Corridors January 2019

January 2019

CORRIDORS

Serving Business Corridors in Western Pennsylvania The Master Plan Marketing for Small Business Recap of Business Tax Provisions for 2018

Photo Gallery

C O N T E N T S

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

Jim Boltz President JBoltz@PghNorthChamber.com For more information on the Chamber’s program of work, please contact:

Kristina Hall Director of Events & Programs KHall@PghNorthChamber.com Melissa Leedy Member Accounts Executive MLeedy@PghNorthChamber.com Heather Schwartzbauer Membership & Digital Media Coordinator HSchwartzbauer@PghNorthChamber.com Amy VanAtta Executive Assistant AVanAtta@PghNorthChamber.com

3

From the President

4

Business After Hours, Signature Events and Connections Schedules

5 6

Member of the Month

The Master Plan

8

Marketing for Small Business

10

Marketing for Small Business (Continued from Page 8)

14

Recap of Business Tax Provisions for 2018

16

Community Connections

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 membership. Events evolve, new ones are added, and some old ones are discontinued. But one thing remains the same, Jim Boltz, President the PNRC is built for you.

As we turn the calendar to another year, it is time to share what you can look forward to in 2019. While most of the things that we do will continue in the form that you know and love, there are some exciting things that we have planned. Here is a partial list of what to look forward to in this coming year: Annual Meeting: Thursday, February 7th at Treesdale Golf & Country Club. Join us as we recap the last year, review our plans for the new year and recognize our annual award winners. Jim Roddey will be the master of ceremonies and we are excited to have Cynthia Hundorfean, President and CEO of Allegheny Health Network as the keynote speaker.

Home Show & Business Expo: Saturday, February 23rd at The BLOCK Northway. As an encore to last year’s inaugural event, we have plans to make this event bigger and better.

Drive to Thrive Golf Outing: Monday, May 13th For the second straight year, we will be at one of the area’s finest golf courses, Treesdale Golf & Country Club, with more prizes and more fun.

Multi-Chamber Mega Mixer: Monday, July 22nd. Back for a repeat performance, we will host an event on the Gateway Clipper that will bring together the members of at least nine area chambers.

Based on last year’s success, we expect over 500 participants at this year’s event.

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 8th – Legislative Breakfast. Meet the area’s prominent state and federal elected officials.

September – Transportation- The area’s problems will be discussed and the solutions that are planned will be answered.

Health and Wellness Fair: October. We bring together the area’s top professionals in the healthcare field to provide advice and showcase modern technologies.

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, 2019 should be a good year.

Page 3

B USINESS A FTER H OURS Business After Hours SHOWCASE Tuesday, January 15 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Atria’s Richland 5517 William Flynn Highway Gibsonia, PA 15044

E VENTS 2019 Annual Meeting Thursday, February 7 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Treesdale Golf & Country Club One Arnold Palmer Drive Gibsonia, PA 15044 Pittsburgh North Regional Home Show & Business Expo Saturday, February 23 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Block Northway 8013 McKnight Road Pittsburgh, PA 15237

M ARKETPLACE L UNCH M EETINGS February 6 Monte Cello’s at The Hampton Shoppes 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

4655 William Flynn Highway Route 8, Allison Park January 28 Family Bowlaway Fun Center 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

540 Fairground Hill Road, Butler

CONNECTIONS Daily networking events for business leaders throughout our Pittsburgh North region.

Wexford: Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m.

Chamber Headquarters, 5000 Brooktree Rd., Suite 100 Warrendale: Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m.

DoubleTree By Hilton, 910 Sheraton Drive Cranberry Twp.: Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m.

Council Chambers, 2525 Rochester Road Ross Twp.: Thursdays, 7:30 a.m.

Treasure House Fashions, 7607 McKnight Road Valencia: Fridays, 7:30 a.m.

