/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • News • Vision 2025/ 0 Comments

Starbucks Day of Service Scheduled For This Saturday

As part of the Starbucks Global Month of Service, staff members from Johnstown’s Starbucks have organized a clean-up and enhancement of the city’s community gardens for Saturday, April 29. Starbucks will be providing lunch for all volunteers. Managers and staff from Starbucks locations across Western Pennsylvania are travelling to Johnstown to participate in this event.

The itinerary is as follows:

9:30-10:00 AM: Registration with light refreshments
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Shuttle Service to multiple community gardens
2:00 PM: Lunch at Sandyvale Conservancy

Volunteers are to meet at Sandyvale Memorial Gardens and Conservancy, 80 Hickory St, Johnstown. Some tools and equipment will be provided, but if possible volunteers are encouraged to bring their own marked equipment. Pre-registration is requested to be sent to .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Financing & incentives • Media Releases • News • Somerset County/ 0 Comments

Commonwealth Tax Credits

On Thursday, April 27th, Lindsey Bennett, KIZ Resources, LLC, will share her expertise on the variety of tax credit programs that may be available to area small businesses. Attendees will learn about the Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ), Research and Development (R&D), Neighborhood Assistance-Enterprise Zone (NAP-EZ), PA Historic Preservation Credits (HPTC), Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC) and Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC).

This Lunch & Learn will be held at the JARI Center (160 JARI Drive) on Thursday, April 27. The cost to register is $5 per person and lunch will be provided.

Registration is required. If you are interested in attending, please complete the registration form and e-mail it to Lauren Brewer at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / PTAC/ 0 Comments

PTAC Program Manager Attends Annual Spring Conference

As a member of the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC), JARI PTAC staff has the opportunity to attend two APTAC conferences annually.  The JARI PTAC Program Manager recently attended the Spring Conference along with counselors from PTACs nationwide to participate in training sessions on current topics and to network with colleagues in the procurement assistance field.

APTAC’s recommended training program includes two levels of certification – Associate Procurement Professional (APP) and Certified Procurement Professional (CPP). These certifications set the standard for achievement in the field of procurement assistance. The JARI PTAC strives for all counseling staff to become certified and maintain that certification. The JARI PTAC Program Manager has maintained the CPP certification since April 2014.

Please contact us for any of your government contracting assistance needs at (814) 254-4022 or via email at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Event • News • Somerset County • Workforce Development/ 0 Comments

Workforce Development Session Has Successful Turnout

On Wednesday, April 12 the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce hosted an “Eggs & Issues:Workforce Development Benefits,” session at the Somerset Country Club

Representatives from seven workforce related agencies highlighted the many resources and benefits available to businesses in the Southern Alleghenies region. Industry experts also discussed employee recruitment options, training resources and funding options for workforce development.

For more information on Workforce Development, contact Debi Balog at (814) 262-8366 or via email at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Uncategorized/ 0 Comments

Northwest Bank Presents Contribution to JARI for NAP Program

Northwest Bank executives, Jim Knipple and Kevin Volk, presented a contribution to JARI in the amount of $50,000.00 for the Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit Program. Other contributors include: First National Bank, 1st Summit Bank, Somerset Trust Company and In-Shore Technologies.

“Northwest Bank is proud to partner with JARI to support its projects which are geared towards improving the Johnstown community,” says Jim Knipple.

Funding from the tax credit contributions will be used to eliminate blight through a number of approaches: creation of public space; streetscapes; planters; trees; lighting; a reuse study; architectural and engineering assistance; and marketing of underutilized properties in a portion of the Central Business District and Old Conemaugh neighborhood.

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • Financing & incentives • Somerset County/ 0 Comments

Cracking the Interview Code

Manpower Inc, Vice President/Managing Director, Brock Kull, will present on how to interview candidates and how to attract the best applicants. Attendees will learn what types of interview processes exists and what can work best for their companies. Also, find out what questions should and should not be asked during an interview.

This Lunch & Learn will be held at the JARI Center (160 Jari Drive) on Thursday, April 20. The cost to register is $5 per person and lunch will be provided.

Registration is required. If you’re interested in attending, fill out the registration form and sent it to Lauren Brewer at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Media Releases • News • Somerset County/ 0 Comments

UFC Finds Partners in Mexico City, Philippines and Japan

SAP&DC Newsletter

Universal Forensics Corp. (UFC) is a full service genetics DNA testing laboratory located in Somerset, Pennsylvania. UFC’s principal services are relationship testing, infidelity, immigration testing and forensics for identification of disaster victims.

UFC’s Larry Marsh, Director of Strategic Alliances attended the BTW2PA (Bringing the World to Pennsylvania) event that was coordinated by SAP&DC. After meeting with Pennsylvania’s ATR for Mexico at the BTW2PA event, UFC was able to successfully negotiate a representation agreement for Mexico City.

UFC also worked with the Pennsylvania office in Singapore to successfully sign contractual agreements with a company in the Philippines as well as the parent company located in Tokyo, Japan.

For more information about UFC, visit their website. Also, look for the full articles in the SAP&DC April 2017 newsletter on their website.

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • News/ 0 Comments

UPJ Holds Grand Opening for John P. Murtha Center

The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown held the ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony of the John P. Murtha Center for Public Service and National Competitiveness on April 6.

Students and community groups will gather here to discuss important issues, gain an understanding of how government works and learn about the importance of community service, all while honoring the legacy of Mr. Murtha, the longest-serving congressman in Pennsylvania history.

To read the full Tribune Democrat article, click here.

/ By Lauren Thompson / Event • Somerset County • Workforce Development/ 0 Comments

Students Making Plans for the Future

Debi Balog
Director, Workforce Development

On March 29th, Over 400 students from 11 Somerset County high schools attended the College and Technical Fair. The students had the opportunity to discuss education and career options with representatives from 59 colleges, technical schools, the military and skilled trade organizations. The fair also included a panel of employers who provided the students with insight on careers within their respective industries as well as information on the importance of critical workplace behaviors. Many thanks to the employers who participated on the panel:

  • SFC Kenneth Gifford, USARMY/USAREC
  • Tobie Gunby, AmeriServ Financial Bank
  • Mike Hinson, API Technologies Corp
  • Amy Horwath, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Alleghenies
  • Mike Stohon, In-Shore Technologies
  • Karissa Yoder, Somerset Hospital

The fair was hosted by the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee and Success in Somerset County Committee.

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Entrepreneurship • Media Releases • News/ 0 Comments

Entrepreneurial Coach Openings

Michele Clapper
VP, Economic Development

JARI, along with Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission and other economic development partners are searching for three Entrepreneurial Coaches.

The successful candidates will be independent self-starters with excellent interpersonal skills and an in-depth understanding of finance/financial management, business planning, capital formation, marketing, workforce development, and other elements essential to growing a successful business across a variety of industries. A passion for recognizing, encouraging and guiding entrepreneurs to create new businesses, expand existing businesses that will ultimately generate new jobs and investments in the Alleghenies Region is a must.

Coaches will be associated with one of three economic development agencies in Blair, Cambria and Somerset Counties in PA. Interested candidates should contact "> to receive the position descriptions and information for applying.