March 2011 Business Magazine

BUSINESS M A G A Z I N E Manufacturer & Business Association

Keynote Speaker Bill Rancic and Legacy Award Winners Leah Humphries (left) and Jayne Huston

VOLUME XXIV, NUMBER 3

MARCH 2011

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A conversation with

JACK WELCH Major Sponsors

We cordially invite you to join us Tuesday, June 28, 2011 for our 106th Annual Event at the Bayfront Convention Center.

Event Sponsors For more information or to make reservations, please call Ann at 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660.

12

March 2011

Blue Ocean Strategy Center

EDITORIAL >

FEATURES >

How social media is helping members connect with their health-care plans.

9 / Legal Brief

Radiant Steel Products Company President Andree P. Phillips discusses the operations of this Williamsport, Pennsylvania-based custom manufacturer and its rich history as a producer of radiator enclosures.

LISA SMITH PRESTA

12 / 4th Annual W.I.L.D. Conference

7 / Health Matters KELLY KIMBERLAND

Why employers are facing a record number of discrimination charges.

11 / Financial Adviser

Understanding the tax changes that could impact your future.

DEBORAH A. PIPP, CPA

33 / Blue Ocean Strategy

How successful companies are challenging the industry definitions of target buyer groups to create blue oceans of opportunity.

ANGIE ANGUS

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Executive Vice President Barber National Institute More Than 25 Years at the Barber National Institute

leader? Dr. Who has inspired you as a woman business countless other Gertrude A. Barber inspired me, as well as able to help people educators and parents, because she was possible. At achieve dreams they would not have thought Barber roles, Dr. a time when few women had leadership adults with and children support to undertook a mission the lives of individuals disabilities that has not only transformed and the world. Her and families, but changed our community us to help our inspire to continues legacy is this mission that and make their children and adults achieve their potential dreams come true.

:PaT] ; 1T]b^] 2?0 ?5B Partner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Erie Office McGill, Power, Bell & Associates, LLP 32 Years in Public Accounting (National & Regional Firms)

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President Signs Now 335, Inc. 20 Years in Business â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Large Format Digital Printing and Sign Manufacturing leader?

Who has inspired you as a woman business strength I'm inspired by any woman who has the knowledge,I'm inspired leader. and leadership skills it takes to be a business in me to do anything I by my mother who had the utmost faith Trocki, the past owner ever wanted to do. My mentor is Debbie trust to take over of Signs Now. She has inspired me with the encouragement her and the business, her honesty in business business. for me to run a very fast paced and technical

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Senior VP/ Regional Manager Northwest Savings Bank 31 Years in Banking Who has inspired you as a woman business leader? that I could be It has been a permanent calling. The idea of all the small something bigger than myself, or the sum way, is what inspires accomplishments and failures along the the 31-year journey, me each and every day. Somewhere along pride in being an my job became a career. I take pleasure and its businesses and helping integral part of my community, and of inspiration people prosper. My own personal expressions emulate. As may include a desire to create a legacy that others ethic and sacrifice work an adopted child of a single parent, the become today. My of my mother was the basis for whom I have is my guide. Thank family is my greatest inspiration and faith Amani. you Dolores, John, Brooke, Aaron, Averi and

DEPARTMENTS > leader? As a Who has inspired you as a woman business adviser, I have the certified public accountant and financial with very successful wonderful opportunity each day to work and business and dynamic business leaders. These clients in my profession and affiliates inspire me to strive for excellence in which I live and community the to back give to challenge me work.

5 / Business Buzz 24 / HR Connection 16 < www.mbausa.org < March 2011

3 / Spotlight

Learn more about the Women in Leadership Development (W.I.L.D.) Conference on March 25 in Erie and why an estimated 600 professionals and entrepreneurial-minded women will be attending this fourth annual event, designed as both a professional development conference, and a celebration and recognition of the growth of women businesses.

27 / On the Hill

Association State Government Relations Representative Anna McCauslin explains how freshmen Senator Pat Toomey and Congressmen Mike Kelly and Tom Marino are embarking on an exciting opportunity to serve the people of Pennsylvania, by standing for the principles of a free-market economy and smaller government.

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ES S BMUA SG IN A Z I N E Manufacturer & Business Associati

on

VOLUME XXIV, NUMBER 3

MARCH 2011

< 16 / SPECIAL SECTION Women Leading the Way

See our new listing of women business leaders and who inspired them most in their professional careers.

30 / Legal Q&A 35 / Events 37 / People Buzz

Award Keynote Speaker Bill Rancic and Legacy Huston Winners Leah Humphries (left) and Jayne

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Register now to receive your FREE e-Edition of the Business Magazine online at www.mbausa.org!

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 1

Sandi Carangi, VP of Business Services; Carol Laemmerhirt, Business Relationship Officer

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SPOTLIGHT > by Karen Torres Founded in 1927, Radiant Steel Products Company is a custom precision fabricating and finishing plant servicing the HVAC, office furniture, electronics and athletic equipment industries. The Business Magazine recently sat down with company President and CEO and Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) Central Pennsylvania Advisory Board Member Andree P. Phillips to learn about the history and operations of this Williamsport, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer.

Please explain some of the history behind Radiant Steel Products Company and its founding 84 years ago.

The company was founded by my father, Cleo Francois Pineau, because he believed that the heating units of the day, cast-iron radiators, were not very attractive. He patented the first stationary louver to allow heat to radiate through the enclosure and that's why we are called Radiant Steel Products Company.

What is your management style/philosophy?

My father’s philosophy was, “You just do whatever it takes to make your customers happy.”

We have no products of our own, so if we don’t make our customers happy, we don’t have a business here. We really have to do a good job of satisfying our customers, and that's our primary focus.

Radiant Steel Products Company has approximately 16 employees and a 44,000-square-foot facility located at 205 Locust Street in Williamsport.

Briefly describe your operations.

We do longer production runs and are a job shop. We have no products of our own and manufacture to customer specifications. Nothing goes out as a complete unit; it is always a component of a custom product.

Radiant Steel Products has a wide range of customers in a wide range of industries. Where are they located?

It’s more interesting today than it would have been even five years ago. When I first came here, and historically, our customers were primarily on the Eastern seaboard of the United States, anywhere from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and south, etc. Most of our customers are in Pennsylvania now and we have managed just in the last two months to get three new customers who are local.

As a member of the MBA and the Precision Metalforming Association, what are the most critical issues, in your opinion, for the manufacturing industry in 2011?

The most important thing on all of our plates is to get the federal government out of our lives and out of our businesses. We don’t need “cap and trade.” We don’t need EFCA (card check). We don’t need mandated, qualified health insurance. We don’t need increased OSHA oversight or mandates, and we don’t need higher taxes. That is not what is going to help businesses grow.

What is your advice to young people who may be interested in pursuing a career in manufacturing?

What I find is that parents have an opinion about manufacturing that is not current. In order to get young people – and that means women and men – into these particular career paths, we have to get buy-in from the parents, because they are still sending their kids to school to be doctors, lawyers, accountants, professional people, and they don’t see opportunities in manufacturing. The world of manufacturing is absolutely wide open. It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female; it doesn’t matter what your ethnic background is or anything else.

But you have to look to see it.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I’ve been here since 1983. I have taken a lot of risks in bringing us to the point where we are today. I am sure that this company could be bigger and better than it is right this minute… It is really up to my son (Rick) and my daughter (Wendy) to carry us forward.

For more information about Radiant Steel Products, call 570/322-7828.

VOL. X XIV, NO. 3 MARCH 2011 Manufacturer & Business Association Board of Governors

Editor in Chief

Executive Editor

Yvonne Atkinson-Mishrell John Cline Dale Deist Timothy Hunter Dan Ignasiak Mark C. Kulyk John B. Pellegrino Sr., P.E. Dennis Prischak Robert S. Pursell Lorenzo Simonelli Sue Sutto Phil Tredway Ralph Pontillo rpontillo@mbausa.org John Krahe jkrahe@mbausa.org

Managing Editor & Senior Writer

Karen Torres ktorres@mbausa.org

Contributing Writers

Angie Angus Jessica Crocker Kelly Kimberland Deborah A. Pipp, CPA Lisa Smith Presta

Photography & Illustration

Ron Stephens La Mirage Studio 814/835-1041 iStockphoto.com

Advertising Sales

Design, Production & Printing

Patty Welther 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660 pwelther@mbausa.org Printing Concepts Inc. printcon@erie.net Jessica Crocker

ON THE COVER: Entrepreneur Bill Rancic, best known as the Season One winner of The Apprentice, will be the keynote speaker at the fourth annual Women in Leadership Development (W.I.L.D.) Conference on March 25 in Erie. Joining him are this year’s Legacy Award winners Leah Humphries and Jayne Huston, who are being honored by their peers for excelling in their career goals. See story on Page 12.