The Crystal Conservatories, 100 Conservatories Court

page 4

2019 B OARD

OF

D IRECTORS

E XECUTIVE C OMMITTEE Philip J. Scolieri, J.D.– Board Chair Scolieri Law Group, P.C. Andrew Chiapusio—Chair-Elect First National Bank Tracy Armstrong– Vice-Chair North Pittsburgh Greeting Company Ann Gatty, Ph.D.—Past Chair Strategic People Solutions Gary Basilone—Foundation Chair Basilone Executive Search & Staffing Steve Diffenderfer—Treasurer Community Bank Mark Prentice—Secretary Healthy Environments, LLC Jim Boltz—President Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

B OARD

OF

D IRECTORS

Elizabeth Blakely, Link to Visibility Bruce Goodman, CHROME Federal Credit Union Lisa Heller, Heartland Payment Systems Gregg Hill, Dollar Bank Kathleen Kuznicki, The Lynch Law Group Jim Logan, Pgh Repair LLC Alyssa Marsico, Alzheimer’s Association Tiffany Nolan, i.e. Insurance

Jan Stevens, Coldwell Banker Cynthia Stirling, Strawberry Ridge Golf Course John Tubridy, Franchise Network of Pittsburgh Rakesh Unnithan, WesBanco Bank Nicky Voynick, Salem Media Group Kim Yerace, Petroleum Technical Services

Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

PNRC Member Jay Duquette, Jay Duquette & Associates Jim Boltz, President PNRC said, “Jay has played a large part in the Chamber’s ability to expand its offerings to its members. As a member of the Education Committee from its onset, his expertise and guidance have helped mold a lot of the successful programs that we now have in place. He took over the Route 8 Marketplace meeting this year and due to his leadership and commitment, the meeting has doubled in attendance. He is well deserving of Member of the Month.”

Jay Duquette is a Pittsburgh-based coach and mentor with more than three decades of business experience. Jay owned, operated and sold a profitable Mayflower agency after 26 years in the industry. For the past 10 years, Jay has focused on helping and inspiring other business owners through Peer Advisory Groups and one-on-one Personal Business Coaching. With lifelong connections in the Pittsburgh area — plus his own global network of mentors and teachers — Jay provides strategic guidance and supportive resources for local business owners.

PghNorthChamber.com

January 2019

page 5

The Master Plan By: Autumn Edmiston, Edmiston Group As a business owner or someone who works for a company, do you take the time and reflect back on the year to see if you hit the mark or where you fell short? If you don’t measure, you’re missing opportunities to either do more of what’s working or shift from actions that aren’t working. The one thing for certain is there will always be change.

Often, I’ll talk with business owners and ask how did that client come to you? They typically can tell me where the last client came from, but when we dive deeper into how many new leads have you had in the past 3 months and from those, what turned into business, they haven’t written the information down in some format – either a CRM, Excel sheet or whatever system works for them.

We are coming into the last month of the year. For many, that means a plethora of holiday parties and vacation days. Is your company preparing for a customer appreciation event? Add the stress of preparing for the holidays and often you will hear, “Let’s touch base after the first of the year”. So, how are you using some of the downtime toward the end of the year? Perhaps that is the time to lay out 2019’s plan of action.

Here are some things to consider: Have you established strong referral partnerships? The Edmiston Group works closely with McKibbin Consulting. We look for opportunities for each other and as a result of this partnership, many of our clients are in the commercial construction field. We’ve made introductions for them and manage their marketing efforts. Some people have strong ties to BNI or are involved in other category specific networking groups. The point is, find what works for you to grow your business and nurture those relationships. Be certain that the giving of referrals and looking for business for each other is a two-way street.

Do you speak? There are often missed speaking opportunities for breakout sessions at trade show events, but you must plan ahead and submit the required outline that will position you as an expert. Are you trying to hit a niche market? Does that market have a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) requirement for licensing?

Can you create a program to meet those requirements? Think about it, if you’re marketing to accountants, nursing, social workers or attorneys that have CEU requirements – you become a subject matter expert in front of a room full of potential customers. This takes some effort on your part, but it certainly is targeted advertising.

