Mid Penn Bancorp continued to expand its South Jersey footprint with the acquisition of community bank 1st Colonial Bancorp, Inc. in a combined stock and cash deal valued at $101 million. Twenty-four hours later, Mid Penn agreed to acquire Sarasota, Florida-based Cumberland Advisors in a deal that is expected to bring approximately $3.3 billion new […]
Over the last two-plus years, Michael Wilson has been putting his stamp on Members 1st Federal Credit Union, one of the largest credit unions in Pennsylvania. As chief executive, he is spearheading the credit union’s adoption of new technologies, including artificial intelligence and stablecoin – a form of digital currency that companies will be allowed […]
A local lawsuit related to a data breach at insurance and employee benefits brokerage Alera Group has prompted a local lawsuit. The lawsuit is not targeting Illinois-based Alera, however. It was filed last month against Members 1st Federal Credit Union, based in Hampden Township, Cumberland County. Filed in Cumberland County by a Members 1st employee, the lawsuit […]
After years of steady growth in Lancaster, Lebanon and Berks counties, the parent of Ephrata National Bank is crossing state lines. ENB Financial Corp. said yesterday it agreed to buy Cecil Bancorp, a small bank in northeastern Maryland. The cash deal, valued at $30.8 million, is the first bank acquisition in ENB’s history, which stretches back to 1881. […]
A family trust affiliated with George E. Norcross III, a New Jersey business leader and political power broker, has been steadily boosting its stake in Harrisburg-based Mid Penn Bancorp as the bank expands in Philadelphia and New Jersey. Indiana Pacific General Trust, whose beneficiaries are Norcross’s son and daughter, disclosed last year that it held a 6.2% stake […]
A titan of Pennsylvania banking is passing the baton. Jay Sidhu said Friday he plans to retire on Jan. 1 as chairman and CEO of Customers Bancorp, a Berks County lender that he transformed over a period of nearly two decades. The 73-year-old executive plans to remain the bank’s executive chairman. But he is handing the […]
The insurance division of Harrisburg-based Mid Penn Bancorp has acquired Charis Insurance Group, an insurance agency based in Lititz. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 2017, Charis is led by president Matthew Snavely. He has been named a managing director of Mid Penn’s insurance unit, MPB Risk Services LLC. “Charis Insurance Group has built […]
A northeastern Pennsylvania bank is swooping into Central Pennsylvania. Norwood Financial Corp., the Honesdale-based parent of Wayne Bank, has agreed to pay roughly $54.9 million for Coatesville-based PB Bankshares, the parent of Presence Bank, a lender active in this region. The cash-and-stock deal, which requires regulatory approval, is expected to close in late 2025 or early 2026. Wayne […]
Investors have spent nearly a year blaming Daryl Heller for the crackup of an ATM network that allegedly cost them hundreds of millions of dollars. In a court filing last month, Heller dished out some blame of his own. He alleged that people managing the ATM investments misappropriated funds that should have gone to investors, […]
In a class-action lawsuit filed in late June, a Penn State Health employee alleges the health system mismanaged employee retirement plans, diminishing their returns and overpaying vendors. The suit argues that the plans included investment choices with subpar returns and that they paid too much for certain administrative vendors in breach of the health system’s fiduciary responsibility […]
State lawmakers are proposing legislation that would cap fees for customers who overdraw their accounts at banks and credit unions. The goal is to protect lower-income consumers from the fees, according to state Rep. Benjamin Sanchez, a Montgomery County Democrat who is sponsoring the legislation. “Sometimes they fall into a cycle where they’re struggling to […]
A Scranton-area bank is seeking permission to open what would be its first branch in Lancaster County, according to a regulatory update from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. Dunmore-based Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. is looking to open the branch at 2343 Oregon Pike in Manheim Township, on the site of a retail plaza […]
Just over a year ago, Drew Mousetis began pitching the idea of direct employee ownership to anyone willing to listen. Now, he and the Lancaster-based nonprofit he leads, the Tandem Center for Shared Business Success, are poised to land their first convert. “There’s a lot of buzz out there about Tandem, and people want to […]
Paramount Management Group, the defunct Lancaster-based ATM network headed by Daryl Heller, sold and resold the same ATMs to the network’s investors, accounting for sales of nearly $22 million, according to a report filed yesterday by a court-appointed examiner in Heller’s bankruptcy case. The report appears to bolster investors’ allegations that they were defrauded by Heller […]
After listening to both sides of a loan dispute yesterday morning, a Dauphin County judge outlined a potential truce and asked attorneys to put it in writing. Harrisburg-area flooring supplier Frontier Surfaces claims it is on the brink of financial collapse following efforts by regional lender Mid Penn Bancorp to collect on a $4 million loan to the company. […]
A regional bank allegedly relied on false premises to seize $1.6 million in inventory from a Harrisburg-area flooring company, according to a legal complaint filed by the company against the bank. The complaint, filed last week in Dauphin County court against Mid Penn Bank, is the latest salvo in a dispute over an alleged loan default by […]
State lawmakers are taking another run at creating a state-backed retirement program for private-sector workers. Similar legislation cleared the Democratic-controlled House in 2023 but failed to move in the GOP-led Senate. The House is once again on the cusp of passing the legislation following its approval on Tuesday in a party-line vote by the House Commerce […]
Citing federal pullbacks in the area of consumer protection, the Shapiro administation yesterday unveiled a new hotline, website and email address for complaining about banks, insurers, student lenders and other financial services providers. State residents can now call 1-866-PACOMPLAINT, visit pa.gov/consumer or email [email protected] to report their concerns. Pennsylvania has its own set of laws designed to […]
Officials in York hope state funding can help them revive two city landmarks — a dilapidated church and a downtown post office that has been mostly vacant for more than a decade. Economic development agencies in York are seeking $4 million for the Post Office and $3 million for the church through a competitive state […]
As state workers prepare to exit Harrisburg’s tallest office tower, a developer is hatching plans to rip out the cubicles. Harristown Development Corp. wants to put 81 apartments in a portion of the 22-story office building, which is at 333 Market St. The city’s planning commission signed off on the $23 million project at a […]
York-based architecture, engineering and design firm Warehaus has acquired a smaller neighbor with a client base spanning Pennsylvania and Maryland. The neighbor is West Manchester Township-based Johnston and Associates, founded in 1988 by Eric Johnston and specializing in all areas of land development, including zoning and environmental permitting. “This is an exciting milestone for our team,” Warehaus president, […]
A regional engineering firm based in the Harrisburg area is expanding its reach in Central and eastern Pennsylvania. Herbert Rowland & Grubic Inc. in Swatara Township has scooped up Becker Engineering LLC, a smaller firm based in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. But HRG is retaining Becker’s office at […]
A ceremonial groundbreaking was held on Wednesday to mark the commencement of work converting the private grounds of the Appell family into a public garden. Louis and Jody Appell were well-known in the York community for their philanthropy and their passion for horticulture. The Powder Mill Foundation was established by Louis J. Appell, Jr. in […]
A pair of concrete plants in Perry County are under new ownership. Bedford County-based New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co. Inc. bought the Duncannon-area plants as part of its acquisition of Marstellar Holding Co., which also owned a heating oil delivery business. Both Marstellar Concrete and Marstellar Oil are now part of New Enterprise, according to a person who answered the phone […]
Fans at WellSpan Park this summer found new places to pitch their plastic spoons, water bottles and other plastic items. The home of the York Revolution baseball team set up bins to collect plastics under a partnership with CRDC Materials, a Costa Rica-based plastics recycler with an operation in York city. CRDC takes the plastic to its plant, shreds […]
EHC Associates, an environmental services contractor based in Upper Leacock Township, Lancaster County, has acquired two companies for undisclosed terms. The first is ecoservices LLC, an
Over the last few years, the York Galleria mall has replaced retail anchors with a mini casino, a gym and a self-storage facility. Could an apartment building be next? This spring, developers pitched local officials on plans to erect a four-story, 98-unit apartment building on an underused parking lot in front of the self-storage facility. […]