Mission Statement The Manufacturer & Business Association is dedicated to providing information and services to its members that will assist them in the pursuit of their business and community interests.

– Board of Governors Manufacturer & Business Association 2171 West 38th Street Erie, Pa. 16508 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660 www.mbausa.org © Copyright 2011 by the Manufacturer & Business Association.

All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial, pictorial or advertisements created for use in the Business Magazine, in any manner, without written permission from the publisher, is prohibited.

Unsolicited manuscripts cannot be returned unless accompanied by a properly addressed envelope bearing sufficient postage. The magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.

The Business Magazine and Manufacturer & Business Association do not specifically endorse any of the products or practices described in the magazine. The Business Magazine is published monthly by the Manufacturer & Business Association, 2171 West 38th Street, Erie, Pa. 16508. Phone: 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660.

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 3

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And with BlueEdge Dental from Highmark, you get the convenience of one company and website to handle all your health coverage needs. Smile and enjoy knowing you’re having a greater hand in your company’s health.

Find out more at 888.286.8414 or highmarkbcbs.com.

Coverage subject to the terms of your benefits program.

Business Buzz

DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Jessica Crocker

SAINT VINCENT HEALTH CENTER TOP IN STATE FOR CARDIAC, VASCULAR SURGERY

WILLIAMSPORT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER NAMED TOP CARDIOVASCULAR HOSPITAL Williamsport Regional Medical Center has been named one of the nation's 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by Thomson Reuters. The study, now in its 12th year, examines the performance of 1,022 hospitals by analyzing outcomes for patients with heart failure and heart attacks and for those who received coronary bypass surgery and percutaneous coronary interventions such as angioplasties.

This is the first time Williamsport Regional Medical Center has been recognized with this honor.

Williamsport Regional Medical Center is part of Susquehanna Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three-hospital integrated health system, which also includes Divine Providence Hospital and Muncy Valley Hospital, serving an 11-county region in central Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit www.susquehannahealth.org.

File photo

In 2009, Susquehanna Health officials held a groundbreaking for the Williamsport Regional Medical Center Patient Tower as part of its Project 2012 initiative. The renovation allowed for the expansion of patient areas, such as the operating rooms, Emergency Department, and heart and vascular services.

Saint Vincent Health Center was recently ranked number one in the state of Pennsylvania for cardiac and vascular surgery for 2011, according to a published study by HealthGrades, the leading independent health-care ratings organization. The health center is also among the top 10 percent in the nation for cardiac services, cardiac surgery, pulmonary services, vascular surgery, prostatectomy and critical care.

The nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nearly 5,000 hospitals were included in the study, which examined mortality rates and complication rates from government data from 2007, 2008 and 2009.

More information on the HealthGrades study, including the complete methodology, can be found online at www.healthgrades.com.

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 5

ENTREPRENEUR

INNOVATOR CHANGE AGENT LEADER

GANNON UNIVERSITY WHERE ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION COME TO LIFE Innovative minds enrolled in graduate and doctoral programs at Gannon

Master’s Degree Programs

University have the unique opportunity to benefit from Gannon’s partnership

Business Administration Community Counseling Computer and Information Science Education Electrical Engineering Embedded Software Engineering Engineering Management English Environmental Health and Engineering Mechanical Engineering Nurse Anesthetist Family Nurse Practitioner Medical-Surgical Nursing Nursing Administration Occupational Therapy Pastoral Studies Physician Assistant* Public Administration Reading

with the Small Business Development Center and the Erie Technology Incubator, both of which are housed on Gannon’s vibrant downtown campus.

This proximity gives students involved in a wide array of graduate and doctoral study, including programs in Business Administration (MBA), Public Administration (MPA), and Ph.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership (OLL), endless opportunities for taking their ideas and skills to the next level; whether it be through an internship with an innovative client technology company, developing a business plan for one of the over 850 local small businesses served by the SBDC annually, or utilizing these resources and networking opportunities to grow their own ideas into their future.

Gannon University, in association with the Small Business Development Center and the Erie Technology Incubator create an environment where entrepreneurship and innovation come to life. Find out more about these, and other partnerships Gannon offers graduate and doctoral students by contacting the Office of Graduate Admissions at 814.871.7474 or graduate@gannon.edu.

GANNON.EDU/GRADUATE

Doctoral Programs Organizational Learning and Leadership Physical Therapy * Post-baccalaureate program not currently accepting applications due to seat limitations

Health Matters

EDITORIAL > by Kelly Kimberland

Social Media: A New Way to Connect Members With Their Health-Care Plans It’s no surprise that social media has been growing in popularity in recent years. Many people have come to enjoy the online experience of social networking communication.

But, what some may consider surprising is that social media – such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – has been increasing in popularity with health insurers as well. At one time, people may have wondered: Why would an insurer need a Facebook page? Now, a more logical question would be: Why wouldn’t they want one? And, another question might be: Why would this be of importance to an employer?

How Social Media Works for Health Insurers Through the use of social media, a business – such as a health insurer – can increase awareness of the company name and its products.

It also is a way for the insurer to actively engage with its members and to provide useful information about their health-care coverage and about healthier lifestyles. When a health insurer has a presence on social media sites, it increases the ways that its members can receive information and form connections that can reinforce healthy messages. That is important to businesses whose employees would be members.

Research indicates that social media may be helpful to individuals trying

to improve their lifestyles in areas such as quitting smoking and losing weight. The reason for this is that social media encourages a group dynamic. Instead of asking people to drive to a specific location to be part of a group, individuals with similar interests can connect online.

Social media tools offer a new venue and a new way for people to share stories, make healthy lifestyle changes, and affect others’ lives.

With social media, everyone has an opportunity to participate and at least build awareness of the importance of healthier lifestyles.

How Social Media Tools Help an Insurer Deliver for an Employer Group A health insurer with a presence in social media is in position to serve as a facilitator for discussions involving online communities. It is able to provide tips, tools and techniques that can help members achieve their goals.

Another great advantage is access.

Often, people can be intimidated by forms and by the technical language sometimes connected with health insurance. They may feel more comfortable using Twitter or Facebook and can get answers to questions more quickly.

In addition, many members may consider social media outlets to be more user friendly than other media, and that can help an insurer get its message across as well.

Social media is about making connections, providing useful information and sharing ideas.

Employees may come to see their insurer in a more personal way because it is part of an online community. There can be more of a sense of connection with the company because of this. Also, social media provides members with a chance to get answers and links to resources more quickly.

By giving them the opportunity to have their needs known directly, and by allowing them to have an exchange online, it help can gain trust.

For more information about the advantages of social media as a part of your health-care plan, please visit www.upmchealth.com.

Kelly Kimberland is director of Social Marketing for UPMC Health Plan, a division of the UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC WorkPartners, LifeSolutions, UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), E-Benefits Solutions, Askesis Development Group, and Community Care – and offers a full range of insurance programs and products.

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 7

ERIC ABBEY / OWNER LOVING PETS CORPORATION DECORATIVE FEEDING BOWLS AND PET TREATS CRANBURY, NJ SINCE 2005 18 EMPLOYEES

SELLING MORE WITHOUT GOING BROKE CHALLENGE: Eric was enjoying astronomical growth. Orders for the Bella Bowl™, the company’s top seller, were going through the roof. But demand was putting a strain on Eric’s relationship with his supplier, not to mention his cash flow.

SOLUTION: Eric and his PNC banker had the Cash Flow Conversation. They found that increasing Eric’s line of credit1 would help keep production lines fl owing smoothly — and allow Eric and his team to go out and sell even more, without worrying about cash shortfalls.

ACHIEVEMENT: Loving Pets recently sold more than 330,000 Bella Bowls™ in a single month — the most ever. Now that Eric’s cash flow is steady, he can focus on taking his business to the next level.

WATCH ERIC’S FULL STORY at pnc.com/cfo and see how PNC CFO: Cash Flow Options can help solve your business challenges. Call 1-877-CALL-PNC or visit a PNC branch to start your own Cash Flow Conversation today.

ACCELERATE RECEIVABLES IMPROVE PAYMENT PRACTICES INVEST EXCESS CASH LEVERAGE ONLINE TECHNOLOGY ENSURE ACCESS TO CREDIT

The person pictured is an actual PNC customer, who agreed to participate in this advertisement. Loving Pets’ success was due to a number of factors, and PNC is proud of its role in helping the company achieve its goals. 1 All loans are subject to credit approval and may require automatic payment deduction from a PNC Bank Business Checking account. Origination and/or other fees may apply. Banking and lending products and services and bank deposit products are provided by PNC Bank, National Association, a wholly owned subsidiary of PNC and Member FDIC. Bella Bowl is a registered trademark of Loving Pets Corporation. PNC is a registered mark of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”).

