The York County Economic Alliance Podcast

A discussion about how you can implement inclusive hiring practices at your company, and how the YCEA's Welcoming Workplace initiative can be a resource. As the demographic make up of the country changes, so will its workforce. In a competitive labor market, businesses with DEI practices perform better than their peers. With panelists Victoria Connor, York County Bar Association/York County Bar Foundation, Michael Coy, Workforce Development Manager, Wolfgang Confectioners and moderator Anika McMichael Jackson, Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Family First Health

August's installment of our Economics Club series, sponsored by The Glatfelter Insurance Group, featured a discussion about York County's logistics industry with a panel of experts throughout supply chain. The panel discussion highlighted how manufactured goods are packaged and moved within a factory, how trucking companies are moving goods to their point of use, and how the next generation of the logistics workforce is preparing to meet increasing demand and innovation. About the Panelists Joe Garner, Director of Operations, JLS Automation With over 30 years' experience of successful business and operational leadership, Joe Garner's focus is identifying and developing both resources and processes that are in line with the business strategy. In this role he's had to guide the JLS team at the work order detail level, as well as contribute strategic direction in developing and executing the businesses strategic plans at the staff level. Ryan Polakoff, President, Nexterus Ryan Polakoff oversees all day-to-day activity for Nexterus Inc. As the fourth generation of the Polakoff family, Ryan has worked in and around the family business his entire life. Since 2003, Ryan has worked every desk at the company to truly learn the business from the ground up. As a “what is possible?” leader, Ryan thrives in difficult situations; he enjoys dissecting complex issues, designing solutions, and implementing actionable results. Ryan is a firm believer in challenging the status quo and embraces his role as a coach. His focus is on unifying and building teams, empowering and growing leaders, and providing the necessary support and resources to keep Nexterus in growth mode. Dr. Mohammed Raja, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Operations and Department Chair, Operations and Information Technology, Graham School of Business at York College of Pennsylvania Dr. Mohammed Raja is the chair of the Operations and Information Technology department at York College. As a faculty member, he teaches courses in Logistics Management, Production Planning and Control, and Enterprise Resource Planning using SAP S/4HANA. He is also the founding faculty advisor for the ASCM (Association of Supply Chain Management) Student Chapter and currently serves as a board member on the ASCM - South East Pennsylvania Alliance Local Chapter. About the Moderator Mike Pritchard, Chief of Transportation Planning, York County Planning Commission and York Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Mike Pritchard holds a B.A. in Political Science from Penn State and a Master's in Public Policy & Administration from York College. He is a member of the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners. Mike's team at YCPC recently partnered with Gannett-Fleming, Inc. and the YCEA to complete the first county-wide Freight Plan for York. The Economics Club Breakfast series offers an informative monthly breakfast and provides attendees the opportunity to network with key business and community leaders. A variety of speakers discuss economic and business updates important to York County. Contact Casey Nixon, cnixon@yceapa.org to learn more about joining the Economics Club.

June installment of our Economics Club series, featured an annual real estate update. Including trends in residential and commercial real estate, as well as an update from RAYAC. With presentations from: John Birkeland, ROCK Commercial Real Estate; Jason Phillips, Coldwell Banker; and Shanna Terroso, REALTORS Association of York & Adams Counties. The Economics Club Breakfast series offers an informative monthly breakfast and provides attendees the opportunity to network with key business and community leaders. A variety of speakers discuss economic and business updates important to York County.

This month's installment in our Economics Club series, we learned about York College of Pennsylvania's cybersecurity program and how it's preparing students to address the concerns and prevention of cyberattacks. Our speaker today was Dr. James Norrie, tenured professor at York College of Pennsylvania with terminal degrees in business and law and graduate degrees in education, psychology, engineering, and cybersecurity. He is the Founder and CEO of CyberconIQ based in York, PA. He conducts, presents, and publishes industry-related research and consults globally to prominent companies in financial services, technology, healthcare, and retail concerning cybersecurity, information privacy and security, and economic crime detection and prevention methods. The Economics Club Breakfast series offers an informative monthly breakfast and provides attendees the opportunity to network with key business and community leaders. A variety of speakers discuss economic and business updates important to York County.

Join us for the April installment of our Economics Club series for an update on early learning in Pennsylvania. Nationally, April is designated as The Month of the Young Child, and each year, the Economics Club devotes its April event to elevating awareness of the importance of quality, affordable, and accessible childcare in our community. Increasingly, employers recognize that childcare is a barrier to employee attraction and retention; it is essential for employees' ability to work. Panelists include: Shante' A. Brown, Deputy Secretary, Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning; Andrea Heberlein, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission; and Brian Grimm, President/CEO of York Day Early Learning. The panel discussion will be moderated by Kim Bracey, CEO, YWCA York.

