Corridors january 2018

Long-Term Planning. How Do You Get There?

Long-Term Planning . . . For Your Health Tax Changes for 2018 for Individuals and Business

January 2018

C O N T E N T S

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4 Chamber Headquarters 5000 Brooktree Road, Suite 100 Wexford, PA Cranberry Twp. Office 2525 Rochester Road Cranberry Township, PA P: 724.934.9700 F: 724.934.9710

Jim Boltz President JBoltz@PghNorthChamber.com For more information on the Chamber’s program of work, please contact: Patty Bittle Marketing and Events Director PBittle@PghNorthChamber.com Al Davidson Membership Accounts Executive ADavidson@PghNorthChamber.com Kristina Hall Program Director KHall@PghNorthChamber.com Heather Schwartzbauer Membership Coordinator HSchwartzbauer@PghNorthChamber.com Amy VanAtta Executive Assistant AVanAtta@PghNorthChamber.com

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From the New Year, New Things!

We, here, at the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber, want to make sure that the chamber continually meets your wants and needs. Because of that, we periodically conduct surveys, monitor attendance and listen to your comments. Then, we make changes so that you can get the most out of your chamber. Events evolve, new ones are added, and some old ones are discontinued. But one thing remains the same, the PNRC is built for you.

Jim Boltz, President As we turn the calendar to another year, it is time to share what you can look forward to in 2018. While most of the things that we do will continue in the form that you know and love, there are some exciting new things that we have planned. Here is a partial list of what to look forward to in this coming year: Connections meetings: Through all these years, these meetings remain our most popular. Over 120 members, on the average, attend them every week. You have told us, however, that you would like more opportunities to network in the afternoon. In response, on the first and third weeks of the month, the Thursday meeting will be from 11:30 to 1. It will continue at the same time on weeks two and four. The meetings are at Treasure House Fashion.

Business Showcase: Once every quarter, we will enhance one of our Business After-Hours by converting it into a Business Showcase. Four to five Chamber members will be able to purchase tables at the event to “showcase” their business. The first will be on January 18th at Treesdale with the theme “New Year’s Resolutions: Kicking off the New Year Right.”

HYPE events: HYPE (Helping Young Professionals Excel), our exciting new young professionals group, will have events that are geared specifically for it. Those events include Business After Hours and its very own golf outing.

Chamber Mega Mixer: In July, we will have an event on the Gateway Clipper with several other local Chambers.

PSE/Chamber Business After-Hours: We are bringing back this ever popular event in June.

Innovation Pittsburgh: The schedule has been set. Mark your calendars. We will be bringing in prominent local professionals to speak on the following topics: March 23rd- Entrepreneurship- Thriving or Surviving June 8th- Progress and Growth through Innovation September 14th- Health, Wellness and Medicine November 2nd- Building a Prosperous Business A number of other exciting things are planned but details have not been finalized. Stay tuned for information regarding them. With all the new that we have planned along with the old favorites, 2018 should be a good year.

Member Testimonials

“The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University greatly benefits from our membership to the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber, which helps us expand our reach and boost awareness of our programs that assist women entrepreneurs and business owners start and grow companies in the Greater Pittsburgh region. Many of our Center's members are also active members of the Chamber and we look forward to enhancing our great relationship.”

Anne Flynn Schlicht Assistant Director, CENTER FOR WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHATHAM UNIVERSITY

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B USINESS A FTER H OURS January 18 Treesdale Golf & Country Club 1 Arnold Palmer Dr, Gibsonia, PA 15044

Business After Hours are from 5-7pm

E VENTS

2018 B OARD OF D IRECTORS E XECUTIVE C OMMITTEE Ann Gatty, Ph.D. – Board Chair Strategic People Solutions Philip J. Scolieri, J.D.– Chair-Elect Scolieri Law Group, P.C. Andrew Chiapusio– Vice-Chair First National Bank