At a meeting last night, developers shared more details on their plans for a $15 billion data center complex near Carlisle. Residents shared a barrage of doubts. Over two hours, they questioned how much water and electricity the centers would use. They questioned how the developers picked the 700-acre tract of farmland in Middlesex Township where […]
A Lancaster County contractor is under new leadership as it transitions to the next generation of family owners. Speedwell Construction Inc., based in Penn Township, Lancaster County, has promoted Jon Sensenig to president. Sensenig, who joined Speedwell 10 years ago, worked most recently as vice president of design/build. He succeeds company owners Keith Ebersole, and […]
New developers are embracing the challenge of bringing life to one of York city’s most prominent buildings. John and Denise Gilliland paid $650,000 for the stately bank branch at 1 N. George St., and they aim to convert it into a boutique hotel and high-end restaurant in the heart of the White Rose city, John […]
A contractor is disputing claims it’s liable for defective concrete used during construction of a new hospital tower in York. The contractor, New Holland-based Stief Concrete Work Inc., denies the claims, which were raised in a lawsuit filed in May by York-based Kinsley Construction LLC. Kinsley claims it’s owed $935,000 for the concrete, which the company delivered for […]
Aiming for a bigger slice of business in Pennsylvania, an Ohio-based engineering firm has acquired Dawood Engineering, a firm based on the West Shore. The deal brings together two companies with complementary services and creates opportunities to build on them, according to Neil Churman, president and CEO of the Ohio-based buyer, Woolpert. Woolpert, for example, has a […]
Aimee Deraco hesitated when she was first approached about becoming chief executive of Brubaker Inc., a family-owned contractor in Lancaster County that was mulling a transition to employee ownership. She wasn’t sure, at first, what role would be played by the company’s then-owners, brothers Dave, Don and Gerry Brubaker. They had taken over the company […]
The dust is still settling on the flurry of announcements for massive data and energy projects proposed this week for Pennsylvania. Actual dust could soon start flying on one of those projects — a $6 billion data center investment in Lancaster. The city has issued demolition permits for the first phase of the project, according […]
A vice president overseeing supply chains for Mechanicsburg-based West Shore Home LLC allegedly tried to extort a severance payment from the company after he was fired, according to a federal criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s office and a civil lawsuit filed by the company. The home improvement company fired the VP, Bryan Chapman, in August […]
High Real Estate Group took a step forward this week in its ambitious plan to develop a 476-acre tract west of Lancaster where the company envisions a mix of homes, apartment buildings, shops and light industrial space. Supervisors in Manor Township voted 4-1 this week to change zoning on nearly 400 acres of the property from […]
Confusion is giving way to a bit of clarity as employers wrap their heads around a new Trump administration policy enacting steep fees on visas allowing foreign-born workers to hold jobs in the U.S. When the policy was announced on Friday, employers worried they might have to pay to bring current visa holders back into the […]
As uncertainty over tariffs froze customer orders in the spring, JLS Automation in York County laid off 10% of its workforce. Business began to come back over the summer, JLS president and CEO Craig Souser said in an early August interview. The York-area company, which employs about 130 people, assembles automated packaging lines for food companies. “It’s […]
A higher minimum wage could be moving to the front burner in Harrisburg thanks to a Republican state senator who is hoping for action on the issue this fall. It is not a new issue for the lawmaker, state Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie County. He has backed increases in the past. But with economic […]
The York Water Co., which serves more than 212,000 people in Adams, Franklin, Lancaster and York counties, is asking state regulators for permission to raise rates for water and sewer service. Under the proposal, residential water customers would pay an additional $14.16 per month, while sewer service would go up by an average of $35.85 […]
State lawmakers, city officials and the Capital Region Economic Development Corp. are launching a joint effort to revive downtown Harrisburg, which has yet to recover fully from the Covid-19 pandemic. The partners plan to assemble a steering committee that will begin work “immediately” on a downtown revitalization plan. “Everyone agrees that we need to provide some […]
Pennsylvania’s economy has been shaken by the rise of manufacturing in China and a shift in the U.S. population to the South and Southwest. But there are still levers the state can pull to boost its fortunes, and that’s where the focus is for Luke Bernstein, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business […]
Regional dealmakers came to life in the second half of 2024 as interest rates came down. Nonetheless, the volume of mergers and acquisitions in Central and southeastern Pennsylvania fell last year for the third year in a row, according to an annual report by professional services firm RKL LLP. This year began on an active note, according […]
State lawmakers yesterday began to put some legislative meat on the bones of an energy plan unveiled in January by Gov. Josh Shapiro. The lawmakers issued a series of memos seeking sponsors for elements of the six-point plan, which is designed to lower prices, speed up construction of new power sources and encourage environmentally friendly forms […]
When tariffs took effect last week, leaders at JLS Automation decided to hold off a few days on importing a piece of equipment due in from Canada. It was not the threat of the tariffs as much as it was the potential for congestion at the border as shippers tried to avoid the extra charges, said Craig […]
President Donald Trump is firing the first shots in a long-expected trade war that will affect billions of dollars of goods flowing in and out of Pennsylvania. Over the weekend, Trump signed executive orders imposing tariffs of 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada, and 10% on goods from China. Energy imports from Canada will […]
High interest rates hampered mergers and acquisitions for much of 2024, as did uncertainty over the outcome of the presidential election. Nonetheless, Central Pennsylvania saw plenty of dealmaking over the last year. The roundup below includes the usual suspects like banks and insurance brokerages, but it also features companies that make hammocks, home runs and […]
President-elect Donald Trump made hay during the campaign with pledges to end taxes on tips and overtime pay. It’s unclear whether the proposals will gain traction in the U.S. Congress, given their potential cost. But the debate is likely to play out in Harrisburg, as well. In recent weeks, Pennsylvania lawmakers have floated proposals to […]
App-based food-delivery service DoorDash disclosed yesterday the results of a pilot benefits program introduced for the company’s Pennsylvania drivers. The program addresses concerns that independent contractors such as DoorDash drivers lack the workplace benefits enjoyed by employees, such as retirement plans and health insurance. Under the program, the company has been contributing 4% of eligible drivers’ […]
A Palmyra-based specialty distributor plans to lay off about 100 people working at three locations in Lancaster and Lebanon counties by the end of this year. The move stems from an expected decline in business and resulting corporate restructuring, according to a layoff notice from the company, DAS Companies Inc. Efforts to reach the company yesterday […]
Companies in Central Pennsylvania and beyond are bracing for a strike that could upend supply chains across the U.S. Workers who load and unload cargo at ports on the East and Gulf Coasts are poised to go on strike at midnight tonight, an outcome that looks increasingly likely to Peggy Stewart, international operations officer for Nexterus, […]
Yesterday’s half-point cut to interest rates will make businesses more comfortable with borrowing, particularly if they have an immediate need to spend. However, others may continue to hold off, anticipating further rate cuts and awaiting the outcome of the presidential election in November. That’s the view of local financial executives who spoke yesterday with biznewsPA […]
Amid widespread concerns about a shortage of childcare for working parents in Pennsylvania, the Hanover YWCA is aiming to expand its capacity and shrink its waiting list for spaces. The nonprofit is in the midst of a capital campaign to raise $10 million that will support construction of a new, three-story childcare center at the corner of […]
Supply chain troubles are back in the news, thanks to the shutdown this week of two major Canadian freight railroads amid conflict between labor and management. It’s unclear how long the stoppage will last and what the economic impact will be, though the Canadian government moved yesterday afternoon to get trains back on track. Nonetheless, ripples […]
By 2030, the youngest baby boomers will be 65 years old. With 74 million people in this group, coupled with a worsening physician shortage, the need for tech innovation to address care gaps is critical. To address this need, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania (Ben Franklin CNP) hosted the AgeTech Techcelerator […]
Fans at WellSpan Park this summer found new places to pitch their plastic spoons, water bottles and other plastic items.
