Dr. James Linksz, President, BCCC

Langhorne, PA — The Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce has recognized several local organizations and individuals with Economic Achievement Awards at its 2nd Annual Economic Development Forum, held at St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne. Among the recipients are Environmental Tectonics Corp., Southampton (Business Achievement), Garney Morris (Individual Achievement), Bucks County Community College and the YWCA of Bucks County (Non-profit Organization Achievement).

The program was attended by many local business representatives, who enjoyed several presentations on the theme "Establishing and Expanding Your Business in the 21st Century." Keynote speaker Dr. William Dunkleberg, Ph.D., chief economist of the National Federation of Independent Business and a professor at Temple University, treated the assembly to his entertaining and enlightening view of the current state of the U.S. economy. Robert Cormack, Executive Director of the Bucks County Economic Development Corp., presented a locally-focused analysis, observing that small businesses dominate Bucks County commerce, with 90% of all firms in the county employing nine or fewer people. He noted that the greatest increase in local job growth has occurred in service jobs, which increased more than any other category over the past five years.

Economic Achievement Winners

The Business Achievement award honors a local business that has a strong record of local investment, business growth and/or job creation. Environmental Tectonics Corp. has been an employer in Bucks County for over 32 years. Over 200 local residents work at the Southampton company, manufacturing a wide range of aviation, health care, entertainment and disaster management products. The firm's Southampton facility is over 100,000 square feet in size with a new $1 million addition currently being constructed.

This year's Individual Achievement award recognizes Garney Morris, owner of Garney Morris, Inc., a Levittown electrical contracting firm. Morris is known throughout the area as a tireless advocate for Lower Bucks County. As Chairman of the Bucks County Enterprise Zone, he has worked to create and retain thousands of local jobs. His company has maintained an approved electrical apprentice program for over 25 years. He has chaired the Economic Impact Review of the I-95/PA Turnpike interchange project, as well as numerous other groups actively contributing to greater economic opportunities for workers and employers in Lower Bucks County. He is also known for donating permanent lighting atop William Penn at Philadelphia's City Hall.

Two organizations received Non-Profit Achievement awards: Bucks County Community College and the YWCA of Bucks County. BCCC has served the county since 1964, contributing to the education of tens of thousands of area students of all ages. In 1999 the college opened a new campus in Perkasie to better serve the educational needs of Upper Bucks residents. The College's Center for Business and Industry Training provides customized training services for employers seeking increased productivity through workforce education. For the past 10 years, the College has played a key role in the Leadership Bucks County program for business and professional people. Dean Karen Dawkins serves as Chair of the Advisory Board, as has President James Linksz, who remains an active member of the group.

Through the leadership and vision of Executive Director Betty Tatham, the YWCA of Bucks County has grown fivefold over the past eight years. In 1999, the YWCA served 1500 families, provided programs at five Family Centers in Bristol Township, Bensalem and Morrisville, and sponsored programs that have helped reduce crime rates in high-risk neighborhoods. The "Y" Employment Training Program offers job preparation, training and job search skills, and its computer classes, after school and summer camp programs are accessible and responsive to the community's needs. By helping thousands of Bucks County residents improve their skills, the YWCA has strengthened the area to make it much more attractive to business investment.

Bristol, PA — The Team Pennsylvania CareerLink is now open to help fill employment needs. CareerLink is a unique website that's part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's online system. The site can be found at www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us and offers both job seeker as well as employer services. Employers can post job openings with CareerLink that offer a number of choices with distinct advantages:

• User-friendly and intuitive design
• Simple registration process
• Candidate search feature for direct access to job seekers
• Order tracking with employer "activity log"
• Links to economic development, education, and training services.

The Bucks County CareerLink Office is located at 1260 New Rodgers Road in Bristol. They can be reached at 215-981-1060.