years; Suzanne Mansfield, 15 years; Patricia Bakos, 10 years; Victoria DiGiuseppe, five years; Alesha Popolillo, five years; Pam Kerber Gehman, 20 years; Chase Holl, five years; Amy Burke, 10 years; and Larry Bush, 10 years.

BANKING & FINANCE DIME BANK

Each year the Dime Bank holds a dinner event to recognize staff celebrating a five-year incremental anniversary of employment with the bank. During the month of their anniversary those celebrating 20-plus years are honored at a board meeting. Over the course of 2015, The Dime Bank will recognize the career milestones of 25 employees. Those who were feted at the dinner were Five years: Cheryl Bancroft, Victoria DiGiuseppe, Jaimie Fiebiger, Meghan Gibbons, Chase Holl, Alesha Popolillo, Harmony Schmitt and Danielle Tigue. 10 years: Patricia Bakos, Amy Burke, Larry Bush, Lacey Churmblo, Tom Didato, Mary Carol Hanis, Bryan Rupp, Jacqueline Saladino, Donna Vogel and Connie Wilson.

15 years: Linda Calabro, Suzanne Mansfield and Deborah Unflat. 20 years: Janette Davis, Pam Kerber Gehman and Julene McGraw. 30 years: Eileen Jaggars.

FIDELITY BANK

Daniel J. Santaniello, president and CEO of Fidelity Bank, announced that Kevin McCormick has been promoted to vice president. McCormick has been with Fidelity Bank since 2007, most recently served as assistant vice president. As a business banking relationship manager, he uses his business expertise to assist area comMcCormick panies in developing strategies to grow their businesses and secure the financial resources they need to accomplish their business goals. He earned his Masters of Business Administration from Wilkes University.

FIRST KEYSTONE CORPORATION

First Keystone Corporation, the parent company of First Keystone Community Bank, recently held its 2015 annual meeting of shareholders at the Berwick Public Library. The theme of this year’s presentation was “Tomor-

row’s Vision.” a reference to the second half of the bank’s tagline, “Yesterday’s Traditions, Tomorrow’s Vision.” First Keystone Community Bank also announced employee promotions at the meeting: Jonathan Littlewood, commercial services officer, and Jeff Wozniak, IT manager were promoted to vice president. Mary Pascucci, training coordinator, and Rebecca Hooper, trust officer, to assistant vice president, and Daniel DeFinnis, community office manager and Leslie Cote, mortgage originator to assistant cashier.

Rosler

Woodland

Also, The American Bankers Association (ABA) Stonier Graduate School of Banking attracted more than 675 students this year and awarded Stonier diplomas and Wharton Leadership certificates to 216 graduates.

Among this year’s graduates were Elaine Woodland, executive vice president and chief operating officer and Diane Rosler, senior vice president and chief financial officer for First Keystone Community Bank. Held at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School each summer, the week-long executive education program at Stonier complements extension projects throughout the year. The three-year program convenes talented banking professionals working for community, regional or money center banks; regulatory agencies; and bank service organizations.

NATIONAL PENN INSURANCE

National Penn Bancshares Inc. (Nasdaq: NPBC) announced today that Jade D. Simmers has been named director of safety and risk management consulting for National Penn Insurance. He reports to David March,

Singer

Casarella

Michael Cheslock announced that Francis Casarella has been hired as financial consultant. He is located at the NBT Financial Services office in NBT Bank’s Mount Pocono Office. In this position, Casarella will assist clients in the pursuit of their financial goals utilizing his experience in investments, insurance, retirement plans and the overall financial planning process. He will provide customers in Monroe County with access to financial and insurance products through LPL Financial. Casarella has 12 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining the NBT Financial Group, he was a financial specialist at PNC Bank in Conyngham. He holds series 6, 7, 63, 65 and life insurance licenses with LPL Financial.

Cheslock also announced that Jill Singer has been hired as financial consultant. She is located at the NBT Financial Services office in NBT Bank’s Montrose Office. In this position, Singer will assist clients in the pursuit of their financial goals utilizing her experience in investments, insurance, retirement plans and the overall financial planning process. She will provide customers in Susquehanna County with access to financial and insurance products through LPL Financial. Singer has 26 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining the NBT Financial Group, she was a financial advisor at GHS Federal Credit Union in Binghamton. She holds series 7, 63, 65 and life, health and accident insurance licenses with LPL Financial.

PEOPLES SECURITY BANK

Bradley S. Grubb, executive vice president, Wealth Management Division recently announced that Brian Thornton and Vince M. Kubilus have joined the Penn Security financial advisors team as Infinex financial advisors. Thornton has more than 22 years in the financial services industry. He holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 63 and 24. In addition, he is licensed in Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland for the sale of life insurance, annuities, and accident and health. His financial services insight combined with a consultative approach enable him to help his clients realize their financial goals. Kubilus graduated from Marywood University with an MBA in finance and investments in 2012. He has more than eight years of banking experience, including five of those years within

Petrenchak

Piatt

Peter J. Danchak, president of PNC Bank, Northeast Pennsylvania, recently announced that Joyce Petrenchak has joined PNC Wealth Management as a vice president and senior wealth planner. Petrenchak received her juris doctorate from The Dickinson School of Law. Danchak also announced that Deborah L. Piatt, PNC Retail Banking, has been promoted to vice president. Piatt is a two-time recipient of PNC’s Circle of Excellence award as well as a two-time Human Sigma Club 6 recipient.

FOOD SERVICE METZ CULINARY MANAGEMENT

The Metz family, which owns and operates Dallasbased food management company Metz Culinary Management, has been named to Restaurant Business magazine’s prestigious Power 20 list, which this year recognizes 20 families nationwide that are leading restaurants into a new generation for their family and their customers. “We are especially flattered to receive these honors as a family,” said John C. Metz Sr., executive chairman of Metz Culinary Management. “After all, we embrace a family-centric culture throughout the company and make sure our approach reaches every restaurant location, every foodservice account, our partners and suppliers, and each of our guests.”

Founded by John C. Metz Sr., Metz Culinary Management a family-driven company that collaborates with its clients to deliver restaurant-inspired hospitality to each and every guest. The food-service operation of Metz Culinary Management serves more than 200 East Coast accounts in 17 states from Maine to Florida.

The company also operates 11 TGI Fridays, two Krispy Kremes, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Wolfgang Puck Express, and Lucky’s Sporthouse across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. John Metz’s son, Jeff, is president of Metz Culinary Management; his daughter, Maureen, is vice president of marketing. In addition, son John Metz Jr. plans to expand his Marlow’s Tavern concept to a 13th location this year while also managing the Sterling Spoon Restaurant Group. Both enterprises are in the Atlanta area. This isn’t the first time the Metz family has received national honors. In 2013, John Metz Jr. was named the Gold Plate Award winner by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA). His father received the Silver Plate award in 1979. IFMA’s Gold & Silver Plate Awards are considered the most coveted operator awards in the food-service industry.

To see the entire Power 20 list, visit www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/business-trends/leaders/articles/ power-20-empires-strike-back.

Please see PERSONNEL on next page

PERSONNEL FILE BOARDS & COMMITTEES AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS

Library. At the annual meeting, Jerome F. Fabian, John G. Gerlach and David R. Saracino were re-elected as directors of First Keystone Corporation. They will serve on both the Board of Directors of First Keystone Corporation and First Keystone Community Bank for an additional three years.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Reynolds

Doll

As career opportunities for physician assistants (PAs) continue to expand, the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ (AAPA) recently elected board of directors is poised to lead the profession to the forefront of healthcare delivery. The 14-member board will be led by Jeffrey A. Katz, PA-C, DFAAPA of North Carolina. Of interst in northeastern Pennsylvania, AAPA’s 2015-2016 board will include: second vice speaker William T. Reynolds Jr., MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, Wilkes-Barre and director-at-large Michael C. Doll, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, Berwick.

