It’s a changing world, and students at Bradford Area School District have a unique chance to learn a trade right in the hallowed halls of the high school.
“We are unique in the state because we are a high school that has its own career and technology program in our school,” said David Ray, high school principal. “We have 11 programs with the recent addition of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning).”
The other ten areas of focus for students are: Automotive Technology, Carpentry, Child Development and Early Childhood Education, Computer Technology, Engineering Technology, Health Occupations, Machine Technology, Marketing Technology, Well Drilling and Petroleum Technology. Additional information on the programs are available at their website: www.
bradfordareaschools.org
“We still have Petroleum Technology and a well that can pump oil. It remains a staple of our program,” said Ray. “We have had that program since the 1970s.” Ray said that they recently received grant dollars from the Pennsylvania Department of Education that will provide their program with an $85,000 CNC machine.
According to TargetTech, an industry news provider, the computer numerical control (CNC) is a manufacturing method
that automates the control, movement and precision of machine tools through the use of preprogrammed computer software, which is embedded inside the tools.
“Students will be able to write programs that the CNC machine will then use to create parts,” said Ray. “We know that having something like this is important for our students entering the modern workforce or pursuing further education. We anticipate making this available as soon as late spring.”
Tim Roff with Allegheny Bradford
Corp. emphasized the importance of working with educators and building needed skills for the workforce.
“We work together. It is beneficial to students, educators and manufacturers to determine what our needs will be,” said Roff. “Last year we had two seniors that worked here as part of their education.
“After they graduated they came here, one as a welder and the other in manufacturing.”
Ray said that their program is diverse and popular. They have 275 students in the
11 program areas and another 100 students enrolled in one period a day. He said the programs allow flexibility with the classes students pursue.
“We could have a student taking carpentry and an advanced literature class,” said Ray. “It is meant to be flexible and create more opportunities. Students can also work in their area of study as part of their education.”
Ray said the school also weaves machine technology, engineering technology and marketing and business together, giving students a better view of real-world
processes.
He said that the school constantly communicates with local industry leaders to keep the programs offered up-to-date and relevant to the workforce needs in the region.
“We appreciate the relationship we have with our leaders in industry,” said Ray. “We are holding an event in March to help bring our stakeholders in, let them see what we are doing and get feedback on how we can better educate our students as they prepare to enter the workforce.”
Henry Burns founded Burns & Burns Insurance in 1939. He graduated from Sligo High School in 1932 and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. He then completed his schooling with a Master’s in Education from the University of Pittsburgh.
After schooling, Burns worked as a high school principal at Porter Township High School. In 1939, he was strongly encouraged to become an insurance agent due to his vibrant personality and educational background. He then associated with a personal lines company and began writing auto and property policies (homeowners did not exist at the time) out of his home office in the evenings after school.
NEW OFFICE
Burns & Burns in Bradford moved to a new office location during 2021. The new office at 10 Chestnut St. is located “just around the corner” from the old location. With the move, the company upgraded much of the office equipment and signage.
Community Involvement
In 1948, when eight school districts consolidated into one, Burns retired from education and went into insurance full-time. He moved to a brick-andmortar office location and named it Clarion Insurance Services. At that time, Clarion was the hub of the local area, making it the perfect place to headquarter his business. Burns partnered with Equitable to offer clients life insurance coverage in addition to auto and property. Throughout his career, Burns always put the client above everything else. At Burns & Burns, and the company continues upholding that belief today. This year, Burns & Burns will be celebrating 85 years in business. Plans are in the works to celebrate the big anniversary.
Ben Kirsch, regional vice president and office manager of the Bradford
Burns & Burns values local communities and is always looking for ways to give back or get involved. B&B representatives love to attend the annual PumpkinFest in the fall and provide water to the runners of the Kinzua Bridge Challenge. The company is always searching for many other events across the nine office locations to participate in.
PRIORITIES
location, is heavily involved in the Bradford community. He is the president of the Rotary Club of Bradford, and soon-to-be Area Governor. He is the vice president of the McKean County SPCA. Kirsch helps coach his kids’ soccer teams and one can also find him around town playing favorite music as a DJ.
Jennifer Smith, a customer service representative at the Bradford location, also gives back to her community. She is the treasurer for the Penn York Oil & Gas Affiliates. Smith is an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Bradford. She also participates in a Ladies Diners Club.