Hear from several business owners about their participation in various BLOOM Small Business Empowerment Center programs. Cassandra (Sandy) Bialek Founder/Owner/Manager, Fat Bat Brewing Company Sandy is a lifetime learner and fun seeker who loves beer and adventure. After raising three kids then taking on the corporate world, Sandy decided to pursue her dream of founding a small business - Fat Bat Brewing Company. She believes in the power of beer to build relationships and uses the brewery as a catalyst - Fat Bat is the best atmosphere for sharing great beer, local suppliers provide merchandise and beer supplies, local musicians entertain, local charities are beneficiaries, and local artists use brewery space to sell their creations. Jennifer Heasley Owner, Sweet Mama's Mambo Sauce and The Game Day Kitchen Catering Company Jen Heasley is owner of Sweet Mama's Mambo Sauce and The Game Day Kitchen catering company. In addition to her businesses, Jen is the author of the cookbook The Game Day Kitchen, the producer and talent of her own show "Cooking With The Pros," and a community owner of the York Revolution. She is a Penn State alumnus and has two daughters: Paige, also a Penn State alumna and community owner of the York Revolution; and Brooke, a senior in high school. Ashana Taylor Founder and Owner, Fire Life Yoga and Wellness Ashana founded Fire Life Yoga to encourage the people of York to bloom into their best selves through the consistent practice of Bikram Yoga. As a Sagittarius and knowledge-seeker, she holds her bachelors degree in English/Journalism (2004), a Bikram Yoga Teaching Certificate (2014), and an MBA in Management (2020). Ashana resides in West York with her husband, three daughters (ages 21, 17 and 7), and their dog, Dash.

Industry experts who will help us understand the four distinct segments of York County's agriculture industry: lifestyle agricultural land owners and investors; farms with production and business that is focused on retail sales and consumer relationships; traditional York County family farms; and full-time, large-scale farm operations. Our panelists will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with each of these segments, as well as how they have been impacted by the pandemic in recent years. About the panelists: Julie Flinchbaugh Co-Owner and Farm Market Manager Flinchbaugh's Orchard & Farm Julie is part of a fourth-generation of the Flinchbaugh family happily working alongside her two brothers and business partners, Mike and Andrew, as they operate Flinchbaugh's Orchard & Farms in York County. She happily serves in the role of Farm Market Manager and has since 2006. She is blessed to have a patient husband, Travis, and two adventurous sons, Sam and Del, to keep her stepping! Taylor Groff Partner GroffJulius Taylor Groff is a lifelong York County resident who has spent his entire career in the agricultural industry. Taylor owns GroffJulius, a design build general contracting business supporting Agricultural Infrastructure throughout the Mid Atlantic US. Bruce Miller Farmer and Agricultural Lender (retired) Bruce Miller is a lifelong part-time farmer and a resident of Chanceford Township, York County. Bruce and his wife Susan are owners of the 96-acre Miller/Arnold farm that has continuously been in the Arnold family name since the purchase in 1771 (252 years). Bruce has retired from 41-year career of making agricultural loans in south central Pennsylvania area.

Discussion featuring three of York County's hottest outdoor sports and recreation destinations. About our featured guests Matt DeRose President, Heritage Hospitality Matt DeRose has spent more than 25 years in the hospitality and amusement industries in development, ownership, and management. His career has encompassed all aspects of hotel, food and beverage, conference center, amusement, fitness club and athletics, golf, equestrian, and indoor waterpark operations. Bill Kunkel Club Manager, Central Penn Sporting Clays & Game Preserve. Bill Kunkle spent 35 years as a building contractor. He has been a member of the club for 20 years and has been guiding bird hunts for the last 12 years. Presently, Bill manages the sporting clay and hunt operations. Eric Menzer President, York Professional Baseball Eric Menzer became President of York Professional Baseball, owners and operators of the York Revolution, in 2010. He is responsible for all aspects of achieving the organization?s vision of being the premier provider of hospitality and sports experiences in the communities they serve, and the most welcoming place in York. Under his guidance, York Professional Baseball also owns and operates WOYK Sports Radio 98.9 FM and hosts hundreds of events annually at PeoplesBank.

