By: Holly Riddle Photo: KCF LinkedIn We talk a lot about Ben Franklin Technology Partners. We frequently highlight how the organization invests in up-and-coming regional startups, like its annual BIG IDEA contest, which has propelled numerous startups to success (like Innovation Park-based Phospholutions, a Happy Valley entrepreneurial success story).   While Ben Franklin may receive a […]

By: Sarah Taylor Photo: Shy Bear Brewing Facebook On Meadowbrook Lane, in Lewistown, Jason Ufema is owner of both Rich Coast Coffee and Shy Bear Brewing. While Rich Coast Coffee may be a long-standing community staple, Shy Bear Brewing is a relative newcomer — but both are valuable drivers of the area’s evolution.  Crafting community […]

 By: Holly Riddle When Flour & Stone, a new upscale restaurant from the creative minds and culinary talents behind Pine Grove Hall, opens its doors in late August, the hope is to capture all the senses.  The team wants to invigorate customers with the space, which harmonizes the beauty of an old building with airy, […]

By: Sarah Taylor Photo: First Citizens Community Bank on Beaver Avenue in Downtown State College, PA In 1872, the predecessor to today’s First Citizens Community Bank (FCCB) opened in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, as Ross and Williams Bank. Now, more than 150 years later, and with a downtown State College branch opening in 2017 following the acquisition of S&T […]

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By: Holly Riddle Image Credits: Nittany AI Alliance Instagram Earlier this year, McKinsey looked at research that showed that “gen AI talent,” or employees who use gen AI in the workplace to gain efficiency, are in high demand, providing value to their employers — but also presenting a flight risk. This talent knows its worth […]