On October 9, the CBICC launched an Economic Development Strategy aimed at addressing the county’s economic challenges while leveraging its unique assets to foster a resilient and diverse economy.
The 2024 Centre County Economic Development Strategy brings together four high-level priorities to shape the region’s future: Business Retention and Expansion, Targeted and Emerging Industries, Workforce and Education, and the Built and Natural Environment. These interconnected priorities form the backbone of a comprehensive strategy for economic development, positioning Centre County as a beacon of resilience and opportunity.
Fueling growth through targeted opportunities
“When we look at Centre County and the region, there are so many good things happening here. We have an incredible opportunity right now to harness our unique strengths to continue to thrive as a community, become more competitive, and reach our full economic potential,” said CBICC President & CEO Greg Scott.
Scott, a Centre County native, cited strong community connection and pride, a high quality of life, and innovation coming out of research and educational institutions as a strong foundation for the region’s economic development. These strengths supported the county’s recovery from headwinds faced during the Covid-19 pandemic including workforce, infrastructure, and population challenges.
“We became aware that we needed a comprehensive, collaborative plan to capitalize on our region’s strengths and drive us toward future economic prosperity,” Scott said. “We’re going to lean into attracting and retaining businesses of all sizes, breaking down our siloes, and focusing on true collaboration across our community.”
One solution the plan hopes to achieve is closing the gap between workforce housing supply and the ever-growing job market. To address this, the plan proposes increasing the availability of attainable housing units across all municipalities by 2030. Furthermore, improving transportation infrastructure will be key to connecting population centers with industrial and business hubs, enhancing the overall quality of life while supporting business growth.
The plan also identifies opportunities to advance built infrastructure and increase the availability of adequately equipped industrial sites. By enhancing site readiness and improving connectivity between key transit routes, Centre County can accelerate its economic progress. Supporting air service retention at the State College Regional Airport is another critical driver, aimed at ensuring businesses and residents are well-connected.
Vice President of Economic Development for the CBICC Todd Dolbin explained that the plan will take a regional approach to solutions to address both local residents and individuals in the Centre County workforce traveling from outside the county.
“We are excited for the opportunities this plan presents for us to expand our brand regionally, especially since a lot of our workforce commutes in from outside our county border,” he said. “This plan aims to develop our unified brand that targets different audiences and promotes our county’s values and identity.”
A call to action: Shaping the future together
The 2024 Centre County Economic Development Strategy is a bold blueprint for the future. Its success depends on the collective effort of local businesses, institutions like Penn State, government entities, and most importantly, the community. Together, we can build a thriving, resilient economy that sets Centre County apart as a leader in innovation and economic prosperity in Pennsylvania.
“Centre County is a great place for businesses of all sizes, people of all ages, and workers in all industries,” Scott said. “What we have here is a community that has all the potential to work together and to think about all the different roles we will have in moving this plan along. I’m excited to see how that evolves and translates to results and action.”
This vision needs YOU. Whether as a resident, a business owner, an educator, or a community partner, your involvement is crucial. By embracing this plan and rallying around a shared goal of growth and prosperity, the community can unlock Centre County’s full potential. Let’s work together to ensure Centre County isn’t just keeping pace with change — it’s leading it. This is the place to be. This is the move forward.
What can you do NOW?
Visit www.centrecountyforward.com to sign up for special communications about the plan so that you can stay informed and get involved.
About the plan
Developed by the CBICC in collaboration with over 100 stakeholders, the plan is the result of extensive research and engagement efforts that took place between November 2023 and September 2024, including meetings of the 50+ member Economic Development Council, focus groups, personal interviews, and deep data analyses to get a clear and comprehensive picture of Centre County’s economic landscape.
CBICC leaders stressed that, with its organization at the helm, the plan is a coordinated effort among leaders of businesses of all sizes, community members, and residents from across Centre County representing a collaborative mission to work toward growth and economic prosperity.