Email marketing is a great way to stay top of mind when the need arises. A client of ours, Wright Business Systems recently talked about branded apparel and corporate gift giving for the holiday season. They have over 400 people on their email list. We can see who opened the email and which contacts clicked on the links within the newsletter. They are now warm leads for the team to follow-up with. Undeliverable emails represent opportunities to touch base with companies to determine who the new purchasing agent is and set an appointment.

Social Media helps level the playing field for small business owners. In working with many smaller businesses, they don’t have the big bucks to compete with the large box stores, but through engagement with social media, they have grown their followers. Sometimes business owners we speak with say I don’t have the time or know what to post. At the beginning of the year, the Edmiston Group offers a free social media calendar to download. Look for that in our January issue. However, in 2018, we’ve developed some customized calendars for specific businesses. Branded sales and/or holiday wishes touch their social media audience.

Business owners are given a plan and taught how to preschedule postings. For those that are too busy, they outsource this service to us or someone else, but there is a plan to follow.

(Continued on Page 9)

Page 6

Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

PghNorthChamber.com

July 2017

page 7

Marketing for Small Business By: Elizabeth Blakely, Link to Visibility While there are many benefits enjoyed by those who run home-based businesses, having a large, multi-talented marketing team isn't one of them. Anyone who has a small business can’t help but be a bit jealous when they see the multi-channel campaigns, fancy videos and ads that large companies produce. It is important to remember that those firms have dedicated marketing teams. For example, It is suggested that a firm with 50 people should have between 1-3 people whose focus is marketing. A company with 5000 employees might have 45 marketers.

In addition, many firms, large and small, outsource work such as ad or video production if they lack staff with those skills.

In the digital era when you have to think about so many different channels and forms of media marketing can be overwhelming. Home-based business owners wear many hats: management, sales, stock control, accountant, and marketing. When a business is small (or just starting) getting everything done well comes down to allocating resources properly. Moreover, while many small businesses rely on word-of-mouth and referrals; to be successful you really need to establish a marketing program so you can keep growing your business after you have gone through your warm leads.

Assuming you have a name, logo and a basic website, here are some things to consider to take your marketing to the next level.

Have a plan It sounds quite basic, but a lot of folks skip step and just wing it. Creating a marketing plan forces you put details to some of the most important elements of marketing including:  The goals your marketing seeks to achieve; brand awareness, more sales, more foot traffic, referrals etc. Each marketing project or campaign should have a specific goal.  The target audience(s)  The messages(s) you want to convey to the specified audience  A description of the text, images and video needed to convey the messages  The channels you will use, e.g. web site, email, SEO/SEM, social media, print/advertisements, radio/tv, etc.

This will help you budget any money a channel will require  Deadlines to submit or run a marketing piece  Responsibilities for creating marketing materials, including creating and approval.  How you will measure the success of your marketing efforts A plan will outline these elements and provide steps to start building the marketing pieces your company needs to keep growing. Planning in advance will also help you prioritize your marketing efforts so marketing doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. If you plan in advance, it is also easier to think about ways to measure the success of these efforts; depending on the goals selected. You might be measuring website visits, phone calls, inquiry form submissions, social media activity or a combination of those. Make sure you hold on to the data, so you can compare it with other marketing campaigns to see what is most effective.

Establish a Budget Small, home-based businesses don’t often have a surplus of money and staff, so it is vital to create a budget for marketing. When developing a budget, there are four basic areas for spending.

1. Purchasing tools such as software or equipment 2. Training in how to use equipment, software, or services that you need to build marketing materials.

3. Paying for services such as Customer Relationship Management ( e.g. Constant Contact, Zoho), Adwords, Print ads, etc.

4. Outsourcing work you cannot do such as photography, printing, videography, website design/updates.

(Continued on Page 10)

Page 8

The Master Plan (Continued from Page 6) By: Autumn Edmiston, Edmiston Group Sample Customized Social Media Images

If you haven’t picked up on the theme of this by now, it’s having a plan and setting aside time to think about goals for next year. Write down monthly activities and execute the plan for 2019. This makes it easier for you and your staff to look ahead to first quarter and see things such as we’re attending a trade show, something for Valentine’s Day or a St. Patrick’s social media post that should happen.