Annual Meeting Thursday, February 8 5:30-8:00pm Treesdale Golf & Country Club 1 Arnold Palmer Drive

Innovation Pittsburgh Friday, March 23 8:00-11:30am The Washington Place 5847 Meridian Road

M ARKETPLACE L UNCH M EETINGS January 10: Monte Cellos at The Hampton Shoppes 11:30am-1:00pm 4655 William Flynn Highway Route 8, Allison Park January 22: Family Bowlaway Fun Center 11:30am- 1:00pm 540 Fairground Hill Road, Butler

CONNECTIONS

John Tubridy - Past Chair Franchise Network of Pittsburgh Gregg Hill – Foundation Chair Dollar Bank Lisa Hunt - Treasurer USX Federal Credit Union Kim Yerace – Secretary Petroleum Technical Services, LLC Jim Boltz - President Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber James Roddey - Advisor to the Board St. Barnabas Health System

B OARD

OF

D IRECTORS

Tracy Armstrong, North Pittsburgh Greeting Company Gary Basilone, Basilone Executive Search & Staffing Ryan Breen J.D., Breen Law Firm, LLC

Daily networking events for business leaders throughout our

Steven W. Diffenderfer, NexTier Bank

Pittsburgh North region

Todd Harris, Liberty Insurance Agency

Wexford: Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m. Chamber Headquarters, 5000 Brooktree Rd., Suite 100. Sponsored by

Dittman EyeCare, Inc.

Warrendale: Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. DoubleTree By Hilton 910 Sheraton Drive. Sponsored by Dollar Bank Cranberry Twp.: Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m. Council Chambers, 2525 Rochester Road.

Ross Twp.: 1st & 3 Thursdays. 11:30a.m. Treasure House Fashions, 7607 McKnight Road Ross Twp.: 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 7:30 a.m. Treasure House Fashions, 7607 McKnight Road.

Gibsonia: Fridays, 7:30 a.m. Crystal Conservatory 100 Conservatories Court.

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Nicholas D. Kennedy, FamilyWealth Management Group

Jim Logan, Battery Giant of Pittsburgh Al Marschke, ACN Business Essentials Alyssa Marsico, Alzheimer’s Association Tiffany Nolan, i.e. Insurance Robert O’Friel, Luttner Financial Group Tim Sechler, Sechler Law Firm, LLC Jan Stevens, Coldwell Banker Nicky Voynick, Salem Media Group

Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

PNRC Member Sheila Talarico Jim Boltz, President PNRC said, "The success of our Giving Tree Campaign can be directly related to Sheila’s hard work. She coordinates the process, prints the tags and facilitates the distribution of gifts. Through her efforts, the program has grown to the point that we have been able to collect over 500 gifts for those less fortunate in each of the past three years."

"Sheila is always willing to lend a helping hand. Her hard work and tireless efforts in creating all of the Giving Tree tags shouldn’t go unnoticed. She helps greatly with the success of the Giving Tree Program each year and is very organized, dedicated and passionate about helping the community and local nonprofit organizations. Sheila was also extremely supportive of the Chamber’s first-ever pet event, Barktoberfest, this past fall. We are very fortunate to work so closely with Sheila. She is well deserving of this honor," said Kristina Hall, Program Director PNRC. Gregg Hill, Business Development Officer Dollar Bank, said "Sheila is a key member of the PNRC Community Outreach Committee. She rarely misses a meeting, takes the minutes and she always contributes to the conversation. Her biggest contribution is the Giving Tree program. Year after year Sheila prints all the different color tags for each non-profit, and from a large Excel spreadsheet, she creates the individual tags with the information about who is asking for each gift. We just celebrated another great year for the Giving Tree program giving out well over 500 gifts and many thanks go to Sheila."

