Senator Mike Brubaker, R-Lancaster, right, discusses the Centennial Business Program as former DCED Secretary Austin Burke listens.

Many Pennsylvania businesses have a long and proud history of providing goods and services to consumers.

There are, in fact, more than 3,000 Pennsylvania companies that have been in business for at least 100 years – an outstanding tribute to those businesses and their workers who make “Pennsylvania Proud” products on a daily basis.

The Centennial Business Program recognizes and honors the companies who have been in business for century or more in the commonwealth.

Team Pennsylvania, in cooperation with the Department of Community and Economic Development and Sen. Mike Brubaker of Lancaster County, established the Centennial Business Program to market these time-honored PA companies and to showcase their legacy and encourage consumers to patronize these businesses.

“These companies understand what it takes to make a business thrive, how to overcome the many day-to-day challenges and how to weather an economic crisis,” Matt Zieger, Team PA’s President & CEO, said. These businesses have proven themselves through a longstanding tradition of quality and performance and Pennsylvania is the great state it is today thanks to these businesses.”

The program provides centennial companies opportunities to network and share with one another the Best Business Practices that have made them successful.

Here is coverage of the recognition event and the first in a series of stories about these companies.

Additional stories in the Centennial Business Program series:

Bollman Hat Company
Hat maker celebrates 14 decades of excellence

The Rowland Company
Oldest company in PA finds new ways to do business

Harsco
Decisions strengthen Harsco’s ties to Pennsylvania