Painterland Sisters, an organic yogurt maker based in Lititz, just raked in a seven-figure sum from a bevy of investors, according to company spokesperson Chloe Schwartz. Schwartz declined to share the precise amount raised in the seed funding round, which was disclosed yesterday. But the money will provide working capital to support innovation and operations for […]
Mark Small and Brad Curran quit their day jobs in 2022 so they could devote more time to their Mechanicsburg-based startup, which is developing cutting-edge strength-training equipment. The company, Poseidon Strength, closed its first sale in May 2024 and has now landed its first financing outside of friends and family. York-based venture capital firm White Rose Ventures has […]
After nearly a decade of fine tuning, a Spring Grove software company believes its main product is ready for prime time. CFA Solutions debuted an early version of the software — designed to root out errors in the manufacturing process — in 2017. The company spent the last few years testing it with local manufacturers. But […]
The expanded opportunity to sell canned cocktails in Pennsylvania has lured another player into the market. Carl Helrich, owner of York County-based Allegro Wine Co. LLC, has become a minority partner in Spring Gate Spirits LLC, a Harrisburg-area distillery founded by entrepreneur Martin Schoffstall. Helrich has been named president of the distiller, and its operations are moving […]
Local farms and businesses — including a Harrisburg-area company involved in an urban greenhouse in York — landed thousands of dollars in state grants from a new program designed to spur innovation in agriculture. The grants were unveiled yesterday by state officials during a press conference at a Lancaster County farm. Why is this happening: […]
Professional soccer is returning to Harrisburg’s City Island. A startup called Capital City Sports Group is launching a team called the Capital City Islanders that will compete this spring in a division of the United Premier Soccer League, a semiprofessional development league. The idea was born from conversations among people who missed seeing outdoor pro soccer in […]
Green Image Lawn Care, a regional lawn-care company with offices in York and Lancaster counties, has been acquired by LawnPRO Partners, a platform backed by HCI Equity Partners, a private equity firm based in Washington, D.C. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Green Image is led by Luke Zimmerman and Ryan Freed, who are continuing to […]
Matt Buckwalter and Frank Horvath first met about a decade ago as fellow franchisees for One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and Mister Sparky Electric. Now, they are co-workers. Buckwalter’s Lancaster County-based company, Punctual Pros, has acquired Horvath’s — Horvath Home Services, which does business in Ocean and Monmouth counties in central New Jersey. The acquisition is the […]
Harrisburg-area business owner Anthony Worrall has added a third company to his portfolio. The owner of Reynolds Restoration Services and IT services company Everound has acquired SECCO Electric, a commercial contractor based in Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. In an interview, Worrall said he was interested not in supercharging growth or changing SECCO, […]
A new venture fund in Central Pennsylvania is closer to its fundraising goal thanks to an investment this week from a state authority. The Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority has poured $1 million into the fund, Keystone Innovation Fund II, a joint venture between York-based White Rose Ventures and State College-based 1855 Capital. The fund is on track to close by […]
The virtual-assistant business has been a source of real-world growth for Zirtual, a portfolio company of Lancaster-based investment firm PennSpring Capital. Zirtual closed Friday on the acquisition of Double, a virtual-assistant business based in Brooklyn, New York. It’s the third deal this year for Zirtual since it was acquired by PennSpring in December. People hire virtual assistants to help […]
Alan Chachapoya, the managing director of DSC Solutions, a Lancaster County-based commercial cleaning company, is seeing opportunities where others do not. Chachapoya recently bought Guaranteed Property Services, another Lancaster-based company in the same industry. Founded in 1997, Guaranteed Property Services operates Guaranteed Carpet Services, C&S Cleaning, and Personalized Commercial Cleaning. Mike Graybill, the owner of Guaranteed Property Services, will join the […]
When Tom “Dutch” Ressler strung up his first hammock during a through-hike on the Appalachian Trail in 2003, the equipment he carried was not always optimal. “Staying dry was a challenge,” he said. So, when he returned home to Lancaster, Ressler started fashioning his own gear. The DIY adventure led him to launch his own […]
In a union billed as a merger of complementary technologies, Lancaster-based software startup AutoOps has joined with Boston-based Steer, which develops and sells customer relationship management software to auto repair shops. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Steer plans to retain the leaders, employees and office of AutoOps, which makes software for scheduling auto repairs, according […]
Soon after founding West Shore Home nearly 20 years ago, B.J. Werzyn envisioned turning the home-remodeling business into a nationwide brand. It was not a vision that was readily embraced, given the company’s humble beginnings in an industry long dominated by local contractors. “When you’re one location here in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, with 50 employees and […]
When you’re shipping a $100,000 engagement ring, you don’t take any chances. That’s how Simone Kendle found herself on a plane to Toronto over the Memorial Day weekend. “Delivery person” may not be part of the job description for Kendle, the CEO of Wove, a startup custom jewelry company founded and based in Lancaster. And […]
Spring Grove-based papermaker Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC has found a buyer for an Ohio plant it closed over the summer. Pixelle has agreed to sell the plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, to U.S. Medical Glove Co., an Illinois-based company that makes medical gloves. In a news release, Pixelle said it expects $5.5 million in net proceeds from the sale […]
Angie Williams has been named chief human resources officer at Finanta, Lancaster-based nonprofit lender. She worked most recently as HR director for the School District of Lancaster, where she spent more than a decade. Williams has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in HR, from Central Penn College and an MBA from […]
Robert Muth has been named artificial intelligence officer at Members 1st Federal Credit Union. The new title is in addition to Muth’s existing role as senior vice president of infrastructe and operations. As the credit union’s AI officer, Muth will oversee efforts to leverage technology in ways that strengthen the credit union’s relationship-based approach to […]
One of the West Shore’s largest apartment complexes has changed hands. York-based property manager The Apartment Gallery has acquired The Overlook, a 288-unit complex at 150 Erford Ave. in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County. “Multifamily is always a stable investment opportunity, especially in high barrier- to-entry markets like Central Pennsylvania with good workforce fundamentals,” said Mike Maxwell, […]
Officials in York hope state funding can help them revive two city landmarks — a dilapidated church and a downtown
Abe Ibrahim has joined Mid Penn Bank as first senior vice president and regional president of the bank’s central Philadelphia region, overseeing the bank’s growth in a market it has targeted for expansion. He will be based in Philadelphia and report to Scott Micklewright, president of commercial and consumer banking and chief revenue officer. Ibrahim […]
Geisinger and the former Evangelical Community Hospital have agreed to pay $28.5 million to settle claims they forged a secret agreement not to poach each other’s workers, allegedly stifling competition in the labor market and depressing wages. Danville-based Geisinger, now owned by Kaiser Permanente, is paying $19 million, while Lewisburg-based Evangelical, now part of WellSpan Health, is paying $9.5 […]
Karen Hanlon has been named president of Pittsburgh-based Highmark Health. She succeeds David Holmberg, who is retaining his title as CEO. Hanlon has been the health system’s COO since 2018 and will keep that title. She joined Highmark’s finance division in 1997 after a stint with accounting firm KPMG Peat Marwick. She rose within the division and was […]
Developers are applying for state funds to upgrade some of the capital region’s largest underused buildings. They include an idled steel mill in Steelton and two vacant office towers in downtown Harrisburg — former state offices at 333 Market St. and the former federal building at 228 Walnut St. The state funds would come through […]
Column by Richard Randall Nothing defines your culture, or you as a leader, more than the way you treat people.