BBK-5227 ©2011 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC

Legal Brief

EDITORIAL > by Lisa Smith Presta

Employers Face Record Number of Discrimination Charges Here's a labor law fundamental: When the economy heads south, employment discrimination claims head north. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") has announced that more workers and job applicants filed workplace discrimination complaints in fiscal year 2010 than at any time in its 45-year history.

The number of charges filed (99,922) is 7-percent higher than fiscal year 2009 and 21-percent higher than fiscal year 2007, before the recession.

In addition, the federal agency filed 250 lawsuits, settled another 285 suits, and resolved 104,999 private sector claims. These EEOC enforcement actions, mediations and other litigation cost employers a record $404 million in payments to workers who filed claims.

What is Illegal?

In Pennsylvania, employment is "atwill," and employees may be hired and fired at will as long as those personnel decisions are not based upon race, gender, nationality, religion, age or disability. The EEOC enforces five federal laws prohibiting such employment discrimination: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).

What Increased?

For the first time, retaliation under all statutes (36,258) was the most frequently filed charge. Federal law prohibits retaliation against an employee for engaging in a "protected activity," such as raising, or collaborating, a complaint of unlawful discrimination. Retaliation claims are most frequently filed in combination

with another type of discrimination charge.

Race discrimination charges (35,890) dropped to second place, though still an increase from the prior year.

However, the largest jump (17 percent) was among employees who felt they had been discriminated against because of a disability (25,165), an increase likely related to 2009 legislation that broadened the legal definition of "disabled" and to the EEOC's new public outreach efforts on the topic. Likewise, age (23,264) and religion (3,790) charges saw increases, and the EEOC received 201 charges under GINA in that statute's first year of enforcement.

The EEOC cited a number of factors for the surge in claims, including greater diversity in the work force, but the difficult job market undoubtedly played a significant role. "When the pie shrinks, your selection criteria â&#x20AC;&#x201C; why you picked this person over that person â&#x20AC;&#x201C; comes under much greater scrutiny," noted Merrily Archer, a former EEOC attorney for the Clinton administration, who noted a similar rise in charges in the wake of the 2001 recession.

The increase comes as the EEOC has hired an additional 300 staffers to handle the flood of cases and to clear a large backlog of pending actions.

EEOC Chair Jacqueline Berrien stated that the agency has spent the past two years boosting its staff, reversing deep cuts made during the Bush administration.

the effect of a struggling economy, employers now, more than ever, need to ensure that their personnel decisions are free from improper bias and are well-documented. In addition, as the increase in retaliation claims suggests, employers must take care to ensure that employment actions taken after an employee complains of perceived discrimination can be fully justified.

Employers can lower the risk of burdensome litigation and EEOC enforcement actions by reviewing their pay, promotion and decisionmaking practices and policies to ensure they are in compliance with the law.

MacDonald Illig attorneys are available to assist in this regard, to answer employers' inquiries regarding the EEOC, and to aid in developing best workplace practices. For more information, contact Lisa Smith Presta at MacDonald Illig at 814/870-7656 or lpresta@mijb.com.

Lisa Smith Presta is a senior partner in the law firm of MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton LLP, where she concentrates her practice in the areas of employment litigation, commercial litigation and insurance defense. She regularly appears in state court, federal court and before administrative agencies, and is the current president of the Erie County Bar Association.

What to Expect Given the Obama administration's continued focus on aggressive enforcement of discrimination laws and the allocation of additional resources to the EEOC, together with March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 9

?M PI^M Q\ ITT Convenient location.

World-class service and amenities.

Amazing views.

Bayfront Convention Center 1 Sassafras Pier Erie, PA 16507 (814) 455-1260 (814) 879-0910 fax BayfrontConventionCenter.com

The Bayfront Convention Center has become a priority destination for groups of all sizes.

• Connected via SkyBridge to the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel • Easy highway access via interstates 79 and 90, or airline service through Erie International Airport (ERI), located just 10 minutes away • Versatile meeting space to accommodate any needs: - 28,800 square-foot Great Hall - 13,500 square-foot Grand Ballroom - 14,000 square feet of breakout meeting space • State-of-the-art facility with data connection throughout • Uniquely located between seven miles of beaches and the heart of downtown Erie, overlooking scenic Presque Isle Bay • International cuisine prepared by our own executive chef • Free on-site paved parking for approximately 500 cars

EDITORIAL > by Deborah P. Pipp, CPA

Financial Adviser Some Significant Changes Ahead 2010 was a year of numerous taximpacting legislative acts that affect a cross-section of businesses, individuals and nonprofit entities. These changes influence a variety of topics — from allowing 2010 charitable gifts as itemized deductions for 2009 tax returns, to providing retroactive 2010 changes, as well as extending tax beneficial sun-setting provisions through 2011 and 2012, and, lastly, giving advance guidance on tax changes that will become effective in 2013. Among the major tax-impacting legislative acts signed in 2010 are: • Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act (signed December 17); • Small Business Jobs Act (signed September 27); • Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act (signed August 10); • Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act (signed July 2); • Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act (signed June 25); • Continuing Extension Act (signed April 16); • Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (signed March 30); • Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (signed March 23); • Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act (signed March 18); and • Act to Accelerate Income Tax Benefits for Charitable Cash Contributions for the Relief of Victims of the Earthquake in Haiti (signed January 22) How Do These Impact You? While there are pages upon pages of legislation to sort through, the following are some specifics from these acts to be explored:

Gift & Estate Taxes – Through 2012, the reunified gift and estate tax is set at a maximum 35-percent rate, has a $5-million exclusion and provides for portability between spouses of the unused $5-million exclusion.

Bonus Depreciation – Taxpayers can elect 100-percent bonus depreciation on qualified new business property acquired after September 8, 2010 and before January 1, 2012 (no cap). In 2012, bonus depreciation returns to 50 percent.

Research & Experimentation Credit – Extended two years (2010 and 2011).

Health-Care Coverage Credit – For years 2010 through 2013, employers paying premiums under a qualifying arrangement and employing fewer than 25 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees with average wages less than $50,000 per FTE, qualify. A maximum 35-percent tax credit is applicable to for-profit employers and a maximum 25-percent tax credit is applicable to nonprofit employers. The credit is reduced for those organizations with FTEs exceeding 10 or average annual wages exceeding $25,000.

Information Return Reporting (forms 1099, W2) – Starting in 2011, qualified rental expense payments made by a taxpayer receiving rental income from real estate will be reported on Form 1099. W-2 reporting of employee health insurance benefits is optional for 2011; however, it is required for 2012. In February, the Senate approved a repeal of expanded Form 1099 reporting (was to be effective for 2012) for all amounts paid to vendors for goods as well as services.

Medicare tax on wages above established levels ($200,000 for individuals, $250,000 for married filing joint taxpayers). Also enacted, is a possible 3.8-percent Medicare contribution tax on qualified unearned income. Applicability is based on a computation utilizing the level of net investment income and modified adjusted gross income levels in excess of $200,000 for an individual or $250,000 for married couples filing a joint return.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance – In addition to the filing requirement of a FBAR for foreign bank and financial interests exceeding $10,000, the HIRE Act implements reporting by qualified individuals (on their tax return) certain information for interests in “specified foreign financial assets” when the aggregated value of all assets exceed $50,000.

For more information, contact me at McGill, Power, Bell & Associates, LLP at dpipp@mpbcpa.com or 814/724-5890.

Deborah P. Pipp, CPA, is a partner at McGill, Power, Bell & Associates, LLP, a regional certified public accounting firm with offices in Erie and Meadville. She works from the Meadville office and specializes in tax accounting. She has extensive experience working with manufacturing and nonprofit entities, and is the current president of the NWPA Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA).

Medicare Tax Increases – As of 2013, higher income taxpayers will be hit with an additional 0.9-percent March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 11

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Among this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s W.I.L.D. Conference attendees are a From left: Linda Breakiron, owner, Breakiron Jewele in Meadville; Edna Siegel, owner, Panache Salon & S in Warren; Maria Orlando, DMD, partner in owner in Erie; Robin Scheppner, vice president and managin Reeves Information Technology in Greenville; and Sab

From the president of a regional architectural firm to the head of a local manufacturer, there are plenty of examples of women who truly â&#x20AC;&#x153;mean businessâ&#x20AC;? in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitive business world.

better fit into my work life, family life and extracurricular activities, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volunteering for an organization or just helping out with the kids, because today weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all multitasking.â&#x20AC;?

