Happy New (Fiscal) Year!
It’s a new fiscal year, which means we have new ideas and news to share with you.

Strategic Plan (click to view strategic plan)
The Northwest Commission completed the annual review and update to its fiscal year 2006-2007 strategic plan. A lot of time is put into making sure that our plan and its goals are inline with our mission and vision. We need to be accountable for the work we do and this plan guides us as we set out for excellence in everything we do.

At our October 6, 2006 board meeting our board of directors unanimously approved the new plan.

New Initiatives
Each year the Northwest Commission staff give input into new initiatives they would like our organization to pursue in the new year. We take the top ranking initiatives to our board of directors for their input. This year we have selected the following initiatives:

1. Entrepreneurship: Increase start-up businesses and entrepreneurship capacity and networking in northwest Pennsylvania.

2. Downtown Revitalization: Assist municipal and community leaders in their efforts to create downtowns that are physically attractive, economically vibrant, and pleasantly livable.

3. Public Safety: Assist public safety agencies in northwest Pennsylvania to improve and coordinate their services thereby creating a safer environment for the citizens of northwest Pennsylvania.

4. University Consortium: Develop a consortium of universities with the purpose of exploring new ideas with regard to economic development and emerging technologies.

5. Workforce Investment Board: Strengthen relationship with the Workforce Investment Board.

Award Recipients
Staff received their 2006 Innovation Awards from NADO during a presentation at the October 6, 2006 board meeting.

L-R:  Chris Beichner, MTAP; Matt Gilara, GISUser Group; Scott Swartzfager, National Fuel Interest Reduction Program; Dorte Heffernan, 2004 Trade Mission to Chile/Brazil; Daryl Coyne, National Fuel Interest Reduction Program

A Look Back
As we begin to prepare our 2005-2006 annual report, I am reminded of all the accomplishments our organization has attained  over the last twelve months. None of those achievements would be possible without a capable staff and a dedicated network of partners.

It is my hope that this new year brings continued accomplishments and much more success to the northwest region.

Sincerely,

On October 9th and 10th, the Northwest Commission and sponsors welcomed the Pennsylvania Office of International Business Development (OIBD) and ten
(10) foreign direct investment representatives to northwest Pennsylvania.

We held a reception at the Drake Well Museum the evening of October 9th, and among the guests were Senator Bob Robbins, Joe Hoeffel, Deputy Secretary for International Business Development, and Colonel Edwin Drake. We would like to thank our sponsors for the reception who include: Clarion County Economic Development Corporation, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, First Energy, Friends of Drake Well, Penn-Northwest Development Corporation, Oil Region Alliance of Business Industry and Tourism, and the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry.

The next day we held a series of presentations and business roundtables to educate the investment representatives on the assets of our region and provided them information on alternative energy companies and foreign-owned companies within northwest Pennsylvania. We would also like to thank the businesses that participated in roundtable discussions. They are: Piney Creek, Oil Region Biofuels, Enviro Biodiesel, Matric Limited, Bacou Dalloz, and Optical Filters.

Finally, we would like to thank OIBD staff and the investment representatives for partnering with us on investment opportunities in the region, as well as taking the time to travel around to the different regions of the state to learn more about us, our assets, and what we have to offer businesses. OIBD staff in attendance were Joe Hoeffel, Wilfred Muskens, Carol Williamson, and Dan Dolan. International representatives included: Richard Kilner (United Kingdom), David Scrimgeour (Germany), Jean Pierre Giboz (France), Juha Pokela (Scandinavia), Rinze Tjeerdsma (Netherlands), Jianlan Leah YU (China), Hisao Takeda (Japan), Kenneth Yang (Korea), Raj Devireddy (India), and Charlotte Robertson (Canada).

In September the Northwest Commission closed two loans:

1. A $20,000 SBA Microloan closed for Stewart Laboratories, Inc. of Clarion County. The loan was used to purchase equipment and working capital. Two jobs will be created within the next three years.

