By Holly Riddle
Happy Valley Changemakers: Gary Barone (Silcotek), Bryan Wolcot (Restek), Juan Mario Gomez (Xact Metal), Michael Croce, Jeffrey Sorg (Hotel State College & Co.)
Happy Valley is no stranger to success stories — but how do some of the best of the best in regional industry and lifestyle define their success and continue to push the boundaries of their fields? We spoke with four changemakers and business leaders currently making waves in the area and their industries to learn more about their secrets to success, visions for the future and tips for business leaders looking to grow in, or move to, Happy Valley.
SilcoTek Corporation is a high-performance coatings company based in Bellefonte and, in addition to dominating its industry and providing a world-class solution for the semiconductor, analytical instrumentation, life science and energy sectors, it’s also been named one of the best places to work in Pennsylvania for multiple years. The amazing work environment draws amazing talent and, according to Gary Barone, Director of Engineering and Business Development at SilcoTek Corporation, that company culture is partially to credit for SilcoTek’s success. Here’s what he had to say.
What do you feel have been the major contributing factors to SilcoTek's success thus far?
Our culture and technology. Supporting and growing people in a safe environment, where they can be comfortable fast-failing, are able to have difficult discussions and have a sense of purpose, creates a winning environment for a winning team.
Our vision is creating a better world through SilcoTek coatings. That is our purpose and the coatings are the technology factor. Having a solution to real-world problems creates the demand for our services and our culture delivers “Plus 1” customer service that leads to very satisfied customers.
Do you think SilcoTek would have had the same/similar success if it were not located in Happy Valley and/or had access to the region's resources?
Maybe, maybe not. The drive to succeed, enabling technology and a good team can be successful anywhere.
What is great in this area is, as we grow and word-of-mouth about our culture spreads, we can more easily find A players that want to join the company.
What is great in this area is, as we grow and word-of-mouth about our culture spreads, we can more easily find A players that want to join the company. With great local high schools, technical programs and Penn State University, there is a great talent pool right here in the region.
One critical area of technology that is unique to the area is Millennium Labs at Penn State. Working with these teams allows us to conduct analysis and testing that no other competitor of ours is even close to matching. Nothing creates more technical confidence in a customer wanting to investigate our coatings than data that is relevant to their needs!
Culture is also an important contributor to success at Restek Corporation. Restek is a leading developer and manufacturer in chromatography. As we’ve covered on HappyValley Industry in the past, since its inception in 1985, Restek’s been awarded many accolades on the local, state and national levels, including with a spot on the Wall Street Journal’s “15 Top Small Workplaces” and SelectScience’s award, “Reviewers’ Choice for Analytical Science Company of the Year.”
According to Restek Head Coach Bryan Wolcott, Restek’s success can be attributed to three things: its solid beginning with a visionary founder, committed employees and products and support that evolve with customer needs. However, the region’s ample entrepreneurial support systems also played a role. Here are his thoughts.
Do you think Restek would have had the same/similar success if it were not located in Happy Valley and/or had access to the region's resources? Why or why not?
Restek got its start in a local business incubator at Matternville Elementary School and our founder had assistance from the local SCORE program, specifically a mentor and advisor who remained with the business for nearly 25 years beyond his own retirement.
Local elected officials have been supportive of Employee Ownership, the ownership model expected to sustain Restek as an independent company for many years to come.
State loans such as PIDA and MELF were a big help financially. Local banks, initially Omega Bank and then Fulton Bank, have been attentive and supportive of our needs and our opportunities along the way.
Being in Happy Valley has been beneficial... it’s difficult to picture Restek growing up anywhere else.
A local attorney has been with Restek since the beginning.
The CBICC developed land known as the Penn Eagle Industrial Park that became Restek’s home beyond the incubator. And certainly, just down the road is Penn State, a major research university, which has been a source of job candidates, collaborators and more.
Being in Happy Valley has been beneficial to Restek. All of this had a lot to do with Restek’s success and it’s difficult to picture Restek growing up anywhere else.
For business leaders either thinking of starting a business in Happy Valley, or moving a business to Happy Valley, what would your advice to them be, in terms of ensuring their success in the region?
