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Manufacturer & Business Association

A Utility of the Future Today / Page 10

VOLUME XXVII, NUMBER 3 APRIL 2014

EDITORIAL > 7 / Health Matters Why employers can’t afford to overlook drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace.JAN NEDIN

9 / Legal BriefHow Pennsylvania’s State Energy Plan will work with communities that impose reasonable regulations that limit the impact of the NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) syndrome.MARK J. SHAW

15 / Financial AdviserExpert tips to help investors survive a bear market.CHRISTOPHER M. ZEHNER, CFP

DEPARTMENTS > 4 / Business Buzz16 / HR Connection

20 / Legal Q&A24 / People Buzz

FEATURES >

3 / SpotlightCle Austin, president of E.E. Austin & Son, Inc., discusses how sustainable or “green building” design and construction is being used to create more energy efficient building sites in our region.

10 / Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Inc. Northwestern REC’s executive team discusses the technologically advanced initiatives that the 78-year-old distribution electric cooperative has developed to better serve its nearly 20,000 members in Crawford, Erie, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties in Pennsylvania and Ashtabula County in Ohio.

19 / On the HillGuest columnist Bob Dick of the Commonwealth Foundation explains why Pennsylvania needs paycheck protection now.

< EVENTS 22 / Training GraduatesSee photos of the more than 200 graduates of the Association’s training courses in this month’s special section.

4 25

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April 2014 10

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VOL. XXVII, NO. 4 APRIL 2014

© Copyright 2014 by the Manufacturer & Business Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial, pictorial or advertisements created for use in the Business Magazine, in any manner, without written permission from the publisher, is prohibited. Unsolicited manuscripts cannot be returned unless accompanied by a properly addressed envelope bearing sufficient postage. The maga-zine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork. The Business Magazine and Manufacturer & Business Association do not specifically endorse any of the products or practices described in the magazine. The Business Magazine is published monthly by the Manufacturer & Business Association, 2171 West 38th Street, Erie, Pa. 16508. Phone: 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660.

Mission StatementThe Manufacturer & Business Association is dedicated to providing information and services to its members that will assist them in the pursuit of their business and community interests. – Board of Governors

Manufacturer & Business Association2171 West 38th Street Erie, Pa. 16508 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660 www.mbausa.org

Manufacturer Joel Berdine& Business John ClineAssociation Board Dale Deistof Governors Bill Hilbert Jr. Mark Hanaway Donald Hester Timothy Hunter Paul Kenny J. Gordon Naughton Dennis Prischak Sue Sutto

Editor in Chief Ralph Pontillo [email protected]

Executive Editor John Krahe [email protected]

Managing Editor & Karen Torres Senior Writer [email protected]

Contributing Jan Nedin Writers Mark J. Shaw Christopher M. Zehner, CFP

Graphics/Photography R. Frank Photography 4320 Miller Avenue Erie, PA 16510 814/520-3985 [email protected]

Additional Photography Casey Naylon Karen Torres

Advertising Sales Patty Welther 814/833-3200 [email protected]

Design, Production Printing Concepts Inc. & Printing [email protected]

ON THE COVER: Learn how the not-for-profit Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Inc., headquartered in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania has become a utility of the future today with its cutting-edge technology and member services. For full story, see page 10.

SPOTLIGHT > Contact: Karen Torres

What are the trends in the construction industry regarding “green” construction/alternative energy? Building owners and designers are incorporating energy saving and environmentally friendly features into at least 50 percent of the projects we work on. Some everyday examples include use of more efficient HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) systems, LED (light-emitting diode) and compact fluorescent lighting, and low VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and adhesives. More exotic items are geothermal heating and cooling systems, solar panels and water reclamation systems.

Please provide some examples of what these practices include —construction materials, energy sources. In addition to the ones noted above, more specific examples are FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council) wood, which is no different than other wood but is tracked from forest to finished product with a chain-of-custody that ensures it was harvested from a sustainable source. Natural daylighting and ventilation are other examples of green practices. On the jobsite, we are regularly separating waste into items that can be recycled versus sending everything to the landfill.

What are the short-term and long-term benefits? Short-term benefits are reduced waste and reduced carbon emissions since the process requires use of materials from within a specified radius of the jobsite. Long-term benefits are clearly less carbon emissions, improved operating life of equipment, lower utility bills, and a general improvement in the environment.

How common are these practices in northwest Pennsylvania? I would say the use of higher efficiency HVAC and electrical systems is very common, especially the LED and compact fluorescent lighting. In fact, there are tax credits and other incentives for use of these new products. Other items like solar and geothermal are not so common.

What recent examples of these projects come to mind? Governments, K-12 schools and higher education facilities are the biggest users of green construction. Some examples of certified green buildings in Erie include the U.S. Border Patrol Building, Erie Art Museum, Wilson Middle School in Millcreek Township and the Erie Insurance Education Building currently under construction near its corporate headquarters downtown, among others.

What is the best way for our members to learn more about whether “green” construction/alternative energy resources are right for them and their businesses? The leading organization on green construction is the U.S. Green Building Council. They set the criteria for LEED certification. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. They system outline various aspects of green building and how to achieve an energy efficient building. Many local architects, engineers and contractors have LEED certified professionals on staff, including two with our company.

To learn more about the U.S. Green Building Council, visit www.usgbc.org. For more information about E.E. Austin & Son, Inc., visit www.eeaustin.com.

Sustainable or “green building” design and construction is the opportunity to use resources more efficiently while creating more energy efficient building sites. To learn more about these practices, the Business Magazine recently spoke with Cle Austin, president of E.E. Austin & Son, Inc., which has been providing quality construction services to northwest Pennsylvania and the southern tier of New York for more than 100 years.


TECH MOLDED PLASTICS OF MEADVILLE WINS PROCESSOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

Business Buzz

Contributed by The Gallery StudiosRobert Grace, associate publisher of Plastics News, with Doug, Mark, Scott and Eva Hanaway, and William Carteaux, president of the Society of the Plastics Industry Inc.

Tech Molded Plastics Inc., a custom injection molder in Meadville, Pennsylvania, has won the Plastics News’ Processor of the Year Award.