Member testimonials are the Chamber’s best and most effective way to promote the benefits and services that a Chamber membership provides. Share your success with the Chamber and your story may be featured in an upcoming edition of Corridors. Email all testimonials to Patty Bittle

PghNorthChamber.com

January 2018

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Long-Term Planning. How Do You Get There? By Greg Emslie As we start off another year, the phrase, “Where did the time go?” comes to mind. It’s interesting the number of people I talk to who will look back trying to remember an event and be completely surprised at how many years have gone by. Time has a way of slipping past us and, before you know it, BOOM, the future has arrived.

Whether you own a business or work for someone, each of us needs to have a long-term plan for our future. Depending on your age, that plan may be 20+ years out or it may be as short as five years. You may be planning the details of exiting your business, or it may be about the day you retire from working for someone else. Your plan might be about retirement, or it may be about a job/position that you want. Some may plan for a new house; some might think about paying for college for a child. Regardless of what you envision and plan for in the future, it is imperative that you have a plan and execute the plan.

"Poor prior planning produces poor results." We have all heard that phrase in one form or another. People who are successful and achieve their plans do not do so by accident. There is a process and steps to go through.

When it comes to your future, let’s not leave it to chance. This article will help you formulate and implement your long-term plan.

Your ability to think, plan, decide and, ultimately, take action largely determines the course of your life. The better you become in each area, the faster you will achieve your plans. Planning is the tool you use to get from where you are today to where you want to go. The difference between someone who uses a plan and someone who does not is like the difference between riding a bike and driving a car. Both will get from point A to point B. One will just get there faster. Strategic long-term planning is a systematic way of thinking and acting. Many different elements make up this key skill, but with practice, you will get into the habit of thinking and acting strategically all the time. This thinking will dictate your actions. Your actions will allow you to achieve your plan. So how do you create a successful long-term plan?

Start with your Vision. Close your eyes and think. Think about what it is you want to accomplish. Retirement, new house, college education, selling your business, new job. Whatever that long-term goal is, think about it. What does your life look like when you achieve it? Imagine Perfect. What does Perfect look like with regards to your vision for the future? Allow your mind to drift to that point in the future where you have achieved your plan. How do you feel? What does it look like? Are you happy? Relaxed? Whatever that long-term goal was, right now you have accomplished it. Hang onto that feeling. Get a pen and paper and start writing. Write it out as if you have achieved your goal already ... what it feels like. Example: "It is 2025. I am retired. We reside in two homes; one here in Pittsburgh and one in Charleston, NC. Both are paid for. We are free of debt and vacation twice a year to different cities and countries. I am healthy; I exercise every day. I have never been happier or more relaxed in my life. After so many years of hard work and struggles, I can sit back and enjoy my retirement." Allow the vision to continue …

Now we need to work on the mission. Based on your vision, the mission is the, "How do I do it? How do I achieve the vision? What are the steps I need to go through? Who do I need to rely on for help?" The mission becomes the roadmap for success. Example: "I am achieving my vision for successful ownership of my business because I have surrounded myself with wise and diverse people. From my insurance to my accounting to legal matters, and even employee- and sales-related issues, I have numerous people coaching me and helping to drive my business forward. Due to the benchmarks I have put into place, I know my business is valued at or above its market value and I will be able to attract buyers willing to pay for my success when the time comes to retire."

You have visualized the endpoint of your plan. You have laid out the people and the processes you need to get there. Now it time to set specific goals. Visualize the endpoint again. On a scale of 1-10, what is perfect for you (its does not need to be a 10)? In whatever area of your life you are planning, start with today. Using the same 110 scale, rank where you are today. The difference between today (starting point) and your vision (endpoint) is the gap you need to overcome. There are generally four key areas of your life that play into long-term planning: financial independence, business/career, health and fitness, and your family and relationships. Each area will generally impact at least one or two of the other areas. Once we have established “our gap,” we can start setting specific goals to close that gap. Goals need to be S.M.A.R.T. Specific, Measurable, Aligned, Realistic and TimeBounded. Example: "It is 2027 and I am retired." Once we have our goal, we can start Mindstorming.