A few thoughts: Penn State really has a lot to offer and can be a good partner with business in various ways. Drawing leaders and professionals to the area is not always easy, though the quality of life here is high. The workers in central Pennsylvania rock. We have enough banks. Happy Valley has several good manufacturing companies, but manufacturing is not a large contributor to the local economy [and] more would be welcome. In addition to Penn State, resources such as IMC, CPI and South Hills Business School are helpful yet, overall, there is not enough training for manufacturing. Be aware of this and plan accordingly.
Finally, do your homework. I have only mentioned a few resources but there are many others who will offer help and support for whatever level or type of business is being considered. Happy Valley is business-friendly with good intentions.
The trend of people driving success continues with Xact Metal, a top-ranked startup within the United States, changing the additive manufacturing industry with its proven, easy-to-use and cost-effective 3D metal printers. Xact Metal CEO Juan Mario Gomez says Xact Metal’s success all starts with the people that work for and with the company, and that’s all helped along by the company’s location in Happy Valley. It’s these same factors that have contributed to Xact Metal’s current success that will be vital as it expands its reach around the world.
What do you think is crucial to Xact Metal’s success moving forward and looking to the future?
As our business expands domestically and internationally, we will need to hire more people. Being in Happy Valley has allowed us to hire the right type of talent, partially because of our proximity to Penn State. We find that people who join Xact Metal want to work in a high-tech company that has a promising future, but is also located close to their families and where they grew up.
For business leaders either thinking of starting a business in Happy Valley, or moving a business to Happy Valley, what would your advice to them be, in terms of ensuring their success in the region?
Happy Valley is a great place to start a business or move a company. It is a high-tech area, has a skilled and professional workforce, is next to one of the best universities in the world, is located in a university town that offers many benefits, etc. My advice would be to get to know the town as there are many organizations willing to help startups and larger companies be successful in their pursuits.
Talk to any founder or business leader in Happy Valley about their powerful, success-driving workforces and you’ll notice one important thing. The key to keeping that workforce around is Happy Valley’s livability. With outdoor recreation aplenty, an affordable cost of living, big-city amenities like entertainment and a great food scene, there’s a lot for residents to love. The success that Hotel State College & Co. has recently seen is a testament to that.
In late 2019, Pat Croce & Company purchased Hotel State College & Co., bringing new life to iconic dining and hospitality spots in downtown State College, to rave reviews. Michael Croce, President at Pat Croce & Company, and Jeffrey Sorg, CEO, both Penn State alumni, are at the helm. Here’s what Croce had to say about their success boosting Happy Valley’s livability.
What do you credit for the Hotel State College & Co. venture's success thus far?
The timing of the opportunity was exciting to say the least; we took over at the end of 2019, less than three months before the pandemic took off. The silver lining of us not being open for business allowed us to accelerate our vision of the properties through investment, while essentially starting from scratch with a staff that really cared. We got to dive into the trenches with a wonderful group of people and re-launch the businesses to a town that was excited for us to be here. We also have a great partnership with our landlord that allows for us to think big when it comes to the progression of our Corner.
It's important to have a strong, positive relationship with both "Town and Gown." The local residents are the town's heartbeat throughout the year and are passionate about their community.
What do you think is crucial to the properties' success moving forward and looking to the future?
Hotel State College has been doing business in town for almost 100 years, which inherently means it's always adapted and evolved. As business leaders, we have to be mindful of trends and thinking about continuous improvement. The last thing we can do is get too comfortable, be stale and not continue to invest. Every year there is a new batch of customers arriving into town via the university and it's on us to come up with appealing offerings for them and their families.
For business leaders either thinking of starting a business in Happy Valley, or moving a business to Happy Valley, what would your advice to them be, in terms of ensuring their success in the region?
It's important to have a strong, positive relationship with both "Town and Gown." The local residents are the town's heartbeat throughout the year and are passionate about their community. Embrace the local community initiatives and schedule of events provided by entities such as the Downtown Improvement District, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the CBICC. Get to know the different department heads at Penn State and get involved with the educators and their activities throughout the semester. Lastly, get to know your neighboring businesses. There are plenty of pieces in this pie and together we can all continue to elevate Happy Valley's presence in Pennsylvania as a premier destination.
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