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Financial firm names new president

The proverbial corner office at Conrad Siegel has a new occupant.The employee benefits consulting and investment advisory firm in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County has named Abigail Fortino as its next president, effective Jan. 1. She was also named chair of the firm’s management committee.She succeeds Mark Bonsall, who had been president of the firm since 2011. Conrad Siegel […]

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Chambersburg bank unveils new leader

Franklin Financial Services, the Chambersburg-based parent of F&M Trust, is rolling out a succession plan for its retiring chief executive.The bank has tapped Craig Best, the former CEO of a Scranton bank, as its next leader effective Jan. 14, according to a regulatory filing.Best, 64, is succeeding Tim Henry, who announced in November that he would retire on April […]

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Order finds ATM operator in contempt

A court order on Friday gave some relief to investors in Paramount Management Group, a financially strapped ATM operator based in Lancaster.But the order did not give the investors everything they wanted.Notably, it stopped short of ordering Paramount to hire a forensic auditor to help recover funds for the investors, who argue they are owed tens […]

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New Cumberland wealth advisory sold

Since it was founded in 2019, Zimmermann Investment Management & Planning in New Cumberland has grown to more than $700 million in assets under management.But if it wanted to keep growing at the same pace, it needed a partner, said Curt H. Zimmerman, founder and president of the company. “We just needed a different way to […]

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Hearing raises new questions for beleaguered ATM network

Is it fraud or a failing business?That was one of the questions hanging over a court hearing held yesterday morning to consider contempt charges against Paramount Management Group, a Lancaster-based ATM network being sued by its investors.The investors want Paramount held in contempt for its alleged failure to abide by a court order issued earlier this month.Under […]

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$15M gift to speed growth of Lancaster-based lender

Earlier this year, leaders at Lancaster-based Finanta Credit Union put together a five-year growth plan.Thanks to a $15 million gift from a familiar benefactor, the plan is likely to move much faster.Finanta was one of 199 organizations nationwide to receive donations this year from MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and a growing philanthropic force.In 2020, […]

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Legal woes mount for Lancaster-based ATM operator

Claims against a Lancaster-based ATM network took on new forms during a roughly one-hour hearing held Friday afternoon in a Lancaster County courtroom. An attorney representing disgruntled investors in the network raised concerns about money flows involving the network’s operator, Paramount Management Group, and questioned whether the operator had inflated the number of ATMs it owned.The attorney, […]

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Studies see benefit in state-run retirement savings

State-backed retirement plans, which have been proliferating around the U.S., appear to boost savings among workers, according to a study released yesterday.Workers are 20% more likely to contribute to a retirement savings account if they work at a business in a state that has an auto IRA program, according to the study, undertaken by payroll […]

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F&M Trust leader sets retirement date

Tim Henry is planning to retire effective April 29 as president and CEO of Chambersburg-based Franklin Financial Services Corp., parent of F&M Trust. “It was time,” said Henry, who will turn 67 next year.The bank is in “great shape,” he added, making it a good time to step away. He also plans to leave his role as […]

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Mid Penn to buy flagging Philly-area bank

Mid Penn Bancorp is deepening its reach in southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey with the acquisition of a Bucks County bank that has been squeezed by high interest rates.Harrisburg-based Mid Penn has agreed to pay about $127 million for Bristol-based William Penn Bancorporation. The all-stock deal is slated to close in the first half of 2025, pending shareholder […]

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State authority rolls $1M into new venture fund

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 end […]

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What led a York bank to sell

Traditions Bank earned record profits in 2020 and 2021. But when interest rates shot up between March 2022 and July 2023, the York-based bank ran into financial headwinds that called into question its ability to remain independent without cutting staff and trimming plans for growth.The resulting discussions among bank executives and directors led to the deal announced […]

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Retirement clouds leadership succession at regional bank

An early retirement is throwing off leadership succession plans for one of the region’s largest banks.Craig Kauffman, who was in line to take the top job at Orrstown Financial Services next year, retired as of Sept. 30, according to a Sept. 25 securities filing from the bank.Kauffman, Orrstown’s COO, decided to retire due to personal reasons and not […]

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Credit union to move Harrisburg branch to West Shore

PSECU is seeking permission to relocate its branch in Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg to a former FNB branch at 1249 Market St. in Lemoyne, according to a filing by the Department of Banking and Securities.The Harrisburg-based credit union picked the West Shore location, in part, because it is more accessible and convenient, said Adam Stewart, the credit union’s […]

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Community banks in northcentral PA to merge

Mifflinburg Bancorp and Northumberland Bancorp, a pair of small community banks in northcentral Pennsylvania. said yesterday they are combining in a merger of equals valued at $34.2 million. The all-stock deal is expected to close in the first half of 2025.Mifflinburg Bancorp has assets of about $568.5 million and operates seven branches in Mifflinburg, Lewisburg, Millheim, Milton, Selinsgrove […]

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Fulton edges past PNC for market-share lead

A seven-county swath of Central Pennsylvania has a new No. 1 when it comes to bank deposits.Lancaster-based Fulton Bank has eclipsed longtime leader PNC Bank for the top share of deposits in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties, according to the latest data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.As of June 30, Fulton had 15.44% of […]

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Nonprofit lender lands $40M in tax credits to back projects

Community First Fund has been awarded $40 million in new market tax credits, which it can use to support economic-development projects around the region. The credits are awarded annually by the U.S. Treasury on a competitive basis. Based in Lancaster, Community First was awarded $30 million in new market tax credits last year.Those credits are helping to […]

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Virtual-assistant biz makes third acquisition this year

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 manage their calendars, […]

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PPL eyes $131M power-line project in southern York

Ripples from the data-center revolution are continuing to wash over Central Pennsylvania.The latest ripple is a $131 million project from PPL Corp. designed to upgrade power lines and build a new switchyard in southern York County.The project is designed to improve reliability of the electric system in light of growing demand, including from data centers, in […]

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Developer eyes townhomes on former Dentsply campus

It has been nearly a year since the former Dentsply campus in York city changed hands, fueling hopes for the property’s redevelopment.Hopes are now turning into blueprints.Developer York Realty Partners LLC has outlined plans for 62 townhomes on a portion of the 17.3-acre campus.The townhomes, dubbed the Towns at York Creek, would rise on parking lots behind former Dentsply facilities […]

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Court tosses developer’s lawsuit over township fees

Plenty of developers have likely wondered how cities and townships calculate the fees they charge for construction permits.Harrisburg-area developer Triple Crown Corp. took its questions all the way to Commonwealth Court, where it argued that fees charged by Lower Allen Township in Cumberland County for two apartment projects were unreasonable and unconstitutional.The case was thrown out […]

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West Shore electrical contractor changes hands

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, which employs 45 […]

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West Shore construction supplier sold

Valley Supply Inc., a Mechanicsburg-area distributor of concrete accessories, fabricated rebar, chemicals and safety products for the construction industry. The company has been acquired by White Cap, a growing, Atlanta-based construction supplies distributor. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Valley Supply will continue under its own name and existing leaders, Harvey Sipe and Linda […]

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Regional projects land state funding

High-profile construction projects around the region are in line for millions of dollars in state funding under grant awards disclosed Friday.Beneficiaries include a proposed sports complex in North York, a residential project underway in Lancaster County and the planned makeover of Harrisburg’s former federal building.They are among more than 400 projects statewide awarded nearly $600 […]

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Pharma giant plowing millions into Lancaster County campus