Throughout 2023 and into 2024, Burns & Burns Insurance maintained its main values of innovation, competitive and impeccable service, care for its employees, and honesty and trust with its clients. The biggest priority is being there for clients when they need it most. Burns & Burns strives to be a dependable and stable force in this very uncertain world. The company continues to
do the same thing they’ve done for 85 years. Burns & Burns’ physical locations span across Northwestern Pennsylvania and have nine convenient branches, located in Clarion, Bradford, Clearfield, Erie, Meadville, Mercer, New Wilmington, Tionesta, and Warren. Representing over 60 insurance carriers, Burns & Burns is licensed to offer many lines of coverage, including auto, home, life, business, health, Medicare, bonds, workers’ compensation, benefits, events, weddings and more. They also provide a vast array of investment and brokerage services. With over 900 combined years of experience, Burns & Burns is sure to find the right fit for customers’ insurance needs. Visit their Facebook page or website for more information or a free quote.
Richgas is a family owned business serving North Central PA and Southwestern NY. We celebrated our 100th Anniversary in 2014. In 2015 we purchased the retail propane business of Bradford Nugas, from owners Jerry & Martha Craver. This was a natural merger of 2 companies with identical operations.
We install above ground and below ground bulk propane tanks & 100 lb. cylinders. All installations & deliveries are made by our professional employees who continually attend schools & seminars to keep up to date on new products, procedures and regulations.
Richgas has a referral program in place—refer a friend, neighbor or family member and receive a $50 credit toward your next fill, if they become our bulk customer. New customers will receive a first fill discount.
Building on Zippo’s improvements across multiple operational areas and another recordsetting sales year for Case in 2023 — Mark Paup, president and CEO of Zippo Manufacturing Company and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co., is bullish on both brands’ futures.
“In January, we spotlighted the latest products from Case and Zippo at our largest tradeshow of the year in Las Vegas, and the response was outstanding. Our new, innovative designs were well received; people were very excited about the new Bridgeline from Case and the new FlameScapes™ line from Zippo Outdoor.”
Paup recognizes 2023 as a challenging year for Zippo, as the company worked to iron out supply chain issues and reduce inventories abroad that were built up by the dynamics of the pandemic. “But”, he said, “all the heavy lifting is behind us, and we’re busy playing offense now.”
Paup shared his vision for 2024. “By sharing best practices in our critical operational areas like sales, marketing, engineering, innovation and finance across our companies (Zippo, Case and Northern Lights), we’re able to focus on the growth opportunities before us. The new products we’re coming out with today are feeding into that growth and expansion.”
To maintain that growth, Paup said they know they must continue to invest in technology to remain competitive and relevant even as these costs continue to escalate. To maintain a balanced plan, they’ve prioritized critical sales and marketing tools like e-commerce, digital marketing, and data modeling/analysis.
At the same time the company continues to invest in its people as improvements in automation continue to stabilize the workforce.
Paup pointed to some of its emerging markets as examples of how the company’s experience, resiliency and commitment have led to accelerated growth. Over the last ten years, Zippo has invested heavily to
secure its brand’s success in China while increasing market sales.
“We’re borrowing from our learnings in building our business in China over the last decade to help accelerate growth in other emerging markets,” explained Paup. He pointed to India and the expectation for sales growth there, in a country whose population surpassed China’s in 2022 and is undergoing its own cultural renaissance.
Zippo Indonesia is another example. Completing its certification as an official international distributor into Indonesia (which is now the world’s fourth largest populated country) opened the door to Zippo’s full suite of company sales, marketing and manufacturing support for potential business growth and expansion.
Across Europe, Zippo sales are growing dayby-day, and the company pointed to several factors that are contributing to that end. First, the company’s wholesale distribution model has been reorganized to operate more quickly and efficiently. Next, they’ve refocused sales efforts on lighters and fuel, while building out unique sales programs around those products. Last, the sales teams are pursuing a flurry of new relevant business in
the largest key account opportunities Europe has to offer in vertical markets like hardware, grocery and sporting goods chains, as well as gas and convenience store chains. Additionally, the company is launching new sales initiatives in Europe’s travel retail outlets.
