Strategy Solutions

Headquarters

8425 Peach Street Erie, PA 16509

Phone: 814/480-8000

Website: getstrategy.com

25

A Transformation Leader for 25 Years

As a certified WBE (Woman Business Enterprise), with a mission to create

healthy communities, Strategy Solutions facilitates transformation in organizations and communities

by providing research, planning, and implementation management support. The firm:

• translates vision into action by creating specific action plans that identify the human, capital and operating resources needed to achieve tangible outcomes; • engages stakeholders through effective outreach, inquiry, and data collection, effectively summarizing data to draw conclusions; • creates a commitment to action through consensus building, vetting concerns and conflict management; • educates boards on effective governance and engage them to support the mission of their organizations; • utilizes primary and secondary research to assess industry and product lifecycles and identify best practices; • challenges clients to adapt at (or ahead of) the pace of change of industry and/or customer expectations; • evaluates the outcomes and impacts of programs and initiatives; • provides resource development and fundraising support; and, • builds capacity in our client organizations through a “do-teach-coach” model.

Over the past 25 years, Strategy Solutions has facilitated:

• dozens of strategic plans and initiatives for manufacturers, small businesses, nonprofits, trade associations and collaborative groups; • public engagement including community visioning and planning processes, metropolitan and rural transportation planning projects, land use planning, comprehensive plans, municipal consolidation and strategic plans; • brownfield feasibility studies and redevelopment projects including

COMPANY PROFILE

stakeholder outreach, market and workforce opportunity analysis; • strategic and program planning for secondary and post-secondary education institutions including colleges, universities, technical schools, school districts and private schools; • industry “pipeline” development including marketing plans and programs to guide students from high school into training programs that lead to employer career pathways; • restructuring of local and regional economic and workforce development systems to better serve employers utilizing a “roles and players” framework and leadership consensus building; • creation and expansion of collaborative alliances to promote and maximize joint purchasing, cost sharing and administrative consolidation without merger; • dozens of Community Health Needs

Assessments (CHNAs) across the country, including stakeholder engagement, primary and secondary data collection, facilitating commitment to problem solving and implementation; • identification, selection and evaluation of potential uplink partners based on internal capacity assessment and gap analysis, consensus building around criteria for the

“perfect partner” and evaluation of prospective partners; and, • training, consulting and technical assistance to hospitals, health departments, health networks, community development and other “backbone organizations” to evaluate and improve their local capacity to achieve collective impact.

Strategy Solutions grew out of its founder’s work as the catalyst of the community health movement in Erie. After being the architect of a successful private-public partnership, led by the then-Manufacturer’s Association of NWPA, that became the model adopted by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for Community Health Improvement Planning Districts in the mid-1990s, Debra Thompson recognized that hospitals alone cannot create a healthy community. It requires strong connections between private sector entities (who create wealth and provide jobs), community and government services (to educate and provide infrastructure) and an effective social service sector (which provides programs and services to help people).

With John Malone’s blessing and Hamot as a founding client, Strategy Solutions was created as a research and planning firm that would act as a capacity builder and catalyst for change for organizations, particularly those who have a “lead role” within a sector, community or region. Strategy Solutions intentionally expanded its practice into community, economic and workforce development to better understand how public sector entities support healthier communities and be better equipped to “connect the dots” and bridge the “silo-ism” that is often a barrier to growth. This cross-sector knowledge brings strategic value to the firm’s individual clients as it opens new doors helps them create connections and access resources in new and creative ways.

ERIE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION HOLDS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

Erie Federal Credit Union (Erie FCU) officially broke ground for its newest branch in Fairview, PA. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 17, 2022 at 7141 West Ridge Road in Fairview, Pa 16415 (east of Coach USA | across from Holy Cross Church). Attending the groundbreaking ceremony were Erie FCU leadership and staff, the credit union’s Board of Directors along with other officials. The Credit Union estimates that the new one-story, 1,500-square-foot branch will be open for business in the summer of 2023.

“We are thrilled to break ground in Fairview,” said Erie FCU Chief Executive Officer Brian Waugaman. “It is truly exciting to see this project being put into motion and for us to continue to strive to make a difference in our community and in the lives of our members.” This will become the credit union’s 10th branch and first location in western Erie County. This will also be the credit union’s first new location since the adaptive reuse of the former Glenwood Elementary School and construction of its Glenwood corporate headquarters and branch on Peach Street, which opened in June 2017. The new branch will feature banking amenities such as multiple drive-up lanes, a drive-up ATM, a warm, welcoming environment and private offices for meeting with members.

