Individuals vying for a seat in the PA Legislature will share their views with the public during an upcoming candidate forum being hosted by The Chamber of Commerce. Registered candidates for the 27th Senatorial District and House 107th and 109th District seats have been invited to participate. The event will be streamed on YouTube starting at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 22.

                The format will be a modified debate, starting with the candidates for Senate, followed by the 107th House seat, and concluding with the candidates for the 109th seat. Each candidate will be presented with the same five questions in rotating order with two minutes for each response. Fred Gaffney, president of the Chamber of Commerce, will be the moderator. Candidates will also be given two minutes for closing remarks.

The following registered candidates are scheduled to participate:

27th Senatorial District – All of Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, and Snyder counties and a portion of lower Luzerne County

• John R. Gordner (R), incumbent, Berwick
• Michelle Siegel (D), Selinsgrove

107th House District – All of Montour County and portions of Columbia and Northumberland counties

• Ryan Bourinski (L), Mt. Carmel
• Kurt A. Masser (R), incumbent, Elysburg

109th House District – Most of Columbia County

• David Millard (R), incumbent, Berwick
• Bill Monahan (D), Bloomsburg
• Roger W. Nuss (I), Catawissa

The forum will be streamed live on the Chamber’s YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/3hWYlY3.

More than 420 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Immaculate Kinetics. 

Immaculate Kinetics is locally owned in Danville with technicians who offer a wide range of services due to their specialized training. A few of the specialized services include Roush CleanTech alternative fuel systems, Safety Vision mobile video surveillance solutions, and Webasto heating and cooling systems. The company can do repairs on light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles, but specialize in classes 3-7.

Learn more about Immaculate Kinetics by visiting its website, or Facebook page. 

Civil, Social, Human Services and Healthcare Expo at Bloomsburg University

Bloomsburg University will be holding an expo to help connect employers with students interested in careers in the Social, Health, and Human Services & Non-Profit career fields on October 28 & 29 from 2-5 p.m. Recommended employers include: Health Care Providers, Non-Profit Organizations, Government Agencies and Residential Treatment Facilities. Primary student attendees are those majoring in Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Exercise Science, Communication Studies, Languages & Cultures, Social Work, Sociology, and Psychology.

The standard registration fee includes your participation on both dates of the expo and our Fall Finale Bonus Expo in November. 

Upon registration, we will review the details you submitted for approval. At our fair, you’ll be able to engage with students in a variety of formats, including:

• Video, audio, and chat communication with students
• Group meetings with up to fifty students
• 1:1 meetings scheduled in advance or after a group session
• Share documentation with students ahead of time and have access to students who register to attend one of your sessions, resumes and contact information.

 Note: During registration, you’ll be asked to share the number of representatives who plan to attend the fair—up to 15 representatives per employer are able to participate in the fair. Each representative you register will be able to create their own unique schedule to engage with students. To learn more about these features check out this Handshake-hosted training webinar.

Employers are invited to discuss job shadowing, internship or employment opportunities with freshmen through graduate students and alumni. All expos are open and promoted to students from all majors and class years.

Although recruiting at Bloomsburg may look a little different this Fall, we are available to assist with all of your recruitment needs! Please review the toolkits provided by Handshake which will answer many of the questions you may have about participating in virtual events.

 If you have any remaining questions after reviewing the toolkits or need help registering for the event in Handshake, please contact our team at hireahusky@bloomu.edu.

Berwick Industrial Development Association (B.I.D.A.) Provides In-Kind Donation to Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) – Berwick Center 

L to R: Dr. Cheryl Lesser, LCCC Vice President of Academic Affairs; Joseph Siecko, B.I.D.A. Board Vice-President; Susan Spry, LCCC Vice President of Workforce and Community Development; Daniel McGann, B.I.D.A. Board President; Kelly O’Brien, B.I.D.A. Executive Director; Amy Shortlidge, B.I.D.A. Marketing Director; Thomas P. Leary, LCCC President; Kelly Foran, LCCC Director Berwick and Greater Susquehanna Centers and Rosana Reyes, LCCC Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs

Since the spring of 2003, Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) has provided the students with an opportunity to receiving higher education in the Luzerne, Columbia, and Montour Counties through the Berwick Center, located in the Berwick Industrial Development Association (B.I.D.A.) Eagles Building. 

