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

Registration Open for BUILDing Connections

Registration for BUILDing Connections is now open. The free workshop is a special session for small to medium sized construction contractors interested in government contracting or subcontracting and will feature presentations from the PA Department of General Services, the PA Department of Transportation, and JARI PTAC staff. Attendees will get the opportunity to speak to representatives from both the PA Department of General Services, Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities and the PA Department of Transportation, Bureau of Office Services. Plenty of time will be available for networking and Q&A.

The workshop will be held on Thursday, March 1, 2018, at the JARI Center for Business Development, 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Registration is required and can be completed here or by emailing . Seating is limited, so register early. A special thank you to our event sponsor, Bantly Hardware, who will be providing light refreshments.

If you would like to learn more about this workshop or have any government contracting assistance needs, please contact the JARI PTAC at (814) 254-4022 or (814) 254-4023 or via email at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / PTAC • Somerset County/ 0 Comments

Augustine Die & Mold Receives HUBZone Certification

Congratulations to Augustine Die & Mold (ADM) on their recent HUBZone certification. Due to designation updates in July 2017, ADM was able to take advantage of the Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program. The program helps urban and rural small businesses gain additional access to federal procurement opportunities. Benefits of being HUBZone certified include competitive contracting, a 10% price evaluation preference, and even sole sourcing. The federal government has a goal of awarding 3% of prime contracts to HUBZone certified small business and prime contractors also have a 3% subcontracting goal.

Although there are several eligibility requirements including the business be physically located in a HUBZone, companies often have trouble meeting the employee residence requirement.  A minimum of 35% of a company’s employees must live in a HUBZone in order for a business to be eligible to apply for HUBZone certification. Prior to July 2017, only a few census tracts within Somerset County were eligible. Now, the entire county is designated as a HUBZone, thus opening the program up to more Somerset County businesses.

Congratulations, again, to Augustine Die & Mold. If you would like to learn more about the HUBZone or have any government contracting assistance needs, please contact the JARI PTAC at (814) 254-4022 or (814) 254-4023 or via email at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County/ 0 Comments

Announcing the New Maker-to-Manufacturing Commercialization Center

Catalyst Connection is partnering with JARI and the University of Pittsburgh to provide both physical and virtual support to small entities seeking to commercialize their products. These organizations will work as a single virtual center to mentor entrepreneurs, support the scaling of start-ups to more robust economic expansion and job creation, connect innovators to the manufacturing supply chain, provide access to maker spaces, connect entrepreneurs to the region’s high-powered academic institutions, and provide access to seed capital.

The new virtual Maker-to-Manufacturing Commercialization Center (M2M) connects entrepreneurial makers and small businesses to a larger ecosystem of manufacturing. M2M offers services and resources including:

  • Technical Assistance – Assistance with prototype development, market research, business case development, sales and marketing strategies, production strategies, distribution strategies, and access to early stage capital.
  • Makers-to-Manufacturers Peer Network – to provide guidance, an education and training program that includes workshops and webcasts on topics including innovation and commercialization, and access to emerging Maker Spaces in the region.
  • Supply Chain Buyers Network – Startup companies can engage with supply chains in various industry clusters to make connections and gain entry into new markets.

If you would like to discuss your business needs and eligibility, contact Mike Evans at (412) 918-4283 or .

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

Creating Customer Delight and Enhancing Relationships

Dr. Randy Frye, Saint Francis University, will present “Creating Customer Delight and Enhancing Relationships” on Tuesday, February 20th, at a JARI Lunch & Learn event. Workshop participants will learn the salient principles of customer service/satisfaction and relationship building and maintenance; understand the difference between customer service and the customer experience; and will be inspired to do their best to create the finest customer experience in their respective organizations. Customer service and relationship management concepts are explicitly applied to their organization settings.

This Lunch & Learn will be held at JARI Center (160 Jari Drive, Johnstown, PA) from 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM. The cost to register is $5 per person and lunch will be provided. Click here to register. Please register by February 19th. No shows on the day of the event that have registered will be billed.

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County/ 0 Comments

Craft Business Thursday @ Creator Square

The Community Arts Center of Cambria County will be hosting the fourth Craft Business Thursday @ Creator Square on Thursday, February 22nd from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Community Arts Center’s Goldhaber-Fend Fine Arts Center gallery (1217 Menoher Boulevard, Johnstown). The Craft Business Thursday @ Creator Square is a series of monthly lectures featuring a special artist guest speaker. This month’s lecture will include entertainment by local acoustic musician, along with wine, beer, and refreshments. Kim Fox, an artist in the medium of tins and salvaged wood, as well as art teacher, designer and illustrator, will be the fourth speaker in the Creator Square, Craft Business Thursday Speaker Series.