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 the […]

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State testing $10M program to boost housing supply

State officials yesterday unveiled a pilot grant program designed to fund mixed-use projects with a residential component.State officials see the $10 million program as a first step in addressing the shortage of affordable housing in Pennsylvania, a shortage that is drawing attention at every level of government.Funding is available for preparing sites for development, converting […]

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Mixed-use project is ‘first phase of final phase’ for York tract

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 project […]

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Developer appeals ruling that blocks York-area warehouse rezoning

Inch & Co. is appealing a York County court ruling that blocks the company from building a warehouse on land south of Route 30 in Manchester Township.The move continues a nearly two-year-old battle over the 52.1-acre site, which borders the Prospect Hill Cemetery.Some neighbors have opposed the warehouse plans since they became public, arguing the […]

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Houck exec aims to bring down suicide risk in construction

After her older brother died by suicide nearly 20 years ago, Kara McCaffrey felt drawn toward efforts to prevent others from following.“It’s just something that I’ve always cared about,” said McCaffrey, whose family owns Houck Group, a regional construction contractor based in West Hanover Township, Dauphin County.The personal became professional when she started working in […]

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Inch & Co., WellSpan break ground on $35M sports complex in North York

After about two years of planning, Inch & Co. held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a $35 million sports complex in North York, a facility expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the county each year and spark millions of dollars in economic impact.The event yesterday drew more than 150 guests, including leaders from York-based WellSpan […]

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Deal broadens reach of equipment dealer

A Harrisburg-area construction equipment dealership is extending its footprint southward through the acquisition of a company with offices in Maryland and Virginia.Stephenson Equipment Inc. said last week it purchased Valley Supply & Equipment, a business founded in 1982 by Howard Klein and last owned by his two sons, Adam and Brandon.Terms of the transaction were not […]

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$450M project taking shape on former state hospital grounds

The grounds of the former Harrisburg State Hospital are heading for a makeover.The Pennsylvania Department of General Services yesterday unveiled plans to build a $450 million laboratory complex on the 30-acre property, which has been mostly vacant since 2006. The project includes a new $325 million, 300,000 square-foot joint lab to be shared among the […]

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Former Harrisburg law office headed for residential conversion

A New York City investor has acquired a former law office on North Front Street in Harrisburg and plans to convert the former mansion into an eight-unit apartment building to be called Front Street Lofts.The investor, a family office called Generational Wealth Organization that also has a presence in California, paid $633,000 for the building.It had been […]

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Financing is among ‘biggest challenges’ for Lancaster rehab

Business owner Jared Mizrahi is planning a $5 million makeover of a mixed-use property in downtown Lancaster.He just needs to finalize the financing.A big piece came through last month in the form of a low-interest $1.4 million loan from the state’s Building Pennsylvania program, arranged by Lancaster-based EDC Finance.Mizrahi said he is hoping to close soon on […]

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Camp Hill firm combines with K.C. peer

Engineering firm Gannett Fleming is roughly doubling in size thanks to a merger with a Kansas City, Missouri-based peer, TranSystems. Together, the two private equity-backed firms create a business with more than 5,000 employees and annual revenue of about $1.3 billion. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.For Camp Hill-based Gannett, the deal continues a path of growth that […]

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Nonprofit plans $65M senior-living campus in northern York

Messiah Lifeways is planning to build a new campus in northern York County, with a groundbreaking slated for October. The campus will occupy 85 acres of farmland tucked into a bend of the Yellow Breeches Creek in Fairview Township, about 10 minutes from Camp Hill.Based in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, Messiah paid $5.9 million last year […]

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Despite headwinds, deals reshape region’s corporate players in 2024

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 virtual-reality games. January: […]

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What would it take to end PA taxes on overtime?

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 eliminate state income […]

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DoorDash touts results of pilot benefits program for PA drivers

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’ earnings […]

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Palmyra-based distributor cutting HQ, warehouse staff

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 were not […]

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Ports strike could spell supply-chain pain

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, a […]

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Fed rate cut seen locally as positive signal

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 shortly after […]

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Amid childcare shortage, Hanover nonprofit plans to boost capacity with new building

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 North […]

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Rail stoppage to ripple through PA, though end is in sight

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 are sure […]

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County economic post ‘a very hard opportunity to pass up’

The state-funded walkway connecting a public park to the Main Street of a small Montgomery County borough was not a big project. But the project and the community’s positive reaction were enough to hook Greg Welker on the world of economic development.“It really spoke to me,” said Welker, who was then working for the Pennsylvania […]

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New overtime rules poised to take effect amid legal challenges

Barring any last-minute legal complications, employers may be paying overtime to more workers starting Monday.July 1 is the date a federal rule lifting the salary threshold for overtime eligibility is scheduled to take effect.Issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, the rule bumps the threshold to $43,888 per year, up from the current level of […]

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New funds aim to chip away at childcare shortage

Framing the challenge of finding childcare as a critical issue for employers, York-area business and nonprofit leaders yesterday unveiled a new program designed to encourage fresh thinking on the years-old problem.The program, called Every Child Has Opportunities, or ECHO, plans to dole out $700,000 in grants this spring to expand the number of home-based childcare providers […]

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Report: Region’s tourist trade erases pandemic losses

The Covid-19 pandemic emptied out the region’s amusement parks and Amish attractions.But by 2022, the tourists had returned, and then some. That’s the conclusion to be drawn from the most recent annual report of the Pennsylvania Tourism Office. Spending in what the state calls the Dutch Country Roads region hit nearly $9.4 billion in 2022, up 18.3% […]

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PA job growth slows but labor market still tight

After two years of explosive, post-pandemic growth, Pennsylvania’s job growth is returning to its pre-pandemic form.Revised numbers indicate the state’s employers added roughly 80,800 jobs in 2023, though the numbers could be revised further, according to L&I. That compares with six-figure growth in 2021 and 2022, when the economy was recovering from the depths of the […]

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A speed bump for PA job growth?

Pennsylvania employers added more than 111,000 jobs in 2023, pushing the number of nonfarm jobs to a new state record, nearly 6.2 million, according to the Department of Labor & Industry.The jobless rate, meanwhile, was at 3.5%, down from 4.3% a year earlier. But things may not be as healthy as they look. Pennsylvania could be […]

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A peek behind the state plan for economic growth

Earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro rolled out a plan for economic development in Pennsylvania that is expected to unfold over the next decade. Progress is likely to be measured in shorter increments of time.State lawmakers, who are being asked to fund parts of the plan, could start asking for results by next year.And therein […]

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Guv pitches new strategy for PA economy

Gov. Josh Shapiro laid out a vision for jumpstarting economic development in Pennsylvania during an address yesterday at OraSure Technologies, a medical diagnostics company in BethlehemThe 52-page strategy includes a mix of new funding, a focus on key industries and a series of other steps designed to make Pennsylvania more competitive in retaining and attracting workers and businesses […]

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Retailer to shutter York-area warehouse

Workers at a York-area distribution center are the latest casualties in GameStop‘s effort to cut costs and rebuild profits. The Texas-based video-game retailer is planning to shutter its 700,000 square-foot warehouse at 20 Leo Lane in Manchester Township and lay off the 155 people who work there, according to a notice sent this week to state […]

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Carlisle-area warehouse linked to Apple set to close

A Carlisle-area warehouse that has served as a destination for Apple products is slated to close in March, idling nearly 500 workers. German company DB Schenker told state and local officials this week it plans to close the warehouse at 45 Logistics Drive in South Middletown Township. In a statement, a company spokesperson cited the expiration of a customer […]