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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

PghNorthChamber.com

July 2017

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Long-Term Planning: How Do You Get There?

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This is an exercise that helps us understand all the things we need to do to achieve the goal. Take out a clean sheet of paper and number 1-20 down the left-hand margin. Now start writing all the actions you need to be doing to achieve your goal. Generally, the first 7-8 of these actions items will come easily. The next 7-8 will be more difficult. The last few might take days to come up with. Rest assured, when you get 20 action items on paper about how to achieve your goal, you will have developed clarity about how to do it.

Lastly, when it comes to long-term planning, we need to set up KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRIs (Key Result Indicators). Regular monitoring of these indicators will be the key to staying on track and achieving your goals. Result Indicators tell you how you are doing. Key Result Indicators narrow it down to the indicators that are most critical to your success. Performance Indicators tell you what to do and Key Performance Indicators tell you what is critical to improving your overall performance. Think about this as it relates to any of your goals.

Performance is, “What am I doing?� Results is the measurement of that. In the case of saving for college tuition, the Performance Indicator might be X number of dollars every month through automatic deductions into a 529A plan. The Result Indicator would then be a measurement of how many times a year you make the contribution and what the returns are in the fund or funds you invest in. KPIs and KRIs need to be constantly evaluated and reviewed to make sure they are always relevant. In the example above, over the years, as your income goes up, should you adjust X, which is the number of dollars being contributed monthly to the fund?

All in all, creating a long-term plan is an exercise we all should do in many areas of our lives. It is an exercise that will add a tremendous amount of clarity and focus to your journey. Having a long-term plan will ultimately reduce your stress levels because you will have a road map (GPS today) showing you where you are going, how you are getting there, how long it will take you, and what it looks like once you are there. Happy New Year Enjoy the journey.

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Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late By Robert OFriel We can all agree that there is never a good time for facing a financial hardship due to loss of income. The problem for most people is that financial hardship comes on top of, or directly because of some other life event that is even more daunting to overcome.

While you may not be able to prevent illness, disability, job loss, other emergencies, or premature death, there are steps you can and should take immediately to address the likely loss of income and cashflow that would occur at the time of one of these events.

For example, if you are not able to work because of a medical condition, you are also likely to be facing the rising cost of medical care, transportation to and from appointments, and other lifestyle changes. Is that an opportune time to also be without a paycheck? If you are relying upon employer sponsored long term disability, or government programs, you may be surprised to find those coverages are minimal, sometimes short-term and often difficult to qualify for.

Are you prepared for those other unforeseen emergencies that life throws our way? Without having a proper emergency fund, you may have to tap other financial resources which can start you down a long and difficult path that can derail an otherwise sound investment strategy.

Even if you are not faced with these challenges, planning for income at retirement is critical. We don’t know how long we will live, what good and services will cost in the future. Most people have not saved enough to be able to stop working, largely because it’s easier to turn a blind eye and hope for the best. The problem is, there is no doover. We only have one chance to get our retirement plan right, and very few people have the knowledge or tools to do the job correctly themselves.

The irony is that for most people who have no choice but to keep working past retirement age, had they simply taken the time to work with a Financial Professional, might find themselves enjoying their golden years on their terms, doing what they wanted to do, not answering to a boss. A Financial Advisor will help to prepare you for those unforeseen hardships mentioned earlier as well as for the long term.

Retirement and financial planning is complex, and must be done with purpose based upon your own unique situation. Your finances are almost as critical as your health. You would not perform surgery on yourself, you would seek the services of a well-trained surgeon. With so many qualified Financial Professionals ready and willing to help, why ignore, or try to perform financial surgery on yourself?

Remember, there is only one chance to get retirement right! Start a relationship with a Financial Advisor today!