DIME BANK

John S. Kiesendahl, chairman of the board, and Gary C. Beilman, president and chief executive officer of The Dime Bank, announced Amy Litzenberger as the newest board member to join the eight existing directors serving The Dime Bank and Dimeco Inc. (OTC Pink: DIMC), parent company of The Dime Bank. Litzenberger has a proven Litzenberger record of success in business development and corporate finance. Her professional experience spans both the corporate and nonprofit worlds. She has been involved in almost all aspects of corporate finance including initial and secondary public offerings, institutional and retail private placements, leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, and consolidations. Her work included identifying, evaluating, structuring and negotiating transactions; complex financial modeling; performing due diligence and financial consulting. Her current position is that of president of Haverford Penn Financial, a financial consulting firm. She co-founded and serves as chair of Take the Lead, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring women to leadership parity.

She is a member of the board of directors and one of the founders of the Kindred Spirts Arts Program. Since 2009, Litzenberger has served on the Annual Gala Dinner Committee for the Delaware Highlands Conservancy.

Additionally, she has served as the co-head of the Milford Music Festival, as a member of the Dinner Committee for the Center for Developmental Disabilities’ annual dinner and as a member of the Advisory Board of the Black Bear Film Festival.

FIRST KEYSTONE CORPORATION

First Keystone Corporation, the parent company of First Keystone Community Bank, recently held its 2015 annual meeting of shareholders at the Berwick Public

Carol Fahnestock has been elected to a three-year term on the board of the National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education (NAPAHE). The election was conducted at the 28th Annual Conference of NAPAHE that was held in conjunction with the American Council on Education’s annual meeting in Fahnestock Washington, D.C. NAPAHE is an organization devoted to providing professional development, informational resources and networking opportunities for presidential assistants in the United States and Canada. Fahnestock is the executive assistant to the president and secretary to the Board of Trustees at Misericordia University. She has been a member of the staff since 2008.

PENNSYLVANIA INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

Joseph R. Lohin, a certified public accountant (CPA) from Shavertown, was elected to the Professional Ethics Committee of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) for a three-year term.

Lohin was elected at PICPA’s 118th Annual CPA Convention held in Naples, Florida.

Lohin is an attorney with Lohin Lohin Law Offices LLC in Kingston, specializing in business law, tax planning, estate planning and administration, and tax representation before the IRS and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. He is a member of PICPA’s Personal Financial Planning Committee and the Northeastern Chapter Member Services Committee. In addition to his volunteer leadership with the PICPA, he is a member and former director and secretary of Back Mountain American Legion Baseball Inc. and the former president of Wyoming Valley American Legion Baseball League.

PENNSYLVANIA OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

Patrick Kerrigan, D.O., a veteran staff member of Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, was recently elected as a delegate of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association and will represent District 4 at meetings, which are held four times a year in Harrisburg and Philadelphia.

There are approximately 200 delegates and alternate delegates that serve and election

Kerrigan

Community advisory board members for the RUTH MATTHEWS BOURGER WOMEN WITH CHILDREN PROGRAM at Misericordia University, seated from left, Cathy Smith, Colleen Garrison, Lynn Pons, Robyn Price and Cheryl Fuller; standing, Sister Mary Ellen Fuhrman, RSM, Shannon Shennefelder, Tom Nicholls, Theresa Doughty, coordinator, WWC program; Patrick Musto, Sister Jean Messaros, RSM, vice president mission integration; Attorney Mark Clinton, Katherine Pohlidal, director, WWC; Brenda McGinley and Clancy Cash Harrison, participated in the monthly meeting to discuss mentoring programs for students and fundraising initiatives to benefit and grow the novel program. is based on nominations from District 4 members. Dr. Kerrigan, whose office is located on Hazle Avenue in Wilkes-Barre, has been in practice since July 21, 1986.

He is a 1984 graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed an internship and residency at Community General Osteopathic Hospital in Harrisburg (now a part of Pinnacle and Hershey Medical). He was named Intern of the Year in 1984 and was also the recipient of the Humaneness In Medicine award from the Pennsylvania Medical Society in 1986.

In 2012, Dr. Kerrigan was named the Family Physician of the Year by the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Family Physicians Society. Dr. Kerrigan has extensive experience serving on boards as he served as president of the medical staff at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in 2008.

He is a long-time board member and has also served as the chairman of the medical executive committee and chairman of the credentials committee.

RUTH MATTHEWS BOURGER WOMEN WITH CHILDREN PROGRAM

The community advisory board for the Ruth Matthews Bourger Women with Children Program at Misericordia University recently held its monthly meeting to discuss mentoring programs for students and fundraising initiatives to benefit and grow the novel program. The advisory board is comprised of community leaders who provide general advisement and mentoring to the women enrolled in the program and their children. Board members also act as community liaisons on behalf of the program. The Women with Children program was established by Misericordia University in 2000 in order to provide housing and support for academically qualified, single mothers and their children at two houses owned by the University. The program — one of only eight of its kind in the country — has prepared graduates for rewarding careers in nursing,

education, communications, occupational therapy, social work, medical imaging, psychology, business administration and speech-language pathology.

SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF MULTI-ETHNIC AMERICAN LITERATURE

Joe Kraus, Ph.D., professor of English and director of the Honors Program at The University of Scranton, has been elected president of the Society for the Study of Multi-Ethnic American Literature (MELUS). Dr. Kraus joined the faculty of the Department of English and Theatre at The University Kraus of Scranton in 2004. Since 2009, he has served as director of the University’s Honors Program, a Program of Excellence at Scranton that stresses independent work and provides a framework for students to work one-on-one with professors. Prior to joining the faculty at Scranton, Dr. Kraus served an assistant professor of English at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre. He has taught at several other colleges and universities during his career, including Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. MELUS is dedicated to understanding American literature as a broad canvas, one that has space for different voices coming from different ethnicities, nationalities, and cultural experiences. To that end, it publishes an acclaimed academic journal, MELUS, and hosts an annual scholarly conference. Dr. Kraus will serve a three-year term as president of MELUS. He succeeds Dr. Yemisi Jimoh of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Please see PERSONNEL on next page

PERSONNEL FILE ENGINEERING

GOVERNMENT

BORTON-LAWSON

Seen from left, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (PennDOT) Secretary Leslie S. Richards presents the PennDOT’s ‘Star of Excellence’ award to Walter Checefsky as George Roberts, P.E., district executive, PennDOT District 4-0, looks on.

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

BORTON-LAWSON’S marketing analyst, Tim Schoen joined other Pennsylvanians from manufacturing, small business, education, labor and supply chain companies in the Pennsylvania Capitol Rotunda to highlight the economic and job creation benefits of responsible shale gas development.

Borton-Lawson’s marketing analyst, Tim Schoen joined other Pennsylvanians from manufacturing, small business, education, labor and supply chain companies in the Pennsylvania Capitol Rotunda to highlight the economic and job creation benefits of responsible shale gas development. Schoen spoke about how the natural-gas industry has Schoen benefited him in the early part of his career. He remarked on how the industry has enabled more young professionals like himself to begin their careers in their hometowns and continue to live and work in Pennsylvania. Hosted by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the press conference brought together a diverse coalition of more than 20 organizations to communicate to members of the General Assembly and the Wolf Administration that higher energy taxes will hinder economic growth and put good paying jobs at risk.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Leslie S. Richards announced that 25 department employees received the agency’s Star of Excellence award, PennDOT’s highest recognition, during an event at the Governor’s Residence, “The Star of Excellence award illustrates that these employees, through their dedication, innovation and energy keep our agency in the forefront of customer service,” Richards said. “We estimate that this group of exemplary employees has saved taxpayers roughly $6 million through their efforts.”

