The Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center, in partnership with The River 105 & 103.5, The Good Insurance Group, and The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce, is hosting an in-person job fair at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.
The event will be held Saturday, August 28th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., one week prior to the $300 per week Federal unemployment compensation bonus ending.
There is a limit of 40 employers and applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Booth spaces can be purchased in 10’ increments. Chamber members receive a $25 discount.
Interested employers can download the application at npbcjobfair.com.
From PA Chamber
Leaders of Pennsylvania’s system of 14-state owned universities voted Wednesday to combine six into two, aiming to stabilize their finances and keep them vibrant and able to attract students.
By an 18-0 vote, the system’s board of governors approved a plan to combine Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield universities, all located in the north-central part of the state, into a single institution. The plan does the same with three western Pennsylvania universities: California, Clarion and Edinboro.
Each trio of schools will have a combined administration and curriculum and share a new name. However, each will continue to have its own campus and athletic programs.
“This will create a unique, possibly historic opportunity to truly re-imagine public higher education as it ought to be in the 21st century,” said Cynthia Shapira, chairwoman of the board of governors for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
It will take three years to carry out steps including merging and finalizing the curriculum, with the effort expected to be completed by the fall of 2024.
Dan Greenstein, the chancellor for the state system, promised students and parents the plan won’t interfere with students’ progress and ability to graduate on time.
Wednesday’s action concluded an anguished four-year effort in which the system’s governors, state lawmakers, students, faculty and others grappled with how to adapt the state system to factors such as stagnant state funding and declining enrollment, and how to keep tuition affordable for the students from middle class and working families the system was founded to serve.
“This is an opportunity to begin building these new universities together,” he said. “We will monitor our progress constantly, making course corrections whenever necessary.”
A sense of urgency
Enrollment within the system has fallen from about 120,000 a decade ago to less than 94,000. Moreover, state funding has failed to keep up with expenses: it now compromises about 29% of the system’s operating budget, down from 65% in 1983.
Some schools within the system are losing millions per year. Moreover, financial challenges threatened their ability to offer the broad, high-quality curriculums and programs needed to attract students and also meet the educational and economic development needs of their communities.
“If we do nothing, and things continue as they are, we’re in a race to the bottom,” said Democratic state Sen. Judy Schwank of Berks County, a member of the governing board.
Board member Samuel Smith, a former state lawmaker, said the plan approved Wednesday is not perfect, “but doing nothing is absolutely the worst thing we can do.”
Greenstein, in explaining the need for the change, gave the example of Mansfield being able to offer 80 or 90 programs as opposed to 18.
Under the integration plan, each trio of schools will share a president, administration and faculty. Moreover, curriculums will be merged and modified in order to maximize course offerings and make the full range available to students at each campus, system officials say.
At the same time, governors promised students at each campus will have access to plenty of face-to-face instruction as opposed to an over-reliance on online learning.
Another key part of the plan is to maximize offerings, including distance learning, for non-traditional students looking to upgrade skills or change careers. All of the schools are located in rural communities.
Union: Some details are lacking
Jamie Martin, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, said before the vote her group is happy the latest proposal specified that none of the six schools can be closed, and that the period for integrating curriculums was extended to three years.
But she said specifics are lacking on some important things, such as how much students will have to rely on online courses to complete degrees.
“We trust that when the answers come, and as additional feedback and suggestions are given, they will guide this plan going forward,” Martin said.
Despite assurances from the board of governors, some parts of the plan remain uncertain and vulnerable to outside forces.
For example, it remains to been seen how the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which accredits colleges and universities, will respond to the combined schools, and how the NCAA will view the plan to have them maintain their athletic programs.
Responding to those uncertainties, Greenstein said those entities’ role is one of support, and “they can’t begin to support us until they know what direction we’re going in.”
Gov. Tom Wolf supports the integration plan as did state lawmakers on the board of governors.
The process leading up to Wednesday’s vote involved extensive student, facility and public input, with many objecting and some claiming the level of public input wasn’t enough, with the process hampered by the pandemic.
