October2015nepabusinessjournal

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Data-driven: William McLaughlin, Ph.D., assistant professor of computational biology at TCMC. Photo by Tom Bonomo

OCTOBER 2015 VOL. 30 NO. 11

‘Budget fight about taxes, taxes and more taxes’

By Kathy Ruff

I was joking with people they might see snow on the ground before we have a final resolution.

— Gene Barr, Pa. Chamber

(Note: At press time, budget negotiations continue as the legislature returns to Harrisburg.)

Financial deadlock persists in the halls of the Capitol building as legislators continue debate on

By Dave Gardner

adoption of Pennsylvania’s 2015-16 budget.

After more than three months of little progress since the beginning of the fiscal year, politicians remain at odds on how best to meet the state’s financial needs.

Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed a last-minute $30.18 billion proposal on June 30, citing, among other things, the lack of a severance tax on natural gas

ALSO INSIDE:

Health Care Update Computational

Gov. Tom Wolf discusses his budget priorities at State Street Elementary School, Larksville Please see BUDGET on page 5 in August. — Mark Moran

Regulations: The hidden tax

Like an approaching hurricane, government regulations are buffeting American business. The business community fears where this regulatory trend will lead.

Jeffrey Alves, Ph.D., dean of the Sidhu School of Business at Wilkes University, holds a common business opinion — increasing government regulation doesn’t help. “Business doesn’t want its hands tied,” says Dr. Alves. “Complaints about regulations and taxes are always among the top five obstacles I hear about from businesses every day.”

Alves says business wants to comply with government regulations, but it can be difficult due to the sheer number of rules. OSHA alone now issues 300 standards. Specific requirements from the Americans with Disabilities Act often take years to develop from case histories — specific regulations are not spelled out beforehand. This leaves companies to cope with mandates delivered in hazy “big picture” format, absent any detail.

“Even Wilkes has to operate a risk management department to be in compliance,” says Dr. Alves. “All of this costs money.” The federal tax code may be the largest monster business faces. In 2014, the code numbered

Stagnant Latest Census report finds

no difference in median income — for third consecutive year .............. 8

Unaware of chip card changes

Gallup finds most businesses don’t know they are the hook to upgrade.. ..................................................... 19

If you read the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 300 words per minute on a full-time basis, it would take you nearly three years to get through just the version of the CFR published in 2012.

That’s 220 times longer than it would take to read through J. R. R. Tolkien’s voluminous The Lord of the Rings fantasy. — Source: Mercatus Center at George Mason University, The Code of Federal Regulations: The Ultimate Longread, by Patrick McLaughlin, April 2015

74,608 convoluted, loophole-plagued pages, which Dr. Alves believes makes basic fairness impossible.

Then there’s starting a business in Pennsylvania.

According to Dr. Alves, state government provides a 150-page guide detailing state regulations, applications and permits.

Instead of expansive government regulation, Dr. Alves favors a more laissez-faire system. Also needed: better intervention by community groups to fix social problems. “We all have a responsibility to make own choices and deal with the consequences,” adds Dr. Alves. “We shouldn’t look to government to fix everything.”

Please see REGULATIONS on page 10

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biology expects to find new purposes for old drugs ................................ 26

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Pumpkin spice everything

Psychology may explain this annual fall madness..................................... ..................................................... 35

Manufacturing on the rise?

Mericle betting 279,000 square feet that it is....................................... 42

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No Media Covers the Nation’s #1 Newspaper Market like...

Market Fact: Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre DMA is the

#1

Standard~Speaker

Newspaper Market in the United States

Times, Voice, Speaker & Republican Herald • Total Daily Readers 275,508 • Readers in Luzerne, Lackawanna & Schuylkill County 193,088 or 42.7% of Adults

48.0% of Adults Read A Daily Newspaper Yesterday in Northeast PA

Times, Voice, Speaker & Republican Herald • Total Sunday Readers 303,762 • Readers in Luzerne, Lackawanna & Schuylkill County 217,923 or 48.2% of Adults

39.0% of Adults Read A Daily Newspaper Yesterday in the United States

1 2 3 4 5

Scranton/WB DMA Pittsburgh DMA Honolulu DMA Buffalo DMA Hartford/New Haven DMA

Integrated Newspaper Audience (Read the daily, Sunday or Web past 7 days) • Total Times, Voice, Speaker & Republican Herald INA 423,752 • Readers in Luzerne, Lackawanna & Schuylkill County 302,000 or 66.8% of Adults

48.0% 44.8% 44.4% 44.1% 44.1%

*Total Luzerne, Lackawanna & Schuylkill County Adults 451,816

Source: Scarborough WB/Scr Release 2 2014

For Advertising Information In Scranton Call (570) 348-9100 ext. 5297 In Wilkes-Barre Call (570) 821-2037, In Hazleton Call (570) 501-3520 and in Pottsville Call (570) 628-6070.

Source: Scarborough Multi-Market Release 1 2014 & Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Release 2 2014

2 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/ADVERTISING/AD_PAGES [ADB02] | 09/30/15

OCTOBER 2015

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A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

ON THE COVER

Regulations: The hidden tax

The Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal is a member of Times-Shamrock Publishing Division

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Elizabeth Zygmunt — ext. 5415 ezygmunt@timesshamrock.com

CONTRIBUTING REPORTERS Dave Gardner,Kathy Ruff, Phil Yacuboski

ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Judy S. Gregg — ext. 5425 jgregg@timesshamrock.com

CNG Sales Manager Alice Manley — ext. 9285

CNG Managing Editor

Tom Graham — ext. 3492 FIND US ONLINE: WWW.BIZ570.COM; FACEBOOK.COM/BIZ570 TWITTER.COM/BIZ570

ADVERTISING/SUBSCRIPTIONS (570) 207-9001 or (877) 584-3561 Fax: (570) 207-3452

O

PRESS RELEASES/STORY SUGGESTIONS (570) 207-9001 or (877) 584-3561 Fax: (570) 207-3448

Women Entrepreneurs ...................... 38 Meet Linn McDonald ........................ 38 Small Business Spotlight................... 39 Spotlight on Jewish Family Services ..... 39

MAILING ADDRESS: NPBJ Editorial Dept., 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503

HIGH IMPACT ISSUES

EDITORIAL E-MAIL ADDRESS: ezygmunt@timesshamrock.com

COPYRIGHT

NPBJ is protected under the federal Copyright Act. Reproductions of any part by any means or facsimiles without the express written permission of the publisher are not permitted. Reprints of NPBJ articles are available. Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited materials — manuscripts or photographs — with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed. No information expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities. Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal (ISSN 1078-5698) is published monthly except twice in the month of May by The Scranton Times from offices located at 149 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA. Periodicals postage paid at Scranton, PA. The Journal serves business owners, managers and professionals in a 19-county region. Subscriptions are available for $28 per year, $49 two years or $64 for three years.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal, 149 Penn Avenue, Scranton, Pa. 18503.

Education...................................... 16 New FAFSA rules............................. 16 Environment .............................. 17,41 Can manufacturers opt out of Act 129?... 41 Health Care ............................... 23-34 Pennsylvania can do better with cancer.. 24

SPECIAL FOCUS

Health Care Update...................... 23-34 Our biannual supplement................... 23 Business and the Arts ....................... 37 Scranton Bonfire is Oct. 17 ................. 37 Corporate Identity............................ 38 Protect your social media reputation ..... 38 Holiday Party Planning...................... 40 Technology’s the theme..................... 40

EXECUTIVE SUITE

Management.............................. 41-45

BUSINESS BULLETINS

For the Record............................ 45-55 Personnel File............................ 47-53

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The new high school diploma

ne of my previous jobs involved writing and editing a technology newsletter. In one of the issues, I interviewed my boss on a subject that then seemed a bit fanciful that now seems eerily prescient. I wanted him to talk about why he felt it important to hire college graduates — even for some of the jobs in our workplace that didn’t necessarily need them. His answer was that a college degree told him something about the candidate that he couldn’t get through standard questioning.

A college degree, he said, told him that the job-seeker was sure to be a self-starter and could be counted on to have a certain level of tenacity. He You can’t read fast enough to get through believed this because colleges, unlike some public the entire Code of Federal Regulations. high schools, believed in rigor, not social promotions. Students without the drive to compete would Cover theme .............................. 10-15 simply drop out — so, presto! He knew who would stick with things and who would not.

THE BOTTOM LINE I’ve thought a lot about that conversation — Banking.......................................... 6-7 which I had in the early 1990s when my daughter Merchants not ready for new chip cards. .....7 was about two years old — now that she is in her Economy................................ 8-9, 16-21 early 20s. We’ve just completed the summer I think Census report says median income still stalled after five years. ...................................8 I’ll dub “the summer of job-seeking madness” and these past few months have really fused many ideas I have about the state of our economy, our REGIONAL NEWS & FEATURES society and our education system.

Regional................................... 35-39 First off, let me say that my daughter earned Obsessed with pumpkin spice ............. 35 her masters degree in May. Her post-baccalaureate Made in NEPA ................................ 36 degree lulled me into thinking her job search Celebrating Manufacturing Day ........... 36 would be a piece of cake. Not so! Her experiences

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OCTOBER 2015

demonstrate that the masters may be the new high school diploma. There were plenty of jobs to which she applied that demanded a masters degree and we knew full well by the title and description that the requirement was bogus.

I am beginning to think my old boss’s secret formula of using a degree to gauge “grit” is at work here. This leads me to also suspect the value of the bachelors degree may be slipping. With so much pressure on colleges — via ratings systems and rankings — to post high retention and graduation rates, are their standards slipping?

My daughter now has a job — and it’s a good one, but her experience has also made me reflect on all the students with “just” a bachelors, or worse, a high school diploma. If the job market was so brutal for my daughter, how much more so is it for these young people?

Finally, despite a great salary, the job is in Philly and that means Mom and Dad will still pay for things like auto insurance and cell phones. I find we are not unique. Plenty of other parents of our age tell us they still partially support their adult, working children. So, here’s my final observation: The sheer cost of “getting by” has risen so dramatically, today’s parents are on the hook financially like no previous generation. The calculations on page 18 will validate me. (As will the news, on the same page, that jobs that do not require a college degree are scarce and don’t pay.)

ADVERTISER INDEX

Community Bank................................................................ 8 Energy Technologies Inc. ................................................. 20 Highmark Blue Cross ....................................................... 34 Komen NEPA.................................................................... 32 Lewith & Freeman .............................................................. 9 Luzerne County Community College.......................... 16, 25 Mericle Commercial Real Estate......................................... 3 Northeast Radiation Oncology Center............................... 28

S U B S C R I P T I O N

VOL. 30, NO. 11 • OCTOBER 2015 149 PENN AVENUE SCRANTON, PA 18503 WWW.BIZ570.COM

PenTeleData ..................................................................... 22 PNC Bank......................................................................... 56 Subway Development of Eastern Pa. .......................... 27, 54 The Commonwealth Medical College............................... 29 VNA Hospice & Home Health........................................... 28 Wayne Memorial Hospital ................................................ 32 Wilkes University Family Business Alliance..................... 17

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COVER STORY

Guest op-ed: Government that works?

By Nathan Benefield

Last week, Gov. Wolf revved up his Jeep and resumed his “Government that Works” tour in Lancaster. In an ironic twist, Wolf also promised to veto a temporary funding bill that would actually put government back to work, extending a nearly

‘The governor’s plan to lease government liquor stores to a private company changes nothing. It only replaces a government-run monopoly with a government monopoly run by a private company. That’s not competition, that’s cronyism.’ four-month budget stalemate created by his June 30 veto. The interim budget would have released more than $3 billion to public schools—alleviat-

“This fight really is about taxes and taxes and more taxes,” says Miskin. “The governor wants to drilling and using “unsustainable one-time revenue increase the income tax but also increase the sales and gimmicks” to balance the budget. Since then tax. And he wants to put a new sales tax on almost negotiations continue, as has the stalemate. everything that a business does in Pennsylvania, “Recently there have been more private talks services, day care, almost everything that you want between the governor and leaders from all four to buy or need to manage business. That’s what it’s caucuses in the legislature,” says Jeff Sheridan, about. He is trying to collect $8 billion annually and press secretary to Gov. Tom Wolf. “At this point, growing new taxes exponentially from residents private conversations are taking place and there is and businesses.” some progress but there are still a lot of differences Stephen Herzenberg, economist and executive that need to be worked out in order to be finalized. director of Harrisburg’s Keystone Research Center, The governor is pushing for his priorities for educasees a series of sticking points creating the budget tion, putting a severance tax on oil and natural gas impasse. “One of them is that Gov. Wolf wants a to pay for public education, property tax relief for fiscally responsible budget,” he says. “Gov. Wolf’s middle-class families and seniors and closing the budget was fiscally responsible, which meant raisdeficit without gimmicks.” ing some revenues. The Republicans’ (version) was According to Sheridan, the Republicans’ plan more gimmicks and one-time revenue sources, underfunded education and did nothing to restore which he vetoed. It was not fiscally responsible.” cuts made over the last four years, a major obstacle Another sticking point, Dr. Herzenberg said, for the Wolf Administration. He declined to share was the Republicans’ “lack of compromise” and a details on the status of present negotiations. continuation of Gov. Tom Corbett’s no-new-taxes“It’s not about education money,” says Stephen cuts-only approach to managing the state budget, A. Miskin, spokesperson for the House Republican according to Herzenberg.

Caucus, Harrisburg. “It’s about taxes. It’s about the Herzenberg sees some areas where progress governor’s and Democrats’ pushing for more taxes has or can be made, including education funding. and protecting the status quo.”

“Property tax relief is actually an idea that ReAccording to Miskin, Republicans offered the publicans have championed in the legislature and governor $400 million for basic education, his No. Gov. Wolf’s budget borrows heavily from Repub1 budget priority, as a compromise. lican ideas,” he says. “A second area where there “For that we asked for dealing with the schools’ has been some more progress is pensions. Gov. No. 1 cost driver — public pension reform — and Wolf, a few weeks ago, signaled his openness to to help fund this extra money in finding revenue what’s called a ‘stacked hybrid plan,’ a plan where through liquor privatization,” he says. “But in the the traditional benefit, guaranteed defined benefit end we presented that to the governor more than covers only up to a certain salary level. Over that three weeks ago. We still haven’t heard an answer salary level, you have a 401(k)-style plan.” and it’s because it’s his drive for higher taxes on The center’s State of Working Pennsylvania reemployers and residents to the tune of $8 billion port cites Pennsylvania’s unusually weak recovery plus annually and protecting the status quo for his after the Great Recession as one of the problems. supporters — that is the sticking point.”

“If you look at the last four years, PennsylvaThe caucus now pursues a stopgap, partial spendnia’s job growth performance under Gov. Corbett ing plan to release money to human service agencies was 48th out of 50 states,” says Herzenberg. “A lot and schools while budget negotiations continue. of that was because of the unbalanced budget, the BUDGET — continued from page one

ing shutdown threats—and millions to non-profit service providers.

Wolf made it clear he will stand in the way of cuts-only budget that was passed in 2011 that cut education funding by about a billion dollars, which cost 33,000 jobs in education, which in turn slowed down the recovery because people weren’t buying things in local grocers and other local businesses.”

According to Herzenberg, the economy shows signs of recovery over the past 12 months boosting the states job growth from 48th to 34th nationwide.

The budget stalemate threatens that recovery.

How the state funds education includes funding for teacher and public employee pensions, a major cost-driver.

“Republicans continue to insist on significant pension reforms, and are focused on ending Pennsylvania’s 80-year-old system of how we sell liquor,” says Gene Barr, president and chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry, Harrisburg. “In order to jump start this thing, they put an additional $300 million on the table they say could be utilized for basic education in exchange for significant pension reforms and probably liquor, too. They will have to get the money by selling licenses and so forth. The governor seemed interested, he seemed enthusiastic about their proposal.”

While Gov. Wolf insists on money for schools, Republicans don’t support a severance tax on natural gas drilling or increased taxes to pay for it.

“The hope is that we fix the pension system because it’s the single biggest fiscal crisis that this commonwealth faces,” says Barr. “It needs to be done. Liquor (reform) should be done. We really don’t believe this economy can take a $5 billion tax increase, so we are concerned about that as well. There are a lot of concerns on a $5 billion tax increase with the personal income tax, higher sales tax, elimination of exemptions.”

The tug-of-war continues but the rope doesn’t seem to be moving. “I honestly don’t see an easy solution here, barring something happening shortly,” says Barr. “I was joking with people they might see snow on the ground before we have a final resolution.”

funding students and social services helping the needy to force through his own record-high taxand-spend budget. He even rejected a Republican compromise that would fulfill one of his priorities— a $400 million increase in basic education funding.

Instead, the governor continues to demand a $4.6 billion tax increase, the highest in the nation.

This proposal—including taxes on diapers and day care, nursing homes and funerals—would cost working Pennsylvanians an additional $1,400 per family of four.

That’s on top of the $4,374 per person that we already pay in state and local taxes—the 10th highest burden in the nation.

Despite Wolf’s insistence on his tax plan, the House already rejected it by a unanimous 0-193 vote. In fact, Sen. Vince Hughes (D – Philadelphia.), who sponsored Wolf’s plan in the Senate, remains the only Pennsylvania lawmaker willing endorse Wolf’s tax proposal.

Moreover, Wolf’s latest proposals on liquor stores and pension reform will only extend the gridlock in Harrisburg. While Wolf called his new plans “historic,” newspaper editorial boards across the state have seen through the spin.

The Easton Express-Times—which endorsed Wolf for governor—called both plans “Nonstarters.” The Bucks County Courier Times panned them as “phony-baloney ‘reforms’.” On liquor, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette bluntly said, “The plan is a loser.” Why the chorus of boos?

Wolf’s plan to lease government liquor stores to a private company changes nothing. It only replaces a government-run monopoly with a government monopoly run by a private company.

That’s not competition, that’s cronyism.

Consumers will not see better selection, prices, or service. Likewise, state government will continue to have a conflict of interest in both enforcing alcohol laws and promoting liquor sales.

The governor’s insistence that a private manager keep all current unionized government staff speaks volumes about his priorities. It’s a clear concession to the United Food and Commercial Workers union—one of Wolf’s major campaign donors.

Please see OPINION on page seven

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Mall at Steamtown now owned by mortgage lender

By Phil Yacuboski

The Mall at Steamtown is now owned by its mortgage lender. In mid-July, the mall went up for sheriff’s sale and the only person to bid was Scranton businessman, Bob Bolus who planned to turn the mall into a casino. His bid was rejected because it was contingent upon him obtaining a casino license.

The mall’s mortgage holder took possession of the property for taxes and costs when no

Al Boscov, middle, with his attorney, Scott Esterbrook, left and nephew Jim Boscov at the sheriff’s sale of the Mall at Steamtown last month. Times-Tribune file photo

potential bidders bit at the minimum asking price of $37.3 million.

Steamtown Mall Partners did not bid. Department store owner Al Boscov is the principal of the Steamtown Mall Partners, along with his nephew Jim and Atty. Scott Esterbrook. They did not enter a bid at the sheriff’s sale, but Boscov said he will now renew negotiations with LNR Partners, the real estate company that represents the unidentified

Place Your Advertising Message Here!

Please see Mall on page 10

ol scho k to y life! t bac I wen hanged m c and it

hran

ALSO INSIDE: Annual Adult Education Guide

Inspiring stories of real-life adult learners demonstrate education’s power to transform lives ................... ..................................................... 29

Back-to-School and Holiday Retail Forecast In a word: Guarded

RESERVE

BANKING & FINANCE ABA report: Consumers opening more creditcard accounts as card market grows

NOW!

....................................................... 9

State Budget Deal Still no pension

reform. Governor says lawmakers ‘failed’ the people of Pennsylvania ... ..................................................... 12

Stafursky Paving Company Inc. based in Archald paves along State Route Road Lathrop Township, Susquehanna County. Above and right, Times-Tribune file photos

2004 in

Microbac lab manager Christine Pechacek tests water samples in the company’s Scranton facility.

From testing water to paving roads, local vendors now a vital part of the natural-gas supply chain

By Dave Gardner

A varied line-up of area businesses, while flying under the public’s radar, are tapping the wells of profitability in the Marcellus Shale.

Microbac Laboratories, which can trace its origins to the late 1960s in the Pittsburgh area, is an American-owned testing service that is obtaining business with the Marcellus gas industry. The company’s duties include

water testing for homeowners, business, and governmental regulatory agencies. In 2008, the company began to work in the Marcellus region after making connections with several engineers and consultants This opening later evolved into specific water testing as DEP and EPA demands grew for monitoring contaminants and carcinogens. In time, the company was doing business with gas producers

Cabot Oil & Gas and Chesapeake Energy.

Cherie Gudz, Microbac’s senior vice president, notes that the extensive water testing in the Marcellus region is building long-term data trends about water conditions. New well pre-drilling sweeps of groundwater are now common to detect pre-existing contamination.

Please see Gas vendors page 17

East Mountain Makeover The

renovation and re-branding of the East Mountain Inn ............................. ......................................................59

Appeals Court Rules on Act 13

Place Your Advertising Message Here!

Rights of local municipalities are affirmed..........................................45

FIND US ONLINE AT BIZ570.COM

For Advertising Information Contact:

Judy Gregg 570-207-9001 ext. 5425 jgregg@timesshamrock.com

Holiday Gift Guide The holidays are a time to dazzle friends, family, co-workers, emplo oyees and your best customers with unique gifts thoughtful ways to summ marize just how much you value them!

The Business Journal’s annnual Holiday Gift Guide presents a wid de array of local ideas to help fi filll the bill.

Take a holiday tour of the best corporate gift giving ideas in Northeast Pennsylvania this November!

Publication Date: November 2015 Advertising Deadline: October 15

6 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B06] | 09/30/15

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For adve informatio rtising n contact

Judy Greg g

570-207-9

001 ext. 5 425 877-584-3 521 jgregg@ timessha mrock.co m

OCTOBER 2015

The number of credit-card accounts continued its steady rise in the first quarter with new accounts across all risk categories growing 14 percent over the same period a year ago, according to the American Bankers Association’s latest Credit Card Market Monitor.

The September 2015 Monitor, reflecting data from the first quarter of 2015, found that the total number of accounts also continued to grow in all three risk categories (sub-prime, prime and superprime), with the industry’s total of 314 million credit card accounts ranking as the highest reading since late 2008. While this growth has been driven by prime and super-prime accounts, the number of sub-prime accounts reached 60 million for the first time in over three years.

“Banks continue to create opportunities across all categories with a prudent approach that opens the door for millennials with no credit history as well as those who have had difficulty managing credit in the past,” said James Chessen, ABA’s chief economist. “By offering lower initial credit lines that can increase over time with a good payment record, card issuers have responsibly expanded access to credit cards in a manner that benefits both consumers and the broader economy.”

Continued Ability to Pay The ABA report also found that consumers continue to take a disciplined approach to credit card use. While credit card credit outstanding as a share of disposable income ticked up 0.1 percent,

it remains near historic lows. In addition, the distribution of accounts remained virtually unchanged.

The share of revolvers held steady at 42.3 percent, dormant accounts grew by 0.3 percent to 28.8 percent and the number of transactors (who pay off their balance in full each month) fell 0.3 percent to 28.9 percent of all accounts.

“As the economy improves and consumers are better able to meet their obligations, the risk associated with lending to any particular category falls,” Chessen said. “While consumers’ appetite for credit has steadily increased as the economy stabilizes, they remain laser focused on keeping debt at manageable levels and making sure their accounts are in good standing.”

Weak Economic Growth and Seasonal Factors Restrain Purchase Volumes, Credit Lines The Monitor found that monthly purchase volumes declined roughly 8 percent across all three risk categories due to a combination of weak economic growth in the first quarter and normal seasonal purchasing patterns. The U.S. economy grew at just 0.6 percent in the first three months of the year — a deceleration largely due to harsh winter weather, a strong dollar and port strikes on the West Coast — while monthly payrolls in the first quarter leveled off to slightly under 200,000 per month. Average credit lines for all accounts also fell across the board, including a 2.1 percent Please see CREDIT MARKET on next page

BANKING & FINANCE

What you need to know about the new computer chip in payment cards Banks across the country are issuing new credit and debit cards with an embedded computer chip —a small, metallic square on the front of the payment card — in an ongoing effort to protect their customers and reduce fraud. The advanced security of the chip card will make it extremely difficult for fraudsters to counterfeit or copy the card.

“Banks are continually looking for ways to leverage technologies to protect their customers,” said Frank Keating, president and CEO of the American Bankers Association. “This chip technology is another layer of security for the millions of in-person transactions made every day.”

The computer chip assigns a one-time code

making every transaction unique and the card more difficult to counterfeit or copy. The new cards will still have a magnetic stripe for cases where the merchant does not have an activated chip reader.

Using chip cards is simple and easy to learn. ABA is providing the following step-by-step instructions: 1. Insert your card into the chip-enabled terminal with the chip first, facing up.

2. Leave the card in the terminal until the transaction is complete. You may be prompted to sign your name. Be sure to take your card at the end of the transaction.

3. If there isn’t a chip-enabled terminal, use the card the traditional way and swipe.

CREDIT MARKET — continued from previous page

decline among sub-prime accounts. However, credit lines ticked up 0.1 percent and 0.5 percent for new prime and super-prime accounts, respectively, and the number of both new accounts and total accounts increased to levels not seen since the end of 2008.

“The weak economic conditions in the first quarter likely exacerbated the normal decline in credit card activity that occurs after the holiday shopping season,” said Chessen. “We’ve seen similar first-quarter declines due to these types of seasonal and one-off economic factors over the last few years. We remain confident that credit card markets will expand as the labor market tightens and gas prices continue to fall, which should drive up wages and spur consumer spending.”

Banks are issuing payment cards embedded with security chips to help protect you against fraud at the register.

What is a Chip Card?

A chip card — also known as an EMV card — is your financial institution’s way of adding an extra layer of security when you pay. Chip cards can be used anywhere your other cards are used, but the chip functionality only works at a business that has an activated chip-enabled terminal.

Why are Chip Cards more secure?

The chip generates a unique, one-time code each time you dip your card at a chip-enabled terminal.

Your purchase can only be approved with the chipgenerated code. The chip in your card is virtually impossible to duplicate. That means attempts by a fraudster to create and use counterfeit cards will be much harder.

Source: American Bankers Association, aba.com

How Do I Use It? 1. Insert your card into the chip-enabled terminal with the chip first, facing up.

2. Leave the card in the terminal until the transaction is complete. You may be prompted to sign your name.

3. If there isn’t a chipenabled terminal, use the card the traditional way and swipe.

More questions? Your bank is ready to help.

Simply visit the website on the back of your card.

OPINION — continued from page five

The epic scandals involving gifts, bribes, and strip club visits—paid by vendors to liquor system officials—demonstrate the need to get government out of the booze business. Instead, Wolf’s plan protects the corruption-ridden relationship that lets a handful of people decide what products are sold in Pennsylvania.

Ultimately, Pennsylvania will remain one of two states in the country with complete government ownership of retail and wholesale wine and liquor sales.

Meanwhile, as our pension system faces more than $50 billion in unfunded liabilities, the governor proposed a “stacked hybrid” system which no other state has implemented.

This approach fails to address the problem that got us in this mess. It keeps public pensions subject to underfunding and political manipulation.

Wolf’s continued push to borrow $3 billion in pension bonds—akin to mortgaging your house to bet on the stock market—is particularly troubling.

Rating agencies, including Fitch and Moody’s, have warned states against these sort of risky schemes.

Such bonds have a consistent record of failure.

Indeed, both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia borrowed to pay unsustainable pension costs but made the problem even worse.

While his plans to reduce Wall Street investment fees and address pension spiking are laudable, they are insufficient. Our retirement system requires meaningful structural reform that shield public employees’ pensions from political games.

Only by moving public employees to 401(k)style plans—plans good enough that many government unions offer them to their own staff— can we protect our children and grandchildren from politicians’ unsustainable promises.

Unfortunately, Wolf’s proposals would keep Pennsylvania firmly stuck in the past.

Nathan A. Benefield is vice president of policy analysis for the Commonwealth Foundation (CommonwealthFoundation.org), Pennsylvania’s free market think tank. The ideas and opinions expressed are the author’s and not necessarily those of the Business Journal.

NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 2015 7 TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B07] | 09/30/15

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ECONOMY & JOBS

Stagnant

Census: Real median household income, official poverty rate unchanged in 2014 Median household income in the United States in 2014 was $53,657, not statistically different in real terms from the 2013 median income. This is the third consecutive year that the annual change was not statistically significant, following two consecutive annual declines.

The U.S. Census Bureau announced Sept. 16 that in 2014, there was no statistically significant change from 2013 in either real median household income or the official poverty rate. At the same time, the percentage of people without health insurance coverage declined.

The nation’s official poverty rate in 2014 was 14.8 percent, which means there were 46.7 million people in poverty. Neither the poverty rate nor the number of people in poverty were statistically different from 2013 estimates. This marks the fourth consecutive year in which the number of people in poverty was not statistically different from the previous year’s estimate.

Median household income in the United States in 2014 was $53,657, not statistically different in real terms from the 2013 median income. This is the third consecutive year that the annual change was not statistically significant, following two consecutive annual declines.

The percentage of people without health insurance coverage for

the entire 2014 calendar year was 10.4 percent, down from 13.3 percent in 2013. The number of people without health insurance declined to 33.0 million from 41.8 million over the period.

These findings are contained in two reports: Income and Poverty in the United States: 2014 and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2014.

Income U.S. Real Household Median Income through 2012 by Farcaster at English Wikipedia. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via ■ Real median incomes in 2014 for Commons, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Real_Household_Median_Income_thru_2012 family households ($68,426) and nonfam■ A comparison of real median household income over the past ily households ($32,047) did not experience statistically significant Please see STAGNANT on next page changes from the levels in 2013.

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8 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B08] | 09/30/15

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OCTOBER 2015

BUSINESS

W E A LT H

ECONOMY & JOBS

STAGNANT — continued from previous page

seven years shows that income is 6.5 percent lower year-round with earnings were not statistically difthan in 2007, the year before the nation entered the ferent from one another, nor were they statistically different from the increase in the number of women most recent economic recession. with earnings, regardless of work experience.

Earnings ■ The changes in the real median earnings of men and women who worked full time, year- round between 2013 and 2014 were not statistically significant. In 2014, the median earnings of women who worked full time, year-round ($39,621) was 79 percent of that for men working full time, yearround ($50,383) — not statistically different from the 2013 ratio. The female-to-male earnings ratio has not shown a statistically significant annual increase since 2007.

■ The number of men and women working full time, year-round with earnings increased by 1.2 million and 1.6 million, respectively, between 2013 and 2014. Taken in combination with an increase of about 800,000 in the number of women with earnings, regardless of work experience, and no statistically significant change for their male counterparts, this suggests a shift of workers moving from part-year, part-time work status to full-time, year-round work status. The respective increases in the number of men and women working full time,

Income Inequality ■ The Gini index was 0.480 in 2014; the change from 2013 was not statistically significant.

Since 1993, the earliest year available for comparable measures of income inequality, the Gini index has increased 5.9 percent.

■ Changes in income inequality between 2013 and 2014 were not statistically significant as measured by the shares of aggregate household income by quintiles.

Poverty ■ The poverty rate for families and the number of families in poverty were 11.6 percent and 9.5 million in 2014, neither statistically different from the 2013 estimates ■ In 2014, 6.2 percent of married-couple families, 30.6 percent of families with a female householder and 15.7 percent of families with a male householder lived in poverty. For marriedcouple families, both the poverty rate and the num-

36.5 percent, changes which were not significantly different from each other.

■ Of the subtypes of health insurance, employment-based insurance covered the most people (55.4 percent of the population), followed

by Medicaid (19.5 percent), Medicare (16.0 percent), direct-purchase (14.6 percent) and military health care (4.5 percent).

Health Insurance Coverage ■ Between 2013 and 2014, the greatest ■ The Current Population Survey shows that changes in coverage rates were the increases in the percentage of people with health insurance for direct-purchase health insurance and Medicaid. all or part of 2014 was 89.6 percent, higher than The largest percentage-point change in coverage the rate in 2013 (86.7 percent). was for direct-purchase, which increased by 3.2 ■ After several years of a relatively stable uninpercentage points to cover 14.6 percent of people sured rate between 2008 and 2013 as measured by for some or all of 2014.

The percentage of people the American Community Survey, the percentage with Medicaid coverage during all or part of the of the population who were uninsured dropped in year increased by 2.0 percentage points to 19.5 2014. This represents the largest percentage point percent in 2014. decline in the uninsured rate during this period.

