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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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Deal boosts insurance arm for regional bank

Mid Penn Bancorp has snapped up a Dillsburg-area employee benefits firm as it seeks growth for its insurance unit.The Mid Penn unit, which does business as MPB Insurance and Risk Management, started in June 2020, primarily in property and casualty products, according to Rory Ritrievi, chair, president and CEO of the Harrisburg-based bank.The acquisition of Commonwealth Benefits Group, […]

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Chase plans Carlisle Pike branch

Chase Bank, the retail banking arm of financial services giant JPMorgan Chase, is seeking permission to open a branch on the edge of Hampden Commons, a shopping plaza along Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township, Cumberland County. The bank is leasing a former M&T Bank branch at 5528 Carlisle Pike, according to Brad Rohrbaugh, retail director for York-based Bennett Williams Commercial, […]

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Regional bank to cut six branches post-merger

Orrstown Financial Services is planning to shed six branches as it seeks to wring cost savings from its recent merger of equals with PeoplesBank parent Codorus Valley Bancorp.The closures, expected to take place in the fourth quarter, will result in a one-time pre-tax charge of $534,000 but yield annual pre-tax savings of about $1.7 million, according to a securities […]

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Lanco wealth advisory bought by Texas firm

Another local financial advisory has landed in the arms of a larger business.Rodgers & Associates Wealth Advisers, based in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, has been acquired by Bluespring Wealth Partners, an Austin, Texas-based firm that has scooped up more than two dozen wealth management firms since it was founded five years ago.Rodgers & Associates referred questions […]

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Fulton to shutter 19 branches

Fulton Financial is closing 19 branches in southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and New York City three months after the bank’s emergency acquisition of failed Philadelphia lender Republic First Bank, a deal that deepened Fulton’s reach in the state’s largest market. Lancaster-based Fulton is closing 13 of its own branches and six former Republic branches, according to Fulton spokesperson Stephen […]

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Adams, York county banks forge $73.5M deal

After a run of more than 20 years, Traditions Bank in York County has agreed to be acquired by ACNB Corp., a Gettysburg-based institution aiming to push eastward into York and Lancaster counties.The all-stock deal, expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, is valued at $73.5 million. The combined bank would have assets of $3.3 billion and […]

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Orrstown cutting jobs post-merger, but execs see growth ahead

Orrstown Financial Services is shedding about 135 jobs as part of its recently closed merger with Codorus Valley Bancorp, with the majority of the cuts landing in back-office areas such as marketing, technology, finance and risk management, according to bank executives.The cuts stem from overlapping operations of the two banks, Tom Quinn, Orrstown’s president and CEO, said […]

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Stake in Rock Lititz company poised to change hands

Goldman Sachs Alternatives, a private equity arm of New York-based finance giant Goldman Sachs, has agreed to purchase a majority stake in TAIT, a live-entertainment production company based at Rock Lititz in Lancaster County. The seller is private equity firm Providence Equity Partners , which has had a stake in TAIT since 2019. Terms of the deal, which is […]

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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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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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Startup nonprofit in Lancaster aims to persuade

Drew Mousetis understands the benefits of employee ownership.As a lead consultant for employee-owned software company Cargas in Lancaster, he enjoyed a sense of financial security that allowed him and his wife to purchase a new home in Lancaster Coujnty where they are raising their four young children.“You just can’t really put a value on that,” […]

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House panel OKs controversial swipe-fee legislation

In a party-line vote, a House panel approved legislation on June 12 to exempt Pennsylvania sales taxes from so-called swipe fees — the fees assessed to process transactions involving credit cards.Fourteen Democrats on the committee voted for the legislation, House Bill 2394, while 11 Republicans were opposed.The exemption would mean that on a $1 purchase in […]

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Banks, retailers spar over swipe-fee legislation

Pennsylvania banks and credit unions are pushing back on proposed state legislation that would exempt the sales-tax portion of retail purchases from so-called swipe or interchange fees — the fees charged by financial services companies for processing credit card payments. The fees are typically 1% to 3% of a transaction. Under the exemption, on a […]

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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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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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State funds boost projects in York, Adams, Lancaster, Lebanon

Developer Ben Sutton has been working for more than a year to bake new life into a former bakery plant in West York.This week, he secured a key ingredient: a low-interest state loan and accompanying grant totaling nearly $2.5 million in all.“It was the missing part,” Sutton said in an interview with biznewsPA. “Now, we […]

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Inch taps construction vet for ops/finance chief

Inch & Co. Holdings, a York County construction and real estate development firm, has hired Mike Benshoof as its first-ever chief operations and financial officer. Benshoof, a construction industry veteran, was most recently president of Berks Homes, a regional home builder with offices in Mohnton, New Cumberland and State College.“We’re very, very happy to have him […]

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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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Firms partner on $18.6M apartment project in Lebanon

Lebanon-based construction company Arthur Funk & Sons Inc. is teaming up with a Wisconsin-based developer to build a 48-unit affordable apartment complex on a roughly five-acre plot along Mount Pleasant Road in South Annville Township, Lebanon CountyA formal groundbreaking is scheduled for July 15, but site work already is underway, said Matthew Padron, managing director of […]

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House OKs expansion to prevailing-wage law

A controversial effort to tweak Pennsylvania’s prevailing-wage law has cleared a key hurdle.The Democratic-controlled state House this week passed a bill containing the tweaks on a vote of 125 to 77, sending it to an uncertain future in the GOP-controlled Senate.What are the tweaks: The legislation, House Bill 2153, would apply prevailing wages for the […]

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Harristown undertaking $750K reno project

An affiliate of the nonprofit developer Harristown Enterprises is carving up a pair of vacant rowhomes at 104 and 106 Walnut St. in Harrisburg into four apartment units, ranging in size from 910 square feet to 1,690 square feet. The Harristown affiliate, Charming on Walnut LLC, bought the two Depression-era buildings in December 2023 in a […]

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Proposed tweaks to prevailing wage spur debate

Contractors and some lawmakers are pushing back against efforts to change how Pennsylvania officials apply prevailing wage law, which sets a floor for wages on publicly funded construction projects.Their target is legislation before the state House and Senate that critics argue will drive up costs for public works.“It’s simply the wrong solution for Pennsylvanians,” state […]

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High court to hear dispute over prevailing wage

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving application of prevailing wages to a $17.2 million build-to-lease project for a State Police barracks and training center in Luzerne County.Administrative rulings sought to apply prevailing wages to the project, based on the notion that the state’s 20-year lease for the property essentially paid […]

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York developer names CEO as founder moves to CFO

After 15 years of leading York-based Royal Square Development and Construction, Josh Hankey is stepping into a new role at the company he founded in 2009.Hankey is poised to become CFO and pass the CEO baton to Dylan Bauer, who joined Royal Square in 2014.In an interview, Hankey said the two executives had been giving thought […]

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Retirement community plans $27M building project

Senior-living provider Landis Homes plans to erect 35 villa-style residential units on the western edge of its campus in Manheim Township, Lancaster County. The $27 million project reflects continuing demand for retirement living — 34 of the units have already been pre-sold — said Corey Hamilton, CFO for the nonprofit.The units, mostly two-bedrooms, will range in size from […]