Seventeen years later LCCC is still seeing success with students in having the choice of where they can attend classes. B.I.D.A. continues the support of LCCC’s Berwick Center through a rental grant during the 2020-2021 school year with the facility, a value of $16,400. 

Along with B.I.D.A., the Columbia County Commissioners have provided the college with $20,000 of funding this year to assist with the costs associated with the Berwick Center. 

Since LCCC’s Berwick Center’s inception, B.I.D.A. has provided a total of $240,000 in rent support for the Eagles Building location.  

Because of this financial support, the residents of Columbia County receive Luzerne County residential discount tuition: 

• $134 per credit is a savings of $134 per credit
• For a regular three (3) credit course, the savings is $402 
• For a full semester at twelve (12) credits, the savings is $2,010                                                                                                                                   

B.I.D.A. recognizes that employers in our region have an ongoing need for a skilled workforce. We, B.I.D.A., want to do our part to provide our region with affordable education. 

“Through education, students CAN build a career here in Berwick and the North Central Region of Pennsylvania through entrepreneurship and with our current employers” says B.I.D.A. Executive Director Kelly O’Brien. 

Providence Engineering Relocates to Lewisburg

Jeremy Whitmoyer

Providence Engineering Corporation is pleased to announce they have relocated their North-Central Pennsylvania office to Lewisburg, PA.

Now located at 419 Market Street, in Lewisburg’s historic district, Providence offers a more convenient location for our clients in the Lewisburg region and beyond. The Providence team is excited to continue providing constructible, affordable, and timely engineering services while also contributing to the economic vitality of downtown Lewisburg.

Providence has also hired Jeremy Whitmoyer, P.E. as Project Manager. Jeremy will be based in the new Lewisburg location, working alongside Zac Kurtz, P.E. and Jim Horting, P.E. With more than 10 years of professional experience, Jeremy brings a wealth of structural design expertise to the Providence team. In his new role, Jeremy will manage projects from concept to closeout including surveys, estimates, structural design, and construction administration services.

Established in 1992, Providence Engineering provides building design and analysis services. We engineer dependable, innovative solutions that have earned the trust of owners, architects, and contractors nationwide.

Dental Hygiene Month

Did you know that oral health is connected to your overall health and well-being? October is Dental Hygiene Month. You can protect your oral health by practicing good dental hygiene: brush your teeth at least twice daily, floss and use mouthwash after brushing, limit the amount of sugars in your diet, and see the dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings.

Need a ride to the dentist? Let us take you! rabbittransit can provide safe, reliable transportation for you. Seniors 65 years of age and older are eligible for Paratransit, often referred to as “Shared Ride.” Shared Ride is door-to-door bus service providing trips that are grouped together between multiple customers. There are no restrictions on the reason you may use our services, so the Senior Shared Ride Program can be used for all kinds of trips such as; medical appointments, grocery shopping, beauty salons, banking, recreation, physical therapy, visiting, fitness, Adult Day Care and more! There may a co-pay each time you board the vehicle. The cost depends on many different factors. You’ll love how easy it is to schedule your own appointments using FindMyRidePA.com.

Be sure to bring your mask if you plan on making your trip with us. Don’t have a mask? No problem! Riders can our customer service number for a free mask. Call 1-800-632-9063 today to speak with the mobility planning department to discuss your transportation needs and what you need to do to start using rabbittransit!

On the day President Trump announced that he was suspending negotiations with Democratic leaders on the next federal relief package until after the November 3^rd election, Congressman Dan Meuser stated that he believed a deal would get done. He believes that reopening the Paycheck Protection Program and providing limited liability protection for businesses should be part of that package. Meuser provided his thoughts to Chamber members during a virtual program held October 6^th.

In late September, Meuser signed a discharge petition to urge the House to consider legislation that would have reopened the Paycheck Protection Program to allow businesses to apply for $138 billion in unspent funds. He noted that Pennsylvania businesses have received more than $20 billion in assistance through the program, with the average loan of $110,000. That petition did not receive sufficient support and the program remains closed. While there are no House session days scheduled for the remainder of the year, legislators are on a 24 hour callback notice to consider specific legislation or the larger relief package.

