Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED)

invites you to attend the 2010 Mega Mixer

WHEN:    Thursday, September 9th, 2010

                5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Allenberry Resort Inn & Playhouse

                1559 Boiling Springs Road

                Boiling Springs, PA  17007

Hors d'oeuvres, Drinks, & Networking Opportunities!!!

This a FREE event thanks to our generous sponsors

Major Sponsor

Highmark Blue Shield

Corporate Sponsors

Associated Bag Company

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

Carlisle Regional Medical Center

DeGarcia Wine & Spirits

F&M Trust

Metro Bank

Members 1st Federal Credit Union

Shippensburg University

Event Partners

Appalachian Brewing Company

Classic Drycleaners

Market Cross Pub

Mt. Holly Beverage

Unique Limousine

Weis Markets

Please RSVP to your respective Chamber

Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce

717-243-4515 or events@carlislechamber.org

Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce

717-796-0811 or director@mechanicsburgchamber.org

Shippensburg Area Chamber of Commerce

717-532-5509 or director@shippensburg.org

West Shore Chamber of Commerce

717-761-0702 or events@wschamber.org

For questions or more information please contact Judith Fissel at CCED

717-240-7180 or judith@cumberlandbusiness.com

Carlisle, PA (July 6, 2010) - Campus Door is once again setting the stage to grow in Carlisle.  After a remarkable start in 1995 through 2006, Damien Elias has breathed new life into Campus Door with assistance from Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) and the Governor’s Action Team (GAT).

Damien first approached CCED in November of 2009 looking for assistance to keep the company in Carlisle.   “They were looking for options that would allow them to stay in the area and we were able to provide a comprehensive list from which to choose.” stated Anthony Amadure, Business Development Specialist from CCED.  CCED reviewed a number of programs with Damien, including options on energy savings, financing, and workforce needs to showcase area resources and the benefits of staying in Carlisle.

“Campus Door was considering locations in at least 2 other states”, stated Omar Shute, Executive Director of CCED.  “We decided to work with the GAT right away for business incentives and assistance.  Getting GAT involved proved to be a key factor in moving their project forward as they constructed a competitive package which included almost a half-million dollars total in Opportunity Grant, Job Training, and Job Creation Tax Credit funding”.  The GAT package will allow Campus Door to purchase equipment, train their employees, and hold down their overall project costs.  “GAT has always been a strong and reliable partner when working on projects of this size and importance”, noted Anthony Amadure “and we thank them for their assistance."

“The state package was essential in our company being able to stay and re-open in Carlisle”, Damien noted.  “In the end we were all very happy to keep Campus Door in Carlisle.”  “The proposed 100 full-time, high-paying, high-tech positions are a much needed boost to the local economy.  This continues to add to the almost 400 jobs that will be created through two previous, high profile CCED projects announced earlier this year – the Office Depot and Alacer expansions.  We are delighted to help a local success story come back and contribute once again to our local economy,” stated Omar Shute.

Originally a lender of private student loans, Damien had to change the company’s focus due to new federal regulations.  In March, President Barack Obama signed a law that ends the practice of private banks lending federally subsidized Stafford Loans, which could potentially save the government more than $60 billion over ten years. The law took effect on July 1st.  This new focus will allow Damien to hopefully corner a new market by selling web-based software to banks and other lending institutions that make private student loans.  He hopes to be a lender again, but will be happy simply being a loan facilitator for now.

Campus Door’s upgraded and enhanced software platform will allow banks to offer private education finance solutions to their college-bound customers and to develop custom branded student loan programs to meet each lender’s education finance product needs.  The first lender to use the system in Virginia will go live the week of July 15th.  “We had to adopt a very different perspective this time, Damien said, as we now have to make loans for others instead of always being the lender ourselves."

After operating in Carlisle for over 10 years, the company was sold to Lehman Brothers in 2006 for around $100 million after handling loan requests in excess of $2 billion and employing around 300 people.   Lehman went bankrupt in 2008 during the financial collapse of mortgage backed securities and Damien was able to purchase the company back in 2009 for an undisclosed amount.  Now, with the help of ten new private investors, assistance from CCED and GAT, and an additional equity infusion of about $800,000, the company is poised to grow once again.