For more information, visit eriefcu.org.

$385K GRANT EXPANDS MATERIALS SCIENCE RESEARCH AT PENN STATE BEHREND

A $385,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) will fund the purchase of an Instron drop tower impact-testing system at Penn State Behrend, where faculty members are developing new approaches to polymer recycling and the formulation of new composites. At least 10 faculty members will use the system to advance their research, which includes automotive and aerospace partnerships. Another will use it to test new polymers for ski boots and bindings. The Instron system will expand the materials research capabilities at Behrend, where grant funding and industry partnerships fueled $8.3 million in research expenditures in 2021. “This takes us into a whole new kind of materials science,” said Greg Dillon, chair of the Polymer Engineering and Science program at Behrend and the principal investigator for the NSF grant. “It allows us to delve very deeply into fracture mechanics: how materials and structures fail under high energy.” Drop towers are used to determine how materials break. The drop mechanism, or tup, is fired like an arrow into a plastic, metal, ceramic or gel. The Instron tup drops at a rate of 78 feet per second. “It’s a lot like a crossbow,” said Alicyn Rhoades, the interim associate dean for research and graduate studies at Behrend. She and Dillon wrote the original application for the NSF grant.

Erie Federal Credit Union officials broke ground for the Credit Union’s new branch location in Fairview, Pennsylvania this past November.

GREAT LAKES AUTOMATION SERVICES INC. MARKED 20TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2022

Great Lakes Automation Services Inc. (GLASI), headquartered in McKean, Pennsylvania, marked 20 years in business in 2022. GLASI was founded in 2002 by Mark Fatica, Ken Fisher and Bryan Brooks who acquired AMi in 2004. AMi, which was started in 1973 by Chuck Watters and Don Stevens, operated until 1996 when DT Industries acquired AMi. In 2007, GLASi diversified and opened a Packaging and Kitting division geared toward service with military and the government. Great Lakes Automation Services, Inc. went on to acquire Clifton Machining in 2009 to which became Great Lakes Machining. Today, Great Lakes Automation Services Inc. an industry leader in the design, manufacture and integration of fully automated and semi-automated assembly and test equipment in the automotive, consumer, electrical, medical, defense and aerospace industries. The company is also a service disabled, veteran owned, small business. For more information, visit glasi.us.

John Krahe presented an anniversary plaque on behalf of the MBA to Great Lakes Automation Services Chief Executive Officer and Owner Ken Fisher (center) and Chief Executive Officer / President and Owner Mark Fatica.

MANUFACTURER & BUSINESS ASSOCIATION APPOINTS JOINT AS PRESIDENT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

The Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) Board of Governors announced that Lori Joint has been appointed as the organization’s president and chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2023. MBA Board of Governors Chairman Jana Goodrich, president of Seaway Manufacturing in Erie, said the Board’s decision was unanimous. “Lori has been a long-tenured and wellrespected senior leader at the MBA,” said Goodrich, “and we are confident that she is the right person to take the Association to the next level as we grow the MBA’s presence and enhance the programs and services offered to our member employers in the tri-state region.” Joint shared Goodrich’s enthusiasm for her new appointment. “I am grateful to the Board for offering me this incredible opportunity to follow in the MBA’s proud legacy of leadership. I truly believe in the mission of the MBA to help our members succeed, and I am excited about the chance to make an even bigger impact by leading this great organization and its dedicated staff. There is a lot of hard work ahead, but I know we have the right people to do it.” In her new role, Joint is responsible for leading a nearly 30-person staff at its Erie headquarters and new office location in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. She will oversee the MBA’s operations and its delivery of comprehensive services, including HR and legal support, professional development and computer training, competitive group insurance, expert logistics services, reduced cost energy program, premium meeting space rentals, lobbying efforts, thought-provoking business news and premier networking opportunities. Joint was named vice president of the MBA in 2014, overseeing the Marketing, Communications, Government Affairs, and Insurance Departments. She joined the Association as an intern in 1990 while attending Gannon University and was hired as a computer training instructor in 1995. She has since held various key roles at the MBA, including as Computer Training manager, account executive for the MBA Business Magazine, and as director of Government Affairs before being named vice president, and most recently as interim president and CEO.

