Author: PMEDC

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NEPIRC, Northeast PA Industrial Resource Center, is offering these throughout the Northeast Region. It is being offered in Monroe County on December 4, 2014 at the offices of PMEDC.

Click here to register

NEPIRC is a private, not-for-profit corporation that receives industry, U.S. Department of Commerce and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania support to work alongside regional small and mid-sized manufacturers on initiatives designed to increase their productivity, revenue and profitability, which ultimately create new manufacturing jobs. To learn more about NEPIRC or call 570-819-8966.

Chuck Leonard, executive director of the Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation was named Developer of the Year 2014 by the Pennsylvania Economic Development Association.

PEDA Awards Committee Chair Linda Nitch noted that Leonard’s “hard work is evidenced by the excellent projects and programs,” he has overseen in his leadership role at PMEDC.

PMEDC Chairman Michael Baxter echoed those sentiments.

“Though we are a persistent board, Chuck never fails to meet and exceed our expectations,” says Baxter. He has always been relentless in assuring that PMEDC is doing all it can to grow Monroe County’s economy and this award is well deserved.”

The award recognizes Leonard’s recent and cumulative achievements, as well as his contributions to the economic development industry during his 33 year career.

Since coming to Monroe County 19 years ago, Leonard has been involved with more than 100 projects that created and/or retained more than 44,000 Monroe County jobs. During the past year, he was was instrumental in two large regional tourism projects when he helped secure financing assistance for both Camelback Mountain Resort and for a $230 million project by Kalahari Resorts and Conventions.

Leonard received the award during PEDA’s annual fall conference in October. He joined PMEDC in 1995. In addition to his local leadership, Leonard has also served as Chaiman of PEDA and as Chairman of Penn’s Northeast.

PEDA is the statewide association of local, state, corporate and non-profit economic development professionals. PEDA’s mission is to promote sound economic development policies, to provide leading edge economic development education, and to nurture an effective statewide economic development network to foster the economic health of the Commonwealth. Additional information is available at www.peda.org.

East Stroudsburg, PA October 17, 2104 – Penn Regional Business Center III is announcing that on property located on Independence Road, Route 447, they will develop a Medical Office Facility for Pocono Health System-Pocono Medical Center. The building will be 35,000 square feet and Pocono Health System-Pocono Medical Center will occupy the entire facility.

Lawry Simon, the developer of the project oversaw the groundbreaking which was attended by:
• Dave Argall 29th Senatorial District
• Mario Scavello 176th Legislative District
• Rosemary Brown 189th Legislative District
• Michelle Bisbing Director of Marketing of the Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation
• Smithfield Township Supervisor Chairman Brian Barrett
• Smithfield Township Supervisor Steve Carey
• Smithfield Township Supervisor Vice-Chairman Lee Bower
• Smithfield Township Zoning Officer Ken Wolfe
• Greg Dunkle, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager Gilbane Building Company
• Geoffrey Roche, Director, Community/Government Relations for Pocono Medical Center
• Keith Snidtker, Director of Facilities & Construction for Pocono Medical Center
• William Hopkins, Vice President and Chief Engineer for PRBC

Lawry Simon, President of PRBC III stated that “PRBC III’s relationship with Pocono Health System-Pocono Medical Center enabled this building which will enhance the quality of life for the residents of Monroe County.” He acknowledged the support of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mr. Simon stated that “with the efforts, hard work, the backing and endorsement of Dave Argall 29th Senatorial District , Mario Scavello 176th Legislative District and Rosemary Brown 189th Legislative District this project has come to fruition. Their efforts will lead to the creation of over 100 construction jobs and approximately the same number of medical personnel will occupy the completed structure. We are indebted to them and realize that our success is built on their efforts in Harrisburg.”

The medical facility is part of Pocono Health System-Pocono Medical Center’s strategic expansion plans which will more readily provide medical services to the residents of Monroe County.