According to recent statistics, women-led businesses account for $3 trillion of the U.S. economy and provide for one in six jobs. Research also indicates that these employers will create more than 5 million new jobs in the United States over the next seven years, more than half of all emerging new small-business jobs.

W.I.L.D. Committee Member Robin Scheppner, vice president and managing owner of Erie-based manufacturer American Tinning & Galvanizing, views the conference as an opportunity for participants to both learn from their peers and to mentor others.

This growing business segment is one of the many reasons that on Friday, March 25, an estimated 600 professionals and entrepreneurialminded women, from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and as far away as Indiana, will attend Gannon University Small Business Development Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (SBDC) fourth annual Women in Leadership Development (W.I.L.D.) Conference at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. The event is a professional development conference, as well as a celebration and recognition of the national entrepreneurial trend and growth of women-led businesses.

W.I.L.D. Conference Chair Donna Zariczny, president of Inscale Architects in Warren, Pennsylvania, has been a licensed architect for more than 20 years, working on such projects as the Chautauqua Suites and Expo Center in Mayville, New York, and Trip Hammer Forge in Rochester. She has been a frequent figure at the W.I.L.D. conference every year since it began and is motivated by the support it offers.

In addition to networking and educational opportunities, â&#x20AC;&#x153;this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference is centering around you being the resource of your job, your life and your destiny,â&#x20AC;? she explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be looking to see how I can

12 < www.mbausa.org < March 2011

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have traditionally worked in a lot of unique work environments for women, so any time there is a chance to mentor women and empower women to reach their true potential and encourage them to step up, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m all for it,â&#x20AC;? she states. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think women can be excellent, very efficient, capable leaders in any kind of business â&#x20AC;Ś and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll support any woman who wants to get out there.â&#x20AC;?

Debra L. Steiner, director of the Gannon University SBDC that serves northwest Pennsylvania, has founded and led the W.I.L.D. conference since 2008. Steiner believes that this educational event has been an instrumental resource for women business owners and professionals in building and accomplishing their business goals. A variety of entrepreneurs have become annual attendees and volunteers from the health care, manufacturing, education, technology, retail and service industries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The W.I.L.D. Conference is about teaching other skill sets, techniques, and tactics to incorporate in their workplace,â&#x20AC;? notes Steiner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also the stories that they these professionals share to feel like they are not alone â&#x20AC;&#x201D; there is a commonality, no matter what state, what industry or how big their business is.â&#x20AC;?

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a diverse group of women-owned business leaders from northwest Pennsylvania. ers in Erie; Billie Bookamer, owner, Raw Milk Dairy, Bookamer Family Farm Spa in Erie; Donna Zariczny, architect and president, Inscale Architects, P.C. rship, Orlando Family Dentistry in Erie; Diane Chido, owner, DC Analytics ng owner, American Tinning & Galvanizing in Erie; Lori S. Reeves, president, brina Fischer, owner, Sassy Peacock in Erie.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a day for the teachers, the nurses, the front desk staff, the front line, too,â&#x20AC;? adds Jodie Camillo, educational program coordinator at the SBDC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a motivational and inspirational day â&#x20AC;Ś they are going to take away the same things that small-business owners would.â&#x20AC;?

Start. Grow. Prosper!

During the daylong conference, attendees will get the chance to network while touring the annual W.I.L.D. exhibitor booths and have the opportunity to hear from three nationally renowned speakers on the topics of entrepreneurship, health, and wellness.

Author and motivational speaker Connie Podesta will address the topic of leadership, while comedian Jan McInnis will discuss wellness, specifically the importance of humor in the workplace. Bill Rancic, an entrepreneur and businessman widely known as the first season winner of Donald Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Apprentice on NBC and starring in the reality TV show Giuliana and Bill with his wife, Giuliana, host of E! News, will serve as this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keynote speaker. Rancic will be presenting his thoughts on entrepreneurship based on his life and work experience. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to share some of the stories, some of the lessons Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned through (Donald) Trump,â&#x20AC;? Rancic told Business Magazine, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and some of the mistakes Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made and my top tips for being successful and thinking entrepreneurial.â&#x20AC;?

When he was in college, Rancic started out washing and waxing boats during the summers and caught the entrepreneurial bug. He later became part of a lucrative partnership, Cigars Around the World, and then real estate â&#x20AC;&#x201D; buying old buildings, renovating, and selling at a profit.

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How do you motivate others? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think you have to be a good leader. But in order to be a good leader you have to earn peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s respect and trust rather than demand it, and I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where a lot of people fall short. The other thing is that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to check your ego at the doorâ&#x20AC;Ś A lot of people let their ego hinder their progress and hinder their level of success.

The more I learn, the more I realize that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Bill Rancic, keynote speaker Donald Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original â&#x20AC;&#x153;Apprentice,â&#x20AC;? Rancic continues his commitment to entrepreneurship throughout the country. Today, he is building businesses, seizing opportunities, and sharing his views on how to succeed in business and in life. He produces and stars in the A&E series We Mean Business, Style Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reality series Giuliana and Bill and is the executive producer of Repo Man, airing on Discovery Channel. A published author, he wrote Beyond The Lemonade Stand to help educate and motivate young people worldwide about the value of money and how to leverage skills, talents and abilities at an early age, and You're Hired: How To Succeed In Business And Life From The Winner Of The Apprentice, which chronicled Bill's successful life, experience, and proven advice.

How do you stay motivated? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although I have many people in my life who have been outstanding mentors, role models and encouragers, I realized early on that my main motivation in life must come from within myself. I know that I am responsible and, therefore, accountable for my health, financial security, success, healthy relationships and happiness. As a result, my future depends on the quality of the choices I make each day.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Connie Podesta, leadership speaker Podesta is an expert in the psychology of human behavior and eadership development. A comedienne, and therapist and author of Life Would be Easy if it Werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for Other People, she challenges people to make the kind of choices necessary for them to have happy, healthy, productive and successful lives, without losing their love of life and sense of humor. Podesta is a Board Certified Professional Counselor, a member of the American Psychotherapy Association and has worked with hundreds of corporations nationwide, using this unique perspective to create customized presentations on key issues such as personal accountability, communication, life balance, customer service, leadership, sales, team building, change and productivity.

Who is the person that most inspires you in your career? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I grew up being inspired by great comedians like Carol Burnett because she would do anything for a laugh. Rodney Dangerfield was inspirational because of his rapid-fire joke delivery, which is similar to mineâ&#x20AC;Ś I like reading about people whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done incredible things like climbing Mount Everest or sailing around the world.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jan McInnis, wellness speaker Inspired by 15 years as a marketing director in the 9-to-5 world, McInnis has the spent the past 14-plus years on the full-time speaking circuit. She has spoken at hundreds of conferences, training sessions, employee retreats and banquets held by such groups as Anthem Blue-Cross, Merrill Lynch, John Deere, the Federal Reserve, Women in Insurance & Financial Services and the Mayo Clinic. Her address is based on her new book, Finding the Funny Fast: How to Create Quick Humor to Connect with Clients, Coworkers and Crowds.

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 13

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be presented with a legacy art piece designed Award honorees, Leah Humphries and Jayne Huston, will Legacy D. W.I.L. yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this ence, confer each at custom As has become a a custom necklace designed and manufactured by local engraved by Geiger & Sons. Each honoree also will receive

by Elaine Yancura of Glass Growers Gallery with the base jeweler, Breakiron Jewelers, designer of the 2010 piece. strong women who wear them, along with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;wildâ&#x20AC;? theme are each tailored to the personality of the empowering and According to store owner Linda Breakiron, the necklaces be able to design and make a piece of jewelry for two special an important feature, especially in Erie,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So to of the conference itself. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The W.I.L.D. Conference is such ss women, it is such an honor.â&#x20AC;? women who were really giving back so much to other busine silver and diamonds â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the hardest and strongest gem es the pieces as consisting of such materials as Argentium Breakiron bench jeweler designer Cathy Consiglio describ lost-wax process of casting, whereby the carved waxed the oes underg being sketched and carved in wax, each piece After h. strengt and lity durabi nt represe to le availab als materi jewelry. is burned away and metal is injected to create the one-of-a-kind

Rancic says none of his success was handed to him, and he can relate to many business ownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; struggles and drive. In fact, Rancic just finished working on a show for A&E on helping small businesses succeed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen the mistakes that all these people make, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing, because they are almost identical,â&#x20AC;? he explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to give the audience some tips to avoid.â&#x20AC;?