The mission of CCED is to be a catalyst for job creation; entrepreneurship; business attraction, retention, and expansion on behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County and South Central Pennsylvania.

CCED Announces Two New Loans
CCED provides business financing to two West Shore businesses 

Carlisle, PA - Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) announced today it has finalized financing for two West Shore businesses.  Land Logics Group, LLC. from the Borough of Camp Hill and Kessler’s Inc. from the Borough of Lemoyne will be assisted by CCED.  The financing will allow both companies to remain competitive and to grow.  Altogether, CCED will be lending $90,000 from its Cumberland Small Business Fund loan program.  CCED’s investment will also leverage further future investment from those companies into Cumberland County’s economy.

 “CCED is committed to supporting entrepreneurship in Cumberland County through our diverse array of financing programs which span several industries, lending amounts, and project needs. We are very excited about being able to finance Land Logics Group which is a woman owned business and Kessler’s Inc. which is a manufacturing company with a longstanding tradition in Cumberland County,” said Omar Shute, CCED Executive Director.

Established in 2003 by Sally B. Holbert, a Pennsylvania licensed Landscape Architect, Land Logics Group is a land planning, urban design and construction firm.  Land Logics Group expanded their services in 2009 to include specialty concrete construction and is a PennDOT qualified subcontractor.  The wide array of services offered through Land Logics includes among others Pedestrian Facilities design and construction, Regional Comprehensive Planning, Watershed and Source Water Protection Planning, Parks and Recreation Planning, Traditional Neighborhood Design, Conservation Subdivision Design, Collaborative Design Facilitation, Boundary Survey, and Topographic Survey.

Kessler’s Inc. started operations in Easton, PA in 1916, producing a smoked beef bologna known as Easton Bologna.  From humble beginnings, the company experienced success, grew, and moved to Lemoyne where sausage, bacon, hams, and frankfurters were added to their product mix.  Almost 100 years later, the company has become a well known brand and an asset to Lemoyne, the West Shore, and Cumberland County.  Today, the company has grown to become one of the top 200 meat processors in the United States employing a team of 40 employees.  Kessler’s markets smoked and fresh meats, sausage products, ham, bacon, deli items, and a wide variety of food products to a customer base of retailers, distributors, and foodservice operators.  Kessler’s is also known for producing and marketing the Nittany Lion franks.

The mission of CCED is to be a catalyst for job creation; entrepreneurship; business attraction, retention, and expansion on behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County and South Central Pennsylvania.

News for Immediate Release

May 27^th, 2010

Governor Rendell Says Leading Dietary Supplement Manufacturer Will Set up Shop, Create Dozens of Jobs in Carlisle

Harrisburg – With a boost from state investments, a dietary supplement manufacturer will relocate some of its operations to the commonwealth and create 66 jobs in Cumberland County, Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today.

California-based Alacer Corp. will expand its manufacturing and distribution operations into Pennsylvania with the lease of a 130,000 square-foot facility in Carlisle.  The company expects that the facility, which will include a pharmaceutical grade clean room, will be operational by early 2011.  The $10 million project will create at least 66 new full-time jobs within three years.

“This was a competitive project, and Alacer’s decision to set up shop in Pennsylvania and create dozens of family-sustaining jobs in Carlisle speaks well of our economic development efforts.” said Governor Rendell.  “As we recover from this recession, it’s more important than ever to invest in quality projects that create jobs and leverage private investment.”

Governor Rendell said his proposed budget continues to invest in job creation and economic development strategies that have helped keep Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate significantly below the national average. The proposed budget increases funding for other job creation programs such as opportunity grants, customized job training, infrastructure development, and infrastructure facilities and improvement grants.

“Despite the tough economy and a tight budget situation, we will strive to do everything we can to lay the foundation for strong economic growth and job creation as the economy recovers,” Governor Rendell added.

Based in California, Alacer Corp is engaged in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of branded dietary supplements in the United States and internationally.  The company’s principal product is the Emergen-C brand of effervescent dietary supplement drink mixes.  With more than 400 million packets sold annually, Emergen-C is the leading brand of vitamin C in the United States.