■ In 2014, the uninsured rate for children ■ Between 2013 and 2014, the increase in the younger than 19 was 6.2 percent, down from 7.5 percentage of the population covered by health percent in 2013. insurance was due to an increase in the rates of ■ In 2014, the uninsured rate for children both private and government coverage. The rate younger than 19 in poverty (8.6 percent) was of private coverage increased by 1.8 percentage points to 66.0 percent in 2014, and the government higher than the uninsured rate for children not in coverage rate increased by 2.0 percentage points to poverty (5.6 percent). ber in poverty increased. For families with a female householder, the poverty rate was not statistically different from 2013, while the number in poverty declined. Neither the poverty rates nor the estimate of the number of families in poverty showed any statistically significant change between 2013 and 2014 for families with a male householder.

WILKES-BARRE

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NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 2015 9 TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B09] | 09/30/15

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REGULATIONS —continued from page one

COVER STORY

raises costs for the economy. “Regulation slows the economy, particularly when we consider PennsylvaGene Barr, president of the Pennsylvania nia’s poor job growth,” says Stelle. “The last things Chamber of Business and Industry, notes that some regulation is readily accepted by the business we need are more hidden costs from regulation.” community and the public, including inspections Societal norms for restaurant cleanliness and safety-related issues.

Satyajit Ghosh, Ph.D., professor of economics “We all agree some regulation is vital,” says and finance at the University of Scranton, expresses Barr. “The real problem is where to draw the line.” a somewhat different view. He notes that regulation To illustrate how the regulatory state has is woven throughout society, and even evolves in grown, Barr explains that, in the 1950s, one in 20 the classroom.

It’s a necessary response to new people needed a professional license to do a job. problems.

For example, he says, “Rampant student Today, that number is one in four. Moreover, many cell-phone use now disrupts classrooms.

A few of these regulations affect labor costs, causing years ago, it wasn’t a problem, but now instructors wages to rise. have to create and enforce regulations to stop this.”

Some regulation is readily ignored. For A keen observer, he says, can always find an example, everyone knows highway deaths and industry complaining about excessive regulation. vehicle speed are definitely connected, yet speeding Dr. Ghosh cites farming as a classic example. While is common, suggesting people are willing to risk a farmers bemoan rules protecting the food supply, fine to get where they need to be faster. how many consumers share their view?

Regulations also mean trade-offs, hidden costs On the flip side, farm price supports are related. and administrative red tape. Permitting consumes Farmers can agree to limit crops and get a governvaluable time and money, while environmental ment subsidy for land laying fallow, while consumregulations, zoning and minimum-wage requireers may reject the idea of financially supporting idle ment require a small army of compliance officers land.

“When we get into the areas of quality control, to satisfy. “I hear regulatory complaints all the time contamination, poisons and toxins, there is some from our members, although each business has its agreement about what we need to regulate,” says own specific complaints,” says Barr.

Dr. Ghosh. “Other issues, such as pesticide use, Hidden taxes become a matter of debate.”

Elizabeth Stelle, director of policy analysis with Dr. Ghosh’s point is that there are always two the Commonwealth Foundation issues a stern sides to most regulatory arguments. He says this warning about the costs from regulations. She process occurs because, for the most part, free believes that regulations amount to a tax increase, markets functions well, but on occasion they fail with a wide variety of players paying the bill. “There and government must intervene. “Today’s debate is a role for government oversight, but not when can equal tomorrow’s norm,” concludes Dr. Ghosh. it becomes bloated and expensive,” says Stelle.

“Yes, it’s true many regulations make no sense or “Every regulation has a cost, like a hidden tax.” are redundant. But government must also protect She says Pennsylvania has more than 340 state- the public from some risks.” governed agencies. Washington administers 15,000 Regulatory nightmare regulations. Noncompliance can get you sued. “Getting sued can be the end of a business, even if you Since the 2008 financial meltdown, regulatory win the case. It’s just that costly” says Stelle. simplicity in finance has been in short supply, According to Stelle, Pennsylvania’s energy explains Craig Best, president & CEO of Peoples recovery and generation are being squeezed by a Security Bank. Legislation like the Dodd–Frank Act slow progression of environmental and alternative- now directs bank activity at levels once thought energy standards. She particularly criticizes unimaginable. mandates that force a certain amount of electricity The latest compliance nugget: banks must to be generated from alternative sources. There are greatly consolidate the mortgage disclosure data real costs to these standards, she says. they issue. Best says this new rule has required Other areas of regulation she notes involve Peoples Security to complete $63,000 in software “regressive” rules for oil and gas drillers, prevailing buys, spend even more for staff training and to wage rules and destructive mandates in health care. cover costs generated by the new processes.

She cites the power of organized labor as a factor “This new regulation will also slow down mortthat encourages more regulation and, in the process, gages for our residential customers,” says Best.

Ready acceptance

10 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B10] | 09/30/15

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OCTOBER 2015

companies choose how to comply.

“Government should not prescribe our methods,” says Stark. “This tactic leads to less innovation and lower levels of the entrepreneur spirit.”

Another “beef” bothering Stark is how the federal EPA wants to further reduce methane emissions by issuing specific processes. He says Cabot’s gas production in NEPA rose 250 percent between 2011 to 2014, and during this time the company achieved an 86 percent methane emission decline.

“Data does not support that we have an emissions problem,” says Stark. “We use the best science and technology available, and never waste what we are recovering. The EPA should allow us to innovate and not dictate processes.”

His final regulatory gripe involves noise from drilling pads, compressors and other gas-related equipment. He says DEP is seeking to regulate this Obama’s legacy noise, but Cabot would prefer that local governDavid Taylor, president of the Pennsylvania Manu- ment deals with the problem.

“Zoning is best done locally and we’re happy to facturers Association, believes that Washington is “out of control with regulations” as President Obama work with township government,” says Stark. “One tries to “run up the score” before his term ends. size doesn’t fit all with noise problems. They should Taylor cites the madness of environmental regulation be handled on a case-by-case basis.” (the EPA’s Clean Air rules) that depends on technolUrbanization byproduct ogy not yet invented and notes that federal emission laws have become so ridiculous that the trees at Jay Starnes, Ed.D., director of curriculum, inYellowstone National Park are not in compliance. struction and assessment with the Wallenpaupack Regulation at the state level varies by admin- Area School District, says public education was istration, reflecting an attitude of partisanship or once very local, with school boards and teachers “gotcha,” Taylor says, adding that these swings charting their own courses. However, presidents involve how a governor chooses to interpret since Lyndon Johnson have played a powerful role existing law. in the evolution of schools. Standardized testing One area of regulation that concerns Taylor has become ubiquitous and has morphed into a involves installation of pipelines needed by the gas teacher-accountability system. Starnes says govindustry. Distortions of scientific soundness may ernment regulation expressed through standardized occur simply for the sake of regulation. “There testing is acceptable only if the grades are used as should be an upward limit to the regulatory costs a part of achievement analysis. Other facets, such incurred by government, as well as questions about as soft skills, should be considered. why any regulation is being issued,” says Taylor.

“Some kids will never do well on standardized Energy production in Pennsylvania is heavily tests, but later they thrive in a career,”says Starnes. regulated, and George Stark, director of external “Standardized testing provides only a narrow defiaffairs with Cabot Oil & Gas, fears more stifling nition of success — success varies by child.” mandates are soon to appear. “We are asking that On the horizon for public school students in government just give us the standards they desire 2017 is a regulatory system where high school and let us comply, without dictating the processes graduation will require passing three time-limited and technology to be used,” says Stark. content exams, including algebra and biology.

Three specific areas of regulation especially con- Starnes emphasizes that many students, such as cern Stark. One involves Pennsylvania DEP’s Chapter thriving career technology students with bright 78, which lists rules and regs that energy recovery professional futures, simply will not be able to companies must follow. Stark’s complaint is not with complete the exams. “Many of these kids will have Chapter 78 itself, but how government issues specific to focus on the exams instead of their career trainpractices, instead of goals, and will not let the energy ing,” says Starnes.

Debit- and credit-card fraud is also an expanding reality. Best expects a big push in this area, although regulatory specifics are yet to be defined.

However, new rules are passing along debt incurred from fraud away from the banks to merchants.

Data hacks are also alarmingly frequent. The criminals committing these acts usually are very smart and manage to stay one step ahead of regulation. “We’re all expecting a big push on both the federal and state levels to curb cyber-crime,” says Best. “This segment of regulation is only going to get bigger.”

The other side of the regulatory house, known as bank secrecy, requires banks to monitor every transaction and report those which are suspicious to law enforcement. This area of regulation is booming, and costs banks and financial houses dearly for staff and technology.

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W E A L T H

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In most states, including Delaware, trustees have an obligation to keep beneficiaries informed of P L A N N I N G

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I N V E S T M E N T

their interests in the trust. In Delaware, trusts can contain “quiet” provisions tailored to a business owner’s requirements. A business owner can instruct the trustee to keep the trust confidential until a certain age or milestone is reached.

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M A N A G E M E N T

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P R I V A T E

B A N K I N G

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Private Banking is the marketing name for an offering of M&T Bank deposit and loan products and services.

Investments: • Are NOT FDIC-Insured • Have NO Bank Guarantee • May Lose Value Wilmington Trust is a registered service mark. Wilmington Trust Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of M&T Bank Corporation (M&T). Investment management and fiduciary services are provided by Wilmington Trust Company, operating in Delaware only, and Wilmington Trust, N.A., a national bank. Loans, retail and business deposits, and other personal and business banking services and products are offered by M&T Bank, member FDIC. Wilmington Trust Company operates offices in Delaware only. Note that a few states, including Delaware, have special trust advantages that may not be available under the laws of your state of residence, including asset protection trusts and directed trusts. ©2015 Wilmington Trust Company. All rights reserved.

NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 2015 11 TS_CNG/ADVERTISING/AD_PAGES [ADB11] | 09/30/15

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COVER STORY

A moral issue or a question for the marketplace?

By Dave Gardner

Of all business affairs into which government meddles, the most contentious involves the minimum wage. For some, the wage is too low. Others say it’s too high. Some even believe there should be no government-mandated wage floor whatsoever.

Atty. Nancy Abrams, of the law firm, Spector, Gadon, & Rosen, understands the various minimum-wage proposals circulating once again at the federal and state levels. There are five bills pending in the General Assembly proposing to raise the minimum wage, ranging from $8.75 to $15.

According to publicsource.org, “the most ambitious proposed bill is from state Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Delaware). His One Fair Wage bill would raise the wage to $15 an hour and tie it to inflation across the board, for regular and tipped employees.

State Rep. Patty Kim (D-Dauphin), also wants to raise the wage, but her bill calls for a more gradual increase. If passed, her bill would raise Pennsylvania’s wage to $9 and then to $10.10 a year

later. Another proposal backed by state Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York), would gradually increase the wage to $8.75 over the next three years. And a bill sponsored by state Sen. Christine Tartaglione, (DPhiladelphia), would bring the state’s tipped minimum wage to 70 percent of the regular minimum wage by 2016. A fifth proposal specifically targets the wages (aiming for $15 per hour) of employees of long-term care facilities.”

Meanwhile, the federal government has its own ideas. According to Abrams, proposed federal legislation would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 in three steps, while a specific proposal is aiming at the $15-per-hour mark.

Abrams says long-term unemployment for unskilled workers has stubbornly lingered since the Great Recession and that’s forced wages down.

However, as the economy improves, a populist movement pushing for minimum wage increases has gained momentum.

“The only effective way to raise wages for the

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unskilled is by government mandate. Without a legislated increase, it isn’t going to happen, even though there is no accurate data to prove a minimum wage increase hurts business,” says Abrams.

She forecasts that after contentious debate at the federal and state levels, employers can expect the minimum hourly wage to increase to $10.10. The populist dreams of a universal $15 are unreasonable, and not going to be adopted.

“Pennsylvania may tie increases in the minimum wage to inflation, but so many people are skeptical, suspicious of big increases in pay without an increase in employee skills,” says Abrams.

Source: Policy Watch from the Keystone Research Center, krc.org

Multiple arguments Satyajit Ghosh, Ph.D., professor of economics and finance at the University of Scranton, says arguments exist for abolishing the minimum wage, as well as for raising it to $15 per hour. “Abolitionists” insist the market will set fair prices for labor. However, most mainstream debate centers on what the level of future increases will be.

He believes the debate should include commentary about whether the minimum wage is a pathway to a decent living. In a family where the principal breadwinner earns minimum wage, working a 50 to 60 hour week will still leave the family in poverty. (Pennsylvania’s current minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. A full-time minimum wage employee earns $15,080 annually. In 2014, according to hhs.gov, the poverty threshold for a single person was $$11,670 for individuals. For a family of four with two children it was $23,850.)

“This fact is morally indecent,” says Dr. Ghosh.

“Minimum wage increase cannot stop poverty, but they are a step in the right direction and they chip away at inequality.”

Dr. Ghosh says entirely too much emphasis is being placed on the argument that minimum-wage jobs are a pathway to skills development and a building block for discipline and responsibility. Dr. Ghosh also argues no “real” data exists to demonstrate minimum wage increases kill jobs.

Please see MINIMUM WAGE on next page

COVER STORY

New labor rules affect OT, union elections

By Dave Gardner

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Department of Labor have been tinkering with regulations involving rules regarding union elections and laws that concern employee overtime exemptions, generating a great deal of controversy.

The NLRB rule, recently upheld by a court, significantly reduces the time between when a group files a union petition and when the election is actually held. Now union elections can occur in as little as “just 10 to 21 days after the union requests a vote,” according to an analysis by the law firm Ogletree Deakins. In regard to the overtime changes, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has proposed rules designed to raise the minimum

salary threshold for employees now exempt from overtime because they are classified as administrative, professional and executive personnel. The move would cover salaried workers who make up to $50,400 a year. Workers earning $23,660 or less now qualify for overtime. The proposal would raise that level to include more workers.

The Department of Labor took comments through Sept. 4 and the final ruling will be in effect 90 days after it’s issued. It is always possible that DOL could rescind the ruling — or discard it because of a Congressional action — but it’s currently believed to be most likely that some version of this updated rule will be put into effect as early as 2016.

MINIMUM WAGE —continued from previous page moral issue. Barr says the actual problem legisla-

“Business costs include huge pay increases for the CEO and management, and there’s little argument about this,” says Dr. Ghosh. “This really bothers me.” He notes that a big-picture examination of pay rates shows money placed in the hands of earners/spenders are proven to stimulate the economy with a multiplier effect. Data indicates that the wealthy spend less, while lower earners will spend what they have, and if they have more, they spend more — that’s stimulus.

Dr. Ghosh does wonder, however, if a $15 federal minimum wage is too steep a jump for business to handle. He notes that in NEPA, when higher-paying white-collar jobs are excluded, the average wage is below $15. That said, the power of the local economy should be considered when talking wage hikes and they should be measured against total labor market metrics. “Too steep a wage increase could also reduce employment,” explains Dr. Ghosh. “Yes, we want a living wage, but this must also be a community-flexible rate achieved over a period of time.”

No immunity Gene Barr, president of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, insists labor is not immune from the laws of supply and demand. Only regulation that suspends the laws of the marketplace renders compensation for labor immune.

He believes higher wages practically beg business to replace workers with technology, which is happening in many restaurants. Barr also rejects any argument that minimum-wage rates are a

tors should be discussing doesn’t even involve the minimum wage. Instead, they should focus on tough questions about increasing the actual number of available entry-level jobs, especially in urban areas.

“It’s a great question to ask: Who can rightfully determine a fair minimum wage,” says Barr. “If we raise the wage, why stop at $15? And try telling all this to the average small business owner who earns only $50,000 per year.”

Some market forces that could improve wages without the heavy hand of the government include: ■ Lower the cost of doing business. According to a Mercatus Center study, a one-percentage point drop in the corporate tax rate would likely increase annual economic growth by 0.1 to 0.2 percent.

This would make Pennsylvania more competitive and increase productivity, leading to more jobs and higher wages.

■ Restructure welfare programs to reward work.

■ Ensure young people are well-educated by offering an alternative to failing schools through true school choice.

■ Scale back professional licensing to give low-wage earners the opportunity to increase their incomes through entrepreneurship.

Amy Brayford, chief human resources officer with the expansive Geisinger Health System, explains that Geisinger’s compensation philosophy is market-based and takes into account wages Please see MINIMUM WAGE on next page

More than 11 million workers may be covered by the rule changes. According to some estimates, the regulation would cost the retail and restaurant industries a total of $8.4 billion annually.

However, not everyone is worried. “Current overtime exemptions for supervisors are outdated, making it long past time for regulations to change,” says Richard Bloomingdale, president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO. He calls movement of the overtime threshold “reasonable,” and is happy vital line supervisors will be able share in their employer’s wealth.

Sustainability questions Kim Hawk, past president the Pennsylvania Society for Human Resource Management’s Northeast Chapter, is a long-term veteran of NEPA manufacturing. She has concerns that a jump in the overtime salary threshold will interfere with a business’s bottom line and, in the process, create more workplace stress. “This could really hurt small business,” says Hawk.

She believes a move in the salary threshold to the vicinity of $30,000 would be more reasonable.

This also should be done in increments. Hawk adds that salaries vary by region, so using a regional index for overtime calculation is advisable. Another consideration is that labor conditions in urban areas cannot be compared to rural areas. “This is why regulation changes should be based on different numbers for different areas,” says Hawk. “We also should consider the market forces at play and the true cost of living by region.”

Atty. Nancy Abrams, of the law firm of Spector, Gadon & Rosen, says current regulations have forced many mid-managers to work “ridiculously” long hours, with some putting in 80-hour weeks.

The net effect is that their hourly wage is lowered to the realm of poverty.

Abrams supports some change to the overtime regulations, although she believes a threshold of $35,000 annually would be reasonable.

Ambushed The National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) new “ambush” rule implements several changes to union election and recognition. It makes it significantly easier for unions to organize workplaces, shortens the time period for union elections and requires employers to disclose employees’

“AMBUSH” RULE HIGHLIGHTS: ■ Parties may now file representation petitions electronically.

■ The employer must provide the personal email addresses and phone numbers of voters on the voter list so that non-employer parties (organized labor organizations) can communicate with those voters about the upcoming election.

■ The voter list must be provided within two days — instead of seven — following the direction of election.

■ A pre-election hearing must be scheduled to begin eight days after a petition is submitted.

■ A post-election hearing must begin 14 days after the filing of objections.

■ Regional directors must schedule the election through a direction of election rather than permitting the parties to agree on a date.

■ The 25-day stay of election following the regional director’s decision and direction of election has been eliminated.

■ Generally, a non-petitioning party (typically an employer) will be required to respond to the petition and state its position the day before the pre-election hearing begins.

■ The petitioner will have to respond to the issues raised by the non-petitioning party at the opening of the hearing.

■ Generally, any other litigation inconsistent with the positions taken by either party will not be allowed.

■ Written post-election hearing briefs will not be allowed unless a regional director determines one is necessary. Instead, all parties will have an opportunity to present an oral argument before the close of the hearing.

■ Generally, only issues necessary to determine whether an election should be conducted will be litigated pre-election. That means voter eligibility issues and disputes will be handled after the election, unless an issue involves 20% or more of the bargaining unit.

Source: www.hrmorning.com

personal information, so organizers can lobby them to vote “yes.”

The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO’s Bloomingdale says the new rules don’t create conditions for any sort of “ambush.” Instead, the rule allows elections to be held 30 days after employees sign authorization cards stating they want a union, with challenges occurring later on.

“Employers have a captive audience with their workers and often stall, withhold lists, issue token raises and threaten workers,” says Bloomingdale.

“With the revised system, we now have a level playing field.”

Bloomingdale rejects the argument that 30 days is too short a time for union elections. He says if an employer doesn’t know their employees are dissatisfied and have begun the union petition pro-

Please see OT on page 15

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COVER STORY MINIMUM WAGE — continued from previous page

paid by competitors. Brayford purchases as many as 50 wage surveys per year, which detail pay rates. Geisinger’s starting employee starting salaries are based on this and competition for workers.

“Individual awards later presented to our employees are performance based,” says Brayford.

Geisinger employs more than 23,000 people.

Brayford emphasizes that varying market pressures make it hard to recruit for many skilled positions.

“Right now it can be tough to recruit registered nurses, IT specialists and physician — all now being impacted by legislative changes,” she says.

David Taylor, president of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association, comes are the issue from a very different angle. He believes that most kids need to build “inner strength,” and that “early jobs” can provide opportunities to do so. “These kids need to learn how to fulfill employer expectations.

Minimum-wage jobs provide opportunities for this vital development,” says Taylor. In sum, he believes wage increases contribute to the skills gap in youth, particularly with the soft skills. He also notes that as the minimum wage rises, all wages may jump and management may be forced to counter with increased automation and a more productive staff.

In December 2014, the Chicago City Council approved a law raising the city’s minimum wage by nearly 60 percent, to $13 an hour, by 2019. The first stage of the wage increase took place on July 1, when the wage floor rose just over 20 percent to $10 an hour.

The Employment Policies Institute surveyed 300 affected businesses in the city of Chicago to provide a first glance at planned reactions to this increase. Source: Employment Policies Institute, Early Experiences with Chicago’s July 1 Minimum Wage Increase, June 2015

Classic capitalism Richard Bloomingdale, president of the Penn-

sylvania AFL-CIO, describes wage debates as the classic battle of capitalism. He agrees minimum

wage was once entry-level pay. Now, however, unions having helped increase employee productivity, all workers should share in the wealth generated as a result.

“Union declines have resulted in more money going to the employer and less to the employees,” says Bloomingdale.

“Across-the-board raises lift all boats, but just the opposite is occurring. Business is making big profits, with no pressure to pay the employees who made it happen.”

Bloomingdale says he is also distressed by poverty among low-wage workers.

Housing rents can easily top $800 to $900 a month, and when the cost of food and maintaining a car are added in, $30,000 becomes a minimum living wage and $50,000 to $60,000 allows entry into the middle class. For lowwage earners, vastly longer work hours become their only financial option.

How-To Guide for Small Business

Our How-To Guide is designed to educate our readers about a variety of subjects of importance to business professionals!

This informative supplement will assist decision-makers by providing insight into a variety of topics critical to day-to-day operations!

There are a myriad of questions that can confound business people trying to make effective decisions.

This reference resource guide can assist by providing resources to aid in those decisions.

We will cover such topics as financial, healthcare, education and energy to name a few.

We invite you to promote your area of expertise and talk about what makes your business unique.

Take this opportunity to promote your business!

You will receive a Full Page Ad and a Full Page Article!

Publication Date: November 2015 • Advertising Deadline: October 15 For advertising information contact Judy Gregg 570-207-9001 ext. 5425 • 877-584-3561 jgregg@timesshamrock.com

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14 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B14] | 09/30/15

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OCTOBER 2015

COVER STORY

Retailers: OT rules don’t consider cost-of-living variations one state, Maine. The salary threshold would also be indexed, raising it to $1,400 by 2017 under one option proposed by the Labor Department. Within three years, only 22 percent of current salaried workers would remain exempt from overtime.

“This proposal has been spun as a way to raise the income of struggling workers but there are places where bankers or stockbrokers could be turned into hourly workers,” NRF Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French said.

“The Labor Department has ignored the fact that the cost-of-living varies throughout the country.”

“In smaller towns and cities, $50,000 a year is a very comfortable income and individuals making that much might well be in prominent positions in OT and AMBUSH — continued from page 13 their communities,” French said. “It isn’t an hourly The FLSA establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, rewage — it’s a salaried, professional position that cess, shame on them. They must cope with the consequences without delay, coercion, intimidation, cordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting comes with health care, retirement plans, bonuses employees in the private sector and in federal, state, and and other benefits that could be lost if reduced to or threats to offshore. local governments. an hourly ‘job.’ A one-size-fits-all approach means “This is all about enhancing an employee’s right Unless exempt, employees covered by the FLSA must receive overtime pay for all hours worked over 40 in a the benefits of overtime could go to people who to choose,” says Bloomingdale. workweek at a rate not less than one and one-half times don’t need the help while driving up payroll costs Atty. Abrams believes the new rule will enhance their regular rates of pay.

The FLSA’s white collar exemptions exclude certain execu- that could be better spent on job creation for those Labor’s efforts to unionize nursing homes and tive, administrative, and professional employees from who need to get a foot in the door.” other health care providers and will add additional federal minimum wage and overtime requirements.

In examples cited by the report, it takes only public employees. She says the reduced time Job titles do not determine exempt status, and the fact about $785 in Louisiana, Mississippi or Oklahoma between when an election petition is filed and that a white-collar employee is paid on a salary basis does not alone provide sufficient ground to exempt that when election takes place may be extreme, and employee from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime considered by some to be an impingement on free requirements. speech.

Under the current regulations, a white collar employee must be paid at least $455 per week (equivalent to “It’s kind of wham-bam,” says Abrams. $23,660 annually for a full-year employee) to qualify “Employers should have time to present their case as an exempt executive, administrative, or professional before an election takes place, but from another employee.

The Department proposes to set the standard salary perspective the rules are designed to recognize level at the 40th percentile of weekly earnings for fullunions and create collective bargaining. There also time salaried workers. Using 2013 data, the proposed is legislation out there to overturn this.” salary amount would equal $921 per week (which is Abrams adds that increased union membership $47,892 annually for a full-year worker). Should the Department decide after consideration of comments probably will not help the cause of Labor and lanreceived on the NPRM (notice of proposed rulemaking) guishing wages. She says, while unions drove the to set the standard salary level in the final rule at the 40th percentile of weekly earnings of full-time salaried workers, American economy during the 1950s through the the Department estimates that a 2016 level may be about 1970s, today many of these unionized workplaces $970 a week, or $50,440 a year. are dead. “Our overall jobs picture is improvThe Department is also proposing to set the highly compensated employee (HCE) annual compensation ing, and great strides have been made reducing level equal to the 90th percentile of earnings for full-time unemployment,”says Abrams. “But, our middle salaried workers ($122,148 annually). Further, in order to class is still shrinking and unemployment is still too prevent the salary level requirements from again becoming outdated and ineffective between rule-makings, the high, so the unions will keep trying.”

The Obama Administration has portrayed its proposal to expand the number of people covered by federal overtime rules as a means to bring extra pay to low-wage workers. But a new analysis conducted for the National Retail Federation shows that a far broader range of higher-ranking management and professional workers could be covered in some states, particularly in rural areas where income and the cost of living are lower than the national average.

Under the proposal, most individuals making up to $970 a week anywhere in the country would automatically receive overtime pay at time-and-a-half when working more than 40 hours a week, up from

the current $455. The Labor Department chose $970 under a formula intended to give overtime to the lowest-paid 40 percent of full-time workers nationwide who currently receive a fixed salary.

But in 10 states — Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas — that dollar figure would bring at least 45 percent of full-time salaried workers under overtime rules. Another eight states — Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia — would see at least 50 percent covered. The figure works out to the intended 40 percent in only

CHANGES TO OT RULES: Most employees covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) must be paid at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for any hours they work beyond 40 in a workweek. An employer who requires or permits an employee to work overtime is generally required to pay the employee premium pay for such overtime work.

Department is proposing to automatically update the salary and compensation levels on an annual basis.

The proposed rule will clarify the overtime requirements for approximately 11 million workers who earn below the proposed salary threshold and their employers because their entitlement to overtime pay can be determined solely on the basis of the bright line salary threshold.

Source: www.dol.gov

to have the same buying power as $970 a week nationally. In Arkansas and North Carolina, $800 buys as much as the national average.

Under federal law, managers and highly trained professionals can be declared exempt from overtime if they meet certain job duties tests, but in most cases the exemption applies only if they make above the salary threshold.

“The majority of retail managers don’t want this proposal to become law,” French said. “They like the stability and flexibility of a weekly salary, and they don’t want to be told to go home after 40 hours when they’re willing to do the work needed to make their stores a success. The key to success is building a career, not punching a time clock.”

The new analysis was conducted by research firm Oxford Economics as an addition to an earlier study for NRF that found fully implementing the overtime proposal could cost retailers and restaurants alone $8.4 billion a year in added wages. But the report said many employers would offset most of the cost by reducing hours or benefits or using more part-time workers. Nonetheless, employers would see an estimated $745 million in added administrative costs even if workers saw no increase in take-home pay.

Source: National Retail Federation, nrf.com

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ECONOMY & JOBS

Retailers: NLRB joint employer ruling ‘roadblock’ to job creation The National Retail Federation issued the following statement from Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French on the Aug. 27 ruling by the National Labor Relations Board that certain companies can be considered joint employers: “The NLRB’s decision disregards 30 years of clear precedent requiring a joint employer to have direct and immediate control over employees, and it unnecessarily blurs the distinctions between independent parties in a wide range of normal business-to-business relationships such as franchising or subcontracting. This is further evidence that the NLRB has given up its position as an objective arbiter of workplace issues and sees itself as an advocate for organized labor as a means of imposing new workplace obligations and legal liabilities on well-known corporations.

“Small business subcontractors and franchisees provide millions of jobs for American workers and thousands of opportunities for local entrepreneurs to own their own businesses and contribute to the local economy. This action from Washington

is just one more example of unelected government bureaucrats creating roadblocks in the path of job creation and economic growth.”

The NLRB general counsel’s office ruled in July 2014 that McDonald’s Corp. could be considered a joint employer along with its local franchise restaurants. In the Aug. 27 ruling, the full NLRB said Browning-Ferris Industries can be considered a joint employer, along with a staffing agency that provided employees. NRF and other business groups are concerned that the redefinition of the concept of joint employers could be used to make large businesses and franchisors responsible for the actions of subcontractors or local franchisees even when they do not exercise direct control over those companies’ employees.

The Competitive Enterprise Institute said, “For example, the NLRB’s new standard could force Silicon Valley startups to hire the receptionists and cleaners they currently get from staffing or property management companies. It will adversely impact the innovative sharing economy, where technology has drastically

lowered transaction costs, enabling people to come together to share services in novel new business relationships. The NLRB has set back the clock 40 years,

Will new rules for college aid affect your family?

The announcement Sept. 14 by President Obama of changes to college financial aid rules means hidden and surprising implications for American families. Consider this: Although Obama’s new rule change allows the financial aid process to begin in October instead of January — making it possible for high school seniors to know their aid packages substantially sooner — the potential implications are much broader than just a three-month timing shift.

According to bestselling scholarship and financial aid author Ben Kaplan, founder of Scholaroo (www.scholaroo.com) — the world’s first instant college scholarship alert system — there are three things that every college-bound family must know about Obama’s announcement: 1. SOPHOMORE STRATEGY Because Obama’s rule change means that tax returns from two year’s prior will now be used to calculate financial aid, families must make strategic family finance decisions even earlier — surprisingly, during the student’s sophomore year of high school.

2. SEPTEMBER RUSH Because the start of the college application sea-

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son, scholarship application season, and financial aid season will all occur simultaneously during the busy back-to-school time frame, families will need to manage their time more efficiently during a new September rush period.

3. DON’T DELAY TO PLAY Although these new Obama rules won’t take effect until next year, savvy students and families can realize many similar benefits this year by being proactive in the scholarship and financial aid process (including using new online tools like Scholaroo.

Below is the announcement of the rules changes that appeared in USA Today: ■ Starting with the 2017-18 FAFSA, the application will be available earlier, as well as request tax information from two years prior, rather than one year prior, in order to allow an earlier application period.

■ Submissions will be accepted as early as Oct. 1 as opposed to Jan. 1. So, if you’re attending college in school year fall 2017, you can submit your form starting Oct. 1, 2016 instead of Jan. 1, 2017.

Students are required to submit a FAFSA renewal each year they are in school.

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1.800.377.5222 • LUZERNE.edu 16 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B16] | 09/30/15

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OCTOBER 2015

Source: USA Today, college.usatoday.com/2015/09/22/fafsa-changes-obama/

ECONOMY & JOBS

U.S. Office of Surface Mining gets ‘earful’ from coal industry

Pennsylvania coal industry workers line up to enter a federal hearing held in Pittsburgh on the proposed ‘Stream Protection Rule.’

Legislation introduced to counteract ‘joint employer’ ruling A group of lawmakers Sept. 9 introduced ABCsupported legislation to help restore the “joint employer” standard under the National Labor Relations Act that has been in place for over 30 years. The standard was overturned by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in its Aug. 27 ruling in the Browning-Ferris Industries of California case.

The legislation, the Protecting Local Business Opportunity Act (S. 2015/ H.R. 3459), was introduced by U.S. Senate Health, Education Labor & Pensions Committee Chairman Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety Chairman Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia), U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman Rep. John Kline (R-Minnesota), and Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Chairman Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tennessee). The bill currently has 25

co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives and 36 co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate.