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Regional lawn-care company sold

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 run […]

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Regional home services franchisee expands into NJ

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 first for Punctual […]

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West Shore electrical contractor changes hands

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

State authority rolls $1M into new venture fund

A new venture fund in Central Pennsylvania is closer to its fundraising goal thanks to an investment this week from

Virtual-assistant biz makes third acquisition this year

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

Lancaster cleaning firm sweeps up opportunities in M&A

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 DSC […]

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Lancaster manufacturer stakes growth on acquisitions, innovations in outdoor gear

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 business, which has […]

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Lancaster software startup merges with industry peer

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 to […]

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Building a national brand from a West Shore base

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 you say, […]

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Lanco startup builds on viral moment: ‘You don’t want it to just be that’

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 while Wove […]

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PE firm backs spinoff from York IT company

John Dolmetsch believed wireless connectivity would become a staple of modern life. He just didn’t expect it would happen so quickly.“Literally, it’s an explosion,” said Dolmetsch, who in 1992 co-founded York-based IT firm Business Information Group, aka BIG, with his brother, Scott.In a bid to take advantage of that growth, John Dolmetsch partnered this spring with […]

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Lancaster nonprofit names first top exec

The Tandem Center for Shared Business Success, a Lancaster-based nonprofit focused on employee ownership and profit sharing, has hired Drew Mousetis as its first executive director, effective May 20, The nonprofit was founded last year by Chip Cargas, founder of Lancaster-based software company Cargas. Mousetis worked most recently as a lead consultant at Cargas, an employee-owned […]

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Deal for Lanco tiny-homes startup changes shape

The potential buyers of a Lancaster County-based tiny-homes company are taking a new tack.Chase Packaging Corp., a New Jersey-based shell company, had been planning to take Tiny Estates LLC and two related entities public through a merger.The companies are led by CEO Abby Shank, a former KPMG auditor who started a tiny-home community outside Elizabethtown in 2018.But the two sides […]

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For Lititz VR firm, sale is path to scale

After striking a deal with ViacomCBS, now Paramount, Lititz-based MajorMega created a virtual-reality game based on popular cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants and the undersea world of Bikini Bottom.The two-person arcade game debuted at a convention in Orlando, Florida, said Michael Bridgman, a co-founder of the gaming company. “It was really well-received and we got a […]

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Statewide venture fund makes first investments

Four months after taking the field, a statewide venture fund is taking its first shots.The so-called GO PA Fund has invested in two companies, a financial technology firm based in Swarthmore and an advertising tech company based in New York, albeit with roots and some operations in Philadelphia. The fintech company is LoanStar Technologies, which helps […]

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Edtech startup hires revenue chief

TEAMology, an education technology startup based in Chambersburg, has hired Gretchen Thompson as its first-ever chief revenue officer, where she will lead sales, business development, strategic partnerships and marketing initiatives.Thompson has held sales, marketing and leadership positions for a number of education-related startups, including ClassLink, Qwizdom and Vizzle. She worked most recently for Baltimore-based Allovue, which developed finance software for […]

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Growing Lititz firm adds minority investor

The Benecon Group, has sold a minority stake to the private equity arm of New York-based investment giant Neuberger Berman.Terms of the transaction — described as “a significant minority investment” — were not disclosed. A Neuberger spokesperson declined to comment beyond the press release. Neuberger joins an ownership group that includes majority owner TA Associates, a Boston-based private equity […]

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Doceo leader talks succession, expansion

When John Lewis interviews younger job applicants these days, he fields questions he did not typically hear a decade ago.Applicants are asking more pointed questions about the future of Doceo, the regional office equipment and IT services company that he leads as president and CEO.“There’s no question that, when we are talking to younger talent, […]

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Barley Snyder

Lancaster-based law firm Barley Snyder has named new leaders for its business and employment practice groups.Partner Daniel Desmond has been named chair of the business practice group, succeeding Jeremy Frey. Desmond has been the group’s vice chair since 2024 and has more than a decade of experience. He also chairs the law firm’s PA annual […]

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High Family Office

Stephen Nieli has been named executive director of the High Family Office, which provides services to the High family and other shareholders in High-related entities. Nieli is succeeding Dean Glick, who worked for various High companies over 38 years.In addition to his new role at the family office, Nieli has been elected president of ., a nonprofit […]

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Financial firm names new president

The proverbial corner office at Conrad Siegel has a new occupant.The employee benefits consulting and investment advisory firm in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin

Contractor buys suburban Harrisburg office

McClure Company, a mechanical contractor based in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, paid $2.15 million to buy a 52,761 square-foot office building at 1800 Linglestown Road in Township. The building had been owned by a lender, according to Robin Zellers of Lemoyne-based real estate firm NAI CIR. Zellers, along with NAI CIR’s Nik Sgagias and Bryan Donovan, […]

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Court backs realty tax exemption

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 & Conference […]

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Harrisburg office building sells for $650K

East to West Properties LLC paid $650,000 for a three-story office building at 215 Pine St. in Harrisburg, according to county deed records. The seller was 215 Pine St LLC, a partnership headed by local real estate investor Ramandeep Singh. The roughly 10,000 square-foot building is occupied by three tenants, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, the Department of […]

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The Hershey Co.

Shortly after disclosing the retirement plans of its chief executive, Michele Buck, The Hershey Co. unveiled new leaders for its U.S. candy and salty snack businesses. Effective Feb. 3, Andrew Archambault will lead the U.S. confections unit, while Veronica Villasenor will lead salty snacks.Archambault joins Dauphin County-based Hershey from Keurig Dr Pepper, where he was president […]

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Chambersburg bank unveils new leader

Franklin Financial Services, the Chambersburg-based parent of F&M Trust, is rolling out a succession plan for its retiring chief executive.The bank has

Saxton & Stump

Amy Blackmore has been named an equity shareholder at Saxton & Stump, a Lancaster-based law firm, effective Jan. 1. She was previously a senior counsel.Blackmore represents healthcare providers in medical malpractice cases and is a member of the law firm’s healthcare litigation, commercial litigation, and appellate and post-trial advocacy groups.Blackmore joined Saxton & Stump in […]

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Investment Real Estate Group of Companies

Matt Bilson has joined the Investment Real Estate Group of Companies as a financial analyst.In his new role, Bilson will underwrite potential self-storage acquisitions, including analyzing financial statements, market conditions, rents and expenses. Additionally, he will support financing and equity-raising initiatives, as well as analyze the performance of the company’s existing self-storage portfolio. He will […]

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Barley Snyder

Asahel Church has joined Barley Snyder as a member of the law firm’s litigation and real estate practice groups. He is based in the Lebanon office.Church is a graduate of Northwestern University and Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Before coming to Barley Snyder, he worked at a regional law firm where he concentrated his […]

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WOYK

Gary Sutton, a popular regional radio host, is bringing his morning show to SportsRadio 98.9 FM and 1350 WOYK. Sutton’s show will run every weekday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and focus on local and national news, as well as local sports.“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Gary to WOYK,” station general manager Darrell Henry […]

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Chambersburg plaza fetches nearly $40.6M

U & ME Chambersburg LLC paid nearly $40.6 million for Chambersburg Crossing, a roughly 265,000 square-foot shopping center in Franklin County, according to county deed records.The property at 901 Norland Ave. is anchored by a Giant supermarket. The seller was an affiliate of KPR Centers, a New York-based real estate investment firm.KPR was represented by Chris Munley, […]

