First Citizens Community Bank empowers local growth through community unity
By: Sarah Taylor Photo: First Citizens Community Bank on Beaver Avenue in Downtown State College, PA In 1872, the predecessor to today’s First Citizens Community Bank (FCCB) opened in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, as Ross and Williams Bank. Now, more than 150 years later, and with a downtown State College branch opening in 2017 following the acquisition of S&T […]
Summer’s far from over: Late summer events bring visitor dollars to the region
By: Sarah Taylor While Happy Valley may be known as Penn State, and it’s easy to assume that most visitors come to the region for university-related events (like football games), when school’s out during the summer, Centre County still welcomes over 1.9 million visitors over the span of three months. Many June and July events […]
As the Centre Region Council of Governments nears its 55th year, leaders reflect on work improving the local community
By: Sarah Taylor Local construction underway | Image Credits: Council of Governments’ project update As Happy Valley community members go about their days — visiting parks and libraries, taking advantage of amenities like recycling centers and more — there’s an organization in the background, with a budget of approximately $24 million and more than 300 […]
Why Happy Valley transplants have stayed through the decades
By Sarah Taylor Penn State alum Steve Koval moved back to the Happy Valley region in 1986. Almost 40 years later, he’s the founder of Nittany Strategic Solutions LLC and plans to stay in the area for the long haul. His reasoning? Simple — the combination of “community, outdoor adventures, PSU events and family,” made […]
Shifting tides in Happy Valley: What the changes mean for you
by Sarah Taylor For decades, the real estate market has been shaped by a standard 6% commission fee on home transactions (in discussions with local real estate agents all have stated emphatically that commission rates were always negotiable.) But now, with a groundbreaking antitrust settlement poised to disrupt this, let’s look at the implications for […]
Demystifying and mastering the art of the sale: Advice from Moore Power Sales and the Sandler Selling System
“The Sandler system changed my life.” “It works on the whole person, lifting their self-esteem, bringing confidence and bulletproofing them so they can prospect consistently and close new opportunities. “This changed who we hired in terms of a successful salesperson in our business. They ramp up faster and we have stronger salespeople. Previously all we […]
A Glimpse into Pennsylvania’s New Initiatives and Investments
By Sarah Taylor The Word is Spreading: “Pennsylvania Gets It Done” This month, DCED Secretary Rick Siger launched the “Pennsylvania Gets It Done” advertising campaign to bolster Pennsylvania’s economic atmosphere. This initiative seeks to showcase PA’s vibrant business environment and highlight PA’s core strengths across key industries such as energy and agriculture. The campaign targets […]
The Shapiro Administration Launches New Marketing Campaign for Economic Growth
By Sarah Taylor Image Credits: Marc Levy, Associated Press on WVIA – Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro says he wants to ‘get s— done.’ He’s made it his slogan, profanity and all (wvia.org) The Shapiro Administration is making bold moves with the launch of a comprehensive marketing campaign, “Pennsylvania Gets It Done”, embracing the same kind […]
