• Savor Bucks County
• Local Municipalities, UBCC and QCSD Form Policy Group to Boost Regional Collaboration, Enhance Community
• The Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce Announces The Leadership Advancement Class of 2015/2016

• Kreischer Miller Expands Geographic Footprint with New Office in Lehigh Valley
• Penn Community Bank VP Named to Bucks County SPCA Board of Directors
• Colliers International Ranks the Eastern Pennsylvania Submarket as One of the Most Rapidly Growing Markets in the United States

One of BCEDC’s Newest Members

Please join us in welcoming one of our newest members, Kathleen Hay, Vice President/SBA Business Development Executive at Unity Bank. Kathleen joined Unity Bank in 2011 and has served as Assistant Vice President/Commercial Loan Closer and Vice President/Loan Closing Manager for the bank’s growing Small Business Administration (SBA) lending program.

Quaker City Appliance Service Company (QCASC) was approved to borrow $400,000 from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a total project cost of $1,200,000.

The new loan project is for the construction of a 6,500 sq. ft. industrial facility located at 818 Bristol Pike in Bensalem.

Quaker City Appliance Service Company is in business since the 1950’s. The Petrillo’s are second generation owners and the third generation is also working at the company. QCASC services and distributes appliances in the Delaware Valley area for manufacturers as well as local appliance dealers. Seventeen existing jobs will be relocated to Bensalem and an additional five will be added to the new facility.

Colliers represented the buyer and seller of 6400 Bristol Pike in Bristol. The buyer was Exeter Property Group and the seller was Keystone Industrial Properties. The 152,000 SF building sold for $3,925,000.

Colliers represented the buyer, Albert T. Chadwick, in the purchase of 1211 Ford Road in Bensalem. The 103,421 SF building sold for $2,950,000.

These buildings were vacant and on the market for a long time. Finally getting new owners that see them as value-add opportunities.

TMA Bucks and PennDOT are reminding motorists that wet leaves, fog, sun glare and even frost are a few driving hazards they will encounter this fall in Bucks County.

As leaves begin to fall, wet leaves on the roadway can be as slippery as ice. They also can obscure traffic lines and other pavement markings, making driving in unfamiliar areas particularly difficult. Motorists should slow down and use extra caution on leaf-covered roadways.

Other fall hazards for motorists can be fog and sun glare. When driving in fog, motorists should use low beam headlights since the high beam setting creates glare and reduces visibility. Not only will headlights enhance visibility of your vehicle, state law requires headlights be on when wipers are in use.

Sun glare can be most problematic during sunrise and sunset, which coincide with morning and evening rush hours. The intense glare from the sun on the horizon can blind a driver, causing an unexpected traffic slowdown. Drivers can prepare for the glare by keeping a set of sunglasses handy, removing clutter from their sun visors and keeping the inside of their vehicle’s windshield clean.

SEWN and Bollman Hat Provide Senate Testimony to Bring Jobs Back to Pennsylvania

On September 28, 2016 the Senate Economy, Business and Jobs Caucus – chaired by Senators Mensch and Boscola – and the Senate Manufacturing Caucus – chaired by Senators Farnese and Ward – held a joint session open discussion regarding reshoring/offshoring ideas, automation, industrial robotics and 3D printing in terms of the impact of these issues on manufacturing and bringing jobs back to the Commonwealth and creating new jobs here in Pennsylvania.

Tom Croft, Executive Director of the Steel Valley Authority, testified about the effectiveness of the Strategic Early Warning Network (SEWN) in retaining and reshoring manufacturing jobs throughout PA. There are roughly 30 Pennsylvania companies bringing jobs back to the Commonwealth including Woolrich, Berner International, and K’nex. He stressed that more businesses and the Commonwealth would benefit significantly from a “Making It in Pennsylvania” reshoring task force including the partners shown in the graphic.

SBA Loans for Your Business

Basic 7(a) Loan Program

Gives 7(a) loans to eligible borrowers for starting, acquiring and expanding a small business. This type of loan is the most basic and the most used within SBA’s business loan programs. Borrowers must apply through a participating lender institution. Contact Jim Pawlikowski, for an SBA lender referral, jjp@bcedc.com or 215.348.9031, extension: 10.

Loan Rates Remain Consistent

Listed below are the updated interest rate options for the PIDA loan program. The rates will be in effect for loan applications received through December 31, 2016.

For Real estate loans financing eligible land and building costs, borrowers will have the following two interest rate options:

7 Steps for Attracting and Retaining the Right People to Management.

“Get the right people on the bus… Once you have the right people in place, figure out the path to greatness.” —Jim Collins, Good to Great

What are the biggest challenges to success in your business? Innovation, product development, customer acquisition, process improvement, revenue, and profit growth. Yes, all of these are some of the major hurdles faced by companies, regardless of their industry or stage of their business. Yet, the greatest challenge for any organization is how to attract—and to retain—great people. Without a great team, a company cannot succeed.

Success of any business is predicated on having the right people in the right jobs with the right skills. This is true not only for executive positions, but also those on the front line. If you don’t have the right people, you simply will not succeed. HCCP has advised hundreds of company presidents, CEOs, and board members on attracting and retaining the best talent. With that experience and research, HCCP has honed a seven-step process that takes you from business strategy and recruitment to long-term retention of your best employees and business success.