The Edmiston Group helps you create a yearly marketing plan, customized social media calendars, and branded social media images specifically for your business. Customized programs can be designed to fit your budget. Take some time as the year comes to a close, reflect on your successes and plan for 2019. Want some help in putting together your 2019 plan? Download a sample of a Custom Marketing Calendar or give us a call at 724-612-0755 or email autumn@edmistongroup.com for more information. Make 2019 your best year yet!

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Member Accolades Pittsburgh Psychotherapy Associates Presents Melationship

Pittsburgh Psychotherapy Associates will be starting a new group regarding relationships: how to improve the relationships you're in and your relationship with yourself! Reserve a spot today by calling 412.367.0575.

Debi Arnett President Elect of Golden Triangle Executives Association Congratulations to Debi Arnett for accepting the post as President Elect of the Golden Triangle Executives Association beginning this month!

Have an accolade to share? Email Kristina with any exciting news your business celebrates!

PghNorthChamber.com

January 2019

Marketing for Small Business (Continued from Page 8) By: Elizabeth Blakely, Link to Visibility Get some useful tools There are some pretty basic tools you will need to support your marketing efforts. they include both equipment and software. You don’t need all of them at once, nor do you need the fanciest version. Just make sure to do a little research and read reviews before your buy or download anything to make sure your purchases (or downloads) are worthwhile. Some of these tools are available on the net, but file size limits and functionality make it desirable to get upgraded versions of online tools or buy software that runs on a local computer.  CRM (Customer Relationship Management) services like Constant Contact, Zoho or Mail Chimp.CRM services willl, allow you to manage your email lists, send emails that look good, conform to CANSpam (antispam legislation) and track responses.  Software  Image editing. Everyone needs decent software to edit still images. There are online services like PicMonkey and inexpensive laptop-based programs like Snaggit. More ambitious users should consider Photoshop Elements, a fairly-sophisticated image editing program. At the very least, get a program that lets you easily crop and size images. If you enjoy working with images, having software that lets you tweak images for colour, light, and even add simple effects can be very handy and fun.  Sound/Video Editing software. If you produce multimedia pieces, make sure the quality is high enough so you look and/or sound good; often this will require additional editing. Multi-media editing tools can allow you to crop out content you don’t want, add opening/closing banners, tweak sound levels, light levels, etc.

Two programs to look at include HitFilm (video) and WavePad (audio).  Subscription to a stock photography site for those times when you can’t get a specific picture. I dislike stock photos but know that sometimes they are the only option and using pictures found via Google may violate copyright. If used carefully they can fill in the gaps when you just can’t get a picture for a marketing campaign.  Tripod or gorilla pod that can be used with either your cell phone’s camera, digital camera, or video recorder. Using a “pod” will vastly improve the quality of videos by keeping the image smooth. If you have to take your own pictures of products, they will help keep images size and aspect consistent. High quality images are vital to marketing success.  Microphone to use for videos. Good sound is vital for good videos, the microphone on your camera or phone is not sufficient.

I used to include a digital camera on this list too, but if you have a good smart phone, the newer devices can produce pretty good images. If you don’t own a smart phone and have to do your own photography investing in a decent digital camera would also be a smart move.

Get some training When people hear the word “training,” many think of classroom time and many community learning options exist.

Organizations like Butler County Community College offer classes to teach you how to take better pictures, edit images, or even podcast. In addition to regular classes, there are loads of online options including:  YouTube has thousands of videos to help you take create and edit images, record videos, create podcasts, etc.  Google analytics has courses for how to set up, manage use and make the most your web site data.  Educational sites like LinkedIn Learning and HubSpot offer a veritable smorgasbord of resources about marketing, some of which require paid memberships.  Corporate sites from the makers of software and equipment often provide online manuals and videos.

Training not only provides opportunities to develop new skills it also may help you figure out what you need to outsource. In addition, knowing a little bit about these tools gives you a better understanding of what you are paying for.

