Member News – June 7, 2023
Compassus Bloomsburg Celebrates Ribbon Cutting
Congratulations to Compassus, who last evening cut the ribbon on their Bloomsburg location! Compassus provides a full suite of post-acute care services in support of patients and their families.
Berwick Mayor Wins Mayor of the Year
Congratulations to Berwick Mayor Tim Burke on being named the Association of Mayors and Boroughs of PA 2023 Mayor of the Year!
Bloomsburg Children's Museum Receives $13,000 PPL Foundation Grant
Bloomsburg Children's Museum received $13,000 DEAI grant from the PPL Foundation. These funds will support the Museum's program called, "Including DEAI for future vitality and sustainability." The program will develop a pathway to career readiness for people with disabilities using Museum training resources.
June 8th Dale Carnegie Webinar
This free webinar will take place on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. EST. This program is a live webinar that offers the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the presenters. Please note this webinar is limited to the first 100 participants. Register here.
SEDA-COG Employee Receives Designation
Betsy Kramer, SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) Revitalization Coordinator, earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), a national recognition that denotes a mastery of skills in economic development, professional attainment, and a commitment to personal and professional growth. The CEcD Certification Program is the most prestigious designation in the economic development profession. Kramer was 1 of 32 economic development professionals nationwide who earned the designation. Congratulations Betsy!
CSIU To Hold Free Trainings
Educators, First Responders, and Community Members register today for free trainings on Youth Mental Health First Aid and QPR Suicide Prevention. See a full list of dates and times here.
Community Strategies Group Honored
Community Strategies Group was honored with the Kathy Possinger Achievement Award by the PA DCED during a conference held in Hershey. The award is in memory of Possinger, who served as a special advisor to the secretary of the state Department of Human Services before her death in 2021.
Brett Bauer of McKonly & Asbury Wins Award
McKonly & Asbury is pleased to announce that Principal Brett Bauer was recently awarded the 2023 Young Leader Award presented by the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs (PICPA). Learn More.
Press Enterprise to hold "Best of the Best" Contest
2nd Annual Recovery Picnic to be Held in June
Susquehanna United Way's United in Recovery program will be hosting its 2nd Annual Recovery Picnic on June 15, 11:00 am - 1:30 PM at 163 Briar Creek Lake Park Road, Berwick, PA, 18603. RSVP to the event here.
Berwick Historical Society to Host Grand Opening
June 24th will see the grand opening of the David A Sadock House in Berwick. Visit and tour the home of the Berwick Historical Society Library & Museum from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Some of the areas and displays include the Prominent Citizens of Berwick, Berwick Business, Historic Homes, ACF Military Room, Fashions of Berwick, Berwick Schools, Genealogy, and Book Room.
IMC to host Webinar Series
The Innovative Manufacturers' Center will be hosting a free four-part webinar series about attracting and retaining employees. The series starts July 25th. See full details.
NEPIRC Manufacturing Day: October 13
Join NEPIRC on Friday, October 13th to celebrate the many contributions of our region’s manufacturing industry! At Manufacturing Day, you’ll be able to see product demonstrations; learn more about the cool products made right here in our local communities, and more!
2023 Chamber Insurance Program Reports Dividend
Chambers of Commerce Service Corporation (CCSC) is pleased to announce that Penn National Insurance has declared a 3% dividend for the Chamber Choice Business Insurance program. Members who placed their insurance coverage with Penn National Insurance during the 2021/2022 program year and remained active chamber members and policyholders through the end of the program year, will receive a dividend check during the month of June. This year’s dividend totaled over $640,000.00. Over the past 11 years, Penn National Insurance has returned an average of 6% in dividends each year, and an aggregate total of $12.9 million to the business community.
The Chamber Choice Business Insurance program is just one of many benefits that CCSC offers its member Chambers. The partnership between Penn National Insurance and CCSC was designed to provide a value-added membership benefit that would help Chambers attract and retain members.