In a letter to the chairmen, the trade group, Associated Builders and Contractors (abc.org) thanked the lawmakers for introducing the “important legislation, which will help provide additional stability for contractors, subcontractors and their employees by restoring the decades old joint employer standard.”

In its letter, ABC cited the dissenting opinion written by the two Republican members of the NLRB, stating that the NLRB’s ruling will “subject countless entities to unprecedented new joint-bargaining obligations that most do not even know they have, to potential liability for unfair labor practices and breaches of collective bargaining agreements, and to economic protest activity, including what have heretofore been unlawful secondary strikes, boycotts and picketing.”

Coal operators, environmental engineers and businesses oppose federal Stream Protection Rule

and impossible to extract, ultimately stranding 200 years’ worth of this domestic energy resource, billions for the state economy and thousands of Pennsylvania jobs.”

At a federal hearing on the proposed Stream Each state has unique characteristics and geoProtection Rule in Pittsburgh on Sept. 10, the U.S. logical factors. Currently, those who are closest to Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforce- and best able to comprehend the landscape of the ment (OSMRE) got an earful of testimony from commonwealth, make these day-to-day decisions coal operators, environmental engineers and busi- that impact Pennsylvania’s waters and indigenous nesses who testified against what they deem “yet species. The federal standards under SMCRA serve another costly and overreaching federal regulation.” as a floor for Pennsylvania’s robust program, with The Pennsylvania Coal Alliance (PCA) called Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams Law holding operathe proposed Stream Protection Rule, published tors to a more stringent and state-specific standard. on July 27, “a massive overhaul of the Surface “Since the 1980s, the water quality of PennsylMining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA),” vania’s rivers and streams has improved, demonsaying, “Because of the enormity of this rule and its strating that the current regulations are working as many implications for Pennsylvania, which already intended,” said Ron Musser, a geologist at Musser has its own successful program, the Pennsylvania Engineering. “The impacts of these relentless, adDepartment of Environmental Protection (DEP) as ditional regulations on the coal industry are real. Prowell as members of the Pennsylvania congressional duction is down and people are tightening their belts. delegation requested a 120-day extension to review We have already had to reduce our own operation and comment on the rule. OSMRE responded with by five people. What are these federal regulations a 30-day additional allowance.” pretending to try and fix, and at what cost?”

“Through these blanket, national regulations, DEP’s Office of Active and Abandoned Mine Opit has been made clear OSMRE doesn’t consider, erations would also be adversely impacted by the or plan to consider the exacerbated costs associsignificant financial and personnel requirements ated with the immense number of overreaching needed for compliance with the complex technical compliance requirements,” said PCA CEO John applications of the rule, enforcement and increased Pippy. “This will force coal to become unprofitable data collection requirements.

Building Your Board as a Strategic Weapon with

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NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 2015 17 TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B17] | 09/30/15

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ECONOMY & JOBS

‘Family Budget Calculator’ purports to show what families need to get by in Pennsylvania

The liberal Economic Policy Institute (EPI) released an update to ts signature Family Budget Calculator, which shows what is required for families to attain a secure yet modest standard of living in rural and urban communities in Pennsylvania.

EPI said, “The Family Budget Calculator is a stark reminder that many workers in Pennsylvania do not earn enough to meet their family’s basic needs. In rural Pennsylvania communities where the cost of living is low compared to cities like Philadelphia, a modest standard of living that covers the basics — such as food, transportation and housing — requires just over $27,000 in annual income, a figure well above the $15,000 a year a worker would make in a full-time job earning the minimum wage. Low-wage single parents in rural Pennsylvania face even greater challenges as their basic family

budget climbs to $43,500 a year. Even twoparent families, where both parents work at minimum-wage jobs, would earn an annual income that falls well short of their basic needs of $52,300.”

“These figures reveal why efforts to raise minimum hourly wages to $15 resonate with so many people across Pennsylvania.

It’s only as your wages begin to approach that rate that your family

finances balance,” said Keystone Research Center labor economist, Mark Price. “And when you consider that 40 percent of workers in Pennsylvania earn less than $15 an hour, you can see why there is such broad support for efforts to raise the minimum wage.” EPI says its Family Budget Calculator “improves on traditional poverty thresholds by taking into account geographic differences in cost of living and factoring in a broader range of expenses.

The federal poverty line, which was created to measure serious economic deprivation, is set at the national level and does not account for community-specific costs.”

The Family Budget Calculator includes the cost of housing, food, transportation, child care, health care and other basic necessities such as clothing and household supplies. Costs vary widely by family type as well as geographic area. Notably, among two-parent/two-child families child care costs exceed rent in every Pennsylvania community.

Fed research identifies best jobs, metro areas for workers without a college degree Jobs that offer workers without a four-year college degree an opportunity to earn at least the median wage represent as many as one in three local NEPA jobs and as few as one in six in the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas. These opportunity occupations are the focus of a study released jointly Sept. 9 by the Federal Reserve Banks of Philadelphia, Cleveland and Atlanta. The study, Identifying Opportunity Occupations in the Nation’s Largest Metropolitan Economies, found considerable variation in the availability of these jobs across America’s metropolitan landscape.

For workers without a bachelor’s degree, employers’ educational preferences further limit opportunity. Opportunity occupations represented 27.4 percent of available employment in 2014 when education requirements reflected a worker’s typical entry-level education or the views of workers currently in the jobs. This estimate falls to 20.3 percent when compared with data on the educational attainment requested by employers in online job postings.

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In some metro areas, the share of opportunity occupations is much lower when based on employers’ education preferences than when it is based on workers’ beliefs about the level of education required to perform a job. In large metro areas with higher living costs, a bettereducated workforce, and higher incomes and home values, the analysis of online job ads suggests that employers tend to prefer a higher level of education.

Regardless of the education data set used, three occupations rank OCTOBER 2015

among the top five most prevalent: registered nurses; bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks; and heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. (See nearby chart. Source: Philadelphia Federal Reserve).)

BANKING & FINANCE Many small businesses unaware of pending EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) liability shift Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index

Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index

Just your opinion,how much of an improved protection from fraud will this liability shift provide businesses? Greatly improved, somewhat improved, not very improved or not at all improved?

Greatly/Somewhat improved July 6-10, 2105

Have you heard or read about the new EMV liability shift coming in October 2015 regarding point-of-sale credit-card purchases and chip-enabled card terminals?

Source of charts: Gallup.com

Not very/Not at all improved

%

%

42

42

%

All owners

32

Accept credit cards

49

Do not accept credit cards

23

mandate; 29 percent plan to comply by October, while the majority plan to comply either at a later Highlights time (34 percent) or do not plan to upgrade their Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index ■ Many owners unaware of the pending EMV systems to comply (21 percent).

(Europay, MasterCard and Visa) credit-card standards The Small Business Index consists of owners' ratings of their businesses' current situation All small-business owners were asked if they ■ Quarter three index is at 59, down from 71 and their expectations for the next 12 months, measured in terms of their overall financial believe this liability shift will provide improved in quarter one situation, revenue, cash flow, capital spending, number of jobs and ease of obtaining credit. protection from fraud — the shift’s major objec■ Small-business owners less positive tive. Small-business owners are divided in their 140 on revenues opinions — 42 percent believe it will greatly or 100 Despite the serious consequences for smallsomewhat improve protection, and 42 percent business owners if they don’t follow new rules that believe it will improve protection not very much 60 take effect this fall for credit cards, the latest Wells or not at all.

20 Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index survey finds U.S. small-business owners’ that only 32 percent of owners are aware of the optimism trends down -20 pending changes.

U.S. small-business owners continued to -60 The new set of credit-card liability rules for be less positive about the economic health of 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 businesses will take effect in October. These rules their companies in the third quarter. Optimism specify that businesses that do not upgrade to declined modestly for the second consecutive Index conducted since August 2003 and quarterly from December 2003-July 2015. credit card equipment that can read new, chipquarter this year following a significant jump at enabled credit cards will be liable for fraud and the end of 2014 and in early 2015. considerably higher than it was in the third quarter reported that their company’s revenues increased security breaches.

The overall index score, which measures smallof 2014 (49) and in the third quarter of 2013 (25). over the past 12 months, down significantly from One of the reasons for the small-business business owners’ views of the economic condition Several factors may have contributed to the 49 percent in January. owners’ low awareness of the pending “EMV” rules of their companies, is now at 59, down from 71 decrease in optimism this quarter: ■ Slight declines in reports of capital spending. (which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa) is in the first quarter and 64 in the second. The last ■ Two consecutive drops in small-business Fewer small-business owners, 25 percent, plan to that only 35 percent of owners in the current Wells time the index saw two consecutive declines was in owners’ positive reports of revenue. In the July Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index, conducted increase capital spending in the next 12 months the third and fourth quarters of 2012. Despite the July 6-10, report that they accept point-of-sale survey, 39 percent of small-business owners than said the same in April (29 percent). drop in the current quarter, the index score is still credit card payments for purchases.

DCED announces new low-interest loans approved by Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority Awareness of the EMV mandate is higher among this group than among those who do not pany would like to purchase the facility rather than renew 15-year loan at 2.75 percent, on behalf of Triode Media PIDA approved $4.15 million in low-interest loans for the existing lease. Total project cost is projected to be Group Ltd. to acquire and renovate a 9,945-square-foot four projects: accept such payments, as would be expected, $9,000,000, and will create 100 new jobs and retain 192. building in the City of Lancaster to serve as a workspace Allegheny County but even among those who accept credit cards, for creating digital media and content. The facility will Berks County awareness is 49 percent, compared with 23 percent The Regional Industrial Development Corporation of require substantial structural repairs and renovations.

The Greater Berks Development Fund was awarded a Southwestern Pennsylvania was awarded a $2,000,000, among those who do not. Thus, about half of 15-year loan at 2.75 percent, on behalf of TruFood Manu- $1,350,000, 15-year loan at 2.75 percent, to acquire and Total project cost is projected to be $1,050,000, and develop 19.4 acres in the City of Reading. The site is the will create nine new jobs while retaining three existing facturing Inc. to acquire a 155,000-square-foot building. small-business owners who accept credit cards positions. former Glidden Paints property. Closure of the site in The company has experienced significant growth since are not aware of the major changes forthcoming 2007 left the site in need of cleanup and remediation. De- Lebanon County becoming a top producer of nutrition bars for the U.S. this fall. and Canadian markets. In September 2014, the company velopment costs will include environmental remediation, The Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corporation sidewalks, curbs, lighting, and landscaping. Total project was awarded a $400,000, 15-year loan at 3.75 percent, entered into a lease for additional manufacturing space.

It appears that a majority of small-business cost is projected to be $2,250,000.

The expansion was a result of TruFood entering into an on behalf of Little Hill Farm, LLC for the construction of owners who accept credit cards but who do not expanded contract to produce private-label nutrition bars. Lancaster County two modern broiler houses in Bethel Township. Total have chip-enabled technology — about seven in 10 The current lease runs through December and the comThe EDC Finance Corporation was awarded a $400,000, project cost is projected to be $1,018,500.

— are, at this point, in no rush to comply with the

By Coleen McMurray and Frank Newport

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ECONOMY & JOBS

Pennsylvania earns a C- for ‘small business friendliness’ Texas, New Hampshire, and Utah top rankings in annual Small Business Friendliness Survey; New York and California are among the least friendly states

Small businesses gave Pennsylvania average ratings for its friendliness to microenterprise, indicating a difficult regulatory environment, according to Thumbtack’s annual Small Business Friendliness Survey. Complete results for Pennsylvania are published at www.thumbtack. com/pa/.

Nearly 18,000 U.S. small business owners responded to the survey, including 581 in Pennsylvania. The study asked respondents to rate their state and city governments across a broad range of policy factors. Thumbtack then evaluated states and cities against one another along more than a dozen metrics.

“Small business owners on Thumbtack have consistently told us that they welcome support

from their governments but are frequently frustrated by unnecessary Overall friendliness bureaucratic obstacles,” Ease of starting a business said Jon Lieber, Chief Ease of hiring Economist of ThumbRegulations tack. “Pennsylvania Health & safety improved slightly in the rankings this year, Employment, labor & hiring but small businesses Tax code are still telling us the Licensing climate makes it much Environmental too hard for them to Zoning succeed.”

Training & networking programs “Small business taxes are too high,” commented a computer repair specialist in Philadelphia. “Big businesses get all the breaks.”

PENNSYLVANIA’S SMALL BUSINESS FRIENDLINESS thumbtack.com CCCD+ D+ CD C CD D+

small business owners.

■ Small businesses in Texas and Utah have rated their states in the top five every year this survey has run, while California and Rhode Island have been rated in the bottom five every year.

■ State and city governments that promote local business training and focus on ease of regulatory compliance are consistently perceived as being friendliest to small business.

■ Professionals who weren’t required to have a license judged their cities and states in a more favorable light; however, respondents who were required to carry a license but said that complying with licensing rules was “very easy” were just as favorable towards their government as respondents who weren’t required to have a license at all.

■ Entrepreneurs’ perceptions of their tax burdens were among the least important factors in judging governments.

■ Investing in a high quality, easy-to-use website that provides useful information and decreases the costs of regulatory compliance improves overall perceptions of a local or state government.

Key Findings for Pennsylvania: ■ Pennsylvania performed better in 2015 than it did in 2014, when it ranked No. 33 and earned a D overall.

■ Pennsylvania’s best score was a C for its Best and Worst Climates for Small Business TOP TEN BEST-RANKED STATES licensing regulations.

1.

Texas 2. New Hampshire ■ Lancaster, earned a B for overall friendliness, 3. Utah 4. Louisiana while Pittsburgh and Philadelphia both earned 5. Colorado 6. Idaho 7. Tennessee 8. Virginia overall C grades, and Allentown a C- grade.

9.

Georgia 10.

Kansas ■ Pennsylvania’s worst scores were D grades for both tax and zoning regulations.

TOP TEN BEST-RANKED CITIES ■ Neighboring New York earned an overall friend- 1. Manchester, New Hampshire 2. Dallas, Texas 3. Richmond, Virginia 4. Austin, Texas liness score of a D and ranked No. 32 nationally.

Some of the survey’s key findings include: ■ Texas, New Hampshire, Utah, Louisiana, and Colorado gave their states the highest rating for friendliness to small business. Small businesses in Manchester, Dallas, Richmond, Austin, and Knoxville gave their cities the highest ratings.

■ In contrast, small business owners gave California, Connecticut, Illinois, and Rhode Island an “F,” while Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York earned a “D” grade. Providence, New Haven, Buffalo, Albuquerque, and Hartford were the survey’s worst-performing cities as rated by their

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5. Knoxville, Tennessee 7. Houston, Texas 9. Boulder, Colorado

6. Nashville, Tennessee 8. Fort Collins, Colorado 10. San Antonio, Texas

BOTTOM FIVE WORST-RANKED STATES 1. Rhode Island 2. Illinois 3. Connecticut 4. California 5. New York BOTTOM FIVE WORST-RANKED CITIES 1. Hartford, Connecticut 2. Albuquerque, New Mexico 3. Buffalo, New York 4. New Haven, Connecticut 5. Winston-Salem, North Carolina Please see C- on next page

ECONOMY & JOBS Intuit QuickBooks’ Small Business Index:

Intuit Small Business Employment Index STATE % CHANGE (AUGUST 2015)

U.S. small business’s ‘hours worked,’ compensation rose in August, but jobs declined Pennsylvania small business employment decreased by 0.07% in August Intuit QuickBooks said its “Small Business Indexes” are monthly reports providing “unique and almost real-time insight into employment and revenue trends of the nation’s small businesses with fewer than 20 employees.”

The Intuit Small Business Employment Index released Sept.

1 showed that small business employment fell by 5,000 jobs, declining 0.02 percent nationally.

This August decline is relatively small in comparison to the overall growth of employment over the past year.

The Intuit Small Business Employment Index is based on approximately 264,356 small businesses customers of Intuit Online Payroll and QuickBooks Online Payroll, covering the period from July 24 through Aug. 24.

The Intuit Small Business Revenue Index showed an increase in revenue, by 0.4 percent in July. The Revenue Index is based on anonymized aggregated data from over 240,000 QuickBooks Online small businesses, and is the first in the market to

provide current information on monthly per business small business revenue.

The Indexes also show: ■ Employees paid more in August: Small business employees saw an increase in monthly compensation by 0.30 percent, with average monthly pay reaching the equivalent of $2,838, up $9 from July.

■ Employees worked longer hours in August: Average monthly hours worked by hourly employees increased 0.30 percent in August; this is equivalent to working roughly 25.4 hours per week.

■ More revenue in July:

Idaho Minnesota Nevada Alabama Oregon Texas Colorado Mississippi New Mexico Oklahoma California Florida Georgia Montana Nebraska North Carolina Arizona South Carolina Arkansas Virginia Hawaii Kansas Missouri Tennessee Connecticut Indiana Maryland Illinois Louisiana Michigan Pennsylvania Iowa New Jersey New York New Hampshire Washington Kentucky Utah Massachusetts Ohio Wisconsin

0.3 0.16 0.12 0.1 0.08 0.08 0.07 0.06 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 -0.04 -0.06 -0.06 -0.06 -0.07 -0.07 -0.07 -0.07 -0.08 -0.11 -0.11 -0.12 -0.14 -0.18 -0.2 -0.3 -0.3 -0.3

Small business revenues overall saw an increase of 0.4 percent in July on a per-business basis. The “real estate and rental and leasing” category showed the largest monthly revenue increase of 0.6 percent, while the “accommodation, food service and drinking places” category saw The Intuit Small Business Employment Index released Sept. 1 shows small a small decline in revenue from last month of 0.02 percent. business employment fell by 5,000 jobs, declining 0.02% nationally.

Source: Intuit

Pennsylvania earns C- —continued from previous page Pennsylvania State ranking: 28 out of 36 Key factors: Government website: How difficult or easy it is for a small business owner to use a government website to comply with regulations.

Pennsylvania’s grade: CTraining opportunities Whether or not a small business owner is aware of opportunities for training and networking offered in their community.

Pennsylvania’s grade: D+ Licensing enforcement A measure of ease of compliance and effectiveness of enforcement for professional licensing rules.

Pennsylvania’s grade: B+

KEY DRIVERS OF BUSINESS FRIENDLINESS STATES CITIES 1. Training Experience 1. Training Experience 2. Tax Regulations 2. Licensing Regulations 3. Labor Regulations 3. Website Experience

Licensing again more important than taxes When evaluating their cities, small businesses said the ease of compliance with licensing rules mattered far more than tax rates. Tax equity - the actual rate at which business owners pay taxes - mattered far less than any measure of regulatory compliance. For example, labor rules were 88 percent more important in driving state friendliness scores when compared to tax rates.

Effective licensing just as friendly as no licensing Small business owners who found licensing compliance to be “very easy” were just as favorable towards their city governments as respondents who weren’t required to be licensed at all. By contrast, licensed professionals in cities with complicated

requirements or inconsistent enforcement reported the lowest approval rates.

Training experience top factor in both state and city rankings Offering training on developing a business and navigating the local economic and policy environment was the single biggest factor that influenced perceptions of friendliness. In cities, training was 78 percent more important than the number two factor.

On the state level, small businesses who had a positive training experience were 1.5 times more likely to rate their states as being very supportive.

High quality websites matter Investing in a high quality, easy-to-use website that provides useful information and decreases the costs of regulatory compliance improves overall perceptions of a local or state government.

Business owners who said their city had a “great” website ranked their cities 13 percent higher, while there was no difference in the rankings of business owners who were either unaware of or had a bad experience on city websites.

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Math conque s all The human body uses more than 20,000 different proteins — a single malfunction in any one can cause disease. Often, the same protein is implicated in numerous diseases, presenting the tantalizing promise of a single medicine — one that may already exist — to treat a variety of ailments, both rare and common. This hope, however, is tempered by some mind-bog ling numbers. If a Rubik’s Cube, with just 54 squares, presents 43,252,003,274,489,856,000* possible configurations, how can scientists hope to sift through numbers

*Using Google’s supercomputers, a team of researchers in 2010 processed every one of the Rubik’s Cube’s 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 different configurations.

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

exponentially larger? Enter computational biology, a discipline that uses biological data to develop algorithms — and find cures.

Data-driven: William McLaughlin, Ph.D., assistant professor of computational biology at TCMC. Photo by Tom Bonomo

Nor theast Pennsylvania Business Jour nal ■ HealthCare Update ■ Fall 2015 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 2015 23 TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B23] | 09/30/15

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HEALTHCARE UPDATE

National progress report indicates Pennsylvania can do better on cancer prevention

Area where improvement needed: Premature tobacco-related death, enhanced access to palliative care

Pennsylvania does well in several specific areas to fight and prevent cancer, but according to a new national report, the Keystone state should do better and Pennsylvania physicians agree.

According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network progress report How Do You Measure Up? Pennsylvania scored highly in four categories.

For example, the state is recognized for its support for tobacco cessation and early detection of breast and cervical cancer. Progress has been made on indoor tanning restrictions for minors and smoke-free laws.

However, in two other categories Pennsylvania falls short. Marilyn Heine, M.D., legislative chair of the Pennsylvania Society of Oncology and Hematology (PSOH), explains Pennsylvania could step up efforts to decrease premature tobaccorelated deaths and enhance access to palliative care designed to ease a patient’s symptoms during the course of a serious illness.

“This type of report allows us to see how our state compares with others on a larger scale,” says Dr. Heine. “This can be a valuable guide to help the state get to the next level of cancer care and prevention. Reports like this highlight success but more importantly focus our efforts to do better.”

The report emphasizes ways Pennsylvania can do more to improve access to cancer care. For example, Dr. Heine notes, there are new and better methods in the arsenal to treat cancer patients, but Pennsylvania lags behind our neighboring states when it comes to affordable treatment programs.

Today, treatment with oral anticancer drugs is often more effective and less burdensome to the patient than IV forms of cancer medications.

In some instances, oral drugs may represent the only or best treatment option for cancer patients.

However, often cancer patients have problems with access to oral cancer medications because of their high out-of-pocket costs. The cost-sharing burdens for cancer patients on oral treatment can create insurmountable financial barriers to optimal care.

Oral chemotherapy can offer advantages to patients and caregivers, such as fewer visits to a

Source: Pennsylvania Cancer Incidence and Mortality – 2012 Executive Summary, Pennsylvania Department of Health, www.portal.state.pa.us

cancer treatment center, avoid long appointments for infusions, and less worry about finding transportation to and from appointments. This flexibility is particularly important for people living in rural areas who would have to travel long distances to the nearest treatment facility and for employed patients and family members who are trying to reduce hours away from work during treatment. In addition, research suggests high cost-sharing for oral chemotherapy medications may lead patients to abandon treatment.

To provide examples, Dr. Heine says, “Consider a patient who has kidney cancer and requires

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treatment with oral medication, but the cost is prohibitive, treatment is delayed, and the cancer progresses. Or a patient diagnosed with leukemia for which a potentially life-saving oral medication is prescribed, but when her insurance is insufficient to cover the cost of treatment, she is prescribed an alternate medication, has an adverse reaction, and her disease worsens.”

An oral parity law would require a health plan that covers cancer treatment to cover orally-administered cancer medications no less favorably than the coverage offered for IV-treatment and should do this without an increase in the IV chemotherapy

cost-sharing to comply with the law. It would help ensure access to needed care.

“Without oral parity laws, Pennsylvania cancer patients are at a disadvantage compared to those in other states,” says Karen Rizzo, M.D., president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society.

To date 40 states — including Pennsylvania’s neighbors — plus the District of Columbia have enacted oral parity laws to control out-of-pocket costs for cancer patients. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania patients lack this safeguard. An oral parity Please see CANCER on page 27

HEALTHCARE UPDATE

WVIA’s Call the Doctor launches new season of ‘outward facing’ health, wellness programs WVIA’s Call the Doctor launched year two of a “multi-year commitment to address the critical health and wellness needs of the NEPA region and educate viewers that, no matter the issue, they are not alone. The season premiere is on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. on WVIA-TV when the topic will be Breast Cancer: Advancements and Support. The conversation about breast cancer continues during a second all-new episode entitled, Breast Cancer: Resources and Community on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. on WVIA-TV. This season Call the Doctor continues to concentrate on one topic per month, with breast cancer leading it off in October to be followed by Alzheimer’s disease in November; depression in December; addiction in January; heart health in February; colorectal cancer in March; obesity and diabetes in April and arthritis in May. For nearly 50 years, WVIA Public Media said it has been committed to public service, but “in the beginning of 2014, WVIA expanded that commitment in several important ways. Our first-ever audi-

Hazzouri ence research project confirmed that our listeners and viewers recognize WVIA’s strengths for quality, educational, informative, entertaining content, so we have adopted that ‘content filter’ for our focus.”

In the summer of 2014, WVIA partnered with The Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development at Wilkes University to launch a new commu-

nity engagement initiative, turning the station outward to determine important issues and to steer programming and community projects with measurable outcomes.

The first initiative brought together WVIA, The Institute and The Commonwealth Medical College. Using The Institute’s health assessment research to identify the region’s critical health needs and TCMC as a primary resource for clinical research, WVIA initiated conversations with regional nonprofit and for-profit partners and worked internally to present an all-new, outward facing Call the Doctor.

The No. 1 goal for Call the Doctor is to address the critical health and wellness needs of the region, by concentrating on one topic per month where patients and survivors tell their personal stories while doctors and other experts discuss the medical as-

pects of those emotional stories. Most importantly, Call the Doctor supplies all its viewers with direct contact to available local resources that can help those in need through their difficult and sometimes isolating health journeys. This is accomplished through a resource hub on WVIA’s website that focuses on that month’s health topic.

Dr. Lauren Hazzouri returns as Call the Doctor’s moderator. Dr. Hazzouri completed her master of arts degree in psychology and doctorate in clinical psychology at Marywood University in Scranton.

Currently, Dr. Hazzouri is owner and licensed psychologist at Hazzouri Psychology, Scranton.

In addition, Dr. Hazzouri is on the public education committee of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association and is a member of the American Psychological Association.

Encore presentations of the season premiere can be seen Thursday, Oct. 8 at 10 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 11 at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 22 at 10 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 25 at 4 p.m. on WVIA-TV.

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HEALTH CARE UPDATE

Math conquers all How computational biology is being used to ‘repurpose’ medicines

By Dave Gardner

Heavy investment

Dr. McLaughlin’s research recognizes the surging cost of pharmaceuticals. The average new drug takes at least a decade to develop, at a cost of $500 million to $2 billion, and because of these high prices it is economical to find medications already on the market that can be repurposed for the treatment of other diseases.

“Our research centers upon the fact that malfunctioning proteins — which may cause a common disease — also cause a rare disease,” explains Dr. McLaughlin. “Consequently, an existing medication used to treat the common disease could potentially be used on the rare ailment.”

Another practical application of protein exploitation involves new uses for nutraceuticals, such as common vitamins. According to Dr. McLaughlin, vitamin D purchased right off the shelf can be used to treat agonizing sciatic neuropathy caused by damage to the sciatic nerve.

Data-driven

The data-driven science of computational biology is not for everyone. The National Institute of Health describes computational biology as, “The development and application of data-analytical and theoretical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques to the study

Average cost to develop one new medicine

It costs an average of $1.2 billion to develop one new drug, with more recent studies estimating the costs to be even higher.

Average cost to develop one new approved drug — including the cost of failures $1.4 Billions (constant dollars, year 2000

A researcher at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) is pioneering a combination of cutting-edge science and new uses for established drugs. William McLaughlin, Ph.D., a native of Delaware, serves as assistant professor of computational biology in TCMC’s basic sciences department. His current research identifying human proteins linked to specific medical conditions.

Research involving proteins does not include simple math. At least 20,000 different proteins make up the human body. If they become damaged, mutate or malfunction, the cellular changes produced cause of disease.

Dr. McLaughlin’s research is right out of the pages of science fiction, but also delivers some very practical applications. From a big picture perspective, one facet seeks to repurpose existing medications by identifying malfunctioning proteins that cause disease, and then matching up existing drugs that could help.

$1.2B

$1.0 $0.8 $880M

$0.6 $0.4 $320M

$.02 $0.0

$140M

mid 1970s

mid 1980s

mid 1990s

mid 2000s

NEW DRUGS DON’T COME CHEAP: Existing drugs may be able to fight diseases other than those William McLaughlin, Ph.D., uses computhey are commonly used for. Heart arrhythmias are a common ailment with a widely prescribed tational biology to find similarities among treatment. Dr. McLaughlin says, since we know the protein involved and the medicine to proteins — and new uses for older medicines. correct it, matching that protein malfunction to other ailments would mean the arrhythmia Tom Bonomo photo medicine should be equally effective for these less common complaints. of biological, behavioral, and social systems.”

Computational biology allows researchers such as Dr. McLaughlin to mathematically map proteins to disease, and then map drugs to the specific proteins with numerous cross-referencing options.

According to Dr. McLaughlin, a key development occurred in 2003 which made research such as his practical — the sequencing of the entire human DNA genome.

This chemical code to construct a human body involves billions of sequences of four “nucleotides” represented by the letters A, C, G, and T, and uses the genes to create the body’s many proteins.

Further scientific advancement now allows researchers to have a three-dimensional understanding of many of these 20,000 proteins, as well as various uses for the proteins in the body. This knowledge base of is expanding every day on a global scale.

The functions of the proteins vary. They break down food, participate in cell communication and are at the core of cell construction.

“One malfunction or breakdown of these proteins creates disease,” says Dr. McLaughlin. “These malfunctions can even include size and placement of components in protein itself.”

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Source of chart: Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, www.phrma.org

Enter the pharmaceutical industry, which can build medications to interact with proteins. This interaction may involve a drug binding to a malfunctioning protein and throwing a biological “monkey wrench” into the disease process.

“We now know of many protein functions and workable medication interactions,” says Dr. McLaughlin. He cites the example of heart arrhythmia. In a normal heart, proteins construct a calcium channel that creates normal contractions, but if the calcium channel proteins go awry, an irregular heartbeat results. This affliction is common and treatable with medicines, many of which are ubiquitous and relatively inexpensive. “We also know that the same protein involving the heart’s calcium channel appears in other body locations,” explains Dr. McLaughlin. “Therefore, diseases caused by a malfunction in this protein might be treated with existing medicines for arrhythmia.”

Expanding database Fortunately for the TCMC project, identification and mapping of the 20,000 human proteins is expanding thanks to a global, web-based initiative known as UNIPROT. UNIPROT is a “comprehen-

sive, high-quality and freely accessible database of protein sequence and functional information, with many entries being derived from genome sequencing projects.”

“The UNIPROT project describes all we know of the 20,000 proteins,” says Dr. McLaughlin. “Every day this vast database is expanding.”

There are several interesting spin-off possibilities for the TCMC research. One such potential project lies in the value of the list the research has created enumerating how proteins interact with medications and places all proteins involved in diseases in one place, ranking the probability medicines will enhance protein effectiveness.

In addition, crossover effects from different medicines may allow physicians to reduce instances of patients taking too many medications at the same time. This is possible because one medication may affect several different proteins, and thereby treat several diseases at the same time.

“If someone’s on many medications, we can reduce the cost to the patient and society by reducing the number of medications and focusing on the common proteins the diseases share,” adds Dr. McLaughlin.

HEALTHCARE UPDATE Geisinger named an Integrated Delivery Network to Watch for new ‘Mobile Paramedic’ program Geisinger Health System’s “Mobile Paramedic” program recently earned the health system a ranking as one of the top 10 Integrated Delivery Networks to Watch by Integrated Healthcare Delivery magazine.

Often when a patient is discharged from the emergency department or is managing heart failure symptoms, he or she needs important medical interventions or follow-up care, but going to a skilled nursing facility or having a home-health nurse isn’t an option. In such cases, the innovative Mobile Paramedic program dispatches a paramedic to the patient’s home to provide the medical intervention or follow-up care, such as checking vitals, drawing bloodwork or administering intravenous (IV) diuretics. The new program is primarily used for patients with multiple, complex medical conditions.

While in a patient’s home, paramedics enter notes into the electronic health record, which is immediately available to the patient’s primary care and specialty doctors at Geisinger. If additional clinical support is needed, paramedics have real-time audiovisual teleconnectivity with Geisinger emergency physicians.

“We wanted to create a nimble, flexible clinical resource that we could deploy rapidly and provide a focused clinical service to the patient,” said David Schoenwetter, D.O., FACEP, director of Geisinger Emergency Medical Services. “Our mobile health paramedics are highly integrated into our system and will comfortably take care of people who are complex and ill.”

The Mobile Paramedic Program is currently only available in Luzerne County. During its pilot phase, it reduced hospital admissions for heart failure patients in the program from 292 to 133 and hospital days from 1178 to 579 since its inception. Additionally, the program earned perfect patient satisfaction scores.