Pick what you can or need to outsource…

Remember, as a small business owner, you wear many hats and some fit better than others. Depending on your needs, skills, ability, budget, and time, having a plan will identify what parts of your marketing can be done in house and what needs to be outsourced. It can be tempting as a small business owner to use the least expensive option or rely on family help. The least expensive option may not allow you to personalize the materials for your business, obtain needed revisions, or access the materials in all the needed formats or sizes. In addition, while family members can provide free or inexpensive assistance make sure that quality of materials produced meet your standards.

While you may see the marketing materials as expenses, they are no less vital than electricity or your internet access. Instead see marketing elements as an investment in your business and paying a little more to have consistent, quality materials is really important. A plan that describes what you need and how you will obtain it should encourage you to see these materials as building blocks to enable growth and not just expenses.

Page 10

11 New Year resolutions from 1999 for a successful small business in 2019 By: Rhonda Abrams, Special to USA TODAY

Like many small-business owners and entrepreneurs, I start each new year with resolutions to improve my business life. Since I document those New Year resolutions in my USA TODAY column, I’m able to go back and reflect on how I’ve done.

I dusted off my list from 1999 – 20 years ago – to see how those resolutions turned out.

Starting and running a business in 1999 was very different from today. Google was just launching – people searching for businesses used the Yellow Pages. Social media wasn’t a thing. The iPhone wouldn’t be invented for another eight years, so forget “mobile.” And the first millennials were entering kindergarten.

The most important take-away for me and for you: I’m still in business 20 years later. Following these resolutions, embracing these attitudes and actions, helped me survive. They can help you too.

Here's my 1999 list – it's still relevant in 2019: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Keep learning.

Keep priorities straight.

Stay in touch with former clients.

Use technology better.

Know when NOT to use technology.

Throw stuff away.

Back up data.

Reflect.

Hire more help.

Be more patient with employees.

Help others.

Finally, let's all find ways to have our businesses help others. Make 1999 (and 2019) a year in which we add to the wealth of the world, not just in monetary terms but in terms of kindness, sharing, lending a hand, and giving others opportunity. We all focus on improving the bottom line, but remember, the bottom line is just the bottom. This year, let's all make a resolution to aim higher.

To read more, visit https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/usaandmain/2019/01/02/11-secrets-smallbusiness-2019/2452975002/

Page 11

Ladies Night

The Chamber hosted a Ladies Night at The Block Northway on Tuesday, December 4. Attendees enjoyed food and wine samples, shopping and networking! The first 50 registered received a free bag full of goodies donated by Chamber members!

Holiday Social

The Chamber was excited to celebrate an evening of cheer at The Mayernik Center on Thursday, December 20th. The Shaler Area Ensemble welcomed guests with a performance. We also enjoyed entertainment from dueling pianos starring Harry Levicky and John Hasinger. Attendees tested their luck with a basket raffle auction, silent auction and a Tree of Cheer grand raffle prize. Thank you to all of our businesses who donated to our various raffles! Photos courtesy of Lucia Cintra Photography.

Recap of Business Tax Provisions for 2018 Here's what business owners need to know about tax changes for 2018.

ADVERTORIAL

Standard Mileage Rates The standard mileage rate in 2018 is 54.5 cents per business mile driven.

Health Care Tax Credit for Small Businesses Small business employers who pay at least half the premiums for single health insurance coverage for their employees may be eligible for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit as long as they employ fewer than the equivalent of 25 full-time workers and average annual wages do not exceed $50,000 (adjusted annually for inflation). In 2018 this amount is $53,200.

In 2018 (as in 2014-2017), the tax credit is worth up to 50 percent of your contribution toward employees' premium costs (up to 35 percent for tax-exempt employers. For tax years 2010 through 2013, the maximum credit was 35 percent for small business employers and 25 percent for small tax-exempt employers such as charities.

Section 179 Expensing and Depreciation Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the Section 179 expense deduction increases to a maximum deduction of $1 million of the first $2,500,000 of qualifying equipment placed in service during the current tax year. The deduction was indexed to inflation after 2018 and enhanced to include improvements to nonresidential qualified real property such as roofs, fire protection, and alarm systems and security systems, and heating, ventilation, and airconditioning systems.