GANNON UNIVERSITY NAMES ITS EIGHTH PRESIDENT

Walter Iwanenko Jr., Ph.D.,

an occupational therapist and epidemiologist whose six-year tenure as Gannon University’s provost and vice president for student experience has earned him a reputation as a creative problem solver and an advocate for academic excellence, has been selected as the university’s eighth president. The university’s Board of Trustees voted October 31 to appoint Iwanenko, 52, to succeed Keith Taylor, Ph.D., who announced in August that he will step down as president effective June 30, 2023. Iwanenko will begin his new duties on July 1, 2023. “We are delighted to announce Dr. Iwanenko will be our next president,” said the Most. Rev. Lawrence Persico, J.C.L., Bishop of the Diocese of Erie and chairman of Gannon’s Board of Trustees. “He has contributed much to the university in his role as a vice president and provost, and we have even higher expectations for him and the university when he assumes his new role next year.” Iwanenko’s appointment as president-elect follows a nearly six-month campus-wide process that was assisted by Academic Search. More than 800 faculty, staff and students responded to the Leadership Transition Committee’s survey in early September. Those responses helped form the presidential profile against which Iwanenko was vetted in early October. About 275 attended open forums with Iwanenko, and another 150 participated in interviews with him. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from those meetings informed the 13-member Committee’s recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Tina Donikowski ’85, a Gannon trustee and chairwoman of the Leadership Search Committee, said Iwanenko distinguished himself throughout the process. “We were fortunate to have had a succession plan in place and that Dr. Iwanenko presented himself so well,” she said. “As a committee and as a board, we were prepared to take the search nationally if that was indicated, but Dr. Iwanenko proved to us he is ready for this role. He has the institutional knowledge, the aptitude and a commitment to both the university and to its Catholic traditions to advance Gannon’s positive momentum.”

Iwanenko worked at Hilbert and D’Youville colleges prior to joining Gannon in 2016.

MCGILL, POWER, BELL & ASSOCIATES’ ZINNA NAMED YOUNG LEADER TO WATCH

McGill, Power, Bell & Associates, LLP (MPB) recently announced that one of its partners, Matt C. Zinna, CPA, has been named a Young Leader to Watch by the Pennsylvania Institute of CPA’s (PICPA). The PICPA annually recognizes roughly 25 of its members under the age of 40 who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to the accounting profession through the PICPA or community service. In addition to climbing the ranks quickly at their organizations, past winners have gone on to serve as PICPA leadership, committee chairs and conference speakers. Zinna joined MPB in 2019. He brings more than 17 years of experience in audit and attest and consulting and services to the nonprofit, higher education and governmental development industries. He is a member of the firm’s Nonprofit and Government Service Group and Quality Control committee. the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA). He also serves as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Fairview School Foundation, a Flagship Niagara League’s Mariners’ Ball Committee Member, on the Board of Directors for Early Connections, Inc., and is a member of Hamot Health Foundation Board of Corporators.

KNOX LAW WELCOMES NEW ATTORNEY

Colleen D. Campbell is a new associate with Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, P.C. Campbell focuses her practice in business, commercial and tax law; banking and commercial lending; nonprofit and tax-exempt entities; and community development projects. She has prior experience as a Certified Legal Intern during law school, providing counsel to nonprofit organizations on start-up and governance matters. She also served as an intern for the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, The Erie Community Foundation, and Knox Law. Campbell earned her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where she was the managing editor of the Journal of Law, Technology, and the Internet, and participated in the Women’s Law Association. She earned a B.A. from Gettysburg College, where she was copresident of the Pre-Law Club and President of the Economic Research Club.

At Knox Law, she joins a team of 40 attorneys that has been providing quality legal services to businesses, families, public entities, and nonprofit organizations for 65 years.

Make a Difference! Join the MBA-PAC

Jezree Friend is the assistant vice president of external relations at the Manufacturer & Business Association. Contact him at 814/8333200, 800/815-2660 or jfriend@mbausa.org.

The past couple years have highlighted the influence our elected officials in Pennsylvania have on our business community. We saw many pro-business candidates loose to opponents funded by organizations that don’t have our best interests in mind. It is important the strong candidates who share our values win their primaries. Let me be clear: Good candidates and good campaigns matter. So, if you are like many of our members, frustrated with how things turned out this past election, it is time to get involved with the Manufacturer & Business Association’s State Political Action Committee (MBAPAC). Donating to the MBA-PAC is the best way to get involved in the political process and make a difference.

Why Does the MBA Have a PAC?