PghNorthChamber.com

January 2018

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LONG TERM PLANNING . . . FOR YOUR HEALTH By Sigi Loya What if you knew you were going to die at age 90? Would you prefer your body slowly and steadily degrade after age 55? Or would you prefer to feel great and then keel over on your 90th birthday? Most would prefer the latter.

Maybe you’ve seen grandparents in walkers or scooters who aren’t able to play with their grandkids. Or simply getting in and out of the car is a major production. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Most people attempt to plan for their children’s education, their retirement, their assets, their legacy, etc. Very few plan their long term health.

We sometimes get asked “how do I maintain my current good health?” We respond with the 5 PILLARS OF HEALTH. If you take care of the pillars, the chances of you having an amazing life health-wise shoot up astronomically. 

Sleep: Only getting 4-5 hours of sleep a night is NOT a badge of honor. Only at the deepest stages of sleep does your brain produce Human Growth Hormone (HGH). In children HGH levels are higher because they are growing.

In adults, HGH helps the body heal itself. Occasionally you will hear of professional athletes illegally taking HGH. They take HGH when they are on the disabled list in their attempts to get back on the field.

If you use prescription drugs to sleep, you will sleep but you won’t achieve the deepest stages where HGH is produced. You know you’ve achieved the deep stages by feeling refreshed when you wake up. One of the worst events for human health was the invention of the light bulb. We used to go to sleep when the sun went down thereby ensuring 9 – 11 hours of sleep.

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Hormone Balance: Look at your eyebrows. If the outer third of the eyebrows are thinning, you may be low-thyroid.

It’s estimated that 60% of people with low thyroid are undiagnosed. The main reason is due to the inadequacy of testing that most physician employ. Usually only Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and sometimes Free T4 levels are tested. Other tests including T3, Reverse T3, TPO anti-bodies/killer T-cells should be examined. TSH is supposed to convert to T4 which is supposed to convert to T3, the active form of thyroid.

We need T3 as it makes us feel good, energetic and regulates metabolism. Sometimes, however, the T4 converts to Reverse T3 which inhibits T3 function. Only testing TSH and T4 can miss the lack of conversion further down the chain. Many patients are given Synthroid which is T4. If the patient doesn’t have a T4 problem and is given more T4, they likely will feel worse. Upon calling the doctor’s office to report the worsening symptoms, often the physician will INCREASE the dosage . . . and here we go again!

Other examples: eczema may be a symptom of adrenal fatigue. Mood swings may be a result of a progesterone/ estrogen imbalance. Did you know that low testosterone in men is related to an increased risk of heart disease?

Did you know that if a man is over-weight, it’s likely that his testosterone is converting to estrogen therefore leading to “man-boobs”?

Look in the mirror. Do you see? . . .

Hair loss at the crown of your head (possible low-thyroid) Drooping eye lids (growth hormone deficiency) Dark circles under the eyes (cortisol deficiency) Dry or watery eyes (testosterone, DHEA, progesterone, estrogen) Dark spots (adrenal fatigue, melanocyte stimulating hormone) Wrinkles vertical to the lips (estrogen deficiency) Chin hairs in women (estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol deficiencies & Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) Skin tags (glucose and insulin imbalances) Moon face appearance and double chin (glucose, cortisol, low thyroid, progesterone, pregnenolone, DHEA) There’s no such thing as one hormone being “off” because one leads to the production of another, and another, and another . . .

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Exercise: Ancestors of the human race go back 2,000,000 years. The spear was invented 200,000 years ago. The bow and arrow was invented 20,000 years ago. Farming was invented 8,000 years ago. As a species, how did we survive between 2,000,000 years and the invention of the spear? Answer: we ran down our prey. We literally ran down the gazelle.

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LONG TERM PLANNING . . . FOR YOUR HEALTH

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Although we are not faster than the gazelle, it can only run fast in spurts. Part of the reason is that it can only take one breath per stride whereas humans can take 3-5 breaths per stride. As long as we could keep it in sights, the gazelle would eventually fall over from exhaustion. It is interesting that the gazelle will tire after about 4-5 hours of running and the average finish time for a marathon runner is 4.5 hours. Get out and move!