2. A 98,000 SBF loan closed for Alcor Corporation of Erie County. The loan was used to renovate their building and purchase equipment. Twelve jobs will be retained.

The loan Committee approved two loans in September: 
West Penn Plastic, Inc. of Lawrence County and Xtreme Audio & Accessories of Mercer County.

Entrepreneur Club Event recap from September
The second Entrepreneur Club Event was held on September 20, 2006 at the Oil City Library. Mike Snyder, partner in Gent, Gent, & Snyder, spoke on the legal aspects of starting and growing a business. Mike Klapec, owner of Klapec Auto Body and other businesses, spoke on his experiences as a small business owner. The Entrepreneur Club is for regional businesses to network and discuss issues and concerns with other business owners and professionals. Informational presentations at each event focus on topics chosen by the participants. These events will be held every other month on the third Wednesday.

The next Entrepreneur Club event will feature Forte' Marketing and Kool Kat Promotional Products speaking on "Professional Marketing on a Tight Budget". The event will be held November 15 at the Arlington Hotel in Oil City from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm.. We encourage anyone interested to attend and to spread the word! Click here (or on the image) for a brochure.

Upcoming Events available to small businesses in the area:
October 19
Getting Started with an Online Store
Titusville YMCA  - Titusville, PA

QuickBooks Made Easy II
Still Hall Computer Lab - Clarion, PA

October 26
QuickBooks Advanced I
Still Hall Computer Lab - Clarion, PA

November 1
Internet Marketing Strategies - Promote your business, generate leads, and acquire new customers online.
Gannon University - Erie, PA

November 2
QuickBooks Advanced II
Still Hall Computer Lab - Clarion, PA

Performance Evaluations
Warren Forest Higher Education Council - Warren, PA

November 8
Dynamic Selling Skills
Gannon University - Erie, PA

November 15
Customer Service 101
Corry Higher Education Council - Corry, PA

December 6
QuickBooks for beginners
Gannon University - Erie, PA

If you are interested in attending any of the events, contact Ethel Rodebaugh at extension 113.

RFID was a Successful Event!
Introduction to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) took place at the Warren Holiday Inn in Warren, PA on September 13th, 2006.

Mr. Frank DeWolf was the instructor for this half day training event. Mr. DeWolf is the Chief Operating Officer of the Center for e-Business and Advanced IT (eBizITPA) at Penn State Behrend located in Knowledge Park, where he leads RFID research and education initiatives.

The North Central PA Regional Planning and Development Commission partnered with the Northwest Commission to sponsor the event.

The training was very comprehensive covering RFID Technology Application, Overview, Implementation, Standards, Mandates, Guidelines, Opportunities and How to Get Started.

 

Radio Frequency Identification is a rapidly growing method of identifying and tracking items in the supply chain using radio waves and special tagging. This technology can improve a company’s efficiency and make the company more cost competitive. RFID mandates are continuing to grow for shipments to commercial destinations. The Department of Defense currently requires RFID technology tagging by manufacturers and suppliers who have new contracts for commodities to specific Defense Distribution Depots.

Doing Business with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Workshop  October 18th
Gayle Nuppnau from the Department of General Services will be joining us on October 18th at the Howard Johnson Hotel of Mercer to present this half-day workshop on how to do business with the State of Pennsylvania. Get answers to questions like…

Does the state buy what you sell? How does the state government buy goods and services? How can you find state bid opportunities? What information is available on the internet to help? How can you receive state certification as a minority- or woman-owned business?

The Northwest Commission Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) team will host this workshop to familiarize companies with state government contracts. There is no cost for this event but you must register in advance as space is limited. Please contact Lori Moore to register at extension 104.

Government 101 Training November 8th
The Northwest Commission's PTAC team will be holding this introductory training at the Northwest Commission on November 8th from 9:00am until noon for any company who is looking to start working with, or would like to refresh their memories about, the sites and certifications of the federal and state procurement process. Topics such as set-asides, bid leads, registration, and how to work through government opportunities are customized for this half-day training event.