Organizers say the W.I.L.D. Conference is a chance to learn and better themselves and their businesses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being at the W.I.L.D. Conference is another venue for them to network and sell their business,â&#x20AC;? says Steiner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But you need to come with a purpose â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a professional purpose as well as a personal purpose â&#x20AC;&#x201D; because you get out of it what you put into it.â&#x20AC;?

2011 Legacy Awards

Two people who exude such passion and pursuit of excellence are the 2011 W.I.L.D. Legacy Award winners, Leah Humphries and Jayne Huston who were selected by W.I.L.D. committee members for excelling in their career goals both personally and professionally.

Humphries is the president and CEO of two companies, Apple Creative Group, a full-service creative firm based in Erie, and MY HEART TIESÂŽ. The niche Web-based company designs and manufactures ostomy pouch covers, a need based on Humphriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; own experience with Crohnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease, which she was diagnosed with at age 20.

Today, as a mentor and advocate, Humphries reaches out to women who are facing physical illness or destructive relationships â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as a survivor of emotional and verbal abuse â&#x20AC;&#x201D; by speaking and writing about her experiences. At this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s W.I.L.D., she will be setting up a booth to talk about her newest venture, the Pain2PowerPrincipleâ&#x201E;˘.

Notes Humphries, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can take my history with Crohnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease, with the ostomy, with the very dysfunctional relationship that I was in before, and I can say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Look at all the things that have happened in my life, and look what I did with them, and how you can do that as well.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;?

Huston, too, has been an inspirational figure, primarily for fostering small-business development and leadership in western Pennsylvania and nationally. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think there is only one thing more rewarding than your own success and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really being a part of someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. So the idea of the Legacy Award and being honored for really mentoring other women and helping them to succeed, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really what I do everyday, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I love,â&#x20AC;? adds Huston.

Since 2004, Huston has been the director of E-Magnify located in Somerset County outside of Pittsburgh. The center, which serves a 27-county area and will mark its 20th year in operation this October,

is one of four womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business centers funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration in Pennsylvania and the only U.S. SBAfunded center in western Pennsylvania.

E-Magnifyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to help women start and grow their businesses through business counseling, education, training, and mentoring programs, including the Athena Power Link program and the Women Presidentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Organization, a national program that provides peer-to-peer mentoring panels for women entrepreneurs who have multimillion-dollar businesses.

Small-business development professionals say the need for such resources is why events like the W.I.L.D. Conference continue to flourish in western Pennsylvania and why branding and the longterm growth of such an event is so important to the region. The more opportunities available to entrepreneurs and businesses, the greater the economic benefit for the entire community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From a birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-eye view, our goal is to make the W.I.L.D. Conference national,â&#x20AC;? says Steiner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the economic development goals is to bring outside businesses into Erie and northwest Pennsylvania â&#x20AC;Ś We look for all types of organizations to be part of this program. As a collaborative initiative, the community will grow and more small business will succeed.â&#x20AC;?

To learn more about this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s W.I.L.D. Conference or for registration information, visit wild.sbdcgannon.org.

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In addition to the speaker presentations and networking opportunities, W.I.L.D. attendees have a chance to tour the annual trade show. Organizers say this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference is supporting the â&#x20AC;&#x153;greenâ&#x20AC;? theme with environmentally friendly goods, as well as a plethora of products and services for the mind and body, in addition to a wide variety of traditional exhibits, such as: â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

14 < www.mbausa.org < March 2011

The Agency Alternative My Father's House BeautiControl Erie DAWN Erie Federal Credit Union Erie General Electric Federal Credit Union Gannon SBDC Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania Glass Growers Gallery Good Health Rejuvenation Gannon University Office of Graduate Admissions Hamot for Women Lia Sophia Jewelry

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Mantch-Lafaro Insurance Agency Pampered Chef Saint Vincent Health System Silpada WILD STORE Womens Roundtable CEB Gannon University Sassy Peacock FASTSIGNS Breakiron Jewelers Pain2PowerPrinciple Premier Jewelry YMCA

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Who has inspired you as a woman business leader? Dr. Gertrude A. Barber inspired me, as well as countless other educators and parents, because she was able to help people achieve dreams they would not have thought possible. At a time when few women had leadership roles, Dr. Barber undertook a mission to support children and adults with disabilities that has not only transformed the lives of individuals and families, but changed our community and the world. Her legacy is this mission that continues to inspire us to help our children and adults achieve their potential and make their dreams come true.

Who has inspired you as a woman business leader?

I'm inspired by any woman who has the knowledge, strength and leadership skills it takes to be a business leader. I'm inspired by my mother who had the utmost faith in me to do anything I ever wanted to do. My mentor is Debbie Trocki, the past owner of Signs Now. She has inspired me with the trust to take over the business, her honesty in business and her encouragement for me to run a very fast paced and technical business.

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Executive Vice President Barber National Institute More Than 25 Years at the Barber National Institute

Partner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Erie Office McGill, Power, Bell & Associates, LLP 32 Years in Public Accounting (National & Regional Firms)

Who has inspired you as a woman business leader? As a certified public accountant and financial adviser, I have the wonderful opportunity each day to work with very successful and dynamic business leaders. These clients and business affiliates inspire me to strive for excellence in my profession and challenge me to give back to the community in which I live and work.

16 < www.mbausa.org < March 2011

President Signs Now 335, Inc. 20 Years in Business â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Large Format Digital Printing and Sign Manufacturing

Senior VP/ Regional Manager Northwest Savings Bank 31 Years in Banking Who has inspired you as a woman business leader?

It has been a permanent calling. The idea that I could be something bigger than myself, or the sum of all the small accomplishments and failures along the way, is what inspires me each and every day. Somewhere along the 31-year journey, my job became a career. I take pleasure and pride in being an integral part of my community, and helping its businesses and people prosper. My own personal expressions of inspiration include a desire to create a legacy that others may emulate. As an adopted child of a single parent, the work ethic and sacrifice of my mother was the basis for whom I have become today. My family is my greatest inspiration and faith is my guide. Thank you Dolores, John, Brooke, Aaron, Averi and Amani.

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Who has inspired you as a woman business leader? Sylvia Ulman, American Crafts in Cleveland, Ohio, was my mentor when I first started business. Wendy Rosen who allowed so many American Crafts businesses to blossom and grow strong through her adventuresome marketing plans. Dr. Charlotte Wellman who raises the bar ever so gently and encourages you to leap. Vara Kamin's emphasis on the importance of scholarship, communication, and caring for yourself. Noreen Finn for her ability to focus and achieve the desired goal.

Vanessa Vahanian for her generosity of spirit and dedication.

Melissa Estep for illimitable ability to organize and imagine.

Who has inspired you as a woman business leader? The woman I admire most in life is Peggy Moore, my mother and founder of Moore Research Services, Inc. Peggy started Moore Research in 1969, which back then was a time when most women stayed home to raise their families, not work, or even start their own company. Through the years, I have learned and picked up a few traits and advice from my mother. Some of those most important traits of a successful leader include, surrounding yourself with good people, enjoying what you do, having an inner drive to succeed, maintaining self-confidence, having the openness to change, being competitive, and being able to accept constructive criticism and rejection.

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Who has inspired you as a woman business leader?

I have been inspired by three distinct people/groups. First, my mother and the leadership qualities of integrity, collaboration, volunteerism and foresight, which she exhibited as the Assistant Director of Nursing at Polk Center many years ago.

Secondly, by a dear friend, Carol N. Maurer, MD, who chose the field of Medicine at a time when few women were physicians and served for 50 years of active practice in Psychiatry. In addition, the various Sisters of St. Joseph, who taught me and ministered with me throughout my career. These inspiring women were/are in the forefront of education and health care and modeled the importance of Mission as a driving force to me.

Who has inspired you as a woman business leader? My first supervisor following college once told me to "lead, follow or get out of the way ... a good leader knows when to do each of these activities." Dr. Cathy Walden's words have echoed in my ears countless times during my business career. Applying the appropriate time to execute each activity is a day-by-day learning experience. Working with the Athena program, I have observed even more how true those words are for successful business owners both male and female. The mentoring I've received from the Athena program this year has been a tremendously inspiring experience which has helped me grow as a business owner.

Glass Growers Gallery Art Consultant, Gallery Director, and Appraiser 36 Years in Business

President & CEO Saint Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home of Erie 41 Years in Nursing Care

President & CEO Moore Research Services, Inc. 25 Years in Marketing Research

CEO FASTSIGNS-Erie 28 Years in Business

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 17

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ON YOUR TEAM.

If you are a female entrepreneur and business owner, you want Janel Bonsell on your team.