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Nutrition: For many people, the foods they’re eating are literally making them sick. We know that 80% - 90% of all chronic illnesses are caused by inflammation in the body. Keeping inflammation down helps lower your chances of developing chronic illnesses.

The major food causes of illness are: Dairy (cow’s milk): Who was the first person who thought that suckling from a cow was a good idea?

Gluten: Most people do not know what gluten is or where it’s found. Gluten is a protein that has been in wheat for thousands of years. Due to many years of cross-breeding and genetic modification, the gluten today is different than in our ancestor’s time.

Gluten has no nutritional value and it doesn’t contribute to taste. It simply helps bread bind better. The Issue is that our bodies do not carry the enzymes to process today’s gluten. Even if you don’t have Celiac’s disease, you may still have gluten sensitivities as evidenced by: bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue, skin problems, depression, iron deficiency (anemia), anxiety, auto-immune disorders, joint and muscle pain, and brain fog.

Sugar/Carbohydrates: Did you know that carbohydrates convert to sugar in the body? In a lab experiment, mice were exposed to cocaine and sugar. Both affect the pleasure parts of the brain (mesolimbic dopamine system). Given the choice, the mice chose sugar over cocaine. Now you know why it’s so hard to get off sugar!

Many food companies employ chemists to “hide” sugar in products. Did you know there are 61 names for sugar in food products? Some examples: agave nectar, diastatic malt, Florida crystals, galactose, maltodextrin, muscovado, diatase, maltose, rice syrup, treacle, ethyl maltol, fruit juice, panocha, and sorghum syrup . . . to name a few.

On average a person should consume no more than 30 grams of TOTAL sugar daily. Many foods already have sugar in them. See below for the sugar content in some foods: Banana: 14 grams Bagel: 6 grams Coke: 39 grams Apple Juice: 24 grams Apple: 19 grams Donut: 11 grams Starbuck latte: 35 grams The good news is that once you get off sugar you crave it less. Quitting sugar cold-turkey can be difficultfor the first three days. Some people experience headaches, moodiness and fatigue (much like drug detoxification). On the fourth day you’ll start feeling great!

Stress Reduction: You’ve probably heard that “stress will kill you.” The adrenal glands, which sit above your kid-

neys, produce many different hormones. One of the main ones is cortisol, a stress hormone. Back in the caveman days when you were running from a bear, your adrenals produced the needed cortisol to get away. Afterwards you had long recovery periods as you likely would not encounter another bear for a long time.

Your adrenal glands do not distinguish between “running from a bear stress” and sitting in traffic stress, financial, emotional, physical or familial stress. In today’s world, we are stressed out all the time with inadequate time for recovery. High cortisol levels over a prolonged period of time can lead to: severe fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, anxiety, irritability, cognitive impairment, headaches, bone loss, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Although the pillars of health are simple, they are often not easy to put into practice. The good news is that there are more resources than ever to help you on your quest of outstanding long term health!

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Cranberry Township Keep your pipes from freezing Sub-freezing temperatures outdoors can cause tremendous damage indoors if a water pipe freezes and breaks in your home. Here’s what to keep an eye on: Outdoor hose bibs, pool supply lines, lawn sprinkler lines exposed to weather. Water pipes in unheated areas like basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages, kitchen cabinets.

Pipes along exterior walls with little or no insulation. Click here to read more.

Civilians named to various boards and commissions Cranberry has a number of special-purpose boards to independently advise Township staff and Supervisors on a variety of matters. Placements on those boards, commissions and agencies are made by the Board of Supervisors for terms that range from one to four years. Members are selected from local residents who have expressed an interest in advancing the work of their municipal government. At its January 2 meeting, the Board named James E. Beck and Robert Watters to three-year terms on the Building/Fire Codes Board of Appeals; Eric Vollmer and Allyson Mazzoni to three-year terms on the Library Board; Christine Koenig to a four-year term on the Planning Advisory Commission; and Ed Sarver to a one-year term on the Vacancy Board.