Ashley Zinn has been named senior vice president and chief people officer for WellSpan Health, the regional health system based in York. She succeeds Aaron Gillingham, who left earlier this year. Zinn worked most recently as vice president of human resources for WellSpan and has worked on a range of HR-related initiatives, including workforce planning and talent […]
Chuck Meehan has been named chief creative officer at Pavone Group, a Harrisburg-based marketing agency. The position had been vacant for about seven years, according to a company spokesperson. Meehan worked most recently for a creative studio he founded called Unlikely Story, whose clients included Sydney Beer, Ryder and Texas A&M’s technology and innovation campus, called Texas A&M Rellis. […]
Federal funds subsidizing flights to rural and small-town airports are poised to run dry thanks to the shutdown of the federal government. But a subsidized carrier serving Lancaster Airport plans to keep flying anyway. Unless the government reopens and funding is restored by Sunday, Oct. 12, airlines will be free on Monday to discontinue subsidized flights, known […]
Brian Floyd has joined Mid Penn Bancorp subsidiary MPB Insurance and Risk Management as vice president and employee benefits producer. He will be based in Harrisburg at the bank’s administrative office, reporting to Matt Snavely, managing director of MPB Insurance and Risk Management. Floyd brings more than 20 years of experience in insurance benefits consulting […]
Lancaster city residents voiced cautious optimism about proposed rules regulating data centers within the borders of one of the region’s most populous municipalities. But they worried the new zoning regime would be too late to govern data center proposals already on the table for the city. “I’m very happy to see the direction we’re heading […]
After dodging the auction block in July, the former Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg is once again facing a sheriff’s sale. The sale is scheduled for the morning of Oct. 16, according to legal filings and the Dauphin County sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office initially scheduled a sale in July. But it was postponed. At the […]
Ephrata National Bank in Lancaster County has promoted two staff members: Matthew McKinney and Tyler Trettin. McKinney, a financial adviser, adds AVP to his title. McKinney joined ENB in 2016 and has held several roles, including document imaging specialist, sales assistant, and most recently, financial adviser. In hs newly elevated role, he will continue to […]
Column by Martin Fedorko Across Central Pennsylvania, new companies are being launched every day. From labs in State College to
Officials in York hope state funding can help them revive two city landmarks — a dilapidated church and a downtown
Developers are applying for state funds to upgrade some of the capital region’s largest underused buildings. They include an idled
Lancaster city residents voiced cautious optimism about proposed rules regulating data centers within the borders of one of the region’s
In a 5-2 ruling last week, the state Supreme Court upheld the authority of state regulators to issue rules for testing medical marijuana products before they hit the shelves. The ruling overturns a 2023 decision by Commonwealth Court that found regulators had exceeded their authority. Nonetheless, Pennsylvania’s top court sent the case back to the lower […]
Childcare providers were already struggling to keep up with the demand for their services. Then came the deadlock over the state budget, which has lasted nearly three months. For each week without a state budget, providers in Central Pennsylvania are missing out on about $1.1 million in state subsidies, according to Christy Renjilian, executive director […]
Confusion is giving way to a bit of clarity as employers wrap their heads around a new Trump administration policy
Restaurants in Pennsylvania overcame a key obstacle in their long-running effort to recover tens of millions of dollars in fees from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board that the restaurants argue they never should have been charged. In a 31-page ruling last week, a Commonwealth Court judge said the restaurants could pursue a class-action lawsuit against the […]
A Pennsylvania appeals court sided last week with a corporate taxpayer that claimed state tax authorities were wrong to reject its petition for a refund. The company, a subsidiary of California-based electric utility Edison International, sought a refund for state taxes it paid in 2008 after an IRS audit in 2017 reduced its federal taxable income. […]
A higher minimum wage could be moving to the front burner in Harrisburg thanks to a Republican state senator who
In 2022, Pennsylvania waived sales taxes for computer equipment purchased for use in data centers, provided the centers met certain requirements. Following a slew of announcements about new data center projects around the state, the price tag for that exemption may be going up. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is revisiting its forecasts on the […]
State utility regulators have lodged complaints against two companies over their alleged roles in a Harrisburg-area home explosion attributed to a ruptured gas line. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission filed the complaints yesterday against natural gas provider UGI Utilities and Pronto Plumbing Heating Air Drains, a regional contractor based in Camp Hill. The complaints allege UGI failed to […]
The State Museum of Pennsylvania is getting a facelift. State officials yesterday unveiled plans for a $55 million makeover of the 62-year-old museum complex on state Capitol grounds. The goal is to modernize exhibits, displays and storage areas, while creating an environment matching the expectations of 21st-century visitors. Planned changes include creation of a large-scale […]
State lawmakers are plowing ahead once again with tax changes that have long drawn the ire of business lobbyists but never made it into law. The changes would subject more corporate profits to taxes in Pennsylvania by curtailing the ability of companies to report those profits in other states. Two committees in the Democratic-controlled state […]
Environmental groups are slamming a proposed rule designed to help companies in Pennsylvania figure out when they need to disclose accidental spills of hazardous chemicals. Drafted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the rule aims to clarify what kinds of spills should be reported to regulators. But environmentalists argue the rule gives businesses too […]
A $15 billion data center project proposed for rural Cumberland County cleared a crucial hurdle. At a meeting Friday morning, supervisors in Middlesex Township approved an ordinance creating a special zone where data centers are allowed — an agricultural tract of roughly 700 acres along Country Club Road and the Conodoguinet Creek. The ordinance incorporates […]
Home365, a property management company with offices in Lancaster and Las Vegas, has agreed to pay $45,000 to settle allegations by Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday that it was slow to make repairs in response to tenant requests and, in other cases, did not return tenants’ security deposits. Both are violations of state law. Two-thirds […]
The Pennsylvania House last week approved legislation to beef up penalties for companies that misclassify employees as independent contractors. The vote in the Democratic-led state House was 113 to 90, with a handful of Republicans backing the measure. However, the margin of victory was narrower than in a 2023 vote on a similar bill, which […]
Gov. Josh Shapiro and allied lawmakers are taking aim at the role of private equity in healthcare, arguing there is a need for action after the fallout from hospital closures in suburban Philadelphia. They are pushing legislation that would give state officials greater say over deals between nonprofit healthcare providers and all for-profit buyers, not […]
Geisinger and the former Evangelical Community Hospital have agreed to pay $28.5 million to settle claims they forged a secret agreement not to poach each other’s workers,
Health insurers are asking for double-digit rate hikes for plans sold in Pennsylvania on the market created by the Affordable Care Act. State insurance regulators said Friday that insurers are proposing average premium increases of 19% for individual plans and 13% for small-business plans in 2026. Officials warned in June that hikes were coming as part […]
Negotiators from WellSpan Health and a union representing workers at a Chambersburg hospital are set to meet today ahead of a deadline for reaching a new labor agreement. If the talks conclude with no deal, the union said Friday it will hold a vote tomorrow that could pave the way for a strike by roughly 1,450 workers […]
Health insurers covering tens of thousands of people in Central Pennsylvania have joined a national effort to reform practices that critics blame for blocking access to medical care. That would be the need for prior authorization, which involves securing approval from a health insurer before getting treatment. Insurers have been working over the years to […]