An important aspect of this group insurance program is preventing loss and controlling claims costs. Because dividends are based on the group’s collective loss experience, a business that may have had a significant loss may still be eligible to receive a dividend.
The program is sold exclusively through local, independent agents who can offer chamber members a variety of coverages and pricing on property and casualty insurance, including business owners, commercial auto, property, general liability, inland marine, and workers’ compensation. Dividends are paid on all of these coverages. In addition, through safety consulting, Penn National Insurance and local independent insurance agencies encourage member businesses to develop safety practices to substantially reduce or eliminate workplace injuries.
The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce is proud to offer this program to its members, through its members. To learn more about this chamber program, contact Taryn Crayton, Director of Member Engagement at tcrayton@columbiamontourchamber.com.
Environmental Sustainability in Manufacturing
Source: Mckonly & Asbury
Over the past year, we have covered many manufacturing trends such as Industry 4.0, the economy, fraud, the skilled-labor shortage, creative labor solutions, and more. However, one topic which up until this point has not been emphasized is environmental sustainability in manufacturing. According to a recent Forbes article, sustainability is one of the top five manufacturing trends in 2023:
“With consumers increasingly showing that they care about sustainability and ethical production and are willing to base their buying decisions on it, 2023 is set to be the year where it becomes a business priority for companies as well as a matter of morals and principles.”
While the degree to which your customers are willing to base their buying decisions on your sustainability efforts varies greatly from industry to industry, the fact that environmental issues have risen to the top 5 trends warrants the attention of all manufacturers. Beyond the moral reasons to consider embracing environmental sustainability, there are several ways in which it could benefit an organization financially and operationally.
Reduce Expenses
Electricity bills in Pennsylvania have increase by an average of 73% between December 2020 and December 2022. This has led many manufacturers to begin calculating ROI on projects that are designed to reduce energy costs, such as investing in solar (taking advantage of the 30% solar tax credit), replacing old machines with energy efficient ones on the plant floor, or increasing the use of sensors and IoT technology.
Beyond the cost savings from using less electricity, companies are constantly looking to further reduce the amount of scrap from the manufacturing process. Whether it’s achieved by repurposing scrap or selling it, reducing the amount of scrap that goes into landfills helps both the environment and the bottom line.
Increase Revenue
Later this year, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is expected to finalize their new disclosure rules standardizing the climate-related impact that public companies are required to disclose. The SEC’s plans initially included a requirement for public companies to disclose information about greenhouse gas emissions from upstream and downstream activities in its value chain. If investors begin to weigh investment decisions based in part on the new climate-related disclosures, then it is reasonable to expect public companies to take a closer look at the sustainability practices of their suppliers.
While purely speculation at this point in time, it is not far-fetched to imagine a day in the not-too-distant future when government contractors will have to disclose similar climate-related information as public companies are doing now. So, whether you supply parts to a public company or provide any government contracting work, there is a chance your environmental impact could contribute to either losing revenue or gaining new business depending on your company’s willingness to embrace environmental sustainability.
Create Market Buzz
A growing number of people are concerned about the environmental impact of the products they’re connected to. This is especially true for younger generations entering the workforce. At a time when attracting and retaining labor is an enormous challenge for manufacturers, many are using their environmental accolades to create market buzz in hopes of getting more applicants. Anecdotally, I have seen this on countless websites and even during plant tours, where manufacturers proudly display certifications, awards, and infographics to show current employees, applicants, and visitors that they not only prioritize environmental sustainability but stand out from their competition with respect to innovative solutions to climate-related issues.
There are many reasons to consider increasing your emphasis on environmental sustainability. Whether you intend to broadcast your environmental initiatives or you’re simply trying to keep up with possible future reporting requirements, ultimately to get started you’ll first need to figure out which environmental metrics are most important for your company to begin tracking.
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For more information regarding McKonly & Asbury's manufacturing experience, be sure to visit our Manufacturing Services page and don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of our manufacturing team.