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Nashville twin in works for Rock Lititz

Rock Lititz, the live-entertainment campus in Lancaster County, is erecting a twin in Nashville, the longtime capital of country music and home to the Grand Ole Opry.Rock Lititz announced May 1 that it broke ground last month on Rock Nashville, a 40-acre campus that will feature 514,000 square feet of rehearsal space for touring musicians, as […]

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WellSpan breaks ground on first of three ‘mini hospitals’

As they broke ground yesterday on a new “mini hospital” in southern York County, WellSpan Health officials identified the next two locations for the small-format medical centers: the Carlisle area and northern York County.The regional health system is opening the three mini hospitals — in partnership with Texas-based specialty operator Emerus — to bring inpatient […]

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First Dauphin branch in the works for F&M Trust

The chief banking subsidiary of Chambersburg-based Franklin Financial Services has broken ground on a new branch at 4765 Linglestown Road in Lower Paxton Township.It will be F&M Trust‘s first free-standing, full-service branch in Dauphin County. “It’s a natural progression of our growth and activity in the capital region, specifically Dauphin County,” F&M Trust president and CEO Tim Henry said […]

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West Shore distributor sells stake to PE firm

R.F. Fager Co., a West Shore distributor of plumbing, heating, roofing and other supplies, has a new partner.New York-based private equity firm Tenex Capital Management has made an undisclosed investment in the company. Efforts to reach R.F. Fager and Tenex were not successful, But in a statement to trade publication PE Hub, Tenex managing director Gabe Wood said, […]

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Insurers sue local contractors over recycling-plant fire

On March 8, 2022, a fire ripped through a Penn Waste recycling facility in Manchester Township, York County, knocking it out of commission. Now, three Penn Waste insurers are suing local contractors involved in building the facility and installing its sprinkler system. The insurers, which include Connecticut-based XL Insurance, are seeking to recover $26 million in damages from York-based Kinsley […]

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Engineering firm opens MD, western PA offices

A Harrisburg-area engineering firm has added two new offices, including its first-ever location in Maryland.HRG has opened offices in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and Hagerstown, Maryland, hoping to make greater inroads in both areas. The additions bring the firm, based in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, to a dozen offices, with 10 in Pennsylvania and one each in […]

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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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Contractor to lay off workers at Amazon sites

A vendor is laying off nearly 300 workers after Amazon ended its contract to provide janitorial and facilities services to eight of the ecommerce giant’s warehouses in Pennsylvania, including four in Cumberland and York counties, according to a notice filed with the state. South Carolina-based Newbold Services LLC plans to lay off 294 people as of March 5, according […]

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PUC TO PROBE REQUEST FOR DOUBLE-DIGIT WATER HIKE

State regulators plan to take a closer look at a double-digit rate increase being sought by Pennsylvania American Water to cover investments in its water and sewer systems. The move was approved yesterday in a unanimous vote by state utility commissioners. As a result, the increase will be suspended for up to seven months while officials from the Pennsylvania Public Utility […]

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PODCAST: INCLUSIVE HIRING

When Michael Coy joined Wolfgang Confectioners as its workforce development manager, the candy maker employed about five people who spoke Spanish. Now, the Loganville-based company employs more than 100, a change Coy attributes to the company’s willingness to listen to employees and meet their needs, regardless of their background and experience. Coy shares Wolfgang’s experience […]

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Podcast: Logistics

Supply chains used to be something of an afterthought for most companies. They would fix it and forget it.But over the last couple of years, supply chains have emerged as a critical element of business strategy, in part because they have been so hard to get right.In this episode of the York County Economic Alliance […]

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Effort aims to diversity city contracting

The city of Harrisburg spent about $150 million on contracts for goods and services between 2017 and 2021.Slightly more than 7% of the total went to Black-, women- veteran-, and other minority-owned contractors, according to estimates in a study published last fall on contracting disparities in Pennsylvania’s capital. If spending had been in line with the […]

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Lancaster ag firms scoop up farm assets

A longtime Lancaster County farming family has sold off most of its operations to a pair of local ag companies.The Esbenshade family sold its feed mill, swine operations and related properties to The Wenger Group and its shell-egg operations to Kreider Farms. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed in yesterday’s announcement of the two deals. The Esbenshades, […]

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Podcast: The business of farming

Advanced technology is sowing the seeds, often literally, for the future of farming. Automated and AI-powered tools can plant seeds, assess crop health and pick the finished product from the field — or greenhouse.But technology alone won’t save farmers. They also need to rethink and reinvent their business models.This edition of the YCEA podcast, produced […]

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Podcast: The business of sports and recreation

The pandemic had a disparate effect on sports and recreation in York County.People flocked to golf courses and hiking trails, both perceived as relatively safe spaces.But some sports were forced to cancel entire seasons. That was the case for the York Revolution baseball team, which had to come up with creative ways to keep revenue […]

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Podcast: Workforce Development

Business leaders may be wondering where they will find the skilled people they need to keep their companies running and growing in the years ahead.This edition of the YCEA podcast, produced in partnership with biznewsPA, offers perspective from those in the trenches of training. It features Pedro Rivera, president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology […]

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New state park designated along Susquehanna

Amid a broader push to boost the outdoors economy in Pennsylvania, a new state park is coming to the banks of the Susquehanna River in York County.The tentatively titled Susquehanna Riverlands State Park is one of three new parks unveiled yesterday by Gov. Tom Wolf and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Dunn.The […]

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Podcast: Arts and the economy

When Covid-19 struck in March 2020, it upended the livelihoods of people who built careers around art, music, theater and other cultural pursuits that thrive on live audiences.Arts and culture are bouncing back, like other sectors of the economy. But they still have some ways to go to reach their pre-pandemic state, according to Karl […]

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Podcast: Welcoming Workplaces

Last fall, the York County Economic Alliance rolled out an initiative called Welcoming Workplaces. Its end goal is to promote inclusion, diversity and shared prosperity in the region.But the initiative also involves something of a journey for the organizations that have elected to take part.Marissa Bankert, executive director of IEC Pennsylvania; Anika Jackson, vice president […]

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Program aims to shower capital on small biz in PA

Pennsylvania’s small businesses are in line for a capital infusion of nearly $268 million under a program announced July 18 by the Wolf AdministrationThe money is coming from the federal government via the American Rescue Plan ActBut it will be distributed by the state, specifically the state Department of Community and Economic Development.Other hands also […]

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York venture fund adds to portfolio

A York-based venture fund has added to its portfolio of regional startups as it aims to bolster entrepreneurship in Central Pennsylvania.Founded in 2020, White Rose Ventures disclosed an inaugural round of investments in four companies earlier this year.At the end of last week, it unveiled investments of nearly $1.3 million in three more startups.Which are: ReturnLogic, Evermind and TEAMology.Based in Carlisle, ReturnLogic is a software firm […]

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Budget delivers big win, some misses for business