Other components that should be in the next relief package according to Meuser include bonus unemployment compensation, though at a level significantly below the previous $600 amount, and additional financial assistance for schools and hospitals.

Meuser defended the President’s decision to leave business operation orders up to each governor, noting significantly different situations across the country. Admitting that mistakes were made at all levels of government in responding to the pandemic, he believes that following CDC guidance would have provided a better level of clarity and continuity for businesses. While shutting down some businesses for a brief period was appropriate in the Spring, Meuser also believes Pennsylvania should be less restrictive on business operations now.

America needs to improve its business climate to be better prepared to deal with future crises, according to Meuser. PPE, pharmaceuticals, and other supplies were initially a challenge to acquire as the U.S. replies on other counties, including China, for supply chains. While the federal government could do more to stockpile supplies from American companies, the Congressman believes that lower business tax rates would help incentivize domestic manufacturing, resulting in better access to products.

When asked about the biggest challenges for the 9^th Congressional District, Meuser reiterated the need for economic recovery, revitalization programs for a number of communities, including the coal region, and substance abuse issues. He talked about the need to slow the influx of illegal drugs from South America, and projected that deaths from overdoses may hit an all-time high this year. In supporting people dealing with substance abuse, he recently co-sponsored the Family Support Services for Addiction Act, which would create a $25 million grant program over five years to help non-profit organizations provide services for families impacted by addiction. That legislation passed the House and is awaiting action in the Senate.

Meuser is finishing his first, 2-year term representing Pennsylvania’s 9^th Congressional District.

Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine have amended COVID-19 orders to allow for adjusted capacity for gathering limits while keeping in place the mitigation tools that include wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

Starting Friday, Oct. 9 the amended orders will allow for occupancy limits to play a bigger role in determining the number of people permitted both inside and outside of events or gatherings. An event or gathering is defined as a temporary grouping of individuals for defined purposes that takes place over a limited time frame, such as hours or days, including fairs, festivals, concerts, or shows and groupings that occur within larger, more permanent businesses, such as shows or performances within amusement parks, individual showings of movies, business meetings or conferences, or each party or reception within a multi-room venue. Capacity for bars and restaurants will remain at 50% for those that have self-certified and 25% for those that have not.

Groups of people who share a space within a building in the ordinary course of operations, such as in an office building, classroom, production floor or similar regularly occurring operation of a business or organization, are not events or gatherings.

The orders amend two sections of the earlier mitigation orders and include a “maximum occupancy calculator” for both indoor and outdoor events. Based on a venue’s established occupancy limit as defined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code, venues apply the appropriate percent of occupancy to determine how many attendees are permitted to attend an event or gathering.

Maximum Occupancy Allowable Indoor Rate  

0-2,000 people – 20% of Maximum Occupancy
2,001 – 10,000 people – 15% of Maximum Occupancy
Over 10,000 people – 10% of Maximum Occupancy up to 3,750 people

Maximum Occupancy Allowable Outdoor Rate 
0-2,000 people – 25% of Maximum Occupancy
2,001 – 10,000 people – 20% of Maximum Occupancy
Over 10,000 people – 15% of Maximum Occupancy up to 7,500 people

Venues must continue to require attendees to comply with 6-foot social distancing requirements, to wear masks or face coverings, and to implement best practices such as timed entry, multiple entry and exit points, multiple restrooms and hygiene stations.

View the governor’s amended order here.
View the secretary’s amended order here.
View FAQs about the amended orders on safe gatherings. 

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

The PA Chamber issued a statement following the Wolf Administration announcing its plans to move forward with an overtime eligibility expansion proposal that would harm employers and employees at a time when they can least afford it.

The federal overtime annual salary threshold increased to $35,568 on January 1. Under the Governor’s plan, the threshold for Pennsylvania employees will increase to $40,560 on October 3, 2021 and $45,500 annually on October 3, 2022. Beginning in 2023, the threshold would be adjusted automatically every three years.