Tech Molded Plastics won the award over other finalists — both custom injection molders — AMA Plastics Inc. of Riverside, California, and Protoplast Inc. of Cobourg, Ontario.

Tech Molded Plastics, owned by the Hanaway family, generated sales of $17.7 million in 2013, molding small, precision parts for the automotive, electronics and medical markets. The company employs 120 people, including 90 in the molding area and 30 toolmakers.

Tech Molded Plastics runs 32 injection-molding machines, with clamping forces topping out at 440 tons.

Brothers Scott, Mark and Doug Hanaway accepted the award, as well as their mother, Eva, at an awards reception in Wesley Chapel, Florida.

Judges evaluated all candidates on seven criteria: financial performance, quality, customer relations, employee relations, environmental performance, industry/public service and technological innovation. Senior reporter Bill Bregar, who coordinates the Processor of the Year Award, visited the three finalists at their facility to interview and audit against the criteria. The Processor of the Year Award is sponsored by the Washington-based Society of the Plastics Industry Inc.

For more information, visit www.ttmp.com.

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BEAUMONT INJECTION MOLDING GARNERS NATIONAL ATTENTIONErie-based Beaumont Technologies, a pioneer and world leader in in-mold rheological control technologies, recently garnered national attention with its new approaches for evaluating fill times for injection molding.

Plastics Technology, the leading trade publication dedicated to improving plastics processing in North America, cited an article from Beaumont among its Top 3 most viewed for 2013. Authored by Beaumont’s John Beaumont and David Hoffman, the article proposed new approaches for optimizing the injection molding process. The two plastics engineering experts’ insights appeared in the August 2013 issue.

“One of the important process parameters to establish and record for any injection molded part is its injection or fill time,” said Beaumont. “Our research revealed the limitations of popularly taught methods of establishing this critical parameter.”

“The successful production of plastics parts is heavily dependent on process techniques applied by an injection molder,”

he continued. “As part of our ongoing research, we discovered a significant flaw in one of the most widely taught and practiced molding methods. This discovery should help break the industry from a regimented process and spur development of new, more scientifically based methods.”

President and CEO of Beaumont Technologies, Beaumont also is a professor and former chairman of the Plastics Engineering Technology program at Penn State Erie. Hoffman is the senior instructor and training development manager at Beaumont, where he co-invented the MeltFlipper® multi-axis rheological control technology.

For more information, visit www.beaumontinc.com.

LOGISTICS PLUS OFFERS NEW RAIL SERVICE IN INDONESIA Logistics Plus Indonesia / PT Sentra Logistik has opened a $2.5 million rail freight services facility at the Cikarang Dry Port, West Java. Logistics Plus will manage the international forwarding, supply chain management, offshore logistics base, project, and domestic

transportation. The Cikarang terminal/station is managed by Cikarang Dry Port (CDP), while the rail facilities and infrastructures are managed by the state-owned railroad company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI).

The new facility provides one-stop services for distribution and logistics needs, including overnight rail service between Jakarta and Surabaya. This venture also will have the added benefit of reducing ever-increasing road traffic on the Pantura Road. In 2013, as many as 23 million containers were distributed by rail in Indonesia. Those numbers are projected to reach around 60 million containers in 2020.

According to the company, the decision to open the facility is “an extension of Logistics Plus’ commitment to maintain and help develop a strong, evolving distribution and logistics service in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.”

Logistics Plus is a “global solutions” company with more than 350 employees in 21 countries. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.net.

DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Karen Torres

Contractors & Construction Managers Since 1906

Erie, Pennsylvania • Jamestown, New Yorkwww.eeaustin.com

Every day E.E. Austin lays its tradition of construction excellence on the line. Our extensive list of satisfied clients is testimony to Austin keeping its longstanding

promise: “Do the right thing... all the time”.

It’s a promise we’ve kept with pride for more than a century... and it’s our promise to you.

Austin

MBAAds3_Layout 1 5/3/12 3:10 PM Page 3


Abuse of alcohol and drugs in the workplace is a reality that employers cannot afford to overlook. According to a study in 2008 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than 70 percent of the admitted drug and alcohol abusers in this country are employed, and a majority of those are full-time employees. The costs to an employer can come in different forms. A study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that drug-using employees are 2.5 times more likely to have absences of eight days or more, three times more likely to be late for work, and five times more likely to file a workers’ compensation claim.Alcohol and drug abuse on the job can cost employers money in many ways that are easily visible, such as higher health-care premiums. Others are more covert, such as absenteeism, accidents and theft. Employers Must Approach the Problem Pro-Actively1. Develop a substance abuse

policy. This should include: • A requirement that all employees

will report to work and remain free of alcohol, mood-altering drugs and other intoxicants.

• Acknowledgement that the company recognizes alcoholism and drug abuse as illnesses that are major potential problems regarding health, safety, security and productivity.

• A statement indicating that behavior and performance problems related to alcohol and drug abuse should be identified early and dealt with constructively via professional evaluation and treatment.

• A clear statement that chemically influenced behavior and/or performance will not be tolerated and could result in discharge.

2. Establish an EAP. An employee assistance program (EAP) is a confidential consultation, assessment and referral service available to employees and supervisors to deal with recognition and treatment of substance abuse problems, as well as other personal problems that may be affecting the employee’s performance. It is an extremely valuable tool in dealing effectively with these problems, as they are never easy.

3. Train supervisors. Supervisors need to know the company policies and procedures, monitor employees’ performance and behavior and document performance problems. It is not a supervisor’s job to diagnose drug or alcohol problems — that should be left to the professionals. An EAP consultant can train supervisors on when to refer drug abuse and alcohol matters to the EAP for appropriate assessment.

4. Design appropriate health-plan coverage. Efforts to help the employee will be much more challenging unless health-plan coverage is in place that allows employees to get treatment as needed.

5. Consider pre-employment and random drug screening. This is not the answer to a company’s problem, but rather a tool that must be utilized wisely and cautiously. Pre-employment screening can weed out undesirable applicants so you have less of this problem to deal with after hiring.