PennDOT’s District 4 recipient is Walter Checefsky.

PENNSYLVANIA PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE TASKFORCE

Gov.Tom Wolf announced the appointment of 48 individuals to participate on the Pennsylvania Pipeline Infrastructure Taskforce, which will be chaired by Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Quigley.

The group of experts and stakeholders will recommend policies, guidelines and best practices to guide the anticipated and unprecedented build-out of pipeline infrastructure expected to take place across Pennsylvania during the next decade. The task force is made up of representatives from state agencies, the legislature, federal and local governments, the pipeline and natural gas industries and environmental groups. Experts were drawn from across the state and country. The members will define a set of recommendations and best practices for: planning, siting and routing pipelines; amplifying and engaging in meaningful public participation; maximizing opportunities for predictable and efficient permitting; employing construction methods that reduce environmental and community impacts; and developing long-term operations and maintenance plans to ensure pipeline safety and integrity. The task force will provide a report of recommendations to the governor by February 2016. More than 200 people applied to participate on the task force. The following is the list of task force appointees who are of interest in northeastern Pennsylvania: State Government: Karen Murphy, Secretary, Department of Health Agriculture and David Messersmith, Penn State Extension,

TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT: From left, Stanley Gorgas, Lori Giello, then-depot commander Col. Gerhard P.R. Schröter, Charles Keller and Joseph Rychwalski attend the recent Length of Service ceremony at Tobyhanna Army Depot. U.S. Army photo by Steve Grzezdzinski of Honesdale, Wayne County. Emergency Preparedness: Kenneth Klemow, Wilkes University, Luzerne County and Michael Helbing, Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, Lackawanna County. Local Government: Marvin Meteer, Wyalusing Township, Bradford County. Workforce/Economic Development: Don Kiel, of SEDA-COG, Lewisburg, Union County.

him as the commanding officer, Troop R, Dunmore. He most recently served as the station commander, Troop R, Blooming Grove. He has passed the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Bar Exams and is an active member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE

Four employees here were recognized for their years of government service during a recent Length of Service ceremony at Tobyhanna Army Depot. Honored were Joseph Rychwalski, 35 years, electronics mechanic, Avionics and Sensors Division, C4ISR Directorate; Charles Keller, 35 years, equipment measurement equipment mechanic, Logistics Support Division, Installation Services Directorate; Lori Giello, 30 years, education technician, Employee Development Division, Resource Management Directorate; and Stanley Gorgas, 30 years, logistics management specialist, C4 Program Management Division, Production Management Directorate.

LAW

for Justice and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. The NADC is committed to promoting a superior standard of legal excellence through recognizing some of the top legal advocates in the field.

Acting State Police Commissioner Marcus L. Brown has promoted Brian M. Vennie, a native of Blooming Grove Township, to lieutenant and assigned him to the Bureau of Integrity and Professional Standards, Internal Affairs Division – East. He most recently served as the Patrol Section Supervisor, Troop R, Blooming Grove.

Lieutenant Vennie also serves as a Drug recognition expert. He has received multiple department awards including the Medal of Honor and two Commendation Medals among others. Brown also promoted Christopher L. Paris, a native of Scranton, to captain and assigned

FELLERMAN & CIARIMBOLI

Edward J. Ciarimboli, a partner in the personal injury firm of Fellerman & Ciarimboli, has been selected by the National Association of Distinguished Council (NADC) as a member of the 2015 “Nation’s Top Attorneys.” A truly elite list, less than one percent of practicing attorneys are selected for this honor. Those chosen through a Ciarimboli rigorous selection process consist of the finest leaders of the legal profession from across the nation whose exceptional performance exemplifies only the highest standards. Ciarimboli focuses his practice in the areas of medical malpractice, tractor-trailer accidents and auto accidents. He serves on the board of governors for the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and the Rules Committee for the Luzerne County Bar Association. He is also a member of the American Association

TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT

KLEHR HARRISON HARVEY BRANZBURG

Lisa A. Lori, a partner at Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg, served as a keynote speaker at the NonProfit PRO Emerging Tech & Growth Conference, on July 21 in Philadelphia. Lori presented Two Perspectives for Cybersecurity Best Practices, which provided an overview of the legal issues and guidance in evaluating data Lori protection and minimizing risks in the event of cybersecurity breaches. Lori is a partner in the firm’s litigation and intellectual property practice groups. She maintains a national trial practice, with an emphasis on intellectual property, employment, fraud and contract matters.

Please see PERSONEL on next page

PERSONNEL FILE HEALTH CARE ALLIED SERVICES INTEGRATED HEALTH SYSTEM

Motley

Frey

Allied Services Integrated Health System announced Angela Motley as assistant vice president of health information management. Motley is a 25-year employee of Allied Services and a certified Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA). She is responsible for the maintenance Fox and release of confidential medical records for patients at the Skilled Nursing and Rehab Center, Allied Rehabilitation Hospital and the Allied Transitional Rehab Unit in Scranton. Motley was instrumental in the successful roll out of the nonprofit health system’s electronic medical record system. Allied also announced Mike Frey as assistant vice president of food services. Frey is a 10-year of employee of Allied Services with more than 30 years in the food services profession.

A certified food management professional, Frey holds responsibility for the food service operations at Allied Services Rehabilitation Hospital, Skilled Nursing and Rehab Center, Developmental Services Division, “Possibilities” employee and visitor cafeteria on the Scranton Campus and the Corporate Center cafeteria. Frey’s staff has earned stellar reviews on their food quality from employees, visitors and regulatory agencies that inspect the various kitchens under his direction and guidance.

In addition, Carmela Fox is now assistant vice president of human resources. Fox has been employed in the Human Resources Department for the past 20 years, most recently as director of human resources. Fox has earned both certified employee benefit specialist (CEBS) and professional in human resources (PHR) certifications. She is instrumental in the benefit design and renewal process each year, administers the compensation system, handles employee relations issues and grievances, HR information systems, and ensures compliance with numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations.

COMMONWEALTH HEALTH

Joseph Daley, D.P.M., has joined the practice of Dr. Leon Ellman Professional Corp., and will be on the medical staff at Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Dr. Daley is a podiatric physician with a background in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. He received a doctor of podiatric medicine degree from New York College of Podiatric Medicine.

He most recently served as a resident physician at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, New York.

Dr. Daley will hold office hours at the Dr. Leon Ellman

offices in Kingston, Plains Township and Shavertown.

Also, Ahamed Shamsedeen, M.D., has joined the medical staff of Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and will practice family medicine at 111 West End Road, Hanover Township. Dr. Shamsedeen earned a doctor of medicine Shamsedeen degree from Shanghai Second Medical University, China. He was in the internal medicine residency program at Richmond University Medical Center and most recently was in the family medicine residency program at Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. Dr. Shamsedeen was a research associate at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Yale University and was a post doctoral associate at Fox Chase Center.

Mark McHugh recently joined Regional Hospital of Scranton as administrative specialist. He earned a Master’s of Health Services Administration degree from Marywood University and is currently attending the Jay S Sidhu School of Business and Leadership at Wilkes University for a Masters of Business Administration. He McHugh completed an administrative residency at Moses Taylor Hospital and has worked in hospital management at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and First Hospital. He is also a committee member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Healthcare Executive Network.