Contract talks are underway between WellSpan Health and a union representing workers at WellSpan Chambersburg, one of the health system’s hospitals in Franklin County. The two sides have been negotiating a new labor contract to replace one set to expire at the end of this month. Wages are a major issue for the union, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, […]
State insurance regulators are joining other observers warning about higher costs next year for the tens of thousands of Pennsylvania residents who buy health insurance in the market created by the Affordable Care Act. Insurers have begun to propose premiums for ACA plans next year and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department said yesterday that insurers are […]
Enhanced federal tax credits help Pennsylvanians afford private health insurance in the market established more than a decade ago by the Affordable Care Act, or ACA. But the enhanced credits are slated to expire at the end of this year if the U.S. Congress does not extend them. If the credits lapse, the average Pennsylvanian […]
Weis Markets, whose pharmacy business has been growing by double digits, is making a play for pieces of Rite Aid. Legal filings in the Rite Aid bankruptcy case reveal that Sunbury-based Weis is among those bidding for the pharmacy chain’s assets. A Weis spokesperson declined to comment, and legal filings offer no details. But Weis joins […]
Gov. Josh Shapiro and allied lawmakers are taking aim at the role of private equity in healthcare, arguing there is a need for action after
A state authority is awarding $2 million to a new venture capital fund that aims to sink the money into Pennsylvania’s life sciences sector, an area that state officials have targeted for growth. The fund is Neovate Life Sciences GP 1 LLC, launched by Neovate Capital Partners, which has offices in Pittsburgh, London, Boulder, Colorado, and New […]
Diopsys Inc., a medical device company based in Middletown, has agreed to pay up to $14.25 million for allegedly violating state and federal laws by submitting false claims to Medicaid and Medicare, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. Diopsys, which was formerly based in New Jersey, developed a device […]
Due to recordkeeping lapses by UPMC Health Plan, a state agency reimbursed the health insurer for Medicaid recipients who were not eligible for the program, including some who had died, according to an audit released yesterday by the office of Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor. The resulting overpayments to UPMC totaled $357,048 in 2022, according to the […]
Just over a month after a deadly attack at UPMC Memorial hospital in York County, state lawmakers are poised to take up legislation addressing violence in the healthcare workplace. The legislation, House Bill 926, is scheduled for a vote March 25 in the House Labor & Industry Committee. Advocates note that healthcare workers are more likely than others […]
It may be more than 30 years old, but the Central Penn Business Group on Health is in startup mode. The Lancaster-based nonprofit has hired a new CEO, and it is mulling new approaches to help area employers contend with rising healthcare costs, perhaps by applying analytics and other technologies. “The employers are looking for more,” said […]
Federal workplace safety regulators are probing the shooting that took place inside the intensive care unit at UPMC Memorial in York County on the morning of Feb. 22. The investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was opened the day of the shooting, which claimed the life of a West York police officer and injured […]
The heartbreaking accounts began populating social media feeds early last week: harrowing posts from nurses and other healthcare workers who survived the deadly hostage-taking that unfolded inside the intensive care unit at UPMC Memorial in York County on the morning of Feb. 22. The stories offer a glimpse into the nightmare endured by UPMC staff members, who […]
After missing an October deadline, WellSpan Health and UnitedHealthcare have agreed to renew a key reimbursement contract. The multiyear agreement, which took effect Dec. 15, means WellSpan providers are once again in-network for about 35,000 people in Central Pennsylvania who are covered by UnitedHealthcare through the workplace. The deal caps weeks of uncertainty for patients. They faced higher costs […]
After extending negotiations for a month, WellSpan Health and UnitedHealthcare have reached a deal affecting patients in certain Medicaid and Medicare plans. The deal preserves in-network access to WellSpan providers for about 3,500 patients enrolled in Medicaid plans for children and in Medicare plans for people with special needs, according to WellSpan spokesperson Ryan Coyle. In-network coverage had been […]
In a 5-2 ruling last week, the state Supreme Court upheld the authority of state regulators to issue rules for
In a one-page order issued yesterday morning, a Lancaster County judge agreed to block Lancaster’s zoning hearing board from considering issues related to multibillion-dollar data center projects in the city. The board was scheduled to hold a hearing Monday to air the appeal of a city resident who questioned how the data centers were being […]
The developers behind a data center taking shape at the site of a former printing plant in Lancaster are pushing back in a fight over zoning for the facility. In a legal filing this week, the developers are asking a Lancaster County judge to rule in a dispute over whether the data center was classified […]
The indictment of Daryl Heller on federal fraud charges is spilling over into his bankruptcy case. A creditor in the bankruptcy case is citing the charges, filed earlier this month, as grounds for the court to appoint a trustee to oversee Heller’s finances or even to convert the case to a Chapter 7 liquidation. Heller filed […]
After a decade leading the law firm he co-founded in 2015, James Saxton is preparing to take on a new role. Saxton plans to step down as CEO of Lancaster-based Saxton & Stump at the end of this year and become its chairman, where he will continue to work on strategic initiatives for the firm. The next […]
James Saxton was working as a healthcare attorney at the law firm Stevens & Lee when he partnered with Christopher Stump to start a new firm in Lancaster in 2015. But the law was not Saxton’s only focus. “I was a big, big believer in marketing and business discipline,” he said. Saxton has put those […]
An independent receiver is now overseeing the beleaguered Governor’s Square apartments in Uptown Harrisburg. Under a court order finalized in late August by a Dauphin County judge, Midtown Asset Consulting LLC is taking over daily operations of the 222-unit affordable apartment complex, whose owner filed for bankruptcy more than two years ago. Midtown Asset’s first step is […]
A local lawsuit related to a data breach at insurance and employee benefits brokerage Alera Group has prompted a local lawsuit.
Federal authorities have filed a pair of complaints against Daryl Heller alleging that the Lancaster County business owner defrauded investors in an ATM network that operated as a ponzi scheme. The charges, from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, echo accusations made over the […]
A York County winery is back open after facing yet another court order to shut down. In a brief decision Friday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court cleared Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery in Lower Windsor Township to reopen while it pursues its appeal of a long-running case over its right to operate. Lower courts have consistently ruled […]
A new lawsuit aims to implicate former business partners of Daryl Heller in the alleged ponzi scheme at the center of his legal troubles. The class-action lawsuit, filed in federal court this week, accuses Jerry Hostetter, Mir Jafer Ali “Buck” Joffrey, Randall Leaman and Dave Zook of helping Heller carry out the scheme, which the […]
Restaurants in Pennsylvania overcame a key obstacle in their long-running effort to recover tens of millions of dollars in fees from
It took a York County judge about 25 minutes to approve the closure of a business that has operated for more than 20 years. Barring any last-minute legal twists, Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery in Lower Windsor Township must close “immediately” under an order approved at a hearing yesterday morning before Court of Common Pleas Judge Matthew […]
A state court rejected an appeal from a York County winery fighting orders that it shut down. The decision last week by Superior Court of Pennsylvania forestalls one of the last legal avenues available to Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery in its long-running battle with neighbors who want the venue to cease operations. The neighbors — Amanda […]
A Pennsylvania appeals court sided last week with a corporate taxpayer that claimed state tax authorities were wrong to reject