Sitting on the sidelines is not an option for our members. When you contribute to the MBA-PAC, you are supporting candidates who are working to help us continue to lead the way for a pro-growth and probusiness environment in Pennsylvania.

What is the PAC’s Purpose?

We promote candidates who support the issues most important to our members. We strive for improvement by encouraging our members to take a more active part in government affairs. We assist the business community in organizing themselves for more effective political action.

What Does the PAC Do?

The MBA-PAC is bipartisan and supports candidates for public office who understand and support the issues most critical to the continued growth and success of our members. The MBA-PAC helps us to educate policy leaders on issues that are important to our industry. Here’s why you should join our efforts. Recently, an MBA member said this, “I quit watching the news a couple years ago. The last three years showed me that no matter what we as a population want or think, the government is going to go the way of getting their pockets lined, or cave into the squeaky wheel even though the squeaky wheel is such a small population.” We hear you and want you to know you are not alone. The MBA, through our Government Affairs team, gets legislation passed for you, our members. Two recent examples are the reduction of the Corporate Net Income Tax Rate — good for those businesses that file as C-corps — and the passage of Section 179, immediate expensing, which helps those that file as pass-throughs instead file at the individual tax rate. Both took years and patience. It is usually a fight except for that moment when lawmakers compromise. The past several years have been extremely challenging on many fronts, but the MBA is here for you and won’t quit now. If you have ever wondered, “Does advocacy really work? Is there a return on investment or is it just like throwing money down a rabbit hole?” you now know the answer. Yes, advocacy does work! This all starts with getting strong candidates over the finish line on election day and helping those good lawmakers who share our values. Our goal is always to do what is in the best interest of you, our members. Your donation to the MBA-PAC allows us to support lawmakers who will champion the initiatives that support you. The MBA has grown to become one of the strongest voices for business in western Pennsylvania. However, our success depends on the generosity of MBA members like you! Here’s how you can help. Please make your donation online at mbausa.org/servicesand-benefits/government-affairs/mba-pac/ or contact me at jfriend@mbausa.org to learn more about both our state and federal PACs working for you.

SURVEY FINDS ‘QUIET QUITTING’ IS MAJOR CONCERN IN WORKPLACE

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recently conducted a survey of 1,200 HR professionals with the aim of understanding quiet quitting in numerous workplaces. Quiet quitting is described as employees who put no more effort into their jobs than absolutely necessary. Here are some of the survey results: Quiet quitting is real. Fifty-one percent of human resource professionals indicated that quiet quitting was a concern, with approximately 36 percent of those surveyed saying it was actively occurring in their workplaces. Culture is a problem. When asked why quiet quitting was happening, 60 percent of respondents whose organizations were experiencing it pointed to the post-pandemic culture. Two hypotheses were shared by these HR professionals regarding the cause of their cultural problems: diminished people management capabilities and an inability to maintain culture in a virtual environment. Younger workers are at risk. The survey found that 72 percent of HR professionals had witnessed quiet quitting among younger workers, with hourly workers being the most likely group to exhibit behaviors associated with quiet quitting. Additionally, 8 percent of HR professionals are witnessing quiet quitting from front-line people managers. Experts say HR practitioners should focus their efforts on this key workforce demographic, since people managers are the instrument of culture, and culture cannot survive without talented people managers.

RESEARCH FINDS ONLY 32 PERCENT OF EMPLOYEES BELIEVE THEIR PAY IS FAIR

Less than one-third of employees feel they are paid fairly, while just 34 percent of employees believe their pay is equitable, according to a recent survey by Gartner, Inc. The survey of 3,523 employees in 2022 also found that that employees who perceive their pay as unequitable have a 15-percent lower intent to stay with their employer and are 13-percent less engaged at work than employees who perceive their pay as equitable. “Employees’ sensitivity to perceived pay gaps is being exacerbated by today’s economic conditions, including rising inflation, and the hot labor market, which is causing a shift in compensation between tenured employees and new hires,” said Tony Guadagni, senior principal in the Gartner HR practice. Most organizations are actively taking steps to close pay gaps; a July 2022 Gartner survey of 104 total rewards leaders found that 84 percent are conducting pay equity audits at least annually. While technical approaches are necessary, they don’t address employee perceptions.

The Trendiest Benefits for 2023 and Beyond

Employers can offer benefits to meet evolving worker needs shaped by a tight labor market and rising inflation. Benefits are more crucial than ever for attracting and retaining top performers. For 2023, employers are uniquely positioned to offer more than just a health-care plan, including holistic benefits, resources and perks that today’s workers most want.

