Showcase for Commerce

Registration is open for Showcase for Commerce, May 30-June 1, 2018.

Showcase brings local, regional, national and international businesses together to expand business opportunities. Join us to learn the latest news from acquisition and legislative leadership. Network with other businesses or explore possibilities to grow into new markets or build your supply chain.

Look for upcoming announcements about this year’s special guests and speakers. For more information or to register, please visit www.showcaseforcommerce.com.

What’s So Cool About Manufacturing Student Video Contest

Catalyst Connection, which has been helping regional manufacturers grow their businesses for 30 years, celebrated the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing Student Video Contest at the University of Pittsburgh’s Johnstown campus on Thursday, March 23. The program focused on getting students out of the classroom and into the manufacturing environment. The event attracted more than 175 people, including manufacturers, industry leaders, students, teachers and parents.

For the video content, 8 manufacturing companies were paired with 7 middle schools from Cambria, Indiana and Somerset counties who were encouraged to interview employees and go behind the scenes to learn about the manufacturing industry. Each team submitted its video to Catalyst, and voting took place on dreamitdoitpa.com. The contest yielded more than 48,000 votes over a five-day period.

Award winners included:

Best Manufacturing Message
Greater Johnstown with Lockheed Martin

Most Creative
Rockwood with ASSA ABLOY

Viewer’s Choice
Rockwood with ASSA ABLOY

Best Marketing Plan
Blairsville-Saltsburg with Clark Metal Products

Bonus Video on Community Impact
Forest Hills with JWF Industries

Don’t Miss the Early Bird Registration!

Time is running out to get your registration in at the early bird rate for the 2018 Cambria County Job Fair. Register by April 6, 2018 for the Early Bird discount of only $95! All registrations after April 6th will be $120.

The Cambria County Job Fair will be held on Tuesday, May 1st from 1 PM – 5 PM at the Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center in downtown Johnstown.

For exhibitor registration and sponsorship information click here, visit our website or contact Debi Balog, director of workforce development, at (814) 262-8366 or via email at .

Upcoming Community Resource Fair

Bridging Cambria County, a Vision2025 initiative, will be holding a free community resource fair on Thursday, April 12 from 5 PM to 7 PM at Greater Johnstown High School.

The purpose of the resource fair is to provide residents with information on a variety of topics such as social services, education assistance and job seeker services. All agencies, organizations, and service providers who offer services or programs within the Greater Johnstown/Southern Cambria County region are welcome to attend! Click here for flyer details.

If you would like to have a table at the resource fair, please contact Matt Spangler, United Way Community Relationship Manager, at , or Debi Balog, JARI Workforce Development Director at .

RNDT Inc. Receives Woman Owned Business Certification

RNDT Inc. recently received the National Women’s Business Enterprise Certification through Woman’s Business Enterprise National Council. This certification shows that RNDT, Inc. meets the requirements of the Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program.

“We are excited about the possibilities this certification brings to not only RNDT, but also the Johnstown area,” said Jimma Raco, President at RNDT. RNDT provides nondestructive testing (NDT) services to the oil and gas, aerospace, and manufacturing industries. The Woman-Owned Small Business Certification will provide RNDT with the ability to bid on state and federal WOSB set-aside contracts, and will also open the door for partnerships with larger corporations.

The eight-month long certification process fell mostly on Raco and her staff at RNDT. However, she gives credit Johnstown Area Regional Industries (JARI) for providing her company with the direction and insight to obtain the WOSB Certification. “JARI has been a great partner to RNDT over the years and we are grateful for their assistance in obtaining this certification,” added Raco.

RNDT Inc. is an A2LA ISO-17025 accredited NDT laboratory. The company employs highly trained NDT professionals that hold certifications conforming to the requirements of ASNT SNT-TC-1A CP-189 and National Aerospace Standard NAS-410 Rev. 3. These certifications satisfy national requirements for nondestructive testing personnel. RNDT is headquartered in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and has 30 employees.

Johnstown Featured in A Pennsylvania Story

Johnstown, Erie and Bethlehem, are featured in the 2017 edition of A Pennsylvania Story, a publication of the PA Department of Community and Economic Development. A Pennsylvania Story makes the connection between strong communities and thriving businesses, and how each supports the development and growth of the other.

A Pennsylvania Story focuses on three communities that include inspiring stories of local community, business, higher education, and nonprofit leaders — and the collaborative approaches they are taking to overcome the challenges facing their communities.

Click here to read.

Environmental Tank & Container Earns Manufacturer of the Year

Congratulations to Environmental Tank & Container (ETC), a division of JWF Industries, on being named Manufacturer of the Year at the sixth annual Northeast Oil & Gas Awards.

The Oil & Gas Awards are a platform for the industry to recognize advances made in environmental stewardship, efficiency, innovation, corporate social responsibility, health and safety. The Manufacturer of the Year award recognizes outstanding contributions a manufacturer has made to the industry in the region.

Voting Open for Explore the New Manufacturing Student Video Contest

Catalyst Connection has been providing opportunities for our manufacturing companies to build their talent pipeline by engaging with local schools. Our Explore the New Manufacturing Student Video Contest enables students to learn about – and promote – manufacturing careers to their peers through some amazing videos!

The 8 Pittsburgh-East regional student teams have recently submitted their final drafts of their videos – it is now time for you to vote for the People’s Choice Award! The voting period for these videos is now open through Friday, March 16th.

Click here to cast your vote for your favorite videos! The winning videos will be announced at the Video Contest Ceremony.

DON’T MISS OUT – Join us for the Cambria/Indiana/Somerset Counties Manufacturing Reception and Video Contest Ceremony next Thursday, March 22nd at University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.

JARI PTAC Announces Supplier Briefing

Join us on Thursday, May 31, 2018 for a special presentation by BAE Systems to learn about their current supplier needs and how to do business with them. BAE Systems, a global defence, aerospace and security company, sells a wide range of products and services for air, land, and naval forces as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology, and support services. BAE requires a strong supply chain that includes almost 27,000 suppliers worldwide. See the event flyer for additional information.

Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. Click here to register by May 25, 2018. If you have questions, please contact Lenora Leasure, JARI PTAC Program Manager, at  or (814) 254-4022.

Right Here. Right Now. Thought Leader Summit on Entrepreneurship

Join the Startup Alleghenies for a day of thought-provoking presentations at the Right Here. Right Now. Thought Leader Summit on Entrepreneurship on Monday, April 30th from 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM (registration beginning at 11:30 AM) at Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

Keynoter Chris Heivly, co-founder of MapQuest, one of the nation’s leading experts in how to turn startups into multi-million dollar companies, will share his lessons on startup success. National and local experts will explore ideas about how to turn the Southern Alleghenies into the next great startup zone during two round table events.

Successful entrepreneurs and Entrepreneur Coaches from Startup Alleghenies will be available to answer your questions at the networking cocktail reception to close the day. If you’ve thought about starting a business, already own a business or just want to be part of of the movement, join us.

Registration is free. For more information or to register, visit the Right Here. Right Now. website. If you’re interested in becoming an event sponsor, click here for the sponsorship kit.