Business owner Daryl Heller has blamed several factors for the collapse of Paramount Management Group, the Lancaster-based ATM network that imploded last year in a morass of lawsuits. Those factors include rising interest rates, declining ATM usage and tighter regulatory requirements for the cash-dispensing machines, according to a report released this week by an examiner appointed […]
A woman who worked as a senior controller at York-based Kinsley Enterprises allegedly funneled more than $95,000 from the company into an account for a Lancaster-area restaurant she and her husband own, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Pennsylvania State Police. The woman, Kathryn Khuc of Red Lion, allegedly disguised the payments so they […]
Bankrupt Lancaster County business owner Daryl Heller is floating a plan to pay back his creditors, but the plan is far from likely to be the final word on the matter. Investors in Heller’s best-known business — a defunct, Lancaster-based ATM network known as Paramount Management Group — are on record arguing that Heller should not be […]
Spring Grove-based papermaker Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC has found a buyer for an Ohio plant it closed over the summer. Pixelle
Mantec, a York-based nonprofit that assists manufacturers across Central Pennsylvania, is facing an uncertain financial future for the second time this year. The uncertainty stems from a slowdown in federal funding for its sister centers in other parts of the U.S., as well as the government shutdown this week, according to Mantec president and CEO […]
Harrisburg-based manufacturer MITER Brands is continuing to retool its operations following a $3.1 billion acquisition last year. The company said this week it divested a brand known as NewSouth Window Solutions, a Florida-based retailer selling windows built for hurricane-prone regions of the Southeast. MITER sold the business to Window Nation, a Fulton, Maryland-based company specializing in residential sales and […]
A Spring Grove paper maker is tapping a new CEO as it works to turn around its finances. Pixelle Specialty Solutions has named Julie Schertell as its CEO. She succeeds Ross Bushnell, who led the company for two years but is leaving for undisclosed opportunities. He is staying on through September as an adviser to Pixelle’s board. The […]
A Harrisburg-based manufacturer of windows and doors is closing two plants in Florida but opening another one as it looks to focus on its best-selling products. MITER Brands is shutting down Miami-area plants in Hialeah and Medley that employ about 440 people, according to a company spokesperson. It is relocating production of high-demand products to other […]
Flooring manufacturer AHF Products is closing a factory in Somerset, Kentucky, and moving production to other facilities. The decision follows an internal review finding that consolidating production is the best way to match the company’s factory capacity with the current and projected demand for its products, according to a company release. The Kentucky plant employs […]
After announcing layoffs last month and trying unsuccessfully to find a buyer for its operations, a Lebanon County lumber company filed for bankruptcy this month. Based in South Annville Township, Weaber Inc. saw annual sales climb above $100 million in the late 2010s, according to the company’s bankruptcy filing. But sales plunged over the last two […]
When electrical components manufacturer SESCO outgrew its Mont Alto plant in the mid-2010s, the company leased a second facility in Waynesboro. The company has operated in both buildings for a decade, according to SESCO founder, owner and president David Souders. But now, SESCO’s 87 employees are poised for a reunion. The company is buying a former TE Connectivity plant […]
Lancaster-based flooring maker Ecore International has purchased an Ohio-based company that specializes in playground surfacing. Based in Copley, Ohio, near Akron, Pro-Techs Surfacing LLC sells, designs and installs the surfacing. Terms of the transaction — Ecore’s second in as many months — were not disclosed. Pro-Techs, which employs 22 people, does no manufacturing. But the company’s sales and installation […]
Hanover-based snack food company Utz Brands Inc. plans to wind down operations at a plant and warehouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as part of an ongoing effort to concentrate production at its larger, more efficient factories. Manufacturing at the Grand Rapids plant is slated to end by Jan. 30, followed by the end of warehouse operations on […]
Less than a month after deciding to close a lumber operation in northwestern Pennsylvania, Weaber Inc. is consolidating operations in Lebanon County and laying off 145 workers. The lumber company is vacating a distribution center at 25 Keystone Drive in South Annville Township and shifting work to its headquarters location at 1231 Mount Wilson Road, also […]
Lancaster-based flooring manufacturer Ecore International has acquired a firm based in New York state with operations in Franklin County. The company is HTI Recycling, a tire collection, recycling and crumb rubber manufacturing company based in Lockport. The deal also includes HTI subsidiaries D&G Heavy Equipment Leasing and Edge Rubber Recycling, which has a plant in Chambersburg. Terms of the deal were […]
A York-area candy company has more than doubled its factory footprint after taking over a peer based in Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County. After six decades of family ownership, The Warrell Corp. and its 230,000-square-foot plant have been sold to Wolfgang Confectioners, which operates out of a150,000 square-foot facility in Loganville. Terms of the transaction, which closed […]
MITER Brands, a Harrisburg-based manufacturer of doors, windows and other products, has divested a Florida-based unit that makes porch enclosures. Known as Eze-Breeze Porch Enclosures, the unit was acquired by its president, Bob Keller, in partnership with investment firm Jewell Hollow LLC and its managing partner, Zach Coopersmith. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. MITER acquired Eze-Breeze […]
A Lebanon-area lumber company is closing an affiliate in northeastern Pennsylvania due to sluggish demand for its products. Between Aug. 25 and Sept. 8, South Annville Township-based Weaber Inc. is shuttering a facility in Titusville doing business as ChoiceWood and laying off its 46 workers, according to a notice filed with state and local officials. […]
Spring Grove-based Pixelle Specialty Solutions has revised the timeline for closing its plant in Ohio. The papermaker said yesterday it plans to cease production at the plant in Chillicothe on Aug. 10. The plant employed more than 800 people earlier this year, but it is not clear how many work there now. The company initially […]
As sales of its signature bone broth boomed over the last several years, Kettle & Fire struggled to keep its products on store shelves. A new production facility in Lancaster County, unveiled during a ribbon-cutting yesterday, is expected to help meet the demand and then some, according to company founders and executives. The $19.1 million plant is […]
Spring Grove-based papermaker Pixelle Specialty Solutions missed an interest payment on its debt due April 30, triggering a ratings downgrade from S&P Global. However, lenders are giving the company more time so it can close on the sale of a plant in Wisconsin and use the proceeds to make the interest payment and pay down debt. […]
Over the last few years, Mechanicsburg-based West Shore Home has been striving to build a national brand in the historically fractured home improvement business. The company took a major step yesterday toward raising its profile: A 15-year, $50 million deal with Penn State University to stamp the West Shore Home name on Beaver Stadium. The venue is […]
Two Lancaster-based digital marketing agencies have come together as one. But for now, they are continuing to operate under their existing names. The firms are YDOP and WTM Digital, which offer similar services but for different clients. YDOP, which trademarked the term “near-user marketing,” works primarily with companies around ther U.S. seeking locally focused digital marketing. WTM Digital, […]
Merit Marketing, a Harrisburg-based advertising and marketing firm, filed last month for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, setting it on a path to liquidation. “The economic times are such the company is unable to survive and operate profitably,” Merit owner Adam Vasquez wrote in an email to biznewsPA. Vasquez has owned the company since 2015, when the […]
Harrisburg-based Andculture is poised to become part of Chicago-based accounting and advisory firm RSM US LLP. RSM said Thursday it has reached an agreement to buy Andculture, which specializes in marketing strategy, design and technology, Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But it is expected to close June 1, according to a press release. RSM was […]
Fourteen years after launching her own marketing agency, Julie Lando-Cross has sold it to one of her first employees, Lissa Taylor, the agency’s COO and creative director.
