/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • Showcase for Commerce/ 0 Comments

Showcase for Commerce 2017 – Next Week!

The 27th annual Showcase for Commerce will be held May 30 through June 1 in downtown Johnstown. As always, there are great opportunities for developing relationships with decision makers at all levels over the 3-day event.

This year’s Government Acquisition Leaders Briefings speakers include: Congressman Rob Wittman; Brigadier General Brian P. Cummings, PEO-Soldier; Brigadier General Anthony J. Carrelli, The Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, PA Army and Air National Guard, and Major General David Bassett, PEO, Ground Combat System.

The 23rd annual BAE Systems/Showcase for Commerce golf outing will be held on May 30 at Sunnehanna Country Club.  If you are interested in registering for one of the few slots remaining, please contact Cindy Saylor at or 814.262.8369.

For a complete agenda of Showcase events, click here.

We look forward to seeing you at Showcase!

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • Somerset County/ 0 Comments

Payroll Taxes

On Tuesday, May 16th, Lynn Rovan, Barnes Saly & Company, will be presenting information on payroll taxes and deductions, what forms are needed when hiring an employee and the current withholding tax rate. Attendees will also learn about quarterly and annual payroll tax reports and recording payroll transactions in a book keeping system.

This Lunch & Learn will be held at the JARI Center (160 JARI Drive) from 12 to 1:15 PM. 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 / Cambria County • Event/ 0 Comments

21st Annual Cambria County Job Fair Has Great Success

The Cambria County Job Fair was a resounding success!  Over 500 job seekers had the opportunity to meet with 76 businesses offering around 500 positions.

Based on employer and job seeker survey results, employers commented that it was one of the best job fairs they ever attended and the quality of the job seekers was impressive. Danielle Bowers, The Martha & Mary House, stated “The Cambria County Job Fair was a great resource for us at The Martha & Mary House. Not only were we able to meet with potential employees but all of our residents attended and were able to apply for jobs!”

Job seekers also said they were happy to see a variety of employers with many different job opportunities available in our region.

Many thanks to the sponsors and in-kind contributors for their support and to the Job Fair Committee for their hard work in planning and executing this event. to view the job fair program with the a list of employers and job openings, click here or visit our website.

Thank you to all of our sponsors!
Admiral Peary AVTS
Alleghenies United Cerebral Palsy
AmeriServ Financial Bank
CTS Driving School
DRS Technologies
First Commonwealth Bank
Forever Media, Inc.
JARI
JWF Industries
PA CareerLink Cambria County
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College
Southern Alleghenies Workforce Development Board
QNS Recruiting
Riggs Industries
Schneider
United States Army/Army Reserves
Watkins Security, LLC
WJAC-TV
WorkLink Staffing
Thank you to the Job Fair Committee!
Debi Balog
JARI
Lauren Brewer
JARI
Larry Brugh
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College
Jeff Dick
PA CareerLink Cambria County
Sarah Helman
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Alleghenies
Rebecca Marshall
Hiram G. Andrews Center
Tina Pelesky
Veteran Community Initiatives, Inc.
Mallie Stephens
PA CareerLink Cambria County
/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Financing & incentives • Somerset County/ 0 Comments

The Importance of Strategic Planning

On Thursday, May 4th, Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, SPHR, CCP, CMC, SHRM-SCPSM, HR Consultants, Inc, will share the definition and necessity of preparing a strategic plan. Attendees will learn why mission & vision statements and values are important in the process, the elements of a SWOT analysis and how they link into a strategic plan. Attendees will also have the opportunity to understand the importance of writing goals and objectives while monitoring, measuring and updating their strategic plans.

This Lunch & Learn will be held at the JARI Center (160 JARI Drive) on Thursday, May 4, from 12 to 1:15 PM. 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 / Cambria County • Financing & incentives • New business • News • Somerset County/ 0 Comments

PA Small Business Week Takes Place Next Week

The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) in conjunction with the National Small Business Week has announced the second annual Pennsylvania Small Business Week that takes place next week (April 30 – May 6).

Pennsylvania will showcase the role small businesses play in our state and how they support both strong entrepreneurship and vibrant communities.

The DCED will be hosting five free webinars that will be presented by experienced experts:

If you’re interested in attending one of the listed webinars, click the corresponding links for more information.

/ 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 / 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 / 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 / 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.