“The results have been outpacing our earliest expectations,” said Hugo Michel, Zippo’s executive vice president of global sales and licensing, who reported record sales performance across Zippo’s European business scape.
Back in Bradford, Zippo and Case are planning a one-day
“Made in Bradford 2024” celebration this year at the Zippo Case Museum & Flagship Store, scheduled for Saturday, July 13.
The “Made in Bradford 2024” celebration includes a collector’s tent for swap meet activities, and all the food, fun, and entertainment that transforms the museum grounds into a bustling festival for collectors and community members alike. The celebration will also feature the unique talents of Bradford-area makers to illuminate our area’s rich traditions and its future in areas of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurialism. Makers can apply at zippocasemuseum.com, the deadline is April 30.
The 2024 Collectible of the Year celebrates three decorative milestones in Zippo artistry; a combination of Laser Engrave (1974), Black Matte finish (1984) and Deep Carve (2004) embellishing techniques. The lighter’s matching gold-flashed insert is also laser engraved in the Venetian® pattern, which was chosen specifically for America’s edition. Each is consecutively numbered and authenticated with a Luxury bottom stamp.
Joining Zippo’s Collectible of the Year and regular releases of new lighter designs will be several new product launches, including a classic Street Brass lighter which celebrates the iconic life and legacy of reggae legend Bob Marley. The company also launched new torches for both Zippo and Ronson. The Zippo Outdoor brand’s notable product introductions for 2024 include its Flamescapes patio flame units and heated outdoor seats powered by Zippo’s dependable Heatbank handwarmers.
“I’m more excited about our companies’ futures today than I have at any other time in my entire career,” said Paup. “Our success is found in our hard working and incredibly talented people who share a passion for what we do and how our brands are represented each day. They’re what will carry this company to new heights in 2024 and well beyond.”
Zippo and Case will be hosting a “Made in Bradford 2024”
Seneca Resources Company LLC is the exploration and production segment of National Fuel Gas Company and continues to maintain its position as one of the largest natural gas developers in Pennsylvania with approximately 1,200 unconventional wells.
The company also controls the mineral rights to approximately 1.2 million acres in the Commonwealth — which is the largest mineral position in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale.
In NFG’s Upstream and Gathering businesses, production and throughput were up 11% and 15%, respectively, compared to last year, on the strength of several of Seneca’s new wells in the Eastern Development Area (EDA). The company’s firm sales are helping to mitigate the impact of lower natural gas prices on earnings and cash flows. Seneca made the decision to transition all near-term drilling to the EDA, and the results in Tioga County continue to exceed expectations and are the primary reason for the increase in NFG’s production guidance range for fiscal ‘24.
“We’re very excited about the long-term opportunity in this area. At a point in time when many of our peers are moving down the acreage quality spectrum or pursuing M&A to manage depleting inventory, we are in the fortunate position of having
many years, well over a decade, of inventory in the EDA that is highly economic,” said David Bauer, National Fuel Gas Company president. Seneca turned 27 wells online during the quarter, 19 of which were in the EDA and all of which came online ahead of schedule, and collectively pushed Seneca to a record production of 101 Bcfe, an 8% sequential increase.
The operational successes that drove Seneca’s increased production, when combined with growing third-party volumes, led to a record throughput at NFG Midstream as well — reaching 124 Bcf, +6% from the prior quarter.
For the remainder of the year, Seneca expects to turn in line 11 more wells, including a five-well Tioga County Utica pad and a Western Development Area (WDA) Utica pad scheduled to flow back
near the end of the fiscal year — likely August or September.
Given the majority of turn-in-line activity will occur in the first half of the year, average daily production is expected to peak in Q2 before declining in each of the last two quarters, prior to the next wave of pads coming online this fall and into the winter.
Seneca has a robust marketing and hedging portfolio and is well positioned to dampen the impact of lower near-term pricing.
Additionally, Seneca has firm transportation and firm sales in place for over 90% of its expected production, leaving less than 10% of its gas exposed to in-basin pricing.
On the environmental front, Seneca remains committed to being a leader in the production of clean hydrocarbons throughout its operations.