One of the West Shore’s largest apartment complexes has changed hands. York-based property manager The Apartment Gallery has acquired The Overlook, a
Developers are applying for state funds to upgrade some of the capital region’s largest underused buildings. They include an idled
Lancaster city residents voiced cautious optimism about proposed rules regulating data centers within the borders of one of the region’s
After dodging the auction block in July, the former Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg is once again facing a
After years with sellers in charge, the local residential real estate market is slowly regaining its balance, a shift underscored by recent data on home sales. The numbers for August show steady growth in the number of homes on the market and a slowing pace of price increases. “This is probably the best balance we’ve […]
A partnership affiliated with Daryl Heller, the business owner charged with defrauding investors in an ATM network, has unloaded office space in downtown Lancaster. In a court-approved transaction, Premier Prince Street LLC sold just over 16,000 square feet of office space at 415 N. Prince St. for $2.8 million, according to York-based ROCK Commercial Real Estate. ROCK agent Patten […]
Leaders in York County are kicking off a seven-month process that they hope ends with a master plan for reusing the Penn State York campus, which is scheduled to close in less than two years. This week, the York County Economic Alliance issued a request for proposals from consultants interested in assessing the campus and crafting the […]
A suburban Harrisburg golf course is preparing to swap drivers for data. The Dauphin County General Authority voted yesterday to sell the Dauphin Highlands Golf Course for $45.6 million to a Texas company planning a data center on the 228-acre property in Swatara Township and Steelton. But there’s time for a few more rounds of golf. The […]
When electrical components manufacturer SESCO outgrew its Mont Alto plant in the mid-2010s, the company leased a second facility in Waynesboro. The
Local and national firms are poised to pick up some of Rite Aid‘s real estate in Cumberland and York counties following an auction held last week as part of the pharmacy chain’s bankruptcy. Two of the properties changing hands are industrial space on the West Shore. Which ones: One is a 78,200-square-foot industrial space at 451 […]
A Singapore-based real estate investor has scooped up a shopping center in Dover Township, York County. United Hampshire US REIT said it paid about $16.4 million for the roughly 61,000-square-foot Dover Marketplace, which is anchored by a GIANT grocery store. It’s at the corner of Carlisle and Palomino roads, south of Dover Borough. The plaza is the investor’s […]
A regional developer toiled for nearly a decade to bring a mix of uses to an 84-acre tract in Fairview Township, York County. Now, the company, Fairview Crossroads LLC, is hoping to plant a data center on the site, which is off Lewisberry Road, west of Interstate 83 and south of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. “It’s been […]
A few years ago, the phrase “industrial real estate” likely conjured an image of massive warehouses spreading across the open fields of Central Pennsylvania. Now, the phrase might just as easily bring up images of data centers — buildings packed with computer servers composing your emails and delivering answers to your ChatGPT queries. The announcement of more […]
The owner of a former Catholic school in Harrisburg has three more months to avoid a forced sale of the property. A sheriff’s sale of the former Bishop McDevitt High School was scheduled for this morning. But according to a notice from the Dauphin County sheriff’s office, the sale has been pushed back to Oct. 16. […]
High Real Estate Group took a step forward this week in its ambitious plan to develop a 476-acre tract west of
As client needs evolved in an era of hybrid and remote work, leaders at Phillips Workplace Interiors came to a realization. “We were too big to be small and too small to be big,” said Michael Bistline, a co-owner of the office furnishings and interior services company based in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County. He and co-owner […]
A state appeals court last week upheld a decision by local officials to deny a mixed-use development that included a proposed Sheetz store in Derry Township, Dauphin County. Dubbed Governor’s Crossing, the project was proposed for the southwest corner of West Governor and Fishburn roads south of downtown Hershey. But in November 2023, supervisors in Derry Township […]
The former Frog, Switch & Manufacturing plant in Carlisle has officially changed hands. The Real Estate Collaborative, an arm of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corp., closed May 29 on its acquisition of the roughly 26.7-acre site at 600 E. High St. The sale price has not yet been recorded in county deed records, and Real Estate Collaborative chair […]
Weis Markets has won court approval to take over prescriptions for customers at 11 Rite Aid stores in Pennsylvania and New York, according to a spokesperson for the Sunbury-based grocery chain. The stores include Rite Aid locations in Dover and Hanover, as well as Altoona, Brodheadsville, Fogelsville, Honesdale, Montoursville, Mountain Top, Wellsboro and Williamsport, Weis spokesperson […]
Weis Markets, whose pharmacy business has been growing by double digits, is making a play for pieces of Rite Aid. Legal
Rite Aid said yesterday it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in two years. While the pharmacy chain emerged as a smaller, leaner company after its last trip through bankruptcy court, it is bracing this time for a sale. “While we have continued to face financial challenges, intensified by the rapidly evolving […]
Big Lots is coming back to Central Pennsylvania. The retail brand’s new owner, North Carolina-based Variety Wholesalers, plans to reopen more than two dozen former Big Lots in Pennsylvania over the next two months, including locations in Cumberland, Lebanon, Lancaster and York counties. Variety is reopening three Big Lots on May 1 in Dunmore, Eynon and […]
Four years after taking the helm at Duck Donuts, Betsy Hamm has resigned. Hamm had led the Mechanicsburg-based donut shop franchisor as CEO since it sold a majority stake in April 2021 to NewSpring Capital, a private equity firm based in Radnor. “Duck Donuts appreciates Hamm’s leadership she provided throughout her years with the company,” said a company […]
OIlie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings is grabbing another clutch of former Big Lots stores in a bankruptcy auction. Pending court approval and price adjustments from landlords, the Harrisburg-based discount retailer will pay $188,838 for seven Big Lots leases, according to court filings. Two of the locations are in Florida and two are in Missouri, with one each […]
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings is scooping up leases for seven former locations of its bankrupt rival, Big Lots. The stores include one each in Georgia, Illinois and Louisiana and four in Wisconsin, according to court documents. The price is about $620,000, subject to potential adjustments by the landlords. “These stores are the right size, located in […]
A Massachusetts-based developer is acquiring the Colonial Park Mall, an aging retail complex that local officials hope to see rejuvenated. A partnership headed by the developer, Zi Qian “John” Zhang, paid nearly $8.8 million for the mall, which is at 4600 Jonestown Road in Lower Paxton Township, according to county deed records. Zhang is still […]
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc. is launching a co-branded Visa credit card in partnership with Los Angeles-based fintech Sunbit. The card is designed to build on Ollie’s loyalty program, Ollie’s Army, which has about 14 million members. The card’s features include a $10 statement credit for signing up and extra Ollie’s Army points on purchases at Ollie’s and […]
When you’re shipping a $100,000 engagement ring, you don’t take any chances. That’s how Simone Kendle found herself on a
A court order is paving the way for Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc. to purchase 11 stores in Texas from discount retailer 99 Cents Only Stores, which filed for bankruptcy in April. A Delaware bankruptcy judge this week approved Ollie’s as a stalking-horse bidder for the properties as part of a court-supervised sale, meaning the company is […]
A buyer with a growing portfolio of Pennsylvania shopping centers has added another one. A partnership led by Leo Ullman of New York-based retail developer Vastgood Properties paid $6.63 million at the end of April for Shippensburg Marketplace, according to Brad Rohrbaugh, executive vice president and retail director for York-based Bennett Williams Commercial. Rohrbaugh and […]
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Sheetz, arguing that the company’s use of criminal background checks in hiring is discriminatory. The agency noted that Sheetz was not motivated by race in making hiring decisions. However, the agency claims that the convenience-store chain’s hiring practices disproportionately screened out job applicants who are Black, Native American, […]
The Stewart Companies has agreed to sell its Apple Automotive dealerships to a Lehigh Valley company, as the York-based holding company focuses on its other businesses, The buyer is Allentown-based Ciocca Dealerships, which operates 42 dealerships and 12 collision centers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including in the Harrisburg and State College markets. Apple operates 10 dealerships, six collision […]
One of Pennsylvania’s most illuminating companies is under new ownership. Keystone Fireworks, which has stores across the region, has been acquired by Argonne Capital Group, a private equity firm based in Atlanta. The transaction closed earlier this year, according to an Argonne spokesperson, who declined to provide additional details. Financing was provided by Alignment Credit, a New York-based […]
Pennsylvania has many of the ingredients for an economy powered by innovation and entrepreneurship, according to a report released today by Brookings Institution, a prominent think tank in Washington, D.C. However, the state has struggled to bake them into a dynamic, high-growth economy, putting large swaths of Pennsylvania at risk of stagnation, said the report, which offers […]