The vote was taken during a public meeting of the board of governors conducted via Zoom.
Several people voiced objections during a public comment period, including who one who said the integrations will create “second class … less prestigious” institutions.
“I don’t see how this plan is going to address anything, but I do see how it’s going to drive students away, and that’s going to further weaken the state system,” he said.
Another opponent, a West Chester University graduate student, said the plan fails to address the most pressing problem — tuition affordability for students.
However, Barbara Chaffee, an alumni and trustee of Edinboro University, said hundreds of colleges and universities around the country are showing “financial warning signs” and more than 50 have closed or merged since 2015.
From My Benefit Advisor
Until recently, self-funding has only been a realistic option for larger groups. Now, however, with the advent of “level funded” programs, small groups can obtain the advantages of traditional self-funding with the benefit of stable monthly costs.
Level funding is worth considering for employers with 25 or more employees if the insured population is generally healthy.
With level funding, the employer pays a fixed monthly cost to cover the amounts necessary for administration of the plan, stop loss coverage and claims funding. A third-party administrator pays the claims. Generally speaking, if at the end of the year, claim costs come in lower than expected, the administrator refunds the difference. If at the end of the year, claims come in higher than expected, the employer will reimburse the administrator for the difference.
Protection for the employer comes in the form of stop-loss insurance. Specific stop-loss limits the employer’s financial exposure when health claims for a particular covered individual exceed a specified dollar level, such as $25,000 or $50,000. Aggregate stop-loss insurance limits the employer’s financial liability when the total claims incurred by their group exceed a specified level, such as 120% or 125% of expected claims.
The Columbia-Montour Chamber of Commerce offers its members access to My Benefit Advisor as a solution for employee benefits, including voluntary offerings. For more information about My Benefit Advisor, visit our website at cmcc.mybenefitadvisor.com or contact Tanya Ruiz at (800) 377-3539.
PPL Customers are Benefiting from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
As of early June, PPL Electric Utilities customers received more than $1 million in utility payments through the federal Emergency Rental Assistance program representing 55% of the total utility assistance funds paid throughout the entire state. PPL Electric Utilities is the front runner in the state as it helps its customers utilize this new program. The success is attributed to proactively embracing the program, strategic partnerships with the 29 counties throughout our service territory and our effective communications strategy.
In Columbia County, 32 customers were assisted for a total of $23,767. In Montour County, 1 customer was assisted for a total of $709.
Regional Manufacturers Experience Dynamic Growth; Rebound Quickly with NEPIRC Assistance
The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) closed out its most recent fiscal year on June 30, 2021, with reports of dynamic growth and much faster than expected COVID-19 recovery among its manufacturing clients over the past year.
Throughout the past 12 months, NEPIRC assisted more than 400 manufacturers across northeastern, the northern tier and central Pennsylvania in responding to the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuilding their businesses. Of those companies, more than 100 received expanded services tailored to their unique circumstances and challenges. Citing client-reported data gathered through multiple independent sources and subsequently verified by the U.S. Department of Commerce, NEPIRC’s President and CEO, Eric Joseph Esoda, announced that those companies recorded $150.5 million in additional revenue over the past year as a result of NEPIRC’s assistance while also attributing $17.2 million in savings due to increased efficiency and productivity. Despite worldwide economic challenges throughout the latter half of 2020 and first six months of 2021, NEPIRC’s clients invested more than $22.1 million in expanding or modernizing their regional manufacturing facilities and were able to create and retain 2,045 good-paying area manufacturing jobs.
“The outstanding impacts that manufacturers are reporting from their engagements with NEPIRC are indicative of the industrial sector’s potential to drive our Commonwealth, and even our country, out of the economic uncertainties that the COVID-19 pandemic left in its wake,” said Mr. Esoda. “We’ve consistently held that our industrial sector is Pennsylvania’s best bet for real, consistent and sustainable economic recovery and expansion and, in fact, fuels growth in other sectors that rely upon manufacturing activity. These results prove that our manufacturers are roaring back to life and will once again drive our Commonwealth forward,” he added.
