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Mount Nittany Health partners with IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley to provide medical support services

Posted on by Melissa Brown

State College, Pa. – Mount Nittany Health is proud to partner with the IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley triathlon and provide medical support for the triathlon event on June 30th, 2024. Kevin Wilson, MD, Mount Nittany Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine will serve as Co-Medical Director for the event, along with Daniel McKinley, MD, MBA, Mount Nittany Health Emergency Medicine and Medical Director Quality and Patient Safety, Mount Nittany Medical Center.

“Endurance events, like the IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley event, require a great deal of preparation,” said Wilson. “These experienced endurance athletes have spent countless hours preparing for the event. Mount Nittany Health’s Sports Medicine Athletic Trainers are prepared to provide front-line care to these athletes throughout the day if they need medical assistance.”

This year’s event will take athletes on their race journey from a 1.2-mile swim in Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir at Bald Eagle State Park, a scenic 56-mile bike ride through the beautiful rolling hills of Centre and Clinton Counties, and a 13.1-mile run on the campus of Penn State, including a finish line experience inside Beaver Stadium.

During the event, Mount Nittany Health will deploy a multidisciplinary sports medicine approach to critical points along the race. Critical care, emergency medicine, orthopedics, and primary care providers from the Mount Nittany Health system will team up with nurses, EMTs, and athletic trainers to support the race and take care of injured athletes.

Mount Nittany Health’s athletic trainers will also host athletic training students and medical students from Penn State to give those students important exposure to endurance athlete injuries.

Kish Bank Hosts 7th Annual Celebration of Community, Honors Area Educators and More

Posted on by Melissa Brown

STATE COLLEGE, PA – June 26, 2024 – Kish Bank hosted its 7th annual Kish Celebrates Community reception Monday evening at the newly opened Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State, where 250 attendees gathered in celebration of community and the heroic efforts of the community organizations, nonprofits, and dedicated volunteers of the Central PA region.

“We are here tonight to share our pride in this region, celebrate your commitment to our communities, and recognize the work of so many outstanding organizations and individuals impacting the quality of life here in Central PA,” said William P. Hayes, Executive Chairman of Kish Bank, as he addressed the crowd. “Like you, all of us at Kish are so proud to call this place home, and proud to be part of the lives of the people who live here. It’s simple—there is no place else we’d rather be.”

Humanitarian of the Year Award

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of Kish’s Humanitarian of the Year Awards to two area educators, each recognized statewide for their exemplary efforts in championing practices and resources that lead students in their care to infinite possibilities of success.

Ashlie Crosson, a 10th grade English teacher at Mifflin County High School, is the 2024 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year as named by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Born in Mifflin County and graduated from Mifflin County schools, Crosson is cited for her innovative teaching methods and dedication to her students and the community she serves.

Michael Fedisson, Bellefonte High School Principal, is Pennsylvania’s 2024 Principal of the Year as named by the Pennsylvania Principals Association. Fedisson also graduated from and was a student athlete at the school he now leads in Centre County. Fedisson advocated for improved career education programs in agriculture and education and increased focus on student and adult mental health, partnering with The Jana Marie Foundation (Kish Bank’s Outstanding Nonprofit of the Year).

As Hayes explained, “While we recognize and salute educators and teachers everywhere, and we are fortunate in our region to have many who dedicate their lives to this undertaking, tonight we have two individuals who have been recognized by their peers as the very best among us. These individuals see the potential when no one else can. Because of them, the future of our communities will be in safe hands, because they come from right here at home.”

The Humanitarian of the Year Awards were sponsored by the Lewistown Sentinel and Strouse Electric Inc.

Outstanding Nonprofit of the Year Award

The Jana Marie Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the mental wellbeing of young people in Central Pennsylvania, was awarded Kish’s Outstanding Nonprofit of the Year Award in recognition of being on the front lines of “opening minds and saving lives” in its community-led efforts.

In presenting the award, Kish Bank President and CEO Greg Hayes said, “Building a healthy community is one of our core values here at Kish. We are keenly aware of how the mental health of young people has become a pressing concern, especially during and now following the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent research shows that more than four in ten students feel persistently sad or hopeless, and nearly one-third experience poor mental health. The Jana Marie Foundation is making significant impact, reaching thousands of individuals with support and intervention programming to address youth mental health challenges.”

The Outstanding Nonprofit of the Year Award was sponsored by Stocker Chevrolet and Subaru.

Other Highlights

Kish’s Community Impact Award, an award given annually to a Kish employee for their outstanding volunteering efforts, was awarded to Shane Graham, Vice President and Branch Manager of Kish Bank’s Belleville, Allensville, and Reedsville branches. Graham volunteers over 200 hours each year with four different community organizations, serves on two boards and many committees, and serves as Treasurer for the Mifflin County Historical Society.