6. If unionized, involve the union in the program. When unions are present, they must be involved for the program to be effective.

7. Secure good legal counsel. Be sure to have policies and procedures reviewed and approved by a good labor relations attorney prior to implementation.

8. Don’t make it a witch hunt. Turning a program into a con-centrated search for substance abusers may be counterproductive. Place emphasis on recognizing and helping those who exhibit problems.

9. Remember alcohol is also a drug. Do not concentrate programs solely on drugs. Alcohol can be just as ser-ious a problem, if not more so, and all should be equally addressed.

To learn more about EAP programs available at LifeSolutions, visit http://www.lifesolutionsforyou.com/about.html.

Dealing With Alcohol and Drug Abuse in the Workplace

Health MattersEDITORIAL > By Jan Nedin

Jan Nedin, MBA, MSEd, RCC, is a senior account manager for LifeSolutions, one of the integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division. The partner companies offer a full range of insurance programs and products, and include UPMC Health Plan, UPMC WorkPartners, UPMC for Life (Medicare), UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), UPMC for Kids (Children’s Health Insurance Program), Special Needs Plans, Askesis Development Group, Community Care Behavioral Health and E-Benefits.


In January 2014, Governor Tom Corbett issued the Pennsylvania State Energy Plan. The purpose of the “Plan” is to meet “the Commonwealth’s overarching goals of fiscal responsibility, helping to provide jobs for every Pennsylvanian and continuing to develop the work force to fill those jobs.”The Plan identifies seven alternative and 11 renewable energy resources as important components of the overall strategy. The Plan also specifically identifies solar energy and wind power as two sources of renewable energy that Pennsylvania is interested in growing. With respect to solar, the state goal is to have 860 MW of solar photovoltaic electric generation by the year 2021. Presently, the largest solar array in Pennsylvania is an 11.5 MW solar farm located on 60 acres in Carbon County. With respect to wind power, there are currently more than 660 wind turbines producing 1,300 MW of power in Pennsylvania.One of the key opportunities identified in the Plan is “Community Readiness.” Community Readiness is described as making “certain Pennsylvania’s communities are willing and ready for new energy related businesses through a structure of sound land use planning that reflects individual community needs and predictable, efficient local review processes.” Translation: The Commonwealth will work with communities that impose reasonable regulations that limit the impact of the NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) syndrome.What is the NIMBY Syndrome? Plainly stated, NIMBY syndrome is when a community and/or its politicians take action to keep some sort of development from occurring in their community simply because they have decided that they do not want that type of business in their

community. The City of Erie most recently experienced a case of NIMBY in which a group successfully chased a tires-to-energy plant out of its City.The result: The plant moved locations 35 miles south to Crawford County where it has successfully completed the permitting process. The ironic aspect of the impact of this NIMBY episode is that the allowable emissions from that project would have been significantly lower than what the allowable emissions had been from the paper mill that had once occupied the still vacant site.Recently, the significant increase of Marcellus Shale development likewise led to NIMBY responses in a lot of communities as they sought to enact ordinances to prevent such development. This was particularly prevalent in the Pittsburgh area. Reacting to these efforts, the Commonwealth passed a law known as Act 13, which sought in part to eliminate the impact of NIMBY on such development by imposing restrictions on the ability of local authorities to regulate such development. However, in December of 2013, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that this aspect of Act 13 was unconstitutional. The Court relied on the Pennsylvania constitution and its strong protection of the environment to hold that the restrictions on community regulation imposed by Act 13 were unconstitutional. The result of the decision is that municipalities will be even more empowered to take actions that are based solely on the NIMBY concept.The two most likely targets of NIMBY in the renewable/alterative energy market are solar power and wind power. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, as of 2011, five municipalities in Pennsylvania (including two in Erie County) already

had passed ordinances regulating wind power. Consequently, as solar power becomes more affordable on a large-scale basis, we can expect a similar reaction. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s recent decision has made such regulation easier.While the ability to impose restrictions on renewable/alternative energy facilities may discourage developers and conflict with the goals of the Plan, NIMBY should not be allowed to control the decision-making process. Communities should proactively fashion regulations that encourage such development. Furthermore, business organizations in the community actively should support efforts to eliminate NIMBY as a factor in opposing development. The Pennsylvania State Energy Plan would appear to be ready and willing to reward such communities. Otherwise, opportunities to advance renewable/alternative energy will be lost. For additional information, contact Mark Shaw at McDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton LLP at 814/870-7607 or [email protected].

Legal BriefAlternative Energy — Pennsylvania’s Plan Meets NIMBY

EDITORIAL > By Mark Shaw

Mark Shaw is a partner in the law firm of MacDonald Illig Jones & Britton LLP. He is chairman of the Firm’s Environmental Law Group and has extensive experience in handling environmental litigation, compliance and permitting matters.


Often when someone thinks of rural America, images of rolling fields and farmland communities rooted in older traditions and a slower, simpler lifestyle come to mind.

And yet, as many residents of these areas already know, some of the most exciting examples of technology can be found right here in these small towns and villages.

Hundreds of rural electric cooperatives, which power these regions, have invested in countless resources that will deliver better service and a better quality of life to their members. One in particular, the Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Inc. (Northwestern REC), headquartered in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, has distinguished itself among its peers in the electric distribution business. Throughout its 78-year-history, the Northwestern REC has introduced new and exciting initiatives to better serve its 19,684 members and more than 21,000 accounts in five counties of northwestern Pennsylvania — Crawford, Erie, Mercer, Venango and Warren — as well as neighboring Ashtabula County in Ohio.

From the Co-op’s automatic meter reading system that operates in real time to its energy efficient load management system and new web application that provides 24/7 service to its members, Northwestern REC could best be described as a “utility of the future today.”

“We can offer big company services while still being a nice, small cooperative right here close to our membership, which is where it needs to be, and we can offer knock-your-socks-off quality and some of the best cost-effective services that any utility in the country can offer,” states Mike Tirpak, president and CEO of the Northwestern REC. “I would even say that we are in the top 10 percent, maybe 15 percent, of the cooperatives in the country that are offering this kind of technology to our membership.”