There is no cost for this event but you must register in advance as space is limited. Please contact Lori Moore for further details or to register at extension 104.

APTAC Fall Conference
Kelly and Bill attended the APTAC organization's fall conference to gather up to date information and training ideas for our region. Throughout this four day training event we have been updated on RFID, UID, Wide Area Workflow, GSA, SBA and some new ways of helping our clients by updating our client database/bid leads system. Please be on the lookout for training events and changes as we work to bring the information we learned to you.

Bob Skarada attended a Transportation Enhancements Conference in Altoona, PA on September 6-8. There is a Hometown Streets set aside in SAFETEA-LU which will amount to an additional $612 million for Pennsylvania over four years.
The next funding round will be held in August 2007.

Our 2007-2010 TIP was approved by the Federal Highway Administration/Federal Transit Authority (FHWA/FTA) on October 4, 2006.

Successful Conclusion to Pennsylvania International Week, Northwest Region
The Northwest Commission was honored to be the host for this important annual event. Sixteen of the State’s seventeen trade representatives from all over the world met on October 4th in Titusville with regional companies in over 120 individual meeting appointments. In addition, for October 3rd, we had scheduled a full day of export training. Hence, our clients did not only receive first class market briefings, they also received needed training on rules and regulations in order to be prepared for foreign market entry. Also, seven regional service providers and network partners such as freight forwarders and attorneys took an entire day out of their busy schedules to council companies on any questions regarding exporting. We would like to express our appreciation to the State’s overseas contractors, our clients and network partners for their help in making this event, once again, a full success!



Market Access Grants
We are pleased to announce that we were able to submit 12 MAG applications on behalf of our clients for the State’s first official review meeting in September. All 12 applications were approved. The matching funds of up to $ 5,000.00 per application will be utilized by our clients to travel overseas to either participate in international trade shows or missions, or as in one case, for translation of their service manuals for their European markets. If you have any questions in regards to program uses or the application process, please contact Dorte Heffernan. The next deadline for application submittal is Oct. 31, 2006!

Food and Transportation Mission to Chile, December 3-6, 2006
The Center for Trade Development (CTD) has identified opportunities for two specific industry sectors in Chile, food and transportation. The food sector is undergoing a favorable growth cycle presenting significant opportunities for PA companies. Chilean companies are looking for products on the processing end, such as food processing / packaging equipment, and on the consumption end in the form of high-end, premium food products.

In transportation, there is a strong need for more efficient cargo transportation systems, specifically truck and rail. Products that will assist with the updating and repairing of these two systems will do as well. Deadline for registration is October 27, 2006. There is no participation fee for this trade mission, however companies are responsible for translators, hotels, transportation, and any other travel expenses. For additional information, please contact Dorte Heffernan.

FurniTek / WoodBuild China 2007, March 20-23, 2007 in Shanghai, China
In an effort to assist American hardwood suppliers with access to the growing market for American hardwood in China, the Hardwood States Export Group has organized, in cooperation with the American Hardwood Export Council, a 300 square meter USA pavilion at this show. Qualifying American companies may choose 6, 9, 12 or 15 square meter booths at the discounted cost of $240/square meter, payable directly to the show organizer. This price includes USA booth design, lighting, fascia, carpeting, electricity, exhibitor passes, directory listings, coordination of interpreter service, and basic furniture package. For additional information please contact Wayne Bender with the PA Hardwoods Development Council at 717.772.3715 or dbender@state.pa.us.

LTAP offers safety and maintenance courses (transportation related) to local governments across the state at little or no cost. The courses make the work that municipalities do more efficient, which saves money and makes the transportation network safer.

The Northwest Commission targeted sixty (60) non-responding municipalities to see what their training needs are. We received 19 out of 60 surveys back (32%) from municipalities that did not respond to the first survey.

Northwest Commission staff attended a LTAP Advisory Committee Meeting (Gettysburg) in September to discuss the success of LTAP in northwest Pennsylvania.

LTAP courses will be scheduled shortly for the fall of 2006. The upcoming courses being scheduled are a direct result of what the local governments indicated on their LTAP surveys.

