It’s February, and that means Valentine’s Day is upon us.  What a perfect time to fall in love… with Northwest Pennsylvania.  As we usher out the winter season, take time to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the rivers and hills, snow covered trees, and breathe in the brisk cool air.  Despite some less than favorable traveling conditions, winter truly is a beautiful time in Northwest Pennsylvania.  It is also a great time to take advantage of local coffee shops, restaurants, and stores.  Enjoy a day of shopping, fine eateries, or a relaxing cup of coffee or tea close to home.

Local Development Districts Face Budget Cut
The latest Pennsylvania Budget was released by Governor Ed Rendell, and the Local Development Districts of Pennsylvania are facing a budget cut to $5.05 million.  I will be working with my counterparts to restore the line item so that the Northwest Commission can continue to offer the vast array of services to the businesses and municipalities of Northwest Pennsylvania.  The money received from the state budget allows the Commission to provide services and funds to businesses and local governments across the region.   In order to continue the current quality of service, the Northwest Commission will strive to restore this line item.

Annual Dinner Invitations
The Northwest Commission staff has been working to complete the 2007 Annual Report which will be given out at the Annual Dinner, April 3, at Cross Creek Resort in Titusville.  Requests for sponsorship have been mailed out and returned, and the invitations will be going out within the week.  Please watch for yours, as the Annual Dinner is a great time to network with regional partners, local businesses, and the staff and Board of the Northwest Commission.  It is a great way to celebrate Northwest Pennsylvania; I look forward to seeing you there!

February Board Meeting
The Northwest Commission will hold its February Board Meeting on Friday February 15^th at the Meadville Country Club.  The meeting will start at 10am and will run until noon.  If you have any questions please contact Vonda Caldwell, vondac@nwcommission.org, or at 814.677.4800 x 106, for more information.

Valentine’s Day Trivia
According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas).

Approximately 85% of all Valentine’s are purchased by women.  In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Sincerely,

FOUR Loans Closed – Four Loans Approved
In January the Northwest Commission closed four loans:

·        Hardinger Transfer Co., Inc. of Venango County closed on a $200,000 EDA/RLF loan to purchase machinery and equipment.  Eight jobs will be created within three years.

·         Main Event Sports Bar and Restaurant, Inc. of Clarion County closed on a $175,000 SBF loan to purchase the assets Izzi’s Ristorante.  Seven jobs will be created within three years. 

·         Rapid Reaction, Inc. of Venango County closed on a $64,904 EDA/RLF and a $33,334 USDA/IRP loan to purchase equipment.  Two jobs will be created within three years and twelve jobs will be retained.

The Loan Committee approved four loans for three companies in January: 
              
                ·         New Castle Candy Company of Lawrence County
                ·         Tamarack Packaging LTD. of Crawford County
                ·         Total Productive Maintenance, Inc. of Erie County

Commission receives Ag award
On Jan. 4, Daryl Coyne attended the Pennsylvania Farm Show Dinner in Harrisburg to accept an award from Dennis C. Wolf, Secretary Department of Agriculture.  The award was for “Our Support and Commitment to Pennsylvania Agriculture” for planning agriculture projects in the eight-county region. 

Entrepreneur’s Club  ‘Lunch & Learns’ for 2008 begins
On Jan. 8 the Northwest Commission in conjunction with Clarion Small Business Development Center sponsored the Entrepreneur Training Series event Tax Tips for Your Small Business. The event was held at Hoss’s Steak House in Cranberry and was attended by entrepreneurs in the region. This event was the first of six that will be held with various topics to be discussed. The series will be held the second Tuesday of every other month through 2008. 
 

Government 101 Training Seminar
Local businesses attended a recent Government 101 training seminar hosted by Northwest Commission staff at their Oil City location.  This introductory training provided attendees with an overview on how to do business with federal, state, and local governments.  Representatives from the Department of General Services (DGS), COSTARS, Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Pennsylvania Treasury Department presented at the event and discussed government contracting opportunities.  This half-day event was attended by 20 individuals representing 15 of the region's local businesses and resulted in a great response! One company states:

“This was a very informative seminar.  The awareness that was prompted by the seminar will serve as a catalyst for making internal company changes.”

National Veteran Small Business Conference & Expo
Registration is open for The 4th Annual National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo, Las Vegas, NV, July 7-10, 2008!  This conference is open to both Government and Non-Government Personnel and will feature an Expo to showcase Federal Government Agencies, Prime Contractors, and Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VO/SDVOSB).  Conference topics will include updates on veteran small business legislation, information on veteran small business programs throughout the federal government, networking with key federal government procurement decision makers, getting on the GSA schedule, and developing strategies for increasing business opportunities.  For more information and registration details, please visit http://www.nationalveteransconference.com/index.aspx.

