After five years of planning and development the Centre County Industrial Development Corporation (CCIDC) has completed infrastructure construction of Phases I and II at Benner Commerce Park.

“We are so pleased to be able to offer such an affordable, accessible, shovel-ready location within Centre County and look forward to assisting companies create new regional employment opportunities,” said Trudy Mitchell, Vice President of Economic Development.

Located along the I-99 corridor between Bellefonte and State College, Benner Commerce Park is a mixed-use business park designed to accommodate a variety of compatible businesses within a corporate campus setting.

The conference provides an opportunity for companies to gain valuable market insight as well as firsthand knowledge from localized experts. The event is hosted by the SEDA-COG Export Development Program.

The PA Authorized Trade Representatives offer expertise in the following countries: Arab Gulf (Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar), Australia (includes New Zealand), Brazil, Canada, Chile, China – Beijing, China – Shanghai, Czech Republic (includes Hungary, Poland, Slovakia), France, Germany (includes Italy, Switzerland, Austria), India, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore (includes Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines), South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom (includes Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden), and Vietnam.

The Pennsylvania Wood Mobile will also be on site for participants to visit. The Wood Mobile is a traveling exhibit that provides information on the state’s forest resource and the state’s forest products industry.

Sponsors of this year’s conference include McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, M&T Bank, UPS, The Industrial Modernization Center, and the Pennsylvania Office of International Business Development. For more information contact SEDA-COG’s Noelle Long, 570-524-4491

Last year, the POGAM-produced conference and show at Erie’s Bayfront Convention Center featured some 170 exhibitors and attracted 400 conference participants and 1,000 show-only attendees. Several dozen companies had to be turned away due to space considerations.

This year’s show has been moved to a larger facility with over 100 more exhibit spaces. The show sold out less than six weeks after opening exhibit sales. In early July, there were already more than 60 companies on the waiting list for exhibit space.

This year some 275 companies will exhibit a wide range of products and services of interest to the region’s industry.

Conference registrants can attend the exclusive Show Preview Reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, August 30.

The show will be open to the general public on Tuesday, August 31, from 9 a.m. to 5p.m. and again on Wednesday, September 1, from 9 a.m. to noon. The conference portion of the event doesn’t begin until 1 p.m. on Tuesday, giving participants additional time to make the rounds of the 343 indoor and outdoor exhibit spaces.

There is an admission fee of just $25 at the door, good for show hours on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to The Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Association, the huge potential of the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania and neighboring states has thrust the industry into the spotlight.. The conference portion of the event will focus on how Marcellus exploration is changing the landscape for the entire energy industry —from government initiatives to operational practices to public opinion.

The conference keynote speaker will be John Hanger, secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. Hanger has been the point man in Governor Ed Rendell’s administration, not only extolling the benefits of the Marcellus Shale play, but also leading efforts to tighten regulations and toughen enforcement, and he has repeatedly echoed the governor’s call for a severance tax on Marcellus production.

The afternoon will include a panel discussion on water-related regulations, including the controversial rulemaking placing strict limits on total dissolved solids, and a presentation on recent activities at the Public Utility Commission. The last speaker will address

prevention of well blowouts and other timely risk-management practices.

Wednesday’s programming kicks off with the first-ever PIOGA annual meeting. A brief business session will be followed by reports from committees—Transportation & Marketing, Safety and Environmental, plus an update on legislative and regulatory initiatives.

Following a break, there will be a panel discussion on pipeline issues. The show wraps up with a talk on Marcellus Shale economics or similar “big-picture” topics.

“The point of this innovative residential duplex is to demonstrate how affordable homes can be built to contain and control utility costs,” Engle said.

The project location is a vacant lot owned by the Union County Housing Authority (UCHA) on west Market Street in Lewisburg where the previous home was destroyed by fire. Using this in-fill lot demonstrates how new construction can conserve land, preserve the character of the neighborhood, and offer new homeowners the advantages of an established community.

This energy-efficient duplex is being built by Vision Home Builders LLC in Bloomsburg using modular construction.

The duplex is certified “green” due to the use of many sustainable and energy efficient materials such as:

5.5″ thick solid foam, prefabricated, exterior walls;

3 to 4″ of high-density spray foam in the attic with blown cellulose on top for an assembly of R-70;

recycled-content siding, metal roofing, and countertops.

In addition, these homes will be equipped with all Energy Star rated appliances, super efficient heating and cooling systems and lighting. Ultra efficient, inverter technology, low temperature, mini-split heat pumps will provide heating and cooling in the home. Hot water heat pumps will provide hot water for the home. The lighting systems include CFL, LED and pin-based lighting.

All of the energy efficient features together will save 40% to 70% of the energy used by a comparable existing structure. The home is designed to accommodate the addition of a photovoltaic solar system in the future. With a photovoltaic solar system, the homes’ total energy use will approach zero.

Outdoor features such as a front porch with trellis and rain gardens will allow the homeowner to enjoy the outdoors with a low maintenance garden and connect with their neighbors and their community. There will be two rain gardens, one in

the front of the home on Market Street and another on the side of the home. The purpose of the rain gardens is to capture and divert the flow of excess rainwater away from the home.

The intended homeowners for these homes are the “prime time” 55 year and older community. The homes are designed to be accessible and adaptable for aging in place with low maintenance. They are conveniently located within walking distance of downtown Lewisburg shopping, churches, and the Bucknell University campus.

This project was financed in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

Mr. Jere Engle, Executive Director of UCHA, leads the project design team. A collaborative design process for this home began in June 2009 with a design charrette. A diverse group of local architects, contractors and building trades professionals contributed to the design of this model energy-efficient, in-fill duplex home during the design charrette.

UCHA’s mission is to provide safe, decent, sanitary, affordable housing to income-eligible residents and to provide related community services within Union County. With energy prices soaring, the wise use of resources (building materials and energy) is extremely important for the long-term affordability of housing, especially for those of modest income.

More detailed information is available by contacting UCHA or visiting the website www.unioncountyhousingauthority.org.

As part of its Regional Cluster Initiative, SBA will accept proposals from local and regional cluster initiatives for funding of up to $600,000 per cluster to support up to 15 projects across the country.  Proposals should be submitted by the cluster’s coordinating entity.

Salis’ research lab is developing nucleic-acid therapeutics to selectively kill pathogens. These nucleic acids potentially could be designed and manufactured more quickly than a traditional vaccine or protein-based therapeutic, he explained. “They can be used to defend against biological weapons or new pathogenic strains of bacteria,” Salis said.

Gonsman began his career with First National Bank in 1998 as Assistant Vice President of Commercial Banking. Prior to joining First National Bank, Gonsman worked for an economic development agency as a commercial lender.

Active in the community, Gonsman serves as First Vice President of Bedford Sunrise Rotary, Treasurer of UPMC Bedford Memorial, Vice Chairman on Downtown Bedford, Inc. and is a Board Member of Bedford Area Ambulance. He is also a Committee Member for the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce and an Advisory Board Member for the Community Foundation for Alleghenies.

Guests will enjoy a hands-on experience and see for themselves the wide variety of cost effective display and exhibit products available. No more Internet browsing and guessing, the Impressions studio will be filled with various tradeshow exhibits, POP and retail displays, and large format graphic options. Their in-house marketing and design gurus will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

Impressions is a full-service branding, marketing, advertising and trade show agency who has been in the business of creating cohesive marketing campaigns that are engaging, on-target and effective for the past 14 years.

Don’t miss this event! RSVP to cyork@2impress.net or call 814.234.1378.