2023-2024 Member Directory Sales Ending
Sales for the printed 2023 – 2024 Membership Directory will end on July 28th. This publication is a primary method for promoting members and helping to make business connections. Our mission is to represent local employers in supporting vibrant, sustainable communities. The Directory will be published in late summer and distributed throughout the year to organizations, residents, students, and others interested in our area.
The Directory is an attractive, full-color publication that represents our members and region. All members are automatically listed in the publication both alphabetically and categorically. Members also can further promote their organization with display ads ranging from an enhanced listing to a full page. You can get a full look at the advertising opportunities available this year by clicking here.
Given his outstanding success with the Directory project, The Chamber is pleased to continue its partnership with member Victor Koons Graphic Design to handle sales, design, layout, and printing of the Directory and sales representative Lois Wolfe.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact Taryn Crayton, our Director of Member Engagement at 570-784-2522 or tcrayton@columbiamontourchamber.com. Also, let us know if you’d like to receive additional directories at your business location at any time throughout the year.
Submit Your Content for Business Matters
The Columbia Montour Chamber is pleased to continue its partnership with the Press Enterprise for Business Matters, a quarterly print tab publication distributed to the newspaper's online and print readership. How does the partnership work? Chamber members are invited to work directly with the Chamber to submit stories and member updates at no charge, and the Chamber will assemble that content. The Press Enterprise handles the rest, offsetting distribution and printing costs with ads made my Chamber members.
June 28 is the deadline for content submissions ahead of the July 5th publication.
Don't miss the chance to advertise to this wide audience.
Submit content to the Chamber by emailing stories, pictures, and testimonials here.
55 Chambers Join Forces on Childcare Appeal
55 Chambers of Commerce from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce, joined forces with the Pennsylvania Economic Development Association in an appeal to state officials regarding childcare this week. In a letter dated May 30, the appeal, which was sent to Governor Josh Shapiro, department secretaries, and leaders in the House and Senate, was led by Chester County, Delaware County, and Westmoreland Chambers respectively, asked legislators to take four key steps to make childcare
more accessible and affordable for workers, to assist in growing the workforce, and to reduce the more than $2.88 billion in losses to employers and $3.47 billion in losses to the Commonwealth. Legislative action advocated by the coalition includes:
- Employee Childcare Public Private Partnership - Legislation to create a tax credit for employers who furnish employee childcare in the amount of the employer's cost in furnishing employee childcare. Legislation to incentivize employers to fund childcare for their employees by splitting the cost with the state, and providing tax credit incentives to employers who participate.
- Childcare Tax Credit for Parents – Expanding the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Program. Last year’s budget included funds for up to 30% of childcare-related expenses that filers claim on their federal return. This program is meant to support working families by lessening their tax liability. A total of $24.6 million went into the program for last FY and is now a permanent fixture of the state’s tax code. However, expanding the program will allow more middle-income parents to return to the workforce is. $21,614 annually, an impact to all families of any income bracket.
- Retention and Recruitment – Proposals potentially being considered during the current state budget negotiation to offer rebates/incentives for nursing, teaching and policing jobs should be extended to the childcare community. Hiring incentives would be a great first step to address the ongoing issue of low wages ($12.43/hour statewide average) currently paid to childcare workers being a disincentive to join this critical field.
- Regulatory Reform – The Chamber Community is advocating that any future regulatory proposals must ensure proper stakeholder input from childcare providers with special consideration to infant care. In addition, any changes do not lead to increased costs for providers.