Join us along with Joel Berg from BizNewPA where you'll hear from Pedro Rivera, President of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and former PA Secretary of Education. He'll provide an overview of workforce and strategies to bring equity into education and skill-building programs. Pedro A. Rivera II is president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster, PA. Pedro joined the College in October 2020 as its 10th president. Prior to that, he served as Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education and is a member of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education and Chair of the Board's Council of Higher Education. He-s a lifelong educator with a focus on ensuring equitable access and funding for education. Miranda Martz is the Pre-Apprenticeship Coordinator of the Manufacturing Applied Technologies program at The Manufacturers Association, where she mentors high school students to pursue a career in today's diverse world of manufacturing. She has been in the scope of modern manufacturing for 15+ years, and out of those 15 years, gained knowledge and experience in the aerospace, military, and medical fields. She has the distinguished honor of being the first female graduate of the Manufacturers Associations' adult Journeyperson Machinist program, graduating at the top of her class. Brian Paterniti is the Director of Workforce Development at The Manufacturers' Association. He has spent the past two decades working in the nonprofit sector in the Manufacturing and Health and Human Services fields with the past eleven of those years in Training and Human Resources. A graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, Brian holds a B.S. degree in Organizational Leadership and Development.

Join us along with Joel Berg from BizNewPA where you'll hear a Political Update from Dr. G. Terry Madonna. Dr. Madonna is Senior Fellow in Residence for Political Affairs at Millersville University and Director Emeritus of the Franklin & Marshall Poll. Dr. Madonna will provide an analysis of the 2022 midterm election. His talk will cover national and Pennsylvania politics, with an update on Pennsylvania's important open-seat U.S. Senate and Governor's elections. He will also assess the impact President Biden's standing with the voters will have on the Midterm, as well as the important issues before the voters. For more than 30 years, Madonna has taught and written about his two academic specialties: the American presidency, and American political parties and political behavior. As a pollster in recent years, he has written extensively about voters and voting behavior.

Join us along with Joel Berg from BizNewPA where you'll hear about the creative sector economy across the Commonwealth and here in York County. Our guest speakers will explain a bit about the pandemic's impact on cultural organizations and outline strategies for enhancing community competitiveness through the creative sector. We'll also hear about initial findings from the recent cultural/outdoor assets survey and public funding study done jointly with YCEA and Fourth Economy and the impact of the cultural community on York's overall economic recovery.

Join us along with Joel Berg from BizNewPA where you'll learn about the Welcoming Workplaces initiative. The mission of Welcoming Workplaces is to drive opportunities to support the diversity of talent in the workplace and advance shared prosperity based on four strategic focus areas: Talent Attraction, Talent Retention, Policies & Procedures, and Knowledge Sharing. Hear from several businesses such as Family First Health, OSS Health and Central Pennsylvania Independent Electrical Contractors, who are all implementing Welcoming Workplaces into their organization!

Join Joel Berg from BizNewPA for a transportation update from industry experts Rich Farr, Executive Director of rabbittransit and Mark Wisniewski, Manager, Supply and Trading at Shipley Energy. Farr will talk about the state of regional transportation and public transportation for the future, as well as how the business community can transportation partner with the business sector. We'll also get expert insight from Wisniewski on the rising cost of fuel and energy.

Listen as Joel Berg from biznewsPA, along with a panel of experts on early learning discuss the importance of quality, affordable, and accessible childcare in our community. Andrea Heberlein, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission, or ELIC; Heather Miller, Chief Education Officer at the York JCC; and two ELIC commissioners: Tony Campisi, Chairman of Glatfelter Insurance Group; and Jim Hoehn, regional president, PNC Bank, Central Pennsylvania.

Modern Landfill has been permitted to serve commercial, residential and industrial customers across Central Pennsylvania and neighboring states since 1978. Designed to provide safe and environmentally responsible waste disposal services. Listen here to learn more!

Estate Planning is often thought of as something you look into later in life. However, putting together a plan early and working with the right professionals is vital to assuring you are making the best decisions for you, your family members and your peace of mind. Elder Law Attorney Jeffrey Bellomo and Client Care Advocate Meg Motter of Bellomo and Associates, LLC join the York County Economic Alliance podcast to provide insight on the importance beginning estate planning early and the legalities to be aware of when setting up a plan for yourself or a loved one.

The residential real estate market and new home construction industry have been some of the hottest sectors in our economy over the last two years. Shanna Terroso, chief executive officer at the Realtors Association of York and Adams Counties, or RAYAC; and Brandon Knaub, board chair for the York County Builders Association and vice president of sales and marketing at Cameo Services, Inc., join the York County Economic Alliance to talk about what has been driving lightening fast home sales and rising construction material costs.