As a principal of the accounting firm, Schaffner, Knight, Minnaugh & Company, P.C., she is a strong advocate of women-owned businesses because she knows first hand the unique and various industry needs of running a successful business.

With her team of professionals, of which 40% are women, she can empower you and your entrepreneurial spirit. If Janel is on your team, you are assured world-class service.

Certified Public Accountants

Erie Offices 1001 State Street, Suite 1300 Erie, Pennsylvania 16501 814-454-1997 Jamestown Offices 500 Pine Street, Suite 14 Jamestown, NY 14701 716-483-0071

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Janel Bonsell, CPA, CFE, CFF Principal of Schaffner, Knight, Minnaugh & Company, P.C., Proud Sponsors of the 4th Annual Women In Leadership Development Conference on March 25th

The McGladrey Alliance is a premier affiliation of independent accounting and consulting firms. The McGladrey Alliance member firms maintain their name, autonomy and independence and are responsible for their own client fee arrangements, delivery of services and maintenance of client relationships. The McGladrey Alliance is a business of RSM McGladrey, Inc., a leading professional services firm providing tax and consulting services. McGladrey is the brand under which RSM McGladrey, Inc. and McGladrey & Pullen, LLP serve clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; business needs.

McGladrey, the McGladrey logo and the McGladrey Alliance signatures are used under license by RSM McGladrey, Inc. and McGladrey & Pullen, LLP.

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 19

Proud Supporter of the Gannon SBDC

2011 W.I.L.D. Conference

Front Row (L-R): Julie Martin, Operations Manager; Bethany Torisky, Private Banker; Abby Williams, Community Office Manager; Carla LaBoda, Regional Retail Administrator.

Back Row: Katie Jones, Community Office Manager; Allison Roberts, Cash Management Specialist; Kelly Buck, Community Office Manager; Betsy Bort, VP Commercial Lending

Women in business—we can relate.

Commercial Lending, Business Services, Private Banking and Retail Lending.

Main/Interchange Office 2035 Edinboro Road • Erie, PA 16509 • Phone (814) 868-7523

Asbury Road Office 2615 Asbury Road • Erie, PA 16506 • Phone (814) 835-1116

Downtown Office & Private Banking 101 West 10th Street • Erie, PA 16501 Phone (814) 454-3477 • Private Banking (814) 454-3444

Harborcreek Office 5723 Buffalo Road • Harborcreek, PA 16421 • Phone (814) 899-5101

Meadville Office 885 Park Avenue • Meadville, PA 16335 • Phone (814) 336-1223

The women of ERIEBANK are an integral factor in our developmental progression and success. Each is a role model, driven to inspire within the industry and throughout our community.

Women leaders in business are imperative to evolve communities to their full potential, both socially and economically. ERIEBANK is committed to advancing and creating leadership opportunities for women— and a proud supporter of the Gannon University Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC), annual W.I.L.D. Conference.

Come enjoy the many relationship rewards that are waiting for you at ERIEBANK.

www.eriebank.net

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March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 23

HR Connection SURVEY SHOWS WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS QUICK TO EMBRACE SOCIAL MEDIA Women entrepreneurs are quick to embrace new online tools and they value social media three times as much as their male counterparts, according to the latest study by The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute, which measures small business’s relationship with technology.

The study surveyed 1,200 business owners with two to 99 employees across 12 industry sectors, from accounting and financial services to high-tech, hotels and restaurants, and health care.

Mark Wolf, director of the institute, says he isn’t surprised by women's greater affinity for social media.

He explains the increased usage as an extension of how these

24 < www.mbausa.org < March 2011

entrepreneurs live their lives, talking and interacting with people.

The research also found that not every industry embraces social media in the same way. Arts and entertainment enterprises and health-care providers appear to value social sites more than other industries, according to the survey.

Both sectors involve a great deal of consumer dialogue and social commentary, which researchers say could explain why they're among the earliest to embrace the business value of social tools.

MAJORITY OF EMPLOYERS MAY WANT TO CONSIDER STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING WOMEN LEADERS Despite organizations’ efforts to achieve a diverse work force, 70 percent do not have a clearly defined strategy or philosophy

for the development of women into leadership roles, according to the Women’s Leadership Development Survey conducted

by Mercer in conjunction with Talent Management and Diversity Management magazines.

According to the survey, more than two-fifths (43 percent) of the employers surveyed indicate that their organization does not offer any activities or programs targeted to the needs of women leaders.

While 23 percent of organizations said they offer some activities or programs, another 19 percent said their approach to the development of women leaders is to track and monitor progress only. Five percent said they currently provide a robust program and 4 percent say they plan to add programs and activities in the future.

DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Stacey Bruce

A Few Simple Steps Can Help Ensure Lasting Motivation for Your Employees There are plenty of trendy motivational ideas out there that turn out to be nothing more than a Band-Aid for the gaping wound that is low morale. Who hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t gotten excited about employee of the week, month or year programs only to become disillusioned when the long-term results are nonexistent?

The reason why quick fix programs donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work is because motivation is a process, not a one-time event.

Employees feel motivated when they are immersed in a culture where they feel important and they know that what they offer is valued daily, not just at the conclusion of some contrived contest.

Motivation that is sustainable is not difficult to accomplish. Below

are a few keys to ensure that your motivational efforts will last longer than the time it takes to read this article: 1. Have a problem to solve? Ask your employees what their ideas are to fix it. After all, they are the ones doing the work in the first place, so who better to ask?

2. Decision time? Solicit input from your staff. They will buy in to the end result a lot quicker if they are included in the process.

3. Bad news to deliver? Be honest and straightforward.

While the news might sting in the short term, in the long term they will respect you for being truthful and letting them honestly know where things stand.

Adagio Health Erie 240 West 11th St., Ste. 102 814-453-4718 www.adagiohealth.org

â&#x20AC;˘ Complete OB/Gyn Care â&#x20AC;˘ STD Testing & Treatment for Men & Women â&#x20AC;˘ Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Our Medical Offices participate in Medicare, all Medicaid plans including SelectPlan for Women, and we also participate in most commercial insurance plans. For those without insurance, fees for most medical services (excluding prenatal care) are based on income and family size. Most medical services are provided at no cost to those age 17 and under.

Four ways ADP helps you do more with less.

For those of you who say that motivation doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t last, neither does bathing. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we recommend it daily.

For more information about strategies to motivate your employees, please contact the Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Professional Development Training Department at 814/833-3200, 800/815-2660 or visit www. mbausa.org for course information.

Dan Monaghan is the director of Training at the Manufacturer & Business Association.

whatever it takes

and then some

deltadentalins.com 800-471-7091

â&#x20AC;˘ largest network of dentists â&#x20AC;˘ less out-of-pocket â&#x20AC;˘ easy, accurate claims processing

Dental plans are underwritten

by Delta Dental of Pennsylvania, giving you access to more than 223,000 dentist locations nationwide.

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With 16 years experience, Ken Polk has helped businesses succeed across Erie, PA and Jamestown, NY.

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The ADP logo, ADP, and The business behind business are registered trademarks of ADP, Inc. Š2010 ADP, Inc.

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March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 25

FREE Business Banking Test Drive

Take Yours Today!

Northwest Direct: 1-877-672-5678 www.northwestsavingsbank.com

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30

OntheHill

DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Lori Joint

Congressional Spotlight: New Faces on The Hill Anna McCauslin is the state government relations representative for the Manufacturer & Business Association in Harrisburg. Contact her at 717/525-7213 or amccauslin@mbausa.org.

The November 2010 midterm election was an historic event that enabled Republicans to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives and gain seats in the Senate, eroding Democrats’ powers of cloture. Now the geographic membership area of the Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) has three new business-friendly Republican legislators where tax-and-spend Democrats were once in charge.

One new freshman is Senator Pat Toomey, who is Pennsylvania’s first pro-business Senator since former Senator Rick Santorum. There also are two new freshmen Republican Congressmen, Representatives Mike Kelly (3rd District) and Tom Marino (10th District).

These three legislators will have the exciting opportunity to serve the people of Pennsylvania at this important juncture, standing for the principles of a free-market economy and smaller government.

Freshman Senator Pat Toomey (R) Republican Pat Toomey, who served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, made a campaign promise to serve only three terms, a promise he kept.

Toomey faced Senator Specter in the 2004 Republican primary and lost by a slim 1.7-percent margin. It is reported that Specter changed parties prior to the 2010 primary against Toomey because he would have an easier time getting re-elected, and believed the GOP had drifted too far right.