State lawmakers last week delivered a tax cut long sought by Pennsylvania’s business community. But in adopting a $45.2 billion budget on July 8 for the current fiscal year, they left out other sought-after provisions.The headline news is the immediate cut and subsequent phase-down of the state’s corporate net income tax, which had been 9.99%The […]

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Podcast: Pain at the pump

You don’t need a headline to tell you that fuel prices are high. But you can listen in to the latest edition of the York County Economic Alliance podcast produced in partnership with biznewsPA. Richard Farr, executive director of rabbittransit, describes how of one of Central Pennsylvania’s largest public transit providers is adapting. Mark Wisniewski, […]

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Podcast: Business leaders talk early childhood education

Listen in as a panel of experts discusses the importance of quality, affordable and accessible childcare in the region: Tony Campisi, chairman of Glatfelter Insurance Group; Andrea Heberlein, executive director of the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission; Jim Hoehn, regional president pf PNC Bank; and Heather Miller, chief education officer at the York Jewish Community […]

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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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Deal could take Lanco tiny-home firms public

A tiny-home startup in Lancaster County is poised for the big time.A publicly traded shell company has agreed to buy Tiny Estates LLC and two related companies, Endeavor Tiny Homes LLC and Tiny Communities Fund LLC. The companies are led by CEO Abby Shank, a former KPMG auditor-turned-entrepreneur who started a tiny-home community outside Elizabethtown in 2018. Shank, who went on to build […]

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Realty startup focuses on second-chance renters

Chris Dreisbach believes in second chances. He has made the most of his after succumbing to substance-use disorder and landing in jail in his native Lehigh Valley. The path to recovery led Dreisbach to a halfway house in Lancaster County, where he has since built a life, several businesses and a reputation as someone passionate […]

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PA STARTUP TAPS INTO THE POWER OF HOME INSPECTIONS

Home inspectors gather reams of information as they poke around houses that are about to change hands. In some cases, the information prompts buyers to back out of a deal or demand concessions, such as a new roof or a lower price. But in many cases, the information is simply dumped into a binder or […]

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New PA venture fund in the works

Two regional venture capital firms are joining forces to raise a new investment fund that will funnel early-stage capital to startups across Pennsylvania, with a focus on rural areas of the state. State College-based 1855 Capital and York-based White Rose Ventures hope to raise about $40 million for the new fund, dubbed Keystone Innovation Fund II, which they will co-manage. […]

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VC firms land government funding

State officials are directing federal funds toward venture capital firms they hope can jumpstart early-stage tech companies in Pennsylvania.The firms are Allegheny County-based BTVC Fund I LLP, which is receiving $1.5 million, and Atlanta-based Metallum Ventures LP, which is getting $2.25 million. The funding, announced yesterday, comes from the State Small Business Credit Initiative, a federal program that is […]

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Hotel company Hersha poised to go private

A publicly traded hotel company founded in Harrisburg is going private in a deal valued at roughly $1.4 billion.Hersha Hospitality Trust, now based in Philadelphia, has agreed to be acquired by KSL Capital Partners, a Denver-based private equity firm that specializes in travel and leisure businesses. Under the deal, KSL is paying $10 per share for […]

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Group pitches region as health-tech hub

Can Central Pennsylvania become a hub for innovations in telemedicine and other health care technologies?That’s the hope of a new consortium coming together to craft a plan for getting us there. The group includes a who’s who of local economic development agencies, health systems, colleges and private-sector players, including Lancaster-based Emerald Asset Management and Siemens Medical Solutions USA. But […]

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Black-owned firms tapped for legal services program

McNees Wallace & Nurick has picked 10 small, Black-owned businesses to receive free legal services in the third annual installment of the Harrisburg-based law firm’s program to overcome barriers to business growth and success.The small businesses, introduced last week at a reception at the King Mansion in Harrisburg, hail from across Central Pennsylvania, as well as […]

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Podcast: Support for diverse entrepreneurs

While much has been said about the barriers faced by women in business, you are likely to come away surprised nonetheless by what Sandy Bialek, Jen Heasley and Ashana Taylor have to say.The three York County women share their experiences as entrepreneurs in this edition of the YCEA Podcast, produced in partnership with biznewsPA.Bialek is […]

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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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Text marketing firm moves to Lancaster

Last fall, Lancaster-based private equity firm PennSpring Capital bought a majority stake in Mobiniti, a text marketing firm based in Wilkes-Barre.This week, a PennSpring entity paid $1.55 million for a building in Lancaster where it plans to relocate the operations of Mobiniti, which employs about 20 people.The move brings Mobiniti closer to PennSpring, which offers support to the […]

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Dame Leadership snaps up employee-assessment firm

Harrisburg-based management consulting firm Dame Leadership is hoping to take its services nationwide after acquiring an employee-assessment company with clients around the U.S. Dame Leadership said this week it has acquired Success Performance Solutions, a company born in Lancaster but now based in the Lehigh Valley. Terms of the deal — Dame Leadership’s first-ever acquisition — were not disclosed.“We’re just […]

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ReturnLogic raises capital to feed growth

West Shore-born tech company ReturnLogic has raised $8.5 million from investors as it looks to exploit opportunities to streamline product returns in the growing world of ecommerce.The new capital will allow the company to hire more people and develop more products, according to a press release.ReturnLogic makes software and other tools that help online retailers manage returns, a […]

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York venture fund adds to portfolio

A York-based venture fund has added to its portfolio of regional startups as it aims to bolster entrepreneurship in Central

Lebanon startup readies medical device for market

When Seth Pheng began working at a medical cannabis dispensary in 2019, the longtime pharmacist noticed two things.One was that people really were coming in for the medicine, not for the marijuana.Two was that it was an industry crying out for standards similar to what he was used to in the traditional pharmacy business.Three years […]

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Harrisburg-area firm agrees to sale

Ritter Insurance Marketing, a Harrisburg-area firm that provides products and services to independent insurance agencies, has been sold.Dallas-based Integrity Marketing Group said May 18 it has agreed to buy Ritter, which employs about 280 people in Susquehanna Township and at satellite offices around the U.S.Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But Craig Ritter, an owner and […]

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Saxton & Stump

Sara Arndt has been promoted to vice president of success and operations at Lancaster-based law firm Saxton & Stump. She had been senior director of success and integration.In her new role, she will continue to support the firm’s growth, including a focus on lateral recruiting. She also will work directly with the CEO and select […]

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Energy Association of Pennsylvania

Andrew Tubbs has been named president and CEO of the Energy Association of Pennsylvania, a Harrisburg-based trade group that represents regulated electric and natural gas distribution companies. Effective Jan. 27, he succeeds Terrance Fitzpatrick, who retired after 15 years with the association.Tubbs has more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry, including a […]

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CEO departs Mechanicsburg-based donut chain

Four years after taking the helm at Duck Donuts, Betsy Hamm has resigned.Hamm had led the Mechanicsburg-based donut shop franchisor as CEO since it sold a majority stake in April 2021 to NewSpring Capital, a private equity firm based in Radnor.“Duck Donuts appreciates Hamm’s leadership she provided throughout her years with the company,” said a company spokesperson, who […]

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PA joins new deal to settle opioid claims against Purdue, Sacklers

