February 2021
Chamber Connection
Your connection to the greater Hanover business community.
Chamber News Pages 1-5 Workforce Spotlight Page 4 Ambassador Spotlight Page 4 Member Spotlights Pages 6 Business Briefs Pages 7-8 Main Street Hanover Page 9 Upcoming Events Pages 10-11
Hanover Apprenticeship Program Update for 2021 Next month marks four years since the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce became the first chamber in Pennsylvania to submit a Chamber Apprenticeship Model approved by the PA Department of Labor and Industry. The application, a group, non-joint model for apprentices started with four companies (Elsner Engineering Works; Inc., KLK Welding; R. H. Sheppard Co. Inc., a Bendix CVS Company; and Utz Quality Foods, Inc.) and two school districts (Hanover Public School District and South Western School District) under the umbrella of the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce. The program has since grown to include nine business partners and three school districts. Through the apprenticeship program, high school students begin as a pre-apprentice in their junior year, with the program structured around their high school curriculum and work within one of the participating companies. Upon graduation, students have the opportunity to complete a paid apprenticeship within a partner company. Since 2017 the Chamber has secured $300,000 in grants to purchase equipment for high schools and pay training costs for preapprentices and apprentices. A partner from the very beginning, Elsner Engineering Works, Inc. continues to feel the value of the program, "ELSNER’s apprenticeship program continues to help prepare our next generation of skilled machinists. With one apprentice nearly a year from graduation and another halfway through, our excitement and passion for the four-year
program has grown exponentially. In 2020 we also welcomed four pre-apprentices from Hanover and Conewago Valley school districts who are working part-time in machining, welding and mechatronics. We look forward to extending more apprenticeship and preapprenticeship opportunities as our company continues to grow!" says Lynneah Smith, Human Resources Manager for Elsner. Another devoted partner, Utz Quality Foods, is pleased with the growth they've seen in the program, "The maintenance apprenticeship program at Utz has benefited greatly from our relationship with the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce. We have three former apprentices who now work for us as fully qualified technicians. One of our current apprentices started out as a pre-apprentice when he was a senior in high school, and he is now working his way toward an associates degree in mechatronics," says Iain Fields, Maintenance Manager for Utz. The Chamber's model is unique in that it is based on employer-driven collaboratives that determine how the talent development models are created and maintained. As such, the Chamber made great strides towards adding a healthcare track to the program in 2020 and will continue to pursue this and other areas for growth throughout 2021. Are you interested in becoming one of our apprenticeship partners, donating to our program, or do you simply want more information on our program? Contact Gary Larid, Chamber President, at glaird@hanoverchamber.com.
146 Carlisle Street Hanover, PA 17331 717.637.6130 www.hanoverchamber.com
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Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce
2020-2021 Community Leaders Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce Chair of the Board Julia Groft, Manpower Secretary/Treasurer Ashley Hershey, BSSF CPAs Vice Chairs Sean Adams, Utz Quality Foods Victoria Csuri, KLK Welding Jeremy Frey, Barley Snyder Brandon Smith, Edward Jones Lynneah Smith, Elsner Engineering Works Drew Derreth, Hanover Valley Church
Board of Directors Jess Kelley, Campbell's Snacks Mike Gaskins, UPMC Hanover Dr. Daniel Hartman, South Western Schools Gordon Laabs Kirby Orewiler, Ox Industries Rebecca Prehoda, Member's 1st FCU Dr. Susan Seiple, Hanover Public Schools Jody Shaffer, YWCA Hanover
2020-2021 Chamber Partners
APPI Energy
Oss Health
Chamber Staff
Barley Snyder
Penn State York
Gary Laird, President glaird@hanoverchamber.com
J.A. Myers Building &
Smith & Company, CPAs
Development, Inc.
The Glatfelter Agency
Emily Freiert, Marketing & PR Director efreiert@hanoverchamber.com Haley Briggs, Membership & Events Director hbriggs@hanoverchamber.com Elizabeth Csuri, Administrative Manager office@hanoverchamber.com
Chamber Connection is a monthly publication of the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce. For deadline information, please contact Emily Freiert at efreiert@hanoverchamber.com.