During Toomey’s six years in office, he maintained a voting record with the business community between 90 percent and 100 percent. He voted to allow tax cuts, drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and permanently repeal the death tax, all in line with the MBA’s legislative priorities.

Capitol Contact Information: B40b Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202/224-4254

District Contact Information: U.S. Federal Building 17 South Park Row, Suite B-120 Erie, PA 16501 Phone: 814/453-3010

Freshman Congressman Mike Kelley (R) Republican Congressman Mike Kelly is a small-business owner from Butler, Pennsylvania. Having taken the reins of his father’s business, Kelly ChevroletCadillac, Inc. in 1995, he understands the needs of the many small-business owners who make up many of Pennsylvania’s employers. Some of his top priorities in Washington will be to support fiscally conservative spending habits, re-evaluate government-funded programs, and eliminate those without value.

Capitol Contact Information: 515 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202/225-5406

District Contact Information: 208 E. Bayfront Parkway Suite 102 Erie, PA 16507 Phone: 814/454-8190

Freshman Congressman Tom Marino (R) Republican Congressman Tom Marino has been a part of both the blue-collar and white-collar work forces through his experience in manufacturing and by practicing law. Marino worked hard to become a U.S. Attorney. Similar to fellow freshman Congressman Kelly, reforming government spending is at the top of Marino’s to-do list. Jobs also are an important issue, as Marino has said, “Government does not create jobs — business does.”

Capitol Contact Information: 410 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202/225-3731

District Contact Information: 1000 Commerce Park Drive Suite 1A Williamsport, PA 17701

2011-12 MBA Legislative Directory Now Available

Starting this month, the Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) is pleased to present its members with the 2011-2012 Legislative Directory. This booklet contains valuable contact information for communicating with state legislators and members of Congress. The directory also includes contact information for the current administration, legislators, Party leaders and officials, as well as state and Congressional district maps. Call the Government Affairs Department at 717/5257213, or e-mail amccauslin@mbausa.org to receive yours.

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 27

Strength in Numbers MacDonald Illig is proud to promote diversity in the workplace. With one of the largest groups of female attorneys in northwestern Pennsylvania, and over forty attorneys who practice in multiple areas, MacDonald Illig has the depth necessary to succeed. From real estate transactions to custody matters, commercial litigation to labor relations, boardroom to courtroom—the attorneys of MacDonald Illig stand ready to help.

Marcia H. Haller, Partner • Jennifer Brostmeyer Hirneisen, Associate • Lisa Smith Presta, Partner • Marissa Savastana Watts, Associate • Susan Fuhrer Reiter, Partner • Kimberly A. Oakes, Partner Jenna Bickford, Associate • Laura Popoff Stefanovski, Associate (not pictured)

Business Law • Litigation • Environmental • Intellectual Property • Trusts & Estates • Health Care • Labor & Employment • Real Estate Project Finance Law • Government Services & Public Finance • Family Law • Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights • Tax • Construction • Insurance

100 State Street • Suite 700 • Erie, PA 16507 • MacDonaldIllig.com • 814-870-7600

MacDonald Illig Jones & Britton LLP

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Legal Q&A race, color, religion, sex, or national origin when they provide family or medical leave.

DOES THE LAW REQUIRE EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE PAID VACATION TIME AND SICK LEAVE? No. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which governs worker pay and worker hours, does not require employers to give employees paid vacation time and paid sick days.

However, in an effort to attract a larger pool of qualified applicants, many employers have leave policies that give full-time workers paid vacation time and sick leave.

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REQUIREMENTS OF THE FMLA, THE ADA, AND TITLE VII? The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) both require a covered employer to grant medical leave to an employee in certain circumstances. The FMLA and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 both have requirements governing leave for pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions. Also, under Title VII, employers must not discriminate on the basis of

30 < www.mbausa.org < March 2011

DOES THE FEDERAL FMLA APPLY TO ALL EMPLOYERS? No. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) applies to employers with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius. However, similar state laws often apply to smaller workplaces not covered under the FMLA. Pennsylvania does not have such a law.

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DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Tammy Lamary

EEOC Disapproves of Automatic Termination Policies Does your company have a leave of absence policy that automatically terminates employment when an employee is unable to return to work upon the end of the medical leave period? Is it applied neutrally to all employees on medical leave?

Many employers, who have such a policy, believe that they are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Unfortunately, these employers may be mistaken.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is taking a strong position against these inflexible leave of absence policies. The EEOC believes that these policies violate the ADA’s requirement that requests for medical leave, including extended leave, be assessed on a case-bycase basis.

Under the ADA, a leave of absence is a common form of reasonable accommodation and the duty of reasonable accommodation has no defined period of time.

This means that if an employee is unable to return to work at the end of a medical leave period and the employee requests additional leave, the employer must evaluate whether continued leave would be a reasonable accommodation, or if it would result in undue hardship.

Determining whether such a leave would impose an undue hardship is a fact-intensive inquiry. What constitutes an undue hardship is specific to the employee, the employer, and the position at issue.

Employers are encouraged to review their medical leave of absence policies and practices to

D E R E G U L A T E D

E N E R G Y

ensure that they do not call for a maximum period of leave followed by automatic termination, but rather provide that the duration of medical leave and other requests for accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

For more information about leave of absence policies, please contact me at 814/833-3200, 800/815-2660 or tlamary@mbausa. org.

Tammy Lamary is Labor & Employment Counsel for the Manufacturer & Business Association’s Legal Services Division.

E X P E R T I S E

It’s time your business and home relied on NATIONAL FUEL RESOURCES’ Deregulated Energy Expertise for your natural gas.

Shelly Spacht is a Senior Energy Consultant for NFR’s New York and Pennsylvania territories. She brings her 16 years of expertise in all aspects of the natural gas industry to many of NFR’s customers.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT SHELLY AT

With a diverse network of suppliers across North America, as well as extensive experience in pipeline and storage management, NFR is able to seek out the best sourcing options. NFR has grown to become one of the largest regional marketing companies, supplying natural gas to thousands of residential, commercial and industrial clients.

No other energy supplier is better equipped to provide reliable supplies, competitive prices and a plan to control energy costs.

814-825-1893

Take control of your natural gas cost now.

or visit www.nfrinc.com

D E R E G U L AT E D E N E RGY E X P E RT I S E

e-mail sspacht@nfrinc.com

National Fuel Resources, Inc . 349 East Grandview Blvd . Erie, PA 16504 . 814-825-1893 . sspacht@nfrinc.com March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 31

Top15

Among the Health Plans in the Nation.

Again.

When it comes to quality, the competition doesn’t even come close.

For six consecutive years, HealthAmerica has ranked among the nation’s top health plans according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).† Our current commercial health plan ranking is 14 — the top six percent.* Not too bad for your home-town health plan. And, our Medicare plan is ranked 28 out of 183 Medicare plans evaluated nationwide.**

Compare us to your insurer.

See for yourself. You’ll find that we perform quite well. Visit www.healthamerica.cvty.com and click “Top 15” to see the health plan rankings from the NCQA. †U.S. News/NCQA America’s Best Health Insurance Plans 2005-2009 (annual). | America’s Best Health Insurance Plans is a trademark of U.S. News & World Report. *NCQA’s Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2010-11 - Private | **NCQA’s Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2010-11 - Medicare

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EDITORIAL > by Angie Angus

Challenge Industry Definitions of Your Target Buyer Group Angie E. Angus is manager of Blue Ocean Strategy Programs and Support Services for the MBA Blue Ocean Strategy Center – United States and a certified Blue Ocean Strategy practitioner. The Center teaches companies and organizations of all sizes and types to implement Blue Ocean Strategy in order to find new markets for their products or services.

This article is part of a series that features excerpts from the international best-selling book, Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant, by authors W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne.

Blue Ocean Strategy provides six paths to consider when conceiving new market space. Examine the paths to decide which one will work best for your company or organization to move from head-to-head competition to blue ocean creation.

Take the third path to look across the chain of buyers.

In head-to-head competition, focus is placed on the target buyer group to better serve their needs. Most industries have a common definition of who is the target buyer group, and compete to win them over. However, there are three groups that can be involved in the purchasing decision; the purchaser, user, and influencer. The purchaser is the one who pays for the product or service. The user is the person that actually uses the product, and the influencer exerts influence over the purchaser and/or user.

Below are some examples of how two international companies successfully challenged their industry’s definition of these groups by changing their focus and looking past existing boundaries.

Shifting Focus From the Purchaser to the User Traditionally, the copier industry’s target customer has been a company’s purchasing manager. Canon copiers shifted their focus from the industry-targeted purchasing manager to the secretary (the user). As a result, they began to create small desktop copiers. Purchasing managers were looking for large, fast and durable copiers that didn’t need much maintenance, while secretaries were looking for small, easy-to-use desktop printers. This shift in focus afforded Canon great success and opened up a new market space.