Voluntary Benefits Health-care costs have risen sharply over the past two decades and will likely continue to increase. Health-care affordability is top of mind for employers and employees alike. As employers search for ways to manage their health-care costs, some are considering voluntary benefits as a strategy to round off their offerings. Secondary benefits employers are offering: • Accident insurance • Critical Illness • Hospital indemnity insurance • Disability insurance • Life insurance • Identify theft protection • Pet insurance Voluntary benefits can provide value to employees without raising an employer’s costs, making them powerful tools for attracting and retaining top workers.

Financial Wellness Benefits Many employees are feeling financially strained due to record-high inflation. Financial wellness benefits must go beyond only offering educational resources to be impactful. Organizations can boost their attraction to today’s workers by offering the following types of desired financial wellness benefits:

• Retirement plan options with matching contribution • Health savings account contribution • Flexible spending account contribution • Financial planning assistance and coaching • Lifestyle spending account • Transportation benefits • Employee discount or purchase program • Financial reimbursements (for example, tuition or student loan repayment plans, caregiving support funds and professional development stipends) Talk with your broker about these and other expected benefit trends for 2023. For more information, visit the MBA’s Insurance Services page at mbausa.org.

Lori Joint

is the president and chief executive officer at the Manufacturer & Business Association. Contact her at 814/833-3200, 800/815-2660 or ljoint@ mbausa.org.

Identifying, Retaining Key Employees Critical to Organizational Success

Identifying and retaining key employees is especially important in light of ongoing attraction and retention difficulties many employers have been facing. According to Zywave’s 2022 Attraction and Retention Survey, more than 75 percent of employers consider attraction and retention to be among their top five business challenges. In order for organizations to continue to succeed, it is important that they are able to find and retain the best workers. These workers are those who affect performance and drive business for their employers, making them critical assets.

Key Employees Explained Key employees are those whose skills, knowledge and excellent performance can be linked to their organizations’ overall success. Often, these employees have special proprietary knowledge, additional certifications, degrees or licenses that help their organizations function more efficiently. Key employees may also help establish strong relationships within their organizations and with important external parties (e.g., clients). The primary takeaway is that key employees have a tangible impact on their companies and they are difficult to replace. Identifying Key Employees To retain key employees, employers have to know how to identify them. The traits of key employees may differ between organizations, but there are some general indicators of such workers. Specifically, these employees are known to: • Exceed expectations — These employees consistently go above and beyond what they are expected to do. • Enhance strategies — Such employees proactively search for ways to improve their companies’ strategies and operations without being told to do so. • Affect performance — The presence of these employees is often connected to increased performance and their absence can have negative effects on overall results. • Impact business relations — Losing such employees may hurt relationships with clients and vendors. • Connect teams — These employees foster connections between various teams and help smaller team cultures blend into their companies’ larger cultures. For more information about recruitment and retention, contact the MBA’s HR Services team at 814/833-3200, 800/815-2660 or hrservices@mbausa.org.

Stacey Bruce, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

is the director of HR Services at the Manufacturer & Business Association. Contact her at 814/833-3200, 800/815-2660 or sbruce@mbausa.org..

WHAT ARE ORGANIZATIONS PROJECTING FOR PAY INCREASES IN 2023?

The reality of the current labor market is that there are more open jobs than people to fill them, and inflation is impacting employees’ pay expectations. As a result, salary budgets for American employees are projected to increase in 2023. According to the Manufacturer & Business Association’s Salary Increase Survey, companies in PA are budgeting an overall average increase of 3.6 percent for 2023, compared with the average actual 5-percent increase in 2022. According to Willis Towers Watson’s July report, companies nationally are budgeting an overall average increase of 4.1 percent for 2023, compared with the average actual 4-percent increase in 2022. Keep in mind that these are the most significant increases since 2008. Forty-six percent of respondents said the top reason pay budgets are increasing next year is based on employee expectations for higher pay. Furthermore, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that hourly earnings increased 5.2 percent year over year in August 2022, while average weekly earnings rose 4.6 percent. These percentages don’t account for inflation, so pay bumps likely haven’t helped workers much. While employers are exploring more competitive compensation strategies, wage raises still lag behind the current rate of inflation. :

WHAT BENEFITS ARE ORGANIZATIONS OFFERING IN 2023?