The MTAP summer computer training program was successfully completed after the September 28th Quick Books class in Warren. The summer program included a total of 18 classes and covered many popular business applications and were geared to benefit the efficiency, integrity and in some cases requirements of local government electronic documents. Attendees included around 48 regional municipal government employees who represented the vocations of secretary, tax collector, clerk and a few others.

On Thursday October 12th we will be commencing with our fall schedule; it will include many of the same application software topics covered throughout the summer in a more condensed and bundled format and will allow ample time for much more question and answer interaction with the trainers.

View the MTAP fall training schedule.

Along with the fall schedule mailing the Northwest Commission also included an application for the second round of “Internet Access and Website Development Grant” which was awarded to 5 townships in late spring of this year. The deadline for the application is October 27th and the decision for award will be announced within the following week of the deadline. The Internet-web grant is a $1,000 grant that will be awarded to be used for attaining broadband internet services such as DSL or Cable modem services to the township office, developing a township web site to post laws, ordinances and regulations and or both.

Elected officials and government employees are urged to attend the FREE day-long classes to be held throughout the region. These classes and the annual MTAP program are made possible in-part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

The Northwest Commission co-sponsored a Broadband Internet for eCommerce Seminar. Businesses, legislators and municipal leaders attended a free seminar on broadband deployment and its impact on business on October 4th at the Country Club of Meadville. The seminar highlighted regional activities that promote broadband deployment, and highlighted two regional broadband dependent computer applications, one of which is a new program called NGIS at the Northwest Commission. Attendees learned about technologies in the region, current and planned broadband deployments, and future steps for economic expansion.

The seminar was sponsored by the Pennsylvania E-commerce Association. For more information visit www.paecomm.org.

LDD Broadband Planning Workshop November 2nd
The Northwest Commission is hosing a regional broadband planning workshop on November 2nd. Stakeholders, including Commission Board of Directors, EDCs, and County Planners are urged to participate. An Executive Session will begin at 8:30 am with a high-level overview of regional broadband strategies and opportunities. From 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, there will be a broadband planning and strategy discussion among all attendees. Please be aware that only the TAG group member and Board of Directors be present for the course of the whole workshop. Lunch will be provided from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm.

A second executive session will aim to narrow the focus of the Northwest Commission's strategy by vigorous discussions about the Northwest Commission's role and issues that relate to broadband. We will identify follow-up data and planning needs for Commission staff, planners and economic developers. The wrap-up session will be to identify the next steps and should conclude around 4:00 pm. Location to be determined, contact the Northwest Commission for more information.

The Technology Advisory Group last met on October 4th at the Meadville Country Club.
Topics from the recent meeting included organizing a regional infrastructure cooperative authority that will initially promote publicly owned wired and wireless infrastructure. The authority may buy, erect, own and maintain wireless infrastructure, but will not provide internet or phone services and will look to entice service providers such as wireless broadband and cellular phone companies to lease space on the infrastructure also saving monies by not having to build the infrastructure and recoup those costs later, especially in areas that are typically seen as ‘not economically feasible.’ The purpose would be to provide infrastructure and the impending service to mostly rural areas where the service would not have ‘naturally’ migrated to because they represent poor return on investment for the potential commercial supplier(s).

Ultimately the cooperative authority may attend to other regional infrastructure needs like roads, bike trails and waterway access areas especially in underserved areas.

The Northwest Commission is working with Clarion University of Pennsylvania to organize a one day GIS Conference at the university on November 17, 2006. The conference will be made up of break out sessions, hands on GIS experience, poster displays, vendor exhibits and information.

Northwest Commission staff attended the Clarion and Venango County Township Conventions to present on the Community Development programs/services that are available to the local municipalities.

ArcView 9.2 training opportunity: October 23-24
(Intermediate ArcView 9.2).
Training will be held at FICDA and the Northwest Commission will cover half the registration fee for each course bringing the total to $175 for the two-day course. Please contact Matt Gilara to register.