

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
PMF Industries is presented with the Staiman’s Relatives Large Business Award at the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce annual luncheon on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 at the Williamsport Nation Club. Shown from left are Rob Glunk, Chair of the WLCC, Renee Flook, M&T Financial institution John Perrotto and Ken Healy, PMF Industries

A Williamsport espresso shop that is far more than a gathering place.
A fabrication specialty industry that presents compensated apprenticeships for higher faculty and college or university students to locate the following generation of proficient laborers.
A bicycle designer who put his bikes on line and grew his company to work out of Montgomery Borough.
The the latest 136th yearly conference and awards banquet of the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce highlighted winners of the yearly awards, introduced at the Williamsport Region Club, and considerably extra.
Yearly awards have been specified to Precedence Bicycles, winner of the Emerging Company Award PMF Industries, winner of the Staiman’s Spouse and children Big Enterprise Award and Alabaster Coffee, winner of the Phillips/Plankenhorn Little Small business Award.
Google bikes and the company identify will look, said Timothy J. Keohane, director of the Penn Condition Tiny Enterprise Growth Center, as he released winners of the Emerging Company of the Yr Award, Priority Bicycles, of Montgomery. The award has come to understand entrepreneurs that are new to setting up a enterprise.
Priority Bicycles, 165 Miller Ave., Montgomery, is an independent bicycle model, focused to creating cycling easy for leisure riders and bicycles and components that are quick to obtain, ride and keep.
Started by marketplace veteran and previous software CEO David Weiner, the organization was launched as a socially funded company on Kickstarter in 2014.
The purpose was to provide large-top quality, very low-upkeep bicycles, immediate to purchaser, backed by “unmatched customer company,” Keohane reported.
Because then, the enterprise expanded to designs for kids, commuters and adventurers, specially nice with all of the bike trails in the county and location and Pennsylvania Wilds.
Right now, the company has become a current market chief for tailor made-branded bicycles with extra than 400 fleet partnerships.
Via endeavours led by state Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, the organization obtained a point out Redevelopment Help Funds Method grant that is anticipated to assist them develop nearby creation of bikes and improve work figures in the borough of Montgomery.
Weiner and Patrick Sparks, symbolizing Priority Bicycles, accepted the award.
They observed how it was their close relationship to the chamber and the networking it delivers that saved the enterprise growing by way of the COVID-19 pandemic and will do so in the times ahead.
Machinists sharing their awareness
For PMF Industries, an worker-owned fabrication company with 20 per cent of its worker foundation staying veterans, the pandemic years provided a problem to carry on to create excellent goods and elements.
After being launched by Thad Will, vice president, senior marriage supervisor with M&T Financial institution, PMF’s John Perrotto and Ken Healy acknowledged the award but not in advance of Perrotto described the great advantage of connecting with area large educational institutions and the Pennsylvania Faculty of Know-how and Lycoming College or university to come across skilled laborers to do the job for the company.
The corporation has a significant existence at these academic institutions by presenting tours, talking in lecture rooms, and serving on boards for the Loyalsock Township College District Work Development Committee, Hope Enterprises and Penn College’s Production Systems.
In addition, PMF is concerned with Lycoming University and the Innovative Manufacturers’ Center, partnering with the PA CareerLink considering that 2003 and attending numerous community work fairs and offering on-web page tours for lecturers and college students.
As an illustration of the accomplishment of apprenticeships and in-district financial investment, while on tour of Williamsport Area Large School’s machining classroom in 2018, two pupils have been presented work on the place. Just one of people positions was a 2nd-shift part-time position that was held right up until graduation, as very well as tuition reimbursement although the college students attended Penn Higher education.
PMF Industries officials have been credited with continuing to guidance the district by means of investing in tools that provides hands-on understanding to learners.
Perrotto reviewed briefly how appreciative the business was to have been regarded at the point out degree for their operate with apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship courses.
Present workers are very pleased of what they’ve assisted establish and share their know-how to carry ahead the producing common of excellence at PMF, they mentioned.
Phillips/Plankenhorn Compact Business enterprise Award
In a video and afterward, Jason Fink, chamber president and CEO, spoke about how a number of location financial institutions, which he named, joined jointly in sponsoring the award introduced to Alabaster Coffee Roaster & Tea Co., 400 Pine St.
The organization, established by Karl Fisher, was showcased in a online video.
“Alabaster exists for the consumer and also for the neighborhood,” Joe Tokay, Alabaster supervisor, stated in the video.
Later on, Fisher agreed.
“We saw what began as a have to have,” Fisher stated. “We did not have a aim … It was like going on a hike on a foggy day.”
