Building boom, strong alliances

By Sandie Biddle

According to Richard Lasek, assistant director of Huntingdon County Business & Industry, all you have to do is look around to see the economic development progress being made in the county.
He noted a number of major commercial building projects, including the Mutual Benefit expansion, DC Goodman relocation, Giant Foods expansion and the Halbritter Performing Arts Center opening in April at Juniata College.

The high point of January was the grand opening of the long-awaited Huntingdon Wal-Mart Supercenter at Routes 22 and 26 – attended by thousands Jan. 31. The center is expected to keep more local residents from leaving the county to do their shopping.

HCB&I focuses on “job creation” according to president Tim Schrack, owner of Schrack Realty. “We look to growing existing businesses as well as industrial development. One of our main efforts is to connect people with business financing, like PIDA, manufacturing loans and other state programs,” he said.

“There are three clusters of businesses the county is focussing on developing,” said Mike Lehman, executive director of the Juniata College Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.
1. The Natural Cluster – Businesses that can be developed using the area’s already existing natural resources, including Raystown Lake, branches of the Juniata River, fishing streams, hiking and biking trails, forests, parks, etc. This cluster includes recreational tourism, active retirement and wood products.

2. The Emerging Cluster – This includes information technology and life sciences industries being developed in the area, including chemistry, biology and environmental studies and research fostered by Juniata College.

3. The Existing Cluster – This includes keeping the market share in the traditional manufacturing industry, like AGY and Bonney Forge.
“Our job is to keep a well-balanced portfolio of jobs and businesses in these three areas,” Lehman said. “The partnership of Juniata College students, faculty, community leaders, and the HCB&I/JCEL team is making this program the success that it is.”

He cited Best Instruments Inc., an incubator tenant, that makes flow meters for high-profusion liquid chromatography and Simplus EXP, an IT firm that is pioneering interactive cyber learning.
“We also offer home-based businesses space in our incubator – office space for as little as five days a month,” he said of the Sill Business Incubator.

Alliances also reach beyond Huntingdon County. The most recent collaborative effort between HCB&I and the Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Corporation is the development of the Raystown Lake Multi-use trail system. SAP&DC was also instrumental in obtaining funding for infrastructure at the Riverview Business Center.

County Planning Director Richard Stahl announced that an updated Huntingdon County Comprehensive Plan is underway. The county retained David Miller Associates to assist planning and development. The first meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Committee was Jan. 19.

“HCB&I should be one of the first contacts for someone wanting to start a business in Huntingdon County,” Schrack said. “We’ll get them pointed in the right direction. We’ve got the personnel, the board, Mike, Rick, the whole cast of characters – a great mix of leadership and experience. I’m really positive about where the county is going in terms of employment.” ~PBC

For more information see www.huntingdoncounty.net or phone (814) 643-4322