State attorneys general, including Pennsylvania’s newly installed Dave Sunday, are taking another crack at settling opioid-related claims against bankrupt drugmaker Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family that owns it.In an announcement yesterday, Sunday and other attorneys general said they reached a $7.4 billion settlement in principle with the company and the family.The deal does not shield the […]

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Developer backs off solar project in suburban Harrisburg

A Boston-based developer has withdrawn plans for a small solar array on a vacant tract in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, according to a township spokesperson. Nyes Run LLC, a subsidiary of Boston-based solar developer BlueWave, was pitching a 3-megawatt solar array for a vacant tract south of Devonshire Road and east of Jonestown Road.But the proposal was […]

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Penn State Health

Teresa Swenson was named administrative vice president of musculoskeletal services at Penn State Health effective Dec. 16.Swenson will oversee strategic initiatives for the musculoskeletal service line alongside physician leader Dr. April Armstrong, chair of the orthopedics and rehabilitation department at Penn State Health. Swenson will collaborate with hospitals and medical groups in the regional health […]

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Fulton closing 15 branches

Fulton Financial is closing 15 branches this spring, including three in York County, in a move described by a Fulton spokesperson as aligning the bank’s services with trends in customer behavior. Like its peers, the Lancaster-based bank is seeing growth in the use of online and digital tools — reducing the need for physical branches […]

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Regulators spurn requests to revisit permit for hydro project

In a brief notice yesterday, federal energy regulators denied petitions asking them to reconsider their approval of a preliminary permit for a controversial hydroelectric project in York County. The permit was issued last fall to York Energy Storage, a Reading-based company proposing a $2.3 billion pumped-storage energy facility along the Susquehanna River in Chanceford Township.The permit gives the […]

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Bank claims could complicate recovery for ATM investors

Investors hoping to recover money from Lancaster-based ATM operator Paramount Management Group are facing a new hurdle.In a legal filing this month, a Berks County bank claims it has a stake in some of Paramount’s ATMs, as well as any revenue they may be generating.Customers Bank is asking a Lancaster County judge to stay an earlier court agreement […]

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York firm buys self-storage properties in NY state

Investment Real Estate LLC, an arm of the York-based Investment Real Estate Group of Companies, has acquired three family-owned self-storage sites in Rome, New York — which is near Syracuse.The company plans to operate the new facilities under its Moove In Self Storage brand. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.The three sites add 659 storage units and 83,380 square feet of rentable […]

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Boyer & Ritter

Regional accounting and advisory firm Boyer & Ritter promoted nine staff members, including two new managers, two new supervisors and five new senior associates.James Farano and Geneka Zechman were promoted to manager.Farano, who joined Boyer & Ritter in 2019, provides accounting and auditing services for government clients. He has an associate degree in business administration-accounting […]

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Saxton & Stump

Christopher Conner, a former chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, has joined Saxton & Stump as a shareholder and co-chair of the law firm’s investigation and criminal defense group and its appellate and post-trial advocacy group.He also will help clients as a mediator for Saxton & Stump affiliate Optimal Dispute […]

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Apartment-ready tract near E-town fetches $8.7M

One of the nation’s largest apartment operators has scooped up a development-ready tract in northwestern Lancaster County.An affiliate of Greystar paid nearly $8.7 million for the tract, which is poised to house an 11-building, 280-unit apartment complex, according to county deed records.The seller was 1376 Campus Road Associates LLC, an affiliate of Catalyst Commercial Development, a West Conshohocken-based developer that […]

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Brown Plus

Accounting and advisory firm Brown Plus promoted nine team members effective Jan. 1.Kyle Bushong was promoted to audit manager. He has more than seven years of public accounting experience providing audit services to governmental entities, school-related entities and nonprofit organizations. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from Shippensburg University. He is […]

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Saxton & Stump

Kathryn Maza Courtney has been promoted to senior counsel at Saxton & Stump, a Lancaster-based law firm, effective Jan. 1.Courtney contributes to the firm’s healthcare litigation, appellate and post-trial advocacy, and investigations and criminal defense groups.Before joining Saxton & Stump, she worked at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP. Before moving into private practice, […]

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Trout CPA

Robert Firely joined Trout CPA as a partner effective Jan. 6.Firely was most recently a senior vice president at M&A advisory firm Murphy McCormack Capital Advisors. Before that, he was CFO and chief administrative officer for Triose, a healthcare-focused logistics company in Berks County.He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Penn State and has served on […]

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Orrstown Bank

Orrstown Bank has added a pair of leaders from a Maryland bank to lead operations and technology. Ben Colvard has been named chief operations officer at Orrstown, while Chris Orr has been named chief information officer.Orr worked most recently as chief digital officer for Sandy Spring Bank in Olney, Maryland, an institution with assets of about $14.4 […]

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Cabin maker finds ‘forever home’ near Ephrata

Lancaster Log Cabins was born in Brecknock Township, Lancaster County, in 2016 and moved to the Gap area in 2020.It is planning to move once again, but company owner Dan Smucker hopes it’s the last time.Lancaster Log Cabins paid nearly $15.1 million this month for what Smucker hopes is its “forever home”: A 68.7-acre tract at […]

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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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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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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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$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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In York speech, Trump pledges ‘pro-American overhaul’ to boost manufacturing

In a roughly 50-minute speech yesterday afternoon at a York factory, former President Donald Trump argued that, if elected for another term, he would usher in a U.S. manufacturing boom driven by higher tariffs, lower taxes, better trade deals and a reduction in energy costs.“Together, we will reclaim our nation’s destiny as the No. 1 […]

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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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House OKs expansion to prevailing-wage law

A controversial effort to tweak Pennsylvania’s prevailing-wage law has cleared a key hurdle.The Democratic-controlled state House this week passed a

Grant swells funding for $75M Codorus Greenway project

Federal funds are boosting plans to transform the banks of the Codorus Creek in York.The York County Economic Alliance has landed a $15 million infrastructure grant to help pay for the transformation plan, known as the Codorus Greenway project.“It’s certainly a big chunk, and it definitely helps propel the project,” said Kevin Schreiber, CEO of the YCEA.The […]

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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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Panel OKs rules for professional licensing of ex-convicts

A state review panel signed off June 20 on rules designed to make it easier for people with criminal records to earn professional licenses. The approval is one of the final steps needed before the rules take effect.The Department of State, which oversees professional licensing in Pennsylvania, first proposed the rules in 2022. They lay […]

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Revamp of Harrisburg’s former federal office building snags affordable-housing funds

A state agency is showering about $7.4 million on Central Pennsylvania developers and nonprofits aiming to alleviate the shortage of affordable housing and combat homelessness.The grants announced this month by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency range in size locally from less than $50,000 to an award of $500,000, which is being given to a construction company involved […]

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Accenture, a major state contractor, opens Harrisburg office

Accenture, which has landed some big-ticket state contracts, has opened an office in downtown Harrisburg at 20 N. Second St. The international professional services firm is leasing about 3,100 square feet on two floors of the building, which is also home to lobbying and communications firm Bravo Group.Accenture, which also has an office in Philadelphia, is […]