Blakeslee – Pennsylvania State Representatives Rosemary Brown (R-189), Mike Carroll (D-118), and Mario Scavello (R-176) joined the Monroe County Industrial Development Authority (MCIDA) on Wednesday to present a check for more than $66,000 in Local Share Account (LSA) gaming revenue to the Monroe County Municipal Waste Authority.

The Waste Authority plans to use the funds to purchase a new Ford 350 Cargo Van and a Ford F350 pickup truck with a special lift gate and tilt bed. The vehicles will support Monroe County’s Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) litter cleanup program and its dear carcass removal program, respectively. Waste Authority Executive Director Jim Lambert says he is grateful for the bi-partisan support of the legislators who lobbied on behalf of the Authority’s LSA grant application.

“The support of Representatives Scavello, Brown and Carroll was essential to the success of our grant application,” says Lambert. “The funds made available through the LSA grant will keep Monroe County beautiful by enabling the Waste Authority to continue cleanup programs that enhance our scenic local roads.”

The funds are part of grants provided to Monroe County via the Pennsylvania Horse Race and Gaming Development Act, or Act 71, which set up a “local share assessment account” (LSA) and required Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development to distribute money that is generated by licensed gaming facilities to support community and economic development projects and mitigate the impact of gaming activities.

MCIDA Executive Director Chuck Leonard says that the grant given to the Waste Authority exhibits the diversity of projects supported by LSA grants. “These grants fund everything from higher education to infrastructure development and everything in between,” says Leonard. “Anything that’s critical to our region’s economic success. And since Monroe County’s natural beauty is critical to our tourism industry, the impact of this grant can’t be understated.”

The Monroe County Industrial Development Authority is part of the Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation, a non-profit economic development corporation dedicated to creating jobs for Monroe County residents, expanding the county’s tax base, and attracting new investment with the direct support of the Monroe County Commissioners. More information on economic development in Monroe County can be found at www.www.pmedc.com.

The Monroe County Municipal Waste Authority provides comprehensive information regarding waste disposal and coordinates a wide variety of recycling programs. More information is available at The Waste Authority.

Entrepreneurs looking for guidance in how to start their own business will get a boost from a workshop offered on October 23 at the Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce in Stroudsburg

During “The First Step: Starting Your Business,” aspiring entrepreneurs will learn how to evaluate business ideas, develop business plans, and explore financing options. The workshop is scheduled to run from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m.

“This workshop will provide business startup, continuity, and survival information every business and entrepreneur needs to know,” says Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation Director of Marketing Michelle Bisbing.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our region’s economic development and through workshops like this, we’re focused on making sure they have the tools to succeed.”

Other workshop topics include the lifestyle challenges that come with starting and owning a business, how to make sure your idea is realistic, how to market your product or services, and navigating the applications and licenses that may be required to start your business.

PMEDC will team with the University of Scranton’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Development (PREP) Northeast program to provide the course.

Course registration is available via the SBDC. Click “Sign Up” and follow the instructions.

Northampton Community College (NCC) will team with OSHA (the Occupational Health and Safety Administration) to provide an industry outreach training program, conducted over two sessions in November.

The course curriculum provides entry-level and temporary industry workers with a broad awareness on how to recognize and prevent hazards and safety issues on a general industrial site. Workers who complete the program will receive an OSHA 10 completion card.

The course will take place on November 5 and 12 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Northampton Community College’s new Monroe Campus in Tannersville. Attendance at both sessions is required to complete the course. The course registration cost is $150.

Registration information is available by calling 610-332-6596 or emailing safety@northampton.edu.

In October 2014, Pocono Medical Center (PMC) announced plans to increase and improve access by constructing a state-of-the-art second campus hospital facility, called Pocono Medical Center West, on a 40-acre site in Tannersville, Pocono Township owned by the Farda Family and DF Pocono Associates L.P.

Pocono Medical Center West will feature an emergency department, and in conjunction with its existing ED and Level III Trauma Center, will provide facilities sized to accommodate the approximately 80,000 annual emergency visits that make PMC Pennsylvania’s third busiest hospital emergency department. Other specific plans for the new campus are being finalized.