“Consumer demand is driving growth of the Emergen-C brand and that growth requires us to expand production capacity and add skilled team members”, stated Ron Fugate, Alacer President and CEO. “Pennsylvania and Cumberland County offer the ideal platform for our immediate and long-term growth, with availability of the infrastructure, work force, transportation hub and business-friendly environment that we require.” 

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, economic development professionals who work directly with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in the state.

Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) worked with the company and the Governor’s Action Team to secure a $286,700 funding offer from the Department of Community and Economic Development for the project. The offer includes a $125,000 opportunity grant, $29,700 in job training assistance and $132,000 in job creation tax credits.  

In addition, to finance Alacer’s expansion into Cumberland County, CCED through its Industrial Development Authority will be issuing a tax exempt loan for a total of $10 Million.  The loan will allow Alacer Corp to complete the fit-out of their new location and buy equipment.  “CCED is very excited about partnering with Alacer Corp in this expansion project.  Job creation has been our top priority for 2010 and our hard work is paying off as we continue to add jobs and attract investment to Cumberland County.  About three months ago we scored a huge win with Office Depot and now we are scoring another huge win with Alacer Corp.  This is great news to the regional economy and demonstrates further through unparalleled results CCED’s effectiveness and economic impact,” said Omar Shute, CCED Executive Director. 

Since Governor Rendell took office in 2003, GAT has successfully completed 1,228 projects, resulting in commitments to create 131,573 new jobs and retain 308,514 existing positions. The commonwealth has offered more than $2.3 billion in assistance for these projects, which will leverage more than $16.4 billion in additional investment.

For more information on Alacer Corp. and its Emergen-C brand, visit www.emergenc.com.

For more information on the Governor’s Action Team and other Department of Community and Economic Development programs, visit www.NewPA.com or call 1-866-466-3972.

For more information on CCED, visit www.cumberlandbusiness.com or call 1-717-240-7180.

Media contacts:

Luke Webber, DCED; 717-783-1132

Michael Smith, Governor’s Office; 717-783-1116

Sarah Siler, Murphy O’Brien PR for Alacer Corp; 310-453-2539; ssiler@murphyobrien.com

Omar Shute, Executive Director; 717-240-7180; omar@cumberlandbusiness.com

###

The Green Room to become newest Carlisle restaurant

Carlisle, PA - Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) announced today it will be financing a new restaurant in downtown Carlisle.  The Green Room will specialize in serving healthy food including locally grown and organic selections. “CCED is committed to supporting entrepreneurship in Cumberland County and we are very excited about being a partner with the Green Room,” said Omar Shute, CCED Executive Director.  He added; “this new business will contribute approximately 10 new jobs to the Carlisle area."

The Green Room is the first business venture for entrepreneur Patrick Andrews.  Patrick has thirteen years of experience in the restaurant industry including a management role at the California Café.  The Green Room will feature Chef Jason Turner.  Jason was the winner of the 2007 Iron Chef competition in Carlisle.  Patrick and Jason have developed an exciting as well as delicious menu that will become great additions to the downtown Carlisle experience.

To finance the Green Room, CCED partnered with Community First Fund and the Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce.  The three economic development partners worked together and collaborated to make the project a reality.  The Green Room is set to open around mid to late March 2010.

The mission of CCED is to be a catalyst for job creation; entrepreneurship; business attraction, retention, and expansion on behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County and South Central Pennsylvania.

CCED to open office at the West Shore Chamber of Commerce

Carlisle, PA – Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) announced today that it will further expand into the West Shore by opening an office at the West Shore Chamber of Commerce effective immediately.  This move is part of the economic development partnership that was announced between CCED and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce last week.

CCED market research indicates that businesses prefer and can identify better with a local organization, resource, or partner.  Hence, businesses in the West Shore will now be able to benefit and achieve further convenience by having the option to work with a more local economic development partner instead of more remote options from Harrisburg or Carlisle.  CCED is confident this extra convenience, added with its great service and pricing structure, will make for a powerful combination that will benefit businesses in general.

“We have been looking to expand and to open a branch office in the West Shore for at least two years,” said Omar Shute, CCED Executive Director.  He added; “we want to be seen as part of their business community, expand our level of outreach, and improve our market awareness.  Opening a branch office at the West Shore Chamber of Commerce achieves our goals and addresses our business needs.  It just makes perfect sense.”