The 'Yellow Brick Road' has nothing on YoCo's trails featuring beer, and wine, and spirits...oh my! Christine Tobias joins the York County Economic Alliance to talk about Explore York's Good Libations Trails that take 'hikers' to wineries, breweries, and distilleries across York County and south central Pennsylvania for a different - and delicious - kind of trek.

Employers continue to ramp up operations following the COVID-19 pandemic, but many are rethinking what they need for their workers to be successful. Justin Warner, President and CEO of Synergy Process Consulting, joins the York County Economic Alliance to talk about the 'new normal' for workplaces, including remote work, process automation, and other efficiencies that will redefine the typical office environment in the coming year.

After the pandemic transitioned many employees into a remote workforce, businesses began to see some benefits and efficiences from having a smaller workforce on-site. As businesses ramp up post-pandemic, many employers are looking to create new hybrid mobile workforces. Ben Drummond, Vice President of Client Success at D2 Integrated Solutions, joins the York County Economic Alliance to talk about transitioning resources to a digital format to help support employees working on the road and non-traditional work environments.

Bryan Blair, CEO of the York State Fair, joins the York County Economic Alliance to talk about the 2021 Fair. This year's Fair will be held in July and will feature a star-studded lineup of musical acts on the Grandstand Stage, new agricultural exhibits and competitions, and all of the food, games, and fun that will make it the event of the summer.

Don't find out the hard way whether you have good back-up! From natural disasters to server crashes to cybercriminals, losing your data can be devastating for a business. Ben Drummond, Vice President of Client Success, and Chris Scanlan, Technical Service Analyst, from D2 Integrated Solutions join the York County Economic Alliance to talk about the importance of backing up your data and best practices every organization needs to be thinking about.

Bruce Newell joins the York County Economic Alliance to talk about his new role as president and CEO of MANTEC and the state of manufacturing in south central PA.

After a year of COVID-19 travel restrictions, everyone is looking forward to vacations and travel this summer. Suzanne Schrum from Aquamarine Travel joins the York County Economic Alliance to talk about what you should be thinking about when planning a trip this year, how soon you should be making reservations, and what some of the hottest destinations are.

In December 2020, York-based Rabbittransit announced a merger with Capital Area Transit. Richard Farr, executive director for both organizations, joins the York County Economic Alliance to talk about the services provided by the two transit authorities and how the merger will benefit riders throughout South Central Pennsylvania.

With several approved COVID vaccinations approved for use by the CDC, businesses are finding themselves in the middle of the debate on whether or not they should require their employees to be vaccinated. Business owners and leaders are concerned about potential implications surrounding vaccinations, including requiring vaccinations, offering incentives to employees to get vaccinated, vaccine availability, personal beliefs about vaccinations and potential side effects, and risks of spreading COVID if employees are not vaccinated. The York County Economic Alliance welcomes Mike Crocenzi, partner with Barley Snyder law firm and Board Member of the York Chapter of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM); Dr. Michael Spangler, vice president of Medical Affairs at UPMC Memorial; and Kristen Pittman, North America HRBP at RHI Magnesita and past president of the York Chapter of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM); and moderator Jeff Vermeulen, Assistant Vice President for External Relations at York College of Pennsylvania and vice chair of the York County Economic Alliance Board of Directors, for a panel discussion panel of presenters to join in a discussion about the COVID vaccine and potential liability concerns for businesses.

Jonah Geller, CEO of the York JCC, joins the York County Economic Alliance to talk about the JCC; why he was excited by the opportunity of being CEO; and the programs, services, and activities they offer to be welcoming for everyone.

The pandemic has put an enormous strain on our health care system, including long hours and reduced time with family for health care providers. Tim Bentzel, senior director of food and nutrition services for WellSpan Health, joins the YCEA to talk about an innovative program that allows employees to pick up grocery and household staples at hospitals in the WellSpan network through partnerships with local businesses like Leg Up Farmers Market.

Marc Goldwein, Senior Vice President and Senior Policy Director for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, joins the York County Economic Alliance to discuss the state of our Federal budget and national deficit by looking at recent trends, impacts from COVID-19 stimulus packages, and how we can reduce our national deficit in the coming years.

The County of York has focused on improving Diversity, Opportunity, Equity, and Inclusion for our community by adding two new positions in 2020. York County President Commissioner Julie Wheeler and Felicia Dell, Director of the York County Planning Commission, talk about the new positions and introduce Joseph Morales, Chief Opportunity Officer; and Jada Richardson, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Community Planner.

Losing talented employees can cost businesses time, money and productivity. Julie Poland, from ProActive Leadership Group, joins YCEA to talk about why employees decide to leave a company and how organizations can make sure they are retaining their top talent.