McCandless Township Comprehensive Plan public meeting Jan. 30 Residents are invited to attend a public meeting on Tuesday, January 30 at Town Hall about the Implementable Comprehensive Plan. Drop by any time between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., as the meeting has an open house format. Participants will be able to hear brief presentations about the planning process, and talk with Town officials and steering committee members. One or more public meetings will be scheduled later in the process to provide updates.

Town gets Savvy Citizen app Town of McCandless has recently subscribed to Savvy Citizen App, a notification system which allows municipalities to easily and effectively communicate with their residents. The new Savvy Citizen App is the hub, or one central location, for local governments to post notifications and for its citizens to stay up to date. Click here to read more.

Pine Township NORTHERN REGIONAL POLICE DEPARTMENT SCAM ALERT The Northern Regional Police Department would like you to be aware of a “scam” recently brought to our attention. Thieves are calling citizens and claiming a family member is in some type of trouble and they need money to pay for an attorney or to get them out of jail. Many times the thief will ask the citizen to purchase gift cards or money orders and mail them or transfer funds. If you would receive a call like this please contact the Northern Regional Police Department or your local police department as soon as possible. We would be glad to verify if a family member is in fact in need of help. A general rule of thumb is to never send money to anybody you did not initiate the transaction with. Legitimate businesses will NEVER ask you to pay for services with third party gift cards.

Kids Dodgeball Night Friday Nights are for Dodgeball! Join us for a night filled with friends, dodgeball, pizza and fun! Date: Friday, January 26 | Time: 7:00-9:00 PM | Ages: 8-12 | Location: Pine Community Center | Fee: Member $6/child Nonmember: $12/child

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NexTier Bank Nonprofit Spotlight Priority 2 Work For most people, a big part of who they are is what they do. And when someone loses their job, especially one in which they were successful and dedicated to their employer for many years, it can be very difficult: difficult not only to the now unemployed person but also on relationships with their spouse, children, relatives, friends and neighbors. Job loss also adversely affects the entire community by taking a productive, tax-paying, local business/church/charitysupporting member out of the economic picture for months or even several years.

And that’s where Priority2Work comes in. “P2W” is an all-volunteer, faith centered, 501c-3 nonprofit based in Wexford. P2W is the recently merged Priority Two and Discover HOPE Here, two separate nonprofits with similar missions who joined forces in May of 2017 to strengthen the support they provide to anyone in job transition: unemployed, underemployed, never employed, or reentering the workforce. Priority Two had been helping job seekers since 1982; Discover HOPE Here since 2009; combined having helped over 3,000 people over the years.

“Our objective is straightforward” said Paul Hassett, P2W’s Board President, “we meet each individual where they are in their job search and provide them with all the support we can to help them land their next position.”

To accomplish that, P2W provides services in three main areas: training, networking, and one-on-one emotional/spiritual support.

P2W offers training in all aspects of the job search through its ten week, Career Marketing Program (CMP), and its Skills Seminars. CMP, sometimes called “the best job training program in the region” is offered three times per year. It is a comprehensive approach, starting with “Finding Your Gifts” and then working step-by-step through the entire job search process. (Note that the next CMP is scheduled to begin January 15, 2018). Skills Seminars are on specialty topics, often with guest experts on subjects like Linked-In or Behavioral Interviewing.

Panel discussions with HR professionals, local business owners, or past successful job seekers are also presented at Skills Seminars 70-80% of all jobs are found through networking. P2W has three structured networking offerings. Evening Networking sessions are offered three times per year with 25 or more business representatives networking with participants in a professional but relaxed environment. Coffee with HOPE, held the first Thursday of every month, brings together job seekers to share contacts, job hunting tips, and offer each other support. P2W’s Linked In Group offers participants an “instant” network of over 400 people, all former participant or P2W Team Members.