According to aggregate client data within NEPIRC’s year-end reports, 60% of the manufacturers NEPIRC assisted throughout the pandemic reported the avoidance of layoffs as a direct result of the advisement they received. A nearly equal number of clients (58%) credited NEPIRC with enabling them to retain customer relationships and sales that would have otherwise been lost by working with them to meet production requirements or find alternative suppliers when primary supply chains were disrupted by COVID-19. A full 40% of NEPIRC clients reported increased sales amidst the pandemic thanks to NEPIRC’s assistance in attracting new customers or pivoting into new markets – and over 30% of the companies that utilized NEPIRC’s services over the past 12 months created new manufacturing jobs within the region.
Across the nation, NEPIRC ended its fiscal year as one of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s top-performing Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) affiliates, particularly with respect to the number of companies it served throughout the pandemic and the levels of jobs its clients created and retained over the past year.
McKonly & Asbury Announces Promotions
McKonly & Asbury – a regional accounting and business advisory services firm – announced promotions for nine of its team members! One advances to Senior Manager, two to Manager, three to Supervisor, and three to Senior Accountant.
McKonly & Asbury’s focus on people continues to be the vision that drives its culture, and they are fortunate to have some of the best and brightest talent in Pennsylvania working for them! Please join them in congratulating these team members!
SENIOR MANAGER
Jackie Winchell, CPA – Senior Manager
Jackie joined McKonly & Asbury in 2013 and is currently a Senior Manager in the firm’s Audit & Assurance Segment. She specializes in serving the affordable housing industry, working with clients in all phases of the development process, as well as during operations. Jackie also serves clients in the nonprofit industry and provides expertise on audit and accounting standards with a focus on the requirements of the Uniform Guidance. She is also a member of McKonly & Asbury’s internal Service Committee – assisting in organizing firm-sponsored community events – as well as the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee – leading advocacy efforts to enhance diversity, eliminate racial and other bias, and promote positive change. Jackie works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Business and Accounting from Lebanon Valley College.
MANAGER
Lynnanne Bocchi, CPA, CIA, CISA, MBA – Manager
Lynnanne joined McKonly & Asbury in 2018 and is currently a Manager with the firm. She works in the firm’s Audit & Assurance Segment serving clients in the construction industry as well as performing Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) internal audit engagements. In addition, she is a key member of our firm’s System and Organization Controls (SOC) Practice, preparing SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3 reports for our clients. She holds the AICPA Advanced SOC Certification for planning, performing, and reporting on SOC for service organizations engagements. Lynnanne works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Accounting as well as an MBA from Pennsylvania State University.
Sarah Polcovich, CPA – Manager
Sarah joined McKonly & Asbury in 2007 and is currently a Manager with the firm. She is a member of the firm’s Entrepreneurial Support & Client Accounting Segment, providing accounting and tax services to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Sarah specifically provides support in back-office accounting to clients using software such as QuickBooks, as well as serving as a reviewer for back-office accounting staff work. She also provides support for special projects, such as financial projections and analysis, and most recently assisting clients with Paycheck Protection Program forgiveness. Sarah works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Accounting from Susquehanna University.
SUPERVISOR
Alexandra Plantive, CPA, MBA – Supervisor
Alex joined McKonly & Asbury in 2016 and is currently a Supervisor with the firm. She is a member of the firm’s Entrepreneurial Support & Client Accounting Segment, providing accounting and tax services to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Alex specifically provides support in back-office accounting to clients using different software such as QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Xero.com, and she has obtained the QuickBooks Certified Advanced ProAdvisor designation. She also provides financial data analysis and has assisted with records management; including excel based data transfer from various accounting platforms including QuickBooks, Xero, and Intacct. Alex works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Lancaster office and holds an Accounting degree as well as an MBA from Université de Nantes, France.