There’s no denying that employees’ needs have changed over the past few years. As such, employers can offer benefits to meet evolving worker needs shaped by lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, a tight labor market and rising inflation. Many workers are paying more attention to their benefits and wondering how to stretch their dollars further. As health-care costs continue to skyrocket, some employers choose to pay 100 percent of employees’ monthly health-care premiums. For reference, the Kaiser Family Foundation reports the monthly average for employer contributions in 2021 was 83 percent. This type of benefit is more common in small organizations. Fully paid health plans could be a key differentiator for workers weighing their employment options. Family-building benefits are becoming increasingly popular with employees, as they inclusively support the unique and complex ways individuals and couples build their families. Employers are also focusing on ways to support reproductive health care. Such benefits can provide employees peace of mind as employers demonstrate their emotional and financial support for employees’ decisions to build a family. Additionally, many employers are increasingly prioritizing parental leave. According to Mercer data, 70 percent of employers are already offering or planning to offer parental leave in 2023, while 53 percent are providing or planning to provide paid adoption leave. :.

Happy Anniversary!

The Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) is proud to recognize all the member organizations that are marking milestone anniversaries in 2023! Thank you for your hard work and dedication — to your industry, your team and to the communities in which you operate. Your contributions are beyond measure. The MBA wishes you all the best and continued success in the new year! Congratulations!

185 Years

Rieders, Travis Law Firm

175 Years

The Record-Argus

150 Years

Barr’s Insurance

145 Years

C. A. Curtze Co. (Curtze Food Service) Wabtec

135 Years

Times Publishing Company (Erie Times-News)

130 Years

Gallagher Law Group The Kahkwa Club

125 Years

Erie Art Museum Ralph Miller Jewelers (Jan & Dan’s Jewelry Inc.) Siebenbuerger Club Walter Long Manufacturing Company Inc. YWCA of Northcentral PA

120 Years

Chemcoat Inc. Conneaut Lake Navigation Co. (The Navigation Co.) Erie County Historical Society (Hagan History Center) Pulakos Chocolates

115 Years

Liberty Welding Company Marquette Savings Bank

110 Years

Arthur F. Schultz Company Erie Concrete & Steel Supply Company (Econsteel) Peter Hardner & Son Inc. Rehrig Pacific Company Steptoe & Johnson PLLC Warren Steel Products, Inc. (The Warren Company)

105 Years

American Hollow Boring Company Erie Civic Theatre (Erie Playhouse) Erie Forge and Steel Inc. Marine Sheet Metal Works Wesbury United Methodist Community

100 Years

Achievement Center Blair Strip Steel Company Geiger Granite Inc. (Geiger & Sons Memorials & Bldg. Stone) Kocher’s Grove City Floral, LLC

90 Years

Insurance Management Company The J.M. Smucker Company Thrifty Clean Inc. S.H. Bell Company

80 Years

Bessemer System Federal Credit Union Erie Industrial Supply Company Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP Presbyterian SeniorCare Network Ricardo’s Restaurant

75 Years

Buseck, Barger, Bleil & Co. Inc. Dale McClymonds Inc. John Savoy & Son Inc. (Savoy Contract Furniture) Journey To Wellness Leech Holdings, LLC Millcreek Community Hospital Mobile Communication Service Inc. (Mobilcom) Murray Agency Inc. Penn State Behrend Phillips Jewelers Inc. Pittsburgh Cycle Center (Honda House) R. M. Kerner Company Scott Enterprises T. Bruce Campbell Construction Co. Inc. Traffic Control & Engineering Co., Inc. Warren County Conservation District

70 Years

Bradford City Water Authority Carl Strutz & Company Inc. Catholic Charities Counseling & Adoption Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry Gardner Steel Corporation Glenwood Pet Hospital Inc. Layke Tool & Mfg. Company NaviTek Machining NRASS Inc. (Dick Wolfes Garage) Port Erie Plastics Inc. Protective Industries Inc. (Caplugs) Russell C. Schmidt & Son Funeral Home Russell’s House of Furniture, Inc. (Russell’s of Waterford) Seneca Hardwood Lumber Co. Inc. World of Music

60 Years

Barens, Inc. Bradys Bend Corp. Byham’s Insurance Services Inc. Chuck Ollinger Plumbing & Heating Cygnus Manufacturing Co. LLC Edinboro University Bookstore Ernst Conservation Seeds Inc. Jarrett Machine Company Kuhn Tool & Die Co. Mahla Office Equipment, Inc. Miller Fabrication Solutions Modern Reproductions, Inc. Morocco, Morocco, & Specht Munot Plastics Inc. Oral Surgery of Erie, P.C. Pinnacle Financial Strategies, LLC University of Pittsburgh at Titusville Vallonia Industries Inc. WLD Ranch of the Federated Church (WLD Ranch)

50 Years

AA Precisioneering Inc. AMO Industries, Inc. Anderson Metal Industries Inc. B & R Camper Sales Inc. Barnes PSP, Inc. Brownlee Lumber Inc.