“The West Shore Chamber of Commerce is continually looking for ways to assist businesses in our area and is pleased to host this CCED branch to benefit our members and spread the word on CCED’s wide range of offerings,” said Kathleen Mangan, West Shore Chamber President & CEO.

By having a physical presence in the West Shore, CCED expects to be able to assist more West Shore businesses with economic development services.  CCED has a very comprehensive array of programs including business financing tools and low-interest loan programs such as Small Business First, SBA 504, and tax-exempt financing.

To learn more about how CCED and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce could assist your business, interested businesses are encouraged to contact Don Coffee at CCED at 717.240.7181 or via e-mail at don@cumberlandbusiness.com or Sandy Allison at the West Shore Chamber of Commerce at 717.761.0702 or via e-mail at sandy@wschamber.org.

The mission of CCED is to be a catalyst for job creation; entrepreneurship; business attraction, retention, and expansion on behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County and South Central Pennsylvania.

The mission of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce is to represent, promote and facilitate business for the community.

Dear friends:

Five years ago, we made an organizational commitment to become a certified Area Loan Organization (ALO) and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). This commitment was an extension of our pledge to fully serve the residents and businesses of Cumberland County. A few months ago, we decided to apply to become a certified lender under those designations and worked with our stakeholders to submit an effective application with the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

Becoming a certified lender would grant Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) access to Small Business First (SBF) and PIDA loans.  These programs offer low interest financing to businesses and target a variety of industries including manufacturing and hospitality. By adding our organization as an additional provider of the aforementioned programs, greater lending capacity would be achieved and businesses would benefit from a healthier level of competition resulting in improved service, better performance, and more competitive pricing.

Last week, with the participation of our legislative delegation and Carlisle Mayor Kirk Wilson, CCED had a very positive meeting with Governor Edward G. Rendell and the Secretary of DCED, George Cornelius. Our Governor and Secretary were impressed with the amount of garnered grassroots support for our application and agreed to work with CCED to award these designations.

The Central Penn Business Journal broke the story, which was confirmed by DCED. CCED wants to be respectful of the certification process and of DCED’s practices and prefers not to comment further until the full certification process has been finalized. Once the process has been finalized, we will be sharing with you more details about our plan to become the top County in terms of number of projects and amount of lending generated under those programs. To our scores of supporters including the West Shore Chamber of Commerce, Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce, Shippensburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; local and federal Cumberland County legislators; Cumberland County Government including the Board of County Commissioners, the County Planning Commission, the Redevelopment Authority, the Cumberland County Controller; Municipal Governments; regional economic development service providers; and  scores of local businesses; we will always be eternally grateful for your support and vow not to let you down.

CCED is already a successful and experienced economic development lender that has already done millions of dollars in affordable business financing and is looking forward to using these additional new tools to create greater economic development opportunities. Without a doubt, this is great news for our County and business community. Achieving these designations is critical to the economic development efforts of Cumberland County, and we look forward to partnering with DCED and current provider – CREDC – to offer the very best to the Cumberland County business community.

Best regards,

 
 
Omar A. Shute
Executive Director
Cumberland Area EDC

Partnership to revolutionize economic development in the West Shore

Carlisle, PA – A new era for economic development has begun.  Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce have agreed to a dynamic partnership in the delivery of economic development services.  This powerful alliance will guarantee businesses greater accessibility and awareness of the newest economic development tools as well as services. 

“This partnership comes at the perfect time.  The economy has struggled to recover and as a result Cumberland County’s unemployment rate has doubled in the past twelve months.  In addition, CCED has been able to grow and expand its economic development services.  This partnership will help us deliver those new services faster to the West Shore business community thus creating more economic development and job opportunities“, said Omar Shute, CCED Executive Director.

“The West Shore Chamber of Commerce is very pleased to offer this valuable resource to our members, and are excited to partner with CCED on this initiative”, said Kathleen Mangan, West Shore Chamber President & CEO.