Jessica Reitenbach – Supervisor
Jessica joined McKonly & Asbury in 2019 and is currently a Supervisor with the firm. She is a member of the firm’s Audit & Assurance Segment, primarily working with clients in manufacturing and construction industries. Jessica has experience on various audits including SEC, for-profit, nonprofit, and Employee Benefit Plan audits. Jessica works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Accounting and Finance from Pennsylvania State University.
Chad Roeder, CPA – Supervisor
Chad joined McKonly & Asbury in January 2019 through the firm’s acquisition of Brewer & Company, LLC and is currently a Supervisor with the firm. He provides a wide range of services to his clients by performing audits of nonprofits and local governments. Chad works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Bloomsburg office and holds a degree in Accounting and Management from Bloomsburg University.
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT
Maegan Cassel – Senior Accountant
Maegan joined McKonly & Asbury in August 2019 and is currently a Senior Accountant with the firm. She is a member of the firm’s Tax Segment serving clients in various industries including construction, manufacturing, retail, and real estate. Maegan works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University.
Jesse Diamond – Senior Accountant
Jesse joined McKonly & Asbury in 2019 and is currently a Senior Accountant with the firm. He is a member of the firm’s Audit & Assurance Segment, serving clients in the healthcare industry. Jesse works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Camp Hill office and holds a degree in Business Administration from Shippensburg University.
Tyler Goldberg, CPA – Senior Accountant
Tyler joined McKonly & Asbury in 2019 and is currently a Senior Accountant with the firm. He is a member of the firm’s Tax Segment serving clients in various industries including construction, manufacturing, retail, and real estate. Tyler works out of McKonly & Asbury’s Lancaster office and holds a degree in Accounting from Elizabethtown College.
Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center to Hold Job Fair
Join the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center on August 28, 2021 – in person – for the 1st Annual NPBC Job Fair in the Industrial Building at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds. Over 30 employers will be present!Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr issued the following statement upon the release of a joint report between the PA Chamber, PA Early Learning Investment Commission, and the Center for Rural Pennsylvania on childcare and the workforce:
“Families have long strived to balance work and raising children. This tension was made all the more obvious throughout the pandemic when business closures threw many Pennsylvania families’ childcare arrangements into chaos. As part of our ‘Bringing PA Back’ initiative, we teamed up with the PA ELIC and the Center for Rural PA to determine what employers across the Commonwealth are doing today to support families and their workforce and how we can help them in the future. The findings in this report include best practices for businesses and program administrators and, we hope, will help inform lawmakers developing public policy that strengthens childcare and the workforce.”
Key Report Findings:
- Many employers have a workforce with moderate to high childcare needs.
- While flexible work schedules and remote work arrangements are the most common solutions, Pennsylvania employers currently employ various strategies to assist with childcare.
- During the pandemic, childcare emerged as one of the more significant reasons why employers believe they lost employees.
- Most employers offered additional childcare supports during the pandemic to meet labor needs, with 41 percent planning to keep those supports in place after the pandemic ends.
- There is strong interest among employers of all business sizes to support working families with childcare needs – most employers see it as a way to improve retention, recruitment, productivity and reputation.
A summary of the report is available here.
The Montour County Commissioners are considering amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance that would allow for the development of solar energy systems in the townships that fall under the County’s Planning Commission. The proposed changes are in response to the Montour Solar One project in Derry and Anthony townships on land owned by Talen Energy around the Montour Steam Electric Station. A public hearing regarding the proposed amendments will be held Thursday, July 22nd at 7 p.m. at the County Administration Center on East Front Street.
Last week, Montour Solar One hosted a Business After Hours at the Pine Barn Inn to provide an overview of the project and answer questions. Tele-town halls were also held within the past 9 months. Information about the proposed project is available at montoursolar.com.
The Board of Directors of The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce has encouraged zoning that allows for solar energy systems while reasonably protecting the environment and neighboring residents and businesses. The development of such projects provides an economic boost with temporary construction jobs and diversifies Pennsylvania’s renewable energy portfolio. In a letter to the Montour County Planning Commission in November, the Chamber suggested that zoning language should address development setbacks, glare, vegetative and other screenings, and provide for the responsible removal of the equipment at the end of the project or the useful life of the equipment.
