Producing Results FOR A POSITIVE ECONOMIC CLIMATE 2018 ANNUAL REPORT A SPECIAL THANKS to our 2018 contributors 12th Congressional Regional Croyle-Nielsen Therapeutic Johnstown Credit Bureau, Prime Design Solutions Equipment Center Associates Inc. Quaker Sales 1st Summit Bank Eber HVAC Johnstown Wire Technologies Richland Township AmeriServ Financial E-Map JWF Industries RNDT Barnes Saly & Company P.C. First Commonwealth Bank KIZ Resources, LLC S & T Bank Bill Locher First National Bank Laurel Holdings Somerset Trust Company Cambria County Gvozdich Law Offices Martin-Baker America St. Francis University Cambria County Association H.F. Lenz for the Blind and MASSolutions The EADS Group Handicapped Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Moore Power Sales UPMC Health Plan Concurrent Technologies USSCO Federal Credit Union Corporation HR Consultants, Inc. Northwest Bank Vethos, LLC Conemaugh Health System Ideal Markets Penn Machine Wessel & Company Craig Saylor In-Shore Technologies, Inc. Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Crown American Hotels JARI STAFF Linda Thomson Michele Clapper Cindy Saylor Joette Watson President/CEO Vice President, Economic Executive Assistant Chief Financial Officer Development Debi Balog Jenn Seese Wally Burlack Director, Workforce Lenora Leasure Communication/ Vision2025 Development Development Program Manager, JARI Administrative Professional Consultant PTAC Holly Bodolosky Lauren Thompson Ryan Kieta Staff Accountant José Luis Otero Technical Assistance Advisor Vision2025 Development Entrepreneurial and Consultant Procurement Specialist JARI produces results Dear Friends, JARI is all about producing results…and the past year was especially specifically calls out the word “collaborative,” for without it, we are significant when you look at our metrics. Seventeen new companies ineffective. Working together with our municipal and government created; 8,000 + retained jobs and over 170 new jobs; hundreds of officials, our workforce and economic development partners, and our millions of new contracting stakeholders, we can accomplish dollars and over $10 million of much. financing and tax credits awarded JARI is the collaborative force that Special thanks to our boards to our clients. Our skilled team of directors: JARI, JIDC and of economic development enhances all aspects of our region to JARI Growth Fund, including professionals worked with 538 the chairs of these groups business clients and countless grow a diverse economy and build respectively: Bill Polacek, Jeff other individuals to contribute to Cramer and Steve Howsare, for the overall positive economy that vibrant communities. their outstanding commitment to we are experiencing today. our organization’s strategic focus I want to take this opportunity to thank those who are responsible and sustainability. I would also like to thank Ed Sheehan for chairing for the results that you see in the following pages. The JARI team is, our Defense Business Council and the Showcase for Commerce, and hands down, the best! Each person is responsible for a significant also commend the many individuals who lead the way for our industry portion of this report and together, the ball moves down the field. partnerships: Shawn Kaufman, Lindsey Hilbrecht, Linda Fox, Dave New capital investments, technical assistance to small businesses, Johnson, Paul Seitz, Michele Bonerigo, and Carole Kakabar. training incumbent workers as well as the unemployed, and the Please take a few moments to hear the stories contained in these implementation of Vision2025 initiatives are truly making an impact. pages. They are just a few of the hundreds of stories unfolding each We are grateful for the support of our corporate and individual year from people who have been impacted in some personal way from contributors as well as our partners. There is a reason that our mission JARI’s commitment to the people and businesses in our region. Linda Thomson JARI President/CEO 2018 results 172 jobs created 8,672 jobs retained 17 new start-ups 538 clients assisted reported government $176,763,592 contracts awarded $10,121,394 financing/tax credits Partnering with industry to move the economy forward Formal industry partnerships facilitated by JARI make a major impact help from Debi, gets bigger every year,” said Suzanne Babik, Community in recruitment and training, youth engagement, and re-connecting Resource Specialist for the U.S. Probation Office. “Our people feel displaced workers and other special populations with resources that comfortable going because the employers know they may have a record. assist individuals with obtaining employment in career pathways with The fair is now also open to veterans and the general population, as long-term earning potential. well as those on