Earlier this year, Seneca Resources attained an
“A” letter grade under Equitable Origin’s EO100™ Standard for Responsible Energy Development certification, covering 100% of its natural gas production, approximately 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. To achieve this “A” grade, Seneca, as part of an annual verification audit, demonstrated scores of 98% or higher across all five principles of the EO100™ Standard, including corporate governance and ethics; social impacts, human rights and community engagement; Indigenous Peoples’ rights; occupational health, safety and fair labor standards; and environmental impacts, biodiversity, and climate change. Seneca has been certified under the EO100™ Standard since December 2021, following annual independent, third-party audits of
Seneca’s Pennsylvania operations by Geosyntec Consultants.
In addition, National Fuel Gas Midstream Company LLC, (the Gathering segment of National Fuel Gas Company), also achieved certification of 100% of its natural gas gathering system assets, which transport over 1.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily, under the same rigorous Equitable Origin’s EO100™ Standard for Responsible Energy Development, NFG Midstream is the first gathering or midstream company to earn EO100™ Standard certification. The company continues to broaden its focus on Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) initiatives. Seneca Resources and NFG Midstream made strong progress toward its 2030 methane intensity reduction goals. In 2023, Seneca reported a 27.4% decrease in methane intensity from its 2020 baseline, while NFG
Midstream reported a 14.3% reduction.
Seneca launched its “Surface Footprint Neutral Program” in 2023, which includes restoring, enhancing, or protecting biodiversity by returning one acre of land to the environment for every acre disturbed by its operations.
Seneca returned nearly 50 acres of land to the environment last year and planted 260 trees on a reclaimed well pad and abandoned pipeline corridor within Pennsylvania’s Elk State Forest.
Other biodiversity projects included postplugging well site reclamation, pollinator seed plantings, streambank stabilization and watershed improvement projects.
Seneca partnered with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Allegheny National Forest, and other agencies to identify the projects.
WARREN — WCCBI
is a member-based organization that relies on the revenue generated through membership to provide economic and community excellence back to the Warren community and surrounding region. The WCCBI serves as the lead economic development agency and is dedicated to helping support businesses and industries so they may grow and continue to thrive. The chamber is also heavily involved in the expansion of tourismbased visitation through the formation of the Trails at Jakes Rocks (2024 PA Trail of the Year and 2021 PA Wilds Great Places Recipient), which consists of over 30 miles of
expertly crafted mountain biking and hiking trails, for all ages and skill levels, located in the heart of the Allegheny National Forest. The chamber’s Beverages & Business Series, Lunch & Learns, annual Job Fairs, Ribbon Cuttings, Chamber Chatters, and countless other year-long events are just some of the ways the chamber works tirelessly to expose local businesses to one another in the community. Workforce development is an important aspect of every community, and the chamber is dedicated to helping businesses with all their workforce challenges through unique opportunities tailored to each individuals’ needs. Business marketing
services and professional networking opportunities abound at WCCBI. Visit the chamber’s location in the downtown historic district of Warren, at 308 Market St., or check out the website at www.wccbi.org for more information on the Warren County community and to find out more about “The Chamber Advantage.” For up-to-date information on our events, activities, and developments within the Warren County community, be sure to like and follow the chamber on Facebook at www. facebook.com/warrenpa P: 814-723-3050
“Warren County, PA; A great place to visit, A better place to live. Why? It’s in our nature!”
Women play unique roles mother, daughter, friend, caregiver and they have unique health challenges too. Penn Highlands women’s health services provide the care and treatment you need to stay healthy and thriving at every stage of life.
• Abnormal Bleeding
• Annual Gynecological Exams
• Bone Density – DEXA Scans
• Breast Cancer Screenings
• Cervical Cancer Screenings
• Contraceptive Counseling
• Endometriosis
• Family Planning
• Fertility Issues
• Fibroids
• Gynecology
• Incontinence
• Irregular Periods
• 2D and 3D Mammograms
• Menopause Management
• MRI-Guided Breast Biopsy
• Pregnancy – Prenatal and Postpartum
• Stereotactic Breast Biopsy
• Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy
• Urology Care
• Women’s Heart Care and Disease
• Weight Management
We live here, too.
Georgia-Pacific continues to make significant investments in our community, our workforce and the environment. Good business isn’t only about growth or creating value for our customers, it’s about creating value for the community. Because we live here, too, we know what makes this place special. By supporting local organizations and investing in our facilities and people, we will continue to grow stronger, together.
To join our team visit KochCareers.com/GP