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PPL eyes $131M power-line project in southern York

Ripples from the data-center revolution are continuing to wash over Central Pennsylvania.The latest ripple is a $131 million project from PPL

Regional lawn-care company sold

Green Image Lawn Care, a regional lawn-care company with offices in York and Lancaster counties, has been acquired by LawnPRO Partners,

Hershey CEO to retire

The Hershey Co. said Friday that Michele Buck plans to retire on June 30, 2026 as chair, president and CEO of the Dauphin County-based company. Buck, who grew up in the Carlisle area and graduated from Shippensburg University, started working at Hershey in 2005 and became CEO in 2017.Under her leadership, Hershey surpassed $10 billion […]

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Order finds ATM operator in contempt

A court order on Friday gave some relief to investors in Paramount Management Group, a financially strapped ATM operator based in

Land, retail, industrial parcels change hands around region

Linglestown Rd LLC paid $40,000 for a three-acre tract off Linglestown Road and Interstate 81 in West Hanover Township, Dauphin County, according to county deed records. James D. Ross of NAI CIR represented the seller, R. Stough.VIP Edu LLC paid $695,000 for 3.593 acres of land at Indian Springs Drive in Lancaster from SBCC Land […]

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Court backs Harrisburg vape shop in licensing spat

Commonwealth Court has tossed out state rules requiring licensing of companies manufacturing e-cigarettes and the liquids used in them.The court found that the rules gave the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue too much discretion in deciding how they would be enforced.The decision came Friday in the context of a lawsuit filed by East Coast Vapor, a Harrisburg-based […]

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Court backs state claim to insurance fund surplus

For three years in a row, former Gov. Tom Wolf and state lawmakers tried to get their hands on surplus money held by Pennsylvania’s medical malpractice insurer of last resort.The insurer fought back, arguing that, as a private entity, its multimillion-dollar surplus should remain beyond the reach of public officials.Wolf and state legislators countered that […]

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What would it take to end PA taxes on overtime?

President-elect Donald Trump made hay during the campaign with pledges to end taxes on tips and overtime pay. It’s unclear whether

State revenue down from decline in gassing up

Pennsylvania may have one of the highest gas taxes in the country, but the levy is delivering shrinking returns, according to a research brief this week from the Independent Fiscal Office, a state agency monitoring budgetary and economic trends. The culprit is declining gasoline usage in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which pretty much froze […]

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Court puts business-reporting rule on hold

A federal court in Texas suspended enforcement of a controversial business-reporting regulation four weeks before it was slated to take effect.In a ruling Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant said the rule is “likely unconstitutional” and issued an order blocking its implementation pending further court review.Adopted under a law known as the Corporate Transparency Act, […]

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Deadline nears for business-reporting requirement

Do you know who your owners are?It’s a question millions of businesses will have to answer by the end of the year under a federal law known as the Corporate Transparency Act.Enacted in 2021, the law requires corporations, LLCs, LPs and other business entities to report information about their owners and managers to a federal […]

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Court tosses developer’s lawsuit over township fees

Plenty of developers have likely wondered how cities and townships calculate the fees they charge for construction permits.Harrisburg-area developer Triple Crown

High court reverses ruling in tax-refund case

Pennsylvania is dodging a fiscal bullet thanks to a ruling handed down yesterday by the state’s highest court.At issue was a corporate taxpayer’s demand for a $2 million refund after a tax structure was declared unconstitutional.The Commonwealth Court ruled last year that the state should pay the refund. But a divided Supreme Court reversed the decision.Justices argued, […]

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Guv aims to speed permits for ‘complex and impactful’ projects

Gov. Josh Shapiro is hoping to ensure ambitious developers have a friend in Pennsylvania — or at least an easier time securing permits for construction.At an event in Philadelphia yesterday, the governor signed an executive order creating a transparent, fast-track permitting program for what are being described as “complex and impactful economic development and infrastructure projects.”State officials […]

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Deal would transfer control of beleaguered Harrisburg apartments

Under a proposed settlement filed in court last week, the owner of an embattled Harrisburg apartment complex is agreeing to cede control of the property to an independent receiver and to convert its bankruptcy case to a liquidation.The deal, which requires court approval, would end a festering dispute between the city and the apartment owner, […]

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Court shoots down overtime expansion

In a ruling Friday, a Texas judge scuttled an expansion of overtime pay that took effect in July.The decision sinks a Biden administration regulation that lifted the salary threshold for determining who is eligible for overtime pay.Another increase was slated to take effect in January, but that is now off the table, pending any potential […]

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Studies see benefit in state-run retirement savings

State-backed retirement plans, which have been proliferating around the U.S., appear to boost savings among workers, according to a study

Regional projects land state funding

High-profile construction projects around the region are in line for millions of dollars in state funding under grant awards disclosed

Guv signs off on new tax-appeal option

Pennsylvania taxpayers are poised to get a new avenue for disputing tax bills they don’t like. Under legislation signed into law yesterday by Gov. Josh Shapiro, state officials will be rolling out independent mediation as a way to settle tax disputes before they reach state courts.Under previous law, taxpayers interested in a settlement would negotiate directly with […]

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Pharma giant plowing millions into Lancaster County campus

Life sciences heavyweight GSK is investing up to $800 million into its Marietta-area campus with plans to boost capacity and produce cutting-edge

State testing $10M program to boost housing supply

State officials yesterday unveiled a pilot grant program designed to fund mixed-use projects with a residential component.State officials see the

House OKs tax credits for new power generation

Companies that build or expand power plants in Pennsylvania stand to benefit from millions of dollars in tax credits under legislation approved in the state House.However, the companies would have to navigate complicated criteria to claim the credits, including requirements capping carbon emissions and setting minimum thresholds for capital spending.The legislation updates a $2 billion-plus […]

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PA revenue chief, state senator clash over tax-records request

A Pennsylvania state senator is escalating his dispute with the state revenue department over tax records related to an economic development zone in the Lehigh Valley.For the last few months, Sen. Jarrett Coleman has been seeking tax records related to a state-sanctioned improvement zone in downtown Allentown and questioning whether taxpayers are getting their money’s […]

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WellSpan, UnitedHealthcare end stalemate on employer plans

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 or the […]

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Further talks yield another partial deal for WellSpan, health insurer

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 slated to […]

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Capital-area behavioral health provider to relocate

The Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute is moving out of the former Polyclinic campus in uptown Harrisburg after failing to forge a new lease.The institute’s inpatient services are moving to Holy Spirit Medical Center in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, according to Penn State Health, which owns both Holy Spirit and the psychiatric institute.Penn State Health is working to find […]

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WellSpan, UnitedHealthcare partially sever ties

Facing an Oct. 31 deadline for negotiating new reimbursement rates, WellSpan Health and UnitedHealthcare hammered out a last-minute deal to extend some of their agreements but ended one of them.The two sides said Thursday night they were unable to reach an agreement on employer-sponsored health plans, but they agreed to extend the deadline for negotiating over Medicare […]

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Deadline looms for insurer, regional health system

With less than a week before their contract expires, WellSpan Health and UnitedHealthcare remain at odds.If they are unable to reach an agreement by Thursday, WellSpan would become out-of-network for people covered by UnitedHealthcare’s Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and employer-sponsored plans.In a statement, the York-based health system blamed the impasse on UnitedHealthcare’s “unwillingness to find a middle ground on negotiations.”In […]