GEISINGER HEALTH SYSTEM

Michaelyn Notz, D.O., pediatrician at Geisinger Health System’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, will provide additional care for pediatric patients who have medically complex conditions in the new Pediatric Complex Care Clinic. Patients age 18 and under who are technology dependent — i.e. gastric tube, wheelchair, etc. — and are manNotz aged by more than two pediatric specialists qualify for this clinic in the Foss Clinic at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. Dr. Notz will partner with the patient, their family members and the primary care doctor to coordinate emergency and care management plans; provide medication management; make recommendations for exacerbation management plans, when appropriate, for further care; and a psychosocial assessment to ensure that individuals are connected to community resources.Dr. Notz joined Geisinger in 2007 as a resident, after she graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She served as chief resident in 2012 at Geisinger Medical Center in Pediatrics.Dr. Notz is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians, American Osteopathic Association and Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association. She is board certified in pediatrics, internal medicine and osteopathic board of pediatrics.

SUSQUEHANNA HEALTH

Arlie Swailes, certified nurse midwife (CNM), has joined Susquehanna Health OB/GYN located in the new

Health Innovation Center, 740 High Street, Suite 1004, Williamsport. She comes to Susquehanna Health with over 12 years of midwifery experience. A Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) is a health professional licensed to provide care to women from adolescence though adulthood, including Swailes OB/GYN and maternity care.

They are educated in intensive medical programs and must pass a national examination.

Swailes received her Master of Science in Nursing and Midwifery at Lake Superior State University, Michigan.

THE COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL COLLEGE

Shetty

Callender

The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) announced that Shubhra Shetty, M.D., regional associate dean and professor of medicine, and Diana Callender, MBBS, DM, interim chair for clinical sciences and professor of pathology, have been named fellows in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program at Drexel University College of Medicine. Dr. Shetty and Dr. Callender are among 54 members of the 21st class of ELAM, the only program in North America dedicated to preparing women for senior leadership roles in academic health science institutions where they enhance institutional leadership diversity while contributing to organizational strategy and innovation. The one-year, part-time program combines three week-long in-residence sessions with distance learning, designed to take the leadership lessons gained from the classroom to practice at TCMC. Throughout next year, Dr. Shetty and Dr. Callender will enhance and practice skills in the areas of strategic finance, organizational change, and leadership. They will also conduct an Institutional Action Project in collaboration with the senior leadership of TCMC that will address a strategic institutional priority. Their work began earlier this month and involves online assignments and community-building activities that will continue through the end of the program in April 2016. The fellows will begin the first of their residency sessions in Lafayette Hill in September.

the Pike Dental Center in Lords Valley. Dr. Martino received her Doctor of Dental Medicine Degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Furthermore, she completed a residency in hospital-based dentistry at Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown. Dr. Martino has been Martino practicing dentistry for nine years. Prior to joining WMCHC, she was employed by James Sirotnak, DMD located in Mt. Pocono as well as the dental office of Charles Potter, DDS, Dupont.

WAYNE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

When Wayne Memorial Hospital initiates a new cardiac catheterization program in early 2016, Raymond Resnick, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, is expected to be at the helm.

Dr. Resnick, who is board certified in both interventional cardiology and cardiovascular diseases, joins the staff this summer after 10 years in Resnick practice with Great Valley Cardiology in Scranton. He will see general cardiology patients beginning in July, while helping Wayne Memorial pave the way for cardiac catheterization. Dr. Resnick has been practicing interventional cardiology for more than two decades. He earned his medical degree from the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. After medical school, Dr. Resnick completed his internship and residency at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. A fellowship followed in Invasive and Non-Invasive Cardiology at Long Island College Hospital. Dr. Resnick continued his training in interventional cardiology at West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Four Wayne Memorial Hospital employees were honored for 40 years of service at the hospital’s annual Service Awards dinner on June 11. Registration clerk Ruby Hagenmeier; nursing unit coordinator, Marie Dougherty; and home health nurses Karen Doney, RN and Mary Ellen Douglass, RN all joined the staff in 1975.

Please see PERSONNEL on next page

WAYNE MEMORIAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers (WMCHC) announced that Megan Martino, DMD has joined its staff.

Dr. Martino sees patients at

WAYNE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL: Wearing corsages to mark their 40-years of service at Wayne Memorial Hospital, Marie Dougherty; Mary Ellen Douglass, RN; Ruby Hagenmeier; and Karen Doney, RN celebrate with Wayne Memorial CEO David Hoff.

PERSONNEL FILE HIGHER ED KING’S COLLEGE

Ray

O’Connor

Dr. Ayesha Ray, associate professor of political science at King’s College, will be a visiting fellow at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, New Delhi, India, as part of her forthcoming sabbatical from July through December. Ray also was a guest speaker at the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Geostrategic Intelligence Seminar on Civil-Military Relations at the Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. She discussed her new book, “The Soldier and the State in India,” and the state of contemporary civil-military relations in India. She also spoke at a symposium on challenges to democracy in South Asia at Texas State University. Also, Dr. Noreen O’Connor, associate professor of English at King’s College, recently participated in a National Endowment for the Humanities Institute that explored the development of print and periodical culture in New York City. The institute, titled City of Print, was a collaborative and interdisciplinary program held at sites throughout the city, including the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the New York Historical Society, City Tech, Baruch College, and John Jay College.

MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY

Evans

Nardone

Misericordia University Center for Adult and Continuing Education (CACE) staff members Johnna Evans, M.S., Expressway student services coordinator, and Paul Nardone, M.S., interim director, CACE and Office of Summer Studies, recently presented “Innovative Practices to Engage and Retain Adult Learners” at the 9th Annual Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) Conference on Serving Adult Learners. The conference was held at DeSales University. The presentation on adult student retention addressed the fact that one-third of college students are over the age of 25, thus creating a need for colleges and universities to be proactive in their effort to engage and retain adult students. Nardone serves as an adjunct professor in the business department, in addition to his role as interim director of CACE. Evans advises adult students in the Expressway Accelerated Degree Program in a number of majors, including accounting, applied behavioral sciences, business administration,

government, law and national security, health care management, and information technology.

Lindsey M. Riddell has been named community outreach coordinator at Misericordia University. In this post, Riddell will spearhead outreach and service activities for groups, clubs, teams and individuals on Riddell campus, working with nonprofits and social service organizations throughout the region. Riddell also serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology, where she teaches child psychopathology and oversees groups of students in their practicum placements. Her experience includes working for the past several years in the human service fields in both Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.

PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Bock

Wood

Two Pennsylvania College of Technology faculty members shared their expertise with an international audience by presenting at the recent COMMON Annual Meeting and Exposition in Anaheim, California. Both Lisa R. Bock and Anita R. Wood, assistant professors of computer information technology, made two presentations during the four-day conference, which is COMMON’s premier educational event of the year. COMMON is the world’s largest professional association of IBM technology users and is dedicated to uniting the Power Systems community. Bock’s presentations were titled “Packet Analysis Using Wireshark for Beginners” and “Advanced Packet Analysis and Troubleshooting Using Wireshark.”

Wood presented “Cybersecurity Extends Its Reach Past Technology” and “The Role of Supervisors in Mitigating Security Threats.”

Alison A. Dillon has been named director of Pennsylvania College of Technology’s National Sustainable Structures Center, a ground-breaking force in the field of building science and energy-efficiency training. Effective July 1, Dillon — assistant director since 2011 — will be the main point of contact for the department, provide supervisory Dillon responsibilities for the team, and take the leadership role in working with NSSC’s clients and partners. She succeeds John E. Manz, who transitions to a role as director of special initiatives at NSSC. Dillon brings to her new position more than 12 years experience working with educational institutions, government, industry and nonprofits. Her background includes program and budget management, customer-relationship development, project and event coordination, presentations, instructional design, marketing, and program evaluation and improvement. Prior to Penn College, the former Wellsboro resident worked for

six years in Washington, D.C., as a training specialist for a federal contractor, implementing the company’s Masters Certificate Program. In addition, she has worked as a freelance research associate for the Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability, where she researched green building market trends, products and standards, and assisted in developing the framework for the SMART Sustainable Product Standards.