HistoryCooperatives, such as the Northwestern REC, have been transforming the lives of their members dating back nearly 80 years ago.

As part of an Executive Order under President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Rural Electric Administration was formed in 1935 to bring electricity to rural areas of the country. Through low-interest, long-term loans, farmers and other residents formed cooperatives to service these rural areas. The Northwestern REC was formed in 1936, with lines first built in the Saegertown area, progressing slowly and steadily to its present-day service area.

Notes Tirpak, “We went from no service, no lines, no nothing, to now, where we have almost 2,700 miles of line and well over 40,000 poles.”

The Northwestern REC is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, which represents an alliance of more than 750 local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives in 46 states. More than 900 electric cooperatives, including Touchstone’s, make up the largest electric utility network in the nation, serving roughly 17.5 million homes, businesses, farms and other establishments and representing more than 40 million people — or 12 percent of the U.S. population. Collectively, these cooperatives own and operate 2.5 million miles of electric lines, roughly half the nation’s total, extending across 2,500 counties in 47 states, while employing 67,000 men and women and boasting assets of more than $100 billion.

In Pennsylvania alone, 13 cooperatives own and maintain about 12.5 percent of the electric distribution lines in the state, covering nearly one-third of the Commonwealth’s land area in 42 counties.

Northwestern REC’s sprawling six-county territory, with its strongest concentration in Crawford County, services about 93 percent residential members, with the remaining members including commercial, industrial, farm, nonprofit organizations and municipal authorities.

A Utility of the Future Today

Members of the Northwestern REC’s 10-person Board of Directors are locally elected at the Co-op Annual Meeting held the first Saturday in August each year. The Co-op has been a part of the community since 1936.

Northwestern REC’s executive team includes, front row, from left: Kevin Hindman, vice president of Operation and Engineering; President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Tirpak; and Mary Grill, vice president of Consumer Services and IT. Back row, from left are: Executive Secretary Michelle Garcia; Chief Financial Officer R. Michael Baker; Linda King, vice president of Corporate Services; and Ken Lindberg, vice president of Human Resources.


technology. Introduced in 2012, the Web application provides an electronic

gateway to each member’s account via computer, smartphone or mobile device. This

new technology puts members in control, giving them detailed access to their yearly, monthly, daily and hourly

power use. They can view bills, pay bills, view storm center maps, contact the Co-op for service needs, and even report outages.

“With the popularity of the Internet and our members becoming so tech savvy,” notes Mary Grill, the Co-op’s vice president of Consumer Services and IT, “it was just a natural way to extend services to them.”

“It is really a self-help tool that allows us to give them 24/7 service,” she adds.

The Benefits of MembershipBeing a member of an electric cooperative, such as the Northwestern REC, has its benefits.

For one, any money left over after all expenses are paid — patronage-sourced margins, or capital credits — belong to the members. Each member’s share in the margin is determined by the amount of his or her patronage, or use, of the Cooperative’s services.

Since 1957, the Northwestern REC has returned more than $30 million to its members — $451,844 just last year. Half of the Co-op’s margins from the previous year are put in rotation and paid back to members in a discounted fashion so both older members and newer members can benefit as their capital credits are retired.

Many of these members choose to donate their capital credits to the Co-op’s Member-to-Member, Inc. charitable assistance program when possible. According to the Northwestern REC, approximately 25 percent to 28 percent of Co-op members are at or below the federal poverty line, and the program helps members who are struggling to pay their bills.

Grill helped start the program in 1985, initially as a way for members to round their payments up to the next whole dollar with the contribution matched by the Co-op. Working with the United Way of Crawford County, Center for Family Services and other local agencies, the Member-to-Member Fund now pays out $150,000 in assistance to about 500 eligible families a year through benefit payments.

“We are actually looking to try to enhance it and make some additional payments,” adds Grill. “We are always looking at ways to improve and better serve our members.”

The Cooperative also provides benefits through its Co-op Connections Card. The outreach program is designed to provide discounts to area businesses — shops and restaurants — and other places when members travel. The Connections Card also provides healthy savings discounts for dental care and vision screenings, as well as discounted prescription coverage — yielding considerable savings.

“To date, we have saved members over $155,000,” says King.

Community FocusedAs a locally owned and locally controlled business, the Northwestern REC plays a vital role in maintaining the economic health of its rural community — employing a staff of 60 and contributing to the overall quality of life.

From supporting Meadville Medical Center’s Hospice House, to helping the Venango Volunteer Fire Department get new safety equipment and, most recently, a newer truck used by Cambridge Springs Volunteer Fire Department, Northwestern REC is committed to giving back to those it serves. Co-op employees are volunteers in the area, donating thousands of hours coaching youth sports to helping raise funds for various charities.

The Northwestern REC also has actively worked with existing employers, such as Channellock, and others in the region to secure grants for energy efficiency, and to improve the area’s economic growth. Right now, the Co-op is prepared to supply the electricity that will power two water wells, utilizing up to 1 million gallons of water per month, for the Tires-to-Energy plant in Crawford County’s Keystone Industrial Park, in addition to the power needed to construct the $360 million plant. The Northwestern REC even owns the Cambridge Business Center, a business park adjacent to its headquarters in Cambridge Springs. The 65-acre site offers complete facilities for expanding or relocating light manufacturing, high-tech and service industries.

“Northwestern REC is very well positioned,” Tirpaks says, “and we have plans that will take us effectively into the future.”

Through its technology, member services and community focus, the Northwestern REC is indeed a utility of the future today.

For more information about the Northwestern Rural Electric Co-operative Association, Inc., visit www.NorthwesternREC.coop.

The Northwestern REC has an aggressive load management and automatic meter reading system that helps both the Co-op and members use their electricity wisely.

Ryan Meller, a field service representative for the Northwestern REC, uses the Co-op’s SCADA (supervi-sory control and data acquisition) system to monitor switches on the line.


PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE ERIE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 80 YEARS

Sorry to disappoint any survivalists out there looking for advice on how to fend off a black bear in the middle of the woods, but this article is meant to help investors as they face the threat of an equally frightening bear — the bear market.What is a Bear Market? A bear market is typically defined as a 20 percent or greater decline in the equity markets. Investors have had to endure two separate and distinct bear markets in the first decade of the 21st century already. While it is impossible to predict precisely when a bear market may occur, one should note that they are inevitably out there lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike. With this in mind, here is some guidance on prudent behavior to employ within investor portfolios in an effort to minimize the damage a bear market can bring.Know Your Risks as the Market Fluctuates Probably the best starting point is the notion of the equity markets being inherently volatile. According to research from JP Morgan*, the S&P 500 ended the calendar year in positive territory for 26 years out of the last 34 years. However, the average intra-year decline in the market was a drop of approximately -14.4 percent. This leads into my first suggestion on portfolio construction: Make sure the level of risk you maintain in your investment portfolio is suitable for bear and bull markets (that is, a full market cycle). For example, 2013 was somewhat of an anomaly in that the S&P 500 finished the year up 30 percent (on December 31, 2013) and only experienced an intra-year decline of -6 percent. Sadly, this is the exception and not the norm.

My point is that it is easy to favor equities when they are advancing and “making new highs;” however, the disciplined investor won’t necessarily abandon all their equities when they decline in value either. Take the time to have a discussion with your adviser about potential downside risk within your own portfolio to see if any adjustments in portfolio positioning may be warranted.Rebalance Your Portfolio As Needed The second suggestion pertains to the concept of rebalancing your investment portfolio as needed (that is, selling and/or trimming asset classes that have appreciated markedly in value and adding to areas within your portfolio that are underweighted). This is challenging for some investors, as they tend to hang on to investments too long under the assumption that the good times can keep on rolling. Conversely, individuals are reluctant to add to positions when their prices have declined in value. This is an area where a good financial adviser can add value, as we tend to operate without emotional bias toward specific investments. Rebalancing is typically done along the lines of an agreed to investment policy statement with a corresponding model/target portfolio as the benchmark.Consider the Three Pillar Concept The third area to focus on is to construct a portfolio around the “three pillar” concept. This theory purports that investors could improve their diversification quotient by incorporating the third (and, unfortunately, often overlooked) pillar of alternative investments along with the more traditional “two pillars” of global equities and global fixed income. Inclusion of alternative

investments has the potential to improve the risk/return profile of an investment portfolio, as they are inclined to exhibit a negative correlation to stocks and bonds. Diversification does not work all the time and neither can it protect against a loss; however, history shows that it does work over time for the patient investor. Every investor is different and unique when it comes to portfolio construction. Knowing your time horizon, risk tolerance, and setting goals for your portfolio is a great starting point to realize financial success. Revisiting these themes over time also will go a long way in procuring the vitality of one’s investment portfolio. * JP Morgan Asset Management, Guide to the Markets, 1Q 2014, p. 16 For more information on investment planning, contact Christopher Zehner at HBKS Wealth Advisors at 814/459-1116 or [email protected].

How to Survive a ’Bear’ Attack

EDITORIAL > By Christopher M. Zehner, CFP

Financial Adviser

Christopher Zehner, CFP is a financial adviser in the Erie, Pennsylvania office of HBKS Wealth Advisors. In his 13 years with HBKS, he has developed a very high level of expertise in Comprehensive Financial Planning and Investment Management. He works closely with a growing base of client relationships helping them achieve their short- and long-term financial goals.


HR ConnectionENGAGE EMPLOYEES TO HELP CONTROL ENERGY COSTS Simple steps such as turning off lights when rooms are unoccupied, or turning off and unplugging office equipment such as computers, printers and copiers at night can help a business save hun-dreds of dollars annually on their energy bills. Yet, many employees don’t do it.So, then, how do you motivate them to make energy conservation part of their workday? According to EnergySmart, here are five strategies for getting employees engaged in energy savings:1. Educate them. A big reason many

people don’t take conscious effort to save energy is they don’t realize the full financial benefits. Managers might send emails with factoids on energy savings (such as, turning off a printer at night saves the equivalent of 1,500 photocopies.) Some businesses even host lunch seminars to help employees.

2. Form a team. Some of the most effective workplace campaigns

come not from managers, but other employees who find ways to educate and motivate their colleagues to save energy.

3. Constant reminders. For many people, not turning things off is habit, and habits are hard to change. Putting signs in key places around the office, such as by the printer or by the doors, reminding people to turn off lights or turn off their computers can make a big difference.

4. Rewards. Businesses have shown that offering employees some financial incentive can pay off. For example, give gift cards to employees who do the most to save energy or come up with a workplace strategy for doing so.

5. Make it fun. There’s growing recognition that the most successful approaches to make people voluntarily participate is to make the experience fun, positive and interesting. This might mean hosting an employee

competition or producing a video about ways employees can save energy.

MANY SMALL BUSINESSES GOING GREENER, SURVEY FINDS A majority of small businesses are trying to go greener, according to a 2013 survey by Office Depot, a global retailer of office supplies and services.

In fact, the survey of more than 1,000 small business owners found that more than one-third of those surveyed (36 percent) would pay a higher initial cost for greener office products if they would generate long-term savings. Eighty-four percent say they would purchase the “green” office product over the compara-ble regular office product if the two were equally priced.

In looking at the state of green business, approximately 20 percent of SMBs are greener than 2012, while more than a third (34 percent) had planned to go greener in 2013.


Dan Monaghan is the director of Training at the Manufacturer & Business Association.

DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Stacey Bruce

It’s been a long time since I worked in the restaurant business, but I still remember some of the valuable leadership lessons that I learned while there. One that still rings true is that your staff is a reflection of you, their leader.I could walk into a restaurant and within 10 seconds know the manager’s level of professionalism just by observing his staff. If they looked neat and professional, had smiles on their faces and genuinely looked like they enjoyed doing what they were doing, I always saw a leader who reflected that very behavior. On the other hand, if the staff looked sloppy, disinterested and unhappy, the manager was always a carbon copy. Never did I see an unprofessional manager with a

professional looking staff or vice versa. As leaders, we set the bar for all that our employees represent. In most cases, employees follow the path of least resistance and do exactly what is expected of them — little more. Oh, I know there are those people who have personal pride and will set their own bar regardless of the type of leadership present. But, in my experience, those people get frustrated over time and either give up altogether or move on to a competitor who values their effort.Take a few minutes to look at your business through the eyes of your customer. Do you like what you see? Would you do business with you? Hopefully, the answer is yes. If not, it may be time to set a new standard — one that starts with you.