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Pharma giant plowing millions into Lancaster County campus

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

WellSpan, UnitedHealthcare remain locked in contract dispute

With less than three weeks before their contract expires, WellSpan Health and UnitedHealthcare remain embroiled in a war of words.UnitedHealthcare has been focused on what WellSpan charges for health care. For the York-based health system, the issue is the administrative hassles posed by working with the insurer.What’s the latest: In an online notice, UnitedHealthcare claimed WellSpan declined to extend the […]

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WellSpan, health insurer clash over contract renewal

Health insurer UnitedHealthcare and regional health system WellSpan Health are sparring over a new contract governing their relationship, affecting about 36,000 patients in the region.Both entities say they are negotiating in good faith and hope to reach a deal before the current contract expires at the end of October. Nonetheless, they are taking aim at each other’s business models.In a […]

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Study shows benefits from short-term medical cannabis use

Pennsylvania residents using medical cannabis to treat anxiety, chronic pain and other conditions saw improvements in their general health, emotional well-being, physical functioning and other quality-of-life measures over a three-month period, according to a study undertaken by researchers from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and funded by Organic Remedies, a Cumberland County medical-cannabis provider.Researchers recruited nearly 400 […]

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Lancaster specialty medical practice sold

An equity-backed management company and one of its affiliated medical practices have acquired Keystone Urology Specialists, a medical practice with offices in Lancaster, Lebanon and Ephrata. The buyers are Solaris Health Holdings and The Centers for Advanced Urology, which does business as MidLantic Urology. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Following a short transition period, physicians and […]

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WellSpan partnering to bring med school campus to York area

WellSpan Health has forged an agreement with Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University to develop a York area campus for the medical school in time for the 2027-28 school year.The campus would be the second outside of Philadelphia for the Katz School, which also has one in Bethlehem in partnership with St. Luke’s University […]

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Highmark, specialty medical practice spar over reimbursement

Pittsburgh-based Highmark Health and a regional GI practice have been unable to negotiate a new reimbursement contract, resulting in the practice’s exit from the Highmark network.The financial sticking points have not been disclosed but the two sides said they are continuing to negotiate. The practice is US Digestive Health, which has a clinical headquarters in Lancaster County and a […]

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Data breach at Geisinger vendor affects 1M patients

Danville-based Geisinger health system this week disclosed a data breach that could affect more than a million of its patients.In its disclosure, Geisinger said it learned on Nov. 29 that a vendor’s former employee had accessed patient information two days after being fired.The vendor, Microsoft subsidiary Nuance Communications, cut off the ex-employee’s access to Geisinger records, notified law enforcement […]

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Health-equity proposal spurs questions from state lawmakers

Insurers could soon be facing a new requirement if they want to sell policies through Pennsylvania’s subsidized health insurance marketplace, known as Pennie.The operator of the marketplace is proposing a regulation that would require insurers to become accredited in health equity.The Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority argues that health equity is a “well-recognized accreditation standard” […]

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Select Medical’s workplace health unit files for IPO

Concentra, the occupational health subsidiary of Mechanicsburg-based rehab chain Select Medical, filed last week for an initial public offering of stock, though many of the details remain to be filled in — including the timing and share price for the IPO. Nonetheless, the filing presents a fairly detailed overview of Concentra, its operations and its outlook on the […]

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Construction begins on Carlisle-area mini hospital

WellSpan Health broke ground yesterday on the second of three mini hospitals it is opening in Cumberland and York counties. The latest small-format medical center is going up at 1201 Walnut Bottom Road in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County — expanding WellSpan’s reach in one of the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania.Dubbed WellSpan Carlisle Hospital, the 20,000 square-foot […]

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Harrisburg U draws $5M gift to boost PT programs

Select Medical Corp., a national rehab chain based in Cumberland County, is giving $5 million to Harrisburg University of Science and Technology over the next five years.The gift, announced yesterday, will support the school’s undergraduate program in exercise science and a doctoral program for physical therapists.“We are thrilled to partner with Harrisburg University to shape the future generation of […]

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Firms win fight over medical cannnabis recall

In a ruling handed down last week, a Pennsylvania court overturned an effort by health officials to recall hundreds of vaping products previously approved for use in the state’s medical marijuana program.The controversial recall, ordered in February 2022 by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, was tantamount to a regulation, according to the ruling in Commonwealth […]

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Order finds ATM operator in contempt

A court order on Friday gave some relief to investors in Paramount Management Group, a financially strapped ATM operator based in

Court backs Harrisburg vape shop in licensing spat

Commonwealth Court has tossed out state rules requiring licensing of companies manufacturing e-cigarettes and the liquids used in them.The court

Hearing raises new questions for beleaguered ATM network

Is it fraud or a failing business?That was one of the questions hanging over a court hearing held yesterday morning

Court backs state claim to insurance fund surplus

For three years in a row, former Gov. Tom Wolf and state lawmakers tried to get their hands on surplus

Legal woes mount for Lancaster-based ATM operator

Claims against a Lancaster-based ATM network took on new forms during a roughly one-hour hearing held Friday afternoon in a

Case tests corporate liability for defunct subsidiary

Is a company still liable for a subsidiary’s legal problems even after the subsidiary is legally dissolved?That’s an issue being taken up by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in the context of asbestos class-action lawsuits filed against Dravo, a former shipbuilder and manufacturer based in Pittsburgh.The question is whether Dravo’s asbestos liabilities should pass to Carmeuse Lime Inc. The Belgian […]

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Deadline nears for business-reporting requirement

Do you know who your owners are?It’s a question millions of businesses will have to answer by the end of

Court tosses developer’s lawsuit over township fees

Plenty of developers have likely wondered how cities and townships calculate the fees they charge for construction permits.Harrisburg-area developer Triple Crown

High court reverses ruling in tax-refund case

Pennsylvania is dodging a fiscal bullet thanks to a ruling handed down yesterday by the state’s highest court.At issue was

Deal would transfer control of beleaguered Harrisburg apartments

Under a proposed settlement filed in court last week, the owner of an embattled Harrisburg apartment complex is agreeing to

York-area manufacturer sued over alleged retaliation

Federal regulators filed a lawsuit against a York-area manufacturer for allegedly firing an employee who had raised concerns about safety.In a lawsuit filed in late October, the U.S. Department of Labor accuses Red Lion Controls of terminating the employee after he refused to carry out a task that he felt was unsafe.The agency is seeking reinstatement and […]

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Court OK sought for bankruptcy sale of Harrisburg-area winery

The bankrupt owner of Spring Gate Winery in suburban Harrisburg is seeking court permission for a sale of the winery and some of its assets, including its beer and wine licenses.According to court filings this week, Schoffstall Farm LLC is asking for approval of a sale to Nitin Patel, who would pay $2.85 million for the winery.The winery entertained […]

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Harrisburg apartment owner asks court to block alleged meddling in bankruptcy sale

The bankrupt property owner trying to sell Governor’s Square apartments in Harrisburg has complained in the past that the city of Harrisburg is thwarting its sales effort, and it’s now asking a bankruptcy judge to intervene.In a court filing last week, Maryland-based Uptown Partners LP asked a judge to order the city to “cease and desist from interfering” […]

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Federal charges prompt suspension of York County judge

York County Judge Steven Stambaugh has been suspended without pay in the wake of federal allegations that he orchestrated an unemployment fraud scheme at his York-based personal-injury law firm, Stambaugh Law PC.The suspension was handed down yesterday by the state’s court of judicial discipline following a motion from the state judicial conduct board, th“The allegations supporting […]