“Informal” networking occurs at every CMP and Skills Seminar session.

Working through job loss has been compared to coming to grips with the death of a close family member or friend. Job seekers often need help to navigate the wide range of emotions and challenges they and their loved ones encounter as the job seeker pursues their next position. P2W offers “Priority One” sessions, focusing on the role faith and spirituality can play in helping a participant in their search. Members of P2W’s Listening Team are available to discuss emotional and other issues one-on-one with participants.

“The bottom line is we are people who have been there, we care, and we are here to help” said Hassett. For more information check the P2W website www.priority2work.org or email office@priority2work.org. Jobseekers are invited to register at http://priority2work.org/registration/ and someone from the P2W Intake Team will contact them.

Employers who are looking for top talent are also encouraged to contact P2W. Businesses are welcome to present company profiles, interview or recruit on-site, and post job openings and hiring events on the P2W website.

Please email office@priority2work.org

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The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber would like to thank those who have renewed.

We thank you for your continued support!

20 +Years

Welcome to those who have joined!

Thank you for your referrals!

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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

Tax Changes for 2018 for Individuals and Business Important Tax Changes for 2018 As the New Year rolls around, it’s always a sure bet that there will be changes to current tax law and the tax changes for 2018 are proof that this year is no different now that many of the tax provisions pursuant to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) are in full effect. From health savings accounts to tax rate schedules and standard deductions, here’s a checklist of tax changes for 2018 to help you plan the year ahead.

Tax Changes for 2018 – Individuals In 2018, a number of tax provisions are affected by inflation adjustments, including Health Savings Accounts, retirement contribution limits, and the foreign earned income exclusion. Many others have been revised or eliminated due to the TCJA. While the tax rate structure, which now ranges from 10 to 37 percent, remains similar to 2017 in that there are seven tax brackets, the tax-bracket thresholds increase significantly for each filing status. Standard deductions also rise significantly; however, personal exemptions have been eliminated through tax year 2025.

Standard Deduction In 2018, the standard deduction increases to $12,000 for individuals (up from $6,350 in 2017) and to $24,000 for married couples (up from $12,700 in 2017).

Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) In another of the tax changes for 2018, AMT exemption amounts increase to $$70,300 for individuals (up from $54,300 in 2017) and $109,400 for married couples filing jointly (up from $84,500 in 2017).

“Kiddie Tax” For taxable years beginning in 2018, the amount that can be used to reduce the net unearned income reported on the child’s return that is subject to the “kiddie tax,” is $1,050 (same as 2017). The same $1,050 amount is used to determine whether a parent may elect to include a child’s gross income in the parent’s gross income and to calculate the “kiddie tax.” For example, one of the requirements for the parental election is that a child’s gross income for 2018 must be more than $1,050 but less than $10,500.

For 2018, the net unearned income for a child under the age of 19 (or a full-time student under the age of 24) that is not subject to “kiddie tax” is $2,100.

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) Contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) are used to pay current or future medical expenses of the account owner, his or her spouse, and any qualified dependent. Medical expenses must not be reimbursable by insurance or other sources and do not qualify for the medical expense deduction on a federal income tax return.

A qualified individual must be covered by a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and not be covered by other health insurance with the exception of insurance for accidents, disability, dental care, vision care, or long-term care.

For calendar year 2018, a qualifying HDHP must have a deductible of at least $1,350 for self-only coverage or $2,700 for family coverage and must limit annual out-of-pocket expenses of the beneficiary to $6,650 for selfonly coverage and $13,300 for family coverage.

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Are you getting all of the tax breaks that you are entitled to? Maybe you are…but maybe you’re not. Why take a chance? Let the tax experts at Holsinger provide the guidance you need. Call Holsinger today and make sure

PghNorthChamber.com

January 2018

page 15

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