Ready to sharpen your leadership skills? For information about the Association’s regionally recognized professional development courses, please contact me at 814/833-3200, 800/815-2660 or [email protected], or visit our website www.mbausa.org.

Would You Do Business With You? Take a Hard Look in the Mirror


OntheHill DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Lori Joint

Paycheck protection is a simple, commonsense reform that prevents the use of taxpayer resources for the collection of union dues and political money. Two bills — HB 1507 and SB 1034 — are being discussed in Harrisburg that would protect government workers’ paychecks.

Pennsylvania law allows government union bosses to negotiate to have state and local government collect union dues and even campaign contributions and send them to union headquarters. In many cases, this deal is made with the same politicians who later receive campaign contributions and support funded by union political money.

While government union leaders argue their political spending will “protect the middle class,” the policies they support harm businesses, middle-class families, and even their own members.

Union dues fund a variety of political activities including lobbying, candidate endorsements, get-out-the-vote efforts, candidate and issue advocacy, television and radio ads, contributions to “independent” political and partisan organizations, and fundraising for campaign contributions.

Pennsylvania’s major government unions spent nearly $5 million of members’ dues on lobbying and political activities in 2012, according to their own reports to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Moreover, state and local governments collect union Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions via public payroll systems. Government union PACs contributed an additional $4 million directly to candidates during the 2011-12 elections.

How does government union political spending hurt your business? Government union politicking blocked pension reform (resulting in higher taxes and teacher layoffs) and liquor store privatization — despite the overwhelming support of union members for liquor reform. Union-funded ad campaigns also held back school choice, keeping thousands of schoolchildren trapped in violent and failing schools.

Union-funded groups continue to push for higher taxes on businesses and taxing Marcellus Shale natural gas production. And government unions spent millions lobbying for ObamaCare, to the detriment of workers, taxpayers and entrepreneurs.

Lately, government union bosses, desperate to keep their exclusive political privilege, have been deliberately misrepresenting paycheck protection legislation and engaging in personal attacks as a distraction.

For starters, they claim that only a few outside interest groups support paycheck protection. In reality, nearly 80 percent of Pennsylvanians — including 75 percent of union members — believe taxpayer resources should not be used to collect union dues and campaign contributions, according to a recent poll of likely voters.

Government union leaders also claim that paycheck protection is actually “Right to Work” in disguise. The truth is paycheck protection doesn’t affect government unions’ ability to collectively bargain. Even if paycheck protection were to pass, government workers — like most public school teachers in the state — would still have to pay union dues or fees or lose their jobs.

So, what would change? Government union leaders would simply have to collect their dues and campaign contributions directly from workers, rather than forcing taxpayers to do it for them. Either union bosses don’t understand the legislation, or they’re intentionally misleading their members and the public.

Another pernicious claim about paycheck protection is that it constitutes an attack on union members’ free speech. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paycheck protection does not stop government unions from spending money on politics; it merely removes taxpayers from the process of collecting their political money.

Paycheck protection would end a perverse system that requires business owners — and all taxpayers — to subsidize political activity and lobbying for causes that make it harder for them to succeed. Pennsylvania businesses, both large and small, face enormous challenges from the government in terms of taxation and regulation as it is; forcing job creators to also fund their own opposition is a cruel burden.

Lawmakers should be striving to create a level political playing field for all — not maintaining special exemptions for select political organizations at everyone else’s expense.

Bob Dick is a policy analyst for the Commonwealth Foundation, Pennsylvania’s free market think tank. He graduated from Neumann University with a degree in political science and ultimately joined the staff of the Foundation full-time in March 2013. During his time at the Commonweath Foundation, he has worked on a number of issues including liquor privatization and education reform. To contact the Foundation, call 717/671-1901.

Why Pennsylvania NeedsPaycheck Protection


I HAVE AN EMPLOYEE WHO ALWAYS ARRIVES TO WORK 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF HER SHIFT. DO I HAVE TO PAY HER FOR THAT HALF-HOUR?It depends. A non-exempt employee must be compensated for all hours worked in a workweek. This includes work performed that may be outside the employee’s regular workday. If the employee begins working prior to the start of the regular workday, that time must be counted as compensable time, even if the employee does not record the time on a time sheet or time clock. Non-exempt employees should be instructed not to perform work beyond their regular work schedule unless they receive prior approval from their supervisor. If an employee fails to obtain approval but performs work, he

or she must still be compensated for that time, but the employer may address the situation as a disciplinary matter.

I HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK OVER EIGHT HOURS A DAY. DO I HAVE TO PAY OVERTIME FOR THOSE EXTRA HOURS? No. Extra pay for working more than eight hours in one day is a matter of agreement between the employer and the employee (or the employee’s representative).

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), overtime is based on the number of hours worked in a seven-day workweek, not the number of hours worked on any one day during that week. For covered, nonexempt employees, the FLSA requires overtime pay at a rate of not less than one and one-

half times an employee’s regular rate of pay after 40 hours of work in a workweek.

Keep in mind that some states also have enacted overtime laws. Where an employee is subject to both the state and federal overtime laws, the employee is entitled to overtime according to the higher standard (that is, the standard that will provide the higher rate of pay). Pennsylvania does not require overtime pay based on hours worked on any one day either.

HAVE A LEGAL QUESTION? GET ANSWERS!Call the Association’s free Legal Hotline at 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660 to get answers on your labor and employment law questions.

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Tammy Lamary-Toman is Labor & Employment Counsel for the Manu-facturer & Business Association’s Legal Services Division.