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Court docs disclose $2.8M offer for bankrupt winery

A potential deal is on the table for Spring Gate Winery in suburban Harrisburg.A buyer named Nitin Patel has offered $2.8 million for the winery, whose parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May, according to court records. The offer sets a floor for other potential bidders in a bankruptcy auction slated to unfold this month, pending […]

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Developer appeals ruling that blocks York-area warehouse rezoning

Inch & Co. is appealing a York County court ruling that blocks the company from building a warehouse on land

PA court rules in Covid-era insurance case

Insurers do not have to cover lost revenue for businesses that were forced to shut down during the early weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s according to a ruling handed down yesterday by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in a class-action lawsuit originally filed in Allegheny County court by a dental practice.The decision resolves conflicts between lower courts […]

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Lenders balk at bankrupt winery’s reorganization plan

The bankruptcy sale of Spring Gate Winery is facing some headwinds.In legal filings this month, two lenders came out against the reorganization plan filed by the Harrisburg-area winery’s parent company, Schoffstall Farm LLC.At issue is the distribution of the proceeds from a sale of the winery, should a buyer be found.One lender, Horizon Farm Credit, is objecting to language saying it would […]

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Lanco manufacturer merged with Tennessee firm

After buying Lancaster County-based ATI Corp. in October 2023, a Houston-based private equity firm began investing in the manufacturer’s future.The investments have bolstered ATI’s sales force, production processes, and research and development, said Ryan Martin, a managing partner at the private equity firm, LDR Partners LP. Now, LDR is investing in ATI’s leadership.How: Through a merger between ATI […]

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Regional factory jobs stable, but uncertainty looms

After the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, the job market is returning to normal for manufacturers in Central Pennsylvania, according to a recent survey by their regional trade association.However, manufacturers face an uncertain year ahead as they absorb the potential for new tariffs promised by President-elect Donald Trump.Depending on how they are applied, tariffs could […]

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Union drops charges against pork processor

A union representing workers at a Lancaster pork processing plant dropped labor charges it filed against Clemens Food Group, which bought the plant earlier this year and then closed it, idling more than 190 workers. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 152 filed a grievance in October with the National Labor Relations Boar alleging that Clemens […]

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York-area manufacturer sued over alleged retaliation

Federal regulators filed a lawsuit against a York-area manufacturer for allegedly firing an employee who had raised concerns about safety.In

Lanco contractor buys Annville welding firm

GSM Industrial, an industrial fabrication and mechanical contractor based in East Hempfield Township, has acquired Annville-based Light’s Welding, a family-owned business specializing in the agricultural sector. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.Light’s Welding was founded in 1948 by C. Alvin Light, growing from a local welding shop to a full-service fabrication and millwright business.“We’re excited to […]

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Flooring maker trims jobs amid soft demand

AHF Products is eliminating about 30 white-collar jobs, with less than half the cuts affecting its staff in Lancaster County.In a statement, AHF president and CEO Brian Carson attributed the move to a stagnant market for home improvements and soft demand for residential building products.Based in West Hempfield Township, the company makes vinyl and hardwood flooring […]

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Cabinetmaker closing Juniata County factor

Amid a projected slowdown in apartment construction, a Michigan-based cabinetry company plans to shutter a plant in Juniata County.Cabinetworks Group is closing the factory near Thompsontown and laying off 420 employees, a tally that includes 110 who were already laid off, according to a notice sent to state and local officials.The notice did not cite a […]

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Union pushes back on Lancaster pork-plant closure

Clemens Food Group announced Friday that it plans to close its recently acquired pork plant in Lancaster and lay off 193 workers while it continues to look for a buyer that will keep the factory going.However, the reassurances, are not swaying the union representing production workers at the plant, the former Kunzler & Company factory acquired by Clemens […]

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Lancaster manufacturer stakes growth on acquisitions, innovations in outdoor gear

When Tom “Dutch” Ressler strung up his first hammock during a through-hike on the Appalachian Trail in 2003, the equipment

Family-owned container manufacturer bought by industry giant

Klinge Corp., a York-area company making specialized shipping containers, has been sold.The buyer is Trane Technologies, an Ireland-based company that makes HVAC and refrigeration systems, and its transportation-focused subsidiary, Thermo King.Terms of the transaction, which closed Aug. 1, were not disclosed.In a statement, Thermo King Americas president Adam Wittwer described the acquisition as “a natural extension” of […]

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Utz CEO: Hoping ‘to get a whole lot bigger’

When Utz Brands Inc. announced in fall 2023 that it was closing one of its plants in Hanover, executives were prepared to answer questions about how many people worked there, what would happen to them, where production was moving and when.They did not expect as many questions about the fate of the company store tucked […]

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Lanco magnet manufacturer scooped up

Over the last decade, revenue doubled for Electron Energy Corp., a specialty magnet manufacturer in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County.But if it wanted to keep growing, the company realized that it needed a partner, said Scott Murr, the company’s vice president of revenue operations.That partner, announced yesterday, is Magnetic Holdings LLC, which has taken a majority stake […]

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Former cabinet plant sold for $3.3M

A growing metal fabrication company in York County has purchased the former Wayneco Cabinetry plant, which has been idle since the cabinetry business shut down this spring.BMB Holdings LLC paid $3.3 million for the 81,000 square-foot facility, which is at 800 Hanover Road in Jackson Township, west of York city.The new facility is roughly three times the size […]

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Union eyes strike amid contract talks with Hanover Foods

Union members voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike at Hanover Foods if they cannot agree on a new contract with the Hanover-based company by the end of this month, according to Wendell Young, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776.The most recent labor contract expired at the end of 2023, said Young, whose union represents […]

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York-area manufacturer resolves harassment claims

York County manufacturer AMZ Manufacturing has struck a deal settling federal allegations that it failed to take adequate action after two women complained about sexual harassment at one of its plants.The charges, filed last year, alleged violations of Title VII, the federal law barring discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin or religion.According to the original charges, […]

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Ratings agency warns on Spring Grove manufacturer

Spring Grove-based paper maker Pixelle Specialty Solutions recently unveiled steps to bolster its finances. But they do not appear to be enough to satisfy a ratings agency concerned about the company’s liquidity.S&P Global initially downgraded the company following the refinancing.The agency then restored the original rating but added a negative outlook, warning that “continued operational weakness could pressure Pixelle’s cash […]

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Spring Grove paper maker shores up finances

Pixelle Specialty Solutions, a specialty paper maker based in Spring Grove, said June 12 it landed “significant new funding” that positions it for future growth. The financing includes amended credit facilities and an infusion of new capital from the company’s private equity backer, H.I.G. Capital. “With this new support, we are well-positioned to take advantage of several […]

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Pallet company buying Chambersburg-area facility for relocation

J&J Pallet and Recycling LLC is planning to purchase, upgrade and move into a 16,400 square-foot industrial building at 1690 Opportunity Ave. in the Cumberland Valley Business Park in Greene Township. The company, which sells recycled shipping pallets, is currently based in leased space at 1051 Sheffler Drive in Chambersburg.The company has been approved for […]

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Merger unites Lancaster marketing firms

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, formerly […]

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Harrisburg marketing firm files bankruptcy

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 firm […]

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CPA giant snaps up Harrisburg’s Andculture

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 advised […]

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Regional marketing firm changes hands

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.