A draft of the proposed amendments is available here.
By Curtis Dubay, Senior Economist, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) June jobs report topline numbers are great. Digging into the data shows that more work is still needed to increase our workforce so we can maximize the prolonged economic boom we are in the beginning stages of.
The economy turned out 850,000 jobs, handily exceeding the consensus estimate of 700,000. The unemployment rate remained steady at 5.9% as 151,000 workers came back into the labor force. Wages grew 0.3% from May, and on an annual basis are up 3.6%.
With the 850,000 new jobs, there are 145.8 million jobs. That is 6.7 million below the February 2020 level of 152.5 million workers. At June’s pace, it would take another 8 months to get back to the pre-COVID employment level.
The less-good news is the workforce remains stubbornly small relative to where it should be given the reopening of the economy. The labor force was 161 million in June, down 3.4 million from February 2020.
The employment-population ratio is another way to look at the workforce. The Civilian Labor Force Participation data depends on definitions of who is working or looking for work, whereas the employment-population ratio looks solely at the segment of the population that is employed. In February of 2020, the ratio was 61.1%. Last month it was 58%, or 3.1 percentage points lower. That is a huge difference. If the employment-population ratio was the same in June as it was prior to COVID there would more than eight million more workers on the job.
Bottom line: Businesses are adding jobs at a rapid pace. Now we need to get workers into those jobs at a similarly rapid pace.
From McKonly & Asbury
Are your itemized deductions limited by the $10,000 SALT cap? New IRS guidance and state filings could provide a solution.
One of the changes made by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act limits the amount of state taxes deductible on an individual’s Schedule A to $10,000. Long story short – if you pay a lot of state tax, it reduces the amount you can deduct – that increases the tax you pay!
Not surprisingly, as soon as this was in place, states with high tax rates were trying to circumvent it. An initial solution involved allowing individuals to contribute to a “charitable” fund and take a corresponding credit to state taxes. This would have allowed individuals to deduct the amount as a charitable contribution rather than taxes on Schedule A, since contributions are much less likely to be limited. However, the IRS rejected this method since the contributions were just taxes in disguise.
In November 2020, the IRS issued Notice 2020-75. This notice offers proposed regulations stating the IRS will permit pass-through entity (PTE) level taxes, which allow owners of pass-through businesses to pay an additional state tax at the business level with an offsetting credit against their individual income tax liability. In simpler terms, business owners can pay state tax through their business so it is deductible there rather than on their 1040 where it could be limited.
Several states have already enacted PTE taxes. Connecticut has made the return mandatory, whereas other states including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin have voluntary PTE taxes. For the voluntary PTE taxes, some states require an election to be made, which may be irrevocable. More states are expected to follow this trend in 2021, including California which is currently in legislation.
Businesses will want to consider the effects before electing the PTE tax, as it could be detrimental to certain business owners. Taxpayers who file in multiple states can often get a credit for taxes paid to other states. However, many of these credits are tied to income taxes and won’t apply to taxes that are reclassified as entity-level payments. This could result in the entity paying PTE tax and the nonresident partner getting no credit, which could negate any benefit from deducting the PTE tax paid.
As with most tax issues, taxpayers will have to look at each state in question and their own personal fact pattern to determine whether electing a PTE tax will be beneficial to them. McKonly & Asbury can assist in these determinations. For more information on McKonly & Asbury’s State and Local Tax Services or for questions regarding this article, please contact Lindsey Waltemyer, SALT Leader and Tax Manager, at lwaltemyer@macpas.com.
July 29 Webinar: 2021 State and Local Tax Update:
Join McKonly & Asbury on Thursday, July 29 at 2pm EST for its 2021 State and Local Tax Update webinar! Mark Heath, Partner and Director of Tax Services along with Lindsey Waltemyer, Manager and SALT Leader will be discussing the state tax implications of recent federal tax changes, including those changes related to COVID-19. Other topics to be covered include a discussion of states imposing new pass-through entity taxes; the various tax consequences of having employees working from home in other states; as well as voluntary disclosure agreements and when they can be beneficial to taxpayers. The webinar will round out with some state tax updates from the past year and will look at state comparisons and the trends in state taxation going forward.