Government Procurement Workshop – AS9100

The Johnstown Area Regional Industries (JARI) will be conducting an educational workshop on the AS9100 quality standard, a mandatory certification for manufacturing within the aerospace industry.  This workshop will highlight AS9100 requirements, the path to certification, and why the certification can be important to your company.  The workshop will run from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM on Thursday, February 28th at the Holiday Inn, 250 Market Street, Johnstown, PA.  Registration form and payment ($12.50 - check only) must be received at JARI by close of business February 20, 2008.  Checks should be made payable to "JARI," and sent to Nancy McCreadie, JARI, 245 Market Street, Suite 200, Johnstown, PA  15901.  For more information, contact Nancy McCreadie via e-mail (nmccreadie@jari.com), fax ( 814.535.8677), or regular mail (JARI, 245 Market St., Suite 200, Johnstown, PA 15901).
 

DCED TO HELP COMPANIES PURSUE TRADE OPPORTUNITIES IN RUSSIA

Trade Mission will Help PA Businesses Expand Exports

HARRISBURG – To continue expanding Pennsylvania’s presence in the global economy, the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) is organizing a trade mission to Russia for interested Pennsylvania exporters from June 22 through June 26, 2008.

Participating companies will receive a customized business itinerary, in-country market briefings and logistical support from DCED’s Center for Trade Development (CTD) and the US Commercial Service in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

On January 1, 2008, the Commonwealth became the first US state to establish a full-time trade representative based in Moscow to better assist PA companies interested in exporting to this exciting new market.

“It’s a terrific opportunity for Pennsylvania companies seeking export opportunities in Russia to meet with pre-screened potential business partners,” said DCED Secretary Dennis Yablonsky. “Fueled by steady economic growth, oil receipts, and huge pent-up demand, this market of 145 million consumers is extremely dynamic. Now is an excellent time for Pennsylvania firms to take a close look at Russia.”

The participation fee for this trade mission is $950 (mission delegates are responsible for travel and lodging costs).  Opportunities for financial assistance from DCED to help offset the cost of this mission may be available to qualifying companies. Interested companies should contact CTD for more information about this and other business development missions. Contact jburke@state.pa.us or call 717-720-7366. For a copy of the registration form, please click here.

CTD Opens Trade Office in SPAIN
Please join us in welcoming Ms. Gloria Manchego to the team! Pennsylvania’s Center for Trade Development officially contracted with Ms. Manchego to provide export assistance services to all companies from PA interested in the Spanish market. Ms. Manchego’s office is located in Madrid, and the trade portfolio will include the entire country of Spain. The Northwest Commission’s International Marketing program is pleased to promote this latest addition to the Commonwealth’s global network of trade representatives and the numerous opportunities it has to offer. Companies from the region will be able to submit requests for this market any time.

Mark your calendars!
Learning Opportunities: ‘Breakfast with the Pros’
April 1 - Knowledge Center, 5240 Knowledge Parkway, Erie, 8 – 9 a.m.
This new quarterly initiative offers participants the opportunity to discuss specific international trade topics in a relaxed breakfast atmosphere. Up to five roundtables will be set; each roundtable will be hosted by one “Pro” specialized in topics from logistics, supply chain management, INCOTERMS, intellectual property rights, export credit insurance, etc. Companies and service providers may pre-register for one table per breakfast. Participants are encouraged to come prepared with specific questions, the roundtable hosts will be supportive in leading the discussions. Get back to the office pumped and ready to go back to business, with all your questions answered!

Hardwood Buyers' Inbound Mission
May 16, 2008, Cross Creek Resort, Titusville
European lumber and secondary wood product buyers will travel to the northwest region of Pennsylvania to meet with regional hardwood suppliers. The Northwest Commission, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Hardwood Development Council, is arranging one-on-one business meetings on May 16, 2008 at Cross Creek Resort, Titusville.
 

Northwest Commission staff met with Fairview Township, Erie County to offer guidance and advice on how to utilize their existing GIS technology.  The Township has been very proactive in using GIS and has used it mainly for asset management.  Fairview is interested in the possibility of hiring an intern for the summer to continue to map the assets (water, sewer, signs, etc.) in the Township.

Staff met with Hempfield Township, Mercer County and is doing a small pilot project for them.  The Township in interested in having their paper sewer infrastructure map converted to a digital format.  Hempfield also expressed interest in having GIS data available to them via the Internet at www.nwneighborhoodgis.com.

The parcel committee met on January 4^th to determine a final recommendation for the four county parcel conversion project.  The parcel committee’s recommendation will be taken to the Northwest Commission’s Board of Directors meeting on February 15^th for their approval.

Please visit the Neighborhood GIS site by going to www.nwneighborhoodgis.com.  The Neighborhood GIS site is an interactive mapping web site that is available to all 265 local governments in northwest Pennsylvania.

Please contact Matt Gilara, GISP - Manager, Regional Planning at (814) 677-4800 x102 or mattg@nwcommission.org if you have any questions regarding GIS/GPS.