“Being included in this ranking is further justification that Geisinger has created a new and improved way to care for patients at the right time and in the right setting,” said Dr. Schoenwetter.

The Integrated Healthcare Delivery list recognizes health systems nationwide that are innovating across a variety of care types and settings, whether partnering with local communities, collaborating with other providers, creating new pathways of care or embracing new reimbursement structures.

CANCER — continued from previous page 24

measure, The Cancer Treatment Fairness Act, is before the state legislature now, but the fate of the proposed legislation is yet to be seen.

Dr. Heine says, “PSOH commends the House for passing a strong version of The Cancer Treatment Fairness Act, but we are concerned that Senate-passed amendments weaken the bill. It’s time for Pennsylvania to enact meaningful oral parity and make a profound impact on access to care for cancer patients across the commonwealth. A majority of other states have taken this action. It should be a protection for Pennsylvania’s patients as well.”

Lehigh Valley Hospital–Hazleton accredited as a ‘Level IV Trauma Center’

Level IV Trauma Center Accreditation status has been granted to Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Hazleton by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) effective Nov. 1. PTSF is the organization responsible for accrediting trauma centers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As a Level IV trauma center, LVH– Hazleton has the resources immediately available to provide optimal care and reduce the likelihood of death or disability to injured patients. Accredited trauma centers must be continuously prepared to treat the most serious life-threatening and disabling injuries. Level IV trauma centers provide enhanced care to injured patients within the emergency department and focus on stabilization and quick transfer to a higher level trauma center. They may admit mildly injured patients.

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SINCE

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Harmar D. Brereton, MD

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OCTOBER 2015

Only a few years ago, Pennsylvania had one of the narrowest definitions of child abuse in the country.

Statistically, it showed. According to a June 2011 article by Rachel Berger, M.D. of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh appearing in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1.4 per 1,000 children in 2010 were victims of child abuse, compared to the national rate of 9.3 percent.

However, since then, Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) was amended and a number of changes have occurred. Changes included expanding the definition of abuse, lowering the threshold for abuse, and requiring physicians as mandated reporters to make child abuse reports even if they learn about the suspected abuse outside of the work environment.

What those changes might mean to the state’s child abuse statistics is yet to be seen, but for sure many agree that health-care professionals will be able to do more to protect children.

“There’s no doubt that there’s more concern about child abuse today than there was ever

before,” says Karen Rizzo M.D., president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED). “Hindsight is 20/20 for everyone but it’s good that the state took recent actions to make it tougher for abusers to get away with such actions and to further protect children.”

Dr. Rizzo, who practices in Lancaster, adds that groups like PAMED are working with physicians statewide and partnering with other organizations to provide education and training on these changes and the role of physicians.

According to past Annual Child Abuse Reports from what was then called the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare — now Pennsylvania Department of Human Services — Pennsylvania’s hospitals, private physician offices, and private psychiatrists have historically been among the mandated reporting groups with higher reporting figures of child abuse. Combining the three, the only higher reporting groups were schools and social services. Between 2004 and 2013, yearly Please see CHILD ABUSE on next page

HEALTHCARE UPDATE CHILD ABUSE — continued from previous page

reports ranged from a low of 2,601 to a high of 3,151 for hospitals, 432 and 626 for private physician offices, and 416 and 555 for private psychiatrists.

In 2014, according to the most recent Child Abuse Report, hospitals reported 3,284 possible cases of child abuse, while private physician offices and private psychiatrists noted 503 and 443 respectively.

Of the substantiated abuse referrals in 2014, 24 percent came from within health care. Social service agencies and schools were responsible for 26 percent and 11 percent respectively.

One of the recent changes is the threshold for physical abuse. The old definition set the threshold as “serious” physical injury, which meant causing severe pain or significantly impairing the child’s physical functioning. The new definition lowers the reporting bar to bodily injury, defined as causing substantial pain or any impairment in physical condition.

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The Mall at Steamtown is now owned by its mortgage lender. In mid-July, the mall went up for sheriff’s sale and the only person to bid was Scranton businessman, Bob Bolus who planned to turn the mall into a casino. His bid was rejected because it was contingent upon him obtaining a casino license.

The mall’s mortgage holder took possession of the property for taxes and costs when no

Al Boscov, middle, with his attorney, Scott Esterbrook, left and nephew Jim Boscov at the sheriff’s sale of the Mall at Steamtown last month. Times-Tribune file photo

potential bidders bit at the minimum asking price of $37.3 million.

Steamtown Mall Partners did not bid. Department store owner Al Boscov is the principal of the Steamtown Mall Partners, along with his nephew Jim and Atty. Scott Esterbrook. They did not enter a bid at the sheriff’s sale, but Boscov said he will now renew negotiations with LNR Partners, the real estate company that represents the unidentified

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From testing water to paving roads, local vendors now a vital part of the natural-gas supply chain

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A varied line-up of area businesses, while flying under the public’s radar, are tapping the wells of profitability in the Marcellus Shale.

Microbac Laboratories, which can trace its origins to the late 1960s in the Pittsburgh area, is an American-owned testing service that is obtaining business with the Marcellus gas industry. The company’s duties include

water testing for homeowners, business, and governmental regulatory agencies. In 2008, the company began to work in the Marcellus region after making connections with several engineers and consultants This opening later evolved into specific water testing as DEP and EPA demands grew for monitoring contaminants and carcinogens. In time, the company was doing business with gas producers

Cabot Oil & Gas and Chesapeake Energy.

Cherie Gudz, Microbac’s senior vice president, notes that the extensive water testing in the Marcellus region is building long-term data trends about water conditions. New well pre-drilling sweeps of groundwater are now common to detect pre-existing contamination.

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L to R, Standing: Cassandra Batichon, Kevin Beltré, Sitting: Rachel Brutico, all members of the MD Class of 2016, and Harold Davis, MD, Regional Education Coordinator and Associate Professor of OB/GYN.

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HEALTHCARE UPDATE

Patient-centered care creates a ‘joyful’ practice

By Dave Gardner

October is Patient-Centered Care Awareness Month, promoting a new health-care philosophy meant to improve the physician and patient relationship. Karen Arscott, D.O., associate professor of medicine at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC), defines patientcentered awareness as caring for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient. This contrasts with the “old days” when, in the minds of too many caregivers, the patient became their disease.

Dr. Arscott recalls the 1970s and 1980s, when patient-centered medical training was almost a hidden part of curriculum. It was simply assumed students were devoted to caring for people, so why explicitly address it in training.

“We learned to be a physician by watching others,” says Dr., Arscott. “They called it internship for a reason, and it was sometimes true that physicians and nurses were a bit harsh. At times, we had to keep in mind why we started in medicine.”

She brings this up to demonstrate the patient-centered approach, where the patient’s body, mind and spirit are to be cared for and physicians-in-training are encouraged to keep this holistic approach in mind. When joined with evidence-based medicine, patient-centered care is “an unbeatable philosophy that accentuates the art and practice of medicine. What we do not do is just strap down the patient and do the treatment,” says Dr. Arscott.

According to Dr. Arscott, the patient-centered movement accelerated in the 1980s when the AIDS epidemic swept through the healthcare community. Many caregivers feared treating AIDS patients, despite the need for compassion as the disease consumed them.

The crisis ushered in a new era of more focused patient care, which has further evolved into consciously embedding compassion in the medical school curriculum. At TCMC, instructors bring in patients to talk about their relevant experiences, even including awareness of a comatose person. TCMC also delivers a longitudinal, integrated curriculum, where students blend their community and physician-based practical experiences. Again, this contrasts with the “old days” where students received practical experience in rigidly defined “blocks” arranged by set situations, types of care and location.

“We now mix up each student’s day out in the field, so that they receive a variety of experiences,” says Dr. Arscott. “The students mix specialties, meet different patients and are exposed to the varied settings in a comprehensive manner.”

The long-term effects of a patient-centered health-care system, according to Dr. Arscott, will be powerful. “Every time we send 100 medical students out into world with the patient-centered approach, big impacts occur,” adds Dr. Arscott. “We are educating an army.”

Familiar outlook Jennifer Joyce, M.D., vice chair, family, community and rural health at TCMC, explains that she came to TCMC with a care approach centering on patient, scientific evidence and the community.

All techniques and approaches that put the patient at the center of

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National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has several goals for the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMHs):

1. Primary care clinicians will improve quality, patient experience, coordination and value through better prevention and access to reduce emergency department and hospital care.

2. Primary care will be the foundation of a high-value health care system that provides whole person care at the first contact. Everyone in primary care practices — from physicians and advanced practice nurses to medical assistants and frontline staff — should practice to the highest level of their training and license in teams to support better access, help with self-care, and coordination.

3. PCMHs will show the entire health-care system what patient-centered care looks like. Patient-centered care is “respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values, and ensures that patient values guide all clinical decisions." Individuals and families get help to be actively engaged in their own healthy behaviors, health care, and in decisions about and their care.

4. PCMHs will revitalize the “joy of practice” in primary care, making it more attractive and satisfying.

Source of charts: National Committee for Quality Assurance, The Future of Patient-Centered Medical Homes: Foundation for a Better Health Care System, 2014

care are quite familiar to her.

Dr. Joyce points out that American health care has traditionally been built on a bio-med model, with fee for service at the center.

Moreover, family medicine was deemed a specialty in the 1970s, creating the title “general practitioner” which is the forerunner of today’s family or primary care physician.

In this way, health care evolved as an industry that often emphasized payments over outcomes. Almost predictably, there was push back. “The Unites States is spending twice that of the other industrial nations for health care and our outcomes are lagging,” says Dr. Joyce. “Obviously, our system has some process problems.”

The modern, patient-centered model, according to Dr. Joyce, is a personalized and proactive system where the patient shares decisionmaking. Physicians and the patient together determine what the patient needs, in an individualized context.

The patient-centered model can also help to guide caregivers away from excessive treatment, and in doing so, reduce costs. In addition, prevention and patient health literacy are emphasized, so that patients can engage meaningfully with their physician.

Dr. Arscott says she’s heard of a new and profitable physician operating model where the primary care practice operates almost like a health club, with no insurance billing. Patients pay a set fee and can visit the physician as needed, receive labs tests, and buy drugs at cost, and referrals to specialists are made as required.

“The physician is not the big boss in this patient-centered system,” says Dr. Joyce. “There is only shared discussion.”

Another important facet of patient-centered care, according to Dr. Joyce, recognizes that illness is 60 percent behaviorally based and OCTOBER 2015

30 percent the result of genetics. Accordingly, the greater community needs to validate healthy behaviors by marrying public health and the community. “To achieve this we must start with the kids in our schools,” says Dr. Joyce.

Physician evolution Patient-centered awareness must start with the physician, according to Linda Thomas-Hemak, M.D., president and CEO of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. She calls the commitment to care for others the essence of why people are called to medicine. This mind set is the key to achieving a joyful practice.

Dr. Thomas-Hemak promotes a true partnership between physician and patient that should start with the first phone call. Each and every resulting conversation should be engineered to make the patient comfortable, reduce anxiety and accurately assess the baseline health literacy of the patient.

In this way, patient visits to the provider’s office become an opportunity to promote health literacy, make quality decisions and set realistic goals. Cultural sensitivity to every patient is also considered.

“We strive to guide patient decision-making, overcome barriers with the patient that might encourage self destructive behaviors and make non-compliance a dirty word,” says Dr. Thomas-Hemak.

The results of this patient-centered approach, according to Dr. Thomas-Hemak, include a more joyful and inspiring experience for everyone involved, with less stress. The physician often will be able to witness the patient achieve his goals.

“Physicians must evolve,” she explains. “For the physician, a patient-centered approach creates a period of great discovery.”

HEALTHCARE UPDATE Pocono Medical Center expands primary care in Stroudsburg

also are trusted professionals who can help prevent child abuse by recognizing children at risk for abuse, referring these children and parents to community-based services, and providing a medical home to help assure service needs are being met,” says David Turkewitz, M.D., FAAP, chair of pediatrics at York Hospital and past president of the Pennsylvania Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics.

So what are some of the signs that suggest to physicians child abuse may have occurred? According to Dr. Turkewitz physicians consider abuse in the following situations: ■ Physical injuries not compatible with the history provided ■ Denial of trauma in a child with significant injury ■ History incompatible with child’s development ■ History that changes over time ■ Unexpected and unexplained delay in seeking treatment Pocono Medical Center announced the grand “Sexual abuse in children may present differently based on the opening of its new primary-care facility youth’s developmental stage and the nature of the relationship with the located on West Main Street in Stroudsburg. abuser”, says Gail A. Edelsohn, M.D., MSPH, who chairs the child and adolescent psychiatry committee at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society.

Pocono Medical Center announced the grand “A child or adolescent who has been sexually abused may develop a opening of its new primary care facility located variety of distressing behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.” on West Main Street in Stroudsburg. There was According to Dr. Edelsohn, who practices in Exton, children typically a ribbon-cutting event on Sept. 1 celebrating the five years and older who have cared about the abuser may feel horribly facility. For the past two years, Pocono Medical stuck as they sense the sexual activities are wrong while they may be Center has centralized its focus on implementing facing threats of violence and loss of affection from the abuser. Victims new physician care throughout the community may become withdrawn, mistrustful of adults, feel worthless, or may with medical facilities such as the Bartonsville show sexualized behaviors. Physical warning signs include wetting and Healthcare Center, West End Healthcare Center, soiling accidents unrelated to toilet training, pain during bowel moveand Stroud West on Route 611 in Stroudsburg. ments or urination, and pain, bleeding, or discharges in the genitals, The West Main Street Primary Care practice is a anus, or mouth. Most often the sexual abuse is discovered when the response to an identifiable need for family medicine victim makes a disclosure. and primary care providers in Monroe County.

CHILD ABUSE — continued from page 29 Symptoms or behaviors that might be present in sexually abused Heading the practice at the new location will be children include: Pocono Medical Center’s family medicine practitioThe new definition also identifies culpable conduct that is per se child ■ Sleep problems or nightmares ner Dr. Oliana Ros. Dr. Ros served as chief resident abuse — that is, intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly engaging in this con■ Depression or withdrawal from family and friends of the Department of Family Medicine at Guthrie duct constitutes child abuse regardless of whether an injury results.

■ Exhibits adult sexualized behaviors, language, and knowledge Robert Packer Hospital and received the “Stanley Another change in the law expands physician responsibility for reporting.

■ Statements their bodies are dirty or damaged Conklin Award for Treatment Preference for Type Physicians now must report suspected child abuse identified in certain circum■ Refusal to go to school and or drop in grades 2 Diabetes in Outpatient Setting — Primary Care stances outside their professional capacity. and Endocrinologists” prior to joining the Pocono ■ Delinquency/conduct problems “Emergency departments have some of the best trained staffs to identify Medical Center physician team.

■ Secretiveness child abuse, and to put into action a plan to protect the child,” says Todd ■ Depression, anxiety Susquehanna Health ‘Heartworks’ Fijewski, president of the Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians who ■ Suicide attempts practices in Pittsburgh. “Most times when a child shows up in an emergency support groups have begun ■ Has money, toys, or other gifts without reason department, it’s not due to child abuse, but when we do spot it, we act quickly ■ Sexualized drawings, games, fantasies Susquehanna Health Home Care & Hospice’s and appropriately.” grief support group Heartworks offers age-appro■ Self injurious behaviors (cutting, burning) Dr. Fijewski continues, “With changes in the law, if a physician is away priate grief support groups for children, teens and from work, maybe even in a social situation, and is made aware of child abuse, ■ Unusual aggressiveness their families for free. Pre-registration is required. the physician is required to report it.”

■ Suicidal behavior Contact Cherrie Serra or Linda Bryant at 570-320According to PAMED’s Dr. Rizzo, this change did worry some physicians.

Additional resources on this topic are available at the following sites: 7691 or 888-499-3177. The group for children “Initially, while some physicians who do not see patients were dismayed by ■ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — keepkidssafe.pa.gov/ ages 4-18 and their parents or guardians meets the having to report, the overall public good that comes of reporting is something Penn State Hershey, Center for the Protection of Children — www. second and fourth Tuesday each month September that’s positive that we are helping promote to physicians statewide,” says Dr. pennstatehershey.org/web/protection-of-children/home through May starting at 6 p.m. with open registra- Rizzo.

Pennsylvania Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics— www.pascan.org/ tion throughout the year.

“Physicians are not only community sentinels for child maltreatment but Pennsylvania Medical Society — www.pamedsoc.org/childabuselaws

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HEALTHCARE UPDATE East Stroudsburg welcomes the third cohort of MD/MPH graduate students from TCMC The Department of Health Studies at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania recently admitted its third cohort of medical students from the Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton.

With the newest cohort of seven medical students, the dual-degree program enrollment has grown to 19 medical students attending ESU. The first cohort admitted in 2013 is in the process of completing their public health certificate in 2015 as a step in the completion of their M.P.H. degree.

The integration of public health training into the education of primary-care physicians is beneficial in the age of health-care reform, say the educators. As the cost of health-care services approaches 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the U.S., medical schools throughout the country are in various stages of curriculum innovation as it relates to preventing chronic disease, or reducing the recidivism rates of re-hospitalization after discharge.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 70 percent of chronic disease is caused by maladaptive health behaviors. A critical battleground in the field of public health is addressing the pandemic of obesity.

Obesity results in a variety of health conditions and diseases including diabetes.

Ten percent of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with Type II diabetes.

Another 37 percent of the adult population in the U.S. over the age of 20 has ‘pre-diabetes,’ which will develop into Type II diabetes without behavior change.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS grant number T85HP24464) Training in Primary Care Medicine-Interdisciplinary and Inter-professional Graduate Joint Degree program for $1,499,592.

For more information on the MD/MPH program offered by The Commonwealth Medical College in partnerThe third cohort of MD/MPH graduate students are seen from ship with East Stroudsburg left, starting with the back row: Amy Sudol, a graduate of Cornell University, please contact University; Sulman Choudhary, a graduate of Rutgers University; Erica Townsend, program Nathan Hoff, a graduate of the University of Michigan; Jessica coordinator, at etownsend@ Morales, a graduate of Utah State University; Emily Delp, a tcmc.edu, or Steven Godin, graduate of the University of Pittsburgh; Caitlin Bevvino-Ring, a graduate of Barnard College; and Nichole Ogojiaku, a graduate of Ph.D., program co-director, at Duke University. sgodin@esu.edu.

The Master of Public Health program at ESU provides an emphasis in modifying health behavior using the social-ecological model, improving community health using populationbased prevention and health policy change.

The dual-degree program is funded through a five-year $1.5 million Training in Primary Care Medicine-Interdisciplinary and Inter-professional Graduate Joint Degree program grant from the Health Resources Service Administration (HRSA). This program combines the strengths of both degrees to enhance preventive health care and the health-related quality of life within the public as whole.

The project is supported by HRSA of the

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OCTOBER 2015

Nuclear receptor research has potential for new drugs

Dr. Raj Kumar presents his book, Nuclear Receptors: From Structure to the Clinic, to Steven J. Scheinman, M.D., president and dean of The Commonwealth Medical College.

Raj Kumar, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC), has published his newest book, Nuclear Receptors: From Structure to the Clinic (Springer), which he Please see DR. KUMAR on next page

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HEALTHCARE UPDATE

Paying for a lifetime of service Educational debt is a challenging financial problem for medical students.

According to the Association for American Medical Colleges (AAMC), new physicians graduate with an average of $176,000 of student loans. (See nearby chart from AAMC.) Leadership at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) is striving to help the school’s students graduate while minimizing their debt burden.

TCMC President and Dean Steven J. Scheinman, MD sees a combination of economic forces that are making it difficult for medical students to make ends meet both during and after school.

While methods do exist to pay for medical school, it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, including how students can apply for scholarships or loan repayment programs through the very competitive National Health Service Corps.

Some medical students may choose to join the military-sponsored Health Professions Scholarship Program. They receive tuition and living expenses, and are then required to complete a military residency and serve as a physician in their chosen branch for four years.

Most students take out hefty loans to pay for medical school. Because of the demanding curriculum, they are strongly advised not to work part-time. These medical students often borrow extra money to cover living expenses.

TCMC was founded to educate physicians who will likely practice medicine in northeastern and north central Pennsylvania and replenish the shortage of physicians who are aging and retiring.

An aging physician population coupled with retire-

ments has become a national trend. The AAMC predicts that by 2020, America will have a shortage of 45,000 primary care physicians and 46,000 surgeons and medical specialists.

Because of the shortage of doctors, citizens seeking care from across northeastern and north central Pennsylvania often must travel outside the region for specialized medical services, incurring additional expenses which may add to the stress of a chronic or life-threatening illness.

“To build our future physician population, we direct our admissions towards students from the communities we serve,” says Dr. Scheinman.

“Seventy-five percent of our MD students are from Pennsylvania and more than one third are from northeastern and north central Pennsylvania.”

Twenty-two percent of TCMC’s students are among the first generation in their family to go to college, thirteen percent are minorities underrepresented in the sciences, and thirteen percent are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

TCMC’s annual economic impact is $65 million, but that impact goes much further than just money.

The school’s students have given 40,000 hours of volunteer service to the community. And, because of TCMC’s unique curriculum, a cohort of students have an estimated 10,000 patient encounters during their four years.

TCMC recognizes the type of strain medical school tuition and related expenses can put on the finances of these students. “Our goal is to be able to offer our students more financial assistance,” says Dr. Scheinman.

Enormous levels of debt can motivate physi-

Proctor

Scheinman

cians to relocate to large metropolitan areas and work in lucrative specialties.

Charles Proctor, a second-year medical student from Honesdale chose to attend TCMC because his family lives in this community. He wants to return to northeastern Pennsylvania after his residency, which is specialized post-graduate training that can last up to seven years, depending on the field.

“I’m married with a 20-month old son, so debt is definitely a concern of mine,” Proctor said.

Proctor wants to be a trauma surgeon and anticipates a residency lasting five years. “Residents aren’t paid much and I’m concerned my loan payments will be pretty high,” he said. “Because of my family, I want to stay in this area. I don’t want to limit my options to major metropolitan areas,” Proctor said.

Regionally engaged, while nationally relevant, TCMC has a mission to supply outstanding physicians for this area, but the school can’t accomplish this if graduates move to large cities to earn higher salaries to pay down their six-figure loans.

The solution to excessive student debt is to provide scholarships, which gives new doctors the flexibility to practice where they choose. For this, TCMC needs the community’s help.

At TCMC’s seventh annual Gala, on October 17 at Mohegan Sun in Wilkes-Barre, the school is once again raising money to benefit the student scholarship fund. The Gala will be a spectacular night of dinner, dancing and a silent auction, with all proceeds directed to help students pay for their medical education. TCMC will honor David and Ann Hawk, Dr. Stanley and Theresa Dudrick, and Peter and Sally Bohlin at the Gala.

“We are asking this community to help us address the problem of student debt,” adds Dr. Scheinman. “Please help us to support our students as they progress through their medical education and prepare for a lifetime of serving others.”

To learn more or to purchase Gala tickets, go to https://tcmc.edu/support-tcmc/gala/.

DR. KUMAR — continued from previous page

co-edited with his colleague Iain J. McEwan, Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Nuclear Receptors is a collection of chapters by experts in the field that highlight current areas of nuclear receptor research. The chapters focus on nuclear receptors’ structure and function, as well as opportunities for drug discovery. The information presented has the potential to be translated into new drugs for major diseases.

Dr. Kumar explained, “Nuclear receptors are a superfamily of proteins which are involved in the physiology of virtually all the major tissues and cells. The vast majority of these receptor proteins that have identified natural ligands are also

validated targets for clinical drugs and therefore has been a rich source of drug targets for myriad diseases including inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders. Thus, there remains a significant interest in identification of small molecule ligands that could regulate receptor activities due to their clinical utilities as potential drugs to treat human disease.”

This is Dr. Kumar’s second book. His first book, Practical Chemistry, is an undergraduate college textbook. He has published more than 100 scholarly articles and was recently the keynote speaker at the World Congress on Breast Cancer in Birmingham, England.

NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 2015 33 TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B33] | 09/30/15

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OCTOBER 2015

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REGIONAL BUSINESS

Americans celebrate Halloween to the tune of $6.9 billion to buy decorations will spend $20.34 More than 157 million Americans plan to with total spending expected to reach celebrate Halloween this year, according to $1.9 billion. the National Retail Federation’s Halloween When it comes to how consumers Consumer Spending Survey conducted by plan to celebrate, most will hand out Prosper Insights & Analytics. The average candy (67.8 percent), or dress in cosperson celebrating will spend $74.34, tume (43.5 percent), though there will compared with $77.52 last year. Total be no shortage of jack-o-lanterns lighting spending on Halloween is expected up windows this year with 41 to reach $6.9 billion. percent of people planning Consumers celebratto carve pumpkins. Nearly ing Halloween plan to one-third of consumers spend an average of $27.33 (31.5 percent) plan to on costumes for the The National Retail Federation finds 'witch' is the throw or attend a party whole family, and a most popular adult costume. For kids, 'princess' with friends and family. total of $2.5 billion and Batman top the list.

More consumers on store-bought, have decided to head to stores or shop online early homemade, large and small costumes. Those celebrating will spend the most on adult costumes to pick out costumes and decorations. More than ($1.2 billion), and will spend a total of $950 million one-third of consumers (34.1 percent) will start their Halloween shopping before the first of Octoon children’s costumes and $350 million on fashionable and fun costumes for their furry friends. It’s ber, up slightly from 32.1 percent last year, while 40.9 percent will get started in the first half of the estimated that 68 million Americans will dress up month and one-quarter (25 percent) of celebrants this Halloween and another 20 million pet owners will wait for the final weeks of October. will dress up their pet.

Similar to past years, the majority of consumNine in 10 (93.7 percent) Halloween shoppers will buy candy, spending a total of $2.1 billion, and ers will find inspiration for their costumes online (31.4 percent) or will head to costume shops and an additional 33.5 percent will buy greeting cards, retail stores (26.8 percent) before they make a final spending a total of $330 million. Two in five celebrants (44.8 percent) plan to decorate their home decision.. Pinterest continues to grow in popularity among those looking for costume inspiration (13.3 or yard, meaning there’s no question consumers will see their fair share of pumpkins, hay bales and percent), as this year’s percentage is nearly double even life-size Minions and black cats strewn across the amount who used the site for inspiration just their neighborhoods. The average person planning three years ago (7.1 percent).

In brief: Why Americans are obsessed with pumpkin spice everything 1. . . . . In short, reactance theory can explain why we respond so strongly to limited edition or timed offers. During the first investigation of this theory in 1966 . . . participants were asked to listen to and rate four music records. Afterward, they were told that they were allowed to keep one. One group of participants was also informed, however, that the record they rated as their third choice was unfortunately unavailable because it went missing during shipment. When asked to re-evaluate their ratings, 67 percent of participants ranked the missing record higher than they had previously.

2. When it comes to the pumpkin spice craze, there’s certainly a bit of social influence at play. Sure, pumpkin spice is good, but so are chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, apple cinnamon and caramel. But when your Instagram feed is filled with friends wielding their first pumpkin spice lattes of the season, or when everyone in your 2 p.m. coffee break group decides to go for one, you’re probably more likely to get one, too.

3. Injecting value into something — in this case, a season — stimulates feelings of nostalgia, which have been shown to improve our mood, make us feel more socially connected, comfort us and make us more willing to view ourselves in a positive light. — Source: www.science20.com

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NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 2015 35 TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B35] | 09/30/15

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Since 1988, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center, NEPIRC, has been working with manufacturers to improve their productivity, profitability, competitiveness and long-term viability through consultative services.

NEPIRC to host Manufacturing Day luncheon featuring national speaker Harry Moser, president and founder of the Reshoring Initiative, will speak on the state of manufacturing in America during a Manufacturing Day luncheon hosted by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) on Friday, October 2, at the Mohegan Sun Club at PNC Field in Moosic.

Manufacturing Day is a nationwide initiative that recognizes the impact of manufacturing upon the U.S. economy, applauds manufacturing’s value to communities across the nation and raises awareness of high-paying manufacturing careers.

Manufacturing Day efforts provide business leaders, legislators, educators, families, media and the community at large with

Excellence (AME) website, Moser said there are three actions the country can take to improve upon what he calls “the beginnings of a manufacturing renaissance.”

timely information about the innovations, technologies, career options and best practices that exist within today’s forward-thinking manufacturers.

“First, there must be continued corporate To celebrate this national event, the investment in lean, automation and skills Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource training to improve our competitiveness.

Center, NEPIRC, is sponsoring a networking Second, government action to make the luncheon to recognize and celebrate U.S. more competitive: skills training, manufacturers in northeastern and the lower nominal corporate tax rate and end northern tier of Pennsylvania. The luncheon of offshore currency manipulation. Third, will be held at PNC Field in Moosic on Friday, consistent disciplined use of Total Cost of October 2. This year’s event will feature Harry Ownership (TCO) analysis so companies Moser, President of the Reshoring Initiative. recognize that domestic manufacturing is in Mr. Moser founded the Reshoring Initiative most cases their best choice,” he said. in 2010 to bring manufacturing jobs back to Harry Moser the U.S. Since then, he’s been inducted into Mr. Moser stated that statistics released last the Industry Week Manufacturing Hall of Fame, participated March showed that manufacturing employment was up 866,000 in President Obama’s Insourcing Forum at the White House, since the Great Recession low of February 2010. published several articles and won Manufacturing Day is designed to amplify the voice of several awards for his advocacy of individual manufacturers and coordinate a collective chorus American manufacturing. Mr. Moser of manufacturers with common concerns and challenges. The will address the current trends rallying point for a growing mass movement, Manufacturing in manufacturing and the factors Day empowers manufacturers to come together to address their driving these trends, highlighting the collective challenges so they can help their communities and areas that need to be addressed to future generations thrive. strengthen American manufacturing.

The cost of the luncheon and presentation is $25.

In an article featured last month on the Association for Manufacturing

For more information or to register, visit www.nepirc.com.

This feature is sponsored by...

NEPIRC Executive Director Eric Joseph Esoda speaks to attendees of a past national Manufacturing Day luncheon. This year’s event is being held Friday, October 2, at the Mohegan Sun Club at PNC Field in Moosic.

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OCTOBER 2015

REGIONAL BUSINESS

Scranton Bonfire Festival is Oct. 17

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By Phil Yacuboski

Nothing says autumn in northeastern Pennsylvania like a bonfire and Scranton is getting ready for a big one in October at the historic Scranton Iron Furnaces.

“This is the fifth year for the Bonfire at the Scranton Iron Furnaces and it’s growing every year,” said Maureen McGuigan, deputy director of arts and culture, Lackawanna County. “Scranton Iron Furnaces is a site many people don’t know about, but it’s really where Scranton started.”

The success of the Arts on Fire Festival in June at the furnaces is one of the main drivers behind the Scranton Bonfire, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 17 and features games, music and a focus on the ethnic heritage of Lackawanna County.

“This is kind of a sister event to Arts on Fire,” said McGuigan. “Fall is such a great time of year and there is such a great history behind things like harvest festivals. We thought a bonfire makes a great event and we get to highlight the furnaces as well. People can really see what they looked like 150 years ago.”

The four remaining blast furnaces are the remnants of Lackawanna Iron and Steel Company, once the largest producer in the United States in the mid-1800s. Scranton’s iron furnaces fueled the in-

dustrial revolution. The site, just off Cedar Avenue, is operated by the Anthracite Heritage Museum.

McGuigan said the festival has grown since it began five years ago and they’ve added a number of cultural activities. There will be dance troupes, a drum circle, a “day of the dead” exhibit, face painting, jugglers and tarot-card readings. A theater group will present a piece about food at harvest time. The Everhart Museum present a program on the Egyptians and their harvest. And if you’re good at carving pumpkins, there will be a jack-o-lantern contest as well. Food and a beer tent will be available. The bonfire kicks off at 6 p.m. with the fire being lit at 8 p.m.

McGuigan said, “We want the public to be made aware that we are trying to develop that space.

Unfortunately, it can’t last forever if it’s not properly protected and revitalized. Part of doing the events is really generating public interest so that we can update it to do more events such as this.” She estimates it will cost about $200,000 to repair plus and additional $50,000 to maintain the stone.

Heritage tourism is good for business too, especially in downtown Scranton. “We love any of these events that bring people into town,” said Michael Kearney, general manager of the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel.