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House panel OKs controversial swipe-fee legislation

In a party-line vote, a House panel approved legislation on June 12 to exempt Pennsylvania sales taxes from so-called swipe

Banks, retailers spar over swipe-fee legislation

Pennsylvania banks and credit unions are pushing back on proposed state legislation that would exempt the sales-tax portion of retail

Panel to reconsider rules for licensing ex-convicts

State officials are taking another crack at finalizing proposed rules that would make it easier for Pennsylvania residents with criminal records to earn professional licenses in fields ranging from accounting and nursing to cosmetology and real estate. The Department of State, which oversees professional licensure, issued a revised version of the rules this month after an earlier draft was […]

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Proposed tweaks to prevailing wage spur debate

Contractors and some lawmakers are pushing back against efforts to change how Pennsylvania officials apply prevailing wage law, which sets

Five years in, WellSpan CEO looks ahead

In January 2019, Roxanna Gapstur became president and CEO of WellSpan Health, one of the largest employers in Central Pennsylvania.In little over a year after her first day on the job, she was guiding the health system through one of its most visible challenges, the Covid-19 pandemic.The pandemic has subsided. But WellSpan and other health […]

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PA’s top court to weigh coverage of CBD oil in workers’ comp

The state’s top court has agreed to hear a case that turns on whether employers must pay for CBD oil and other over-the-counter products under Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation program.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will consider several questions, including whether workers’ comp law requires employers and their insurers to reimburse injured workers who buy CBD oil and other […]

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WellSpan breaks ground on first of three ‘mini hospitals’

As they broke ground yesterday on a new “mini hospital” in southern York County, WellSpan Health officials identified the next two locations for the small-format

PA health systems sue insurer over value-based contract

A network of healthcare providers in western Pennsylvania is suing Aetna over what the providers allege is unfair treatment under the terms of a value-based contract.The contract took effect in 2023 and is supposed to reward the network, Bridges Health Partners, for reducing the cost of care while improving the health of people enrolled in Aetna’s Medicare Advantage […]

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WellSpan to acquire Lewisburg hospital

WellSpan Health has expanded to the east, west and south of its base in York County. The regional health system is now poised to reach north. WellSpan has agreed to acquire Evangelical Community Hospital, whose leaders have been looking for a partner that could shore up its ailing finances. Terms of the transaction, expected to close this summer, […]

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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

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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Court voids price guide for workers’ comp drugs

A state court has shelved the Red Book, a compendium of wholesale drug prices that state officials routinely use to settle disputes over drug costs in Pennsylvania’s worker’s comp program. In a ruling this week, Commonwealth Court disqualified use of the book after an insurer challenged it, claiming the book’s listed prices were not accurate. […]

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UPMC sued for allegedly misclassifying workers

UPMC is facing a class-action lawsuit filed by a respiratory therapist who claims she was misclassified as an independent contractor when she worked at the health system’s Harrisburg hospital in 2022. The suit, filed last week in an Allegheny County court, claims the therapist should have been classified as an employee and paid overtime when she […]

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Senior-living organizations to merge

Garden Spot Communites, a New Holland-based senior-living provider, is extending its footprint into the Philadelphia suburbs.The nonprofit has agreed to affiliate with Frederick Living, a senior-living community in Montgomery County. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But it is expected to close in early 2024. Garden Spot CEO Steve Lindsey will lead the combined organization, […]

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Group pitches region as health-tech hub

Can Central Pennsylvania become a hub for innovations in telemedicine and other health care technologies?That’s the hope of a new consortium coming together to craft a

WellSpan to open ‘mini hospitals’ in York, Cumberland counties

WellSpan Health is partnering with a Texas company to open three mini hospitals in York and Cumberland counties that will focus on providing emergency care.The regional health system is still finalizing the locations of the new facilities, said Dr. Anthony Aquilina, executive vice president and chief physician executive for York-based WellSpan. But, he said, they will […]

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Lawsuit puts cannabis testing rule on hold

Companies that test, grow and process medical cannabis in Pennsylvania are suing to block a rule they say could cost them millions of dollars and ultimately raise prices for patients.The rule, which had been slated to take effect this week, alters the requirements for testing cannabis before and after it is processed into medication But […]

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Lanco practice eyes growth in telemedicine

A Lancaster County medical practice is bellying up to the browser bar.US Digestive Health at Lancaster is rolling out a telemedicine service that could become a template for sister practices in its gastroenterology network, known as US Digestive Health. The service builds on the network’s experience with telemedicine during the pandemic and its growing acceptance among both patients and providers, […]

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Can new fees fix EMS finances?

Many ambulance companies have opted for mergers and consolidations to offset the crushing financial pressures they face.In northwest Lancaster County, local leaders have come up with another option. They are proposing a regional authority that would levy fees on property owners to support an ambulance service. “There’s pushback on the fees,” acknowledged Marc Hershey, president […]

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Highmark hit by data breach

A phishing attack in December exposed personal information on about 300,000 members of Highmark insurance plans, including about 96,000 members in Pennsylvania.The Pittsburgh-based insurer disclosed the breach last week in a notice to the office of the Maine attorney general. In a statement, Highmark said it “immediately responded” to the incident and launched an investigation. So far, […]

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Drayer HQ sold to home-care provider

A Lancaster-area home-care company has purchased the corporate headquarters of Drayer Physical Therapy Institute in Swatara Township, Dauphin County.Druk Homecare Services, a home-care provider based in East Hempfield Township, paid $1.7 million for the 20,812 square-foot office building at 8205 Presidents Drive, according to county deed records. Druk plans to relocate to the second floor of the building […]

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State ends appeal in medical cannabis recall

State health officials have dropped a legal action seeking to reinstate their controversial recall of medical marijuana vapes.The move before the state Supreme Court doesn’t end the legal fight. It simply means the Department of Health is no longer appealing a lower-court ruling that put the recall on holdNonetheless, it was welcomed by the medical cannabis […]

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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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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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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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Employment provision under scrutiny in PA

Noncompete clauses were the focus when federal regulators moved to outlaw most of them earlier this year.But there are other employment provisions that can have the same “functional effect” as noncompetes, according to the Federal Trade Commission.And one subtype of those provisions is coming under scrutiny in Pennsylvania. They are provisions that require employees to […]

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Mixed ruling allows York County winery to reopen

The legal roller coaster continues for a York County winery fighting with neighbors over its ability to continue operating.In a ruling last week, a York County judge allowed Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery to reopen this past weekend while the fight plays out in a state appeals court.It is the second time the winery has been allowed […]

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Apartment owner claims Harrisburg hampering bankruptcy sale

Harrisburg officials are allegedly hindering the sale of a beleaguered apartment complex in the city’s uptown neighborhood, according to claims raised in federal bankruptcy court by the complex’s owner, Uptown Partners LP. At issue is a list of roughly 600 crucial code violations at the affordable-housing complex, known as Governor’s SquareCity officials have not shared the list […]

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York County winery facing new orders to close

A York County winery overlooking the Susquehanna River is being forced to close for the second time this year following new rulings in a long-running legal dispute with neighbors who argue the winery violates restrictive covenants governing use of the property.Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery must cease operations by July 18, according to an order filed […]