Celebrate the season with 12 holiday traditions, attractions, and celebrations that are uniquely YoCo. Local historian and author Jim McClure joins York County Economic Alliance to talk about the Glen Rock Carolers, Steam Whistle Concert, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, New Year's countdowns, Three Kings Day, and more.

Presented by Sandra Graham, Owner, Progressive Leadership Sandra shared how to achieve measureable improvements in your abilities to lead, communicate, and produce. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org.

Presented by Mieke Driscoll, co-chair of the Business Group and a shareholder at CGA Law Firm For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org.

Presented by Jennifer Foxworthy, Inspirationally Speaking LLC Due to the specialized military training, Jennifer was better prepared to be a Prisoner of War than to deal with domestic violence. Listen to her powerful story here. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org.

Presented by Kevin Schreiber, President & CEO, York County Economic Alliance The YCEA recently finalized their new strategic plan. President & CEO Kevin Schreiber explains the main facets and describes the direction of the organization for the next two to three years. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org.

Presented by H. Brandon Shuman, CIC, Assistant Vice President, Commercial Solutions and Nikki Brandt, CPCU, AU, AIS, AINS, Account Executive, Commercial Solutions. Both with Murray Securus. How can you better understand Workers Comp? Learn how your premium is determined, other associated costs and review factors you can control to help save money and be more competitive. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org.

Presented byJulie Poland, Owner, Summit HRD (summithrd.com) Julie Poland discusses a few actionable ideas for businesses on how to scale up without losing their sleep, their best employees, or their minds. This content is inspired by the book "Scaling Up" by Verne Harnish. Listeners will understand what the four elements are, what constitutes a "rapidly growing company", and what tools a business can use even if it is not growing this fast. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org. The York County Economic Alliance Podcast is produced by Bold Creative Media (www.boldcreativemedia.com).

Presented by Pat Conlon, Owner, The Conlon Group (theconlongroup.com) What is the difference between development and training of individuals and employees? How do attitudes, skills and goal setting impact the development of employees? How can a manager or team leader best utilize these things to get the best out of their employees? Pat Conlon discusses all of these and more in this podcast. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org. The York County Economic Alliance Podcast is produced by Bold Creative Media (www.boldcreativemedia.com).

Presented by John Dolmetsch, CIO, Business Information Group (businessinformationgroup.com) John Dolmetsch discusses the rising Internet of Things and how it will revolutionize business and our normal way of life. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org. The York County Economic Alliance Podcast is produced by Bold Creative Media (www.boldcreativemedia.com).

Presented by Robert Brooks, Field Engineer / Consultant – York, DII Computers, Inc. (diicomputers.com) Robert Brooks explains the risk to your company and what you can do to avoid the potentially serious consequences of being down or paying a large ransom amount. What would happen to your company if all your data and computer systems are locked for days? Listen to this podcast to find out how to avoid or deal with it if it does happen. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org. The York County Economic Alliance Podcast is produced by Bold Creative Media (www.boldcreativemedia.com).

Presented by Dee Yingst, Human Resources Consultant, Pennsylvania Chamber Insurance (https://www.pachamberinsurance.com). Why is it so important to have an employee handbook, even as a small company? Dee Yingst will discuss this answer as well as sharing some examples of handbooks-gone-bad and the consequences faced by the company. She will also discuss some success stories and show how employee handbooks can be utilized in other parts of your business. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org. The York County Economic Alliance Podcast is produced by Bold Creative Media (www.boldcreativemedia.com).

Presented by Kevin Schreiber, President & CEO, York County Economic Alliance and guest moderated by Doug Henderson, Creative Director, Bold Creative Media Learn about the YCEA's new president and CEO, Kevin Schreiber, in this informal discussion. He'll describe some of his strategic goals and plans for the organization, discuss his first few months in the position and learn about his take on economic development and exciting projects in York County. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org. The York County Economic Alliance Podcast is produced by Bold Creative Media (www.boldcreativemedia.com).

Presented by Samm Smeltzer, Owner, Leadership Arts Associates (https://leadershipisart.com) The path to discovering why you do, what you do every day and what it says about you. If you don't get crystal clear about your professional why, you could easily find yourself one day disengaged or professionally unsatisfied. Listen to this podcast to learn about popular tools to find your professional why and determine why you react in the ways that you do. For more information about the York County Economic Alliance, visit www.ycea-pa.org. The York County Economic Alliance Podcast is produced by Bold Creative Media (www.boldcreativemedia.com).