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The Region’s Award-Winning Source of Business News and Information 570-348-9190 • 877-584-3561 • Fax 570-207-3452 149 Penn Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503 75 North Washington Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 stoffey@timesshamrock.com NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 2015 37

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REGIONAL BUSINESS Celebrating women entrepreneurs:

Meet Linn McDonald

business, McDonald maintains her energetic personality and Linn McDonald, owner of notes how important it is for her Linn McDonald School of Dance to stay positive during stressful located in Scranton, has been times. She notes that, “students operating her business for 36 and parents feed off my energy.” years. She started dancing when She comments that her career is she was just five years old after extremely rewarding. She likes taking a trip to the doctor who to operate her business under informed her that, due to an a family-type culture. She truly Linn McDonald has been issue with her left leg turning in, cares about her staff and strives dancing since a child. dance could be a great outlet to to connect with her students and assist in her development. After the parents on a personal level. starting dance classes so young, Students who’ve graduated her she began to dream the dream studio always come back to visit. to which so many little girls can She feels tremendous pride knowrelate: she wanted to be a star. ing that she’s touched the lives of After McDonald graduated her students and has helped them high school, she attended Marygrow. Some alumni have pursued wood University and majored in dancing as their careers; others communications. On the side, at bring their own children back to the age of 18, she taught dance McDonald’s studio.

Linn McDonald classes in a church basement in McDonald is the director of the Dunmore. Her classes began to dance minor program at Marywood grow and grow and, next thing she knew, she was University. In addition to her passion for dance the owner of her own dance studio. She received education, she has a passion for travel. She had her master’s degree in dance education from the unique opportunity to merge her two passions Temple and learned all the ins and outs of running a when she taught dance in China for a month. business through having the experience itself.

Despite the fact that she is well-educated, she conMcDonald believes many people erroneously tinually teaches herself by observing and learning criticize dance teachers, thinking that the profession at every opportunity she can. is nothing but “fluff.” However, after years of sucOperating her own dance school keeps McDoncessfully owning her own dance school, people who ald on her toes, and while the last-minute stress of once thought her career choices were questionable many situations proves challenging, she notes that now respect all she does to develop her students. overall she has learned from all her missteps and is Despite any criticism, McDonald says she is very happy with the way her career has turned out. very proud to be a woman entrepreneur and says Linn McDonald School of Dance (LMSD) offers that she runs her life in tune with a 1970s pop classes for students aged 4 to adult in ballet, tap, song, “I am a woman, hear me roar!” jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, musical theatre dance, acting, Being a woman entrepreneur undoubtedly and Zumba. LMSD is located at 1501 Wyoming comes with its challenges. McDonald notes no one Ave in Scranton. truly understands all the work that goes into being For more information call 570-346-7106, email an entrepreneur until they try it themselves. lmsdoffice@aol.com or visit www.facebook.com/ When it comes to show time, McDonald comLinnMcDonaldSchoolOfDance. ments that it’s as if she works 24 hours a day. Her Larissa Hoffmann is a University of Scranton studio puts on a winter Nutcracker performance and Women’s Entrepreneurship Center intern, where she two shows, a junior and a senior level, in the spring. works under the supervision of Donna Simpson, Despite the challenges of owning her own consultant manager. She is an accounting major.

By Larissa Hoffmann and Donna Simpson

38 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B38] | 09/30/15

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OCTOBER 2015

Your reputation is important; monitor social media to be sure it doesn’t suffer

By Phil Yacuboski

With social media being an integral part of any business strategy, how do you know if what you’re doing is helping your brand — or worse, hurting it?

“The good news about social media is that it makes a level playing field. It’s very cost-effective,” said Dr. Abhijit Roy, professor of management, marketing and entrepreneurship at the University of Scranton. “Any company can have a presence. The bad thing is there are some things you can’t control.”

Fortunately, there are several things business owners, both small and large, can do to control their brands on sites like Facebook and Twitter.

“The brand defines the corporation,” Dr. Roy said. “There are people who have started websites like walmartsucks.com designed specifically to go after businesses. There’s nothing that business can do to stop it, so the best thing is to be proactive.”

Proactive businesses not only respond speedily, they anticipate problems. Unfortunately, Dr. Roy said even big businesses are stuck back in the response stage — ignoring customer complaints, which can cost big in the long run. This is doubly true for complaints being aired online. “If people are complaining on social media, respond to as many as you can, as quickly as you can,” he said.

Depending on the size and nature of the business, a person or a team should be assigned to social media management and tending to digital complaints.

“Managing your identity is something that is best handled by the marketing or communications department of your company. Your reputation is really something you need to pay attention to.”

“What we prefer to do would be a content control that we would send out on behalf of the brand,” said David Brodt, creative director at Zen Design Firm, a full-service advertising agency in Old Forge.

“Branding is all about how the public perceives you and you have to have a uniform voice — as if one person was talking all of the time.” He said this even means not using abbreviations or hashtags because that changes your voice. “Public perception as your brand is very important because you need to build trust and confidence in your customers,” he said.

As far as strategies, Brodt recommends several things to protect your online brand and reputation.

“You have figure out what and who you are. Are you trendy, premium, elite or a commodity? Who’s your target audience? Who’s your ideal audience?”

6 social media strategies for small business

What many small business owners fail to understand is that it’s not the time you put into social media that matters. It’s how smart your strategy is.

1. Go for quality over quantity You will reap far more rewards from 20 active followers who retweet your information than 2,000 bot-followers who never interact with you.

2. Let people get to know you Consumers follow companies on social media sites not to get the latest deal, though that’s a nice benefit . . . the real purpose is to get to know the company. Let them by highlighting employees on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Show them your personality. Demonstrate what’s important to you.

3. Outsource if you need to If you struggle with posting and take 45 minutes to craft a tweet, it’s more cost-effective to pay a freelance writer to take care of the task.

4. Follow other people & follow up Follow your competitors on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Also,share content that your target customers like, or even content that your friends like.

5. Offer incentives for following Experiment with different contests. Have fun with it; people can tell when you’re just doing something to benefit your company and when you’re really enjoying yourself.

6. Reassess your goals Social media is a means to an end. You should hold monthly goal reassessment sessions, even if they’re only five minutes long, to make sure you know what that end is. — Source: www.business2community.com

he said. “We set good rules of thumb and best practices for your company.”

Brodt suggests being very strict with logos too.

“There’s nothing worse than when a customer goes to a business and there’s 13 different logos for the same company,” he said. “It’s overwhelming.”

He said there are a lot of companies looking for social media guidelines and parameters and he understands the confusion. “I wouldn’t expect a gourmet pizza place to understand anything about branding,” he said. “In the same respect, I can’t go into a kitchen and make a gourmet pizza.”

Brodt, who has been with the company for seven years, said social media isn’t just about Facebook and Twitter. “A progressive agency will look at other avenues such as LinkedIn to build a following among business-to-business groups,” he said.

“We’ll still set up a Facebook page, but we usually won’t put all of the eggs in one basket.”

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT ON...

Jewish Family Services Jewish Family Service of NEPA 570-344-1186 www.jfsnepa.org Scranton Chamber member since 2014

J

ewish Family Service (JFS) of NEPA was founded with one thing in mind: to serve the community. Open to all faiths and backgrounds, Jewish Family Service is a human service organization whose mission reflects the Jewish tradition of caring and compassion for all people in need. Through professional counseling, advocacy and educational programming, JFS seeks to enhance and strengthen the quality of individual, family and community life.

As executive director Sheila Nudelman Abdo explained, JFS recently celebrated its centennial and has plans to continue its growth and expansion by continuing with its mission of community service and charity.

Scranton Chamber: Can you tell us a little about Jewish Family Service of NEPA? How long have you been in business?

Sheila Abdo: In 1915, concerned community leaders organized to coordinate the relief activities of all service organizations in existence in the Jewish community at the time. They established an organization whose mission was of philanthropic and charitable purpose that was also devoted to improving the quality of life for individuals and families in the Jewish and general community. This past June, Jewish Family Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania celebrated its 100th anniversary, each year serving hundreds of people who turn to JFS to achieve well-being, health and stability.

SC: What are some of the services you offer to clients? What types of clients do you accommodate?

SA: The largest program at JFS is mental health services. The organization offers counseling for individuals, couples, families and groups by social workers licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Life can get complicated, and we’re here to

help people through their challenges.

The JFS comprehensive approach works for clients of all ages. JFS social workers are by their client’s sides as advocates working with teachers, employers, physicians and others. The social workers’ assistance extends well beyond the office doors. Our services seek to enhance and strengthen the quality of individual, family and community life. JFS is a human service organization that reflects the Jewish tradition of caring and compassion for all people in need, not just those who are Jewish.

In addition to mental health, other JFS services include older adult services and case management, adult guardianship, dental care services, family life education, among others.

SC: How do you envision the Chamber helping to promote your business in the future?

SA: Research shows that each year indirect costs of untreated mental health disorders can result in a more than $80 billion loss to businesses due to decrease of productivity and absenteeism, and more than one million people miss work every day due to stress at work and home. JFS joined the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce to make businesses aware of these alarming statistics and to let them know that we can help through mental health counseling or employee assistance programs. Being aware of a problem is the first step to solving a problem. We, as humans, often wait too long to seek help.

SC: What is something unique about JFS of NEPA that you would like people to know?

SA: Our Holocaust Survivors Assistance Program stabilizes the mental and physical status of those affected by Nazi persecution in order for them to live their remaining years in dignity and as independently as possible. Last year alone, JFS helped regional Holocaust survivors receive more than $9,000 in financial assistance with monies received from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany Emergency Assistance Program. Since the program has been established

Sheila Nudelman Abdo, executive director, Jewish Family Service of NEPA

in our area, more than a quarter million dollars has been distributed locally.

Our Dental Care Center has been part of JFS since 1920. This unique dental service is one of two such programs affiliated with a JFS in the United States, the other being JFS Atlanta. The Dental Care Center is collaboration with the Scranton Dental Society and Fortis Institute and it has provided more than $26,000 of free dental care for eligible Lackawanna County residents who are uninsured and unable to afford dental treatment.

SC: How can the community at large get involved with Jewish Family Service of NEPA? SA: JFS continues to move forward growing through strategic partnerships with other com-

munity organizations and building our services and programs within the community. A large portion of our growth is through the generous support of the community itself. JFS relies on the community for donations, funding, volunteers and, most importantly, spreading the word.

SC: Why did you join the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce?

SA: The goal at JFS is to continue to grow within the community and building relationships and networking with community organizations and local businesses is a large part of that. Joining the Chamber is a great way to become part of that community through the Chamber’s programs, events and initiatives.

HOW TO GET IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Each month, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, Community Bank and the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal present the Small Business Spotlight award to a Chamber member who is making its mark in our community.

To nominate a small business for this award, visit www.scrantonchamber.com or call 570-342-7711.

NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL OCTOBER 2015 39 TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B39] | 09/30/15

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REGIONAL BUSINESS

Holiday party trends:

Customers are going for technology

By Phil Yacuboski

In our November issue…

COVER THEME The Ownerless Economy. . .

2015 saw the rise of the “gig” economy. Is it here to stay?

The great global redistribution of economic and social power flowing away from traditional institutions towards individuals is the biggest trend shaping the future.

But just what is the gig economy? What prompted its rise and will it continue to flourish? What are its repercussions, both good and bad, and how is it taking root in northeastern Pennsylvania? This month we’ll examine the phenomenon.

FEATURES • • • •

Employee Benefits – What’s next for the Affordable Care Act? Holiday Gift Guide – Shop local this season.

Focus on Scranton – The Mall at Steamtown and the future of the downtown.

Silver and More – If you are celebrating a special business anniversary, we want to hear from you!

SUPPLEMENTS • Business How-To Guide

Advertising deAdline: OctOber 15 For advertising information contact Judy Gregg 570-207-9001 ext 5425 jgregg@timesshamrock.com

UPCOMING EDITIONS

With the holiday season right around the corner, many caterers and event planners across the region are getting ready for parties, year-end galas and the like. “The biggest thing I can tell you about the industry right now is that it’s very technology driven,” said John Phillips of MCR Productions, Scranton. “It’s also very aesthetically driven.”

He said things like glassware, lighting and even draping have become incredibly important. “Sometimes people are so focused on decorating a table, they don’t have time to concentrate on the rest of the room, such as the ceiling,” he said. “In addition, we’re now replacing regular dance floors with video dance floors, so things have come a long way.”

Phillips said projections are important for party organizers right now — using projection equipment to show an image on a structure. “Everything that was brand-new just a few years ago is now old,” he said. “People now want revolutionary.”

What that often means is bringing in a lot of outside materials and pieces to a barren catering hall.

All of those added bells and whistles do come with a price and it’s not something everyone can afford.

“What I say is, everyone has a budget to work with,” said Phillips. “It’s just a matter of asking how do you want to spend that money. Some people can afford it all and some people want to spend that money on something a little extra to make the big difference.”

Phillips said his three-year-old business is very regional and does many events in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Allentown and New Jersey. “Customers are always looking for that one ‘wow factor’ that nobody had at their last event,” said Phillips.

Few have called yet to book their holiday parties, said Larry Nicholas, owner of Constantino’s Catering in Dunmore, however, corporate events

Manhattan magazine suggests inventive uses for holiday greenery, like the simple, elegant look of red berries on white cloth. — Source:

bizbash.com, Holiday Party Ideas 2015 15 New Design Trends

have business humming.

“Good food and outdoor events are really picking up,” he said. “People want to enjoy the nice weather and — whether it’s the back of a factory or on the front lawn of an office space — tents and receptions outdoors are really becoming the big thing around here.”

The catering company has been on Drinker Street since 2009.

“We’ve done numerous amounts of corporate barbecues, employee appreciations, customer appreciations and we just did a big party for a dentist who had all of his employees and customers for a big barbecue,” he said, adding business has picked up quite a bit this year.

“I think that ultimately the local economy is on the increase,” he said. “I think companies are hiring and profits are up and I think these companies are seeing these profits and thanking their employees for the all of the rough years in the past decade or so,” he said.

Holiday party tips from around the web:

• December – NEPA’s Top 20 Under 40; Focus on Hazleton

■ Budget for signature drinks — there’s a huge cocktail craze.

■ This year, transport guests to the past with nostalgic fun like roller skating and foxtrotting.

■ Interactive do-it-yourself stations will be trendy. Activities such as dance lessons and card-making workshops will get attendees more involved than ever.

The Region’s Award-Winning Source of Business News & Information • A Times-Shamrock Publication 149 Penn Avenue • Scranton, PA 18503 | 75 N. Washington Street • Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 • 570-207-9001 • 877-584-3561 • Fax 570-207-3452

40 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B40] | 09/30/15

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OCTOBER 2015

■ Holding your party in the office? Consider ‘Christmas carol karaoke,’ ‘cast-off gift exchange’ and ‘12 days of appetizers’ themes.

ANALYSIS & OPINION

Pennsylvanians penalized as companies are forced to waste money under guise of energy efficiency turers to use the $20,000 or $30,000 Anyone who has paid an electric a month spent subsidizing these bill knows the importance of energy mandated energy plans on projects efficiency. Turn off the lights when you that could benefit their business and leave the room, install energy-saving light the economy. bulbs, keep the thermostat at a reasonPennsylvania manufacturers alable temperature — every day, energy ready face stiff competition from other Polacek consumers, both individual and corpostates and abroad. For decades, these rate, analyze their energy use and make manufacturers have implemented decisions that help them save money and decrease energy savings as a way to remain competitive — their carbon footprint. For large companies that use and these efforts were going on before Act 129. We a lot of energy, these decisions aren’t voluntary — now have an opportunity to fix this problem. and that’s causing a problem.

Legislation now in the state Senate would allow In 2008, Pennsylvania established Act 129, an companies to opt out of these state-required energyenergy-efficiency and conservation law that requires efficiency programs. Senate Bill 805, sponsored all electric companies with at least 100,000 custom- by Sen. Lisa M. Boscola (D-Lehigh County), would ers to implement an energy-efficiency program allow large commercial and industrial energy users approved by the state’s Public Utility Commission. to voluntarily opt-out of Act 129’s utility-administered State law allows the major electric companies Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Plans. to spend up to $250 million across the state to Boscola puts the case simply: “The vast majormeet energy-savings goals. Some of that money ity of these large customers are being forced to goes into audits of your home or business energy participate in EE&C Plans that promise them no use, tips on how you can save money, and custom benefit while still costing between 2 percent and 5 projects on how to save energy over time. percent of their total electricity spend.’’

Depending on the customer’s needs, one such Of the 24 states that have mandatory EE&C plan might be going into a large business and chang- programs, 13 of them allow larger customers to ing all the lighting. But these efforts have been coun- opt out. Manufacturers in those 13 states enjoy a terproductive when it comes to large manufacturers. competitive advantage over our own companies.

Large manufacturers end up paying a surcharge When Pennsylvania manufacturers are forced to on their electric bills to support energy-savings spend additional money to subsidize state energyprojects throughout the utility’s coverage area. In saving mandates, everybody pays. Not only are some cases, manufacturers subsidize efficiency costs passed on to customers, but anything that projects for competitors. hurts the competitiveness of our manufacturers These manufacturers have been doing energy- threatens their more than 500,000 workers. efficiency analysis on their own for years as a way Companies will always invest in energy efto save money. Some have efficiency engineers ficiency, provided the investments deliver a return. who are dedicated to that task and, in some cases, Competition in the manufacturing sector will ensure have more expertise than the utilities. these companies will always look for ways to save For large manufacturers using a lot of energy, energy — and costs. even the smallest changes in energy price mean a It’s time to level the playing field for its largest emlarge change in cost. These companies are already ployers. It’s good business and good government. motivated to do all they can to reduce energy use Pamela C. Polacek is an attorney who practices as part of growing their bottom line. in the Energy, Communications and Utility Law Our firm represents large companies that pay Practice Group for McNees, Wallace & Nurick LLC tens of thousands of dollars a year to meet these in Harrisburg. She can be reached at 717-237-5368 mandates. It makes more sense to allow manufac- or ppolacek@mwn.com.

By Pamela C. Polacek

U.S. 3rd Circuit Court ruling upholds ‘gifts & annuity’ financial tool for nursing home residents

for an apparent legislative oversight by Elder law attorney, Stanley. M. effectively rewriting a law to comport Vasiliadis, analyzes ruling based on with one of the perceived or presumed one of his cases. purposes motivating its enactment,” The U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Apthey quoted from Mertz. In addition, they peals this month issued a precedentadded, “Although we are sympathetic setting ruling to uphold a vital financial to the concerns the dissent and DHS planning measure used by nursing outline, Congress must resolve them. home residents and their families, Vasiliadis Absent legislative change, it is clear that citing in part a 2001 case won by “Congress has not revised the Medicaid Bethlehem elder care attorney, Stanley. statute to foreclose this option.”

M. Vasiliadis.

Vasiliadis, president of the Pennsylvania AsThe majority decision in Zahner vs. the Pennsociation of Elder Law Attorneys and a nationally sylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) recognized expert on elder law, agrees that the overturns a District Court ruling and thwarts efforts unusually short term of the annuities is not a by the department to prevent seniors from using a factor.

He also pointed out that the total amount planning strategy, “gift and annuity,” as part of their the annuity are applied toward the of payments financial planning process, despite existing federal cost of the person’s care.

They create a temporary law protecting those rights, Vasiliadis said. revenue stream to cover the costs of nursing home Vasiliadis participated in writing and submitting care between the date of a person’s gift and when a “friend of the court” brief on behalf of the National Medicaid takes over those payments.

Academy of Elder Law Attorneys in support of “It is a planning measure that is appropriate for Donna Claypool and Connie Saner. In finding in their use by people who are already in a nursing home. favor, the court cited a 2001 federal court ruling in It is not too late even then to protect your assets,” Vasiliadis’s case, Mertz vs. Houstoun, considered said Vasiliadis, a past chairman of the Pennsylvania a landmark case involving the use of annuities as a Bar Association’s Elder Law Section. “This strategy financial planning tool by nursing home residents. particularly helps people of more modest means.

This case involved the use of short-term annuiMany families of nursing home residents believe it ties, coupled with gifting to help seniors and their is too late to protect that person’s assets and nursfamily members protect financial assets that are ing homes often falsely support that belief.” exposed and remain at risk after having entered a “Essentially what they are saying is that ‘if nursing home. In the Zahner case, the Commonwealth argued that using annuities with pay-out terms you play by the rules we are not going to penalize substantially shorter than the purchaser’s actuarial life you.’ The intent of the laws is what was written by Congress,” Vasiliadis added. “Congress has had expectancy was prohibited under Medicaid law. plenty of opportunities to change this, but it hasn’t.

DHS attorneys argued that the annuities used It obviously intended to permit the use of annuities. in this case were “sham transactions” with no A frequent speaker on elder law and estate planeconomic value other than to enable persons to ning issues, Vasiliadis has lectured to lawyers on bequalify for Medicaid without first paying over all of half of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. their assets to a nursing home. The Circuit Court He regularly presents programs and authors articles ruled that a Medicaid planning motive does not prohibit the use of short-term annuities provided all for Pennsylvania attorneys as a faculty member of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the education arm of of the legal requirements for their use are met, as the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Vasiliadis currently occurred in this case. serves as president of the Pennsylvania Association Citing Mertz and subsequent cases, Chief Judge Theodore McKee and Judge Dolores Sloviter of Elder Law attorneys and recently served as chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Elder Law Section. reaffirmed that it is not the court’s role to rewrite federal legislation that has been addressed several He also maintains affiliations with the National Acadtimes by Congress since the original passage of the emy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Academy of Special Needs Planners, and with local Bar Associations and law. Judge Marjorie Rendell dissented.

Estate Planning Councils.

“It is not the role of the court to compensate

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ANALYSIS & OPINION

Manufacturing: Facts about its strong regional impact

construction, transportation, warehousThe great American writer Mark ing and healthcare counterparts. It also Twain once remarked “the report of my exceeds the regional average informadeath was an exaggeration” after newstion technology salary. Manufacturing’s papers incorrectly associated the illness average wage is twice that of the retail and rumored passing of one of his industry and three times that of the distant cousins with Mr. Twain, himself. accommodation industry.

Since then, the quote has become widely Esoda used to illustrate how careful we must Fact No. 3: Manufacturing fuels be to not confuse health, vitality and susother industries tainable well-being with conditions that are, to say Most economists agree that manufacturing has the least, quite the opposite. the highest multiplier effect of any industry.

This is occasionally the challenge of our Simply put, this means that manufacturing manufacturing industry. The industry must, amidst supports more indirect jobs – or jobs in secperiodic rumors to the contrary, prove that it is alive tors other than manufacturing – than any other and well. It must illustrate its health, vibrancy and industry. It accomplishes this in several ways. First, long-term sustainability as the driver of our regional manufacturing firms utilize an extensive network of economy. Fortunately, the facts about manufactur- regional support enterprises, thus enabling them to ing provide plenty of support. retain current employees and hire more workers.

Manufacturers rely upon regional HVAC techniFact No. 1: Manufacturing is our region’s cians, maintenance companies, refuse removal third largest employer businesses, accounting firms, utility providers, Data provided by Economic Modeling Special- information technology specialists, truckers and a ists International (EMSI), a gathering service plethora of other businesses to keep their operafor current labor market information on our tions running smoothly. Their local supply chains 11-county NEPA region, indicates that manufacimpact thousands of regional jobs. turing firms provide full-time employment for Secondly, our regional manufacturers infuse 44,936 regional workers. nearly $2.2 billion in total direct payrolls into our That makes manufacturing our third largest em- local economy. Their workers, in turn, spend much ployment sector, behind only healthcare and retail. of that compensation locally – at the grocery store, Across all 11 counties, manufacturing constitutes the theater, and the mall. They use their income to 12.9 percent of total non-government employdo things like fix the car, tackle a home improvement. To put this into perspective, manufacturing ment project or buy a new appliance. This spending provides more jobs across our region than the helps retain and create local jobs. A 2014 Industransportation, warehousing, construction and oil/ tryWeek study concluded that manufacturing has gas industries combined. a multiplier effect of somewhere between 1.48 and Manufacturing provides three times as many 1.92. Comparatively, economists generally agree jobs as the finance sector and eight times the jobs that the retail and wholesale sectors have multiplier of the information technology field! effects of .58 and .54, respectively.

By Eric Joseph Esoda

Fact No. 2: Manufacturing pays family-sustaining wages EMSI data, coupled with July 2015 PA Center for Workforce Information & Analysis reports, proves that manufacturing continues to pay familysustaining wages. While pay varies depending upon position, experience, and skills, our region’s average manufacturing salary – not inclusive of benefits – is $49,025. That average is well above its

Fact No. 4: Manufacturing jobs provide a secure future There’s no disputing that manufacturing employment has declined over the past decade, largely due to the recession and overseas competition. However, the most recent five-year trend in manufacturing employment paints a more accurate picture of where the industry is headed.

According to EMSI data, regional manufac-

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OCTOBER 2015

turing employment decreased by 2.86 percent between 2010 and 2015. During that same time, local employment in the information technology and entertainment/recreation sectors dropped by 22.08 percent and 21.64 percent, respectively.

Employment in the finance field declined by 3.50 percent, and real estate and agricultural jobs were off as well. So the job loss in manufacturing is surely not an industry-specific phenomenon.

What’s particularly refreshing, however, is that regional manufacturing employment has increased during each of the past three years – a recent track record that very few industries can claim. This trend is expected to continue, as more and more regional manufacturers seek to add to their rosters.

In fact, the PA Center for Workforce Information & Analysis recently added three new manufacturing careers to its High Priority Occupations List for the Commonwealth — bringing the total number of high-demand manufacturing occupations to 23.

As we celebrate National Manufacturing Day in October, it is important that we keep these facts in mind and celebrate the great impacts manufacturing has on our economy, our community and our families. Manufacturing is still very much alive and well and that, my friends, is no exaggeration.

To learn about all this visit www.nepirc.com.

Eric Esoda is , CPA, President & CEO Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC).

Steel rising for 279,000-square-foot spec building in CenterPoint East

Decision to construct the building was influenced, in part, by a recent increase in inquiries from manufacturing companies Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services has begun constructing a 279,000 square foot industrial building on speculation at 220-300 Research Drive in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East, Jenkins Township, Luzerne County.

The project was announced by Mericle President Robert Mericle, who said the decision to construct the building was influenced, in part, by a recent increase in inquiries from manufacturing companies.

“We are encouraged by the uptick in calls from local and out-of-area manufacturers seeking to expand in our area,” Mericle said. “We decided to construct the building to ensure that we have an ample supply of the type of space they are seeking.”

Mericle said manufacturers typically seek buildings with strong power, energy efficient lighting and heating, wide column spacing, modern loading, and quick highway access. “We designed the building to meet all of these criteria,” Mericle said.

The building will be the 25th constructed in the park since 2007 and will bring the total square feet in CenterPoint East and West to almost 6.3 million. The 38 tenants in the park together employ approximately 4,500 people.

Mericle said crews from Mericle Construction have completed site work and installed the building’s foundations and expect to begin erecting steel by week’s end. He said the building will be ready for tenants by spring, 2016.

He said the building can be subdivided to house up to four tenants and he expects there to be interest from a variety of manufacturing and distribution companies. He estimates that 125 to 200 people will work in the building when it is fully occupied.

In 2014 Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services provided industrial space in CenterPoint West to Greiner Packaging International, one of Europe’s leaders in the manufacturing of premium packaging. Last week, Mericle announced the start of construction of a 46,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Hanover Crossings for Japanese firm Itoh Denki.

Mericle said the site for the new spec building had been fully prepared in advance as part of his company’s ReadyToGo! program. Through the program, Mericle Construction is clearing, grading and compacting, and obtaining all permits and approvals, for 90 sites in 11 local business parks. To date, work has been completed on 40 ReadyToGo! sites.

MANAGERS NOTEBOOK

HERITAGE TOURISM

Risk and recovery

Enjoy nature on family fun days Oct. 4 & Oct. 25

— often the more appropriate remedy is a new strategic approach.

The key to solving any problem is to avoid blame and focus the intention on finding a resolution. Leaders must realize that, as they deal with unexpected Risk is defined as an exposure to risk, it is not advisable to automatically danger. Most businesses have a risk assume the cause is a lack of ability or disaster response plan, and most of Craighead or courage. A more useful stance is these plans are built for calamities they to consider that what is lacking is the anticipate are likely to happen. specific wherewithal necessary to respond at this These policies usually fall under the practime. This creates grounding for developing an tice of strategic planning. In these plans there unbiased approach. is a clear proposed action for each anticipated Problem-solving disciplines are methodichallenge. A question for consideration is how cal procedures that are applied in such fields to respond to risk you didn’t plan for, such as as medicine, engineering and science. These the loss of an irreplaceable employee, a new investigations are rational pursuits which require competitive product with new challenges, a a boldness and patience for accuracy. One must catastrophic safety breach, or a loss of a reliable avoid the temptation to rush to conclusions and customer. And of course you can’t rule out foul settle the matter prematurely. This will necesweather, or a financial downturn such as we sitate using proven and tested techniques, even recently experienced. Because of our vulnerability when the answer is not immediately forthcoming, to the world’s new normal chaotic conditions, we and staying the course until a solution is realized. are likely to face such probabilities more often Ultimately, the pathway to success is generated than ever before. by an unwavering commitment until the intended One response is to hope for the best. A more outcomes are realized. useful approach is to prepare for the unknown Once resolved, it is essential to note that with a plan designed to recover from an unexeach process in and of itself is in response to pected danger. a particular incident and not an automatic or Since risk is inescapable, we must learn to formulaic approach to take for every future become competent in dealing with it. The most calamity. Coincidentally, when these incidents talented and innovative management team can are reviewed, investigators frequently discover be blind sided at any time. Rather than hoping indicators that were either overlooked or ignored. to avoid the inevitable, the best approach to any Had the appropriate people been alerted or in acunexpected risk is to minimize its impact. Certion, the crisis could have possibly been averted tainty is adverse to discovery. Therefore, to deal or minimized. This is particularly applicable in successfully with any new adversity requires new many safety incidents. thinking from an innovative perspective, because Risk is inevitable in our lives and businesses. what’s currently in place is simply insufficient for That’s the bad news. We can choose to confront the task at hand. these distractions directly or become victimized Before moving forward in this investigatory by them. It’s reassuring to know there are proven process, leaders must first ascertain the facts of technologies available to resolve disruptive what actually happened in order to prevent a repeat challenges. And it is imperative that we become of those actions or policies that caused the circummasterfully adept at using these remedies if we stances which have put the enterprise in jeopardy. are to minimize the impact of unplanned calamiThe next step is to begin the innovation ties which threaten our organizational stability. process. Innovation doesn’t disregard valuable The more successful we are in recovering from experiences, it builds on them. Nor is innovation each incident, the more capable we will be to magic; rather, it is a basic leadership practice react rapidly and successfully to future threats. of research, design, application, and oversight.

That’s the good news.

During the preliminary phase it becomes quite Jon Craighead is president of Craighead Asevident that coming up with breakthrough ideas sociates LLC. Email him at jon@craigheadassociis the easy part; implementing them is more difates.com or visit www.craigheadassociates.com. ficult. The answer is not always new technology

and plenty of energy! Jeannine Luby, auThe Lackawanna River Heritage thor of “Wartz and All,” will use the Lily Pad Trail (LRHT) is the place for family fun Stage to host Story Time about her book’s in October! The Lackawanna Heritage characters who live along the Lackawanna Valley will have two free Family Fun Days River Heritage Trail. in October where families can enjoy the More seasonal festivities will be ofnatural beauty of the fall season. fered on Sunday, Oct. 25 with Family Fun On Sunday, Oct. 4, from 2 to 4 p.m., Day on the CNJ extension of the LackaGelb Family Fun Day will be held at the new wanna River Heritage Trail, the section Nay Aug Avenue Natural Play Area in that runs from Elm Street in Scranton Green Ridge near the Green Ridge Shopping to Taylor. A S’mores Party will offer the classic Center. This park on Nay Aug Avenue is the first campfire treat. The party runs from 2 to 4 p.m. natural park Pennsylvania. Members of the comand will pay tribute to Native American heritage munity have embraced the new park and its unique along this section of trail. The trail’s Amphitheater natural play features, such as Turtle Hill, the Lily is the perfect setting for a performance of Native Pad Stage, a simulated beaver dam and the Tike American singing, dancing and drumming.