The goals of this series for Craft Business Thursday’s @ Creator Square are to: update the community on Creator Square’s progress in anticipation of the building’s renovation and program roll out in 2018-19; discuss concepts like ‘craft business,’ ‘makers movement,’ and entrepreneurialism; feature a talented and accomplished craft business person/maker during each evening’s lecture/workshop.

For more information, please click here.

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

Millennials and Other Generations – Insight into Working Together

Corey Christman, Vethos LLC, will present Millennials and Other Generations – Insight into Working Together on Thursday, February 8th. Attendees will learn about introverted versus extroverted leadership, how to motivate millennials in the workforce and at home, and how to incorporate millennial employees and other generations into the company succession plan.

The workshop will be held from 12 PM to 1:15 PM at JARI Center for Business Development. The cost to register is $5 per person and lunch will be provided.

If you are interested in attending, please fill out the registration form and email it to Lauren Brewer at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Financing & incentives • New business • Somerset County/ 0 Comments

JARI Funds Somerset County Business

JARI is pleased to announce Microloan funding for a business in Somerset County. Knucklehead’s Saloon, a pub located at 1866 Penn Avenue, Jerome, is now owned and operated by Stacy McKool.

Knucklehead’s Saloon recently opened the end of December 2017. “I’m very excited to be running my own business with the assistance of JARI.” noted McKool. Linda Thomson, JARI President, commented “JARI is excited to be working with a small business located in Somerset County.”

If you would like assistance in starting or financing your business please contact Michele Clapper, VP of Economic Development, at (814) 262-8368 or via e-mail at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Media Releases • Workforce Development/ 0 Comments

JARI Announces 2018 NAP Tax Credit Program

JARI leaders announced their Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit Program (NAP) for 2018. Administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the details were released during a press event at JARI Headquarters in Downtown Johnstown on Tuesday, January 30.

JARI will receive $67,000 to provide a 200-hour welding training program to 25 unemployed/underemployed individuals residing in 4 neighborhoods located in the City of Johnstown: Cambria City, Coopersdale, Morrellville and Oakhurst.

Manufacturing companies require workers who complete some type of post-secondary education that includes industry-specific credentials. Five manufacturing companies in Cambria and Somerset Counties currently have openings for more than 150 welders. One of those companies, J&J Truck Bodies, is currently seeking 40 welders according to Shawn Kaufman, Director of Human Resources. The program will enable participants to acquire the skills needed to obtain employment in jobs that pay a family-sustaining wage.

Contributors to the 2018 NAP program include: 1st Summit Bank, First National Bank, Northwest Bank and Somerset Trust.

For more information, contact Debi Balog at the JARI office 814-535-8675.

/ By Lauren Thompson / PTAC/ 0 Comments

Save the Date – BUILDing Connections Workshop

Please join us at a new workshop being offered by the JARI Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). Small to medium sized construction contractors considering Federal, State, or local government contracting or subcontracting will benefit from three great presentations by the PA Department of General Services, Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities, the PA Department of Transportation, Bureau of Office Services, and the JARI PTAC. There will be ample time for questions and networking. The workshop will be held at the JARI Center Conference Room (Richland), 160 JARI Drive, Johnstown, PA, on Thursday, March 1, 2018, 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Pre-registration is required.

Please contact us with questions or for any of your government contracting assistance needs at (814) 254-4022 or (814) 254-4023 or via email at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Vision 2025/ 0 Comments

Vision2025 Celebration Recap

Vision2025 held its annual celebration on Tuesday, January 23rd at Ace’s in downtown Johnstown. Vision leaders had the opportunity to thank the Vision2025 capture teams and more than 1,000 volunteers who have led projects in our community over the past two years.

Community leaders made remarks on the progress that Vision2025 has made including Bill Polacek, Chair of Vision2025 Board, and Congressman Keith Rothfus. Ryan Kieta, a Vision2025 Coordinator, made an announcement regarding Capture Team funding. There are $2,500 and $5,000 in Capture Awards available to support on-going and new projects in the area. To access the Capture Team application, click here.

Keynote speaker, Bill Flanagan, Chief Corporate Relations Officer for the Allegheny Conference, compared Pittsburgh’s recovery efforts to those of Vision2025 in Johnstown. Flanagan was able to provide a perspective on the work that is needed to provide a change in the community to make it a vibrant place to live and work.

Click here for to read the full article. For more information on Vision2025 or how you can get involved, please visit the Vision2025 website at www.johnstown25.com.