On January 27, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its first employment law-related decision of 2014, Sandifer vs. U.S. Steel Corp., which held that the time workers spend donning and doffing protective gear is not compensable under section 203(o) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In this significant wage-and-hour case for employers with unionized work forces, workers at the United Steel Corporation brought a class action suit against the company arguing that the “donning” and “doffing” of certain protective gear did not qualify as “changing clothes” under section 203(o). The section allows employers and unions to bargain over the compensability of time spent changing clothes, and thus the FLSA required the company to compensate them for time spent changing into and out of work clothes.

The company moved for summary judgment. The district court granted

summary judgment in the company’s favor on the issue of whether the different items were “clothes” within the meaning of FLSA section 3(o), and therefore determined the employees need not be paid for time spent donning and doffing such items. On appeal, the Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and, in a unanimous decision, ruled that most of the items identified by the workers were indeed clothes, and as a result, the workers did not have to be paid for the time they spent donning and doffing protective gear before and after their shifts. More specifically, the Court construed “clothes” in “changing of clothes” to mean items that are both designed and used to cover the body and are commonly regarded as articles of dress.

According to the Court, nothing in the text or context of section 203(o),

suggests anything other than this ordinary meaning. Thus, the Court concluded that there was no basis for the workers’ assertion that the term “clothes” somehow omits protective clothing. Unfortunately, Sandifer offers little relief for non-union employers and those unionized employers that have not negotiated an exclusion of clothes changing from compensable time.

For more information about the Fair Labor Standards Act, contact the Association’s Legal Services Division at 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660.

High Court: Time Spent Donning, Doffing Protective Clothing Not Compensable

DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Tammy Lamary-Toman

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Events2014 Training GraduatesThe Manufacturer & Business Association recently held a series of luncheons to recognize the more than 200 graduates of its professional development and computer training programs. Visit www.mbabizmag.com for complete coverage.

Blue Ocean Strategy Center

HR Essential Certification Series – Erie From left: Sue Lester, NWIR; Monica Stanford, Lakeshore Community Services; and Robyn Hopper, Association HR specialist.

HR Essential Certification Series — Erie From right: Thomas Landahl, Fisher & Ludlow, Inc., and Robyn Hopper, Association HR specialist.

HR Essential Certification Series — Erie From left: LuAnn Gossett, Mental Health Association of NWPA; Robyn Hopper, Association HR specialist; and Kimberly D. Rowley, Multicultural Community Resource Center. Not Pictured: Erica Dies, Paramount Die Corporation.

HR Essential Certification Series – Erie From left: Jennifer Brown, Erie Insurance; Robyn Hopper, Association HR specialist; and Barbara Schreckengost, St. Martin Center.

HR Essential Certification Series — ErieFrom left: Regina Smith, DevelopErie; and Robyn Hopper, Association HR specialist.


Leadership for Team Leaders — Erie Front row, from left: Nathan Davis, Ridg-U-Rak, Inc.; Dawn Bollinger, Industrial Sales & Mfg.; Carli Braine, Subway (LJ Development); Nelson Pencille, Keystone Foundry; and Robb Hanes, Industrial Sales & Mfg.Back row, from left: Jonathan Dunlap, Signal-Tech; Michael Tatters and Brian Swartzback, Deist Industries; Shane Craig, SJL Broadcasting; Justin Zelker, Deist Industries; and Aaron Albert, Industrial Sales & Mfg.

Leadership for Team Leaders — Butler From left: Mike Monk, IMS Systems; Nicholas Brennen and Matt Liptak, Metco Industries; Nicole Sharrar, Con Yeager Spice Company; Cory Doane, II-VI, Inc.; Chester Conti, Central Electric Cooperative Inc.; and Mark McBride, Con Yeager Spice Company.

Lean – Six Sigma — Erie From left: Andrew Agostini and Jacquelyn Hartz, Provider Resources Inc.; and Association instructor Ray Davis.

Certified Supervisory Skills Series — Erie Front row, from left: Jon Burdick, Corry Counseling Services; Tammy Sparber and Chris Plyler, C & J Industries; Justin Goodwill, Morris Coupling Company; Renee Grosso, Berry Plastics; Nicole Graham, MFG Tray Company; and Kareem Syed and Brandon McKibbens, C & J Industries.

Back row, from left: Mike Burlingham, C & J Industries; Justin Stangl, Erie Water Works; Allison Millet, Directional Systems; Ralph Bizzarro, Erie Water Works; Michael Blauvelt, Haysite Reinforced Plastics; Robert Bearfield, Gaudenzia Erie, Inc.; Don Haupin, Erie Forge and Steel Inc.; and Robert DeBernardo, Warren Steel Products, Inc.

Certified Supervisory Skills Series – Erie Front row, from left: Ginny Kafferlin, ACL/Quest Diagnostics; Patricia Nichols, Urban Engineers Inc.; Bridget Burkett, Wm. T. Spaeder Company Inc.; Debby Manczka, Widget Financial; and Richard Luikart, Erie Forge and Steel Inc.Back row, from left: Adam Johnson, EmergyCare Inc.; Jeffery C. Kurtz, Corry Forge Corp.; Velester Flemings, Richlyn Manufacturing Inc.; and Ernst Lamb, Erie Community Credit Union.

Certified Supervisory Skills Series — Erie Front row, from left: Sean Steelman, Berry Plastics; Nelson R. Pencille II, Keystone Foundry; Tony Giorgi, Ellwood City Forge; Deanna Renaud, Community Blood Bank of Erie County; and Anthony Small and Jonathon Zapata, Berry Plastics.Back row, from left: Boyd Learn; Mike Bauder, EMP; Robert Kelly, Ridg-U-Rak; Matt Prior, Berry Plastics; and Elvedin Dzoklo and Seth Hinton, Bay Valley Foods.