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Harrisburg law firm hires first-ever finance chief

McNees, a regional law firm based in Harrisburg, has named Sara Reohr as its CFO, a new leadership role for the firm. A CPA by training, Reohr was previously a vice president and division controller for Select Medical, a Mechanicsburg-based rehab chain.At McNees, Reohr will oversee strategic financial initiatives.“As a growing and evolving firm, McNees offers […]

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Court order allows winery to reopen amid land-use dispute

Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery is poised to reopen this weekend following a court order rescinding an earlier ruling that closed the 50-acre winery and event venue overlooking the Susquehanna River in Lower Windsor Township, York County.The winery shut down June 9 after it lost a six-year land-use battle with neighbors who claim the business violated restrictive covenants […]

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Land-use fight shutters York County winery

Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, a winery and event venue overlooking the Susquehanna River in Lower Windsor Township, York County, was forced to close as of June 9 as the result of a court order in a six-year-old legal battle between winery owner Jim Miller and neighboring homeowners Matthew Balsavage and Amanda Perko. In a lawsuit […]

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Feds sue PHEAA over loan-servicing practices

In a lawsuit filed May 31, a federal consumer watchdog is alleging that the Harrisburg-based Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency misled student borrowers into thinking they still owed money after their student loans were discharged through bankruptcy. The crux of the lawsuit is a distinction between two types of student loans — those that can be […]

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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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High court to hear dispute over prevailing wage

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving application of prevailing wages to a $17.2 million build-to-lease

Dauphin County winery files bankruptcy, seeks buyer

A Dauphin County winery and related businesses have filed for bankruptcy as they look for a buyer for their operations.Spring Gate Winery parent company Schoffstall Farm LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 14 after experiencing six-figure losses in 2021 and 2022, according to a petition before U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.Based […]

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Bankrupty of Harrisburg apartment owner takes new turn

A new twist is complicating the bankruptcy case of Uptown Partners LP, the Maryland-based owner of Governor’s Square apartment complex in Uptown Harrisburg. The company managing the affordable-housing complex, Landex Management LLC, is asking the court to void its contract with Uptown Partners, arguing that the owner is not providing enough resources to manage the beleaguered property effectively.Uptown, […]

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High court rejects borough’s appeal over solar project

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided this week not to accept an appeal from Gratz Borough over a lower-court ruling that favored a company seeking to develop a solar farm in the northern Dauphin County municipality.The appeal followed a Commonwealth Court ruling last fall that the borough failed to properly advertise a meeting where it set stricter zoning standards for […]

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PA’s top court to weigh coverage of CBD oil in workers’ comp

The state’s top court has agreed to hear a case that turns on whether employers must pay for CBD oil

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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Snack maker unveils Hanover-area plant

Executives at G&S Foods opened the doors yesterday on a 351,000 square-foot plant outside Hanover that they expect will employ at least 1,000 people within the next three years.The factory will begin production later this summer with a staff of about 400 to start, according to G&S Foods CEO Dan Morgan.It will make and package pretzels, puffs […]

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Manufacturer plans $45M innovation center in Carlisle

Building products manufacturer Carlisle Companies is planning a $45 million expansion of its research and innovation hub in Carlisle. The project will entail construction of a 42,000 square-foot building alongside the company’s existing R&D center, which is at 1557 Ritner Highway, according to Carlisle Companies spokesperson Mehul Patel. The site is near the headquarters and […]

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Armstrong World buys specialty manufacturer

Armstrong World Industries, paid $95 million in April to acquire 3form LLC, a manufacturer of architectural resins, glasses and other materials based in Salt Lake City, Utah.Products from 3form, such as acoustic wall tiles, translucent glass and textured wall coverings, are expected to complement existing products from Armstrong World’s architectural specialties division, which accounts for about […]

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Steel fabricators expand in York County

The steel-fabrication business is thriving in York County as two companies expand operations there, one from Dallastown and one from Maryland. Yoe Construction, the Dallastown-based company, is leasing space for a new steel fabrication shop at 775 Lombard Road in Windsor Township, York County. The 23,142 square-foot shop is an extension of the company’s existing shop at […]

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Lanco steel fabricator sold

A longtime Lancaster County manufacturer is under new ownership.Greiner Industries, a structural steel fabricator in Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, has been acquired by IES Holdings Inc., a Houston-based company that designs and installs electrical and technology systems for data centers, residential housing and industrial facilities, among other end markets. The acquisition includes the Greiner business […]

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Hershey looks to cut jobs, costs

The Hershey Co. plans to shed jobs this year as it battles higher cocoa prices and sluggish sales.The cuts will amount to less than 5% of the company’s roughly 20,000 workers worldwide, according to a Hershey spokesperson. “We do not expect significant disruption or impact to our employee base,” the spokesperson said, declining to detail […]

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Utz selling plants, brands in $182.5M deal

In a bid to reduce debt and cut expenses, Hanover-based Utz Brands is unloading some of its snack brands and plants, including a facility in the Lititz area.In a deal valued at $182.5 million, the snack maker is selling plants in Manheim Township and Littletown, N.C. as well as the lease for a plant in Las Vegas, […]

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Vc firm ups investment in York-area food biz

A York County pretzel maker is looking to boost sales in both new and existing channels following a fresh infusion of venture capital. York-based White Rose Ventures has poured $500,000 into The Pretzel Co., which was founded in 2014 as York City Pretzel Co. White Rose previously invested $250,000 in the soft-pretzel maker, which is based in Manchester Township. […]

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York-area manufacturer makes acquisition

Flinchbaugh Engineering, an employee-owned contract manufacturer based in Hellam Township, York County, has purchased Billet Industries, a precision manufacturer also based in Hellam Township. Terms of the transaction, which took effect Jan. 1, were not disclosed. The acquisition reflects an effort by Flinchbaugh to diversify its business, according to a press release. The company makes […]

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Red Lion controls being sold for $345M

A Swedish company is hoping to strengthen its foothold in North America through the acquisition of Red Lion Controls, a specialty manufacturer based in Springettsbury Township, York County. HMS Networks has agreed to pay $345 million for Red Lion Controls in an all-cash deal slated to close in the first half of 2024. Red Lion Controls, which […]

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LANCO FLOORING MAKER BUYS NEWVILLE FIRM

Ecore International, a Lancaster-based company that makes flooring from recycled rubber, has purchased a Cumberland County company that collects and refurbishes old tires. The company, Newville-based Ameritread, fits in with Ecore’s goal of reusing and repurposing rubber products but also produces scrap that Ecore can incorporate into its own products. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. […]

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Lanco manufacturer sold to Texas private equity firm

A private equity firm focused on manufacturing has acquired ATI Corp., a family-owned company that makes equipment used in excavation and site preparation. Terms of the deal with Houston-based LDR Growth Partners were not disclosed. Based in East Earl Township, Lancaster County, ATI had been owned by Jansen Herr. The company — which employs more than 30 people […]

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NEW UNION VOTE ORDERED AT HERSHEY PLANT