Shifting Focus From the Influencer to the User The Danish company Novo Nordisk produces insulin, which is used by diabetics to regulate the level of sugar in their blood.

The insulin producing industry had typically targeted doctors, who are the influencers in the buyer chain. Since doctors were always looking for better medicine, the key competitive factor for the entire industry was to create the most pure insulin. By the 1980s, however, innovations in purification technology improved dramatically, so that it became difficult to produce more pure insulin than your competitors.

This is when Novo Nordisk redesigned their value curve to change their focus from the influencer to the user, which meant focusing on the patient instead of the doctor. Insulin

Canon copiers found a blue ocean by changing their target buyer group.

was distributed to the patients in vials, which meant they had to also carry syringes and needles to administer the medicine.

Since many diabetics have to have insulin several times a day, it was often inconvenient to carry and use everything needed to administer the insulin. There also was a social stigmatism with giving shots in public that caused people to be uncomfortable when injecting themselves.

This led to the development of the Novopen, the first userfriendly insulin delivery solution that was designed to remove the hassle and embarrassment of administering insulin.

The pen was easy for patients to use and eliminated the inconvenience of carrying around the needles, syringes and vials. By changing their focus from the doctor to the patient, Novo Nordisk opened a blue ocean of opportunity for their company, while providing a dramatic increase in value for diabetic patients.

Consider This Looking across the chain of buyers to challenge your industry’s target buyer group can provide new insight into how to redesign your company’s value curve and meet the needs of a previously overlooked set of buyers. This shift in focus can lead to the discovery of a new blue ocean.

Next month: Path 4 – Looking Across Complementary Product and Service Offerings If you are interested in learning more about Blue Ocean Strategy, please visit mbausa.blueoceanstrategy.com or contact me at aangus@mbausa.org.

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 33

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Events

Mark Neidig Sr., executive director of the Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation, video conferences with Dr. Steven Curley of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, to hear the latest progress being made on the Kanzius machine, during a recent Association Eggs ‘n’ Issues briefing.

To learn about upcoming events at the Manufacturer & Business Association, visit www.mbausa.org!

Russell Combs, executive director of the Erie Technology Incubator at Gannon University, talks about the progress being made at the center and the resources and tools available to technology startups in the region, during a briefing at the Association’s Conference Center.

James Kurre, professor of economics at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College and director of the Economic Research Institute of Erie, introduces the Erie Leading Index of economic indicators to area business leaders, during the Association’s annual Economic Forecast.

zŽƵ ŶĞĞĚ ŝƚ͕ LJŽƵ ǁĂŶƚ ŝƚ͕ ǁĞ͛ǀĞ ŐŽƚ ŝƚ͘ zŽƵ͛ůů ůŽǀĞ ƚŚĞ ĐŚŽŝĐĞ ŽĨ ŇĞdžŝďůĞ ŵĞĞƟŶŐ ƌŽŽŵƐ Ăůů ĞƋƵŝƉƉĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ tŝ&ŝ͕ ŇĂƚͲƐĐƌĞĞŶ dsƐ ĂŶĚ ůĂƉƚŽƉƐ͘ ŶĚ ŽƵƌ ŽŶƐŝƚĞ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĐĞŶƚĞƌ ǁŝƚŚ ƉŚŽŶĞ͕ ĨĂdž͕ ĐŽƉŝĞƌ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵƉƵƚĞƌ͕ ƉůƵƐ ĐŽŵƉůŝŵĞŶƚĂƌLJ ďƌĞĂŬĨĂƐƚ͕ ďĞǀĞƌĂŐĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĂŌĞƌŶŽŽŶ ƐŶĂĐŬƐ͕ ŵĂdžŝŵŝnjĞƐ ĐŽŶǀĞŶŝĞŶĐĞ ĨŽƌ LJŽƵ ĂŶĚ LJŽƵƌ ŐƵĞƐƚƐ͊

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DO YOU HAVE DO YOU HAVE SUPER STRENGTH? SUPER STRENGTH? We do, and you can too. No matter how impossible your business We do, and you can too. No matter how impossible your business goals may seem, you can achieve them and we can help. goals may seem, you can achieve them and we can help.

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logo and the McGladrey Alliance signatures are used under license by RSM McGladrey, Inc. and McGladrey & Pullen, LLP. The McGladrey Alliance is a premier affiliation of independent accounting and consulting firms. The McGladrey Alliance member firms maintain their name, autonomy and independence and are responsible for their own client fee arrangements, delivery of services and maintenance of client relationships. The McGladrey Alliance is a business of RSM McGladrey, Inc., a leading professional services firm providing tax and consulting services. McGladrey is the brand under which RSM McGladrey, Inc. and McGladrey & Pullen, LLP serve clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; business needs. McGladrey, the McGladrey logo and the McGladrey Alliance signatures are used under license by RSM McGladrey, Inc. and McGladrey & Pullen, LLP.

People Buzz PRESTA NAMED PRESIDENT OF ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION Lisa Smith Presta, a senior partner with the law firm of MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton in Erie, will serve as president of the Erie County Bar Association in 2011. Attorney Presta has been a member of the Association’s Board of Directors since 2006 and has served as chair of its Civil Litigation Section in the past. At MacDonald Illig, she concentrates her practice in the areas of commercial litigation, employment litigation and general insurance defense.

AMERICAN RESORT MANAGEMENT CHIEF APPOINTED TO WATERPARK BOARD American Resort Management, LLC, an Erie-based national hotel development and management company, recently announced the appointment of its president and co-founder Jeffrey D. Mona, CHA (certified hotel administrator), to a two-year term on the World Waterpark International Board of Directors. The Board’s mission is to provide oversight and direction to the indoor and outdoor water park industry and the World Waterpark Association.

KNOX ATTORNEY EARNS NEW YORK LICENSURE Peter A. Pentz, chair of the Workers’ Compensation Group at Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, P.C., is now licensed to practice in the state of New York. In addition to Pentz, six other Knox attorneys are licensed in that state to provide a full range of legal services through the Knox office in Jamestown.

Pentz concentrates his practice in

the area of workers’ compensation representing employers and insurance carriers throughout Western Pennsylvania. His practice includes representing insured, self-insured, third-party administrators and insurance carriers in all aspects of workers’ compensation as well as counseling employers in ancillary workplace programs, returnto-work programs, accident investigation and accident prevention.

MORRIS COUPLING MIS MANAGER PRESENTS AT TECH CONFERENCE Otto “Skip” Meyn, management information system (MIS) manager at Morris Coupling Company, was recently a presenter at the INFOR System i 2010 User Conference in Phoenix.

EDITORIAL > Contact: Karen Torres

As part of his presentation, “Enterprise Integration: What it can do for YOU,” Meyn presented several demonstrations of applications developed using INFOR XA Integrator.

The applications used the tools supplied by INFOR XA within the client software, PowerLink. These applications included Daily Demands, Backlog Daily Movements, Customer Rankings, Work Center Capacity, Item Accounting Code Cost Analyst and Facility Daily Units & Efficiencies.

Founded in 1941, the family owned Morris Coupling Company is a leading manufacturer and supplier of components for pneumatic conveying systems with offices in Erie, Knoxville, Tennessee and Marietta, Georgia.

MANUFACTURER & BUSINESS ASSOCIATION PROMOTES TWO The Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) recently announced the promotions of two staff members: Lori Joint has been appointed director of Government Affairs.

In this role, she will be responsible for developing the Association’s legislative priorities and strategies; working with area legislators; planning political debates and forums; facilitating communications and outreach; encouraging membership grassroots activities; and lobbying on behalf of a pro-growth, pro-business agenda at the local, state and federal levels for the Association’s more than 4,700 member companies.

Joint has been employed at the MBA for the past 16 years, most recently as the account executive for the Business Magazine, the monthly member publication of the Association.

She is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Erie and a 1991 graduate of Gannon

University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science.

She attended Buffalo State College from 2006 to 2008 while working toward a master’s degree.

Patty Welther is replacing Joint as account executive for the Business Magazine.

In this position, Welther will be responsible for advertising sales and marketing of the magazine. She has been employed at the Association for the past four years as a membership development specialist and territory manager for the Employers' Energy Alliance of Pennsylvania, Inc., the Association’s low-cost energy program.

Welther previously worked in the telecommunications industry for eight years and is a two-time recipient of the President’s Award for Sales and Account Retention. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Edinboro University.

March 2011 > www.mbausa.org > 37

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