JARI’s Workforce Development Director Recognized by VCI

Debi Balog, JARI’s Workforce Development Director, will be recognized on Friday as a recipient of the Ed Cernic, Sr. Community Support Recognition Award through the Veteran’s Community Initiative. The award recognizes individuals who support and assist our veterans and their family members.

Congratulations, Debi!

March Seminars Hosted by SAP&DC

The Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission will be hosting two seminars this March:

For more information, contact the SAP&DC at 814-949-6500 or by email at .

Area organizations assisting during partial government shutdown

The partial Government shutdown is beginning to be felt by area contractors, subcontractors and Federal employees alike. Many organizations are doing what they can to help. If you or someone you know is affected by the shutdown, be sure to check into any and all assistance to help you and your company through this difficult time.

The United Way of Pennsylvania is maintaining a website of resources for furloughed federal employees, to view these Shutdown Resources click here. If you are looking for contractor/subcontractor resources, please feel free to contact the JARI PTAC at (814) 254-4022 or (814) 254-4023 or via email at .

What contractors can expect during the government shutdown

 

Contractors are certainly concerned about what the government shutdown means to them. Georgia Tech, a fellow Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), has put together a brief article with resources you may find helpful. You can view this article at gtpac.org.

Over $5 Million Awarded in Tax Credits!

Joette Watson, Chief Financial Officer

JARI is pleased to announce that $5,243,851 in tax credits have been awarded to local companies through the Greater Johnstown Keystone Innovation Zone (GJKIZ) since the inception of the program in 2005. In 2018, $118,190 in tax credits were awarded to four companies. The Commonwealth has a total annual pool of up to $15 million available to eligible companies.
KIZs are designed to foster innovation and create entrepreneurial opportunities. To qualify for the GJKIZ program, a company must be a for-profit located within the territory of the GJKIZ, be fewer than eight years old, and have its primary business within one or more of the following industry sectors:
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Environmental/Renewable Energy Technology
  • Information Systems Technology
  • Life Sciences
A KIZ company must have an innovative process or have patents, licensing agreements, trademarks and/or copyrights on products or processes created in-house. A company may receive up to $100,000 in tax credits annually if they meet the criteria. If there is no tax liability for the company, the credits may be sold for cash.

JARI’s Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit Program Approved!

Debi Balog, Workforce Development Director

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development has approved JARI’s Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit (NAP) application for $67,000.  Contributions from four businesses will be used to provide Class A, Commercial Driver training to 10 eligible individuals. First priority will be given to residents of the Woodvale, Old Conemaugh Borough, Prospect, and Kernville sections of the City of Johnstown.
The NAP tax credit program provides businesses with state tax liability the option to make a donation to the JARI Workforce Program and receive 55% tax credits in exchange for their donation.
This is the fourth year of the program. Serving residents of the City of Johnstown. Collectively, the program has placed 60 individuals in full-time employment.
Special thanks to the following business contributors whose tax dollars will be "put to work" supporting residents of our local community: 1st Summit Bank, First National Bank, Northwest Bank and Somerset Trust Company.
If you are interested in learning more about the training program or are a business that would like to participate in the JARI NAP Tax Credit Program, please contact Debi Balog, JARI Workforce Development Director at 814-262-8366 or via e-mail at .

Partners Spotlighted at the 2018 SAS Conference

Each year the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) hosts an annual conference designed to provide educators with updates on state educational initiatives. The Standards Aligned System (SAS) Institute includes general sessions with nationally recognized keynote presenters, panel presentations and breakout sessions that highlight exemplars and programming from schools and organizations across the commonwealth. This year, the conference was held at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center on December 9th-12th. The SAS Conference attracts approximately 200 Superintendents from across the Commonwealth.

One of this year’s keynote presenters was Eileen Cipriani, Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development with Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry. She addressed Pennsylvania workforce needs and how increasing partnerships can build a system of competitiveness and innovation.  Workforce, education, and business partners from the Southern Alleghenies Region were invited to participate in a panel discussion to showcase the impact of a highly functioning partnership in Pennsylvania.

SAS Conference Panelist

Panelist: Debi Balog, Director, Workforce Development/JARI, Susan K. Whisler, Director, Southern Alleghenies Workforce Development Board, Barbara A. Zaborowski, Ph.D. Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, Eileen Cipriani, PA Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development, Shawn Kaufman, Director, Human Resources, Riggs Industries, PA Department of Community & Economic Development, Gwen Ross, Director of Workforce Development Initiatives and Carole M. Kakabar, Superintendent, Ferndale Area School District.

Startup Alleghenies Expands to Bedford, Fulton and Huntingdon Counties #StartRHRN

Pictured above: All four Startup Alleghenies coaches including the two newest additions Andrew Trexler (Bedford) and Debra Clark (Huntingdon and Fulton), as well as existing coaches Rick Lasek (Blair County) and our very own, Jose Luis (Cambria).

Startup Alleghenies (SUA) is ready to support entrepreneurs in the Alleghenies from three additional counties, Bedford, Fulton and Huntingdon.   This expansion means that the Startup Alleghenies movement has expanded to all six counties in the Southern Alleghenies, and often, beyond.

“We’re delighted to welcome entrepreneurs and partners from Bedford, Fulton and Huntingdon Counties into the Right Here. Right Now. movement we launched to create the next great startup zone in the Alleghenies,” said Debbi Prosser, director business-development, Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC).

“We believe our Entrepreneur Coaches are the critical entry-point and ongoing mentors for entrepreneurs, connecting them to all that the SUA network has to offer,” explained Prosser,  “so we’ve hired two new entrepreneurial Coaches, Andrew Trexler and Debra Clark, to ensure entrepreneurs in our newest counties also receive all the help they need to get their ideas to market.”

Andrew Trexler will focus on Bedford County while employed by the Bedford County Development Association, and Deborah Clark, will cover Huntingdon and Fulton Counties while employed by Huntingdon County Business and Industry.

In addition to personalized coaching, Startup Allenghenies entrepreneurs benefit from a network of resources available ecosystem-wide, including nine entrepreneur work spaces, programs such as TechCelerators and the BIG IDEA Contests organized by Startup Alleghenies Founding partner, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, as well as help with business plan development from St. Francis University Small Business Development Center (SBDC), marketing, legal and financial advice.  Startup Alleghenies partners also sponsor networking opportunities for entrepreneurs throughout the year.

Prosser credits additional funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) with making this growth possible. “In expanding our POWER grant, by just over $1.2 million, ARC acknowledged Startup Alleghenies success, due in large part to our network of committed partners in Blair, Cambria and Somerset Counties,” Prosser added.

 

 

If you have a new business idea, want to expand your existing business or just want to learn more about what it takes to take your idea to market, register with SUA today—Right Here. Right Now.

 

Startup Alleghenies: Website Facebook | Twitter

 

 

Pre-qualified DBE Contractors & Consultants – You’re Invited!

 

The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Supportive Services Center, Cheyney University, is holding a networking event for Pre-qualified DBE Contractors and DBE Consultants on Friday, December 14, 2018 in Pittsburgh.
“Getting Ready for Primetime” will be held at the Constructors Association of Western PA from 9:00 am – 11:00am.
Similar to “speed dating”, ready-to-work DBE firms will get the chance to individually meet with Prime contractors looking for subcontractors through short, one-on-one meetings.
When: Friday, December 14, 2018
Time: 9:00 am – 11:00am
Where: 800 Cranberry Woods Drive, Suite 100, Cranberry Township, PA
To learn more about this event and to register, please click here.
Please contact us with questions or for government contracting assistance needs at

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.