See the full list of signers below:
Kelly Goodman-Shaffer, Bedford County Chamber of Commerce
Joe Hurd, Blair County Chamber of Commerce
Jordan Grady, Butler County Chamber of Commerce
Amy Bradley, Cambria Regional Chamber of Commerce
Nicole Deary, Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce
Tea Jay Aikey, Central PA Chamber of Commerce
Greg Scott, Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County
Laura Manion, Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry
Courtney Herzing, Clarion Area Chamber of Business and Industry
Chris Berleth, Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce
Jeff Emanuel, Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce
Steven L Christian, Cumberland Valley Business Alliance (CVBA)
Trish McFarland, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce
Jonathan Wright, Downingtown-Thorndale Regional Chamber of Commerce
Lori L. Moran, East Liberty Quarter Chamber of Commerce
Wendy Klinghoffer, Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
Laurie Ryan, Exton Region Chamber of Commerce
Briana Tomack, Greater Latrobe - Laurel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Pamela Kelly, Greater Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
Chellie Cameron, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
Matt Smith, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce
Michelle Mikitish, Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce
Jim Gerlach, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance
Bob Durkin, Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce
Katie L. Walker, Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce
Lindsay Griffin-Boylan, Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce & Chamber of Business & Industry
Mary Ann Severance, Great Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Melody Longstreth, Greene County Chamber of Commerce
Beth Black, Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce
Ryan Unger, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
Yvonne Martin, Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce
Mark Hilliard, Indiana County Chamber of Commerce
Rhonda Kelley, Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce
Heather Valudes, Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce
Karen Groh, Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce
Amy Beitel, Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce
Gina Grone, North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce
Rosanne Barry Novotnak, Norwin Chamber of Commerce
Christine Grove, Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce
Steve McKnight, Pennsylvania Economic Development Association
Brian Schill, Peters Township Chamber of Commerce
Jessica Capistrant Remington, Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce
Cheryl B. Kuhn, Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
Bernard Dagenais, The Main Line Chamber of Commerce
Robert S. Carl, Jr, The Schuylkill Chamber of Chamber
Eileen Dautrich, TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce
Chris Ardinger, Tuscarora Area Chamber of Commerce
Leanne Engle, Upper Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce
Susan Williams, Venango Area Chamber of Commerce
Dan DeBone, West Moreland County Chamber of Commerce
George Book Jr., West Shore Chamber of Commerce
Rachel Cathell, Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce
Gina Suydam, Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce
Kevin Schreiber, York County Economic Alliance
Member News – May 31, 2023
Bloomsburg Library to "Chill Out"
June 2 from 5:00 - 8:00 the Bloomsburg Library will host "Chill Out! Cool Science with Liquid Nitrogen". Gasp in amazement as rubber balls shatter and ice cream is made in seconds! Learn about how temperature affects metals and gases through plenty of hands-on demonstrations. This event is in collaboration with the Science in Motion program through Bloomsburg University with Brandon Brown as the presenter.
SEDA-COG Receives $1 Million EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant
SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) has been awarded a highly competitive $1 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The grant is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This award will create the opportunity to assist the SEDA-COG region by capitalizing a Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) and further expanding its already established and successful EPA Brownfields program under the SEDA-COG Community Services Division.
June 8th Dale Carnegie Webinar
This free webinar will take place on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. EST. This program is a live webinar that offers the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the presenters. Please note this webinar is limited to the first 100 participants. Register here.
CSIU To Hold Free Trainings
Educators, First Responders, and Community Members register today for free trainings on Youth Mental Health First Aid and QPR Suicide Prevention. See a full list of dates and times here.
Hayden Power Group Lawyer Speaks at National Cybersecurity Summit
Hayden Power Group's General Counsel, Rebecca Warren, was selected through a nationally competitive search process to be a speaker at the 2023 ACC Foundation's Cybersecurity Summit, which was held May 8 and May 9 in Los Angeles, California, at UCLA's Luskin Conference Center. Warren presented on the topic: "Ransomware v. Extortionware: Evolving Threats."
Williams Regional Energy Access Project Update
The Regional Energy Access Expansion project will help ease supply constraints affecting customers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, providing enough natural gas supply to serve approximately 3 million homes. Learn more about the progress of this project here.