Bike Trail. Since the day the park opened to the Pat Quinn and Friends will provide live music public two months ago, it has attracted “regulars “ for pumpkin painting. Kids can build scarecrows! who include the park as part of their daily or weekly Lackawanna Heritage Valley will provide the base routine. Children and their families have been curi- and stuffing, and children should bring old clothes ously tracking new features as they are added to to dress up their scarecrows. the site, which is still a work in progress, with plans Family Fun Days are free, although LHV for future amenities. The Fishing Shack, sponsored welcomes voluntary donations to help build and

by Fidelity Bank and Trust, is almost finished, and maintain “S’More trail!!” For more details on Faman aeroglider that accommodates two wheelchairs ily Fun Days, visit www.lhva.org. at a time has been installed thanks to the generosity Steamtown National Historic site, an imporof the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and tant LHV partner, is offering the Railroads, Rivers the Dana and Christopher Reeves Foundation. and You (RRY!) program as part of the 100th The Nay Aug Avenue Natural Park was designed anniversary of the National Park System. LHV is to encourage children to commune with nature sponsoring the local Ticket to Ride program to through creative play. It is a hub of activity for provide transportation for local fourth graders to children from diverse backgrounds who meet and Steamtown National Historic site. RRY! promotes play together, forming bonds of friendship as they STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art/arrun, climb, jump and swing outdoors, away from chitecture and math) education. Recently, students televisions, computers and other technology. The from the Western Wayne School District visited Fishing Shack can be used as a clubhouse, a fort Steamtown where they explored the history of the or whatever the children’s imagination conjures for railroad industry in the Lackawanna Heritage Valthem. The soft surface of the Lily Pad Stage lends ley. They measured track distances and distances itself not only to formal presentations, but it also between locomotives as a math exercise, and they is conducive to cartwheels, jumping, dancing and discussed and compared changes in technolother performances that evoke shouts of “Watch this!” to parents and grandparents and companions. ogy under the guidance of Ranger Dan Kahl who showed them old-fashioned tools of the trade. They On Oct. 4, a host of creative, nature-themed activities will further spark young minds. There will even had a chance to enjoy a ride on the handcar!

The students then traveled to the trail and the river, be “make-and-take” crafts using elements found where they tested the river’s PH and oxygen levels, in nature, such as artwork crafted with leaves that they will gather in the park and on the trail, coloring viewed macro-invertebrates through view finders and used identification cards to identify specimens. sheets featuring wildlife that is native to the area, Fourth graders from school districts across the and pine cone ornaments. region are eligible for this program. Contact Ranger There also will be live music on site, where Dan Kahl at 570-340-5195 or daniel_kahl@nps.gov. experts from Cedar Bike & Paddle will share tips on Natalie Gelb is executive director of the bicycle safety on the newly Tike Bike Trail, a paved Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority. Email her at path that encircles the play area and simulates a natalie@lhva.org. road. Kids should bring their bikes, trikes, helmets

By Jon Craighead

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

— Nelson Mandela

By Natalie Gelb

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Late to ongoing project like landing in a swamp

Space: The final regional frontier

tions allows you to frame the discussion A software development project imtowards moving forward and not allow plodes because there was no sign-off on time wasted talking about water that’s design. A CRM implementation hits a wall under the bridge. Use the information during testing because a key requirement you have reviewed to challenge different was missed. Water cooler talk about a perspectives so you don’t get locked into merger causes key people to leave the one solution. project and schedule slippage skyrockets.

Don’t forget the periphery Puleo As in sports, when teams are not I’ve been on many projects where winning, the most common alternative departments such as Legal, Contract is to change managers. Same thing happens when Review, Human Resources, Compliance, Audit and projects go south. Change the project manager.

Procurement seem to have a small role but can tie What if that person selected to take over is you? up the project for weeks. These key areas can help When you are parachuted into an ongoing keep the project moving forward if they are comproject it’s like landing in a swamp with thickets of municated to well in advance. finger pointing, people trying to cover their butts Many times you will find paperwork such; and other political minefields. And people are look- contracts, letters to consumers, new hire requests ing at you as the one who is going to correct all the and purchase orders are signed off by leaders on problems. Really? your team only to sit in someone’s in box because Here are some things to consider: there was no communication of the urgency of the Read and ask a lot of questions request. These areas can get many requests every You want as much information as possible day and it’s the project manager’s job to tee them about the project and the goals of the company. up well in advance to maintain the relay runner Obtain scope documents, status reports, project work ethic. plans, change request orders, risk registers, design Pat some folks on the back and documents — basically anything you can get your get your house in order hands on. Do your homework ahead of time and Look for what has gone well on the project avoid imposing on the team. Extract what you can and thank people for their efforts. Some small from the documentation on your own and docurecognition can go a long way. Sure the project ment questions and comments. Once you do your has problems that need to be addressed so focus legwork, reach out to the team and project sponsor on the project management process and the way for input. Remember they are now dealing with two the project has been structured, communicated situations. One is the project that’s going south and and documented. just had a casualty, the project manager. And two, With the accidental manager phenomenon you as the new sheriff in town. alive and well it’s likely a major issue could have Meet with key stakeholders been the lack of leadership and management of the Many times project managers just meet with project. Put your best project leadership skills to the project sponsor when transitioning to a project. work to get some quick wins. The team will appreIt’s important to know who the key stakeholders ciate the recognition of accomplishments and be are in the business units and the technology areas motivated and unified because you are addressing and ask them what they see as being the goals, the process, not the people. objectives, risks and expected benefits of the We’ve all been knee deep in a swamp of issues. project. Often times these key stakeholders have Developing well thought out plans and schedules different opinions about what is important so you by listening to the team are needed for a successful need to find out where the differences are. This will outcome, but not sufficient. We need to leverhelp you understand where they share the same age our soft skills of blending the team, building perspective and where they don’t. relationships and focusing on solutions to get the Ask for their ideas and listen, listen, listen team out of the swamp.

Bring the team together. Order lunch and ask Larry Puleo a certified project manager (PMP) them how they would go about getting the project is president of MLP Consultants, LLC which helps back on track. Put their ideas on a white board or companies execute their strategies. Contact him at flip chart. Do not let the discussion drift towards lpuleo@mlpconsultants.com or visit www.mlpconpast problems. Having their perspective on solusultants.com.

means by which this topic can be an Astronaut Buzz Aldrin has written a important element in the economic life of book, Mission to Mars, in which he outthe region and explore very specific steps lines his views on the golden opportunity that can be implemented to encourage to take some new initiatives in space, and attention on how the region can extend plan a process through which the year its role to help meet the needs of space 2035 would see a human or humans development can be a major priority landing on Mars. across regional boundary lines.

Grossman While other regions have first crack ■ New leadership should arise across at anything to do with space (Texas, Florida) and the region that would pay attention to the ability of perhaps other geographical locations, the Pocono- institutions to focus on the assets that the region Northeast’s transportation network lends itself to has that relate to this trend. This should include the many different types of development. educational, political, and organizational capabilities If, in fact, space exploration becomes once that leadership can offer in coming years. again what it was in the Apollo days, why could ■ In creating a brand-new economic cluster, not this region be a place for various businesses there is a need to think about prior clusters and that have a relationship to space? At the very least, how they were organized, planned, directed, some thought should be given to the means by staffed, coordinated, reported, and budgeted. In which this region could add value to the efforts other words, there is a need to establish a very Aldrin sets forth. specific plan that can be incorporated across the His view is that exploration, science, developregion and highlighted by the various components ment, commerce, and security should all focus on that dictated the role that previous clusters played. space travel over the next decades. Clearly, this is The difference is that the need exists to think being viewed as a business opportunity by some globally and how other competitive areas perhaps who are lining up to focus attention on ways to want to do the same. Therefore, a highly skilled encourage citizens to enjoy space travel. and specialized workforce would be needed that The northeastern sector of the nation basihas implications of global conditions, something cally has been left out of space-related functions that never existed previously. historically. By undertaking the role of a satellite The region can contend with many other geography for space-related businesses could add regions, no matter the factors. Since there are value and capacity to the growth and development many more assets than liabilities that enhance reof this region. gional life, much more attention should be placed To enable this to occur, here are a few functions upon economic aspects that heretofore have not that could be organized in coming months and years. been considered very likely as candidates for re■ Ensure that the many higher educational gional development. Space is one such element, institutions that serve the region and those that and while this may not be something that has are close by, such as Lehigh University, bring their ever been given priority in the region, its potential resources together in such a way that this topic and that of other possible elements should now becomes a high priority in the minds of academia be given consideration as a new approach to the and all those associated with space exploration. future economy of the Pocono-Northeast.

■ Have the various economic development The essence of economic development in organizations serving this region, focus attenthe region in the past has been on creativity of tion on this subject and evaluate the opportuni- incentive programs, changing the direction of the ties that may exist for its growth and developregion from coal to clothing, to diversifying the ment in coming years. economy, and now perhaps the new frontier of ■ Establish a space academy in the region that space as well as other unknown factors should can offer specialized studies in the ability of the be at least studied and examined as new opregion to focus attention on the role of the region in portunities for growth and job expansion across adding its abilities in what seems to be taking place the region. nationally as more private sector entities look at this Howard Grossman is the former executive topic and once again make the nation a leader in this director of EDCNP, now NEPA Alliance. He operates field as it was in the decades of the 60s and 70s.

HJG Associates in Dallas. Email him at Gross■ Bring in experts in space to discuss the manHJ@aol.com.

By Larry Puleo

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OCTOBER 2015

By Howard Grossman

ManaGeMent & LeaDersHip

success is a bias toward action

By Biagio “Bill” Sciacca

I was having a conversation with a student recently and we were talking about what it means, truly means, to be a success in life. As we talked, we went through all of the gyrations of success — how it’s not about money or fame or power or position and how those things are really only manifestations of the success process. The student stopped talking and was in a deep state of contemplations when she said to me, “But, Bill, how do you start the process of being successful? Do you understand what I’m asking? When do you begin?”

That series of questions had a profound impact on me and it was then my turn to stop and ponder.

Although she may have thought the answer was circular, I still told her the truth, “Well, you start at the beginning.”

As I proceeded to think about that dialogue over the next few days, I wanted to be less obtuse. So here is what I came up with as a structured argument for how to begin the success process.

1. If money is the answer, then you’re asking the wrong questions.

Money might be, in the words of Donald Trump, a great way to keep score, but keeping score is only one aspect of the game. What I love about goal setting and the success process is not what I have received, but what I have become! It is not so much in the having, but it is in the changing.

2. Goal-setting is the cornerstone of the success process.

Without a structured, specific and written goal, it is mostly impossible to reach your end result.

How could you? A goal is a road map to where you want to go. Many people don’t like setting goals because they feel that they don’t have enough information to begin. I don’t think you need all the answers in advance. Some of the beauty of goal-setting and the success process is the beauty of discovery.

3. When you are faced with a decision that can take you away from your end result, don’t procrastinate.

Do what you need to do now! Of course, think through the possible scenarios and the outcomes, but make a decision and do what you feel is necessary to arrive at a suitable choice that will continue to move you toward your goal.

4. If you follow No. 3, and don’t procrastinate about an impending decision, then this should be easy. Develop a consistent bias toward action and activity.

Is there something that Sciacca you can do to move a section of your goal forward today?

Perhaps it is as simple as a phone call or a five minute meeting. Perhaps it is a quick email or LinkedIn post. Whatever! If you have developed a bias toward action and activity then you understand the value in breaking up the larger goal into smaller steps (A process in goal-setting that I like to call Functional Decomposition) and then completing a smaller step or at least a piece of the smaller step.

Bias toward action and activity means that you will do whatever you can, however small to accomplish a piece of your objective.

5. Understand that the success process cannot be rushed or pressured or cajoled.

It must be massaged and thought through in a timely but non-pressured manner. That understanding revolves around the fact that we know a mountain is claimed one step at a time. We know that in many human endeavors it is impossible to apply pressure to a situation without changing the outcome. Perhaps that is the most important item in the success process is that if you have set up all the pieces that you can, then the next step is to let them play out in as a thoughtful manner as possible.

Now comes the real hard part: what is it that you want to set a goal to achieve? Hum, do we want to get real specific, such as I want to become senior vice president of the Claims Division within seven years from today? Or do we want to keep in general, such as, the main purpose of my life is to be happy? The answer to that question, at least from my perspective is very easy: I don’t care! It’s your life and you need to figure out what it is you want. My hope for you is twofold. First, that you get what you want out of life. Second, is that at you enjoy the journey!

Biagio “Bill” Sciacca is CEO of Intelligent Motivation Inc., a training and consulting firm, as

well as the author of “GoalsBook: Embracing Personal Responsibility in an Age of Entitlement” and is full-time instructor of economics

and business administration at Penn State University. Bill can be reached at 570-430-9303 or bill@intelligentmotivationinc.com.

FOr tHe recOrD Bankruptcies Chapter 11

Smith & Morris holdings LLC. Filed Aug. 18 in Wilkes-Barre. Business location: Wayne County.

Crofchick Inc. Filed Aug. 30 in Wilkes-Barre. Business location: Luzerne County.

Crofchick realty LLC. Filed Aug. 30 in Wilkes-Barre.

Business location: Luzerne County.

DeeDs COLUMBIa COUNtY

huntsville Limited partnership. Property location: Berwick. Seller: Stephen R. Zeisloft. Price: $1,350,000.

LSF8 Master participation trust. Property location: Briarcreek Township. Seller: Amity J. Dohl and Gary O. Lewis. Price: $2,588.27 f-m-v $247,093.20.

Mar Development Mulberry LLC. Property location: Berwick. Seller: Samuel B. and Miriam A. Kuhn. Price: $239,000.

DaM realty LLC. Property location: Bloomsburg.

Seller: Drue A. Magee. Price: $1 f-m-v $125,341.20.

Columbia County housing Corporation. Property location: Bloomsburg. Seller: Mark K. Beck. Price: $115,000.

MGB realty Inc. Property location: Bloomsburg.

Seller: Dillon Floral Corporation. Price: $90,000.

Secretary of housing and Urban Development.

Property location: Bloomsburg. Seller: Wells Fargo Bank.

Price: $10 f-m-v $88,044.29.

Crt enterprises LLC. Property location: Catawissa.

Seller: Michael A. Drumheller. Price: $86,500.

MtGLQ Investors Lp. Property location: Scott Township. Seller: Linda J. Hashagen. Price:$3,287.50 f-m-v $84,783.60. readler enterprises LLC. Property location: Berwick.

Seller: Barry Reynolds. Price: $75,000. pNC Mortgage. Property location: Cleveland Township. Seller: Rodney A. and Michelle L. McBride. Price: $1 f-m-v $74,714.40.

Veterans affairs. Property location: Cleveland Township. Seller: PNC Mortgage. Price: $1 f-m-v $74,714.40.

Columbia County housing Corp. Property location: Berwick. Seller: Donald A. and Beatrice L. Crawford. Price: $68,000. hosler holdings LLC. Property location: Berwick.

Seller: Dentalot LLLC. Price: $50,000. home Sweet home by Denise LLC. Property location: Berwick. Seller: Estate of Barbara J. Berroth. Price: $45,000. robert Dworsak, partner and Kenneth enterline, partner dba Dworsak enterline. Property location: Bloomsburg. Price: $39,900.

Secretary of housing and Urban Development. Property location: Greenwood Township. Seller: Bank of America sbm BAC Home Loans Servicing LP. $1 f-m-v $39,831.

Bloomsburg Christian Church. Property location: Catawissa. Seller: MBC Development LP. Price: $30,000.

Bank of New York Mellon. Property location: Briarcreek Township. Seller: Rebecca D. and Scott R. Whitebread. Price: $16,421.64.

Columbia County housing Corporation. Property location: Orangeville. Seller: David W. and Sandi L. Whitmoyer. Price: $12,000.

North Centre township. Property location: North Centre Township. Seller: Estate of Howard E. Knorr. Price: $10,000.

LaCKaWaNNa COUNtY

ChCt pennsylvania. Property location: Eynon. Seller: S & C Eynon LLC. Price: $1,382,765.

Weichert Workforce Mobility. Property location: Glenburn Township. Seller: Kathlene D. Negvesky. Price: $340,000.

Weichert Workforce Mobility. Property location: Throop Borough. Seller: Ricky D. Winberry. Price: $315,000.

Gouldsboro DG LLC. Property location: Clifton Township. Seller: Paul M. Fisher, Sr., per atty in fact. Price: $185,000.

Stone Financing LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Seller: Robert J. Thomas. Price: $182,500.

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. Property location: Taylor Borough. Seller: Harold W. Roberts, Jr. Price: $180,250.

Z Z Zheng LLC. Property location: Dunmore Borough.

Seller: Edward G. Peters. Price: $160,000.

202-204 east Drinker LLC. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Seller: Robert Weinman. Price: $154,000.

Franconia real estate Services Inc. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Seller: Taylor M. Grazulewicz.

Price: $123,600.

Fischer Brothers LLC. Property location: Jefferson Township. Seller: Estate of Christopher Shoemaker, deceased. Price: $120,000. eLCa Development Corp. Property location: Covington Township. Seller: Edward McTigue. Price: $75,000.

W and F holdings LLC. Property location: Clarks Green. Seller: George C. Trochak, per attorney. Price: $70,000.

Vantage FBO. Property location: Carbondale City.

Seller: William M. Applegate. Price: $66,000. r & a LLC. Property location: Roaring Brook Township. Seller: Estate of Margaret M. Morgan. Price: $65,450 B&D reaLtY INC. Property location: Jefferson Township. Seller: Kathleen Guittard. Price: $59,000.

Dan Balzan properties Inc. Property location: Carbondale City. Seller: Glen Juresich. Price: $50,000.

Please see DEEDS on next page

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FOR THE RECORD DEEDS — continued from previous page ship. Seller: Estate of Leon G. Kern, Jr.; Nancy C. Kern, executrix; Nancy C. Kern. Price: $250,000.

Lackawanna Neighbors Inc. Property location: Scranton City. Seller: First National Bank of Pennsylvania.

Price: $45,000.

Up-Valley Real Estate LLC. Property location: Throop Borough. Seller: John P. Musyt. Price: $30,000.

G & M REALTY LLC. Property location: Jermyn Borough. Seller: Household Finance Consumer Discount Co. Price: $37,000 R & A LLC. Property location: Clarks Summit. Seller: Estate of Francis Fitzgerald. Price: $29,000.

LUZERNE COUNTY

Ambrosia US Newco LLC. Property location: Hazle Township. Seller: Archer-Daniels-Midland Company.

Price: $65,106,346.

New Marion Associates LP. Property location: Hanover Township. Seller: Hanover Associates; Marvin L. Slomowitz, general partner. Price: $10,890,000.

First Quality Nonwovens Inc. Property location: Sugarloaf Township. Seller: Austin G. Langley; Anita B. Langley. Price: $725,000.

Triple Z LLC. Property location: Hanover Township.

Seller: Hughes Partnership Venutre LLC. Price: $480,000.

D&D Alleghany LLC. Property location: WilkesBarre City. Seller: South Main Street Building Inc. Price: $400,000.

JP Holdings Group LLC. Property location: Hazleton City. Seller: C. Davis Family Limited Partnership; Robert Davis, general partner; Jennifer Davis, general partner.

Price: $390,000.

Roosters Realty LLC. Property location: Dallas Town-

20

under

MONROE COUNTY

Pocono Senior Housing LLC. Property location: East Stroudsburg. Seller: 329 East Brown Holdings LP, Pocono Tranquil Partners LLC (gen. part.). Price: $7,000,000.

Tobey Development Partners LLC. Property location: Stroud Township. Seller: Nicholas and Irene Vlamis, Stelios Papantoniou. Price: $1,800,000.

Center Rock Realty Co. Property location: Coolbaugh Township. Seller: Moe & Freddy Realty Inc. Price: $700,000.

Country Waste of Pennsylvania LLC. Property location: Eldred Township. Seller: Bruce Hawk. Price: $450,000.

RML Land Investments LLC. Property location: Delaware Water Gap. Seller: Putcher Construction Inc. Price: $339,000.

Greenview Properties 862 LLC. Property location: Hamilton Township. Seller: 611 Commercial Inc. Price: $335,000.

Center Rock Realty Co. Property location: Coolbaugh Township. Seller: E&T Real Estate LLC. Price: $325,000.

Albelli Properties LLC. Property location: Chestnuthill Township. Seller: Kal-Tac Inc. Price: $299,000.

Samridh 3 LLC. Property location: Pocono Township.

Seller: Elwood and Martha Pipher. Price: $270,000.

Country Waste of Pennsylvania LLC. Property location: Polk Township. Seller: Bruce Hawk. Price: $250,000 and $75,000.

RKE Properties LLC. Property location: Coolbaugh Township. Seller: Glenway Daily Est., Sophia Swingle

(Exec.). Price: $250,000.

Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB. Property location: Middle Smithfield Township. Seller: Prof-2013-S3 Reo I LLC. Price: $247,067.

4823 LLC. Property location: Barrett Township. Seller: Hilda Brownlee Est., Gail Grossman and Paul Brownlee (co-exr.). Price: $220,000.

X50 LLC. Property location: Hamilton Township.

Seller: Angela Young. Price: $175,000.

Tymar Holdings LLC. Property location: East Stroudsburg. Seller: Pattie, Colleen and Thomas Keeley.

Price: $158,000.

National KDDP LLC. Property location: Ross Township. Seller: Prafullchandra Patel Est., Shanitban Patel (admx.). Price: $100,000.

Pocono Too LLC. Property location: Coolbaugh Township. Seller: Ellen Timoney, Thomas Timoney Jr., Judith Timoney, Ellen Melle (attorney). Price: $100,000.

LOS LLC. Property location: East Stroudsburg. Seller: US Bank NA, Ocwen Loan Servicing LLC. (atty.). Price: $41,500. Tax basis: $93,502.

Ash Tree LLC. Property location: Stroud Township.

Seller: Sultan Properties LLC. Price: $90,000.

Good as New Ventures LLC. Property location: Chestnuthill Township. Seller: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Luke Connell (agent). Price: $85,000.

Good as New Ventures LLC. Property location: Stroud Township. Seller: Deutsche Bank National Trust Co, Ocwen Loan Servicing LLC (atty). Price: $77,000.

Albelli Properties LLC. Property location: Polk Township. Seller: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Price: $70,000.

Pocono Lake Preserve Inc. Property location:

Tobyhanna Township. Seller: Edna Shaffer Est., Richard Shaffer (exr.). Price: $60,000.

JP Homes Inc. Property location: Tobyhanna Township. Seller: Bank of America NA S/B/M BAC Home Loans Servicing LP. Price: $58,963.

Reassured Properties LLC. Property location: Paradise Township. Seller: Henryville House LP, West-M Corp.

Inc. (gen. part.). Price: $43,560.

International Leadership Training Foundation Inc. Property location: Coolbaugh Township. Seller: SJJV LLC. Price: $30,000.

Tri F Rentals LLC. Property location: Mt. Pocono. Seller: Susan Seese (Exec.), Frank Bezdecki Est. Price: $29,000.

Art Appliance Repair Inc. Property location: Stroud Township. Seller: Penn Estates POA. Price: $21,000.

PIKE COUNTY

Mountain Shadow Enterprises LLC. Property location: Matamoras Borough. Seller: AST Construction Company. Price: $205,000.

Ronat Inc. Property location: Palmyra Township.

Seller: John Lomonaco. Price: $203,000.

GRRC LLC. Property location: Blooming Grove Township. Seller: The Bank of New York Mellon, formerly known as The Bank of New York, trustee for the benefit of the certificate-holders of the CWABS Inc. assetbacked certificates series 2005-13 by its attorney in fact, Green Tree Servicing LLC by POA April 28,1015. Price: $150,000.

Z-Land Retreats LLC. Property location: Palmyra Township. Seller: Merritt Vernon; Sandy Vernon. Price: $148,000.

Please see DEEDS on page 54

Nominate Your Choice for NEPA’sTop 20 Under 40

40

The Top 20 Under 40 is our annual salute to Northeast Pennsylvania’s best and brightest young stars in business! This special 14th annual supplement will publish in December and highlight the achievements and potential of young area business professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs and senior-level company officials up to age 39.

Send your nomination today. All honorees will be featured in our special focus section in December!

Publication Date - December 2015 Nomination Deadline - October 28

Send your nomination to Elizabeth Zygmunt, Editor ezygmunt@timesshamrock.com or fax to 570-207-3448

Please provide the following information about the person being nominated: Name, title, organization, street address, work phone, e-mail.

If you are not the nominee, please provide us with the following contact information: Name, title, organization, work phone/fax, e-mail.

Why do you feel this person should be nominated for NEPA s Top 20 Under 40?

December 2014

Jo n and Jenni er Philli s

The Region’s Award-Winning Source of Business News & Information • A Times-Shamrock Publication 149 Penn Avenue • Scranton, PA 18503 | 75 N. Washington Street • Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 • 570-207-9001 • 877-584-3561 • Fax 570-207-3452

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OCTOBER 2015

PERSONNEL FILE BANKING & FINANCE christie Bonnice state farm

christie Bonnice, owner of Christie Bonnice State Farm has earned the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) professional designation from The American College, Bryn Mawr. Candidates for the CLU designation must complete a minimum of eight courses and 16 hours of supervised examinations. They must also fulfill stringent experience Bonnice and ethics requirements. The Chartered Life Underwriter is the highest standard of knowledge and trust and the world’s most respected designation of insurance experience.

Once the program is completed, a CLU can provide expert advice on a broad range of financial topics, including life and health insurance, pension planning, insurance law, income taxation, investments, financial and estate planning, and group benefits. Bonnice has owned and operated her State Farm Agency, located on Highway 315 in Wilkes-Barre for three years.

fidelity Bank

Daniel J. Santaniello, president and CEO of Fidelity Bank, recently announced that Atty. theresa m. hinton has joined Fidelity Bank as trust officer.

Hinton comes to Fidelity Bank with more than 25 years of legal experience and diverse areas of civil litigation including corporate law, civil rights, guardianship matters, estates and trusts, Hinton probate, real estate and employment law. She has an extensive background in representing banking institutions in litigation concerning trust administration. In addition, her body of work includes representing a wide range of individuals and business clients with wills, leases, contracts, and in legal disputes. She most recently practiced with Kreder Brooks Hailstone LLP, Scranton. As Fidelity Bank’s trust officer, Hinton utilizes her legal expertise to assist clients in setting up trusts and managing the details, responsibilities and legal requirements to serve Fidelity Trust clients as their executor, trustee or custodian. Hinton is a graduate of Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburgh. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar and the Lackawanna Bar Associations and has been admitted to practice in all Pennsylvania State Courts and the United States District Courts for the Western and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania.

maintaining a portfolio of private banking relationships and providing individualized services for high net-worth clients. National Penn’s Eastern Region includes Bucks and portions of Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, as well as Burlington, Mercer and Ocean counties in New Jersey. Its Northern Region includes Carbon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe and Northampton counties.

McCann joined National Penn in 2010.

new york life

timothy J. lavelle has joined New York Life Insurance Company as a direct partner in the northeastern Pennsylvania office announced Kenneth D. Price, managing partner. Lavelle has been in the insurance field for 15 years. He started as a property and casualty personal lines producer for a local independent firm. Two years later he started his own practice with Prudential Financial Services and was licensed as a financial professional. In 2004 he was named “Sophomore of the Year” for the Mid America Territory. He was a “Million Dollar Round Table” representative for six consecutive years. In 2009, Lavelle was appointed manager of Financial Services. Lavelle was a citation-winning manager of Financial Services in 2012 and ranked 11th in the company. Those interested in a career in financial services should contact Lavelle at 570- 340-6619.

Pennsylvania cyBersecUrity task force

Secretary of Banking and Securities robin l. wiessmann announced the formation of a Cybersecurity Task Force designed to provide resources to the financial services companies under its supervision to address cybersecurity issues in order to help ensure the integrity of Pennsylvania’s financial marketplace. The task force is comprised of Department of Banking and Securities regulatory staff, along with department legal and information technology staff. Among the resources the task force is highlighting are a self-assessment tool issued by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, an interagency body of financial services regulators, and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Sample Request for Information and Documents. These and other resources are available on a new section of the department’s website dedicated to cybersecurity: go to www.dobs.pa.gov and click on Businesses/Cybersecurity.

ENGINEERING & DESIGN

national Penn

National Penn Bancshares Inc. (Nasdaq: NPBC) announced that susan m. mccann, private banking area manager, has been promoted to senior vice president. She reports to Bill Schneider, senior vice president and director of National Penn’s private banking group. McCann has more than 30 years of financial service experience. She McCann is responsible for providing leadership to a private banking team serving National Penn’s Eastern and Northern Regions.

In addition, McCann is responsible for developing and

Wilusz

Milewski

Barry isett & associates

dan wilusz, PE is the new addition to the Municipal Engineering Department of Barry Isett & Associates (BIA), a multi-discipline engineering firm with offices in Hazleton and Forty Fort. In addition to being a professional engineer, he is a certified professional in erosion and sediment control. He has a 15-year history in his field with experience in project management, construction management, and infrastructure improvement projects. Previous to BIA, he spent five years as a project manager for Gilmore & Associates before moving on to Reilly Associates, where he took on construc-

tion engineering duties with a focus on sewer/water projects. He also worked as a municipal engineer in the Luzerne County area, covering the areas of Pittston, West Pittston, and Hanover Township. Also, stephanie milewski, RLA has joined the BIA landscape design staff.

She was a trail manager and environmental program officer with Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area. She also worked with family-owned Milewski Excavating & Landscaping Inc., and assisted in a multi-million dollar project with Shoener Environmental Consulting Services. Outside of landscape architecture, she holds a background in project management and has experience in plant curating and grounds keeping.

Borton-lawson

Borton-Lawson announced heather J. heeter has joined the firm’s Lehigh Valley office, where she will serve as the highway design service leader and senior project manager in the Highway Infrastructure unit. Heeter has 14 years of experience leading major highway infrastructure projects throughout Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Heeter Schuylkill counties. Her extensive background and understanding of the NEPA environmental process, transportation funding, and the complete project delivery process will serve as a foundation for the team to successfully deliver complex level projects on interstates and toll roads.

BOARDS & COMMITTEES american hosPital association

steven P. Johnson, president and CEO of Susquehanna Health has been selected to serve on the board of trustees for the American Hospital Association (AHA) for a three-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2016. The board of trustees is the policy-making body of the AHA and has ultimate authority for the governance and management of its direction Johnson and finances. Johnson is the president and chief executive officer of Susquehanna Health in Williamsport, a clinically integrated, faith-based health system that includes Williamsport Regional Medical Center, Divine Providence Hospital, Muncy Valley Hospital, Soldiers + Sailors Memorial Hospital, Susquehanna Health Insurance Network, Susquehanna Health Medical Group, Tioga Health Care Providers, two skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, Susquehanna Health & Hospice services, Susquehanna Regional EMS, and a joint venture with Pinnacle Health in the River Health ACO. Johnson is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves on the boards of VHA Mid-Atlantic, the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, Little League Baseball International and is currently serving as the board chairman for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. He is also chair-elect of AHA’s Regional Policy Board 2.

east stroUdsBUrg University foUndation

The East Stroudsburg University Foundation welcomed two new members to its board of directors. East

larson design groUP

The Zweig Group recently released the 2015 Marketing Excellence Award winners, naming Larson Design Group’s “Daniel C. Baker 125th Anniversary celebration” among the special-event marketing award winners. The Zweig Group’s “Marketing Excellence” awards recognize effective marketing in the architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting industry. A panel of marketing and industry professionals judged the entries on the basis of creativity and results achieved. Awards were presented at the 2015 “Hot Firm and A/E Industry” awards in Boston on Sept. 3. The recognized event was an after-hours celebration in conjunction with the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce for Daniel C. Baker Associates’ 125th anniversary. Larson Design Group acquired the family business of four generations in 2014.

Materials submitted for the contest included a “save the date” postcard featuring a photo of Daniel C. Baker, Jr. throwing out the first pitch at the dedication of Hardy Field in 1964, invitations in the style of a telegram reflecting the archival telegrams on display at the party, and favors including custom-printed stemless wine glasses and custom-molded chocolates.

reUther+Bowen engineering design constrUction services

Reuther+Bowen engineering, design, and construction services announced tom voglino, PE, has joined the firm as a civil engineer. His responsibilities will include

Please see ENGINEERING on next page

Stroudsburg University alumni adam stauffer and gary olson were appointed during the board’s last quarterly meeting held in May 2015. The announcement was made

by ESU Foundation Board chair and alumnus robert willever. Stauffer currently serves as executive director of principal gifts and gift planning at Lafayette College and Olson is the president and CEO of ESSA Bank & Trust.

Their terms run through June 30, 2018. The ESU Foundation provides financial support for ESU and, in particular, its students. The board of directors includes 11 members who serve in support of the organization and its mission.

Members of the board of directors are: robert willever, chairman; John J. sickler, Jr., vice chairman; christopher yeager, secretary pro tem/Alumni Association liaison; robert a. shebelsky, treasurer; Atty. william B. cramer; James evans; marilouise mcnally; Atty. harry f. lee, Council of Trustees liaison; Dr. frank m. Pullo; gary olson; and adam stauffer. leigh smith, ESU associate professor of English serves as a faculty liaison.