To settle allegations that it violated federal law during a union election at a Virginia plant, The Hershey Co. has agreed to a do-over under a settlement with federal regulators. In the original election, held in early 2022, workers at the Stuarts Draft plant rejected joining the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union. But the […]

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Box maker eyes big investments in PA

One of the worlds’ largest recycled cardboard-box makers is planning to plow $500 million over the next decade into its Pennsylvania operations, which include a plant in the Carlisle area.The company is Pratt Industries, which has annual sales north of $6 billion and Australian-born businessperson Anthony Pratt at its helm. In a statement, Pratt said his company’s investment in Pennsylvania would […]

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Agency mulls deal for shuttered factory

A subsidiary of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corp. is exploring an acquisition of a recently shuttered Carlisle factory.The subsidiary, called the Real Estate Collaborative LLC, has signed a letter of intent to buy the plant formerly operated by The Frog, Switch & Manufacturing Co. at 800 E. High St. in the Cumberland County borough. But first, the […]

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AMES parent to shutter local factories

Two capital-area factories are slated for closure as their parent company reconfigures its supply chain to boost profits in the face of slower sales and high U.S. overhead.New York-based Griffon Corp. said it plans to close Hampden Township and Harrisburg factories that make garden tools, wheelbarrows and other equipment for The AMES Companies, a Griffon subsidiary and longtime staple of […]

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Firm to boost production of semiconductor materials in PA

A supplier to the semiconductor industry is plowing $300 million into an expansion of its operations in Schuylkill County.The investment by supplier EMD Electronics includes construction of a 96,500 square-foot facility near Tamaqua, expanding the company’s production of specialty gases used in semiconductor and electronics production. The company’s investment is expected to create at least 68 jobs and […]

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Real Estate

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

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 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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York-area Sheetz site changes hands

The site of a future Sheetz store in York County sold at the end of July for a price of just over $3.8 million.The seller of the roughly 3.3-acre property at 4044 N. George St. was Molt LLC, a partnership headed by York-area restaurateur and real estate investor Themi Sacarellos, according to county deed records. The buyer was […]

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Apartment owner claims Harrisburg hampering bankruptcy sale

Harrisburg officials are allegedly hindering the sale of a beleaguered apartment complex in the city’s uptown neighborhood, according to claims

West Shore college aims to sell surplus land, buildings

Central Penn College is looking to unload surplus land, townhomes and office space in and around its 58-acre campus in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, through an RFP process overseen by Lemoyne-based RSR Realtors.College officials hope the properties attract developers with proposals that enhance the campus and benefit students.Potential partners could include medical providers that align […]

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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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Firms partner on $18.6M apartment project in Lebanon

Lebanon-based construction company Arthur Funk & Sons Inc. is teaming up with a Wisconsin-based developer to build a 48-unit affordable apartment

Carlisle apartment complexes change hands

A Philadelphia-area apartment owner has scooped up a pair of Carlisle-area complexes alongside nine other properties around the state.The Carlisle-area properties — the 93-unit Hanover Manor and 80-unit Carlwynne Manor — are the two smallest properties taken in the deal, which includes more than 3,400 units overall,The other properties are in Allentown, Reading, Horsham, Lansdale, […]

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Revamp of Harrisburg’s former federal office building snags affordable-housing funds

A state agency is showering about $7.4 million on Central Pennsylvania developers and nonprofits aiming to alleviate the shortage of

Accenture, a major state contractor, opens Harrisburg office

Accenture, which has landed some big-ticket state contracts, has opened an office in downtown Harrisburg at 20 N. Second St.

Developer eyes mixed-use project for 26-acre Lanco tgract

Apartments and a hotel could be coming to the former Shawnee Resort property along Oregon Pike in Manheim Township, Lancaster County. Property owners Surender Singh and Manjeet Kaur, doing business as Kirpa Estates LP, envision a mixed-use development on the 26-acre site incorporating apartment buildings, a hotel and other retail buildings, according to Matt Creme, their attorney, […]

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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

York developer names CEO as founder moves to CFO

After 15 years of leading York-based Royal Square Development and Construction, Josh Hankey is stepping into a new role at the

Former school for sale amid dispute between owner, tenant with redevelopment plans

The former Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg is on the market amid a dispute between its owner and its chief tenant, a development company led by a former NFL player.Owner Jeremy Hunter of William Penn Holdings Inc. announced the building was for sale in a Facebook post on May 24.The post has led to “many” […]

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Oregon Dairy property sold in leaseback deal

After a bruising legal battle to develop their land in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, the Hurst family has sold it to another developer.The family, which owns the Oregon Dairy supermarket and restaurant, sold the store’s land and building on May 10 to Jerry Horst and his sons, Mark and Chad, who operate Manheim Township-based Vanguard Development Group. The sale […]

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Harrisburg building eyed for makeover fetches $14.5M

Adam Maust poured millions of dollars over the last four years into the Atlas Building, an edifice in Uptown Harrisburg that had fallen into disrepair by the time Maust bought it in 2020.He is now passing the torch to a new owner, a Harrisburg-based nonprofit called the Pennsylvania Social Equity Land Trust, which paid $14.5 million […]

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Technology

PA STARTUP TAPS INTO THE POWER OF HOME INSPECTIONS

Home inspectors gather reams of information as they poke around houses that are about to change hands. In some cases,

Region left out of federal tech hub awards

For the second time this month, a local group has come up short in a bid to attract high-profile federal funding.The first was an effort led by Harrisburg-based Team Pennsylvania to land money for a clean-hydrogen hub. The Team PA effort was not among those given awards. The second was an effort by a diverse group to snag […]

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Podcast: Strengthening Cybersecurity

When people hear about data breaches, they may think the solution is more and better technology: How high can we build that firewall?After all, it is technology that creates the conditions for data breaches to arise and compromise your personal information.The solution, however, lies in people, according to Dr. James Norrie, who spoke in late […]

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Highmark hit by data breach

A phishing attack in December exposed personal information on about 300,000 members of Highmark insurance plans, including about 96,000 members in Pennsylvania.The

ReturnLogic raises capital to feed growth

West Shore-born tech company ReturnLogic has raised $8.5 million from investors as it looks to exploit opportunities to streamline product returns in

Lawsuit settled over York fiber company

After trading legal blows for more than a year, the feuding owners of United Fiber & Data have reached a settlement.The confidential deal ends legal sparring that began in 2020 over the company, which was founded in York by members of the rock band Live and their business partner, Bill Hynes. The fight had narrowed in recent months to one between […]

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Deal adds IT talent for West Shore Home

Home remodeler West Shore Home has long described itself as a technology-enabled company.The Mechanicsburg-based firm now owns a technology company.West Shore Home said yesterday it has purchased Design Center Inc., a firm based in St. Paul, Minnesota.Terms of the deal were not disclosed but it adds 23 employees to West Shore Home, which has been expanding nationally from […]

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York-area firm buys former restaurant for new HQ

Doceo, a York-based technology services company, plans to move its headquarters this fall to a former Ruby Tuesday restaurant in York Township.The 6,000 square-foot space is larger than the 4,300 square feet the company currently rents in a multi-tenant building at 1499 S. Queen St. in Spring Garden Township, according to spokesperson Maya Miller. It […]