People BuzzHILL, BARTH & KING LLC WELCOMES FIRST HEALTH-CARE PRACTICE LEADERHill, Barth & King LLC (HbK) has announced the addition of Brent Foster as its newest senior manager in the Pittsburgh office and the northern region’s first health-care practice leader. He is a certified public accountant (CPA) with 20-plus years’ of experience in senior liv-ing and health-care accounting/finance.“Our strategic planning is in direct correlation with market research; we de-termine the needs of our clients based on analytical study of the trends in the industries in which we have chosen to provide specialized services and health care is one such area,” said Jeff Yan-nuzzi, CPA and principal-in-charge of the Pittsburgh office of HbK.In addition, HBK Valua-tion Group LLC (HBKVG) announced the addition of Debbie Foister to its Litigation Support and Forensic Services Group. Foister brings 10 years of exclusive experience in a myriad of financial and forensic specialties and has extensive criminal and civil litiga-tion experience in the areas of divorce, bankruptcy, embezzlement, tax evasion and fraudulent transfers. Foister graduated from Edinboro Uni-versity of Pennsylvania with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and a minor in economics. She is a licensed certified public accountant, a certified fraud examiner and a certified insol-vency restructuring adviser.

ERIEZ ADDS MARKETING PROGRAMS SPECIALISTEriez, a world authority in separation technolo-gies headquartered in Erie, has appointed Mitch Graham to fill the new position of marketing programs specialist within Eriez’ Marketing Communications Department.

In his new role, Graham will oversee the corporate website, eriez.com, as well as the company’s digital asset manage-ment site, the Orange Room. He also will assist in the management and su-pervision of Eriez’ e-newsletter market-ing campaigns and Customer Relation-ship Management (CRM) software.Graham earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Waynesburg Uni-versity. He comes to Eriez from Honda R&D Americas, where he worked in Cor-porate and Technical Communications.In addition, the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) recently presented Michael J. Mankosa, Ph.D., Eriez vice presi-dent of Operations, with the 2014 Frank F. Aplan Award during the society’s awards banquet, which was held in conjunction with the SME Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Aplan Award recognizes engineer-ing or scientific contributions that fur-ther the understanding of the technol-ogy of coal and/or minerals engineering. The Aplan Award was established by the American Institute of Mining, Metal-lurgical and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) in 1989 with voluntary contributions of friends and associates as a tribute to Frank F. Aplan for his lifelong productive career in coal and mineral processing research and education. Dr. Aplan was the initial award recipient. In 2011, AIME transitioned administration of this award to SME.Mankosa has served as Eriez’ vice president of Operations since 2003. His responsibilities include global oversight of Eriez’ Flotation Division, as well as R&D, engineering, information systems and manufacturing operations at Eriez North American Division. He first joined Eriez in 1997 as the company’s techni-cal director. Mankosa earned his doctorate in mining and minerals engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univer-sity (Virginia Tech). His graduate work focused on the design, instrumentation and control of process equipment.

Throughout his career, Mankosa has published nearly 100 articles in promi-nent scientific and technical journals, obtained numerous equipment and process patents, and received more than $2 million in research funding from a number of state and federal agencies. NORTHWEST NAMES STROTMAN DIVISIONAL SVP, REGIONAL COMMERCIAL LENDER Norman M. Strotman has been promoted to senior vice president and regional commercial lender for Northwest Savings Bank. In his new role, Strot-man will be responsible for business development, extending client relation-ships and serving existing customers in Warren, McKean and western Forest counties and the city of Corry in Erie County. He will be located at the Brad-ford Main Street Office, 33 Main Street in Bradford.Strotman began his career with Northwest in 2010 as a loan review officer. In 2012, he was promoted to commercial lending officer for McK-ean County. He received his MBA and bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. Bonaventure University.

CAMPAGNE JOINS INFINITY RESOURCESKim Campagne has joined Infinity Resources where she will extend the company’s HR consulting reach and develop clerical and technical staffing divi-sions throughout the company’s 11 staffing centers in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. She brings 22 years of employment services experience having built a successful family owned staff-ing company in her prior work with Career Concepts.


DEPARTMENTS > Contact: Karen Torres

STAIRWAYS CEO RECEIVES EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP AWARDWilliam F. McCarthy has been named winner of the inaugural Bankable Consult-ing Excellence in Leadership Award.The honor is awarded to a successful area leader who is adept at “building self-esteem, setting demanding goals, always being positive, establishing good habits, mastering the art of communication, learning from role models, thriving on pressure, being ferociously persistent and surviving suc-cess,“ according to James W. Martin, principal of Bankable Consulting, LLC.McCarthy is the president and CEO of Stairways Behavioral Health, a provider of mental health services to Erie County residents for more than 50 years. He began his Stairways career 40 years ago and has served in a variety of positions before becoming the organization’s leader in 1998.A total of 54 individuals were nominated. Nine national judges whittled the field to 10 before four finalists were revealed at the ceremony.

From left: Board members Neal R. Devlin; Richard A. Lan-zillo, vice president; Thomas A. Tupitza, president; Christine McClure, secretary; and Jerome C. Wegley, treasurer.

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DEVLIN ELECTED TO KNOX FIRM’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS Neal R. Devlin has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, P.C. Devlin has been with the firm since 2002 and was elected as a shareholder in 2009. He focuses his prac-tice on litigating complex and commercial disputes in state and federal courts throughout the country. In addition, the firm announced Elliott J. Eh-renreich as a new shareholder. Ehrenreich, who is licensed to practice in both Pennsylvania and New York, concentrates his practice on business acquisitions and financings, health law and other general business transactions.A magna cum laude graduate of Gannon University, Ehrenreich received his law degree from Duquesne University.


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UPMC Hamot, together with our network of community hospitals, provides top-ranked care to members of UPMC Health Plan.And we provide members with all the things you’ve come to expect from your health plan. Including renowned wellness programs to help you live the healthiest life you can and

a!ordable plan options to fit your needs. We also provide something you might not expect — our award-winning customer service from a team of Health Care Concierges. To find the plan that comes with all this and more, visit UPMCHealthPlan.com today.

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UPMC Hamot, together with our network of community hospitals, provides top-ranked care to members of UPMC Health Plan.And we provide members with all the things you’ve come to expect from your health plan. Including renowned wellness programs to help you live the healthiest life you can and

a!ordable plan options to fit your needs. We also provide something you might not expect — our award-winning customer service from a team of Health Care Concierges. To find the plan that comes with all this and more, visit UPMCHealthPlan.com today.

april 2014 business magazine

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