Community Leaders and Chamber Partners are members who have made significant investments in chamber programs throughout the year. These investments help the chamber to provide new opportunities and benefits for our members, while continuing to support workforce, community, and economic development. If you are interested in learning more about how your membership can make an impact, please contact Haley Briggs at hbriggs@hanoverchamber.com.
February 2021 Newsletter
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Chamber News
Ambassador Spotlight
Workforce Spotlight
Ambassador Sponsor Workforce Sponsors
Chamber News
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Chamber Promotes Elizabeth Csuri to Administrative Manager Elizabeth Csuri was recently promoted from Administrative Coordinator to Administrative Manager. Elizabeth joined the Chamber in December 2019. Since then, she has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the rest of our staff, rolling with the punches and assisting wherever she can. Elizabeth’s key areas of responsibility include: • • • • • •
Accounts payable and receivable Payroll Membership and program database management Contracts Human resources and benefits administration Budgeting and financial forecasting
Moving forward, Elizabeth will also continue to support Chamber initiatives like Leadership Hanover, Workforce Development, and member affinity programs. Gary Laird, Chamber President, is proud of Elizabeth's work over the past year, stating that "Elizabeth made a significant contribution to the success of the Chamber over the last 12 months and is ready to take on additional responsibility." Please join us in congratulating Elizabeth on a well-deserved promotion. Elizabeth can be reached at (717) 637-6130 ext. 100 or ecsuri@hanoverchamber.com. A full staff directory can be found on our website at www.hanoverchamber.com/staff.
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Member Spotlights
Conewago Ready Mix Brings Greener Concrete to Central PA and MD
Doceo Acquires Virginia-Based Company Doceo, a family and employee-owned technology company headquartered in York, Pennsylvania, has expanded its service footprint through the acquisition of the Virginia-based technology provider, Copy Doctors, Inc. Chantilly, Virginia-based Copy Doctors, Inc., an authorized dealership for Toshiba and Lexmark technology products, was founded in 1986 by Rick Stockwell and Ron Toth. Rick, Ron and their team have been servicing the Northern Virginia and Greater Washington Metropolitan Area for over 34 years and have earned a reputation for reliable, caring and professional service.
Conewago Ready Mix has partnered with CarbonCure Technologies to bring low-carbon ready mix concrete to customers in Pennsylvania and Maryland. “Our team is excited to introduce CarbonCure to our ready mix operation to help our customers reduce the carbon footprint of their projects. We can continue to deliver the high-quality concrete that our customers expect while reducing our environmental impact,” says Eric Smith, Director of Sales with Conewago Manufacturing, LLC. CarbonCure’s technology for ready mix enables concrete producers to inject waste carbon dioxide (CO₂) into fresh concrete during mixing. Once injected, the CO₂ undergoes a process known as mineralization, where it chemically converts into a solid mineral and becomes permanently embedded in the concrete. The mineralized CO₂ also increases the strength of the concrete. Locally owned and operated, Conewago has served the SouthCentral Pennsylvania region for 64 years. The company’s decision to add CarbonCure to its Hanover plant is in line with its sustainability initiatives and leadership. Past Conewago projects include four LEED Gold and two LEED Silver buildings, including Conewago’s own corporate headquarters, which is certified LEED Gold. Conewago was also one of the early adaptors of a concrete reclamation system that turns unused concrete back into use-able stone, sand and recycled water. CarbonCure enables concrete producers to reduce an average of 25 pounds of carbon emissions per every cubic yard of concrete produced. For context, an average mid-rise building built with CO2 mineralized would reduce 1,500,000 lbs. of CO₂ from the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 888 acres of trees for a year. Since beginning production with CarbonCure in May 2020, Conewago has produced 23,624 cubic yards of CO₂ mineralized concrete, reducing 276 Tonnes of CO2 which is the equivalent to the annual CO2 absorption of 358 acres of trees.