“In working toward this plan, our goal was to create a common and coordinated vision— unlike anything that’s been done in the last 25 years in Centre County — that provides a roadmap for smart economic growth,” said CBICC President and CEO Greg Scott. “The process was set up to be deliberate about fostering synergy among the many organizations and partners in the region who participated.”
Vice President of Economic Development for the CBICC, Todd Dolbin, emphasized that the group set out to develop clear, strategic goals and ensure that the plan is actionable, accountable, and sustainable.
“Ultimately,” he said, “We cast a wide net on input for the plan in order to engage and energize the entire community, inspiring collaboration and cooperation to achieve common goals.”
Scott added, “Declarations of support have already rolled in from key strategic partners, like Penn State, Centre Region COG, individual townships, and others. In fact, our plan closely aligns with similar efforts initiated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania earlier this year, so county leaders have been working in collaboration with State officials to ensure that our focus areas are complementary and enhance one another.”
The Centre Region Council of Governments staff is excited to support this plan’s initiatives, from streamlining resources for businesses to providing outstanding outdoor recreation. By working together, we can ensure that Centre County remains a thriving hub for innovation, education, and economic opportunity.
Ben Estell, executive director of Centre Region Council of Governments said, “This Economic Development Strategy represents a regional vision for fostering smart economic growth in Centre County. It is a collaborative roadmap that aligns with many of our regional priorities. The COG will be examining the plan for ways to include elements of its findings and goals into our Comprehensive Plan.”
“The economic development plan is a big step forward for our county. This plan was a collaborative effort amongst businesses, government entities, and Penn State,” said Amy Farkas, township manager in Patton Township. “It lays out a blueprint to help us attract and retain new businesses and industries and also addresses workforce concerns, including attracting employees and the important role attainable housing plays in workforce development. We look forward to working with the CBICC and the stakeholders on the implementation of the plan.”
“The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau appreciates the collaborative process that has occurred in developing a comprehensive economic development strategy for the county,” said Fritz Smith, HVAB president and CEO, and a member of the Economic Development Council that helped create the plan’s framework and priorities. “Visitation is a proven economic driver for Centre County. Our work, along with the work of the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance, is essential to maintaining and growing a strong economy and excellent community quality of life. We very much welcome the opportunity to combine our ongoing tourism economic development mission with the efforts of the CBICC and other industry sectors to ensure a thriving environment for business growth and job creation in Happy Valley, PA.”
What does the Centre County Economic Development Strategy entail?
A shared vision for economic growth and prosperity
Business Retention and Expansion
Local and regional business support, entrepreneurship and innovation, and statewide synchronization.
Goal A: Streamline and expand resources for early-stage businesses.
Goal B: Prioritize consistent business engagement with entrepreneurs and high-growth companies.
Goal C: Synchronize business retention and expansion efforts with state, national, and global initiatives.
Targeted and Emerging Industries
Targeted industries, new business attraction, and leveraging commercialization.
Goal A: Develop and promote a brand identity for Centre County.
Goal B: Develop a Sensor Technology Industry Cluster.
Goal C: Amplify the role of Penn State in the community to optimize its economic impact.
Workforce and Education
Workforce development, talent attraction, and talent retention.
Goal A: Create targeted talent development and attraction initiatives.
Goal B: Formalize a network of Centre County employers committed to addressing workforce needs.
Goal C: Expand and assess career pathways and awareness among all education providers.
Built and Natural Environment
Downtowns, sites, infrastructure, housing, tourism, and outdoor recreation.
Goal A: Amplify Happy Valley as Central PA’s tourism, outdoor recreation, and sports destination hub.
Goal B: Pave the way for more attainable housing units.
Goal C: Invest in placemaking and social gathering spots throughout the county.
Goal D: Invest in site readiness projects.
What do you think about the new Centre County Economic Development Strategy? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to read more coverage like this in the Fall 2024 issue of Catalyst.