Teresa Grettano, Ph.D., and Donna Witek received the Excellence in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning award, presented to faculty members who enhance student learning. Dr. Grettano, an assistant professor of English and theatre, joined the university faculty in 2009. Witek, an associate professor of the library, joined the university faculty in 2008.

Leonard Gougeon, Ph.D., and Julie Ann Nastasi, O.T.D., were the recipients of the Excellence in Scholarly Publication award, presented to faculty members PENN STATE WILKES-BARRE who have attained distinction in scholarship or creOn July 1, Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Megan Macative activity. Dr. Gougeon, distinguished professor of Gregor stepped into a new role as student engagement English and theatre, has worked at the university since and outreach librarian. Since 2010, she has served the 1974. Dr. Nastasi, faculty specialist in occupational university libraries and the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus as an information resources and services support therapy, joined the university faculty in 2011.

Kristen A. Yarmey and Michael D. Friedman, specialist, and over the years has far-exceeded her formal Ph.D., received the Excellence for University Service responsibilities, most notably by stepping in to fill a gap and Leadership award. This award recognizes faculty left by a vacant head librarian position in 2014. She was recognized for her work this year with the Margaret Knoll members who have contributed service to the univerSpangler Oliver Libraries award. Primary responsibilities sity community, particularly those who demonstrate academic leadership by effectively mentoring their of this position will include collaborating with teaching junior colleagues. Yarmey, an associate professor faculty to incorporate information literacy skill development into the undergraduate curriculum instruction; using of library, has worked at the university since 2008.

Dr. Friedman, professor of English and theatre, has exhibitions, public programming, social networking, and worked at the University of Scranton since 1991. other innovative techniques to engage the student comRobert Willenbrink, Ph.D., received the Excelmunity with research and library services; and identifying and promoting the use of emerging technologies through- lence in Advancing Interdisciplinary Study award, which honors faculty members who cross boundaries out the campus community. between disciplines and departments to create innovapedagogies that enhance students’ learning and THE COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL COLLEGE tive prepare them for real-world challenges. Dr. WillenJohn Szarek, Ph.D., brink began to work at the University in 2009.

CHSE, professor of pharmaShuhua Fan, Ph.D., was the recipient of the Excelcology at The Commonwealth lence in Advancing Global Learning award, presented Medical College (TCMC) to faculty members who integrate international received the Master Teacher issues and perspectives into the curriculum. Dr. Fan, award from the International associate professor of history, began working at the Association of Medical SciUniversity in 2009. ence Educators (IAMSE) at Susan Carol Mendez, Ph.D.; Abhijit Roy, D.B.A.; their annual meeting on June and Michael Edward Allison, Ph.D., received the 13 in San Diego. The misExcellence in Integrating Mission and Justice into sion of IAMSE is to advance the Curriculum award. This award honors faculty Szarek health professions education who address issues of faith and justice continuously, through teacher development vigorously and increasingly. Dr. Mendez, associand to ensure that the teachate professor of English and theatre, has worked ing and learning of medical science continues to be at the University since 2006. Dr. Roy, professor of firmly grounded in foundational sciences and the best management, marketing, and entrepreneurship, joined practices of teaching. The Master Teacher award honors an IAMSE member who, over the course of a career, the University faculty in 2006. Dr. Allison, associate has consistently demonstrated extraordinary excellence professor of political science, serves as chair of the Department of Political Science. He joined the Univerin teaching, both at his or her institution and within sity faculty in 2006.

IAMSE. Dr. Szarek has been a member of IAMSE since 1999 and has consistently presented at their meetings WILKES UNIVERSITY about use of technology in education, simulation, and Thomas J. Thomas Jr., executive director of more recently, active learning and flipped classrooms.

University College at Wilkes University has received In addition to his professorship, Dr. Szarek also serves the Tri-State Consortium Award for Excellence as director of clinical pharmacology and education director for simulation in the Clinical Skills and Simulation and Service to the Community. Thomas was presented with the award at the consortium’s awards recCenter at TCMC. He also co-leads the interprofessional ognition banquet held in April. The award recognizes education curriculum thread for TCMC, a role in which an individual for contributions to the consortium and he helps develop and lead activities that bring together to educational opportunity programs in the students from multiple health professions schools in United States, particularly in the states of New Jersey, the surrounding geographic area.

New York and Pennsylvania. The award — considered the consortium’s most prestigious recognition — is given to an individual who has performed with UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON excellence in his or her profession and has provided Eleven full-time University of Scranton faculty high-quality service to underrepresented, first generamembers were honored recently with Provost Faculty tion, underprepared or economically disadvantaged Enhancement awards for excellence in teaching, scholarship or service. The provost, associate provost, student populations. and Provost Advisory Group selected the recipients from a pool of candidates nominated by academic Please see PERSONNEL on next page deans and department chairs.

PERSONNEL FILE NONPROFITS FEEDING PENNSYLVANIA

Feeding Pennsylvania announced that former energy industry executive Jane Clements-Smith has been named its executive director. Feeding Pennsylvania is a collaborative effort of eight Feeding America-affiliated food banks. It is a state-wide voice on hunger and secures food and other resources to reduce Clements Smith food insecurity. Clements-Smith previously worked at Chesapeake Energy, the second-largest U.S. producer of natural gas, as its manager for corporate development, overseeing community relations and education in northeastern Pennsylvania. Most recently, Clements-Smith served as a development officer for The Guthrie Clinic, a nonprofit health system in Pennsylvania and New York. Feeding America is a national network of food banks that works collaboratively to feed the hungry and engage Americans in the fight to end hunger.

HONESDALE ROTARY CLUB

The Honesdale Rotary Club has a new president, Andy Lane Chapman; a new vice president, Atty. Zach Jennings; and a new second vice president, Laurie Harrington. The three were officially installed during a dinner at Woodloch Springs in Hawley. Secretary Kay Reynolds and treasurer Larry Caruth retained their positions, along with sergeant-at-arms, Margaret Allen. Chapman, whose late father Frank Lane was a longtime Rotary club member, took over the reins from Jordan Ubertini.

Chapman was pinned by Newfoundland club member and District 7410 director, Robert Chavey. The Honesdale club also honored three members with Paul Harris Fellow

awards, which recognize individuals who contribute or who have contributions made in their name (as the Honesdale club did) of $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. The honorees were Richelle Stephens, who launched the Rotary’s successful Beer Garden fund raiser at Honesdale’s Roots & Rhythm festival; Laurie Harrington, who helped the club secure Regula foundation funds to build batting cages for Honesdale Little Baseball; and Tom Moore, who received his second Paul Harris award.

NORTHEAST REGIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

John Regula was recently named the chair of the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s 23rd annual Cancer Survivors Day — Honoring, Remembering, Sharing.

Regula currently serves as the vice president and chief information officer for Allied Services of Pennsylvania.