Happy Anniversary!

CAI Cable Hollow Golf Course Ceriani Transport, Inc. (Ceriani Fuel & Coal) Crawford Cnty. Drug & Alcohol Exec. Commission Crescent Beer Distributor, Inc. Crime Victim Center of Erie County, Inc. D.E. Errick Corporation (D.E. Errick, Inc.) Donlee Tool Corporation Fenice Garage, Inc. Howard Industries Joseph Weinkle, CLU Lectromat, Incorporated Methodist Towers Inc. M.R. Moody Sales and Service Inc. NEDCO (N E Davis) Northwest Bus Services Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber REBCO, Inc. Refrigeration Care, Inc. Sirkoch Associates Starlite Diversified, Inc. Venango Machine Company, Inc.

40 Years

Alpin Surgical Specialties Inc. Career Concepts Staffing Services Inc. Carrara Steel Inc. Cerwin Construction Company Changing Times Telephone LLC Computer Support & Associates, Inc. (Computer Support) CT Utility Service Custom Design Monuments, Inc. ECM Development Corp. (Acutran Transformers) EmergyCare Inc. EMMCO West, Inc. G. O. Crivelli Automotive Inc. Hanes Erie Inc. Hensa Stmp Inc. J. Beaston Inc. (Sunrise Landscape Service) Kenneth C. Schmitt, D.D.S., P.C. Martone & Peasley Mercer County Rehab Supply Moody Corp. Pennewell Sandblast & Painting Romeo’s Tire Center Ron Jones Hardwood Sales Inc. Ronald G. Jalbert, PhD. Sandy Lake Implement, Inc. Spektra Manufacturing Super Stitch Inc. Syst-A-Matic Tool & Design, Inc. Tandem Associates ThomEl Enterprises Inc. (McDonald’s) Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc.

30 Years

Anchor Holding Group (Anchor Seals Inc.) Battery Warehouse, Kittanning Bucktail Excavators Inc. Caflisch Pallet & Wood Services Counterflow Inc. Covers-All Canvas Products, Inc. D & E Machining Ltd. Dr. Douglass Smith DMD Ed’s Beans Inc. (Kiva Han Coffee) Environmental Remediation & Recovery Inc. Franklin Civic Operetta Association (Barrow-Civic Theatre) H.E. Fox, Inc. Infinity Resources Inc. Intrac Systems, Inc. ISPlus Erie, LLC J. Krukar Construction Co. Inc. Jacob A. Weaver Co. Kriebel Minerals Inc. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Med. Larkel Inc. (Once Upon a Child) LGA Partners, L.P. Lycoming Physical Therapy Machining Concepts Inc. Mark Comiskey Barber Styling McCartney Feed and Hardware Inc. McCracken Oil & Gas LLC Petro Mold Company Pilewski Plumbing Inc. RefrAmerica LLC Target Precision LLC Tri-State Bakery Service Troy-Alan Chevrolet-Olds, Inc. Voices for Independence Williams and Sons Services Inc.

25 Years

Anderson Plastics Inc. Battery Warehouse, Grove City Contract Cleaning Service and Supply Crawford Co. Consumer Satisfaction Team Custom Metal Coating Dennis Piper & Associates, P. C. Eastern Tool Steel Service, Inc. Edinboro University Foundation Family Pathways Federal Resources Corporation Graham Tech Inc. Life Force of Western PA, Inc. (Life Force Ambulance) McKean Veterinary Hospital Meadville Land Service Inc. Meadville Obstetrics & Gynecology Assoc. (Meadville OB/GYN Associates) Networking Technologies R & S Machine Company Robert Benjamin Wiley Community Charter School Sasol Chemicals (USA) LLC Simonian Electric Inc. SinterFire, Inc. Strategy Solutions Inc. TLC Institute, Inc. Warren’s Hometown Market (Warren Shurfine)

20 Years

A. Crivelli Ford, Inc. AJE Testing and Research, Inc. Barnhart Transportation Bradford Family Medicine Inc. Covington Investment Advisors, Inc. Creekside Springs, LLC Eberle Physical Therapy Edmund Burke Inc. (Salem Hardwood, Inc.) Ellwood National Forge Company Eriez Technologies Inc. Greater Erie Auto Auction Kidder Architects Litz Enterprises (‘JRs’ On-The-Bay/Sloppy Duck) Optical Filters USA LLC P/M National Inc. Palermo Realty & Dev. Corp. (Palermo Realty) Renee L. Peterson, O.D. Star Iron Works Inc. The Auto Washery Inc. (Ultimate Express Car Wash) Venture Fasteners LLC Vision Associates of Western PA Welding Technologies Inc.

