How the Moshannon Valley turned economic disaster into multi-million dollar success
By Holly Riddle Photo: Provided. Just a short drive from Penn State’s University Park campus, the greater Moshannon Valley region welcomes visitors with its expansive and beautiful natural landscape and charming small towns like the region’s heart of activity, Philipsburg. However, for the average traveler with no business ties, Moshannon Valley may still just be […]
Ben Franklin welcomes Todd Erdley as new central regional director
Ben Franklin Technology Partners has announced it will be welcoming local serial entrepreneur, Todd Erdley, to its State College-based investment team effective March 1, 2023. As the central regional director, Erdley will be the principal point-of-contact for companies seeking financial investment and business support services from Ben Franklin in the Central Region comprised of Centre, […]
How AIRWALK (and Central PA) missed out on being a $5 billion company
By Jodie Dello Stritto If you were a 90s kid, you probably know AIRWALK shoes. Staple footwear for skaters, even Tony Hawk was a brand ambassador. But did you know that in its heyday in the 1990s the company’s world headquarters was in the Greenwood Shopping Center on old Route 220 in Altoona? AIRWALK was […]
Disruptive Tech: Meet the company that’s making researchers rethink possibilities
By Cara Aungst Magnitude Instruments founder Eric Kennehan. Photo: Provided. A few years ago, before Magnitude Instruments was formed, a renowned professor at a major research university published an article decrying the use of transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) in research. The professor concluded that transient absorption, which generally used very high-intensity lasers to record chemical […]
Request, respond, record: How Mission Critical Partners is there during every step of an emergency
By Stephanie Kalina-Metzger A Mission Critical Partners employee provides assistance during a time-critical incident. Photo: Provided. Mission Critical Partners began with just three people: Kevin Murray, Brian Bark and Len Kowalski, working in makeshift offices above their garage and in their basements. Today, the company is known as the top public safety, courts consulting advisory […]
Penn State was a clear choice for Gorilla Glass inventor, no pun intended
By Cara Aungst Dr. Mauro and Brittney Hauke (Ph.D. student) performing a calorimetry experiment on a glass sample. Photo: Provided. If glass and ceramics had a hall of fame, there’s a good chance that there would be a lifesize (glass, of course) statue of John Mauro at the entrance. The co-inventor of Gorilla Glass has […]
Sustainability pioneer EnergyCAP started in Happy Valley 40 years ago. Why they are choosing to stay here, and what’s next.
By Stephanie Kalina-Metzger “The EnergyCAP Team shares information on their business at an industry tradeshow.” EnergyCAP became a pioneer in energy and sustainability enterprise resource planning (ERP) software before energy conservation was high on everyone’s radar and while PCs were in their infancy. The company was created to help users track their energy usage, and […]
Identifying small problems before they turn big
By Stephanie Kalina-Metzger (Left to right) Bruce Pellegrino, VP Marketing; Jim Barshinger, CTO; and Jeff Anderson, President/GM; Photo: Provided. Happy Valley-based Sensor Networks Inc. is helping companies protect their assets by equipping them with products that identify small problems before they turn into large ones. The company was born from a relationship between two coworkers, […]
The hybrid workplace: pandemic band-aid or enduring solution?
By David Rockower When the pandemic hit, there was no time to weigh the pros and cons, listen to employee opinions or create a balanced schedule; Covid-19 necessitated physical distancing and, as a result, many businesses made the switch to remote work. Soon, many employers started asking questions: Do we really need all that office […]
