Team PA Newsletter

Did you know the Foundation will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year? Since 1997, the Team PA Foundation has been a unique framework where public and private sector leaders can join together to shape Pennsylvania's economic competitiveness.

PPL Receives Customer Satisfaction Award
For the sixth time in eight years, PPL Electric Utilities has ranked highest among electric utilities in the eastern United States in J.D. Power and Associates’ annual study of business customer satisfaction.

The award is the company’s 13th overall — more than any other utility in the country — since J.D. Power and Associates began studying utility customer satisfaction. In addition to its six business customer satisfaction awards, PPL Electric Utilities has earned the top honor for residential customer satisfaction in the East seven out of eight years.

PPL Names New President
PPL Corporation announced on March 27th, that David G. DeCampli has been named president of PPL Electric Utilities. PPL Corporation has been a long standing investor in the Team PA Foundation.

DeCampli, a 27-year industry veteran who has served as PPL Electric Utilities senior vice president of Transmission and Distribution Engineering and Operations since late 2006, replaces John Sipics, who retired earlier this year. DeCampli’s appointment was effective April 1. He will report to William H. Spence, PPL’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Before coming to PPL, DeCampli served as vice president, Asset Investment Strategy and Development, for Exelon Energy Delivery in Chicago, where he was responsible for the company’s reliability and operational performance investment strategies and system capacity planning for both PECO Energy in Philadelphia and Commonwealth Edison in Chicago.

PPL Electric Utilities provides electricity delivery services to 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania. PPL Corporation also controls more than 11,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to more than 5 million customers in United States, the United Kingdom and Latin America.

Make Some Green, While Being Green.
This was the topic at hand at the recent Pennsylvania Angel Network (PAN) environmental investor roundtable. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Kathleen McGinty joined the PAN roundtable for their most recent meeting to give an overview of what the Commonwealth is doing to support investing in environmentally responsible business development. From hydrogen production and storage, to micro turbines and printable solar cells, Pennsylvania is fertile ground for innovative green technologies. Secretary McGinty described many creative initiatives to spur economic development, including the recently released Energy Independence Strategy which would make over $100 million available in the form of venture capital, loans and grants focused at driving innovation and environmentally responsible business development.

Team PA Foundation funded the development of PAN through a $75,000 grant to further develop local angel investment groups. The Pennsylvania Angel Network (PAN) is a non-profit corporation that connects thousands of angel investors seeking early-stage investment opportunities with Pennsylvania’s most promising start-up companies. PAN was created in 2003 in recognition of the critical role that angel investors (individuals with high net-worth) play in moving companies to a stage of growth that makes them ready for consideration by venture capital firms. More info on PAN can be found here.

Still BREPing, After All These Years
The Business Retention and Expansion Program (BREP), which was founded in 1997 as the Business Calling Program under the Team PA Foundation continues to garner great successes on a local level throughout the Commonwealth. Thanks to BREP, Pittston-based Calex Logistics has found financing assistance, a 143,000-square-foot facility, and support for key industry issues. Success stories like this are common throughout every region of the Commonwealth, as the BREP program continues to provide a critical communication link between the local economic development community and the businesses within their region.

"[BREP has] helped our company find the right assistance options for projects we are undertaking, as well as communicate the business and industry challenges we face," says Doug Barbacci, president, Calex Logistics Services.

Since inception, the BREP program has been responsible for nearly 10,000 in-person meetings with companies in every region of the Commonwealth. These meetings are to gather information on relevant business climate issues and the needs of the business community. If you would like to suggest a particular company for a BREP visit, contact the BREP Regional Coordinator in your region. A list of the BREP Regional Coordinators, their contact information, and the counties in which they serve can be found here: BREP Regional Coordinators

Jim Greene, an inspector with DEP shows students a real world example of a career in environmental protection by simulating a hazardous chemical spill.

BUS Day Brings 200+ Professionals into Classrooms
Sponsored by the Team PA Foundation, Business Uniting with Schools Day (BUS Day) exchanged more than 300 teachers with business leaders of local hospitals, manufacturing facilities, banks, real estate companies, food processing plants, print shops and retail outlets. Teachers learned of the varied career paths available and skills needed; and leaders of each business brought their valuable experience and training to the classroom.

“For five years, BUS Day has been a wonderful experience for the DuBois Area School District (DASD) and our local community. The positive comments from the business participants, teachers and students, validate the effectiveness of this unique program,” said Tim Deluccia, DASD assistant to the superintendent and BUS Day coordinator.

Each business professional was paired with a teacher and their students in an exchange of work information. Teachers visited the business/industry work site of the professional they were paired with to learn about their job, what their business has to offer and what skills are needed to work there.

