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CBICC Articles

CBICC's Greg Scott: Smart Growth, bold leadership key to centre County's future

7/27/2022

 
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Greg Scott
CBICC President and CEO

(Note: The following op-ed by Greg Scott appeared in the Centre Daily Times, StateCollege.com and the Lock Haven Express)


Centre County is a place of history, opportunity and promise.   

Farmers, academics, entrepreneurs, business owners and working men and women have called this special place home for generations –respecting and appreciating the past, while also planning for and investing in the future.   

The Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County first became the “voice of business” and a catalyst for connection, influence and economic opportunity in the region in 1920. 

Although our mission, a century later, remains the same, we now find ourselves facing unprecedented challenges that include economic disruptions on a local, regional, national and global scale.  

As home to Penn State, one of the top research universities in the world and Centre County’s top employer and economic driver, we have long enjoyed a stable economy and an unemployment rate lower than the state average.   

Those who live here also benefit from a rich cultural heritage, quality health-care facilities, award-winning schools, and breathtaking and abundant natural resources.  

There’s so much to be grateful for, it’s easy to understand how the comfort and security we enjoy here in “Happy Valley” might lead to a sense of complacency and make us reluctant to lean into our current economic headwinds. 

Now, more than ever, it's important to be smart, bold and strategic in our efforts to diversify our economy, expand our tax base and create job opportunities to better control our destiny. 

The CBICC is committed to:

-Convening stakeholders in the development and execution of a strategic economic plan for Centre County.
-Diversifying our economy by protecting and growing existing businesses while competing successfully against other markets for much-needed investments and new job creation.
-Investing resources and supporting community programs for talent development to ensure a strong and highly skilled homegrown workforce.
​- Facilitating real-estate development projects to ensure equity and create prosperity in our shared communities.

A strong economic-development strategy is about empowering people and communities by supporting businesses, supporting workers and supporting a high quality of life.   

It’s about helping existing businesses stay and grow, while also attracting and welcoming new companies.   

It’s about enabling individuals to gain the ability to provide for themselves and their families through high-wage, value-added jobs.  

It’s about providing workforce-development opportunities and job skills to compete in the new innovation economy and technology-driven industries.  

It’s about increasing economic prosperity in every corner and neighborhood in Centre County for the benefit of all. 

And it’s about building on the incredible quality of life we already enjoy by providing new services and amenities and making Centre County an even better place to live, work and play.  

We’re poised to make it all happen.   

To be successful, it will require collaboration between the private sector and government – a proactive partnership in which the CBICC, community leaders, businesses, organizations, and elected officials develop and nurture policies to ensure measurable and sustainable economic outcomes.   

The CBICC, along with its economic development arm, the Centre County Industrial Development Corporation (CCIDC), is among many community resources – businesses, utilities, educational institutions, banks, real-estate developers, neighborhood groups, nonprofit organizations, foundations and more – shouldering this responsibility and playing central roles in the process. 

​The CBICC is committed to leading the conversation, and to sharing knowledge that will help others advocate with confidence for smart growth.

Momentum is building, and you’ll want to stay tuned because significant investment opportunities are coming our way.

By working together to embrace robust, resilient and thoughtful economic-development strategies, we will persevere and win in the workplace, win in the marketplace and, most importantly, win with vision and integrity.
​
Here’s to much future success!

Raising Cane’s Celebrates Opening of First State College Restaurant

6/8/2022

 
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STATE COLLEGE, PA (June 8, 2022) – Lion Country can get ready to roar because Raising Cane’s is introducing its ONE LOVE® – craveable chicken finger meals – to the State College community on Tuesday, June 14!
 
Located across the street from The Pennsylvania State University campus at 228 E. College Ave., the new restaurant will kick off its grand opening celebration with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC). The festivities begin at 9:30 a.m.
 
“Caniacs” will want to join the celebration early because Raising Cane’s will host a “Lucky 20” drawing to award 20 customers (ages 13 and older) Free Cane’s for a Year! The restaurant will accept entries between 8-9 a.m. and will announce the winners between 9-10 a.m. "Caniacs" must be present to win.

The first 100 dine-in customers to order a Combo Meal will also receive a commemorative Cane’s T-shirt and The Box Combo® gift card to use on their next visit.


Read Press Release

Local farms, ag-related businesses awarded grants for facility improvements

5/23/2022

 
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CBICC President & CEO Greg Scott
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Matt Wise and Brandy Reiter of Sen. Jake Corman's Office join the HVAB's Fritz Smith and CBICC President & CEO Greg Scott
Twenty-eight Centre County farms, farm stands and agricultural businesses were awarded grant funding for projects that will enhance the visitor/customer experience through facility improvements or help them prepare for visitors. The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) and the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC) made the announcement Monday, May 23 at a news conference at RE Farm Café at Windswept.

“It’s a great feeling to know the projects being funded today will enhance agricultural offerings in the county and allow farms and ag-related businesses to grow their operations,” said Greg Scott, president and CEO of the CBICC. “Agritourism helps to fuel our local economy and contributes greatly to the prosperity of our shared communities.”

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Grants of up to $10,000 were available. All 28 applicants received a portion of the funding, which in turn, will generate approximately $200,000 in matching private investment by grant recipients. 
READ PRESS RELEASE
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Happy Valley Agventures grant recipients
HVAB President & CEO Fritz Smith
Leslie Zuck of Common Ground Farm
CBICC President & CEO Greg Scott
Jason and Amanda Scott of Scott's Roasting at Sylvan Acres Farm
Andrew LeClair of 814 Cider Works/J.L. Farm & Cidery
Chris Ishler of Sinking Creek Meats with Greg Scott
James Lesher of Rhoneymeade with Bearica Quinn of 3 Dots Downtown
Nittany Meadow Farm's Michael Immel with Greg Stuber and Nancy Kaltenbach of Pole Cat Hollow
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Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County
131 S. Fraser St, Ste. 1, State College, PA 16801
(814) 234-1829
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