He provides guidance and leadership in the selection and implementation of innovative information and telecommunications solutions. This is his first year chairing Cancer Survivors Day. Cancer Survivors Day is a dual-location event set for Saturday, Sept. 12 at Kirby Park in WilkesBarre and Saturday, Sept. 26 at McDade Park in Scranton from 10 a.m. to noon and is free of charge. The events feature the “Circle of Survivors,” an activity during which every person in attendance has the opportunity to say a few words about their experience with cancer. Conversation and light refreshments provide an additional opportunity for connection and support. Cancer survivors, their families and friends, as well as caregivers and healthcare professionals are invited to attend. For more information, go to www.cancernepa.org or call the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute at 1-800-424-6724.

PENNFUTURE

PennFuture announced the appointment of Larry J. Schweiger as president and CEO of the statewide environmental advocacy organization after a four-month national search. He succeeds Cindy Adams Dunn, who left the organization in January to assume the role of Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Schweiger comes to PennFuture after 10 years at the helm of the National Wildlife Federation, where he led the organization’s four million members and supporters and 47 state and territorial affiliates. He is a past president and CEO of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, held a key leadership role at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and served as executive secretary of a bipartisan HONESDALE ROTARY: Andy Lane Chapman was officially installed as environmental committee of the president of the Honesdale Rotary Club by District 7410 officer, Bob Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Chavey. Seen, back row from left to right: new Rotary vice president, PennFuture is a statewide public interest membership organizaZach Jennings, far left, with new second vice president and Paul tion founded in 1998 with ofHarris award-winner, Laurie Harrington; secretary, Kay Reynolds; fices in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, treasurer, Larry Caruth; and sergeant-at-arms, Margaret Allen.

Philadelphia and Wilkes-Barre.

Seen from left are members of The Carl Maurer Team, Caryn Centini, realtor; Dennis Farrelly, general manager; Carl Maurer, president; and Donna Sorrentino, administrative assistant.

REAL ESTATE BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS WILKINS AND ASSOCIATES

Thomas R. Wilkins, CEO, announced the promotion of Dennis Farrelly, realtor to the position of general manager of The Carl Maurer Team. The Carl Maurer Team, which was founded by Carl Maurer in 2003, was specifically designed and tailored to handle REO accounts for a number of lenders. With the first downturn in the market during the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) failure, through the most recent downturn in real estate which occurred approximately seven years ago, the team has been a leader in this field. As general manager, Farrelly will still continue to secure the properties and ready them for sale, but in addition to that, will be responsible for the

day-to-day communication with the lenders regarding that specific asset. Farrelly also will be responsible for the additional personnel on The Carl Maurer Team

WEICHERT, REALTOR — ACCLAIM

Weichert Realtors — Acclaim, located in Tannersville announced Andelina Katz has joined the firm as a sales agent.

Katz is serving buyers and sellers in the Pocono Mountains, Bushkill, and Tobyhanna. Katz is a member of the Pocono Mountain Association of Realtors and Is a Top 5 Producer with the firm.

Katz

GEORGE J. HAYDEN: Seen are, from left: Jamie Mansanales, Hayden project manager; Usbaldo Trevino, Hayden vice president; Richard Lindsey, Hayden director of construction; George F. Hayden, Hayden president; Chen Yongxiang, Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corporation; and Li Jianxiang, Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corporation.

GEORGE J. HAYDEN ELECTRIC AND COMMUNICATIONS

George J. Hayden Inc., a local Hazleton contractor, and Primetals Technologies, a new Siemens company and innovative national leader in the steel industry, have partnered to construct a 138kV substation in Corpus Christi, Texas, for Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corporation (TPCO) America. TPCO America is located in San Patricio, Texas, and is owned by Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corporation, Tianjin, China. This project will involve the construction of a switchyard, an SVC filter system and a 138 kV pole

line to meet the needs of local conditions which demand a large load on the power grid in Eastern Texas. The size and scope of this construction project showcases George J. Hayden, Inc.’s expertise in building a three phase substation project of this size for the first time with Chinese-based Tianjin Pipe Corporation. The TPCO America project is the second time the Hayden Electric team has partnered with Primetals Technologies. In July, Hayden is scheduled to complete the Voestapine Steel substation project in Gregory, Texas for an Austrianbased company.

NEW INCS — continued from previous page 63 Tripp Street Products LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9. Ecommerce products. 288 Tripp Street, West Wyoming 18644.

Yunistar Transport LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 23.

Trucking. 535 North Lafayette Court, Hazleton 18201.

MONROE COUNTY

Ace of Waste LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18. Residential waste removal. 5199 Hamilton Street, Saylorsburg 18353.

Aegean Express Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 9. Charter bus company. 540 route 196, Tobyhanna 18466.

All Aboard Transport LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9. Transporting vehicles. 531 Archer Mark, East Stroudsburg 18301.

Anointed Hands Quality Flooring LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 29. Flooring. 9892 Breezeway Terrace, Tobyhanna 18466.

Bath Auto Center Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Sales and service. 1137 Beaver Valley Road, Stroudsburg 18360.

BMG LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 8. Consulting.

2689 Rim Rock Drive, Stroudsburg 18360.

Brodheadsville Self Storage Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Storage unit rental facility. 532 Jenna Drive, Brodheadsville 18322.

C & N Handyman Service LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9. Handyman services. 157 Pioneer Road, Kunkletown 18058.

Ca-Rollin LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 29. Unknown. 172 Shepherd Lane, Swiftwater 18370.

Cartesio’s Rainbow Automotive LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 17. Auto repair. 1704 Route 940, Suite 103, Pocono Pines 18350.

Cawish Brands. Commercial. Filed: June 23. Distribution. 2213 Shafer Road, Stroudsburg 18360.

FOR THE RECORD

Celebrity Authentics LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Talent booking. 201 Dartmouth Drive, East Stroudsburg 18301.

Cherry Valley Contracting Company. Commercial.

Filed: June 17. Construction services. 219 Lower Cherry Valley Road, Saylorsburg 18353.

Complete Wellness LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Yoga and nutrition advisor. 907 Main Street, No. 202, Stroudsburg 18360.

Crown Capital International LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 22. Consulting services. 1 Jonathans Way, Henryville 18332.

Diversity Organization LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1. Seminars. 422 Rolling Hill Way, East Stroudsburg 18302.

Drinkin’ Buddies Limited. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Make, sell product for consumer use. 53 Holly Forest Road, Mount Pocono 18344.

Eleanor Transport LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 23.

Trucking. 121 Elizabeth Street, East Stroudsburg 18301.

Exotic Property Recovery LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Real estate. 12317 Havenwood Drive, East Stroudsburg 18302.

Frankie Contractor LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6.

Roofing and siding. 5539 Bridle Road, Stroudsburg 18360.

Fume Asian Grill & Sushi 1 Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Restaurant. 1240 North 9th Street, Suite 102, Stroudsburg 18360.

HBDOC Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 1. Child care center and real estate rental. 114 McMichaels Court, Stroudsburg 18360.

Heart & Soul Transport LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. 123 Willow Lane, Apt. 102, Cresco 18326.

Horizon Digital Lens LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18. Purchase and sell optical equipment. 1036 North 9th

Street, Stroudsburg 18360.

Inner Outer Utopia Pet Care LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Pet care. 1007 Staghorn Road, Stroudsburg 18360.

It’s Peanut Butter & Jelly Time LLC. Commercial.

Filed: July 6. Sale of peanut butter and jelly. 260 River Road, East Stroudsburg 18301.

Jeremiah Brewing Company. Commercial. Filed: June 17. Beer brewing. 221 East Broad Street, East Stroudsburg 18301.

JJTP Group Ltd. Commercial. Filed: July 3. Business management, law, technology, capital management consulting. 1119 Crestview Drive, Stroudsburg 18360-9710.

JM Technologies Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 19. IT consulting. 115 Lamsden, Albrightsville 11228.

KAK Innovative Concepts LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Internet sales. 1226 Pocono Heights Road, Tobyhanna 18466.