After the teacher visit, the business professionals went into the classroom to talk with students. They discussed their business, why and how they came to get the job they do, what skills are needed for their job, and what kinds of jobs are available in their organization. BUS Day is supported by grants from Team PA Foundation and the North Central Workforce Investment Board’s Regional Career Education Partnership grant from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Labor and Industry. Contact Leigh Walter here for more info on BUS Day, or other Ambassador activity.

Go West, Young Professional!
Pittsburgh’s beloved Heinz Field will be the site for the 2007 Pennsylvania Young Professionals ImPAct conference held this September. Join with members of young professional groups across the state to plot how they are going to take over the world…err…we meant network, listen to incredible speakers, learn how to make a difference, and just have a great time.

The conference will be held September 28-30, 2007.

Register early to save $30!
Standard Pricing: $70/person until July 1, 2007.
Group Ticket pricing: $70/person for groups of 10 or more.

For more info or to register, visit the PAYP website.

PA Young Professionals, an initiative of the Team Pennsylvania Foundation focused on building capacity and leadership in Young Professional organizations around the state, is actively building its membership and momentum. If you are interested in having your local young professional group join PAYP, contact us.

Do You Want to Build the Best Place to Work in PA?

Team PA wants you to know how the companies who "made the list" did it in Pennsylvania--the original statewide Best Places to Work program. Pennsylvania is celebrating its eighth year in 2007 and has recognized over 300 organizations that excel in providing a positive experience for their employees. Participants in an upcoming webinar will hear concrete examples of innovative and exemplary tactics that other companies are using to build and sustain organizational growth. Presented by Dr. Scott Cawood of ModernThink LLC. ModernThink is a workplace excellence consulting firm and the analysts of the annual Best Places to Work in PA data.

The Best Places to Work in PA program is a partnership of Team Pennsylvania Foundation, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry, and the Central Penn Business Journal.

Webinar information:
Date: May 7, 2007
Time: 2:00pm
Length: 1 hour
Cost: $140.00 per site (as many people as you can crowd around a computer!)

To register for the webinar, visit www.centralpennbusiness.com and click on the WEBINAR link. For more information: Contact Beth Feltenberger at the Central Penn Business Journal at 717-236-4300 or bethf@journalpub.com.

Pennsylvania Partners with Google Earth
Pennsylvania recently became the first state to capitalize on the exciting Google Earth satellite photo platform by using a new, cutting-edge technology to make tourism an interactive experience from anywhere in the world.

The state will provide a $285,000 grant to support an unprecedented partnership between Google Earth, Carnegie Mellon University, NASA, the Pennsylvania Tourism Office and the National Civil War Museum that will allow 'virtual tourists' from around the globe to immerse themselves in Pennsylvania's Civil War trails. Working together, the partners will develop an infrastructure to display and promote Pennsylvania's Civil War trails as a travel destination and enhance community engagement in emerging interactive technologies.

"Pennsylvania's tourism industries account for nearly 600,000 jobs throughout the commonwealth," says Governor Edward G. Rendell. "This project presents an opportunity for the commonwealth to establish itself as an industry leader by developing and integrating a geographic and visual representation of our historic destinations.

Business Opportunities from Abroad
The Commonwealth's Office of International Business Development has provided us with business lead opportunities discovered by PA's international representatives. These leads include businesses that may be interested in co-locating with, investing in, or trading with businesses located in Pennsylvania. For descriptions of this recent activity and to read more about the opportunities that may be available for your business, please click here.

QUICK NEWS & POINTS OF INTEREST

Zylstra leaves Technology Council
Steven G. Zylstra, a former Phoenix businessman who headed the Pittsburgh Technology Council and the Catalyst Connection business services organization since 2000, resigned to pursue other interests.

John Friel, CEO of Medrad Inc., who is chairman of the technology council's board of directors, said "Steve has made many contributions to the community and the business community during the past seven years, and we're sorry to see him go. We wish him well."

Friel said the search for a successor will begin immediately. In the meantime, Krista Paternostro, Senior VP of Operations, will take charge of the day-to-day management of the organizations.

Visit Pennsylvania's Business Diversity Portal!

If you or your company is interested in advertising on Pennsylvania's Business Diversity Portal contact the Team PA Foundation here.

PA SourceNet highlights Veteran Owned Businesses

PA SourceNet, the best way to do business in PA, now provides a simple way for you to find or showcase Veteran owned businesses. If you’re a veteran and own a business, click here to register. If you’re a business looking for trade leads or contacts with Pennsylvania businesses of all types click here to register. REGISTRATION IS FREE!!! Nearly 10,000 businesses have already registered!
For a listing of all Veteran owned businesses registered so far, click here.