Pennsylvania Bankers association

robert J. mancuso, executive vice president and chief information officer of Wayne Bank has been appointed to the Pennsylvania Bankers Association (PA Bankers) Information Technology Committee. The committee communicates information to Pennsylvania Bankers’ members about issues of cyber security, Mancuso technological advancements and information management within the banking industry. The Pennsylvania Bankers Association, located in Harrisburg, is the state’s leading banking trade association representing an expansive and diverse membership.

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PERSONNEL FILE GOVERNMENT Pennsylvania state Police

NEW OFFIcERS: 83 cadets take the State Police oath at the State Police Academy graduation ceremony in Harrisburg.

The Pennsylvania State Police announced that 83 men and women graduated from the State Police Academy and were assigned to troops across the commonwealth. Of interest in northeastern Pennsylvania: Assigned to Troop F, Montoursville: Kurtis s. Benjamin of Mildred, Sullivan County; Ryan P. Gilleran of Susquehanna, Susquehanna County.

Assigned to Troop H, Harrisburg: Jack D. laspee III of Pocono Lake, Monroe County; andrew J. lucas of Muncy, Lycoming County; andrew J. Pflugfelder of Kunkletown, Monroe County; Jacob X. sukal of Sugarloaf, Luzerne County; Brandon M. Welch of Shickshinny, Luzerne County.

Assigned to Troop J, Lancaster: Frank J. Gawel of Old Forge, Lackawanna County; Jordan R. Hoffman of New Ringgold, Schuylkill County; Matthew J. Kenning of Pleasant Mount, Wayne County; Raymond J. suda of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County; Daniel R. thompson of Dingmans Ferry, Pike County.

Assigned to Troop K, Philadelphia: John a. campanella of Pocono Lake, Monroe County; William J. evans iii of Shavertown, Luzerne County; Ricardo iturrey of Tannersville, Monroe County; Benjamin t. Mennig of Minersville, Schuylkill County.

Assigned to Troop M, Bethlehem: David P. cushner of Old Forge, Lackawanna County; lee s. Dudick, Jr., of Pittston, Luzerne County.

toByHanna aRMy DePot

Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack presented the Pennsylvania Meritorious Service Medal to Frank W. Zardecki in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the nation and to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

MERITORIOUS SERVIcE MEDAL: Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Mike Stack (right), presents Frank W. Zardecki, deputy commander of Tobyhanna Army Depot, with the Pennsylvania Meritorious Service Medal. Assisting Stack are Joe Spielbauer (far left), executive director of the Pennsylvania Military community Enhancement commission, and John Wiercinski, commissioner of the Pennsylvania Military community Enhancement commission. U.S. Army photo

FOOD SERVIcE MetZ cUlinaRy ManaGeMent

Chwal

Scott

Petruncio

while serving as the deputy commander of Tobyhanna Army Depot. The award, signed by Gov. Tom Wolf and Major General James R. Joseph, the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, was given during a ceremony in August.

Zardecki has served as deputy commander since 1990.

Under his leadership, Tobyhanna Army Depot has become the largest industrial employer in the region, with an economic impact of $3.4 billion and supports 13,500 jobs throughout northeast Pennsylvania. Zardecki’s leadership has resulted in Tobyhanna’s recognition as the most productive and efficient depot in the Department of the Army.

In addition, his strategic vision for industrial

ENGINEERING & DESIGN (cONT.)

ReUtHeR+BoWen enGineeRinG DesiGn constRUction seRvices (cont.) land development design, planning, and municipal engineering. Voglino has more than seven years of experience in site development, stormwater management, erosion and sediment pollution control. He is currently working on site design for a new 50-acre commercial development in Taylor Borough. Also, Mike Rinaldi, SIT, has joined the firm as a civil engineering technician.

He brings more than nine years of Voglino Rinaldi Shulde professional experience on a variety of commercial and industrial projects.

In addition, anthony shulde, PE, recently passed the exam to become a registered professional engineer. He has been employed by the company since 2012.

48 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B48] | 09/30/15

needs of the customer. His days are spent providing engineering support to the EO/NV commodity, which includes everything from technical assistance on existing programs to capability development for new programs.

For more than half of his 10-year depot career, Petruncio has helped the LRAS3 overhaul program evolve from field-level Reset of sight sensors to a fully-developed overhaul program. Scott quickly adapted to the changing needs of her job when she volunteered to fill in as the Installation Planning and Maintenance Division secretary.

Armed with an effective communication strategy, she was able to meet the needs and demands of over 75 staff members and customer requests.

Also, Robert Kinsey is now chief of the C4ISR Directorate’s Tactical Missile Section. He supervises employees who support the Sidewinder and Maverick Guidance and Control Section repair programs. The work includes electronics, optics and electro/mechanics. Prior to his current position, Kinsey was a work leader in the same section.

He began his depot career in August 2004. Also, John stochla is now chief of the C4ISR Directorate’s Avionics Branch. He supervises more than 100 employees who repair and overhaul avionics equipment for various aircraft platforms. Prior to his current position, Stochla was a section chief in Flight Control and Navigation Systems.

He began his depot career in February 2004. He deployed to Iraq as a member of the Redistribution Property Assistance Team in 2010 and as the Tobyhanna lead on the Jackal Program in 2011. His awards and decorations include the Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, Global War on Terrorism Medal for Civilian Service, two Achievement Medals for Civilian Service and Tobyhanna Army Depot Teamwork Awards, and five Certificates of Lean Accomplishment.

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OCTOBER 2015

Kinsey

Stochla

excellence and modernization have made Tobyhanna the benchmark for innovation throughout the Army.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Systems across the Department of Defense.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he began his depot career in 1966 as an electronics-mechanic helper.

Since 1972, he has held a wide variety of management positions, including first-line supervisor in the Avionics Branch, chief of Production Engineering and deputy director of Maintenance. Zardecki attended Wilkes College and the University of Scranton and is a 1995 graduate of the Senior Executive Fellowship Program, JFK School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge.

Also, challenges and ingenuity paved the way to greatness for three members of Team Tobyhanna.

Michele chwal, Deborah scott and corey Petruncio were named the Tobyhanna Army Depot Employees of the Quarter for the second quarter of 2015. Chwal is an operations assistant in the Installation Services Directorate’s Community Recreation Branch. Her responsibilities include tracking invoices and credits worth nearly $1 million, and overseeing food inventory and supplies required to run the depot’s food services operation. In addition, there are 25 Post Restaurant employees who depend on Chwal’s timekeeping skills to get paid. An electronics engineer, Petruncio was instrumental in developing new electro-optics/night vision (EO/NV) overhaul and repair capabilities that generated revenue while meeting the

Metz Culinary Management has hired catherine Dorian as nutrition director. In this role, she will be responsible for implementing the PrimeroEdge state menu program, training regional managers, and providing wellness education to businesses, colleges and school districts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Dorian plans to incorporate a wider variety of nutrition education programs in the classroom to encourage kids to eat healthy. She plans to introduce healthier food alternatives that consist of fewer additives. She is also responsible for managing state reviews across all school district accounts and will ensure general managers are staying up to date on national school lunch programs and regulations based on USDA guidelines. Prior to her role as nutritional director, Dorian served as a nutrition educator for Metz Culinary Management at the Altoona Area School District and director of Foodservice at South Side Area School District in Hookstown.

Also, Metz Culinary Management has hired Brian Bachman as vice president of purchasing. In this role, the 25-year food-service industry veteran will oversee the purchasing department and be responsible for ensuring compliance company-wide, including school districts, healthcare, higher education, business/industry and restaurant accounts. Bachman plans to continue Metz’s initiatives to provide clients with sustainable products when making purchasing decisions. He also plans to develop new purchasing opportunities and partnerships that will help clients reduce costs and still provide exceptional products. Prior to joining Metz Culinary Management, Bachman served as senior director of food-service operational strategy for Premier Inc. MORE PERSONNEL on next page

PERSONNEL FILE Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn

Atty. richard S. Bishop, a principal at Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn, will be honored by Lackawanna Pro Bono Inc. with its annual Robert W. Munley Distinguished Service Award for helping to provide legal assistance to clients in civil matters who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. Bishop will receive the award at this year’s Lackawanna Bishop Pro Bono Gala, to be held Oct. 22 at the Scranton Cultural Center.

Other recipients of this year’s Munley Award are Dr. Robert Wright and the Women’s Resource Center. Lackawanna Pro Bono is a nonprofit corporation that recruits volunteer attorneys to provide a broad range of free civil legal services to the poor in Lackawanna County. Bishop, who has been a principal of HKQ since 1985, specializes in estate planning and administration, as well as elder law matters, real estate transactions, business transactions and corporate matters for clients in Luzerne, Lackawanna and surrounding counties.

McneeS Wallace & nuricK llc

law; and Steven J. Weingarten, real estate law.

Munley laW

Atty. J. christopher Munley has been named the 2016 Lawyer of the Year in the field of workers’ compensation law in the Allentown metro-area by Best Lawyers in America. Munley, a partner at Munley Law in Scranton, has been representing individuals and families who have suffered due to injury for 21 years. He has been previously JC Munley recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and named among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania by the National Trial Lawyers Association.

In addition, four more members of the Munley firm were listed in the 2016 edition of Best Lawyers in America. robert W. Munley, Marion Munley, Daniel Munley, and robert W. Munley iii have been listed among the nation’s best attorneys in the fields of personal injury litigation, product liability litigation, and workers’ compensation. First published in 1983, Best Lawyers is the oldest peer-review publication in the legal profession. The Best Lawyers lists are based on extensive peer-review surveys, and lawyers are not permitted to pay a fee to be included.

o’Donnell laW officeS

Atty. neil T. o’Donnell of O’Donnell Law Offices was a featured speaker at the Pennsylvania Association for Justice (PAJ) annual meeting.

His topic was “Dram Shop Kaufman Hull Responsibilities to not serve Visibly Intoxicated Individuals.”

PAJ’s mission is to promote a McNees attorneys Donald B. Kaufman and Kandice fair and effective justice system, Kerwin Hull participated in a panel discussion titled “Pre- and to support attorneys as they O’Donnell pare to Be Hacked—A Practical Simulation for Corporate work to ensure that any person Counsel” at the ALFA International 2015 Business Litigainjured by the misconduct or tion Practice Group Seminar, in Chicago in September. negligence of others can obtain justice in Pennsylvania’s This program was designed to help prepare corporate courtrooms. O’Donnell also celebrates his 15th ancounsel in dealing with a data breach. It was centered on niversary of being selected by Martindale-Hubbell for a hypothetical scenario: a fictional company sustains and their highest possible: the AV Preeminent rating. Less must react and respond to a data breach compromising than 1 percent of lawyers have achieved this impresthe company’s employee information, payroll records, sive milestone. The Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent customer records, vendors’ records, and intellectual prop- rating is the highest possible rating for an attorney erty. Attendees who take part in the program will receive for both ethical standards and legal ability. This rating 5.75 general CLE credit hours in the States of Illinois and represents the pinnacle of professional excellence It is California. ALFA International is a premier network of achieved only after an attorney has been reviewed by independent law firms consisting of 150 members firms peers — members of the bar and the judiciary. Lexis/ throughout the world, 80 of which maintain offices in the Nexis Martindale-Hubbell’s Peer Review Rating and United States.

Client Services commented on O’Donnell’s anniversary: Also, 39 McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC attorneys “Being honored by your peers and ultimately selected have been recognized by Best Lawyers in America. Of for the AV Preeminent Rating is a significant achievethe 39 selected, seven have been named 2016 “Lawyers ment for any attorney, only achieved by 5 percent of of the Year’’ by the publication. Since its inception in lawyers. O’Donnell has joined an even more exclusive 1983, Best Lawyers’ peer-nominated lists have been group by maintaining this rating for 15 years. This is an recognized as the most reliable, unbiased source of leachievement worthy of special recognition.” gal referrals in the country. Some of McNees’ attorneys have appeared on the list for more than 20 years. The PiKe counTy Bar aSSociaTion seven McNees attorneys named “Lawyers of the Year’’ The Pike County Bar Association (PCBA) reached out and their respective practice areas are: clayton W. Davidson, bankruptcy & creditor debtor rights; insolvency to the senior citizen community of Pike County through participation in the fifth annual “Senior Expo.” This annual & reorganization law; Bradley J. gunnison, tax law; J. event was held in September at the Fire Department in Paul Helvy, family law; Michael l. Hund, corporate Dingman Township. The Expo, which drew an impressive law; securities / capital markets law; Daniel J. Malpecrowd, is co-hosted by state Rep. Rosemary Brown and zzi, corporate law; Diane M. Tokarsky, construction

PIKE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION SENIOR EXPO: Seen from left are Pike County Commissioner Richard Caridi; Kelly Gaughan, Pike County Bar Association officer; Elizabeth Kameen, Pike County Bar Association president; and state Rep. Michael Peifer (R-Pike); state Rep. Rosemary Brown (r-Monroe); and Pike County Commissioner Matthew Osterberg. state Rep. Rosemary Brown Mike Peifer. PCBA President Elizabeth Erickson Kameen, along with fellow Bar Association officer, Atty. Kelly Gaughan, distributed useful items at the Expo. These items included Bar Association membership directories and reusable shopping totes, as well as wide-grip pens for those senior citizens in attendance. This event was free of charge to all members of the senior citizen community within Pike County.

ScarTelli olSzeWSKi Pc

Scranton and Wilkes-Barre personal injury lawyer Melissa a. Scartelli of Scartelli Olszewski PC presented the civil litigation update portion of the Tort Talk Expo 2015 CLE seminar at Mohegan Sun Casino in WilkesBarre in September. Seminars at the Expo included an auto law/ uim/post-koken update, a civil litigation update, a doctor’s hour Scartelli and a view from the bench hour.

The founder and president of Scartelli Olszewski, Scartelli has represented seriously injured plaintiffs in the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania for more than 20 years. Her areas of practice include automobile accidents, auto defects, construction and workplace accidents, defective drugs and medical devices, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, product liability, and more. She is one of only a few female Pennsylvania attorneys to achieve the exclusive Civil Trial Advocate certification, and is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

THe Perry laW firM

The Perry Law Firm, announced that christian J. owens has joined the firm. He will focus on medical malpractice defense and general liability, representing hospitals, health-care facilities and physicians in Pennsylvania. Owens earned his Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, where he was the recipient of the Wildman-Schumacher Scholarship. He is a member of the Pennsylvania State Bar and the Lackawanna County

Bar Association. Prior to joining The Perry Law Firm, Owens served as a law clerk to the Honorable Margaret Bisignani Moyle in the Lackawanna Court of Common Pleas. He also clerked at the Law Office of James R. Balesh in Los Angeles, California and he externed in the Los Angeles Superior Court and in the Lackawanna Court of Common Please for Judge Thomas Munley.

Owens

WATER INFRASTRUCTURE lB WaTer

LB Water announced that its board of directors has appointed Shawn Pulford as its new chief executive officer. For the last five years, Pulford has served as location manager and senior location manager at LB Water’s Frederick, Maryland location. In his previous 29 years of waterworks industry Pulford experience, he served as territory salesman for Kennedy Valve Co., new product manager and regional sales manager for Mueller Co., and vice president of sales and marketing at A-1 Pipe Inc. Pulford is a graduate of Pennsylvania Military College, now known as Widener University in Chester, with a degree in business administration.

LB Water is a value-added distributor of waterworksinfrastructure products for the Mid-Atlantic region, including water-metering technologies, water infrastructure, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, and environmental—erosion/stabilization.

MORE PERSONNEL on next page

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PERSONNEL FILE REAL ESTATE Better homes and gardens realm estate wilkins & associates

ELECTRIC CITY TOASTMASTER: Contestants, seen from left: Gina Yarrish, Jill Weida, Darlene Murphy, Rachel Murphy, Jennifer Grabow and Sheila Donnelly.

NONPROFITS Brodhead watershed association

Brodhead Watershed Association will honor two Monroe County organizations for “Growing Green” at its annual membership celebration, to be held 6 to 9 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 2, at Northampton Community College (NCC). ncc’s board of trustees will be honored for creating an environmentally responsible Monroe Campus, conserving water with rain gardens and utilizing solar energy. darryl and Jackie speicher will be honored for their 15 years as founders and operators of Pocono Avian Research Center.

The Brodhead Watershed Association is a nonprofit environmental organization formed in 1989. BWA is dedicated to protecting and preserving water resources and the environment of the Brodhead watershed and the water quality of the Brodhead, Cherry, Marshalls, McMichael, Paradise and Pocono creeks and their tributaries.

National Centers for Kids in Crisis; and EIHAB Human Services, Tunkhannock. Her background includes oversight of a variety of social service programs in multi-state locations, including behavioral health-care/counseling, adoption/foster care, and residential and community-based programs for children and youth.

Ciampi

University of scranton small BUsiness develoPment center

Having met the requirements and demonstrated knowledge established by NASBITE International, donna J. simpson has been certified as a certified global financial planner. Simpson electric city toastmasters is consultant manager of The At a recent meeting, the Electric City Toastmasters University of Scranton Small held a club-level Table Topics and Humorous Speech Business Development Center.

Contest. In the Table Topics portion, first place went to Also, business consultants from Jennifer grabow, second place to sheila donnelly, and across the Pennsylvania Small third place to gina yarrish. In the Humorous Speech ConSimpson Business Development Centers test portion, rachael murphy won first place and Jennifer (SBDC) network were selected to Grabow came in second. Toastmasters International is an present during the 35th Annual America’s SBDC Conferorganization that teaches communication and leaderence held in September San Francisco. Of local interest: ship skills. The Electric City Toastmasters club meets on keith yurgosky, business consultant, The University of the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at Allied Scranton SBDC, presented How SBDCs Should Be Using Services, Morgan Highway. Guests are welcome.

Social Media with Kelly Cofrancisco, Pennsylvania SBDC lead office. Also, maureen hauck, assistant director, eotc of nePa Bucknell University SBDC; lisa hall-Zielinski, director, Employment Opportunity & Training Center (EOTC) The University of Scranton SBDC, presented Business of Northeastern Pennsylvania has announced that Continuity & Survival Services with Nicholas Lentz, Lock linda macy ciampi will become the agency’s executive Haven University SBDC and Andrew Reid, U.S. Economic director effective January 2016. Ciampi currently serves Development Administration Representative for Pennsylas EOTC’s operations director responsible for financial, vania and New York Business Incubators: Beyond Silicon human resources, and facility functions. A transition team Valley. In addition, steven stumbris, director, Bucknell composed of agency board members, EOTC founding University SBDC; dennis hummer, business consultant, executive director Dr. Sharon McCrone (who will retire Bucknell University SBDC and Keith Yurgosky, Scranton in January) and Ms. Ciampi will ensure a smooth and SBDC presented Business Incubators: Beyond Silicon coordinated change of leadership. Ciampi has a master’s Valley with Heather McWhorter Fennessey, director, Penn degree from the University of Scranton and advanced State University SBDC; Ernie Post, director, Kutztown coursework in public administration. She has 25 years of University SBDC; Margaret Horne, director, Gannon progressive experience in nonprofit program development, University SBDC; Cynthia Nellis, assistant director, Clarion implementation and administration. Prior to joining EOTC University SBDC. Finally, lisa hall-Zielinski, director, in 2014, she served in senior/executive level positions Scranton SBDC presented Discussion Forum: Submitting with Diakon Lutheran Ministries, Allentown; Kids Peace a Conference Presentation.

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Christine A. Wilkins, executive vice president and general manager, announced the hiring of Beata Jazwiec. Jazweic will work from the BHG campus in Stroudsburg. Jazwiec speaks multiple languages including, Polish, Russian, and some French. She is a graduate of the University of Opole. Also, Better Homes and Gardens Jazwiec Real Estate Wilkins & Associates is hosting a Career Night on Oct. 29 at the BHG Business Campus. Registration is suggested but not required. Featured speakers include Karlton Utter, senior director of learning technologies and solutions and Brett Calltharp, talent attraction director.

Authority. In addition to working on the sales team, he will assist DEPG with development. He received his real estate training at Temple Real Estate Academy.

weichert realtors —acclaim

Weichert Realtors—Acclaim, located in Tannersville, announced rocco giacobbe has joined the office as a sales associate. He is serving property buyers and sellers in Monroe and Lehigh counties. Giacobbe is a member of the Pocono Mountain Association of Realtors. Also, donald Brand has joined the office as a sales associate.

He is serving property buyers and sellers in the Poconos and surrounding areas. He is a member of the Pocono Mountain Association of Realtors. Prior to starting in real estate, Brand worked as an agent with Allied Van Lines.

weichert realtors — rUffino real estate

Weichert Realtors—Ruffino Real Estate, located in Milford and serving the community since 2005, announced eric Pizarro has joined the office as a real legend ProPerties estate agent. He is assisting Legend Properties announced the addition of John property buyers and sellers decusatis to the sales team. He worked for two civil in Pike and Wayne counengineering companies where he specialized in land development and subdivision in the Poconos and suburban ties including the cities of Milford, Shohola, Dingmans Philadelphia markets. He started his own successful Ferry, Lords Valley, Greeley, environmental consulting company and subsequently Pizarro transitioned to a position with Stroud Township after serv- Lackawaxen, Wallenpaupack, Hawley, Mill Rift and ing as a member of the Township Planning Commission.

Westfall. Pizarro is a member of the Pike Wayne Board He served as planning administrator, commercial zoning & codes officer and alternate sewage enforcement officer of Realtors and the Future Business Leaders of America. for Stroud Township in Pennsylvania. He also worked with He is specializing in residential sales and rentals, working with first-time home buyers, and is excited to be part of business owners to coordinate requirements needed to open a business and develop land in Stroud Township. He a company with such a superior internet presence, incredremains an active member of the Stroud Township Sewer ible team support and over 100 years of experience.

Wilkes-Barre Chamber golf tournament winners announced

Seen from left are 2015 Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber Golf Tournament champions: Judge William Amesbury; Will Amesbury; David Jolley; Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber president, Wico van Genderen; and Conrad Schintz.

The team of Judge William Amesbury, Will Amesbury, David Jolley and Conrad Schintz won the 2015 Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber Golf Tournament with a score of 14 under par. A record number of 140 players participated in the tournament at the

Huntsville Golf Club. “In addition to the tremendous day of golf, we were also able to support the chamber and a local nonprofit organization,” said Wico van Genderen, chamber president. “This year, we raised funds for Luzerne County Head Start.”

PERSONNEL FILE HEALTH CARE

Burke

Mon

Brown

Penumetsa

Sumrall

Shea

Kross

Miller

Commonwealth health

Orthopedic surgeon Casey Burke, D.O., was published in the June 2015 edition of the Journal of Hand Surgery. His article, “Therapist-Supervised Hand Therapy Versus Home Therapy With Therapist Instruction Following Distal Radius Fracture,” can be found in Volume 40, Issue 6, pages 1110-1116. Dr. Burke was recently inducted into the American Society of Surgery of the Hand as a full active member. He has an office at 109 Terrace Drive, Olyphant, and is on the medical staffs of Regional Hospital of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Commonwealth Health also said Pyone myat mon, M.D., recently joined Commonwealth Health Physicians Health Alliance to practice internal medicine.

Dr. Mon earned a bachelor of medicine and a bachelor of surgery from the Institute of Medicine, Yanfon, Myanmar, and completed a residency at Coney Island Hospital, Brooklyn, New York. She is a member of the American Medical Association and the Myanmar-American Medical Education Society. Dr. Mon, who is fluent is Mandarin and Burmese, offers same-day and evening appointments.

Physicians Health Alliance, Internal Medicine is located at 821 Ash St., Dunmore. Also, tanveer Gaibi, M.D. FACEP, has joined Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital of Scranton as regional director of emergency medicine. Dr. Gaibi specializes in emergency medicine and was chief of emergency medicine at Northwest Hospital in Maryland since 2008 where he also served as regional medical director of emergency care. He earned his medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse. Dr. Gaibi completed a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Maryland Medical System and also studied at the Johns Hopkins Business of Medicine Graduate Certificate Program. In addition, michael Brown, M.D., who specializes in family medicine and geriatric medicine, has joined the staff of Commonwealth Health Tyler Memorial Hospital. Dr. Brown graduated from Drexel University College of Medicine. He completed a residency at DeWitt Army Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a member of the American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians and Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians. Finally, gastroenterologist Karthik Penumetsa, M.D., has joined the medical staff at Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Dr. Penumetsa is board-certified in internal medicine, and certified in radio-frequency to treat Barrett’s Disease. He also has undergone advanced training in endoscopic mucosal resection. Dr. Penumetsa earned a medical degree from St. Matthew’s University, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. He completed a three-year residency at West Virginia University School of Medicine.

He served as chief medical resident of West Virginia University School of Medical, Veterans Memorial Hospital and recently completed a two-year gastroenterology fellowship at West Virginia School of Medicine. His office is located at 610 Wyoming Avenue, Kingston.

FitzPatrick

Stopper

Geyfman

Dzwonczyk

Denis

Also, Patricia Sumrall was recently named director of materials management at Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Sumrall, who is originally from Rockaway Beach, N.Y., has worked in the materials management field for 25 years.

In addition, James Shea has been named practice manMoore ager of Wilkes-Barre Academic From left: DAISY Award recipients Emily Medicine, an affiliate of ComDudkin, RN; Robin Hammer, RN and Kasey monwealth Health. Shea, who began his career in health care as a certified athletic trainer, has worked with student Cihanowyz, LPN. athletes on the high school and college levels throughout Wyoming Valley. He has held management positions in health-care background, having earned a master of scisports medicine and orthopedics. ence degree with a major in health services administration Finally, Commonwealth Health has named ted Kross from Mississippi College in 2004. to serve as director of the emergency department at Tyler Memorial Hospital. Kross has extensive background in GeiSinGer-Community mediCal Center health care and most recently was the director of Wilkeserin e. miller, D.O. recently joined Geisinger-ComBarre City Health Department for more than seven years. munity Medical Center (G-CMC) as a general surgeon. Dr. A graduate of the Pittston Hospital School of Nursing, he earned a master of science degree in health care adminis- Miller earned her medical degree from the Philadelphia tration from King’s College. He serves as an instructor for College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, in 2010.

She completed her residency at Geisinger Wyoming advanced cardiovascular life support, pediatric advanced Valley, Wilkes-Barre, in 2015. In 2014 she was named life support and international trauma life support.

Resident of the Year. Dr. Miller is a member of the American Osteopathic Association and the American College of Great Valley CardioloGy Osteopathic Surgeons. Dr. Miller joins ricky P. Clay, Jr., Great Valley Cardiology, a Commonwealth Health M.D., as part of the surgical team under the direction of physician network, has opened an office at 677 Roosevelt timothy J. Farrell, M.D., F.A.C.S., G-CMC’s director of Highway, Waymart. Office hours at the Wayne County surgery. The team will perform surgeries in the hospital’s location are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. new 14-room, state-of-the-art operating suite, which feaCardiologists who will see patients at the new location tures advanced surgical technology and equipment. The are: w. david FitzPatrick, M.D.; matthew Stopper, M.D.; operating suite includes a Hybrid OR, which combines a Vitaly Geyfman, D.O.; thomas dzwonczyk, M.D.; and traditional surgery suite with precise imaging capabilities leonard denis, M.D. They are all members of the medical for complex surgical procedures. G-CMC’s surgical team staff at Regional Hospital of Scranton. Appointments may sees patients in the new Multi-Specialty Clinics located off be made by call 570-488-9930. the G-CMC main lobby. To schedule an appointment, call In additon, Kelly moore, chief operating officer at 570-703-4824 or visit www.geisinger.org.

Great Valley Cardiology, Scranton, an affiliate of Commonwealth health, has been selected as Master of Health PoCono mediCal Center Services Administration Distinguished Alumna of the Pocono Medical Center introduces two new physiYear by Mississippi College. Moore has an extensive cians, Victor Catania, M.D. and allison Froehlich, M.D.,

Froehlich

Catania

to its widely-expanding team of physicians. Pocono Medical Center is devoted to building a diverse, highly-trained team of physicians who can offer extensive care to the community. New Jersey native and alumna of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Dr. Froehlich completed a three-year internal medicine residency at Georgetown University Hospital, then a two-year fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System in the endocrine program. Recipient of multiple awards, including an internal medicine scholarship for elective study at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Froehlich brings experience to her practice backed by years of research, publication, and a multitude of accolades. Dr. Froehlich is a practicing physician in endocrinology at Pocono Medical Center’s Bartonsville Healthcare Center. Victor Catania joins Pocono Medical Center as a family medicine physician practicing at Pocono Medical Center’s Mountain Healthcare Center in Tobyhanna. Dr. Catania receiving his doctor of medicine degree at Medical University of the Americas in 2012, Catania served three consecutive stints as a teaching assistant in neuro-anatomy, physical diagnosis and pharmacology. As a family care provider, Dr. Catania looks to serve the entire community and help patients to health through proper wellness education.

SuSquehanna health

Three Susquehanna Health nurses were recently recognized as recipients of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. emily dudkin, nurse with Susquehanna Health Home Care & Hospice, was selected after being nominated by a patient who wrote, “Following surgery I was in a lot of pain and unsure how to take care of myself.

Emily was very attentive to my needs and conducted herself with such compassion when providing my care . . . she is a very special person and an exemplary nurse.” robin hammer, nurse at the Emergency Department at Williamsport Regional Medical Center, was selected after being nominated by a patient’s family member who said, “My daughter was very sick and we rushed her to the emergency department. Robin was our nurse and immediately noticed how scared my daughter was because of all that she was going through . . . she even gave my daughter’s teddy bear an IV when my daughter required one so that she would not have to go through it alone. She is an extraordinary nurse . . .” Kasey Cihanowyz, nurse at the Medical/Surgical Unit at Muncy Valley Hospital, was selected after being nominated by a patient, who said, “When I was admitted to the hospital my condition called for me to be in a chair rather than a bed. When Kasey was making her rounds, she noticed how uncomfortable I was and took the time to help me get comfortable by providing me with pillows, sheets and blankets . . . I am thankful for everything that she did for me.” A nurse from each Lycoming County Susquehanna Health campus is selected every quarter. Anyone may nominate a nurse for a DAISY award — a coworker, patient, patient’s family or physician.

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PERSONNEL FILE semester. The class will include a “Model UN” session at the United Nations in New York. He will also teach a course on globalization and the future of terrorism and will be an active participant in the history, political science, and sociology departments. He will also deliver public lectures at King’s and regional institutions. The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program brings scholars and professionals from abroad to U.S. colleges and universities to significantly internationalize campuses and curricula.

Patricia Pinciotti and Elizabeth Buzelli-Clarke

HIGHER ED east stroudsburg university

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania presented its annual Distinguished Professor Awards to Patricia Pinciotti, Ph.D., professor of early childhood and elementary education, and elizabeth buzzelli-clarke, Ed.D., associate professor of theatre, during a recent all-university meeting. A member of the early childhood and elementary education department since 1985, Dr. Pinciotti served as chair of the department, faculty member and special assistant to the dean primarily steering the Elementary Education Professional Development School (PDS) fieldwork and program. Dr. Pinciotti also provided leadership for the National Council Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditations and established partnerships and provided leadership in her areas of expertise with educational institutions throughout the area. Dr. BuzzelliClarke served the university for many years. She began her career at ESU in 1980 as the associate director of financial aid and coordinator of veteran affairs. She then assumed the position of university registrar from 19862001. Recognizing her music education background, the music department requested that Dr. Buzzelli-Clarke serve as a temporary faculty member. In 2001, she accepted a full-time teaching position in the music department.

She became chair of the department in 2005, a position she held for more than a decade. In her time as a faculty member, Dr. Buzzelli-Clarke founded and directed the ESU University/Community Orchestra. Thirty-five professors have received the Distinguished Professor honors since the award was established in 2000.

King’s college

King’s College is hosting a visiting scholar through the prestigious Fulbright Scholar-inResidence Program during the current academic year. Dr. Pankaj chakraborty is a renowned professor in political theory, Indian and western political thought, public administration, and human rights. Chakraborty is an assistant professor and Chakraborty chair of the Department of Political Science at Holy Cross College, Agartala, Tripura. He has edited three books and published several articles in various journals and edited collections. During the nine-month Fulbright Scholars–in– Residence appointment at King’s, Chakraborty will teach classes, including team-teaching a new course titled, “The Discovery of India,” during the fall semester. He will teach “The Politics of the United Nations” during the spring

Liu

Rafter

Thomas

Birute Williams

Also, King’s College announced four one-year fulltime faculty appointments for the 2015-16 academic year.

Dr. yang liu is an instructor of chemistry. He previously was an assistant research professor and adjunct professor at Wilkes University, a visiting scientist at The Commonwealth Medical College, and a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Jamie rafter is a visiting assistant professor of biology.