Businesses are allowed to immediately deduct 100% of the cost of eligible property placed in service after September 27, 2017, and before January 1, 2023, after which it will be phased downward over a four-year period: 80% in 2023, 60% in 2024, 40% in 2025, and 20% in 2026. The standard business depreciation amount is 25 cents per mile (same as 2017).

Please call if you have any questions about Section 179 expensing and the bonus depreciation.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Extended through 2019, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit remained under tax reform and can be used by employers who hire long-term unemployed individuals (unemployed for 27 weeks or more). It is generally equal to 40 percent of the first $6,000 of wages paid to a new hire.

Please call if you have any questions about the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.

SIMPLE IRA Plan Contributions Contribution limits for SIMPLE IRA plans increased to $12,500 for persons under age 50 and $15,500 for persons age 50 or older in 2018. The maximum compensation used to determine contributions is $275,000.

The Chamber was pleased to welcome Natural Healing and Wellness of PGH, LLC on Monday, December 17. They are located at 5321 William Flynn Highway on Rt. 8 in Gibsonia. Stop by and visit them!

Ribbon Cutting

The Chamber is very fortunate to celebrate the grand openings of new businesses into our growing region. On behalf of our members and Board of Directors, welcome!

Community Connections will provide the latest updates from our municipality partners.

Stay up-to-date on what is happening in the areas that you live and work in.

Cranberry Township Traffic signal utility cabinets to become objects d‘art

People rarely pay attention to traffic control cabinets – the stainless-steel boxes next to traffic light poles at most signalized intersections. But that’s about to change. Communications Manager Tina Fedko presented a joint pilot project by the Township and the Cranberry Artists Network to identify a handful of utility boxes in high traffic intersections as canvases for original artwork. For more information, click here.

Pine Township Christmas Tree Recycling The Towsnhip of Pine through Vogel Disposal and Allegheny County have a number of ways to easily and effectively dispose of your natural tree. Vogel Disposal will pick up natural Christmas trees on your normal garbage pick up days from January 2 thru January 11, 2019. The trees must be free of all decorations and lights and cannot be wrapped. Click here for more information.

10 Year Celebration!

The Pine Community Center is turning 10 and they are celebrating all week long! Join them on Monday, January 21 - Sunday, January 27 for a celebration week! Each day of the week will have special celebration themed just for that day! At the end of the week, celebrate with the ultimate Birthday Bash!

Stay tuned for more details about the upcoming 10 year celebration! Read more here.

McCandless Township Local Small Business Bulletin Board Town Council adopted Resolution 20 supporting small businesses in the community and encouraging consumers to shop at small, local, independently-owned businesses - recognizing the contributions they make to our local economy. To further show an appreciation for small, locally-owned and operated businesses in the Town of McCandless, they invite businesses to submit information to administration@townofmccandless.org about who they are and what distinguishes them or what unique features they offer to Town residents. Click here for more information.

The Chamber celebrated

35 ribbon cuttings this past year!

page 16

NexTier Bank Nonprofit Spotlight The Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy Who We Are The Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), volunteer-based organization dedicated to the development, protection, and promotion of hiking, biking, and walking trails throughout western Pennsylvania.

The goals of the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy include raising awareness of the benefits of community trails, getting more people interested in physical activities, getting more people to experience the beauty of our region and the natural world, and helping people see our region as active and vibrant. Join us in our efforts and help make a difference!

We’re All About Trails The Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy is named in honor of Rachel Carson because one of our main trails passes near her birthplace in Springdale.

One of our goals is enabling people to experience the beauty of our region and the natural world, which Rachel Carson encouraged in her book The Sense of Wonder. She believed it was important for children to be introduced to the marvels of nature that surround us.