Press Enterprise to hold "Best of the Best" Contest
2023 Covered Bridge Photo Contest Returns! - Experience Columbia -Montour Counties
Each year, the Visitors Bureau holds a photo contest to produce a 550-piece puzzle featuring one of the area-covered bridges. The 2023 Covered Bridge Photo Contest runs from Saturday, April 1st through TONIGHT at midnight EST. We’re excited to see another fantastic set of entries from everyone! Click HERE to learn how to enter!
Governor's Safety Award Nominations Open
Proud of your safety and prevention program? Consider applying for the Governor's Award for Safety Excellence. Nominations are due June 1.
2nd Annual Recovery Picnic to be Held in June
Susquehanna United Way's United in Recovery program will be hosting its 2nd Annual Recovery Picnic on June 15, 11:00 am - 1:30 PM at 163 Briar Creek Lake Park Road, Berwick, PA, 18603. RSVP to the event here.
Berwick Historical Society to Host Grand Opening
June 24th will see the grand opening of the David A Sadock House in Berwick. Visit and tour the home of the Berwick Historical Society Library & Museum from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Some of the areas and displays include the Prominent Citizens of Berwick, Berwick Business, Historic Homes, ACF Military Room, Fashions of Berwick, Berwick Schools, Genealogy, and Book Room.
IMC to host Webinar Series
The Innovative Manufacturers' Center will be hosting a free four-part webinar series about attracting and retaining employees. The series starts July 25th. See full details.
Last Week in the Legislature, This Week at the Chamber
LAST WEEK IN THE LEGISLATURE
Source: PA Chamber of Business & Industry
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives returned to session last week, advancing legislation dealing with the state budget, infrastructure, energy, retirement, and rail safety. Here is a rundown of what happened last week in the legislature:
House Bill 611
House lawmakers took the first steps in the annual budget process last week by advancing a budget bill out of committee and past second consideration when amendments can be offered. House Bill 611 currently contains Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposal and is now expected to be the legislative “vehicle” for enacting this year’s budget.
While advancing the budget bill begins the legislative process (which requires three separate days in both the House and Senate), the bill is expected to be amended to reflect the final budgetary agreement reached following negotiations between the governor and legislature.
Once that agreement is reached, the House will still need to pass H.B. 611 in order to enact the final, annual budget.
House Bill 1162
On Monday, the House Transportation Committee met to consider House Bill 1162. Sponsored by Rep. Ed Neilson (D-Philadelphia), this legislation would limit expenditures of the state’s Motor License Fund (funded by gas and diesel taxes) solely to the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, and infrastructure projects.
In the past decade, considerable funds from the Motor License Fund have been diverted to the Pennsylvania State Police. House Bill 1162 would gradually phase down these diversions over a four-year period and create a separate funding mechanism for the State Police at the Treasury.
The PA Chamber supports a sustainable, comprehensive funding system for transportation and infrastructure. As such, we supported this measure (CLICK HERE for our memo), which later passed committee by unanimous vote.
House Resolution 79
On Tuesday, the House Consumer Protection, Technology, and Utilities Committee met to consider House Resolution 79. This legislation, sponsored by Rep. Nick Pisciottano (D-Allegheny), formally urges the Biden administration to site at least one of its planned hydrogen hubs in Pennsylvania.
The federal infrastructure law provides for $8 billion to be invested by the U.S. Department of Energy in hydrogen hubs across the nation. Hydrogen can be used as a low-carbon fuel for various industrial, power generation, and transportation markets.
Given our state’s historic strengths in these industrial sectors, the PA Chamber was proud to support this resolution (CLICK HERE for the PA Chamber's memo), which later passed the committee by a vote of 20-1.
House Bill 577
On Wednesday, lawmakers voted to pass House Bill 577. Sponsored by Rep. Kyle Mullins (D-Lackawanna), this legislation would establish a state-run, auto-IRA program dubbed “Keystone Saves.” The program would be mandatory for all Pennsylvania employers with five or more employees that do not currently offer their own retirement savings plans.
