Bedford County Development Association
Celebrating the Legacy of Bette Slayton
35 Years of Economic Development & Leadership
A Retirement Luncheon Honoring
Bette Slayton, President & CEO
Bedford County Development Association
June 24, 2025
Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa
Welcome
On behalf of the Bedford County Development Association, it is my great honor to welcome you to this special luncheon celebrating the remarkable career and retirement of Bette Slayton.
For 35 years, Bette has been the steady hand, visionary leader, and passionate advocate behind BCDA’s mission to strengthen and grow Bedford County’s economy. Her impact cannot be overstated. From launching innovative business parks and supporting local entrepreneurs to building trusted partnerships with business and government leaders, Bette has transformed the way our community thinks about economic development.
She has championed opportunities, cultivated lasting relationships, and brought genuine heart to every project. And perhaps most importantly, she’s done it all with integrity, purpose, and a deep love for this county.
Today, we not only celebrate Bette’s professional accomplishments but also express our personal gratitude. To work with Bette is to witness someone fully committed to her community’s future—someone who sees potential and helps bring it to life.
As we reflect on her legacy and look ahead to a new chapter, we thank you for joining us in honoring her extraordinary service. Bette’s vision has laid a strong foundation for the future of Bedford County, and her influence will continue to be felt for years to come.
Please enjoy this time together as we celebrate a career that truly made a difference.
Warmly,
Jeff Crist BCDA Board Chair
Welcoming Remarks
Jeff Crist, BCDA Board Chair
Honorable Mark Langdale Congressman Bill Shuster David Atkinson Representative for Senator Robert C. Jubelirer
Closing Remarks
Bette Slayton
BCDA President & CEO
Financing assembled:
• Economic Development Administration (EDA)
• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
• Opportunity Grant Fund
• Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) 1998-1999 Tenants in Bedford County Business Park I
• Cannondale Motor Sports, now home to Bedford Reinforced Plastics
• Defiance Metal Products, now home to MDL Manufacturing
• Rex Heat Treat
• DAR Professional Building
•
Business Park Development
2000 Study commissioned to explore new business park site
2002 Bedford County Business Park II announced
2002 Financing assembled:
• Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program (RACP)
• Economic Development Administration (EDA)
• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
2002 BCDA opens 24,000 sq. ft. Business Center I in Business Park I
2002 MDL Manufacturing acquires the Defiance Metal Products
2005 Con-Way Express constructs a new trucking facility in Business
2005 Governor's Action Team alert regarding a "big box" project for an East Coast distribution center looking for a site
2006 REI announces Bedford for its new 525,000 sq. ft. distribution center
2006 Bedford Reinforced Plastics opens a new fabrication facility
2007 Lampire Biological Laboratories acquires the former Dallco facility & opens a Bioprocessing Center in the Everett Business Park
2007 Steltek Graphics relocates from West Virginia to BCDA's Business Center
2008 USF Holland opens in Bedford County Business Park II
2008
Union Hotel in Everett: BCDA helps secure an Anchor Building
2007 Bedford Springs Resort opens after being closed for 17 years
2009 James Wistar purchases Everite Door in
"Bud's
2005 $120 million Bedford Springs restoration project announced
Bedford Springs before renovation
Bedford Springs grand opening
Groundbreaking for Bedford Springs renovation
Senator Jubelirer, Keith Evans & Mark Langdale
Mark Langdale, Senator Jubelirer & Congressman Bill Shuster
Grand Opening of REI Distribution Center
2010s
Business Park Development
2010 BCDA builds 15,000 sq. ft. Business Center I
2019 The Organic Snack Company purchases two lots in Business Park I for the production of Kate's Real Food Bars
Growth & Expansion
2011 Corle Building Systems invests in significant growth
2014 LB Foster doubles plant size acquiring the former ElectroMotive building
2016 Rockland acquires former Cannondale Building
2017 Bedford Candies invests in new Osterburg production & office facilities
2017 Lampire Biological Laboratories expands its laboratory facility & increases its "pharm" campus to 450 acres, later increasing to 600+ acres
2017 Green Leaf Medical acquires and invests $55 million in the former Seton facility that was vacant for more than 10 years
2018 Mayville Engineering Company purchases Defiance Metal Products
2019 CaptiveAire doubles the size of its facility
2019 River Mountain acquires 150 acres in Everett
The Organic Snack Company groundbreaking
Bedford Candies Osterburg facility groundbreaking
Seton facility acquired by Green Leaf Medical
Lampire Biological Laboratories "pharm" campus
CaptiveAire expansion
Lampire Biological Laboratories early days in Bedford County
Lampire Bioprocessing Laboratory
River Mountain Resort
2020s
Business Park Development
2021 CaptiveAire opens company's first HVAC production facility in the US
2022 The Organic Snack Company expands in Business Park I
2023 Study commissioned to explore sites for new business park
2024 BCDA Business Center, home to Cell-Con, Inc., opens
2024 Financing assembled:
• Economic Development Administration (EDA)
• Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program (RACP)
• PA Industrial Development Authority (PIDA)
2024 Bedford Rural Electric Cooperative breaks ground for new headquarters in Business Park I
2024 Bedford County Business Park III announced
Manufacturing propels Bedford County to #1 in GDP Growth
2020-2021 US Bureau of Economic Analysis
2025 Governor Shapiro visits Bedford County and awards BCDA with PA SITES grant for development of the future Bedford County Business Park III
Growth & Expansion
2020 River Mountain opens its doors as a modern retreat
2021 OK2StandUp AI-based tech company locates in Bedford County
2023 Bedford Candies retail store opens
2024 BCDA awarded Rural Entrepreneurial Assistance Grant
Bette Slayton awarded 2021 Pennsylvania Economic Developer of the Year by the PA Economic Development Association
CaptiveAire expansion ribbon-cutting Grand opening of BCDA Business Center with Cell-Con, Inc.
Groundbreaking for Bedford Rural Electric Cooperative
Gov Josh Shapiro with Bette Slayton & Jen Marsh during PA SITES grant award announcement PA SITES Grant announcement in Bedford County Senator Casey announces Rural Entrepreneurial Assistance Grant
Bette Slayton with DCED marketing team at River Mountain photo shoot for 2023 PA Travel Guide cover
Gov Josh Shapiro with BCDA board and community leaders during PA SITES grant award announcement
With Gratitude
As I reflect on more than three decades with the Bedford County Development Association, I am filled with a deep sense of pride and gratitude. When I began this journey in 1990, I couldn’t have imagined the path we would chart—or the impact we would make together.
Economic development isn’t about buildings or balance sheets—it’s about people. It’s about creating opportunity, fostering resilience, and building a community where our future generations can thrive. Through the work of BCDA, more than 4,000 jobs have been created—jobs that support families, strengthen our communities, and keep Bedford County moving forward.
Our major development projects now generate roughly $3 million in annual property taxes. That’s not just a number; it’s an investment in our schools, our roads, our quality of life, and our future. And today, 6 of the 10 largest employers in Bedford County are directly tied to BCDA efforts—partnerships that began with a simple question: Why Bedford County?
What we’ve built together is more than business parks or office space. It’s a foundation for growth. A culture of collaboration. A belief that Bedford County can—and does—compete and lead on a regional and national level.
I am endlessly grateful to the many partners, colleagues, board members, and community champions who have walked this path with me. You’ve made the work meaningful. You’ve made the challenges worth tackling. And most of all, you’ve become valued friends.
Thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime.
Bette
Brown Slayton