We are the caretaker of more than 170 miles of trails, but we own less than a mile of it. Our trails mostly cross private property, the owners of which generously allow the trail. Thus, maintaining friendly relations with landowners is a priority for us. Some of the land is owned by private individuals, but much is owned by corporations such as Duquesne Light, West Penn Power, Reliant Energy, Seneca Resources, PPG, Range Resources, and various coal companies.

As an outdoor organization dedicated to connecting people with the natural world, we endeavor to minimize our impact on it. Most of our trails are primitive paths through woodlands or along rights-of-way.

Once we stop maintaining them, they readily dissolve into the background. Most of our bridges and signs are wooden, and some have been constructed without nails.

At our events, we reuse and recycle. We purchased plastic plates and silverware which we wash and reuse.

The RFID tags we use to track participants are collected and reused. We purchased large reusable water containers for use at our checkpoints instead of plastic water bottles or gallon jugs, or we use a water buffalo. We recycle cans and bottles.

Our trail system is fragile and can easily be disrupted. We are committed to working with our landowners for mutual benefit in order to preserve community trails in Western Pennsylvania for everyone.

History Founded in 1992 as the Harmony Trails Council, it began with a mission to promote, establish and maintain a multi-use public trail system as an alternate transportation and recreation facility serving the residents of Pittsburgh’s North Hills, focusing on developing the Harmony Trail along the railbed of the former Harmony inter-urban rail line. In 2004, the Pittsburgh chapter of Hostelling International (formerly AYH) elected to relinquish its stewardship of the Rachel Carson Trail and the Baker Trail. The Harmony Trails Council chose to adopt these trails thereby expanding its mission. At the same time, the Council voted to change its name to the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy to better reflect its broader mission.

Get Involved The organization meets monthly in Cranberry Township, PA and has many opportunities for volunteers willing to contribute their time. From meeting with local officials about trail development and protection to participating in a trail work crew, creating newsletter or web content, communicating with the press, or volunteering for the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge, the possibilities are as varied as the backgrounds of the people involved.

page 17

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

We thank you for your continued support!

20 +Years

MSA– The Safety Company ARMSTRONG

Dillon McCandless King Coulter & Graham L.L.P

Butler County Community College, Cranberry Center

Minuteman Press-Cranberry

General Rental Center

Muhlenkamp & Company, Inc.

Cranberry Twp. Volunteer Fire Company

DQE Communications, Inc.

Ambrogio and Gallo Landscaping Services, Inc. Gateway Rehab

Healthy Environments, LLC

Peak Performance Management

Agera Energy

Kontos Mengine Law Group Mayernik Center at Avonworth Community Park

Panera Bread-McCandless

VOICe

XTO Energy Inc.

IntegraCare Corporation

Fuellgraf Electric and Technical Management Associates

New Wave Car Wash

Sarver Landscape Maintenance Company Sarver Management Polesky Agency, Scott BerneyErie Insurance Cranberry Messenger Service

Lou Negley’s Bottled Water, Inc, Renick Brothers Construction Co.

Consolidated Communications

Pittsburgh Plastics Manufacturing

McCall Scanlon & Tice, LLC (CPAs)

Jergel’s Rhythm Grille The Diet Doc Pittsburgh North

Welcome to those who have joined!

Globularity Intrepid Engineers, LLC MIBS Incorporated Row House Atria McCandless Profile by Sanford Natural Healing and Wellness of PGH, LLC Fresh Thyme Farmers Market TAB Pittsburgh North - Youngstown Bakn

Anchor Wave Internet Solutions LeafFilter North of Pennsylvania, LLC Sigmas Event Center First Energy Corp/Penn Power Bridger Financial Group Treesdale Life Living in Liberty Rossman Hensley, Inc. Vita Sana Ltd Innovate E-Commerce, Inc. Wine Concrete Products Inc.

Thank you for your referrals!

page 18

Gregg Hill, Dollar Bank

Dr. Dan Turo, Turo Family Chiropractic

Amanda Becker, Appleseed Events

Denise Martin, Treesdale Golf & Country Club

Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

PghNorthChamber.com

January 2019

page 19

Thank you to our Valued Corporate Sponsors and Chamber Partners