Klingel’s Pool Service LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18.

Pool service. 528 Cranberry Road, East Stroudsburg 18301.

Kohler Real Estate LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9.

Real estate. 3801 Foxborough Court, Stroudsburg 18360.

L & A Transport Corporation. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Transportation, trucking. 2251 Pinewood Lane, Stroudsburg 18360.

MLM Network LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18.

Marketing consulting. 282 Bangor Mountain Road, Stroudsburg 18360.

Mountain Appliance Repair LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22. Appliance repair. 116 Wood Acres Drive, Cresco 18326.

Mountain Power Sports LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6.

Motorcycle repair. 558 Sir Geoffrey Court, Pocono Lake 18347.

O’Sullivan KN Rental LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 25. Manage investment real estate. 144 Lackawanna Avenue, East Stroudsburg 18301.

P and A Survivor Clothing Inc. Commercial. Filed:

June 17. Retail. 2829 Pine Street, Saylorsburg 18353.

Pathfinders Investors Group LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 29. Real estate. 124 Murray Hill Road, East Stroudsburg 18302.

Phillips Property Management LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Real estate. 108 Milsone Drive, East Stroudsburg 18301.

Pocono Area Lawnscapes LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Landscaping, lawn maintenance and property clean up. 104 Russell Lane, Saylorsburg 18353.

Pocono Rocks Incorporated. Commercial. Filed: July 7. Cafe offering beverages and snacks. 1428 Pocono Boulevard, Mount Pocono 18344.

Pottstown Practice Management Consultants Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Management consulting. c/o WRW Associates Inc. Relax It’s Just Yoga LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22. Yoga, meditation. 25 Cherokee, Delaware Water Gap 18327.

Renee Dee Photography Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 24. Photography. 6031 Running Valley Road, Stroudsburg 18360.

RKE Properties LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 13.

1250 Gallagher Road, Tobyhanna 18466.

RNL Properties LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Real estate. 306 Shawnee Valley Drive, East Stroudsburg 18302.

Robertson Racing LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 24.

Off-road racing parts services. 24 Cobblewood Drive, Mount Pocono 18344.

Royal Towing and Recovery LLC. Commercial.

Filed: July 8. Auto and gas sales, towing. 254 Memorial Boulevard, Tobyhanna 18466.

S.L.A. Enterprise LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 7.

Please see NEW INCS on next page

FOR THE RECORD NEW INCS —continued from previous page

Finneran Enterprises LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Healthy vending machine sales. 800 East Norwegian Street, Pottsville 17901.

Hong Kong 61 Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 17. Restaurant. 118 East Norwegian Street, Pottsville 17901.

JD Auto Sales LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Car sales. 42-44 Overlook Drive, New Ringgold 17960.

Lift Truck Solutions LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16.

Fork lift repairs. 2 Marstown Alley, Pine Grove 17963.

Mountain Road Truck Repair LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 25. Truck repair, maintenance. 722 East Mountain Road, Hegins 17938.

Mountain Road Truck Repair LLC. Commercial.

Filed: June 25. Truck repair and maintenance. 722 East Mountain Road, Hegins 17938.

MSD Computing LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6.

Installation of computer hardware and software. 912 East Pine Street, Mahanoy City 17948.

Productive Farm Products LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Sale of farm products. 160 Farm View Road, Schuylkill Haven 17972.

Property Management of Pennsylvania IncorpoPIKE COUNTY rated. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Real estate. 426 505 Penn Ave LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 30. ComWashington Street, Tamaqua 18252. mercial. Rental property. 405 Fifth Street, Matamoras 18336.

Q & A Pest Control LLC. Commercial. Filed: June Arin Trading LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 7. Interna- 22. Pest control. 1450 West Lynn Street, Coal Township tional trading. 1214 Stony Hollow Circle, East Strouds17866. burg 18302.

S.B. Hay Trucking LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Cloud Vapes Limited Liability Company. CommerTrucking. 272 6th Street, Coaldale 18218. cial. Filed: June 24. Vapor store. 208 East Hardford Street, Schuylkill Screams LLC. Commercial. Filed: June Milford 18337.

15. Entertainment. 22 St. John Street, Schuylkill Haven First Class Home Improvement Services Company. 17972.

Commercial. Filed: June 29. Home improvement. 124 Shappell Investments LLC. Commercial. Filed: June Laurel Woods Road, Greeley 18425.

17. Real estate investments. 303 Roosevelt Boulevard, Fish and Game Paw Company. Commercial. Filed: Schuylkill Haven 17901.

June 16. Product development marketing and retail sales.

The Dog Haus LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26.

150 Georgia Circle, Milford 18337.

Restaurant. 120 Green Street, Brockton 17925.

Glamour Style LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 20.

Time 2 Play Academy. Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Cleaning, janitorial services and crafts. 100 Laurel Court, Day care. 213 North Route 183, Schuylkill Haven 17972.

Milford 18337.

SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY Jag Shop Incorporated. Commercial. Filed: June Bertonica LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 30. Oil and 26. Wholesale, retail business. 141 Windwood Drive, gas management. 508 Strocks Grove Road, Upper Black Dingmans Ferry 18328.

Eddy 18972.

Kaminski Jozef LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 8.

Cabinhill Farm Partners LP. Commercial. Filed: Unknown. 114 E Balsam Road, Greentown 18426.

June 18. 132 Reservoir Lane, Harford 18823. Cabinhill Karch Connect LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18.

Logistics consulting. 111 Pitch Pine Drive, Milford 18337. Management LLC, general partner.

Cabinhill Management LLC. Commercial. Filed: New Essence Nails Corp. Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Nail salon. 111 Hulst Drive, Suite 707, Matamoras 18336. June 18. General partner of a limited partnership. 132 Professional Surrogacy Escrow Services LLC. Com- Reservoir Lane, Harford 18823.

David’s Garden Ltd. Commercial. Filed: June 22. mercial. Filed: June 18. Administering escrow accounts Painting and design. 420 Tyler Road, New Milford 18834. for surrogacy clients. 2573 Route 6, Hawley 18428.

HBF Management LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 8.

Property Couple LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 24.

Manage real estate holdings. 2328 Osborne Road, New Real estate. 2113 Dorset Court, Bushkill 18324.

Milford 18834.

Rory Mc Kean Custom Homes Inc. Commercial.

HBF Resources LP. Commercial. Filed: July 8. 2328 Filed: June 15. Building, construction. 134 Maple Drive, Osborne Road, New Milford 18834. HBF Management Shohola 18458.

LLC, general partner.

Shiny Mountain LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 23.

J & L LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 30. Oil and gas manSales. 853 Route 507, Suite 100, Greentown 18426. agement. 508 Strocks Grove Road, Upper Black Eddy 18972.

ST Transportation LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 16.

Mrs. Colleen’s Childcare Too LLC. Commercial. Filed: Car carrier. 1622 Route 739, Dingmans Ferry 18328.

July 1. Child care. 224 Wood Road, Springville 18844.

Vepk Remodeling LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 7.

Parraga Legacy Family Limited Partnership.

Unknown. 114 East Balsam Road, Greentown 18426.

Commercial. Filed: June 29. 8535 State Route 2067, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY Susquehanna 18847.

B3h2 LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Fund raising.

Round Room Productions LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 2060 West Market Street, Pottsville 17901.

6. Film production. 756 Williams Road, Montrose 18801.

Butterfly Birth Services LLC. Commercial. Filed: Shawnee Boys Garage LLC. Commercial. Filed: June July 2. Support during pregnancy, birth and postpartum 22. Auto repair. 320 Woodbourne Road, Montrose 18801. period. 33 Elmer Street, Ashland 17921.