You can learn more and register by clicking here.
Geisinger Medical Center, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center recognized for use of technology
Geisinger Medical Center and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center made Newsweek’s 2021 list of World’s Best Smart Hospitals for their commitment to innovation and advancement in health care. Only 250 hospitals worldwide were recognized, and Geisinger Wyoming Valley and Geisinger Medical Center ranked 119th and 149th, respectively. They are among only seven hospitals recognized in Pennsylvania and just 89 hospitals selected in the United States. Both medical centers are the only hospitals in their service areas to make the list, and they’re the only two Pennsylvania hospitals recognized outside of Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.
Ranked hospitals were evaluated on five criteria: digital surgery, digital imaging, artificial intelligence (AI), telehealth and electronic medical records.
More than 13,000 votes from hospital managers and health care professionals with backgrounds in health care technology were considered, and every nominated hospital was thoroughly researched and validated by a team of analysts at Newsweek.
Geisinger has long embraced utilization of technology to improve quality of care, catalyze research, and make communication with providers and use of services easier for the patients and members it serves.
Robotic-assisted surgeries allow a higher degree of precision, smaller incisions, less scarring, less pain and discomfort, and the ability to treat areas difficult to reach with the human hand. At Geisinger, the da Vinci Surgical System® is used for less-invasive general surgery, colorectal surgery, thoracic surgery, surgical oncology procedures, OBGYN procedures and urology surgery. Mako® robotic arm-assisted surgery is used to perform partial and total knee replacements and total hip replacements, and Geisinger is the sole provider of Mako joint-replacement surgery in the region it serves.
“We value the use of digital systems in our surgical procedures because we know more precise, less invasive surgery leads to better outcomes and shorter recovery times for our patients,” said Ron Beer, chief administrative officer for Geisinger’s northeast region. “We’re honored to be among Newsweek’s World’s Best Smart Hospitals, because it’s a reflection of our continued effort to provide the best possible care, closer to home, for our patients and members.”
Advanced imaging is used in a variety of diagnostic and surgical procedures at Geisinger. These include the cardiac catheterization labs where severe heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues are identified and treated swiftly, and the Comprehensive Stroke Centers — namely Geisinger Medical Center and Geisinger Wyoming Valley — that care for patients with complex strokes and neurovascular conditions.
A robust electronic medical record and advancements in AI and machine learning are at the heart of research initiatives to detect risk of conditions like atrial fibrillation (A-fib) and even death. An innovative ECG Analysis Platform to detect A-fib risk, developed by Tempus in collaboration with Geisinger, was granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year. Geisinger is also using AI to improve imaging accuracy, diagnosis and follow-up care. A collaboration between Geisinger and Medial EarlySign to predict hospital admissions and complications was recently named runner-up out of more than 300 entries in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services AI Health Outcomes Challenge.
Telemedicine has been a critical tool in some areas of care delivery for years at Geisinger, but the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic accelerated use of the technology across the system. Since March 2020, Geisinger has enhanced its capability to conduct telemedicine visits and now offers telehealth consultation in 72 specialties.
“When the pandemic began, we expanded our telemedicine capacity to keep our patients safe by making sure they were able to keep their primary care and regular specialty appointments without exposure to COVID-19 infection,” said Megan Brosious, chief administrative officer in Geisinger’s central region. “We already knew telemedicine works, but we’ve learned it has more applications than we thought, has vast potential to reveal new and innovative ways of caring for our patients and members, and aligns with our vision of making better health easier for the communities we serve.”
Adrienne Mael, Current President & CEO of United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, Appointed as Interim President & CEO of Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way
Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way’s Board of Directors has named an interim President & CEO and concurrently has announced merger discussions and a national search for a permanent replacement following the resignation of its current leader.