Pennsylvania’s Overtime Rule also allows up to 10 percent of the salary threshold to be satisfied by nondiscretionary bonuses, incentives, and commissions, paid annually, quarterly or more frequently.

In addition to the salary threshold update, Pennsylvania also updated the duties tests to more closely align with the U.S. Department of Labor’s regulations. Paying an employee a salary does not automatically make them exempt from overtime. The employee must also perform duties specified under the Rule.

Additional information is available on the Department of Labor & Industry’s website. 

“This proposal has been controversial since a federal version from President Obama was opposed by a large and diverse coalition and ultimately struck down by an Obama-appointed judge. An equally broad coalition of Pennsylvania employers spoke out when Gov. Wolf advanced a similar proposal,” PA Chamber President Gene Barr said.

“We urge the Governor to recognize that this policy cannot be considered in a vacuum: many employers most adversely impacted, including nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, restaurants and small retailers, are also among those who have been hit hardest by the pandemic, business shutdown and economic fallout.  Imposing additional costs and removing workplace flexibility is detrimental to employers already struggling and just adds one more obstacle on Pennsylvania’s path to economic recovery.

“Given these factors and the unprecedented economic challenges the state is currently facing, we urge the Governor to consider the true impact of the proposal and stop it from moving forward.”

More than 420 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Preferred Portables.

Located in Danville, Preferred Portables offers portable restrooms and hand washing stations for a variety of events or projects. They provide service within a 45-mile radius of Danville. All of the units are serviced and sanitized on a weekly basis (additional service can be provided upon request), to ensure a safe and healthy environment. 

Preferred Portables can be reached by phone at 570-293-4921, or visit its Facebook page 

Berwick Industrial Development Association (B.I.D.A.) donates to Berwick Health and Wellness Fund through the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation                                                                

The Berwick Industrial Development Association (B.I.D.A.) is committed to the economic development, growth, and sustainability of the region. Local nonprofit organizations play a vital role by providing services and resources to meet the needs of our community. B.I.D.A. made a recent donation to the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation to support the Berwick Health and Wellness Fund. 

 The Berwick Health and Wellness Fund is the original and largest component fund of the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation, created through the sale of the Berwick Hospital in 1999. The Berwick Health and Wellness Fund seeks to enrich the lives of the residents of the hospital’s service area by using its investments to promote individual and community health and well-being. 

  A few of the priority areas include:    

• Ensuring children are healthy and ready to learn when they enter school.
• Promoting oral health for residents who lack access to regular dental care.
• Reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease through nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco-free lifestyles.
• Improving mental and behavioral health through community awareness, support, and treatment

B.I.D.A. is pleased to support the Berwick Health and Wellness Fund’s efforts which awards more than $1 million annually into the greater Berwick area through grants and scholarships. To learn more about the Foundation or to donate, please visit www.csgiving.org. 

Free Cleaning Supplies to Stay Healthy from CSO

Central Susquehanna Opportunities (CSO) knows how important it is for you and your family to stay healthy and would like to help by providing cleaning supplies. Limited supplies, first come first served.

• Wednesday, September 30th from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. at LCBC Church 2421 Columbia Blvd. Central Rd & Rt. 11, Bloomsburg, PA.
• Tuesday, October 6th from 10 a.m.- noon at PA State Rep. David Millard Market St. Plaza 1000 Market St., Bloomsburg, PA

Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Announces Fall Programming

The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum, 2 West Seventh Street, Bloomsburg is pleased to announce its fall programming which includes clubs, programs and events for all ages. Clubs include Nerf Modification, Robotics, and Girls Who Code.

The Museum is offering a new preschool program that is free with admission and runs every-other Wednesday. Ready, Set, Grow is designed to help develop executive function skills in your preschooler to make sure they are kindergarten ready! 

Homeschool Hangouts start again in October. This popular program provides parent/child activities designed to complement concepts taught in homeschool curriculum, grades K-12.

Upcoming events at the Museum include Super Hero Saturday on October 17th and Turkey Day on November 21st. 

Discount days at the Museum are $2 Tuesday, every 3rd Tuesday of the month and Fall Fun Fridays, every Friday in October, which features free adult admission and a special fall-themed craft. 