Although Doceo’s existing footprint already included most of the state of Maryland, the acquisition of Copy Doctors allowed Doceo to reach another milestone of offering Toshiba and Lexmark products and services throughout the entire state in addition to the state of Pennsylvania. Doceo’s President, CEO, and majority stockholder, John Lewis, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership by saying, “We are excited to join forces with the experienced team of professionals at Copy Doctors, Inc. After the very first meeting with Rick and Ron, I knew that our companies would philosophically align. Rick and Ron are caring individuals, and they have gone to great lengths to train and maintain their key employees. I am blessed to be their stewards moving forward.” Rick Stockwell had this to say: “I wanted the new owner of Copy Doctors to see the value in our 34 years in business. I wanted someone who would appreciate our long tenured technical staff. Through our staff’s efforts, we have provided the best customer satisfaction experience in the D.C. Metropolitan Area. I wanted to see the company name continue to grow and prosper in this marketplace. I firmly believe my goals will be fulfilled by this sale. John Lewis’s knowledge, experience, and success in developing office equipment sales, service, and technology companies drew me to placing my goals into his hands. I believe through his efforts, and the key individuals that he employs, Copy Doctors will grow rapidly and provide excellent opportunities for our staff, our existing customers, and future ones for many years to come.” Ron Toth, co-founder of Copy Doctors, Inc. will stay on with the Copy Doctors team for the foreseeable future. He will continue to manage customer relationships in the marketplace and provide guidance and market insight to Mr. Lewis and his leadership team.
Business Briefs BILL FRITTS, MEMBER OF SEK, CPAS & ADVISORS VOTED BEST ACCOUNTANT BY HERALD MAIL READERS William F. Fritts, CPA, CVA, Member of SEK, CPAs & Advisors, has been voted Best Accountant in the Tri-State area by Herald-Mail Media readers for the second year in a row. In the newspaper’s annual Best of the Best Awards, readers nominate and vote for their favorite businesses and business professionals. Fritts joined SEK in 1996 and was admitted as a Member of the Firm in 2001. He serves a Member-inCharge of the firm’s Hagerstown office and leads the Accounting Services and Tax Department. He provides accounting and tax services to a wide spectrum of businesses and individuals, as well as valuation services primarily for estates and buy-sell agreements. Fritts has been a guest speaker on various tax topics and an instructor of numerous undergraduate and graduate-level business classes at Shenandoah University and Shepherd University. In addition to his client responsibilities, Fritts serves as a member of the firm’s Management Committee and Tax Committees.
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SEK ADMITS NEW MEMBER OF THE FIRM
BARLEY SNYDER ATTORNEY FABEN NAMED PARTNER
The Members of SEK, CPAs & Advisors are pleased to announce that Denver R. Martin, CPA, has been admitted as a Member of the Firm effective January 1, 2021.
Barley Snyder is pleased to announce that attorney Peter J. Faben has been named a partner at the firm.
With more than 12 years of experience, Martin is an integral part of the firm’s Accounting Services and Tax Department. He primarily works with closely held businesses in a variety of industries, including construction, healthcare, financial services, and the manufactured beverage industry. His expertise includes general business consulting, QuickBooks consulting, individual and business tax preparation, and financial statement preparation. In addition to his client responsibilities, Martin serves on the firm’s Practice Development Committee. Prior to joining SEK’s Hagerstown office in 2008, Martin graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Shippensburg University.
Faben is a member of the Barley Snyder Health Care and Litigation groups. His practice focuses on the defense of health care facilities and physicians in medical malpractice litigation. He joined the firm in 2015. Faben is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and he has been named a Pennsylvania “Super Lawyers” rising Star in both 2019 and 2020. He is a member of the board of directors at Lancaster-based Advoz, which teaches mediation and restorative practices to strengthen the community. Barley Snyder managing partner Jeff Lobach said the firm’s partners voted unanimously to admit Faben to the partnership. “Peter is a great example of the young talent our firm has recruited and developed,” Lobach said. “He is a welcome addition to our partnership.”
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Business Briefs
BARLEY SNYDER ADDS THREE ATTORNEYS IN YORK OFFICE
divestment. She is a cum laude graduate of the Dickinson School of Law.