Adrienne Mael, current President & CEO of United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, has been appointed Interim President & CEO of Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in addition to her responsibilities leading United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, a position she has held for more than six years. Prior to leading United Way, Mael was the Downtown Manager for Bloomsburg. A native of Columbia County, Mael graduated from Bloomsburg University and holds a master’s degree in applied anthropology from the University of South Florida.
Mael’s appointment and the search announcement follows the resignation of GSV United Way’s current President & CEO Joanne Troutman, who will step down in the coming days from the position she has also held for the last six years.
“I am thrilled to be joining the hardworking team at Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way,” Mael said. “Joanne Troutman has had an impressive career at United Way. She will be missed for many reasons, but possibly most importantly for her creativity and collaborative spirit. For many years Joanne and I have worked closely together co-creating programs, sharing staff, and building a strong bond between our nonprofits. It feels very natural to step in at this time as Interim President & CEO. I am excited to continue Joanne’s work as we build stronger communities together.”
Kristen Moyer, board president of GSV United Way, said, “While the GSVUW board and I will miss Joanne and her outstanding leadership, we are confident that Adrienne can step up to the challenge of serving as Interim President & CEO. Our United Ways have collaborated on many programs, and we just see that this is a natural fit for us. We are excited to see where Adrienne will guide us as we move through this transition period. Finally, we wish Joanne the best as she starts a new journey in her career.”
As the transition transpires, the two organizations will also begin an exploratory discussion of a merger. The goal of a merger would be to maximize back-office operations and create more impact across the region.
Liz Masich, board chair of the United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, said, “Our organizations have been partnering together on community impact initiatives and exploring shared staffing for many years. We are excited to have Adrienne Mael take on the Interim President/CEO role at GSVUW and deepen the connection between our two United Ways. Now more than ever, social service organizations must unite for the common good. Some mergers make sense, and this is one of those mergers. We strongly believe that our five-county area and our partner agencies will benefit from this endeavor.”
Masich added that a merger could help streamline workflow and create collaborations that strengthen programs and grant opportunities.
Joanne Troutman said, “Adrienne and I, as well as our organizations, have worked closely together on many major projects and priorities since we each joined United Way. Our personal and organizational values are well-aligned, so it feels natural that she would step into this role immediately. She is an amazing leader, and I feel confident that I’m leaving the organization in great hands.”
GSV United Way’s board of directors will release details about the search process for a permanent replacement in the coming days. For more information about the search, visit GSV United Way’s website at www.gsvuw.org.
Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center to Hold Job Fair
Join the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center on August 28, 2021 – in person – for the 1st Annual NPBC Job Fair in the Industrial Building at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds. Over 30 employers will be present!
U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Guzman announced that the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) program will close on July 14.
“The $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund provided desperately needed relief to more than 100,000 restaurants and other food and beverage businesses across the nation with significant funding going to our hardest-hit, underserved businesses,” said SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman. “Restaurants are at the center of our neighborhoods and propel economic activity on Main Streets. As among the first to close in this pandemic and likely the last to reopen, many are still struggling to survive. The SBA will continue to work hard to ensure they get the resources they need to recover, rebuild and be resilient.”
As of June 30, 2021, the RRF program received more than 278,000 submitted eligible applications representing over $72.2 billion in requested funds, and approximately 101,000 applicants have been approved to restaurants, bars and other restaurant-type businesses. Underserved populations received approximately $18 billion in grant awards. The average size of grant awards was $283K.
As outlined by Congress, restaurants and bars were eligible for economic aid equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss, with a cap of $10 million per business and $5 million per location. The funds were available for certain eligible uses, including payroll and rent.
With the closure of the RRF, the SBA will continue deliver economic aid to help small businesses recover with critical relief through programs such as the Economic Injury Disaster Loans [EIDL], Targeted EIDL Advance and Supplemental Targeted Advance and the Community Navigator Program. For additional information on SBA’s Economic Relief programs, visit COVID-19 relief options (sba.gov).