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Former West Shore factory sold to York firm

After closing last year, a former West Shore factory for The AMES Companies has been sold.An affiliate of York-based Kinsley Properties paid $18 million for the plant at 465 Railroad Ave. in Hampden Township, according to Gerry Blinebury, a broker with real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. Cushman & Wakefield is listing the 397,000 square-foot building for lease on behalf of Kinsley Properties, […]

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Deal ends foreclosure threat dogging former Harrisburg school

A foreclosure case hanging over the former Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg appears to have ended. The case in Dauphin County court pitted the building’s owner, William Penn Holding Inc., against private lenders seeking to collect on their debt.Jeremy Hunter, William Penn’s owner, confirmed an agreement was reached, but he declined to share the details.A resolution […]

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Developer eyes multibillion-dollar data center campus near Carlisle

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 Middlesex […]

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Logistics startup lands in York County

Warehouses in Central Pennsylvania often sport household names like Amazon and Chewy, or the logos of logistics giants like XPO, UPS and FedEx.A new player is muscling in.Toronto-based Shipfusion is leasing a 350,000 square-foot warehouse in the newly developed Core5 Logistics Center at Codorus Creek on the site of a former quarry straddling Manchester and East Manchester townships in York County.The space complements existing […]

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Former West Shore law office sold

The former Camp Hill office of Reager and Adler law firm was sold for $1.7 million to Community Options, a Princeton, New Jersey-based nonprofit that provides housing and job opportunities to people with disabilities, according to Bill Rothman, founder of Lemoyne-based RSR Realtors. Rothman represented the seller, the estate of the late attorney David Reager. Community Options has an existing office […]

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Court OK sought for bankruptcy sale of Harrisburg-area winery

The bankrupt owner of Spring Gate Winery in suburban Harrisburg is seeking court permission for a sale of the winery and some

Harrisburg apartment owner asks court to block alleged meddling in bankruptcy sale

The bankrupt property owner trying to sell Governor’s Square apartments in Harrisburg has complained in the past that the city of

Mixed-use project is ‘first phase of final phase’ for York tract

Officials in York have toiled for more than two decades to bring development to the Northwest Triangle, a former industrial

Developer sketching in plans for 476-acre Lanco tract

High Associates is starting to sketch in its plans for a 476-acre tract bordering the headquarters of Armstrong World Industries in Manor Township, Lancaster County.The plans, which could change with market conditions, call for a flexible mix of single-family homes, apartment buildings, retail space, industrial space and green space, according to Ken Hornbeck, senior vice president of development […]

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Court docs disclose $2.8M offer for bankrupt winery

A potential deal is on the table for Spring Gate Winery in suburban Harrisburg.A buyer named Nitin Patel has offered $2.8 million

Discount retailer buys former Big Lots leases

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 good […]

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Credit union to move Harrisburg branch to West Shore

PSECU is seeking permission to relocate its branch in Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg to a former FNB branch at 1249 Market St.

Harrisburg-area mall sold for $8.8M

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 working on […]

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Agency in deal to buy former Carlisle factory

A Cumberland County agency has taken another step toward the purchase of a Carlisle factory that shut down last year.The Real Estate Collaborative LLC, a subsidiary of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corp., has struck a tentative agreement to buy the Frog, Switch & Manufacturing Co. site at 600 E. High St. in the Cumberland County borough.No price was […]

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Regional real estate player buys Shippensburg firm

Regional real estate firm Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty has scooped up Sailhamer Realty, an eight-person firm in Shippensburg. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Sailhamer was headed by John Dyson, a son-in-law of the firm’s original founders.The firm’s Shippensburg office will close, and Dyson and the rest of the Sailhamer team will work out of Berkshire’s […]

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Harrisburg seeks dismissal of apartment owner’s bankruptcy case

The city of Harrisburg is asking a federal court to dismiss the bankruptcy case of Uptown Partners LP, the Maryland-based owner of the Governor’s Square apartment complex in uptown HarrisburgIn a filing last month, the city argues that the deteriorating apartment complex is “unlikely” to find a buyer and that state court would be a better […]

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Middletown-area warehouse sells for $170.5M

In one of the largest commercial deals in the region this year, a real estate investment trust paid $170.5 million for a 1.2 million square-foot warehouse in the Middletown area.The warehouse is at 3327 E. Harrisburg Pike in Londonderry Township.The buyer is affiliated with Radnor-based advisory EQT Exeter. The seller was an affiliate of Atlanta-based warehouse […]

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Former Harrisburg law office headed for residential conversion

A New York City investor has acquired a former law office on North Front Street in Harrisburg and plans to

Ollie’s loads up on stores from bankrupt rival

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 in North […]

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Discount retailer buys former Big Lots leases

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings is scooping up leases for seven former locations of its bankrupt rival, Big Lots. The stores include

Harrisburg-area mall sold for $8.8M

A Massachusetts-based developer is acquiring the Colonial Park Mall, an aging retail complex that local officials hope to see rejuvenated.A

Ollie’s to roll out loyalty credit card

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 other […]

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Lanco startup builds on viral moment: ‘You don’t want it to just be that’

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

Ollie’s poised to buy stores from bankrupt retailer

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 the […]

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Shippensburg-area plaza sells for $6.6M

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 Bennett Williams […]

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Feds target hiring practices at Sheetz

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, Alaska […]

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Apple auto biz to be sold

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 centers, two […]

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Regional fireworks retailer sold

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 financing […]

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Report: PA lags on innovation, entrepreneurship

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 a […]

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Bertram to leave Giant, Ruane stepping in

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 commercial officer, will […]

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Ollie’s hit with overtime lawsuits

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 court […]

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Former N.B. Liebman store sold

A prime Carlisle Pike property has changed hands.A New York-based partnership paid nearly $5.5 million in June for the former home of N.B. Liebman Furniture at 4705 Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township, according to Cumberland County deed records.The site — which was owned by members of the Liebman family — was once eyed as a […]

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Giant unveils Amazon-style marketplace

The Giant Co. is adding new aisles to its virtual supermarket.The Carlisle-based company unveiled a new Amazon-style service yesterday that brings tens of thousands of new items to its online shoppers.Called Ship2Me by Giant, the new service is an online marketplace developed by sister company Peapod Digital Labs. The marketplace features items not normally found on supermarket […]

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Regional grocer grabs supply chain by the horns

For centuries, farmers planted seeds and fed animals – and then hoped they would find a market when their produce and livestock were ready to sell. Agribusiness entrepreneur Larisa Miller has been pitching a different model – and she found her first taker in Karns Foods, the Cumberland County-based grocery store chain.