At a time when business growth is difficult, Barley Snyder has made strategic moves in the last quarter of 2020 to increase its offerings to clients and the latest is a significant expansion of its York office.
Jayne R. Katherman has been the trusted solicitor for a number of municipalities in and around York County, and also works with planned communities from their development to representing the homeowner association boards. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law.
The law firm announced it has added three new attorneys in the office, along with an additional paralegal and legal assistant. The announcement comes on the heels of the firm’s expansion at its Gettysburg office in November. J. Robert Katherman, a fixture of the York legal community for decades, worked as solicitor for the City of York for 12 years and has developed a real estate practice in land use approval, as well as apartment complex acquisition, financing and management. He is a graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law. Stacey R. MacNeal joins the firm as a partner in its Real Estate Practice Group. She regularly represents property owners and developers in all stages of real estate acquisition, financing, operations, development and
Also joining the firm is Linda L. Shaffer, a paralegal in the Barley Snyder Real Estate Practice Group. Shaffer has 40 years of legal experience and is a notary public. Rachel Kellner also joins Barley Snyder as a legal assistant. The five come to the firm from the former Katherman & Perry law firm, which announced in the fall it would close at the end of 2020. “We couldn’t have asked for a better situation than joining Barley Snyder,” Robert Katherman said. “The resources the firm can offer our clients are unlike any others in the York area and throughout central Pennsylvania. We’re excited to be part of the Barley Snyder team.”
Bringing on the new group represents continued growth for Barley Snyder amid the crushing conditions of the global pandemic now with a hopeful end in sight. Even during the spring and summer at the height of uncertainty, the firm continued its summer associate program against stiff odds and difficult logistics. Barley Snyder managing partner Jeff Lobach said the recent growth comes as the firm’s management team and partners saw potential opportunities for strategic growth that would allow the firm to serve its clients even better by bringing in a talented mix of veteran and young attorneys and staff. In November, the firm expanded its Gettysburg office with two new attorneys, a new paralegal and a new legal assistant. Earlier in the fall, the firm hired two former summer associates to full-time attorney positions. “Our clients don’t stop needing our assistance under adverse conditions. It’s quite the opposite,” Lobach said. “We have a responsibility to those clients to give them the best service we possibly can. Adding these attorneys in both York and Gettysburg in the last two months is going to be a win for our clients and for the level of service we can bring to the business community.”
WANT TO BE FEATURED NEXT MONTH? Member businesses are invited to send company news, personnel updates, and special interest stories for consideration in the Chamber Connection newsletter. Please include a high-res photo in JPG or PDF format. News must be submitted by the first Friday of the month for inclusion in the following month’s newsletter. News will be considered at the discretion of chamber staff and included as space permits. Please send all news to Emily Freiert, Marketing and PR Director, at efreiert@hanoverchamber.com.
Main Street Hanover
2021 May Be a Mystery, but Downtown Doesn’t Have to Be! Show your love of all things local and make planned, safe outings to local independent businesses in downtown Hanover. Let our staff here at Main Street Hanover help you! Check out our website, www.MainStreetHanover.org for all things local.
Love for Main Street Hanover 2021 marks another important year for our Main Street organization. We have much to do to help our downtown weather the storm of last year’s challenges. To continue our work, we need your support! Become an Annual Giver or Event Sponsor today! Donations to our organization allow us to continue to: • Coordinate and implement revitalization projects • Support the existing business community and encourage economic development • Maximize grant opportunities to improve Hanover • Produce quality events Contact Justine Trucksess at jtrucksess@mainstreethanover.org to learn how you can support the mission of Main Street Hanover.
Save the Date to Give! Give Local York – plan to give to Main Street Hanover on Friday, May 7!
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Upcoming Events
Interested in hosting a webinar through the chamber? We'll take care of the hosting, promotion and registration; all you have to do is present! For pricing and more details, contact Haley Briggs at (717) 637-6130 ext. 104 or hbriggs@hanoverchamber.com.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
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RSVP for all events at hanoverchamber.com. Events with an asterisk (*) will be held virtually.
2021 EVENT UPDATES WILL BE MADE ON OUR WEBSITE!
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