She earned her doctorate in biological and environmental science from the University of Rhode Island, where she served as an instructor and teaching assistant. A King’s graduate and the college’s financial project manager, robert J. thomas, CPA, will serve as assistant technical professor of accounting. He previously worked as controller at Alvernia University, King’s, and Lackawanna Junior College. Dr. birute Williams will serve as instructor of chemistry. She was awarded the Adjunct Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award at King’s in 2013 and previously taught at Misericordia University, Juniata College, Montana State, and Vilnius University in Lithuania, where she earned her doctorate in organic chemistry.

misericordia university

Nickel

matthew nickel, Ph.D., assistant professor of English at Misericordia University, was selected as one

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Pellegrini

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of 10 semi-finalists in the 2015 Negative Capability Press Book Competition. As a semi-finalist, his life and work were profiled in an online feature of the publishing house based in Mobile, Alabama. \Negative Capability Press was established 1981 and publishes books of poetry, fiction and nonfiction.

Black Also, larry Pellegrini, director of Corporate, Government and Foundation Relations at Misericordia University, recently completed the two-week Institute for Management and Leadership in Education program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. The competitive program is designed for experienced administrators who are responsible for thinking strategically about their college or university’s change agendas. In addition, Jennifer black, Ph.D., assistant professor of history and government at Misericordia University, recently wrote an article, “Investing in Public History Students,’’ for Public History Commons (publichistorycommons.org), a project of the National Council on Public History, that outlined her successful Summer Research Fellowship Program project that was completed with the Greater Pittston Historical Society (GPHS). Dr. Black’s article showcased the project, which was completed by six Misericordia University students and the importance of engaging students in “educationally rich internships.’’

Pennsylvania college of technology

Butzler

Bahl

Kelly b. butzler, associate professor of chemistry at Pennsylvania College of Technology, presented at the 12th annual Teaching Professor Technology Conference, held recently in Atlanta. Her presentation topic was Take Note!

The Synergistic Effects of Metacognition and the Flipped Classroom. Butzler is an avid educational advocate for “flipped classrooms,” a blended learning approach to standard classrooms. Flipped classrooms move lectures online — outside of class — and move assignments into the classroom, where teachers can provide guidance and answer questions. Butzler introduced self-regulated learning tools into her flipped classrooms to help students learn to reflect on their thinking processes. vinay bahl, associate professor of sociology at Pennsylvania College of Technology, has been invited by the State University of New York Press to review and evaluate a book manuscript for possible publication. The manuscript deals with informal workers in India and their struggles. Bahl says informal workers comprise the majority of India’s labor force. They are unorganized laborers working in the unlicensed sector or households, as well as workers in the formal sector without any employment and social security benefits provided by employers. Bahl authored a book titled “The Making of the Indian Working Class: The Case of the Tata Iron and Steel Co., 18801946.” The book was published in 1998 by the Johns Hopkins University Press and the Society for the History

of Technology, and it was featured in the Social Scientist, a New Delhi-based journal.

Penn state haZleton

Huck

Gutierrez

Penn State Hazleton names new faculty members garrett huck and daniel gutierrez and have been appointed as faculty members at Penn State Hazleton, Chancellor Gary M. Lawler announced. Huck, BS, MS, Ph.D., who will also teach at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, has been named assistant professor of rehabilitation and human services. Gutierrez, BA, MA, MA, has been named instructor in the administration of justice program. Huck will teach a variety of classes in rehabilitation and human services at Penn State Hazleton and Penn State WilkesBarre, including one course that is taught at Penn State Hazleton and streamed to the Wilkes-Barre campus. Huck holds a master of science degree in rehabilitation psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a doctorate in rehabilitation psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Gutierrez holds a master of arts degree in criminal justice from Saginaw Valley State University and a master of arts degree in sociological practice from Indiana University. Before coming to Penn State, he taught and developed traditional, hybrid and online courses at several other universities. He will teach classes in administration of justice and will also work with internship students, including advising students with regard to their experiences and visiting potential internship sites. Gutierrez grew up as a migrant worker and realized at the age of 21 that to advance, he would need to get an education or get involved in crime. Recognizing the lifelong value of education, he served in the Army for two years and was able to fund his undergraduate college education through the GI Bill.

Penn state WilKes-barre

Chancellor Charles Davis and Albert Lozano-Nieto, director of academic affairs announced the addition of new faculty to Penn State Wilkes-Barre for the 2015-2016 academic year. dr. garrett huck joins Penn State Wilkes and Penn State Hazleton as an assistant professor of rehabilitation and human services in the first shared faculty position between these two campuses. dr. violet mager joins Penn State Wilkes-Barre as an assistant professor of astronomy and physics. Mager received her Ph.D. and masters of science in physics from the Arizona State University. Prior to joining Penn State, Mager was a faculty member in the Department of Physics at Susquehanna University. dr. esra tekdal joins Penn State Wilkes-Barre as an assistant professor of engineering, with teaching responsibilities in the Surveying programs. Tekdal received a Ph.D. in geomatics engineering and a masters of science degree in geomatics engineering from the Istanbul Technical University in Istanbul, Turkey. Tekdal has been working as a research assistant and faculty member in the Civil Engineering Department at the Istanbul Technical University. Also, Chancellor Davis announced the addition Please see HIGHER ED on next page

PERSONNEL FILE HIGHER ED Penn state WilKes-barre (cont.)

Wanda ochei, director of student services and engagement (DSSE), to the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Campus Leadership. In her role as DSSE, Ochei will be responsible for crafting a vibrant co-curricular learning environment for campus students.

Through varied programming, Ochei and her staff will create opportunities for students to hone Ochei leadership, project management, and teamwork skills. Ochei also worked as the chief judicial affairs officer at Cleveland State University and has held other positions related to compliance management and customer service in both the public and private sectors. She also has volunteered with The Monroe County United Way on the funds distribution committee and has served as a charter member of the Bushkill Kiwanis Club. the commonWealth medical college

Lucchesi

Meholic

The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) has named Pamela lucchesi, Ph.D., FAHA, as its new chair of basic sciences and professor of physiology. She brings to TCMC an extensive background in research, education and curriculum development. Dr. Lucchesi began her position on Aug. 17. Dr. Lucchesi will be involved in developing opportunities for translational research programs that will result in improved patient care. Prior to arriving at TCMC, Dr. Lucchesi served for seven years as center director and professor of pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Ohio State University. Before that, she was professor of pharmacology at Louisiana State University.

Dr. Lucchesi has had 30 years of NIH-funded research in cardiovascular disease and twenty-five years of experience as a medical student educator. She is an expert in coronary artery disease and heart failure and is a fellow of the American Heart Association. Dr. Lucchesi is the author of ninety scholarly publications and five book chapters.

She has chaired several study peer review panels at the NIH and is an associate editor of Physiology. She earned a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. TCMC announces new Director of Project Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Also, TCMC has named christine meholic as its new director of project planning and institutional effectiveness.

She brings to TCMC 30 years of experience in higher education, consulting and government service. Meholic began her position on Sept. 8. In her new position, she will be responsible for planning and implementing a portfolio of projects, working collaboratively with and reporting to the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and

Planning. Meholic was certified as a project management professional (PMP) in 2001. She has extensive experience leading complex, enterprise-wide projects across institutions and state governments. Prior to arriving at TCMC, Meholic was employed by Ellucian Inc. as a management consultant, serving colleges and universities across the country.

university of scranton

The University of Scranton granted promotions or tenure to 26 faculty members effective at the start of the 2015-2016 academic year. Six faculty members have been promoted to professor: daniel haggerty, Ph.D., philosophy; tata mbugua, Ph.D., education; James roberts, Ph.D., sociology and criminal justice; robert smith, Ph.D., biology; Patrick tully, Ph.D., philosophy; and Kevin Wilkerson, Ph.D., counseling and human services. Eight faculty members have been named associate professor: barbara buxton, Ph.D., nursing; Patrick clark, Ph.D., theology and religious studies; Paul cutrufello, Ph.D., exercise science and sport; andrew laZella, Ph.D., philosophy; michelle mchugh, library; matthew meyer, Ph.D., philosophy; Kimberly subasic, Ph.D., nursing; and ileana szymanski, Ph.D., philosophy.

The following three faculty members have been granted tenure and named associate professor: douglas boyle, Ph.D., accounting; yamile silva, Ph.D., world languages and cultures; and robert Willenbrink, Ph.D., English and theatre. Tenure has been granted to the following nine faculty members: george aulisio, library; sean brennan, Ph.D., history; Will cohen, Ph.D., theology and religious studies; howard fisher, Ph.D., communication; teresa grettano, Ph.D., English and theatre; christian Krokus, Ph.D., theology and religious studies; barry Kuhle, Ph.D., psychology; stacy smulowitz, Ph.D., communication; and donna Witek, library.

Also, University of Scranton professor danielle arigo, Ph.D., was among just 12 applicants in the nation accepted to participate in the National Institutes of Health’s esteemed Program to Increase Diversity Among Individuals Engaged in Cardiovascular Health-Related Research (PRIDE) in 2015.

Arigo Intended to promote diversity among cardiovascular health researchers, the competitive program trains and mentors junior faculty members from groups that are underrepresented in the sciences. PRIDE is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which funds research projects and programs related to cardiovascular health. The year-long program consists of a 2015 summer institute, including workshops that cover topics such as research design, biological and behavioral aspects of cardiovascular health research, statistical methods and grant writing. Additionally, accepted faculty members will receive training webinars each month, attend the American Heart Association Conference in November 2015, attend the NHLBI annual meeting in April 2016, and participate in a mock grant review next summer. Dr. Arigo joined the faculty at The University of Scranton in 2014 as an assistant professor of psychology.

Dr. Arigo also is a licensed psychologist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

WilKes university

Wilkes University Provost Anne Skleder has announced the appointment of new deans to lead the colleges of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and

Hudson

Riggs

Science and Engineering and the schools of Education and Nursing. William b. hudson has been named dean of the College of Science and Engineering. Hudson will lead academic programs that include aerospace studies, biology and health sciences, chemistry, biochemistry, electrical engineering, physics, environmental engineering, earth sciences, mathematics, computer science, mechanical engineering, engineering management and environmental sciences and sustainability. Previously, Hudson was professor of electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and served in a variety of administrative roles, including department chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Technology at Minnesota State University, Mankato and dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science at University of Wisconsin-Platteville. His industry experience includes serving as principal network design engineer at Sprint. Hudson was a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, New Mexico State University, Kansas State University and Minnesota State University, Mankato, and also conducted research. His most recent research focused on human performance related to law enforcement efforts. He holds three patents and has won grants totaling more than $500,000 from funding agencies that include the National Science Foundation, National Academy of Science, BioServ and from companies in the private sector.

Paul riggs has been named dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Wilkes University. Riggs will lead programs that include the behavioral and social sciences, global history and languages, integrative media and art, communication studies, humanities and the performing arts. Previously, Riggs was interim associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and department head and professor of history at Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia.

Prior professional positions include department head and associate professor of history, department head and assistant professor of history, and temporary assistant professor of history at Valdosta State University. He also served as executive assistant to the president, secretary of the college, assistant dean of the college, and assistant to the Office of Academic Affairs at Dickinson College, Carlisle; and academic advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences at University of Pittsburgh. He has authored or co-authored articles in peer-reviewed journals; written reviews, abstracts, and an annotated bibliography; and delivered numerous paper and scholarly presentations nationwide and in the United Kingdom. He has served on multiple volunteer and professional committees and as a manuscript reviewer, historical consultant, grant reviewer, and panel chairperson. He has received two pre-doctoral fellowships and numerous research and travel grants. Notably, he was co-principal investigator on a three-year U.S. Department of Education grant totaling nearly $1 million under the Teaching American History program. rhonda m. rabbitt has been named dean of the School of Education. Rabbitt will lead programs that include elementary and early childhood education, middle

Rabbitt

Zbegner

level education, a major and minor in secondary education, special education certification, and master and doctoral degree programs, domestically and internationally.

Previously, Rabbitt served as assistant dean and director of Graduate Programs in Education at Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wisconsin. There she oversaw 17 graduate licensure, endorsement and degree programs across Wisconsin and Iowa. She coordinated and co-authored for submission data and accreditation reports. She was also a regional development outreach specialist and interim director of the Master of EducationProfessional Development program at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Faculty appointments and teaching positions include assistant professor in the School of Education at Viterbo University; adjunct faculty member at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse; team teaching lecturer at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Minneapolis campus; and high school Spanish teacher. She is the author of six publications regarding education, action research, and continuous improvement and has delivered research presentations at conferences internationally. She serves as judge for International Team Excellence Awards and Education Team Excellence Recognition. Rabbitt is the recipient of four grants specific to education. She has served as a peer reviewer for numerous professional associations, served as president of the Wisconsin Independent Colleges of Teacher Education; and has served on various state-level education and university committees, councils, and task forces. She also has volunteered her time and expertise to support school districts and teachers to meet state-required teacher professional development plan requirements. deborah Zbegner has been named dean of the Wilkes University School of Nursing. Prior to her appointment, Zbegner had served as interim dean for the school since August 2014. She will lead the school’s undergraduate program leading to the bachelor of science degree in nursing and graduate programs that include programs offering master’s degrees in nursing education and nurse executive; two programs that offer the nurse practitioner certification with specializations in adult gerontology primary care or psychiatric/mental health; and for the doctor of nursing practice degree. As interim dean, Zbegner developed a strategic plan for the school and, working with a marketing firm, developed online programs for nurse executive and nursing education master’s degrees that are being marketed on the national level. Prior to serving as interim dean, Zbegner was director of the School of Nursing’s graduate programs, where she co-developed Wilkes’ doctor of nursing practice program, earning Pennsylvania Department of Education and Middle States accreditation for the program. Zbegner joined the Wilkes nursing faculty as assistant professor in 1993 and was promoted to associate professor in 2003. She holds national board certification as a women’s health nurse practitioner and is certified in reproductive endocrinology/infertility and obstetric/gynecology ultrasound. She maintains a clinical practice as a women’s health nurse practitioner with Valley Gynecology Associates in Luzerne.

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15:48 | ZYGMUNTLIZ

DEEDS — continued from page 46 My Federal Prison Consultant LLC. Property location: Delaware Township. Seller: Roy B. Hull. Price: $135,000.

110 St Marks LLC. Property location: Lehman Township. Seller: Natalia Velikoselskiy. Price: $80,000.

Matamoras Rod and Gun Club Inc. Property location: Westfall Township. Seller: Arnold W. Vealey, Jr.; Pamela Vealey. Price: $35,000.

First Impression Construction LLC. Property location: Greene Township. Seller: Joseph A. Dotter; Larry C. Dotter. Price: $30,000.

The Escape Property Owners Association. Property location: Palmyra Township. Seller: Richard Heffernan.

Price: $23,000.

Twenty Two Thirty LLC. Property location: Palmyra Township. Seller: Mountain Bay Air Park Inc. Price: $10,000.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

PA CVS Pharmacy LLC. Property location: Pottsville. Seller: PA CVS Deed of Consolidation. Price: $843,137.40.

Professional Investors Group LLC. Property location: West Brunswick Township. Seller: Sharif Ahmed.

Amount: $137,000.

632 Bainbridge Street LLC. Seller: Barbara Jo Bohnen. Property location: Orwigsburg. Amount: $120,000.

LA Investments LLC. Property location: Kline Township. Seller: LA Commercial Services LLC. Price: $43,500.

Blackstone Funding LLC. Property location: Reilley Township. Seller: Watermelon Realty LLC and Paul S. and Tom Lucas. Price: $20,000.

FOR THE RECORD WAYNE COUNTY

Encore Outdoor 590 LLC. Property location: Salem Township. Seller: Sonya S. Zacker vir. Price: $143,000.

KDG Real Estate LP. Property location: Waymart.

Seller: Michael J Farley ux. Price: $60,000.

L&M Enterprises Inc. Property location: Dreher Township. Seller: Colgate-Rochester Divinity School. Price: $100.

WYOMING COUNTY

Pristine Vision LLC. Property location: Tunkhannock Borough. Seller: William E. McDonough; Rexana L. McDonough. Price: $250,000.

WLR Family Limited Partnership. Property location: Clinton Township. Seller: Wendy Vail Konopka; Brian Konopka. Price: $142,500.

LH Properties Inc. Property location: Falls Township.

Seller: CL Properties Inc. Price: $138,000.

Hand Break Holdings LLC. Property location: Tunkhannock Borough. Seller: Vivienne Cheyenne Cashin.

Price: $125,000.

Liberties North LLC. Property location: Nicholson Township. Seller: James M. Olivo; Joann Olivo. Price: $54,472.

Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater Inc. Property location: Clinton Township. Seller: Loren K. Dixon. Price: $34,355.

Aqua Pennsylvania Inc. Property location: Clinton Township. Seller: Loren K. Dixon. Price: $25,000.

MORTGAGES COLUMBIA COUNTY

Home Sweet Home by Denise. Property Location:

Berwick. Lender: Rehab Financial Group LP. Amount: $75,700.

CRT Enterprises LLC. Property Location: Catawissa.

Lender: First Columbia Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $89,200.

Jack Holding Corp. Property Location: Bloomsburg.

Lender: First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $30,000.

MJ Real Estate Holdings LLC. Property Location: Hemlock Township. Lender: Debra T., Paul H., and Matthew E. Gilbert. Amount: $650,000.

MGB Realty Inc. Property Location: Bloomsburg.

Lender: FNB Bank N.A. Amount: $72,000.

Reliable Apartments LLC. Property Location: Bloomsburg. Lender: FNB Bank N.A. Amount: $600,000.

Marr Development Fairview LLC. Property Location: Berwick. Lender: First Columbia Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $225,000.

Columbia County Housing Corporation. Property Location: Berwick. Lender; First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $432,000.

Columbia County Housing Corporation. Property Location: Berwick. Lender; First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $54,400.

Empire Columbia LP. Property Location: Hemlock Township. Lender: American Bank. Amount: $950,000 and $250,000.

Berwick Area Swimming Pool Inc. Property Location: Briarcreek. Lender: First Keystone Community Bank.

Amount: $435,000.

Columbia County Housing Corporation. Property Location: Bloomsburg. Lender: FNB Bank N.A. Amount: $92,000.

K&S Realty LLC. Property Location: Scott Town-

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Pennsylvania Counties of Interest Include: • Bradford, Bucks, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna,Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, Wyoming PLEASE CONTACT Abbie Muto muto_a@sdepa.com Cheryl Green green_c@sdepa.com (610) 366-8120 • www.sdepa.com

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54 NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS JOURNAL TS_CNG/NPBJ/PAGES [B54] | 09/30/15

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OCTOBER 2015

ship. Lender: First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $117,094.

Briar Heights Inc. Property Location: Briarcreek.

Lender: First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $995,000.

Hillside Village Investors LLC. Property Location: Catawissa. Lender: California United Bank. Amount: $1,950,000.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY

LWA Associates LP. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: US Bank National Association. Amount: $9,100,000.

Thomson 1 LLC. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Lender: First National Community Bank. Amount: $6,000,000.

Thomson 1 LLC. Property location: Throop Borough.

Lender: First National Community Bank. Amount: $6,000,000.

Birchwood Tennis & Fitness Club LLC. Property location: South Abington Township. Lender: Peoples Neighborhood Bank. Amount: $2,200,000.

Madison & Vine Associates LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: Landmark Community Bank.

Amount: $750,000.

Rosebrier Inc. Property location: Dunmore Borough.

Lender: Landmark Community Bank. Amount: $750,000.

Madison & Vine Associates LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: Landmark Community Bank.

Amount: $725,000.

Rosebrier Inc. Property location: Dunmore Borough.

Lender: Landmark Community Bank. Amount: $725,000.

JB Real Estate Development Group. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Lender: Landmark Community Bank. Amount: $725,000.

Raymond Llewellyn Realty LLP. Property location: Taylor Borough. Lender: Peoples Neighborhood Bank.

Amount: $580,000.

JB Real Estate Development Group. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Lender: Landmark Community Bank. Amount: $500,000.

Madison & Vine Associates LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: Landmark Community Bank.

Amount: $500,000.

William K. Nasser Jr Ptnr. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Lender: Landmark Community Bank.

Amount: $500,000.

Rosebrier Inc. Property location: Dunmore Borough.

Lender: Landmark Community Bank. Amount: $500,000.

Union Car Wash LLC. Property location: Taylor Borough. Lender: Penn Security Bank & Trust Co. $499,500.

KenMarq LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: Penn Security Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $360,500.

LG II Enterprises Inc. Property location: Dunmore Borough. Lender: Penn Security Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $329,000.

LG II Enterprises Inc. Property location: Throop Borough. Lender: Penn Security Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $329,000.

R&K Realty Inc. Property location: Mayfield Borough.

Lender: Wayne Bank. $275,000.

Young Men’s Christian Association of Scranton.

Property location: Dunmore Borough. Lender: Penn Security Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $250,000.

926 Madison LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: Landmark Community Bank. Amount: $245,000.

438 Quincy LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: Provident Bank. Amount: $206,250.

415 N Webster LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: Provident Bank. Amount: $195,000.

Please see MORTGAGES on next page

FOR THE RECORD MORTGAGES —continued from previous page JBAS Realty LLC. Property location: Moscow Borough. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $100,000.

JBAS Realty LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $100,000.

M C G Rentals LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: Penn East Federal Credit Union. Amount: $57,000.

DDRC Realty Co. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $55,000.

TRJ Realty LLC. Property location: Scranton City.

Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank. Amount: $51,200.

Maple Leaf Village Inc. Property location: Old Forge Borough. Lender: Community Bank. Amount: $50,000.

Elite Property Group LLC. Property location: Scranton City. Lender: P&G Mehoopany Employee Federal Credit Union. Amount: $30,000.

LUZERNE COUNTY

T14 Unison Site Management LLC. Property location: Plymouth Borough. Lender: Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, trustee. Amount: $650,000,000.

RRI IV LLC. Property location: Plains Township.

Lender: Bank of America. Amount: $130,000,000.

New Marion Associates LP; New Marion GP LLC, general partner. Property location: Hanover Township.

Lender: Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC. Amount: $9,970,000.

KT Holdings Inc. Property location: Wright Township. Lender: Landmark Community Bank. Amount: $3,550,000.

Millennium Holdings Limited Partnership; Steven P. Ubaldini, general partner. Property location: Sugarloaf Township. Lender: First National Community Bank.

Amount: $2,800,000.

Wombley LLC. Property location: Forty Fort Borough.

Lender: M&T Bank. Amount: $2,700,000.

Pittston City Redevelopment Authority. Property location: Pittston City. Lender: Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank. Amount: $1,300,000.

Siegel Associates LLC. Property location: Dallas Borough. Lender: Luzerne Bank. Amount: $1,092,000.

Siegel Associates LLC. Property location: Luzerne Borough. Lender: Luzerne Bank. Amount: $1,092,000.

Kidder Street Development LLC. Property location: Wilkes-Barre City. Lender: Keybank. Amount: $995,500.

Lagana Enterprises Inc. Property location: Butler Township. Lender: Maple Bridge Funding LLC. Amount: $800,000.

MDM South River LLC. Property location: Plains Township. Lender: First National Bank of Pennsylvania.

Amount: $740,000.

Moto Enterprises LLC. Property location: Franklin Township. Lender: Cross Valley Federal Credit Union.

Amount: $620,800.

CCJ Ventures LLC. Property location: Yatesville Borough. Lender: First National Bank of Pennsylvania.

Amount: $541,000.

ME 5 Cents LLC. Property location: Hanover Township. Lender: First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $441,674.13.

D&D Alleghany LLC. Property location: Wilkes-Barre City. Lender: Blue River Alleghany Fund LLC. Amount: $400,000.

Lagana Properties LLC, general partner; Lagana Properties lll LP. Property location: Hazle Township.

Lender: Maple Bridge Funding LLC. Amount: $400,000.

JP Holdings Group LLC. Property location: Hazleton City. Lender: First National Community Bank. Amount: $320,000.

Burgette Excavation LLC. Property location: Pittston Township. Lender: Robert J. and Patricia Trapper.

Amount: $300,000.

ME 5 Cents LLC. Property location: Hanover Township. Lender: First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $265,004.47.

Christa Ann Properties LLC. Property location: Plymouth Borough. Lender: Luzerne Bank. Amount: $249,000.

Burgette Excavation LLC. Property location: Pittston Township. Lender: Mark D. Stivala. Amount: $200,000.

Northeast Restaurant Group Inc. Property location: Wilkes-Barre City. Lender: M&T Bank. Amount: $200,000.

MONROE COUNTY

RKE Properties LLC. Property location: Coolbaugh Township. Lender: Peoples Security Bank and Trust Co. Amount: $187,500.

Pocono Senior Housing LLC. Property location: East Stroudsburg. Lender: Community & Southern Bank.

Amount: $6,525,000.

Good as New Ventures LLC. Property location: Stroud Township. Lender: Genesis Capital Master Fund II LLC. Amount: $122,250.

Good as New Ventures LLC. Property location: Paradise Township. Lender: Genesis Capital Master Fund II LLC. Amount: $52,575.

Good as New Ventures LLC. Property location: Chestnuthill Township. Lender: American Bank. Amount: $1,000,000.

Good as New Ventures LLC. Property location: East Stroudsburg. Lender: American Bank. Amount: $1,000,000.

R Family Unit LLC. Property location: Smithfield Township. Lender: Univest Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $575,000.

Lot Holding Company LLC. Property location: Stroudsburg. Lender: ESSA Bank & Trust. Amount: $142,500.

Pocono Treehouse LP, Pocono Treehouse Management Inc. (gen. partner). Property location: Chestnuthill Township. Lender: Frank Colangelo. Amount: $150,000.

MVM Residential Services LLC. Property location: Hamilton Township. Lender: First Northern Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $59,000.

Mid-Atlantic Acquisitions Inc. Property location: Stroud Township. Lender: Paul Young. Amount: $100,000.

Kohler Real Estate LLC. Property location: Barrett Township. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $196,000.

Tobey Development Partners LLC. Property location: Stroud Township. Lender: Nicholas Clamis and Stelios Papantoniou. Amount: $1,400,000.

RML Land Investments LLC. Property location: Delaware Water Gap. Lender: Valor Federal Credit Union.

Amount: $270,000 and $150,000.

X50 LLC. Property location: Hamilton Township.

Lender: Angela Young. Amount: $155,000.

1723 West Main Street LP, J&R Property Investment LLC (gen. partner). Property location: Hamilton Township. Lender: First Keystone Community Bank. Amount: $80,000.

Pocono Lane Properties LLC. Property location: Pocono Township. Lender: ESSA Bank & Trust. Amount: $120,000.

Southern Specialty Properties LLC. Property location: Tunkhannock Township. Lender: RCN Capital LLC. Amount: $44,520.

Twin Lake Estates Development LLC. Property location: Smithfield Township. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $207,750.

Mount Airy #1 LLC. Property location: Paradise and Pocono townships. Lender: Wilmington Trust NA. Amount: $55,000,000.

Albelli Properties LLC. Property location: Chestnuthill Township. Lender: Karen Lopatovsky and Tracy Creed.

Amount: $253,000.

581 Associates LLC. Property location: Stroudsburg.

Lender: First Bank. Amount: $660,000.

PIKE COUNTY

Rose Financial Ltd. Property location: Milford Township. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $750,000.

Biddis & Company. Property location: Milford Borough. Lender: Wayne Bank. Amount: $375,000.

Mountain Shadow Enterprises LLC. Property location: Matamoras Borough. Lender: Affinity Federal Credit Union. Amount: $149,000.

My Federal Prison Consultant LLC. Property location: Delaware Township. Lender: Dime Bank. Amount: $108,000.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

Northeast Prestressed Products. Property location: North Manheim Township. Lender: Fulton Bank NA. Amount: $3,000,000.

Barefield Development Corporation. Property location: Pottsville. Lender: M&T Bank. Amount: $325,000.

JJR Realty LLC. Property location: North Manheim Township. Lender: Susquehanna Bank. Amount: $11,000.

WAYNE COUNTY

Encore Outdoor 590 LLC. Property location: Salem Township. Lender: The Dime Bank. Amount: $114,400.

Sohi Enterprises LLC. Property location: Damascus.

Lender: The Dime Bank. Amount: $70,000.

KDG Real Estate LP. Property location: Waymart.

Lender: Honesdale National Bank. Amount: $64,000.

WYOMING COUNTY

Pristine Vision LLC. Property location: Tunkhannock Borough. Lender: Citizens and Northern Bank. Amount: $250,000.

Langdon Group LLC; Mountain Stone LLC. Property location: Tunkhannock Borough. Lender: Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. Amount: $50,000.

STOCKS

This report on insider trading activity has been prepared for informational purposes only by James Blazejewski, CFP, Senior Vice President-Investment Officer, Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC,672 North River Street, Suite 300, Plains, PA 18705. It is based on information generally available to the public from sources believed to be reliable.

No representation is made that the information is accurate or complete and it does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any particular security. Current information contained in this report is not indicative of future activity.

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, member NYSE & SIPC. Source of data: Thomson Financial INSIDER TRADING ACTIVITY ON STOCKS OF LOCAL INTEREST FOR OCTOBER (APD – 135.69) AIR PRODUCTS & CHEMICALS, INC. John Stanley, vice president of Air Products & Chemicals, Inc., purchased 223 shares on August 25 at $134.81 per share for a total cost of $30,001. Stanley controls 18,275 shares directly and 263 shares indirectly.

Charles Cogut, director of Air Products & Chemicals, Inc., purchased 400 shares on August 25 at $137.17 per share for a total cost of $54,868. Cogut controls 1,000 shares directly.

Seifi Ghasemi, chairman of the board of Air Products & Chemicals, Inc., purchased 20,000 shares on August

24 at $134.71 per share for a total cost of $2,694,280.

Ghasemi controls 229,171 shares directly.

Corning Painter, vice president of Air Products & Chemicals Inc., purchased 1,000 shares on August 24 at $132.84 per share for a total cost of $132,840. On August 21, Painter purchased 1,000 shares at $138.38 per share for a total cost of $138,380. Painter controls 21,892 shares directly and 1,223 shares indirectly.

Over the last six months, insiders of Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. acquired 25,000 shares and disposed of 58,094 shares.

(AWK – 51.32 ) AMERICAN WATER WORKS CO., INC. Walter Lynch, officer of American Water Works Co., Inc., exercised options for 20,000 on August 21 (exercised 1.4 years prior to the expiration date) at $22.26 per share for a total cost of $445,200 and on the same date sold those shares at $54.02 per share for total proceeds of $1,080,400. Lynch controls 72,341 shares directly.

Over the last six months, insiders of American Water Works Co., Inc. disposed of 39,530 shares.

(CZNC – 19.48) CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORPORATION Leonard Simpson, director of Citizens & Northern Corporation, exercised options for 100 shares on September 9 (exercised 5.3 years prior to the expiration date) at $15.06 per share for a total cost of $1,506. Simpson controls 34,193 shares directly and 476 shares indirectly.

Bradley Scovill, chief executive officer of Citizens & Northern Corporation, purchased 1,500 shares on August 24 at $19.44 per share for a total cost of $29,160. Scovill controls 21,674 shares directly.

Over the last six months, insiders of Citizens & Northern Corporation acquired 3,783 shares and disposed of 1,599 shares.

(CYH – 51.97) COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS Mitchell Watson, Jr., director of Community Health systems, purchased 2,000 shares on August 27 at $54.01 per share for a total cost of $108,016. Watson controls 8,538 shares directly.

Over the last six months, insiders of Community Health Systems disposed of 458,919 shares.

(NWFL – 28.25) NORWOOD FINANCIAL CORPORATION William Lance, chief financial officer of Norwood Financial Corporation, purchased 140 shares on August 24 at $28.22 per share for a total cost of $3,951. Lance controls 1,000 shares directly and 1,000 shares indirectly.

Andrew Forte, director of Norwood Financial Corporation, exercised options for 550 shares on August 20 at $25.00 per share for a total cost of $13,750. Forte controls 550 shares directly and 5,078 shares indirectly.

Over the last six months, insiders of Norwood Financial Corporation acquired 954 shares and disposed of 635 shares.

(PFIS – 35.26) PEOPLES FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION Craig Best, chief executive officer of Peoples Financial Services, purchased 600 shares on September 9 at $35.06 per share for a total cost of $21,036. On September 1, Best purchased 2,250 shares at $35.00 per share for a total cost of $78,759. On August 25, Best purchased 2,800 shares at $35.12 per share for a total cost of $98,336. Best controls 5,183 shares directly and 12,508 shares indirectly.

Over the last six months, insiders of Peoples Financial Services Corporation acquired 2,469 shares and disposed of 76,750 shares.

Prices as of close of business on Sept. 10

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