One of CCED’s main objectives is to assist businesses with economic development financing through its wide array of low interest loan programs including Small Business First and the SBA 504 program.  The partnership with the West Shore Chamber of Commerce will allow CCED unique access to the West Shore business community and hence the ability to market services more effectively.  “We are thrilled about this partnership,” said Shute.  He added; “we are confident this partnership will convert CCED and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce into market leaders in the delivery of economic development services to the West Shore business community.”

This innovative partnership is the first step in developing new ways of better serving the area’s business development needs.  In addition, with the help of this partnership, both organizations will continue to be true to their missions.  The mission of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce is to represent, promote and facilitate business for the community.  The mission of CCED is to be a catalyst for job creation; entrepreneurship; business attraction, retention, and expansion on behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County and South Central Pennsylvania.  Through this partnership, both organizations have made a pledge to continue their unwavering commitment to the business community.

To learn more about how the CCED and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce could assist your business, interested parties are encouraged to contact Don Coffee at CCED at 717.240.7181 or via e-mail at don@cumberlandbusiness.com or Sandy Allison at the West Shore Chamber of Commerce at 717.761.0702 or via e-mail at sandy@wschamber.org.

Cumberland County businesses to benefit from lower costs to borrow funds

Carlisle, PA - Continuing with its commitment to the Cumberland County business community, Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) is announcing the lowest prices in the region to borrow funds through the Small Business First Program.  This will save Cumberland County businesses hundreds of Dollars compared to traditional options.  “Nobody in the region can do a Small Business First loan for less,” said Omar Shute, CCED Executive Director.  He added, “our low prices and exceptional service will provide a very hard to beat combination and will ensure first class service to Cumberland County businesses.”

The following pricing related to Small Business First is being announced by CCED:

Application Fee: $250
Closing Fee: 1% of amount borrowed
Document Preparation Fee: $650

Again, nobody in the region can provide Small Business First loans for less cost.  For Cumberland County businesses, this means that on a $200,000 loan, CCED can save a business as much as $1,500 in fees.  Without a doubt, this is a win for the Cumberland County business community and shows CCED’s commitment to business in Cumberland County. 
 
“CCED is a lean organization with diversified funding.  In addition, CCED has a wide variety of loan programs and services.  That has allowed us to build economies of scale and develop great pricing structures for Cumberland County businesses.  We are transferring those savings to our clients,” said Shute.  He added; “we are making capital available and helping ease the credit crunch that is affecting many.  In the past, it was common to see lending institutions financing up to 90% of the cost of a project.  This practice is now very unusual and lending institutions have been requiring borrowers to inject more cash into a deal to reduce their level of exposure.  With a program such as Small Business First, CCED can partner with a lending institution and offer subordinate financing.  Our involvement diversifies the risk and saves the borrower precious cash.  Hence, everybody wins.”

Small Business First provides low-interest financing for land and building acquisition and construction, machinery and equipment purchases, and working capital.  Through Small Business First, CCED can provide loans for up to $200,000 and depending on the transaction rates can be fixed for as many as 15 years.  To check for eligibility and for further information regarding Small Business First, contact Don Coffee at 717.240.7181 or via e-mail at don@cumberlandbusiness.com.

The mission of CCED is to be a catalyst for job creation; entrepreneurship; business attraction, retention, and expansion on behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County and South Central Pennsylvania.

Cumberland County Economic Development Welcomes Small Business First

Low-interest financing program now available to Cumberland County businesses

Carlisle, PA – Mission accomplished.  Last week, Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) completed its certification process with the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and is now an Area Loan Organization serving Cumberland County.  CCED would like to again thank the scores of businesses, legislators, local government partners, chambers of commerce, and regional economic development service providers for their support.

Small Business First is considered by many as the best small business lending program available at DCED.  This program offers primarily subordinate financing and works best in partnership with traditional lending institutions.  “Small Business First is the newest financing tool available at CCED.  We have programs available to serve almost any type of business and for almost any type of need.  Just check us out,” said Omar Shute, Executive Director at CCED.  He added; “in the past, it was common to see lending institutions financing up to 90% of the cost of a project.  This practice is now very unusual and lending institutions have been requiring borrowers to inject more cash into a deal to reduce their level of exposure.  With a program such as Small Business First, CCED can partner with a lending institution and offer subordinate financing.  Our involvement diversifies the risk and saves the borrower precious cash.”