Kish highlighted its unique partnership with Giv Local, a Certified Benefit Corporation that provides credit card merchant processing with a promise to donate 20% of the revenue back to a local nonprofit of each business’s choosing at no additional cost. Greg Hayes announced that in 2023, a total of $48,784 was donated to 108 nonprofits in Central PA through Kish and Giv Local’s partnership, bringing total donations since its launch in 2020 to over $124,000.

The Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund, PA Pink Zone, and Relay For Life of Mifflin/Juniata were honored for leading the fight against cancer in the Central PA region. Kish celebrated the results of its 2023 Kish for the Cure Campaign, through which employees raised over $74,000 for the three beneficiary organizations.

The evening also featured Mike Rhoades, Penn State Men’s Basketball Head Coach, as a special guest and keynote speaker. Rhoades spoke of the engaging spirit of community found here in Central PA, and of the lasting impact that teachers have made on his life and on the success he is building today with his team.

Geisinger hospitals rated above the national average in Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

Posted on by Melissa Brown

Danville, PA – Four Geisinger hospitals earned the top Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog organization. Geisinger Medical Center, Geisinger Community Medical Center, Geisinger Lewistown Hospital and Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital each received an “A” for protecting patients from harm and error in the hospital. Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital both received a “B” rating.

While three of the four “A” ratings remained unchanged from the fall, Geisinger Community Medical Center improved significantly, moving from a “C” to an “A” rating.

“These achievements reflect our ongoing dedication to delivering exceptional care and continuously improving our practices to better serve our patients and community,” said Anthony Petrick, MD, Geisinger’s Chief Quality Officer. “With exceptional ratings at all of our hospitals, it displays the complete dedication and commitment to putting our patients first.”

Founded in 2000, the Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization that assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

To learn more visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites – including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country. Learn more at geisinger.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

Keller Engineers, Inc. Hires Designer in Water/Wastewater Division

Posted on by Chamber of Business & Industry Centre County

Keller Engineers, Inc. is proud to announce the addition of Tate Russell as a Designer in the Water/Wastewater Division.

Tate holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from West Virginia University and an Associate of Arts degree in Civil Engineering from Potomac State University. He has a great deal of experience in the water/wastewater industry, including working part-time at two wastewater treatment plants designed by Keller Engineers.

Prior to his employment with Keller, Tate provided permitting and engineering assistance for water/wastewater treatment plants, reviewed construction submittals and spec sections to ensure municipal construction projects utilized proper materials, performed construction oversight, and performed surveying. As a Designer for Keller Engineers, he will be working on a wide variety of projects, including permits, funding applications, annual reports, designs, and inspections.

​Keller Engineers, Inc., with locations in Hollidaysburg, State College, Gettysburg, PA and Camden, NJ is a full-service engineering firm providing client-focused civil and structural engineering, and surveying services. 

Join Us for May’s Business After Hours: 19th-Hole Mixer at Mountain View Country Club

Posted on by Chamber of Business & Industry Centre County

Join us for May’s Business After Hours at the 19th-Hole Mixer, hosted by Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc., at Mountain View Country Club on Thursday, May 18, from 5-7 p.m.

The 19th Hole Mixer is an opportunity to connect with chamber members, golf participants, sponsors, and like-minded professionals while enjoying appetizers and beverages. Take advantage of this opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and build lasting relationships, potentially meeting your next business partner or gaining valuable insights.

Please take advantage of the last call for our early bird pricing of $5 for members and $10 for future members, which ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 17. Prospective members can attend the 19th-Hole Mixer for free, experiencing the benefits of Chamber events firsthand. Contact Jeannine Lozier at jeannine@cbicc.org for complimentary attendance coordination.

The Mixer will feature three raffle packages with proceeds attributed to this year’s Annual Golf Outing! Check out these great packages:

  1. Staycation Package featuring a $100 gift card to Gigi’s Southern Table, Mercata Mio Italian Market, and a two-night stay at a Days Inn by Windham. 
  2. Sports package with Penn State Football, Hockey, and Basketball tickets and a Spikes Suite.
  3. Pamper Me package featuring spring rejuvenation treatments including a microneedling + PRP treatment, AnteAGE MD skincare system, and Skinbetter ToneSmart Sunscreen valued at $1100. 

Raffle tickets will be sold during the Mixer and throughout the Annual Golf Outing, with winners notified via email after the raffle drawing at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, May 19. 
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We look forward to seeing you at this Month’s Business After Hours 19th-Hole Mixer presented by Glenn O. Hawbaker. 

Remember, this is your last chance to take advantage of the early bird pricing, so secure your spot now. 

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