While the PA Chamber fully supports encouraging citizens to save for retirement, this bill represents a sweeping change for the Commonwealth, our citizens, and the businesses who are required to implement it. The sheer magnitude of this program, which mandates business participation and would manage the retirement savings of millions of Pennsylvania citizens, calls for thorough vetting and discussion to ensure that all proper safeguards have been put in place
We supported amendments to this legislation to shift the administrative burden from employers to the Treasury Department and give businesses the freedom to opt out of the program; the former amendment passed and was reflected in the final bill, while the latter was defeated.
House Bill 577 later passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 106-95. CLICK HERE for the memo that the PA Chamber of Business & Industry sent to House members prior to the vote.
THIS WEEK AT THE COLUMBIA MONTOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
While you'll frequently find updates about state and federal issues in the publications of The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce, you'll note that the CMCC does not have a political action committee, does not endorse candidates, and is most active in local, county, and state issues. We work with borough, town, township, and city councils, County Commissioners, local mayors, school districts, and more, advocating on behalf of the membership of the Chamber. On Friday of this week, June 2, 2023, we'll host the monthly Joint Governmental Affairs Committee meeting via Zoom at 8:15 am, and all Chamber members are invited to participate. Please reach out to Chamber President Chris Berleth via email to request the Zoom meeting information. Please note the meeting does follow an agenda, and is led by volunteers. Topics to be discussed include upcoming candidate forums, legislative events for 2023 and 2024, current issues, and more. Local officials are invited to share what they're working on at this monthly meeting.
Annual Golf Tournament Recap: Sun, Golf and Prizes
The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce's Annual Golf Outing sponsored by Williams and played at Knoebels Three Ponds Golf Course started with bright sun, cool air, and strong breezes and ended with 30 teams enjoying the world-famous Knoebels roasted chicken dinner. It would be hard to find a day more perfect than this one.
Golfers moved through registration 
at a brisk pace thanks to Chamber Ambassadors Sandy Cole, Lauren Duane, Michelle Boone, Denise Stone, Ruth Wardrop, and Chamber Administrative Assistant Brenda Flanagan. With over $2,000 value in prizes across several contests, Chamber Board Directors Renee Gerringer and Tim Wagner had their hands full directing our golfers to see all of the amazing things provided by Chamber members.
Before taking to their ServPro-sponsored golf carts at 1:00, golfers were fueled for the day filled with a lunch of hot dogs, cheeseburgers, chips, and soda sponsored by the Community Giving Foundation and First Keystone Community Bank.
Chamber President Chris Berleth served as a self-proclaimed, "host with the most", enjoying the opportunity to meet with members between drives while manning the snack cart, complete with candy, chips, water provided by ServPro, and specialty sodas provided by Catawissa Bottling Company. (On several occasions, Chris had to restock the ever-popular Sarsparilla for thirsty golfers!)
The day came to a close with the above-mentioned chicken dinner and the announcement of the flight and contest winners. The first flight saw a tie between the Kawneer team of Bruce Schlichter, Mark Hepler, Jason Smith, and Maxx Wrobel and the ServePro Team of Sean McCabe, Doug Ritter, James Trojan, and Ryan Booth winning a ticket package including tickets to Arts In Bloom, The Bloomsburg Fair, and Knoebels, and $50 gift cards to the Inn and Brewery at Turkey Hill respectively.
The second flight was led by the Commercial Stainless team of Brian Wawroski, Fred Clark, John Thompson, and Gary Girton followed by the Alexander Family Buick GMC of John Panko, Pat Long, Ray Merril, and Mike Reichenbach winning watches from Walker's Jewelers, gift cards to Ultimate Car Wash, and passes to the Bloomsburg Fair respectively.
The Chamber could not have pulled off such a wonderful day without each and every one of our sponsors. A full list can be found below along with photos from the day. Don't forget to mark your calendars for our 2024 tournament - May 23, 2024 location to be determined. (As you know, in fairness to our members, member golf courses interested in hosting have an equal chance each year, and may contact Taryn Crayton, Director of Member Engagement, at tcrayton@columbiamontourchamber.com for the next request for proposal.)