Small Business First provides low-interest financing for land and building acquisition and construction, machinery and equipment purchases, and working capital.  Through Small Business First, CCED can provide loans for up to $200,000 and depending on the transaction rates can be fixed for as many as 15 years.

To check for eligibility and for further information regarding Small Business First, contact:

Don Coffee at 717.240.7181 or via e-mail at don@cumberlandbusiness.com.

The mission of CCED is to be a catalyst for job creation; entrepreneurship; business attraction, retention, and expansion on behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County and South Central Pennsylvania.

OFFICE DEPOT OPENS NEW COMBO FACILITY IN NEWVILLE, PA

600,000 Square Feet Facility Will Employ 250 Associates and Service
Office Depot’s Retail Store Locations and Business Solutions Division

Boca Raton, Fla., January 5, 2010 -- Office Depot (NYSE: ODP), a leading global provider of office products and services, today announced the opening of the Company’s new combination facility in Newville, Pennsylvania.  The building, which is located just outside of Harrisburg, is approximately 600,000 square feet and is designed to serve Office Depot’s retail store locations as well as its business customers.  The new approach will support Office Depot’s growing business, optimize total supply chain expenses, and utilize inventory more efficiently, while maintaining service levels and next-day delivery.

Office Depot first identified Newville as the optimal region to establish the combination facility based on its location as a transportation hub for the Company’s business and ability to offer efficiencies to service both retail locations and business customers. Additionally, a motivated work force and lower real estate expenses were important factors in the decision making process.

Office Depot worked closely with the Governor’s action team, Penn Township, officials and the Cumberland County Economic Development group in making the move possible, as well as SBLM Architects for architectural services and CBRE for real estate brokering.  The Newville location will be managed by Office Depot Senior Director Bob Zelis.

About Office Depot

Every day, Office Depot is Taking Care of Business for millions of customers around the globe.  For the local corner store as well as Fortune 500 companies, Office Depot provides products and services to its customers through 1,585 worldwide retail stores, a dedicated sales force, top-rated catalogs and a $4.2 billion e-commerce operation.  Office Depot has annual sales of approximately $14.5 billion, and employs about 42,000 associates around the world. The Company provides more office products and services to more customers in more countries than any other company, and currently sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 49 countries.

Office Depot’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index.  Additional press information can be found at: http://mediarelations.officedepot.com.

Chambers of Commerce support is critical for application of state designations

08/19/09 – Carlisle, PA – Cumberland County Economic Development (CCED) has received full endorsement and support from area Chambers of Commerce to achieve Area Loan Organization (ALO) and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) designations through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).  These designations will allow CCED to obtain equal access to programs such as Small Business First and PIDA.

The West Shore Chamber of Commerce voted today to support CCED and joined the Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce, the Shippensburg Chamber of Commerce, the Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in their support for CCED’s upcoming application.  The Chambers of Commerce aforementioned represent approximately 2,000 businesses.

“The West Shore Chamber’s strong support of this application is a result of careful examination and debate of the information available to both the Chamber’s Economic Development Committee and the Board of Directors.  The application from CCED would allow for increased access to funding and continued economic growth for Cumberland County businesses,” said Ed Messner, President & CEO of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce.  Michelle Crowley, President of the Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce said “CCED is part of a not-for-profit corporation and serves as the catalyst for Cumberland County’s economic development policies.  CCED has a dedicated and highly qualified economic development staff and has done an excellent job representing the County’s best interests when it comes to growth and development".

CCED is very enthusiastic about its application and is certain that Cumberland County and the region will be better served by having more options to fulfill the financing needs of businesses.  CCED is already an experienced lender and achieving these designations will improve the current delivery of services as well as loans and will increase the amount of financial assistance that has been historically offered to businesses in the County.  In the region, as for the Small Business First program, Cumberland County has had only $6M worth of loans since 2000, which trails Franklin County at $21M, Dauphin County at $8.4M and Adams County at $7M.  As for PIDA since 2000, only three PIDA loans have been made in Cumberland County.

The mission of Cumberland County Economic Development is to be a catalyst for job creation; entrepreneurship; and business attraction, retention, and expansion on behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County and South Central Pennsylvania.