The Giant Co. president Nicholas Bertram is leaving the company Aug. 31 to pursue “new opportunities,” the regional grocery chain’s parent company announced yesterday. Bertram, who has been president of Carlisle-based Giant since 2018, did not disclose what those opportunities might be. Giant spokesperson Christy Phillips-Brown described it as a personal decision. John Ruane, Giant’s chief […]
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet has joined a string of retailers accused of improperly denying overtime pay to people who hold management jobs in their stores. Two salaried employees in New York have filed lawsuits claiming Ollie’s should have paid them overtime since their duties were “virtually indistinguishable” from those of hourly workers.The suits, filed in a federal […]
Advocates embrace data centers as engines of economic opportunity and a symbol of Pennsylvania’s appeal to high-tech industries, drawn, in part, by abundant supplies of energy. Critics are fighting back, citing the centers’ potential harm to the environment and quality of life in the communities where they are being proposed. Team Pennsylvania is hoping to […]
A suburban Harrisburg golf course is preparing to swap drivers for data. The Dauphin County General Authority voted yesterday to sell the
At a meeting last night, developers shared more details on their plans for a $15 billion data center complex near
In 2022, Pennsylvania waived sales taxes for computer equipment purchased for use in data centers, provided the centers met certain
A few years ago, the phrase “industrial real estate” likely conjured an image of massive warehouses spreading across the open fields
One of the companies behind a $6 billion data center project in Lancaster is filling in some of the blanks surrounding the project. Early reports indicated data centers would be constructed at two former printing plants, at 216 Greenfield Road and 1375 Harrisburg Pike. The developers are Virginia-based Chirisa Technology Parks and New York-based Machine Investment Group, […]
It’s been a week since New Jersey-based investment firm Energy Capital Partners announced it was planning a $5 billion data center in southern York County. But the precise location remains unknown, even to the manager of Peach Bottom Township, where the data center is widely expected to be built. “Your guess is as good as mine,” township […]
The dust is still settling on the flurry of announcements for massive data and energy projects proposed this week for
Major tech companies yesterday disclosed billions of dollars in new investment in Central Pennsylvania, though some key details remain to be filled in. Data center giant CoreWeave said it plans to sink $6 billion into developing a data center in Lancaster in partnership with a company that recently acquired two former printing plants in the city. A […]
The data center boom made a big bang yesterday in Pennsylvania. Tech giant Amazon said it plans to invest at least $20 billion to build data centers in Pennsylvania, starting with a pair of locations in eastern Pennsylvania. The Shapiro administration described the company’s move as the largest private-sector investment in state history. “This is not just […]
A suburban Harrisburg golf course is the latest plot of land in the region to draw attention from developers of data centers, power-hungry computing facilities that are vital to the growth of artificial intelligence. Would-be buyers with data centers in mind have shown an appetite for the Dauphin Highlands Golf Course, according to Jeanette Krebs, […]
A California tech firm has acquired portions of a Lancaster-based IT company co-founded by Daryl Heller, the business owner at the center of a legal vortex. The Lancaster company is AVAIL Technology Solutions, which traces its roots to a venture called Premier Management Group. Premier was founded in 1990 by Heller and entrepreneur Bob Horst. But the […]
After nearly a decade of fine tuning, a Spring Grove software company believes its main product is ready for prime
Pennsylvania is one of three states where a prominent data-center startup is looking to site facilities, according to a LinkedIn post earlier this week from Sarah Friar, CFO of OpenAI, one of the companies backing the startup. The Stargate Project — also backed SoftBank, computer company Oracle and investment firm MGX — iburst out of the gate last month with […]
The sale of United Fiber & Data, a York-based fiber optic company co-founded by former members of the rock band Live, has been finalized. The deal had been held up by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which had some questions about the transaction. But in a Jan. 10 letter, the agency signed off on the company’s sale […]
Central Pennsylvania is home to big buildings that store stuff. A Virginia-based company is eyeing construction of big buildings that store data, reflecting a national race to boost data center capacity. PowerHouse Data Centers, an arm of Virginia-based American Real Estate Partners, has been discussing a potential multibillion-dollar data center development on a 700-acre tract in […]
Life sciences heavyweight GSK is investing up to $800 million into its Marietta-area campus with plans to boost capacity and produce cutting-edge vaccines targeting illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. The project, described as the British company’s largest-ever investment in U.S. manufacturing, entails construction of a new 300,000 square-foot facility and refurbishment of an existing building, along with […]
Like many entrepreneurs ready to take their startups to the next level, Josh Dominguez knew he needed more capital. He found a source in PennSpring Capital, a Lancaster-based investment firm. PennSpring said yesterday it has acquired a majority stake in Dominguez’s company, Refresh LED. Based in Hampden Township, Cumberland County, the company designs, installs and services LED […]
A Spring Grove paper maker is tapping a new CEO as it works to turn around its finances. Pixelle Specialty
A state court rejected an appeal from a York County winery fighting orders that it shut down. The decision last
The State Museum of Pennsylvania is getting a facelift. State officials yesterday unveiled plans for a $55 million makeover of
State lawmakers are plowing ahead once again with tax changes that have long drawn the ire of business lobbyists but
Alice Solomon has joined the Malvern office of Lancaster-based law firm Barley Snyder. With a background in environmental, energy and land use law, she is a member of the firm’s real estate and litigation practice groups. Before joining Barley Snyder, Solomon worked at an environmental law firm based in the Philadelphia suburbs. She has a […]
Consumer advocates in Illinois, Maryland and New Jersey are asking federal regulators to rerun an auction that is sparking a hike in electricity prices set to take effect in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest — including Pennsylvania — starting June 1. At issue is the auction process used by regional power grid operator PJM to set the price of electricity […]
T.J. Foltz founded Humankind Beverage in 2011 with a goal of funneling profits from sales of bottled water into a charity bringing clean water to poverty-stricken areas of the world. He’s hoping to make a lot more sales now that the Elizabethtown-based brand — and its regional distribution arm — have been acquired. The buyer is Odeko, a […]
Developers have acquired land off the Carlisle Pike in Cumberland County where they plan to build three warehouses. The warehouses will span nearly 2 million square feet under plans approved in 2023 under the previous owner of the property, part of Hempt Farms in Silver Spring Township. The developers — a joint venture between New York-based Rockefeller […]
It was a groundbreaking six years in the making, and developer Don Murphy wasn’t going to let steady rain or thunderstorm warnings stand in the way. Murphy and about 100 other people huddled in and around a tent yesterday to mark the start of construction on a new hotel at the intersection of Walnut and […]
The flurry of litigation around defunct ATM operator Paramount Management Group and its former principal, Daryl Heller is thickening. Investors in the ATM network are suing a South Dakota bank that signed off on Paramount’s financial condition, alleging the bank should have warned them about shortcomings at the Lancaster-based ATM company. A company that sold ATMs to […]
The sale of United Fiber & Data, a York-based fiber optic company co-founded by former members of the rock band Live,
It wouldn’t be a story about an insurance brokerage if it didn’t start with the volume of calls asking if the company is for sale. “It’s five a week,” said Mike Harter, CEO of McConkey Insurance & Benefits in Springettsbury Township, York County. But despite a wave of consolidation sweeping through its industry, McConkey is […]
The owner of a Gettysburg-area hotel prevailed in a court case that turned on questions of when to apply a state tax on real estate transfers. At issue was a transfer of properties between entities controlled by the same owner. State tax collectors argued that transfers in 2018 by Kunj Harrisburg LLC, which operates the Eisenhower Hotel […]
Green Image Lawn Care, a regional lawn-care company with offices in York and Lancaster counties, has been acquired by LawnPRO Partners,
York County-based South County Brewing is planning to take over the former Pressroom restaurant in downtown Lancaster. The spot at 26 W. King St. will be the third for South County. Founded in 2011, the brewery also has locations in Fawn Grove and York Township in York County. When is this happening: The roughly 22,000 square-foot venue […]
A York-area school board turned down a request by developer Inch & Co. to secure tax relief for a $35 million sports complex the company is building in North York. York-based company Inch & Co. was asking the Central York School District for relief through the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program, which phases in property tax […]
A 3,000 square foot Victorian-style brownstone at 1924 Market St. sold for $585,000 in an investment sale. Built in 1870, the home now is a mixed-use property. Tenants include Beyond Beauty Skin Therapy, a restorative skin care and facial salon, and two residential units. Tyler Matisse of Campbell Commercial Partners represented the seller in the […]
Officials in York have toiled for more than two decades to bring development to the Northwest Triangle, a former industrial tract along the Codorus Creek in the city’s northwest corner. They filled in pieces here and there over the years. On Oct. 10, they celebrated what is likely to be the final piece: a mixed-use […]