Guest favorite Saturday art classes, Meet the Masters and Paint Me a Story return to offer art classes for PreK-12th grade students. 

Virtual offerings include PreK nature camp, Painting and Drawing Camp, and virtual field trips.

For a complete listing of all programs, visit www.The-Childrens-Museum.com or see the attached fall programs brochure.

The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The Museum will be closed from September 25th-October 5th for an annual construction and renovation period. They will re-open on Monday, October 4th. 

In order to maintain a safe public space for our guests and comply with our community standards, masks are required for entrance to the Museum.  The Children’s Museum has increased sanitation of all touchable surfaces, removed many loose exhibit pieces to reduce touchable surfaces, instituted “Discovery Bags” to still allow hands-on participation for individual learners, and increased air exchange in the Museum. 

NEPIRC to Host Free Virtual Manufacturing Day

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) will host its annual Manufacturing Day event on Friday, October 2nd, 2020. This year’s Manufacturing Day is free to all manufacturers and will be streamed virtually thanks to our partner, Coal Creative. When registering, attendees will have the option to select from a number of different sessions, each of which addresses a specific manufacturing best practice or technology.

NEPIRC’s event will feature David Beurle, CEO of Future iQ, as the keynote speaker. Mr. Beurle, a worldrenowned strategist, researcher and practitioner, pioneers and applies innovative tools and approaches that assist countries, cities, organizations, regions, tourism destinations and industries to shape their economic and community development futures. As the keynote speaker at NEPIRC’s 2019 Manufacturing Day, Mr. Beurle captivated the audience, and so NEPIRC looks forward to hosting him again in 2020.

In addition to Mr. Beurle, NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Day agenda includes the following presentations: Talent Succession Planning, presented by Leo Gilroy, Director of Strategy & Innovation, NEPIRC; Do Your Part #BECYBERSMART, presented by Marc Gonzalez, Site2; Problem Solving, presented by Gerry Giza, Director of Lean & Continuous Improvement, NEPIRC; Industry 4.0, presented by Brian Matyjevich, Lean Enterprise Consultant, NEPIRC; and ISO 9001:2015 Overview, presented by Brian Matyjevich and Ray Kryeski, Mechanical Engineer, NEPIRC. For presentation descriptions or to register, please visit the Training and Events tab on NEPIRC’s website by visiting www.nepirc.com or by calling 570.704.0018.

Each year, Manufacturing Day is recognized nationally on the first Friday of October with events taking place all month to celebrate the manufacturing industry and is contributions to local, regional and national economies. Additionally, Manufacturing Day serves to bring awareness of the industry to students, parents and educators to help bolster interest in manufacturing jobs.

More than 420 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Gray Builders.

Established in 1991, Gray Builders provides complete design-build solutions for commercial or residential projects. Some of the services offered include: New Construction, Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, and Interior “Fit Outs” where an interior is completely re-configured, within the existing structure. They also have a complete wood working and paint shop, on-site, which allows for any type of custom millwork.

Learn more about Gray Builders by visiting its website, or Facebook page.

Forest & Field, a kitchen & bath showroom and design center, will open at the Columbia County Business Park in Lightstreet in 2021 as an expansion of Tri County Lumber & Truss.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has recognized Tri County Lumber & Truss in Berwick with its Eastern Pennsylvania Entrepreneurial Success of the Year Award for 2020. The Chamber of Commerce was part of the presentation ceremony with John Coates, Tri County President, held Tuesday, September 29^th.

Tri County Lumber & Truss, formerly Fahringer Lumber, has a 30-year history in the Coates family. The business is under the management of the second-generation with John as President. During John’s tenure, he overtook the operations of a truss manufacturing plant in 2008 and in 2010 developed a Kitchen and Bath department. The business offers building materials; design and remodeling services for kitchens, baths, decks, and outdoor spaces; lumber products; contractor educational courses and events; tools and tool maintenance; and services for contractors and homeowners.