Normally a espresso hobbyist, when Alabaster was founded in 2010, Fisher sought to make investments in the downtown small business and insert one thing unique.
Nowadays Alabaster has turn out to be much more than a accumulating internet site.
Pete Swift, of Camp Susque, stated Alabaster is much more than a “watering hole.”
Significantly much more.
It is a position where one can sit and chill out or function on a laptop computer, a safe and sound spot where discussion flows quickly, operated by a founder who has improved lives.
Fisher has not only introduced to light the great importance of receiving excellent espresso beans and coffee and teas to the consumer, he has culled the best of resources by developing performing partnerships with intercontinental farmers and he’s launched his adore of coffee to space substantial schools and colleges.
For instance, Alabaster teamed up with Lycoming Faculty for its Warrior Espresso system, in which college students travel to the Dominican Republic to enable indigenous farmers have a voice in the world-wide coffee market place.
He started a franchise enhancement software at Williamsport Area Superior Faculty, acquiring pupils involved in the coffee company and mentoring pupils who took on the leadership part in palms-on learning about small business ownership as a result of his partnership.
Ronald A. Frick, president of the Lycoming United Way, explained Fisher frequently donates cups, creamers and materials discounted espresso at gatherings for the United Way.
In February, Alabaster took element in an occasion to realize heart health and sponsored a “Cup of Love” for Valentine’s Day. For every cup purchased a percentage of the earnings went to the United Way, which, in convert, is put into superior use between its numerous partnering businesses through the county.
In reality, above the years, Alabaster has donated extra than $60,000 to community nonprofits and Fisher has served the neighborhood in techniques unseen and observed.
Through the pandemic, Fisher and the team took coffee to difficult-operating staff, such as teachers, and held Xmas Eve espresso runs for community crisis and public safety workers.
“We enjoy espresso and our local community,” he stated.
Achievements, struggles, hope
Highlighting business and field achievements as they emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, lots of during Lycoming County are in a rebounding method, even as some battle to locate laborers and raw resources.
But their near conversation with the schools and high schools, to pique scholar interest in paid apprenticeships, education those that are leading to the subsequent generation of workforce gainfully utilized at enterprises and industries in Lycoming County, is a hopeful concept relocating ahead in the yr.
Honoring all of the chamber members’ successes
“We honor the accomplishments of the organization and extra importantly, you, our membership,” stated Rob Glunk, Chamber of Commerce board chairman.
Glunk also outlined the volunteer hard work that permitted the chamber, found at 102 W. Fourth St., to “prosper, expand, and engage in a essential function in the financial vitality of Lycoming County.”
The awards were special thinking of the problem posed by the pandemic and economic forecast next the original outbreak in 2020.
In closing remarks, Fink touched on the pandemic’s affect on the company group and the chamber alone and reported shifting ahead it is important to tackle the area’s inhabitants decline.
“No more time can we say that it is since men and women do not want to get the job done,” Fink explained.
Unemployment locally at just above 5 p.c.
“We need to have to glimpse at strategies to get people today to move listed here and deal with some of the vital hurdles that prohibit men and women from shifting to our local community,” he explained.
Housing is one of those people vital variables.
“If we never address it now, we’re not only heading to see it impact businesses, but also other sectors of our county.
Municipal and faculty taxes, for example, will proceed to rise exponentially due to owning to improve them on much less folks residing here just to maintain the same stage of providers now sent,” Fink claimed.
Thankfully, he additional, the nearby elected officers are engaging the small business local community and the neighborhood at substantial in seeking to occur up with methods to these issues, he said.
Fink also thanked outgoing chairman Larry Allison.
“Larry’s generate and vision for bettering Lycoming County has saved us on the path of continued advancement and excellence,” he claimed.
Fink also credited the a lot of volunteers and a “fabulous team” working to achieve “our organization’s objectives.”
The crew incorporates: Cindy Robbins, Gina Edwards, Meghan Quinn, Nancy Eischeid, Sharon Jones and Tayrn Mueller.
The chamber presented recognition of outgoing board users (AC Cruz, Point out Farm Insurance plan and Mike Reed, Pennsylvania College or university of Engineering, and a welcome of new 2022 board customers and recognition of public officers for assist of business enterprise like state Rep. Joe Hamm, R-Hepburn Township Frank J. Mazza, Northeast Pennsylvania regional manager for U.S. Sen. Pat Tomey, R-Zionsville.
Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter also was in attendance.
Involvement is significant
“I claimed it before and will continue to say it if for some motive you have an curiosity somewhere else and are not previously volunteering in the community, you should get associated where ever that is,” Fink claimed.
“We’re just one of several great businesses out below in Lycoming County that you can give your time to in aiding to grow our community.”








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