10 Years

Allstreet Financial, LLC. (Evident Financial) Anderson Site Services, LLC Angelus Therapeutic Services Inc. Cross Paving LLC Generations Forestry Inc. Great Lakes Cast Stone Hoff Mechanical Inc. Hooks E. I. Services, Inc. Live from the Outdoors LLC (Stone Road Media) PSNERGY LLC Richard C. Blackford, PhD PC (Affiliated Counseling Services) SafT Integration Consulting, LLC Shearer’s Snacks Steinlechner Business Consulting Weatherspoon & Williams LLC

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The Manufacturer & Business Association, in conjunction with the MBA Business Magazine, Penn State Behrend and PNC, hosted the annual Economic Outlook IMPACT Luncheon on December 8 at the MBA Conference Center in Erie. Thank you to major sponsor Barnhart Transportation and centerpiece sponsor Potratz Floral Shop & Greenhouses for their contributions to its success! The next IMPACT event is the Women in Leadership IMPACT Luncheon on March 23 featuring Mercyhurst University President Kathleen Getz, Ph.D. To register or for information about upcoming events, visit mbausa.org!

Barnhart Transportation, headquartered in North East, Pennsylvania, was a major sponsor of the luncheon. The family owned company is celebrating its 20th year in business in 2023. 

Ken Louie, Ph.D., director of the Economic Research Institute of Erie (ERIE) at Penn State Behrend, discussed the state of the Erie economy. 

Oluwaropo A. (Abbey) Omodunbi, assistant vice president and senior economist for The PNC Financial Services Group, addressed the state and national economic outlook. 

Potratz Floral Shop & Greenhouses in Erie provided the beautiful centerpieces.  Dr. Omodunbi (third from left) was joined by members of the local PNC team at the luncheon, including Jim Stevenson, regional president for NWPA (second from left). 

A sold-out crowd attended the IMPACT Luncheon held in the Founders Room at the MBA Conference Center in Erie. 

Jon Patsy (left) with Matt Zonno of Marquette Savings Bank was the winner of the event’s raffle prize, including an ERIE-opoly game and $150 worth of MBA gift certificates. 

Work with the best. Work with the best.

You demand the best from your team. In return you You demand the best from your team. In return you want to give your employees the best that you have to offer. And with multiple affordable plan options for businesses of all sizes, an award-winning Health Care Concierge Team, and access to high-quality care locally and while traveling, UPMC Health Plan has you covered to meet want to give your employees the best that you have to offer. And with multiple affordable plan options for businesses of all sizes, an award-winning Health Care Concierge Team, and access to high-quality care locally and while traveling, UPMC Health Plan has you covered to meet your company’s diverse needs. your company’s diverse needs.

More reasons why More reasons why businesses choose businesses choose UPMC Health Plan UPMC Health Plan

Trust

Trust As a longtime leader in health insurance, we build strong, long-lasting relationships with our clients. As a longtime leader in health insurance, we build strong, long-lasting relationships with our clients.

Access

Access Give employees access to the best doctors and hospitals of UPMC, as well as many community doctors and hospitals, and Give employees access to the best doctors and hospitals of an extensive national network of outstanding providers across UPMC, as well as many community doctors and hospitals, and the country. an extensive national network of outstanding providers across the country. Value Value As part of an integrated health care system, providers and payers work together to deliver high-quality care at As part of an integrated health care system, providers affordable costs. and payers work together to deliver high-quality care at affordable costs.

Plan options

Plan options No matter the size of your business, we have the right plans to meet your team’s needs. No matter the size of your business, we have the right plans to meet your team’s needs.

To find out why 95% of businesses To find out why 95% of businesses that choose UPMC Health Plan that choose UPMC Health Plan stay with UPMC Health Plan visit stay with UPMC Health Plan visit UPMCHealthPlan.com/employers. UPMCHealthPlan.com/employers.