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Lancaster entrepreneurs aim to tackle school-based mental health challenges

Barbara Grimm, above left, worked with David Cooper to create the School Responder app (photos/submitted). During more than a decade working in the Lampeter-Strasburg School District in Lancaster County, Barbara Grimm saw a growing problem. More and more students needed help grappling with behavioral health issues, said Grimm, who worked in a variety of administrative […]

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Fledgling venture fund makes first investments

After raising roughly $10 million, a startup venture fund in York has disclosed an inaugural round of investments.Martin Fedorko, left, and Alexa Born founded White Rose Ventures in 2020 (photo/submitted).White Rose Ventures has plowed $1.73 million into companies in Lancaster, Harrisburg and YorkThe firm also unveiled a nonprofit, Braided River Collective, designed to support entrepreneurs around the region.They […]

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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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Giant, Harrisburg U team up on new ag research center

Seeded by a $1 million donation from grocery chain The Giant Co., Harrisburg University is hoping to plant a new center for agricultural research in the capital city.

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Lancaster firm pitches high-tech approach to tracking Covid-19 risk

Contact tracing is turning into a mess rather than an effective tool to stop Covid-19. People aren’t cooperating, contact tracers are becoming overwhelmed and the virus continues to spread at a record rate.“It’s almost like we’re at a dead end with that approach,” said Victor Owuor, chief product officer at Lancaster-based investment firm Aspire Ventures.The […]

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York County teacher turns entrepreneur

Teachers face a captive audience for their talents every day. But it’s not the kind of audience that can point them to the next networking event or business opportunity — or raise their professional profile.That’s what led York County teacher Erin Lapore to create Noble Space, a professional networking site designed with educators in mind.Erin […]

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West Shore firm partners with Wells Fargo to distribute new credit-application tech

For nearly two decades, Cumberland County tech company Versatile Credit has been making it easier for businesses to offer in-store credit. Its latest device, called Snap Sign, makes it as easy as pointing a mobile phone at a plastic sign.The signs are a secure, contactless alternative to in-store kiosks, tablets or paper applications that typically […]

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Investors pour $2M into Harrisburg-area startup

Data helps online retailers figure out what you want to buy, but it’s not foolproof. Sometimes, you buy things that don’t fit or don’t work — and back they go.But even when shoes or shirts make a return trip, there is data to be gleaned. That’s the premise behind ReturnLogic, a tech firm founded in […]

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Lancaster startup pivots to new market

A Lancaster startup is taking a new tack in distributing its product, an app that helps people improve their health through better eating, sleeping and exercising.The company, Fizika Group LLC, had focused on senior-living communities, said its founder, Martha Lester Harris. But the communities often have their own resources, like gyms and fitness programs, for […]

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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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Appell Center for the Performing Arts

Six new board members have been named to the board of directors for the Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York. They are:Suzanne Becker, Traditions Bank Mark Holman, retired from Susquehanna Township School District Juliet Kinsley, Ellis Lee Marketing & Graphic Design Eric Menzer, York Professional Baseball Christine Nentwig, CGA Law Firm Brian Strong, […]

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Saxton & Stump

Robert Pontz has joined Lancaster-based law firm Saxton & Stump as chair of the bankruptcy and financial restructuring group. Pontz also is now a shareholder of the firm and a member of its business/corporate and banking/financial services groups.Pontz, who has more than three decades of legal experience, was most recently a partner at Lancaster-based Brubaker Connaughton […]

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Officials embrace upcoming auction as chance for mall rebirth

Officials in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, are hoping that an online auction for the Colonial Park Mall yields a buyer interested in redeveloping the roughly 31-acre site.As a reminder of the site’s potential, they held a press conference June 19 to note that the retail property was zoned in 2020 to encourage mixed-use development […]

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Barley Snyder

Kyle M. Kelly has joined the Lancaster office of Barley Snyder as a member of the law firm’s business practice group. Before joining Barley Snyder, Kelly worked at a Pittsburgh law firm where he managed middle-market M&A for private equity and corporate clients. He also worked as a judicial intern for the North Carolina Court […]

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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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Five years in, WellSpan CEO looks ahead

In January 2019, Roxanna Gapstur became president and CEO of WellSpan Health, one of the largest employers in Central Pennsylvania.In

Bank to form holding company

Lancaster County-based Bank of Bird-in-Hand is seeking shareholder and regulatory approval to form a holding company, a common step for banks as they grow. The holding company would be called GELT Bancorp Inc., incorporating the Amish word for money. The bank also uses the word for its mobile branches, called Gelt buses.Existing bank shareholders would become shareholders in […]

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Camp Hill bank to shed NJ branches

LinkBancorp is selling its newly acquired operations in South Jersey for an after-tax gain of about $10.5 million, according to LinkBancorp CEO Andrew Samuel. The buyer is Philadelphia-based American Heritage Federal Credit Union, which has more than 310,000 members and assets of more than $4.8 billion.Expected to close in the second quarter of this year, the […]

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Amid improving finances, college misses bond payment

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology failed to make a monthly loan payment on May 1 in default of its loan agreement, according to a disclosure last week to its bondholders.Under the agreement, monthly payments to the bond trustee roll up into semiannual payments on interest and principal on the university’s bonds.Those semiannual payments are still being […]

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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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Manufacturer plans $45M innovation center in Carlisle

Building products manufacturer Carlisle Companies is planning a $45 million expansion of its research and innovation hub in Carlisle. The

Fulton buys failed Philly bank

Fulton Bank was on the receiving end on the afternoon of April 26 when state regulators shut down and brokered a sale of Republic First Bank, a troubled Philadelphia-based lender that does business as Republic Bank. As a result, Fulton has acquired most of the assets and branches of Republic First, expanding the Lancaster bank’s footprint in the competitive […]

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PE-backed firm takes stake in Harrisburg baseball team

A private equity-backed holding company is buying a majority stake in Harrisburg’s minor league baseball team from the family of the late Mark Butler, a co-founder of Harrisburg-based discount retailer Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings. Butler, who died in 2019, bought a majority interest in the Harrisburg Senators in 2014. That stake is now being sold to Diamond Baseball […]

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How realtors may adapt to a changing landscape

Over the last few weeks, real estate agents have begun bracing for the end of a common practice in home sales.It’s not the 6% commission, which agents argue is something of a misconception. It is the ability to signal that a homebuyer’s agent will be paid from the proceeds of a sale along with the […]

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Insurers sue local contractors over recycling-plant fire

On March 8, 2022, a fire ripped through a Penn Waste recycling facility in Manchester Township, York County, knocking it

Engineering firm opens MD, western PA offices

A Harrisburg-area engineering firm has added two new offices, including its first-ever location in Maryland.HRG has opened offices in Fayette County,

Another delay in sale of Harrisburg apartments

It could be another four weeks before a bankruptcy court decides the fate of the beleaguered Governor’s Square apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg.The court had been scheduled to hold a hearing April 2 on a proposed sale of the 222-unit complex But the hearing has now been moved to April 30 at the request of the property’s […]

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