T&D Tires LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 10. BookkeepCoal Country Kitchen LLC. Commercial. Filed: ing, inventory, bill pay. 155 Hinkley Drive, Hallstead 18822.

June 16. Catering services. 234 North Railroad Avenue, Thomas Chimney And Stoves Enterprises LLC. Frackville 17931.

Commercial. Filed: June 18. Residential construction.

Unknown. 132 Wilderness Trail, Scotrun 18355.

Samridh 3 LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Real estate. 183 Wyndham Drive, Cresco 18326.

Santiago Enterprises Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 15.

Consulting. 35A Holley Forest Drive, Mount Pocono 18344.

Shlok Corp of Pa. Commercial. Filed: June 25. Retail vape shop. 7 Liberty Square Plaza, East Stroudsburg 18302.

Stroud Office Services LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 25. Bookkeeping. 256 Schoolhouse Road, East Stroudsburg 18302.

Sunset Trucking Limited Liability Company. Commercial. Filed: June 22. Trucking, cargo. 806 Main Street, Stroudsburg 18360.

Walking on Sunshine Creative Services Limited Liability Company. Commercial. Filed: June 16. Internet servicing and consulting. 40 Pheasant Hill Drive, Kunkletown 18058.

Wasbees Solutions LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6.

Technical consulting services. 3317 Mountain View Drive, Tannersville 18372.

1834 Oakley Road, Kingsley 18826.

Thomas Transportation LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 30. Trucking. 235 Greenwood Street, PO Box 27, Hop Bottom 18824.

Vachnamrute Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 23. Retail tobacco store. 1866 State Route 106, Mount View Plaza No. 2, Clifford 18413.

WAYNE COUNTY

369 Lake Lorraine LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1.

Real estate. 369 Lake Lorraine Road, Poyntelle 18454.

572 Finn Swamp Road LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 29. Real estate. 572 Finn Swamp Road, Lakeville 18438.

AAL Creative Ventures LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 24. Internet sales. 5601 River Road, Equinunk 18417.

Bluestone Bar & Grill LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1.

Restaurant. 17 Davis Road, Building C, Waymart 18472.

CBJN Merlin Inc. Commercial. Filed: June 15. Insurance services, consulting. 706 Marion Street, Browndale 18421.

Crum Construction LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Construction and masonry. 189 Daniels Road, Honesdale 18431.

Farview RES Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Retail sales. 228 Roosevelt Highway, Waymart 18472.

Gravity RSE Inc. Commercial. Filed: July 6. Real estate. 228 Roosevelt Highway, Waymart 18472.

Happy Paws School For Dogs LLC. Commercial.

Filed: July 8. Dog training. 2009 Beach Lake Highway, Beach Lake 18405.

Honesdale New York Nails LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1. Nail salon services. 865 Main Street, Honesdale 18431.

JCW Mountain LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 9.

Timber management and harvesting. 447 Main Street, PO Box 1170, Gouldsboro 18424.

LWRNCBRN LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22. Photography. 1365 Bridge Street, Honesdale 18431.

MFJBS LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 1. Real estate.

17 Davis Road, Building C, Waymart 18472.

Northeast Sports Travel LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 19. Manage and arrange travel for sports team. 267 Erk Road, Honesdale 18431.

Pustoshka LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 8. Investment services. 79 Westwood Boulevard, Gouldsboro 18424.

Rarick Welding Enterprises LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Welding and steel fabrication. 118 North Barnes Road, Moscow 18444.

Royal Pools Construction LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18. Building and repairing in-ground pools. 621 Larch Lane, PO Box 12, Equinunk 18417.

RRF Associates LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 26. Affiliate marketing. 52 Jurgensen Road, Damascus 18415.

Sandy’s City Deli LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 18.

Deli, sandwich, coffee shop. 605 A, Hamlin Highway, Hamlin 18427.

The Car Wash On Hamlin Highway LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22. Car wash. 1126 Hamlin Highway, Lake Ariel 18436.

The Sports Factory of NEPA LLC. Commercial. Filed: July 7. Sports training, fitness and activities. 8 Riverside Drive, White Mills 18473.

Twisted Flower LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 22.

Vending sales. 108 North Shore Lane, Lake Ariel 18436.

WYOMING COUNTY

A+ Floorcare LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 29.

Floor cleaning and maintenance. 1961 State Route 6, Factoryville 18419.

Bette S. Farr Family Limited Partnership. Commercial.

Filed: July 9. 2955 State Route 87, Forkston Township 18629. Farr, Bette, S., general partner.

Sturdmont Farms LLC. Commercial. Filed: June 29.

Real estate management, oil and gas. 1278 Clapper Hill Road, Laceyville 18623.

STOCKS This report on insider trading activity has been prepared for informational purposes only by James Blazejewski, CFP, Senior Vice President-Investment Officer, Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC,672 North River Street, Suite 300, Plains, PA 18705. It is based on information generally available to the public from sources believed to be reliable.

No representation is made that the information is accurate or complete and it does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any particular security. Current information contained in this report is not indicative of future activity.

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, member NYSE & SIPC. Source of data: Thomson Financial

INSIDER TRADING ACTIVITY ON STOCKS OF LOCAL INTEREST FOR AUGUST (CBU – 38.37) COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM Brian Ace, director of Community Bank System, exercised options for 3,298 shares on July 2 (exercised 6.6 months prior to the expiration date) at $23.74 per share for a total cost of $78,295 and on the same date surrendered 2,032 shares back to the company at $38.54 per share for total proceeds of $78,313. Ace controls 47,315 shares directly and 126 shares indirectly.

Brian Donahue, vice president of Community Bank System, exercised options for 6,182 shares on June 22 (exercised 6.9 months prior to the expiration date) at $23.74 per share for a total cost of $146,761 and on the same date sold those shares at $37.49 per share for total proceeds of $231,752. Donahue controls 33,759 shares directly and 6,743 shares indirectly.

(CZNC – 20.32) CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORPORATION Jan Fisher, director of Citizens & Northern Corporation, purchased 306 shares on July 6 at $20.32 per share for a total cost of $6,219. Fisher controls 15,666 shares directly. Over the last six months, insiders of Citizens & Northern Corporation acquired 3,783 shares and disposed of 1,599 shares.

(FNB – 14.38) FNB BANCORP Edward Watson, director of FNB Bancorp, purchased 569 shares on June 22 at $18.45 per share for a total cost of $10,497. Watson controls 3,998 shares directly.

Over the last six months, insiders of FNB Bancorp acquired 4,350 shares and disposed of 10,000 shares.

(NWFL – 29.67) NORWOOD FINANCIAL CORPORATION James Burke, vice president of Norwood Financial Corporation, purchased 810 shares on June 25 at $28.40 per share for a total cost of $23,004. Burke controls 2,287 shares directly.

Over the last six months, insiders of Norwood Financial Corporation acquired 954 shares and disposed of 635 shares.

(NBTB – 26.27) NBT BANCORP Martin Dietrich, chief executive officer of NBT Bancorp, exercised options for 6,470 shares on June 29 (exercised 1.1 months prior to the expiration date) at $24.45 per share for a total cost of $158,164 and on the same date sold those shares at $26.32 for total proceeds of $170,291. Dietrich controls 186,357 shares directly and 30,433 shares indirectly.

Jeffrey Levy, vice president of NBT Bancorp, sold 357 shares on June 29 at $26.65 per share for total proceeds of $9,514. Levy controls 46,147 shares directly and 6,611 shares indirectly.

Over the last six months, insiders of NBT Bancorp disposed of 41,186 shares.

Prices as of close of business on July 8.