supervision, and it’s been a great thing.” “There are just 20 industry partnerships across Pennsylvania, and The partnerships also help engage youth in the workforce, finding JARI has four of those,” said Debi Balog, JARI Director of Workforce ways to introduce them to career opportunities and training. Development. “Almost all of the major events you see JARI involved “JARI is an integral component to CareerLink Youth Services for both with – like job fairs, discussion forums, and training programs – come networking and information sharing,” said Sarah N. Helman, Tri- out of the partnerships.” County Coordinator for CareerLink Youth Services. “The partnership These partnerships meet four times a year, with special projects between our agencies allows the collaboration and support needed to teams meeting as needed. The partners discuss critical issues such provide quality services. as labor shortages and strategies to address the issue. Currently, At the same time, JARI’s partnerships help educators in the region there are an average 1,000 job openings a month, and employers are ensure schools prepare young people for entry into the workforce. challenged to find qualified workers. JARI held recruitment events to help connect job seekers to these positions, while offering training “JARI is recognized as a model of what a Business and Education programs to help workers obtain the skills needed to become partnership can be,” said Carole Kakabar, Superintendent of Ferndale employed in these positions. Area School District and Education Chair of the Business and Education partnership. “Over the next decade, 7 in 10 new jobs in “JARI is consistently at the top of the list of agencies we look to for Pennsylvania will require workers to use a computer, and close to assistance,” said Shawn Kaufman, Director of Human Resources for 300,000 STEM jobs will become available by 2026. We’re working to Riggs Industries, Inc. make sure we incorporate the relevant skills and knowledge sets into “I have been involved with the Safety Consortium with JARI for the high school curricula.” last eight years, serving as co-chair. The event is attended by well In fact, JARI’s Business and Education Partnership was recognized over 120 annually,” said Paul Seitz, Employer Relations Specialist for as a Best Practice at the 2018 Pennsylvania Department of PHOENIX Rehabilitation and Health Services, Inc. Education SAS Institute Conference in Hershey, which attracts The partnerships have helped identify barriers to employment, such about 200 school district superintendents and educators from as child care and transportation, and have set these as priorities for across the commonwealth. future planning. The partnerships also cooperate to share resources JARI works with schools at the post-secondary level as well, and lower costs with initiatives such as marketing together to attract helping to ensure that available training is in sync with what area applicants for in-demand positions like certified nursing assistants or employers need. welders, rather than in competition with each other. “JARI has played an integral role as a partner in the Southern In some instances, short term training programs can be launched Alleghenies-wide Regional Industry Tours for College and Career to help increase the pool of qualified workers. Members of the Tech Administrators,” said Larry Brugh, Dean of Career Services and partnerships also work together to combine resources to offer Workforce Development for Pennsylvania Highlands Community incumbent worker training for programs not covered with grant funds. College. “The tours involve many post-secondary education facilities JARI participates with the U.S. Probation’s Transitional Re-Entry and companies across all sectors, helping to better connect the Advisory Committee (TRAC), which helps formerly incarcerated people mutual needs of post-secondary students with employers’ recruitment transition successfully back into the community and employment. and hiring needs for regional jobs and internships.” “Debi Balog of JARI was a big asset in helping TRAC set up a job fair for people who have been incarcerated -- it’s an annual event, and with INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS JARI 2018 ANNUAL REPORT Supporting and developing the region’s entrepreneurs JARI continues to support entrepreneurs make sure those entrepreneurial activity in doors stay open.” our region through a variety Camillya Taylor is an example of of programs designed to help a Johnstown entrepreneur who entrepreneurs develop their ideas has benefited from into viable businesses. JARI’s programs. “In 2018, entrepreneurs in Originally, Taylor was operating many different industries were a hair salon that was open for identified. We were able to appointments only. After