Beverage Sponsor: PNC Bank
Hole in One Sponsor: Alexander Family Buick GMC
Longest Drive Prizes: Women's Prize - A gift basket from Blossoms in Bloom by Megan; Men's Prize - A gift basket from Quaker Steak and Lube
Hole Sponsors: Bird Printing, Bodnar Sales & Services, Chevrolet of Bloomsburg, Commercial Stainless, Community Giving Foundation, Henry Dunn Inc, First Keystone Community Bank, Fulton Bank, McKonly & Asbury, Peters Consultants, Inc, Pine Barn Inn, Preferred Portables, Press Enterprise - Commercial Printing, Service Electric, ServPro of Columbia Montour and Sullivan Counties, Steph's Subs, T-Ross Brothers Construction, Trivium, Walker's Jewelers, Williams, Zimmer Insurance
Prize & Gift Sponsors: Aaron Stagliano, Apollo Point, Arts In Bloom, Cole’s Hardware - Bloomsburg, Chris Stamatedes, Dead Man Walking Distillery, Design Group, Elmdale Inn Freas Farm Winery, Henry Dunn Inc, Holly Morrison, Innotek Computer Consulting, Josh Nespoli, Key Partners Reality, Neighbor Lady Vino, Renee Gerringer, Scott's Floral, Webstaurant
Leadership Central Penn Graduates 24th Class
Leadership Central Penn (LCP), a program run by the Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber, celebrated the graduation of the class of
2023 on May 18th at the Venue at Liberty Valley. This year’s class marked the 24th cohort. The program included a Keynote address from Megan Brosious, Chief Administrative Officer Geisinger, and class speaker Ernesto Perez, Great Dane.
Before the certificates were awarded, members of the class presented their community impact projects. LCP class members split into four groups to maximize their community impact and partnered with four nonprofits serving our communities. One project helped clean out and waterproof a storage area at the Good Sarmatian Mission in Danville. A second group worked with the Teen Center of Berwick to develop a 9-month teen entrepreneurship academy for high school students that will launch in the fall. The Danville Child Development Center was in need of repainting work in their cafeteria and adjacent areas, so a team took on this task. The last group worked with Beyond Violence of Berwick to paint an entryway and organize donations for the women to use while they are staying at the center. All of the projects were demanding, but fulfilling to the LCP members, nonprofit partners, and community members impacted by these organizations.
The event concluded with honoring the LCP Graduating Class of 2023:
Alexandra Baney – Service 1st FCU
Karla Chapman - Agape
Brent Eckart – First Keystone Community Bank
Chris Farr - PPL
Melanie Fisher – First Keystone Community Bank
Kristie Garancosky - Geisigner
Stacy Gordner – First Keystone Community Bank
Karri Harter – Community Giving Foundation
Kasey Hashagen- Kawneer
Jason Huff - Autoneum
Wade Jones – Hope Enterprise
Sadie Jordan – The Women’s Center
Shelby Kellner – The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum
Shannon Lewczyk – Danville Child Development Center
Sarah Meyer – Columbia Child Development Program
Benjamin Morano - Geisinger
Danielle Pearson – N4Cs
Ernesto Perez – Sponsored by Sekisui Kydex
Jason Ploppert - Girton
Faith Rierson – Columbia Child Development Program
Betsy Rubio – Columbia County Housing and Red. Authority
Melissa Stout – Community Strategies Group
Lindsay Sykes – Bloomsburg Carpet
Leadership Central Penn (LCP) is now accepting nominations for the class of 202-2024. LCP is a nine-month program designed to educate, involve, and motivate a select group of area resident for positions of leadership. The goals are to seek a diverse group or individuals with an interest in assuming effective leadership roles in their organizations and our communities. Participants in the program are chosen based on their commitment to the community and their demonstrated leadership potential. To learn more and apply here.