“It’s a privilege to recognize the achievements of leading Pennsylvania entrepreneurs like John,” said Steve Dixel, SBA Eastern Pennsylvania District Director. “Small businesses like Tri County Lumber & Truss, that are able to thrive, diversify, and anticipate their customer needs for the long-term, are essential to our nation’s economy. SBA, our resource partner Wilkes University Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and our lending partner SEDA-COG are proud to play a role in helping them expand and continue to succeed.”

John O. Coates has been a client of Wilkes SBDC since Spring 2017. He worked with Business Consultant Ray Haden to realize a business plan and financial projections replete with heavily researched financial assumptions for the design center construction project. The firm plans to open a 10,000 sq. ft. kitchen and bath showroom and interactive design space, called Forest & Field, in January 2021. Located at the Columbia County Business Park in Lightstreet, it will be a destination center for the region.

Coates worked with Fred Gaffney, Chamber President, to discuss options at the Business Park and consider financing options. “John has taken a very deliberate approach in utilizing resources in the region to evolve his business,” said Gaffney. “It is gratifying to see his ideas coming to fruition, as well as being recognized by the SBA.”

“One of the biggest frustrations in taking the operation to the next level is also a source of pride for Mr. Coates; specifically, in getting the expansion project absolutely right,” said Ray Haden, Business Consultant, Wilkes SBDC. “Initially, the expansion was massive, and John reflected on the purpose of the expansion – which was essentially showcasing designed kitchens and baths, appliances, window and door displays, and a working kitchen for chef demonstration. This strategy enabled a level of authenticity to realize the true needs related to the expansion and ultimately realize an expansion project that best served the operation and the local and surrounding areas.”

The Wilkes SBDC is a member of the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers’ statewide network which provides quality, no-cost, confidential business consulting and training to small business owners and entrepreneurs thinking about starting a business, contemplating expansion or change in a current business, or are developing a new product.

Tri County Lumber & Truss worked with SEDA-COG’s SBA 504 Loan Program Certified Development Company (CDC), to structure the financing package for the expansion project through an SBA 504 Loan. CDCs are nonprofit corporations promoting economic development within their community. CDCs are certified and regulated by the SBA, and work with SBA and participating lenders (typically banks) to provide financing to small businesses, which in turn, accomplishes the goal of community economic development.  The SBA 504 Loan program is a powerful economic development loan program that offers small businesses another avenue for business financing, while promoting business growth, and job creation.

“Despite its high level of visibility and ease of access, the rural location selected for the design center has been underutilized for many years,” said Tina Showers, Principal Program Analyst, SEDA-COG. “It will be in an area that has been designated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as distressed. Mr. Coates’ strategy to expand at this location exemplifies a sense of commitment and contribution to the Columbia County area. In an era where there are big box stores in almost every neighborhood, it is refreshing to see a small business not only serve the community in this capacity – but expand and grow.”

“Mr. Coates’ deliberations with the expansion project also took into consideration what would work for his employees, so they would not be overwhelmed,” adds Dorothy Lane, Director, Wilkes SBDC. “COVID-19 slowed them down for two months, but with SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan, EIDL Advance, and Paycheck Protection Program Loan, they were able to maintain payroll, prevent layoffs, and continue to purchase inventory and stay current on their existing debt.”

“It’s wonderful to be recognized as SBA’s Entrepreneurial Success of the Year,” said John O. Coates, President, Tri County Lumber & Truss. “We’re honored that Wilkes University SBDC nominated us and that SBA selected our business. The support from the SBA, Wilkes SBDC and SEDA-COG enabled us to expand and construct a state-of-the art kitchen and bath showroom and design center that will become a destination and revive the local economy with job creation and sales revenue.”

Whatever the situation, John’s contributions tend to have one thing in common: the community in which he calls home for himself, his family, and his business. He donates to the local Rocky Boxing Club and Berwick Christmas Boulevard. Mr. Coates retired as past President and Board Member of the Central Columbia School District. He is presently on the Board for Berwick Hospital and serves on the Berwick YMCA’s Fundraising Board.

SBA’s Eastern Pennsylvania Entrepreneurial Success of the Year award winner is selected annually from among nominees located across the 40 counties of eastern Pennsylvania. National Small Business Week recognizes the small business community’s contribution to the American economy. Learn more about National Small Business Week at https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week.