“Pocono Medical Center West will allow us to bring the most sophisticated healthcare technology and the highest quality care to an expanding number of patients here in Monroe County,” said Jeff Snyder, President and CEO of Pocono Medical Center.

During the past decade, PMC has focused on enhancing and adding to the inpatient and outpatient clinical services at its headquarters campus in East Stroudsburg and at more than 20 additional locations. Significant investments have been made in the ESSA Heart & Vascular Institute, the Mattioli Emergency Center, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Trauma Center, the Hughes Cancer Center, Bartonsville Healthcare Center, Pocono Ambulatory Surgery Center, and the West End Healthcare Center, expected to open in early 2015.

Snyder added, “With these investments in key clinical services in place, it’s time to focus on enhancing our physical plant and expanding our services to the primary areas of population growth in Monroe County.”

Pocono Medical Center was founded in East Stroudsburg in 1915. With more than 200 physicians and more than 1,850 staff members, it is one of Monroe County’s oldest and largest employers, offering a full complement of clinical and acute care services for Monroe and surrounding community residents.

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the Pennsylvania Online Broadband & Technology (OBTT) Program which offers free online courses throughout the Commonwealth. The PA OBTT course library was designed with small- to medium-sized businesses, local governments, and nonprofits in mind.

With more than 100 free courses to choose from, there is something new for everyone to explore. Course topics include online marketing; Website development; cloud computing; QuickBooks; Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Access; business skills; project management; and more. A complete course listing and registration information are available at PAOBTT or by emailing Debbie Phillips. Ms. Phillips can also be reached at 570-655-5581 or 866-758-1929.

OBTT is a statewide initiative administered by a consortium of regional economic development agencies. It was created to increase the use of broadband as a competitive advantage for businesses, governments, nonprofit organizations, and individuals within the Commonwealth. Funding for this program is provided by the PA Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) as a component of a larger PA DCED initiative funded through the State Broadband Data and Development (SBDD) Program, which is funded in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, through the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

For more information, contact Kurt Bauman at 570- 655-5581.

The NEPA Alliance, a regional community and economic development agency, serves the seven counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania including Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne. NEPAAlliance services include Business Financing, Government Contracting Assistance, International Trade Assistance, Non Profit Assistance, Transportation Planning, Research and Information, and Local Government Services. For more information, visit NEPA-Alliance.org or call their office at 866-758-1929.

In order to help businesses retain or expand employment, meet market opportunities, and attract additional investment, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA) has announced a reduction in the rate of interest charged for the US Department of Agriculture – Rural Development (IRP) Loan Program. The rate will go from 4% to 2%.

“The low interest rate provides a unique opportunity for businesses to expand in this challenging economic environment,” said Dave Nat, Business Finance Manager with NEPA.

The NEPA Alliance, a regional community and economic development agency, serves the seven counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania including Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne. NEPAAlliance services include Business Financing, Government Contracting Assistance, International Trade Assistance, Non Profit Assistance, Transportation Planning, Research and Information, and Local Government Services. For more information visit the NEPA Alliance Website or call 866-758-1929. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

To learn more about NEPA loan programs, please contact Dave Nat or Paul Macknosky at 570-655-5581 or 866-758-1929.

On June 19 at 8:30 a.m., the NEPA Alliance Procurement Technical Assistance Center, the Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance, and Cheyney University of Pennsylvania’s DBE Supportive Services Center are offering a free workshop entitled: Doing Business with PennDOT and Business Development Program.

The DBE Supportive Services Center mission is to provide training and consulting services to enable Small Business Enterprises (SBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) to acquire proficiency, expertise, and experience necessary to compete, on an equal basis, with non-SBEs/DBEs for federally assisted PennDOT contracts and subcontracts.

The workshop will cover

• How to Register as a PennDOT Business Partner;
• Small Business Enterprise Certification;
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Certification; and,
• The New Business Development Program.

There are a limited number of seats available. Registration will close once thirty (30) registrants have been reached.

You can register by contacting the NEPA Alliance Procurement Technical Assistance Center at 1-866-758-1929 or via email to Karen Ostroskie, Frank Migneco, or Paula Terpak.