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Developer eyes multibillion-dollar data center campus near Carlisle

Central Pennsylvania is home to big buildings that store stuff. A Virginia-based company is eyeing construction of big buildings that

Pharma giant plowing millions into Lancaster County campus

Life sciences heavyweight GSK is investing up to $800 million into its Marietta-area campus with plans to boost capacity and produce cutting-edge

Video-display installer sells stake to Lancaster firm

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 video walls.“This is […]

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$37.5M sale of York fiber optic company on hold

State utility regulators are putting an indefinite hold on the proposed sale of York-based United Fiber & Data, a deal valued at about $37.5 million, according to filings with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.The PUC said it needs more time to complete its review of the deal, according to a Sept. 18 letter from the PUC […]

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State opens portal for reporting data breaches

Pennsylvania’s attorney general has set up an online portal where companies in Pennsylvania will be required to report data breaches under amendments enacted this year to the state’s breach notification laws. Signed into law in June, the amendments require companies to report breaches that affect at least 500 Pennsylvanians starting Sept. 26.In preparation for the […]

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Lancaster software startup merges with industry peer

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

Capital-area startup banks on demand for data centers

Andy Kochanowski was looking for a business to buy when he came across a listing on BizBuySell that caught his eye.It was for a data center in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, operated by Elevated MSP LLC, an IT services company in Lemoyne. Elevated was looking to exit the business in order to focus on its core […]

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Data breach at Geisinger vendor affects 1M patients

Danville-based Geisinger health system this week disclosed a data breach that could affect more than a million of its patients.In its

PennSpring-backed firm scoops up virtual paralegal service

Zirtual, a portfolio company of Lancaster-based investment firm PennSpring Capital, is branching out.The virtual-assistant service has acquired Del.Trust, a company that offers virtual paralegal services to attorneys and law firms nationwide. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Del.Trust founder Jaclyn Foster is joining Zirtual as president of its newly established paralegal services division.“She is the ideal leader […]

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York fiber company co-founded by rock stars unloads assets

United Fiber & Data, a York-based fiber optics firm that once promised to bring jobs and data centers to eastern Pennsylvania, is selling “substantially all” of its assets to a New York-based company.Those assets include the signature project of United Fiber & Data, or UFD, a company founded in 2012 by former members of the […]

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PE firm backs spinoff from York IT company

John Dolmetsch believed wireless connectivity would become a staple of modern life. He just didn’t expect it would happen so

Lanco financial firm merges with Denver peer

The slowdown in home lending has challenged banks and mortgage brokers over the last year. But it has created opportunities for the firms that offer them advice and technology to improve their operations.It is those opportunities that helped spur a merger for Teraverde, a financial software and consulting company based in East Hempfield Township Lancaster County. The […]

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For Lititz VR firm, sale is path to scale

After striking a deal with ViacomCBS, now Paramount, Lititz-based MajorMega created a virtual-reality game based on popular cartoon character SpongeBob

Firm with Lanco ties forges $270M deal

A Massachusetts-based company has agreed to pay $270 million in cash for a London-based firm that sells anti-counterfeiting products and services.The firm is OpSec Security, which has operations at two locations in the Greenfield business park in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County. OpSec had been on a path to go public this year by merging with […]

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Edtech startup hires revenue chief

TEAMology, an education technology startup based in Chambersburg, has hired Gretchen Thompson as its first-ever chief revenue officer, where she

AG: “Sham” internet provider targeted rural York

A locally based company allegedly broke state law by reselling internet service in what the state attorney general described in a lawsuit as a “sham business.”The company, Davis Communications Internet Inc., subscribed to business internet plans, then advertised itself as an internet provider in its own right, specifically targeting consumers in rural York County, where internet […]

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WellSpan eyes drone-delivery service

A regional health system is laying the groundwork for an aerial delivery service.WellSpan Health said yesterday it is partnering with San Francisco-based Zipline to offer a service that would ferry patient prescriptions, lab samples and medical products via autonomous drones. The health system offered no timeline for when service would begin. When it does, it would likely be […]

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Doceo leader talks succession, expansion

When John Lewis interviews younger job applicants these days, he fields questions he did not typically hear a decade ago.Applicants

Court backs realty tax exemption

The owner of a Gettysburg-area hotel prevailed in a court case that turned on questions of when to apply a

Regional lawn-care company sold

Green Image Lawn Care, a regional lawn-care company with offices in York and Lancaster counties, has been acquired by LawnPRO Partners,

York-area brewer taps into downtown Lancaster

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 in downtown Lancaster […]

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School board denies tax abatement for York-area sports complex

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 […]

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Sales include Camp Hill brownstone, Hanover industrial property

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 […]

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Mixed-use project is ‘first phase of final phase’ for York tract

Officials in York have toiled for more than two decades to bring development to the Northwest Triangle, a former industrial

Nonprofit lender lands $40M in tax credits to back projects

Community First Fund has been awarded $40 million in new market tax credits, which it can use to support economic-development

$37.5M sale of York fiber optic company on hold

State utility regulators are putting an indefinite hold on the proposed sale of York-based United Fiber & Data, a deal valued

Prominent York restaurant to see new life

Restaurateur Victor Claffey is gearing up to open a restaurant called Bloom in the former Left Bank Restaurant and Bar in downtown York.Claffey, an Irish native with two decades of restaurant experience in Ireland and the U.S., hopes to infuse new life into the space, which is one of the oldest fine-dining establishments in York.“I think there is a […]

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State residents leery of driverless vehicles

The adoption of driverless vehicles in Pennsylvania depends on resolving a host of legal, regulatory and technical challenges. But it also may rest on cultivating a more positive public perception, judging by the reaction to draft guidelines for highly autonomous vehicles, or HAVs, published last month by PennDOT.HAVs include vehicles monitored and operated from a distance.The guidelines […]

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Harrisburg venue kicking off 25th anniversary party

Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts in Harrisburg is planning a birthday celebration this week designed to reintroduce the 25-year-old center to the community.The celebration kicks off Monday Sept. 9 with a private lunch for the center’s founding board and staff members, as well as other community leaders who helped bring Whitaker to Harrisburg.Tuesday will bring […]

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Phoenix Contact USA

Phoenix Contact USA, based in Middletown, restructured its leadership team as of Sept. 1. The changes are in preparation for the Dec. 31 retirement of President Jack Nehlig after 23 years with the company.Heath Scoggin has been promoted to president of device connectors for the business area and will lead Phoenix Contact development and manufacturing, […]

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Neighbors claim York County winery is violating order allowing it to reopen

The land-use dispute between Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery and neighboring homeowners is taking a new twist.In a legal filing last week in York County court, the neighbors, Amanda Perko and Matthew Balsavage argue that the winery in Lower Windsor Township appears to be violating limits on its operations set by a recent court order.They argue […]

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Hanover Foods, union reach deal, avoid strike

Hanover Foods agreed on a new labor contract this week with a union representing about 300 employees at its Hanover-area plants. The union — United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 — had threatened to strike, with its leader arguing that the company was proposing unacceptable changes to health and pension benefits, as well as inadequate raises.The new […]

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Union eyes strike amid contract talks with Hanover Foods

Union members voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike at Hanover Foods if they cannot agree on a new contract with the

AAA Central Penn

AAA Central Penn has welcomed Shaun Balani, Tracy Grajewski, Shanice Mariluz and Velma Redmond to its board of directors.Balani, now retired, was CEO and majority shareholder of Travel Time Travel Agency Inc. for 32 years. He most recently worked as a Vistage chair, helping a community of CEOs of small to mid-size companiesnetwork and grow […]

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Retiring health system CEO hailed as ‘transformational leader’

Steve Massini is planning to retire this fall as CEO of Penn State Health following a five-year tenure marked by significant growth for the health system but also challenges for its transplant programs. Massini oversaw the construction and opening of new hospitals in Cumberland and Lancaster counties, two of the region’s most competitive healthcare markets.Massini also led the […]

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The LGBT Center of Central PA

Amber Roadcap has been named executive director of The LGBT Center of Central PA. Roadcap worked most recently in a marketing role at Malvern Health. She began her career as a crisis intervention counselor at Geisinger Holy Spirit Hospital.Roadcap previously volunteered at the LGBT Center, which is moving this year to a permanent home at 1323 […]

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